Prompt #37: Olivia is called in for a case on Halloween and Elliot offers to take Noah trick-or-treating along with his grandkids. The two get to know each other better.

Trick or Treat (Partner Edition)

~oOo~

"Something wrong?" Elliot arrived at the 1-6, expecting to pick up Olivia and Noah. They were going trick or treating with his grandsons. He frowned when he found her cursing in frustration. "Liv?"

"We caught a case. McGrath's insisting that I'm on the scene." Olivia rubbed her thumb across her eyebrow. "How am I going to tell Noah? Hell. I haven't even been able to pick up his costume. Lucy's going to bring him here in a minute. I feel like such a failure. It's going to break his heart."

"You're a good mom, Liv. As good as I always knew you were going to be." Elliot moved around her desk and pulled her up into a hug. "How about I take Noah with the twins and me? I can bring him back here or to your place when we're finished."

"He doesn't have a costume."

Elliot had a flash of inspiration while staring down at a photo of the two of them in uniform. "You have your old badge?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I have an idea." Elliot took it when she pulled it out of one of the drawers in her desk. "Don't worry, Liv. I'll make sure he has a good time."

And they did. Noah led his grandsons up to each of the doors. Elliot saw so much of Olivia in him. His courage. His heart. It made his heart ache, thinking about how much time he'd lost.

After dropping the twins back at Maureen's, Elliot took Noah out for a late-night pizza and soda. He couldn't get over the young boy in front of him. He was everything good in the world.

And Olivia had done that. She'd taken in a little boy that the world would've destroyed and given him all the love she had. Something she'd never received as a child.

"Think Mom will like my costume?"

"She's going to love it." Elliot grinned. "Just…maybe don't mention the extra large slice of pizza?"

"We could take mom a slice."

"How about we get a whole pizza? I'm sure they're starving." Elliot ordered several large pizzas. He had Noah carry the sodas. "And no matter what your Uncle Fin tells you, the candy is all yours. He doesn't get a tax."

"He tried that last year," Noah grumbled. He grinned impishly up at Elliot. "I gave him all the ones I hate."

"Smart boy. You're definitely your mom's son." Elliot led him back to his vehicle. "Let's go do one last visit."

They made their way into the precinct. Elliot set all but one of the boxes on a desk in the middle of the squad room. He motioned for Noah to head into his mom's office.

Olivia glanced up from the report on her desk. "Wha—"

Elliot followed Noah into her office. "Detectives Stabler and Benson reporting for duty. We brought snacks."

Olivia covered her mouth with her hand. Elliot could see her desperately blinking back tears at the sight of her son in a police uniform with her badge attached. Elliot had pulled out his own uniform to match. "You're a little late, Detectives."

"El says Bensons and Stablers were meant to be together. Partners for life." Noah set the coffee that they'd gotten for her on her desk. "Right?"

"Right, bud. Partners for life. For better or worse." Elliot kept his gaze on Olivia while his hand rested on Noah's shoulder. "What do you say, Captain? You have time for some pizza?"

"For my two best detectives? All the time in the world."

Note: The author of this SVU: Fall in Love story will be revealed in November