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

Elliot entered his bedroom to find Olivia laying on the bed, much as she had been when he first walked in on her sleeping a little more than an hour ago. The only difference now was that her eyes were swollen and red, and her face was flushed from her tears. His heart broke to know that she had been in here crying while he had been making attempts to explain the situation to his daughter. But there was no way he could have left Kathleen to assume the worst while he checked on Olivia first. He also knew that Olivia wouldn't have wanted him to put her before his own children. In fact, if he ever tried anything like it, he was certain she'd kick his ass.

Walking over to the bed, he sat down on the edge by her hip, and gently took her hand in his own. Bringing it to his lips, he softly kissed her knuckles. When her eyes met his, she spoke to him in a scratchy voice.

"What are you doing in here, Elliot?"

"Checking up on you. I don't want you to worry, I already explained everything to Kathleen about why I was helping you."

She shook her head miserably, and her shoulders trembled. She was holding her arm awkwardly, as though in she were in pain. Concerned, he coaxed her to sit up, then stand.

"We need to get you dressed, Liv. You've been out of that sling for too long as it is."

"Okay, but then I'm going back to my apartment."

Elliot resisted the urge to smack himself in the forehead with the palm of his hand. It was just as he'd feared. All the progress that they'd made had been seemingly erased with one careless comment from his teenage daughter. Perhaps he should have just told his children last night that he and Olivia were getting closer, and been done with it. It certainly would have avoided a situation like this one. Yes, there would have been the inevitable questions, but not the guilt and self blame that Olivia no doubt carried upon her shoulders this very moment.

"You're not going anywhere. There is no need. We weren't doing anything wrong. Kathleen has always been the boldest, and she speaks without thinking."

"But -"

"But nothing. Please, Liv, stay."

He could tell she was warring with herself but also knew the moment she had given in to his request. Sighing with relief, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her as gently as he could. Even though he knew he should scold her, he didn't have it in him to when he felt both of Olivia's arms wrap loosely around his waist. She wasn't really reaching anywhere she wasn't supposed to, and he'd been longing to feel her fully return one of his embraces for days now.

After placing a soft kiss on her temple, he went about helping her dress. Just as he was finished securing her in the sling, his phone rang. When he saw Maureen's name on the display, he hurried to answer, concerned as to the reason she was calling so early on a Saturday morning.

"Hello? Sweetie? Is everything okay?"

Olivia felt a little awkward being present while Elliot talked to his oldest daughter, but she wasn't ready to go out to the other room on her own and face Kathleen just yet. Plus, she reasoned with herself that if it were truly a private conversation, he would simply excuse himself and leave.

"Of course you can, you know you don't have to ask permission to come over. Only Kathleen is awake so far, so take your time getting here. Do you have enough money for a cab? Okay, see you soon."

Finished with his call, Elliot hung up then turned to face the woman standing next to him. He could tell she was still extremely anxious, and what he was about to say next would probably only serve to amplify that feeling. Still, with what was about to happen, today would be the perfect time to have a talk with his children – all four of them. He just needed Olivia to be on board.

"Is Maureen okay?"

Before he got a chance to say anything, it was Olivia's concern that was touching him deeply. It never failed to amaze him how she always put aside her own needs to worry about others. In a rush to reassure her before unintentionally upsetting her, he eased her down on the bed, then took a seat beside her.

"Maureen is fine, well as fine as she can be. She was up all night studying, then got into a fight with her roommate a short while ago. She wanted to know if she could come over for a few hours to grab a bite to eat, then maybe catch up on her sleep."

"Poor thing, she must be exhausted."

Elliot nodded, then went silent for a moment as he tried to figure out what to say next. Unfortunately, his silence was precisely the telltale giveaway that Olivia needed to figure out what he was trying to say.

"El, no."

He opened his mouth to try and say something, but she cut him off.

"We'd already decided we weren't going to say anything. How could you change your mind soon? Especially after the way Kathleen reacted? On top of it, you said yourself that Maureen is having a bad day. You really want to spring this on her, too?"

She did have a point, he conceded to himself. However, he knew he was right. The longer they waited, the harder it would be. Plus, it wasn't as if they had to give any details. They merely had to let the children know that ever since Olivia had been hurt, the two of them had been getting closer. He tried to get her to see where he was coming from, without making it seem like he was trying to get his way.

After a few minutes consideration, Olivia finally agreed – under one condition – they wouldn't say anything until after Maureen had had a chance to get some sleep. Elliot really couldn't argue with that, and nodded. Then Olivia said something else that made him realize just how long he had been in the bedroom.

"We'd better get back out to the kitchen, before Kathleen thinks of more questions to ask."

They returned to the kitchen, where Kathleen immediately apologized to Olivia for her inappropriate questions earlier. Olivia graciously accepted, then casually changed the subject, instead asking the young woman questions about the term paper she was doing research for. Glancing up, she shared a look with Elliot. At his raised eyebrow and sideways glance, she merely nodded her head. Seconds later, he was bringing her over a cup of coffee. This action did pique the teens curiosity, but nowhere near the degree it had been before.

"Dad, how did you know Olivia wanted coffee? You didn't even ask her."

"Of course I did. I just didn't use words. Working together on the job for as many years as we have, we've developed our own form of shorthand."

Thankfully, Kathleen seemed to accept this without further comment. She was barely listening as her father told her Maureen would be joining them shortly. Sure enough, he was barely finished explaining things when the sound of keys in the door could be heard, and then a very tired Maureen was calling out for her father.

"Dad?"

"In the kitchen, sweetie."

Maureen stopped long enough in the living room to deposit her bag on the couch then followed the sound of her father's voice. It was no surprise to her to see Olivia sitting at the kitchen table, as both of her parents had informed her of the female detective's recent injury, and that her father was taking care of his partner while she recovered. Giving Olivia a warm greeting, she headed for her father, so she could hug him. As he wrapped his arms around his oldest daughter, his concern was evident.

"You look exhausted, honey. As much as I'd love to have you join us for breakfast, are you sure you wouldn't rather get some sleep first? I can always keep something warm for you so you can eat later."

Before Maureen was able answer, an echo of noises from the other end of the apartment could be heard. The twins were up, and apparently, already fighting. Such was the norm for them on a Saturday morning. Figuring that it was their typical bathroom battle, Elliot headed down the hall to break it up, and when his guess was proven correct, he simply instructed Lizzie to use the bathroom in his bedroom rather than argue through the door with her brother. With a huff, she went back into her room to gather her things and do as her father suggested.

With the current drama taken care of, Elliot headed back the way he had come to where his daughters and Olivia were waiting for him. Now that the twins were awake, that meant he should get started on breakfast. First things first, though, he wanted to see that Maureen was taken care of. He was almost to the kitchen when he saw his eldest heading his way, a bag slung over her shoulder. As she passed him in the hall, she offered an explanation.

"I wanted to stay up and have breakfast with all of you, but Olivia convinced me to get some sleep. She even offered to wait until later and eat with me then, but I told her it wasn't necessary. I'll see you in a few hours, Dad."

Elliot placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder, squeezing gently before nudging her in the direction of the bedroom she occasionally shared with her sisters. He was relieved that she had opted to get some sleep, and made a mental note to thank Olivia for talking some sense into her. However, he shook his head in a brief moment of exasperation as he recalled something else Maureen had said – the fact that Olivia had offered to wait for her before eating. While it was indeed a gracious offer, it would no doubt put her way off schedule on her medication and self care in the process.

Once back in the kitchen, Elliot first took it upon himself to refill Olivia's coffee, then got to work. Since Kathleen offered to help, he put her to work at the table slicing strawberries. Then he set up a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack so he could cook the bacon in the oven. With the exception of Kathleen, everyone else would be wanting some with their breakfast. It shouldn't take too long to cook, considering the fact he had planned ahead and preheated the oven before washing Olivia's hair.

Once the bacon was cooking, and feeling Olivia's eyes on him, Elliot got the necessary ingredients out of the pantry and refrigerator to make the waffle batter. Even though he wasn't looking directly at her, he could practically sense her smile as he grabbed the bag of chocolate chips. He thought back to their conversation the morning he first made waffles for her, and how they had differed to the ones he made for his children. Now she would get to try that version, too.

He had just removed the fourth waffle from the iron, placing it in the toaster oven to keep warm with the others when the twins came into the kitchen. Thankfully, their earlier fight seemed to have been forgotten, and they were now focused on filling their stomachs. Lizzie, who had been back in the bedroom briefly to return her things, reported that Maureen was sleeping soundly before helping out with setting the table and getting drinks for everyone.

Ten short minutes later, the five of them were seated around the table. Olivia paused before picking up her fork, remembering from the night before that when they were all together, they prayed as a family before meals. Typically, when it was just her and Elliot, he would bow his head quietly, but she had always respected his beliefs – even if she never quite understood them.

Though conversation was going on all around her, Olivia couldn't really bring herself to participate. Once again, she was totally immersed in eating Elliot's waffles. If she had thought they were delicious before when they were plain, the addition of the semisweet chocolate only heightened the experience. It was complimented by the berry to the point that it made syrup virtually unnecessary. For a brief moment, she envisioned spending the rest of her life enjoying Saturday waffles with Elliot.

Olivia nearly choked on the bite of waffle she was chewing as she struggled not to drop her fork. Setting it down carefully, she took a surreptitious glance around to make sure she hadn't been noticed before getting a drink of her coffee to clear her throat. What was the matter with her? They were barely finding their footing with whatever it was they were to each other now, and she's imagining them in a permanent setting – beyond their work partnership? Not even in her teen crush years had she ever done something like that.

Glancing back up, she met Elliot's eyes across the table, and the smile he gave her flooded her with calm, replacing the panic she had felt rising up within her. Damn him for being able to do that. Then again, he'd always had that ability - to soothe her with the merest touch or simplest of gestures. It was only intensified now. She was just grateful he hadn't said anything out loud. Though she knew he was right about the conversation that needed to happen later, Olivia was still dreading it.

Later that evening, Elliot, Olivia, and the four Stabler children were seated around the living room. Maureen had talked with her roommate earlier in the day not long after she'd gotten up from her nap, and while they'd reconciled, she'd decided to stay away from her dorm for the night.

Currently, the group was taking turns studying a takeout menu to see what they wanted. Despite Elliot's objections, Olivia had offered to treat everyone to dinner. Maureen was especially grateful, as her limited budget didn't allow for eating out very much.

After they all had decided, Elliot placed the phone call for their order. Since it was a Saturday night, delivery would take longer than usual. While they waited, Dickie suggested they play a few hands of cards to pass the time. Almost immediately after, he looked contrite, then apologized, not having considered Olivia's limitations. He didn't want her to feel excluded. She was quick to reassure him.

"Don't worry about it. While its true I'm not supposed to be using my right arm for much, I think I can manage holding a few cards. That's not going to cause me any harm."

The teen gave her a grin and headed toward the bookshelf where the cards were kept among the other board games. He already had them out of the cardboard box and was beginning to shuffle by the time he'd returned to the coffee table. It was hearing his father's voice that stopped him in his tracks.

"Before we get started on any games, son, there is something I need to talk with you kids about. I didn't want to say anything until you were all here together."

Four pairs of eyes focused on Elliot, and by extension, the woman sitting next to him. It took him a few minutes to try and piece together the right words to say. The momentary pause gave Kathleen the necessary time to speculate. Obviously, whatever their father had to tell them also involved Olivia in some way, or else he would have asked her to give them some privacy. She thought again about the closeness she had witnessed between the two when she walked in on them this morning, and something clicked. Before she was aware of what she was doing, she was blurting it out loud - and not in the most polite of ways, either.

"You're fucking Olivia, aren't you?"

Before Elliot had a chance to respond to Kathleen's accusation - or even address the three other shocked faces looking at him – Olivia was up and off the couch and down the hall. It was the fastest he'd seen her move since she'd been hurt, but he wasn't oblivious to the gasp of pain that had left her lips because she'd stood so abruptly. He heard the sound of the bedroom door shutting, and knew, like this morning, no matter how much he wanted to go to her, he had to clear the air with his kids first.

"Kathleen, enough."

His reprimand may have come out more sharply than he intended, but his patience was at its limit. This was the second time today his outspoken daughter had said something that caused Olivia to make a hasty retreat. Elliot desperately wished his partner could be by his side as he explained, but he knew that wasn't to be. Taking a deep breath, he began to speak.

"Even though I don't owe you any explanations about what is going on in my private life, the answer to your question Kathleen, is no. Olivia and I are not sleeping together – nor have we ever."

He made certain to tack on that extra bit of information to avoid any additional confusion or accusations. Still, now that it was out in the open, he knew they would likely have their doubts – even though he had denied it. If only he'd had a chance to explain on his own terms like he'd wanted to. Still, he was going to try.

"You know that your mother and I are divorced. Even before the papers were finalized, we had been separated for some time."

Elliot held up his hand as he noticed Kathleen about to say something else, calling for silence. She closed her mouth as quickly as she had opened it, nodding her head in agreement. When he knew that he wouldn't be interrupted, he continued.

"You also all know that Olivia and I have been partners for eight years. She's always been a good friend to me, and I care a great deal about her."

He reached forward for his glass on the table, then took a drink. His mouth was drier than he'd anticipated, and the words seemed to be getting stuck before he could speak them. Taking a few sips of his iced tea, he cleared his throat.

"However, after my marriage to your mother was over, I realized that I was starting to have feelings for Olivia. It was only recently that I was aware of how deep they ran."

Taking a pause, he noticed Maureen looking at him curiously. He could tell she had something on her mind, and he raised his eyebrows at her with a nod, indicating she should ask her question.

"Does she have feelings for you too, Dad?"

"She does. We've been growing closer since she's been staying with me, and discussing where we want to go from here. We haven't even been out on a date yet."

Silence reigned over the living room as the four Stabler children absorbed everything their father had told them. Ever since they'd been told of the divorce, they knew the day would come when one or both of their parents would tell them they were seeing other people. They just hadn't thought it would happen so soon – or that it would be someone they already knew. Although, deep down, Maureen had always had an inkling about the connection between her father and his partner. She'd known nothing inappropriate had ever gone on, but she'd often picked up on her mothers insecurity toward Olivia, especially when she had first joined the squad.

Deciding that it was her duty as the oldest to say something, but not willing to speak on behalf of her siblings, Maureen addressed her father.

"Thank you for being honest with us, Dad. I don't know just yet exactly how I feel about it, but I do know that I've always liked Olivia, and I want you to be happy."

There were murmurs and nods from Lizzie and Dickie, and even Kathleen acknowledged that what Maureen had said was true. This was after she apologized again for her earlier behavior. Elliot accepted her apology, then stood.

"We can talk about this more later, if you all want. Right now, I hope you'll understand that I need to check on Olivia."

As soon as he spoke the words, the door to the bedroom opened again. Five heads turned in the direction of the sound. Olivia emerged into the hallway, a bag slung over her shoulder. Elliot did his best not to shout in frustration, even as his heart clenched with worry. What on earth did she think she was doing? Did she want to tear her new staples, too? At this rate, her incision from surgery would never heal properly.

Walking into the living room, Olivia pressed a handful of bills into Elliot's palm, refusing to make eye contact. Her heart was breaking, but she knew she was doing the right thing. She'd already promised him she wouldn't come between him and his children. This time, though, she wouldn't make the mistake of going back to her apartment. No, she was going to check into a hotel somewhere that he wouldn't be able to find her. She was done causing trouble for the people that she cared about. That was the thought at the forefront of her mind as she headed for the door without so much as a backward glance.

Elliot was incredulous. She was just going to leave, without saying goodbye – to him, to his kids? Granted, as frustrated as he was, he couldn't be angry with her. He knew she ran when things got complicated, and he also knew from previous conversations that her biggest fear was that their blossoming relationship would have a negative impact on his children. Still, the fact that she was risking her health and safety yet again had him beside himself. This time, she wasn't just sneaking away under cover of night, she was walking out right under his nose! After giving him money to pay for their dinner, no less!

"Olivia."

His voice was low and gravely, and had a hint of danger to it. It was a tone his kids recognized, as they'd heard it often over the years when they pushed their father's buttons one too many times. Olivia was familiar with it as well, but she was mostly immune. Typically when he got that way with her, she gave as good as she got. Now though, she was just too emotionally exhausted for a debate with Elliot. Especially when she already knew what he was going to say.

Fortunately, he was saved from saying anything more, and she was saved from hearing it when the buzzer sounded through the apartment, signaling the arrival of their Chinese delivery. Elliot couldn't help but exhale a sigh of relief, albeit a temporary one. Perhaps this was just the reprieve he needed to convince her to stay.

Holding the money out to his oldest, he gave a few instructions.

"Maureen, can you go and meet the delivery in the hall? You're probably going to need help carrying everything, so take Kathleen with you. Remember to tip, and we'll want to give Olivia back her change."

"Sure, Dad."

The two young women headed out to do as their father had asked, leaving him standing alone in the living room with Olivia. The twins had wisely retreated to the kitchen, trying to avoid being part of the confrontation.

Elliot took a step closer to Olivia, keeping silent. Instead, he reached out and removed the strap from her shoulder, lowering the bag to the floor. Then, still without saying a word, he wrapped both arms around her, pulling her close to his body. He felt the instant that she tensed up, and tried to push herself out of his hold with her good arm, but he turned his head and whispered in her ear.

"It's all right, Liv. We're alone for the moment. Even if we weren't, I told them everything. Just let me hold you, please."

His voice cracked on the last word, and it was then that her resolve shattered. Gone were her intentions to run, even though she still wasn't sure staying was the right thing. The last thing she ever wanted to do was hurt Elliot. His tone clearly told her he was in pain right now – and she instinctively knew that she was responsible. That made it the second time in less than a week that she had hurt him. Maybe being together was a bad idea after all. Her issues ran too deep. All she did was make other people miserable. As if he could read her mind, she heard his voice in her ear again, disagreeing with what she had just internally said to herself.

"Liv, stop second guessing. I know you're scared, I am too. But give us a chance."

There was so much more he wanted to say, but before he had a chance, Maureen and Kathleen were back with the food. Olivia shifted in his arms again, and this time he reluctantly let her go from the embrace. Before he could convince her to stay, it was Kathleen who was intervening.

"Olivia, please say you're not going anywhere. I speak without thinking, it's one of my biggest flaws. I know that's the second time today I've put my foot in my mouth, and I don't deserve your forgiveness, but will you at least accept my apology – again?"

Before Olivia even had a chance to respond to Kathleen's request, the young woman was rushing on, desperate to explain.

"Dad explained everything to us, and I want you to know none of us are upset. It may take some getting used to, but I'd rather see him date someone we all know and like than be introduced to a total stranger."

"Quit while you're ahead, Katie."

Maureen issued her sister a warning, then stepped forward into the living room. She set the bags in her hands down onto the coffee table, then turned to hug Olivia. The older of the two women was surprised by the gesture of affection, but didn't pull away.

"I always knew Dad would start dating sooner rather than later. Truth be told, part of me hoped it would be you. You already know him so well, and we know you can put up with his moods."

Maureen's comment was just what was needed to lighten the mood, and everyone was soon laughing as the tension was broken. Even the twins had heard the comment as they were starting to bring in drinks to go with their dinner. Elliot cleared his throat and instructed his kids to pick a movie out they all could watch as they ate, and hoisted Olivia's bag up off the floor. As he carried it back into the bedroom, he tired not to think about how many times the same bag had been packed and unpacked since she had first come to stay at his apartment. He had just set it on the bench at the foot of the bed when he noticed he wasn't alone in the room.

"Is everything alright, Liv?"

"For now. I know I owe you another apology, but I'm too emotionally drained at the moment to talk to you about it right now."

Since it was just the two of them, he walked over to where she stood, and kissed her softly. Framing her face in his hands, he pulled back to stare into her eyes.

"Don't worry about it. What's important is that you're here, and you're staying. Now, what do you say we get you freshened up, then go out and eat some dinner?."

The smile she gave him was the only answer he needed.