A/N: Another day in the lives of the young and beautiful.
DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns the characters and settings of SVU. TStabler (c) owns this saga.
"You've got to be kidding," Olivia said, walking back out of the small bedroom. She had just put Lizzie down in her "big girl bed."
Brian shook his head. "I have the world's worst hangover," he said with a shrug. "Who else was I supposed to think it was?"
Elliot, keeping one eye on his son, coloring at the coffee table, pulled Olivia into his arms. "What's your excuse?" he asked, jutting his chin toward Alex. "You break in, kill the lights, just to…what...kiss me?"
Alex paled slightly. "Well, see, I was hoping that you would…I mean, in the dark, I…"
"Oh, my God," Olivia said, rolling her eyes. "I think he could tell us apart, even in the dark."
Elliot hummed and held her tighter. "Ya got that right," he mumbled as his lips pressed into the back of her neck.
"Look," Alex said, "Don't blame Brian. He…"
"I don't," Elliot said. "We've had a pretty shitty morning, I am completely exhausted. Brian, get a cup of coffee. Alex, you should go. Before I wake up enough to realize how pissed off I am."
Brian ran a hand down his face, then padded into the kitchen to make coffee.
"What the hell is going on out…Alex?" Casey has finally come out of her bedroom, and was shocked to see the blonde in the middle of the living room.
"Hey, Novak," Alex said, folding her arms. "Sorry I couldn't tell you…"
Casey cut her off again. "I know why you're here," she said, "And it's really pathetic. Stop trying. He's married, with kids, they're happy, can't you just…"
"I'm done," Alex said, holding up a hand. "This was humiliating, and I kissed…Brian."
Casey's eyes widened. "How the hell did that happen?" she asked, folding her arms.
"Long story," Alex said, then she grabbed her bag. "Olivia and Elliot will tell you all about it, I'm sure."
Olivia, chuckling at her son playing the drums with his crayons, walked over and lifted him into her arms. "Nap time," she said. As an answer, Dickie rested his head on her shoulder. She walked with the sleepy boy back over to Elliot, who placed a soft kiss to both of their foreheads.
"They really are beautiful kids," Alex said, giving them a small smile. "They're so…big…and you guys look really happy."
"We are really happy," Elliot said, assuring her. He kissed Olivia's lips, then watched as she turned into the kids' room and put Dickie into his bed. "I really wish people would stop trying to convince us we're not," he mumbled.
Alex looked at him, feeling guilty. "I'll just…I'm gonna go."
Elliot turned and nodded at her, saying, "Good idea." He ran a hand down his face and looked longingly at Olivia. "Stay away, Alex. I mean it. If you can't just be her friend, then you can't be around. At all."
Casey tilted her head and said, "She can't help how she feels, Elliot."
"Neither can Trevor," Olivia said pointedly, walking back into Elliot's waiting arms.
Casey sighed and closed her eyes. "I'll go call him," she whined, slumping over and padding back into the guest room.
"I didn't mean…" Olivia began to call after her. She sighed and fell back into Elliot. "Whatever, she mumbled.
Brian walked over then, carrying three mugs very carefully, and handed one to Olivia, one to Elliot, then sipped from one himself. "I think my head's clearing up," he said, swallowing the hot coffee.
"Good," Elliot said, "Once I'm sure you can feel it, I'm kicking your ass. How the hell could you think that Liv would…and why would even…"
"Drunk," Brian interrupted. He nodded once and said, "Very drunk."
Alex looked at him, as if noticing him for the first time, and asked, "Why aren't you home with the little woman?"
Brian chocked on his coffee. Olivia smirked and folded her arms, not able to wait to see Alex's face when she heard this. "Kathy's, uh, she's been sleeping with Joey. Kathleen…she isn't mine either. She knew, and she lied to me, because I was upset enough about Maureen, and…"
"Woah," Alex said, blinking quickly. "That's a long time to be keeping a secret like that."
"Ya think?" Brian quipped, taking another gulp of his coffee. "Could you imagine raising someone else's kids? The whole time you think…"
Elliot cleared his throat. "I don't really wanna think about that, actually," he said, swigging back his coffee.
Alex rolled her eyes. "Please, Stabler, you know those little angels in there are yours."
"I wasn't talking about me and Liv," Elliot snapped, his eyes fiery and his tone severe. "I'm getting a fucking headache, now. Great."
Olivia smiled sotly and sadly at him, reaching her hands up to his temples.
Elliot grabbed her wrists, stopping her. "Don't, babe," he said, backing away from her. "I'm just…I'm gonna go back to bed for a while."
Brian, Alex, and Olivia watched him walk into the master bedroom, then Olivia looked at her company. "I have to…I'm sorry," she said. "Alex, I don't think you should be here when he wakes up, but you can stay…with Brian."
Alex gave her an apologetic smile and watched her walk into the bedroom. She would never have love like that, she thought. Not unless she let go of Elliot and focused on Chester.
"I can't take this," Fin said, pacing. "How long can this possibly take?" he asked, running his hands through his hair.
Melinda looked at him and tried not to make her sleeping son as she moved in her chair. "You heard them," she said. "This could take hours. Just…just sit down."
Fin bit his lip and sat, plopping into the chair. "It has been hours, Mel," he complained. "It doesn't take that long to compare…"
"Mister Tutuola?" the receptionist called.
Fin stood immediately and looked at her hopefully. "Yes?" he asked, tilting his head.
"This is for you," the redhead said, handing him an envelope. "You're free to go," she added.
"That's it?" he asked, surprised. "You aren't gonna tell me anything? Say anything?"
The receptionist shook her head. "Everything you need to know is in that envelope, Sir. There's nothing I can say that will help you. Have a nice day."
Fin glared at her and tore into the envelope.
"Fin," Melinda yelled, "You couldn't have waited until we got into the car?"
Fin ignored her as he read the printout, his heart racing and his head filling with rocks. "Damn," he said, dropping his arms. He looked at Melinda, then at the sleeping boy in her arms. "You really think he has my eyes?" he asked, sniffling.
"What?" Melinda asked, unsure of what that meant. "What did it say?"
Fin reach out and took the boy, laying him over his shoulder. "It said that Ken is one hundered and ten percent my son."
Melinda threw her arms around him and cried, finally acknowledging the doubts she had. She felt Fin wrap his free arm around her and she let her relief show, squeezing him tight. "I knew he was," she said, feeling the fear and worry fade.
"Let's go home," Fin said, kissing the crown of her head. Now that he knew, really knew, he could prepare. He could call Elliot, tell him the plan was a go, and move on with his life. His life, with his son and Melinda.
"I can't say I'm surprised," Kathy's father said, staring at her from across the kitchen table. "You roped him into marrying you, you lied to him for years, what did you expect?"
Kathy blinked. She knew he would be upset, but she didn't think he'd be so heartless. "Brian isn't blameless, here, Dad."
"He isn't?" her father asked, smirking behind his newspaper. "Guy gives up his whole life to take care of you and a kid that isn't his, only to be betrayed by you, yet again. How was any of that his fault?" He folded the paper over and looked at his daughter. "And if I hear the words, 'he never really loved me' or 'Olivia' come out of your mouth…"
"Fine," Kathy said, huffing. "So I made a mess of my life on my own. Will you please help me find a lawyer?"
Her father chuckled. "You're Catholic, Katherine."
"What's your point?" Kathy asked, bitter and feeling guilty now.
"No daughter of mine is going to get divorced, it's bad enough you have to go through life with a scarlet letter on your chest," he told her. "I got enough ridicule form the Church about you and Father-What's-His-Name, and then when you got knocked up in high school I thought they were going to kick me and your mother out for good." He eyed her dangerously and said, "You fix whatever is wrong with your marriage, or you find a way to deal with it all, but you are not, not as long as I have something to say about it, getting divorced. No way, Katherine."
Kathy looked at her father and shouted. "Well, what am I supposed to do, then, Dad?"
"Therapy," came his answer. "Lots of therapy."
"You would have me be miserable, for the rest of my life, than…"
"Yes," her father said, raising his newspaper again to cover his angered face. "It's for your own good, Katherine."
Kathy grabbed her bag and shook her head. "What about what Brian wants?" she asked.
"So now, all of a sudden, you care what he wants?" her father snapped. "Talk to him. If he wants to sell his soul to the Devil and take yours down with it, fine. But mark my words, if you go through with this, I will never forgive you."
Kathy blinked and titled her head. "If this was Elliot and Olivia…"
"It's not," her father said, "And it wouldn't be, because their relationship is based on real love, and trust. Not a pile of lies!"
"Dad," Kathy sighed, "You don't understand…"
"Maybe I don't," he interrupted, "But you don't either."
Kathy looked at him for a moment, then walked through the house, out the door. She would head back to her place, where Joey and the girls were waiting, and she would try like hell to understand.
"Shh," Elliot cooed into Olivia's ear. "We have company," he said, pushing into her slowly, trying to stay quiet himself.
Olivia was shocked, pleasantly though, when she came into the room to check on him and he threw her onto the bed. She told him she thought he was tired, and he said he needed her more than he needed sleep. How could she argue? She bit her lip as he drove into her, slow and deep, and kept her moaning low.
"Only with you," he mumbled, dragging his lips over her skin. "God, Liv, just you," he breathed with a low grunt, grabbing at her legs to pull them around his thrusting hips.
Olivia didn't know what he meant, but she moaned in response, in agreement. She wrapped her hands around his neck, splaying them over his back, and she kissed him.
Elliot needed to tell her, talk to her, but now was not a good time. He would tell her when they were finished, when they were exhausted and she would chalk his rambling up to exhausted delirium. He was thankful, for her, for being with her, for his children, and he didn't ever want to do anything to wreck that, to wreck them.
He would make sure he wouldn't, and couldn't, as soon as he could.
A/N: What does their conversation lead to? What happens when they find Cragen? And Brian and Kathy make a decision. Next, before a time jump. Review here, or on Twitter: TMG212
