A/N: We all make mistakes, and we try, as adults, to ensure that our children don't follow our path, and make the same errors. Sometimes, trying isn't enough.

DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and characters, but he certainly didn't create 'em like this. TStabler© did. Story and contents belong to her. Thanks.

"Do you need anything, sweetie?" Olivia asked, pulling the covers over Maureen. They had taken her home from the hospital, and it took everything Olivia had to keep Elliot from going with Fin and Munch to get Nick. She had to hold him back and convince him that they just needed to get Maureen home and into bed.

"I'm fine, Livia," Maureen said, yawning. "Thank you for being here."

"No where else I'd rather be," Olivia said with a smile. She brushed the blonde's hair back and kissed her forehead.

"Livia?" Maureen questioned, "Are you gonna be here when I wake up?"

Olivia was stunned. She hadn't really thought about staying the night, not in the same house with Elliot. "Do you want me to be?" she asked, feeling safer if the choice was made by someone other than her.

Maureen nodded. "Yes," she said.

"Then I will be," Olivia promised. She rose off the bed and turned out the light, not expecting to run into Elliot in the hallway. "Jesus," she whispered harshly when she bumped into him. "Sorry."

"No, it was me," Elliot said. "I was just watching you with her. You're amazing, you know that?"

Olivia looked away from him, trying not to blush, trying not to take it the wrong way. Or the right way. "She's an amazing girl, El. You know I love your kids."

"I know that," Elliot said, smiling. "Uh, you're staying, then?"

"I don't have to," Olivia said, turning back to face him as they walked down the stairs. "I can go home. Just call me before she wakes up and I'll…"

"Stay?" Elliot asked, softly. "I'd like you to stay, Liv. You gotta keep me from cracking up, here."

Olivia took a deep breath and nodded. "I think I've got clothes in the car."

"You do," Elliot said. "The bag we never unpacked from that undercover gig last month. Half of them are still clean."

"Right," Olivia said, chuckling at the memory. "Cragen failed to tell us that the rapist lived in a nudist colony. Thank god we caught him before we had to start trying to fit in."

"Wouldn't have been that bad," Elliot said, smirking. He would have loved to see her naked.

Olivia raised an eyebrow at him and chuckled. "You're such a guy."

"I am," Elliot admitted. "Do you want a cup of coffee? I don't think either of us are going to sleep much anyway."

"That'd be great," Olivia replied, taking a seat on the couch. "Are you okay, El?"

Elliot nodded. "I'm dealing," he said. "I wouldn't be if you weren't here, you know that, don't you? I would have broken down in that hospital. You kept me calm. I owe you one."

"You don't owe me anything," Olivia said, reaching up to take the mug of coffee Elliot was handing her. She felt herself tense up when he sat next to her, closer than he normally would.

"I owe you a lot," Elliot said, looking into her eyes. "Really, I don't know what I would do without you, Liv," he said, his body moving ever-so-slowly toward her.

"You'll never find out, El," Olivia said, remaining perfectly still. Their lips were barely a centimeter apart, Elliot was still moving closer, his heart sped up and then stopped altogether. This was it. This was going to be epic.

"Dad?"

Olivia backed away quickly and lifted the mug to her lips, cursing the burning liquid as it slid down her throat.

Elliot turned. "Hey, Katie."

"What's Olivia still doing here?" Kathleen asked. "It's almost three in the morning."

Elliot nodded. "Yeah, she, uh, she's helping out with Mo, and she's gonna stay here for a while."

"Stay here, like, sleepover? How long is a while?" Kathleen asked, folding her arms.

"As long as I need her to," Elliot said. His eyes widened and he cleared his throat. "We, me and Maureen, and you guys. There's a lot that's gonna be happening around here, and we're gonna need help." He sounded so nervous, his voice was shaky, and his hand, usually steady, was trembling.

Kathleen rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Dad," she said. "Where is she gonna sleep?"

"The couch," Olivia answered, her burnt tongue aching. "I'm gonna stay right here, on the couch," she said, nodding and smiling at Elliot's second oldest child.

"Good," Kathleen said. "Last thing we need around here is two pregnant girls."

"Kathleen!" Elliot gasped.

"What?" Kathleen spat. "You're telling me you're not sleeping with her?"

Elliot, shocked and slightly embarrassed, said, "No, I'm not!"

"Mom said you were," Kathleen said, grumbling.

Elliot shook his head. "Your mother lied to you, Katie. I'm not sleeping with…I'm not with…no, just…no."

"Right," Kathleen said, shaking her head. "Whatever, good night." She turned and walked back up the stairs to her room, and when Olivia and Elliot heard the door close, they both let out a harsh sigh.

"Are you okay?" Elliot asked, taking the mug from her. "God, I am so sorry about that. She had no right to…"

"It's okay," Olivia said, her hand running over her lips, trying to sooth the pain in her mouth. "I know what Kathy thinks about me, and I know what she's telling your kids."

"Katie's the only one who believes her," Elliot assured Olivia.

Olivia nodded. She was thankful for the interruption. She sat, staring at the coffee mug on the table. "Well, uh, you should probably try to get some sleep."

Elliot blinked a few times, rapidly. "Yeah," he sighed. "Right. I'll go get you a blanket, and a pillow, and…I'll be right back." He got up and walked down the hall, coming back a moment later with a folded quilt, a fluffy pillow, and a pair of black sweatpants. "Here," he said. "You don't have anything to sleep in, in that bag. They'll be a little big, but they're comfortable."

Olivia nodded, then she chuckled. "Not exactly how I pictured myself getting into your pants," she joked.

Elliot laughed and widened his eyes. Then he narrowed them. "Dirty mind, Liv."

"I get it from you," Olivia said, walking into the downstairs bathroom.

Elliot sighed as he watched her go. He had so much he wanted to tell her, but he didn't think now would be a good time. She agreed to help him with this horrible situation, and he didn't want her to think that hitting on her was his way of thanking her. He gasped when she came out of the bathroom, in his pants, loosely slung on her hips. She looked oddly sexy, it must have been the fact that her legs, and other parts of her anatomy, were in his clothes, touching the same fabric that he would be wearing again, eventually.

"They're a bit large," Olivia said, tugging them up, "But you're right. They are really comfortable. Thanks."

Elliot nodded, unable to find his voice. "Good night," he croaked, finally.

"You don't have to, uh, I mean, if you want to stay out here and talk, that's okay. I'm not really tired, I just…I was worried that you might…"

"You were worried about me?" Elliot asked, his throat still dry. "Liv, I'm…" he sat on the couch, on top of the blanket. He watched Olivia walk over and sit next to him. "I'm scared," he admitted. "She's three months pregnant, and this house if just not ready for a baby, and I'm not old enough to be a grandfather. So many things could go wrong with her and the baby, because she's so young, Liv. She is so fucking young. I'm terrified."

Olivia sighed. "I know you are," she said. "I'm scared, too, believe me. I'm not sure there's anything else I can do, but tell you that you're gonna be fine. You and Maureen and this baby are gonna be just fine. It's scary, and it's a little sad, but it's…I dunno…it's kind of exciting."

"Exciting?" Elliot asked, surprised.

"A baby, El," Olivia said, awe in her voice. "A new little life, a life that your daughter created, that's got your blood running through its little veins. A new little Stabler. You'll get to teach him, if it's a boy, how to play baseball, how to ride his bike, how to be the man that you are, El. If it's a girl, you'll get to help her with piano lessons, you'll watch her in dance recitals, and teach her how to be strong and independent, and you'll teach her how to be the woman that…"

"You are," Elliot finished for her. "I'd want her to be like you. Only you would see the good in this," he said, amazed.

"I've just thought about it, a lot. How you would do it, that's all," Olivia said, suddenly looking away.

"You've thought about how I would raise my grandchild?" Elliot asked, hoping that's not what she meant.

Olivia shook her head and closed her eyes. "I thought about how you would raise…" she paused, chuckling slightly at the stupidity of her thoughts. "I want kids, El, you know that," she said, smiling. "I've always been jealous of you for that, ya know? You and Kathy had this wonderful family. I saw you with your kids, all the time. You're such a fabulous father, you are, and I found myself wishing that…if I ever had a child, that you would…"

"Help you raise it?" Elliot asked, surprised.

Olivia laughed at herself. She had actually hoped that he would be the father, but beggars couldn't be choosers, and she wasn't going to tell him her real dream. "Yeah," she said. "Something like that."

"You know I would," Elliot said, his brow furrowing. "You're not pregnant, are you?" he asked, suddenly very scared.

"God, no," Olivia said, her eyes wide. "There's absolutely no chance…no…I'm not. You're off the hook," she said with a laugh, trying to keep their mood light and playful.

Elliot let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, and he chuckled. "Well, uh, in a way I'm relieved, but you know you'd be an incredible mother."

Olivia shrugged and sipped her coffee, now cool enough to drink. "I hope so," she said. "Not like I'll ever find out," she muttered, gulping the coffee again.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Elliot asked, concerned.

"Face it, El," Olivia sighed. "As long as I've got this job, any chance of a successful relationship just doesn't exist. No one could put up with my hours, the cases we work on that I wouldn't be able to talk about, the days and nights I'd have to spend with you which would give any man the impression I'm sleeping with you. That's why your marriage failed, it's why all my relationships, meaningless though they were, ended. It's hopeless. Unless I start dating Fin or Munch or…I don't know…you."

Elliot stared at her, as if he expected her to sprout wings and fly away. "It's not hopeless," he said softly.

"Feels like it sometimes," Olivia scoffed, sipping the last of her coffee. She found herself yawning, despite the caffeine, and caught Elliot staring at her. "What?" she asked, folding her arms.

Saying nothing, Elliot moved the blanket, fanned it out in front of him and grabbed Olivia. He leaned back, spreading out on the couch, and pulled Olivia down with him, wrapping one arm around her and throwing the blanket over them with the other. "You're tired," he said, "And I don't wanna sleep alone tonight."

Surprised, but thrilled, Olivia relaxed and let him hold her close to him. She shifted around, making herself comfortable, and said, "Honestly, neither do I."

"Liv, what you're doing, being here with me, being here for my daughter, I don't know how to thank you," Elliot whispered to her.

"You don't have to thank me," Olivia whispered back. "You're my partner, my best friend, my…" she broke off. There was a moment of stillness, silence.

"Your what?" Elliot asked, nudging her, cupping her chin in one hand to turn her head up, forcing her to face him. "Liv?"

"My family," she whispered, her voice cracking. "My life."

The tension built again. The swirling, churning feeling in his stomach built up, the queasiness escalated in hers, as they stared, silently and sternly into each other's eyes. Elliot tugged lightly on her chin, telling her he wanted her closer. She obliged, her heart pounding. "You're my everything, Liv," he said. "That's what I was trying to tell you at the station, before Mo called. I was trying to tell you how much I…I just couldn't find the words, and then Maureen…did you just tell me you feel the same way?"

Olivia pressed her lips together tightly, closed her eyes, and nodded. She felt his lips on hers, softly kissing her, a chaste, closed mouth kiss that send shivers and heat through her body. She opened her eyes and looked at him. He looked scared, unsure, and afraid she was going to smack him. Instead, Olivia's eyes twinkled at him and she rested her head on his chest. "Good night, El," she whispered.

"Good night, Liv," Elliot whispered back, running his hand through her hair lovingly.

A few moments later, she heard a sniffle and popped her head back up. "El?"

He looked back at her with red, wet eyes. "What are we gonna do, Livvy?" he asked, his voice cracking. "She's just a little girl," he cried, looking up at the ceiling.

"Oh, God," Olivia gasped, wiping his eyes. "We'll get through this, I promise. It's gonna be okay. We can do this."

"We?" Elliot sniffled.

Olivia nodded. "All of us. We'll be fine. I swear, El, whatever you need, I will give or get. I'm here, in this, right here with you. So…we."

Elliot choked out a sobbing laugh. "You've already given me what I need," he said, closing his eyes and bringing her head down to rest against his. He nuzzled her nose as he cried, and she held him, running her fingers through his short hair, calming him down. Having her with him made him better, made his life a little less dark. He had no idea that he was doing the same for her.

A/N: What had been going on in Olivia's life that Elliot's making better? How will a day of shopping and baby-planning affect them? And what will happen when they wake up in each other's arms? Find out, with reviews you shall get answers!