Later night, Kathy arrived at the house right on time, and was greeted by Emma at the door.
"Hi Kathy," she said brightly, stepping aside so the older woman could walk in.
"Hi Emma… I love your sweatshirt," she smiled, referencing the Princeton soccer sweatshirt Eli had gotten her for Christmas.
"Thanks!" She grinned. "Eli got it for me."
"Hoping to follow in his footsteps one day?" She asked with genuine interest and Emma laughed.
"Mayyyybe. I dance, too. Same with Noah. We'll see who I get more money from."
"Who you get more money from?! You're 13! Slow your roll baby girl!" Elliot exclaimed, coming from the kitchen as Emma laughed.
"Daddy it's coming fast!"
"What's coming fast?" Liv asked, emerging from Teddy's room with the little one crawling in front of her.
"College, mom," Emma said and Liv scoffed.
"Slow down my love!" She exclaimed. "Let me get your brother to college first please," she laughed, looking up at Kathy with a small smile.
"Thanks for coming. Eli is running a few minutes late, a certain little boy was having a meltdown in the car."
Kathy nodded and began to speak when the door opened and Eli walked in with a carrier on each arm.
"Hey guys," he said, waving and uttering a breathless thanks when his dad took one of the carriers from him.
"Hi Stablers," Sam smiled, coming in behind him with a diaper backpack on each shoulder. "Hi Kathy," she smiled, giving the woman a wave.
Kathy returned a timid wave back, anxiously watching Eli take Joey from her carrier.
Teddy squealed, babbling when he saw his brother who passed Joey to Elliot and reached down to lift his youngest sibling.
"Hi man," he smiled, kissing his cheek. "Where's Noah?"
"I'm here, I'm here," came the final voice of the family, coming out of his room drenched in sweat.
"Noah is working out now," Emma rolled her eyes.
"Wonder where he gets its from," Liv cracked and Kathy chuckled, waving to the younger boy.
"Hi Noah."
"Hey Kath," he said casually before being directed in for a shower by his mom.
EJ whimpered from his car seat, now awake, and Liv swooped over to get him. "Hi my sweet boy," she whispered, pulling him out and rocking back and forth with him.
"Kathy, you wanna meet them?" Eli asked shyly at the encouragement of Sam.
"I-I would love to," she whispered, exhaling a breath and sitting on the couch where she was motioned to.
Liv and El passed over the twins and Kathy's breath caught in her throat as she looked down at them.
"He looks just like you," she whispered, looking up to Eli.
"He was born in the same way… ambulance with mom holding him first," he said, his tone a little cooler than he meant it to be.
"Oh wow," she whispered, looking up to them.
Elliot watched Sam put a hand on his knee to calm him, and the young man sucked in a breath, steadying his voice.
"Yeah… he uh… I was at my champ tourney and mom stayed home with her and…"
"He's still not over it," Sam teased and Eli laughed softly.
"Anyways… yeah she went into labor and little man came in the ambulance and then baby girl was emergency c section… we drove through the night and got home first thing in the morning and… yeah thankfully they were fine and Sammi was fine, too," he smiled proudly.
"Well they're beautiful, guys… seriously, congratulations," she whispered, looking back down in awe at the pair as Noah emerged from the bathroom and Teddy squealed, power crawling over to him.
"Being replaced has been hard," Eli cracked.
"Bold of you to think that you ever, ever were number one," Noah teased back, picking up Teddy and kissing his temple.
"They're so sweet at that age," Kathy commented, watching Teddy rest himself happily against his brother.
"It's a fun age for sure," said thoughtfully as Elliot dragged the kids help set the table, leaving Sam and Eli with the pair of moms and the twins. "But this age is fun too," she said, nodding down to the twins. "Makes ya want another," she lamented with a half laugh.
"I give you props for going through it at your age… I don't think I could," Kathy chuckled, turning to face Liv a little more and watching her lift Teddy into her lap.
"It was hard," she exhaled a nod. "But so worth it."
"Naturally or… if you don't mind me asking."
"Oh not at all," Liv said, kissing Ted's head as he laid back into her. "IVF… we're almost done paying him off," she winked and Kathy chuckled.
"Well he's a lucky, lucky boy… must be nice to have…" she trailed off, looking down at the twins.
"Nieces and nephew technically," Eli chimed in with a small small. "But uh… I mean we probably won't go that route so, just best friends."
"Baby of the family and more best friends than he can count… thats awesome."
"He's spoiled," Liv winked.
"Mostly by his big brothers," Sam laughed, spinning her ring Eli gave her.
The glimmer caught Kathy's eye and she glanced down.
"Promise ring," Eli said softly, taking Sam's hand. "We have a lot to look forward to and talk about so… this is the plan as of now."
"That's a good plan," she said earnestly. "You need time to be yourselves…"
Her soft comment grabbed Elliot's attention from the kitchen and he made eye contact with his son who tried to keep a straight face.
"So how long have you two been together?" Kathy asked, shaking her head free from the spiral her mind was going down.
"15," Sam smiled, leaning into Eli. "But basically had a crush on him from the moment I met him."
"Same," Eli smiled, pressing his lips to her temple in effort to steady himself.
EJ whimpered and Eli stood up quickly, scooping him from Kathy's arms and taking him to his bedroom for a diaper change and to cool off.
"W-what did I say," Kathy whispered. "I can go…
"It's okay," Sam smiled, placing a gentle hand on her forearm. "He just needs a minute. This is hard."
"O-okay…" she said, cleaning her throat and handing over Joey.
Sam followed behind him with their little girl and Kathy sat awkwardly, looking down.
"He's fine," Liv said, allowing Teddy to crawl in her now empty lap, the baby none of the wiser and just happy to have a new friend.
"He gets a little over sensitive about his future with Sam," Liv admitted candidly as Teddy pulled himself up on his chubby legs to look at Kathy better.
"He loves her… that's clear," Kathy nodded and Emma rolled her eyes as she approached with two glasses of wine Elliot had poured them.
"He's obsessed with her. It's kinda cute," she winked.
"Oh I'm good baby but thank you," Liv said, and her daughter gave her a slight look as Kathy accepted the glass and took a sip.
"Thank you again for having me, Liv… I… don't deserve this," she said, setting her glass down once Emma walked away.
"Everyone deserves some type of kindness and… I told them I would be there for them, however they want to handle it."
"Thank you for that… the big kids?"
"Start small," Liv said with a small smile and encouraging nod.
"Okay," she replied tearfully.
"They have so much coming up. Three babies and a new relationship for Lizzie. They just need time."
Kathy nodded again, looking back to Teddy and smiling when he grinned at her.
"Breathe," Sam said, placing Joey on the bed beside her twin and wrapping her arms tightly around Eli's waist.
"I'm okay," he said, his voice and heart beat indicating differently.
"Uh huh… sit," she whispered, tugging him to the edge of the bed.
She stood between his legs and laid her head on his as he steadIed himself, using all the coping mechanisms his therapist had given him over the years.
When he was finally calm, he exhaled and nodded against her. "Sorry… I was gonna lose my cool."
"I know… it's okay… do you think maybe this was too much too soon?"
"Yes," he admitted with a sigh. "I don't know that comment just felt like a dig to dad."
She sat slowly on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You know… I think if you're gonna do this you've gotta look at the potential positives of everything she does. And if you can't do that then you're not ready to forgive her… and that's okay, Eli. No one expects that."
With a small sigh, he leaned his head against her's and nodded. "Yeah…"
"Like… she went so far down the rabbit hole with your dad that she made herself into a monster… and she doesn't want that for us, maybe?"
"When'd you get so smart," he whispered and she chuckled.
"You say the word and we'll go home and snuggle on the couch and eat ice cream," she whispered, kissing him before calling "come in" when there was a knock.
Kathy entered slowly and Sam gave her a small smile, standing up and scooping up the twins before leaving them be.
"Can we talk a moment?" Kathy asked softly, and Eli nodded, motioning for her to sit at his desk.
She took a seat and shot him a small smile. "I uh… I don't wanna make you uncomfortable. If this is too much, too fast… I… I can go."
Eli raised his hand and shook his head.
"Kath… no I… it's… this is a lot," he sighed. "I have a lot and… I need to do this, cause… I'm starting to spiral in my head cause I'm so mad at you. I'm so mad and I… I can't be mad anymore. Cause I have three people I need to take care of mentally and physically and emotionally. It's so damn important to me and I just… I fucking feel like I can't cause I'm so angry at you."
He didn't know he was rambling until Elliot came and sat beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder to steady him.
"Get it out," he said softly.
"It's just fucked and like… part of me isn't angry for me and just more angry for my siblings cause honestly I never felt a mother's love until I met Mom and you were different with them and I get that," he said, shaking his head. "But the other part of me is mad for me."
"You're justified in being angry at me," she said softly.
"Don't placate me."
"I'm not… I promise you, I'm not. You all are justified in your emotions and the fact that I've even been invited into your family home, have gotten to meet your babies, and am getting to have this conversation with you is a gift I don't deserve."
"That's true," he said, sighing and looking down. "I… there was a point when I was really angry at you. And I still am but like… angry to the point where I was lashing out and setting a bad example for my younger brother and scaring my little sister. Kathy," he sighed, "I'm not trying to continue that behavior and scare my son."
Elliot tensed beside him and Kathy nodded slowly, keeping her eyes trained on her youngest.
"I… I don't want that for you. I want happiness for you and for Sam. She's so damn kind and those babies are perfect. I know that my coming back has been… less than ideal and has brought up a lot of feelings," she sighed. "But it's… I appreciate the steps you're making even though you're angry at me," she whispered.
"I'm sick of being angry," he sighed. "I wanna move on. And beginning to move on is starting by," he paused and sighed softly. "Telling you I forgive you."
Kathy's breath hitched and her eyes welled up. With a small nod, she whispered a soft thanks before taking a moment to steady herself.
"Thank you… I uh… don't deserve this but I… I very much appreciate it. And I hope that I can um, slowly get to know you and your family, and maybe just be a friend, eventually."
"It's gonna take time," Eli whispered, nodding. "But I uh… I'm not saying no I just… I have to go slowly. For everyone's sake."
"Of course," she nodded quickly.
Liv's soft knock on the door made them all look over.
She had a hand subconsciously on her belly and Teddy on her hip.
"Dinner is ready… everything good in here?"
"All good momma," Eli said, standing and giving her a small smile.
He pressed a kiss to her cheek and then Teddy's when he walked by and Liv gave Elliot and Kathy a moment alone.
"Thank you for letting me in," Kathy said softly.
"It's Eli… it's not me or Liv but," he sighed.
"It is… you raised him right and you set a good example and… I'm very thankful. I mean that…"
Elliot rubbed the back of his head awkwardly and sucked in a breath. "Thanks… I…"
"Daddddy let's goooo," Emma said popping in with a smile and a discreet wink.
"Coming Emma Bee," he said, exhaling his nerves, a smile cracking through his stressed facade as he stood.
"Always looking out for dad," El chuckled softly and Kathy smiled. "You're lucky. A little Olivia Benson to keep you in check."
"She's so much like her momma it's crazy," El chuckled, watching the pair in the kitchen through the door.
"I'm happy for you, Elliot," Kathy blurted out awkwardly.
Looking over, he gave a small smile and then nod before heading out.
Dinner was as okay as it could be, and they all chatted cordially, eventually laughing by the time dessert came around.
Liv noticed Eli and Sam discreetly texting one another, and laughed softly to herself when Eli finally spoke.
"Well this has been.. nice," he said genuinely with a small smile. "But we gotta get these two to bed- trying to keep a routine," he said with a small smile. "You two wanna sleep over?" He asked Emma and Noah.
"Mom dad please please please," Noah asked excitedly, looking at his parents.
El looked to Liv who nodded and smiled.
"Pack church clothes," he said as Noah jumped up from the table, sitting back down quickly at Liv's stern look.
"And," Elliot continued, laughing, "no staying up too late. You guys have Sunday school in the morning so make sure that Mo and Carl know where to pick you up from."
"You may be excused," Liv said laughing as Noah resumed his bolting.
"Noah my navy dress with my tights and gray booties please," Emma called.
"Gotcha!!" Came his voice from deep in the condo as the girls laughed and Eli rolled his eyes.
"You're bad," he said, nudging his sister.
"I've been spoiled," she said casually, making them all laugh, including Teddy who once again crinkled his nose like his mom.
"That's new," Sam laughed, leaning over to where he was seated in Liv's lap and kissing his cheek.
"Starting to look less Stabler and more Benson," Eli said with a smile and Elliot nodded.
"Seriously… that's mommy's nose crinkle huh??" He said cutely to his boy.
Teddy giggled and lounged back in Liv's lap, playing with her hands that were around him.
Noah came sprinting back with their back packs and Emma's dress on a hanger. "Ready," he declared.
The minute his little brother saw the bags and Emma stand up to go, his little bottom lip jutted out in a dramatic pout as the tears began to flow.
"Teddy!" Noah gasped as the little one worked himself up, stopping only when Noah set the bags down and Emma took him.
"Mom can he come?" Emma asked, brushing back Teddy's hair and rocking with him gently.
"No baby, it's too late he's gotta go to bed soon, plus he didn't have the best day," she said sadly, hating to separate them ever.
"How about you guys stay for bedtime and prayers and I'll take you over?" Elliot asked and the duo nodded quickly.
Elliot stood to help Eli and Sam get the twins in their car seats, and both Kathy and Liv chuckled as they watched Eli double check Elliot's work.
"Bye Kathy," Sam said, giving her a side hug. "Good to see you."
"Nice to see you too," the older woman said with a nervous smile.
Sam moved to Liv next who pulled her in for a tight hug.
"Bye baby," she said, kissing her cheek.
"Bye Livie," she smiled, melting into her hug like she always did.
"Good to see ya Kathy," Eli waved. "Thanks for coming over."
"Of course… anytime, really," she said in a small voice, nodding quickly.
Liv met her son half way, pulling him in for a tight hug, too. "Bye baby. Love you."
"Love you momma," he said into her hair.
He was fully towering over her now, and had to lean over almost completely to bury his head in her shoulder.
"See you tomorrow morning," she said, giving him a knowing squeeze.
"Yes ma'am," he said, standing back up and kissing her temple before moving to pick up Joey's carrier.
"Bye babies," Liv cooed, leaning down to kiss each of their heads.
Sam motioned for Kathy, and she came over, gently rubbing their cheeks with her finger. "Bye guys… it was so good to meet you," she whispered.
"Alright guys," Eli nodded, clearing his throat. "See you two in a bit and see you guys tomorrow," he nodded, dropping a final kiss to Ted's head and heading out ahead of his dad and Sam.
"Who called the sibling meeting," El asked once they were in the elevator in effort to lighten Eli's tense mood.
It worked, and the young man exhaled a soft laugh.
"Not an official meeting. Just me and Mo," he said, laughing a little when his dad's head whipped towards him.
"She's having a lot of pre-baby emotions so… yeah," he nodded.
"We're gonna have a little pow wow," Sam smiled small.
"And Noah and Emma?" El asked curiously.
"Fomo," Sam teased, making both Elliot's laugh.
"No, I'm kidding. Emma wanted some Katie time and Noah needs some bro time," she said as they stepped off the elevator into the parking garage.
"Little asshole at school is commenting shit on his tik toks now and fucking with him," Eli growled.
"Jesus still?" El asked, shaking his head.
"Yeah. Jake might swing by tonight to chat, too," Eli said cautiously.
"He's sleeping in our living room with Noah if he does, Em will be upstairs," Sam clarified.
"I'm not worried, he and Beau are scarier than me!" El laughed, putting the car seats in.
"Poor Joey," Sam sighed playfully, hugging her for all intents and purposes father in law goodbye. "See ya in a few."
"Bye girl," he smiled.
Kathy was waiting outside the apartment when El came back up.
"Hi," he said. "Leaving?"
"Yeah… yeah I… I said goodbye and just wanted a minute alone to uh… say thank you."
"You're welcome," he said, clearing his throat.
"Not just for dinner for… for raising our kids. Providing for them their whole lives growing up. And mostly? For doing more for them in the last four years than I did their whole lives."
"Kathy," he sighed softly, shaking his head.
"El, just… please."
"Thank you," he said after a moment. "For saying that, I…"
"We don't have to do this now. But when you're ready? Liv, too… I'd like to."
"Course," he whispered, nodding again before giving a small smile. "Mo is due any day now…"
"Oh yeah?" Kathy asked, tearing up.
"Uh huh… our little Olivia Margaret," he whispered.
Covering her heart with her hand, Kathy blinked quickly and nodded. "Give her my congrats," she managed to choke out. "See you, El."
She was headed in the direction of the elevator before he could say anything else.
El scrubbed his face in effort to steady himself before heading back inside.
His three youngest were snuggled on the couch on either side of Liv, waiting for him to join them for Teddy's story.
He popped down with them, wrapping his arms around all of them as best he could, and watched intently as his baby son dozed off almost immediately to the sound of his mom's voice.
"He was pretty grumpy today," Noah pouted.
"I know… he didn't nap well. Probably more teeth."
"Poor guy," Emma frowned, gently rubbing his arm.
"Let daddy and I get him down and then he'll take you two, okay?"
"Okay." "'Kay mama."
"I'm gonna take a bath while you're gone… my stomach is super uneasy," Olivia sighed, leaning into Elliot as they stood over Ted's crib. "Just a lot of worry."
"Whatever you need, baby," he said, wrapping his arms around her and grazing her belly with his large hands.
"Stop," she said softly, and he frowned into her hair.
"What?"
"You're… putting ideas and hopes and dreams in my head and I have to face the reality that they won't come true… I have to live with that."
"Live with that?" He asked, turning her slightly. "Liv… where is this coming from?"
"I…" she trailed off and shook her head, looking over his shoulder. "I'm sorry… g-go… okay? I'm okay. Just a long day."
"Baby…"
His brow was furrowed in concern and his hands gently gripped her biceps.
"El forget it it's okay, I'm sorry," she choked out.
"'S'not okay… something is bothering you…"
She didn't respond, just rested her head against his chest and held her breath in effort to keep her tears at bay.
"I'm gonna have someone come get them, okay?" He said softly in her ear, and she nodded quickly, exhaling the breath she was holding and allowing herself to be vulnerable for a moment.
"I gotcha… okay? I gotcha and I always will. I know this Kathy stuff is so much and… I'm sorry I even joked about the baby thing yesterday. Seriously, honey. I was just teasing. We're so blessed and I'm so fucking thankful you put your body through that at 53 for us. That's damn special and I couldn't and wouldn't ask for more."
"Okay," she whispered, letting out a sad sigh when Teddy started to wake up in his crib after realizing the loss of contact with his mom, his tiny face scrunching up and turning red.
"Get him… I'll call Beau and get those two off."
"Thank you," she whispered, pecking his lips and turning to pick up Teddy again.
Shutting his door quietly after texting Beau and receiving a response, he smiled at the kids on the couch. "Hey… I'm gonna have Beau come get you. Little bro isn't having a good night and don't wanna leave mommy alone."
Emma raised a brow skeptically and Noah's brow furrowed.
"You look like dad," Emma said, making Noah grin for a moment before returning to the task at hand.
"Mommy ok?" He asked nervously and El nodded, sitting beside her.
"I think moms just nervous about Kathy… this is a lot for all of us, but she's internalizing it a little more than usual. And that's okay, cause she doesn't need to be strong all the time, right?"
"Right," Emma nodded. "Maybe she just needs a reminder about how much we all love her?"
Noah gasped and nodded. "We should do a mom and kids day tomorrow after church! We can take her to breakfast. Just the eight of us! It can be a surprise!"
Elliot smiled proudly. "Noah, that's a great idea and I think she'll love that."
"Seriously!" Emma grinned. "We'll plan it tonight, I'll text Liz!"
El's phone buzzed, and he opened it sighing and showing the kids the photo of the two teeth breaking through Teddy's gum on the bottom and top of his mouth.
"Well that explains a lot!" Noah exclaimed as Beau walked in and took a peak. "Good luck with that," he teased.
Later at the Stabler/Williamson brownstone, Mo and Eli were sitting on the couch at Sam's chatting softly.
"I just don't wanna bring my daughter into the world hating my biological mother… that seems so wrong," she sighed.
"I hear you… she… I don't like it and I definitely don't trust it, but.. I think she's genuinely trying. It might be okay to meet with her?"
"I don't wanna upset mom," she whispered.
"Moms been… off," Eli said acknowledged gingerly, "but, she's working really hard to open up to dad and he's been incredibly well… not dad," he paused to smile and join in her laughter. "So I think it'll be okay, you know?"
"Plus I think breakfast after Mass tomorrow, just us, is a great idea. We need to do more stuff like that."
"I agree. But yes I think that'll give her a little boost of confidence."
"Nothing is gonna ever change how much we love her," Mo said, "especially Kathy."
"Second that," he paused, and turned to face his oldest sister.
"You know you're gonna be an amazing mom right," he said with a crooked smile.
Looking down, she blushed and nodded. "There's so many things I learned from both of them… I know she was horrid to you boys but… Kathy really was wonderful when me and Kate were little."
"Before Olivia Benson came on scene," Eli sighed.
"Exactly. And I hate how she treated you guys and what she did to both Liv and Emma but…" she trailed off, looking for her words.
"You had a different experience than us. And that's okay, I'll never fault you for that and neither will Dickie, or Emma, or mom and dad."
"I fault myself for it," she admitted, voice barely above a whisper.
"Maureen," Eli said gently.
"I know, I know… my therapist says the same thing you're about to."
Laughing softly, Eli put a gentle hand on her arm. "Wouldn't hurt, if you feel it's best, to just get a coffee with her before little Livie comes."
"Did it help? Talking to her tonight?"
"Honestly?" He said, eyes drifting to where the twins were snuggled in their living room cradle. "Yeah. Yeah, it did. Was able to get a lot out and I guess I just feel lighter."
Nodding thoughtfully, she pulled her eyes to where his were and smiled small. "Eli?"
"Hm," he asked, looking back over to her.
"You're a hell of a dad."
He smiled. "Learned from the best. And you did too. Both mom and Kathy, even if just for a little when you were small. And more importantly, you learned what to not do."
"You too," she countered, nudging him. "I'm really proud of you. I don't tell you enough."
"Me too," he smiled, leaning his head on her shoulder. "Me too."
"So now he's commenting stuff?" Carl asked, looking over Noah's shoulder at his phone.
"Yeah!" Noah cried with a groan, showing the hateful comment from the new school yard bully.
"I should kick his ass," Jake grumbled
"Okay no one is kicking anyones ass," Maureen said with a laugh as she and Eli came upstairs to the main house, Eli cradling the now awake twins.
"No one under the age of 18 at least," Eli quipped, passing the littles off to Sam so she could breast feed. "Noah, what's this kids problem anyways?"
"Everything. Talks so much shit about everything and all of our family cause he's a super pious doofus and now he's calling me fruity on social media. I'm sorry, you try and do literally any dance move. And on a video of a back flip too!"
"How the hell do you know what pious means?" Carl laughed.
"Tell him!" Beau whooped quietly and Katie chuckled, rubbing her just showing belly.
"Oh we told him. We all roasted his bitch ass," Emma said, crossing her arms.
"Language," Maureen and Katie said together.
She waved them off. "No I'll say it cause he's hurting my baby brother and that's messed up."
"Noah," Carl said, sitting beside him and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Block him and then tell your teacher or the principal at school okay? Two wrongs don't make a right. Remember that, buddy," he advised, always the voice of reason.
Noah groaned and Beau leaned across the counter next to Eli, both men nodding. "He's right. Don't stoop to his level. Okay?"
He grumbled lightly in response and Eli raised a brow, repeating what Beau said. "Okay?" He asked, tone stern.
"Okaaaay," Noah sighed.
Anna Kate was nuzzled into her Cap's arms after church the next morning.
Liv and El had spent much needed quality time together the night before, and she was in much better spirits that morning.
"Okay, who's turn to pick the breakfast place? I think Dickie and Sarah?"
"Actually mama," Dickie said with a grin. "This week is a little different."
"Oh?" She asked, brown raised in confusion.
"We heard you're feeling a little uneasy about some things," Lizzie said, coming up beside her and wrapping her arm around her.
"And we want to reinforce just how frickin much we love you and how happy we are to have you, and just how that won't change. Ever," Katie finished.
"So, mom," Emma grinned. "We're," she said, taking the time to point out all 8 siblings, "taking you to breakfast. Just a mom and kid day."
"It was my idea!" Noah beamed and everyone chuckled.
Liv was speechless, hand pressed to her heart. "Guys…"
"We love you," Eli said, coming up on her other side to hug her. "That a yes?"
She laughed and nodded, wiping a few stray tears. "Guys that sounds amazing… yes!"
El smiled proudly, watching all of his kids join her for a group hug, and shot up another prayer of thanks for Olivia Benson.
Breakfast was wonderful, and the family joined El and the spouses and grandkids after for a day at the house and family dinner.
The Stabler Clan's mood remained bright and hopeful for the rest of the day and into the start of another Monday of work and school.
That was, until, the click of Beau's expensive cowboy boots - the ones he always wore to court - filled the halls of the kid's school admin building the following afternoon, just after lunch.
It was there, as his phone buzzed non-stop in his pocket, that he found a bloody nosed and blank eyed Noah, waiting for him, completely expressionless.
"Noah," he said, breathless and worried, sinking down in front of him under the glares of two seething parents and another bloodied kid. "What the hell happened?"