A/N: A Saturday night surprise for you! I finished this quite literally 20 minutes ago and I was planning to post it tomorrow morning, but then I thought - I've kept you all waiting for months already (it has actually been months, hasn't it? Wow. My apologies.) Anyway, this chapter has the start of Olivia officially Flipping Her Shit with him (to be honest, I would have done a while ago given how much of an asshole he seems to have been sometimes - seriously, it's like women's lib never happened in the Stablerverse) and it's also the start of the fifth month! Exciting stuff. I hope you all enjoy it and I hope you all send me a nice review to let me know (and the next chapter will be the 20 week scan... so that's something to look forward to for you.)

courtneylovejason - I love Nat too, she's actually maybe my favourite thing about this story =) sadly this chapter doesn't have any of her but I'm going to try and write some more Nat in soon!

edge15684 - I know, my friend's nephews are nightmares for asking awkward questions... but they're so cute while they're doing it!

K444 - I too love myself a bit of fluff once in a while =)

Sidle13 - so do I =)

Hutch917, Paula100, redorchid23 - I'm glad you liked it!

And gemfinder360, my fellow Irish SVU fan - consider this one for you!

Anyway, here you go, I hope you like it, and let me know what you think!

'Morning, Liv.' Olivia felt Elliot kiss her forehead as he sat down on the bed beside her.

She burrowed further under the covers, squeezing her eyes shut against the light. 'What time is it?' Why is he waking me up so early?

'Eight. Alex just picked up Nat for the day.'

She felt him begin to stroke her hair and smiled to herself. Oh, THAT'S why... 'And you thought you'd give us some time alone together before we have to go out...' She began to squirm a little with anticipation. 'I like it...'

There was an awkward pause, and then he cleared his throat. 'Well, actually...'

Huh? She opened her eyes, frowned and sat up. 'Why are you wearing your suit?' Won't you be a bit overdressed at the doctor's?

Elliot shifted uncomfortably, unwilling to meet her eyes. 'Olivia, I just woke you up to say goodbye. I told Cragen I'd pull an extra shift today.'

Olivia tried to keep the hurt from showing on her face. But El... 'Why?' You said that you were taking the day off to come to the doctor with me. You promised.

'Well, because we need the money, for one, and-'

'But Elliot, I have my follow-up appointment today, you know that...' Why would you do this?

'I'm sure you can manage on your own.' He smiled at her and stroked her hair. 'I left you cab fare on the kitchen table.'

'But...' Olivia was still trying to get her head around what was happening. But I need you there, El, you promised...

Great, here comes the guilt trip. He sighed and glanced at his watch. 'Look, it'll be fine, Kathy always managed these things perfectly well on her own-'

Olivia felt a rush of irritation. Fuck Kathy. 'Elliot, I told you how nervous I was about it. You know how important it was to me that you be there, and you just go and do something like this without even asking me-'

'Oh, you need me now, do you?' That's a first.

There was a definite hint of spite in Elliot's voice, and Olivia bristled. 'Yes, El, I do. You knew that, and you've gone and done this anyway.'

For fuck's sake... 'Well, I'm sorry, Liv, but-'

'No you're not.'

'What?'

'I said, Elliot, that you're not sorry. If you were, then you wouldn't have done it. How often do I ask you to be there for me? How often do I ever ask you for anything? And then, on the one day I really need you, you miraculously find out at the last minute that you have to work? Please.' How stupid do you think I am?

Since when do you get to tell me what to do? 'Olivia-'

Enough. Olivia fixed him in a steely glare. 'You know what, Elliot, I realised something the other day. It's not me who needs to change my attitude. It's you.'

Elliot rolled his eyes. 'Oh yeah, and when did you decide that?' Was it while you were watching Oprah? Because I'm fairly sure that I could take out a contract on that woman at this point and plead it down to justifiable homicide.

Patronising asshole. Olivia sat back against the pillows and crossed her arms over her stomach. 'You remember the other night when you were annoyed at me because I wanted to go back to work for two days a week on desk duty?'

His eyes narrowed. 'I do.'

See, there it is again! 'Well, as soon as I told you, you went very quiet and then you ignored me for the rest of the evening-'

'Come on, Liv-

'-and then LATER, when we went to bed and I wanted to cuddle, you just rolled onto your side with your back to me and said you were tired!'

Elliot shrugged. 'So?' It's not like I yelled at you or anything.

What do you mean 'so?' Olivia gritted her teeth. 'SO, it's not the first time you've done that, Elliot. It's not even the first time this week.'

'And?' It's not that often, is it?

'And, I'm sick of spending days at a time hating myself and blaming myself for not being good enough for you, Elliot. I live in utter terror of upsetting you. Sometimes I cry because I'm so scared that you'll leave me for not being whatever the hell it is you want, and I've had enough.'

'Come on, Olivia, it's hardly my fault that-'

'Yes, Elliot, it is. You play on my insecurities to get what you want. Every time I do something that you don't like, you either pick a fight or go cold on me until I give in. It's selfish and it's manipulative, and I'm not going to put up with it any more.' To be honest, I don't know why I've put up with it for so long in the first place.

Elliot was trying hard to keep the irritation out of his voice. 'Come on, Liv, be reasonable-'

'I think I'm being perfectly reasonable. I just don't want to have to play your silly power games any more.'

'For God's sake, Liv-'

Olivia cut him off. 'Elliot, what is it exactly that you want from me?' Who do you want me to be? Because it's damn well time for you to figure it out.

Isn't that obvious? 'I want you to act like my wife.'

Olivia rolled her eyes impatiently. 'Oh yeah? Which one?'

Elliot bristled. 'That is NOT fair, Olivia-'

'Yes, Elliot, yes it is, and do you know why? Every five minutes it's 'oh, Kathy did it like this' or 'oh, Kathy did it like that.' It's gotten to the stage where I half expect you to sit up in bed and say 'oh, Kathy never used to come like that!''

He snorted derisively. 'For fuck's sake, Olivia, don't be so stupid-'

'Why am I being stupid, Elliot? All you ever do is try and tell me what to do! 'Liv, do this, Liv, do that-''

'Yes, it's because I'm your husband!'

'And that means you're in charge, right?'

'Yes!'

'Why's that? Because you have a penis?' Chauvinist bastard.

No, because you're my wife. Elliot focused on trying to control the anger in his voice. 'Because you're pregnant, Olivia! It's my job to look after you!'

Then why the hell aren't you coming to my appointment with me? 'And that suddenly means you get to control me? Because I managed perfectly well without you the first time round!'

Why won't she stop rubbing that in my face? 'That was different-'

'Why? I was still pregnant. I was still lugging around half of your genes with me everywhere for nine months, and you know what? I managed just fine without having you around 'helping' me!' Olivia's eyes narrowed dangerously. 'In fact, I seem to remember that you spent the first four months of my pregnancy denying that Natalie had anything to do with you!' And to be honest, it still scares me a bit to know that you could actually be that cruel.

Oh, for God's sake... Elliot gave her an exasperated look. 'Olivia, that is not true-'

'-yes it is, one of the first things you said was that I'd clearly gotten myself knocked up by a stranger and decided to pin it on you-'

'-God, Olivia, will you just let me finish for once-'

'-why, Elliot, why? Do you have something important to say, or is it just-'

Elliot finally snapped, his hands balling into fists. 'STOP IT!'

Olivia stared him coldly in the eye. 'Make me.'

Oh, I'll make you, I'll... I'll... Suddenly he caught himself. What the hell is wrong with you? She's pregnant! You're meant to be trying to look after her, not screaming at her every time she gets moody! Elliot felt a rush of guilt and he chewed on his lower lip, staring at the floor. Jesus, Elliot...

Now she was looking at him with concern, one hand on his knee. 'El? El, are you OK?'

No, I'm a selfish asshole. He took a deep breath and then looked up and smiled apologetically at her. 'Liv, I'm sorry.' He put his hand on her stomach and stroked it with his thumb. 'You're right, I'm being unreasonable.' She can't help being irrational right now, so just humour her.

Olivia's jaw dropped. 'You... you are?' But... he never, ever admits he's wrong...

'Yes, I am.' He smiled, took her hand and squeezed it. 'I love you, Liv, and I am so, so sorry, for everything. I've been under a lot of pressure at work and, you know, worrying about the baby, and I shouldn't have taken it out on you.' Wow, a lot of that was actually true...

Olivia blinked. 'That's... uh... OK, El...' What the hell just happened?

He smiled and squeezed her hand. Thank God. He looked at his watch and sighed. 'I probably can't get out of work this late, but I can bunk off early and take you out for lunch at Martino's after your appointment?'

Ooh. Olivia fought the urge to actually lick her lips. 'I like Martino's.'

Elliot laughed and stroked the side of her face, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. How can she always be so adorable? 'I know you do.' He smiled, leaned in and kissed her. I can't believe she'd think that I'd ever want anyone else but her. 'Tell you what, I'll even stop by that weird cafe on Eighth and bring you back some of their Hungarian pastries. How does that sound?'

Perfect. Olivia bit her lip and smiled at him. 'I love you, El.' Even when you are being a complete asshole.

'Sounds good, then.' He kissed her again, stroking her cheek with his thumb. 'I love you too.' Even when you're being an unreasonable harpy.

Olivia smiled and stroked his hand. 'I know you do.' But I'm still not going to let this go, now matter how many pastries you try to bribe me with.

A/N: What did you think?