A/N: A night with the kids turns into something more. Something new. Something powerful. Something life-changing.
DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and Characters. TStabler© owns this story.
"So, you enjoyed your day off?" Maureen asked, passing her father the mashed potatoes.
Elliot laughed. "It wasn't exactly a great reason to stay home, but yeah, we had a pretty good time. We got to relax, ya know? Liv read a book, and she, uh, she cleaned out the fridge."
"Whoa," Kathleen said, looking at Olivia with wide eyes.
"Your father mowed the lawn and did the laundry," Olivia shrugged. "It was a day of surprises, to say the least," she said, recalling that Elliot had called Dean Porter, his sworn enemy, for help and the man came through.
Elliot looked at her and sighed. "It was a good day, though."
"Yeah," she said, nodding as she bit down on a piece of steak. She caught his suggestive grin, alluding to the many hours they'd spent in the bedroom.
Dickie cleared his throat. "So, uh, Dad, you said you were gonna do something?"
"Not right now," Elliot said with a mouthful as his eyes widened. "Can we eat first?"
Lizzie laughed. "We're a little anxious, Daddy. This is pretty cool."
Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Are we going back to Disneyland?"
"No," Elliot said, looking at her, "But I'm thinking about shipping the kids off to California on their own. When they learn how to keep their mouths shut, they can come back."
Maureen laughed. "Like she's not gonna figure it out the second you..."
"Mo!" Elliot yelled, tossing a roll at her.
Maureen laughed, picked up the roll, shrugged and bit it. "Needs butter," she said.
Olivia dropped her fork and looked at Elliot. "What is going on, here?"
"Now you have to do it, Dad," Dickie said. "She's not gonna stop asking."
Elliot sighed, ran a hand down his face, and then tossed his napkin onto the table. He rose from his seat and held out his hand to Olivia. "Come with me," he said to her. She raised an eyebrow, but slipped her hand into his, getting out of the seat. The kids moved to follow them, but Elliot turned on them. "No," he said. "Stay. You've done enough."
The kids sat, obediently, and looked at each other. "What do you think she's gonna say?" Lizzie asked.
"I think she's gonna punch him," Dickie said, spooning the potatoes off of his father's plate and onto his. "She's gonna punch him very hard."
"Why would she punch him, Dickweed?" Maureen asked, still chewing on her roll.
Dickie smirked. "You know she hates to cry. She's gonna let him have it if she starts to cry because of him"
The kids laughed, then looked toward the living room, watching and waiting. Just beyond the doorway, Elliot had led Olivia over to the wall, placed her in front of the photo she loved, and stood behind her.
"That picture," he said, "Is special. You're all sleeping, it proves absolute comfort and trust in each other."
Olivia nodded. "I'm pretty sure the kids trust me."
"They do," he said. He took a breath and pulled her hand again, leading her to the photo of the two of them, posing like idiots at the department gala. "This one," he said, "Shows how much we rely on each other for companionship. No matter how serious the situation is, we manage to have fun, because we're together."
She shook her head, smirking. "You interrupted dinner to analyze..."
He spun her around and held out an unframed photo. A fairly recent shot. "This one," he began, "Is just us. Anyone looking at this will clearly see how much I love you, just by looking at the way I'm looking at you."
She looked up at him, tilted her head, and asked a silent question.
"Love," he said. "With trust, loyalty, and the true happiness we give to each other, baby, that's...that's real. Easy. That's forever."
"El, what are you..." she stopped, and gasped when he flipped the photo over, and revealed a solitary diamond on a shining silver band taped to it's back.
"I want forever," he said. He was looking into her shocked eyes, praying she wouldn't run, praying she really wanted it the way she'd told him she did.
She let her fingertips graze the stone and trace the band. "El," she whispered.
"Liv?" he responded. It was a question.
She blinked away the tears and looked up into his eyes again. She said nothing as she kissed him, wrapping her arms around him, holding him tight as they stood in the middle of their living room.
"Yeah, Dickface," Kathleen said from her watching post, turning to her brother. "She really let him have it."
She was comfortable, lying on her warm, muscular pillow, his arms cocooning her in love and safety. So when the phone rang, disturbing her peaceful and intimate slumber, she was less than happy. "Shoot it," she grumbled, kissing his bare chest as she rolled a bit, beginning to awaken as she moved her hands.
"I would," he mumbled, "But that isn't my gun."
She chuckled. "Oh, I know what this is," she snarked, stroking once, teasing him.
He moaned as his hand shot out to grab the offending device. "Stabler," he growled. "Okay, you need to talk to her. Well, why are you calling...why would she be here?"
Olivia rolled her eyes. He still wanted to keep this from Cragen. "Gimme the phone," she whispered, but she saw the look on his face change from playful and sexy to hurt and terrified. He was silent as he listened to his captain.
"I'll go get her," he said softly. "Thanks for leaving this is my hands, ya know, you could tell her...better coming from me? It's gonna hurt no matter who...right. We'll be right down." He hung up and tried to sit up, moving Olivia's warm body off of his. "Honey..."
"Oh, no, I hate when you look at me like that," she said, worried now.
"Baby, that was obviously Cragen," he said. "Your mom was released from the hospital yesterday..."
She stopped him with a furrowed brow. "I knew that, El. He called to tell you..."
"She went to a bar," he interrupted. "She got...she was really drunk, baby."
"What happened?" she asked, her body tightening next to him.
He shook his head, not wanting to tell her, not wanting to cause her any pain on a night that should have been painless. "She...there were these steps and..."
"No," she said, her voice trembling.
"She...baby, she fell and..." he stopped talking, lifting his hand to brush away the tears from under her eyes. "I'm so sorry, baby."
She fell into him, crying slow tears and breathing hard, unsure of if she was mourning the loss of her mother, or the loss of the chance of ever having one.
"We have to go down to the station," he whispered, his arms running up and down her back, trying to comfort her. "They need to..."
She nodded and sniffled, pulling herself off of him, and she said, "What about the kids?"
He shrugged. "Lisa," he suggested.
She nodded and moved to get out of the bed, knowing that her lesbian neighbor, and now good friend, would take great care of them.
They dressed in silence, every few seconds a hand would reach out to caress a cheek, or grip a bit of flesh and muscle, the need for connection and comfort overwhelming them. He walked her out to the car, then ran next door to Lisa's.
Olivia watched, dazed, as the redhead ran across her lawn to the Stabler door, and Elliot made his way toward the car. He opened the driver's side, slid in, and grabbed Olivia's left hand, his thumb brushing over her ring. He brought their linked hands up to the gear shift, quietly put the car in drive, and they were on their way.
Cragen was waiting for them outside, and without any hesitation or thought, he strode up to them, enveloping Olivia in his arms almost as soon as she got out of the car. "Are you all right?" he asked, pushing back to look at her.
She nodded, then sniffled. "El," she said. "He's taking good care of me."
Cragen shot Elliot a nasty look, but nodded. "Good," he said. He guided her into the building, ignoring the annoyed grunt from Elliot behind him. He walked her to the elevator, and once inside he said, "They just want to tell you what happened, ask you some questions."
She nodded. "I know," she said. "El told me...he told me everything he could."
"That's good." Cragen softened his look as he watched Olivia move, slowly, back into Elliot's arms. "Tucker's in custody," he said, knowing they needed to hear some good news.
"Thank God," Elliot said, lifting his eyes toward the Heavens, his head resting on Olivia's.
"Yeah," Cragen said as he narrowed his eyes, noticing their body language, noticing they still weren't planning on telling him the truth, but knowing he had been less than honest, too. He had to make the veiled threat now, before it was too late.
The elevator dinged, and as Olivia moved first, wanting to get this over with, Cragen pulled on Elliot's arm. "You know," he said, "That means there's an opening in IAB, if you want to transfer or..."
"No thanks," Elliot said, his eyes holding a slight bitterness. "I'm good." He pulled his arm away from Cragen. "If you'll excuse me, my partner needs me right now."
Cragen watched him run, catching up to Olivia. He watched him grab her hand, and he watched her fall into him, her hands working up around his neck. He saw the ring, glittering in the light, and that's when he knew his battle was well and truly lost.
There was nothing he could do now except let it happen. Someone else could do something, though. He ran a hand down his face, thinking. He would let this pass first, because she really did need him right now, but he would make that phone call. He would be surprised, though, to hear the man's response.
A/N: Who does Cragen call? And a surprising speech at Serena's funeral affects Olivia and Elliot's relationship. In a good way? Review here, or on Twitter: TMG212