A/N: Christmas three-shot! YAY! I couldn't be more happy that I finished this before Christmas, considering my fanfiction is hardly ever updated. I thought it was going to be a one-shot, but it slowly grew into this. In my eyes, it starts around season eight-ish.. the twins still not teenagers yet.. maybe twelve at the most.. but Olivia still has her current season eleven hairstyle. Eli never existed, and Kathy and Elliot's divorce was final the first time. We can dream, can't we? Merry Christmas to all of you! Read and review, pretty please!

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It was nearly seven thirty in the evening on Christmas Eve, and the 16th precinct was dead quiet. Mostly everyone had scurried home to spend the night with their family, but Elliot and Olivia were still there, finishing up paperwork and organizing files of recent cases. Much to his surprise, Elliot had completed it earlier than usual, while Olivia was still scribbling and typing like mad. He could have left, but the thought of leaving her there alone on what was supposed to be a day of love and family togetherness stopped him. Instead, he pulled out a couple of gifts from the large bottom drawer of his desk to amuse himself.

Olivia looked up. "Why do you have those here?" she asked, raising an eyebrow while typing up her DD-5's.

The question took Elliot by surprise. "Oh, I just have to put the tags on these ones for the kids." he pointed towards the half a dozen presents in the drawer and a few he had set on his desk. "I can't think of a better time then now."

"You don't think it would be easier to do at home..?" she seemed slightly offended, and Elliot sensed it.

"Are you okay?" Elliot asked softly.

Olivia froze and her eyes shifted from left to right. "Yeah.. why..?"

Elliot shrugged. "No reason."

She didn't say anything in response, she just shoved a good size of paper into a folder and placed it on the corner of her desk. Elliot kept thinking as he neatly wrote Lizzie's name on a paper tag.

Envy? Maybe that's what it was. Olivia didn't have any family, and the few good friends she had would be with their families. A beautiful woman like her, alone for Christmas? he thought to himself. To say the least, it wasn't right.

He suddenly had an idea. Kathy had travelled down to the tropics and was spending Christmas there, so Elliot and his four children would be enjoying each others company all together during the holidays, which did not happen often. The thought of Olivia having fun and laughing with him and his children on such a joyous day made Elliot feel like he was on cloud nine, even to the extent that had to cover his mouth with his hand to hide his grin from her. The only problem was, he also knew that bringing it up wasn't going to be simple.

Elliot ran a hand along his face as he stood up and sat on the edge of Olivia's desk. She looked up at him, waiting for Elliot to say whatever it was he wanted to say.

Olivia's eyes widened at the uncomfortable silence. "What?"

He knew his best option was just to blurt it out, hoping she would understand his intentions.

"Where are you spending Christmas, Liv?" Olivia felt his voice, it was full of concern and care. Her face fell, and her mouth dropped open slightly. She tried so hard to find the words, but they were nowhere to be found. She laughed nervously and scratched her brow.

"Probably here." she finally spilled. Elliot frowned. She spoke again, still sorting folders. "It's no big deal though, I'll just get an early start with all the work everyone will catch up on during the New Year."

Elliot nodded and walked away from her. He poured himself a cup of coffee, most likely the last one until he headed home.

"You know, Liv.. I've been thinking..."

"What was the occasion?" she teased, cocking an eyebrow and giving him a half smile from across the room.

"Very funny." he replied, putting the coffee pot back. "But seriously.." Elliot said walking back to where he sat on her desk before.

"Well, I mean.. it's just me and the kids this Christmas and.." he trailed off.

Olivia's stomach tightened and she held her breath. She greatly anticipated what he was going to ask her, but she didn't want to get her hopes up either.

"And..?" she looked away and pretended to be focused on something listed on the computer screen so it didn't seem that she was hanging desperately onto every one of his words.

Elliot put his mug down and crossed his arms. ".. and I was wondering if you'd like to join us tonight, as well as Christmas day."

Olivia gasped silently and sucked in a deep breath through her nose. She pressed her lips together firmly and her chin dimpled as she tried to control her sudden flood of emotions. Elliot just watched her gleefully, guessing an offer like the one he just gave to her was something she had never experienced before.

Olivia blinked a few times before she looked up at him with glossy eyes and a big, grateful smile on her face. "I would love to."

Elliot was beaming, and Olivia was so overjoyed, she couldn't help but giggle. Elliot stepped toward her and rubbed her shoulder. "Cool, the kids will be so glad to see you." Olivia smiled wide and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. Elliot hesitated before he finished.. "... and I will too."

She grinned in response and watched Elliot walk back over to his side of the desk. He started packing up his things and all the presents in a large paper bag. "Oh, and for the past few years.. the kids and I all put down that huge mattress in my living room and sleep there Christmas Eve, so bring your pajamas."

Olivia agreed and made a mental note of how cute it was to have such a tradition. She continued to go back and forth between typing and organizing all the stray papers around her workspace. Her head was in the clouds, so most of the work was being done absentmindedly. She already had an unexplained peaceful feeling in her heart, and she hadn't even stepped foot in his condo.

Elliot shut off his computer and slipped on his coat before walking over to the sink and dumping out his coffee.

"Okay, I'm gonna head home. See you later."

She nodded and flashed him a smile. "Sure." Elliot locked the bottom drawer of his desk and picked up the paper bag full of presents for the next morning. He was almost through the door to the hallway when he heard her voice.

"Wait.. El?" she stood up.

"Yeah?" he called.

"What time did you want me to come over?"

"Any time you'd like. Maureen drove the kids over earlier to decorate... they've been hanging out there for a couple hours now. I'm just gonna run home and put our presents under the tree."

"Okay!" she sat back down as he turned and headed for the elevators.

Olivia waited a few moments until she heard his footsteps fade down the hall. She suddenly spun around in her chair, and pumped her fists in the air with the biggest grin she was sure she had ever had on her face. Immediately, she began packing up quickly and shoving papers wherever there was an empty spot. Olivia knew she had to pack, shower and look decent before she headed over to Elliot's house.

She threw her coat on and grabbed her things before shutting the lights off in the precinct, and literally running out of the doors. She was more excited than she had ever been to finally have a real Christmas.