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

Before Elliot or Olivia realized it, Friday morning had come again. That afternoon, Kathy would be dropping off the kids to spend the weekend. Just like the one before, Maureen was busy with school, but had promised to come over and visit on Saturday.

This coming weekend had Olivia nervous for a multitude of reasons. She'd like to say none of them had anything to do with the kids coming to visit, but she'd be lying if that wasn't part of it. Elliot had already said he intended to keep sharing the bedroom with her. The only way he wouldn't is if any of his kids objected to the arrangement.

The main reason she was so anxious wasn't because of the weekend itself, but what waited for her after. On Monday morning, she had not one, but two doctors appointments. The first was with Dr. Cook, where he would evaluate her incision on her chest, and hopefully remove the staples. The second, however, was with an orthopedic that the hospital had referred her to. This was the visit that had her most worried. Not only would they be taking another x-ray of her collarbone, but they would determine whether or not she could stop using the sling. Quite literally, her freedom rested in this new doctor's hands. Olivia felt guilty for thinking that way, because she had been anything but a prisoner here, but still couldn't help but think she had been taking advantage of Elliot due to her neediness.

Feeling two strong arms wrap around her from behind, Olivia pulled herself from her thoughts, and welcomed Elliot's embrace. She turned slightly so that her head was resting against his chest, and breathed a soft sigh when she felt his lips graze her temple.

"Penny for your thoughts."

His voice murmured in her ear, but she could tell it was only a request, not a demand. Never would he force her to talk about something if she wasn't ready to. But it touched Olivia deeply that he could always tell when something was bothering her, and it made her more willing to open up.

"Just thinking."

Leading them over to the couch, they sat down side by side. Turning so he was facing her, Elliot reached out a hand and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. Still looking at her with concern, he asked the next question that was on his mind.

"Thinking, or over thinking?"

The look she gave him told him all he needed to know. Wrapping her in his arms, Elliot held Olivia close. The room around them was silent as he tried to find the right words to calm her. Finally, he just decided to speak from the heart.

"We already told the kids that we're together. Plus, as much as it would kill me to be apart from you, you know I'll do whatever makes you comfortable – even if it means sleeping in a separate room while they are here."

Olivia tried to speak up then, but he made sure to keep her quiet. Pressing his fingers to her lips, he waited for her subtle nod as permission to continue speaking.

"As for whatever else is going on, I don't need you to tell me that Monday is weighing heavily on your mind. I've been thinking about it a lot, too. But no matter what happens, Liv, we'll deal with it – together."

Normally, such a statement would cause Olivia to panic, and want to run as fast and as far as she could. It hinted strongly of a permanent commitment, even beyond that of partnership. But for reasons she could not explain to herself, she wasn't afraid. If there was any emotion at all she was feeling – beyond the general nerves over the appointments themselves – it was the sense of calm Elliot was providing her with.

"I know. I'm still worried though. You've been a great help, I just miss being able to do things for myself."

"I get that, Liv, I do. You'll be able to again, I promise."

Despite the sincerity in his tone, Elliot's expression morphed into one of mischief. Wiggling his eyebrows at her and leaning in as though he had to share a huge secret, he whispered in her ear.

"That doesn't mean I'm not going to enjoy continuing to undress you when this is all said and done."

Olivia couldn't help but laugh at his comment, using the back of her hand to smack him lightly in the chest. He grabbed her fingers in his own, pulling her in closer for a kiss. As his arms wrapped around her and the kiss deepened, she temporarily forgot about what was troubling her, and gave herself over to the passion of the moment. In just a few hours, these kinds of intense kisses would have to be stolen in private. Not that she minded, but she did have to admit, a part of her would miss the open affection.

Olivia and Elliot were sitting on the couch together when the Stabler children arrived. Kathleen had sent a text not long ago, letting them know they were close. For the first several minutes, the apartment was in a state of total chaos, as everyone was trying to talk at once. Placing two fingers in his mouth, Elliot gave a shrill whistle, earning the attention of all.

"Enough! One at a time, please! We have the whole weekend together, so there is no need to try and talk about everything in the first two minutes. Kids, why don't you go put your stuff away in your rooms while I talk with your mother?"

Kathleen, Lizzie, and Dickie all did as they were told. That left Elliot standing alone with Kathy. This was the first time they'd spoken since he'd told her about his change of relationship with Olivia when he'd dropped off the kids last weekend. At the time, she'd gone dead silent and just asked him to leave. Now, he wondered what her reaction would be. Judging from the way she was facing off against him with her arms folded across her chest, he wasn't going to like what she had to say.

He just hoped whatever it was, Olivia wouldn't overhear her from the living room.

"Kath-"

Elliot tried to speak first, purposely keeping his voice low. It wasn't only Olivia he was trying to protect, but the children. Ever since the separation and divorce, they had finally been able to get used to having two parents that weren't fighting all the time. The last thing they needed now was to hear an argument. But before he could even get another word out, Kathy had her hand held up, cutting him off completely.

"No, Elliot. You had your turn to speak last week. Now it's mine. You all but dropped a bombshell on me, and now you expect me to just be okay with it? Without even discussing it with me first? Is she still here?"

Though he had promised himself he would remain calm, he was having great difficulty doing so. More than that, he was incredulous over what his ex wife had just said. Trying to keep his frustration at bay, he answered her.

"First things first, Kathy – she has a name. Yes, Olivia is still here. This is my home, and she will stay as long as she needs to."

Exhaling sharply, and subconsciously folding his own arms so that his stance matched Kathy's, he squared off against the woman standing a few feet away from him.

"As for what else you just said – yes, I will admit I may have unintentionally dropped a bombshell on you. I do apologize for that. What happened between Olivia and I was unexpected, but we didn't want to keep anyone in the dark for any reason, and that includes you."

Feeling a bit more empathetic as to how Kathy may have felt regarding the sudden news, Elliot relaxed his posture. The tone of his voice became less defensive, and he tried to soften the blow of his final words.

"But, Kath, we're divorced now. That means, unless someone is causing harm to us or our children, we don't get a say in who the other person dates."

He'd tried his best to sound logical – reasonable even – without sounding accusatory. Unfortunately, that wasn't how he had been perceived. The storm clouds that had overtaken his ex wife's facial features only grew more pronounced as she continued on her rant.

To make matters worse, now she wasn't calling him out, her target was someone else.

"Olivia? I know you're here! What is it, are you too ashamed to face me after you've stolen my husband?"

Equally embarrassed and worried for his partner - whose state of mind was still so vulnerable when it came to their new relationship – Elliot tried his best to quiet Kathy.

"Kathy! Enough!"

"No! If she's bold enough to go after a married man, the least she can do is have the guts to face his wife."

Again, Elliot tried to remind Kathy that they were divorced. Not only that, but she had been the one who had left him in the first place, over two years ago. For her to be acting jealous and possessive now simply because he'd chosen to date Olivia was a bit much. He was about to reassure her for the umpteenth time that nothing had ever happened between him and Olivia while they had been married when the sound of a clearing throat behind him caught his attention.

"What did you want to say to me, Kathy?"

Olivia stood there, looking slightly paler than she had before the kids arrived, but firmly standing her ground. Elliot watched as the two women in his life seemingly faced off against one another, and wondered just when, if at all, he should intervene.

"I just think its really low what you did, latching on to Elliot in this way. I thought I could trust you! Clearly you're not the woman I though you were. After we met in the park -"

Olivia held up her hand, interrupting immediately.

"I'm going to stop you right there, Kathy. I will gladly meet you anywhere you like on a day of your choosing to discuss whatever you want, but we will not go into this here and now. Not when your children can easily hear."

Elliot didn't wait any longer. He used Olivia's suggestion as an opportunity to jump back into the conversation.

"On that note, Kathy, I think you should leave. I'll call the kids back out so you can say goodbye to them before you go, and as always, I'll be in touch with you before I bring them back on Sunday night."

"But -"

Kathy sputtered slightly as she tried once more to argue her case, but it was no use. Ultimately, she consented, and Elliot called for the children. The way they appeared so suddenly was entirely too suspicious, and confirmed Elliot's theory that they had indeed been listening in all along. It was good that Olivia had stopped things when she had. The last thing the kids needed to find out was that their mother had gone to Olivia to ask him to sign the divorce papers, or that she had long since suspected the partners of having an affair.

Standing back, Elliot watched as his children said goodbye to their mother. He tried not to be offended as she reminded them about things that he would already be taking care of, like homework and bedtimes. Instead, he simply gave Kathy a tight smile as he saw her out the door, and told her he'd see her on Sunday. When he turned around again after locking up, he realized that while he was met with the three smiling faces of Kathleen, Dickie, and Lizzie, Olivia was nowhere to be seen. His bedroom door, however, was closed.

Even though his heart was pounding wildly in his chest, and he was filled with worry that Olivia was quite possibly in his room packing her bag and getting ready to leave again, Elliot devoted his attention to his children. It was only after he'd assessed the homework situation, then gotten them settled in their rooms with snacks to tide them over until dinner that he went to go and check on her.

Knocking softly, Elliot cautiously opened the door before stepping inside, unsure just what he would find on the other side. When he crossed the threshold and closed the door behind him, his heart broke at the sight before his eyes.

There, lying on the bed, was Olivia. She was on her side, in a position that looked as though she were trying to make herself as small as humanly possible. From where he stood, he could see where her shoulders were trembling slightly, as if she were fighting the urge to cry.

Saying nothing, he walked around until he was on the opposite side, and settled himself on the pillows next to her, so they were laying face to face. Olivia's eyes were closed, but Elliot knew she knew he was there – she had known from the minute he had stepped foot in the room – she had just opted not to say anything yet. Reaching out with one hand, he brushed her hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear.

"Talk to me, Liv. Tell me what's going on in that beautiful head of yours."

For several agonizing moments, he thought that she was going to refuse to answer him. But, he calmed himself with the fact that she was still here, that she wasn't trying to run. That must mean something.

"I'm sorry."

It was only two words, but it was also the most miserable he'd ever heard Olivia sound in awhile. The last time he'd heard her speak that way – he didn't even want to think about it. It was clear that she was placing the blame for what had happened today with Kathy solely on herself. He simply couldn't allow that. Cupping her cheek in his palm, he scooted his body closer until their foreheads were touching.

"No, Liv. There is nothing you need to be sorry for. This is not your fault."

He waited only a fraction of a second before continuing.

"I'm the one who is sorry. Kathy should not have attacked you like that. I should have defended you better, I was just at such a loss for words, it was so unexpected."

"She has a right to be angry, El."

Adamantly, he shook his head in disagreement.

"No, she doesn't. If we were newly separated, yes, I could understand it better. But she left me two years ago. The divorce is final. You aren't the first woman I've dated, and I know she's been on dates, too."

"So the problem really is because of me."

Elliot struggled to remain calm. Olivia was a remarkable woman, clear and confident in her abilities as a cop. That was something he'd always known. However, when it came to her own self worth, that was an area where she'd always struggled. Today had only proven just how much doubt she had in herself sometimes. How could he show her that the problem wasn't with her, but Kathy's own self esteem?

"No, Liv, no. I'm going to tell you something I probably shouldn't, but I think you need to hear it. Kathy's always been jealous of you, ever since the beginning. She never understood our connection."

"But we never -"

He placed a soft, quick kiss on her lips, momentarily silencing her.

"I know we didn't. You aren't that kind of woman, and I was faithful to my marriage. But Kathy and I grew apart."

Seeing that she was receptive the affection he was offering, Elliot pulled Olivia closer, holding her in his arms. Placing a kiss on top of her head, he continued explaining his line of reasoning.

"It probably doesn't help matters any that the kids are already so receptive of our relationship. She probably feels abandoned."

"But I would never try and replace her. How could I? She's their mother!"

This was one of the many reasons he loved Olivia so much. She was selfless to a fault. Even now, when she was clearly still upset, she was worried about someone else. However, it did appear that she was significantly calmer, so he took that as a positive sign. It gave him the confidence to ask the one question weighing at the back of his mind. However, before he could ask, Olivia was questioning him.

"You're wondering why I didn't run today, aren't you?"

Her voice was a quiet murmur against his chest, but he still heard her loud and clear. Holding her even tighter, he answered.

"Yeah."

"Because last Sunday, I promised you I wasn't going anywhere, and I meant it. I won't lie, sometimes I'm still scared as hell with what is happening between us, but I'm not going to run. I told you I loved you, and that was the truth."

Cupping her face between his palms, Elliot lifted her head so he could kiss her properly. Olivia moaned softly as his tongue swept inside her mouth, stroking hers. When they pulled apart a few minutes later, panting for air, their pupils were dilated and Olivia's lips were slightly swollen. Remembering that his children were now in the apartment for the weekend, and trying her best to think logically, Olivia offered up a suggestion.

"We should probably head out into the living room. The kids will be wondering where we are."

Elliot gave her a slight pout, then tried to reason with her.

"The kids are fine. Besides, I was only wanting to kiss you for a little while."

With a knowing smirk and a glint in her eye, she raised an eyebrow at him skeptically.

"Well, your lips may be saying that you only want to kiss me. However, below your waist, I'm getting a completely different message. You might want to take care of that before you leave this room."

With that, Olivia kissed him once more, then rolled away and got up from the bed, leaving him lying there alone. There was no mistaking the purposeful sway of her hips as she walked away. When she glanced over her shoulder as she reached the door, he regarded her with one lone remark.

"You are an evil, evil woman."

She simply laughed and made her exit, saying nothing else.

Later that evening after dinner, everyone was sitting around. They had just finished playing a rather spirited game of poker, with Olivia winning the most. Elliot realized too late that he should have known better than to bet against her, for as well as he knew her, her impassive face was too impossible to read. It worked all the time on perps, he just never thought she'd be able to fool him.

Now, the small group was getting ready to settle in and watch a movie before the twins would have to go to bed. Elliot was just about to suggest some snack ideas when Kathleen spoke up first.

"Before we watch the movie, Dad, tell us about your date with Liv. I tried to talk to Maureen about it, but she wasn't spilling any of the details."

Though Dickie appeared indifferent, it was apparent that Lizzie wanted to know what had gone on Tuesday night as well, because her eyes were shining with curiosity. She was sitting cross-legged on the floor looking up at him and Olivia expectantly. Elliot glanced over to his right, and waited for Olivia's nod of permission before taking her left hand in his and beginning the tale.

"Well, I had asked Olivia last Sunday morning before you all woke up if she would go out with me. She made me very happy when she accepted – like we explained last weekend, it would be our first ever date."

Olivia nudged him slightly with her elbow then, as though she were prompting him to say something important. He immediately deferred to her, letting her take over the story.

"Tuesday was an important day for me for several reasons. Not only was it my first date with your father, but that morning, he took me to the doctor to get the staples taken out of my head."

A small chorus of 'that's great', and 'yay, Liv', echoed throughout the living room as each of the children expressed their happiness over the milestone she had achieved in her healing process.

"I'll admit I was surprised when Maureen sent me a text asking if she could come help me get ready, but I really appreciated the help. There is no way I could have done it all on my own, and as much as I know your father would do anything for me, I'm not so sure I trust his makeup skills."

Kathleen and Lizzie laughed at Olivia's comment, especially in the way she had looked at their father with one eyebrow raised. Momentarily, the older teen felt another wave of guilt for her behavior the previous weekend, but remembered that all had been forgotten. Instead, she said something else.

"I would have liked to have come and helped you too, Olivia, but there was no way I could have made it here. Not without cutting out of school early."

"It's all right, Kathleen, I understand. I appreciate the thought, though."

As though something had just occurred to her, Kathleen sat upright suddenly. She had been slouched somewhat as she listened to the story, her elbows resting on her crossed legs as she sat on the floor, and her chin propped on her hand.

"Wait! Before you say anything else, Maureen mentioned there were photos. She wouldn't share them with me, because she said that was up to you to decide that, but can we see them? Please?"

Elliot reached for his phone that was beside him on the end table, and quickly brought up the saved pictures. He'd contemplated making the one of him and Olivia his background, but knew that would never be possible because of work. Still, it was easy enough to find, and he enlarged it on the screen, then turned the device around to show his children.

"Olivia! You look so pretty!"

Lizzie's voice came out in a squeal as she took in the image of her father with his partner, all dressed up for their night out. Truth be told, she had been feeling a bit excluded from the conversation at first, because, unlike her older sisters, she didn't have the freedom to come and go as they did. Kathleen still had rules to follow, but being the oldest at home, not quite as many. She had known Olivia ever since she was young, and had always liked her. Truth be told, the idea of her father dating his partner was a dream come true.

"Thank you, honey."

Olivia smiled warmly at Lizzie, then continued with the story, knowing she was expected to. She told of how Elliot had driven them to the Italian restaurant in Manhattan, even mentioning that he had somehow known she'd always wanted to go there. Then, when she said that the real surprise of the night had been the theater tickets, the girls got giddy all over again. Dickie was slightly less impressed, but it was obvious he was still happy the evening had been a success.

Naturally, neither Elliot nor Olivia gave any details of what had happened between them after they got back to the apartment that night. Not only was it something not meant for children's ears, but it was something private and intimate and just for them.

Now that they'd shared everything there was to know about their date, Elliot again directed his kids attention to starting a movie. This time, his suggestion was received. Kathleen and Lizzie headed to the kitchen to grab snacks and drinks, while Dickie fired up the watch list to find that night's selection. Olivia, on the other hand, settled herself against Elliot's chest as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She'd finally found a peace at being around his children in regard to her place in his life, and was completely at ease with him holding her in their presence.

Saturday morning, Olivia and Elliot woke up side by side in his bed, long before anyone else would even think of stirring. The night before, he'd checked in with his kids, making certain that they wouldn't be bothered if he shared the room with Olivia. After several intense kisses, he suggested they head for the shower.

"But, El -"

Thinking he knew what was giving her doubts, Elliot tried to reassure her.

"They're asleep, Liv. If you really don't want to shower with me this morning, I promise you I will respect that and won't pressure you. I can just wash your hair in the sink like I did before."

Laying her head against his chest, he felt when she shook her head.

"It's not that. I just don't want to push the envelope. This thing between us is still so new, not only for you and me, but for your kids, too. I don't want anyone feeling uncomfortable."

With his heart swelling with even more love for her, Elliot wrapped his arms around Olivia and held her tight. Yet again, she was pushing her own wants and needs to the back burner, to ensure that everyone else around her would be happy. He vowed then and there that even if it took him until the end of his days, he would make her see that she was worthy of love.

"Forget everyone and everything else for a moment, Liv. What do you want?"

"I want to shower with you."

He kissed her tenderly for a moment, then when he pulled back, used his hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. Looking deep into her eyes, he spoke as sincerely as he knew how.

"Then you shall. Come on, I'll grab your clothes and go warm up the water."

They spent the next thirty minutes under the hot water, kissing and taking turns gently washing one another. Out of respect for Olivia's nerves that morning, Elliot let her take the lead, only letting things get more heated between them when she initiated it. When her hand wrapped around his length and began to stroke him, he exhaled a quiet groan and buried his head in the crook of her neck and shoulder, his hands wrapped around her waist. As she increased the pace, he began to suckle softly on her pulse point, keeping in mind prior encounters and taking extra caution not to mark her.

After endless moments of enjoying her indescribable touch, Elliot decided to stop being so passive. Yes, he had been kissing her, but Olivia deserved to experience the same pleasures he was. Lifting his hands from where they rested on her hips, he cupped a breast in each of his palms, swiping his thumbs over the nipples simultaneously. His lips met hers to catch her breathy moan and silence it with his mouth.

Keeping one hand at her breast, the other descended lower until his fingers were gently separating her folds to caress her more intimately.

As he continued to build her up, Olivia's moans gradually turned into whimpers, and the more desperate she became for her own release, the more intent she was on helping Elliot achieve his. The pleasure continued to built between them as they egged each other on, culminating in one ecstatic moment as they crashed over the edge together, quaking in each other's arms. Just before it had happened, Elliot's other hand had reluctantly left its position at Olivia's breast to grasp her just behind the neck, pulling her ever closer to him as he fused their mouths together in an all-encompassing kiss.

When the last of the residual tremors had subsided for each of them, Elliot reached above his head for the detachable shower head. With tender care, he rinsed Olivia off first, washing her clean once more. Then he took care of himself. When the water was turned off, he grabbed the towels and dried her lovingly, then wrapped her up in the soft cotton.

Several minutes later, after finishing the routine that was quickly becoming ritual for them, they were both dressed and out in the kitchen. To Olivia's relief, they were still the only ones awake for the time being. Elliot started a pot of coffee, while she settled herself on the couch to wait for him to join her. She didn't know what the rest of this weekend had in store for her, but she was immensely glad that she had put aside her anxieties and followed her heart so far.