This was a fun one to write so I hope you enjoy it! Some M content in here. Just as a warning.
For those interested in me continuing "Lost Stars"...I'm definitely thinking about it. But this story and Part 3 that will come after are still my number one priority. Lots of storylines I have in mind for this Universe.
**I own nothing. I just love me some Bensler.
On Christmas Eve, the kids were little balls of energy as usual. It was a white Christmas and the first in their new home. Elliot was downstairs baking with the kids while Olivia was upstairs wrapping last minute gifts in their bedroom.
"The baby is coming soon, isn't he?" Lizzie asked her Dad as they popped a new batch in the oven.
"A few more weeks. Yes." He smiled at her and set the timer.
"Babies cry a lot. That's what my Friend Will says." Richie was crunching on a cookie.
Elliot chuckled, "They do cry. But eventually it gets better."
"What happens when Mommy goes to have the baby? Can we go too?" Lizzie asked.
Elliot walked over to her and lifted her to the counter, "I think you will probably stay with Grandma. It can take awhile. Plus, it's not really something that kids want to see. But when he is here, you'll meet him."
Maureen walked into the kitchen after having gone upstairs to get something from her room, "Hey Dad?"
Elliot turned towards her expectantly, "Yeah?"
"Your wife is trying to get something high up on a shelf." She gave him a look.
Elliot sighed, "Of course she is." He pulled Lizzie off the counter and looked at his oldest, "Keep an eye on things down here for me?"
Maureen nodded and he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before grabbing a cookie for Olivia. He quickly ascended the stairs and walked straight to his bedroom. Opening the door, he saw her about to step on a chair and he groaned, "Freeze Benson!"
She cringed and turned towards him, "Damn."
Elliot walked towards her and pulled her away from the chair, "Are you trying to kill me woman?"
She sighed and leaned against the wall, "No…" He gave her a frustrated look and she smiled, "I'm just trying to make sure we have everything ready for tonight."
"I knew I couldn't trust you to only wrap." He put his hands on his hips, "I know you are Miss Independent but do you think that from now until our son comes you can not put yourself in dangerous situations?" She smiled sheepishly at him, "Liv, I just got my full eyesight back. Things are good. I don't need you hurting yourself to throw us backwards. Please? If anything happens to you or our son...I won't be able to handle it."
She reached for him and nodded slowly, "Okay. I hear what you're saying and I'm sorry."
Sighing, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead, "Thank you. What were you trying to get anyway?"
Pointing to the top shelf she smiled, "You put Dickie's new cleats up there."
Elliot nodded, handed her her cookie and reached up to grab the box, "I should have gotten it down earlier. I'm sorry."
"It's okay." She smiled and took a bite, when she saw his shirt ride up and his abs peaked out, "Damn Stabler...you work out?"
He chuckled and removed the box before tossing it on the bed, "Are you checking me out?"
"Yes." She said with a nod, "As your wife, that's my right." She paused and smirked, "Although even when I wasn't your wife...I was always checking you out." Reaching out she pinched his ass, "Can't help it."
Elliot yelped and shoved her hands away, "You are insatiable lately."
"Yes well...the hormones are really wild. And once I have the baby...we won't be able to have sex for awhile. Taking what I can get." She traced her finger down his chest, "Although I'm sure that you aren't that excited about-"
"Don't even finish that sentence." He said covering her lips, "Liv, you're fucking gorgeous. You're glowing and I can't get enough of you. Last night when we were…" His face flushed, "I couldn't get enough of you."
Feeling a surge of desire, she leaned into him, "How much time until those cookies are done?"
"Enough." Elliot said walking her backwards towards the bed, "Besides, Maureen is old enough now to handle it."
Olivia growled at him, "Lock the door Stabler."
He gave her a little salute and marched towards the door, "Yes ma'am."
Tugging on her sweater, Olivia watched as he bolted the door and then started to strip his own clothes off. He tripped slightly as he was unable to balance on the floor and she giggled. Throwing her a quick smirk, he crawled up onto the bed and began pulling at her leggings, desperate to touch her. Her bump was between them and he smiled, leaning down he pressed three quick kisses to her belly, "Hey little dude. I can't wait to meet you…"
Olivia's hormones were still raging, but the sight before her made her heart melt, "El…"
His hands caressed her belly and he sighed, "I can't wait to see who you will be. What you will do with your life. What your laugh sounds like...what you look like. I'm so thankful that I get to see it all...I'll never let you down. I promise. Or at least I'll try not too. I'll love you forever. No matter what. You little guy are already so loved."
Her hands played with the little hairs at the nape of his neck, "He'll be here soon."
"Very soon." He rested his head on his bump, "You ready?"
She laughed and shrugged, "Is anyone ever fully ready?"
Elliot smiled and shook his head, "No. I guess not." His lips moved along her belly, and continued to kiss a path down towards her hip bone, "But you're going to be amazing. You always are."
Olivia moaned softly, "Oh...are we back to-"
He smirked and nipped at her inner thigh, "I'm back to making sure my wife knows how obsessed I am with her. Yes."
He pushed her legs open wider and she moaned, "Oh God El...that feels so good."
"Relax baby." He tugged at the waistband of her underwear, "I'm going to take good care of you."
"Have I told you lately how much I love you?" His tongue grazed the little bundle of nerves and she shivered, "Oh God I love you…"
He smiled against her warm flesh, "I love you too. More than you know."
She arched up into him as he pressed a finger inside of her, "I know that when I'm giving birth...I'm probably going to be telling you that I hate you. Or that you can never touch me again. But just...remind me of this moment. Of how fucking good you make me feel...okay?"
Laughing, the vibrations sent a jolt of pleasure through her body, "Okay."
She clutched the sheets around her and closed her eyes tightly as he continued to make love to her with his mouth and fingers. She wasn't sure how she would feel about sex while being pregnant. She worried she would feel self conscious, and at times she did. But whenever he touched her, he made her feel like the only woman in the world. As the pleasure mounted, she wondered if it would always be like this. God she hoped so. She knew things would change somewhat after the baby was born...but she hoped that no matter what happened, they would always find their way back to each other like this. She suddenly realized she was crying and her toes curled over as he brought her to the brink. Grasping his head, she called out his name but he didn't stop. Her body was shaking as she rode the wave of pleasure, he pressed kisses along each of her thighs, up across her belly, her full breasts, her neck and finally he found his way to her lips.
Smiling down at her, he saw her trying to breathe normally, "Hi."
Slowly, her eyes fluttered open and she reached out to touch his face, "Hi. Did I ever tell you that I'm really glad I married you?"
Settling in beside her he turned her face towards him, "You've mentioned a time or two. Glad you still feel that way."
She sighed as he adjusted her position so he could enter her from behind. Resting against the pillows, she let him take the lead, knowing the closer she got to her due date, the more he needed to be in control. And in this moment, she was okay with that. He guided himself inside of her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting one hand on her belly and one hand on her hip. She cried out softly as his lips pressed against his neck, holding onto his arm she focussed on nothing but the feeling of him moving inside of her. "Elliot…"
His teeth grazed her earlobe and he groaned, feeling her walls tighten around him, "You're so perfect Liv. So sexy. Always. I'm always going to want you this way."
Her back arched into him as he caressed her side, "God I hope so."
Reaching up, he turned her face towards his and captured her lips in a bruising kiss, "Always Liv. Always."
She dug her nails into his forearm as he continued his steady rhythm and her body shook with pleasure, "El...I'm gonna…"
He smirked and slid his hand down her side, he gently rubbed her and smiled, "Let go baby. Let go."
She smiled as the tightening in her body came again, "You and that damn pet name…" She bit down on the hand near her mouth and he sighed, "Fuck El…"
Her walls clamped around him and he gasped, his free hand pressed into her hip, "Shit…"
Pushing back into him she shivered and felt a third wave of pleasure quickly coming as he continued to move within her, "Jesus Elliot...I'm going to...again!"
He crashed against her again, "Come again...come on. Just for me."
She cried out and reached behind her to hold onto him, "Yes!"
As her third and final orgasm ripped through her, Elliot came undone beside her and within her. They were both shaking hard, trying to come back to solid ground. After a moment he pressed more kisses against her heated skin, "You okay?"
She laughed and pulled him closer, "You're asking if I'm okay? El...you just gave me three mind blowing orgasms, and you're asking if I'm okay?"
Nuzzling into her he sighed, "Just checking I wasn't too rough. Want to make sure you and little man are okay. "
"See baby? Daddy is always looking out for us." She rubbed her belly affectionately, "Always putting our needs first."
"Gotta look out for my family." He sighed and let her move so she was lying on her back. He smiled and traced the outline of her face, "But seriously...you feel okay?"
"El…" She took his hand and placed it over her belly, "We're good."
Propping himself up on his elbow, he stared down at her, "The next few weeks...I need you to really be careful. And to tell me if anything feels off. This is the final stretch. I want to make sure everything is okay."
"I know." Her hands reached out to cup his cheeks, "And I will."
Elliot watched her for a moment, "Next Christmas we'll have an almost one year old little boy crawling around."
Her smile brightened and she squeezed her belly, "I know. How crazy is that? We're going to have five children. Five! Are we insane?"
He chuckled and nodded, "I think we might be."
"They'll be 13, 10, 7 and 1. We're so screwed." She laughed and pulled the sheet up around her, "But...I can't wait. And who knows...maybe we'll have another one?"
He smiled and framed her face with his hands, kissing her softly, "I'd be okay with that."
"Yeah? I mean I know...we had trouble...and if this is the only baby we have, I'm more than okay. But I think I'd like to try for at least one more. Even though...six kids will be the death of us." She laughed, "I just…"
Leaning in, he kissed her again, "I would like that too. Being a Father means the world to me Liv...and getting to do this with you, there is nothing better."
They both looked down at the belly between them and she smiled, "I never thought I'd have one...let alone six."
"You were born to be a Mother Olivia. You're so good with our kids." He saw tears prickling in her eyes, "I know that you have always worried...but you shouldn't. You are a natural."
She was quiet as she thought about what he was saying, then she looked up at him and smiled, "I remember the first time I saw you with Maureen and Kathleen...I went with you to the park. Kathy was supposed to meet us there, I think that was the first time I was going to meet her. I was a nervous wreck. We'd only been partners for a few months and I hadn't seen them much. I was so used to this tough, focussed and professional Elliot. But I was sitting there watching you run around with the girls, you were laughing and so in tune to their needs. The cop was gone...and all I saw was this incredible Dad. To be honest...it made me sad that I never had that. I was jealous of the girls. And then I was jealous that Kathy had you as a husband and the Father of her children." She smirked up at him and saw the look on his face, "Turns out she was an idiot for ever letting you go."
His face softened and he leaned into her touch, "Liv…"
"But her loss is my gain. I'm never letting you go El." She snuggled into his side, "There is no one else I want to experience life with more than you."
Dropping a kiss to the top of her head he held her close, "I'm not going anywhere Liv. The only woman I want to experience life with is you."
"We should probably get up…" She whispered, "Check on the kids. Do Christmas things…"
"We will." He held her close, "But pretty soon we'll be busier than ever. So for five more minutes...I'm keeping you all to myself."
Smiling against his chest, she closed her eyes, relishing in where she was. She had never imagined that this could or would be her life. And yet, it was. "I can't argue with that."
That night, they were all sitting around the Christmas tree after dinner. Bernie would be coming by in the morning after they opened presents. Olivia was on the couch, her feet were in Elliot's lap as he massaged her ankles. Maureen was reading The Grinch to her siblings using all the best voices and animation that she could. They were all laughing as they listened to her.
"She's good…" Elliot said, squeezing her ankle, "I might be out of a job."
"No...you're up next. T'was the Night Before Christmas is your story. I demand you read it to our children. Every single year." She nudged him gently with her toe.
"You demand, huh?" He laughed and tickled her foot, "Who are you, the boss of Christmas?"
"No. But I am your pregnant wife who you can't say no to." Leaning her head against the back of the couch she smiled, "Right?"
Elliot looked over at her and smiled, "Right." Leaning over, he grabbed the book from his feet, "But I was planning on it anyway."
"See? Best husband ever." Leaning forward she kissed him, he pulled out extra cookies for her and she gasped, "Seriously! Get the man an award!"
A few minutes later, Maureen finished reading her story, "Alright, my turn-"
"Wait!" Richie said, jumping up from his spot, "When you read that...it means it's time to go to bed."
Elliot chuckled, "That's usually how it goes, yes."
"Well we want to give you guys a gift first." Lizzie said quickly.
Elliot looked at the four of them, "We told you guys not to get us anything."
"Well...it's kind of for you and the baby." Kathleen said, "And Uncle Fin and Uncle Munch helped us. It's in the garage though. And we can't really lift it…"
Elliot looked over at his wife, "How did we not notice this was happening?"
"They dropped it off when you were upstairs with Mom helping her…" Maureen said with a smirk.
Elliot and Olivia's face flushed, "Oh."
Elliot chuckled and stood up, reaching out for her hand, "Come on."
The kids jumped up and down as they raced towards the door connecting to the garage. Richie opened it and ran in first to turn on the lights. There were two large items covered with wrapping paper. "What did you guys do?"
"Open that one first." Maureen said, pointing to the item closest to her Dad.
Elliot looked at his wife and smiled, "It's all you babe."
Olivia eyed the kids, then walked closer to the large item and began to pull at the wrapping paper. She gasped when she saw the stroller she had been eying but didn't think they should splurge on, "You guys…"
"Don't even start." Maureen said quickly, "We had some help...from some people that would like to remain anonymous."
"But their names rhyme with Tin, Lunch and…" Richie looked over at his sister, "What rhymes with Cragen?"
Elliot laughed, "I don't think anything does."
Olivia touched the handle of the stroller, "You shouldn't have done this…"
"It's really cool because you can take this part off and it is a car seat too. And...the guy at the store said that it can be adjusted to a two person stroller. Just in case…" Maureen said with a smile.
Olivia smiled at her, "Mo…"
"Just saying." She said with a shrug, "You never know."
"I love it. Thank you." Olivia whispered, "This alone is enough…"
"The other thing we didn't really pay for...not really." Lizzie said with a shake of her head.
Elliot walked over to it, "Should I open it?"
The kids nodded and he started to pull at the wrapping paper with Olivia at his side. They both smiled when they saw what was under the paper. It was a bookcase from the old house that Elliot had planned on painting for the baby's room. They had painted it white and each of them had painted their hands and made a number of handprints on the bookshelf. Their names were written on the hands as well as other words. Upon looking closer, they realized it was their hopes and dreams for their brother.
"You guys...this is amazing." Elliot whispered, his hands traced over the handprints, "It's perfect."
"Uncle Munch painted it white and Uncle Fin helped us do the handprints. Grandpa Cragen wrote the words for us except for our names." Richie said.
Olivia's hand traced one of Richie's prints, "I remember when your handprint was itty bitty, now look at it."
"Our new brother will be this big before you know it too." Maureen said leaning into him, "You really need to stop blinking."
Olivia laughed and wiped at her tears, "Trust me, I keep trying!"
"And Grandma helped us gather all our books so we can fill the bookshelf. They are up in Maureen's room." Kathleen said.
"Your brother is going to love this." Elliot looked back at them, "Seriously. This is the best gift. Thank you."
"Not long now…" Maureen whispered to her Mom, "He'll be here before we know it."
"Yes he will." Olivia said feeling as her son kicked, "He's definitely ready. Running out of room in there."
"My brother is squished?" Richie asked anxiously, "How do we get him out of there?"
Elliot laughed and picked up his son, "He'll come out when he's ready Richie. He's fine, I promise."
"I hope so." Richie said with a huff, "That's my best friend in there."
Elliot smiled and saw Olivia wiping away more of her tears, "I know buddy. I know, But I promise, he's okay."
"One book that should definitely go on the shelf is Twas The Night Before Christmas." Kathleen said, "After we read it tonight of course."
Maureen smiled at her sister, "Last reading with the original four Stabler kids…"
Elliot's heart jumped in his chest, "Next year it will be five…" They all looked at him, "Are we still all okay with that?"
"We're more than okay with it Dad." Kathleen said, "We're ready."
"Besides, nothing changes." Lizzie replied, "Four kids or five kids, you'll love us just as much as you do now."
Ellito winked at her and nodded, "You got it."
Together, the six of them walked into the house and settled around the couch while Elliot took out the book. Olivia felt the baby kicking in her belly, she felt so content watching this moment unfold. And to think...it was about to get even better…
Elliot had agreed to work on New Years Eve because he knew he'd be taking time off soon once the baby was born. The kids were still young enough that it wasn't quite as big of a deal as Christmas and they were okay with it. He also fully anticipated Olivia to be asleep well before midnight as she was getting more and more tired with each passing day. Munch and Fin were also working alongside him and the night was pretty dead. The three of them were sitting at their desks passing around a ball to pass the time.
It was half past nine and they were bored. Incredibly bored. "So Stabler, ready to have five kids?" Munch asked.
Elliot smirked and tossed the ball to Fin, "Ready? I don't think I was ready to have one...but I don't really have a choice."
"No. You don't. Because if you abandon that kid...I'm going to shoot you." Fin teased.
Elliot chuckled, "Noted. But you have nothing to worry about Fin. I'm not going anywhere. I'd be the biggest idiot in the world if I did."
"You two had a tough go at it for a while there. But things seem good." Munch said, "At least I'm assuming things are good?"
"Things are good." Elliot agreed as he tossed the ball again, "Things are very good."
Fin looked past him and laughed, "Remember that when you see who is behind you."
Elliot frowned and turned just as the ball came and smacked him in the head, "Crap." He rubbed the back of his head and groaned, "Liv?"
She walked towards him and smiled, holding out a bag of food, "Hey."
Elliot grabbed the discarded ball and tossed it back at Fin, harder than before, "Liv, what are you doing here? You should be at home."
"I know." She said with a shrug, "But...I was bored. The kids all fell asleep except for Mo but she's on the phone with her friends. And your Mom was well on her way to sleeping too. Besides…" She reached for him, "I wanted to start the New Year with a kiss from my husband. I feel like it's bad luck if I don't." She looked down at her belly, "And with this little guy coming so soon...we don't need any bad luck."
Elliot tried to be mad at her but she looked adorable standing in front of him and as usual he caved, "Yeah...but…" She pouted and he huffed, "You had to do that, didn't you?"
She shrugged and leaned up to kiss him, "It's my greatest weapon against you. Well...at least it's the one I can use in public."
The guys laughed behind her, "You could also use your gun, but I'd love to know what your other tools are."
Olivia lifted the bag and placed it on his desk, "Let's just say...it got me this baby in my belly."
Elliot hung his head as the guys howled louder, "Jesus Olivia…"
"Are you denying it?" She asked tossing a look over her shoulder.
He shot her a look right back and she just smiled innocently, "You're going to be the death of me."
"I know." She reached into the bag and pulled out a variety of treats from Bernie, "But...at least you'll die happy."
"Nice!" Fin said reaching for a bag, "We tried to order in but everything had hour long waits."
"I figured." Settling into Elliot's chair she sighed and rested her head against the back of her chair, "Is Cragen in?"
"He is." Don said walking into the office, "And he's less than thrilled to see you here."
Olivia batted her eyelashes as Elliot moved a crate for her to prop her feet up on, "You can't stay mad at me. Not when I'm carrying your Grandson."
"Oh she's good…" Munch said with a laugh, "She's real good."
Elliot leaned against his desk and glared at his partner, "Don't encourage her John. Please, I beg of you."
Olivia tossed a pen at him and stuck out her tongue, "Be nice to me."
Elliot scoffed, "Me? How am I not being nice? My very pregnant wife just drove on the craziest night of the year into the city. Excuse me for feeling a little frustrated. You should be at home resting."
She pouted again and rested her hands on her belly, "I told you...it felt like bad luck being at home. Plus, I'm bored and I wanted to see if anything fun was happening here." She looked at them all hopefully but no one budged, "Oh come on! I can read files without straining myself!"
Fin shook his head, "You have a problem, you know that? Most people would kill for some time away from this shithole."
Olivia shrugged, "What can I say? I enjoy the thrill of taking down a perp and I've been deprived. Throw me a bone here...it's not easy carrying around a watermelon for 9 months. I'd like to see any of you try it."
"You'll hear no complaints from us." Munch said, throwing up his hands, "I have never and will never claim to be able to or want to carry a child."
Olivia started giggling, "Now I'm imagining you pregnant." She looked at the four of them and laughed harder, "All four of you!"
"I think she's finally cracked." Fin said with a laugh, "The hormones have seeped into her brain."
Olivia rolled her eyes, "Please...that happened months ago. This kid is taking over my life and he's not even here yet."
"You'll still be the Badass Benson we all know and love. I have no doubt about it." Fin said with a smile, "In fact I think you'll just be stronger. You're full Momma Bear instincts will come out. I'd like to see a perp try to cross you now."
Olivia smiled at him, "You make a good point." She looked at Munch who had opened a tin of cookies, "Toss me one Munch."
Munch tossed her a cookie and smiled, "Hey...remember your first New Years here?"
Olivia had just bitten her cookie and then she glared hard at him, "You had to bring that up...didn't you?"
Elliot frowned, "I don't think I was here that year. Was I with the kids?"
"Yep. You had the night off. Actually I think Olivia switched with you so you could be at home." Munch said with a smile, "So Olivia…"
"What happened?" Fin asked as he dug into a container, "I wasn't here yet."
Olivia pointed a finger at him, "John Munch…"
"Olivia kissed my partner." He said with a smirk, "My old partner."
Elliot looked over at his wife, "You kissed Cassidy?"
She sighed and put her feet down on the ground, "Well John...I was undecided about God Father but…" She turned to look at Fin, "Congrats Fin, you won on a technicality given the fact that your friend is an asshole."
Fin cheered, "I'll take it!" He touched her belly gently, "Hey little man, I'm going to teach you all the important things in life."
"We'll see about that." Elliot said, nudging his hand away from Olivia's stomach, then he turned her towards him again, "Now tell me how the hell you kissed Cassidy and how did I not know?"
Munch was laughing and Olivia sighed, "El...it was a long time ago. Does it really matter?" He gave her a look and she sighed, "Fine...if you must know."
"Oh let me tell the story! Please let me tell the story!" Munch said quickly, "I've been holding onto it for years."
Olivia gritted her teeth, "You know...just because I'm not supposed to be working doesn't mean I'm not armed."
"John...I'd tread lightly." Cragen said with a laugh, "She looks ready to kill."
Munch waved her off, "She wouldn't actually kill me." He turned towards Elliot, "The three of us were working overnight. It was totally and completely dead. I'm pretty sure Cassidy snuck in some booze. He was driving us both crazy…"
Olivia huffed and sat down in Elliot's chair again, she put her hand on her belly, "Hey kid...you're never meeting your Uncle Munch. He'll be six feet in the ground before you take your first breath."
"Cassidy was fawning all over Olivia like he always was." He turned towards Fin, "He had it bad for her. Poor kid had no chance though." Looking back at Elliot he said, "She was already head over heels in love with Stabler."
"Okay so maybe I will like this story after all." Elliot said, crossing his arms over his chest, "Go on."
"I hate all of you." She hung her head and closed her eyes, "Why did I come down here?"
"The closer it got to midnight, the more Cassidy was flirting. He was desperate to kiss her at midnight. She kept brushing him off but he kept showing up beside her. At one point she sent him to the copy room just to get him away from her. I was teasing her about it and she told me it wasn't going to happen."
Olivia looked at him quickly, "You still have time to save yourself John."
"When I inquired as to why it wasn't going to happen...all she would say was that she wasn't interested. So I said that I knew she had a crush on someone else in the precinct. She kept on insisting I was wrong and that there was no one else." He said looking over at Elliot.
"You really woke up today and chose today as the day you die, huh?" She lifted herself from the chair again.
"When Cassidy came back it was one minute to midnight. I told her to prove she didn't like someone else, she should kiss him. So when midnight came, the stubborn woman that she is, marched up to Cassidy, grabbed him and planted one on him." He chuckled and Olivia growled, "Poor kid almost fainted. And then she threw a stapler at me and went off to the cribs for an hour."
A stapler went whizzing past his head, "Damn Liv!"
She huffed and glared at him, "All these years later and you just had to bring that up, didn't you? You couldn't just take that one to the grave?"
The guys were laughing and Elliot reached for her, "Oh come on babe...it isn't the worst story. I don't like that you kissed him...but I like knowing you wanted me, even back then."
"Yeah, yeah. You don't need anything else to feed your ego." She said, shoving him back, "Yes. I kissed Cassidy once. Nothing ever happened after that, nor would it."
"Thank God for that." Elliot said with a smile, "Can you imagine being married to him right now?"
"Oh God no…" She shivered, "That's not even funny."
"Olivia Cassidy...I don't know, has a nice ring to it." Munch said with a shrug. Another stapler flew at him, "Damn Liv!"
She sighed and started to walk away, "I have to pee. Kids kicking like crazy right now. You better have changed the subject when I get back."
She waddled away and Elliot watched her go, "Man I love that woman."
"Trust us. We know." Fin said with a chuckle, "It's been obvious to me since the day I joined. I may have come into the party late, but it was never a secret. Or if it was...ya'll are terrible at keeping secrets."
"I was married…" Elliot said with a frown, they all gave him a look and he laughed, "But yes I was in love with her back then." He looked over at Cragen, "Was it that obvious?"
Cragen chuckled, "Is the Pope Catholic?"
Elliot rolled his eyes, "Well I couldn't help it! She was impossible not to fall for."
A few minutes later they heard her approaching again, "Are you talking about me?" She asked as she stepped up behind him again, she had a funny look on her face.
Elliot looked at her and smiled, "They're teasing me about how much I love you and loved you back then."
Olivia nodded slowly and reached out for his hand and tried to smile but it was more of a grimace, "Okay. Well...hold onto that feeling of love."
Something in her tone of voice worried him, "Liv?"
"So...my water broke." She said slowly, all four of the men were suddenly surrounding her, "I'm fine...but...It definitely happened."
Elliot's eyes went wide, "What? We have two weeks left!"
"It's not an exact science, Elliot." She said with an eye roll, he saw her reach for her side, "And...I think that I'm having contractions." She grimaced harder and groaned, "Oh...yup, definitely having contractions."
"Okay...okay...everything is going to be fine." Cragen said slowly, "Let's get you to the hospital…"
"Um...did anyone notice how hard it was snowing?" Fin asked curiously as he looked out the back window.
Olivia growled and reached for the side of the desk, "What? No...no snow is not good. We don't need snow right now."
"This is why you should have stayed at home!" Elliot said frantically.
"And then I'd be at home in labor without you. So either way...crappy situation." She started breathing harder, "Son of a bitch. I really didn't think it would hurt this bad...and it's only just starting."
"I'm calling an ambulance." Cragen said reaching for one of the phones, "Olivia...sit down."
Elliot and Fin each grabbed one of her arms and settled her back down in Elliot's chair, "Liv...you didn't feel anything before?"
Olivia shook her head, "No. There's been pressure the last few days but the Doctor said that was normal."
Fin pulled the crate up again and settled her feet on it, "Okay. Okay. Okay."
Olivia frowned at him, "Why did you just say that three times?"
"Because I'm trying not to panic." He said quickly, "You're not supposed to be here when you're having the baby."
"You're panicking? You're not the one about to shove a baby through your-" She groaned and doubled over, grabbing his hand and squeezing as hard as she could, "Shit…"
Fin gasped and felt his knees buckle, "Ow! Damn Liv! Not so hard!"
"Not so hard?" Olivia squeezed harder out of irritation, "Are you freaking kidding me?"
"Okay! Sorry! Keep squeezing my hand." Fin said anxiously, "Do whatever you need to do!"
Elliot stood up and walked over to his boss, "Is an ambulance coming?"
Cragen held the phone away from his ear, "There were two accidents and the streets are congested with party goers. I'm not sure…"
"What do you mean you're not sure?" Elliot yelled, "Cragen! We need to get her to the hospital!"
"Elliot…" Olivia held her hand out to him, he instantly was at her side. "Elliot...stop yelling. I'm going to be yelling enough for the both of us. Holy Crap!" She pushed things off the desk in front of her, "Fucking hell…"
"On a scale of 1-10...compare it to a gunshot." John said curiously.
Olivia looked over at him, "What?"
"What's worse? I've always been curious. I've been shot but I can't have a kid so I need to compare it to something." He said with a shrug.
Olivia looked at Fin and growled through her teeth, "Give me your gun…"
Fin chuckled, "Olivia…"
"And just think...you aren't at the worst part of the pain yet!" Munch said without thinking, "Once he really starts pushing his way through you'll feel it. When his shoulders are-"
"Elliot!" Olivia screamed at the top of her lungs, she pointed at John, "If you don't want your son to have to visit me in a jail cell...get him away from me!"
Elliot snapped out of his moment of panic and ran at his partner, "Go do something useful before one of us kills you!"
"What am I supposed to do? Boil water? We don't have a stove!" John said.
"John, go put clean sheets on one of the beds upstairs." Cragan said, pointing towards the stairs, "Now!"
"But I-" Everyone glared at him and he quickly turned on his heel, "Fine...I can see that I'm not wanted here."
Cragen looked at Fin, "Fin, go upstairs and see if anyone has any medical training. Check every office until you find someone."
Fin nodded and turned towards Olivia, "I'll be back Liv. You got this. Keep breathing." He dropped a kiss on her forehead and then left the squad room in a hurry.
Olivia started crying, "This wasn't supposed to happen…"
Elliot knelt down in front of her, "Hey...look at me." She shook her head and was clearly clenching up, as if she was trying to hold the baby in, "Liv...look at me."
Letting out a strangled breath she opened her eyes, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't think-"
Elliot reached out and held her face in his hands, "This isn't your fault. You're right...if you were home and had gone into labor I wouldn't have been able to get to you. At least now I'm with you, right?"
She gasped as she felt another sharp pain, "Yes. But...El? Of all the places I could have given birth...this isn't the best spot. I don't want the first thing my kid sees to be an interrogation room or a jail cell!"
Elliot smiled and started rubbing her arms, "Well...we'll have to settle for the inside of the cribs. Best we can do, okay?"
"I can't do this." She said shaking her head, "I can't do this...it wasn't the plan. We had a plan."
"I know. I know. But...life doesn't always go according to plan. But...I'm right here, okay? I'm right here. I'm not going to let anything happen to you or our son." He leaned in and kissed her forehead, "Everything is going to be okay. I promise."
Cragen knelt down on the other side of her, "Olivia, if anyone can do this, it's you."
She frowned, "We don't even have a name picked out. I thought we had more time…"
"Well it looks like this guy wants to start the New Year off with a bang so we'll figure that out later. Let's get you upstairs. You'll be more comfortable."
Cragen and Elliot started to pull her up off the chair, "More comfortable on one of those so called beds?"
"It's either that or the desk so you tell me where you want to go." Cragen said with a little laugh.
She sighed and leaned into Elliot as they walked her down the hall, "Fine. The Cribs. Although it would be funny to give birth on John's desk. He deserves it."
"Yes. He does." Cragen said, giving her a squeeze, "Should we make him be the one to catch the baby?"
Olivia started laughing harder but she was also grimacing, "Oh God! No! I don't want him down there...shit I don't want any of you…this isn't happening."
"We're going to figure it out." Elliot said with a smile, "And trust me when I say, John Munch won't be delivering my son."
As they stepped into the cribs, Cragen looked over at John, "You done yet?"
John nodded, "I got extra pillows too."
Elliot helped ease Olivia onto the bed, "Someone go get a shirt from my locker or a bigger NYPD shirt she needs something more comfortable to put on."
Olivia huffed and leaned back, "You mean I can't have the baby wearing pants?"
Elliot smiled at her as John and Cragen stepped out of the room. "No. Sorry."
She gripped the side of the bed and whimpered, "This would literally only happen to us."
"You're probably right about that." He lifted her hand and pressed it against his lips, "But we're also the only people that could handle it. It's going to be okay."
Olivia turned to her head to look at him, "All I wanted was a New Years kiss from my husband…"
"Well now you might get a New Years kiss from your husband and your son, how's that?" He asked softly.
Olivia tried to smile, "El?" He rubbed the back of her hand affectionately, "I'm scared."
Sighing, he sat up on the edge of the bed and leaned over her, "I know you are. I know. And you have every right to be. But...women have been doing this forever. I know you can do this. I know it's not ideal...I know you'd prefer to have some medication and your Doctor but we're going to make this work. I'm right here. You hold onto me...you scream, you cry, you do whatever you need to do. But you can do this. I know you can. Okay?"
Nodding slowly, she smiled, "Okay."
Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her lips, "I love you. So much."
She smiled up at him, "I love you too." Another contraction started to rip through her and she gasped, "But we are never having sex again."
Elliot chuckled and nodded, "You told me to remind you how good I make you feel-"
"Not worth it. Fuck." She grabbed her belly, "Tell John that this hurts way more than a gunshot wound! But don't let him back in here!"
Elliot smiled and started to rub her back as she leaned forward, "Okay. He's banned from the room."
The door opened again and Fin ran in, "I got some help."
Olivia leaned against Elliot, "Do I want to know?"
James, Olivia's former partner at Computer Crimes walked in, "Hey partner. Having a baby?"
Olivia smiled up at him, "Looks like it. You're the help?" She looked at her husband, "We're screwed."
James smiled and stepped aside, "I'm here for moral support. Noah is here to help deliver your little guy."
A man walked in and smiled, "Hi. I'm Noah Shephard, I'm James's new partner. But I used to be an EMT."
Olivia took some deep breaths as Elliot settled in behind her, "Have you delivered a baby before?"
Noah smiled and rolled up his sleeves, "I have."
She smiled at him, "But have you done it in a precinct?"
Noah laughed and sat down beside her on the bed, "No. But believe it or not, I've delivered babies in weirder places." He smiled softly at her, "Look I know this is probably not how you thought this was going to happen...is this your first?"
Olivia nodded, "Yes. We...we have four children but I adopted them. I've never given birth."
"Okay. Well James tells me you are a tough cookie. So I know you can do this. But I need you to let me help you, can you do that?" He asked, "I'm going to do everything I can to make this as easy as possible for you. But it will still be difficult."
Olivia looked at James who smiled at her, "I promise he's trustworthy Olivia."
Elliot pressed a kiss to the side of her face, "We just need to trust him babe. It's okay."
She licked her lips and nodded, "O-Okay. What do I do?"
Cragen walked into the room, "I found some clothes for you."
Noah nodded, "Thank you. I'm going to have your husband help you change, then I'll come back. Then we're going to look and see what's going on and go from there. Keep breathing and just try and stay calm."
"Okay." Olivia let Elliot pull her up off the bed and everyone left so he could help her, she smiled, "You know if you were looking to get lucky on New Years Eve...it ain't happening."
Elliot smiled and pulled her shirt up over her head, "I'll have to wait until next year."
She sighed as he tugged on her pants, "Should we call your Mom?"
Elliot shook his head, "I'll have someone call her in a bit. Let's just focus on getting you settled." As quickly and gently as he could, he got the oversized NYPD shirt and began to pull it over her head, "Arms up."
Olivia shivered, "It's freezing in here."
"I'll ask someone to turn up the heat. At least for now. You'll probably be hot soon." He walked her back towards the bed, "Come on…"
She squeezed his hand as they moved towards the bed, "I'm never going to be able to sleep up here again."
Elliot propped up pillows under her back and then lifted her up a little so he could sit behind her. He began to massage her shoulders, "It will definitely never be the same here."
Swallowing hard, she leaned into his touch, "Keep doing that...it's distracting me."
"Okay." His thumbs pressed into the base of her neck, "Keep breathing."
Her breath hitched in her throat as another contraction started, "Easier said than done."
"I know." He pressed his lips to her neck, "But you need to try."
The door opened slightly and Noah called out to her, "Can I come in?"
"Yes. Come in." Olivia took some deep breaths, "James can come too."
James smiled and followed his partner, "Good. Because I was coming in anyway. Did you know that Christine gave birth at our house during a snowstorm? She had to walk me through most of it."
Olivia laughed, "You didn't faint?"
"Oh no. I fainted." He said, settling beside her on the floor, "Luckily it wasn't until after she was holding him though so I didn't harm the kid."
"Okay so don't let him hold our son." Olivia whispered to her husband.
Elliot chuckled and kissed the side of her face, "Got it."
"I'm going to check things out, is that okay?" Noah asked, Olivia nodded in agreement, "Okay. Keep breathing...talk to James and Elliot."
James smiled and took her free hand, "So what...you love SVU so much you had to give birth here?"
Olivia laughed, glad for the distraction, "Oh yeah, this is exactly where I want my kid to come into the world. On the very bed that some of New York's finest have drooled on."
Elliot laughed, "Maybe this means our son will take in our footsteps though. He'll have to be a cop now."
Olivia smiled and closed her eyes, trying to ignore what Noah was doing, "Maybe." She turned to James, "What are the other guys doing?"
"Cragen is pacing. Fin is just staring off into space and John is trying to figure out if he can enlist you on some sort of weirdest birth story blogs." He said with a shrug.
Olivia squeezed his hand, "Elliot don't let him-"
"Trust me. He won't be putting anything on a blog about you or our child." He said with a laugh.
"If he comes in here with a camera, I really will kick his ass even if I'm pushing the kid out during the process." She grunted.
"Well that would be a sight to see." James said with a smile, "But if anyone could do it, it would be you."
"Is it still snowing?" She asked anxiously, "No chance of an ambulance coming?"
"They are going to try." James said, "Christine is calling any and everyone she can to see if they can get here. Either way though, you're in good hands. Everything is going to be okay."
Noah looked up at her and smiled, "You're about 6 centimeters Olivia. We still need to wait a bit but you're doing great. Can we get you anything to make you feel more comfortable?"
Olivia licked her lips, "I'm kind of thirsty...but I don't think wine is going to be a good choice right now."
James smirked, "Can we settle for water and I'll buy you a big bottle of wine once the kid pops out?"
She sighed dramatically and smiled, "It'll have to do. But I want the biggest bottle you can find."
James nodded at her, "You got it. Elliot?"
Elliot shook his head, "I'm good. Thank you though."
James left the room and Noah looked at them, "You okay?"
Olivia sighed and felt Olivia rubbing her shoulders again, "I'm just...trying to figure out if this is real or if I'm having a bad dream."
Noah smiled, "Well, it's real. I know it's not ideal but you really are doing a great job so far." Another contraction started to hit, "Okay...squeeze Elliot's hand and focus on breathing. In and out Olivia. Don't hold your breath."
Olivia groaned loudly and squeezed Elliot's hands, "Remind me again why I wanted this kid so bad?"
"Because once he's here it will be so worth it." Elliot kissed her head gently, "Imagine holding him for the first time. Watching him grow up...seeing who he'll become."
The pain started to subside and the grip on his hands began to loosen, "A mini Elliot Stabler...God help us all."
He chuckled and held her closer, "Hey...I'm the guy you chose to have kids with. I can't be all that bad."
"You aren't. But right now it's your fault that it feels like I'm getting ripped in two. So don't expect me to be fawning all over you." She sighed again and fell against him, "There has got to be a better way to do this."
"There is. It's called adoption. But you already did that." Elliot said with a laugh.
She elbowed him and growled, "Ha, ha!"
"I'm going to give you a little time alone...but I'll be right outside the door. I'm going to come back in and check but this stretch may take a little longer. Do you want your friends to come in?" Noah asked.
Olivia shook her head, "Not right now. No. But...thank you."
Noah smiled and squeezed her knee, "Keep breathing when a contraction hits. Yell if you need anything. But take this time together, okay?"
Noah exited the room just as James came in with her water, he dropped it off for her and then followed Noah out of the room. Elliot held the glass and straw out for her to take a few sips. Setting it down on the floor beside him he continued to help her sit up so he could give her back a full massage. Bracing her hands in front of her, she took some slow deep breaths and closed her eyes. "That feel okay?"
She nodded slowly, "Yes. Thank you."
"You're doing great Liv." His hand kneaded her lower back and he listened to the way she was breathing to know what she needed most, "Can I do anything else?"
She laughed softly, "Sure. Make it summer so there is no snow in our way."
He smiled and kissed the back of her neck, "I know. But it seems like some of our most important moments have happened in the snow. The first time I told you I loved you was in the snow...our first kiss…"
She smiled and sat up a little straighter, "The first time we made love...and when you proposed."
"Exactly. I think it's only fitting that our little guy would make his debut in a snowstorm." He felt her tensing and he braced one arm on her upper back and one on her lower back, "Breathe Liv."
He heard her taking some slow deep breaths, "What time is it?"
"Around 11:10." He smiled, "I think he'll be a New Years Day baby."
Olivia rolled her neck back and forth, "Hell of a way to ring in the New Year."
"Come here." She sighed and settled into his arms, turning slightly on her side, "I have to admit that I was a little upset when I saw you...because I was worried. But I think I would have been freaking out more if this was happening at the house without me."
She laughed and closed her eyes, "Oh God...Richie would be trying to figure out how to get his brother out of me."
Elliot smiled and kissed the top of her head, "Doctor Richie...that's a scary thought."
Her eyes started to close, "I'm already exhausted."
"Close your eyes. I know you probably won't sleep but try and rest as much as you can. Lord knows after he's here we'll never sleep again." He whispered.
Even if she only slept for five minutes she felt that it would be worth it. Noah poked his head back in and smiled, "She okay?"
Elliot looked up at him and noticed that Olivia's breathing was evening out, "Yea. For now…" He paused and looked right at him, "Noah...tell me they are going to be okay."
Noah smiled at him, "I'm going to do everything I can to make this as easy as possible, okay? Just keep doing what you're doing and we're going to get through this."
Elliot nodded slowly and looked down at his half sleeping wife. Noah exited the room again and he didn't look away from her. He was memorizing the look of her, the feel of her against him. He knew that women did this all the time, but it didn't mean it wasn't scary. Glancing out the small window, he saw the snow was still falling hard and he knew there was probably no way they were getting to the hospital. He also knew that there was no one stronger than his wife and she wouldn't give up without a fight.
Forty minutes later, Olivia was sitting up again trying to breathe through the pain. Noah was settled in his spot coaching her through the pain. Elliot was still behind her holding her up and James and Cragen were on either side of her. Fin and John were nervously standing in the doorway. Olivia laughed when she looked at them, "You two look more freaked out than I feel."
Noah looked back at them, "If you're going to freak out, you should leave now because it's time for us to start pushing."
Olivia took a deep breath, "You in or out you two?"
John and Fin exchanged nervous glances, "We can't leave her."
Fin shook his head slowly, "No. We can't." He turned back to her and smiled, "I guess we're staying."
Olivia sighed and leaned against Elliot, "Fine. Then go behind me...I don't need you looking while I push." Everyone laughed and she groaned, "How I ended up being surrounded by men at this moment is beyond me. But here we are…"
"And you're bringing another man into the world." Elliot said, helping to lift her up higher.
Noah looked at James, "Okay. Are you helping me?"
James nodded and shifted out of the way and Fin took his place, "What do you need me to do?"
"Keep an eye on your watch so we can help her to breathe. It will also help you keep track of her pulse." He looked up at Olivia, "Are you ready to start pushing? Because your son is ready to enter the world."
Olivia glanced back at Elliot and he smiled at her before pressing a kiss to her lips, "You got this Benson. And we're all right here to help you."
Turning back to Noah she squeezed Cragen and Fin's hands, "I'm ready."
"Good." Noah shifted and then smiled at her, "Alright Olivia, take a really deep breath and start pushing. James will count to twenty and when he gets there, you can rest, okay?"
Olivia nodded, pushing back against Elliot he wrapped his arms around her, bracing her belly. She inhaled deeply and then closed her eyes, pushing as hard as she possibly could. She could hear James counting and tried to focus on only that. Her friends were quiet beside her but she still felt their presence and support. For that, she was grateful. She couldn't imagine doing this without them.
"Twenty. Okay. Breathe Olivia. Breathe...you're doing great." Noah squeezed her ankle gently. "Keep breathing…"
"Bet you didn't picture this when you hired me." Olivia said, shooting her boss a look.
Cragen laughed, "Wasn't part of the plan, no. But when has anything ever gone according to plan here?"
Olivia laughed and felt another contraction again, "Jesus Christ...someone get this kid out of me!"
Noah smiled, "You're the only one that can make that happen but I see his head. Time to push again. This time James is going to count to 25. Focus and breathe."
Elliot squeezed her shoulders, "You got this baby. Come on. We're so close!"
"Push Olivia! Push!" Noah yelled into the room, everyone waited with baited breath, "Here we go...he's coming Liv, don't let up. Don't let up."
Olivia started crying and reached for her husband, "Elliot, I can't-"
"Yes. Yes you can." He eased on his knees and braced her against his legs, "You can do this Liv. Keep going."
"Quick breath and then push more. You got this." Noah said, "His head is almost all the way out. Then we'll be at the shoulders-"
"Don't say anything." Olivia said, shooting Munch a look, "Don't you dare say anything! Son of a bitch!"
Munch put a finger to his lips, his face was pale, "Quiet as a mouse over here."
Groaning loudly she pushed as hard as she could, every nerve ending in her body was on fire but all she wanted was to see her son. "Oh God…"
"You're doing great Olivia." Noah nudged James, "Hold her leg back for me." James did as he was told, "Keep pushing Olivia, his shoulders are almost out and then we're in the final stretch. You are killing it right now. Keep going! This guy wants to meet his Mom!"
"One minute until the New Year!" John yelled, "You got this Olivia!"
Elliot squeezed her shoulders, "Come on baby. Come on. You'll be holding him in no time."
Focusing all her strength on her son, Olivia pushed as hard as she possibly could. It felt like time was frozen but she could vaguely hear her friends counting down to the Near Year. She could hear Noah urging her on, hear Elliot whispering how proud he was of her, how much loved her. And then, just as her friends reached 1, she heard the loud cry of a baby. Her baby. Her son.
Everyone around her started cheering for the New Year and the birth of the newest Stabler child. Olivia leaned back against Elliot and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, "You did it baby. You did it!"
Olivia's body was shaking and she felt tears falling down her cheeks, "Is he okay?"
Noah and James were cleaning him, wrapping him as best they could, "He's just perfect Olivia. Ten fingers, ten toes."
Olivia reached for him and Noah settled the baby in her arms, "Hi baby…" As he snuggled into her chest she could sense everyone watching her, looking up she saw some of the most important men in her life all crying, "Look at you cry babies…"
Elliot laughed and held her close, leaning out he touched his son's head, "Because you just blew us away Liv."
"He's perfect…" Olivia said as she stared down at him, "I can't even believe he's here."
"He still needs a name." Elliot said smiling at her, "What do you think?"
Glancing up at her husband she smiled, "Is Noah James Don Fin John Stabler too long?"
All the men started laughing, "No offense to our friends, but I was thinking Noah James Stabler would be just fine. At least on paper. We can throw the other names in when he's in trouble"
Olivia looked over at her former partner and the man that helped deliver her child, "I think so too…"
Noah smiled at her, "You did all the hard work Olivia. You don't need to name him-"
"I like the name. It fits." She sighed and rocked Noah gently, "You were right...it is well worth it."
A knock on the door startled them all, turning they saw paramedics walking in, "We finally got here. Is everything okay?" The woman smiled, "Looks like we missed all the action."
Olivia smiled down at Noah, "You did."
"Well let's get you to the hospital where you'll both be more comfortable." She walked closer to them, "We'll take it from here."
The men started to disengage from Olivia but she called out to them, "Wait." All eyes turned to her and she smiled, "Thank you…"
"Happy New Year Olivia. And Welcome to the world Noah." Cragen said with a smile.
Once they were settled in at the hospital, Olivia was holding Noah close as he fed for the first time. Elliot had stepped out to call his Mother and fill her in on what was happening. When he came back in the room, he took a deep breath and felt the exhaustion take over him. And yet, he also felt wired and full of energy. Walking over to her, he sat down in the chair beside her and smiled, "My Mom said she'll bring the kids by in the morning."
Olivia looked up at him and smiled, "They okay?"
"She was a little nervous when you didn't come back...but she said under the circumstances she understood. We were a little busy."
Olivia laughed and looked down at Noah, "Just a bit…"
"God Olivia…" He stared down at her and sighed, "I have never been more proud of you than I was tonight. Do you know how badass that was?"
She shook her head, "Elliot…"
"No, I'm serious." He reached out and squeezed her shoulder, "You did amazing." His free hand reached out and touched Noah's fingers, "This little guy is so damn lucky to have you as his Mom."
"I was just expecting to get a New Year's kiss tonight." She said with a smile, "And instead...I got a baby."
"How about a baby and a New Year's kiss?" Elliot asked, leaning towards her.
Olivia smiled and turned her face back to him, "I'd like that."
"Happy New Year Olivia." He kissed her gently, "I love you."
"Happy New Year El…" She kissed him again and then looked down at their son, "I think this might be our best year yet…"