"Dutiful daughter, all my plans were laid, tendrils tucked into a woven braid. Growing up precocious sometimes means not growing up at all."

Being the daughter of SVU Captain Donald Cragen wasn't exactly easy. Most people thought you were spoiled, or just a plain ol' stuck-up brat, but that couldn't be further from the truth. You were kind, smart, and prettier than any angel a person could conjure in their mind (at least in your mom's opinion, of whom you saw way more than your dad, considering how time-consuming his job could be); more slightly sheltered, than naïve.

That was, at least, until you met Alex. Shortly before she joined the SVU team, as their go-to ADA for cases, you started earning your doctorate degree at Columbia. Originally, your dad (and the rest of the team; Olivia Benson, Elliot Stabler, John Munch, Finn Tutuola, and occasionally Dr George Huang, and M.E. Melinda Warner) weren't her biggest fans, but stated civil(ish...); though, over time, she slowly began being fully accepted into the team's dynamic.

During this time, you'd also gotten closer to her. It started a few weeks after she first joined the team, when you came to the office to have lunch with your dad (something you tried to do regularly), and were first formally introduced. From that moment onwards, her name lived rent free in your mind; Alexandra Cabot. The second time you saw her, was when you accidently bumped into her, while heading out of the precinct, and towards the elevator, stumbling over your own words to try and get the words "I'm so sorry" out of your mouth in the right order, offering to buy her a coffee after managing to do so, as an apology, which she first declined; only changing her mind when you insisted upon it.

The third time (on your "not-a-date" coffee date), was during an afternoon you both had free, when you started to get to know each other properly. Nothing too deep, or anything that would be classed as 'trauma dumping' - just the small things; how she took her coffee (and finding that she favoured tea more, due to suffering with insomnia and migraines), if she had any siblings or pets, her favourite book, favourite movie, etc. Then, when it drew near to early evening, and you'd both nursed your drinks to the point they'd turned stone cold, you (reluctantly) said your goodbyes. But not before Alex managed to worm her way into your mind, yet again, by asking you out to dinner the following week, in the most dorkily charming way possible. The dinner of which ended up with you both back at her, indulging yourselves in each other for dessert.

That was 4 months ago, and ever since then you had fallen even deeper for her. Despite keeping it a secret from everyone (including your dad), you'd never felt happier. Something about being with Alex (the way she always sat and listened to you ramble, or when she helped you wash your hair and get ready for bed when you'd had a bad day, and especially how she always handled you and your feelings with so much care and fragility that it almost made you question if you truly were made out of glass), had you feeling more seen and loved than ever before.

All was going great, until you stupidly wore one of Alex's work-blazers while tracking your dad down to the blonde's office at the DA's office, and acting a bit too familiar with her, for him to just brush it off. To his credit, he did wait until shutting the door, before fully exploding.

"I don't know where I should start-! She's a decade older than you, for one!" Cragen scolded, talking to you, about Alex, as if she wasn't in the room with you two.

"I'm aware of that, Dad." You started, using your attitude as a front to hide your emotions.

"That's even worse!" He yelled, his patience wearing thin. "Y'know what, I forbid you from seeing each other."

"W- No, please- But Daddy, I love her!" You shouted, catching both Alex and Cragen off-guard, tears filling your eyes at thought of not being allowed to see her anymore.

"You w- You're what?" Your dad replied, his anger fizzling out slightly.