"I know why the babies can't come I'm just annoyed," Noah sighed, laying across Eli's bed.
Sam laughed from where she was feeding EJ while Eli changed Joey.
"Next year," she promised him and he nodded.
"You sure you don't want me to stay home?" Eli asked and Sam shook her head. "Positive. I can't skate yet anyways," she chuckled.
"She'll be fine with me," Liv said as she passed the bedroom with Teddy in tow.
"I understand the twins but why not Teddy??" Noah groaned.
"Still too little!" Everyone said together and Noah sighed.
"You're gonna be too busy racing me and Jake to even notice he's missing," Eli said, standing upright and hugging Joey to his chest.
"Winning you mean," Noah corrected with an eye roll.
Emma came in, stopping at the door and huffing. "Sammi, do I look okay?"
"You look adorable!" She exclaimed with a smile.
"Why does it matter weirdo we're going skating?" Noah asked, looking at his older brother and pointing like "wtf".
"Shut up, Noah," Emma groaned, walking off back to her room.
"What'd I say!" He cried.
"She's a teenager and her boyfriend's coming be nice," Katie said, poking her head in.
"Uh huh, so go apologize, we don't treat our sisters like that," Dickie added, poking his head in from the other side.
Lizzie cackled from the other room and everyone stopped where they were to look at Dickie.
"Do as I say not as I did!" He cried, ushering Noah out who groaned playfully and made his way down the hall.
"You look super cute and Jacob's gonna think you look super cute," he said, leaning against her door.
"Sorry too," she winked, hugging him with a squeeze.
"Noah and Emma, breakfast come on!" El called.
Rushing out, Noah loaded up his plate with pancakes and bacon no faster than Carl could pull half off. "Take it easy, bro, we don't need you to barf!"
Beau snorted and grabbed another piece of bacon off Noah's plate from behind him.
"One day! One day I'm gonna be able to do what I want and my big brothers aren't gonna be able to tell me what to do or eat my bacon," he lamented with a sigh, plopping down.
"Nice try, they still tell me what to do," Eli said, patting his back and grabbing a pancake off his plate.
Liv laughed, shaking her head and looking to Elliot who was laughing too.
The house was bustling, and El was taking the kids out ice skating with the spouses, part of their Christmas tradition, while Bernie, Sam, Mo, and Liv stayed home with the babies.
Sarah insisted she go, and promised she'd just take pictures from the side, but Mo had tapped out when she woke that morning with new back pain and a sudden pop of her 7 month pregnant belly.
"Sure you don't wanna leave them with mom and Mo?" Eli asked Sam one last time, and she nodded.
"Promise… but thank you," she whispered, pecking his lips. "Plus. You and Noh need some bro time!"
"Alright, alright," he conceded with a kiss.
"Okay everyone listen up," Elliot said loudly, standing and crossing his arms.
"Oh do sit down son," Bernie rolled her eyes as the kids and Liv held in snickers.
"How come when Eli does it it's cool but when I do it it's funny?!" He cried, tossing his hands in the air.
"Eli is becoming a man and growing into himself. You are just a big softy and everyone knows it," Bernie scoffed as the kids all broke out into giggles.
"Mama," he sighed, holding his face. "Anyways!" He said, looking to his laughing wife for help and smiling when he saw Teddy even giggling along with the crew.
"What dad is trying to say," Liv said, ushering him to sit and stop embarrassing himself. "Is that today's a big day. Lizzie is bringing her boyfriend to ice skating and then home for hot chocolate and cookie making tonight. And everyone will behave," she warned, looking mostly at Dickie, and then Eli.
"Uh uh, don't rope me into this," Eli said with a shake of his head.
"You're just as bad as him," Emma sighed, giving her best friend a look.
"No I'm not!"
"Definitely are," Noah said through a mouthful of pancake. "You had a daughter and went full Elliot Stabler Sr on us. Maybe the Stabler men shouldn't be allowed to have daughters first," he paused to think. "Oh god," he looked up at his mom and sisters. "Is this my future?"
Everyone laughed again, harder this time, and Liz breathed a sigh of relief that the focus was directed from her.
"Guys focus," Liv said, once they'd all quieted down. "Liz, baby," she nodded.
Sighing softly, the younger Stabler nodded. "I uhm… so his name's Peter and… he's uh… he's older than me."
Dickie immediately straightened up in his seat, wincing when Sarah squeezed his leg.
"He's… he's 48 uh but a really successful attorney from Chicago. He's been back and forth but, settled back here a year and a half ago," she said softly, looking down. "We've been seeing each other for over a year and a half and it… it's gotten more serious and I really am.. have fallen for him so I'd appreciate if you all behaved," she said finally, groaning.
"Huh we knew a lawyer Peter from Chicago once," an oblivious Noah said, earning a knowing look from Emma.
"Wait a second," El said, looking at his youngest daughter, "how long have you know?!"
"Year," she sighed. "Daddy relax."
Mo snickered and Liv covered her face laughing softly.
"Wait is it Peter Peter?!" Noah said, catching on.
"Yes," the three Stabler women said together.
"Peter is gonna be in the family?! This is the best news!" He grinned.
The phone rang then, and Liv snatched it before Elliot could. "Okay… uh huh… thanks Paul," she said, hanging up and looking at everyone. "He's here, waiting in the lobby."
Jake burst through the door next, flowers in hand and grinning when he saw Emma.
"Hey guys," he smiled, his voice having recently dropped and still earning shit from the boys about it. "Some guys waiting downstairs? Said he wanted to see El first or something," he shrugged.
"Do you even get stopped by the doorman?" Katie laughed.
"Paul? No we're besties," he said, walking over to hug Emma and give her flowers with a smile. "You look beautiful," he grinned.
She blushed and Dickie inserted himself between them. "Save room for Jesus- I can only take so much today," he sighed, making Jake laugh and Emma groan.
"Daddy," Liz warned as he walked towards the door.
"I'll behave," he said unconvincingly.
"Need back up?" Eli called, without thinking.
Sam raised a brow and looked at him and he shuddered. "Okay. I see it," he said as his dad shut the door.
El walked off the elevator to find a tall and graying man standing in his lobby with several bouquets of flowers.
Puffing out his chest, he nodded towards the man when he turned. "Peter Stone," he said, crossing his arms.
"Sergeant Stabler," he nodded nervously. "Nice to meet you finally," he said, holding his hand out to him.
Glancing down, El finally, albeit stubbornly, shook the man's hand. "Call me Elliot."
"Elliot," he corrected. "How are you?"
"I'll be better when you explain why you're dating my 28 year old," he said, resuming his intimidating position.
"I uh…" he cleared his throat, nodding, and moving on to explain the exact story Liz had given them.
"The only thing I gain from this is… her. I love her… you know, I'm in love with her and I want to start a life with her," he finished.
"And what about my wife and two youngest?"
"What about them?" Peter asked.
"You knew them… you left them?"
He sighed softly. "I did… and… hate that I did. Cause I love those kids, especially Noah. How is he?"
"Ask him yourself," he sighed. "C'mon Stone," he said, motioning for him to follow.
Liz was pacing upstairs, panicking after her father had been gone for over ten minutes.
"You gotta sit," Dickie finally said, dragging her to the couch.
She'd just plopped down when the door open and Elliot walked in ahead of Peter.
"PETER!" Noah grinned, rushing over to hug him tightly.
"Hey buddy," he laughed, hugging him close. "My god you've grown up!"
"Dude it's been like 5 years!" He laughed stepping back.
"Longer than that I think… you sure you're still not 4???"
Noah laughed and shook his head before looking back to Emma. "Emma is 13!"
"A teenager, I know!" He smiled, waving and grinning when she came to hug him quickly before Dickie walked up, stepping between the littles and Peter.
"I'm Richard Stabler, Lizzie's twin," he said, reaching his hand out.
The room went silent before Eli's sputtered laughter took over, followed by Carl and Beau's. The three were wheezing, and when Dickie turned to glare he found all the girls holding in their laughter too.
"Richard?!" Sarah finally cried in a fit of giggles.
"Since when did you go by Richard???!" Mo said joining in the laughter.
Dickie, now red, turned to glare at his family and put his hands up. "Guys! I'm trying to scare our guest here!" He said, turning back only to be pushed aside by Liz who wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Hi," she said into his chest, and he smiled, kissing her head. "Hi… these are for you," he said handing her a bouquet.
"Thank you," she blushed, turning back to the family. "Peter this is… everyone," she chuckled softly.
"Welcome back," Liv said warmly, making her way over to him and pulling him in for a side hug. Teddy was still nestled on her hip and looked up at the tall man, confused.
"Hi Liv," he smiled small, handing her a bouquet and then Emma, before looking to the boys. "I've got some bourbon, scotch, and whiskey in the car," he said, nodding to each man, clearly having memorized what they liked.
"Think you can buy my acceptance with scotch?" Dickie scoffed.
"Expensive scotch?" He tried and Dickie shrugged a little. "We'll see, Stone," he nodded, turning back to everyone.
"Alright so this is everyone," he said, taking charge after having felt outshone by his younger brother the night before.
"Obviously you know my parents, then there's Maureen and her husband Carl who are expecting after the new year, Kathleen and her fiancé Beau, my fiancé Sarah and our daughter Anna Kate," he paused to smile proudly, "and we have our second girl coming in April."
"Congratulations," Peter smiled and Dickie nodded, trying to hold his resolve, "then we've got Eli and his girlfriend Sam, and their twins Jaime Olivia, Joey, and Elliot the third, EJ. Then of course you know Noah and Emma, and this guy," he said, taking his baby brother from Liv, "is Theodore Richard," he smiled proudly.
"Teddy," Noah corrected.
"Teddy," Dickie chuckled. "Oh and sorry, this is Jake, Emma's boyfriend, and then our grandmother Bernie."
"If you ever make me last again you're out of the will," Bernie said, crossing her arms and sending everyone into a fit of laughter.
"Well it's great to meet you all and I will try my hardest to remember all of your names," he smiled, gently tapping Teddy's nose and making him grin.
"Alright, well we better get going so we can be back in time for lunch, naps, and Christmas cookies," El said, nodding and wrapping his arm territorially around Liv.
"You heard the man," she said, motioning for everyone to get up to get their last minute things and following Elliot to their room to "help him find his hat."
"We were nothing," she said, dragging him into their walk in closet and gasping when he pressed her against the wall.
"Still get jealous," he grumbled, rocking his hips into her's.
"I'm yours El," she said, biting her lip and gasping when his hand pushed down her leggings to cup her mound.
"Mine," he growled, his middle finger circling her clit once, twice, and then slipping further to tease her entrance.
"El," she whispered breathlessly when he entered her.
"Mine," he repeated, adding a finger and curling them towards him while his thumb resumed the circular motion on her bundle of nerves.
"Daaaaad let's go!" Noah called from the living room.
"Hold on," he called back, increasing the speed of his fingers against her spongy front wall and covering her mouth with his free hand.
Her eyes were rolled back and as she began to flutter around him, the pressure in her belly about to burst, he pulled his fingers free.
Panting and whining, she weakly slapped his chest before gladly taking his fingers in her mouth and sucking on them when he swiped her lips.
"You're mine… I'm the only one who can get you there. Make you squirt and scream… mine," he said, voice low as she moaned around his fingers, pulling off with a pop.
"I'll finish you later," he added and she smirked. "Maybe I'll finish myself?" She suggested, gasping in pleasure when his hand flew to her neck.
"Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad"
"Do it and you'll regret it," he whispered, pecking her lips and walking out with his hat of choice, leaving her breathless in soaking panties.
Liv composed herself, making her way out to kiss them all goodbye, issue a final warning to all of the boys and shut the door behind them.
Turning and looking to Sam, she went to speak before Bernie cut her off.
"Girlfriend????"
"I was gonna say something but I knew those two would beat me to it," Mo said, sitting back to hold her belly.
Sam laughed and covered her face. "We're definitely… closer," she said with a slow nod.
"You're cleared right?" Mo said softly while Liv took Teddy to change and Bernie shuffled to the couch.
"Yeah but… I've kinda been lying to him about it, I'm just not ready," she sighed, covering her face.
"Eli is the most understanding… be honest with him, yeah?" Mo said, taking her hand.
"Okay," she smiled small.
"Girlfriend?" Carl said, nudging Eli as they put their skates on.
"She didn't panic and run away so I'll take it," Eli said smiling small.
"You're welcome," Dickie sang, plopping beside them and motioning for Noah to sit in front of him so he could help him with his skates.
"Yeah what was that," Emma said, sitting between her brothers and giving Dickie a look.
"Literally helping a brother out, duh."
"You're insufferable sometimes," she sighed, making her sisters all laugh.
"Woah woah woah… remember when you were little and nice to me?"
"I'm still nice to you," she smiled, nudging him and pulling Anna Kate into her lap to help her with her skates.
"You're lucky you're my favorite little sister," he nodded.
"You're lucky I'm your only little sister! You can barely handle me and Anna Kate, how you're gonna have two daughters, I don't know."
"If dad can do it I can," he said proudly.
"Dad has prematurely gone bald from the stress of having three daughters so close in age," El said with a raised brow.
"Hopefully my next one is a boy, and not just for EJ's sake and sanity," Eli said casually, earning a look from everyone. "Many years from now!!!!" He added without looking up, making everyone chuckle.
"You guys are being safe I hope," Carl said, giving him a look once everyone had moved away.
"We haven't had sex since before twins were born. Says she's not cleared, but I know she's just not ready… which is totally okay."
"Hey," he said, giving him a look, "just please make sure you aren't looking for it elsewhere."
"I love that girl too much," he said with a nod, standing up.
"ELI LETS GOOOOO," Noah said, bouncing on his skates.
Stepping into the ice, he gave his brother a look before taking off quickly, much to his dismay and laughter, and began chasing behind him.
"They all seem to get along," Peter smiled, looking to Elliot.
"Most of the time," he laughed. "They all have had to grow up a lot lately so… good to see them be kids," he smiled.
"They're a great group… I really like them."
"You never dated my wife right," Elliot blurted out, looking over to Peter.
"What? No… never I swear," he said, suddenly nervous.
"Okay," he said with a nod, eyes returning to the rink. "What's your intentions with my daughter?"
"With your permission, I wanna marry her," he said with a nod. "I already have a ring…"
"I just met you," Elliot said, looking back to him. "I'm not saying no, but I'm saying I don't know you. So if you're gonna do this with my blessing, you're gonna need to wait."
"Take all the time you need," he nodded quickly, laughing when Noah called for them.
"Let him win," Elliot warned, skating out ahead of Peter who exhaled a breath.
"What's Kathy's favorite cookie?" Emma asked Maureen as they decorated sugar cookies later that afternoon.
"Sugar with the icing," she replied with a soft smile. "You know when I was little, we used to do this every Christmas, and we'd always make a plate for Liv," she smiled and Liv chuckled softly.
"Where do you think I got the tradition huh?"
"Em I know I'm a brat, but I think it's so kind you're bringing her some," Dickie said into her ear from behind. "Really proud to be your brother and I love you so much."
Turning in her seat, she gave him a huge hug and wiped her eyes. "Love you Dickie."
"So? You gonna tell me what Peter said during your chat?" Liv asked as she washed her face.
"Hmmm," he said and nodded slowly, leaning against the door frame.
Making eye contact with him in the mirror, she nodded for him to go on.
"Said there's no reason at all for him to be with her other than the fact that he's head over heels in love with her," he nodded, voice cracking. "Asked for my permission."
"Oh?" Liv asked, eyes going wide.
"Uh huh… told him not yet," he said and she exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding.
"What about her?" She finally asked.
"Everything I saw today suggested that she feels exactly the same way. You?"
"Agreed… I've never seen her so happy? The age difference and fact that it's Peter is throwing me but…"
"Everything you've ever told me about him says I should hate him but… He clearly loves her so much. Plus, by the end of the day he and the boys were best friends."
"Noticed that," Liv nodded.
"How're you feeling about all of it?" El asked, approaching her from behind and holding her hips.
"El," she sighed softly. "I'm just really glad she's here and involved with our family again."
"But?" He asked.
"He was such a role model in Noah's life and just… left. It frustrates me."
"I know," he sighed softly, closing his eyes and pressing his lips to her forehead.
"Were he and Emma close?"
Liv shrugged. "Not really. I mean they were but… she was always mostly concerned about finding you."
Smirking proudly, he gave her a squeeze and kissed her head several times.
"You gonna finish what you started this morning Stabler?" She whispered and he breathed out a chuckle.
"I'm sorry about that… I don't know why I got so possessive."
"Don't you dare apologize… should make you jealous more," she said, hovering just millimeters from his lips.
His hands had fallen to her ass and he was seconds away from lifting her onto the counter when a voice disturbed them.
"Mom, daddy?" Emma's voice rang softly through the closed bathroom door.
"Holding you to that," he winked, stepping back and turning to the door. "Come in baby," El called, and she opened the door with a small smile.
"Can I sleep with you guys?"
El gasped. "Um yes!"
Emma giggled and jumped up on the bed, snuggling in in the middle and wrapping her arm around her dad once he laid down.
"What did I do to deserve this?"
"Just feeling thankful you're my daddy," she shrugged, getting comfy against him.
"I'm thankful I'm your daddy," he said, kissing her head. "It's one of my favorite things."
She yawned and nodded, closing her eyes.
"You're growing up too fast," he commented softly, suddenly feeling melancholy.
"Don't start daddy, you have the rest of my life," she said, sounding just like her mom and making them both laugh.
"You're your mothers daughter."
"Thank God!" Liv quipped.
Across the apartment in the guest bathroom, Beau finally pulled out the pregnancy test from his pocket and held his breath as he flipped it over.