El and Liv had both taken the following day off to spend with Noah, and ended up being incredibly grateful that they had.
The little boy's nightmares began around 1am.
Low groans permeated through the walls, followed by sobs that made both parents sit up quickly.
"Got him," El said, racing out of bed while Liv quickly pulled on underwear and a pair of Elliot's sweats, running after him.
Noah was thrashing in his bed, loud sobs coming out of his mouth and tears dropping from his closed eye and the now swollen shut one.
When Olivia burst through the doorway, just seconds behind her husband, she found Elliot slumped on the floor beside Noah's bed with their boy in his lap looking even smaller than he usually did.
He'd flung off both their shirts, and had his arms wrapped tightly around their son, one hand around his waist and one on his head, pressing his ear to his heart.
Noah could barely breath, and on immediate instinct, Liv grabbed his inhaler and dropped beside them as Elliot turned his head lightly so that Liv could administer a puff.
"Right here," El said, calmly and steadily. "Right here. Daddy's right here… mommy's right here," he reassured him as his breathing steadied.
"Emma is right here," he added, offering his daughter a weak smile as she entered the room, sat beside them, and hugged her brother tightly.
"I-I-it…" Noah began, but his voice fell off as his sobs began once again.
"Sh… it's okay. You don't need to talk or explain… just listen to daddy's voice and let's take another puff of your inhaler," Liv nodded, holding it up so he could take another.
"You're good, Noah… we gotcha. Bad dreams happen. It's normal and it happens. We're all here for you, son," El reassured him, rubbing circles on his back.
When he finally calmed down fully, and his eyes began to droop, Liv stood and slowly walked Emma back to her room.
"Mom is he going to be okay?" She asked softly, once she was sat back in her bed.
"He's gonna be okay," she whispered reassuringly as she pulled the covers over her girl and sat on the edge of her bed. "You remember when I used to have bad dreams?"
"Yeah," she whispered, taking hold of her mom's hand.
"Well… this is kinda like that… it was traumatic, so Noah is gonna have some nightmares for a little, but… time heals, right?"
Emma nodded, reaching up to pull Liv in for a hug.
Squeezing her back, Liv sighed softly. "I love you… you're the best big sister and I'm so proud of you," she whispered into her blonde locks. "Sleep, okay?"
She nodded, kissing her mom's cheeks and laying back, allowing herself to succumb to her own physical and emotional exhaustion.
Elliot was exiting Noah's room with the little boy still wrapped around him when Liv met them in the hallway.
"Okay if he sleeps with us?" He asked softly.
"Of course," she exhaled, rubbing her boy's clammy back. "How about he takes a shower quick… it'll cool him off and make him feel better."
"I think that's a good idea," El agreed and Noah nodded into his chest before the pair walked into the bathroom.
Settling back into bed to wait, Liv groaned softly, cupping her aching breasts through the thin material of the old NYPD shirt she wore. Laying back in effort to get comfy, she closed her eyes and placed a hand on her belly as anxiety crept into her chest.
Her mind raced at the thought of doing it all over again. At her age and with her career and children…
How it would even effect her children? Her grandchildren- the ones here and on their way?
Her husband and her job and her little boy who had so freshly been saddled with a horrible and traumatizing truth.
Just then, the bathroom door opening interrupted her train of thought, and Elliot's soft chuckle filled the room.
"Need your pumps?" He asked softly, Noah still in his arms, still wrapped around him tightly.
"Please," she sighed softly, her eyes following him as he laid Noah down in the middle of the bed.
"You okay baby?" She asked softly, wrapping her arm around him while Elliot fetched her pumps.
"I don't wanna go to sleep," he whispered, nuzzling into her. "I don't… I can't see it again."
"Oh sweet boy," Liv whispered, scooting down beside him and hugging him close after brushing off her husband's pump efforts. "It's only a dream… me and daddy are here for you, baby."
"We aren't leaving your side," El agreed, climbing in beside him and wrapping his arms around them both.
He began to fall back to sleep almost immediately, though Elliot and Liv had not, and started whimpering again just an hour later.
Liv rolled back slightly so that Elliot could fully wrap him in a bear hug and speak softly in his ear while Liv held his hands.
"Right here, son. Mommy and Daddy are right here, and we love you so, so much."
His words on repeat stopped the boy's soft cries, and he turned in his father's arms, nuzzling his chest.
"He's gonna be okay," he whispered to his wife once Noah's breathing evened.
"Of course… he's strong like his daddy," she whispered back, smiling small.
"My strength is nothing compared to yours. He gets that from you."
"Agree to disagree," she smiled small, leaning across their son to peck his lips before settling back and finally, drifting off fully.
Early the next morning, Liv woke to the sound of Elliot talking to Teddy on the monitor, and Noah and Emma hugging onto her from either side as they watched the interaction on the tiny screen they'd balanced on her stomach.
We're gonna have to get you a haircut before you turn one, buddy. It's getting so long!
"I don't want him to be one," Noah whispered, and Liv felt Emma nod. "Me either… he's growing up too fast."
"I think mommy is pregnant again," Noah said, and Emma giggled. "Me too…Katie too."
"Really?"
"Mhm… but she told me not to call a sibling meeting yet."
"No fun," Noah mused.
They were quiet for a few moments, looking at one another, and then both giggled. "Should we tell Eli?" Noah asked.
"Duh," Emma smiled. "He'd never forgive us if we didn't."
They went quiet again after their laughter died down, and Noah reached his hand across his mom's stomach to hold his sister's.
"Will you stay home with me today?" He asked softly.
"Of course… daddy already said I could," she smiled small.
"I love you," he whispered.
"I love you… I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you," she said, voice wavering.
"You always protect me," he countered, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Not yesterday," she sighed.
"You did, though," he nodded. "Whole time I was thinking about how hard you would have beat him up," he giggled slightly, and Emma let out a soft laugh and sigh of relief.
"I love you buddy," she nodded quickly.
"I love you, sissy."
"Do you forgive me?" She asked in a small voice after another beat of silence.
"There's nothing to forgive Emma," he said squeezing her hand. "You're my best friend and I learned everything from you."
"We're a good team," she smiled small.
"The best team. The OG team," he grinned.
Emma laughed softly and nodded. "Your eye looks horrible."
"It feels horrible," he groaned and laughed softly. "My nose too."
"Are you okay? Otherwise?"
"Like in my brain?" He shrugged. "I just keep thinking about it… how evil he was and…" he trailed off, blinking his one open eye quickly.
"You're not like him, Noah," she whispered.
"How do we know?"
"We don't… but I guess we don't really know about anyone… it's a choice."
"That's what daddy said," he commented thoughtfully.
"Your daddy is pretty smart," Liv finally said softly, alerting her littles to her awake state.
Both kids looked up to her and moved further up the pillow so that their heads were right beside her's.
"Morning mommy," Noah whispered.
"Morning mama," Emma echoed.
"Hi babies… you two okay?"
"Yeah mommy," Noah nodded, snuggling her shoulder.
"S'ok if you're not," Emma said, and Liv laughed softly. "What my mini me said."
Noah couldn't help his smile, and simply snuggled in a little closer, choosing to not talk about the race that was running in his head just yet.
"I thought maybe we could do something Saturday? Just the three of us," Liv suggested, looking between the two.
"What about daddy?" Noah replied with a frown.
"And Teddy," Emma said, sitting up slightly, and making Liv laugh.
"Mommy are you feeling guilty," Noah asked, sitting up, too, to look at her.
She couldn't stop her laugh, and nodded. "A little bit, Detectives Stabler," she teased.
"Mom we love our life," Emma said in her best Olivia Benson tone.
"That includes daddy and Teddy," Noah echoed.
"Maybe we can do something just the five of us?" Noah asked hopefully.
"How about Saturday, we have a Noah's choice day?" El said from the door, holding a fully dressed Teddy.
"That sounds perfect!" Emma squealed, excitedly, looking to her mom.
"See?" Liv smiled. "Your daddy is pretty dang smart."
"Dadadadada," came Teddy's whisper from the door where he sat snuggled in Elliot's arms
"Say mama," El coached softly, sitting on the edge of the bed and laughing when Teddy pushed out of Elliot's arms and crawled quickly up to Liv, nuzzling in.
"Hi baby," she chuckled softly, wincing as he laid right on her chest.
"Why is he dressed so early?" Noah asked suspiciously.
Both parents laughed, and Liv smiled, looking over the baby to her husband. "The surprise almost here?"
"Yes," he winked.
"What surprise?" Noah asked, sitting up.
"Yelllloooooo," came Dickie's voice from the door, followed by Eli's.
"Breakfast date, kiddos, let's gooooo," he called, coming in to his parents room. "Girls are in the car with the babies come on, come on!"
Emma and Noah bounced up, sprinting to hug Eli while Dickie made his way over to take Teddy, who would have power crawled right off the bed if it weren't for Elliot holding onto the back or his shirt.
"Easy, Noah," Liv laughed softly, sitting up and stretching, smiling when Eli gave him the same gentle scolding about concussion protocol.
"Hey boy," Dickie cooed, snatching Teddy into his arms. "You ready?"
Teddy just grinned, snuggling in with his oldest brother and sighing contentedly while Noah and Emma raced to get dressed.
"Thank you guys," Liv said, swinging her feet over the side of the bed and standing to hug them both after they'd all met back in the kitchen.
"Of course, you two get some sleep okay?" Eli said, kissing his mom's head a few times.
"Thanks baby," she nodded. "Give my grandbabies kisses, okay?"
"Of course," Dickie smiled, kissing her head too and pulling her in for a hug. "You alright?"
"Just tired," she lied poorly.
"Mama," he warned and she chuckled softly, watching the kids dash back out to throw on their boots.
"I've been better," she admitted to her oldest son. "I'm just glad he's okay and he has all of you."
"Always, mom," Dickie said earnestly, handing Teddy back when he reached down.
Noah and Emma had said goodbye and were out and in the car within minutes with Eli while Liv settled Teddy in his car seat.
The youngest Stabler reached for the bottle in his daddy's hand, and smiled when it was handed over.
"I think we cracked the code!" El laughed, kissing the little one's nose.
Teddy giggled and put his bottle in his mouth, holding his Noah bear tightly to his chest with his other hand.
"Call if you need me okay?" Liv asked her boy nervously as El wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
"We will, but he'll be okay, mama," Dickie nodded, kissing her head. "Get some sleep. We'll have him back in time for the meeting."
"You guys are gonna come back right?" El asked and he nodded. "Yeah, girls are gonna have a shopping day on my dime, we'll bring Noah back and stay wherever you want us too while he meets with the therapist."
"Ted and EJ too or just you two?" Liv asked.
Dickie laughed. "I mean knowing Noah? Yes, Ted & EJ too."
Liv chuckled too and nodded, kissing both her boy's cheeks a final time.
"Thank you honey," she nodded, waving as they left and dropping her hands to her chest when El turned around from locking the door.
"Hey… come on," he said gently, supporting her by pressing one palm to her lower back and gripping her bicep with the other. "Why didn't you pump last night?" He chuckled softly.
She shrugged, removing his pair of oversized sweats she was wearing and climbing into bed.
"Noh needed me," she sighed, leaning against him when he joined her and happily taking her pumps when he handed them over.
She went to put them on, but paused to breathe through a sudden and intense wave of nausea that hit her. "Sorry," she whispered, pulling up her shirt when it finally passed.
"Don't be… I'm sorry you're not feeling well," he said gently, "I know that work, everything with Kathy, and now this certainly hasn't helped."
"No… no it hasn't but…Not your fault," she whispered with a sweet smile, covering his hand that was rested half way on her hip and halfway on her belly.
"Might be," he said hesitantly and she breathed out a soft laugh.
"Might be… give me a week? Let me get through this stuff with Noah…"
"Okay," he said gently, leaning in to kiss her and smiling when she let her jaw slack.
"You good?" He laughed softly and she pursed her lips into a pout.
"Be better if your face was between my legs," she said, voice suddenly husky and eyes even darker than their normal chocolate.
"Liv," he said, cocking his head, his foolish smile making her laugh a little.
"A week…"
"A week," he agreed, "I'll stop thinking about it."
"No you won't…"
"No I won't," he admitted. "But I'll stop bringing it up."
"Hmmm," she hummed quietly, running her hands down his chiseled abs and squeezing her legs together.
"Are you too tired?" She asked softly, hopefully.
"Too tired to be between your legs in any way?" He scoffed and shook his head quickly. "Never."
"Good… Cause these pumps right now, combined with your mouth," she shuddered, all but shoving him down her body fully.
"I love when you're pregnant," he sighed happily, taking hold of her cotton sleep panties and ripping them clear in two.
"Elliot."
His name rolling off her lips began as a warning and ended as a praise when his mouth attached to swollen clit.
He smiled when he felt her hands fly to the top of his head, and moaned unintentionally when he realized just how wet she already was for him.
"Fuck Olivia," he said, leaving her clit to bite gently at her drenched lips while she rode his face, desperate for more.
"Elliot todays not the day to tease," she whined softly, reaching her hand as best she could down to find her swollen nub, only to groan when he brushed it away.
Kneeling up, he bent her legs back, bending her knees, before settling again with his mouth hot on her clitoris, licking and sucking at it hungrily.
"Elliot!" She gasped, when two fingers pushed into her and expertly curled upwards.
His eyes drifted their focus from her breasts to her belly, and then up to her face that was contorted in pleasure like he'd never seen.
Suddenly, he had to be inside of her. Doubling down his efforts with his mouth, he brought her to a release that had his name echoing across the walls of their bedroom.
Once she pushed him away, begging for no more, he knelt up and pulled himself up, nodding for her to remove her pumps.
His lips connected to her swollen peaks at the same time he pushed into her sopping and clenching heat, making her back arch as a guttural cry fell from her lips.
"Ungh...Fuck Elliot!"
"Tell me you're not pregnant Olivia," he taunted lightly, moving his attention to her other breast and sucking as he held her nipple between his teeth.
The multiple sensations and noises he was making as the sweet liquid hit his mouth made her whimper and brought her dangerously close to the edge as he increased both his speed and his power.
"Tell. Me." He emphasized the direction on several deep thrusts and clenched around him, desperately rocking her hips upwards.
"Elliot p-please..."
"Never seen you like this," he said, finally finding her lips and satiating the need she'd been begging for.
"Harder," she begged, "fuck, harder."
He obliged, but continued talking. "You've never been this hungry for daddy to fuck you," he growled in her ear, nipping at the sensitive skin just below it and sending her flying- taking him with her.
Her body went ridged below him and she held his cock deep within her as she twitched and spammed beneath him, and his lips returned to her breast, sucking again slowly and finishing himself off with soft and slow thrusts.
"Don't stop," she begged softly, eyes rolling backwards as their combined juices saturated her inner thighs and her milk filled his eager mouth while he stimulated her sensitive nipple.
Her body convulsed again, after a few more minutes of alternating sucking at her breasts and kneading them in his big hands, and he smiled to himself as the small orgasm overtook her.
"Sh-shut up," she whispered as he collapsed back beside her, pulling her tight to his chest.
10:30," she yawned, glancing at the clock and sighing.
"Boys are telling him right?"
"Mhm… we have good sons, Elliot," she said softly.
"We have the best sons," he smiled, squeezing her gently.
"But my god does Dickie need to marry Sarah," Liv sighed dramatically and Elliot snorted a laugh.
"Yes..but let's get one son fixed first," he yawned and smiled, closing his eyes and hugging her to his chest.
"Good idea, partner," she whispered, lulling to sleep almost immediately.
"So what's the plan for today?" Noah asked as he sat in a booth with his brothers and nephew while the girls took the one behind them.
"Plan today is breakfast, then you, me, and Dickie are gonna go home cause there's someone mom and dad want you to talk to," Eli said cautiously.
"W-who?" Noah asked, suddenly nervous and fiddling with his paper napkin.
"Relax," Dickie said softly, reaching across the table to rest a hand on his arm. "Someone mom used to work with. They just wanna chat with you and see what they can do to help you and help you understand… this is a good thing. Okay?"
"B-but I don't w-want them to think I'm like… messed up," Noah said, feeling himself start to get worked up.
"Hey," Eli whispered, putting a large hand on his shoulder. "No one thinks you're messed up… we're just worried. And you know what, buddy? If you are a little messed up that's okay. This is huge news."
Noah sighed a little and leaned into his brother, glancing across him at EJ nestled in his carrier.
"Why you guys gonna be there?" He finally asked.
"Cause we're your brothers," Dickie said, pouring him the smallest mug of coffee and winking before handing it to him.
"Mhm, and we take care of our own," Eli added, pouring in some flavored creamer for him.
Nodding slowly, Noah thought a moment before looking behind himself to his sister.
"They're bribing me with a girls shopping day but said I could leave and come to you whenever I want," Emma told him.
"I-I want you there," he said with a quick nod.
"Duty calls," she told her sister in laws who laughed a little and nodded.
"We'll keep an eye out for you at the stores," Sam smiled.
"Wait can EJ and Teddy come too?" Noah asked hopefully, looking up to Eli.
"Teddy, yeah… EJ?" He asked, looking back to Sam.
"That's fine," she smiled, brushing his hair behind his ears. "Mommy and Joey need a girls day anyways," she winked, and Dickie laughed.
"Welcome to the rest of your life, brother," Dickie sighed playfully, blowing a kiss to his daughter who was grinning at him.
Teddy scrunched up his nose in a giggle and Sam laughed. "The kid suddenly morphed into your mom."
"Seriously!" Sarah laughed, nodding in agreement. "Noah looks more like your dad than he does."
Noah couldn't help the big laugh that escaped him as he nodded. "I'm just thankful I don't have that big Stabler head or pointy ears!"
"Hey!" "Woah!" Dickie and Eli both cried as the girls all cackled and Teddy laughed harder, keeping his face scrunched in the cutest way.
"So who is this therapist we've got coming?" El asked, coming into the kitchen and accepting a cup of coffee from his wife.
"He worked with SVU for a while," she said, smiling when a knock at the door interrupted them.
El raised a brow and Liv nodded towards the door with a sly smile.
Making his way over, he laughed out loud when he opened it. "George Huang. I'll be dammed."
"Elliot Stabler," he smiled. "You came back."
"I always was going to," he winked, stepping aside to let him in.
"Sup doc," Liv smiled, rushing over to hug him.
"You look amazing, Liv," he said with a bright smile. "You're glowing."
She blushed and motioned towards the couch.
"Have a seat. Coffee?" She asked, sitting across from him.
"Please," he nodded, pulling out some files from his brief case.
Liv exhaled and nodded, traveling back in time at the words "Baby Doe" scrawled across the front of the folder.
"Feels like yesterday," she mused, leaning into Elliot when he came to sit beside her.
"It does," Huang agreed, pulling out photos of Johnny, and then Ellie.
"What's your plan?" El asked, nervously, handing him a mug.
"I'm going to let Noah do the talking… tell me about how he's feeling, and then judge from there if he's ready to see pictures of them," he said with a nod, sliding the 8x10s into an unlabeled folder.
"Feels like he's got this image in his mind of what she looked like when she died… he's having nightmares," El sighed, clearly at a loss. "Last night was horrible."
"Sometimes," Huang nodded, sitting back, "it's helps to put a different face to the nightmare. Showing him Ellie could be good way to replace the image his subconscious concocted."
"But there's not crime scene photos right?" Liv asked, nervously.
"I have them, but they're in a separate folder in my bag. He won't see them, but I know Elliot Stabler," Huang laughed softly, and El smiled small, nodding. "Yeah… just… wanna know what I'm dealing with."
Liv was skeptical, but nodded anyways and gently rubbed his arm.
"When are you guys going to talk to his school?" The doctor asked.
"I think tomorrow," Liv sighed. "Maybe Thursday… I don't know. Depends on how he feels and if he wants to be there… was hoping you could guide us on that."
"Of course," he nodded quickly, turning when the door opened and the Stabler boys walked in, led by Dickie.
Teddy gasped when he saw his mama, crinkling his nose and reaching for her.
"Hi boys," she smiled, getting up to take her youngest and laughing when Emma came into view. "And Emma."
"Should have known," Elliot teased his daughter who stuck her tongue out playfully at her dad.
"Guys this is Dr. George Huang," Liv said, turning and pointing to the doctor.
"Now a few of you I remember, but you were much younger," he said kindly, nodding to Emma, Noah, and Dickie.
"Good to see you again, sir," Dickie smiled, reaching his hand out to shake the doctor's.
"You too, Dickie. And this must be Eli and…" he trailed off, nodding to Eli and the baby in his arms.
"EJ," Eli smiled proudly, sticking out his hand next. "Good to meet you… thank you for being here," he nodded.
"Of course," he smiled, turning back to Noah and Emma, who were stood with their arms around one another.
"I take it you two are attached at the hip and that you'll be staying out here for this?" He asked with a soft laugh.
Emma nodded quickly. "Yes.. I-is that okay?"
"Of course," he nodded, motioning for them to take a seat.
"Buddy we'll be in your room okay," Eli said, kissing his brother's head.
He nodded and reached up to hug Eli and then Dickie before they headed down the hall.
"Noah," El said gently, once the door had shut. "We asked Dr. Huang to come and help us out and tell you a little more about Ellie and Johnny… okay?"
"And, while we figure out how we're gonna handle our talk with school," Liv added, looking to Huang who smiled small.
"Noah, you can call me George. How you doing?"
"Been better," he winced lightly.
"Can you tell me what better means?"
"N-not as sad or scared…" he said, sinking into his sister who was still hugging him protectively.
"When were you sad and scared? And about what?"
Noah looked down a little and steadied himself, and Huang smiled to himself at how much his mannerisms reminded him of a young Elliot.
"When I woke up and… I'm just… I feel so sad about what happened to Ellie and I'm… scared that it w-would have h-happened to me if m-mommy," he paused and sucked in a deep breath. "If mommy didn't save me."
The admission came in the smallest voice, and Huang held both his hands up, both to silence and hold back the parents on either side of him who were jumping to hug their boy and reassure him.
"Noah, I think that's a valid concern and fear," he said, once Liv and El had settled back, begrudgingly. "But you're here now… what does that mean to you?"
His next response was quick and more confident, and he answered the question with his eyes on the doctor.
"Th-that mommy saved me and I-I'm exactly where I'm meant t-to be," he nodded.
"That's right Noah… and while it's ok to have the feelings you're feeling right now, but only if you remember the truth: that's that you're here today and you're safe."
"B-but what about um… Ellie and J-Johnny didn't have family?"
"None that were known at the the time you were adopted. Everything was perfectly legal… are you scared you may go somewhere?"
"W-well I just… if Isaiah knew about me w-who else does."
"That's also a rational fear," Huang said, sitting back, "but with that fear, what do we have to do?"
"R-remember the truth…"
"Which is?"
"That it was legal and I've been mommy and daddy's for a long time and I'm not going anywhere…"
"That's right sweet boy," Liv whispered, now emotional.
Noah sat back, relieved for a moment but still snuggled into his sister before finally speaking again.
"I uhm… I can't… I can't stop thinking about h-her…"
"Ellie?" Huang asked gently.
Noah nodded.
"What part are you thinking about?"
"How she died…"
His voice was back to a whisper, and Huang gently encouraged him to look up. "Have you seen those pictures?"
"Well no but…" he trailed off, and the doctor let him chew on his thoughts a moment. "Just my imagination I guess…"
"You know, sometimes when we don't have an actual face to put with a scary thought, it's easy for our imagination to run wild."
"Tell me about it," he said, and Liv and El both chuckled.
"Noah would you like to see a photo of your birth parents? Maybe it'll make them a little less scary. They just look like normal people."
His eyes darted to his parents, who both gave encouraging nods. Noah exhaled and nodded, sitting forward and leaning in his knees while Huang opened the folder and turned it around so that Noah could see it clearly.
The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop, and broken only by Noah's soft sigh of relief, before he sat back and covered his face.
Huang nodded at El and Liv, who dashed across to hug their boy as he let his tears fall.
"Why you crying," Liv whispered.
"H-he… he doesn't h-have curly hair and I…" Noah stuttered out before Liv realized what he was trying to say and hugged him even tighter.
"No baby… no he doesn't have curly hair, does he…" she whispered through tears of her own before kissing her son's signature mop.
They let him calm down ever so before looking at the photos and wiping his eyes. "He's n-not scary either…"
"Daddy looks more intimidating than him," Emma said, giggling and making everyone chuckle as the air in the room lightened.
"You look like her," Emma added, hugging her baby brother again and resting her chin on his shoulder as they looked at the photo of Ellie.
Liv reached forward, pulling out one of the pair from when Noah was a baby, just before he came home permanently.
"Can I keep this?" He asked softly, taking it when she handed it to him.
"Of course," she and Elliot said together.
"We can get a nice frame for it… sound good?"
He nodded, not taking his eyes off the smaller version of himself.
"She loved you, Noah…" Liv said, putting one hand on his back and using the other to grasp one of his. "She loved you so, so much, son."
With a quick nod, Noah set the photo down and crashed into his mom's chest, melting into her embrace and sighing softly.
"I'm glad you loved me more mommy," he whispered.
"Me too, sweet boy," Liv said, holding him close and nodding. "Me too."
Dickie and Eli were both emotional as they sat in Noah's room, listening to their parents and brother.
"We say this a lot but we're so lucky to have her," Dickie said, from where he was snuggling EJ.
"Seriously, Eli said, looking down at Teddy who was nodding off in his arms.
"I think we both found women who are almost as incredible as her, too," Dickie nodded.
"Hell yeah we did. You gonna finally marry yours?" Eli jabbed with a laugh.
"Yes actually," he said, making his brother's head whip towards him. "I have a plan," he said shyly.
"Shut up!" Eli laughed softly.
"I swear. You in or no?"
"Depends… do I get to be your best man?"
Dickie rolled his eyes playfully. "Don't ruin the surprise, asshole."
Eli beamed and nodded. "Alright alright… I'm in." He winked.
Dr. Huang recommended that they not take Noah in to see his classmates for a few more days due to his nerves and appearance. So, the family waited until Friday to bring lunch to Noah's class and do some damage control.
The swelling in his eye had gone down significantly, but he felt no less confident about facing his classmates.
"Hey," El said, coming into his room with Teddy crawling behind him. "You about ready?"
Only Noah, Elliot, Liv, and Teddy were going to keep it low key.
"Kinda," he said from his bed.
"You know how many of your friend's parents have been texting me and mommy today? Asking what they can do or bring?"
"My friends have texted me too I just…" he trailed off.
"You're allowed to be nervous… embarrassed and feeling unsure… but you've got an army behind ya, kid. Don't forget that, please?"
"I promise, dad," he whispered.
"Come on kid… I love you."
"I love you, too, daddy."
Noah walked slowly down the halls, trailing his parents who were wheeling a cart of pizzas, soda, sides, and desserts.
He had Teddy in his arms, and was buzzing with anxiety as they slowly made their way to the closed classroom door.
"Ready?" Liv asked with a small smile, and Noah nodded, exhaling and wincing as his dad opened the door to a silent room, all while wearing an odd smile on his face.
Noah looked up at him suspiciously, before back to the classroom and jumped a little when his friends, their parents, and all of his siblings shouted:
Surprise! Welcome back, Noah!!
Teddy squealed in delight, and Noah's jaw dropped as he looked around the room, taking it all in before directing his head up to his beaming parents.
"Told ya, kid… an army," El winked, and Liv covered her chest as she watched his best friends crashed into him for huge hugs and laughs.
"Hell of an army," Liv whispered to her husband as she waved to her older kiddos and blew kisses.
"Damn right," he nodded.
Teddy was knocked out in his carrier by the time Liv got home and inside.
Noah and Emma had gone back to Eli and Sam's, and Elliot had to run back to work to finish up some paperwork he'd been avoiding.
Her stomach was flipping, and she barely made it to the kid's bathroom before throwing up the entire lunch they'd brought for Noah's class.
Thankful that her son was an 11 year old boy who never picked up after himself, Liv reached for one of Elliot's old t-shirts that Noah wore to bed and was now scattered on the floor, and changed into it in an effort to cool herself down.
After several minutes of calming herself, she slipped from the rest of her clothes and hissed when her scalding bottom half touched the cool tile below her.
Once the wave fully passed, she got herself cleaned up and made her way back to her baby who was still sound asleep. Digging through his diaper bag quietly, she pulled out the plastic drug store bag she'd picked up on her way home.
Pulling out the small rectangle box from it, she groaned lightly to herself before making the short walk into her bathroom to proceed with the inevitable.
It was around 3:30 that Elliot received a message from his wife.
L: Hi baby. Threw up my entire lunch when Teddy and I got home. We've both been lounging but just really not feeling well. Any chance you can sneak out a few hours early?
E: Of course baby. You alright now?
L: A little. I just need you.
E: On my way. Love you.
L: Love you
Grabbing his jacket, he stood and pushed his chair on, laughing when bell hollered after him.
"Those better be done by Monday, Sergeant," she laughed, and he saluted, lifting the folders and shoving them into his bag, heading out.
Liv was in bed with Teddy asleep beside her when El came in.
"Hi," she whispered, yawning and sitting up.
"Hi," he whispered back, sitting beside her. "Not feeling better?"
"No… I wish…"
"I'm sorry honey," he sighed.
She hummed softly, and laid against his shoulder in an effort to hide both her joy and nervousness. "Remember when we joked on Tuesday that it might be your fault…"
"Yeah?" he asked, chuckling and leaning back to look down at her.
She was chewing on her lip nervously, pausing the nervous tick only to look up to him as her heart beat out of her chest. "What if I told you it was?"
His mouth hinged open and he rapidly blinked, his own heart beginning to race as anticipation overtook him. "What?" He finally squeaked.
"What… if I told you that it was your fault…"
"Liv?" He laughed softly; nervously. "What are you saying?"
Her eyes began to fill with tears as she reached for his hand and pulled it flush against the seemingly sudden but gentle slope on her belly.
"What if I told you it was your fault?"