When Olivia finally looked at her phone, she had seven missed calls - all from Elliot. She'd felt it vibrating in her pocket but elected to give Kathy her full attention in light of the circumstances. Hey El. Just having lunch with your ex-wife. It didn't seem like appropriate lunchtime conversation.

She knew he'd be on edge when she finally called him back. As expected, he neglected to offer a proper greeting. "You didn't call me," he huffed.

"Sorry. They were backed up," she explained. "Couldn't use my cell in the testing suite."

"Okay ... well?"

"It's the most amazing thing I've ever seen, El."

"Damn I wish I had been there."

"I've got pictures for you."

"What did they say?"

"Everything looks good so far," she told him. Then her tone softened even more. "I got to hear the heartbeat. There are no words."

"Where are you now?"

"Just headed back. You?"

"Here waiting for you. I don't care what Cragen says, I'm not leaving until I see you."

"Be there in 20."

Olivia climbed into the car and shut the door on the world around her. There was no bustling hospital corridor and no Kathy. She ran her fingers over the ultrasound images. That was really her name - Benson, O. - written in the corner in tiny white type. That was really today's date in the opposite corner, and that was really her baby in her belly. Olivia ran her fingernail over the tiny peanut shape and smiled in wonder. Although the bud barely resembled a baby, it was suddenly so real and suddenly so amazing.

When she pulled up in front of the squad, Elliot was outside waiting for her. He jumped into the passenger seat, his eyes gleaming with impatience. "Lemme see," he said.

She laughed at his enthusiasm and handed the photos off to him. He smiled as he eyed them, then leaned over and kissed her firmly on the lips. "I think it looks like you," he teased.

"I sure as hell hope so," she teased back.

"So what's next?"

"Another ultrasound in a few weeks."

"Fuck Cragen. I'm going."

"Okay," she laughed again. "Down, daddy."

"I told Munch today," Elliot said.

Olivia's eyes grew wide. "You did what?"

"Had to. He was starting to think we were conspiring against him."

"And how did he take the news?"

"Says he's fine with it as long as we name the baby after him."

Olivia laughed. "So are we talking John or Munch?"

"He also said something about even the Warren Commission being qualified to figure us out, but I stopped listening after that."

"So are you gonna get out of the car so I can park and get back to work?" she asked, nudging his chest.

"I suppose making out is out of the question?"

"Right now, yes. But play your cards right later … and we'll see."

"I'll settle for that," Elliot smiled, kissing her once more then prying the keys out of her hand to park the car himself. "Now get moving, Momma."

Momma. "Hmmm," Olivia thought to herself as she walked through the precinct doors. "I could get used to that."

That night at dinner, Olivia tentatively forked at her food. She knew she needed to tell him about Kathy, but she also knew he wouldn't take it well.

"So …," she began, "something else happened today when I was at the hospital."

Elliot looked up from his food, a look of immediate concern consuming his face. "Is something wrong you're not telling me?"

"No nothing like that," she said, sipping her lemon water and taking a deep breath. "I ran into Kathy."

Elliot looked up from his plate and stopped chewing. "And?"

"We had lunch."

"Okaaaay," he inquired, coaxing more information from her by drawing out the simple word.

Olivia looked him in the eye. "And she knows."

Elliot was stunned. "You mean about the baby?"

"Yes."

As soon as Elliot dropped his fork, she scrambled to qualify her statement with comforting details. "Look El, I think she suspected something and I didn't want to lie to her. She doesn't deserve that."

"So you told her?"

"I did. Somebody had to."

Elliot stopped eating, sat back in his chair and rubbed his hands over his face. "Damn, Liv."

"It's okay."

"Okay? It can't possibly be okay," he said loudly. "She's gonna freak."

"I wouldn't say she's in love with the idea, but after the initial shock, she settled down. We talked it through."

Elliot chuckled in disbelief. "You and my ex-wife talked it through?"

"Yes, Elliot," Olivia said, a bit irritated with him now. "Sometimes we manage to talk without strangling each other."

"And when does that happen?"

"You don't need to know everything, Stabler," she sassed him. "But I'm telling you, this is gonna be okay."

Elliot got up and paced around the room a little. She watched him pace and took the opportunity to force the issue. "But I do think it's time to tell the kids."

Finally he stopped pacing and turned to her, his hands pressed to his hips. "So you're telling me that Kathy knows you're pregnant? Knows the baby is mine?"

"I swear."

"Then why isn't my phone blowing up right now?"

"Maybe you're not all that," she quipped, standing up and walking toward him.

He stepped to her and tugged on her hips to bring her closer. "How did you pull this off, Liv?"

She laced her hands around back of his neck and smiled flirtatiously. "Some say I have a gift."

"Yeah you do."

But she wasn't letting him off the hook. "And about the kids?"

Elliot pressed his forehead to hers and furrowed his brow in thought. "How about I bring Eli over tomorrow and we tell him by himself? It will make him feel special. Like he's in on a little secret."

Olivia thought over his plan a moment then approved. "That might work."

"And when I pick him up I'll talk to Kathy about setting up a dinner for early next week. If she doesn't kick my ass."

"That'll do."

He pulled his forehead back from hers and grinned at her. "So you and Kathy ... how often do you two compare notes?"

"How many times to I have to tell you to get over yourself?"

As he pulled up to Kathy's house in Queens on Friday evening, Elliot had butterflies in his stomach much like those he had when he wanted to ask about the divorce papers. Olivia had assured him that Kathy would be calm about the baby issue, but he still intended to approach her cautiously.

Since the divorce became final and he was all but living at Olivia's apartment, he'd started knocking on the door at the house, forcing himself to recognize the boundaries that needed to be erected for him and Kathy to move forward with their lives. Kathy came to the door, drying her hands with a dishtowel.

"Oh hey, c'mon in," she said, opening the screen door for him. "Eli's just finishing his dinner."

Elliot studied her face for any signs that she was ready to pounce. Much to his surprise, he saw none. "So how are you?"

"Good. A bit tired. Four 12-hour shifts this week."

"If you need help with Eli …" Elliot began.

"It's fine. The girls have been great. Dickie took him to soccer."

"But if you need a break, I don't mind having him more often," Elliot insisted.

"Has something changed? Like are you no longer a detective who gets called in at all hours?"

Elliot knew she was right. "I just wish I could see him more, be more help to you."

"Oh your hands will be more than full soon enough," she quipped.

Elliot's eyes were wider when he met hers this time. "Kathy … I … I heard you ran into Liv."

"I'm not mad, Elliot," she said firmly. "I just wish you would have told me yourself."

"I was going to," he said quietly.

"The only thing I ask," she began. "The only thing …"

"Tell me."

"Is that Eli doesn't get lost in the mix. He's still your son."

"God, I know that. In fact, I wanted to let him in on the news before anyone else. Make him feel special."

"I can't guarantee he'll keep his mouth shut."

"When can we have dinner? All of us."

"Come," Kathy said, motioning for him to follow her into the kitchen. Eli's face lit up when he saw Elliot approach. "Daddy!" he spat, jumping up from his chair to offer a hug.

"My man," Elliot said, returning his smile with a big squeeze.

Kathy thumbed through the family calendar. "How soon is too soon?" she asked.

"Try me," Elliot said.

"Finals are coming up and the kids are gonna be swamped," Kathy explained. "But we could get together on Tuesday night. Looks like it will be our last chance before summer."

"I'll take it," Elliot said. "I'll make reservations at the same place?"

"Fine," Kathy approved, using the pen attached by a string to the calendar to scribble the date into Tuesday's empty space. She turned abruptly when Elliot spoke again.

"You can … uh … invite Kent if you want. My treat."

Kathy just stared at him.

"I mean … since we're kind of putting it all out there," Elliot added.

"Maybe," Kathy said. She'd have to give that one a little more thought. "I'll tell the kids about Tuesday."

Elliot thanked her with just his eyes. She leaned in and kissed Eli on his curls. "You be good, buddy. Love you."

Eli rolled his eyes a little. "I will, Mommy."

"Did you see that?" Kathy asked Elliot. "It's Dickie all over again."

"Livia!" Eli boasted as he rushed into Olivia's apartment with Elliot trailing behind. She crouched down to hug him. "Hey buddy. Where the heck have you been?"

"At Mommy's."

"Well I missed you. I'm glad you're here. How about we have some fun this weekend?"

The boy's eyes danced over her face at the mere suggestion. "Like what?"

"Like tonight you get to pick a movie and you get to make the popcorn."

"Yes!" Eli said with a fist pump. "Then what?"

"And tomorrow we'll all go to your soccer game."

Elliot watched the exchange between his girlfriend and his youngest son. "Before we start the funfest," he interjected, "Olivia and I need to tell you something important."

Talking didn't sound like much fun to Eli but he was still curious. "Like what?"

"How about you sit down with us a minute?" Elliot said, directing him into the living room.

Olivia and Elliot sat on the couch while Eli perched himself on the coffee table facing them with his feet dangling down. "Tell me!" he urged impatiently while swinging his feet back and forth in excitement.

Elliot leaned forward and shifted into secret spy mode. "If I tell you," he whispered to the boy, "you gotta promise not to tell anyone."

"I won't. I won't," Eli insisted, swinging his feet faster now.

Elliot pressed on, making the news sound as tantalizing as possible. "This secret is sooooo special that Liv and I are only telling you."

Eli's face shined with intrigue. "I promise. I promise!"

Elliot sat back and prolonged his son's anticipation with a bit more teasing. "What do think you, Liv? Can we trust him?"

Olivia played right along. She pretended to examine Eli closely before offering her approval. "Hmmm. Yes, Agent Stabler, I think he's ready for this mission."

Eli couldn't take it anymore. "C'mon Daddy, tell me!"

Elliot leaned in close again but this time spoke in a friendly fatherly tone. "You've been the baby of our family for a long time now, right?"

"Yeah. It's stupid," Eli protested. "Dickie thinks 'cause he's bigger that he knows more stuff."

"What if you weren't the baby anymore? How would you feel about that?"

Eli listened but didn't immediately comprehend, so Elliot pushed on. "What if you had a little brother or sister who you could teach stuff to?"

Eli thought for a minute before his eyes grew wide. "You mean Mommy's getting another baby?"

"Not exactly," Elliot chucked a little. "Daddy is."

"You can't have a baby, Daddy. You're a boy."

The adults couldn't help but laugh out loud at Eli's antics. "I sure am, buddy. But Daddy and Olivia are going to get a new baby."

Eli looked quickly around the apartment. "Where is it?"

Elliot chuckled a little. "Well ... it's in Olivia's belly right now."

Olivia sat up and lifted her shirt to reveal her stomach. "You can't see the baby right now," she explained, rubbing over her own skin. "But it's in there. Your baby brother or sister."

Eli was wide-eyed. "Can I feel it?"

Elliot smiled at his son's request. "Of course you can," Olivia said. "Give me your hand." She pressed Eli's chubby fingers to her stomach. "The baby is too little right now, but soon it will start moving around and you'll be able to feel it."

"When is it coming out?"

Olivia and Elliot searched each other's eyes. "Before Christmas, bud," Elliot told him. "You'll be able to teach the baby all about Christmas."

"And Dickie can't tell me how to do it?"

"Nope," Elliot said firmly. "We're deputizing you right now. You're officially in charge of big brother duties. What do you think?"

Eli smiled ear to ear at the honor being bestowed upon him. "That's pretty cool! Dickie's gonna be so mad."

Olivia chimed in with a finger pressed to her own lips. "But remember, it's a secret right now, okay?"

"Got it," Eli whispered, slipping into character. "A secret."

Both Elliot and Olivia expelled mutual sighs of relief as Eli's lips curled into a smile. "In fact, Dickie doesn't even know yet. Just you," Elliot said pressing his index finger to Eli's chest. "Only you."

"So Livia's gonna be like Mommy?"

"Well kind of," Elliot explained. "She won't be your mommy because … well … that's Mommy's job. But she will be the baby's mommy."

"And," Olivia interjected, "I'm gonna need your help with the baby. You know a lot of important stuff. Can you help me with that?"

"Yep," Eli confirmed. "Are you gonna kiss Daddy?"

Both adults chuckled. "Yes, Eli. I love your daddy," Olivia said.

"Then kiss him now."

Elliot stopped smiling long enough to give Olivia a quick kiss on the lips.

Eli giggled out loud and hid his eyes. "Ewe … that's gross!"

"I know, right?" Olivia teased. "So how about that movie?"