A/N: Surprises. A few of them. =)
DISCLAIMER: SVU and its Characters belong to Dick Wolf. Storyline and dialogue, and original characters, belong to TStabler©
The alarm went off exactly an hour and a half after Elliot had set it, and Olivia snoozed right through it. There was no way she could sleep through the miraculous things he was doing with his mouth, though. She groaned. She rolled her head. Her eyes fluttered open as her hands found their way to his head, which was firmly attached to a nipple. "Christ, El," she mumbled.
"I told you," he said, with her nipple in his teeth, "I was gonna wake you up."
Olivia chuckled and moaned as Elliot's hands found their way to her lower body and explored every curve and every inch, until he had her right where he wanted her, begging and wriggling. "This is so much fun to watch," he said. "Olivia Benson, bad-ass detective, whining and begging and completely helpless." He looked so smug and proud and kept moving his fingers, causing her to go crazy.
"And eight months pregnant, give or take a week, El," Olivia groaned. "And it's Stabler." Her eyes rolled back and her hips, baby and all, bucked up into his hand. "God, El."
Elliot chuckled, moved his hand, and slid himself inside of her in its place. "Jesus, Liv, this never feels any different," he whispered as he kissed her. He moved, slowly, loving every glorious moment of their lovemaking. "And it always feels so damn good," he mumbled, moving even slower.
"Hey, Rick," Elliot said, walking into the arcade where the birthday party was held. "The kids ready?"
The man chuckled as he shook Elliot's hand. "Yeah, hold on," he said, turning. "Hey! Stabler kids, your parents are here!"
Maureen, Kathleen, Lizzie and Dickie ran over with their "thank you" gifts and and hugged their folks, then said goodbye to their friends. Olivia and Elliot said goodbye to the parents and led their kids into the SUV. The family drove off heading to dinner.
"Where are we going, Dad?" Kathleen asked.
Elliot smirked. "It's a surprise," he said.
"Well, what's the occasion? You and Mom are all dressed up, it must be someplace nice for something nice," Maureen said, with a laugh.
"It's a surprise," Elliot repeated.
"I don't even know," Olivia said, rubbing her belly. "He just told me to wear something pretty."
"You should know, Liv," Elliot said, grinning. "But I'll let it slide." He looked at her, and looked at her face, which was contorted in discomfort. "Baby, are you okay?"
Olivia nodded. "Yeah, Josh just thinks my internal organs are hackey sacks. He's very active today for some reason."
Elliot laughed. "Three more weeks, honey. Or is it four?"
"I think it's two," Maureen said, scrunching up her face.
Kathleen shook her head and hummed. "No, I'm pretty sure it's three."
Dickie shouted, from the backseat, "I think you were supposed to have the baby last week, Ma. Get a move on!"
"Actually, Joshua is due in precisely eighteen days," Lizzie offered. "I have it marked on my calendar, and an alarm is set on my phone." She held up her cell phone and smiled.
Elliot and Olivia chuckled. "Wow," Olivia said. "Okay then. Thank you, Doctor Stabler."
"Doctor Stabler," Lizzie said. "I like the sound of that."
More laughs erupted from the SUV as they pulled into the restaurant's parking lot and Olivia gasped. "El," she said. "Are you for real?"
Elliot laughed. "Yes, I am," he said, sounding cocky. He got out of the car and ran around to help his wife out of the vehicle. Once she was in his arms he kissed her, sweetly, and said, "I've had these reservations for months. You really don't know what today is, do you?"
Olivia thought for a moment, and only one thing sprang to mind, but why would Elliot make a big deal out of that? "No," she said. "Nothing that merits coming here."
"Don't be so sure," Elliot said, leading the family into the ritzy establishment. Elliot walked up to the podium and gave his name to the hostess, then they were led to a large round table.
As they sat, and opened their menus, Olivia's eyes bugged out. "Um, maybe if we all get water, and four of us share something, we can afford this," she said.
"Get whatever you want," Elliot said, seriously. "All of you. I got it covered." He snapped a finger at a waiter and pointed to their glasses, and the man immediately filled them with water. He felt like he had the right to be a bit cocky in a place like this. He could act like he had money and spoil his family for one night. This was special to him.
Olivia looked at him and tilted her head, as a hand shot to her belly. "El, you wanna tell me why we're here? Because other than this being the day I started at..."
"Yep," Elliot said, interrupting. "Happy fourth anniversary, baby." He raised his water glass and winked at her. "Four years ago, today, you became my partner. I started falling in love with you four years ago, and you changed my life that day, Liv. You changed the lives of my kids, then, too, because I brought you home for dinner and they started falling in love with you, too. That's the day our lives really began, Liv. That's why we're here."
With tears in her eyes, she raised her glass to meet his and as the crystal clinked, Maureen looked at her siblings. "We have the mushiest parents in the world," she said.
"Hey," Kathleen said. "I'll take mushy over violent. He could still be with Kathy."
All four kids shuddered and shook, and then Dickie said, "Thank you. I'm gonna have nightmares tonight. Kathy, as a zombie, coming after me and trying to eat my brain."
"We can hear you, ya know," Elliot said, laughing.
"Yeah," Dickie said, "Well nothing we've said was wrong. You two are so mushy, and we all hated Kathy." He sipped his water as his parents chuckled and shook their heads.
Olivia looked at Elliot. "They definitely inherited your bluntness."
"They get that from you, wiseass," Elliot said in a whisper, winking.
"How the hell could they have gotten anything from me?" Olivia asked, whispering back and smirking as she tilted her head and rubbed her belly.
Elliot sipped his water and closed his menu, having decided what he was going to order. "Liv, my kids have been watching you, learning from you, and repeating your actions since the day you walked into their lives. God, Liv, you have no idea that in the last four years you've taught them so much and..." he paused, getting choked up, and sipped his water. He shook his head, deciding that he couldn't finish what he was saying.
Olivia reached across the table, took his hand as the other still rubbed her belly, and said, "I love you." She gave him a soft expression and a loving smile.
"I love you, too, baby," Elliot replied, giving her hand a squeeze.
"See," Maureen said. "What did we tell you? Mushy!"
They laughed as the waiter came over and took their orders. While they waited, they talked about how the kids were doing in school, what they did at the party they'd just come from, and Elliot excused himself to make an important phone call. When he came back, the food had arrived and they had a very pleasant meal, until Olivia stopped eating.
"Wow," she said, holding her belly. "I don't think Josh likes fettuccine alfredo." She grabbed her water glass and gulped, then pushed her dish away.
Elliot leaned forward. "Liv, are you all right?" he asked, nerves evident in his voice.
"Yeah, Mom. Is everything cool?" Kathleen asked.
Olivia nodded and took a deep breath. "Okay, Joshie, calm down. Mommy's not gonna eat it anymore," she said, rubbing her belly in light circles. Once the kicking stopped, everyone visibly relaxed and went on eating.
Elliot paid the bill, and they all took home leftovers, including Olivia's barely eaten pasta, and got back into the car. "Onto the next surprise," Elliot said. "Everyone buckle up."
They all clicked their seatbelts and they were on their way home. Elliot pulled into their driveway and turned around. "Okay, kids, I need you guys to go in first, make sure there isn't anything on the steps and put all of the food in the fridge. Then tell Uncle Munch, Uncle Fin, Grandpa Don and Grandpa Ed to stay in the living room."
"You got it," Dickie said, hopping out of the car, followed by his sisters.
Olivia looked at Elliot with a raised eyebrow, and a half-smirk. "Elliot, what did you do?"
"Nothing, Olivia," he said, using her full name right back. "I didn't do anything." It was the truth. The other guys did it all, Elliot just planned it.
He ran around to Olivia's side and helped her out of the car, and kept her in his arms as they walked up the stairs. Cragen held the door open for them, and Olivia saw Fin, Munch and Tucker in the living room. They were all grinning like foxes.
"Okay," Olivia said, hand over her belly, still rubbing. "I'm very happy to see all of you, really, but what am I missing here?"
They just chuckled. "Your husband will explain," Cragen said.
"My son's very sneaky," Tucker said. "You should expect this sort of thing a lot."
"I've put up with him for four years," Olivia said. "I know he's a sneaky son of a gun. And he knows that I can't stand surprises so this better be amazing."
Elliot chuckled as he held her hand and led her up the spiraling staircase. "It is, baby, I told you that this morning. Come on," he prodded as he tugged. He led her to one of the many rooms in their house that they barely used. "Close your eyes," he commanded.
Olivia rolled her eyes. "I am not closing..."
"Liv, humor me," he said, rolling his own sapphire-blue orbs.
Olivia smirked, shook her head and laughed. She closed her eyes and muttered, "Happy?"
"Yes. Very," he stated. He slowly opened the door, and he turned on the light, and he kissed her as he said, "Open 'em."
Olivia gasped. The room had been painted a baby blue and the border around the top of the walls was a pattern of police cars, fire engines and tow trucks. She looked around the room and saw the dark mahogany changing table, next to a matching crib, a rocking chair that matched in the corner and a dark mahogany dresser, off to the side. On top of the dresser was a lamp; its base was two ceramic, black and white police cruisers, with real flashing lights. Next to it stood a framed photo of Olivia and Elliot on their wedding day. The frame was ceramic, like the lamp, and its border was painted to look like crime-scene tape. Resting over the top of the rocking chair was a blue baby-blanket with "Joshua Elliot" sewn in thick, white thread. On the seat, a plush police car pillow and a plush fire truck pillow sat side by side. Inside the crib was a very large, overstuffed, blue teddy bear with a badge on its chest and a blue, police uniform hat on its head.
"The changing table and dresser are fully stocked," Elliot said. "We've all been shopping, for a while now. Don's been keeping everything at his place. You said you didn't want a big shower, so everything is in here, and I'm giving it to you all at once. You have to see all the clothes Casey and Alex bought for their little godson. Fin bought the dresser and Munch bought the changibng table. Don bought the crib and Ed got all of the little extras, and the teddy bear is from me," he said, a tear rolling down his cheek. He looked at Olivia, who was weeping, and she had a hand over her mouth. "Liv? baby, say something."
"It's all so beautiful," she said, through her tears as she fell into Elliot's arms. "And I am really glad it's all right here, right now."
Elliot looked at her and brushed a tear away, kissing her. "Honey, me, too."
"Oh, boy, El," Olivia said, her face suddenly scrunching up, her grip on him tightening. "I'm really happy it's all here, now, because I think I'm having the baby."
Elliot's eyes widened and he looked around the nursery, panicking, as if the teddy bear would help him figure out what to do. "Are you sure?"
"I'm pretty sure, El," Olivia said, nodding.
"Liv, maybe it's just the fettuccine, baby. Are you really sure?" he asked, nervous, looking her in the eyes.
Olivia looked down at the floor and kicked Elliot's foot, bringing his attention to the nice, wet spot on the new carpet. "My water just broke, baby. That's a pretty good sign."
A/N: We meet Joshie in the next chapter! Who's excited?