Welcome Home Elliot

Chapter 3: So, what now?

Olivia Benson never thought she would be in Elliot Stabler's apartment kissing him but here she was. They were sitting on the couch making out. Nothing could have prepared her for this moment. She has been kissed by other guys, but nobody has ever measured up to Elliot Stabler. For the 12 years they had worked together, she would never allow herself to imagine what it would be like kissing him but when she did; it was nothing compared to this.

When they both pulled apart from their stavered lungs needing air, Olivia was not sure if she could look into his eyes because she was afraid of what she would find there but she slowly opened her eyes to find him staring right back at her.

"I know I have hurt you by leaving but if I had heard your voice, I would not have been able to leave. I would not have admitted it to myself, but I was a family man who tried to be a good father and husband but after all we have been though, I realized what me and Kathy had been over for quite some time. We were just trying to make it work for the kids. I had realized I was falling in love with my partner."

"El.."

He smiled and he took a breath as he looked into her eyes.

"Liv, what I'm trying to say is, I love you."

Olivia could sure feel her heart skip a beat. She never thought this day would come where the man she loved would feel the same and tell her he loves her.

"I love you too El."

Dun Dun

Elliot was the only she ever loved and of course she was just being respectful of him and Kathy. Speaking of, she remembered a conversation she had with Kathy back when they were separated. Kathy had said she had given him stability and he could not move on until he felt like he was on solid ground.

"You mean the world to me Liv and I want to try to repair our relationship. Let me be apart of your life again. I know I have missed so much."

"Actually, we do have some time. Lucy is watching Noah for me."

They ended up catching up on each other's lives. The only thing Olivia did not tell him about was Lewis because she was not ready to have that conversation yet. Elliot had told her he had done some work overseas. After that, he told her he had lived in Rome and what his apartment looked like.

"You would have loved it there."

Olivia looked at him, "Maybe I would have.."

"So, tell me about Noah."

She smiles at the mention at his name.

"Well at the time I wasn't looking to adopt but he sort of fell into my lap. I was a Sergeant then and me and my team found him in a motel room from a couple who were child pornographers. He ended up in foster care cause no nobody claimed him. Later, we found out his mother was Ellie Porter. Her pimp had sold him to the couple, and he told her Noah was dead. Ellie tried to get clean but she got gang raped and was burned to death."

Elliot shook his head, "That's horrible. How did you end up with him?"

"The judge noticed I was taking a interest in him and I got custody for a year. After that, I decided I wanted to adopt him."

"That's great. I knew you would make a great mom."

"Thanks." She smiles "He did play baseball for awhile but then he switched to dancing."

"Does he have a father?"

Olivia shook her head, "He did. His name was Johnny D. He was a sex trafficker. He had no idea of Noah's existence. He tried to get custody of him. Something happened at the court hearing and he was killed."

Elliot just nodded, "How old is he?"

"He'll be 11 this year."

"Ah okay. Eli just turned 14."

"14!? Wow."

When Elliot had told her the youngest out of the Stabler clan was 14, it just reminded her of how much time has really flown by.

"I doubt if he would still remember me. He was only in diapers the last time I've seen him."

"Would like to see him?"

Olivia looks at him. She has always wondered who Eli would look like more. His mother or his father. It was Elliot's weekend to have him anyway.

"Uh sure. I need to give my team the weekend off. They all have been working non stop."

They had made plans that Saturday to meet up.

"And oh, Fin's getting married."

"Oh really? Good for him. Anyone we know?"

"Apparently she was his first partner back in Narcotics."

"Well how about that?"