A/N: Thx for the love- please review!
Later that night, the big kids arrived for dinner.
Liv was stood in the kitchen cooking and El and the boys were setting the table.
"Hey mama Liv," Dickie said cheerfully, walking in and dropping a kiss to her cheek. "Hey baby Benny," he said next, putting a hand on her belly.
She laughed and leaned into her oldest son. "Hi baby, where are you sisters?"
"They're coming in, I guess they went shopping for the baby so they have like 90 bags," he shrugged.
She laughed and lightly smacked him. "Go help them!"
He leaned back against the counter laughing, "I tried they told me to come inside cause I was judging how much they spent."
Noah came running into the kitchen just then and Dickie lifted him, tossing him over his shoulder and throwing him into a fit of giggles.
"What's up baby brotha," he said and Noah laughed "hey I'm not the baby anymore!"
"He's right, man, as much as we hate it he's gonna be 11," Eli said coming in and laughing.
Liv leaned back on the other side of the counter, holding her belly and watching her boys interact. Her heart swelled at the thought of adding Benny into the brother mix.
And Charlie into the sister mix, she thought with a smile as the girls came in.
"I don't want any judgement from the boys, that includes you daddy," Lizzie called and all four Stabler men rolled their eyes.
Walking out into the living room, Liv laughed at the amount of bags now on her couch. "Do I even want to know?" El asked joining her. "Jesus guys," he laughed and Mo help up a hand.
"Daddy what did we say," causing Kathleen to nod.
The boys joined them and everyone oohed and ahed at the all of the outfits and accessories.
El made eye contact with Liv and she nodded smiling. "Guys we actually set up the nursery so how about I show you and we can start putting everything away," Liv asked.
The girls jumped up, all talking over each other and quickly putting their purchases back in their bags.
Liv led them to the room and El discreetly grabbed something from the hall closet.
Opening the door or the nursery, the girls let out several awes upon seeing the a dark wood crib. They all piled in and towards it, smiling at Ben's tiny Yankees jersey that was draped over the side.
The three girls and Dickie smiled, and Lizzie turned to see the rest of the room. Eli and Noah stood with their dad, grinning.
"Why are there two cribs," Liz yelled, her jaw dropping.
The other crib was white and nestled on the wall that the door opened up onto.
Mo and Kathleen, turned to where she was looking and both squealed.
"Twins!?"
"You're having twins?!" They cried together.
Liv nodded whispering a yes through her tears.
Dickie whipped around to El who was now holding up a tiny pink Yankees jersey.
"It's a girl?!?" Kathleen cried, both literally and in volume.
"Here he goes," Eli whispered to Noah nudging him playfully and causing the little boy to giggle.
"Oh my God a baby sister," Dickie said, his lip quivering.
The girls laughed, though they were all crying too, and he went over to his dad and wrapped him in a bear hug while the girls hugged Liv.
They all sang their congratulations and shared their excitement, and Eli finally spoke up.
"Sooo what's her name???" He asked and Noah nodded in agreement. "Yeah you gotta tell us!"
El went over, wrapping his arms around his fiancé, and smiled, "Charlotte Kathleen, for momma, and we're gonna call her Charlie."
"Charlie and Benny," Dickie said finally cracking and letting a tear fall. "Oh man that's so frickin cute."
"Two sets of twins, Jesus, daddy," Kathleen said laughing and going to hug them both. "Momma is really playing games from up there huh?"
They all laughed and everyone crowded for a group hug. "That name is so special, thank you," Mo said, whispering in Liv's ear.
She gave the oldest a squeeze. "Thank you, baby…"
"Not to break up the party but can we eat I'm starving," Noah asked.
After dinner, the girls made plans with Liv to go shopping for girl stuff and Dickie even offered his credit card. "Well I was judging cause Mama Liv specifically said she still had Noh's stuff but Charlie has nothing so…" he reasoned, looking to El who agreed.
"She's not even here yet and you're both wrapped," Lizzie snorted.
He waved her off and El cleared his throat. "So I do have one more announcement," he said slowly.
They nodded and looked at him. "I'm retiring at the end of the year," he said, eyeing his oldest son.
The room went silent as they processed the information. The girls looked towards their brother who'd been captaining this ship for years now.
Dickie stood and approached his dad, holding out his hand to him. Elliot stood and shook his hand before pulling him Into a tight hug. "Finally wore you down," he teased trying to break the tension.
"More like woke me up. Thank you, son," he whispered into his ear.
The girls all congratulated him and the big kids headed out.
Noah was a little more clingy to El than usual and he rubbed the little boys back. "Go get ready for bed and I'll be in and we can talk?" He asked him, sensing something was off.
He nodded and did as he was told, disappearing into his room. El looked at Eli who shrugged. "Hasnt said anything to me. I'm gonna go shower." He said, leaving the room before they could question any more.
El looked at Liv. "Believe that?" He asked and she laughed a little. "Not at all. If you can't get through to him I'll interrogate Eli," she teased.
Struggling a bit, she stood from the couch and walked slowly towards him, leaning in for a kiss. "I'm gonna shower and lay in bed. They're kicking my ass."
He laughed and kissed her. "I'll send Noah in to say good night."
Rising from his spot on the couch, he locked up and made his way to Noah's room, plopping down on his bed and listening in on the conversation coming from the boy's shared bathroom.
"What is this obsession with not being the baby, Dude? Who is saying this stuff cause it's not me or Dick and it's definitely not your number one fan sisters," he heard Eli ask.
"It's nothing."
"It's definitely something. Is it that jerk at school? Do I need to talk to his brother again?"
Noah didn't respond and El knew Eli was getting down to his level. He was so good and patient with him and it made his heart soar.
"I'm your big brother… talk to me."
"Yeah it's him," he muttered and Eli sighed, shaking his head.
"I'll handle it. What are you not telling me."
"No I don't want you to handle it," he groaned. "He… keeps calling me a baby and girly cause I dance," he muttered.
Eli's fists clenched and Noah looked up at him. He took a deep breath and put his hands on his arms. "Please let me talk to his brother?"
"No Eli cause then he's gonna call me a baby again!" Noah said, getting frustrated.
"Well something needs to be done cause he's bullying you and that's messed up. I'm not going to stand for that," Eli said calmly but vehemently.
Noah shook his head. "Maybe I should quit dance…"
"Absolutely not. Can that little idiot to a backflip? Or a pirouette? No. He can't. He can't even kick a soccer ball or hit a baseball as well as you can. He's jealous of you and our family cause his sucks." Eli said, trying to remain calm, but his father's temper was creeping out more and more.
Noah looked down, "Don't yell," he said sniffling and Eli sighed, pulling him in for a hug, "I'm sorry I'm not mad at you I'm mad at him and I'm mad for you. It's hurting me that I can't protect you, buddy. That's my job."
Noah nodded and leaned into him. "And hey," Eli continued, "you're allowed to be upset about this. His behavior sucks and he's being mean. You gotta talk about your feelings okay?"
Nodding slowly, the young boy looked up at him again. "Thanks, Bro…" he said softly. "Maybe… maybe you can talk to his brother," he said cautiously.
"I will," he promised.
The pair said goodnight and Noah shuffled into his room, crawling up with his dad and cuddling his side.
"You hear all that," he asked him after a minute and El nodded.
"I did… you okay?"
He shrugged and sighed.
"Kids are mean… but Eli's right. He's doing and saying that stuff cause he's a jealous jerk… You gotta talk to us about this stuff so we can help you."
"I know I just…" he sighed.
"Just what, buddy?"
"Do you think it's girly that I dance?"
Elliot looked down at him. "You know, when you first started I was skeptical, but that's cause I didn't know how much time and strength and skill goes into every thing you do. You have a talent, son, and I love watching you in your zone. Don't let one person ruin it for you, okay?"
He nodded hugging him tightly. "Thanks daddy."
"Anything else bugging you? You okay with two babies?" El asked him, a little nervously. "And me retiring? And me and mommy getting engaged? I know it's a lot of change…."
Noah sat up and looked seriously at his dad. "Are you kidding? I'm so happy dad I can't wait to have a baby sister and you'll be around more! It's like everything I ever wanted."
El pulled him back to his chest hugging him tightly. "I love you boy."
"Love you, dad."
Eli stormed through the halls the next morning, bee-lining for Kevin's older brother's locker.
"Smith," he yelled. The boys head whipped around to see him right as he grabbed his arms and pushed him against the lockers.
"The hell did I say about telling your shit little brother to back off," he sneered.
"Woah woah woah what??? I did!!!" The kid said nervously.
"Yeah? Well now he's waking around and calling Noah a baby and a girl cause he dances," he yelled in his face.
"I didn't know!! I didn't know that's so shitty dude I'm sorry!" The kid stuttered and Eli's grip tightened on him and fire burned in his eyes.
A teacher came and broke the two apart, dragging them both to the principals office.
Kathleen arrived at the school an hour later to find her brother sitting in the office waiting. He looked up when she came in.
"How mad are they?" He asked, wincing.
She gave him a look. "Well, they're cops and their son just threatened another student and got himself suspended for two days."
He groaned, leaning his head back. Tyler Smith walked out of the principal's office with his dad and sighed, looking at Eli.
"Look man I'm sorry… I lost my cool and that wasn't ok…" he said looking up at him.
Tyler shrugged and reached his hand out to shake Eli's. He stood and shook it. "It's cool dude, I would have done the same. Our new step dad is kinda the worst and Kev's struggling. So me and dad," he nodded at his father, "are gonna chat with him. It won't happen anymore. Bud if it does… shoot me a text instead." He half teased.
Eli grimaced and nodded. "Definitely will do… thank you and… I'm sorry again. I'm sorry Mr. Smith."
He nodded. "Just remember, not everyone has a step mom or step dad like you and your siblings okay?"
Eli nodded and looked down. "Understood. I'm sorry…."
The Smiths left the Stablers and Kathleen looked at her phone and then sighed. "Liv wants you down at the 1-6."
"Shit," he muttered.