I did a small update to chapter 2, Seeing. I totally forgot that Elliot fucked Flutura, because her and Burton Lowe are IRRELEVANT. Thought I would let you know.

MUCH LOVE ALWAYS!

Two hundred and twenty five. That's how many freckles he had gotten to on her right leg before she had drifted off to sleep. She had tried to tell him that there was no way he could count them all but had insisted to try anyways. The next morning he had said he had gotten to 300 before he wrapped his arms around her. He had tried to resume counting them but she couldn't stay all day with him and she wanted him too much to let him.

That was a week ago and as she stands in her bathroom, eyeing the long sleeve sweater and leggings she has chosen for today in the mirror, she smiles at what Noah had asked her a few days ago.

"Hey, mom."

"Hey, Noah," she responded, looking up from the email she was reading on her phone.

"I made a list of possible science projects I want to do for the fair."

"That's great, baby! Did you need any help choosing one?"

"Well, I was thinking that maybe, Elliot could come over and help me."

"Oh?" She hadn't been expecting that and the fact that her son wanted him, made her blood race a little faster.

He shrugged lightly, like it wasn't a big deal, "Your opinion is awesome too but I don't know. I liked him."

"Okay, yeah. I'll ask him if he wants to come over this weekend."

And of course, Elliot didn't even hesitate saying yes. Even offered to cook them dinner, whatever Noah wanted. She didn't have to ask Noah to know the answer was spaghetti. Today is deep cleaning day. One Saturday a month, she deeps cleans everything, and Noah always complains about how boring this Saturday is. Makes sense why he asked Elliot to come over today.

She's in the middle of switching the clothes over, her face bare, her hair thrown up in a clip, when he knocks. Noah does his normal call for her, informing her that someone is at the door and she swears the boy thinks she's going deaf already. "Thank you, Noah."

She peaks through the peep hole, sees him nervously smiling on the other side and her heart beats a little faster. She's about to allow him to bond with her son, and God, she's more excited than she is nervous. The two most important men in her life bonding.

She opens the door, greets him with a smile, "Hi."

"Hey. I come with lunch and dinner." His hands are holding two bags of groceries and she smiles more widely. It's actually almost lunchtime and she's thankful she doesn't have to think about it.

She steps to the side, allows him to enter, "What's for lunch?"

"Wow, that's all I'm good for."

She shrugs, "I'm hungry."

"She's always hungry when she's cleaning," Noah responds from the table. His eyes are glued to the phone in front of him, his paper of ideas sitting on the table. He had listened to Elliot's advice, writing down his favorites and researching everyone of them.

She nods, "I'm always hungry when I'm cleaning. And I'm deep cleaning, which Mr. Noah doesn't understand the point of. So, I'm really hungry."

"Hmm, well I was thinking pizza."

"We love pizza!" Noah exclaims.

She laughs, "We love pizza."

"Good. I got all the stuff to make our own."

"We get to make our own?" Noah asks, standing up to make his way over to them. Of course Elliot knows exactly how to win a child over.

"Well, not the crust because I'm not that cool but I got all the different toppings." She watches as Elliot places the bags on the kitchen counter, watches as Noah peers in every single bag curiously.

"You got mushrooms, Mom's favorite."

She smiles. They would both know she loves her mushrooms. "Yeah, I know what your mom likes. Not sure what you like, so I got everything."

"I don't like mushrooms but I like tomatoes and bell peppers..." As he talks, he pulls ingredients out of the bag, places them on the counter and Elliot busies himself in opening cabinets. The evening they had spent at her place, he had come through with making her food, so him in her kitchen isn't new to her.

Elliot begins telling him what he likes and boom. It happens so fast. They go from pizza toppings to school, to dance, to Elliot's detective work and God, this is really happening. The buzz of the dryer brings her out of her trance of the two of them and when she makes her way down the hallway, Noah calls out to her.

"You want everything you like, Mom?"

"Please."

She listens to them talk as she gathers the laundry out of the dryer, laughs with them as she folds clothes on the couch, watches Elliot help Noah put the pizzas in the oven and take them out.

And as they all three openly talk over their lunch, like this isn't the first time they've all shared a meal together, like they've been doing it for years, she feels her anxiety slowly creep back up on her. She tries, really tries to push it away but the thought of Noah growing accustomed to this, of Noah growing accustomed to him, and him leaving again almost makes her start to hyperventilate. She doesn't think she's going to survive that again, let alone get Noah through it as well. But Elliot, is Elliot. And he knows, he always knows. She can't be more grateful that he has chosen a seat beside her because the feeling of his hand on her thigh brings her out of her dreadful thoughts.

He squeezes her flesh gently, smooths his hand up and down and God, the man is her touchstone. Noah is talking about the science projects he's interested in, Elliot is watching the boy intently, responding to him, but his hand never stops rubbing along her thigh. She takes hold of it quickly, gives it a squeeze, lets him know that she hears him. That she always hears him when he tells her he's never leaving her, them, again.

"Mom, if I pick one today, can we go get all the stuff for it? That way Elliot can help too!"

"Yeah, that's fine. But that doesn't mean rush to pick one. I'm sure Elliot can come back another day to help also."

"Yeah, buddy. Whenever you're ready, we'll plan a day," Elliot says as he stands up to start collecting their plates off the table. She finds it amusing, it's her house, he's their guest, and he's the one cleaning up.

"But I've already narrowed it down to two. I'll have one picked within the next hour!"

She laughs lightly. He really wants Elliot to help him. "Okay, Noah. If you pick one, we'll all go to the store."

"Yes!"

He stands at the same time she does and almost knocks her over on his jog down the hallway to his room. "Sorry, mom!"

"You're really gonna take me out one of these days," she calls down the hallway as she grabs the glasses off the table.

He must stick his head back out his door because he once more, loudly, says, "Sorry!"

Elliot is laughing in the kitchen and she shakes her head at the both of them. "You think it's funny until he breaks my ankle again." Although, she's smiling, she mugs him slightly as she places the glasses in the sink that he's still standing in front of.

"I would have tried to catch you."

"Oh, that's reassuring. Because you all of a sudden have super speed to get to me before I fall on my ass."

He shrugs, "Still would have tried."

"Well, thank you." They haven't touched one another, minus the thigh rub, and she's made sure of it. She already knows exactly how her body responds to the man now and she would rather not be dealing with the fire he ignites inside of her while her son is home. So when he steps closer to her for much needed contact now that Noah has left the room, she dodges him and starts to walk around him.

"I just wanted a hug," he says.

She's already at the edge of her counter, her feet on a mission to grab the last load out of the dryer, "I know."

"What, you don't trust me?"

"No, El. I don't trust myself." Because she really fucking doesn't. Him in those damn jeans and nice button down shirt, his muscles prominent through the material, fuck. She really just wants him to lift her on the counter. She really just needs to get it together.

His grin causes her to roll her eyes and when she goes to take off down the hallway once more, he says, "Hey."

She turns around slightly and when he's leaning across the counter, she leans in a little more. Whatever he wants to say, he obviously doesn't want Noah to overhear and she decides to indulge him, "Hmm?"

"You look hot in your cleaning clothes."

"Oh my god," she laughs out, her body turning around again. Of course, he would say some shit like that.

She's tucking her sheet into a corner when she sees him again. "You need any help?"

"If you're offering." She gestures to the other side of the bed and as he starts tucking his side of the sheet in, she asks, "So, how's he doing?"

"I think he's settled on the catching a rainbow in a tube one."

"I like that one."

"It is a good one."

He's looking at her from across her bed. And he's not only looking at her, he's looking at her like he's picturing her naked. He's eye fucking her and Jesus Christ. Her heart quickens, her blood boils, and the apex of her thighs becomes moist. With the current smirk on his face, he fucking knows it. Son of a bitch. "Will you quit it!" Her tone is hushed. Low enough that Noah can't hear from his room.

"Quit what?"

She huffs, "You know what."

His smirks widens, his hands falling flat on the bed before him, "No, I don't."

Bastard wants her to say it, and fine. She'll say it. "Stop looking at me like you want to fuck my brains out."

His eyes darken and damn him. Damn him right now for doing this shit to her while her son is wide awake in the next room. His eyes slowly take in her body, like he's remembering exactly what she looks like without these clothes on, exactly what she tastes like, exactly what she feels like. Thank fucking God this did not happen when they were partners.

"Elliot!"

His eyes snap back to hers and he smiles, "I can't help it, you're just so..."

"Out." If he doesn't stop, they're going to end up backed into her closet with her legs wrapped around around his waist and as hot as that sounds, there is no way she's risking Noah walking in on that.

He groans, although it really sounds more like a whine, "Liiiivvv. Can't I at least kiss you?"

She huffs again. "No."

Then he pouts, like a fucking child, "Please? I'll behave. And I'll make sure you behave."

She laughs. Yeah, sorry, if she doesn't believe that. But eventually she's going to have to learn to just kiss the man without pulling him into bed. And she really wants to kiss him. Her lips are already tingling with the possibility. Her original plan is to lean over the bed, so they can have the least amount of contact possible, but her bed is definitely too big for that to work. So she places her knees on the mattress, one at a time, crawls close enough to him, which is still a considerable amount of distance from him, and leans in with puckered lips. He meets her perfectly, places his lips softly against hers and God, what a difference a kiss can make. They both seem to sigh into the kiss, both relaxing for a second to allow their lips to gently move against one another before pulling away.

"Happy now?" She asks. She smiling because it was nice and he smiles back, rubs his nose quickly against hers and they both stand straight back up, her feet dropping back off the bed.

"Very."

"Good." She grabs her blanket hanging over the foot of her bed and flings it out for him to grab the other end. There's something so domestic about him helping make her bed and before she has time to freak out over how comfortable it is, they hear, "MOM! ELLIOT! I'm ready!"

They both smile at the same time. Noah likes him. He really likes him. "He's ready," she repeats. "Okay! Let us finish my bed real fast."

Elliot drives, Noah talks, Olivia pays and makes all the last minute decisions. For some reason she had a small fear that Elliot was going to undermine her as a parent. That he was going to be one who told Noah yes on something, without asking her first but when she catches him telling Noah, "Did you ask your mom?", she falls in love with the man a little more.

They get ice cream on the way home, laugh about the fact that the weather is once more changing and they're eating something frozen, play I spy to make the traffic go by quicker. When they get back they all turn their complete attention to the science project. Her and Elliot have obviously forgotten how hard science is because Noah ultimately is the one who figures out how to catch the rainbow in the tube. And the one who expertly teaches them how to do it. She's so amazed she's probably going to tell her whole crew about it.

While Elliot cooks dinner, her and Noah finish cleaning and she's not sure when the hell Elliot became a good cook but goddamn, his spaghetti is to die for. Even Noah comments on it being one of the best and the boy has tried every spaghetti he can get his hands on.

They agree on the movie Cruella afterwards. Noah taking a spot on the floor, her and Elliot sitting on the couch, close enough for their knees to touch. They watch the movie in comfortable silence, a laugh escaping every now and then. And she's never been more complete in her life. Elliot and Noah. The two people she ever really wanted and she finally gets both of them.

"Would you like to read with us?" Noah asks Elliot after the movie is over and he's ready for bed and her heart fills a little more at the way Elliot's face lights up.

They read in Noah's room. Her and Noah taking their normal spot on his bed while Elliot sits on the floor and listens. When the chapter is finished, she kisses her boy's curls, "Goodnight, Noah."

"Night, mom. Sleep good."

"You too, honey. I love you."

"Love you too, mom."

The boy has grown so much and the fact that he will never stop makes her heart ache for the baby he once was. But she wouldn't change watching him grow, watching him develop into an individual, into a respectable boy, for anything. And she guesses that's every parents dilemma. Want them to stay babies but can't wait to watch them grow.

"Night. Elliot. Thanks for hanging us with us today."

"Thank you for inviting me, it was fun. Goodnight bud."

Elliot is out of the room before her and she barely has the door closed behind her before he's taking hold of her hand and leading her towards her bedroom. "El." she whispers.

She's not sure if she's comfortable having sex with him while Noah is asleep in the next room but God, the way he was with Noah today, with both of them, makes him so fucking tempting. As long as she's quiet, Noah won't know anything. But quiet with Elliot? Quiet with Elliot in a bed? Is that even possible?

And on top of that she's been cleaning all day, she's sweaty, she needs to shower and fuck, they cannot have sex right now. They can't.

But he doesn't respond to her, of course he doesn't respond and of course she follows him. Into her room, let's him close the door quietly behind them and lock it, let's him back her into the nearest wall and she moans lowly when their bodies make contact. "We cant," she whispers.

His hands are already sliding along her sides and God, it is not okay for her body to be responding like this at her age. "We can. I'll help keep you quiet."

She chews on her bottom lip, contemplates the suggestion, "I haven't showered."

"Hmm," he growls lowly and she feels the vibration in her clit. And then his nose is in her neck as he takes a deep inhale and Jesus, this man is going to kill her. "I think you smell fantastic."

"Elliot." It's a warning but a weak one.

And he knows that. "Olivia."

His hands are slowly making their way under her sweater and her body is yelling at her to shut the fuck up. To just let the man work his magic on her. She sighs in defeat because really, who is she kidding and wraps her arms around his waist, her hands settling on the curvature of his ass, "If he hears me, it's never happening with him in the house again."

He nods and begins to pull her shirt up, "Deal."

And then she's consumed in him. In the way he pulls her shirt off her, in the way he looks at her, in the way he pulls her clip out of her hair, in the way he connects his lips to hers, in the way he turns her and guides her to the bed, in the way he slowly removes the rest of her clothes. His hands distract her from removing his, constantly grabbing pieces of her skin, her thighs, her ass, her breasts.

"You're an amazing mother," he whispers against her skin and she never thought she would ever hear those words from him.

She's continuously moaning quietly, his lips capturing her moans perfectly, her body arching under his and fuck, she just wants his pants off. He touches her with so much fire, so much passion that she feels like she's going to come just from it alone and even that is overwhelming for her. The man is great to her, great to her son and as long as he stays around, this is it. This is her life. Finally someone to share her struggles with. Someone she doesn't have to hide from. Someone who will cherish her, always.

He fucks her with his fingers first. Slowly. Builds her up deliciously and when she comes her whole body tingles, her toes curl and her teeth sink into his shoulder. She tries to stop him as he descends down her body but he only whispers "Shh," before his lips connect to her skin. And when she comes against his mouth, he grabs the towel she has thrown over the end of her bed to try to protect her freshly washed sheets, while she pulls a pillow over her face.

As he moves back up her body, he takes the pillow to replace it with his lips. And when he lines himself up to her, their eyes meet. Her hand reaches out to stroke his cheek, his lips kissing her fingers gently and she's so overcome with emotion, tears fill her eyes. She whispers, "Please, don't leave again." Ever. Don't ever leave her again. Don't ever leave Noah.

He leans down, places his elbows by her head, kisses her lips deeply and as he pushes inside of her, he says, "I won't. I promise you I won't."

And as he makes her come three more times before releasing himself deep inside of her, she believes him.

She really does.