"I knew there was a reason I said all those Hail Marys."

"And what's that?" asked Olivia, taking a light sip from her wine glass and dancing her eyes across its rim at her dining partner. "You enjoying your steak?" she smiled, almost smirked, because this was not her husband's kind of food.

Elliot was a burger and coke kind of date not fine dining at one of New York's finest new haute cuisine establishments. It was what made his spontaneous decision to take her out to this beautiful restaurant the night before their daughter's wedding day even more special. It was all for her. He had seen her fluttering between the bride, the groom, the maid of honour, the best man and doting on them the way she so adored to. Tonight, however, he wanted to dote on her.

"Yeah, yeah the food isn't bad."

"It's incredible."

"You're incredible."

"And you are a devil when you want to be…." fluttering brown eyes made up a little darker than usual Olivia saw that mischief in his stare and returned the flirtation, "… but the feeling's mutual."

"Being serious for a second….." these moments were rare from him, but when they came she treasured them. As he reached across the table for her hand Olivia set down her fork and gave him her full attention. "There is literally no one else on the planet I would rather spend time with."

"El…." she cooed, giving that little smile he knew meant he still held her heart completely.

"I know it's sappy and you know stuff like this isn't my strongest suit. I don't say it as often as I should but I'm saying it now. It's not just the big stuff, Liv. It's not just that it's our girl's big day tomorrow and we get to share that together. It's every day, all the time. Waking up with you, fighting over how to load the dishwasher…."

"Because after twenty years you still insist on doing it wrong."

"What because I won't do it your way?" he shot back, lightening, fireworks. They were exquisitely matched.

"Yes."

"I look at those babies. I watch how Evie busts Calvin's balls and he gives her hell but they make each other better. I see the way he looks at her and it scares the hell out of me because I know that look. I know what it means, I know what it says….." lifting her hand from the table Elliot kissed it tenderly, "… this woman is the most important person in my life."

"You're getting soft in your old age Stabler….." fine lines creasing at the corners of her eyes as she smiled adoringly Olivia beamed, "… but I love you; very much."

"So how you doing? I know you're gonna be a hot mess tomorrow but be honest….." as they returned to their meals he asked directly, "… how you holding up with this wedding? It's a hell of a ride when a chick flies the coop."

"No one warns you about this part. I didn't see this page in all those baby books. I think it'll be all I can do to keep from crying my whole way through the day like some hysterical woman possessed."

"You should've seen Kathy at Maureen's wedding….." and then, because they had reached that place a long time ago he teased, "… at least you cry pretty."

"Stop it, you're awful!" she scolded, but absorbed the compliment funny kind of compliment none the less.

She admired the relationship he had managed to maintain with Kathy and though she knew it went beyond a façade for their children she had never been threatened by it. She knew, with her whole heart, that the love he had for her was different than he had ever had for his first wife.

"I'm sorry, sorry that was cruel. True, but cruel."

"God, you know I sat with that little girl for days while she insisted she didn't have to go potty. I wanted to kill her. Even at two years old she'd rather have worked her way toward a bladder infection than do something just because someone told her she had to."

"That's our girl."

"When she used my cream Chanel clutch to carry her crayons to Fin's place I was about ready to disown her. Right now I'd give just about anything to turn back time and do all that again."

"Letting them go is no fun at all…." smiled Elliot, with a gentle sigh of experience.

"I'm trying to think of it more of a timeshare arrangement. A custody agreement I'm drawing up with Cal. He gets her most of the time at Bragg but weekends and holidays all bets are off."

"I know I gave him a rough ride at first. Any father would. I was judgemental, hostile even. I was so sure that there was no way a kid from the wrong side of the tracks with as much baggage as Calvin Arliss could never be even close to good enough for our girl. I was wrong. I was so very wrong. That boy, that man would run into the fires of hell to protect Mouse."

"I'm glad you see it too."

"There are a lot of drawbacks to the life he's chosen. The military is a different world. One thing's for sure though, and that's you couldn't find a stronger or more loyal partner than a solider."

"Or a cop?" oh that eyebrow, he thought. She was stunning, exquisite. It often struck him, with pride, that Olivia was by far the most attractive woman in the room. It was in moments such as this one, however, when he realised she was the most beautiful woman in any room.

"Are you flirting with me Detective Benson?"

"Always…." she purred, rolling him like putty in her hands.

"Mouse is happy. That kid is the happiest, most confident and completely grounded she's ever been. Even despite all the shit she's been through. That's huge. That's above all else."

"She is, it is, it really is."

"When Evie Grace Benson came kicking and screaming into the world you were the only one there with her. You and her, you and Evie, that's how this started. From the moment that incredible little girl took her first breath her momma was right there and she's been there every day since. Holding her hand, encouraging her, loving the crap out of her. You're her whole world. That won't ever change, Liv."

"We did good, El….." was her way of thanking him, profoundly, for saying just what she needed to hear, "… we did good."

"Yeah, yeah she's alright, we could've raised a worse one."

"He respects her, he challenges her, he supports her, he'll protect her and she is completely in love with him. That's all I ever wanted for her to find in a partner."

"They're getting married for all the right reasons….." said Elliot with an acquiescent smile, "… not even I can pick a hole in it."

"A part of me knows I should feel guilty because you were married. I should feel ashamed because I was drunk and careless and the other woman but I won't. Maybe it makes me a terrible person that I refuse to feel anything other than completely grateful that we wound up in that elevator."

"No elevator, no Evie."

"No Elliot, no Evie."

"I was the cheat Olivia. Don't you put that on yourself. I was the one wearing the ring. I was the one who'd taken vows. You weren't the other woman you were the only woman….." shrugging ashamedly Elliot sighed, "… I was just too much of a coward to stand up and say it."

"El don't take yourself out of the equation, don't do that, don't do it I won't let you. Evie is because we were, because we are. We're a pain in each other's asses most of the time but we're partners, we have always been better together and our kids are proof of that."

"I wish I could take more credit, but how awesome they both are? That's mostly you."

"Yeah, yeah you're probably right..." she quipped drily, and he just smiled. Partly because he was right but mostly because she was. Even when they were shutting each other out, even when they were at their worst they were each other's better angels. "You want the rest of my pasta?"

"Sure?"

"It's delicious but if I keep going I'm not going to fit into my dress for tomorrow."

"Which tie did we decide on?" and by we, he meant her.

"The blue one, it'll coordinate with Sam and the groomsmen…." finishing of her wine she lay her hand across the table and swirled her fingertips over the Eagle, Anchor and Eagle on Elliot's forearm, "….besides, I like you in blue."

"Does it bring out my eyes?" he was joking, being flippant, but she held his gaze.

"Yeah…." she murmured, almost under his breath as she stole his. Gulping hard he tilted his head and narrowed his eyes.

"Did you just give me the look?" he asked, lifting an optimistic brow. "Was that the look?"

"Get the check….." she nodded, flashing him a suggestive smile.

"You all packed?"

"I still can't believe you guys all did what you did."

"Are you kidding? We all just can't wait to see the back of the disgustingly happy couple and Jamaica was the first island who agreed to put up with you both."

"Shut up."

"Seriously though, you only have one week's leave and after everything Vee's been through this past year….." shrugging casually but in truth the instigator of a combined fund raising effort to send the newlyweds to the Carribbean Sam smiled, "… you deserved a kick ass honeymoon."

"I never even had a passport before the Army. I never figured I'd need one."

"I guess you didn't figure a lot of things would turn out the way they have…." said Sam with a knowing shift of his eyebrow as he tied the knot of his tie, "… right?"

"Guess not…." mumbled Calvin in reply. It wasn't that he wouldn't talk to Sam, just that he still found it hard. Especially on a day when he was so choked by the overwhelming rushing of emotion he was not well equipped to handle.

"Nash is awesome. I like him a lot. I'm glad he's in with you. They're all pretty cool actually, the uniforms downstairs…." said Sam, referring to the Airborne contingent being entertained by Gil, Nick, Fin and Elliot in Texas' kitchen. "My Dad is in his freakin' element. If he squints a bit and pretends they're Marines he's twenty years old again."

"Humph."

"I'm glad they're here, you know, with you for today….." if he had been anyone else in the world it would've sounded trite, pathetic, but from Sam it was merely honest and earnest, "… they're you're guys."

"You're family."

"What?" he asked, so quick was Calvin's instantaneous response.

"I don't….." stumbling, Calvin took a beat and held back to find the right words, "… I don't have that many people in my life. Honestly I don't really like most people, don't trust them." Chewing on his cheek Calvin pushed himself, forced the emotions into words because he so wanted Sam to hear them. "I'm not saying I wouldn't take a bullet for any one of those soldiers. They're buddies, they're my guys, you're right. But it's not the same thing."

"Cal…."

"Nash is different."

"Yeah…." he could tell that, just from the way Calvin talked about him. Ben Nash was a true friend, not just in his capacity as a Corporal in the 82nd. Sam was learning to tell the difference, to separate the uniform from the men wearing it.

"But he's not my best man….." deeply uncomfortable being so frank and forthright, but fumbling in the dark because it was important Calvin smiled awkwardly, "… you are."

"Hell yeah I am."

"Evie, Livia, Tex, and you Stabler….." nodding slowly, he found a smile, level and certain, "… that's family."

"Are we gonna hug this out now, Arliss?" said Sam, shattering the tension of the moment and causing them both to laugh. Rolling his eyes Calvin thwacked Sam's shoulder with the back of his hand and scoffed.

"Screw you, I was being fucking sincere!" he guffawed, throwing Sam's jacket at him and instructing, "Here, put this on. We gotta roll. I gotta go marry your sister."

"Hey? Cal?" waiting for Calvin to turn so he had his full attention Sam smiled. "You better get used to me giving you shit and generally being a pain in your ass….." holding a cementing gaze he shrugged and added affectionately, "… it's what little brothers do."

"Little brother, huh?"

"Too much?" almost wincing Sam wondered if he'd crossed a line.

"Sam you peed on my foot when you were in rehab….."

"Oh my God!"

"In the shower? Remember? When we couldn't figure out how that weird human hammock lift thing worked and….." laughing too hard to continue Calvin threw his head back and howled.

"You're such an asshole!" barracked Sam but he too was laughing so hard he couldn't catch his breath.

The image of them as boys, struggling and grappling in the wake of Sam's recent spinal injury was too tragically comical. Sam had sunk to the very lowest, the very basest form of existence and Calvin had just got right down into the gutter with him. Unflinching, unfailing in his support and encouragement the two had formed a bond that nothing could challenge. From the first time they had thrown a football around the Stabler front yard together Sam had trusted Calvin despite having every reason not to; his background, his older age, his secret romance with his teenage sister and his parents' disapproval. Calvin had never and would never forget the faith he'd shown.

"You know I'm playing, I'm teasing. My point, though, is that me marrying your sister….." pushing out his bottom lip, realising that today his emotions would win out despite his best attempts to suppress them Calvin choked gruffly, "… well, it's not what makes us brothers."

"Which one do you want Leni, love? Which one? You pick, sweetie?"

"I don't know how I ever get her to come home with me!" laughed Texas warmly, watching Elena's big brown eyes following Olivia's every movement and hanging off even the words she didn't yet understand.

"I don't know how I ever let you take her…." replied Olivia, attaching Leni's chosen hairclip into the thick shocks of dark hair now tufted across her little head. "Any words yet?"

"Not yet, even though I sometimes try pretend and make her sounds into words."

"You said it's gonna take longer with her though, right?" asked Olivia, who was as deeply involved in Elena's raising as Nick and Cynthia. "With her trying to figure out both languages?"

"Yeah, yeah and we're trying to up how much Spanish we speak at home with her now being in pre-school surrounded by English. Gil and I are both determined not to give up on her being bilingual eventually, but someone at work told me sometimes they can be as old as two before they say their first word in either language."

"It'll be worth it though….." fussing with Elena's little flower girl dress Olivia turned to Texas and added, "… all the opportunities this little love is going to have."

"That's my biggest hope."

"Hey Leni? Leni love how about you get your Mommy to take a picture of you in your princess dress while I go find Eve?" giving her a little scoot on her backside Olivia lovingly encouraged the toddler across to Texas, "Go see mama and show her how pretty you are."

"I think she went to her bedroom…." offered Texas, nodding in the direction she had seen Eve heading.

"Uh-oh not the duckies."

"Oh, yeah….." smiled Eve, not realising she had been absentmindedly hugging at her old blanket. "Everything okay? I've been daydreaming. I should probably get my dress on."

"Your hair is perfect….." said Olivia, taking a perch beside her on the end of what would soon cease to be Eve's bed and stroked lightly at one of the long curls down her back, "… and your eyes look gorgeous with that gold she's done. Those baby blues that had me hook, line and sinker right from the start, sweet girl."

"You sound sad Momma?" noted Eve, reaching for Olivia's wrist and giving it a squeeze. "Don't! It's a happy day!"

"One day, baby. One day a lot of years from now when you sit with your little girl all grown up getting ready to leave you, you'll understand. You'll finally get what it was your crazy old Mom was talking about."

"I'm not leaving you!" cried Eve, still dressed in her pyjama pants and an old NYPD t-shirt she'd stolen from Elliot. Reaching over she hugged Olivia tight, "I never could."

"I'm sorry!" gasped Olivia laughingly, pinching at the corners of her eyes. "I'm a wreck today. You'll just have to forgive me, sweetheart."

"It's going to be different. I know that. I've thought about it too. When we were driving down to Bragg it really started to sink in how much is going to change. I don't know anyone there except Jules and Nash, oh and Cal of course. I'm still just trying to understand all the abbreviations and Army lingo, figuring out how life on post works. There's so much to learn."

"Maybe it's too soon, maybe you're not ready yet. It'd be okay if you weren't. If you still need some more time, just a little more time to get yourself back together before making this huge move then that would be completely understandable."

"I don't need any more time….." catching her breath Eve asked with a gentle concern, "… but if you need me to stay, even for another few months then…."

"You're ready for this? Gut feeling, heart check? This is what you want? Because what I need is for you to be happy Evie Grace. You need to be wherever it is that's going to allow you to live the life you want to live…." as Eve nodded with a heartfelt assurance to every one of her qualifying questions Olivia accepted, "… and if that means North Carolina well then I am one hundred percent on board."

"I need to be wherever Cal is."

"Okay then."

"I choose him Mom. Not just for the beautiful, beautiful wedding that we've planned. Not just for random weekends and holidays. It's a big deal, it is, I'm not naïve enough to think that I really have any clue what it's like to be married let alone married into the Army. All I know is that I want to give it everything I've got. My gut and my heart say that I just have to close my eyes and jump and trust that whatever comes Cal and I will figure it out together."

"How many times have we sat on the end of this bed, huh?" leaning in and bumping shoulders with Eve a teary eyed mother reached out with both hands and hugged her little woman tight. "I am so happy for you, baby girl. And I am just so excited to see what comes next for you. I just want to say something, one thing."

"What?"

"You know I adore you, as your mother I could not love you more or be more proud of you for how brave and beautiful you are. That's a given. That's a biased opinion. That's me being Mom. But, just for a moment, I don't want to be Mom."

"How'd you mean?"

"You endured a horrific, brutal act of violence. It was cruel and unfair and you could've become so angry, so withdrawn and broken and not one single person could've blamed you for that but you didn't. You have survived this with a grace and strength and a willingness to be helped and supported that I know I would not be capable of that."

"Momma…."

"So not as your mother but as a woman, as a person…." nodding slowly, brown eyes bottomless and captivated Olivia rasped, "….I could not have any greater respect or awe or admiration for you Eve. And I just wanted you to know that."

"Maureen, Liz, Katie you're car one let's get you on the road!"

"We're on it!" chorused the Stabler girls, all married, one divorced. Yet, as ever, Katie refused to let her own frustrated misfortunes mar the mood and so she gaggled into the car behind her sisters. "See you at the church Liv!"

"Bridesmaids?" asked Olivia, her shoulder length hair coiffed to perfection in an elegant chignon that gathered at the nape of her neck. Smoothed in a side part it framed brown eyes that sparkled with limitless joy and pride as the mother of the bride oversaw proceedings with flawless precision and effortless governance. "Where are my girls? I need bridesmaids one through three to make a little faster progress please?"

"We're coming!"

"I can't walk any faster in these heels!"

"Is this little angel coming with us?" asked Kim, the petite blonde of the Brown bridesmaids' trio, as she tottered out the Stabler house with Leni clutching tightly to her hand. "I think we're new best friends!"

"Oh! No, na-ah, she's mine….." laughed Olivia, catching the tottering toddler in her tiny ivory slippers as she galloped at pace down the driveway with the girls, "… you are staying here with me, love, come here sweet girl."

"Anyone else coming in this one?" asked Caroline, peering up from the backseat of the second bridal car. "Jump in Jen, we're scooting over."

"No, no just the three of you we'll be right behind."

"Okay!" they almost chorused, chattering and giggling as Olivia slammed the door behind them and the car pulled away, "See you there!"

"Oh Leni I keep forgetting to breathe….." murmured Olivia with a nervous little laugh, kissing Elena's dark little blow dry and gasping, "… your mama has no idea what absolutely perfect torture and bliss lies ahead of her when it's her turn to do all this with you!"

"Huck…." squeaked Leni, because that was all she could say. She wasn't quite sure what this emotion was her surrogate grandmother was displaying but she felt compelled to respond to it. So, stroking at Olivia's neck with her fingertips she repeated, "Huck."

"Olivia are you ready for this?" called Texas, taking her maid of honour duties incredibly seriously as she stepped out of the house radiant in cobalt satin. Strapless bustier at the top and a perfect A-line pop on the bottom Eve's much agonized over dresses had turned out perfectly. "You're gonna need to take one really, really deep breath Mom!"

"She's ready?" mouthed Olivia, clutching Elena so tight the little girl wiggled so as to allow herself to keep breathing.

"I'm ready Momma….." came a voice from the hall, before Eve finally emerged in the doorway and Olivia knew it was the first of many occasions that day in which she'd entirely lose the power of speech, "… I'm ready."

The dress was breath taking. It had taken so many fittings, so many hours of tweaking and tucking but it had all been worth it. Everything, every moment, every tantrum, every bickering argument and stress filled evening were worth it to see Eve stood in that doorway. A stunning vintage gown with a flattering scoop neck, lace sleeves, and a simple floor length drop. Ivory, just as she'd wanted. Her hair had grown long again and hung in loose curls down her back, with just enough pinned at the crown of her head to allow for a crown of flowers and a traditional veil. She glowed with love and certainty and visibly effervesced happiness.

"You have never looked more beautiful Evie Grace."

"Don't you dare cry!" warned Eve giving her head a little shake as her blue eyes soaked up how beautiful Olivia was in her simple, copper coloured shift dress. It kissed the warm tan of her skin and made her look so alive.

"I won't, I won't I promise!"

"You so don't promise…." laughed Eve, breaking into a little run down the driveway so anxious was she to be in her mother's arms, "… come here!"

"Okay neither one of you is allowed to cry!" declared Texas, locking the house and rushing down the driveway to reclaim Leni and leave Olivia's hands free. "You're both looking too damn gorgeous with all your makeup done and we don't have time for touch ups. We're running late and there's a man sweating at a church waiting for you."

"And then there's Calvin…." quipped Olivia, flashing a smirk at Evie as she helped her into the final car, "…. just wait till your Daddy sees you."

"Momma?"

"Yes baby?" asked Olivia, crouching at the curb and ensuring that the precious folds of lace were tucked in and not likely to catch the car door.

"Am I supposed to be nervous? Am I supposed to be freaking out right now? That's what brides do right. I've seen the movies ….." and there it was, that precious, precious smile that lit up Olivia's world, "… but I just can't wait, I'm just so excited!"

"Oh baby you have no idea how good it is to see you this happy!" gushed Olivia, biting her lip and holding Eve's face in loving hands.

"Were you nervous? Did you freak out before you married Dad?"

"No, no mostly just afterward."

"What?"

"I'm kidding."

"Mom!"

"You're not nervous baby because you don't have any doubts…" flashing a smile Olivia winked with a glint in her eyes Eve knew was for Elliot, "… you're marrying your best friend."