One Heart
Summary: See ch1
Disclaimer: Not mine
A/N; Guess what, there will be a third story in this saga! I'm working on it noow, but I warn you, it's comin alon very slow!
Talk
Olivia woke up early the next morning. She could see the sun was just about to come up, and wanted to see it.
She had always loved watching sunrises outside of the city. She could still remember the one summer of her childhood that she had spent with her grandmother at her house on some lake. They would wake up every morning to see the sun rise. It was so much clearer outside of the city. It always made her feel so peaceful.
So her mind was made up. She was going to see that damn sun. She carefully crawled out of bed, so as not to wake Elliot. She had to stifle a moan as she straightened up due to her aching muscles after spending the night cramped on the tiny twin bed with Elliot. Sure it had been nice last night, but now her back, and legs, and arms were screaming at her for it.
After stretching out a little she wrapped a robe around herself and padded quietly downstairs, and over to the sliding doors that lead to Donna's back deck.
She squeezed out, careful not to make too much noise with the doors and jumped a little when she saw someone else had had the same idea.
Leaning on the railings was Donna herself. She too was dressed in a robe and slippers, and had a cup of steaming coffee in her hands.
"Oh, sorry." Olivia muttered a little surprised. She hadn't expected to run into anyone else, and now she felt a little strange that she had been traipsing through this woman's house without permission. "I didn't expect anyone else to be up."
"It's alright darling. Sometimes I just like to watch the sun come up. It's very peaceful." Donna said with a friendly smile. "Why don't you join me? I can never have too much company."
"Thank you." Olivia smiled, now feeling more at ease.
"There's coffee in the kitchen if you want to help yourself to a cup first." Donna offered.
Olivia was never one to turn down caffeine, so she escaped to the kitchen, grabbed a mug, and returned back to the deck.
"You like sunrises?" Donna asked as Olivia took a spot next to her on the railing.
"Yeah. I used to watch them from my grandmother's lake house when I was a kid. They're so much more spectacular out here than they are in the city." Olivia explained.
"I couldn't agree more." Donna answered. "I'm really happy that you agreed to come out here this weekend. I know that meeting the boyfriend's family can be intimidating, especially when he has five brothers and sisters." She smiled.
"Well I've had a wonderful time." Olivia answered. "I don't have a family, and it's always nice to be around people." She smiled. "Thank you for including me."
"I'm just glad I was finally able to meet you." Donna grinned as the sun began peaking up over the horizon. "You're all Elliot's been talking about lately. I'm happy to say that you're everything he said you were."
"And what exactly has he told you about me?" Olivia asked, a little worried about the answer.
"That you are the kindest, most caring, loving, and beautiful woman he has ever known." Donna answered, turning her attention away from the sun to face Olivia. "He said that you seem to love his kids almost as much as you love him, and that you are constantly putting them and him before yourself. He said that when he looks at you, he knows that you love him, and won't hurt him the way he's been hurt before. He told me you were perfect. He loves you Olivia." She smiled.
Olivia fought back tears. She had never been loved that much before. Suddenly the sunrise didn't seem so important to her. All she wanted to do was escape back to the small bed she had been in before, and curl up to the man she loved, and who clearly loved her just as much.
"I hope that I can live up to all that." She joked. "I'm really not all that perfect." She added, pushing a lock of stray hair behind her ears.
"Well, from what I've noticed about you, you're pretty damn close." Donna corrected her.
"Please." Olivia laughed out of embarrassment. "I'm messy, and can be a little overly blunt. I spread at night to take up the whole bed. I'm hardly feminine, and I work too hard. I'm terrified of love, I'm not ashamed to tell someone I don't like them, I can be pushy and stubborn, and I tend to push people away." She argued.
"You're argumentative too apparently." Donna teased as she sipped her coffee. When she noticed Olivia bow her head she placed her hand on her shoulder. "Darling, that means nothing to me, or my son. He doesn't love you despite all those minor flaws; he loves you because of them. They make you, you." She smiled. "And trust me; being Elliot's mother, I know that he has a few flaws to speak of as well. I don't care what small imperfections you may have Olivia. You love my son, and that's all I need to know." She finished.
"Thank you." Olivia managed hoarsely. She was the first mother she had ever met who actually felt she was good enough for her son.
"Now, let's just enjoy the rest of this sunrise in peace." Donna smiled, turning her attention back to the scene in front of her.
When the sky held shades of pink, yellow, and orange around the glowing globe a familiar voice came from behind the two women.
"Well, if it isn't my two favorite women." Elliot smiled. He was touched when he saw his mother and girlfriend peacefully standing together under the painted sky.
"Morning Baby." Donna greeted. "What brings you down here this early?"
"I was trying to figure out where everyone was." He answered honestly as he walked out onto the deck and kissed his mother on the cheek.
"You're mom and I were just watching the sun come up." Olivia smiled as he pecked her gently on the lips.
"Sun rises really are beautiful up here, huh?" He noted. "Mind if I join you?"
"The more the merrier." Donna beamed. She loved having her family around her.
Elliot wrapped his arms around Olivia's waist, and allowed her to relax into his chest.
The three stood quietly on the deck until the sun had fully risen.
"Well, I better make breakfast. You guys have a long ride back to the city this afternoon and will need your energy." Donna smiled.
"Please Donna, let me." Olivia offered. "It's the least I can do for all your hospitality."
"Well, if you insist." Donna agreed. She would have had to make breakfast for seven, and wasn't about to argue with someone offering to do it for her.
"I'll help." Elliot offered, not wanting to make his girlfriend cook breakfast for his whole family.
Donna smiled as she watched the two 'love birds' make their way into the house. She relaxed into a deck chair with her coffee and reminisced about times when she had been so much in love. She was comforted by the fact that her son had been able to find love again, and hoped Olivia would be the last woman Elliot would ever bring home for the rest of her life.
In the kitchen Elliot scurried around retrieving all the necessary ingredients for the blueberry pancakes the two had decided on making.
"So, what were you and my mom talking about?" Elliot asked as Olivia began cracking the eggs as he measured out the milk they would need for the batter.
"Just some girl talk." Olivia said honestly, yet avoiding the details.
"Wow, vague." Elliot laughed bringing the measured liquid over to her.
"Did anyone ever tell you that you were a Yenta?" She asked with a laugh as she sifted the flour into the bowl.
"Hey, I'm just trying to make sure my mother and girlfriend are getting along." He defended.
Olivia put the sifter down. "Okay, you wanna stir, or add the liquids?" She asked.
"I'll pour." He answered taking a measuring cup in his hand. "Now, are you going to tell me what you guys were talking about?"
"We were just talking." Olivia replied as she carefully stirred the batter while Elliot added the milk slowly. "But, if it's any consolation, I really like her. And I think she likes me." She smiled.
Elliot finished pouring and got the cup of blueberries.
As he dumped them in Olivia continued. "It really means a lot to me that she accepts me El. Is the griddle ready?"
"Yeah all set." He answered as she made her way to the stove. "And why would you think she wouldn't accept you?" He asked.
Olivia began evenly distributing the batter onto the pan. "I don't know." She said, not taking her attention away from what she was doing. "It's just that, most mothers don't like me." She said as she emptied her bowl and placed it in the sink.
"What could 'most mothers' possibly find to not like you?" Elliot asked as he wrapped his arms around her. "You are sexy, and beautiful, and intelligent, and kind." He began.
"And a cop who fears commitment and is way too dedicated to her job, and not dedicated enoughto worshiping the very ground their baby boys walk on." She finished for him. "I mean, face it Elliot, I am one stubborn, head strong, grossly independent son of a bitch." She smiled.
"And those are just a few of the things I love about you." He said, placing a lingering kiss on her lips. "If those mothers were too dumb to see the beautiful woman I have standing in my arms then it was their loss." He added leaning his forehead against hers. "I love you, and so does my mother. I don't ever want you to doubt that."
"I won't." She promised before suddenly pulling from him. "Oh shit!" She chirped as she hurriedly reached for a spatula. "The pancakes are burning!"
Elliot couldn't help but laugh as she hurriedly flipped the pancakes to reveal their black sides. They always seemed to forget about the world around them when they were in each other's arms.
"Don't worry about it. We'll give those to Dickie. He's a twelve year old boy, so he'll eat just about anything!" He joked wrapping his arms around the back of Olivia's waist so that she could watch the cooking food.
After breakfast was over, and the kids cleared the dishes everyone packed for the ride home.
All four of Elliot's children hugged their grandmother and loaded themselves into the back of the van.
"Happy birthday Mom." Elliot said once more hugging her.
"Have a safe trip home son, and don' forget to call, and come back here again soon I missthose grandkids of mine!" She scolded before hugging him one final time before letting him get into his car.
Olivia was the last to say good bye. "Thank you again Dona. I had a wonderful time, and it was wonderful to finally meet you and the rest of Elliot's family." She smiled.
"It was great meeting you too." Donna smiled, taking her hands. "I really hope we get the chance to do this again. You are always welcome in out home." She smiled embracing Olivia tightly.
Olivia climbed into the passenger seat and waved as Elliot began the car and pulled out the driveway.
TBC... I know, it was more fluff! There is more fluff to come, but I promise, there is also some MAJOR action
Don't forget to review!
