A/N: No longer Winging it. Finally have an idea. Go team. I also have 14 chapters written so publishing at breakneck speed.
Thanks for your kind words!
Also- would anyone read a prequel?
2 pink lines.
She stared at the test. 2 pink lines. She never thought she'd see it. She certainly never thought she'd see Elliot holding it.
Elliot. The culprit. Her boyfriend. Her partner. Her borderline husband. The best dad on the planet.
Her baby's father.
Her baby. Their baby.
No, she scolded herself. This had to be a mistake. She was 53. She was old. They told her she'd started menopause. They had a family. Six kids.
Shit. The kids.
Accepting their fathers relationship and her and Noah was one thing. But a baby sibling?
All the trust she worked so hard to build with them. It would disappear. She knew it.
Elliot could read her like a book. He slowly set the test down and gently took her face in his hands, pulling her out of her inner monologue.
"Livie…" he whispered, getting her attention and drawing her eyes from the spot the test had been up to his.
"Take a deep breath. Please…"
She nodded slowly doing as he asked. It released a storm. She started hyperventilating and the tears started to fall.
"Hey hey hey…" he said.
Panic attack.
"Hey…" He pulled her closed trying to soothe her.
"Breathe… do you feel my breaths? Can you match them for me, honey."
She nodded, trying. Breathe. His breathing. Focus on his breathing.
He sunk down against the wall and pulled her into his lap as her breathing slowed.
They sat silently for a while. He didn't want to press her. After 20 minutes he whispered, "do you want to lay in bed? Or take a bath?"
She took a shaky breath. "B-bath."
He knew she'd choose bath. That was their go-to after their panic attacks. A bath. Feeling each other close. Calming atmosphere. Weightlessness.
They were quite a pair.
"Ok baby. I'll get it started. Why don't you go say goodnight to your boys and send Dickie home." She nodded taking a deep breath.
He drew the bath and she went out kissing their heads and covering the younger two with blankets.
She gently shook Dickie who stirred and opened his eyes. "Did we win?" She shook her head. "Damn" he mumbled looking at his phone. His girlfriend was texting and asking where he was.
He stood up and stretched before noticing her puffy eyes and tear streaked face. "Mama Liv you ok…" he asked softly.
She nodded but couldn't keep her tears at bay. Elliot came out frowning.
Dickie looked at his dad. "The hell did you do?" he whisper yelled at him.
El rolled his eyes throwing his hands up. "Nothing you idiot. Come here."
Liv couldn't help but laugh a little as her tears fell. Their oldest- a boy who wasn't even biologically hers - standing up to his father for her.
The pair walked into the room to meet Elliot.
"Honey I'm ok I promise just a case got to me…" she whispered placing a hand on his arm.
Dickie looked back and forth between them before looking at Liv. "Promise?" He asked.
She wiped her tears and nodded, laughing a little. "I promise… he didn't do anything."
He took a deep breath and nodded. "Sorry dad" he shrugged.
Elliot shrugged "I should be mad but I'm not." He nudged him.
Dickie nodded. "Alright I gotta pee and then I'm gonna go, Sarah's been texting me" he winced, bee-lining for their bathroom.
Liv and El watched in slow motion as Dickie stopped dead in his tracks, staring at the test on the counter.
He turned slowly a big grin spreading across his face.
Elliot gave him a look and put his finger up to his lips to shush him. Liv's tears fell again and El went to shut their door so the boys didn't wake up.
Dickie rushed over. "No no no no no why you crying!" He asked wrapping his arms around her.
She leaned into him gently trying to control her tears.
"Mama Liv this is awesome! A baby!" He said looking down at her then over at his dad. "Why are you upset.." he asked.
Liv wiped her eyes trying to calm down. "I-I… I'm old" she laughed "I don't even know if this is accurate and you guys…" she paused letting her tears fall again "your siblings… this is a big deal I don't want to upset you guys… there's been so many changes and your mom…" she trailed off.
Dickie put his hands on her shoulders leaning down to look at her.
"Hey…" he shook his head, going serious for a rare moment "Liv… we love you. We loved you even when we were asshole teenagers. You've been a second mom to us our whole lives… even when dad abandoned us for 10 years." He said, making her laugh.
She nodded and wiped her eyes giving a small smile.
"Seriously… if you are pregnant, that's awesome. That's a blessing!" He smiled.
"And my sisters are nothing if not compulsive shoppers who all love babies but more importantly, love you. This is a good thing, mama." He nodded and she smiled giving him a hug.
"Thank you… I just don't want to hurt you guys…" she whispered.
"You never could." He nodded.
Elliot piped up after wiping his own tears away.
"Just… just keep it to yourself for now bud… please."
Dickie nodded immediately. "You kidding me? The amount I'll get to gloat that I knew before everyone else? The girls will be so pissed!" He laughed.
Elliot shook his head walking over to them and Dickie wrapped his arms around them both.
"I love you guys!" He said kissing both their heads. "But I gotta get out of here before Sarah kills me."
They laughed. "I'll walk you to the door" Elliot said. Liv gave him one last hug before disappearing into the bathroom.
The two oldest Stabler men got to the door and walked out in the hallways together. Elliot cleared his throat.
"I uh… I'm really proud of you son." He nodded. "Really proud and love you a lot."
He smiled hugging his dad. "Would you say I'm your favorite" he teased.
Elliot smacked the back of his head. "Man can I ever have a moment with you" he laughed.
"Seriously dad. I'm so happy for you guys. This is the best news!"
"Thanks son." Elliot smiled. "Text when you get home safe. Love you."
Elliot locked up, checked on the boys, and went in to find Liv already in the bathtub.
"You ok" he whispered as he undressed, and climbed in behind her.
She nodded settling back against him. "I'm scared. But Dickie actually made me feel better…" she laughed. "When the hell did he get so mature?"
Elliot laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist, grazing her belly gently. "I don't know. But I'm damn proud."
She leaned back against him, resting her head in his shoulder. He kissed her cheek.
"Me too" she said. She was quiet for a minute before she spoke again. "A baby… our baby…"
He smiled softly kissing her cheek again. "Our baby."
"I want to go to the doctors… confirm it and get some tests done…wait till we are in the clear before we tell anyone."
He nodded. "Whatever you went to do baby."
He was quiet for a minute and she knew what he was thinking.
"Just say it" she mused.
He smiled. "I knew it. You came from me sucking on your nipples the other day!"
She shook her head and leaned further against him, feeling his cock twitch against her back at the memory.
"Shush." She said with a smile.
They relaxed for a while longer in the bath before climbing out. He wrapped a towel securely around her and cupped her cheeks.
"You're ok?"
She nodded and kissed him. "Make love to me?" She whispered.
"Always." He nodded. She let her towel drop and he followed her to their bed.