A/N - Thank you to everyone that added this story to their alerts or favorites. I've never written in this fandom and was nervous as to how it would be received. I know my stories are dialogue heavy, but I'm try to work on being more descriptive. Without further ado, here's chapter 2!

Chapter 2 - Elliot

Elliot brushes his thumb over the thumbnail next to her name. It's an old photo, and her hair is in its signature ponytail. She doesn't seem to wear it that way anymore. He likes it long and wavy. He wonders what it would be like entangle his fingers in her chestnut tresses. God help him, he'd even breathed into the lavender scent of her hair when she held him after Kathy died.

He starts to type out a message to her, then promptly deletes it. He sighs aloud.

"You okay, Dad?" Eli asked.

"Yeah, yeah, fine. You going to Josh's house tonight?"

"Yeah, I'm leaving in five."

"Have a good time. Text me when you get there."

Eli rolled his eyes, "Sure, Dad".

Elliot turned his attention back to his phone.

Hey, Liv, are you home?

He watched his phone intently for 10 minutes before putting it down. As he walked into the kitchen, he felt his phone his phone buzz

Yeah, just putting Noah to bed.

Can I stop by in half an hour?

Everything okay, Elliot?

Yeah, I just thought we could talk.

Okay, just give me 45 minutes.

Great, see you then, Liv.

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Elliot knocked lightly on Olivia's door, not wanting to wake a sleeping Noah.

Olivia opens the door. She was wearing a tee shirt and yoga pants hugging her curves, her hair swept up in a hasty ponytail. He wondered how she could look so beautiful in, presumably, her pajamas. He briefly last Ike's around the living room. Photos adorned walls and tables, mostly photos of Noah. She said s in some of them, including a precious photo of her and Noah as a baby. He must have his father's eyes, Elliot thought. Those weren't Liv's eyes. The thought of Olivia having another man's child made him recoil momentarily.

"Hi, Elliot." Olivia greeted.

"Hey, Liv," Elliot replied, returning to the present and handing her a bottle of Italian wine.

Olivia laughed, "You read my mind. I was just about to pour a glass of wine."

"It's from Tuscany. It was my favorite, and they ship internationally, so I ordered a case, set one aside for you."

"Thanks. I see you lost the beard. Is the UC assignment over?"

"Yes, no more Eddie Ashes, God, I really hated that beard," Elliot replied with a laugh. The minute he'd gotten home, he took out his razor and made the beard history.

"That makes two of us," Olivia replied with a laugh.

"Is that why you wanted to talk?" she questioned.

"Can't I just drop in on a friend?" Elliot replied with a charming smile. Olivia clearly was not buying it.

"Well, I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for my family and I. Picking up my mom at the hospital, being there for the kids. You've been my rock through these hellish 10 months."

Olivia just nodded in response.

"And, now that I'm not drugged out if my mind, I think we should talk about the letter...and us."

"Is there an "us", Elliot?" Olivia asked, "if there ever was, why did you go radio silent for a decade. Then, you get a UC job and don't even tell me."

Her voice got a little louder with each word. Elliot sighed, knowing he deserved this scrutiny. He'd never expected Liv to welcome him back with open arms. He knew she'd hold him accountable for abandoning her. He had a long way to go to earn back even some of the trust she once had for him.

"If you want there to be," Elliot replied looking into her chocolate brown eyes.

"I know you have no reason to trust me anymore, Liv, but I want you in my life, whatever that looks like, and I want to be in yours."

Olivia was quiet for a moment then asked, "So, you're back in New York to stay or, in six months, are you going to disappear again?"

"New York has always been my home. Italy was beautiful, but it wasn't home."

"Let's finish this conversations on the terrace. I don't want to wake Noah," Olivia said, ushers him out.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Elliot followed Olivia out to the terrace. It was a crisp fall night in NYC. He took in the sight of her in the light of the harvest moon. The moonlight caught the highlights in her hair, and he was struck by how, even 11 years later, she was still breathtakingly beautiful.

"Why did you give me the letter?" Olivia asked, interrupting his reverie.

Elliot scrubbed hand over his face, "I don't know. I guess I felt like I owed it to Kathy, but I just don't know, Liv. I wasn't in a good place then."

"And I called you the day you turned in your shield, and you never even bothered to call me back! I had to hear about you leaving from Cragen."

"I know I have a lot to make up for, but -."

"Make up for? You disappeared without a word for TEN years, Elliot! You moved halfway across the globe!" Olivia accused.

"Kathy thought I should make a clean break, that it would be better for you."

"Yes, I'm sure Kathy was only concerned about my well-being. To think, I thought we were friends, that we had a mutual respect for one another," Olivia scoffed.

"But Liv, look how you've thrived in my absence. You're the chief of your squad. You became a mother. I'm so proud of you, Liv."

Elliot saw Olivia's expression change as he told her he was proud of her. Of course he was proud of her, he could be no other way. She gave him a warm smile.

"Thank you, but Kathy was wrong. It didn't feel like a "clean break." It felt like abandonment. Your leaving changed me. I struggled to get over the loss of you."

"But you did," Elliot interjected.

"Yes, I had to. Life went on without you, and now, I don't know how to integrate you back into my life, with your arrival so unexpected."

Elliot hangs his head, "Look, Liv, if you don't want me here -."

"That's the problem, Elliot," says an exasperated Olivia, "I DO want you here, I want you here very much."

Elliot cautiously took a step towards her. He brushed away the tear he didn't even know if she was aware she'd shed with his thumb.

"Liv, when I said I loved you I meant it, not as friend or former partner of 12 years, but as the woman I fell in love with 23 years ago and have wanted ever since."

"Then why did you never act on it when you and Kathy were separated? Why did you go back to you marriage? Christ, you had another child that I DELIVERED!" Olivia said, her voice rising with each word.

"I screwed up. I took the coward's way out. I felt obligated to make it work for the kids."

"Do you know how I felt when I found out Kathy was pregnant?" Olivia questioned, now just shy of shouting, "I felt like I had been punched in the gut. I'd convinced myself that you went back with Kathy for the kids' sake and nothing more."

Elliot shook his head, "it was complicated, but what's simple is that It's always been you, Liv. And it will always be you. I know I need to earn your forgiveness, earn back your trust, and I'll do whatever I have to do, wait as long as I have to."

"Are you here to stay, El? I can't even fathom getting closer to you and your possibly losing you again," Olivia said in a sad, quiet tone.

Elliot hooked a finger under her chin to tilt her face him. Usually, when she was in heels, they were eye to eye, but in just a pair of slippers, Olivia was a few inches shorter than him. He looked into her brown eyes and saw so much vulnerability there.

"You have my word that I would never leave you again. I promise," Elliot said softly but resolutely.

Olivia blinked her eyes filled with unshed tears, looking deeply into the ocean of Elliot's eyes. She held his gaze for a moment before closing the space between them and pressing her lips to his.