Disclaimer: SVU and its characters belong to Dick Wolf. I own nothing.


A/N: I know I'm grateful to have the distraction of fanfiction, not only to write, but to read to escape from the worries going on in the world. Take care, all of you, and be well.


True to his word, Elliot had picked up a variety of catalogs on his way home from Partial on Thursday. He also stopped to get some boxes so Olivia could begin packing up her things. With only a month to go until she had to leave the apartment, she would need to get a head start as soon as possible.

Olivia had gone into work, but had spoken with Cragen about her situation. As much as she didn't want to miss more time after just being sidelined with an injury, she requested the next week off so she could look for a new place to live. The Captain had been very understanding, and told her to take as long as she needed.

Now she was letting herself back in the apartment, glad to be home. She had barely set her keys down on the small table next to the door when two strong arms wrapped around her waist and a mouth met hers in an intense kiss. As soon as she was free to breathe again, she spoke the first thing on her mind.

"I guess I don't have to ask if you're glad that I'm home."

Olivia smiled against Elliot's lips, still content in his embrace. There would be an advantage to not working next week. Yes, the majority of their time would be taken up with apartment hunting, but that would only occupy the daytime hours. That left the nights completely free. Her mind began to run wild with ideas.

She felt his body shake slightly as he chuckled, and knew immediately he had intuited what she was thinking about. They were alike in so many ways.

"Not that I wouldn't love to do that right now, Liv, but first things first. We need to start looking through those catalogs while we eat dinner."

Feeling her nod, he moved his lips to her ear and spoke in a husky whisper.

"We can always save your idea for later."

He lowered his arms then, finally releasing her from the embrace he'd held her in since she walked through the door nearly ten minutes earlier. Nothing more needed to be said at that moment. While Olivia changed and made herself comfortable, he would put the finishing touches on dinner.

He was just plating up their food when she came back into the kitchen, wearing leggings and one of his tee shirts. It hadn't escaped his notice that she had been appropriating more and more of his wardrobe for herself since the night he had given her his shirt to wear. That wasn't counting the NYPD one she had already stolen. He didn't mind in the slightest. He loved seeing her wear his clothes.

As they sat down at the table together, Elliot had already placed the catalogs there for them to look at while they ate. He'd had an idea earlier today, and he hoped he wasn't getting too far ahead of himself, but he wanted to ask her about it now.

"Liv? I know we literally just agreed to move in together, so feel free to tell me you're not ready for this, but I was thinking about something."

His mouth felt dry, so he quickly took a drink of water, hoping it would help. Setting the glass back on the table, he tried again.

"I know you want to stay in Manhattan, and I'm fine with that. It's not really that far from the kids, and I don't mind driving to get them."

Olivia placed her hand over his, and squeezed gently. She knew something was making him anxious, and what she wanted most was to calm him.

"El, stop. Just ask me whatever you need to."

Taking a deep breath, he went all in.

"What would you say if, instead of renting an apartment together, we bought a house or condo – something permanent?"

Normally, a question like that would have filled Olivia Benson with panic. She had had several relationships in her life, but there was nothing that had prompted her to want this level of commitment. She wasn't even sure yet how it had happened. All she did know was that what she had with Elliot felt right – even if they had only been officially 'together' for just a short time.

"I think that sounds great, Elliot. You'll be wanting more space for the kids, anyway. Not to mention, it will be more economical in the long run to buy than to rent."

Elliot smiled then. She had not only agreed to make the commitment to him, but she had understood the underlying reason for his wanting something other than an apartment. It reinforced his belief that she would make an amazing mother someday. Pushing that thought aside for the time being, he pulled the first catalog he could reach close by so that it was between them, and began flipping through it.


They had managed to look through three catalogs before their eyes began to cross and all the listings started to look the same. Deciding to call it quits for the night, they put the books on the coffee table, and opted to relax instead. Olivia promised she would call the realtor tomorrow to set up a few appointments to look at some of the places they already had an interest in for the following week.

Since home sales were unpredictable at best, they had also discussed the possibility of getting a short term lease somewhere until they found a place they really liked. Neither liked the idea of having to move twice in such a short period of time, but Olivia's landlord wasn't really leaving them with any other options.

Even though she wasn't aware of it yet, Elliot had indeed tried to talk some sense into the man today on his way home. However, the landlord had proven to be unsympathetic and unforgiving. When Elliot had tried threatening him with breach of contract, saying he was unjustly evicting Olivia from her apartment, he had argued the fact that he technically wasn't. All he was doing was refusing to renew her lease, and being generous by giving her an extra month to find a new place to live. At that point, Elliot had wisely shut up before the man could change his mind again, and both he and Olivia found themselves with no place to go a lot sooner. When it came down to it, she knew she was being evicted, and so did he, but the way the letter had been worded was such that they had no cause to fight it.

Deciding it was time to come clean about his little side trip this afternoon, he wrapped his arm around Olivia's shoulders, and pulled her against his body. Pressing a kiss against her temple, he took a deep breath.

"Liv, there is something I need to tell you."

A corner of her mouth quirked up then, giving away her amused expression. It struck him then. She knew. He didn't know how she knew, but she did. Not bothering to make excuses or offer an explanation, he simply asked one thing.

"How?"

"My landlord called me when I was at work, said he'd talked to you. Apparently, he didn't believe you were telling the truth, thought you'd made it all up."

Elliot was incredulous. Who would make up a story like the one he had told? Shaking his head in disbelief, he didn't hesitate to speak the first thing that came to mind.

"What an ass."

"I agree. I'm not upset about this at all, El. Granted, I would have appreciated a little more notice, but I'm not going to miss living here."

Kissing her again, this time on the mouth, he questioned her again.

"Why did you live here for so long, Olivia?"

"Because there weren't many other two bedroom apartments in Manhattan I could afford on a cop's salary."

She had a point. Now, though, he wouldn't have to worry about where she lived any more – something he had done since their first year of partnership. Wherever they ended up, there would be no more broken security doors, no more poor maintenance. He'd make it his own mission to fix whatever he could on his own – not that Olivia was helpless, but that would be something he could contribute.

As the night gradually wore on, Elliot's anxiety increased. Now, though, it all had to do with the following day. He was having mixed feelings about it being his last day of Partial. Even though just the other day in Dr. Simpson's office, he had said he felt confident in the skills he had learned, now he was having doubts. What would he do now that he didn't have the daily support system? What would happen if those dark feelings were to return?

He felt a sense of calm wash over him when Olivia rested her hand on his thigh, squeezing gently. It reminded him that even on the first day that he'd arrived on her doorstep, back when he had been completely distraught, she had been able to offer so much comfort with just a simple touch. Even though he knew apologies weren't necessary, he offered one up anyway.

"I'm sorry, Liv. I just got overwhelmed for a few minutes. Truth is, I'm a little scared about tomorrow."

"That's perfectly natural to feel. I'd be surprised if you weren't feeling anxious."

Though he desperately wanted to take her out tomorrow night before going to get Eli, there was one other thing he wanted. He hoped she would understand.

"Would it be okay if I met up with Nathan and a few other guys after group ended tomorrow? They all want to go out to eat to celebrate my 'graduation' from the program. It's the last day for a couple of the others, too"

"Of course. You don't need to ask my permission, Elliot. In fact, why don't you borrow my car, then spend as long as you want with your friends? I'll take your car and go to Queens to pick up Eli, so he'll be here when you get home."

Elliot realized that he needed to stop thinking there were moments when he couldn't love her more. Just when he thought he'd found one, there would be another. He needed to realize that his love for Olivia would continue to grow with each passing day. There was something else he needed to tell her, but he didn't want to put anything else on the table tonight. He thinks that when he does finally say those words to her, he wants it to be on the first night in their new home, wherever that may be.


The last day of his Partial program proved to be a bit bittersweet for Elliot, but he did have to admit to feeling a real sense of accomplishment when he signed the release form at the end of the day. No matter how nervous he was at the idea of his program's conclusion, he knew how far he had come these past three months.

Still, he knew that even though he wouldn't be going everyday, he had made a few lasting connections. Much like when he had been in the Marines, or even on the force, the shared experiences had formed a bond – an understanding – that few others could comprehend. While Elliot knew that he may no longer talk everyday to these men, he realized that he would always care about their well being.

They had gone out to a local restaurant for an early dinner. After finishing their meal, only Nathan and Elliot remained. Since he was still recovering from his most recent hospital stay, Nathan would be attending the next session of Partial as well, but the two men planned to keep in touch. In fact, Elliot had invited the man over to their new place – wherever that would be – to watch a game as soon as he and Olivia were settled in.

Meanwhile, as Elliot was finishing up his early dinner, Olivia was arriving at the Stabler home in Queens. Since Maureen and Kathleen were at school, and the twins were at work, Kathy and Eli were the only ones home. Olivia was welcomed inside moments after she knocked on the door.

"Olivia. Please, come in. Would you like a cup of coffee?"

Kathy greeted her warmly, leading the way to the kitchen and inviting her to have a seat with a wave of her hand.

"Yes, please."

"Eli is still upstairs napping, but I expect him to wake up soon. He went down a little later than usual today."

Olivia shook her head, indicating that it wasn't a problem. In a way, she was relieved, because that would give her a few uninterrupted moments to talk with the other woman.

"That's fine, Kathy. Actually, I was hoping to talk with you anyway."

"It's about Elliot, isn't it."

Kathy's matter-of-fact statement and neutral expression immediately put Olivia at ease. It reminded her of when they had been at lunch together not long ago. It also dawned on her that Elliot had likely already filled his ex wife in on what was going on between them. Still, she wanted to say something, too.

"Yes."

Kathy brought two cups of coffee over to the table and set them down, then took a seat. Brushing her hair back with one hand, she leveled her gaze on the woman sitting across from her.

"Listen, Olivia, you don't need to explain anything to me. Elliot already told me that the two of you are going to be moving in together permanently."

She took a breath, then continued.

"I can't say that I'm surprised, I saw this coming – even before the two of you did. It does seem a little sudden, but he did explain the circumstances."

Before Olivia had a chance to say anything, Kathy went on to add one more thing.

"I told you not long ago that I wasn't upset, and not to run if something more should develop between you two, and I meant it. I can see that Elliot is happy – that's all I ever wanted for him."

Olivia sipped her coffee. Even though she knew it to be true, she was relieved to hear again that Kathy wasn't upset with her. She could only imagine how she would feel if their positions were reversed.

"Thank you, Kathy, for saying that. I wanted to thank you, too, for trusting me with your children – for letting me to be the one to pick up Eli today."

Kathy reached across the table to cover Olivia's hand with hers.

"Olivia, I have always trusted you with my children. You are the main reason I have Eli and that I'm still here, don't think that I've ever forgotten that. I only hope that if you and Elliot ever decide to have a family of your own, you will let us be a part of that."

Olivia felt tears pricking at her eyes, not only at the suggestion of having a family with Elliot one day, but at the sheer thought that they would ever exclude Kathy or the children. It was unimaginable.

"Of course you will be a part of it, Kathy. I would never keep Elliot from his family. I know that you will always be important to him, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

The intense emotional moment was interrupted by the sound of Eli calling out. Both women wiped at their eyes, and shared a meaningful look before Kathy went upstairs to get him. Olivia took advantage of the few moments alone to compose herself a little bit better, focusing on taking a few deep breaths. The last thing she wanted was to appear upset in front of the little boy.

Several minutes later, Kathy came back downstairs. She had a bag slung over one shoulder, and Eli was by her side. As soon as he caught sight of Olivia, he let go of his mother's hand and ran to her.

"Livia!"

Olivia swept Eli up into her arms, giving him a kiss on his cheek as he wrapped his legs around her waist and his arms around her neck. Her heart was so full of love in that moment it felt like it was going to burst right out of her chest.

"Hey, buddy. We're going to go on a little drive, then you're going to stay with daddy and me again this weekend. How does that sound?"

"Yay!"

Kathy watched the scene unfold in front of her, a wistful smile on her face. She missed her youngest son while he was away with his father, but knew that he was well taken care of. In fact, it reminded her about amending the arrangements as soon as Elliot and Olivia had found a new place to stay. Eli needed time with his father. While she didn't think she could bear being apart from her son for two weeks at a time, perhaps switching off every other week would be an agreeable solution. At least until he was in school.

Clearing her throat, she focused yet again on the present.

"Eli, why don't you do a favor for Mommy and go and get your shoes? I'm sure Olivia will help you put them on."

Looking up at the woman who held him for a nod of confirmation, Eli squirmed down to the ground then ran off to do as his mother had asked.

"Please, Olivia, remember everything I said today. And tell Elliot again how proud I am of him for completing the program. I told him last night on the phone, but I'm not sure he really heard me."

"I will, Kathy."

Eli came back into the kitchen then, a shoe in each hand. Olivia pulled him back up into her lap, and helped him slip them on. Since they had velcro fasteners, there wasn't much more to be done, so she set the boy back on his feet, then stood up herself.

Kathy helped her son with his jacket, then passed Olivia his bag. The two women walked outside together to where Elliot's car was parked. After giving her son a hug and kiss goodbye, Kathy helped situate him in the car seat in the back, then closed the door. As Olivia started the engine and began backing down the driveway, she waved goodbye.


When Elliot arrived home from his dinner out with Nathan and the other guys, Olivia and Eli had already been at the apartment for about an hour. He found them sitting on the floor of the living room playing a game of picture dominoes. When Eli looked up to see his father come through the door, he abandoned his game and ran to greet him.

"Daddy!"

Elliot picked his son up in his arms, just as happy to see him. As he was hugging the boy, he caught sight of Olivia smiling at him. While he was happy to see his youngest, he couldn't wait to greet her, too.

"Hey, buddy. Have you been having fun with Olivia?"

"Yeah!"

Eli squirmed to get down then, and Elliot set him back on his feet. To his surprise, the child didn't immediately run back to his game, but grabbed him by the hand. Pulling his father in the direction of the living room, it was clear that Eli wanted his father to play, too.

"Give me a second, bud. I haven't taken off my coat yet. Then I'll come and play a game, too. I promise."

True to his word, as soon as his coat was off, Elliot was joining the pair in the living room. While Eli was distracted shuffling dominoes on the floor with his hands, Elliot leaned over to give Olivia a kiss.

"Did you have a good time out at dinner?"

"I did. I'll tell you about it later. What about you, did you and Eli eat?"

Before Olivia could respond, Eli answered for her. Elliot hadn't even realized that his youngest could hear their conversation. He reminded himself to watch what he said the rest of the night, at least until his son went to bed.

"Livia made grilled cheese, Daddy!"

"She did? That sounds amazing! Did you eat it all?"

Eli nodded eagerly, then took his turn at the game. The three of them played a few more rounds before the boy grew restless of playing. By now, it was nearing Eli's bath and bedtime routine. Because of his later nap today, he didn't show any signs of being sleepy just yet, so Elliot decided he would let him stay up a half hour later than normal.

After the boy had been bathed and dressed in his pajamas, Elliot brought him back out to the living room. Eli snuggled between his father and Olivia on the sofa, and together they watched something on the television. By the time the hour long program was over, Eli was rubbing his eyes and yawning.

At Eli's request, it was Olivia who read him a story again once he was settled in bed. By the time she had finished, he was sound asleep. After each giving him a kiss on the forehead, Elliot and Olivia tiptoed out of the room.

Alone at last together in the living room, Elliot wrapped his arms around Olivia's waist. He kissed her again, more intensely than he'd been able to before. When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers, craving a deeper connection.

"I missed you today, Liv."

Olivia held him tighter, knowing there was more he wanted to say, he just needed the time to be able to say it.

"I missed you too, El. Now, what's really on your mind?"

Releasing her from his embrace only so he could take hold of her hands, Elliot led her over to the sofa and sat down. Olivia sat down with him, her eyes never leaving his. She studied his expression carefully, a hint of concern written on her face.

"It all just feels so surreal, Liv. I can't believe I'm done with Partial. Not that I don't feel ready, it's just that it was such a pivotal part of my life recently."

Olivia rested her palm on his cheek, and he leaned into her touch. She knew there was nothing he wanted her to say in that moment, it was just something he'd needed to voice aloud. Her silent support alone was enough.

After a few moments, he was able to collect himself again. Then, he focused on other things.

"Were you able to get us any appointments to look at places next week? I can make a few phone calls, too."

"We view four places on Monday, and three on Tuesday. I'm hoping that a couple of them pan out."

Relaxing against the back of the sofa, Elliot pulled Olivia into his arms. Pressing a kiss to her temple, he murmured into her ear.

"It's a start. I'm sure we'll find something in time."

She nodded against him. She wasn't going to worry about it tonight. All that mattered right now was that she and Elliot were together, and he had his son for the weekend. Everything else could wait.


As it always did, the weekend passed in a blur. Elliot found himself looking forward to when he and Olivia found their new place together. As Kathy had mentioned to him when he'd dropped Eli off, then they could possibly arrange for longer visits. Since he wasn't currently working, he would be free to stay home with his son all day long. Maybe, sometime in the future, he'd eventually look for something part time again to keep him occupied, but right now he just wanted to continue to focus on his recovery, his family, and Olivia.

Now, it was Monday morning, and he and Olivia were getting ready to head out and meet the realtor to look at a few places. They had already discussed budget details between them, as in how much they could afford when it came to cost. Another thing they had decided was to get a joint checking and savings account, and contribute to both equally. While they would each be keeping their individual bank accounts, the joint accounts would be strictly for all household expenses. That way, they wouldn't have to write separate checks each month, or every time they did some simple task, like a grocery trip.

Olivia came out of her room, dressed and ready to go. Elliot helped her with her jacket, pausing only to give her a kiss. Then they slipped out the door and headed for the realty office that was two blocks away. They would be walking that short distance, then driving from site to site with the realtor.

When they got to the office, Elliot and Olivia were told it would be a few minutes wait, and invited to help themselves to a cup of complimentary coffee. They had just finished their drinks when a young man came out to the lobby and greeted the pair.

"Good morning, sorry to have kept you waiting. I'm Sean Mitchell."

Elliot shook the man's hand, introducing himself first, then Olivia. When he heard that Olivia was a detective, Sean's ears perked up, and he directed another question toward Elliot.

"Detective, you say? And what about you, Mr. Stabler? What do you do for a living?"

"Please, call me Elliot. I was a Detective as well. In fact, Olivia and I were partners together for twelve years. I'm retired from the force now."

For the first time since he'd put in his papers, he hadn't felt a strange pull in his heart upon saying those words. In its place was a sense of peace. Could it be that he'd finally found a way to accept the way in which he'd left the job? He knew he'd never forget that day, but perhaps his mind would give him the peace he'd been seeking for so long at last.

Pulled from his thoughts, Elliot returned to the present when Sean suggested that they head out to the first property. His car was parked right outside, and they were soon on their way. They were scheduled to look at four places today, so it was time to get started.

The first place they stopped at was a four bedroom, two bathroom townhouse. One look inside, and Elliot and Olivia immediately scratched it off their list. The rooms were all entirely too small, and would never work. It almost seemed as though the kitchen in her current apartment was bigger. They didn't even bother to look upstairs, just moved on to the next place.

The second property on the list seemed a bit more promising. Like the one before it, it was a multi level town home. However, this one boasted four levels. There was even a two-car garage, something rare to be seen in Manhattan.

As soon as they entered the ground floor off the garage entry, they were in the laundry room. It was spacious, and already housed a front loading washer and dryer. Both appliances had a stainless steel finish, and it was clear they were brand new.

Going through a doorway, there was another room. This looked like it could easily serve as a den or family room. Two small rooms were located off the one wall, with a bathroom in between. Elliot and Olivia exchanged a look. This would be a perfect space for Maureen and Kathleen to share, or even the twins. It would provide them with privacy, but still allow them to be a part of the household.

After giving his clients some time to explore the ground level, Sean led them up the stairs to the first floor. This was the main floor of the house, and held the living room, dining room, kitchen, and master bedroom, complete with private bath. He also revealed there was a powder room located under the stairs.

The rooms on this floor were open, and the kitchen featured stainless steel appliances, matching the same ones they had seen downstairs in the laundry room. In the master bedroom, there were his-and-hers closets, and the master bath even featured a tub with jacuzzi jets in addition to a spacious glass shower.

It was hard for Olivia to pull herself away from the master bath. She could already envision herself soaking in that tub after a long, hard, day at work. Of course, Elliot would be there to join her. Sharing a look with him, she saw that he must be having the very same thoughts.

"We're ready to see the upstairs, now."

Elliot broke the silence, placing his palm at the small of Olivia's back to guide her out of the room. If the rest of the house was anything like what they had already seen, they would need to look no further.

The upstairs of the house featured three bedrooms and one bath. Most of those were standard, but they all featured ample closet space.

Lastly, Sean led them up the final flight of stairs to the top floor of the house. This was more of a loft space, and had plenty of room for storage. However, the agent was quick to point out that there were connections available to easily add another bathroom and convert the area to a studio apartment.

Seeing the two share another look, Sean excused himself, saying he would wait for them downstairs in the kitchen. He wanted to give them time to talk privately between themselves. As soon as they were alone, Elliot turned to Olivia.

"What do you think, Liv?"

"What do I think? I love this place. It may be a little out of our budget, but not by much."

He smiled then. Once again, they were thinking the same thing. He'd seen the looks that had passed over her face as they'd walked through the house together. He knew she was in love with this house. Knowing that she had grown up in apartments her entire life, he also realized that if they were to buy it, it would be the first real home she had ever known. Reaching for her hand, he asked her the question he already knew the answer to.

"Shall we cancel the rest of the places we're supposed to see, and make an offer?"

Unable to speak with all the emotions she was feeling, Olivia could only nod. This was really happening. She and Elliot were really going to get a home together. Trying not to hold her breath as they made their way back down to the kitchen were Sean was waiting, she hoped that no one else wanted this place, and their offer would be accepted.