A/N: Sorry for the delay on this one. Turns out, having three story lines, a one shot, and a continuation of one of those story lines is a lot of work lol. Someone stop me!
Blown away by the love on My Friend Olivia. You kidding me?? Amazing. Thank you all! Ch 2 is in the works already.
Enjoy this update. Be on the look out for Game, New Additions, and eventually... Ed Sheeran? What?
"Be quiet going in," Emma said seriously to her brothers who rolled her eyes.
"We know, mom," Noah mocked and Eli smacked the back of his head. "Be nice."
"You just hit me!" Noah exclaimed, sending the three of them into a fit of giggles.
El and Liv woke slowly as they heard their children's laughter.
"You ready for this Teddy?" El whispered, kissing his boy's head.
Liv grinned. "Ready or not, here they come."
They were still looking down at Teddy when they heard Noah gasp, Emma squeal, and Eli let out a happy laugh.
Looking up, they nodded as their kids rushed over. "I can't believe he's really here…" Eli said, still laughing in disbelief. "You're real!"
"He looks like daddy," Emma said in awe.
"He's so small… is he supposed to be this small?" Noah asked, slightly panicked.
Liv and El both chuckled. "He's 9 pounds… he's big for a new born."
Noah shook his head. "That's tiny that's like…" he thought, "that's like a case of Gatorade, and he's definitely not that big" he shook his head in disbelief.
El snorted and passed the baby off to Liv before standing and lifting Noah into his arms.
The new big brother held onto his dad in his signature baby monkey grip, and buried his head in his neck. "Missed you daddy," he said taking a deep breath.
"I missed you buddy. But I'm so, so proud of you. You've been a champ these last few weeks. You're growing up so fast and I can't believe you're not my littlest anymore," he laughed softly.
Noah pulled back with a grin. "Thanks daddy…"
"We'll play soccer next weekend, just the two of us alright?"
He nodded with a huge smile and hugged his dad again before sliding down and going to sit next to Liv.
El moved to Em next, squeezing her and kissing her head repeatedly. "Love you daddy but you're not important right now," she teased, going over to Liv.
Eli looked rapidly between his mom and his dad and shrugged. "What she said," he laughed and El pulled him on for a hug, anyways. "Thank you for stepping up this week bud."
"Anytime pops," he smiled and nodded, going to join his siblings.
The kids sat and took turns holding the baby, completely thrilled.
Eli snapped a photo and sent it to Sam. The pair had been struggling a bit, but currently we're in a good spot heading into the summer before their junior year.
E: Dad's mini!
S: Omg. Look at him! He's perfect.
He sent a few more photos- one of all the boys and one of Teddy with him, Noah, and Emma.
S: Noah eerily looks like you guys
E: Lol I know right
S: Is Teddy blue eyed too?
E: Nope! Dads twin with mom's eyes. He's so cute. I love him so much.
He sighed happily, setting his phone down as his older sisters came in and fawned over both the baby and his newest big brother.
Noah was grinning ear to ear, completely obsessed with the little one. Once the big kids had their fill and filed out, and El went to get lunch with Em and Eli, Noah sat against Liv, cradling the baby and gently rubbing his little eye brows.
"Thank you," he whispered to his mom who smiled and kissed his curls. "Thank you for already being the best big brother."
"You guys get to come home today?" He asked hopefully and she nodded.
"Daddy's gonna take you guys home, get us some clothes, and then come pick us up," she nodded.
"Maybe I should stay with you…" he said slowly and Liv chuckled. "You wanna ride home from the hospital with us?"
He nodded and smiled, looking up at her.
"Okay baby," she kissed his head.
Noah was completely enamored with his new baby brother, keeping a protective arm across his car seat the entire ride home.
He carried the diaper bag up as El brought up the carrier, and Liv walked slowly in front of them.
The parents gasped when they walked in to a fully prepared meal and all the kids waiting.
"I already called dibs," Noah said, climbing up next to Dickie and holding his arms out to his dad.
Liv chuckled and Katie helped her sit down as Emma and Eli sat on either side, cuddling up with her.
El handed Teddy to Noah, and the little boy snuggled in like he was meant to be there.
"I think we're being replaced," Eli commented to his sister who nodded. "Very clearly being replaced."
"No, you'll always be my big brother and sister, but now I have someone on my team," he giggled and everyone chuckled.
Dickie had Anna Kate in his lap and wrapped an arm around Noah. "You're gonna be a good big brother, buddy," he said kissing his head and Noah beamed even more.
Sarah came out of the kitchen with Liz. "C'mon guys, dinners ready let's eat!" She smiled and Liv looked up at El lovingly.
Eli helped her stand and he kissed her cheek. "Love you momma," he said with a smile and Liv grinned. "I love you baby… you're okay with this still right?" She whispered as everyone left for the kitchen.
"Very much, so," he smiled.
The crew ate and laughed, fawning over the baby and teasing Olivia's last of urgency in going to the hospital.
When they left, Liv settled in bed and began feeding her baby boy while the others got ready for the night and week ahead of them.
El came in and smiled at them, curling up beside her and just staring at their son. "He's perfect."
"We had a baby," she giggled, brushing his dark and fine hair to the side.
"I can't believe how much he looks like a Stabler," he said in awe.
"Well he is your son," she giggled softly.
He grinned, kissing her temple. "How do you feel?"
She shrugged. "Sore and tired. Ready to spend the next few weeks healing and loving this guy," she sighed happily.
"Me too my love," he said, kissing their sons head.
"I'm gonna try and pump tomorrow so you can feed him," she said with a smile that made him grin. "Take your time but… that would be the best," he said, kissing her arm as he lay beside her.
There was a soft knock on their door that they knew to be Noah's.
"Come in bud," El called softly and Noah opened the door, making his way to their bed and snuggling against his dad, facing his mom and baby brother.
"You okay?" He asked, wrapping an arm around him.
He nodded. "Just missed Teddy."
Both parents chuckled.
"I can't wait to tell my class about him tomorrow," Noah said, closing his eyes and snuggling a little more tightly into his daddy.
"Want me to print a picture for you to show?"
He gasped, excitedly. "Yes please."
Eli and Emma followed in soon after and curled up with their parents and baby brothers.
"Definitely being replaced," Emma giggled softly and Eli nodded.
Ted finished feeding and Liv burped him before handing him off to Emma to snuggle.
"Tomorrow we gotta sit down and chat about everything that we have coming up. Boys, your summer league tryouts. Emma's graduation to junior high and dance camps. Noah, if you wanna do dance camp too," he asked and the younger boy nodded, "and Eli's college tours," El said, twirling his son's curls.
"I don't want Emma to go to a new school and I definitely don't want Eli to go to college," Noah sighed, causing his big brother and sister to laugh.
"Change it good, little man," El said with a hint of promise in his voice. "Plus, before you know it Teddy will be chasing you around and you'll be more focused on being the big bro then the little bro."
"Doubt it," he sighed dramatically, getting up and moving to lay next to his big brother.
"Back in good graces," Eli sighed happily, hugging Noah tightly.
Noah went to school beaming the next day, showing off the picture of his new baby brother during morning announcements with his class.
Later that afternoon, he was playing soccer at recess with some of his best friends when a boy, Mike, who'd always been jealous of him came sprinting up.
"Hey guys can I play?" He asked.
Noah's friends couldn't stand him. He always was a jerk, despite Noah giving him chance after chance. He wasn't even half as good at the game as Noah, despite his dad dumping God knows how much money into their private school's athletic department.
Ever the kind soul, be nodded. "Yeah we just picked teams, but mines one short. Jump in," he nodded with an encouraging smile.
Jacob and Emma were across the playground watching the scene unfold. "Should I step in," Jacob asked with a hint of nervousness in his voice. He'd become a pseudo big brother to Noah, especially with Eli next door at the junior/senior high.
"No, I don't think so," Emma said, watching intently.
They watched for a while, and sprinted into action when Noah walked away with his head hung low, angrily tossing the soccer ball as the kid snickered.
A verbal fight broke out between his friends and the bully, and Noah sat on the stairs to the building, looking ahead.
The older kids collapsed beside him in an over-protective heap. "What happened," Emma said, putting a hand on his shoulder only to have it be shrugged off.
"Nothing," he mumbled, staring ahead.
His best friend Isaiah came running up and Noah shook his head at him.
"Dude," he exclaimed, looking between his buddy and his buddy's big sister.
"'Sai, tell me," Emma said, performing her expert party trick or turning into her mother and scaring everyone around her.
The bell rang to go inside and Noah quickly jumped up, rushing down the hall to his class.
Isaiah updated Emma who saw red, and marched over to the boy in question.
At home, Liv and El were lounging on the couch. Teddy was on Elliot's chest, doing skin to skin when his phone rang. They both looked over with a raised brow. "L
"Lizzie," he said slightly concerned. She never called during the day.
"Hi honey what's up is everything okay?What?? Wait… what???"
In a panic, Liv's head whipped to look at her husband.
"Emma? Emma Bernadette? Our sweet Emma? Not Noah or Eli you're sure? Jesus… uh… okay yeah. Yeah just bring her home, we'll get Luce to get the boys. Okay. Thanks honey."
He hung up and looked ahead for a moment, gathering his thoughts before looking at his wife.
"El what happened…" she asked, head cocked to the side, feeling better at least that he wasn't in a mass panic, and instead was trying to process what he'd just been told.
He was about to share when his phone rang again. "Hello? Jesus Christ. Of course they are. Let me talk to Eli. You need to go back to class. Noah too. Son, I'm too tired to argue with you about th-… fine. Fine you're grounded. All three of you. Bye."
Liv was completely confused and bewildered, and looked at El with a raised brow.
"Are our boys overly codependent on their sister? And can we ground them for their airtight sibling bond?" He asked genuinely, looking down at her through tired eyes. "I literally don't know, cause the big kids were enemies growing up instead of the little gang we have."
"Uh yeah," Liv said, answering his first question, as if he just stated the most obvious thing ever. "And no we can't, I don't think. What happened?"
"Emma threatened that jerk Mike. Hewas mean to Noah," he said casually, "and obviously she called Lizzie cause she's suspended for the rest of the day. And then the soccer coach called Eli cause Noah saw the whole thing and would only talk to him, and now all three are in the principals office wanting to come home together," he said looking at her seriously.
The pair maintained eye contact for several long seconds before bursting into laughter.
"Oh El," she sighed, laughing a bit as she adjusted against him. "Did you think this was gonna be your life when you came home from Italy?"
He chuckled and kissed her head. "Never in a million years. But it's been worth every ridiculous second.
She closed her eyes and yawned. "Send them to their rooms when they get home. Or let them do whatever. I don't care. Mama is tired and we can deal with them later."
"Sounds good," he said, lowering the volume on the TV so she could sleep and kissing Teddy's head.
"Welcome to this crazy family, son."