Bit of a short cute chapter this one with the kids.

Chapter 7

"Everything okay?" asked Olivia as they walked down to the car.

"Yeah…..fine" he said not wanting to let Olivia know what the Captain said; the decision to come back would need to be his choice and only his. As they reached the car Elliot's phone rang.

"Hey Maureen, what's up?"

"Hi Dad, do you fancy meeting up with me and Kat for a coffee and chat?

"Err yeah sure, where abouts"

"How about the café in the park we always go to in about an hour"

"Yeah sure we are just leaving the station house to head to Fins place"

"Fins place…..why? Never mind tell me when we see you, and bring Liv"

"Ok sweetheart see you soon"

Olivia looked at Elliot.

"Maureen and Kat want to meet for a coffee, do you mind. If you don't want to I can drop you off at home first."

"No I will join you; it seems daft going home if I'm coming to fins for pizza and beer"

"Great" he smiled pulling away. The drove to the park and climbed out the car into the sunshine and walked down to the café. As they walked side by side Elliot reached across and nervously took hold of Olivia's hand. He looked over at her.

"You don't mind do you?"

"No" she smiled and they carried on walking in silence. As they got close he saw the girls sat outside at a table a baby stroller next to them. Olivia looked at Elliot and saw a huge smile on his face.

"Hey Daddy" said Kat jumping up and hugging him.

"Hey" he said hugging her back "How come you managed to bring Eli, does your Mom know"

"Yeah don't worry, she needed someone to watch him as she was called into work, so we told her we were meeting you and taking him with us. I don't think she wants any more upset after the last couple of nights." Said Maureen.

They all sat down and ordered coffees and muffins whilst Eli slept. Elliot kept looking down at the small boy. Despite knowing he wasn't his he still loved him with all his heart and he knew that would never change. Olivia looked at Elliot and seen the love he had for his son it broke her heart knowing how much pain he was in.

"Dad Me and Kat have been talking about everything and I called the twins as well"

Elliot looked at them wondering what was coming next.

"We know you looked at apartments this morning…"

"Just the one and I took it" he said "I sign the papers Tuesday"

"Well we think you should get the house"

"Maureen…."

"No Dad listen to us first" said Kat. Elliot nodded and Maureen carried on.

"Okay, you're going to court and fighting for joint custody of Eli. The twins have said they want to speak in court and say they want to live with you and see Mom at weekends, so why should Mom have a 5 bedroom house for her and Eli and if we visit."

"Dad that house is our family house, but apart from Mom and Eli none of us would be living there, we will all be cramped into a small apartment" said Kat. "Mom split this family why should she get the house"

Elliot looked at the girls not quite Knowing what to say, he knew what they were saying was right. Why should Kathy have the house, he wasn't at fault she was. He looked at Olivia.

"The twins want to speak in family court?"

"We all do" said Maureen "We all should have our say not just you and Mom this has effected all of us"

"But I sign for the apartment on Tuesday"

"You could always sign a short term contract" suggested Olivia "For now just in case there are any problems" Elliot nodded.

"But where would Kathy go?"

"Dad you are unbelievable that Bitch ruined everything and you still worry about her" said Kat

"Kathleen stop, she is still your mother, don't call her a bitch, and I'm not worried about her I'm worried about Eli he is the one who will caught in the middle"

"Sorry Dad" said Kat "I'm just sick we always worry about how she will feel and try and please her. I mean she made you leave a job you love cause she wanted you home to control you, god the only reason I moved out is cause she was a complete control freak"

"No Kat you left so you could party without getting caught by me" he smiled at her.

"Yeah and that" she laughed, "but seriously Dad stop worrying about hurting her feelings, she never cared about yours when she slept with a kid Maureen's age"

"Never one to sugar coat things are you Kat" laughed Maureen.

"Look I will speak to my lawyer on Monday and see what he says ok"

Both girls nodded. Just then Eli woke up.

"Hey little man" said Elliot reaching down and lifting him out the stroller and sitting him on his knee. Eli looked up and smiled at Elliot reaching up to him. "I won't be long" said Elliot standing up "I just need some time alone with him"

Maureen and Kat nodded and Olivia smiled "Take all the time you need" she said touching his arm. Elliot walked off away from the café Eli in his arms, Olivia noticed how small he looked in Elliot's muscled arms.

"How about some ice cream?" she asked Elliot's daughters, they both smiled a yes and called the waitress over.

"So Livvy" said Kat as they tucked into the ice creams "How are things going with Dad I hear he tried to kiss you…..Ouch!" she snapped glaring at Maureen who had just kicked her.

Olivia laughed "yeah he did"

"And has he tried again?"

Olivia looked down not wanting to look at them.

"Oh my god he has, hasn't he" said Maureen.

"We may have once or twice" said Olivia quietly feeling so embarrassed "but that's all it was, we have agreed to take it slow, I don't want Kathy to give the court any doubts about if he has been unfaithful to her"

"Like we would even let her try that" said Kat.

"We just want him to be happy he hasn't been for so long… in fact the only times he was happy was with Eli and us, all him and Mom seem to do was annoy each other and it didn't help that she forced him to leave Special Victims"

"She couldn't force him, he must have wanted to"

"No she told him if he didn't leave the job and you then she would take Eli and the twins and leave, and go and live at her parents. Dad knew if that happened he would never see them so he left, for his kids not her."

Olivia looked down to where Elliot and Eli where he was lay down with the little boy sat on his stomach resting back against his knees as Elliot held onto his hands. Maureen looked at her watch.

"We need to go" she said "we have to get Eli back and I have a date… but don't tell Dad"

"Don't worry I won't, here" said Olivia giving them some money "Pay the bill I will go and get your Dad"

Olivia walked down the bank to Elliot. She stood behind him hating to be the one to tell him they had to go.

"El" he looked round and up at her.

"Hey" he smiled "Told you she was gorgeous" he said to Eli who gurgled and smiled at him.

"oh I see, you spend time with your son talking about women eh" she said sitting next to him and letting Eli grab her finger, thinking back to when he was born she had been the first person to hold him properly. "They girls need to go"

"Both got dates tonight?"

"My lips are sealed" she laughed. "You ok?"

"Yeah, been thinking about what the girls said and I'm gonna do it, I'm going for the house as well. She has controlled everything for so long having everything her way, well I have had enough it stops now" he looked over at her as she pulled a funny face making Eli smile. "So how do you feel about having your partner back?"

Olivia stopped pulling faces and looked at Elliot "What?"

"Cragen asked me to come back he is going to arrange things to make it easy for me I win joint custody, even writing to the courts if need be in my favour. I'm sure the days I have Eli the twins and girls would help out if an urgent case came up and I couldn't get home. Plenty of single parents have to work unreasonable hours it shouldn't go against me"

"I would love to have you back" she smiled standing up. "Come on let's get Eli back.

"Here" he said lifting Eli up to her. She took hold of him holding him on her hip as Elliot stood up "let's go" he said putting his hand lightly on her back as they walked up to the café.

"Hey Maureen" said Kat looking at her Dad, Olivia and Eli walking towards them. "Did you ever see Mom and Dad look that happy?"

"Nope" said Maureen "Never"

After saying goodbye to everyone and hugs all round they climbed into the car.

"Liquor store I think" said Olivia "think we need to celebrate tonight, I got my partner back" she smiled at him resting her hand on his knee as they drove off.

I know this chapter was a short one but that sometimes happens. Next quiet drinks at Fins turn into a bit more as Fin decides to bring people home with him from work.