Author's Note: Hi everyone. As some of you may already know, I am a huge Bensaro fan (I also like Bensidy stories as well), since there aren't enough Nick/Olivia fics to go around, I decided to create one of my own. This is my first fanfic, so I would really appreciate your reviews and any constructive criticisms you may have.

This is a Nick/Olivia fic all the way. I will be mentioning Elliot throughout the story, but all references made to E/O will be friendship related only.

**Special thanks to my beta, Liv Cassidy, for taking time out of her busy schedule to critique my work.**

And now...on with the show. Enjoy!

Cat·a·lyst - \'ka-til-ist\ - noun. An agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action.

(Buddhist value: Like a lotus flower that grows out of the mud and blossoms above the muddy water surface, we can rise above our sufferings of life.)

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray..." - Ricky Nelson

February 2, 2015 9:35 am—Church of St. Paul the Apostle

The sky is streaked and swirls with gray clouds; the somber weather perfectly echoing the heavy mood of the day. The usual healthy glow of Olivia's tanned skin is marred by the deep frown that hangs across her face.

Nick wordlessly slips his hand into hers, interlocking their fingers, before giving hers a light squeeze. He instantly feels her grip tighten, and he pulls her into a loving embrace.

"Thank you for being here with me," Olivia whispers. "I don't know if I'd be able to get through today without you."

Olivia puts both arms around him and holds on for dear life, as she sobs into the crook of his neck and shakes uncontrollably. He rubs circles into her back in a vain attempt to calm her down.

"Liv...baby...breathe." He coaxes her as the sobs begin to turn into hiccups and eventually trail off altogether.

"Are you sure you can handle this?" Nick questions, lightly caressing her cheek with one hand and her burgeoning bump with the other. "Maybe someone else should give the eulogy. You know that stress isn't good for you or the babies." He empathizes with her grief, but the health of his wife and his unborn twins are his utmost priority.

Olivia closes her eyes, brushing off his concern with a small wave of her hand, "I know you're only looking out for me, but I have to do this. Today is heartbreaking enough, I don't want to reflect on this day years later, with any additional sadness or regret," she says wearily.

"I still don't think—"

She silences his concern with a sweet kiss, a strategy he often uses when he wants to quickly and effectively quiet her. She runs her fingertips through his thick mane and firmly grips the base of his skull with both hands, slipping her tongue into his mouth. The kiss is intense and full of emotion; tender and loving mingled with the sour notes of sadness.

She pulls away, carefully scanning the area for onlookers. As much as she loves her overprotective husband, she feels somewhat guilty about sharing such a passionate kiss on this day.

"I'll be fine." she says, her voice wavering, as her mocha colored eyes meet his dark brown ones. They share a meaningful look, and he snakes his arm around her waist.

She steadies herself, doing her best to channel her inner "Badass Benson." She takes a deep breath and exhales slowly, squeezing her eyes shut in an attempt to quell the choking sob in the back of her throat. "Alright, let's go. It's now or never." she says as they slowly make their way down the hall.

A/N: This chapter is short, but it's supposed to be because it's setting the mood for the rest of the story. The rest of the chapters will be longer.

Feel free to leave a review!