A week later, Olivia was anxiously sitting in the OBGYN office waiting for her Doctor. While Melinda had given them the news, she still wanted a full confirmation from her Doctor. Elliot was supposed to meet her here but was running late from court. Her eyes glanced over to the clock as the door opened, when she looked back hopefully she frowned when she saw it was the Doctor.

"Hi Olivia." Dr. Carlson said walking in, "How are you doing?"

Olivia's heart was pounding, she was so excited for this moment but she didn't want to experience this without Elliot, "I...I'm fine."

Dr. Carlson walked further into the room, "Are you sure? You look upset. Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine...I just-" The door opened again with a rush of air and she felt her shoulders instantly relax.

"I'm sorry I'm late. Traffic was terrible." He shut the door behind him and quickly slid into the chair beside his wife, "I didn't miss anything, did I?"

Olivia's eyes were full of unshed tears and Dr. Carlson smiled, understanding why she had been anxious, "No. I just walked in. Let me just...get a few things set up and then we'll get started."

Turning her back to them, she moved to the other side of the room. Elliot looked at his wife and took her hand in his, "You didn't think I was going to miss this, did you?" She shook her head slowly, but her eyes told a different story. "Liv...nothing could have kept me away." He lifted her hand and pressed his lips against the back of it, "This is big. Real big and we've been waiting a long time." She nodded slowly and looked down at their joined hands, he knew she was still anxious, "Hey…everything is going to be okay."

She took a deep breath and looked back up at him, "I hope so."

"I know so." He said leaning in to kiss her, "You'll see."

Dr. Carlson turned back to them and smiled, "I think we're all set here. Do you have any questions before I start?" Olivia shook her head but Dr. Carlson could tell there was still some hesitancy on her part, she looked at Elliot and he just smiled, "Olivia...I know we've had conversations...that you were worried-"

"I just...I'm not…" Elliot wrapped his arm around her and she let out a little sigh, "I really want this baby."

Dr. Carlson smiled, "I understand. Having a child, while incredibly wonderful, comes with it's fair share of emotions. I promise that we'll take this one step at a time. Okay?" Oliva nodded, "Alright, can you lie back for me? If at any point you get upset, you just tell me and we'll stop."

"Okay." She started scooting back on the table and Elliot helped her settle in to her spot.

"I'm going to ask you to lift your shirt, this will be a bit cold but it won't hurt." She said with a smile.

Elliot took Olivia's hand and instantly felt his own heart pounding. He understood what she was feeling because he was feeling it too. It was easy to think that everything would be perfect. But having four kids prior to this and witnessing friends and family struggle, he knew that there were never any guarantees. After a year of trying, it was hard to not worry about something going wrong. He squeezed her hand and held it against his chest and waited with baited breath. Looking at Olivia out of the corner of his eye, he saw that her eyes were trained on the screen.

It was quiet as Dr. Carlson moved the wand along Olivia's belly, and then there was a slow thumping sound, "And there it is…"

Olivia's eyes went wide, "What?"

Dr. Carlson turned to her and smiled, "Your baby's heartbeat." The look on Olivia's face told her that up until this point she still wasn't convinced she was truly pregnant, "You are in fact pregnant Olivia." She pointed at the screen, "See that right there, that's your baby."

Tears started to stream down her face, "That's our baby?"

Elliot leaned in and kissed the side of her face, "That's our baby."

Olivia wiped the tears from her face, "Does...does everything look okay?"

Dr. Carlson reached out and squeezed her arm, "Breathe Olivia...everything looks exactly as it should."

Olivia closed her eyes and put a hand over her face, "I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm such a wreck."

"It's a good thing. You want this baby...you've been trying for a while and I know it means a lot to you." She said with a smile, "Plus...growing a baby really messes with your hormones. You are going to spend the next few months being more emotional than usual."

Olivia laughed and looked over at Elliot, "God help you…"

When she looked at him she saw he had tears in his own eyes, "Liv...I told you from the start, I'm here for all of it. I'm just so grateful we get to experience this together."

He leaned in and kissed her and she sighed, "We're having a baby."

"Yes. We most definitely are." He replied, he turned to Dr. Carlson, "Can you tell how far along she is?"

"I'm estimating about 7-8 weeks. That would put us in the second week of January or so for a due date." She said, looking at the screen again.

"Good start to the New Year." He said, squeezing his wife's hand.

Dr. Carlson looked at them again, "Would you like pictures and a copy of the heartbeat video?"

"Yes. Please." Olivia answered, she looked at Elliot, "The kids will want to hear it I think...whenever we tell them."

Elliot nodded as he watched the screen in front of him, "Definitely."

"When can we tell people? I mean...I don't want to jinx anything." Olivia said nervously.

"There is no timeline on when...it's a personal choice. Generally we think about 12 weeks is the safety point. But things look good. With young children, it is probably better to wait a little. Their patience level is limited...they won't want to wait the full pregnancy to meet their sibling." She said with a smile.

Olivia nodded, "That makes sense. Our friends at work know…"

"Speaking of work…" Elliot spoke up, "We have a very physical job. I want to make sure that she's safe...that they're both safe."

"I can't tell you what to do." She said turning to Olivia, "But I would suggest you limit yourself in terms of being out in the field. Anything too strenuous could bring harm to the baby and I know you don't want that. I'm not saying you can't work...but I am saying you should think carefully about what situations you put yourself in."

Olivia nodded, "I understand. As much as I love my job...there is nothing I want more than this baby."

"Good." She said smiling as she got the pictures ready for them, "Are you feeling okay? Any pain or concerns?"

Olivia shook her head, "No pain. Some morning sickness lately but nothing too bad."

"Good. I have some pamphlets for you to take home and look through. Just some helpful information. We can make an appointment in a few weeks to see how you're progressing. But if you have any concerns you can always call to come in sooner. Will you want to find out the sex of the baby?" She asked.

"We haven't decided." Elliot said, "We don't need to decide now, right?"

"No. Of course not. Just keep thinking about it and we can talk about it at a later date." She said, "But I am very happy for you both. Congratulations!"

"Thank you." Olivia said as she cleaned herself up and sat up again, "We're very excited."

"I'll meet you at the front desk, we can make an appointment then." She smiled and exited the room.

Elliot was looking down at the picture in his hand and he smiled, "Hard to believe this little peanut is going to be a full grown person someday."

Olivia smiled and looked down at the grainy picture in his hand, "I know. Who will it be?"

"If it's anything like it's Mom...it will be one hell of an amazing person." He whispered.

Olivia swallowed the lump in her throat, "I'm not sure I actually believed this was happening until she said it...I know Melinda told us but-"

"I get it." He said with a smile, then held out the picture for her, "But it's happening Liv. We're having a baby. You're having a baby."

A month later, they were back up in Maine at the house they had rented the summer before. They had decided to slip away each summer to the cabin if they could. A great escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Olivia was watching the kids play out on the beach and she smiled, resting a hand on her belly. She had just started to sport a bump and now it felt even more real.

Elliot walked up behind her and wrapped his arm around her middle, "You okay?"

She leaned back against him and sighed, "I'm great."

He kissed the back of her neck and smiled, "I feel baby Stabler…"

She laughed and shook her head, "He or she is definitely growing…"

He slid in beside her and smiled, cocking his head towards the four kids on the beach, "Ready to tell 'em?"

"I think it's time." She said with a nod, looking down at her belly she smiled.

Taking her hand, he started to pull her towards the stairs leading down to the beach. He lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm before they made it to the edge of the short. The kids continued to run around them playing, not disturbed by the appearance of their parents. Elliot let them run for a few minutes more before he reached out and grabbed his youngest daughter and flipped her up over his shoulder. "Daddy!"

Elliot smiled and looked at the three other kids, "Hey rugrats, come here."

Richie ran up to his Dad and the girls followed, "What's up Dad?"

Elliot smiled and placed Lizzie down on the ground, "Your Mom and I want to talk to you about something."

Kathleen leaned into her older sister, "What's wrong?"

Elliot shook his head, "Nothing's wrong Kathleen." The older girls looked skeptical and he laughed, "I swear. Nothing's wrong. It's...good news."

Kathleen and Maureen exchanged glances, "Girls…" They looked back at Olivia, "Everything is okay. I promise."

The kids settled in around their parents and Elliot took a deep breath, "Well...you know we bought the new house. It has a lot more room. More space for...more people."

Maureen's eyes lit up and Kathleen's face split into a grin, "Oh my God."

Elliot chuckled, "And uh...sometime around January, there will be a new little person occupying one of those rooms. Is that okay?"

Lizzie looked at her sisters, "What's he talking about?"

"Mom?" Richie asked, Olivia turned to him, "Are you having a baby?"

Olivia smiled and put a hand on her belly, "I'm having a baby…"

Kathleen, Lizzie and Maureen ran at her and hugged her hard. Richie looked up at his Dad, "Is it a brother or sister?"

Elliot laughed and knelt down in front of him, he placed his large hand on his son's shoulder and smiled, "We won't know that for awhile bud or not until the baby is born."

"How does the baby come out of there?" Lizzie asked, glancing at Olivia's belly with a curious look on her face.

Olivia looked up at Elliot and smiled, "You can tackle this one Dad." He gave her a look and she laughed and threw her hands up in the air, "Hey...I'm the one that has to actually do it so you can explain it."

Elliot groaned and rubbed the back of his neck, "Ah well...after nine months or so, Olivia will go into labor. And we will go to the hospital...it takes awhile but eventually the baby just sort of...comes out."

"Yeah...just comes out." Olivia nudged him, she looked at Lizzie and smiled, "It's nothing you need to worry about, okay?"

"I'm just saying, I think it's only fair that I get a brother." Richie said with a huff, "I'm the only boy!"

Elliot picked up his son and smiled, "I hear you buddy. We are outnumbered. But I can't promise anything."

Richie sighed, "Fine." He turned to look at Olivia, "No matter what it is, you'll still love us. You promised me that."

Olivia smiled and took the growing boy from her husband's arm, "Richie, I will never not love you."

Richie nodded once and smiled, "Okay. But if you can...try really hard to make sure it's a boy."

"No. Make it a girl! Just to make Richie crazier!" Kathleen said with a laugh.

"We will love the baby either way, right?" Elliot asked with a smile.

"Absolutely." Maureen said with a smile.

"So...everyone is happy?" Elliot asked, "We're all good with this?" He looked between all four kids.

"Sure." Kathleen said with a shrug, "The more kids you have, the easier it will be to get away with things. You won't be able to keep track of all of us."

Elliot threw his head back and laughed, "Kid I'm a cop. You can't keep anything from me. That's a promise."

Kathleen sighed and looked at her older sister, "We're never going to have any fun."

Elliot looked up at the sky and held his hands together in prayer, "Dear God, let it be a boy. Another girl will kill me."

Kathleen stuck her tongue out at him and started to run away, "I so hope it's a girl!"

Elliot growled and took off running down the beach after his daughter, "Get her Dad!" Richie yelled as he and Lizzie followed.

Olivia watched them go and rubbed the small bump on her belly. Maureen walked over to her and leaned in, she smiled. "You look happy Mom."

She turned towards her oldest daughter and smiled, "I am happy kiddo. Very happy."

Maureen took a deep breath, "This baby...will be very lucky. To get you from day 1."

Olivia frowned and turned towards her, "Mo…"

"You're the best thing that ever happened to us. Sometimes I still can't believe you are really here. That you married Dad, adopted us. I dreamed about it for so long...and then it finally happened."

"Thanks to you for pushing us in the right direction." She said, giving her a nudge.

Maureen shrugged, "Maybe. But you two would have figured it out I think."

Squeezing her daughter's arm she smiled, "You give us entirely too much credit Mo. We're both stubborn."

Maureen laughed, "You're right."

Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, the two of them started to walk down the beach together after the rest of their family.

The next morning, Elliot woke up and reached for Olivia but she was nowhere to be found. Frowning, he sat up and rubbed his eyes, glancing around. "Liv?"

He heard a sound from the bathroom and sighed, standing up he walked towards the small bathroom to the left. He knocked on the door but she told him not to come in. He stood against the doorframe and waited. He heard her moving around the bathroom and then she finally came out. He gave her a nervous smile and she just laughed and shook her head. Walking back to the bed, she crawled onto it and fell back on the mattress. Elliot walked over and sat down beside her, reaching for her arm, "You okay?"

"I'm fine El." She gave his little arm a squeeze, "It's all just part of the pregnancy journey."

He smiled and rubbed her back affectionately, "Anything I can do?"

Shaking her head, she snuggled further into the pillow feeling exhausted, "No."

Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to the side of her face, "Why don't you try and rest some more? I'll handle the kids."

She yawned and pulled the blanket up over her, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. You and the baby need rest." He leaned down and pressed a loving kiss to her belly, "I've got everything under control."

"You're a good baby daddy." She said rubbing the top of his head, she felt him laugh against her belly.

"Baby Daddy? That's really what you're going to refer to me as?" He rested his chin on her belly and smiled up at her.

"Yep." She said with a glint in her eye, "You're my baby Daddy."

He smiled and stood up, leaning over her again he kissed her lips, "Okay. Rest Baby Momma."

She laughed and held his hand in hers until he pulled all the way out of her grasp. When he was gone, she looked down at her stomach and rubbed her hand over the smooth skin there. Sighing she spoke softly to her belly, "I love you kiddo. More than you know."

Downstairs, Elliot started to move around in the kitchen to find breakfast for the kids and himself. He would make something for Olivia when she woke up. Brewing some coffee, he took the time to appreciate the quiet moments. It wasn't often quiet in his life and he had time to think. He couldn't help but smile thinking about all that lay ahead of him. He never would have expected to be here but he was damn glad that this was his life. As he poured his coffee, he heard movement on the steps. Looking up, he smiled when he saw the twins and Kathleen coming down the stairs.

Richie climbed up onto a chair at the table, "What's for breakfast?"

"Well good morning to you too son." He said, giving him a little smirk, "How did you sleep?"

"Morning. I slept fine. What's for breakfast?" He asked quickly.

Elliot chuckled, "We can do cereal or I can make some eggs and bacon. Your choice."

"Cereal is fine." Kathleen said with a yawn, "Do we have juice?" She asked as she opened the fridge.

"Yeah. You want to get some for your brother and sister please?" He saw Kathleen nod, "Mo still asleep?"

Kathleen shook her head, "No. She's awake, but she's having a fit about something in the bathroom."

Elliot frowned and reached for a box of cereal, "What?"

Kathleen sighed and started to pour the juice into three glasses, "I don't know. I tried to go in there but she totally freaked out on me. She threw a hairbrush at my head."

Elliot looked towards the stairs, then back to his daughter, "Think you can handle things down here while I go check on her?"

"Sure. But bring some armor. She's not playing around today." She said with a huff.

Checking with the twins again, he quickly walked up the stairs and down to the bathroom the kids were using. Finding the door still shut, he knocked gently and waited but had no answer, "Mo?" Still she said nothing and his cop intuition took over. He tried the doorknob but the door was locked, "Maureen, open the door."

"God Dad! Haven't you heard of privacy!" She finally yelled from the other side of the door.

Elliot sighed, "I just want to make sure that you are okay. Your sister said you were upset. Can I come in?"

"No!" She yelled, he could tell she was crying, "Leave me alone!"

Elliot wracked his brain, trying to figure out what the problem was. She seemed fine last night, he didn't think she was upset about the new baby. But what could possibly be wrong? "Mo...just come and talk to me."

"I said leave me alone!" Maureen tossed something at the door and he jumped back when he heard it pound against the door.

Elliot huffed and was about to say something when he heard someone behind him, "What's going on?"

He turned and saw his wife walking towards him, as much as he wanted to get into Maureen, he also wanted her resting, "You're supposed to be asleep."

"Hm…" She leaned against the wall opposite from him, "Was that Maureen's voice I heard?"

Elliot nodded, realizing she wasn't going to walk away now. "She locked herself in there. She's upset about something but won't talk to me."

Olivia frowned and knocked on the door, "Mo?" Still no answer, she turned and walked into the girls bedroom, looking for anything that would give her a clue as to what was going on.

"What are you looking for?" Elliot asked as he followed her.

Olivia shrugged, "I don't know." Elliot smirked at her, "Call it Detective instinct." As she looked over the bedroom, she saw something on the bed and she took a deep breath, finally understanding. "Oh."

He frowned and walked toward her, his eyes scanned the room but saw nothing out of the ordinary, "Oh? What's wrong?"

Olivia looked at her husband and tried to smile, she knew this conversation wasn't going to go well. "Hon, I love you. And I know you want to be there for Mo. But remember when we got married and we talked about how some things...are more of a Mom conversation and others are a Dad conversation?"

Elliot shrugged, "Yeah. Sure…"

"Well this would be a Mother daughter conversation. I'm going to need you to let me handle it." She said walking towards the door again.

Elliot reached for her arm, still very much lost, "Olivia, what the heck are you talking about?"

She sighed and turned back towards him, "You know for a Detective...you're not quick on the uptake here." He continued to stare at her and she smiled, "El...she's about to be 12. She's growing up. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Elliot narrowed his eyes, trying to keep up, "No…"

"El...she got her period." She said with a sigh of frustration, "And you are the LAST person she's going to want to talk to about this."

Elliot's eyes went wide and he stepped back as if he had been slapped, "What? She's too young for that!"

"Keep your voice down!" She said, slapping his arm, "You don't want to embarrass her. This is...not fun. Okay?"

He put a hand on his forehead and frowned, "She's...she got her...how?" Olivia shot him a look and he sighed, "I'm so not ready for this."

Olivia smiled and reached for him again, "I know. But it's part of life. There is no specific timeline for any girl...it's normal. She's going to be fine. I'll handle it."

Elliot's eyes glanced towards the door, "What can I do?"

"Nothing." She said with a shake of her head, "Just go downstairs and deal with the other kids. I'll handle it. I'll have to run to the store quickly but I want to check on her first."

"You don't have anything for-" He paused when she smiled, "Ah right...you don't really need it being pregnant." Suddenly his face clouded over, "Oh God...she could get pregnant."

Olivia shook her head and laughed, leave it to her husband to go straight there, "El...stop overreacting."

"Christ, I'm not ready for this. So not ready for this." He looked at her, "You're having a baby and my oldest is now a woman."

She rolled her eyes, "She's still a kid. Go downstairs, okay?" She started to walk towards the door again but his arm shot out and grabbed her arm, turning to him she frowned, "El-"

He took a deep breath and said, "I'm so damn glad I'm not doing this alone anymore. I love you."

Leaning in, she kissed his lips gently, "I love you too. Now go."

Elliot sighed and walked towards the stairs trying to keep calm. Upstairs, Olivia walked to the bathroom and knocked gently, "Mo? Honey? It's Mom. Just Mom. Can you let me in?" It was quiet on the other side of the door still and she tried again, "Honey...everything is going to be okay. Just let me in."

"You swear Dad's gone?" She asked tentatively, "It's just you?"

"Just me. I promise." She waited a beat and then the door opened, Maureen peeked at her from behind the door, "Hey…"

Maureen swallowed the lump in her throat, "What do I do?"

Olivia smiled and walked further into the room, "Take a deep breath."

Maureen's eyes welled up with tears, "The sheets...my clothes."

"I'll handle it all." She said reaching for her, "Just take a deep breath and tell me if anything hurts. We'll go from there."

Maureen shook her head, "I feel funny...and kind of nauseous. But nothing hurts."

Olivia nodded, "Okay. That's all normal. Unfortunately...it's not the most comfortable thing. We've talked a little bit about what to expect, right?"

Maureen nodded but immediately the tears came, "I'm really freaked out."

"I know." She reached for her, "I know you are. It's scary. But I promise it's going to be okay. Why don't you hop in the shower and I'll run to the store and get some things for us. I'll take care of everything else, okay? Take a nice long shower. Take some deep breaths."

Maureen looked down and whispered, "I used to wonder about how I would deal with this...if and when it happened. Without...without…"

"Hey…" Olivia tilted her head up and smiled, "I'm here now, right?" Maureen smiled and nodded slowly, "You have me. I'm going to help you. Okay?"

Maureeen let out a little breath and leaned forward to hug her, "I'm really glad you're my Mom."

Olivia smiled and pressed a kiss to Maureen's head, "I'm really glad you're my daughter." She pulled away and wiped away her tears, "I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?"

Maureen nodded, "Okay."

Slipping out of the bathroom, she quickly went to her own bedroom to throw on some clothes. Running downstairs, she said hi to the kids and checked back in with Elliot, pleading with him not to bother Maureen. Then she grabbed the car keys and took off to the store.

An hour later, Olivia and Maureen had taken care of everything they needed to take care of. Olivia did laundry so that Maureen didn't need to worry about it. When she walked outside, she saw Elliot watching the younger kids play on the beach. He turned towards her expectantly and she smiled, "Hey."

Elliot pointed towards the table, "I made you a breakfast sandwich. You should eat something. I can make one for Mo too if-"

"She's not feeling the greatest." She squeezed his arm when he looked nervous, "She's fine. Just not super hungry at the moment. But thank you. I'm starving."

Elliot watched her settle into her spot on the deck and begin to eat her sandwich, "Is she uh...is she okay?"

Olivia swallowed the bite of food, "She's okay El. It's awkward and uncomfortable...physically and emotionally. She's taking a few minutes to herself and then I'm sure she'll come outside."

Elliot took a deep breath and looked out at the other kids, "And I should just...not say anything?"

She smiled, knowing that this was torture for him, "El, I know you want to support her. I love you for that. And so does she. But it's just...embarrassing for a girl. If she chooses to say something to you, then you can talk to her. But otherwise, just act as if nothing has changed. Alright?"

"Except everything has changed." He said with a frown, "She's all grown up. She'll be dating, going to high school, then college, getting married. She won't need me anymore."

Standing up, she walked over to him and pressed a hand into his lower back, "Slow your roll there Stabler. She's still got many years here with us and…" He turned towards her, "She is always going to need you."

Elliot looked down at her and smiled, "You think so?"

"I know so." She leaned up and kissed him gently, "She will always need her Dad. Take that from someone who didn't have one growing up."

He sighed and wrapped his arm around her, he placed his other hand on her belly, "Hm…"

She smiled and kissed his neck, "I know it's a lot. But it's okay."

The door to the deck opened and they both turned to see Maureen walking out. She looked at her parents and her cheeks flushed. Olivia squeezed Elliot's side and he smiled at his daughter, "Morning Mo. You hungry?"

Maureen shook her head, "No. I'm good. Thanks." She pointed towards the beach, "I'm just going to…"

Elliot nodded, "Sure. We'll...be here. You know...for anything."

Maureen's cheeks flushed more and she nodded, "Okay…"

When she walked away, Olivia couldn't help but smile, Elliot sighed, "I didn't mean…"

"I know." She said squeezing him, "You're fine El. It will get easier. I promise."

He sighed and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, "I said it before, but I'll say it again. Thank you for loving them so much."

"They make it easy." She replied, holding him close, "Trust me when I say I had no choice but to fall in love with the Stabler family."

Elliot watched his kids play and he had never felt so lucky, "And we had no choice but to fall for you Benson." After a moment, he pointed towards her plate which still had more food on it, "Go finish eating." She didn't move and he huffed again, "Would you humor me for once? I can't take care of Mo so please let me take care of you and my unborn child."

Smiling, she pressed up on her tiptoes and kissed his neck, "And you're doing a wonderful job at it. Thank you."

He watched as she settled into her seat again and he whispered, "Am I?"

She was mid-bite but she turned to him again and frowned, "Are you what?"

"Am I taking good care of you and the baby?" He asked softly, his tone full of worry and uncertainty.

Olivia turned all the way towards him and then stuck out her hand, "What? Of course you are. Come here."

Elliot sat beside her, a look of uncertainty on his face, "I just...know you are independent. And I love that about you. But I also have this need to take care of you. Especially now. I want to make sure you and our child are comfortable, healthy and safe."

"You're right, I am independent. But it's nice knowing I have someone who loves me enough to take care of me. Both of us." She rubbed her belly and smiled, "I promise El, you're doing a great job. You always do."

He let out a little breath and smiled, "Okay. Well you'll let me know if you need anything else, right?"

"I will. Like right now…I would LOVE some fruit. Do we have any?" She smiled sweetly at him.

Chuckling, he leaned forward and kissed her, "Coming right up."

"Thank you honey!" He gave her arm a squeeze and as he walked away, she looked down at her belly, "Your Daddy is the best. And my God I love him."

A month later, Olivia's bump was present and Elliot couldn't have been happier. Everytime he looked at her, the small bump sticking out, he felt such a sense of pride. She was carrying his child. This incredible woman was going to give birth to his son or daughter. Even after having four children before this, it all felt so new and exciting because it was with her. One afternoon, she came home from a long day and night at work and tossed her bag on the table.

Elliot was standing in the kitchen cleaning up, "Hey. You're home." He frowned when she walked to the fridge and got a bottle of water, "Cragen shouldn't have kept you that late."

She smiled at him and shook her head, "El, all I did was sit at the desk and file paperwork and work on the computer. I was fine."

He walked over to her and started to massage her neck, "I still don't like it."

She leaned into his touch, "I'm fi-" His hands pressed a little harder and she groaned, "Ow."

He pulled his hand back nervously, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." She smiled at him, "I'm just a little tense."

"Can I get you something to eat?" He asked, pointing at the fridge, "I can make you a sandwich or whatever you want."

"No." She leaned up and kissed his lips, "I think I'm just going to take a bath and then take a nap. I'm good."

He squeezed her hand in his, "Liv-"

"El…" She kissed him again, "Stop worrying so much. I'm fine." She pressed a hand into her belly and smiled, "We're fine."

He watched her walk away and sighed, knowing she was as stubborn as ever. Upstairs, Olivia went immediately to the bathroom and stripped her clothes off. She began to fill the tub up with water and her favorite bubble bath. When she was ready, she slipped into the tub and lay down, resting her head against the white porcelain. Elliot had insisted they put a large tub, big enough for two when they did the renovations. She had told him they didn't need it, didn't need to spend the money on it. But she was glad that he had insisted because now it was her favorite spot after a long day. Even better when he crawled in with her when the kids were asleep. She had never pegged him for a bubble bath kind of guy, but she assumed it had something to do with being naked together. She smiled to herself and swirled the warm water around her with her fingertips.

When she heard the door creak open she smiled, "Couldn't help yourself, could you?"

He smiled sheepishly and closed the door behind him, "I'm a worrier."

Leaning her head back she saw him watching her, "Where are the kids?"

"My Mom took them to the park." He said with a shrug, "They'll be gone for a while."

She closed her eyes, "Oh get in already."

Elliot smiled and started to strip his own clothes off, "Aren't you glad I insisted on this tub?"

She heard his clothes hit the floor and then he climbed into the tub. She scooted forward when he pressed his toe into her thigh and then he slipped in behind her. She pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees. His hands reached out and slid up from her spine and along the muscles on her back. Sighing, she let her head hang forward and she tried to relax.

Pressing his thumbs into the back of her neck he kissed her between her shoulders, "You know I'm not trying to...upset you. Or make you angry when I worry…but you're my wife. And you're carrying my baby. Someone's got to look out for you."

Her eyes were closed and she sighed feeling the tension release from her body, "I know. And I love you for that...I'm being careful."

Elliot continued to massage her back, "I know you are. But…"

She turned her head towards him and smiled, "But...you still worry."

The corner of his lips curled up in a smile and he nodded, "It's my job."

Pressing back against him his hands slid off her back and she settled against his chest, "And you're good at it."

His hands slid along her side and rested on her belly, her own hands quickly covered his, "I can't help it. As long as you've known me...haven't I always been a worrier?"

"You have. You worry about the people you love. You protect them."

Elliot smiled and pressed a kiss to his shoulder, "And I love you." He smoothed both hands along her bump, "Both of you."

Her eyes fluttered shut and she already felt better, "And we love you."

"Relax." He whispered into her ear as he continued to rub soothing circles on her belly, "I got you."

Two weeks later the kids were back to school, and they were back at the Doctors for another ultrasound. Olivia was fidgeting on the table again and Elliot was smiling at her. "Liv...breathe."

She bit her lip and bounced a little, "I can't help it. We'll know if we're having a boy or a girl today. I don't care what it is...but it makes it feel more real."

He smiled and leaned in, kissing her head, "I know."

The door opened and Dr. Carlson walked in, she smiled at them both, "Welcome back. Are we ready to see the baby?"

Olivia nodded anxiously, "Yes."

"And it's my understanding that you would like to know the gender?" She settled onto the stool beside them, "Is that correct?"

Olivia looked at her husband, they had debated back and forth but it was clear Olivia couldn't handle waiting. As usual, Elliot wanted to make her happy and he too was excited. Just because with the other kids he hadn't known, didn't mean he had to wait now. "We want to know." He answered for them.

Dr. Carlson smiled, "Okay then. Why don't you lie back and lift your shirt and we'll get started."

Elliot helped Olivia scoot back on the table and lie down, she lifted her shirt and took a deep breath. Elliot settled in beside her and took her hand in his. He pressed his lips against her knuckles and then held it against his chest. They waited patiently and trained their eyes on the screen so they wouldn't miss a second.

Dr. Carlson moved the wand and then began to point to the screen, "Okay. There is baby." She adjusted the wand some more, "Let's see if we can get a clear picture here to see the gender."

Olivia was holding her breath and she quickly asked, "Everything...still looks okay?"

Dr. Carlson turned to her and smiled, "Everything looks and sounds just as it should Olivia. The baby is growing at an appropriate rate, the heartbeat is strong. You're doing great." She shifted the wand again, "Okay...baby is moving around a bit more. Let's see what we can get here." She smiled slowly and pointed to the screen, "Alright, do you see the head there? Tiny little arms and legs…" She moved her finger again and smiled, "And that right there...tells us that you are indeed having a little boy."

Tears welled up in Olivia's eyes and her eyes remained glued to the screen, "A boy…"

Elliot leaned in and kissed her, "Richie will be very happy." Olivia turned to him, beaming, "And so am I. You okay with another little Elliot Stabler?"

Olivia held his face in her hands and nodded, "I'm more than okay with it."

"I'll print these for you and give you a minute." She reached over and squeezed Olivia's arm, "Keep up the good work Mom."

Olivia smiled and stared at the screen again, "There is a baby growing inside me...how weird is that?"

Elliot laughed and pushed back her hair, "Not weird...incredible. I don't know how you women do it."

She sighed and looked down at her belly, "I don't know either. But it's happening…"

"It's happening…" He agreed, "And it's going to be a boy.

"We need to think of names." She said, reaching out for his hand, "He needs a good name."

Elliot nodded, then smiled at her, "Oliver."

She rolled her eyes, "We're not naming our son Oliver."

He laughed and started to help her sit up, "We have time to figure it out. We'll know when we see him." Her hand squeezed his arm and her eyes were wide, suddenly he was nervous, "What's wrong?"

Olicia shook her head, "Nothing. I was just...thinking about holding him for the first time."

Elliot's face softened and he leaned in to kiss her cheek, "He's going to love you."

Holding her bump protectively, she smiled, "I hope so. Because I already love him more than I thought was possible."

Elliot helped her hop down and he accepted the ultrasound picture from the Doctor, "Come on. We have some news to share with the kids."

Elliot picked up the twins and Kathleen and Olivia got Maureen after running a quick errand. Meeting back at the house, they fell into their usual routine. Maureen and Kathleen had homework to complete. Olivia played with the twins and then went to help Elliot with dinner. As they settled around the table to eat, the kids were talking about their day.

As the meal started to wind down, Richie inquired as to if they could have desert tonight. Olivia smiled at her husband and stood up, she walked to the kitchen to get something. "Actually yes. I picked up cupcakes this afternoon."

"Awesome!" Richie said, he had a very large sweet tooth.

Elliot helped her start to pass them out, "Before you dig in, you should know these are special cupcakes."

Lizzie looked confused, "Special cupcakes?"

"Yes. Very special cupcakes. On the inside, there is a certain color filling. Either pink or blue." He said.

Maureen's face lit up, "You found out if it was a boy or a girl?"

Olivia nodded, "Today we did at our appointment."

"You mean to tell me this cupcake will tell my fate?" Richie asked, pointing at it.

Elliot started to laugh, "I guess so."

Before anyone cout stop him, Richie shoved half the cupcake in his mouth, he yanked the other half out. Everyone watched anxiously. When the blue filling spilled out, Richie jumped up his chair and started cheering with a full mouth, "It's a boy! Hallelujah!"

Elliot jumped up and grabbed his son before he fell off the chair, "Richard Stabler! You're going to choke!"

Richie reached for the rest of his cupcake, his face was covered in frosting, "Dad! We finally get another boy!"

He smirked and ruffled his hair, "God help us."

The girls and Olivia laughed, she reached for Lizzie's hand, "How does everyone else feel?"

Kathleen shrugged as she took a bite of her cupcake, "I don't know. A little sister would be nice, but maybe a brother will give Richie a distraction so he'll stop bugging us."

Maureen huffed, "Who are you kidding, he'll teach the the kid to torture us with him."

"You're probably right about that." Elliot said as he settled him down, "Now sit and chew your cupcake please. Otherwise you may never meat your brother."

"Have you thought of names yet?" Lizzie asked curiously.

Olivia smiled and shook her head, "Not really. But we have time."

"Did you know what you were going to name us?" Richie asked, looking at this Dad. A silence fell over the room, the elephant in the room of Kathy hung over them. Richie's face flushed and looked at his Mom, "I didn't mean too…"

"You didn't." She said, squeezing his hand, "Richie, you didn't."

All eyes turned to Elliot and he smiled trying to ease their tension, "Well...we didn't know what each of you were before you came. But we had some names picked out. And we just decided officially when we saw you for the first time."

Kathleen picked at her cupcake, "Well at least this kids Mom will want it from day 1."

Elliot sighed and reached out for her, "Kathleen…"

She shrugged, "We have the Mom we always wanted. And I love you." She looked at Olivia, "But I still wonder...is that bad?"

"No. Not at all. I don't expect you to never ask questions or wonder." Olivia said honestly, "It's okay to ask questions or talk about it. I don't want you to ever feel like you can't."

"I guess...just thinking about you having a baby...makes me think about it. About her." Kathleen said with a shrug.

"I would be shocked if it didn't." Olivia smiled at her, "But I promise you Kathleen, I'm not upset."

Richie looked over at his Dad, "Did you want us?"

Elliot smiled at his son, "Of course I did. I was so excited, nervous but excited for all of you."

"Nervous?" Lizzie asked, "Why were you nervous? Are you nervous now?"

Elliot let out a breath, "Of course I'm nervous now too. Having a kid...being a Dad...it's a big responsibility. I always just wanted to make sure you guys were happy and healthy. That's what I want for this new little guy too."

"Well you shouldn't be nervous." Lizzie answered, "You're the best Dad."

Elliot smiled softly at her, "Well thanks kiddo...but even on the fifth one I'm still anxious."

Kathleen looked over at Olivia, "Are you nervous?"

Olivia subconsciously rubbed her bump and tried to smile, "Definitely. Like your Dad said...it's a big responsibility."

"Well you became a Mom of four overnight and didn't bat an eyelash so I think you'll be okay. You're a pro." Maureen said beaming at her.

Olivia laughed, "Maybe. But...babies are a bit different than four grown up kids."

"You have been around us since we were babies." Lizzie pointed out.

Elliot smiled and looked over at his wife, "She makes a good point. You were knee deep in diapers with me almost everyday Liv."

Richie got up and climbed into Olivia's lap, "You changed our dirty diapers?"

Olivia laughed and tickled his sides, "I did indeed."

"Why? You weren't our Mom." He smiled, "At least not then."

"Well...your Dad and I were friends. And you were pretty cute…most of the time anyway." She teased.

"You were always here." Kathleen said with a smile, "I remember. Even when Daddy didn't ask you to come over...you came. I remember you would come all the way down here when I begged Daddy to call you because I wanted you to put me to bed."

Olivia's face flushed and Richie leaned against her, "Maureen said that you were there when we took our first steps."

"I was." Olivia said with a nod, "In the backyard at the old house…"

"You were there when I fell off my bike and broke my arm." Katheen said, "You took me to the hospital. Dad met us there."

"And when we had chickenpox." Lizzie said, "All four of us at once!"

Elliot laughed, "Oh God...that was a long week. Thank God for Olivia…"

"She brought us chicken soup and ice cream. We watched 101 Dalmations at least 101 times." Kathleen said with a laugh.

"I think I still know every word by heart." Olivia said with a laugh.

"You didn't miss anything." Richie said from her lap.

"She was there for everything." Maureen said softly, "Because she's our Mom. Always has been. Always will be."

"Exactly." Kathleen said, "Which is why you'll be just fine with the new baby."

Elliot looked over at Olivia, he saw that she looked like she was trying not to cry, "They make a good point."

Olivia took a deep breath, "Okay...rule of thumb, try not to make me cry while I'm pregnant okay? Chances are I won't stop."

"Are you upset?" Richie asked looking at her nervously, "Did we say something bad?"

"No." She leaned in and kissed his cheek before continuing, "Not at all buddy. But...I'm a little more emotional than I normally am. Just part of...being pregnant."

Richie nodded in agreement, "I still don't understand how it's just in there…" He said pointing at her belly, "Doesn't he need more room? Can he breathe?"

Elliot smirked, "He's fine buddy...I promise."

"Does it hurt?" Richie asked her, "Does it feel funny?" He poked at her belly.

"Nothing hurts...things feel a little funny at times." Richie looked at her anxiously, "But I'm fine." He gave her a skeptical look, "I'm fine buddy. I promise."

Richie looked over at his Dad who gave her a little nod, to let him know that she was telling the truth, "Okay…well thanks for making it a boy."

Olivia laughed and put her hand over his on her belly, "Can't take much credit for that part but you're welcome."

Richie smiled and then looked up at her again, "Are there more cupcakes?"

Olivia started tickling his sides again and everyone started to laugh again at his sudden change in conversation.

That night, Olivia put the twins to bed and walked into their bedroom to find Elliot coming out of the bathroom after a shower. He walked up behind her, pressed a kiss to the back of her head and began to reach for his clothes. She moved about the room, gathering what she needed for bed.

"They actually go to sleep?" He asked as he pulled on a pair of boxer shorts, "I saw him sneaking a third cupcake."

Olivia laughed and began to strip off her own clothes, "He fought it...but he finally fell asleep. Lizzie was out like a light before him though."

Elliot crawled up on the bed and watched her change into one of his t-shirts. He smiled knowing it was more comfortable for her as the baby grew. She went into the bathroom and brushed her teeth and washed her face. When she came back, Elliot was still where she left him but he was thinking hard about something. He was tapping his fingers against his abdomen and staring off towards the windows on the other side of the room. Olivia climbed up on the bed but still he didn't flinch. Reaching for him, she pressed her hand into his leg, "El?"

Turning his head towards her he took a deep breath, "Sorry. What'd you say?"

"I didn't say anything. But you were thinking pretty hard…" She pulled his hand into her lap, "You okay?"

Elliot searched her face, memorizing the look on her face, "Yeah. I'm good." She gave him a look of concern and he reached out to caress her belly, "I'm good really...I was just thinking about what the kids were saying. Earlier...about you." She didn't interrupt him and he took a moment, "You were there for it all Liv. The good and the bad. Even when you didn't have to be…"

Adjusting herself on the bed, she leaned against the headboard, "I feel like we've had this conversation before."

He chuckled, "Yeah. Maybe...but they kids were right, you know. You've been there since long before you signed the papers. You're more of a Mother than Kathy ever was. I saw it in the way you loved them from the day you met them. I know you're...nervous. But you have no reason to be. This kid will never have to question how much his Mother loves him."

"I thought we discussed this...don't make me cry." She kicked his shin, "You're playing with fire Stabler."

Smirking, he turned scooted over on the bed and lay on his side beside her, "Not trying to make you cry. Just stating facts." He paused and laughed, "Remember when Richie and Lizzie went through the no sleep phase when they were about six or seven months old?"

Olivia laughed, "You fell asleep at your desk...fell off your chair and had to get stitches on your forehead. John wouldn't let you live it down."

He subconsciously rubbed the spot where the stitches had been, "And that night you showed up at my house. I was so tired...but they were screaming nonstop. Kathleen and Maureen were desperate for sleep but no one was able to sleep over the racket. You…" He moved his hand to her arm and rubbed circles against her skin, "You picked up both of them, one in each arm and just walked up and down the living room for hours. Because when you stopped...they cried. But as long as they were in your arms and moving, they slept. You were here every night for two whole weeks until finally they just stopped and slept on their own."

Olivia swallowed the lump in her throat, "El…"

He moved even closer to her and pulled her against him, "You are ready for this Liv."

She glanced down at her belly between them, "It was less pressure then though. I didn't...I mean I wasn't…"

"But you were." He reached out and pushed her hair out of her face, "You were Liv."

Olivia was quiet for a moment then smiled, "So basically you're saying...that if this kid is a cryer, it's all on me?"

Elliot chuckled and rolled over on top of her, "That's what you got out of that?" She shrugged, "What am I going to do with you?"

She smiled when his lips found her neck, "You're going to go get me a cupcake from downstairs…"

Lifting his head he smirked at her, "Oh I am?"

"Uh uh." She pointed to her belly, "Baby boy Stabler is craving one. And you did tell me that you would be there for all the cravings and crazy hormones…"

Elliot leaned down and kissed her lips before scooting down to kiss her belly, "Okay baby boy Stabler and Baby Momma," She laughed, "Want anything else?"

Settling into her pillow she watched him walk towards the door, "Yeah...pickles."

Elliot stopped in the doorway and frowned, "Pickles?"

She shrugged and pointed at her belly, "Don't ask me...the kid's making the rules these days."

He winked and nodded, "Cupcake and pickles...coming right up."

Just as he went to move she called out to him again, "Hey El?"

He tapped the doorframe and smiled, "Think of something else?"

"Nah." She shook her head and sighed, rubbing her belly affectionately, "Just...forgot to say thank you.'

Elliot watched her, his heart ached thinking about how much he loved her, how excited he was to see her with their baby, "Nothing to thank me for Liv."

He smiled and walked out of the room leaving her alone with her thoughts. Turning onto her back, she pressed both hands into her bump and smiled, "We're going to be okay little man. I can't wait to meet you."