Author's Note: This is gonna be fairly short. I came up with this on a whim. I kind of miss Elliot a tad and I wanted to kind of incorporate him into the AU I created. Here goes nothing! Tell me what you think; reviews-anonymous or not-favorites, follows are all welcome here!

Start All Over

Olivia sits on her ex-partner's sofa with her son dangling precariously off her lap. He's reaching for a toy race car that is sitting on Elliot's coffee table dying for little Sammy to take control of it and claim it as his own. Liv wraps her arm around the toddler to stop him from scooting off any further. He, in turn, makes a sound of disapproval and continues reaching for the offending object. Just as he's really about to voice his opinion on the matter, Elliot's 3 year-old son—who she just recently found out existed—slides the car over to Sammy. Sammy smiles joyously and holds it in his grabby hand.

Liv sighs. "Sammy, why don't you get down and play with Ryan," she suggests sliding her hands underneath his armpits in preparation of putting him down.

He whines in return, wrapping his legs around hers.

"I'm not leaving you, bub. I'm going to be right here while you play," she assures him trying once more.

This time he allows her to put him down while glancing at her over his shoulder as if he's letting her know that he has his eyes on her. She gives him a smile and sets him down in front of Elliot's little boy. It only takes him a minute to get warmed up and once he realizes his mother is not moving, he lets himself enjoy his newfound companion.

"Sorry about that," Elliot says taking a seat next to Liv. "I had a little situation to take care of."

Olivia nods. She now knows all about his 'situation' thanks to the very thin walls that make up his small apartment and she's not sure she's entirely comfortable with being there now, 'play date' or not. She knows all too well about 'baby mama' drama—as they like to put it.

But he doesn't need to know all her internal, uncomfortable thoughts, so she shrugs it off. "It's fine."

He must know she's heard almost everything said on his end of the conversation, because he changes the subject.

". . . He looks just like you," Elliot states, almost to himself.

Olivia smiles and glances at her son. He's so content now, playing with Ryan that he's probably forgotten all about her. That stuff they say about toddlers and short attention spans? That goes double for her little rascal.

"Naw," she replies watching Sammy brush one of his dark curls away from his eye, "your opinion will change once you meet Nick."

"I'm guessing Nick is your—"

"Husband," Liv quickly throws in. She's not wearing her rings at the moment.

Elliot looks genuinely surprised.

"My rings are getting resized," she clarifies, her thumb rubbing the smooth tan-line of her left ring finger. It feels weird not to have them on.

"You're married? . . . Wow. Things have changed."

Liv chuckles at that. He has no idea. "That's what I say sometimes; wow. I don't think I could ever really picture myself in a relationship that would result in marriage. . . Not before I met Nick, anyway."

For some reason talking to Elliot is still easy, but different now because she doesn't feel like he's judging her. He's listening. Things have really changed.

"May I ask how you met Nick?" Elliot asks cautiously.

She chuckles again. "We met shortly after you left. . . He was my partner for a little bit."

Elliot's eyebrows rise in surprise. "Your partner?"

Liv nods. "Yea."

"You're full of surprises," he says, smirking at her. ". . .He a good guy? Good police?"

"Yes, and yes."

"You seem happy."

"I am happy," she corrects him.

"Mommy!" Sammy calls interrupting their moment. "Mommy, look!"

The little boy rams Mr. Potato Head directly into her face.

"I see, Sam."

"I bing to da-dee and Sella."

Liv smiles, but shakes her head. "That's not yours, bub; it's for Ryan. But we have one at home you can play with."

"I tell da-dee and Sella I pway wif it," he excitedly informs her then walks back to the other side of the table looking at it in awe.

Elliot snickers. "Who's 'Sella'?"

"Stella is my daughter. She and Nick drive me crazy with that toy. I find pieces of it everywhere."

"Wait, back up, you have another kid?"

"I have two other kids, Elliot; Stella and Zara."

"You can't keep dropping bombs like this on me."

"I'm sorry," Liv smiles. "Let me catch you up. Zara is Nick's daughter from his first marriage, I adopted her. Stella is 5 and Sammy, as you know, is 3."

"And they're yours."

"I have the stretchmarks to prove it."

They share a laugh.

"So. . . I thought you were done after Eli."

Elliot shakes his head, running a hand through his tussled hair. "I did too but after the," he sighs, "after the incident and Kathy and I separated, I kind of . . . lost my way and a little bit of my mind. Ryan's the end result."

"Happens to the best of us," she tells him taking a glance at Ryan. "He looks like you."

"I know. Let's just hope that he makes better choices."

Olivia really looks at her old partner. He's so different than the Elliot she used to know. He's so much more . . . mature? That, of course, is to be expected after almost 7 years of not being in contact with someone you spent over a decade of your life with. She knows he's not entirely happy, but she can tell that he's working toward it.

". . . Listen, Liv . . . I'm so sorry for leaving like I did. You deserved so much better—"

Liv stops him. "El," she begins looking down at her hands, "I'm not gonna lie and tell you that I wasn't so hurt and mad at you for not keeping in touch. I was, for a while. But . . . after everything that's happened in my life because of that decision you made—every good thing—how can I still be angry?"

She looks back at him with shining eyes.

"I forgive you. I know you're sorry and that's good enough for me. Now . . . let's move on and put it behind us."

Elliot looks relieved . . . and grateful. It's been weighing heavy on his heart and his mind for years now. He's been ashamed and that's why he could never bring himself to face her.

"Okay."

Liv gives him a small smile. "Okay."

". . . Liv?"

She looks at him.

". . . You think we'll ever get back. . ." he trails off.

She knows what he's trying to ask her, and that's the part that saddens her. She needed him then the way she needs Nick now.

". . . No . . . But we can be something different to eachother," she says hopefully.

And he agrees.

End

Disclaimer: I own nothing, nothing, nothing! But Stella, Sammy, and now, Ryan are mine, mine, mine!

Leave me some love ya'll!