When I Lay Our Baby Down
Chapter 3 Surprise
"Elliot Hurry" Olivia called to him, "They're driving up right now."
"Liv, my tie." He walked to her quickly, "Save me." He smiled.
"Your hopeless." She laughed as he pinned her gently against the front door and kissed her. "Elliot they're on the porch." She squirmed.
"Think Munch and Fin have any bets going on?" He asked grazing her breast.
"Oh spare up!" a voice called through the door causing Olivia to blush and Elliot to finally break away and allow the company to come in.
"Geez, you all fit in one car?" He laughed watching Fin and Munch enter followed by Casey and Paul and heading up the tail was Cragen.
"No," Fin smirked, "While you two were playing tonsil hockey, the rest of the them pulled up."
"Well, it's good to see you all, I've missed you." Olivia shared embraces with her friends and offered them drinks to which they momentarily declined because they were still on call for work.
"Where's my nephew?" John asked clapping his hands and looking the room over.
"He's asleep." Olivia raised a brow suggesting he not wake him up.
"Oh man. I had a theory I wanted to run by him." Munch smacked his lips in disappointment.
"John," Cragen warned with a smile, "Don't you dare corrupt my only grandbaby."
"What?" Munch asked clearly offended but smiling, "He's the only one that listens anymore."
"That's 'cause he can't tell you to shove it." Fin chimed in.
"Hey, now," Olivia offered a smile, "No blood on the floor, dinner is on the table." She ushered them to the table and watched as her friends that had been with her through one of the most trying years of her life smiled and laughed with one another.
Olivia was just about to sit when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it." She smiled.
"I can get it," Elliot stood, "Who else is suppose to be here anyway?"
"Relax Elliot, it's a surprise, can you go check on Isaac please?" she kissed his cheek and retreated to the door as her guests looked at one another in confusion.
"I'm glad you made it, I think they are going to die." Olivia whispered, "Wait right here."
Olivia returned to see Elliot passing Isaac to Cragen as everyone else called dibs on the next holding session. "Hey guys," Olivia got their attention. "I want to introduce you to someone," Olivia eyes Casey who smiled as Olivia's partner in crime for the evening.
Elliot took his seat as Olivia called out, "Come on in…Alex."
It's been said that if you are very quiet and you listen intently you can hear eyelids click when they blink, if that were true, there would have been a steady rhythm produced when Alex walked into the dinning room.
"Holy hell." Cragen whispered and then cringed realizing he still held Isaac.
"Hello to you too Don." She smiled. "Got room for one more?" She laughed and laid claim to a free seat.
"Surprise!" Olivia chuckled at the men's' expressions and at Paul who still smiled in spite of being in the dark.
Cragen passed Isaac to Casey who took great delight in sharing him with Paul. Olivia saw Casey's eyes beam and was happy to know that Isaac was living up to him name bringing laughter into their dark world.
As the friends caught up on Alex's life and shared their own, Casey interrupted.
"Well Liv, we all have a surprise for you and Elliot." She laughed.
"Huh?" Elliot and Olivia answered in unison.
"Yep," Fin smiled holding Isaac, "We got the kid and you and Elliot got the rest of the night out."
"What?" Olivia smiled, "Guys, we can't leave Isaac."
"Come on Liv," Elliot encouraged her, "We haven't been out on a date since Isaac was born, it'll be fun."
"What if he gets hungry?" She protested as Elliot pulled her up from her chair.
"Then they'll use the breast milk in the refrigerator." He smiled
"But, what if he needs a diaper change?" She offered another excuse.
"Liv-" Cragen interrupted, "I'm sure one of use six can figure it out, go…it's an order Olivia."
"Yeah Liv," Alex smiled, "Well play catch up here and you two…well….you can play what ever you want." She winked at them.
Olivia opened a drawer laughing at Alex's remark and her own paranoia. "Fine." She took a pen and wrote quickly. "His doctor is Dr. Hollan, here's his number and our cell phones poison control is on the fridge with first and police-"
"Olivia," Fine interjected, "In case you haven't noticed, were all cops here who happen to already know your cell phone numbers, now get the hell out of your house." He smiled, "And have a nice time."
Elliot and Olivia finally found their way out of their home when Elliot stopped dead in his tracks.
"What's wrong?" Olivia asked handing him the car keys.
"Hold on." Elliot turned and opened the door peeking his head through and yelling "Munch – Fin."
"Yeah?" Came the unison cry.
"Don't break anything! And don't loose my kid!" he laughed before finally leaving.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"I'm so stuffed!" Olivia laughed as they walked out of the restaurant.
"What!" Elliot was shocked, "I think that's the first time I've ever heard you say that!" he laughed and pulled her closer to him as they walked.
"I think Casey got us back." Olivia smirked
"You think she's been planning it?"
"Oh, yeah, she's as sly outside of the courtroom as she is inside of the courtroom." She chuckled.
"What do you want to do Liv?" He asked her looking at his watch knowing they were defiantly on borrowed time.
"You know what?" she embraced his arm tighter, "I just want to walk with you."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Well, it's getting late and I have to be in front of the Morrison Commission in the morning." Cragen stood, "I've got to go."
"So, do I." Fin fought back a yawn as he stood.
"Wait what about the kid?" Munch protested looking at Alex.
"Sorry John, I start my new job tomorrow and I need sleep." Alex slipped her coat on.
"Ah, we got him." Paul laughed, "Go home – I'm off tomorrow and Casey isn't do in court until nine." He explained.
"Well you don't have to offer twice." Munch followed the crowd out leaving Casey and Paul in charge of the infant.
Paul scooped the tiny boy in his arms and sat next to Casey. "He's beautiful" Paul smiled.
"Yep, lucky he doesn't take after his father." Casey smiled jokingly as she rested her head on Paul's shoulder and looked down at the innocence they held.
"Hey Case?" he whispered.
"Yeah?" she yawned.
"Want to try for one?" He whispered.
"One what?" she closed her eyes.
"A baby…want to try for another one?"
Casey's eyes flew open, "Um, I don't know, I hadn't thought about it, were still in counseling, and I think we should take one thing at a time-"
"Will you just think about it?" he asked softly interrupting her million and one excuses.
Casey smiled and kissed him softly on the cheek, "Yeah, I will."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Elliot and Olivia laughed quietly on the porch of their home noticing that the men's cars were gone but Casey's remained. "Poor Paul didn't have a getaway car." Elliot laughed pulling Olivia close to him and kissing her softly. "I had a really nice time Liv." He smiled.
"Want to come in with me?" She smiled and wiggled her brows as if they were on a first date.
"Why Mrs. Stabler, what would your husband think?" he smiled into a kiss.
Olivia grazed her hips over his and smiled, "I don't' think he'd mind."
"Whoa" Elliot pulled away "Don't get me too happy, we got company in the house." He laughed softly as Olivia quietly opened the door incase her company was asleep, and motioned for Elliot to be quiet as well.
Olivia turned the corner of the hall to see Paul sound asleep on one couch while Casey sat Indian style on the floor in front of Isaac who was propped up in the oversized chair. Olivia smiled at Elliot as they watched their friend give Isaac his first lesson in law.
"All right Isaac," she spoke seriously as if he could comprehend her ramblings. "You want to size up your jury as best you can, and how do you do that?" she asked sounding almost as if she were expecting him to answer. Olivia smiled watching Isaac clueless and helpless face as Casey continued. "That's right," she played with his pajama laden feet. "You build the jury, if it's a female defendant try to get male jurors, if it's someone with an insanity defense you want to get people who you feel may not buy into it, you understand what I mean right?" she tilted her head to the side.
Elliot and Olivia covered there mouths in order not to laughed hysterically as Isaac fought sleep and Casey continued, "Now, when you secure a search warrant, you got to pick the right judge especially when-"
"Casey!" Olivia finally laughed out loud, "I think Isaac is a little young to learn how to secure a search warrant."
"Ha!' Casey stood taking Isaac into her embrace. "Let me tell you something Isaac, you're never to young to get a leg up on Judge Petoskey."
Elliot laughed in an effort not to wake Paul up in a start as he reached for his son. "Give me him before you scare him into becoming a defense attorney."
"How'd it go?" Olivia asked noticing that they had even cleaned up the dinner dishes.
"It was fun but Isaac wore Paul out." She laughed rubbing Paul's back lightly to wake him up.
"Oh Case, honey, I'm sorry I dozed." He sat up and adjusted his glasses.
"Dozed?" She scoffed," Your lucky there wasn't an avalanche with that snoring.
Olivia winced at Casey's cruel humor, "Ouch," but noticed that Paul took it in stride.
"Well," Paul wrapped his arm around Casey, and gave a suggesting look at Elliot, "We'd better let you too…finish up." He laughed kissing Casey on the cheek and ushering her to the door.
When the door closed Elliot smirked, "Somebody is rushing off to have sex tonight."
"Elliot!" Olivia slapped his arm then smiled, "You think those two are…ah…. tonight?"
Elliot laughed, "Oh, yeah."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Elliot and Olivia lay in bed facing one another in their nightclothes as Isaac lay between them.
"He looks like you Liv." Elliot smiled.
"You think so, with the blond hair and blue eyes he's got going?"
"He's got your nose and bone structure, kid's gonna be a heart breaker to the ladies." Elliot laughed gently as they watched their son fight sleep. "He's even stubborn like you."
"What?" she feigned hurt.
"Yep, fights everything, even sleep." He smiled.
"I'll put him down." She laughed scooping up her precious cargo and taking him to his crib. Elliot followed her slowly knowing she would be too consumed with Isaac to notice. He leaned against the doorframe and watched as she softly laid him down and paused with a smile, before speaking, "I love you little guy."
"Liv?" he whispered as she pulled the comforter over him.
"Yeah?" she walked back to him.
"Can I ask you something?" he rested his hands on her hips.
"Sure, what's up?" she flipped the light switch off and lead him out of the room and into their own.
"What do you think about when you lay Isaac down?" he asked as they packed a diaper bag for his first day at a babysitter's that Cragen had recommended and even provided Olivia with a background check…at her request of course.
"What do you mean?" she asked tossing him a pack of pampers.
"Liv, I've watched you lay Isaac down since we brought him home and you always have that dopey look on your face." He teased her tossing the pampers that he didn't need back to her. When he realized she hadn't made an attempt to catch them he looked up and saw that her smile had faded as she folded tiny clothes and stacked them for Elliot to stow in the bag.
"Liv? Did I upset you? I didn't mean to?" he closed the distance between them, "Talk." He whispered taking the tiny socks from her hand and drawing her to the bed with him. "Don't close up Olivia." He whispered.
"Elliot," She faced him, "It's been an intense year and when I lay our baby down, I think, just for a second, that the world is okay. I think that I'm grateful you waited for me and he has a father-" her voice broke, "who isn't cruel and evil."
Elliot bowed his head unable to endure the pain that was written on her face as she spoke.
"I use to think if he knew me he would have to love me in spite of how I was conceived, then when I found him and I knew what he'd done to me, I knew he was never going to love me, it just would never happen."
"Liv? Can I ask you something hard?" he asked taking her hand.
"Yeah."
"What hurts you more? The fact that you never knew him but wanted to love him or the fact that he knew you and still didn't love you?"
"I don't know…I think they both hurt, I'm just not sure which one is more hurtful, I'm just glad Isaac has you." She leaned into him.
"I loved Isaac the minute he came onto the scene." Elliot offered a weak laugh as he felt the foreboding creep further into his soul.
A/N: REEEEEVVVVVUUUUUEEEEEE