AN: Thank you so much for the comments. This story is definitely something new for me and very challenging to write. This chapter grew on me unexpectedly. I almost split it into two chapters. I hope you enjoy it as one.

SVU caught a case Tuesday morning. It was a young child that was taken, presumably alive, and Captain Benson ordered everyone on it right away. She took charge, doled out orders, and coordinated with local officers. She was in her element. Despite the fear that struck everyone, they were all highly driven to find this little boy

Olivia, on the other hand, was disappointed that she had to cancel her coffee date with Elliot. She knew she was being silly. Of course, her work took priority. She loved her job and she had felt that it was her purpose to protect these people.

And it was just coffee with Elliot.

There was no reason to be upset.

But she was.

She texts him. Not having the heart, or the time really, to listen to the disappointment that would filter through his voice. She takes a deep breath after she hits send and turns to face the squad room.

Elliot understands when she canceled their plans.

He also understands when she doesn't answer his call Tuesday night. And he understands again when she doesn't respond to his texts Wednesday. And, even though he was disappointed, he understands when she doesn't answer her phone that Wednesday night.

The squad finds the boy Thursday afternoon and reunites him with his parents while he gets checked over at the hospital. But Olivia had worked straight through, only catching a few hours of sleep in the cribs in the 48-hour hunt. She was exhausted.

She relieves Lucy around 7:45 p.m., and she struggles to keep her eyes open as she has a late dinner with Noah and listens to him talk about his last two days at school. She didn't care though. Olivia knows just how lucky she was to have Noah, safe, healthy, and happy in their home.

And after she tucks him into bed, she takes a hot shower, dresses in her coziest pajamas, and calls Elliot.

"Hey you," Elliot answers breathlessly, but excited to see her face grace his phone screen.

Olivia can't help the sigh that escaped her lips and the relaxation that flowed through her body. Just his voice smoothed her overworked soul.

"Are you okay?" she asks in concern at his panting.

"Yea…yes. My phone was in the other room. I had to sprint to pick it up." Elliot takes his usual spot on his bed, lying flat on his back, staring at the ceiling, his phone on speaker on his stomach.

"Sorry to make you work," she says, almost in a whisper. She is so tired that even talking in a full voice felt like an insurmountable effort.

"That's alright, I don't mind working for you," he says with an edge of flirtation.

Normally, his teasing tone would cause panic to rise in her stomach. But she is too fatigued to fight her feelings tonight. She lets those words wash over her body and settle in her mind. She knows they were true, and they felt so comforting. Elliot had been working for her and he was still working hard for her. And she wants to let him stop working, and just be with her. She is still afraid, but she can sense it in herself. She is so close to being ready.

He moves past her quiet, sensing that she wasn't upset with his banter, but too exhausted, and maybe still overwhelmed from her week, to respond. "Case over?"

"Yea, thankfully."

"I'm glad. I know how much this one took out of you. How much they all take out of you."

"Yea," she offers meekly. She didn't call because she wanted to talk, she just wanted him. And if she hadn't wanted her own bed so badly, she would have driven out to see him and let him wrap his big, strong arms around her.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Do you want to go to bed?" He doesn't want to hang up. He was so happy to hear her ringtone tonight. He'd missed her the last few days.

"I'm in bed."

"Oh yea?" He asks coyly, trying to make her laugh.

"Oh yea, laying under a weighted blanket in a faded shirt 3 sizes too big and holy sweatpants."

"Now you're trying to woo me," she can hear the slap of a hand on his chest, "You know holy sweatpants turn me on."

She laughs, a really belly laugh. And it feels good. She hasn't had much cause to laugh in the past two days.

Joyed by the fact that he could make her smile tonight, and knowing that she really just needs to rest, he asks "Do you want me to let you go?"

"No," she answers quickly. She wasn't ready to hang up.

"What do you want?"

She bites her lip, thinking. She wants him. If she was honest with herself, with him, she'd just say that she wants him to come over and hold her, so she could sleep soundly. But he's at home, she at home, and Noah is down the hall. So, his voice is her next best option. "Can you...can you just talk to me? I just…just talk to me. Tell me about your last couple of days."

"You got it."

Elliot spends the next 45 minutes talking to her about his week; about his work, his mom's newest painting, Eli's fast fading summer, his grandsons starting flag football. He just talks and talks. He flows from one story to the next, giving the best bits and punchlines, without needing any feedback or input from her, knowing that she didn't have the energy.

He keeps talking until he hears a soft snore filter through the phone line.

"Liv?"

No response.

"Liv?" He asks again just a little louder.

Still no response.

"Liv…baby…you need to hang up."

"Hmmmm?" she hums, caught in the warm spot between sleep and wakefulness.

"Liv, it's time to hang up. Go to bed," he tells her softly.

"Yea…sorry El, I musta fell 'sleep," she garbles through a yawn.

"You snored," he teases gently.

"Nuh uh…don't snore," she argued through another yawn.

"Hang up and go to sleep, Liv."

"M'kay."

"Sweet dreams."

He barely hears her soft, "'night," before the line disconnects.

The next morning, walking into the precinct, Olivia's phone buzzed.

E: Coffee?

E: Tomorrow?

E: My place?

O: What time?

E: 1:30?

E: Bring Noah

O: Twins will be there

Olivia thinks for a few minutes before she responds. She knows that needs to lean into what she wants. She misses him. Hoping that Elliot's already cleared her and Noah's presence, she texts him back, taking what she wants.

O: We will see you then.

Noah and Olivia show up to Elliot's place the next day at 1:35 with cookies. And in no time, the boys were off playing.

After COVID, Noah relished nearly every in-person play date. So, he had no problem playing with the same toys or the same video games as the twins, even with the small age gap.

With the boys laughing in the living room, Elliot and Olivia decide to spend their time on the patio. She takes a seat on the small couch and he joins her with glasses of iced tea.

"Don't," he says when he sees her point at the glasses and open her mouth to protest, "I know I said coffee, but I think ice tea sounded better. If you really want, I'll fix you coffee."

She grins at his premature argument. "Ice tea is fine, El."

He smiles and hands her a glass before sitting next to her, so close that their thighs brush.

He takes the next 15 or so minutes to walk her through the various plants that his mother hand planted since she moved in.

And when he settles back into the couch, done turning and pointing, he quietly and without flourish, reaches for her hand that's resting on her leg. He lays his hand over hers and meets her eyes with an almost shy smile and asks, "Is this okay?"

"Yes. We are 'hand holding friends,' remember?" she answers cheekily as she flips over her hand so their palms touch and their fingers interlace.

He chuckles, "My bad, how could I forget?"

He spends the afternoon repeating much of the same stuff he told her on the phone the other night, realizing that she'd probably slept through most of it. And if she doesn't, she doesn't let him know. Occasionally he drops her hand to demonstrate some part of a story, only to reach for it again immediately. And then when he returns from checking in on the boys and with iced tea refills, he sits back down, even closer if possible, and grabs her hand without asking.

It was silly, they both knew it. But there was something so sweet and exciting about holding hands. It felt elementary, and yet, so exhilarating. In the back of their minds they knew why. Because no matter how close they'd ever been before, even the most limited physical contact had been forbidden. Olivia could count the number of times they'd even hugged in their 12-year partnership. The number fits on one hand.

Maureen arrives around 5:00 p.m. to pick up Seamus and Kieran, and on her way out the door, she invites Olivia and Noah to the twin's first flag football game of the season. Olivia is taken aback, and stumbles through a non-committal answer, but Noah is so excited at the chance of seeing the boys again, he was practically jumping and down at his mother's side.

Elliot's house is infinitely quieter once the youngest kids leave and awkwardness starts to sweep in. Olivia and Noah are already standing by the door, having said good-bye to Maureen and the boys. Not ready for them to leave, Elliot invites her and Noah to stay for dinner, but Olivia turns it down. Their little bubble from this afternoon had burst and she was anxious at the thought of sitting down to eat dinner with Bernie and Eli, in their own home.

He smiles at her, but she can read the disappointment and feeling of rejection on his face as he walks her and Noah to her car. Noah bounds ahead of them and Elliot takes the opportunity to link their hands once more and takes slow steps through the yard, trying to savor that last few minutes before they leave.

Olivia is watching Noah, but Elliot is watching her. His eyes rake over her body, and settle on her face, trying to get a read on her, but he's distracted by her beauty, as always.

When they reach the car, he turns to face her and grabs her free hand, asking "So, do you think you can make it next weekend?"

She tries to meet his eyes but not wanting to see disappointment in his eyes again, she focuses on their interlocked hands instead. "It will depend on what this week looks like, you know that."

He squeezes her hands reassuringly. "Yea, I do. But for what it's worth," he ducks his head down to force eye contact, "I hope you and Noah can make it."

She smiles at him. Full and bright. And before he can stop himself, before he can think about what he's going to ask, before he can talk himself out of it, he blurts out, "Can I kiss you?"

Olivia freezes, eyes wide, then quickly she looks to the backseat to see Noah watching them.

Elliot scolds himself. He knows he went too far. She wouldn't kiss him in front of Noah. She wouldn't kiss him right now anyway. They were literally being giddy and shy over just holding-hands like pre-teens. And hell, he still hasn't even asked her out on a real date yet.

She swallows as she looks back at him. She can see the instant regret and fear flashing through his eyes. She knows that he's been wanting to push them farther and that he's moving at her pace. And although she's not ready to kiss him right now, well at least not with Noah three feet away, she wants to keep moving the ball forward.

"Um…I think–"

"You don't have to answer that Liv. I'm so sorry I asked," he urges, unwittingly bringing their hands up to his chest as if he's pleading with her.

His movements gently pull her closer. The heat of him, the summery, musky scent of him invades her nostrils. She wants to be even closer.

Her eyes lock on his lips and she wonders if they feel as soft as they look.

She has to look away, unable to look at him when she counters his offer or she will give in. "How about kiss good-bye on the cheek?"

He grins, thankful that she's given him this out, and whispers, "I'd like to be that kind of friends," as he leans.

Without her permission, her eyelids flutter when his lips, soft and tender, touch her cheek. He holds for a second and then pulls away.

She takes a second to open her eyes and flattens her hands over his chest. She can feel his heart beating excitedly in his chest.

"Let me know about the game," Elliot whispers when he sees her eyes open.

Olivia smiles shyly at him as takes her seat, telling him "I'll talk to you soon," before she shuts the door.

Elliot takes a step back and watches her drive off, his heart still pounding.

Olivia texts him as soon as she gets home:

O: Send me the info about the game

O: I'll make Fin cover

O: He owes me one

"Why do we have to go?" Noah whined at the kitchen entrance as Olivia poured tea into a travel mug and water into a bottle for Noah. They had to be out the door in five minutes if they hoped to make it by kick off.

Noah wasn't usually this difficult. He was generally kind and selfless and very easy to parent, but even the best-behaved children are still children. And today, he was dead set on staying home and practicing.

Noah started a new, advanced dance program this week. They had their first recital next month and Noah was given a solo that was more difficult than he'd ever received last year. He had spent every night the last week that he wasn't at his official dance practice, practicing in his room. Olivia was already tired of the damn song.

"Noah, I know you would like to work on your routine, but I told Elliot and you told Seamus and Kieran that we would go to their first game. We are going to go."

"But–" he starts to argue.

"No buts, Noah. Go put on your shoes and meet me by the front door."

He stomps a little as he made his way down the hall. Olivia thinks she hears his door slam. She is tempted to go address his attitude, but she decides against it. They were almost running behind.

Noah and Olivia arrive at the small field thirty minutes later, Noah still huffing and puffing his disagreement with the morning's activities as they join Elliot and Eli on the metal bleachers. Olivia addressed his attitude on the ride over, but the near pre-teen was determined to not have a good day.

Elliot was sitting a little way into the bleachers with Eli on the row in front of him. Olivia, having come around the far side, scooted across the row and settled next to Elliot while Noah took the spot next to Eli.

Elliot smiles when Olivia slid into the spot next to him. He leans over and a fleeting peck on her cheek, hoping that their agreement to add cheek kisses to their friendship included "hello" cheek kisses, as well as "good-bye" ones.

The edge of her lips curl into a smile and he feels her cheek warm under his lips. Yes, it definitely extended to hello.

He notices Noah's demeanor when he pulls back. "Is everything alright?" He asks in a whisper with a slight nod to the boys.

"Everything is fine. He didn't want to come," she answers, her eyebrows furrowing, before she scanned the field for the twins. She sees Maureen and Carl on the sidelines, but Seamus and Kieran are lost in the huddle of at least 20 young boys getting red or blue flags tied around their waists.

"He didn't want to come?" Elliot asks, confused because the last time he saw Noah, the boy was excited about coming to the game and seeing his new friends.

"It's nothing," she assures him, sensing his fear. She knew that Elliot really wanted to get to know Noah and was desperate to have the young boy like him. "He just wanted to practice his new dance routine. He's a little stressed by his new class. I think he wants to impress the older kids that were in the class last year."

"You could have stayed home, if he needed to practice."

"He doesn't need to practice today. He has almost a month. There is plenty of time. Plus," she adds, looking down at his hand resting on his thigh, "we both promised to come, and we want to be here."

Elliot's eyes follow hers to his leg. "I'm glad you came."

Stealing herself with a quick, but deep breath, she reaches out and covers his hand with hers. "Me too."

He doesn't say anything, but bites the inside of his cheek, flips his hand and threads his fingers through hers, just as she'd done last week.

The game starts a few minutes later. It's entertaining, she thinks, watching a group of six and seven-year-old children trying to run plays and handle a ball that, even at a junior's size, is still much too big for their hands.

Kathleen joins them about five minutes into the game, "Sorry, sorry, I'm late, traffic," she urges, but as Elliot and Olivia slide farther into the bleachers to give her space to sit on Elliot's other side they notice the fresh-looking iced coffee in her hands and know what she really means by "traffic."

By half-time, the novelty of watching small children try to figure out the sport has worn off for both Olivia and Elliot.

"So, Marie - you remember, Rich's girlfriend?" Elliot asks, turning to face Olivia.

"Yea, I remember."

"Her baby shower is next month."

Shocked by this news, Olivia shouts "Baby shower!" before slightly scolding Elliot a little quieter, "You didn't tell me that they were expecting."

Elliot shrugs, "I thought I did."

"No, just that he had a serious girlfriend, going on two years."

"Oh…well, I had lunch with Rich this week and he told me that she was pregnant."

Elliot can see the cogs turning in Olivia's head as she implores, "He just told you?"

"Yea, just a couple days ago."

"And the baby shower is already planned?"

Figuring out what Olivia was getting at, he just tells her. "She's already three and half months along. They didn't want to tell anyone for a while."

Mildly surprised at Elliot's lack of overwhelming enthusiasm about learning of a new grandchild, Olivia presses with a gentle poke of her elbow, "And how do you feel about that gramps?"

"Um, well, he's almost thirty and they're serious, so I guess it's a good thing," he shrugs again.

"But you wish they were married," she adds. It's a statement, not a question. Elliot has come a long way in the years that they'd known each other. He is much less rigid and learned to go with the flow as much as he could. And for the most part, he accepts that his children were adults and could lead their own lives without interference from him and didn't always share his faith. And although he believes children were a blessing from God, in the recesses of his mind is the trauma from being a teen parent and raising unplanned (though, very much loved) children.

"Yea…I mean, is that so bad? To want your kids to be married before they have kids?"

"Chill dad, Rich is gonna propose at Halloween. Something about a jack-o-lantern and something else terribly corny," Kathleen interrupts, annoyed by her dad's traditional views. Her eyes land on the pair's interlocked hands for the first time all game. They were now resting on Olivia's thigh.

"Halloween?" Elliot asks, trying to keep the disgust from showing on his face.

"It's her favorite holiday," Kathleen informs him with a tone that dares Elliot to push back any more.

"Sounds like my kind of girl," Olivia says, interrupting the two before Elliot puts his foot in his mouth.

Elliot just grunts at them and looks back out on the field.

"And besides dad, marriage isn't necessary for them really. You know they live together."

"I know," he admits exasperatedly.

"Geeze, I thought you'd worked past some of this old-fashioned nonsense. I mean, it's not like you can talk. You knocked up mom at sixteen. And then again a few more times."

"Kathleen!"

Both Noah and Eli turn their heads back and Elliot's outburst. Olivia tries to hide her chuckles behind her free hand.

"What?" Kathleen asks, knowing exactly what, but loving to give her dad a good ribbing, "We all know all but one of us was an accident."

"The twins were not a welcomed surprise," he rephrases.

"One of them was," Kathleen counters. "You and mom only managed to plan one child and yet, you two procreated five times."

Olivia wasn't bothered by the mention of Elliot's marriage or lack of family planning abilities. She could tell that Kathleen was just trying to get a rise out of Elliot for fun. But she could feel the frustration building in Elliot, the tension in his hand forcing him to tighten his fingers around hers. She just squeezed his fingers back and then rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand.

"Could you be any cruder?" Elliot grits out, his jaw tightening with the rest of his body.

"Yup, sure can," Kathleen answers with a wicked grin that tells Olivia that this conversation has definitely gone off the rails, "I mean, as a grown man how did you not know to wrap it before you…"

Olivia slaps a hand over her mouth to prevent her from laughing out loud.

"Kathleen! This is a family event," Elliot tries again to hush her as head whips back and forth around to see if any of the other families have picked up on the conversation. But most of the parents had gotten up from the bleachers to check on their kids or hit the concession stand.

Noah looks at his mom confused at the banter between Elliot and Kathleen and her efforts to conceal a smile.

Uncovering her mouth, Olivia pulls her hand free of Elliot's, letting his rest directly on her tight, and digs through her purse. "Here, why don't you and Eli hit the concession stand over there," she says, holding out a $20 and pointing at the small, white brick building at the end of the field.

The last half hour must have worn down the boy because he grabbed the cash and happily hopped off the bleachers. Olivia sets her purse back down and slides her hand back under Elliot's.

Officially ignoring Kathleen now, Elliot turns back to Olivia, "Anyway, as I was saying. The baby shower is next month. Would you like to shop for a gift together?"

Olivia eyes him for a moment. She doesn't think he realizes what he's really asking of her. She's certain that in his mind, he's just getting someone else to help him pick out a gift because he hates shopping. And it's not like she hasn't bought anniversary gifts, birthday gifts, or Christmas gifts on his behalf before. What is a baby shower gift? But all those times were just friends. And now, they were just friends. And he just asked her to give a joint gift to Richard for Elliot's newest grandchild. This not only requires shopping together but wrapping it in cute little baby-themed paper with a bow together, and signing it with both their names, from Dad and Olivia.

Kathleen overhears the conversation and meets Olivia's eyes, seeing the uncertainty in them.

"Uh, let me think about it."

Confused about what there could possibly be to think about, so he offers a baffled, "Sure."

"Yea, I'll let you know," Olivia agrees then points to the concession stand, "I'm going to see what's taking the boys so long. Need anything?"

"No, I'm good."

Olivia steps down from the bleachers and heads towards the concession stand.

Waiting until Olivia is out of earshot Kathleen asks, "So are you guys dating now?"

"No, we are just friends," Elliot answers, his eyes on Olivia's back, watching her all the way to the concession stand.

She eyes him incredulously, keeping her face still until her father turns to look at her.

"What?" He asks at the look on Kathleen's face.

"Friends who go to children's ball games for each other? Friends who hold hands? Friends who have coffee-dates – yes, I know about those," she adds at her dad's shocked face, "Friends who go halfsies on a gift for your grandchild."

"Yes, exactly that kind of friends."

"You're an idiot," Kathleen says simply before sucking up the last bit of her drink through a straw, making an obnoxious sound.

Elliot shakes his head and looks back out over the field, seeing Kieran and Seamus squirting water into each other's mouths through their helmets and laughing when they hit a bar and it sprayed water over the other's face. "You know what? I've had enough of your nonsense this morning."

Kathleen sighs, knowing that she needs to be serious for a moment for him to understand what he just asked of Olivia. "Dad. Think. About. It."

"About what?"

"How are you going to sign the card on that joint gift? The singular gift tag on the single gift?"

He thinks about it for a moment, and realizes she might be onto something, not that he will admit it at this moment, still annoyed with her earlier taunting. "Cut it out Kathleen, we are just friends."

"For now," she mumbles under her breath but turns her attention back to the game to see Seamus running around the ball and Kieran attempting to kick a ball from the tee.

"From your mouth to god's ears," he mutters equally low watching the kids line back up to take the field.

"Did Noah enjoy the game?" Elliot asks that night on the phone. He's lying in his bed like usual, with his phone resting on his bare belly.

"Yea, he was fine 15 minutes in and really enjoyed getting brunch with everyone. He likes spending time with the twins." She tells him, recalling how Noah chatted the entire way home about the game and begging to see Kieran and Seamus again soon.

"They really like him too. When is his recital?"

"Uh, hold on," Olivia flips over to her calendar app, but has to snag her glasses before she can scroll through the days, "Four weeks from yesterday."

"I'll add it to my calendar. I think the boys want to come too."

"El, they don't–"

"They want to, Liv," he assures her, cutting her off. "Plus, if Noah can sit through pee wee flag football game at 9 in the morning, Seamus and Kieran can watch Noah's dance recital."

"He will be excited when I tell him."

After a few seconds, their conversation finding a comfortable break, Elliot starts tentatively, "So, uh, Liv, about the baby shower."

"Yea?"

"Did I make you uncomfortable…asking to get a joint gift?"

"Well…" Olivia's not sure how to tell him. She's not sure if they are there yet; if they are ready to go to this baby shower together, let alone taking a joint gift to that baby shower.

"I thought about it later and realized that it might not be appropriate: friends buying a joint baby shower gift."

"You are probably right El. I mean, it would send the wrong message to your family."

"And what message would that be?"

"Well, that we…that we are together."

He's quiet. He knows she's right. They aren't together. And he's the only one to blame.

"El?"

"No, you're right. We aren't together." His tone is hurt and clipped.

"El–"

"No, Liv. You're right. We aren't together…and it's…I mean..." he trails off, flustered and frustrated.

She lets him take a breath, gather his thoughts. She thinks about trying again, but he speaks again before she can.

"Liv?" Elliot asks calmly, but timidly.

"Yea?"

"Can we be the kind of friends that go out to dinner this Friday?"

Olivia covers her mouth with her hand to hide her gasp. She knew it was coming. She knew that they were working towards this. She knew he wanted this. She has wanted him to ask her out. But she didn't expect it tonight and nothing could have actually prepared her for him actually doing it.

Knowing that she can't let him have it this easily, she answers, "Maybe."

His entire body tenses, he's perplexed and terrified that he's jumped the gun again. "Maybe?"

"This friend still has to secure a sitter before she can commit to weekend plans."

"Oh," he exhales as relief courses through him. He rubs his hand over his face, pulling away the sweat he didn't know collected on his brow. "Yea, of course…um, you'll let me know?"

"I'll let you know."

There was nothing more to be said after that. They were too busy trying to fight the giddy smiles spreading across their faces.

"Good night, El."

"Sweet dreams, Liv."