Elliot was glad that he had the following two days off after his 48 hour shift. He spent them with his Mom making sure she was settling back in as best she could. Though it had taken a lot of talking and arguing at some points, she did agree to start taking her meds again. The ordeal had shaken her enough to at least try and for that, he was appreciative. On top of that, he was in a pretty good mood considering he had seen Olivia, and maybe it was crazy of him but their conversation had left him hopeful.

This evening, he was sitting with Ember in the living room going through his Mom's mail making sure she was taking care of all her bills. She'd taken a pre-dinner nap a little earlier and now came padding out of her room looking well rested. Elliot gave her a smile as she settled in beside Ember, "How'd you sleep?"

She sighed and gave him a genuine smile, "Good."

"Good." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye as she scratched Ember, "She's growing on you…"

Bernie smiled and ran her fingers through Ember's fur, "I'll admit…I thought you were crazy for getting her. But she's a sweet girl."

"She is." He said with a sigh as he leaned back on the couch, "I know you've always been against them…but what about a dog?" She laughed, "Could keep you company Ma. Ember makes the lonely nights not so lonely…she's a good companion."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "Can't you get a wife for that?"

He tossed his head back and howled with laughter, "You say that like they grow on trees Ma. If it were that easy…I'd be married by now."

"Hm…" She paused and then smiled, "Although, I'll say I'm glad you didn't marry that Kathy woman."

Elliot rolled his eyes and stood up, shuffling the papers in front of him, "Yes, I know you didn't like her. You made that very clear."

"She was all wrong for you!" She said, tossing her hands in the air, "So bossy, wanting to control your every move. She thought she was better than all of us and quite frankly at times…rude."

Elliot frowned, "Yeah well…we're not together anymore so time to let it go. She made it clear that she didn't want to be with me. And…she's pregnant and I believe married. So that ship has sailed."

"And I say good riddance from the shore as it passes!" She said as she mockingly waved, "Have a nice life!"

Elliot chuckled and filled two glasses with water, "Geez, tell me how you really feel Ma."

Bernie smiled and took the glass from him, "I've always told it like it is, haven't I?" He nodded once, "Which is why I'm gonna tell you I like that girl…"

Ember scooted closer to him, resting her head in his lap. Turning towards his Mom further he frowned, "Who?"

"That Olivia!" She said with a laugh, "She seemed sweet."

His heart flip flopped in his chest and he smiled, "You only saw her for a bit…but yeah. She…she's something."

Bernie looked towards the corner and whispered, "Those are from her."

Following her gaze, he saw a bouquet of sunflowers in a vase, "What?"

"When she was trying to calm me down she asked questions to distract me. I remember I told her I loved sunflowers." She watched him stand up and walk towards them, "And they showed up today while you were taking Ember for a walk."

Elliot reached into the bouquet and took the little card out and read: Mrs. Stabler, I hope these bring a little sunshine to your day. Take care and call if you ever need anything.
-Officer Benson

He couldn't rid himself of the smile that seemed to be growing by the second. She had no reason to do this. There was no way she reached out to every person she met on the job. But she did with his Mother. Someone who was connected to him. That had to mean something didn't it?

Bernie watched him carefully, "Sweet, right?"

He cleared his throat nervously and nodded, "Very…"

"So…" She patted the spot beside her on the couch again, "Now, come and tell me how you know her."

He laughed again, dropping his hand slightly as he looked at his Mom, "Mama…I'm not a teenager. You can't force information out of me."

"Who said anything about forcing?" She asked with a shrug, "You look like you want to tell me about her. So come tell me.

Taking a deep breath, he walked over to her again and sat down, Ember resting her head once more in his lap, "There's not much to tell…" She just stared at him, clearly not buying it and he sighed, "HOnestly, we barely know each other. Just…met at an event. ONe of those NYPD vs FDNY things…"

Bernie smiled at him, "And let me guess, she kicked your ass at whatever you were competing in."

Elliot laughed again and placed a hand on his heart, "You doubt my abilities? My own Mother? I'm hurt…"

She smirked, "So that's a yes." She paused for a moment, "Oh don't tell me you were a poor sport about getting beat by a girl…I hope I taught you better than that. Though…your Father would have been pissed."

"I'm not Dad." He muttered, and they both felt it, the ghost of Joe Stabler lingering between them, "I just meant…"

She reached for his hands, holding them firmly in her own, "No. You're right. You aren't your Father, you never have been and you never will be."

He frowned and looked down at their hands, "I disappointed him."

"Oh honey, you didn't disappoint him. He was just…" She sighed and lifted one hand, gesturing between them, "He was stubborn. Which I will admit you can be too…" She said pointing at him and he smirked, "And he just…he came from a time where everyone just fell into line with others expectations. Even if it wasn't what they wanted. To be honest, I'm not sure your Father ever wanted to be a cop. I think he felt like he had to. And maybe…part of him was jealous of the fact that you went after what you wanted."

Elliot clenched and unclenched his jaw, "The last thing he said to me was…"

"I know." She whispered, squeezing her hand, "Honey, I know. And I wish I could change it. I wish…that I could make it better. Not just what he did…but things I did too. But I can't. And so now…you have to learn to let go."

He didn't answer, just let her words sink in. He'd never been good at letting go. Not at all. He couldn't let go of hurt feelings, he'd admit he held a grudge. And more than that, he couldn't let go of the positive, strong feelings either. Like the ones he felt towards Olivia right now. Taking a breath he whispered, "To answer your original question, I was not a poor sport. At least I don't think I was. It didn't bother me she beat me…surprised me maybe but didn't bother me."

Bernie nodded slowly, "Good." She paused and just stared at him, "And that's it? That's the only time you saw her other than the other day?" His face flushed and she laughed, "That's what I thought…"

He frowned, "It's complicated."

"Life's complicated Elliot. More than I think you realize sometimes. But I hope…that it's not holding you back because she is a Police Officer. Because of your past with your Father." She said quickly.

"No. No, that's not an issue at all. I admire her for clearly following her dreams as I did mine. That's not a problem for me." She just stared at him waiting, "Mama…I love you for caring but it just is what it is right now."

Elliot began to pull away and somehow she was able to read his body language, see the sadness in him. Somehow she knew it wasn't him that was held up in his feelings or interest. But this woman. This mysterious yet seemingly wonderful woman. On her low days, she may have assumed it was never going to happen. But her dream had been so strong, so clear that she had to believe that it meant something. She watched as her tough, proud, kind son moved around her apartment picking up little things.

She'd put him through a lot growing up, as had her husband. His life had been anything but easy, though better than some, he still had his fair share of trauma. And now, all she wanted was for him to find happiness. The kind of happiness she knew he craved. The kind of love that he deserved, the family he'd always longed for.

"Elliot." He paused but didn't turn to look at her, she took a deep breath, pulling Ember closer, "Don't you give up hope just yet." He just stared at him and she smiled softly, "I wouldn't be here today if I'd given up on hope…"

Turning back to her, he leaned down and kissed the top of her head, "Love you Mamma…"

She squeezed his hand as he passed and smiled when she saw him look over at the sunflowers on the side table again, "I love you too."

Olivia had worked nonstop the last few days and was looking forward to spending some much needed time with her son. Picking him up from Lucy's, they took the subway to get back home as she did not have a car. A car seemed like one of those luxuries that she'd never be able to afford on her single Mother income. At least not anytime soon.

As they sat on the unusually quiet subway, the cars rattled below them and Olivia smiled over at her son, "So, I have Saturday off this weekend. What do you want to do kiddo? Your call."

Noah leaned against her and smiled, "When Lucy and I were at the park today there was this big ad for a drive in movie. And guess what they are going to show?"

Looking down at him she saw the familiar glint in his eyes and knew it had to be his favorite, "I'm going to go with Jurassic Park?"

"Yep!" He said with a blinding smile, "And I was thinking…it looked like a lot of fun. Lucy read the sign and it said people would bring food, camp out in their cars or trucks and watch it up on this really big screen they were setting up."

"Well that sounds like fun." She smiled and then frowned, "But…"

"But we don't have a car." Noah interjected, "I know…but other people have cars."

Assuming he was trying to say that he was upset they didn't, she sighed, "Hon, we've talked about this before, sometimes it just-"

"I'm not saying we need to get a car to go." He said with a shrug, 'But…we could call someone who has a car to go with us."

"Oh." She paused, "Well, I mean I could call Auntie A and if she doesn't have plans."

He shook his head, "She's going to that party with Matt's family, remember?"

Olivia looked at him, surprised he knew her schedule so well, "Oh. Right…I forgot." She paused and then said, "Well then maybe Uncle Fin? Not sure he's ever seen Jurassic Park and-"

"And he's working overtime this weekend." He said with a shrug, "So he's out too."

Something in her son's tone and the look on his face told her he was up to something. That little mischievous side to him that she knew he got from her though sometimes drove her crazy, "Well it seems you've thought a lot about this. Did you have someone else in mind?"

Noah contemplated his answer for a moment, he knew what he wanted to say. But he also knew how stubborn his Mother could be. "Well first I was thinking maybe I could invite Liam too?"

Olivia turned her body more towards him, still not sure where this quite was going, "Sure. We can do that. But seeing as Liam is 6 and not sixteen…unless you planned on asking his parents to come for their car-"

"No." He shook his head, "That wasn't what I was thinking…"

His face flushed and suddenly she had a feeling she knew EXACTLY what he was thinking or who he was thinking of, "Noah…"

"Uncle Fin mentioned that Elliot has a truck." His feet swung back and forth and he shrugged, looking up at her offering a tiny smile, "A nice big black truck with a lot of room in back for us all to hang out and watch the movie comfortably in."

Pursing her lips she couldn't help but smile, "Oh really?"

"Heard they were gonna have ice cream at this thing too so ya know…that's good. Because we know he likes ice cream." He pointed out.

"Uh huh. You know he has a truck and likes ice cream." He nodded, "And that's enough for you to want to see him again?"

Noah nodded, "I also know that he's a firefighter. Uncle-"

"Fin told you." She finished for him and he laughed, "Right. Of course. You two seem to be talking a lot about Elliot. Anything else I should know about?"

"I don't think she knows I heard her but Auntie A said that she thinks he's a hunk but then told Fin not to tell Matt that." He said with a smile, "And that she thinks you and him would give me a cute brother or sister."

Olivia huffed as the train car came to a stop, calling out the stop. Reaching out, she lifted him off the seat and took his hand, "Looks like I need to find new friends, those two are making me look bad."

"I happen to like them. But if you're in the market for new friends…" Their arms swung back and forth as they walked, "I vote Elliot."

"Of course you do." They stopped on the sidewalk, waiting for the signal to cross but before they could go, she pulled him to the side and knelt down in front of him, "Noah…"

His little heart started racing and he was worried she was angry, "Yeah?"

"I just…" She sighed and studied his face, that perfect little face of his that made even her hard days bearable, "Where's this all coming from? Why are you suddenly so interested in Elliot?"

Noah blushed again and looked down at the sidewalk between them, "I don't know. I just thought he was nice…and fun. And in case you weren't sure if I liked him…I wanted you to know I did. Ya know…in case you wanted to see him again."

Chewing her lip softly she asked, "That's all? There's not another reason?"

His little eyes darted up towards her again and he shrugged, "Should there be another reason?"

"I don't know." She frowned and reached out, twirling one of his curls between her fingers, "I know sometimes…it's probably hard just having me. And maybe you wish you had a bigger family…or a…a…" She sighed and put both hands on her shoulders, "You know I love you more than anything in this world?"

Noah nodded slowly, then offered a little smile, "I know Momma. I know. And it's not…it's not about not having a-" His voice cracked and he shrugged, "But I just think that it's always nice to make new friends. You say that to me…and so maybe it would be nice for you too."

Not fully believing him, she decided not to push it. At least not today. Taking a breath, she stood up, leaned over and kissed the top of his head, "Okay. Well…how about I think about it for a bit?" He looked up at her as they walked towards the crosswalk again, "That work?"

Noah nodded and leaned into her, waiting for her to lead him across the street safely as always, "Okay. That works."

She smiled and ran her fingers through his hair as they turned onto their street, "Okay then."

As they climbed the steps to the apartment building Noah slipped in the door first and said, "Uncle Fin told me one other thing ya know."

Olivia's heart was racing as they walked towards the elevator and he pressed the button, "Oh yeah? And what's that?"

Noah stepped into the small space and turned to look at her, "That he has a dog. And you know I love dogs."

Olivia laughed softly and shook her head, standing beside him she leaned against the wall, "I said I'll think about it kiddo…"

Noah smiled at her and crossed his fingers behind his back silently thinking think fast Mom.

After putting Noah to bed and dodging another million and one questions about one Elliot Stabler, her head was spinning more than usual. Walking out into the living room, she started her nightly routine of cleaning up as best she could. Put away Noah's sneakers that he always seemed to leave laying around. Clean up stray toys, straighten up the couch, look for any leftover mess from snack's he'd stolen after dinner. He was a good kid. A damn good and she knew she had little to complain about.

Sure there had been nights when he was a baby where he'd cried all night and she in turn had cried with him. There had been moments when she thought she'd made a mistake or that she couldn't survive being a single Mother. But every night when he looked at her, hugged her and said goodnight, all those dark moments seemed to not matter anymore. He was her whole world and the absolute love of her life. For six, almost seven years, he'd given her the kind of love she'd never thought she'd have. Unconditional. Even when she made mistakes, her son loved her no matter what and for that she was grateful.

Pouring herself a glass of wine, she grabbed her phone and sat down on the couch. She aimlessly scrolled through the channels for a few minutes, not finding anything of interest before tossing the remote to the side. Taking a deep breath, she glanced at her phone and her heart instantly started speeding up. She really should call Elliot, just to check up on Bernie. Make sure she was doing alright and all that. It was the right thing to do. Sure she'd sent flowers (a gesture that still shocked her if she was honest with herself), but it would be the least she could do. He'd been kind to her, patient despite how chaotic their first 24 hours of knowing each other had been. She didn't even have to mention the drive in. He wouldn't know a damn thing about it.

Before she could stop herself, she was dialing the number, waiting with baited breath. And when she heard his voice, her heart did another little somersault and she knew she was in deep, deep trouble, "Elliot…hi. It's…it's Liv. I-I mean Olivia."

He'd known that of course. Saved her number as soon as he found out she had called. Spent the last two days resisting the urge to call her but wanting to remain cool, not look too overbearing. And as he walked back into his apartment with Ember, finally comfortable with leaving his Mother alone, his phone had gone off and time seemed to stop when he saw her name, "Oh. Hey…how are you?"

She pressed a hand to her chest, worrying that he would be able to hear its crazed beating through the phone, "I'm…I'm good. How-how are you?"

Elliot tossed his keys on the side table and unhooked Ember's leash, "Good. Just…getting home actually. Been staying with my Mom for a few days."

She smiled softly to herself, he'd stayed with her. He was a good son. A good man. Taking a deep breath she asked, "Oh, that's good. I'm glad. I'm sure she appreciated that. How…how is she doing? That's why I wanted to call. Check in on her."

She sounded nervous on the phone and he could have made a quip about being hurt. She hadn't called to talk to him, but he figured he'd throw her a bone here. Besides, her concern really did mean more to him than she knew, "She's…doing good. Taking it one day at a time like you said. She did agree to start her meds again and seeing her Doctor again on Monday. I'll be keeping a closer eye on her just in case."

"That's great to hear." She said, truly feeling relieved, "I'm sure it's hard…for both of you. But, she's taking the right steps, so that means something, right?"

Walking over to the couch he sat down and Ember immediately jumped up beside him, tilting her head to the side as she watched him. The look on her face seemed to ask, who you talking to Dad? He smiled and reached out, scratching her behind the ear, "Right. She loved the flowers by the way…so thank you. That was very sweet. Definitely brightened her day."

Olivia's face flushed and she put a hand over her eyes, not expecting him to have mentioned it, "Oh. No problem at all…she mentioned she liked them and I saw them on my way to work so…"

He smiled and leaned back against the couch, resting his hand on his stomach as Ember lay down beside him, "How'd you know where she lived?"

Her heart jumped in her chest again and she waited a moment to respond, "Oh…well she had to give her address to Fin and I when we were going through some routine paperwork. I'm…I'm sorry if I overstepped and made you uncomfortable. That wasn't my inte-"

"No. No." He said quickly, "Not at all. It meant a lot to see that you had done that. I mean, you obviously take your job very seriously. And to go above and beyond and check on the people you help…made me smile too."

Her eyes fluttered shut, and she whispered, "I'm…I'm glad."

They both sat in silence for a few minutes, not sure what to say yet enjoying even this simple gesture of togetherness, even miles apart. Then he spoke again, "Well…thank you for calling to check in. I appreciate it. Was…was there something else you needed?"

She heard it, the hope in his voice that she had called for him too, not just his Mother. She could easily say it was just this, that she just wanted to follow up. She could hang up and never look back. He didn't know about Noah's little plan nor did he have too. And yet, somehow she knew she didn't want that. But what she did want was to get to know this man more. To understand what it was that intrigued her so much, to explore this feeling, even if he was just meant to be a friend to her. He had to be a good friend. Someone important and she was afraid to pass that up, even more so than getting hurt.

Clearing her throat she said, "Well…actually um…Noah really wants to go to this drive in movie. Jurassic Park. It's his favorite…"

Elliot's heart started thumping wildly in his chest, but he tried to remind himself to stay calm, "Kids got taste…I love those movies."

The smile on her face grew and she pushed on knowing there was no getting out of this now, "And…well you have to have a car or a truck to go and we don't have a car. But Fin mentioned to Noah you have a truck so…he thought maybe you'd like to go and-"

She was rambling and to him, it was the cutest thing he'd ever heard making it impossible to not tease her just a bit, "You only want me for my truck, huh?"

Sitting up quickly, she felt like a total fool and gasped, "Oh. No! No…I didn't mean…I just meant…I-"

"Relax Benson." He said with a throaty little chuckle, "I was just teasing. You can take whatever you want, as long as it means I get to see you again. Fine by me…"

She was pretty sure she'd stopped breathing by this point, man he was a smooth talker. Yep, she was definitely in way over her head and still she couldn't stop herself. "You can say no…really. Or maybe you have to work or have plans or…or a date and-"

"Olivia." She heard it, the little smirk that was plastered on his face, "We both know I don't have a date. But…tell me when it is so I can check my schedule, I'd love to go."

She closed her eyes tight and whispered, "Saturday at 7:30."

Letting out a little breath and holding his fist in the air, very glad he indeed had that night off he said, "I'm free."

"Oh. Well…well that's great." She cleared her throat and then whispered, "Noah will be excited…he…he was hoping to see you again."

He gripped the edge of the couch and asked, "And what about you? Did you want to see me again Olivia?" He heard her inhale sharply again and he knew he may be pushing his luck, so he backed down slightly, "You don't have to answer that. In fact…don't."

She looked down nervously at her hand in her lap, "Well…if we're going to try and be friends I figure we have to start somewhere, right?"

He hadn't expected that answer and quite frankly, it meant more to him than he could express. She was trying. And whatever came of this, a friendship or something more, at least he knew that she was willing to see it through as best she could, "One step at a time, right?"

She bit her lip and smiled slightly though he couldn't see it, "Right."

"Well alright then. Should…I pick you guys up? Or…or did you want to meet somewhere?" He asked.

"Well, we're actually going to bring Noah's best friend Liam too. So…I was thinking I'd take the subway to his house and pick him up and then walk with the boys there. It's close by. So…maybe you could meet us there?" She asked curiously, not quite sure she was ready for him to know where she lived yet.

And somehow, he both understood and respected that thought, "Sure. Just send me the details then?"

"Great." She paused a moment before adding, "Actually…there is one more thing."

He sat up again and reached for Ember as she adjusted her position against him, "Sure, what is it?"

"Think you can bring Ember?" She heard him laugh, "Noah loves dogs…"

Elliot smiled and looked down at his best girl and thought, maybe she wasn't such a bad wing woman after all, "I think that can be arranged…"

She let out a little breath and whispered, "Great. Then I guess it's a-" She caught herself before she said it but somehow she knew he would know what she was almost going to say, "It's a plan."

His smile only grew but he didn't correct her, still wanting her to take this at her pace, "So it is." Taking a deep breath again he whispered, "Thanks again for calling to check on my Mom…"

Pressing a hand to her chest she whispered, "No problem…tell her I said hello."

"I will." He paused, then his voice dropped a bit lower and he whispered, "I'll see you Saturday my friend Olivia."

She had to keep herself from squealing like a little girl, feeling a rush of excitement she hadn't felt since her first crush, "See you Saturday Elliot."

And then they both hung up, feeling both hopeful and a little nervous about what was going to happen next…

On Saturday, Olivia and Noah took the subway over to Liam's house. She was a rush of nerves and she kept having to tell herself to calm down. There was no reason to be nervous. He was just a friend. This wasn't a date. And yet she'd changed her outfit at least half a dozen times and obsessed over her hair. Now as they walked up to the Martin's building, she wondered if she'd picked the right choice. A pair of dark wash jeans, her favorite flip flops and a flowing light yellow shirt that dipped low just enough. Over her arm she held a cardigan in case it got cold later.

"So Elliot is going to meet us there?" Noah asked for the hundredth time.

Olivia laughed as she pressed the buzzer on the building, "He is hon. We've been over this."

Noah glanced up at her and smiled, "Just checking."

A moment later, Liam came out with his Mom behind him, "Hey!"

Olivia smiled at them both and laughed as the boys jumped right into their usual antics, "Hey. I'll have him back by ten. I know that's kind of late but…"

"It's summer. And he'll be with you. I'm not worried." Alyssa said with a smile.

Nervously, she cleared her throat and whispered, "Um…actually it won't be just me. I have a friend coming with us. I…I hope that's okay."

Alyssa beamed at her, another person annoyingly interested in Olivia's love life, "Oh? Someone I know?"

Olivia's face flushed and she said, "I probably should have run this by you first. His name is Elliot…he's a firefighter. And if you're not comfortable with it-"

"Olivia." She cut her off again, "You know I trust you. I've always trusted you with Liam. I know you wouldn't put either of our boys in any danger. It's okay. Thank you for asking but…it's okay." She paused and smiled, "Besides, I think it's great."

Olivia smirked, "He's just a friend Alyssa."

Alyssa nodded slowly, "Friends are good. Especially cute ones?"

Olivia smiled and shrugged, "So…you're good with it then?"

"Great with it." She said with a nod, "Have a wonderful time!"

Olivia turned to the boys, "Ready to go guys?"

"Ready!" They both roared together like the dinosaurs in the movie.

Olivia laughed and walked towards them thinking this was going to be a very interesting night.

Elliot sat in the bed of his truck, Ember sitting beside him, watching the activity around him. He smiled at the families around him, kids laughing with their siblings, teenagers on a date. Sometimes he wondered how he'd gotten to be 31, he assumed he'd have a family of his own by now. It wasn't that he was unhappy, he knew he had a good life. More than most. But he longed for a companion, someone to share his life with, the good and the bad days. And he wanted a child to raise, someone to watch after and see grow.

Maybe someday he thought…

Just then, he spotted them. He'd only seen her a few times but he knew he could pick her out in a crowd anywhere now. She looked beautiful and he swore every time he saw her it felt like the first time all over again. She was holding hands with both boys, Noah who he recognized and his friend. She looked like such a natural and he couldn't help but think about that dream of his mothers, a baby. Wouldn't that be nice?

Her eyes scanned the space for a moment, and he wondered if he saw a nervous expression on her face, or maybe a little excitement. And then, she spotted him and the corner of her lips turned up in a little smile. Lifting his hand, he offered a little wave and she quickly pointed him out to the boys. Ember barked excitedly and hopped down from the bed of the truck running towards them to meet them halfway, Elliot soon followed. The boys immediately bent down to greet Ember and Olivia smiled but whispered, "Careful guys, you don't want to scare her."

Bending down, Elliot smiled and put his hand on the ground, "Down Em."

Ember slowly lay down between the boys as she had been learning and waited as the boys pet her, "She's so good."

Elliot scratched behind her ear, "She's training to be a therapy dog."

"What does that mean?" Noah asked as he curled up beside her.

"Well, it means she'll be able to help people out when they're feeling sad. Learn how to read their emotions and be calm when they need it." Ember rolled to the side and put her paw on Elliot's knee.

"We have one of those at school." Liam said, 'Could she work at our school?"

Elliot smiled, "Well I don't know. She has to go through lots more training first and take a test. And then we'll see what happens from there."

"Even dogs have to take tests?" Noah asked with a frown, "How do they use a pencil to write the answers?"

Elliot and Olivia both laughed, "It's a different kind of test baby…"

Elliot glanced up at her and smiled, "Hey…"

"Hi." She whispered, slipping her hands in her back pockets, "Um…" She turned to Liam, "Liam, this is Elliot."

Liam stuck out his hand, "Hi Mr. Elliot. I'm Liam Martin."

Elliot laughed and shook his hand, "Well it's nice to meet you Liam Martin. But you can just call me Elliot."

"Cool." He looked behind him, "Is that your truck?"

"It is." Elliot said with a nod, "I uh…I brought some pillows and blankets to make it a bit more comfortable."

"Is Ember allowed to sit with us in the truck?" Noah asked.

"Sure. She'll love it." He smiled and looked at Olivia, "I brought some chairs too…in case anyone needs a little space."

He thinks of everything she thought. Because she couldn't deny the sudden panic she felt over being that close to him. It felt intimate in a way she couldn't quite process. Despite the fact that she'd had her tongue down his throat the first night she met him and slept in his bed half naked. Talk about doing this backwards.

Noah looked over at his Mom, thankfully his ever present need to eat diffuse the tension, "Are we getting food?"

"Yes." Olvia said with a nod, "We can look over by the food trucks and bring it back here. Movie doesn't start for a while still." She looked at Elliot, "If that's okay with you?"

Elliot nodded, "Sure. I brought a little cooler with drinks and stuff…a few snacks. But dinner is good." He placed a hand on his stomach and smiled, "I can always eat."

"Us too!" Liam and Noah said happily and Ember barked.

Noah smirked though, "Mom eats like a bird though."

Olivia narrowed her eyes on her son, feeling oddly uncomfortable with the question of her eating habits, "Why don't you worry about your own eating mister?" She pointed towards the trucks, "Come on."

The boys smiled and walked ahead, Ember walking beside them. Elliot held his hand out, signaling for Olivia to go first. They walked together side by side behind the boys and Ember. Both of them felt nervous igniting more of an awkward silence. Feeling guilty, Olivia looked over at him and said, "How's your Mom doing?"

Glancing over at her he smiled, "She's doing good. Better. Much better." Rubbing the back of his neck he whispered, "She says hi by the way."

"Well, next time you talk to her, tell her I said hello back." She looked at the boys as they surveyed their options, "By the way…" She saw him reaching for his wallet, "This is on me so…don't even think about it."

Elliot huffed and turned to look at her, "Olivia…that's not necessary."

Olivia smiled, "You paid for his ice cream the other day and put up with my…" Her face flushed and she looked at her son making sure he wasn't listening, "Drunken antics…so please. Don't start."

"The ice cream was nothing." He said with a shake of his head, "Plus, we were both drinking that night Benson. So put that out of your head."

She laughed nervously, "If only it were that easy…"

She blushed again thinking that what she had said had a double meaning. Now he probably thought she was thinking about him, kissing him, spending time with him, being in his bed. Which to be fair, was something that her mind seemed to think about more hours during the day than she'd like to admit. But she didn't want or need him to know that."

Taking a deep breath she said, "Please? It's the least I can do…plus you are letting us use your truck."

Not liking this, but not wanting to push, he nodded slowly, "Okay…" Lifting his chin a little higher he said, "But…next time it's on me."

There was a flirting tone to what he was saying and she cocked her head to the side, "So sure that we'll want to hang out with you again. A little presumptuous don't you think?"

He lifted his shoulder and let out a little breath, "No, maybe hopeful. Plus…" He pointed towards the boys, "I have Ember and she's a good selling point."

Olivia laughed and sighed as she saw how happy her son was playing with Ember, "I'm pretty sure that Noah would sell every single one of his possessions if it meant he could have a dog of his own."

Looking over at her he saw the sadness, the worry that she couldn't give her son everything he wanted. Though he was more than sure she gave her son more than most did. "Well…anytime he needs a fix…Ember and I are more than willing to fill that void."

She blushed and whispered, "It's really amazing that you're going through the therapy program with her. I've seen many of those dogs in action. They do incredible work…Ember will be great at it."

Elliot knew that she was trying to shift the conversation, and he knew her well enough even given the little time they'd shared together that that conversation was over, "She's a love. Very protective…" He smirked, "As you saw during the race…she's my best girl."

Olivia smiled at him, "Have you always been a dog person?"

He shrugged, "I always wanted one but my parents weren't really into it. To be honest I never saw myself having one but…she sort of found me." She gave him a questioning look and he smiled, "I met her during a fire. We got called in and were fighting the fire on the fifth floor. The tenants were freaking out about their dog…so I ran back in to look for her. And I did. And she was pregnant…the stress made her go into labor."

Olivia watched him with wide eyes, "And Ember was one of the puppies?"

Elliot smiled as he watched her jumping around the boys, her tail wagging wildly, "She was. The tiniest of the bunch. A spark landed on her nose." He tapped his own nose to emphasize his point, "She was crying…and I put it out. And she looked at me with those brown eyes of hers and I was a goner."

Olivia's heart flipped in her chest, "That's the scar…" He nodded again, "And the name Ember…makes sense."

He smiled and laughed as he saw the boys tackling her but she lay there, patient and calm as always, "I got lucky with her."

"You did." She smiled as Noah's laughter rang through the space between them.

Elliot looked at her and whispered, "Seems like you got lucky with Noah too…"

Holding her breath, she bit her lip, imagining life without her son, "I did…" She paused a moment before continuing, "He was a surprise…and I will never claim to have been ready to be a Mother but…he is the best thing that ever happened to me. And I will never regret choosing to keep him."

He had a question, one he had wondered about since he'd met Noah. He knew she was in her late 20s and Noah was six. But did the boy have a Father and was he still in the picture, "Is his…" He grimaced when he saw the nervous look on his face, "It's not my business…I was just…"

Shoving her hands in her back pocket to hide the fact that they were shaking she shook her head. It was a question she got often and she knew it was warranted. But talking about that part of her life, about that relationship was hard and she tried to avoid it at all costs. For her sake and for Noah's, "He's not involved and never has been." She paused a moment before whispering, "But his Father knows he exists…"

Anger coursed through him thinking about this pathetic man. He'd never be able to understand any parent who could turn their back on their child. It made no sense. In his eyes, it took two people to make a baby and two people should take responsibility for that. He could tell by the look on her face and by her tone, that there was nothing this man offered, not even financial support.

Licking her lips she turned to Elliot and tried to smile, though he could tell she was still slightly uncomfortable, "It is what it is. And like I said…I will never regret choosing to keep him. No matter how it turned out."

Elliot nodded slowly, his next words catching her off guard, "Takes a hell of a woman to be as strong as you are. And you may be lucky to have him…but just so you know, he's incredibly lucky to have you as a Mother too."

She blushed slightly and shrugged, "I'd do anything for him…no matter the consequences. And I hope that someday…he knows how hard I tried."

"He knows Liv." He whispered, she turned to him, and he smiled, "He knows."

Her eyes burned with tears and she shook her head, "Yeah…well…"

"Mom!" Noah called to her, once again ready for his next meal, "Can we do tacos?"

Olivia sighed, grateful again for the distractions that her son could bring, "Yeah babe. You can do tacos." Turning to walk after him, Elliot called to her again, she turned back to him quickly, "Yeah? If you want something else…that's fine. You don't have to get what the boys want."

Elliot nodded slowly, "No…I happen to love tacos but that's not." He paused and then shrugged, "I just wanted to say one more thing…and then we can drop it."

Her heart was thumping wildly and she wasn't sure she wanted to hear what he had to say. Not because it would be bad, but because it would probably make her like him more. "Okay."

Elliot took a few steps towards her and looked straight into her eyes. The wind picked up around them and her hair whipped forward, covering her eyes. Reaching out, he brushed it back and whispered, "He's an idiot. And someday…he's gonna regret losing both of you. But…" He dropped his hand and saw the rise and fall of her chest, "He doesn't deserve either of you."

He started to walk past her and she whipped round, not able to hold herself back, "And what exactly do we deserve?"

Elliot turned around once more, and he smiled, "You deserve someone who would wait for as long as you needed to be sure…"

Her head was spinning as she watched him, "No matter how long it takes?"

Sucking in his lower lip, he shook his head slowly, "No matter how long it takes. Because…" He took one step backwards towards the boys, "You're worth it." He saw Noah, Liam and Ember over by the taco truck and whispered, "You both are."

He gave her a quick wink and then turned, jogging towards the boys as they looked at the menu. She had to press her hand against her chest because she was quite sure it was going to burst out of her body. No way this man was real. Before she could move again, her phone pinged and she reached for it, hoping it wasn't work. Instead, she saw her best friend's name pop up on the screen. Opening the message she couldn't help but laugh as she read, Any chance of making out with firefighter guy during the movie?

Visions of the two of them tangled up together, his lips pressed against hers once more filled her mind and she sighed. Oh, it was going to be a long night. But as she watched towards the boys and Ember again, she had a feeling it was going to be a good one. No matter what happened next…

The boys were settled in the truck, happily fed but munching nonstop on snacks as the movie played out on the screen in front of them. Olivia and Elliot sat below the truck bed on camping chairs side by side. A cooler between them. They'd both seen the movie before, many times so for him especially, he didn't care that he was spending more time watching Olivia out of the corner of his eye than watching John Hammond destroy the Earth with genetically modified dinosaurs. She was much more interesting, not to mention a lot more beautiful to look at.

Every so often she turned to check on the boys, her protective nature coming through again and again. It was so effortless the way she loved her son and clearly cared for his friend too. As she settled back into her seat, she shivered and Elliot quickly reached for a spare blanket, holding it out to her, "Oh. Thank you."

He smiled and felt the rush in his body when their hands touched, that spark he'd felt that first day, "No problem." He looked at the cooler between them, "I have drinks in here…" He paused and then grimaced, "Although now I'm realizing offering a beer in front of your kid is probably not the smartest thing and I feel like an idiot."

She smiled at his concern and shook her head, "Believe it or not…I allow myself to have one or two in front of the kid. Not often, but occasionally. And…" She shrugged, "I don't generally get as crazy as I did the other night. So…if the offer stands and you don't think I'm a terrible Mother for wanting one…I'll take it."

Elliot popped open the cooler and handed her one of the beers, "Not at all. Everyone's allowed to relax whenever they want. And you're not driving."

She smiled and whispered, "No. I'm not."

He wanted to say that he hoped he could drive her home tonight. For one, they could spend more time together. But more than that, he didn't like the idea of them taking the subway late at night. Even if she was a police officer, it didn't sit right with him.

He cleared his throat and smiled as he heard the boys laughing at something happening on the screen, "How long have they been friends?"

Olivia looked back at her son and Liam, "Their whole lives pretty much. They were in the same daycare…and his Mom and I got close. They've been inseparable ever since."

Elliot smiled, "That's nice…I'm sure it was good to have another Mother to lean on too." He blushed and whispered, "Not that you couldn't–I didn't mean to imply-"

"I know. And you didn't. And…" She smiled, "It was…I mean I had Alex. She's been my rock. But…it was good to have someone who'd done this before. Liam has two older siblings and she was a huge help."

Elliot nodded, "Alex and you are good friends."

"Best." She whispered, "We were college roommates…did everything together. And when I got pregnant before we graduated…" She sighed and rested her head against the seat, "She was about the only one who didn't turn her back on me. I wouldn't have survived without either of them. And Noah…loves his Auntie A more than anyone. She's his Godmother and one of the only people I'd really trust to look after him if anything…"

She fidgeted slightly and he smiled, "That's good. I'm glad you have someone."

What he didn't say is that he hoped that someday he could be someone she counted on, someone she trusted with her son and with her heart too. Olivia took a sip of her drink and asked, "What about you?"

Settling further into his seat he asked, "What about me?"

"Well I have Alex and Noah…who do you have?" She asked softly, "You have your Mom…"

"I have Mom…" He whispered, "And I have friends…" She just looked at him and he continued, "Close to the guys at the firehouse. Especially my best friend Ashton. He's been great since I started working there…he and his wife Gina are always welcoming. And they have two kids who I adore. They call me Uncle Elliot. Ashton's an only child and so am I. He's more like my brother really…"

"I'm an only child too." She said he just stared at her but smiled gently, "I'm glad you have him."

Elliot nodded slowly, "Always wanted more siblings growing up…someone to get into trouble with. Someone to drive my parents crazy with but…it just wasn't in the cards."

Olivia nodded and twisted the beer in her hands, "Same with my family. With…with my Mom I mean. I-" She grimaced and then answered, "It was just me and Mom…"

"Like you and Noah." He said but immediately saw how uncomfortable she was.

She took a deep breath and nodded, not wanting to say much more on the topic, "Yeah…like me and Noah."

But of course it was nothing like her relationship with her Mother. In fact it was the complete opposite. She knew that of all people, he would understand difficult relationships with a Mother. It was the reason for that difficult relationship that she hated to discuss. Especially when it led to questions about her Father.

He sensed that maybe he was losing her again and that was the last thing he wanted, "Hey Olivia?" In the darkness, he saw her look towards him shyly, "I'm really glad you asked me to come tonight."

The boys were shouting at the screen with everyone else during a wild scene and she smiled, "Well…you did have the truck."

He couldn't help but laugh, glad to have a little moment of normalcy between them, something that didn't cause worry or tension, "Right. The truck…and the dog."

She laughed and said, "Right…and the dog. Another plus." He was staring at the screen and she couldn't help herself before saying, "But for the record…" He looked at her hopefully and she said, "It's nice to have an adult to talk to…not just the kids."

"Well…seeing as we're working on this friend thing." He lifted his beer towards hers, "I'm here anytime you need to talk Benson…"

The neck of his bottle was pointed towards her and she lifted hers, tapping it with his, "Right back at ya Stabler."

They both took another sip of their drinks, thinking that this was in fact the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

They stayed a little after the movie, Elliot insisting on ice cream again, selfishly not ready to say goodnight. Once Olivia checked in with Liam's parents, it was agreed upon and they'd settled into their ice cream together. Afterwards, Oivia gathered up the boys and sighed, "Okay, we need to get to the subway and-"

"Why can't Elliot just take us home?" Noah asked, tugging on her hand, "He's gotta drive home anyway."

Olivia looked down at her son and wiped away some leftover chocolate on his face, "Noah honey-"

"I don't mind." Elliot whispered, she looked over at him, "I'd feel better about it than having you take the subway or a taxi this late…"

"I am a police officer." She said with a smile, "I think I can protect us."

He nodded slowly, "I have no doubt in that. But…I'm offering…so…"

She looked back at the truck, "Will we even all fit? Ember too?"

Elliot smiled and opened the door, "It's a four door truck Liv. Of course everyone will fit."

"See?" Noah asked excitedly, "Can't we just go with him?"

Olivia looked at her son, then at Liam who clearly wanted the same thing and finally to Elliot who looked as hopeful as they did, "Well you guys aren't playing fair…"

"Yes!" Noah yelled, running towards the truck, "Can Ember sit with us in the back?"

Elliot smiled and helped him and then Liam up into the truck, "Absolutely."

Olivia turned to him and sighed, "Outnumbered again…"

He nervously squeezed the car door frame, "Look Liv, if this is about not knowing me well enough..being nervous about me knowing where you live. I could even drop you off down the street…or something or-"

"No." She sighed, "I mean…yeah I…" She ran a hand through her hair, "I'm just…"

"Trying to protect your kid." She nodded slowly and he added, "And yourself." She nodded again and he took a step towards her, "And I respect that. So…if this is too much too soon…then I can say I got a call into work and-"

"No." She looked past him and saw the boys once again laughing with Ember, "No…it's sweet and it is safer than the subway or a taxi…more comfortable too."

"Well…in that case…" He stepped back and held his arm out towards the truck, "Your chariot awaits madame."

She couldn't help but laugh as she stepped towards him, climbing up into the truck. She felt his eyes on her and she smiled, settling into her seat. He walked around the truck, tapping the hood of it as the boys continued to laugh behind her and all she could think was that she could get used to this.

After dropping off Liam, Elliot headed towards Olivia's apartment, following her directions. Noah was half asleep in the back and Olivia reached back, shaking his leg slightly, "Hey buddy…we're almost home. Time to wake up."

Noah yawned and sat up straighter, "I'm awake."

She smiled and looked down at Ember whose head was resting on his knee, her own eyes closed, "Looks like you both had enough tonight."

Elliot pulled up in front of the building that Olivia had pointed out, "Well…looks like we're here."

She saw a strange look on his face, like he was sad to see her go and she couldn't deny she didn't want to say goodbye either. Slowly, she reached for the car door and opened it, hopping down before she opened the back door, "Come on sleepyhead…say goodnight and thank you to Elliot and Ember."

Noah stumbled forward, reaching for her and she quickly picked him up, "Thank you Elliot. Thank you Ember."

"Thanks for inviting us." Elliot said as Ember jumped up into the front seat beside him, "We had a great time."

Noah was already half asleep again, his head resting in the crook of her neck, "Thank you…for the ride. And…" She cleared her throat nervously, "The truck."

He laughed and nodded, "Sure. Anytime." She started to walk away and he called to her once more, "Hey Olivia?" From her spot on the sidewalk, she turned to look at him, "I'd ask to take you up…but I think I know better than that." He paused and rested his head on the back of the headrest, "But…for my own sanity…could you at least blink your lights when you get up there?"

She looked at him, squeezing Noah a little tighter, "You're just gonna sit out here all night until I do, aren't you?"

His hand gripped the steering wheel and he nodded, "Yup."

Knowing that Noah was fast asleep and couldn't hear her she whispered, "Stubborn son of a bitch…"

He laughed and watched her begin to walk away again. And so he sat in that very spot, Ember started to whine as they awaited. For a moment, he thought she wouldn't do it, just to prove a point that she didn't need him, that this was nothing important. But then, he saw it, a quick blink of her lights and he let out a sigh of relief.

Scratching Ember behind the ear he blinked his own lights back and then turned the wheel towards the road, "Come on girl…let's go home."

From upstairs, Olivia watched him go, Noah still sleeping in her arms. Then she turned to walk him towards his bedroom. As she lowered him down onto his bed he yawned again, "Mom?"

She reached for his shoes, pulling them off slowly, "Yeah kiddo?"

Noah sighed and rolled over, not even caring that he was still in his clothes, "I really like him…"

Olivia sighed and pushed herself off the bed, whispering softly so that he couldn't hear her, "Me too…"

Bending down, she kissed the top of his head and then pulled the blanket up and over him. Walking out of the bedroom, she rested against the door and knew she was in big, big trouble…and more than that she wondered when she'd have the excuse to see him again.