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

Much to Elliot's surprise, Olivia had dropped her defenses and actually let him help her freshen up. When he'd wet the washcloth and was about to pass it to her, she'd closed her eyes and tilted her chin up toward him. As he gently bathed her face, he realized that the vulnerability she was allowing him to see was also another way she was apologizing for having wanted to run again. It meant the world to him knowing he still had her trust.

Once Olivia was significantly calmer, Elliot suggested they go out to the living room and eat the dinner that was waiting for them. Before they left the confines of the bedroom, though, he stole a kiss. Unlike the others they'd shared in recent days, this one was reminiscent of the first one he'd ever given her – meant to reassure her of his love and affection.

When they arrived in the living room, the kids were all patiently waiting for them, and had even held off on eating until they got back. No one mentioned anything about what had happened. Instead, Dickie suggested they watch a movie while they ate. Everyone agreed that sounded like a good idea, and even Olivia found herself getting caught up in the moment. Before they got settled in, though, Elliot went to the kitchen to grab a couple of paper plates and a fork. When he got back, he divided up his and Olivia's food so they could share, and passed it to her. The four other Stablers had all observed the interaction, but didn't comment. Then, something occurred to Maureen – Olivia had paid for their meal, and no one had so much as said anything to show their gratitude.

"Thank you, Olivia, for buying dinner."

A chorus of 'thank yous' echoed her statement, each one of the kids grateful for her generosity. Kathleen most of all, given the fact that she had made the woman who had treated her feel uncomfortable on several occasions today. She promised herself she would do her best to watch what she said from now on. Especially now that she was aware just how sensitive Olivia was to the situation. A part of her had always envisioned her as someone who was coming in and stealing her father away from his family, now she knew her intentions were anything but. Her actions today had been uncalled for, not to mention unfair. Despite her suspicions, she had always liked Olivia.

Once everyone had started eating, Dickie started the movie. No one said another word as they were all drawn into the mythical world playing out on the television screen. The selection tonight had ended up being one that Lizzie had added to the list, a film adapted from one of her favorite books. In fact, Olivia noticed her mouthing the words along with some of the characters as they spoke their lines. She smiled to herself as she took a bite of her fried rice, remembering her own youth when she herself had been a bit of a bookworm. Now, though, the job didn't allow much time for leisure reading.

After some time, when she had finished with her food, Olivia felt as Elliot took the plate from her to set it down on the coffee table in front of them. Then, much to her surprise, he got up and left the room, instructing everyone not to pause the movie on his behalf. It was only when he returned mere moments later that she realized he had just gone to retrieve her medication. She hadn't said anything to him about it yet, but she was feeling a slight pull and residual ache from having lifted the heavy duffel bag again. She knew that nothing had been torn this time, but still worried she might have accidentally caused some minor damage. While she wasn't saying anything for now, she planned to tell Elliot later, when he helped her change for bed.

Even though she was hurting, Olivia didn't say anything about it. Not long after her emergency room visit, they had reduced the amount of the pain medication she was on. It was only out of concern of negative long term effects. Her new dosage allowed her to take the medicine twice a day. Typically, she opted to take it with breakfast and before bed, as her pain tended to be the most severe when she first woke up and right as she as about to fall asleep. At the moment though, she would have given anything for something to provide relief – even something as simple as Tylenol. Instead, Olivia chose to sit in misery, figuring she had brought it upon herself.

When the movie was over, she managed to answer Lizzie's questions this time, even though she may not have been completely following one hundred percent. The kids then began a spirited discussion about whether or not they should watch another movie, or play more cards. According to the clock, it was already eight. Olivia could scarcely believe the day was almost over. In fact, part of her longed to call it a night here and now. The only thing giving her pause was knowing she would need Elliot's help, and not wanting to interrupt any of his time with his children for any reason. Especially since he had been able to see Maureen this weekend after all. However, it became apparent to her that there was no way she'd be able to stay awake any longer.

"I don't want to spoil any of your fun, but I think I need to call it a night."

Elliot looked over in concern as Olivia made her announcement, then watched as she tried to stand. No longer worried about what the reactions of his kids would be, he wrapped his arms around her waist, and helped her to her feet. Knowing that she wouldn't be comfortable with the open display of affection just yet though, he quickly released her. Instead, he stepped in front of her and studied her carefully.

"Are you feeling okay, Liv?"

She gave him a wan smile, then nodded.

"I'm fine, El. I just didn't sleep very well last night – I had trouble getting comfortable. I think it finally caught up to me. By tomorrow I'll be as good as new, or at least as new as I can possibly be right now."

Despite everything, he couldn't help but chuckle at her words, even if he knew she was saying them only for the benefit of his kids. Turning to the many faces who were watching their interaction with curiosity, he spoke up.

"Okay, I need to help get Olivia settled, then I'll be back out. Maureen, why don't you and Kathleen get us some snacks? Lizzie, how about you find something we can use as currency – I think we used pretzel sticks or candy the last time. Dickie, you get the cards and get ready to deal. When I get back, we can play some Stabler family poker."

Smiles broke out on all four faces, and they scattered to do as their father had asked. With no one paying attention to them, Elliot took Olivia's hand in his own, and led her down the hall to his bedroom. It was time he learned the truth as to why she was really going to bed early.

To his surprise, Olivia didn't pull her hand from his grasp, but held on. Once they were beyond the threshold to his room, and he had shut the door, the facade she was managing to uphold crumbled. The pain that she had been hiding from him all evening was evident on her face, and he was kicking himself for not having noticed it sooner.

"How bad is it? Tell me."

His words were a soft murmur, even though he knew there was no way his voice would carry outside these four walls. Maybe he was so soft spoken because a part of him feared that she wouldn't give him a truthful answer. His mind flashed back to earlier in the day, when she had been ready to walk out of the apartment with that damned bag slung over her shoulder. Was it really possible that she had hurt herself? He held his breath as he waited for her response.

"It's not as bad as it was. I must have just strained some muscles. I didn't pull any staples, I promise."

Elliot pressed his lips into a thin line, then immediately tried to relax his face as he realized what he was doing. The last thing he needed right now was for Olivia to think he was angry with her. There had been enough misunderstandings today to last for a lifetime. Cupping his palms around her shoulders, he pressed his lips to her forehead.

"All right, if you're sure. I'm going to go and get your medicine for the night. Did you want anything else – an ice pack, maybe?"

Olivia was about to say no, but the more she thought about it, the more appealing the idea sounded. In addition to the ache in her chest, she had a dull throbbing behind her eyes, an indicator that a headache was on its way.

"An ice pack sounds wonderful."

While she waited for him to return, Olivia padded into the bathroom. She was just coming back out to stand by the bed when Elliot stepped back into the room, his hands full. He placed the ice pack on her pillow, and laid the medicine in her outstretched palm. Uncapping the bottle of water, he passed it to her wordlessly. Olivia drank her fill, then handed it back.

"Did you want me to wake you early tomorrow morning so you can shower again?"

Olivia considered this for a moment, then nodded.

"I was going to say no, but the way I'm feeling, I think I'm going to need one. As long as its not too much trouble."

"Of course not. We always go out for breakfast on Sunday mornings anyway – don't even think about refusing, you're coming with us, Liv."

The look in her eyes gave her away, he had read her mind perfectly. She was planning on declining, afraid her presence would be an unwelcome intrusion. She was about to accept, when her secondary anxiety about eating in public crept up. Once again, Elliot anticipated, and countered before she could argue.

"You did just fine the other day. We'll take care of the seating arrangements so no one is paying attention. Please, stop trying to think of reasons you can't do this, and say you will."

Knowing he was right, Olivia just nodded. She would go to breakfast with them. It didn't mean she wouldn't lie awake for awhile thinking about it – but she would go.

"Let's get you changed for bed."

Though Olivia would have understood his wanting to rush things along, so he could go and be with his kids, he was in no hurry. He took his time with her as he always did, making every effort not to jostle her as he helped her into his tee shirt. As he was attempting to pull the garment down from where it had bunched up, his fingertips inadvertently grazed the underside of her breasts, and both of them froze. Even though it was just the briefest of touches, it was though a jolt of electricity was running through them both.

"Sorry."

The first to find his voice, Elliot managed to rasp out an apology. Truth be told, he'd been longing to touch her for some time now, but he'd always wanted it to happen with her consent, and not like this. Granted, he'd had no ulterior motives, and his touch had not been intentional, but he still felt like he had crossed a line.

"It's okay, El."

Olivia's voice came to him then in a soothing tone, absolving him. It was clear that she wasn't offended or appalled, and he breathed a sigh of relief. If there was any emotion there at all, he would guess it was desire. He made a promise to himself to ask her on an honest-to-goodness date as soon as he returned from taking the kids back to Queens tomorrow.

"Elliot."

The sound of Olivia calling his name again drew him out of his reverie, and he focused his attention on her fully.

"Not that I don't appreciate you spending time with me in here, but you really should get back to your kids. I believe you promised them a poker game."

She gave him a grin, and he was able to return it, happy to see her smile. Pulling back the covers, he helped her into bed, then tucked her in. Even though he wanted to keep his word, Elliot simply couldn't resist kissing Olivia one last time before going out to the living room where his kids were waiting.

Sunday morning went a lot smoother than Saturday had, and Olivia was able to get her shower and have her hair washed without any interruptions. Thanks to Elliot's help, she was already dressed to go out for breakfast. While they waited for the kids to wake up, the partners sat together in the living room. Even though he had originally planned to wait until after he got back from taking the kids back to Queens later today, Elliot found that his nerves were getting the better of him. He wanted to ask Olivia out on that date – now.

"Olivia?"

She murmured his name softly by way of response, turning her head to face him. It was clear he'd interrupted her while she was deep in thought. He didn't need any additional time to figure out what was on her mind. Most likely, she was already second guessing her choice to join the family for breakfast. He knew the way her mind worked, and with everything going on lately, it had been in overdrive. He took a deep breath and prayed that what he was about to ask her wouldn't make things worse.

"I've been wanting to ask you this for awhile now, but it never seemed to be the right time. I want to take you out – not just for a simple meal like we've been doing – but a proper date. Will you go out with me?"

Elliot's heart was thumping in his chest as he waited for an answer. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he was unable to decipher what Olivia was thinking simply by reading her facial expression. He longed to take her hand in his, but resisted the impulse, wanting to leave the ball firmly in her court.

"I don't know, El."

With those few simple words, his heart was very nearly crushed. Still, he didn't say anything else, but gave her time to explain. He knew he hadn't imagined the way things had been changing between them, and also knew that her feelings for him were genuine. Something deeper was going on here. Sure enough, Olivia continued.

"I've imagined this scenario before – you asking me out. But when I pictured myself accepting, it always involved me getting dressed up so I'd impress you when you came to get me. A sling was not on the list of fashion accessories I had in mind."

Elliot tried to resist the urge to sigh in frustration. That damn sling was causing Olivia so much grief. He could understand where she was coming from, this was far from the perfect situation he had imagined, either. But, this was the hand life had dealt them. If they kept waiting for the perfect time, they could be waiting forever. He knew neither of them wanted that.

"I do know what you're trying to say, Liv, believe me, I do. If you want, we can ask Casey to come over and help you get ready."

Even though there was no way she would agree to what Elliot had suggested, Olivia had to smile. He really was trying to say all the right things. That told her how much he wanted this, how much he wanted them to take this next step. She tried to quell her own anxieties as her mind swam with the possibilities of what could happen if he not only helped her dress for their date, but helped her undress after. Memories of the times their kisses became heated caused her cheeks to flush, and she had to take a breath in order to compose herself. Meeting Elliot's gaze, she nodded her head in agreement – with one stipulation.

"All right, Elliot. I'll go out with you. But I don't need Casey to come over. The only person I want helping me is you."

He leaned in and kissed her then, darting his tongue out just enough to sample the sweetness of her mouth. Before they could get swept up in the passion of the moment, the sound of a door opening down the hall could be heard, and they moved apart. Elliot kept his arm draped around Olivia's shoulders, and was relieved when she didn't resist, but instead leaned against him. After several more minutes, a voice greeted them both.

"Morning Dad, morning Liv. Liv, I hope you're feeling better today?"

"Yes Maureen, thank you for asking. How did your poker game go last night?"

Maureen sank down into the cushions of the neighboring love seat, laughing out loud as she did so.

"We cleaned Dad out. It's a good thing we were only playing for pretzels and not real money."

Olivia looked toward Elliot, one eyebrow raised and a smirk on her face.

"Is that so? I'll have to remember that the next time we get bored. Maybe I'll challenge you to a game of poker myself."

Elliot didn't miss the hidden smolder in her gaze, and had to keep himself under control so as not to gulp audibly. His imagination was running wild as to what kind of rules a poker game with Olivia would entail. The possibilities were endless.

Before Maureen could say anything else, sounds began to filter through the apartment. It was clear that the others were up, or about to be. Everyone would need to take their turns getting ready so they could go out to eat. Though he didn't want to move, Elliot knew he needed to head down the hall to be ready to diffuse any bathroom battles that were about to start. Why his kids always seemed to forget there were two bathrooms in his apartment, he didn't know.

As he was making his way back to the living room after successfully preventing the twins from wanting to kill one another, Elliot hung back when he heard voices. He knew Maureen and Olivia were the only two in there, but he didn't want to eavesdrop. Especially when he caught a brief snippet of the conversation and gathered that his oldest daughter was talking about something personal. Feeling a mixture of hurt that Maureen wasn't talking to him and gratitude that she did trust Olivia, he headed instead for the kitchen to grab Olivia's pills and put them in a case so she could take them with her breakfast.

Forty-five minutes later, their group of six was seated around a circular table in a Manhattan restaurant. Originally, they had planned on going to a diner for breakfast, but the location they had chosen was overflowing with people, so they'd had to go to their second choice. Considering it was a Sunday morning, this place was still very crowded, but at least they had been able to get seated without a lengthy wait. Currently, no one was talking as they sat studying their menus while they waited for their server to bring their drinks. When something in the printed words on the page caught his notice, Elliot leaned over to whisper something to Olivia, a gleam of mischief in his eye.

"Hey, Liv, they have waffles topped with strawberries here. Maybe you should get them."

She emphatically shook her head to indicate her refusal of his suggestion. When he nudged her again with his elbow, prompting more of an explanation, she turned to him. Her voice was as low as his had been, but there was a hint of a smoldering look in her gaze. She knew she was about to feed his ego, and she didn't give a damn.

"No way, Stabler. Your cooking has ruined any other kind of waffles for me forever."

As she spoke, she brushed her foot against his underneath the table. They were sitting side by side, so it was a bit difficult for her to do exactly what she wanted, but the look on his face told her she had achieved her goal. Before she could comment further, their server appeared with a tray in her hands. Coffee cups were placed in front of Olivia, Elliot, Maureen, and Kathleen. Lizzie and Dickie had both selected orange juice. Everyone got a complimentary glass of ice water. Finally, a thermal carafe was placed in the middle of the table, so that those drinking coffee could help themselves to a refill without having to wait or flag someone down.

After taking all the orders, the small group was left alone again, and conversation picked up. Since there were so many of them this morning, and only one vehicle, they had opted to walk to the restaurant. When they were done, Maureen would need to go back to her father's apartment and get her things, then head back to campus. She'd managed to do more studying after they were done with their poker game, but hadn't pulled another all-nighter. With the exam coming up tomorrow, she needed to focus.

Kathleen, Lizzie, and Dickie would eventually have to pack up their things, too. While they didn't need to leave as early as Maureen did, Elliot would have to drive them back to Queens at some point during the day. Olivia hoped he wouldn't pressure her into coming along for the ride. Not only would her presence make his Jeep overly crowded, but she just wasn't sure if she was comfortable with that.

Olivia startled slightly when a gentle hand came to rest on her arm. Looking to her side, she saw that it was only Elliot. While he hadn't said anything yet, he was looking at her with concern. Since the kids were all preoccupied with their cell phones – even though there was typically a strict rule about no phones at the table – he leaned over to question her quietly.

"Are you all right, Liv? You looked a million miles away."

Not wanting to get into details, yet hating to lie, Olivia fumbled to come up with an excuse. Finally, a thought popped into her head, and she hoped he wouldn't call her bluff.

"I'm sorry, I just got distracted. I keep thinking about my doctors appointment on Tuesday. I'm looking forward to having the staples removed from head."

His smile was genuine as it brightened his face, eliminating the worry that had been there before. She could see in his eyes how much he wanted to kiss her in that moment, and truth be told, she wanted it, too. But she still felt it was too soon for anything like that to happen in front of his children. Instead, she looked deep in his eyes and mouthed a single word to him – a promise she had every intention of keeping.

"Later."

Not long after, the plates bearing their meals were delivered to the table. There were so many of them, it had taken up two trays, and their server had enlisted the help of another employee so that no one would have to wait. After making sure that everyone had what they needed, they were left alone to enjoy their breakfast.

Once Olivia had taken a few bites of her omelet, Elliot retrieved her pills from his pocket and casually slipped them to her without anyone else noticing. What he wasn't so careful about was the way he reached over with his fork to steal a bite of her food. That hadn't surprised her. What did surprise her was when he gathered some of his own breakfast on his fork and brought it toward her mouth. The intimacy of the gesture gave her a warm feeling all over, but also reminded her of the time she had first been injured when she had been incapable of feeding herself, and Elliot had generously seen to her needs without making her feel the least bit helpless. Even now, he was still taking care of her.

"Can you two try and not be so sickening? Some of us are trying to eat!"

The comment had come from Dickie, who, like all the others, had witnessed their father feed Olivia a bite from his own fork. However, rather than be spoken harshly, there was a lightness to his tone. Glancing over at the teen, Olivia saw that there was a big grin plastered on his face, and immediately relaxed. If Elliot's kids were comfortable enough teasing them about what was happening, maybe things really would be all right.

The rest of the meal passed with light conversation as they reminisced about the weekend, and made plans for the following one. Maureen was uncertain given her schedule if she'd be able to make it or not, but she promised she would at least try to meet them for one meal. Kathleen and the twins expressed interest in perhaps going out somewhere with their father, and made certain to stress they wanted Olivia to come along, too.

By the time it came to pay the bill, everyone was full. As their empty plates were collected, Olivia warred internally with herself. She wanted to at least offer to help with the cost of the meal, but she knew there was no way Elliot would accept. Not because he wasn't grateful, but because he had been the one to invite her along. In the end, she remained quiet and decided she would try and treat the following weekend.

The walk back to the apartment didn't take very long, and even though she didn't want to leave, Maureen had to say goodbye. She hugged everyone, Olivia included, and gratefully accepted her father's offer of cab money. Before she left, she promised to text once she was safely back in her dorm. Then, she headed out the door, closing it behind her.

Maureen's departure had put a bit of a pall on the mood of the morning. Though they didn't have to leave for some time yet, the other kids decided they would also get their things together. That way, they wouldn't be in a rush later, or have to worry about forgetting something important.

When it was just the two of them, Elliot asked Olivia if she'd like to change into something more comfortable. She nodded, and they headed into his bedroom. Once she was out of the jeans and blouse she had been wearing for breakfast, and back in the more relaxing outfit of leggings and a tee shirt, he helped her back into her sling. Olivia was just turning around when she spied Elliot checking his cell phone. Placing her hand on his shoulder, she tried to ease his nerves.

"Elliot, relax. Maureen only left ten minutes ago. She's not going to be back at school yet. She'll text you when she gets there, she promised."

As their eyes met, he gave her a knowing smile. She really did know him all too well.

"I know, Liv. I can't help it. She may be grown up now, but she's still my little girl."

"And she always will be. They will always be your kids. Nothing will ever change that."

Elliot pulled Olivia into an embrace, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the emotions of the moment. He tucked his head against her neck, breathing in her scent, using it as a means to ground himself. Something that had occurred to him earlier came back to him, and he pulled back only slightly, but didn't let her go.

"You're not coming with us later when I drive the kids back to Kathy's, are you."

It was a statement, not a question. He already knew what her answer was, and for once, didn't feel a need to push her beyond her comfort zone. He understood exactly where she was coming from, and if anything, loved her all the more for it. When she slightly shook her head by way of an answer, he leaned forward to capture her lips with his. After several moments, he moved away, then gestured toward the door with his head.

"We better go out there."

Instead of watching another movie, the kids had all decided to play another card game. Rather than poker, this time they had voted on UNO, and Elliot swore it was a conspiracy – even though the thought of that made him feel like Munch. Every time there was a Draw Two or Draw Four card in the deck, he was the one who got it. Even on the times when play would be reversed, Olivia showed him no mercy. Still, he couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her laugh so much. It was well worth every losing hand to witness that smile on her face.

Finally, the time came when he had to drive the kids back to their mother's. This was always the toughest part of any weekend visit, but for some reason, it seemed especially difficult this time. Maybe because there had been such a gap since the last time he'd seen them. At least they would be back next weekend, to make up for the confusion in the schedule, then the regular routine of every other weekend would resume.

As Elliot stood by the door waiting, he watched with a full heart while Kathleen and Lizzie hugged Olivia goodbye. Dickie held back for a moment or two before ultimately giving in and hugging the woman as well. One of the last things Kathleen said before grabbing her bag was another sincere apology for her behavior, which Olivia assured her all was forgotten. Elliot turned to face his partner with one hand on the doorknob, giving her a brief farewell of his own.

"Rest and relax until I get back, Liv. Promise me you won't get into trouble."

She smirked at him at what he was insinuating, but then took pity. After everything she's put him through in the past few days with her attempts to run, his concerns were more than valid.

"I promise, El. Take your time, I'm not going anywhere."