Prompt #51: Noah has a school project and Olivia is struggling to help, Stabler jumps in. He and Noah bond.

The Swan Lake Diorama

~oOo~

"What's going on, bud?" Elliot found Noah sitting in the breakroom at the 1-6. He peered into the squad room to find Olivia in the middle of an intense conversation with Fin and several other detectives. "You okay?"

"Mom's supposed to help me with this. But mom's not really good with…glue." Noah gestured toward the bag of craft supplies on the table. "We're supposed to make a diorama for my art class about what we love to do the most."

"Ah." Elliot had a flashback to another little boy making a diorama and the painful ending of it. The ending of any dreams he'd ever had about a life other than following Joseph Stabler's footsteps. He'd avoided making them with all five of his children. But he stared into those blue eyes that looked so much like his own. And he thought maybe this was a second chance. "Can I help?"

Noah hunched his head down. He held up the figure of a male ballerina. "I wanted to do a dance stage with swan lake. I love dancing."

Elliot rested his hand gently on Noah's shoulder. "I'm a dab hand with glue—not so much dance. But between the two of us? I think we can make it work. What do you say?"

"Mom says Bensons and Stablers have always been the best partners." Noah smiled up at him, suddenly all boyish enthusiasm and confidence. "Can you cut straight lines?"

"I can." Elliot bent his head down as if to share a secret. "How about I grab us some snacks? We have to boost our energy for our construction project."

"Yes." Noah nodded. He glanced over his shoulder towards the squad room. "Can we maybe order some pizza? Mom and I were supposed to get dinner."

"You're a good son, Noah." Elliot squeezed his shoulder, then grabbed his phone. "Let me order a few pizzas and let the desk sergeant know to send them up. You plan out where you want all your dancers so we can get to work."

It took an hour for the pizza to arrive. In that time, Elliot and Noah managed to get the walls of the diorama together. They've created red curtains framing the stage. He made sure to encourage Noah at every step.

Encourage.

Praise.

All of the things that Elliot wished he'd gotten when he'd built his own masterpiece.

"Noah? Sweetie? Did you—" Olivia paused when she noticed Elliot. She had a box of pizza in her hands. "Did you order pizza for everyone?"

"It was the pizza fairy. Nicer, less creepy than the tooth fairy." Elliot laughed when Noah broke into giggles beside him. "We're hungry boys. We've been working hard on the construction site."

"So I see." Olivia set the pizza down on an empty space at the table. She inspected their progress. "Why are there ghosts?"

"It's Halloween!" Noah leaned forward to point out all the details they'd created.

Olivia glanced over at Elliot. She had the brightest smile with a sheen of tears in her eyes. She mouthed 'thank you' at him while continuing to listen to Noah. "It's wonderful, sweet boy. Are you having fun with Elliot?"

"He's really awesome with glue."

"Putting that on my resume." Elliot went over to the vending machine to grab them a couple sodas. He wasn't surprised when Olivia followed him over. "Hey."

"Thank you."

"Don't. You know I'd do anything for him, Liv. Just because he's yours." Elliot would throw himself in front of a bullet for her and her son. "Anything."

"I uhm…I'm planning to take him to this fall festival tomorrow. We're going to grab breakfast at this fancy café nearby. A little treat for him." Olivia paused for a moment, then seemed to come to a decision. "Would you like to come with us?"

With us.

With us.

Elliot tried to tamp down on the joy that bubbled up inside of him. He'd been patient. He'd tried to be there for her every possible way that he could. But he'd almost given up hope of them ever being able to bridge the gap to more than 'friends for now.' "I'd love to. What time can I pick you guys up?"

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