July 15th, 3:28 AM.

The quiet sound of a vibrating phone filled the room and Liv's face burrowed a little further into El's chest as she had woken up from a mild nightmare "you're safe baby I'm right here," he murmured while mostly asleep as he stroked her hair.

Her body automatically relaxed as she nodded slightly and her fingers rubbed his stubble "that's it that's me I'm safe," he murmured.

She smiled slightly, kissed his chest once then fell back asleep and he followed right behind her having not really woken up much anyway as neither one of them heard the phones continuing to vibrate.

4:04 AM.

Motion detected, front door! Motion detected, front door! Both phones spoke aloud at once as they always kept their motion detector apps on high volume at night.

Olivia stirred slightly motion detected, front door! she heard again as she shook Elliot's shoulder worriedly "shhh easy easy I'm right here," he murmured as he tried to hold her tighter.

"E-El someone's here... And no one belongs here at 4:05 in the morning," she whispered shakily.

"No they don't... Baby did the detector go off?" he asked wide awake now.

"Y-Yeah... E-El I-I'm gonna dial the police," she said as she reached to grab her phone.

"Honey don't do that yet let me go check things out first," he said softly.

She shook her head adamantly "i-if they're here to hurt us calling 911 is the best thing to do."

He sighed, stood and quickly grabbed the loaded gun from the lock box not even bothering to put a shirt on "baby stay here."

"El wait... You can't go down by yourself t-they could"-

"I'll hurt them before they hurt me don't worry! Just stay put," he said dashing out and Olivia quickly grabbed her phone, struggling to unlock it she was that nervous as her entire body trembled on the bed.

Downstairs Elliot quickly scanned the best he could for intruders then peered through a window to look outside as it was dark but he still made out the outline of a car as just then the door opened and he immediately pointed his gun at the person "you have 5 seconds to get the hell out of my house before I put bullets through you," he said coldly as his expression was murderous.

Zara cried in Amaro's arms and Elliot immediately dropped the gun wide eyed "sweetheart I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry..." he whispered.

Zara still shook and cried as Liv ran down the stairs as quickly as she could "El! El it's Nick and Zara! Don't shoot don't shoot!" she yelled knowing him and having managed to unlock her phone and check her missed calls and voicemails.

"How could you just... Point the gun at her and not see," Amaro demanded while rubbing Zara's back.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry... I-I thought you guys were intruders I-I'm sorry I'd never hurt her you know that..."

"I called several times! I got called in to interview a vic at Mercy and now my baby's scarred for life and I don't have anywhere else to take her and"-

"We didn't hear it... Nick we didn't hear our phones and he didn't mean to scare her," Liv said as Lizzie staggered out of her room.

Amaro said nothing and Liv sighed "Sweetie everything's okay go back to bed," she told Lizzie as Elliot approached Amaro who was still cradling Zara "Zara, Zara I'm sorry baby. So so sorry..."

She just continued clinging to Nick tightly and Liv frowned deeply seeing the pain in El's eyes "I-I'll call Cragen. Tell him you can't go in," she said.

"That won't work there are three fucking rape cases open right now."

Olivia just sighed heavily "Nick we're so sorry..."

Amaro just nodded as although he was angry he understood why it happened and knew that they'd never intensionally hurt him or his daughter as he gently passed her over to Elliot who was still standing nearby.

Elliot gently took her as she cried and reached for Nick "shhh, shhh daddy has to go now but everything's okay I'll get you again at the end of the night," Amaro cooed.

"D-Don't leave me daddy p-please don't leave me here..."

"Baby I have to go in to work and nana's out of town."

"B-But t-the gun..."

"I'm gonna put it away honey I promise, I promise," El whispered.

She still trembled in his arms slightly and Amaro sighed when his phone rang "El let me take her honey," Liv whispered.

"I-I'm not gonna hurt her I'd never hurt her..."

"I know baby but she needs you to put the gun away."

"I-I know," he whispered as when Liv took her she clung to her and Amaro sighed in relief "baby I have to go now but Liv's gonna be here the whole time. Right Liv?"

Olivia nodded and he kissed Zara's head then left the house "I-I don't feel good," Zara cried.

"What's wrong baby?" she asked softly while relocking the front door.

"M-My tummy hurts..."

Liv nodded "that's probably because you were so scared but you're safe I promise."

She nodded slightly "c-can I-I sleep with you?"

"Of course baby," she said softly although she was wide awake.

Zara nodded slightly and Liv smiled "lets get you some Pepto okay? Then we'll go upstairs."

"O-Okay," she said and a few minutes later they were upstairs "she wants to stay with me," Liv said while carrying her into the bedroom.

"Okay," Elliot said and Zara tensed up again "shhh it's okay sweetie he doesn't have the gun any more," she whispered.

"Y-You promise?"

"I promise. Here see for yourself," she said as she turned her to face him.

Zara glanced over at his empty hands then nodded warily as Liv slightly smiled "lets get you laying down sweetie," she said.

"O-Okay," she said and Olivia tucked her in on her side then laid her head on El's chest.

Elliot wrapped his arm around her gently and Zara laid there still and tense "do you wanna scoot over? I don't mind you can snuggle into my side," Liv said.

Zara scooted a little closer but not much "I think she's still scared," El whispered.

She nodded and he sighed "I think I should move across the hall baby I don't want her to feel uncomfortable."

Liv shook her head "it'll get better in a few minutes."

"It might but it might not and we can't rush it I scared her and that's on me."

Liv shook her head adamantly "you were trying to protect us if it's on anyone it's on Amaro for unlocking the door like that and just walking inside."

He nodded slightly "I see your point even with us missing his calls he could have rang the doorbell it would have woken us up and I would have been a lot less aggressive."

Liv nodded "you're absolutely right so please don't blame yourself."

"But baby I aimed a gun at a little girl."

"And you dropped it as soon as you knew who she was didn't you?"

He nodded "I did and I-I apologized."

Liv nodded "she just has to accept it then," she whispered.

Elliot nodded solemnly and gently stroked her hair as their conversation ended "L-Liv?" Zara whispered.

"Hmm?" she asked.

"C-Can I have a cold rag?"

Olivia nodded and moved to get it but El shook his head "I'll grab it for her," he said with a soft smile.

She nodded and he eased off the bed "c-can I ask you a question?" Zara whispered.

"Of course."

"W-Why was Mr. Elliot mean?"

"He wasn't mean sweetie," she said.

"Y-Yes he was."

"No he wasn't," she said adamantly.

Zara shook her head and frowned as Olivia sighed "he was trying to protect us honey."

"B-But me and daddy aren't bad..."

"He knows that but he thought you guys were someone else."

Zara just frowned again and scooted closer as Liv wrapped her arm around her gently and Elliot walked back over to the bed and handed Liv the rag.

"Thanks honey," she said as she took it then wrapped it around Zara's neck gently "that better?" she asked softly.

Zara nodded slightly and stayed close to Liv as El leaned over carefully and kissed Liv's temple "I love you baby," he whispered.

"Love you too," she said as he nodded, smiled and stepped away "hey where you going?" she asked raising up and gripping his wrist.

"To the guest bedroom Zara needs some space," he said softly.

"El you don't have to do that..." she whispered as Zara whimpered from the loss of contact with Liv.

"Yeah I do... Text me when she's asleep and I'll come back okay?" he whispered.

Liv nodded slightly, sighed and laid back down "shhhh I'm right here," she cooed to Zara as El grabbed his phone and a shirt then left the room.

"P-Please don't leave p-please stay with me.."

"Honey I'm not leaving but you're safe here... You're safe you've gotta know that you've been here a bunch of times..."

"B-But what if Mr. Elliot gets the gun again?"

"He won't baby he feels really bad about what happened... He'd never hurt you you've gotta know that..."

"B-But he was going to h-he had a really mean look in his eyes..."

"He thought you were someone else... Someone bad that's why he looked like that."

"B-But I'm just me I-I don't understand..."

"I know you don't sweetie... Why don't you try and go back to sleep for a while and if you still have questions later I'll try and explain better then?"

"O-Okay. You promise you won't leave?"

"I promise sweetheart," she said as she stroked her hair the way Elliot stroked hers when she was scared.

Zara nodded and trusted her reassurances as after a few more minutes she was asleep and Liv sighed in relief and grabbed her phone she just fell asleep she texted to El with her free hand.

El: Be there in 5.

Liv: Thumbs-up emoji. as she quietly laid her phone down and waited.

5 minutes later the door creaked open as Elliot tiptoed to his side of the bed then eased up there leaving the door open a crack "why were you walking like that?" Liv whispered.

"I didn't want her to hear me and wake up."

She nodded and slowly started trying to move towards him and he shook his head "I'll scoot over to you she'll wake up if you move," he whispered as he scooted over and coaxed her head onto his chest quietly then stroked her hair careful not to touch Zara.

Olivia immediately relaxed and yawned "Izzabella was still fast asleep right?" she whispered.

Elliot nodded "I doubt she'll even know anything happened."

She nodded relieved and fell asleep as Elliot smiled slightly and tried to follow after her but found himself having major trouble as he ended up just staring at the ceiling.

6:52 AM.

Zara trembled slightly and rolled over restlessly as she had done that 3 times in 20 minutes "shhhhhh," Elliot finally whispered softly since Liv was in to deep of a sleep to notice as a tear fell from his eye.

She was still sleeping restlessly as she was still for a few more minutes then rolled over again and he lightly stroked her hair "shhhhhh," he murmured again.

Her head relaxed into the touch as she thought it was Liv in her mostly asleep state that's it baby he almost whispered but thought better of it last second as he just continued the light motion of his hand hoping she'd fall into a deeper sleep.

Luckily for them all she did but despite that Elliot still couldn't close his eyes as he felt extremely guilty for what he had done and Jenna began clouding his thoughts as before he knew it Izzabella was barreling into the room with out a care in the world "daddy! Daddy I'm hungry!" she said in a loud whisper.

Elliot made a shushing gesture with his hand, looked at his watch seeing it was 8:15 then nodded as she frowned "why are you sad?"

"Ohh I'm not sad baby," he whispered.

"Yes you are you were crying..."

He sighed softly "I just had a long night what do you want to eat? I'll make whatever you want."

"Hash browns and waffles daddy, please?..."

He smiled slightly and nodded "you've got it baby," he said as Liv stirred "morning honey," he whispered.

"Morning El, morning kiddo," she said as she greeted them groggily then frowned seeing the bags under Elliot's eyes.

"Daddy's making hash browns and waffles mommy!" she said loudly as she jumped up and down.

Elliot made the shushing gesture again "he is?" Liv asked quietly as Zara stirred.

"Mmhmm!" Izzabella said and Liv nodded and smiled "morning sweetie you feel any better?" she asked looking at Zara.

"A little," she whispered as Elliot quietly snuck Izzabella out.

Olivia smiled and nodded "how do waffles and hash browns sound for breakfast?"

"Mmm really good."

She nodded "shall we wash our faces and head downstairs then?"

"Mmhmm. Uhh thank you for helping me fall back to sleep earlier," she whispered shyly.

Liv smiled "it was no trouble really you were feeling sick and"-

Zara shook her head "n-no not that time I mean the other time when I was moving around you woke up and rubbed my hair and it really helped."

"Ohh umm I don't remember you moving any."

"Y-You don't?"

Liv shook her head "no sweetie. Lets go clean our faces okay?"

Zara laid still with a worried expression "w-who touched my hair if it wasn't you?"

She smiled "it was probably Elliot. Come on sweetie," she said raising up.

Zara frowned hesitantly and Liv sighed "come on sweetie," she said again as she followed her and they washed their faces.

xxxxx

"Lizzie honey you can't watch this down here," Elliot said as a documentary about the three women Ariel Castro had held captive in Ohio being rescued was playing over the tv.

"But they were so brave and there are exclusive interviews in this. I wanna know how they're doing."

"That's fine I understand that you just can't watch it in here Zara and Izzabella don't need to see it. You can watch it in mine and Liv's room if you want."

Lizzie nodded and handed him the remote as he smiled and turned it to Dora "sissy! Sissy guess what?!" Izzabella said.

"What?"

"Daddy's fixing waffles and hash browns!"

"Mmm that sounds amazing."

Izzabella nodded with a smile and Lizzie smiled back "I'm gonna go finish my show then I'll come back and watch this with you."

"Okay," she said as Lizzie left and El smiled at both girls before heading into the kitchen to start breakfast.

1:10 PM.

"That's it now all we do is put it in the fridge and let it settle," Elliot said as he had just finished teaching Olivia how to make his famous cheese cake recipe.

She nodded "thank you for teaching me El now I can surprise you with it sometimes."

He nodded and smiled "yeah you can. You don't have to though."

"I know but I want to," she said as his phone started to ring "you think it's Amaro?" he asked.

She sighed "probably," she said as he answered and she washed her hands then went to check on the kids.

xxxxx

"How's it going in here?" she asked entering the living room with a smile.

"Good Zara's beating me and Izzabella at trouble. You think it'll stop raining?" Lizzie asked.

"Maybe so we have been cooped up inside for several days."

She nodded "that's true. I have practice at 4."

Liv nodded "will you guys be able to do your routine in the rain?"

"Yeah they'll have us do it inside or if it's just sprinkling we'll go out on the field anyway."

Liv frowned "isn't that a little dangerous in the mud?"

"Yeah but it's par for the course, it's your turn sweetie," she told Zara with a smile.

Zara rolled the dice and moved her piece as Liv nodded "just be careful."

"I will don't worry this is my third year doing this."

Olivia chuckled and nodded with a smile "if it's still raining when you leave you can take my rain jacket."

"Are you sure you wouldn't mind?"

"Of course," she said as she ruffled Izzabella's hair then moved to the love seat as Elliot joined her there a couple minutes later "that was Jon," he said.

"What'd he want?"

"He asked me if I'd help him move his ex wife Gwen into her new apartment on Saturday apparently there's a bunch of stuff that needs to be sorted through and hauled off and I was the only person he had left to ask."

Liv nodded "what did you say?"

He rubbed her back "I told him I needed to talk to you about it since it'd be an all day thing and that I'd get back with him."

She nodded "what time would you need to leave?"

"Probably ten at the latest."

She nodded "That should be fine I'll be awake by then. I'd help too if it wasn't for Izzabella. Y-You won't have to stay with Jon that night to finish right?"

"No baby we should be done by dark but if we aren't he can do the rest by himself or wait until morning to finish."

She nodded "tell him yes then he'll appreciate it a lot."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," she said with a slight smile and he nodded and texted Munch "how's Zara?" he whispered.

"Okay I think. She's playing trouble with Lizzie and Izzabella."

He nodded and sighed "god I feel so bad Liv I hope she'll be able to forgive me."

"I know you do honey. She will I promise."

"You can't make her baby."

"You're right I can't but I can nudge her in the right direction by not giving her fear of you any attention."

Elliot frowned and she shook her head "it's ridiculous El she's known you how long?" she whispered.

"Almost two months but it isn't ridiculous."

"Yes it is I explained to her that you were just trying to protect us and you apologized to her that should have been the end of it."

"Baby you didn't see the look in my eyes or hear the tone of my voice she did. Did you tell her what I was trying to protect us from?"

"I told her you thought she was someone bad and that didn't make sense to her."

He nodded and sighed "Liv we need to explain to her what burglars are."

She nodded "okay we can try that but I don't know how it's gonna work when she flinches every time you get close to her."

He pulled her a little closer to him "you let her have her fear and hold her tight while I explain myself to her. Just turn your inner SVU detective back on baby I know she's still in there."

Liv sighed "she's not a victim and you're not a perp."

"Honey can we just try this? Please? Because your plan isn't working."

Olivia simply nodded and Elliot kissed her temple "believe me you defending me means so much to me it's just not what you need to be worrying about right now."

She sighed and nodded slightly "I-I just want you to feel like you have someone on your side."

He nodded "just because you're gonna be there for Zara doesn't mean you aren't I know that. She's just a kid baby."

Olivia nodded and a few minutes later she moved from the love seat "Zara, sweetie when your game is finished we should talk okay?" she said.

Zara nodded and Izzabella smiled brightly "look mommy I'm winning!" she said as her piece was ahead on the board.

"I see that!" Liv said cheerfully as Izzabella continued to smile "will you and daddy play too?"

"Maybe a bit later sweetie."

She nodded and Liv watched them finish their game "Zara you ready?" she asked softly.

"A-Am I in trouble?"

"No honey we just wanna chat with you."

She nodded slightly and stood as when they got close to the home office where Elliot had moved to she stepped away a few paces "hey hey it's okay sweetie we just wanna talk to you that's it," she soothed.

Zara nodded warily and stopped moving away as she faced Liv "go ahead and go inside I'm right with you," Liv coaxed as she inwardly cringed at what she had just said.

She walked in slowly and Olivia walked in beside her "go ahead and sit right there honey," Elliot said softly as he pointed at the seat across from him and tried his best to appear calm and nonthreatening.

Zara sat quickly and Liv stood beside her "honey I... I need you to know that I'm so sorry for what I put you through this morning... So so sorry I know you'll never forget it and if I could take it back I would... I swear to god I would..." El said.

Zara's eyes darted to him "y-you sounded really mean and looked really scary I-I thought you were gonna k-kill me..."

He nodded slightly as his eyes welled up "c-comere sweetheart," he choked out.

Her body froze as she debated between listening to him and staying put "go on honey it's okay I'm still right here," Liv encouraged.

She stood but still hesitated a bit "take your time baby and if you can't do it I understand," he whispered.

She nodded slightly and looked into his eyes again as when she only saw sorrow and compassion there she walked the rest of the way over to his side of the desk and he gently pulled her into his arms "I'd never kill you sweetheart. Never on purpose," he whispered.

"Y-Your eyes were just so scary... A-And your voice was scary and so was the gun."

He nodded "I know they were... Believe me I know. Honey do you know what a burglar is?" he asked gently.

She shook her head slightly and he nodded "you know how your dad's a cop and saves the world?"

"Yeah," she whispered.

He nodded and stroked her hair gently "well there are all kinds of different cops and some cops catch burglars which are basically people that go into other people's houses and take things that they want with out there permission. Then there are other burglars that sometimes hurt the people that live in the houses they go into."

Zara nodded and teared up again "m-me and daddy weren't taking anything... Am I-I gonna go to jail?"

Elliot rocked her back and forth gently and continued to stroke her hair "shhh, shhhh shhh shhh..." he soothed.

"I-I don't wanna go to jail w-we weren't taking anything Mr. Elliot... P-Please believe me..."

"I know honey... I know I know shhh everything's okay shhh I wasn't trying to upset you..."

She nodded slightly and calmed down after a couple minutes "you aren't going to jail baby it's just that you and your dad got here really early, he didn't knock and that scared me because we've had a burglar get in here before and they usually come late at night."

She frowned and nodded understanding "a burglar came here?"

He nodded "yes and he was the kind of burglar that hurts people. I couldn't let anyone hurt us I had to try to keep everybody safe by scaring him just like your dad would if a burglar came to your house. You understand that right?"

Zara nodded slightly and Elliot sighed in relief and held her tighter as Liv smiled at them softly then snuck out "m-mr. Elliot," she said a minute later.

He nodded and continued to stroke her hair as she completely relaxed against him "I'll make sure daddy knocks next time."

He nodded kissing her temple with a smile "and I'll make sure that it's really a burglar before I pull my gun out from now on I promise."

She nodded relieved "s-so I won't see the mean look you had in your eyes any more?"

"Never again honey. Never ever again," he whispered.

She nodded relieved as he kissed her head again and dried the rest of her remaining tears "you're really tired I can see it in your eyes so how about I lay you down and you can take a nap upstairs?"

She shook her head slightly "I dunno when I'll get to come back again I only have two more weeks left with daddy before I go back to live with mommy."

He nodded, stood and carried her out of the office "are you excited to see her again?"

"Mmhmm but I'll miss daddy."

He nodded sympathetically "he'll miss you too and so will we."

"You will?"

"Of course we will we've gotten to know you over the last month and a half."

She smiled slightly and yawned "can I have a grape Popsicle?"

Elliot chuckled slightly "maybe how's your tummy?"

"A little better."

He nodded "alright one won't hurt. Just one though."

She nodded with a smile and wriggled around in his hold slightly and he smiled and put her down "go to the kitchen table you can eat it in there," he said and she nodded and ran off with a smile.

xxxxx

"Did the rest of your talk go okay?" Liv asked once he was back in the living room.

"It did I think we're good now. Poor thing's fighting sleep though."

She frowned "why do you think that is?"

He sighed "she doesn't know when she'll get to come back she said she goes to stay with her mother again in two weeks."

"Damn..." Liv said as her phone began to ring and she glanced at it then declined it "scammer?" El asked.

"No Don again and I just don't wanna talk to him right now."

"It could be important baby."

"It's not he wants to know if I'm going back on the 24th he asked yesterday and I still don't have an answer for him."

Elliot nodded and rubbed her back "you wanna figure out the answer together? Because the man really does need an answer."

She nodded "we can try."

He nodded "do you feel like if you had to that you could interview a rape victim tomorrow?"

She nodded "absolutely."

He nodded "how about wear a gun on your hip? Could you do that?"

"Maybe I-I think so?"

He nodded "you wanna walk upstairs and see?"

She nodded and stood as El looked to Lizzie "watch the girls and don't let them upstairs."

"Okay," she said obediently as he and Liv headed to their bedroom and shut the door "how does it feel in your hand?" he asked after taking it out of the lock box and handing it to her.

Olivia held it for a moment with the safety on "good, a little surreal it's been a while," she said after a minute.

He nodded with a smile and handed her a gun holster as she smiled at him then holstered it on her hip "still feels the same. Good and a little surreal."

Elliot nodded and slowly began moving towards the closet "what are you doing?" she asked.

"You know what I'm doing baby. Remember it's just me and you here," he said softly as he walked into the closet and retrieved a pair of handcuffs with the key then walked back out as Liv backed away slightly.

"Hey hey it's okay baby we just need to see if you can cuff me," he said softly as he carefully went to hand them to her.

She backed away further "N-No I-I don't wanna cuff you I-I can't hurt you," she whispered as the memory of being cuffed by Lewis and the pain in her wrists as a result of that entered her head.

"You won't hurt me. Just pretend that I'm a perp that you need to arrest. Oh baby it's okay..." he whispered sadly hating she had felt the need to back away again.

She shook her head franticly, removed the gun from her hip then handed it to him "t-this was a bad idea El... I-It was a bad idea I-I'm not ready I-I'm sorry... p-please put them away..."

"Shhh, shhh shhh don't you dare apologize..." he whispered softly as he tossed the cuffs and gun aside then pulled her close swaying them gently from side to side and stroking her hair "you're okay baby you're safe everything's alright..."

"S-So many memories popped into my head about h-how I felt that way a-and I-I just can't do it... I-I can't touch them b-but I-I need to be ready I-I'm letting the squad down a-and the victims a-and you too"-

"Stop right there baby you haven't let me down not once. Not for a second."

"B-But it's been two months a-and everybody's hounding me about it C-Cragen, Amaro L-Lindstrom."

"I could care less what they say if in a years time you can't touch a pair of handcuffs I'll completely understand it baby what you went through it's... It's reprehensible and anybody that can't see and understand that you need time to heal is just plain selfish..." he said as he shook his head angrily.

Olivia sighed slightly "I-I just feel bad a-and like if I say I'm not ready that I'll let everybody down."

He nodded "I get that but you can't please everyone and you have to do what's right for you no one else."

She nodded slightly "I-I'll message Cragen and let him know I'm not ready."

He nodded, kept her close and kissed her temple gently "you're doing the right thing and you'll be ready one day. I promise you will."

"I-I hope you're right."

"I am," he whispered and a few minutes later they went back downstairs.

Once they were downstairs the rest of the afternoon passed smoothly as after Liv texted Cragen with the news and they agreed to meet for lunch on Saturday everyone ended up playing a game of life then Lizzie left for majorette practice at around 3:30 and Elliot started on dinner at a little after 4 "something smells really good," Zara said with a smile at around 5 "do you know what it is?" she asked Liv.

Olivia smiled "I think it's his chicken Parmesan you haven't had that before have you?"

"Nnhnn," she said and Liv nodded "you'll love it sweetie."

Zara smiled and nodded "daddy usually makes that when somebodies sad," Izzabella said innocently.

"What makes you think that?" Liv asked.

"You were sick last time he made it and today Zara was sad."

"You sweet girl are really smart..." she said ruffling her hair "but he makes it for special occasions too. We had it on your birthday remember?"

Izzabella smiled brightly and nodded her head as Elliot walked into the living room "dinner's ready," he said.

Everyone got up and went into the kitchen as once they were all seated they dug in "this is really good Mr. Elliot," Zara said.

"Thank you honey I'm glad your enjoying it," he said as once dinner was done he pulled the cheese cake out of the fridge and sat it in the middle of the table.

"Whoa..." Zara said shocked and Liv and El just nodded "we heard that Saturday was your birthday and since we missed the party we figured we'd celebrate it here," El said with a smile as he then looked at Liv discreetly.

Zara smiled brightly speechless and in awe as Liv continued smiling and gave him a small nod as their phones beeped: Motion detected, front door. Motion detected, front door.

"One second let me check that," he said as he glanced at his phone seeing it was Amaro and Rollins just as the doorbell rang "come in!" he yelled as he carefully placed a small candle on the cake.

Zara continued to smile in awe and happy tears streamed down her cheeks as he lit it "happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Zara... happy birthday to you," Liv, El and Izzabella sang as Amaro and Rollins wore touched smiles.

She quickly blew out the candle "t-thank you..." she whispered.

"You're welcome, more than welcome," Elliot said with a smile as he sliced the cake and gave her the first slice "I've gotta say I didn't think this would be the scene that I would be walking into this evening," Amaro said.

"Neither did I Nick, neither did I but it all worked out. You guys want some cake?"

"Well duh of course we do," Rollins said as El nodded with a smile and they both took an empty seat at the table and everyone ate.

When everyone was finished Olivia smiled "you can take the rest of the cake with you Nick," she said.

"Are you sure Liv?"

She nodded "we're sure we can make another one whenever we want we made this cake for her so she should get the rest of it."

He nodded slightly "t-thanks Liv..." he said as Elliot pulled a small envelope out of his pocket and handed it to Zara "here's your birthday present," he said handing it to her with a soft smile.

She took it gratefully and opened it "wow money..." she whispered.

Elliot smiled and nodded "do you know how much it is?"

"Nnhnn," she said and Nick walked over to her "here honey let me see."

She handed the bill to him and his mouth dropped open in shock "you guys... You guys didn't have to give her that i-it's to much..."

"How much is it daddy? How much?" Zara asked with an anxious smile.

"50 dollars," he said as her mouth dropped open in shock too "w-whoa..." she whispered.

Elliot just smiled "honey I want you to spend that on something you really want okay?"

"Okay I-I will... Thank you Liv! Thank you Mr. Elliot!"

"You're welcome sweetie," they said in unison as after everyone chattered for a few minutes Nick, Zara and Amanda left "I thought we agreed on 20 El," Liv said chuckling as she sat her plate in the dish washer.

"We did until I scared her to death then I decided 20 wasn't enough."

"Oh El..."

"I know I know but she was grateful and she'll get something she wants with it so that's good right?"

"It is," she said as she walked over to him and kissed him passionately "you're a good man Elliot Stabler."

He returned it in kind "and you're the best woman Olivia Stabler," he whispered as they made their way to the love seat together with soft smiles.