Elliot has been back for over 7 months now if you don't count his time under. They have had some discussions about what was revealed when he showed up high at her apartment late one night. Engaged in many conversations about what happened over the last ten years and each of their feelings behind it. But they had yet to talk about what all their unresolved feelings and attractions meant.
After Kathy died, Olivia didn't want to cause any harm to her memory, now realizing that Kathy didn't deserve that grace at all. The bitch had been working against her this whole time, even after Olivia single-handedly kept the Stabler family glued together all of these years. She was also the thing that was still getting in the way of Kathy and Elliot's marriage. Well not anymore, seeing as she isn't around to cause any more havoc.
But it also didn't sit well with Liv that Elliot gave her the letter his wife wrote AFTER she died. I mean, she is trying to understand that he is coming from a place of duty, his last duty to his wife. But still, it fucking hurt and she made sure to make him know that. Liv wasn't going to let him off the hook for that because he made that decision when he was sober and preceding the death of Kathy.
He knows that he messed up and that he has a truckload of shit to make up for over the last two decades. He has started by listening to Olivia's life and the traumas that she went through in the time he was gone. He heard about all the things he missed, including becoming Noah's mom, that made her into the badass and stunning woman, mother, and captain she is today.
He just met Noah for the first time the other day at the precinct when Elliot stopped by to see Liv and he was also there. While he was waiting for Olivia to be done, Elliot stood away from the door in the corner, leaving space for those in the office to walk out. Noah was sitting in a chair next to Fin's desk, waiting patiently. He was bored and was tired of waiting on his mom to be done and Lucy was out sick today, leading to his current situation in his mom's precinct. Noah looked up at Elliot, squinting his eyes as he took in the man standing in front of him. Elliot looked back at him, with a nervous smile, worried about what Liv would say about this happening before they agreed to. Elliot looked away, staring at the floor as he waited, not wanting to cause anything, but Noah had other ideas. "You're the guy." Elliot looked up at him confused, "What do you mean?" "The guy in all of the photos that my mom keeps hidden away in her bedroom. I only see them when I'm in her room. Your name is Elliot." Elliot is stunned by this information. He had been at her apartment now multiple times, but he hadn't been in her bedroom.
Noah went on to explain all that he knew about Elliot and the rare stories his mom would tell him. Most of the stories were about when she was younger and she would talk about her old partner Elliot.
Just as Elliot was about to say something, Liv came out of her office, ending their one on one conversation for the time being. Olivia looks between Noah and Stabler, surprised to see the two most important men in her life across from each other. "Elliot, what are you doing here?" "I was in the area and thought I would stop by to see you and if you were available to get some food." Elliot looks over to Noah, as he says, "But I can see you have your hands full." Liv is about to respond when Noah looks towards his mom, interrupting her and giving his input. "Mom! Invite Elliot over for dinner tonight. Since it's the first night you will be home at a decent hour." Olivia glares at Noah for inviting Elliot over without asking her first. "Noah, honey, you don't even know him yet." Noah eagerly responds. "Well, that's because you haven't had him over. And we can change that tonight. I want to get to know your friend and old partner, mom." Olivia looks over at Elliot to get a read on his view of this situation. Of course, Elliot shrugs his shoulders glazing back at her with a smug look while raising his eyebrows and waiting for her answer. Liv glances back and forth from Elliot and Noah before caving. "Okay, fine. But you're cooking Elliot. I need a break from it tonight." Noah jumps out of his chair, raising his fist towards the ceiling in victory. "I can cook. But, Liv, I'm still surprised that your fridge isn't filled with takeout like it was back in the day." Noah's ears peak at this. "Mom still can't cook that well." Liv glares at her son, starting to turn a shade of bright red. "Noah!" Noah smiles at his mom, unbothered by her scolding. "What? It's true." He shrugs his shoulders in response. After a few seconds, Liv says "Well okay. Let me grab my stuff and we can get going."
They drove separately back to Liv's apartment since they both had their cars and neither could just leave them behind. It also gave them each some time to prepare for what is about to happen. Even though he didn't see it happening tonight, Elliot was excited for this dinner, finally getting to meet Liv's son. She is always talking about him, giving off that motherly glow full of pride. While he was excited about this, he is also nervous for Noah to like him and to not blow it with Olivia and wherever their relationship might be going. He is just hoping and praying for the best out of this night, whatever may come.
Olivia was trying to stay cool and collected in the car with Noah, who grilled her with questions about Elliot. Internally she is screaming, but she would never let that show. It's not that she didn't want Noah and Elliot to meet, she is just not ready. She is still trying to get her head around where their relationship might be heading and she wasn't prepared for Noah to come into the equation yet. She's terrified of what it means for them. Noah knows some things but only a few because his mom wasn't one to talk about her old partner named Elliot. He wants to know why his mom doesn't talk about him when she cares about this man. He was determined to get answers tonight.
After dinner, they were sitting around the table by the couch, playing a game of Candyland. It was getting close to Noah's bedtime so Olivia told him to go get ready for bed. When Noah was ready to be tucked in, Olivia went into his room to get him settled. "Hey mom, can Elliot tuck me in?" She was taken back by this request. "Um, sure. Let me go get him." She walks out of the room tentatively to retrieve Elliot in the living room. "El, Noah asked me to have you help tuck him in." Elliot looks at her surprised by this. Walking into Noah's room, they both trod lightly, not wanting to cause anything to make the evening any more awkward. "Mom, can you leave? I just want Elliot first, then you can come in." Olivia doesn't like the sound of that, but Elliot gives her a look saying that it's fine. "Okay, well I'll be right outside if you need me." Liv closes the door behind her, putting her ear to the door to listen to anything said while she wasn't in the room.
Once Noah sees his mom walk out the door, he turns to Elliot. "I want to talk to you." Elliot looks at him, a little wearily, with no idea what to expect from this young man. "What's on your mind, Noah?" "What are you to my mom?" He is taken back, not expecting this to be what Noah wanted to talk about. "Uhhh. What do you mean?" "I mean, why are you back in her life all of the sudden. I've only heard about you a few times that my mom would open up about the man in the photos. The long-lost partner from before I was born. So, why are you back now?" Elliot takes a few seconds to gather his thoughts, stunned even more so compared to earlier at the precinct. "Listen, Noah, I was gone so long because I had to go be with my family. I'm back now because my family doesn't need me to be far away anymore." Noah furrows his brow, like a grown man even though he's a young boy. "Are you going to leave again? Because I can't let you hurt her again." Elliot appreciates the protectiveness of his mother and how he looks out for her. "I am staying right here in New York and I'm not leaving again. Ever." Noah goes silent for a few seconds, keeping Elliot on his toes for what is coming next. "Do you love her?" Elliot is taken back once again by this young boy who is years beyond his actual age. "I do. So much." Noah accepts his answer, with a smile, "Good."
Outside, Olivia still has her ear to the door when she hears footsteps coming towards her. She runs to sit on the couch because she doesn't want to get caught of course. Elliot joins her on the couch, sitting next to her but not saying anything. Olivia breaks the silence, "So, how'd it go?" "It went well. He's asleep now unless you want to go in and tuck him in." "No, it's fine. What did he want to talk about? Anything I should know about?" Elliot looks at her with those piercing blue eyes, "No. We're good. Just some guy talk, nothing for you to worry about." "Oh, okay. Good to know."
Little does he know, Liv heard their conversation, hearing everything that Elliot said to her son. She is feeling so many things right now, typing to process everything said. Noah, her pride and joy, trying to protect her from getting hurt. Her heart is full of love and also uncertainty. She has forgiven Elliot for leaving and hurting her when he did, but she wasn't prepared to hear him say he loves her. Of course, she's heard it before, at the intervention with his kids, but that was different. He wasn't thinking clearly and wasn't in the right headspace. But now, when he's done the work and gotten better, it hits her. This man truly loves her and is willing to tell her son this, even when she hasn't reciprocated his declaration. She does love him, she's loved him for as long as she's known him, but she hasn't admitted it to herself until recently when the possibility or something more between them. Her mind is full of so many changing thoughts and feelings.
There was a long silence between them again as neither one of them spoke. Elliot broke the silence this time, "So, do you want me to go, or do you want to watch a movie or something?" "Watching a movie sounds good." Liv gets up to put the movie they decided on in and comes to sit back down on the couch, this time a little closer to Elliot. As the opening credits play, he brings his arm up to rest behind her on the couch. She snuggles into his side even more as he starts to play with the ends of her hair, running his fingers through it and wrapping the silky locks around his fingers. Olivia continues to think about this thing that is happening between them and if she wants to let herself trust him completely with her heart, body, and soul.
Does she jump off the cliff into the unknown?
That's the question, isn't it?