A/N: Thank you guys so much! This has been such a wonderful experience, especially writing with two characters I love. As always- I do not own these characters. Remember to check out my one shot- I'm Here Tonight. I'm working on a follow up to that. On to the story!
Olivia POV
Elliot let us into his apartment. He took my coat, and I took a seat on his couch. I took out my phone to text Lucy. "Do you want something to drink?" Elliot called from the kitchen. "Sure." I was checking in on Noah. Elliot comes back a moment later and sets a beer on the coffee table in front of me, and takes a seat himself. I set my phone down, and pick up the beer, and take a swig. "What's Noah into tonight?" Elliot's voice interrupts my inner thoughts. I laugh, "He should be in bed, seeing how it's after 10pm on a school night. I'm waiting on Lucy's reply." As if on time, my phone dinged. I read the message, and replied to it. "And he is." I text Lucy, and let her know I'll be home in a couple of hours. "Motherhood suits you, Liv. I always knew..." I looked up at him, and he didn't finish, but I knew. I put my phone away, and I turn toward him. "Noah has been a true blessing to me. I'm honored to be his mother." I took a breath, when Elliot spoke up.
"I want to apologize to you Liv. In the manner I left, missing so much of your life. I know and understand why you've been keeping me at a distance. And I want you to know that it's ok." I looked into his blue eyes, crystal clear and full of emotion. I knew he meant every word, and I knew how much more he probably wanted to say. I have never known a person like I know him. It's a connection that words can't encompass, just knowing a person like you know yourself. I could look into those eyes forever. He takes my hand. "Liv, I wanna know, where's Noah's father?" I wasn't ready to have this conversation yet. But I told him anyway, because, in this moment, I wasn't in a position to deny him anything. "He's dead." Elliot took my hands and gave me his apologies. I shook my head and faced him. "Don't look so down, I'm glad he's gone. Let me tell you how I found Noah." His head jerked up and he gave me a quizzical look. "Found him?" A smile broke out across my face at his reaction, and the range of emotions that played across his face. Surprise, inquiring, then realization and acknowledgment. Then he smiled back at me, almost with a proud sense of... was that relief? "Yes, Elliot. Found him. We were working this sex trafficking case. And there was this girl named Ellie."
Elliot POV
As I watched her recount her story of her son, I found myself even more amazed by this woman. I didn't even think that was possible. I've always admired and respected her, and have held her in the highest possible pedestal in my mind. Seeing the emotion, the passion in her eyes and manner of talking when she's telling her story, saving her son from child pornographers, the trial of the birth mother, and the death, the judge that saw in Olivia what I always knew... Olivia stops for a moment. "That's amazing, Liv." I feel overjoyed for her, because I know how much being a mother meant to her. And I feel some sort of sense of relief. Huh.
Olivia POV
"When we picked up Johnny D, and he got put in the system, that's when I found out that he was Noah's biological father. He ended up finding out, and tried to use it as a defense. It didn't work, and when he figured out that it wasn't, he snuck a gun into the courtroom, and started firing. Shot the judge and others, ultimately got shot and killed himself." I take another swig of the beer and continue. " Not long after, I fully adopted Noah, and it was the happiest day of my life. Granted, there were hard times, and the cases- especially with children, hit home hard. It was one of the many times I wished you were here. But slowly, I just put it to bed, and resigned myself into accepting that I'd probably never see you again. You were just gone." Took another swig, and I avoided his gaze, looking down at the bottle in my hands. I could feel his eyes looking at me, looking at my soul. "Shortly before I adopted Noah, I took my Sergeant's exam, and my relationship with Cassidy fell apart. He got work with IAB- long story short. And we grew apart. So, I was alone for a while." I looked back up at Elliot, he had that crooked smile going. "So, is this when the ra- Tucker thing happened?" I nodded. "That's when Tucker happened."
A/N: the next update will have the Tucker story. I promise. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please read and review!