Another take on Elliot returning. WARNING: this is a lot more fluff than I'm used to writing. Had to do a little something for my gooma's. Enjoy :)
It's a random Wednesday in May when she gets a knock at the door. It's nearly six and she's almost done dinner. Noah's request is pancakes with toppings. She's looking for the whip cream when the knock comes.
"Elliot, I wasn't expecting you...is everything okay with the kids?" He smiles knowing that's where her mind automatically goes.
Also it makes him smile that she refers to his grown adult children as kids still because it's all he sees in them despite the grandkids and careers and passport stamps between them.
She looks confused by his smile and it hits him then that she just think the only way he would ever show up to her door unannounced was because of an emergency or work. This time it's neither.
"Everything is okay, I'm actually not here to see you, Captain.." he smirks at her and looks past her, over her shoulder to see her curly haired son peering over. He smiles at him and then looks over at his mom.
She doesn't say anything, she just looks behind her and sees Noah standing there watching them.
"I got an extra ticket to the Yankees game tonight. Starts in forty minutes so if we leave now we have just enough time to grab some fries," The thing that kills her is that he is talking to Noah. Looking past her and directly to the smiling boy already grabbing his jacket off the back of the stool in her kitchen.
"Noah Benson where do you think you are going? We haven't even had dinner yet..your homework hasn't even been started...I have to get on Zoom after bath time, too.." she is just so surprised that he would show up like this.
With his work load and his own family that here he is to see her son. Not her but her own child fills her with a lot of things she never thought she would ever feel or experience. Not with him and not with him and her son ever.
The two men that have taken up the entire space of her heart in different parts of her life. Both have shaped her greatly into who she was and now, who she is.
"Sorry Cap, I only got two tickets...you worry about Zoom and we will get dinner outside the gates, is that alright?" He can see her warming up to him, to this and he knows surprises aren't her thing.
That out of all the chaos in her life she isn't one for the unexpected in her personal life especially as a mother.
But he would be lying to say he didn't enjoy getting to know her son, that he knew that Noah enjoyed spending time with him and his own kids and grandkids too.
That family is in all forms and that Noah was an extension of that family dynamic they both had amalgamated in the mist of so much change and trauma.
That they found a new way of existing not just alongside each other but together. It's an unspoken dynamic where Olivia has stepped in, in ways that don't surprise him but exceed any sort of expectations of love he would have ever felt in his heart for her.
A constant and late night listener when his eldest daughter needed an ear, a ride to the airport when his son and his granddaughter needed to head back to Texas with no questions asked.
"Noah...are you going to be able to catch up on your homework? Wish moms old friend would have called first..." she trails off, fighting a smile.
"Old huh?" He lifts his eyebrows at her statement and it makes her son laugh too.
"Yes! It's almost done! It's just reading, mom.." he's bouncing now he's so happy, she couldn't say no even if she tried.
"Alright to grab a sweater and brush your teeth..." she calls out as he runs loudly down the hallway.
And just like that it's the two of them standing in the hallway right by her doorway.
She uncrosses her arms when she catches his eyes drop slightly, nearly forgetting about the thin, low grey v neck t shirt she has on with her black leggings. It's been a while she he's been in her space like this, to even see her like this.
He isn't shy about looking anymore and she's more than okay with that. As nervous as it makes her it also makes her feel confident, sexy even.
"Have a bath, enjoy your dinner and we will be back just in time for bed if that's okay. I won't give him too much pop and junk.." he says as he pulls his eyes back up to her mouth before locking his gaze on her eyes.
"El, you don't have to do this...don't you have court tomorrow?" She is walking over to her purse, his eyes follow her body and is thankful she has her back turned. He drinks her in, let's himself do more than just a quick look.
"Nope, it got pushed and I wanted to do something fun...isn't that right, Noah?" And just like that they are back. Her son all ready to go in his Yankees hat and matching jacket.
A recent obsession that she knows he had to have told Elliot about when they last carpooled with Eli to Maureen's law school grad ceremony.
"Okay well here, you take this and buy my old pal some peanuts or popcorn..." she goes to hand Noah her card before Elliot grabs it and tosses it behind her on the counter.
"Don't worry, I got this mama.." he says opening the door as Noah bolts out leading the way down the hallway with his back already turned to them in the doorway.
"Thanks, El..." she is speechless. She couldn't love him more in this moment even if it is in the simple but complicated way they have dances around for years. To see the love he has for her son, the role he silently took upon himself to try and fill, gives her joy beyond words. Comfort and calmness to her life and heart.
He looks to see Noah making his way for elevators and goes in quick to kiss Olivia in a soft peck on the lips. He leaves her in shock in her doorway as he jogs down the hall to catch up to her son.