It had been six weeks since Olivia and Elliot had welcomed their son James into the world. He was the perfect child, Olivia often wondered how she and Elliot had made such a mild mannered child, James rarely cried, often content to lie in his Moses basket, simply looking around. Olivia couldn't count the times she had lay awake watching her son sleep, so overwhelmed by the feeling of love and pride that she could barely stand to close her eyes.

Elliot had intended to stay for a few days but he was still living with Olivia after four weeks. They had gotten into a perfect routine. Even now that he was back at work he would come home every night and bath the baby, sometimes they would bathe him together other times it was daddy and James time. She loved standing at the door listening to Elliot softly talk to his son, watching him cradle James' little head in his hands as he washed the water over his tiny body. Elliot would get up with him in the middle of the night – not that James was awake that often, and short of feeding him, which Olivia still found awe inspiring, Elliot did everything that she did.

Now as she put her son into his Moses basket and watched as his eyes closed, she smiled tilting her head to the side, her son was perfect. She sighed, wanting to watch him for just a little while longer but knowing that if she stayed and longer she wouldn't want to leave. She placed a soft kiss on her fingers and gently placed them on James' head before walking out into the living room.

**

Elliot sat at his desk, leaning backwards as the case he was working on refused to be solved. He and Fin had been working flat out trying to solve the rape and murder of a young mother. Elliot had found her face down in an alleyway after a night out, her first night out since giving birth to her daughter, she had been a single mother and the baby was now in foster care. The case had hit him hard and he thanked God that he got to go home to his children every night, seeing his 5 older children every second day and seeing James whenever he got home. Holding James in particular made him realise how lucky he was, how little he could have had to do with his son and Olivia.

He had been staying with Olivia for nearly 7 weeks and it was practically perfect, neither one of them had mentioned him moving back to his apartment, both happy with the way things were going. He often watched Olivia interact with James, fighting the urge to simply stare and smile. She was amazing. She could calm James with only a soft touch or kiss, she was so confident, all the fears she had expressed during the birth a mere memory. He was relieved that James had Olivia's temperament rather than his own, Kathleen had been a nightmare when she was a baby, constantly crying, he was sure he didn't sleep for six months when Kathleen was born, James was different. He would sleep all night and simply lie awake waiting for mommy or daddy to pick him up when he woke.

Maureen, Dickie and Lizzie had all visited at least once a week, Eli had also met his little brother but was too young to understand the reality of the situation. Kathleen had been less frequent in her visits. Of course the kids loved James, but Kathleen in particular was very hostile towards Olivia, something they both understood but on the last visit Elliot could see that Olivia was upset, she had taken the hostility and tried to ignore it but Kathleen simply upped the ante, commenting on how cosy Elliot and Olivia were considering the circumstances in which they got together the words "Affair" and "Stealing" were used and Olivia could no longer take it. She walked out of the apartment knowing that James would be fine with Elliot and the kids.

Elliot felt torn between yelling at Kathleen and running after Olivia, he decided to yell. He understood that Kathleen was upset but he couldn't allow her to keep walking into Olivia's home just to insult her. He'd told Kathleen that he understood why she felt the way that she did but that he wouldn't allow her to talk to Olivia like that again, she had of course stormed out, waking James and refusing to come back.

He had spoken to Kathy, asked her to keep an eye on Kathleen and the other kids who had been practically perfect, and Kathy had called to tell him that Kathleen and Maureen would be around to visit again tonight and that Kathleen was ready to apologise. Maureen in particular keen to spend as much time with James as possible after speaking with Olivia and clearing the air. She understood that the circumstances behind James' conception and that Olivia would never have done anything to hurt the children she had grown to love so much over the ten years she had known Elliot.

"Hey Daddy."

He was shaken from his thought as he heard a soft voice behind him, he turned around to see Olivia, stood smiling with James held tightly to her chest in the baby carrier, she had a hand placed on his back as the little boy slept.

"Hey," Elliot stood up to greet her, placing a hand on her arm as he kissed James on the head. "Everything okay?" he asked, wondering why she was there.

"Everything's fine, I know how hard your working on this case and I thought you'd be missing your little boy," she smiled, looking down at her son. "You want to get some lunch?" she asked softly.

Elliot nodded, grabbing his jacket.

**

A few hours later they were at home, Elliot held James close to his chest, loving being so close to his youngest child.

"So what do you think little man? Uncle Fin or Uncle John? Which one's your favourite so far? I know Uncle John is a little eccentric...but you'll grow to love him, Uncle Fin's pretty cool right?"

James yawned, his eyes closing and opening, verging on sleep.

"Yeah, I thought so..." he smiled, placing a soft kiss on his son's head. "You uh, you'll learn to love them." He looked up as he heard a knock on the door,

"They're here?" Olivia walked out her bedroom with a fresh top on after being vomited on by her beautiful son.

"It's going to be fine," he winked as he pulled open the door.

"Hey Daddy, Jamie!" Maureen smiled, gently kissing her brother on the head. "Hey Liv," she walked forwards and gave Olivia a hug,

"Hey," Olivia smiled, turning her attention to Kathleen. Watching as she walked past Elliot, without acknowledging James. She bi her lip as she wondered what insults Kathleen would come out with this time. She knew that Elliot needed to see his children and she loved them, she'd watched them grow into the people they were now but Kathleen's hostility towards her son was starting to bother her. It was a bad situation, of course it was, but James hadn't done anything wrong and she wouldn't let this continue much longer, she was going to talk to Elliot as soon as the girls left.

"Can I hold him?" Maureen asked, resisting the urge to take the baby and cuddle him to death. Her brother was so beautiful, he had the Stabler gene but he looked so much like Olivia. She looked up as Kathleen sat on the sofa, arms folded. She wondered how soon it would be before her dad flipped because of her sisters actions. She smiled as Elliot gently handed her the baby,

"Hey beautiful," she smiled, kissing her brother again. "He's already grown so much, I can't believe he wasn't even supposed to be born until tomorrow,"

"I know," Olivia smiled, wiping her hand across her sons head, it was so small it comfortably fitted in the palm of her hand. Jamie was still tiny, she forgot how tiny she was until she saw a baby who was the same age as her son who had been born a week after her due date and she seemed like a giant next to her child.

"And his hair...I can't believe how much hair he has..."

"Apparently your father had a lot of hair when he was born," she smiled raising her eye brows waiting for Elliot to react.

"Really....dad?" she suppressed a giggle.

"Very funny, dad has no hair, you guys are hilarious," Elliot rolled his eyes as he walked to the kitchen, opening the fridge to pull out a drink.

"You want anything Mo? Kathleen?"

"Can I have some water?" Maureen asked,

"Sure, Kath?" he asked, looking at his younger daughter.

She looked up at him, arms folded.

"No thanks," she spoke quietly.

Elliot and Olivia shared a glance which wasn't un noticed by Maureen.

"Do you wanna hold the baby Kath?" she walked towards her sister, urging her to take the baby from her.

"No thanks," she got up and walked towards her father, wrapping her arms around him.

Maureen gave Olivia an apologetic smile and then turned her attention to her brother again.

**

An hour later Maureen and Olivia had been sat in the living room while Elliot, Kathleen and James sat in Elliot's bedroom.

"Listen," Olivia started, "I wanted to say thank you for being so great with Jamie, I know this situation isn't perfect-"

"Liv, it took me a while...but I know that you and dad didn't mean to hurt anyone and mom's already met someone new, she's happier than I've seen her in a long time, dad too. Although it's going to take some time to break it to the twins and Kathleen-" Maureen smiled.

Olivia's eyes widened.

"Maureen your father and I..."

"Oh it's okay I figured you two were together when he moved in,"

"No we're not," Olivia shook her head.

Maureen frowned slightly, "You're not together?"

"No...no we're just friends and we have Jamie but that's it."

"Really? I...I thought...okay, sorry Liv, I just thought because he was living here? I guess it would cause too many problems what with Kathleen and the twins, they aren't ready for that."

The room fell into an awkward silence.

**

Elliot smiled as he changed James' diaper, sat next to Kathleen who had been giving him the silent treatment for nearly twenty minutes.

"You wanna talk to me about what it is that's bothering you?" he asked softly, placing hid hand over his daughters.

"You know what's bothering me,"

"What Olivia?" he asked, Kathleen folded her arms again, resembling a four year old who had been told it was time to go to bed. "You used to like her, and I know...hey I know how hard this is for you baby, but you can't keep coming here being rude to her-"

"You slept with her while you were married to my mother, what am I supposed to do?" Kathleen asked, tears filling her eyes. "And now you two are living together with your perfect baby and your perfect family-"

"I'm here to help Olivia with Jamie, she's never done this before-"

"She'll be fine if you go back to your apartment. She doesn't need you, she wants you, she always called you away from us and now she's finally got what she wants. I hate her." A single tear slipped down her cheek.

"Your mom and I...we love you, all of you, and it wasn't working between us, you know that – and this isn't any excuse for what happened but I've apologised-"

"I'm not mad at you anymore, it's just her..." she clenched her fist.

"You know that Olivia is a good person? Kathleen you know that," he told her watching as James lay in between them as they sat on the bed.

"Dad, I'm sorry but I'm never going to be okay with this, I hate her and...and I hate him." She stood up walking out leaving Elliot stunned. He picked up Jamie, astounded that Kathleen would say such a thing about her baby brother, Olivia he could understand but James?

Olivia looked up as Kathleen stormed out of the room.

"Are you happy now? Now you have everything you wanted?" she sobbed and yelled at Olivia.

"Kathleen-" Olivia walked forwards,

"Don't!" Kathleen threw her hands in the air. "What kind of a woman takes someone else husband-"

"Kathleen-" Maureen tried to interrupt her,

"No, you wanna pretend you're okay with Dad shacking up with his mistress-"

"Hey!" Elliot called, "You listen to me, you will not talk to Olivia like that in her own house," Elliot warned her, struggling to keep his vice calm. Knowing that this was exactly what Olivia had been dreading when she told him she didn't want drama in her baby's life.

"You should've had the abortion and stayed away from us," Kathleen's words hit Olivia hard, she turned away from the young woman and towards Elliot. She silently took the baby out of his arms and held him close to her chest as she walked into her room and closed the door behind her.

"You..." Elliot could feel his blood boiling. "I know that you're upset, I know and I'm sorry and i'm going to be sorry for the rest of my life, but that...that was..." he shook his head, "Jamie is your brother-"

"Half," she sulked.

Elliot clenched his fist, still struggling with his temper. "You need to think long and hard about what you just said, and the way that you've been acting," he didn't want to push her too hard because he knew that she only needed one more thing to push her away completly.

"He's our baby brother, like Eli, like Dickie." Maureen told her sister, "You need to grow the hell up Kathleen,"

"I'm done with his crap," Kathleen grabbed her jacket and walked out slamming the door behind her,

"Baby follow her will you?" Elliot asked, Maureen nodded, gave her father a kiss on the cheek and left.

**

Olivia hadn't been out of her room for hours, Elliot had waited in the living room, hoping she would come out before he fell asleep so that he could apologise on his daughter's behalf.

Kathy had rung a little while after the girls left to tell him that they were home and that Kathleen didn't mean what she'd said. The whole situation was starting to wear him down, Kathy was supportive but would never go the extra mile, something he completely understood. He had told her from the start that he was only staying with Olivia so that he could be close to Jamie and she told him she understood, but he knew that the trouble his kids were having accepting the situation was the thing that made Kathy resentful of the living arrangement. He promised he would go to see the kids tomorrow and talk to them properly about what was going on and answer any questions they had. She had sighed and hung up, not expecting him to come at all.

He looked up as he heard Olivia's door open.

"Hey," he stood up and walked towards her as she closed the door and placed the baby monitor on the side. "Listen-"

"Elliot, I've been thinking," she cut him off, "I hate that this is so hard on Kathleen, and uh, I think that maybe it's time you moved back to your apartment." She told him, not wanting to delay the inevitable any longer. "I know how much you love your children, and this is just too difficult for them," she told him, repeating the thoughts that had been running through her mind as she watched James sleep.

He looked at her with raised eyebrows surprised by her admission.

"You uh, you want me to move out?" he asked, trying not to look to hurt.

"No, no I love having you here, Jamie loves you but I just...I can't see this working any other way, we're happy yes but Kathleen's right, you have 5 other children who need to know that they haven't been replaced, visiting you here and having to see me when they're still mad at me-"

"They'll get over it,"

"Maybe, but they need time with their daddy, not with daddy and his new baby." She saw the defeated expression on his face and walked forwards slowly, "I'm want you here, I do," she spoke softly, almost whispering, "But your children come first,"

"What about Jamie?" he asked, "He's going to miss out-"

"You can come and visit whenever you want – I'll keep the spare room for you, you can stay the night, but just...just for a little while you need to be around your kids, because they're suffering," she told him. He knew she was right.

"What Kathleen said-"

"Don't, it uh, it doesn't matter, but I don't want Jamie to ever hear anything like that again, she wants to say that to you or me fine, but not in front of him," she told him. She looked up at him slowly, "Do you...do you wish..."

"Hey, no way, I love him, I love him Liv, more than life itself just like the others," how could she think that he would wish that their son wasn't there?

"I just...I thought things were working...I...I don't want you to go," she admitted, feeling selfish for telling him that he had to go and then whining about it.

"I don't want to go either- we can work through this with the kids..."

"No, no they need you El, just you."

"I'm going to miss this," he told her, pulling her into his arms, "I was just getting comfy," he joked,

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she closed her eyes, allowing herself to be held. They hadn't held each other like this for so long, she thought there were times when they could have while they both watched Jamie sleep , when they both felt so filled with love that they could burst.

"Sorry for what? For putting my kids first? You're amazing,"

She lifted her head slowly until her eyes met his, she felt her heart pounding against her chest as she struggled to tear her gaze away from his. He lifted his hand from her waist to her cheek, stroking softly pulling a stray bit of hair away from her face,

"Elliot-" before she could say anything else his lips were on hers...