Chapter 3 - Olivia

His lips are soft against hers, so soft for a man with such a hard exterior. He bites her lower lip lightly, and she lets out moan. Elliot pulls her closer, and they explore each other's mouths with their tongues, each dueling for dominance. Elliot's hands move from her waist under her shirt to the bare skin of her back. She shudders at his touch. It was new, yet comfortable. Olivia wishes the moment would never end. However, remembering Noah sleeping in the other room, she reluctantly pulls back.

"El -" she begins, not sure how to finish her statement. She desperately does not want to stop, but she also doesn't make a habit of introducing Noah to men at 7 AM when he wakes up.

Elliot looked questioningly at Olivia.

"Noah is in the other room."

"Liv, I get it. Noah, you're not ready for me to meet him yet," Elliot replied somberly.

"El, no, that's not it. I just want to introduce you properly."

Elliot smiled, "It's so good to hear you call me "El" again. I'd be honored to meet Noah. I want to be part of your life - all of it."

"I know," Olivia replied with a smile, knowing Noah would take to Elliot and he to Noah.

"And I want to do this right, take you on a date."

Olivia laughed at the idea of going on a date with someone she knew like the back of her hand, could read like a book.

Elliott flashed a charming smile."I'm an old fashioned guy. I haven't been on a real date in decades, but I think I remember the gist of it."

Olivia chuckled, "If you insist, Detective."

"I do, Captain. What about Saturday? Would you be able to get a sitter?"

"Probably, I'm sure Noah would love to spend some time with Amanda's girls."

"A lady's man, huh?" Elliot joked.

"Ha, yeah, he loves Jessie and Billie. They're like his little sisters. He's asked me for a younger sibling, but, well, that ship has sailed. Anyway, I can barely keep up with one kid, let alone two! But, I'm glad he has Amanda's girls."

Elliot smiled, "You're a great mom. I knew you would be."

"I try to be. It's hard, you know, with the job, being a single parent. I worry about his lack of male role models. Carisi and Finn are both part of Noah's life, but certainly not father figures."

I'm her mind Olivia imagines a life were she and Elliot raise Noah together, that Elliot could be the father he never had.

"Noah, he's an amazing kid." Olivia gushes.

"If he's anything like his mother, amazing is an understatement," Elliot leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on Olivia's lips.

"I'll ask Amanda about Saturday and let you know."

Elliot pressed a kiss to Olivia's forehead, "Bye, Liv."

Saturday

Olivia typed a hasty text to Elliot.

Got called in on a case. I might not be able to make it tonight.

"For our date," Olivia added mentally. Yes, after 23 years, she was going on a date with Elliot Stabler. But, of course, work would get in the way. Olivia looked down at her phone to see that Elliot had replied.

I can pick you up in the squad room, then we can have a casual dinner somewhere. Does that work?

A casual dinner? What in God's name did he originally have planned?

Okay. See you at 7.

Olivia wasn't sure if she liked the idea of being picked up at work. It would surely be fodder for gossip. Amanda already knew that she was going out, of course, but with whom, she had not mentioned. Olivia knew how long standing rumors had swirled around her and Elliot, especially now that he was a widower. Maybe - just maybe - this was finally their moment. Yet, there was so much of each other's lives they'd miss, could they truly pick up where they left off? She was 53 years old, far to old to play games. She'd thought she'd met her soul mate at 16, and boy how wrong she'd been! Burton had been a Svengali who preyed on younger women. It just took her 37 years to realize that. Arrogant bastard. Elliot would've taken Burton down a peg - or several - if he knew about the situation, she mused. She shuttered at the thought of having slept with him all these years later.

"Liv? Everything okay?" Amanda asked.

"What? Oh yeah, everything is fine."

"You looked a thousand miles away. I called your name three times."

"Sorry, just have a lot in my mind."

Amanda frowned, "Well, I'm here if you want to talk."

"Thanks, Amanda. I'll have Lucy bring Noah to your place. Thanks again for letting him sleep over."

"You deserve a break, Liv."

"I suppose. I owe you one. Some night when you and Carisi want some alone time, I'll happily take the girls."

"Alone time? Just who are you going out with?" an amused Amanda asked. She didn't have to wait for Liv to answer. Liv was too busy staring at the man who'd just entered the squad room. Elliott Stabler.

A/N: As always, thank you to everything who is following it has favorited this story. I apologize for such a short chapter. The next one will be longer. Then, there will be an epilogue. Again, thanks for reading!