Prompt #41: The first time Eli picks out a gift for Olivia

Guardian Angel

~oOo~

It was cold and rainy out on this December 9th and there were only two weeks left before Christmas. Eli was running out of ideas on what to buy for Olivia. He had never brought her anything before because he was too young and then they left for Italy. So here he was at a restaurant now, waiting on Kathleen and Dickie to get there so he could ask them a question.

A few minutes after he arrived, his siblings walked in and steered towards his seat in the corner. All of them had a troubled few weeks with the trial for their mom's murder plus with their dad being UC for 6 months. Eli was glad when it was all over. After Liv had found those pills in the bathroom, his dad had installed cameras in his room and had Jet monitor him. The next day, he agreed he would stop and not hang out with his so-called friends anymore.

The siblings made small-talk until the food arrived and Eli stayed quiet for several minutes after.

"Olivia's been hanging around since dad got back," he finally broke his silence.

He began to think about his dad moving on from his mom and it was killing him inside. All he knew was that they were happy in Italy. When his brother and sisters were younger, he knew their parents had separated once but they had gotten back together because of him.

"Why is Olivia so important to this family?"

Kathleen dropped her fork and tried to find the right words to explain. "When I was sick, Olivia went to go see grandma. She got her to talk to the judge so I wouldn't end up in jail again, and I ended up getting the help I needed."

Dickie took a sip of his soda, chiming in. "She even saved you and mom."

Eli raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"Dad was supposed to take mom to the doctor, but something came up, so Olivia volunteered to take her instead. They were at a stop sign and when they pulled into the intersection, they got hit by a car. When the EMTs and the fire department got there to free mom, she went into labor with you and Olivia helped her through it while they worked to get her out."

Kathleen took over again to finish telling him what happened.

"They got her out and put her in the ambulance. Not even 20 minutes later, you were born and so Olivia got to hold you first."

"Really? No one's ever told me this."

"Yes. You might not be here without Olivia."

~oOo~

Eli spent the next few days thinking about what Kathleen and Dickie said. Finally, an idea came to his mind. He finished shopping and found the perfect gift to give to Olivia. He just hoped she would like it.

His second gift proofed to be more difficult. He needed more time to see how his dad and Olivia interacted with each other. Even though his mom wasn't here anymore, he wanted to see his dad happy. If Olivia did that for him, then so be it. So, the next time Olivia came over, he watched them, hoping not to be caught.

~oOo~

On Christmas Day, Olivia was woken up by Noah shaking her. She had stayed up well past midnight to wrap his gifts, enjoying putting 'From Santa' on the boxes while she still could get away with it. Noah would figure out he wasn't real in another year or so.

Setting everything up last night, she got nervous about going to the Stablers for the day. It was the first Christmas without their mother and she didn't want to intrude in their time with their father, but Elliot and his mother convinced her to come. Nobody should be alone on Christmas. Even though she technically wasn't alone.

Since she had adopted Noah, and he could have solid foods, they established the tradition of having Christmas pancakes shaped like snowmen and hot chocolate for breakfast as she watched him open his gifts. Then at night, after he was done playing with his new toys; they would watch Christmas movies until they fell asleep.

"Mom, get up! It's Christmas!"

Olivia smiled hearing him call her mom. If someone had told her years ago that she would one day become a mother she would have told them that they were crazy and in no way that was going to happen. And now she got it all.

Making their way into the small kitchen, she set about making the pancakes and the hot chocolate.

"Whoa! Look at the tree…" Noah exclaimed, taking in the number of gifts that covered the front of the tree.

Once the pancakes had been eaten, they moved to the living room with their hot chocolate. Noah put his mug on the table and Olivia sat on the couch to watch him ripping off the wrapping paper from the boxes. She secretly took some pictures and smiled as his face lit up.

"New playing cards!"

"Now we can play War again."

"Oh, you are so on!"

After Noah had opened all the boxes, he helped Olivia clean everything up, and then she let him play with some of his new toys.

"I hope Santa got my note," he suddenly broke the silence.

Olivia looked at him, her hot cacao mug caught in mid-air. "What note?"

Noah interrupted his play to explain. "I wrote him a note about you."

"About me?"

He nodded. "I want my last wish to come true."

"Well, what did you wish for?"

"I can't tell you because if I do, then it won't come true."

~oOo~

Kathleen had shown up early to help her grandma make breakfast on Christmas morning. For now, it was just the three of them, the rest weren't due until later.

"Dad," she knocked on her father's door, "grandma's making breakfast."

"Be right out," he yelled through the closed door.

Lying in bed for a moment longer, he let his thoughts wander to Kathy for a moment. Since he took his wedding ring off to go undercover, he hadn't put it back on and he got used to the weight of his hand without it now. He knew it would be hard for the kids because it was their first Christmas without their mother, but maybe having Olivia and Noah there would help soften the sad day.

After his unexpected return, when he had met Olivia to get the evidence folder from her; he had watched Olivia run along with Noah and his sled. He always knew she wanted to be a mother. He just wished he would've been there since the beginning. Fin hadn't mentioned a father. He did mention that Olivia was in a solid relationship while he was away though.

Rolling out of bed and leaving his room, he ran into his mother in the kitchen.

"Eggs are ready."

He started eating in silence and it didn't take Bernie long to notice that he had something on his mind.

"Son, what is it?"

Elliot put down his fork and rubbed his neck, then sighed. "I'm worried about what the kids will think about me moving on."

"We know how much you sacrificed for your marriage with mom and for us. It's your turn to be happy, Dad," Kathleen said as she walked in, overhearing the conversation. "If being with Olivia makes you happy, then so be it. I'm sure the rest will feel the same or will only take a little while to come around. You lived for us, it's time to live for yourself. If it wasn't for Olivia, I don't know if I would have gotten the help I needed."

Elliot looked at her. "What are you talking about?" he asked, obviously confused.

"Remember when you came to see me, and you needed my help?" Bernie asked.

Elliot remembered. That was the day he didn't want to believe that Kathleen was sick. He nodded and his mother continued.

"After you came to see me, Olivia came over herself and convinced me to talk to her and to the judge."

"Really?" Elliot was shocked. "Why didn't I know about that?"

"I told her not to tell you."

He then remembered Olivia's remarks in court. It was something about God and carrots. "That's when Olivia told me I was cute as a carrot."

Bernie nodded. "I showed her a few pictures of you."

"Oh, God." Elliot interlaced his hands behind his head and pressed his eyes shut.

"Don't worry. I didn't show her any embarrassing ones."

~oOo~

Olivia was checking in with her friends and colleagues, wishing them a Merry Christmas when Noah walked out of his room where he was playing with his new toys for the afternoon.

"Mom?"

She looked up from her phone and moved her glasses to her head. "Yes, my sweet boy?"

"Can we make cupcakes to take to Elliot's? I don't want to go empty-handed."

"Of course." She smiled at his thoughtfulness.

They put on Christmas music and with the oven heating and the smell of sugar, their home felt like a winter bakery. Giggling, Olivia smeared the frosting on her finger on Noah's nose.

"Hey!" His whole body was shaking from the laughter.

They put the second batch in the oven and quickly cleaned up the mess.

"Can we play War while they're baking?"

"Yes, we can. Go get the cards."

Noah ran into his room to get his new deck of cards while Olivia made herself comfortable on the couch. They played three rounds and by the end of the last round, the cupcakes were done. After they had cooled off, they decorated them with frosting and sprinkles and packed them up securely.

Olivia and Noah were ready to go to Elliot's.

~oOo~

Bernie had just pulled the last dish from the oven to let it cool when Elliot's phone rang.

"Just calling to let you know we're outside," Olivia's voice sounded through the speaker.

"Be right there."

He hung up and went out the back door to unlock the gate. When he pulled it open, his breath caught in his throat.

Ever since he had come back, Olivia had gotten so much more beautiful and more so every time he saw her.

"Hey…" he stammered. Get a grip Stabler!

He led them into the apartment where they were being greeted by the intoxicating smell of Christmas dinner.

"Noah wanted to make cupcakes, so we did," Olivia said as she handed Elliot her coat.

"Yes, I did, and mom got frosting on me."

"Did not."

"Did too."

Elliot couldn't help but laugh out loud over their friendly quarreling.

Olivia smiled softly up at him. "Smells good in here."

Bernie walked in from the other room, pulling Olivia into a hug. "Ah, the daughter-in-law is here."

Olivia chuckled and blushed over the inside joke between them.

"Nice to see you too, Bernie."

The table was set, the food was plated and everyone found their seats. To the left, there were Maureen, Carl, Kathleen, and Bernie. To the right, there were Dickie, Lizzie, Eli, and Noah. Elliot and Olivia sat opposite each other at the heads of the table.

They held light conversations all throughout dinner. The kids' first Christmas without their mother wasn't easy but having Olivia and Noah there helped make the dinner table not feel empty.

Now that Eli knew why Olivia was so important to this family, he couldn't wait to give her the something special he bought. Yes, he missed his mother terribly but he was shocked himself by how much he enjoyed having Olivia there. After watching the way his father was around her, he decided to give him his blessing to be happy.

"I'm glad you're here Olivia," Kathleen said looking at her. "Both of you," she added, shifting her attention to Noah.

Olivia smiled warmly. "Glad to be here."

They finished dinner and desserts before moving to the living area to open gifts. Happy chatter was filling the room and they were all having a good time together. Each kid talked about their favorite tradition they had with their mom when they were younger. When all gifts had been exchanged and opened, the family scattered, some cleaning up, some picking up private conversations.

Olivia was about to stand up to help Bernie when Eli spoke up.

"Olivia, this is for you…" the young boy said cautiously as he handed her a small box.

Shocked, she looked up at Elliot. The surprise on his own face clearly meant he didn't know anything about this.

Olivia gave Eli a warm smile. "You didn't have to..."

"I wanted to. Now open it," he encouraged her.

Olivia took the lid off the box and gasped as she was met with a beautiful necklace. It was a Victorian Ornate antique silver pendant depicting a guardian angel.

"Eli…" she said, almost speechless. "Why?"

Eli then explained what his siblings had told him. That he found out why she was important to his family. "So yeah. I basically got you the necklace because you saved us. You are our guardian angel."

Before he even finished his last sentence, Olivia had tears in her eyes and she got up to pull Eli into a tight hug. "I don't know what to say."

He hugged her back. "You're welcome."

Wiping her tears away, Olivia needed a moment to gather her emotions. Making her way into the kitchen, she helped Kathleen and Maureen with the cleanup. A moment later, Elliot came over with a stack of dishes in his arms.

"Hey guys, look up…" Bernie suddenly called out.

Elliot and Olivia both looked up to see nothing other than a mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. Elliot gave his mom a disapproving look but she just waved him on.

"Mama…"

She mouthed for him to "go on."

Olivia blushed but joined in. "Yeah, El. Go on..."

Elliot was feeling a bit insecure because his mom, Kathleen, and Eli were all standing there, watching his every move. Then Eli spoke up.

"It's okay, Dad. My last gift is for you. I give you my blessing."

Elliot was shocked, to say the least. He knew how much Eli still missed his mom.

Not going to waste this moment though, he looked back at Olivia, grabbed her around her waist, pulled her around and down that she was almost parallel to the floor. Holding her back securely, he kissed her with all the passion he had for her.

Olivia had never been kissed like this in her whole life and his mouth on hers knocked the wind right out of it.

Some say that a true love's kiss is the most powerful thing in the world. In this case, it was.

"So Santa did get my letter?" Noah suddenly yelled out.

"What?"

Elliot pulled Olivia back on her feet, keeping her in his arms, not ready to let her go yet.

"My letter," the young boy said again. "Where I asked Santa to make you happy."

Olivia turned her head around to smile at Elliot again.

"Yes, he did," she said. "He made me very happy."

And so, they lived happily ever after.

I've been dreaming of a true loves kiss