A/N- A huge Thank you to everyone reading, following, giving kudos and reviewing!

An extra special Thank you to my amazing friend Ashley who is also my beta. Your constant positivity and encouragement really keeps me and this going.

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"Daddy, I don't want you to go," the quivering little voice of Evie sounds out, as she is gripping tightly onto the leg of guilt-ridden Elliot. "Please Daddy…Please Daddy…Please," she repeatedly sobs between sniffles.

Crouching down, he carefully pushes back the tear stroked hair from his little one's face and picks her up. Evie instantly clutches her legs around his body and pushes her face into his shoulder, a favorite snuggle position of hers since she was a baby.

"Kiwi, I won't be gone long this time," he soothes, stroking the back of her hair.

"But that's what you said last time, and you stayed away for ages," she huffs, breaking back down into uncontrollable sobs.

"You're right, I did but this time is different." He carefully puts her down on the floor and holds out his little finger. "Pinky promise Kiwi?"

"No," she stubbornly huffs out, running over to the couch and throwing her body face down against the cushions, entirely hiding her face.

This isn't the usual sassy little responses he's used to getting from her; this is pure innocent heartbreak, and it's taking his heart along with it.

"Kiwi, baby, come here. Listen to Daddy."

He crouches down in front of the sofa, and through the cushions, he only just makes out the muffled sound of "No."

"Ok then." The pitch of his voice increases as he moves into the kitchen. "I guess I'll just have to eat all this ice-cream all by myself."

He watches for any movement. None.

"Oh, I can add in these marshmallows." Still no movement.

"And peanut butter cups and chocolate sauce." A twitch.

Bingo.

"Daddy," a sweet little voice sounds out from the couch.

"Yeah?" He doesn't turn around yet but can hear the thud and patter of her little legs running towards him.

Tugging on the back of his shirt she quietly says, "I can listen now... can I share your ice cream please?"

If there was a technique to create a human equivalent to puppy dog eyes, then this kid had mastered it at birth.

"Of course you can. Go sit at the table. I'll be over in a minute."

Piling the dessert bowls high with all the promised goodies, Elliot puts them down on the dining table in front of Evie who very excitedly starts rubbing her hands together.

"Da-ddy," she draws her words out.

"Ev-ie," Elliot copies, until he catches her frown, and not wanting to do anything to upset her again, he shifts gears. "Yes sweetheart?"

Leaving her spoon in the bowl, she folds her arms across the table, drops her head into them, and stares him down with those big, dark eyes. The question comes quickly and the tone is very serious.

"Can we get a puppy?" Sweet innocence laced with a subtle non-negotiable demand.

Elliot could feel the panic setting in. He wanted a dog; Olivia did not. Evie knew he was the weak link in this subject matter, and she also knew when to play her cards.

Struggling to come up with a quick and plausible excuse, Elliot is instantly relieved when he hears Olivia coming in through the front door.

"Hey," she beams, "How are 2 of my 3 favorite people?"

Immediately clocking the emergency ice cream and Evie's deathly stare, Olivia narrows her eyes to Elliot. "Everything ok?"

Spooning a huge scoop of ice cream into his mouth, he turns to look at Olivia. " Your daughter wants a dog."

Olivia throws her hands over her ears in protest. "Not this again. I hope you told your daughter no?"

Puffing out a blow of air Evie shouts, "Your daughter can hear you," causing both Olivia and Elliot to exchange exasperated glances.

"Please can we have a dog? Pretty please? Just a tiny one?" she pleads, getting herself onto a little roll. "I'll keep it in my room and I'll feed it and I'll walk it and I'll brush it and cuddle it and it can sleep with me and it will-"

"O-k Kiwi, we will think about it ok? But now you really need to go to bed," Olivia reminds her little one.

Breathing out the biggest non-arguing, deflated sigh, she heads into her room murmuring something about how 'we will think about it' always means no.

"I'll put her to bed. I'm leaving in a couple of hours and want to see her happy before I go," Elliot says, making his way towards his daughter's room.

"Just make sure that making her happy isn't agreeing to that dog, El," she warns him before heading for a quick shower.

That was the moment Olivia Stabler knew she was begrudgingly going to end up with a canine friend.

Feeling refreshed after her shower, Olivia enters the living room and twists a sad face towards Elliot's packed suitcase.

"How long this time?"

"Two weeks, tops," he assures her.

"Yeah, right," she huffs resembling the same face her daughter had pulled earlier.

"Liv, look," he asks her, taking a white envelope out of his jacket pocket.

"Oh El, not another letter," she laughs through her few tears.

"No, it's not another letter." Elliot rolls his eyes and hands it to her. "It's my retirement notice."

"You're actually doing it? I know we've talked about it but I thought you wanted to wait?"

Elliot places his hand underneath her chin and lifts up her head so that she is looking directly into his gaze.

"I want to do it now Olivia. I want more time with you, our kids, this life. Let's get the kids a dog, let me get them from school and clubs. Let's only have to worry about fitting living life around one work schedule?"

Olivia rubs her face against his hand and kisses it before he starts speaking again.

"We could have a big retirement party and get everyone together again? Remember a couple of years ago when you had that big party for you making Deputy Chief?"

"You mean that big party you planned when I said I just wanted a small meal of the 4 of us?" she sardonically asks. He doesn't reply at first; he just laughs.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulls her in towards him, tenderly bumps the tip of her nose, and smugly replies, "You loved it."

*December 5th 2028

"Olivia, will you hurry up?" Elliot shouts down the hallway. He's smart casual, jeans and a tight fitted shirt, rolled up sleeves. Olivia loves the rolled up sleeves.

Noah has also taken the smart casual approach and is wearing his latest branded tee, jeans and boots. He's stood next to Evie, who is dressed in the prettiest of red dresses, gold sparkly shoes, and a red hairband keeping her long dark curls at bay, baby doll Watermelon tightly in her grasp.

"Ok, I'm ready!" Olivia shouts slamming doors behind her as she makes her entrance into the hallway.

After several seconds of silence, Elliot finally swallows his gulp. "Wow. Liv," he exclaims as he locks eyes on his wife's outfit.

The deep red, sleeveless, plunged neckline midi dress is amazingly flattering to her already perfect curves. Her hair longer than she's worn it in the past has loose curls at the end and she's added with it the gold necklace Elliot gave her on their first wedding anniversary.

Olivia loves the effect she still had on her husband.

Walking into the restaurant, Olivia double-checks with Elliot. "You did book the table? Didn't you? For 4?"

"Olivia, I know how to make dinner reservations. Yes I booked us a table," he confirms.

"Ok, just checking," she replies. Elliot holds the door open for her, and the lighting seems a lot darker than usual, and come to think of it, there isn't the usual chatter sounds or music playing. As she suspiciously enters further in, she releases a small gasp and the slightly dramatic clenching of her chest when a huge eruption of ' Surprise' bursts throughout the room. After Elliot holds his breath to her reaction, he finally relaxes when Olivia releases a quick bark of laughter.

"Oh Elliot. You arranged all of this?" She looks around at the fully decorated restaurant.

Creative lighting, gorgeous centerpieces and well designed table coverings are evenly spaced around a palette-coordinated dance floor. The ceilings above feature a sky of alabaster balloons and the huge elegantly iced cake is perfectly positioned in front of a wall of photographs that reflects all of Olivia's career.

"Auntie Manda, Uncle Sonny!" Evie goes running off towards the couple and their new baby. Elliot attempts to stop her from jumping in between them by grabbing onto his daughter, but Amanda shakes her head and smiles, letting them know it's ok, so he lets her rush over, giggling.

Looking around at all of her guests, Olivia feels overwhelmed, and she can't quite register everyone who is here. In all honesty, she doesn't know where to begin mingling. Luckily she feels a sigh of relief when the decision is taken away from her, and she hears the soft, comforting voice of Donald Cragen.

"Olivia."

"Don," she immediately hugs onto him. "I thought you were in England?"

"We were, but, we wanted to come home in time to be here."

After Eileen hands Olivia a glass of champagne, they chat about how Cragen and Eileen have been living between Florida and London for the past 3 years. Donald and Olivia 'talk shop' for a little while, and then Eileen wants to know every little detail of Noah and Evie's activities recently.

When the couple moves off to catch up with some other old friends, Olivia notices a familiar silhouette sitting alone at the bar.

"Chief Dodds?" Olivia strokes the side of his arm as he's sat waiting to be served at the bar.

"I'm retired now, remember? You're the Chief now, Chief Olivia Benson - I mean Stabler," he quickly corrects himself.

Taking the seat next to him, Olivia casually informs him, "I have changed my name but professionally I'm still Benson. It just seemed to be easier at work. "

Spending the next ten minutes catching up, Olivia fills him in on what's been happening in her life, and Dodds eagerly shares the stories from his retirement adventures; from travelling, playing golf, dating failures, and the sentimental times he devotes to his grand-daughter.

Finishing off her drink, she moves on leaving Dodds to chat with someone else.

Looking around the room, she can't help but smile to herself when she notices two female faces she hasn't seen in a very long time.

"I never thought I'd see the day that I would see you two old ADAs together," she announces.

"Hey you, less of the old," the blonde scorns, pursing her lips before enveloping Olivia into an immense hug.

"Who are we kidding? We are all old," the redhead puns, handing Olivia a glass of champagne before squeezing her tightly. "We had a few things in common when we met at your wedding, so we stayed in touch."

"I'm so pleased to hear that and that you're both here. Alex, Casey….It's been..." Olivia's voice cracks slightly. " A long time."

"We wouldn't miss it for the world Liv. We need to stay in touch more," Alex suggests, and the three women started discussing potential plans for 'girls days/girls trips' they would all go on in the future.

The two women gush over Noah and Evie, making Olivia blush with pride. Alex informs her all about her partner and the new center they set up to help women who suffered domestic abuse. Casey had stopped working shortly after marrying her husband when the twins came along and makes Olivia promise to arrange a play date with Evie one day.

"So Elliot really did contact everyone you've ever come across didn't he?" Alex jokes, quickly glancing around at the guests.

"Speaking of which." Olivia finishes her drink and places the empty glass on the table. "Elliot is calling me over. If you'll excuse me ladies."

Feeling his hand slip into hers, she tightly curls her fingers around her husband's. "Thank you so much for arranging all of this. It's just perfect."

"I knew you would be happy with a party when you got here," he smugly replies but furrows his brow when he catches a slightly different vibe from her. "Everything ok?"

"Yes, yes of course," she reassures him. "I just feel a bit guilty. I haven't spent any time with you or the kids all night and…"

"Olivia, stop right there. This night is for you. Go mingle, catch up. Everyone is here for you. I'm happy, I haven't talked sport this much in forever, Noah seems to be doing quite well surrounded by the ladies." He gestures over to their son and winks, and they both laugh when they catch Noah uncomfortably looking back at them, and they direct their gaze to Evie instead, who is sitting in between Amanda and Sonny, her baby doll Watermelon rocking in her arms mimicking exactly Amanda's movements with baby Sonny Junior. "See, Evie has made herself right at home."

"You're so great, you know that?" she whispers, seductively moving her lips across his before Fin's voice rings out around them.

"How many more decades of this do I have to watch?" His tone is comical before he bursts out laughing when a thump to his arm from his wife interrupted him.

"It's fine Phoebe. They know what I'm about."

"You got that one right," Elliot jokes back, and Phoebe leaves to get a round of drinks.

"Hey Liv, in all seriousness, I'm so happy for you. You really deserve this. All of this. I knew you would make it someday." He caringly nods his head towards the picture on the wall behind them of Olivia in her Deputy Chief uniform at the ceremony.

When Phoebe returns, struggling to carry all four drinks, Fin takes hold of two and passes them over to Olivia and Elliot.

"A quick toast?" Phoebe suggests. "To old partners?"

They all put their glasses together and toast. Elliot whispers some joke to Olivia about the toast being familiar to one they made themselves many years ago and then shares the memory with Fin and Phoebe. They don't chat for long with the couple, as out of everyone in regular life, these two are the ones the family spend the most social time with anyway.

"Look who's here." Elliot points towards the entrance and gestures towards a dark and grey haired man, a very very pregnant younger lady interlocking his arm, and on his other side, a female who shows an uncanny resemblance to Amanda.

"Nick!" Olivia calls over the crowd. She waves her hands, gesturing towards a vacant seat for them to sit in.

"Olivia. Wow. You look great." He locks her into a hug before turning around and introducing the blonde of the ladies. "I've told you all about my wife Lara?"

"It's so lovely to meet you Lara," Olivia passes her a friendly smile.

Lara holds her hand out to offer a welcoming shake. "And you, I've heard so much about you. It's nice to finally put an in person face to the stories."

"Stories?" Olivia suspiciously eyes over Nick who just laughs and nudges her in the arm before moving over to his other guest.

"And this-" he starts.

"Is Zara? Wow look at you," Olivia finishes off Nick's sentence and grasps his pregnant daughter into a motherly hug. "You look wonderful! Congratulations! You mustn't have long left?"

"About 2-3weeks." Zara rubs her hands over her stomach. "Congratulations to you too Olivia . It's so nice to see you again."

"You too," Olivia fusses over her, remembering the little girl she said goodbye to when they left for California all those years ago. "You look just like…"

"My dad, I know… I hear it all the time," she interjects, affectionately smiling at her father and rolling her eyes.

"Hey, kid, you know that's not a bad thing?" Nick jokes.

Olivia laughs at how confident as ever Nick is, and it's so nice to see him here with his family. They'd spoken a lot over the phone and shared pictures but you know what life's like. Everyone is so busy; scheduling a long distance catch up where every family member doesn't have to spontaneously work, the kids don't have some sporting or academic event, or where you've been so busy that you've actually barely spent time at home with the people you live with.

"Where's Gil?" Olivia quietly asks, hooking onto her former partner as they make their way over to the bar, leaving Elliot, Lara, and Zara engaged in some discussion about the latest sport game yesterday.

"So, Gil's… er…a bit…loved up," Nick stutters. "He's taken his girl away for the weekend." Nick checks his watch and laughs. "In about 2 hours, he's going to be getting down on one knee and proposing."

Letting out a deep breath gasp, Olivia puts her arms on either side of Nick's shoulders.

"Wow…proposing" she smiles, simultaneously shaking her head in disbelief. "They are all just growing so quickly, look at them." Olivia points towards Noah standing in the corner giggling and goofing about with Jessie and Billie Carisi.

"Amanda's girls? Wow they look just like her," Nick comments, handing Olivia a glass of champagne, and they stand there silent for just a few seconds looking between Nick's daughter, Olivia's teenager, Amanda's girls, and Little Evie.

"Oh there's your little vegetable" Nick jokes when he catches sight of Olivia's mini-me.

"Nick!" she exclaims, trying desperately not to spit laugh her latest sip of alcohol. "Kiwi, you know we call her Kiwi. It's a fruit, not a vegetable."

Draping his arm around her shoulders he pulls her in for a quick squash. "You know I'm joking... but Liv you never actually told me why you call her Kiwi?"

"Well" Olivia starts, "when she was a baby and just started on solid foods, the only thing she would ever eat were kiwis, and Noah called her Evie kiwi one day, and it just stuck."

"That's it?" Nick chuckles. "I honestly thought it was going to be something deep and sentimental."

"Well Nick Amaro, I am sorry to disappoint you with my basic, mundane stories" she sarcastically laughs, and after a brief pause she begins to develop a slight hitch in her voice. "I missed this Nick. I've missed you."

"Me too, Liv. Now that Zara lives here with her boyfriend, we will be visiting more to see the baby. We need to make sure we see more of each other," he replies.

"It's a deal," she smiles back, chinking her crystal against his and taking the final sip to empty her glass.

All these individual toasts and celebratory drinks were all really adding up.

About to make her way over to check on the kids, she hears a voice through the crowd. "Olivia Benson, do my eyes deceive me?"

There is no doubt in her mind as to it was behind her, and she swiftly turns, an instant smile stretching across her face.

"Rafa."

"Mi Amor," he gushes, wrapping his arms around her and lovingly holding her.

Olivia had always felt so special and secure in their friendship that when she heard him call her that she always felt so loved.

"Put the woman down Raf, you're going to squish the life out of her." The softly spoken voice of Rafael's girlfriend takes over the moment, and she herself moves in to hug Olivia.

"Louisa, it's so lovely to see you, to see both of you," Olivia corrects herself. "Thank you for coming. How have you been?"

"We are good. We just bought a house in Chicago, as I showed you on video chat, and it's really starting to come together." Barba distractedly begins to eye up the bar. "Drinks?"

"I'll have a glass of red please honey," Louisa replies back to him.

"I'll just have a water please," Olivia asks, putting the empty glass down she had been carrying around with her since her conversation with Nick.

"Water?" Rafael questions, before sounding out the syllables in her name and muttering off something in Spanish on his way to the bar.

Shaking her head and laughing, she takes a few minutes to catch up with Louisa, who shares that the last couple of years have been tough starting anew in Chicago, but they finally feel settled. When Barba comes back, he and Olivia share some stories and memories of 'the old days' while Louisa laughs along.

"Where's my best dude?" Barba asks searching round the room.

"I'm right here. I've missed you too," Elliot says walking towards the three of them.

Literally laughing out loud, Rafa holds his finger up towards a smiling Elliot. "You Stabler, are not even close to being my best dude…I still hold grudges," he half jokes before grabbing the hand of his best friend's husband and following on with how pleased he is to see him.

"We are going to go and see the kids," Louisa announces, holding up some wonderfully decorated bags. "Raf insisted on getting them gifts."

"Of course he did," Olivia responds, smiling as she watches them head over towards Noah.

Taking a moment Olivia leans back against the bar and looks over at everyone here for her promotion party. All of these people are here in support and out of love for her.

The moment is utterly dreamlike, and the room brims with all of these people: her true friends, colleagues, her family; her one true love, her soul mate, her kindred-spirit; her children, her reason for being, her new lease on life.

All here for her.

Olivia remembers the times she felt so lonely, abandoned, the harsh days when she felt like she had no one to turn to, and it wasn't just as an adult. These low, sad feelings were instilled from childhood. As she aged, she felt like everyone who entered her life found a way to leave, and she became so numb to the idea of complete happiness that in the end, she gave up searching for companionship or longer lasting friendships and settled for it being just her and Noah.

Her thoughts are interrupted when the continual chime of a glass is taking over the room, and John Munch is standing taking center stage.

"I thought I would take the burden of the speech away from Elliot on this occasion," Munch begins before being interrupted by a sarcastic voice in the crowd.

"Yeah Munch, because you really don't like to talk do you?"

"Ok, fair point, but anyway we are here today to celebrate one of the finest, loyal, honest, dependable people I have ever had the pleasure to know in my whole entire life. Olivia."

John's speech goes into full admiration mode over her, funny tales of their past together, funny tales of her with others. He discusses how well she has managed difficult times, not going into any details, her strength, and how much she is a true inspiration to everyone. Munch emphasizes her tremendous work over the last couple of years, specifically how she has been instrumental in the focus of fully ending the backlog of untested rape kits.

He confirms she has moved quickly up the ranks over the last 15 years, and no one is more passionate or deserving of this new role. His speech ends with an apology from all who would have liked to have been there but unfortunately couldn't, people such as Melinda, who had to work an emergency for her new department, and Peter Stone, who promised to catch up at a later date. John makes a gag about Brian Cassidy not making the guest list, and Olivia looks over to Elliot, who makes his usual imitation of being sick response, to which she shot back her usual get over it glance.

At the end of the speech, John raises a glass to Olivia, who now has a replenished alcoholic drink and joins in.

The crowd sounds fill the room with cheers and applause, leaving Olivia's heart feeling completely full.

*Present Day

"Is that a deal Liv?" Elliot asks in a way which makes her think she must have zoned out. He's in a rush to leave now.

"Erm….yes? No wait, sorry I wasn't listening. So you're to handle the retirement and I'll handle the party?" Olivia asks, still not fully paying attention.

"I'll handle the retirement, you handle the party…..and the dog," he replies, quickly kissing her on the lips before taking his leave.

Just realizing his little added comment, she shouts down the hallway, "I'm not getting the dog!"

"Hmmmm we'll see," he mumbles back, blowing her an air kiss before getting into the elevator.