Step one - Cleaning

They hadn't realized that the house had become so messy until they tried to clean it the next day. Elliot and Olivia had let it, particularly their room, accumulate junk like they were college roommates. After work, they tackled Lizzy and Davy's old room. Olivia went over the surfaces with a wet cloth, collecting the various accumulated cobwebs, while Elliot remade the beds. He hadn't had the heart to do them after the kids had last left. He also took stock of what was left in the room. After they had finished, he surveyed the room with an air of approval.

"Great job," he said to Olivia.

"Seems like we make a great team," she said, putting her arms around his neck. Their lips met, then parted.

"Hmmm. I agree. So wanna go play?" He said coyly, looking into her brown eyes. She turned her head and let go of him.

"Tempting as it is, I'd like to get a start on Kathleen's room tonight. It's still full of boxes from when I moved," she reminded him.

"It's late. We'll get to it tomorrow."

"It's okay. Go to bed. I'll try not to take to long." She kissed him on the cheek and headed for Kathleen's room.

*****

Olivia stepped into the room and sighed. There were seemingly endless boxes that they had moved into the room out of the mini-storage. She stooped down to the first box, labelled "Misc." On the very top, wrapped in newspaper, was a hand mirror. She stared at her reflection.

My name is Olivia Benson.

I am a child of rape.

I live in Queens.

I am a Detective in the SVU.

I am in love with Elliot Stabler.

She put the mirror down. She was in love with him, and that's why she'd have to do this right, to try to get along with his kids even though the thought of them coming scared her half to death.

Elliot lay in the darkened bedroom and willed himself to try to sleep. It didn't work. He could hear Olivia coming in and out, opening drawers. He shut his eyes and shifted positions again, trying to get comfortable.

Olivia got changed and slipped under the covers beside him.

"Move over, you're hogging the bed," she whispered. Now only half awake, Elliot rolled over on his side with his back to her. She snuggled up against his body with her arms around him.

"Mmmmm," he mumbled contentedly before falling into a deep sleep.

Step Two - Catching up at Work

In order to get the week off, Elliot had to try to make up for the work he'd be missing. They took separate cars to work so he could stay later. Olivia spent the day with Munch and Fin, working on the Rodriguez murders, while Elliot stayed behind.

He called her from the car on the way home.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hey. I'm on my way home. About twenty minutes away," he said.

"Thanks for the warning. I missed you today," she said. He could hear the smile in her voice.

"I missed you too. See you soon," he replied.

Step Three - Research

Elliot found Olivia in the kitchen when he got back, stirring a pot on the stove.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi. That smells good," he said, walking up behind her and encircling her waist with his arms, burying his face in her hair.

"Nice to see you too."

"I'm starving," he said. She turned around to face him. She dipped her index finger in the pot of spaghetti sauce, then held it up to his mouth. He licked it off. "Mmmm." Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him slowly, feeling his mouth open slightly at her gentle and persistent inquiry. Then she drew back, opening her eyes.

"Sit down and we can eat."

Over dinner, she began to probe his knowledge of his children.

"So what kinds of things do Lizzie and Davy like to do?" She asked. Elliot swallowed.

"What do you mean?"

"I think we should schedule some things with the kids. Some fun things."

"Okay," Elliot pondered while chewing.

"I mean, what are you going to do with them all day?"

"It's never been a problem before," he said.

"I don't know. Maybe you could go to the pool once, or something."

"Olivia, we'll figure it out."

"I know. I'd just feel better if there was a plan. . .What is Kathleen interested in?" The worry was apparent in her voice, and it caused Elliot to worry, too. Because he wasn't sure what his kids liked to do. He should've been, but he wasn't.

Step Four - Communication

That night, Kathy called. Olivia picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Can I speak to Elliot?" She asked bitterly.

"Sure," Olivia tried to sound cordial, but she also wanted to get a stab in. "Honey!" She called, "Someone's on the phone!" Kathy bristled.

"Hello?" Elliot picked up.

"Hi. Look, I just wanted to update you on the kids' travel plans. They're going to take the 6:00 flight out of here, which will put them at JFK at around 1:30 your time."

"Thank you."

"Oh. Try to remember Davy's allergies. They're acting up again. And Lizzie's been having a problem with telling the truth," she explained.

"What do you mean?" This was news to him.

"I got a call from her teacher who said that she's been compulsively lying."

"Thanks for letting me know. How's Kathleen?" Kathy lowered her voice.

"She's been a handful, Elliot. I think it's probably just a phase - rebelling against authority - but she might be depressed."

"Depressed? We're all depressed," Elliot said.

"Don't joke about this, okay?"

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Step Five - Shopping

"Two more days," said Olivia to Elliot after breakfast the next day. Excitement was beginning to override her anxiety.

"Do you have today off?" Elliot asked.

"Yeah, but I was thinking I'd go in this afternoon and take tomorrow afternoon off with you."

"That would be nice." He stood up and kissed her on the cheek. "I'd better be off. See you this afternoon. I'll tell the Captain."

"See ya......oh! Do you want me to do the shopping?" She asked.

"Sure. If you want. The list is on the fridge." Olivia followed Elliot to the door, and waved at him as he backed out of the driveway. He grinned back. After he was gone, she went to the store.

The thought crossed her mind that she didn't know what the kids would be eating. She had only ever cooked for herself, and later, Elliot. She was mystified as to what to get.

"Mommy! Wait up!" A small girl; six or seven years old, tore past her, following a woman pushing a shopping cart up the aisle. She was trailed by a preteen boy. Olivia decided to put her detective skills to use and shadow the woman. Kids couldn't eat that differently. By the time she was finished the errand, she felt triumphant.

Step Six - The Pep Talk/ TLC

On Saturday night, the groceries were long put away, the day's work was completed, and a general tension was settling on the house, or on Olivia, at least. Elliot could feel it across the table at dinner.

"Are you all right?" He asked.

"Were you ever nervous....about taking care of your kids?"

"Before Maureen was born, I was really nervous. I didn't know how to be a parent, but then I found out that, no matter how much you prepare, you can never really be ready. You learn how to parent as you go along. I had never been a father before, but I like to think Maureen turned out okay." He paused, looking at Olivia. "Liv, you'll be fine. They'll only be here for a week, and you'll be at work for most of it."

"I'm glad you have so much confidence in me," she said sarcastically.

"I didn't mean it like that."

"I know. It's just, it's normal to hate your dad's girlfriend, isn't it?" She said.

"How could anyone hate you?" He said, smiling at her, brushing it off. Because he didn't know the answer. He didn't want to know. Olivia stood up, clearing the dishes.

"I'll just try to stop thinking about it." Elliot came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, bending down to kiss her neck.

"You're really tense, Liv," he said at the feel of her muscles through her shirt. She turned slowly, standing dangerously close to him.

"So what do you think we should do about it?" She said mischeviously. Elliot grinned down at her.

"Well, why don't we go upstairs and I can take a closer look at you."

She led him by the hand to their room, then unbuttoned his shirt slowly, without urgency. He pressed her open hands against his chest briefly, before stepping away and turning to remove her own shirt, pulling it off over her head in one motion. She slipped her bra off and Elliot came around behind her, cupping her breasts in his hands and pressing his chest against her bare back. She closed her eyes as he rubbed her nipples, drinking in the smell of him and the feeling of him pressed against her. Lazily, he ran his hands down her firm stomach and to her waistline, undoing her pants and slipping them down her legs with her underwear. She stepped out of them and went to lie on her back on the bed, inviting him to continue. Elliot removed his pants and boxers as well, then ame to lie half-beside, half-on-top-of her. He brought his mouth down to meet hers, which was warm and ready. His hands explored every countour of her body, starting with her neck and working down, as if they had all the time in the world. She ran her hands along his back similarly, fitting them into the grooves of his muscles.

She gasped involuntarily into his mouth at the feeling of his erection against her leg, then she laughed lightly, and he laughed too.

For the first time, they relaxed into it. Elliot began to lick around her left nipple, tasting her skin. Olivia let out a moan crossed with a sigh.

The phone rang.

"Don't answer," Olivia said breathlessly. Elliot rolled off her and lay on his back, waiting for it to stop. It stopped after the fourth ring.

"Mmmm. Where were we?" Olivia asked in the regained silence. Then her cell phone rang from her coat in the corner.

"Oh no." Olivia got up and began pulling on clothes.

"Benson. Okay.....We'll be right there." Elliot closed his eyes, breathing off his arousal.

Step Seven - Pick up the Kids

Elliot sat at the table in the lunch room with Munch and Fin and Olivia. He drank down another cup of coffee and rubbed his eyes with his balled-up fists. Coupled with his fatigue was his sexual tension. He hadn't been able to think straight since they had got the call to a new crime scene the night before. He looked around the table, only half-hearing the conversation. His eyes fell on Olivia across from him. She was saying something to Munch, gesturing with her hands. Elliot registered this in a haze. He saw her glance at her watch, then talk again, this time to him.

"Elliot?" She repeated.

"Yeah?" He tried to look like he'd been listening.

"It's one o'clock. You'll have to go without me,"she said

"To what?"

"To get the kids. You'd better get going."

"Oh God!" He exclaimed, feeling suddenly overwhelmed. He stood up quickly, panicking.

"I'll see you when I get home. Nine at the latest, unless something comes up here," she said to his back. He waved an acknowledgement with the back of his hand.

"What's eating him?" Fin asked.

"He's as nervous as I am," she replied.