Dear readers. I never really know how many words it's going to take to finish a chapter. This one? Everything I still have to say about this story will never fit into one chapter so I decided to keep this one short and sweet so the next one will be the last one (I think...). So the good news is, this isn't the end yet! Enjoy.

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53. Traveling the world

Olivia closed her eyes and let the warm sun caress her skin in the soft breeze coming off the ocean. Seagulls were making their presence known in the distance but other than that, all she could hear was the gentle lapping of the waves against the bow of the boat.

Elliot had just thrown out the anchor of the yacht they had rented and that had been there home for almost a week, and had told her was going to make them some coffee. Olivia was leaning against the railing of the boat wearing a light summer dress, and opened her eyes to admire the Amalfi coast. Italy was rapidly becoming her favorite holiday destination. They'd seen a few other countries around the Mediterranean, but the landscape of the Italian coast was truly breathtaking.

New York seemed very far away. She grinned. It was very far away. She missed her children a little bit, but was enjoying their time in Europe thoroughly. It had taken them a few weeks to agree on their travel plans and book everything, but now that they were here, she loved being away with Elliot. They were getting to know each other in a completely new way, that seemed to complement the way they'd known each other all those years ago.

Elliot came back up on deck carrying a tray with their coffee and two portions of Tiramisu. Olivia had fallen in love with the dessert and they had stocked their small fridge with several boxes of the sweet Italian specialty. Her eyes drifted from the sweet treat to the man carrying it. He was a treat himself, dressed in just his colorful swim trunks, which were hanging low on his hips.

"Hmmm, that looks delicious," Olivia said, walking up to Elliot towards the small love seat on the lower deck behind the cabin, where they could sit in the shade underneath the extended roof of the cabin.

"You're not so bad yourself," Elliot said with a wide grin and they both chuckled.

When they sat down, Elliot leaned over and gave her a soft peck on the lips. Olivia smiled and caressed his cheek with one hand. Elliot kissed her again and she grinned.

"Are we going to drink that coffee or did you have other plans?" she asked him playfully.

"I might have other plans with you," Elliot said, wiggling his eyebrows. "But let's have some coffee first."

"And Tiramisu."

"And Tiramisu," he confirmed. "We have to keep our strength up after all."

"So. What do you want to do next?" Olivia asked.

Elliot eyed her for a moment. She was a vision in her light sundress, that contrasted beautifully with her tanned skin. She'd pinned her hair up loosely and was wearing simple flipflops, and he thought she looked more beautiful every day. He loved seeing her this relaxed and content and he hoped to spend many more years with her just like this, enjoying their retirement and traveling the world. He pretended to think about her question, already knowing exactly what he wanted to do next, and then replied.

"I thought we could go for a swim to work up an appetite, then shower together," he said wiggling his eyebrows again, "and then take the rubber boat to the coast and have dinner there."

"Sounds like a plan," Olivia said with a smile. "But do we really need to shower?"

Elliot's face fell and Olivia burst out laughing.

"Smartass," Elliot muttered, but when Olivia moved close to him and kissed his neck tenderly, all was forgiven.

They enjoyed their coffee and Tiramisu and then Elliot insisted on helping Olivia put her bathing suit on. She allowed him to come into the only bedroom on the yacht and help her pull her dress up and over her head, but once he started kissing her skin she tried to get away from him so she could put on her suit. Elliot grabbed her around her waist and deposited her on their bed. She didn't try to escape anymore and lay there in her white underwear, looking up at him expectantly.

"What now?" he asked her innocently. "Where's your suit?"

Olivia grinned and then made a 'come-hither' gesture with her index finger.

"My underwear needs to come off too," she explained and Elliot needed no further encouragement to join her on the bed to help her take off her underwear. Somehow, his swim trunks ended up on the floor as well and all thoughts of swimming were forgotten as they made love slowly to the rhythm of the waves.

Dinner had been exquisite and Olivia wasn't sure if she had room left for dessert this time. Elliot asked if she would let him choose something. That was new. The old Elliot she'd known and had worked with for so long, wouldn't have asked. He simply would have done it and convinced her afterwards to try whatever he'd chosen. But things were really different now. They were different. They had grown separately and were now growing together. Olivia nodded and smiled at Elliot, who stood up and dashed off to discuss something with their waiter. When he returned, he seemed a little nervous and Olivia wondered how special the dessert could be that he'd ordered. She was surprised when their waiter returned a few minutes later with a tray with two glasses of Champagne on it. Elliot took both glasses and set them down on their table, thanking the waiter, who left them alone at once.

"What are we celebrating?" Olivia asked, but Elliot didn't answer her.

Instead, he stood up again, and before Olivia realized what was happening he dropped down on one knee next to her chair.

"I hope," he started, his voice a little raspy all of a sudden, "that we will be celebrating something very special tonight Liv."

Olivia's mouth fell open and her heart started beating faster. What was this? Could it be?

Elliot pulled something from the pocket of his dress pants and looked into her wide eyes. He put a hand on her thigh, palm up, and Olivia instinctively put her own hand in his. Elliot curled his fingers around hers and then continued,

"Olivia, we've known each other for more than 37 years and for a long time I never thought we'd ever get here. But here we are, together again, and this time, I'm not letting you go ever again. And that's why I want to ask you ... "

Elliot took a deep breath and Olivia's lips quivered. This was really happening and she hadn't known it would mean so much to her until now.

"Will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Olivia's free hand flew to her mouth and while she couldn't speak for a few moments, she found herself nodding already. Of course she wanted to be his wife! Tears welled up in her eyes and choking up, she forced her answer out of her throat.

"Yes."

"Yes?"

Elliot's eyes shone and were a little moist as well as he looked up to her.

"Yes," she answered a little more clearly.

She stood up then, pulling Elliot up with her by his hand and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Yes, I will be your wife," she whispered against the skin of his cheek and Elliot wrapped his arms tightly around her.

They heard the guests seated at the tables near them applaud and a few cheered for them. They broke apart and Olivia glanced around but Elliot shrugged, making her laugh out loud. He was right. Who cared about an audience? This was their moment. Elliot leaned in to kiss her and she kissed him back convincingly, sealing the deal. Their audience applauded again and the both had a silly grin on their faces when they broke apart again.

Elliot held out the black box he'd been clutching. He had totally forgotten to open it for her, and when he did, Olivia teared up once more. The ring was perfect, a simple silver band with two small diamonds, set closely together in tiny silver leaves, as if the diamonds were the hearts of two little flowers.

"El. It's beautiful," she sighed.

"Look inside," Elliot whispered.

She looked up at him, then sighed and turned away to grab her purse. She was lost without her glasses.

"Blind as a bat," she joked and Elliot chuckled.

Once she'd put her glasses on, she inspected the inscription underneath the two diamonds.

"P four L," she read.

It took her a second to realize what it meant and once it hit her, she wanted to cry.

"Partners for life," Elliot said, his voice thick with emotion. "For as long as we both shall live."

They had something to celebrate indeed.

"I don't want to leave," Olivia whispered.

They were cuddled up together in bed on their motor yacht, enjoying the sway of the boat on the water and each other's company.

"We have to. They're expecting us," Elliot said, although he felt the same.

They were engaged! He wanted to savor it. Stay in Italy and not return home just yet for his son-in-law's fiftieth birthday. he wanted it to be their little secret for a while. Olivia hadn't even told Sarah when she'd called her tonight. They were living in a bubble of their own for now and he caught Olivia admiring her ring again in the moonlight.

"How does it feel, Mrs. Stabler?" he asked her softly, his lips skimming her ear.

"Mrs. Stabler?" she asked, and for a moment he thought her surprise was genuine.

"Yeah. Or … don't you want to take my name?"

"Oh honey, that's so twentieth century," she teased but he could tell she was joking.

Still, he wasn't sure how she would feel about giving up the only name she'd ever had.

"I've thought about it," Olivia revealed, turning the ring around on her finger.

"And?" he asked her, hopefully.

Olivia turned on her side and kissed his cheek.

"I think I've been Captain Benson long enough. It's time to leave that life behind me. I think it's time for me to be Mrs. Elliot Stabler at last."

Elliot swallowed hard and then turned on his side as well to face his fiancée.

"I love you, Olivia Stabler."

"I love you, Elliot Stabler."

He kissed her and realized, just when he thought he couldn't love her more, that he could. Olivia was his at last. All his. His fiancée and soon to be his wife, Mrs. Stabler.

All together now: Aaaaw.