A/N: Thanks to Beth for her help
Elliot Stabler walked down the hospital corridor, glancing at the little boy who was holding tight to his hand and had tears dripping down his little face.
"Hey, let's talk for a second,okay?" Elliot asked, pulling the nine year old off to the side to sit in a chair. Elliot wrapped his arm around the young boy's shoulders.
"So,uncle Fin showed me the paperwork that your mom had done when she got you," Elliot began.
"What does it say?" asked Noah,sniffling.
"That you, Noah Porter Benson, are my responsibility, and that I will love and care for you till your momma wakes up," Elliot said quietly. He had been shocked when Fin had brought him the paperwork that Olivia had drawn up years before; the paperwork that said If Olivia was unable to care for the young boy, Elliot was to step in. This was exactly what he had done when a suspect had shot Olivia and landed her in a coma three days prior. That's how the two of them found themselves in the hospital room that was Olivia's. Elliot looked up from the files in his lap to watch Noah,who was playing quietly on his Switch. His gaze then landed on Olivia, who was on a ventilator. At first, he had been afraid Noah would be scared at the site before them. To be honest,though, the boy was dealing with it better than Elliot was. Elliot just hoped that they hadn't wasted their second chance.
Elliot was brought out of his thoughts when he felt the young boy's eyes on him.
"Hey Elliot?"
"Yeah little man?" Elliot responded.
"Since you're my guardian,are you basically my dad? I mean you've been living with us, and I know you love mom and you love me. I just really want a dad and I want that dad to be you!" Elliot set his files down and walked over to Noah. He nudged the little boy up and sat down before Noah climbed back in his lap. Part of Noah was embarrassed. He knew he was too old for this, but he really needed the comfort. That need outweighed any awkwardness the nine year old felt.
"I would love to be your dad more then you know, No. Before all this happened, your mom and I had actually talked, and for your birthday, I'm going to adopt you. Because I love you so much little man," Elliot said, kissing his forehead.
"So I would be a Stabler?" Noah asked, his blue eyes shining.
"Yes you would be," Elliot said. Elliot made a move to get up then, but Noah kept a hold on him.
"I don't want to get up,Dad!" protested the boy.
"Okay. We'll just sit here. Will you do me a favor and go get my files?" Elliot replied with a smirk, as Noah hopped up and got the files before climbing back onto his lap. A little bit later, there was movement by the door, and they both looked up to see Eli in the doorway.
"Hey Buddy!" Elliot said trying to keep his tone light as Eli stared at Olivia
"Hey. Carl dropped me off. I wanted to see her," Eli said quietly, nervously gesturing towards Olivia. Over the last 6 months, Olivia, Elliot, Eli,and Noah had built a family unit that was now fractured, with the heart of their family in a coma. Eli laid his bag down and walked over the bed and kissed Olivia on the head.
"Hi Mama Liv. It's E." Eli said, using the Italian name for mom, as he sat in the empty chair by Olivia's bedside.
"I got a A on my Spanish final, a B on my math final and I made the travel team for soccer," Eli continued, quietly filling the only mother he had left in on his life. He didn't notice Elliot watching from where he sat with Noah till he spoke the next thing.
"But I won't be taking it." Eli said
"Why not?" Elliot asked,sliding Noah onto the seat as he stood since Noah was absorbed in his video games.
Eli looked at his father incredulously. "Because, Dad, it's wearing you out to get Noah to dance and everything else, and it's only been three days! I'm not adding to your load."
"Son, you wouldn't be adding to the load. If your Mama Liv wasn't in a coma ,would you do it?" Elliot pressed.
"Yes, but Mama is in a coma, Dad," Eli pointed out.
"Regardless of what is going on with me or your Mama,you and your brother come first. That's something Liv and I agreed on long ago where you kids are concerned," Elliot told his son, firmly.
"You called him my brother," Eli observed with a small smirk.
Elliot nodded. "I guess I did. In my heart, that kid is your brother."
"I feel the same way," Eli admitted, "So much so, I signed him up for this with me. Dick is going to tag along and take videos and stuff. " Eli held out a flyer that read, 'Sibling Soccer Game.'
"E, he'll love this, and I love you for loving him so much." Elliot said, hugging the teen.
"And you will be doing the travel team!" Elliot added in Eli's ear, before giving him another quick squeeze.
That night, both the boys had been picked up by Kathleen, and Elliot was on his own, his hand intertwined with Olivia's. Alone at last, he finally allowed the tears to stream down his face.
"Liv, I need you to wake up. It's been going on 4 days, you've got a whole family who needs you. I need my Wonder Woman. I can't lose you," Elliot said, kissing her hand before leaning forward and kissing her forehead. He kept sitting there, crying, as his hand clung to the hand of his partner for life. A couple of hours later, Elliot had fallen asleep. He was suddenly awakened by movement under his hand.
"Liv?" He raised his head and met her confused brown eyes. Tears of relief stood in his own eyes
"E-Ellll?" Olivia rasped out. Elliot quickly helped her sip some water. When she was finished, he helped her lie back down and pushed the call button.
"You have no idea how glad I am to see those pretty brown eyes of yours," he choked,as they waited for a response. The nurse rushed in before Olivia could reply. She looked the woman over before calling for the doctor. Forty- five minutes later, Olivia was pronounced to be breathing normally on her own, and the ventilator was removed.
"El, what happened?" Olivia asked, after the doctor and nurse had gone. She coughed and took another drink of water,and her boyfriend leaned in and kissed her gently.
"A perp shot you, and it barely missed a major artery. The severity of your injuries caused you to slip into a coma for three very long days," he explained.
"How are the boys?" Olivia wanted to know.
"Doing great. Just missing their Momma," Elliot assured her.
An hour later, Elliot had climbed into bed with Olivia ,and was holding her close as they talked quietly. They were broken out of their conversation by the arrival of their sons.
"What are you two doing here so late?" Elliot asked.
"We needed to see you, Mamma!" Eli said as he and Noah made their way to the bed and wrapped Olivia in a tight hug. Elliot got out of their way as quickly as possible.
"We missed you momma." Noah said,his voice muffled by her hair.
"I missed all of you." Olivia said, kissing both boys on the head as she shared a look with Elliot.
"Mamma, we have an idea," Eli told Olivia, pulling something out of his pocket and handing it to his dad.
"Wait, where did you get this?" demanded Elliot.
"Your sock drawer. Dad, trust me. You really shouldn't wait another minute. we called the others, we all want this," Eli encouraged.
"What's the idea?" Olivia asked, confused.
"Marry dad!" Noah excitedly urged, bouncing up and down.
Elliot chuckled. "Well, I am pretty sure that is supposed to be my line, but how 'bout it, Liv? I truly love you more than I can express. Will you make me the happiest man on earth by agreeing to be my wife?"
Happy tears filled Olivia's eyes. "Yes, more than anything in the world, yes!" she exclaimed in almost a whisper as she kissed Elliot. Then, her now fiance removed the engagement ring from the box and slipped it onto the finger of the love of his life.