A New Start
Chapter Twelve
Zebraboymom
Disclaimer: They belong to me in my dreams only.
Author Notes: This is an epilogue for the story. Enjoyed your reviews so much. Can't wait for the fall to start and new episodes. Wouldn't be cool if Chris came back mid-season? I mean his character died on True Blood. Sigh…
Liv tucked a sandwich and chips into Eli's backpack as Elliot skidded into the kitchen straightening his tie.
"Ready to go Buddy?"
"Yeah Dad."
The boy stretched up to place a kiss on Liv's cheek and then rested his head on her stomach for a minute.
"Bye Baby."
Elliot slipped his arms around Liv, rested his hands on her very swollen belly and said the same thing.
"Bye Baby."
He then turned Liv in his arms and gave her a mind-numbing kiss.
"And bye to you too, Baby."
"Very cute Stabler. I'll see you at lunch."
"I know, but that's four hours away."
"You are starting to turn into one mushy guy these days. Where is Elliot the Unstabler?"
"Oh, him? He left so that a much happier version of himself could take his place. However, he can be summoned up when chasing, apprehending and questioning a perp. Are we clear?"
"Very clear. Now get out of here. I have things to do and you are going to be late for work."
This was followed by another sizzling kiss and lips trailing down her throat.
"Oh no you don't. Eli can not be late for school."
"I know. I just wanted to give you a preview for tonight."
With that he swatted her on the butt and affectionately ran his hand over her hair before he sprinted out of the apartment after Eli.
Liv had been on half days and desk duty for the last three months and she could hardly wait for her due date in five days. She wanted this baby out now. She had been tempting Elliot with sex every night since she heard it might help her go into labor. So far, no luck, but they were having a lot of fun trying.
Eli had spent the weekend with them and Elliot was dropping him off at school where Kathy would pick him up at the end of the day.
Liv sighed happily as she rinsed the breakfast dishes and put them in the dishwasher. She smiled as she turned it on and then slipped her wedding rings back on. Who would have thought that she would one day be Olivia Stabler? Even after a year she sometimes forgot to answer to Detective Stabler. It was fun though when she and Elliot went out on a case and introduced themselves as Detective Stabler and Detective Stabler. Liv suspected that Elliot liked it the most. He used it whenever he could.
Cragen didn't partner them up permanently, but allowed them to go out together sometimes. She continued to partner for the most part with Nick and Elliot was usually partnered with Fin since Munch was playing a more administrative role these days. He was getting close to retirement and he wasn't up for chasing down a suspect much anymore. He threw his back out a few months earlier when he tried to scale a six-foot chain link fence.
Liv made her way down the hall and into the baby's nursery. They had done some remodeling in the condo and now she walked into the bright nursery and looked around. The precinct had thrown a huge baby shower for her and Elliot at O'Malley's and the packages and boxes full of baby clothes, toys and paraphernalia were stacked in the room.
She sat down on the rocking chair Elliot had actually made for her and the baby and went through the things one by one, placing them either in the closet on tiny little hangers or in the primary colored chest of drawers. She couldn't help but chuckle to herself over the rainbow color scheme. When she had struggled with what color she wanted, Eli had shown her a picture he had drawn of the nursery. It was all in bright primary colors and she had known instantly that they had found their color scheme. The bright red crib with the rainbow bumper pads was the centerpiece of the room and she laughed out loud when she saw the Plush Rainbow Dash My Little Pony sitting on the top of the dresser.
It took her about an hour to put away all the new stuff and stock the changing table. Their friends had pretty much given them everything they would need. When she was done she sat and just soaked in the feeling of the room. It occurred to her that all the time she thought she didn't have any family wasn't true. She had a huge family in her fellow officers and the attorneys they worked with.
Her hormones were driving her crazy and she felt herself tearing up again as she thought about finally becoming a mother and going through labor with Elliot at her side. Holding a little person that was a mix of her and El was something she had dreamed about and now…
With one last glance she headed into the master bedroom to get ready for work. She sat down to run her hands briefly along the bassinet resting by her side of the bed. Tears threatened to fill up her eyes again as she looked at it. Kathy had come to the shower and given it to her as a gift. Elliot had made it himself just like he had the rocking chair and all their children had used it before they were ready for the crib. Kathy had written on the card that it was only fitting that all the Stabler children got a chance to sleep in it. She brought her fiancé with her to the shower and the four of them had actually hit it off. Liv asked El on the way home if it was weird for him and he admitted it was in one way, but in another way it felt right.
On the way to work Liv stopped for a rainbow sherbet ice cream cone and snickered at the thought that Elliot would scold her about eating it instead of a healthy lunch. Too bad. She was the one who was going to have to lose all her baby weight again and she was going to enjoy every minute she had left to splurge.
Trying to get into detective mode, she rode the elevator up to their floor and stepped out to take in the scene. For once the entire squad was at their desks filling out paperwork.
Nick and Elliot both sensed her presence immediately and looked up at her with smiles. That is until Elliot realized she had an ice cream in her hand.
"Did you eat lunch?"
"Ummm…I had a really good breakfast."
"Olivia Stabler, if you keep this up, I'm going to tell your doctor."
Amanda came to her rescue.
"Look Stabler. You try spending every day carrying around a bowling ball in your belly and then you tell her no sweets."
Don Cragen stepped out to watch the fun. He loved to listen to his detectives banter, but he was the boss after all.
"Okay, you lot. Get back to work. Afternoon Liv. You look beautiful. I think you're actually glowing."
"Okay Don. What do you want?"
"Liv. I'm stunned. What makes you think I want something from you?"
She raised an eyebrow at him as she put her things away and sat across from a grinning Elliot. Nick was to his left and had the same goofy grin on.
"Okay. Fine. I need your computer savvy to help me understand this new program I got."
Liv stood up and walked to his office.
"Okay, helpless man, show me the way."
Three hours later Liv emerged from his office to find people packing up to head home. Apparently Don had told everyone they could leave an hour early. He must have done that when he snuck out as she wrestled with the set up of the complicated computer program. One thing for sure: It was not user friendly.
"Hey, how about dinner and drinks at O'Malley's?"
Elliot looked to LIv to see how she was doing. She got tired easily these days and he didn't want to wear her out. She smiled at him knowing exactly what he was doing. She was a little uncomfortable and had some mild cramping, but the doctor had told her that was to be expected.
"Sounds good."
The evening was one of the best they had all spent together and it would have been a totally uneventful day, except that when Liv stood up to leave, her water broke.
Suddenly Eight people swung into action. Elliot and Fin headed to get the car. Munch parted the crowd. Don and Nick flanked her on either side while Melinda, Casey and Alex started counting the minutes between contractions and reminding her to breath. They soon had a convoy of four cars heading to the hospital.
The waiting room was full as they wheeled Olivia into the maternity ward. She was taken to a suite and after they got her all settled, the gang came to join them. The doctor had been astonished to find that Liv was already at 5cm when she arrived. Only seven hours later little Tessa Grace Stabler was born. She had her mother's dark hair and features, but her father's amazing blue eyes and her parents fell in love with her immediately.
After the mob all got a look and a chance to congratulate them, they headed out. Kathy arrived with Tessa's siblings and they all got a chance to see her as well. Eli climbed on the bed next to Liv and stroked a tiny finger across her cheek.
"She's really little isn't she?"
Liv smiled tenderly at the little boy who single-handedly got her and Elliot back together.
"She is, but even though she will grow, you will always be her big brother."
Olivia was rewarded with a brilliant smile.
"That's right. I'm not the baby anymore am I?"
He seemed quite pleased with that.
Kathy knew Liv had to be exhausted, so she gently herded the children out and left Elliot and Olivia to spend some quality time alone with their daughter.
El slid in behind LIV on the bed and wrapped his arms around her.
"She's beautiful Liv. Just like her mother."
"Yes, but she has her father's amazing eyes."
"We did good."
Liv felt her eyes getting moist for the hundredth time that day.
"Yeah…we did. We got a whole new start on life…both of us."
Elliot turned her and the baby towards him and kissed first Tessa on the head and then softly pressed his lips to Olivia's.
"A beautiful new start. I love you Liv."
"I love you too El…so much."
A/N: And fade to credits and end of series. If it could only be that way. Thanks for so many great reviews and I hope to write another story for this show sometime in the future.
