Title: Before
Author: ZombieJazz
Fandom: Law & Order: SVU
Disclaimer: I don't own them. Law and Order SVU and its characters belong to Dick Wolf. The characters of Will (and his family) and Noah have been created and developed for the sake of this AU series.
Summary: Liv attempts a merry Christmas with her small son and neighbour friend. It proves a bit more complicated and less merry than she may have hoped. For the fans of my Undeserved stories who are in need of a Liv/Noah/Will AU fix. This is a stand-alone series of chapters that form an incomplete story that won't likely be updated. It is set about four months before UD.
Author's Notes: This story is part of the AU series that goes along with Undeserved and features Liv/Noah/Will. This series of chapters was written before Undeserved some time ago. It is set about four months before the start of UD and before Noah has cancer and before Liv/Will are in a defined relationship. These chapters are meant to stand-alone. They were written a year-ago and then it was decided that UD would start closer to Noah's diagnose and these were scrapped. I'll post the chapters over the next few days for those who need a Liv/Noah/Will fix. But please understand that this is an incomplete story and that it is not likely going to be updated at this time. However, fans of the series may enjoy the chapters for context and background on their relationship - and maybe it will hold you over until I update UD. For new readers, this AU series is for SVU fans and readers who want Olivia to have something that resembles a more normal life outside of work and a family of her own - hopefully somewhat realistically within the canon of SVU. Her relationship with Elliot is that of partner and protective older brother and colleague. It won't devolve from that - they aren't ever going to get together in this series. If you're an E/O shipper, you likely won't enjoy these stories. Please let me know what you think and if you distribute elsewhere.
Olivia pushed his feet off the couch when she'd returned from tucking Noah in again after he'd risen at his usual witching hour and stumbled into the living room bleary-eyed. This mother had guided him to the washroom and then back to bed – disappearing for about 15 minutes, before she returned and claimed her usual spot, tucking her feet under her and starring at the end of the local news.
He looked at her and looked around the room again. It was less than a week until Christmas and she still hadn't put up a tree and the only decorations to be seen were some construction paper creations hung on the fridge that Noah had created. Will doubted she'd even started her shopping.
"You and Noah should come to my parents' with me for Christmas," he hadn't even realized he'd said it out loud until she turned to catch his eye.
"I don't think so."
He looked back at the television. "Why not?"
"Because you make it sound so merry."
"It's not that bad," he stated. "I think Noah would like it. I think you would too. Big family Christmas."
She shook her head. "It's out of the way."
"Olivia, it's Staten Fucking Island." She made a meh sound. "It's a ferry ride."
She was quiet.
"Have you done any of your shopping yet?" He asked.
She shook her head.
"Have you decided what you're getting him yet?"
"Lego, dinosaur stuff, a book, clothes."
"Well that's pretty specific," he said sarcastically. "You think all of that is going to be easy to find in the week before Christmas?"
She looked at him. "Will, stop it."
He sighed. "You want to give me a list and I can go and look at some of the stores? Or at least I can call Greg and see if there's something at the shop he can set aside for you?"
"It's under control," she told him.
They were quiet for a while.
"You know my mom really likes you …"
"She doesn't know me."
"She wants to know you … and Noah. She's always asking why I don't bring you guys to any of the family functions – all of them – her, my dad, my brothers and my sister-in-laws."
"Will, you don't have reason to bring us and we don't have reason to go."
"You kind of do now," he said. "We're kind of … something … now," he ventured.
She looked at him. "Will, I don't know what we are. We're just us. Let's not make it more complicated than it already is."
His heart sank a bit.
"I should go," he said.
She watched him as he stood and felt badly.
"You don't have to go," she said. "It's just … can we change the topic."
"It's getting late anyways – it's a school night."
"School's out," she said – knowing the excuse really only applied to Noah and him and neither of them had classes in the morning. Noah's class could hardly be defined as class. And, taking her out of the equation - she had work but she was a night hawk anyways.
She sighed. "Noah would like it, if you're here in the morning. For breakfast."
It was an invitation and a peace offering – at least for the moment and then for the morning - though, indirect. Either way, he slunk back to the couch and slouched into it. She moved over so she was in his space, leaning against him – an effort to show she wasn't mad. He accepted it and pulled her a bit closer and pulled the blanket up and over both of them.