Thank you to for reviews/alerts/favourites. I hope this next chapter pleases as much.
There are a few mistakes in days and times and places but tbf I don't care and I don't think anyone actually reads them! Haha!
Benson Household, Manhattan, New York
Saturday, July 12th 2008
6.25 am
"Good morning baby." Elliot smiled dropping a kiss onto Olivia's forehead.
"Morning." She smiled softly. "How long have you been awake?" She asked as she pushed herself to sitting.
"About ten minutes but I wanted to watch you sleep." He explained his face flushing with embarrassment.
"That's cute!" Olivia laughed and she leant in and kissed him on the lips gently.
"We've got loads to do before the kids wake up!" Olivia sighed as she climbed out of the bed.
"Yup!" Elliot agreed as he climbed out on the other side.
Olivia without thinking grabbed her sweats and pulled off her pyjama bottoms to change. Elliot's eyes followed the skin she'd revealed.
"Oh El I'm sorry!" She laughed pulling the sweats on quickly.
"Don't be, I shouldn't have been looking." He blushed and turned away.
"I've no objections Detective." She mumbled trying to sound seductive but coming over shy.
"I didn't know you have a tattoo." He whispered.
She dropped her head as he hand rubbed her hip where the tattoo lay.
"Yeah it's ... God ... its Cole's shield number." She whispered.
"Oh." Elliot replied. "Wow when did you get it done?" Elliot asked as he pulled a t-shirt over his head.
"On our one year anniversary." She replied. "We both got it done."
"Oh." He replied, he wasn't bothered but he didn't know how to react.
"Sorry." Olivia mumbled.
"Don't be sorry Olivia, I'm not upset or mad or anything I just really don't know how to react, can I see it?" He asked gently.
She walked around to him and pulled her pants down just enough for the tattoo to show.
The numbers 4071 showed in bright black ink.
"That's really cute." He smiled as his finger lined the ink.
Olivia held her breath as his finger swept slowly along her hip. She didn't know how to react but when he moved his finger it left the skin tingling from his touch.
He looked at her and saw that his touch had affected her, it was really low down on her hip and his face flushed as he realised what he had done.
"Sorry." He whispered.
"Don't be." She smiled as she lifted her trousers back up.
She leant in to him and brushed her lips against his gently.
"Don't be." She said firmer before pulling away.
He was confused. He loved her so much and he allowed her to initiate everything between them but he couldn't help get the feeling of wanting to kiss her and throw her on the bed and make passionate love with her. He shook his head as he watched Olivia go under the bed. She pulled out a large box and Elliot looked at her confused.
"Melly's presents, I didn't know where to keep them and I can carry them all like this." She explained seeing the look on his face.
"I'll take them down." Elliot smiled lifting the box into his arms.
"Thank you." She smiled back.
Benson Household, Manhattan, New York
Saturday, July 12th 2008
7.41 am
Olivia sipped at her coffee as she piled the gifts up on the dining table. She wanted Melly to have some gifts before breakfast. Elliot had disappeared back upstairs and allowed her to carry on with what she was doing.
"Here we go." Dani smiled carrying her own pile of gifts.
"Dani?" Olivia asked as Dani began placing the gifts in the pile.
"They're nothing much, I just wanted her to have something from me." Dani smiled.
"You didn't have to." Olivia smiled giving the red head a hug.
"I know, but I wanted to Olivia, like I said they're nothing much but I think she'll like them." Dani explained. "And I've made pancakes for breakfast too, I asked her yesterday what she wanted for birthday breakfast."
"You're a star Dani." Olivia smiled as Elliot came in to the room with a large arm full of gifts that he was struggling to carry.
"Elliot?" Olivia asked as he placed them on the table.
"One from me and one from each of the kids and the kids went out and bought their own too." Elliot explained.
"Oh El, thank you." Olivia smiled at him.
"No problem, you wanted to make this birthday special for her as it's her first one without Michael and we will." He smiled stepping behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.
"We will." She smiled back as she rubbed her cheek into the side of his head.
"Elliot would you like some coffee?" Dani asked, she'd seen Elliot and Olivia slowly get closer so it didn't bother her seeing the contact.
"Yeah please." He smiled.
"I'll have another one too if you don't mind Dani." Olivia smiled and Dani shook her head and took Olivia's mug.
Olivia turned around and wrapped her arms around Elliot's neck.
"I want to ask you something and explain why I'm asking before you say anything." Olivia mumbled.
"Go for it." Elliot smiled gently knowing that whatever it was that she was going to say was bothering her.
"Today, at the party, no touchy feely like we have been in the house, not only is Cragen and everyone going to be here but Mom, Cole's Mom is going to be and his sister and I am not ready to tell them about you yet, it's too soon." Olivia explained.
"No problem just let me kiss you now and I'll be ok." He smiled and she grinned as he slowly leant in to her.
Their kiss was slow and passionate. There was never any rush in their kissing, and Olivia's arms snaked around him as she moved deeper into the kiss. When the dining room door squeaked open they both jumped apart, they hadn't said anything to the kids yet.
"Sorry." Dani grimaced as she walked in with two mugs of coffee.
"It's ok." Olivia shrugged as she took her mug and Elliot took his.
There was some noise from above them and Olivia laughed.
"Something tells me the kids are up!" She giggled as the stampede of footsteps arrived the stairs.
"Yup!" Elliot laughed.
Melly was the first one into the dining room followed by the Stabler kids.
"Wow!" Melly gasped seeing the large pile of gifts.
Olivia put her coffee down and scooped Melly into her arms.
"Happy Birthday baby." She smiled as Melly wrapped her arms around her mother's neck.
"Thank you Mommy." She replied.
Olivia went round to the end of the dining room as Dani returned with the camera and passed it to Elliot, Olivia had been very specific that she wanted lots of pictures taken and Elliot had been to buy a new camera for the day. Melly sat on Olivia's lap and Olivia passed her the first gift and opened the label to read it to her.
"To Mel, lots of love from Dani." Olivia read from the card.
Melly was a typical little girl, carefully peeling back the sellotape from the pink glitter paper.
"Wow cool! Thank you Dani!" Melly beamed as she opened the large Sesame Street poster for her bedroom.
"You're welcome Mel." Dani smiled and she took the poster and put it behind the unopened present.
The next gift Melly picked up Olivia knew exactly what it was.
"To Smelly Melly from Mommy." Olivia read making Melissa giggle, she loved the nickname 'Smelly Melly'.
Again it took a few minutes for Melly to take the paper from the small black box. Olivia helped her open it to reveal the contents.
"Wow!" Melly gasped.
"Do you like it?" Olivia asked.
"Yeah it's pretty!" Melly beamed.
"It says Daughter, because you're my daughter." Olivia explained as she took the gold necklace from the box and put it around Melly's neck.
"Thank you Mommy." Melly smiled and hugged her mother once the necklace was on.
Olivia hugged Melissa back and then helped her move on to the next gift.
"To Chipmunk, love from Uncle El." Olivia laughed and looked at Elliot just as he snapped a photo of her.
Melissa opened it to find a plastic dolly with clothing.
"Elliot that thing is the size of a really baby!" Olivia gasped as Molly admired it.
"Thank you Uncle El." Melly smiled turning to look at him.
"Yes Liv it is and you're welcome Chipmunk." He smiled as Melly went on to the next gift.
All in all Olivia bought her the necklace, an Elmo soft toy that danced to music when you pressed its belly, a big bag of her favourite candy, and a set of small dolls for another gift she'd be getting later. Elliot had got her the doll and a hamper of clothing for the doll. From his kids he'd bought various Barbie dolls and clothing to match. Maureen had bought her a Sesame Street CD, Kathleen had bought her a Sesame Street jumper and Lizzie and Dickie had bought her a Barbie magazine. Dani had bought her the poster, a small plain gold bracelet which Olivia loved as it fitted perfectly and a small Barbie watch.
"You've been spoilt rotten madam!" Olivia laughed as Melly admired all her now unopened gifts.
"Thank you everyone!" She smiled happily.
"Now, me and Uncle El will take these to your room out of the way whilst Dani serves birthday breakfast." Olivia smiled as Melly hopped off her lap.
"She's happy." Elliot smiled as he and Olivia left the dining room with arm full's of gifts.
"Yep, I have one more thing for her but had nowhere to hide it so Cragen has been keeping it in his office." Olivia explained. "He's bringing it over later."
"That's good, I mean it must be big if you had nowhere to hide it." Elliot added.
"Yup, I had to have Munch and Fin help me take it to the office, I couldn't have carried it on my own if I tried." Olivia explained. "I'm just hoping it will actually fit into the trunk of his car!"
Benson Household, Manhattan, New York
Saturday, July 12th 2008
12.30 am
The guests had all arrived and the party was in full swing. Olivia had never seen the house so full with fifteen little kids running around as well as some mothers who had decided to stay and all her friends and family.
She was stood leaning against the door frame watching Melly dance in her little pink party dress as Elliot moved around taking pictures.
"Hello Dear." Mrs Jeffries smiled coming to stand beside her.
"Hey Mom." Olivia smiled still watching Melly dance.
"How are you keeping?" Mrs Jeffries asked.
"I'm well thank you. How are you?" Olivia asked turning to look at the woman.
"I'm perfectly fine." She smiled.
Olivia turned back to Melly and she looked at Elliot as he turned to look at her. He smiled at her widely and she smiled back, hers softer.
"He loves you." Mrs Jeffries smiled.
"What? Mom?" Olivia gasped turning to look at the aging woman again.
"He does, you can see it in his eyes when he looks at you." Mrs Jeffries smiled.
"No Mom he doesn't." Olivia sighed even though she knew he'd said it, she wasn't sure and she wasn't about to tell the mother of her dead fiancé either.
"Yes he does and you love him too but you're letting your grief cloud it." Mrs Jeffries said firmly and Olivia didn't know what to say or how to react. "It's ok Olivia, you need to move on and he loves you as much as Cole did and you love him too, once your grief subsides a little you'll see it too."
"Mom I ..."
"Don't Olivia, I approve of Elliot, he may have been divorced and have four kids whom you adore but anyone who's going to make you happy is going to make me happy." Mrs Jeffries smiled. "And to show you I'd like you to bring him and his children to lunch tomorrow and don't argue with me about it Olivia, I want to really get to know him if he loves my daughter in law."
"Mom it's ... I don't know." She sighed finding herself in this extremely awkward position.
"He loves you Olivia and you're only blinded by grief." Mrs Jeffries explained. "Just go with whatever happens between you, don't hold back because of Cole because I know my son and he'd want you to move on with your life and be happy. He wouldn't want you mopping and possibly miss out on someone who loves you as much as he did." Mrs Jeffries explained further.
"Ok." Olivia whispered. "I'll go with it but I don't think anything will happen with me and El Mom, he's just my partner and friend ... my best friend." Olivia replied softly.
"Your best friend who wants to be so much more Olivia, he's already living here because he wants to take care of you and I am telling you to let him." Mrs Jeffries stated firmly.
"Ok, we'll come for lunch and I'll see what happens between us Mom but don't get your hopes up that we're going to fall in love and get married, I don't see that happening with Elliot." She shrugged, it wasn't that she hadn't imagined it happening before because she had but then she'd imagined it with Cole too and he was gone.
"And don't let your fear of losing him run your life either. Cole's death was meant to be Olivia, it was God's will and you may not be religious but I am. You will find happiness again with a man who loves you and I think it's Elliot." Olivia smiled and wrapped her arms around Mrs Jeffries shoulders.
"We'll see." She smiled.
Benson Household, Manhattan, New York
Saturday, July 12th 2008
4.30 pm
All of Melly's friends had gone home and the only people who remained were Olivia's friends and family. They'd all gathered in the study as there was more seating space and had been closed off from the children during the party.
"It's been a long day!" Olivia yawned.
The kids had gone upstairs to play leaving the adults left to talk and enjoy a drink.
"Don't speak when you yawn dear it's rude and unattractive." Mrs Jeffries smiled and Olivia laughed gently.
"Sorry Mom." She smiled knowing that everyone of her friends was laughing inside.
"Now Elliot, I was telling Olivia earlier that you and the children should come to lunch with her tomorrow." Mrs Jeffries smiled turning to Elliot as Olivia hid her face hoping she wouldn't tell everyone in the room the full length of her conversation.
"Thank you we will." Elliot smiled understanding that this was more than just a lunch invite.
"And you'll come too Daniela?" Mrs Jeffries asked turning to the red head.
"Of course, Thank you Mrs Jeffries." Dani smiled softly, she knew she was being invited to take care of the kids when the family would go into the library after lunch for tea and coffee.
"Good then that's sorted and Don you'll be joining us too, as Olivia's surrogate father?" Mrs Jeffries asked turning to aging man who hadn't expected that.
"Yes I will thank you for the invite." Cragen replied unsure where to look as Olivia was hiding her face in embarrassment knowing exactly what Mrs Jeffries was up to.
"Good because I want to have a real family dinner with my daughter in law." Mrs Jeffries smiled.
Olivia saw that Mrs Jeffries was looking at her and she smiled back gently before looking at Elliot who was grinning at her cheekily. She looked at the ground wanting it to swallow her whole. She didn't mind that Mrs Jeffries had invited Elliot, she knew it was her way of showing to both of them that she accepted it if any relationship was to flourish between them but she also knew that Mrs Jeffries was inviting Cragen so that he could see and give his blessing but she knew that would never come. Don Cragen who was oblivious to the growing relationship between his detectives would never give them his blessing, ever. She was embarrassed and couldn't wait to get Elliot on his own so she could tell him what her mother in law was playing at.
"Oh Olivia dear, I bought something for you. It's in my purse would you get it for me?" Mrs Jeffries asked tapping Olivia's knee.
"Of course not, I'll be right back." Olivia replied gently as she got to her feet. "Excuse me everyone." She added knowing that her Mother in Law would comment if she didn't excuse herself from the room, she was a stickler for manners.
Fin glanced at Munch and they were both sniggering at how formal Olivia had to be around her mother in law. The Olivia they knew wasn't like this, she'd have just said 'no problem' and rushed out of the room.
When Olivia came back she handed the purse to Mrs Jeffries and resumed her place on the couch beside her. Mrs Jeffries pulled out a small black box and opened it before showing it to Olivia. It was a thick plain gold chain.
"It's too put your engagement ring on, it's about time you took it off your finger Olivia." Mrs Jeffries explained.
"Thank you." Olivia smiled and Mrs Jeffries held out her hand for Olivia's ring.
Olivia looked away as she took off the ring. Tears stung her eyes. She wasn't ready to take it off, not yet, and here she was handing it to her mother in law. Elliot was watching Olivia closely. He knew she was trying to stop herself from crying and he wanted nothing more than to rush over to her and wrap his arms around her shoulder. As Mrs Jeffries placed the ring on the chain Olivia's thumb rubbed the now naked finger. She felt like something was missing instantly.
"Turn around Dear." Mrs Jeffries smiled and once Olivia turned around she placed the chain around Olivia's neck and closed it shut.
"Thank you." Olivia forced a smile as she fingered the ring that now hung on her neck.
"It will do until you're ready to put the ring in a box in a drawer and out of the way." Mrs Jeffries explained. "But it's time now for people to see that you're available again."
Mrs Jeffries looked at Elliot as she spoke and Olivia closed her eyes and tried to hide the tears that pricked her eyes again.
"Thank you." She managed to whisper and she gave Mrs Jeffries a hug just so she wouldn't be caught blinking back the tears.
Everyone else in the room could see what she was doing and everyone wanted to make sure she was ok but they stayed seated knowing it best not to interfere.
Benson Household, Manhattan, New York
Saturday, July 12th 2008
10.34 pm
"Are you ok?" Elliot asked as Olivia sat under the duvet.
"Yeah I'm fine." Olivia sighed as she fingered the ring around her neck.
"You don't seem fine. Want to talk about it?" Elliot asked, he was determined to listen to Huang and keep their relationship going by talking to each other.
He climbed into the bed beside her and pulled her into his arms.
"Come on, what's bothering you?" Elliot asked as Olivia made herself comfortable on his chest.
"Cole's mom gave us her blessing earlier." Olivia explained.
"What? You told her?" Elliot asked in shock.
"No!" Olivia gasped. "She told me she could tell that you love me by the way that we look at each other. She said I should just go with it and stop letting my grief cloud my judgement as she knows I love you too." Olivia explained.
"Oh ok, what did you say?" Elliot asked surprised at Olivia's revelation.
"I told her I don't know what we have or where it's going but we'll see, I wasn't about to tell her that we were sharing a bed and kissing each other." Olivia replied. "It's too soon."
"Ok baby, we'll just go with it, see where it takes us." Elliot replied gently giving her a squeeze.
"But what is this El? Are we just best friends or are we actually going somewhere?" Olivia asked.
"I thought we'd past the best friend stage." Elliot replied feeling hurt.
"Are we? Then what would you call us El?" Olivia asked lifting her chin to look him in his eyes.
"I don't know but I know what I'd like to call you." He replied gently.
"And what's that?" Olivia asked uncertainty echoing in her voice.
"I'd like to call you my girlfriend." Elliot replied as Olivia's face lit up.
"You would? But we've not even been on a date!" Olivia exclaimed.
"I would and we've known each other for five years Olivia. We can go on dates, I'd like to take you on dates if you'd let me." Elliot explained.
"I would like that ... boyfriend." She replied and she dropped a kiss on his lips.
He pulled her towards him and took in her lingering kiss. He was overjoyed that this was his chance to make things happen between him and Olivia, something he'd wanted for so long and he was determined not to screw it up.
"We've both got a half day on Wednesday." Elliot whispered as the kiss broke.
"Yeah we do." Olivia replied.
"Then Wednesday, make sure Dani can work I know Wednesday you've said she can have off but have her work from five thirty and I'm going to take you out on a date." Elliot smiled.
"Ok, I'll check with Dani tomorrow." Olivia replied. "Now we should get some sleep, it's going to be a long day at my mother in law's tomorrow." Olivia sighed and she leant over him to turn the light off.
Boyfriend and girlfriend? Mommy's blessing? I had to make the mother accept it because otherwise Olivia wouldn't let it happen, hope this works for you guys and get ready for more E/O
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