A/N: Set post Watching You (which is still being updated!)
"What color do you want to be?"
Elliot was sitting at the kitchen table with Nate and Ellie in his lap, scrolling through the color options for their stick-figure Halloween costume.
"Wah No bein?" He asked, looking up to his dad.
"Noah wants to be green."
"Me too," Nate nodded, and El laughed. "No, you gotta pick your own color."
He sighed looking intently through the colors before nodding. "Wed," he pointed.
"Good job buddy," El said proudly, kissing the top of his head.
"Mama?"
"Mama was gonna do white and I'll be blue."
"Eyi?"
"He said you could pick."
"Hmmmmm," Nate pondered, looking through before pointing. "Dis one."
"That's orange. Can you say orange?"
"Awange."
"Nice job, buddy," El smiled proudly. "My smart man."
"Yep," he nodded smiling. "Eyyi be pink?"
"Of course," he laughed, adding the final costume to the cart.
"Dada!" He exclaimed with a gasp. "Bee!!"
"Oh shoot. You're right, we gotta order Bee's. What color should she be?"
"Uhhhhh," Nate said, leaning forward to look again. "Uh dis one," he pointed.
"Purple?"
"Uh huh. Puwple."
"Good catch, buddy."
"Wah dat mean?"
El laughed. "Means like you remembered something we could have forgot."
"Tanks dadee," Nate nodded.
Both of the little one's heads turned towards the door when Noah and Liv came in. "Hi mama, Hi No," he said sweetly.
"Heeey buddy," Noah sang, bouncing over to them and kissing all of their cheeks.
"How was school?" El asked, pulling him into his side and kissing his head a few times.
"Pretty good!" He nodded. "You getting our costumes?"
"Yes sir, still want green?"
"Yup," he nodded. "What's Eli being?"
"Orange, and Nate's gonna be red."
"Awe man, why can't we be all the same color?"
Nate sighed deeply and looked back at El. "Soot, dadee, towd yew."
From the island, Liv let out a loud laugh and turned back to Elliot, brows raised to her hair line.
Noah was cackling and Nate looked between all three of them with a frown. "Wah guysh?"
"Daddy is saying things around you he shouldn't be," Liv chuckled, walking over to pick him up and kiss his face.
"Shoots not bad!" El defended, passing Ellie over to Noah for a cuddle so he could stand up to kiss his wife.
"Just make sure that's all you're saying," she winked.
"Yes, Chief," he nodded, leaning in to peck her lips a few times.
"Order our boys the same color and get Katie one, too, she's gonna come trick or treating with us."
"Oh, dood tatch, mama," Nate nodded seriously, sending everyone into a fit of laughter.
"Okay mini-me," El said when the laughter died and he could breath again. "Go pick out some Jammies for you and Ellie while I order these. Then it's bath time for the both of you! Noah, shower please."
"'Kay dad," Noah nodded, passing Ellie to Liv when Nate slid out of her arms and ran off.
"Actual pajamas," El called as a reminder. "Not sweats!"
A small groan came from the boys bedroom, and Nate reappeared in the hallway.
"Dadeeeeee," he said with a big pout.
"When you turn four we'll talk about sweats."
Tossing his head back dramatically, he sighed and walked back to his room as Liv laughed and laid her head against Elliot's chest.
"That boy... wants to do everything me and his brothers do!"
"Wait till he finds out you only wear underwear to bed."
The following morning, Saturday, Liv woke up in the warmth of Elliot's arms.
There was some soft clattering in the kitchen, followed by quiet giggling and Ellie's squealing belly laugh.
"Eli's home," Elliot whispered into her cheek.
She heard the smile in his voice and felt it on his face when he spoke.
"I missed him," she hummed softly. "Missed them."
"Me too," he yawned before burying his face in her hair. "I hope they make us breakfast in bed. And coffee. So much coffee."
"Mmmmhm," she drawled, turning in his arms and snuggling into his chest. "What time he get in?"
"Like 3… you were out cold."
"Well my husbands newly invigorated libido helps me sleep."
"Retirement has loosened me up."
She rolled her head up to him slowly, shooting him a sleepy but rested smile.
"I fuckin' love it."
"And I fucking love that our son is so great and is watching our babies tonight so that we can do all your Halloween parties and have a night to ourselves."
"He's a champ for sure. I don't know how you and Kathy did this without a built in babysitter."
Elliot laughed. "Barely survived and not taking a minute of this time for granted."
She leaned up to kiss him, it almost immediately getting hot and heavy only to be interrupted by a soft knock.
Laughing softly, she snuggled back into his chest while he called for the kids to come in.
"Hi baby," Liv said with a big grin, sitting up on her arms.
"Hey momma," Eli smiled, setting Ellie between them before plopping down next to her and wrapping an arm around her.
"I missed you, baby boy," she smiled, snuggling into him while Elliot lifted their baby girl to his chest and Noah helped Nate on the bed.
The younger boys were beaming; watching their big brother with admiration in their eyes, desperate for uninterrupted time with their best friend.
"Come here," he laughed, holding his arms open and smiling when Noah jumped on one side and Nate crawled in his lap.
"Momma with her boys and daddy with his girl. I see, I see," El teased, looking down to Ellie who was just grinning and giggling at him.
"Dadee, mama. Eyi an No made bekfas."
"It smells amazing," Liv smiled, kissing his cheek.
"You should bring the breakfast in here," El suggested, making his boys laugh.
"I think we can do that. Whatcha think boys?"
"Yep!" Noah nodded, jumping out of bed.
"Yah!!" Nate smiled.
The trio left to retrieve breakfast and Liv looked up at her husband.
"I love you. Both of you," she said cutely to their daughter.
"We love you, momma!"
El and Liv spent the day between two department Halloween parties. At the first, they were Frida Khalo and Pablo Picasso, and at the next they were Mother Earth and Father Time.
The pair were back at the swanky hotel they'd booked for the evening later that night. Liv was wiping away her green make up with the previous year's remover she'd bought again.
"Works like a charm," she'd taunted, making El laugh and playfully flip her off.
El was scrolling though photos Eli had sent them as she finished removing the make up.
Leaning around his arm, she laughed at the photo of the four of them piled into their bed, all cheesing with Nate and Noah holding up candy bars.
"Oh man… big brother is spoiling them," she smiled.
"We knew he would!"
"Ain't that the truth. Alright, out," she shooed.
"What?" He laughed incredulously, looking at her.
"You heard me!" She laughed. "Out."
"Why???"
"Cause… I have to put on costume number three," she said, wiggling her brows.
Realization dawned on his face and his lips curled up in to a smile.
"Oh?" He drawled lightly.
"Mhmmmm," she said, pushing him out. "Wait in the chair like a good boy, yeah?" She winked, "and put on the outfit in the bottom of your bag," she said, slamming the door.
Liv could hear her husbands laughter through the door as he pulled on an ill-fitting pair of 90s brown slacks, a white, baggy button up, and a matching patterned tie before sitting in the armchair.
"Roll your sleeves up," she called, and he laughed softly to himself while doing what he was asked.
"I'm ready."
The door to the bathroom opened and out walked a blast from the past.
Her hair was pulled up into a half up pony, and she wore a blue tank top under an oversized gray blazer with matching suit pants.
"Stabler, I've got those files you were looking for," she said in a sultry tone, sauntering over to him with a file folder.
His mouth went dry, and he gawked slightly at her appearance, not taking his eyes off the perky nipples under her vintage tank top.
"Stabler," she said, brow quirked, "the files."
"Uh huh," he nodded quickly, suddenly realizing he should jump into 90s Stabler mode and standing up, chest puffed.
"Took ya long enough," he cracked, taking the folder and smirking when she rolled her eyes. "What did ya find?"
"You can read, last I checked," she said, sitting down and leaning back.
"Smart ass," he commended, opening the file as the same time she opened her legs.
His jaw dropped, and so did the file and her thong that was inside of it.
"Olivia…" he growled lightly.
"Elliot?" She asked, brow raised and devilish grin on her face.
"You're bad, detective," he scolded lightly, shaking his head. "Teasing me like that," he scoffed, clenching and unclenching his fists so that his veins and muscles bulged.
"Whatcha gonna do about it," she questioned, sitting up slowly and leaning over on her legs.
"I should report you to the Captain," he said, taking a step towards her, his cock tenting in his baggy pants just like it used to- though now he didn't have to hide it.
"But?" She asked, looking up with wide, innocent eyes.
"But I think we can come to an agreement that benefits us both," he growled, taking another step close.
"I like the way you think, detective," she winked, pushing her flat on the bed.
All four kids, plus Jenny, were in the kitchen eating lunch the following afternoon when El and Liv walked in.
"Hi mama!!" Nate said cheerfully from his booster seat. "Hi dadee," he smiled, reaching over for him.
Ellie turned and squealed, carrot all over her mouth and bib, making both parents laugh.
El dropped a kiss to the top of her head, and then Jenny's and Noah's before giving his oldest boy a look and picking up Nate.
"We're back together," Jenny answered for them. "No need to yell at him yet."
Liv laughed out loud and Eli blushed, shaking his head.
"We found Jen a matching costume no one worry," Noah said very seriously.
"What else did your brother buy you this weekend huh?"
"Not much," Eli lied poorly
"Dadee sooo much tuff yew wanna see?"
"You know I do!" He smiled, putting him down and following he and Noah into their room while Liv looked between the two young adults.
"All good in the hood, mama," Eli said, kissing her cheek.
"Whatever you two say," she laughed. "Thank you for watching them."
"Of course!" He smiled. "It was nice. I can't believe how much they've grown."
"I know right?" Jenny said, wiping Ellie's face. "Nate's a little adult."
"He's so smart," Liv nodded, putting the dishes in the sink. "He's in VPK 2 mornings a week at daycare and learning so much and talking so well. They love him! We were nervous at first cause he's not even two yet, but it's really helped him."
"Smartest Stabler Boy by a country mile!" Jen laughed.
"Don't tell Mr. Computer Engineer that," Eli grumbled, referring to his older brother and making the girls laugh. "I'm gonna go check on them," he added, leaving the girls alone in the kitchen.
"You two good?" Liv asked once he was out of earshot.
"Really good," she sighed happily. "For now," she winked. "I'm being careful with my heart."
"As you should," Liv nodded. "But I gotta say? Glad to have you back."
Jen smiled, lifting Ellie out of her bumbo and kissing her cheek.
"It's really good to be back."