NEW BEGINNING

Hey everyone. Thank you so much for reading my first fic, Resolution, and all the wonderful feedback and encouragement you gave me. New Beginning is the continuation of that, and begins within thirty-six hours of Resolution's end.

Chapter 1

Olivia stretched slowly, working the knots out of her over-used body… She made a throaty sound of contentment and rolled over, resettling herself snugly by Elliot's side, pulling his arm around her. "Ya know, with all the talking we've done these last few days, we've hardly caught up on each others' personal lives at all," she said, looking up at him with a sexy smile.

"That's because you keep looking at me like that, and cuddling up to me nearly naked, and all I can think about is all the ways I still want to take you," he leered, brushing the hair out of her eyes. "We haven't exactly done a lot of talking in the past thirty-six hours," he smirked. He ran his hand up inside her tee-shirt—the only thing covering her sexy curves—smoothing it over the plains of her back… He marveled at how warm and silky her skin was, and how good it felt under his hand.

"Yeah, well, that has to come to an end—at least for a little while… I can hardly wa-alk," she moaned, her voice catching as his wandering hand crept ever closer to her breast… Reaching around, she firmly removed his hand from inside her shirt, and placed it safely on the outside of the comforter.

"You complaining, Benson…?" He looked down at her, his eyebrows quirked and a shit-eating grin on his face.

Olivia placed a lingering kiss on his lips, smiling into his eyes. "No complaints here, Stabler," she purred. Before he could change her mind, she pulled away, throwing the covers back. She sat up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, placing her feet on the floor. "I think we need to feed me… How 'bout some brunch after I shower?" she asked, standing slowly. She took a few steps, testing her legs. "I feel like I've been horse-back riding for about eight hours," she mumbled.

Elliot watched as she gingerly made her way to the bathroom, shaking his head and smiling to himself. He'd never admit it to Olivia, but he was feeling the effects of their activities, too. His parts weren't as young as they used to be, and the marathon they'd just completed rivaled anything he'd ever done with Kathy—even when they were in their twenties… Of course they'd always had babies around. But Olivia was insatiable—and athletic! He was quite certain he'd died and gone to heaven. He closed his eyes envisioning her voluptuous body, and groaned low in his throat—wondering if it would always be like this between them—quite sure he could never get enough of her.

Olivia stepped out of the now-steamy bathroom—her hair still wet from her shower—her face freshly scrubbed and devoid of make-up. She'd thrown on Elliot's old NYPD sweatshirt—her favorite—the one she'd stolen from him years ago. It was warm and comfortable, and soft from too many washings. It hung half-way to her knees and draped off one shoulder, but she liked it better than any robe she owned… She loved to wrap up in it after her shower on those mornings when she could just kick around the house and not worry about being on a schedule.

A delightful aroma wafted from the kitchen, and she followed her nose. Thankfully, Elliot had had the presence of mind to make a run to the market after his visit to the precinct, dropping the groceries off while she'd been meeting with David. It appeared he'd also taken the initiative to do the cooking this morning, probably knowing if he'd waited for her it would be take-out—again.

Elliot was so preoccupied putting the finishing touches on what promised to be a tasty brunch that he hadn't yet noticed her standing there, just watching him: He carried plates of food to the table humming a tuneless melody, utter contentment evident on his face and in the comfortable way he moved his body. She noticed a copy of the New York Times and a single rose, beside her plate. Her breath caught as the moment washed over her, bringing with it a glimpse of what her future could hold.

Elliot caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye. "Hey gorgeous… You're just in time for some grub," he offered. When he looked up from his task, he nearly dropped the plate of eggs he was carrying. "Whoa! How the hell am I supposed to get my mind off ravishing you when every time I see you, you look so goddamned sexy," he growled. He set the plate down and walked toward her, his eyes raking over her body and coming to rest on her face. He reached up and ran his fingers through her still-damp hair, looking into her eyes. "You look different…"

"I don't have any make-up on," she said, with a self-conscious grin. "I'm pretty sure you've never seen me without it."

"Wow. Just when I think you can't get any more beautiful… Why do you even bother…?" he asked, running his thumb over her bottom lip. He lowered his eyes, roving them over her body. "Nice outfit, Liv—does that come with panties," he snickered, as he ran one hand down over his purloined sweatshirt and attempted to reach up under it.

She slapped his hand away and pulled from his grasp, her eyes full of laughter… and more. "I swear to god, El, you'll never find out if you don't feed me," she said, trying to suppress a giggle.

The look of surprise on Elliot's face was priceless. "Did you just giggle, Benson…? 'Cause I'm pretty sure I heard you giggle…" he accused, his face splitting with a grin.

"Shut-up and feed me! And if this leaves this room, Stabler, I will shoot you," she threatened, pulling a chair out from the table and lowering herself into it.

Elliot pulled out his own chair and sat down, still chuckling and shaking his head. "You better watch it, Benson, or you're gonna go all soft and girly on me."

Olivia chose to ignore his remark; instead, she focused on the scrumptious meal he'd prepared and laid out for them. "Hey, El, thanks for cooking… I didn't mean you had to feed me… I would have helped, ya know."

"Yeah, I know… But I'm not sure how much help you'd have been—you can't cook, and you're a hell of a distraction," he teased, ogling her curves. "Besides, I love doing things for you… And making breakfast is what I do best."

Olivia reached over and took his hand. "Well, I'm not sure it's what you do best…" She raised an eyebrow, giving him a sexy smirk. "But, thank you—it looks, and smells, delicious. "And I can cook," she added, indignantly. "I just choose not to." Her voice turned soft and she lowered her eyes. "The newspaper and rose are a nice touch, El. I think I could get used to this."

Elliot tipped her chin until their eyes met. "Good… That's what I'm hoping for, Liv." He leaned in, kissing her lips sweetly. He watched for a moment, searching for any trace of panic in her eyes… Finding none, he pulled away, a smile on his face.

Hoping to restore the light-hearted banter, Olivia reached for the pancakes, while working her bare toes up under his pant leg, getting his attention. "I think you're used to cooking for the Stabler clan, El… There's enough food here to feed a small country," she laughed, surveying the spread, as she put a generous dollop of honey on her pancakes.

"Yeah, I guess you're right… But you said you were hungry, and I wasn't sure what you were in the mood for. Besides, I want you to keep up your strength." He gave a sexy waggle of his eyebrows, causing heat to flood her, sending a pink flush to her cheeks.

They both attacked the food with ravenous appetites, not surprising to either of them, knowing the energy and calories they'd expended over the past several hours. Olivia was the first to push her plate away, groaning, as she rubbed her tummy. "That was so good El, but now I'm gonna need a walk—or a nap… Maybe both. You were cooking with the Stabler clan in mind."

"Yeah… Old habits die hard."

"Speaking of the Stabler clan… How are they? I've missed your kids, El—missed seeing them—hearing about them. What are they up to these days?"

"Well, like I said, Eli's in pre-school and loving it. He's the only one at home on a regular basis, now. He paused for a moment. "I can't believe how grown-up the rest of them are…" he said, shaking his head. "You knew Maureen got her graduate degree from Columbia… She's working as a paralegal with a firm on Long Island, and she's looking at pre-law programs—probably with Columbia."

"That's pretty impressive… She should talk to Alex."

"Yeah… She probably should," Elliot said, glancing up at her. "Kathleen is finishing up her four-year degree in psychology at Hunter… She wants to work in the field, but there're a lot of challenges…" He hesitated, sadness clouding his eyes. "…because of her bi-polar diagnosis." After a moment he continued, his eyes brightening. "She's had some roadblocks, but she's got a great attitude, and lots of determination."

"She'll make it, Elliot… She's an amazing young woman, and she's got the support of her family... That counts for so much, El." Olivia rested her hand on his arm, giving a gentle squeeze. "She'll find her place."

He looked up, smiling his appreciation. "Dickie, I mean, Richard, is still floundering a little—but he's enrolled in Queens College." He gave a chuckle before continuing. "He wanted to give himself some time before deciding if he wants a service career… He's thinking Marines—like his old man." Elliot couldn't hide how proud he was of his son.

"And I can tell you have no problem with that," she laughed, indulging his fatherly pride.

"And last, but by no means, least… Lizzie is working on her degree at your alma mater—Siena, before enrolling in the NYC Police Academy… She's following your path, Liv."

"She could do worse." Olivia grinned, bumping his shoulder. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before she stood and started clearing the table. "I'll take care of this: You did the cooking—I do the clean-up… Those are the rules. You could go grab a shower," she suggested.

Elliot stood and wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her close. He pushed her hair aside, breathing in her scent and scraping his five o'clock shadow on the tender skin below her ear. "Mmm," he groaned, "you smell good. So you think I should shower, huh… You tryin' to tell me something, Benson…?" he said with a soft growl, attaching his lips to her neck, and giving a gentle bite.

She gasped at the sensation. "Yeah… You're never gonna' find out if I have panties under this sweatshirt, if you don't go shave." Pulling out of his arms, she gave him a smirk, and continued to clear the dishes from the table.

In no time at all, Olivia had restored the kitchen to good order and stacked the last of the dishes in the drainer, leaving them to drip. She dried her hands and made her way to the couch to wait for Elliot to finish showering—and hopefully shaving away the last thirty-six hours of beard growth. She gingerly rubbed her chest where there was lingering evidence of its sandpaper effect, smiling softly as she remembered how it got there.

Elliot emerged from the bathroom to find her lounging on the couch. She scooted over making room for him and he sat down, leaning back into the cushions, pulling her to him. His hair was wet and Olivia could feel dampness through his tee-shirt, his warm skin exuding the masculine scent of sandalwood soap. He lifted her hair from her shoulders and held it back while he rubbed his cleanly-shaven face into her neck, causing her to moan. "Did I pass the test?" He grinned impishly at her, watching her worry her lower lip between her teeth, her eyelids half-closed, while she tried to fight the sensations he was creating in her body.

Reaching up, she patted his cheeks, and ran her lips down his chin and over his throat, inspecting for any missed stubble. "I'd say you passed with flying colors, detective." She pressed in for a tender kiss.

"Hmmm… Do I get to see if you're wearing panties now," he teased, reminding her of a small boy begging for candy.

"Well, that depends… If you can check without molesting me, by all means—be my guest." He started to protest and she shushed him, giving a sexy raise of her eyebrow. "Or… Maybe you'd rather wait a little while and give me a chance to digest my meal… And then, who knows where it could lead," she purred seductively, smiling into his eyes.

"Goddamn, Benson… I never figured you for a tease," he whined, again reminding her of a little boy.

"I'm not teasing… I gave you options—and I fully intend to follow through." She laughed low in her throat as she pulled out of his arms, leaving him to pout. She settled herself back against the couch and looked over at him. "Besides, I wanna hear more about your kids."

Elliot rubbed his hand over his face, admitting defeat, and leaned back into the cushions. "What kind of questions," he asked, with just the slightest bit of 'grumpy' in his tone.

"How often do you see Eli…? I assume you have joint custody."

"Yeah, I do," he replied, all traces of grumpiness gone. "Kathy's been great about that… I get him on weekends, but I get to see him during the week whenever I want, or if there's some special occasion. Kathy's working part-time at the hospital—Bellevue. That's where she met Tony—he's a radiologist there. Anyway, she's scheduled most weekends, so it works out well for her."

"You must have him tomorrow then… What time do you get him?"

"I do. I pick him up around 10:00 on Saturday mornings and take him home by 5:00 Sunday evenings. Sometimes, he spends Friday nights with me, too…" Elliot reached over and took her hand, raising it to his lips and giving her knuckles a playful nip. "But not this Friday night… he said, with a lascivious grin. "I've got other plans."

Olivia smiled knowingly into his eyes and gently removed her hand from his grasp. She looked down for a moment before speaking. "Elliot, you have to promise me that you will never allow me—us—this relationship, to get in the way of your time with your children… Please, El. You need to know how important it is to me that that won't happen." Her eyes were solemn as she looked into his, imploring that he take her seriously.

"I promise," he said, moving closer and taking her into his arms. "And that is one of the many reasons I fell so hopelessly, and so deeply, in love with you, Olivia Benson." His voice was raspy with emotion. "You are the most honorable, most selfless person I know. Your capacity to love staggers me. I'm so proud to have you in my life, and so humbled that you have any desire to be with me, Liv." He lowered his lips to hers, kissing her tenderly… Before pulling away he tilted her chin until their eyes met. "I promise I won't neglect my children for you, baby, but I also promise I won't neglect you for them. You'll be a part of their lives with me… You'll be included in every aspect of it, Olivia. I won't have it any other way—and neither will they… They care about you."

Olivia's heart melted… She studied his face before pulling out of his arms and creating a little distance between them. She leaned into the corner of the couch, focusing on her hands, clasped tightly in her lap. "I don't know about that, El… I know Eli is—well, was—fond of me. And Kathleen and I really bonded… I feel very close to her." She paused for a moment, pondering her relationships with the other Stabler children. Still focusing on her lap, she continued. "Lizzie has always seemed to look up to me as a role model, so I guess she likes me, too." She slowly raised her head catching Elliot's eyes, her own showing the turmoil she felt. "But Richard has some real issues with me, El. And I always got the sense that Maureen just didn't know what to think… She's her Daddy's girl—and I mean that in the most positive way, Elliot… But I think at times she may have seen me as a rival for your attention. She lowered her head again. "And no matter how much they may like me, it doesn't mean your kids are ready to accept me as your girlfriend… I think you're making a lot of assumptions here."

"Liv, I've actually talked with them about us…" Elliot held up his hand when she started to protest. "Wait, Liv… Let me finish." He reached over and gently lifted her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes once more. "One of the most important things I did over the past ten months was work on my relationship with each of my children… I wanted them to understand what was going on in my life and to know they would always be important to me… Their place in my life and in my heart is forever."

Olivia took his hand and squeezed it gently. "You're such a good Dad, Elliot…I'm so proud of you," she said, bringing his hand to her lips. "If there were more fathers like you, this world would be a much better place… Our jobs would be a hell of a lot easier."

Elliot smiled appreciatively, and continued. "Because Maureen is the oldest—she's a young woman herself now—I felt it was crucial to my relationship with her, to share my feelings for you. She gets it, Liv. She knows you're not the reason my marriage to her mother ended—she understands that. And once she realized how much I love you, and how happy you make me, she encouraged me in every way she could to pursue this. She's our greatest champion, Olivia." He looked down for a moment… When he looked back up he shook his head and she could see a sparkle of humor in his eyes. "And Kathleen was the one who gave me the 'what are you waiting for, Dad—Olivia won't wait forever' speech."

Olivia's eyes welled. She was overwhelmed by all Elliot had shared, and more than a little nervous about the role he wanted her to play with his children… But beyond that she was deeply touched that they would welcome her into their lives. Once again she felt slight panic at the loss of control that seemed to come with this relationship, but she loved his children... She'd watched them grow up. They'd been a part of her life for twelve years, mostly in the daily stories Elliot shared with her—but she'd actually had lots of hands-on opportunities with them, too. And on a few occasions she'd ended up playing a vitally important role in their lives—especially to Eli and Kathleen.

"What about Richard, El… How does he feel about me?"

Elliot leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "He was a little tougher, Liv… but he came around. Our relationship went through a couple of difficult years. I know he accused you of sleeping with me, and even though I told him it wasn't true at the time, he didn't believe me… until recently."

Olivia couldn't hide the distress the conversation was causing her. "How did you convince him…? And how do you know he believes you now, Elliot?"

"We both worked very hard at rebuilding the trust between us… We'd said some pretty hurtful things to each other, and it took a lot of work to make it right—but we did it. We're good now, Liv—I promise." He reached over and took Olivia's hand, holding it between both of his. "The funny thing is… Dickie was crazy about you from the first time he met you, when he was just a little guy. He went through a stage, about the time he was twelve or thirteen—just before he hit puberty—when he had a wicked crush on you, Liv. Lizzie used to tease him mercilessly," he said, chuckling at the memory.

"Wow… Why didn't I ever know about it? Why didn't you tell me, El?"

Believe me, Liv, that's not the kinda thing I could've shared with you… It's hard enough to be a pre-teen boy having those feelings for an older woman. He would have been mortified if he ever thought you knew it."

"Yeah… I guess you're right," she said with a rueful shake of her head. "No wonder he was so pissed at me when he thought I was sleeping with his 'old man,' El," she teased.

"Yeah." Elliot straightened up, and leaned back against the couch. "There's no denying how close you and I were, Liv… I mean, you have to admit we were abnormally close, even for partners. And I think Dickie just tuned in to it more…" He shot her a look of amusement. "Probably because he was paying closer attention... And I'm sure he heard Kathy and me fighting about you."

"Wait a minute… What the hell, Elliot! What do you mean 'fighting' about me?" Olivia pushed further into her corner, creating more distance between them, and crossed her arms in front of her. "Why in hell would you be fighting about me?"

Elliot sighed, rubbing his hands over his face in frustration. He turned, angling his body until he was facing Olivia. "Liv, things between me and Kathy hadn't been good for a long time. Our sex-life wasn't that great for most of the last ten years of our marriage, and we barely talked: I didn't want to tell her about the horrors of my job and I just didn't have anything else to say to her. And everything she said to me had to do with problems—you know, bills, kids, fixing things around the house… So I mostly shut down and tuned her out." He hesitated, breaking eye contact for just a moment. "I'm not proud of it," he whispered.

When he looked back up, he gazed into her eyes and continued speaking, his voice wistful. "But then you'd call, and I'd suddenly come alive again—be energized—be ready to take on the next case—almost be relieved to get out of the house. And Kathy just thought it was because it was you… I could talk to you forever, Liv—about anything. And I guess I mentioned you a lot around the house. So—that's what we fought about… I can see where Dickie could have gotten the wrong idea."

"Jeez, ya think, El…! No wonder Kathy hates me, and Richard thought we were sleeping together."

"Olivia, I didn't even know I had feelings for you, at that point. Richard doesn't believe we slept together… not anymore. And Kathy doesn't hate you. I think at times she may have wished she could... I think it's fair to say you'll never be best friends—but she doesn't hate you. She has a lot of respect for you, Olivia. My god, you saved her and Eli's lives—she could never forget that..."

She started to speak, but Elliot continued.

"And they all know we didn't sleep together: It was very important to me that my family believed me about that, Liv. God, I never even allowed myself to fantasize about you, Olivia… I mean, not in that way—at least not until I was divorced, he said shyly, risking a quick glance at her. "I used to wonder what it would be like to kiss you, though, and I guess I daydreamed about you. And I've always thought you were gorgeous… Sometimes when we stood a little too close I would catch the scent of your shampoo or perfume—then it was a hell of a lot harder not to think about you. But I tried very hard not to—out of respect for you and our partnership—and for Kathy and our marriage… and for myself."

Olivia was moved by his admission. She leaned closer to him, taking his face in her hands and gently kissing his lips. "You're such a good man, Elliot Stabler… I don't think you realize what a good person you are, El." She looked down for a moment and when she raised her head again, he could see tears glistening in her eyes. "You always say you don't deserve me—how lucky you are to have me. It's not true, Elliot. I'm so lucky to have you in my life. I can't believe you love me… I've never done anything to deserve you, El."

Elliot wrapped his arms around her cradling her to him as though she were a precious treasure to be adored and protected. "You make me so happy, Olivia… I never knew I could be this happy." His voice was choked with emotion and he just held her until he regained his control. "I don't know why I waited so long, baby… That will be my greatest regret…"

"No regrets, El… We have each other now. This is so much more than some people will ever have—and I'm grateful." She held his eyes, as his lips found hers. Their kiss was sweet and gentle… and reverent.

When their lips parted, Elliot continued to hold her, running his hands through her hair and tenderly stroking her back, reveling in the feel of her. He finally pulled away and she sat back, leaning into the couch cushions. "Hey Liv, I wanted to ask you something."

"What, El?" she said softly.

"Will you spend part of tomorrow with me and Eli? The weather's supposed to be great, so I'm gonna take him to the park—get him outside for a change." He looked at her, his expression eager and hopeful. "Maybe you could meet us there and go out to lunch with us…? I know he'd love it, and I sure would…"

"Yeah… I'd really like that, El. Are you sure Kathy will be okay with it?"

"I promise you, she will be… We've discussed it, Liv. She knows I want you to fully participate in my children's lives. She understands and supports it… And she knows how hard I'm working to let Tony—a stranger to me—into their lives. You're someone she knows and trusts… Believe me, it's not a problem, Olivia."

"Okay. You tell me when and where and I'll show up," she agreed, smiling happily.

He reached over taking her hand. "Do you know how much I'm gonna miss you this weekend…? I've gotten used to having you around, baby… This is gonna suck." He sounded so dejected Olivia couldn't help laughing.

He gave her a wounded look. "Aren't you gonna miss me… even a little?"

Olivia stood, reaching down to take his hand, and pulled him to his feet. "I'm gonna miss you a whole lot, detective, and I don't think we should waste any more time… Besides, you still don't know what's under my sweatshirt," she smirked, dragging him toward the bedroom.

TBC

Thank you for reading! The second chapter will be posted in one week.