DISCLAIMER-I DONT OWN SVU

Shout outs-

-Franshes-You're welcome :) You will have to see how Kathy and the kids react :)

-ladybugsmomma-Yep! Do you want them to get together? Key word-together. Add that to EOforever and you get my username. TADA!

-spacekitten2700-Glad you are relieved :)

-Elliotandoliviababies-Elliot is always understanding with Olivia :)

-shaishaisvu-:)

-always think outside the box-True, but for all they know he might have had a gun to his head the whole time. Nobody really knows. I see what you're saying, though. Thanks for the comment! We really appreciate them :)

Last chapter before the epilogue!

After a long month of visiting the hospital every day, mulitiple times a day, it was finally time to take Madison home. Elliot and I finished painting and decorating the nursery a while ago and we baby-proofed the house last week.

We pulled into the hospital just as we had done so many times before. Elliot wasn't with me most of the time but he still knew his way to her crib like the back of his hand. We had her car seat buckled in the backseat and we were ready to bring her home. Elliot is going to get an apartment close to mine so that he can help out with Madi when I need him, me being a single mom to my first child. And he has been looking for one for a while.

We walked up the sidewalk and Elliot opened the door for me. We made our way to the NICU where Madi was bundled up in her crib, ready to go. After a few minutes of talking to the nurses, they said I was okay to leave as long as we had a safe car seat for her. They walked out leaving Elliot and I alone.

"You ready?" He asked me, seeing that I was staring nervously at my daughter.

"What if she isn't ready to go? She's never left the hospital." I whispered, rubbing my ringer against her cheek.

"She hasn't had one problem for three weeks, you will do great with her." He assured me, laying a hand on my shoulder. I nodded my head and placed my hands under her, slowly lifting her from the bed. I held her against my chest and looked up at Elliot, silently telling him I was ready. He led us out to the car and Elliot got Madi buckled. I couldn't do too much due to the surgery. I wasn't allowed to lift over thirty pounds, do practically anything involving my stomach muscles, or move around too much. I really only got out of bed during the day to eat, pee, and visit Madi. Elliot was very protective of me, not surprisingly. Although I hated it at the time, I was glad he paid so much attention.

The drive home was quick and quiet. Once we pulled into the driveway, Elliot got Madi, who was sleeping peacefully in her car seat, out and walked us both inside. He set her car seat down on the carpet in front of the couch, knowing that I wouldn't want to take my eyes off her. Elliot got us both settled in and his phone rang almost immediately;it was Kathy. He told me that it was probably the best time to tell her that he is Madi's father, rather than her finding out from someone else. He answered it and walked outside, leaving me alone with Madi. I did nothing but watch her for at least twenty minutes until I saw her beginning to wake up. I got her out of the car seat and cradled her, walking back to the couch. I sat down and made myself comfortable with my arms supporting her and began quietly talking to her. She immediately calmed down and went back to sleep.

I sat there with little movement for quite a while until Elliot walked back inside.

"What did she say?"

"She wouldn't shut up long enough to hear my side of the story so she has no idea whats going on." He said, walking over and sitting next to me. He took Madi in his arms and looked down at her, smiling.

A week passed and Elliot was still checking up on me almost daily. I haven't complained much, it's hard when you finally get what you have been wanting for years on end. I had been doing fine but the previous night was the worst yet. I got less that three hours of sleep and had been running off an average of five hours of sleep per day. Elliot came by around 7AM today and saw that I was a mess. I went to ask him if he could stay for a while but he cut me off before I could start talking.

"I'm off today and have nothing to do. I'll watch Madison while you go sleep." He suggested.

"I'm f-" I was about to speak but a yawn interrupted me. I rubbed my eyes and closed them for a second, feeling more peace than I had in a week. Elliot put his hands on my shoulders and steered me back into my room before lifting up my blankets as I climbed under them. I was half asleep by the time my head hit the pillow.

"You sleep as long as you can, kay?" You will need it for the next few days." He said, pulling the blankets over me. I nodded my head and drifted off.

Four hours later, I woke up feeling like I was in Heaven. I took a long shower then got ready for the day before walking out into the living room to see Elliot cradling her while watching a movie. He saw me and smiled, obviously happy that I had gotten the rest I needed.

"I fed her once and she has been asleep the rest of the time so she will probably wake up pretty soon." He said. As if on cue, Madison began waking up right then, making Elliot and I laugh.

"You okay if I leave for a little while?" He asked, standing up and getting his jacket.

"Ya, i'm good. Thanks." I said as I watched the man I possibly love walked away, closing the door behind him.

EPOV

I was making my way outside and glanced in the window for a second, seeing Olivia holding her little girl was enough to make me not want to look away. I watched as she wrapped Madison in a small yellow blanket and cradled her in her arms. Olivia has been waiting for a moment like this her whole life. She stood up and gather some things before walked down the hall into her bedroom.

Over the next two weeks, Olivia called me constantly, sounding worried and panicked. Whenever I would ask what was wrong she would ramble on about the littlest things, as if it was a life or death situation. She still doesn't understand why I laugh when she gets like this. She thinks she is the worst mother because she doesn't have a ton of experience. All I could tell her was that if she was this concerned about every detail of Madison, she was an incredible mother already. She didn't believe me though.

OPOV

Madison was spending a few hours with Maureen and Kathleen so that I would be able to leave my house without a car seat in my arms for the first time in weeks. Elliot picked me up at five and told me that we were going out for the evening, wherever I wanted. I told him that I didn't care what we did as long as we ended the day in central park. The last time that I truly felt like I was going to make it, I was there. With Elliot. He took me out to dinner at a nice Italian restaurant and then to Rockefeller Center to watch the Christmas tree light up. In all of my years living in the city, I have never seen it being lit.

The countdown began at 7:30 and I felt a cool breeze circulating through the air, causing me to wrap my jacket tighter around myself. Elliot saw this and put his arm around me. I stood as close to him as possible to try and keep warm. We looked up simoltaniously and saw the thousands of light bulbs fill with color. My eyes were tearing up at the sight of it. I didn't really know why. Tears slowly started falling and I looked up at Elliot, smiling.

"This is my first Christmas with a family." I whispered, reaching up and wiping my eyes. Elliot grabbed my wrists and lowered them, pulling me into him. Our lips met and neither of us wanted them to part. After what felt like an eternity, we broke the kiss. Looking into eachother's eyes, we both knew that this is how it was supposed to be. Elliot looked into my eyes and pulled me into a hug, shielding me from the world.

"I love you." He whispered into my neck, sending shivers down my spine, making me feel important for the first time in my life.