A/N 1: sorry for the long wait but I decided to complete my other stories one by one, so I could focus on this one exclusively after that. That time has come now so get ready for regular updates again!

A/N 2: In case you don't remember where we left off exactly - Olivia's pregnant but her baby daddy doesn't know it yet. Kathy has kicked Elliot out, assuming the baby is his. Elliot doesn't blame Olivia but Olivia has spoken with Maureen. Elliot's birthday is coming up.

A/N 3: I know I'm taking liberties with the timelines of the ADA's but I couldn't have the whole Cabot tragedy take place in this story - and certainly not at this point in the story - so I had Casey already there before, and Cabot still working in New York for now, but no longer directly with the SVU. I'm sure you won't mind!

...

9. Birthday

She wants his birthday to be special. But how can it be special without his kids? Olivia hasn't heard from Maureen and she knows there is no guarantee any of the kids will contact their father on his birthday. So she is going to have to put in some effort to make it a special day for Elliot.

The team is all in and it warms Olivia's heart. She considers her unit family and they're stepping up for Elliot as well, to be his family now that he is away from his children. Fin knows a caterer and has promised to be on time and to bring 'the works' - whatever that means - including a cake with 37 candles. Alex Cabot has arrived to help Olivia decorate the apartment while Munch and Cragen are making sure Elliot doesn't come home too early. Melinda isn't sure she can make it but will try to drop by later.

Elliot had tried to be cheerful when Olivia had surprised him that morning with a little cupcake with a candle on top, but she had seen the sadness in his eyes. His birthday has always been a family occasion and while he enjoys her company, it's not the same.

Cragen has sent her home early and he's promised to tell Elliot that she's just tired, nothing serious, and she'd completed her paperwork anyway. Otherwise, he'd be calling her by now or even come home to check on her, and they don't need him there now. It would spoil the surprise.

"Benson! A little help here!" she hears ADA Cabot yell, and when she sees the tall blonde balancing on a chair, trying to hang a Happy Birthday banner as high as possible along the wall, Olivia hurries over to her friend to hold her steady.

"There. Finally," Alex sighs after securing the banner, and Olivia helps her down.

"Thank you so much. I would never have been able to reach that."

"You shouldn't even be trying in your position, mommy," Alex says sternly, but then the two friends smile widely at each other.

Alex has been very supportive, after getting over the initial shock of not being the first to know about Olivia's pregnancy. The women don't see each other as often as they used to since Casey Novak took over as the lead ADA for the SVU, but they're keeping in touch. After getting shot on the job, Alex had decided that she wanted to work in the background for a while, while she is in therapy to deal with what had happened. Olivia respects that and they've been meeting up outside of work for coffee.

"Don't coddle me, Alex. I'm pregnant. Not sick," Olivia says, but she appreciates Alex's concern.

"You'd better keep this little one healthy Liv," Alex tells her. "We're up to our eyeballs in kids with problems on the job, so it'll be great to be a part of a baby's life that doesn't have any issues."

Olivia huffs and turns away from her friend to grab another roll of streamers.

"We'll have to wait and see about that," she mutters.

Alex stands next to her and puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey hey. Where did that come from?" she asks.

Olivia shrugs, trying to shake it off as nothing, but when Alex insists she tell her what's bothering her, she admits,

"There's still the daddy thing, remember?"

"Have you decided yet if you're going to tell him?"

Alex knows about Miguel and her fears of possibly having to share custody of her child with him. Olivia shakes her head.

"Not yet. Elliot keeps telling me there will be time enough to tell him. It's not like he's missing out on anything now, because he's not seriously interested in me."

Olivia can't picture Miguel going with her to her doctor's appointments, holding her hand and feeling her belly to see if he can feel the baby moving already. She hasn't even felt it move herself, but that hasn't stopped Elliot from trying to make contact with little pea from time to time. He even talks to her baby, convinced that he or she can understand every word. In fact, he had a serious conversation with her child just last night.

"Are you sure little pea can even hear anything at this point?" Olivia giggles when Elliot puts his ear against her stomach to listen for an answer, as he calls it.

"Probably not, but I'm sure he can feel the love," Elliot answers.

Olivia puts her hand on Elliot's head and moves it to his neck while he pretends to listen to her baby talk.

"Is that right, little pea? I should feed your mommy some more ice cream so you can have some too? I'll get right to it."

"Earth to Olivia?"

Olivia blinks and looks up at her friend.

"What?"

"Where'd you go?"

"I don't know what you mean."

Alex sighs and folds her arms in front of her chest.

"Benson, you were miles away after telling me the guy isn't interested in you. Don't tell me you have actual feelings for your baby daddy. Because if you do, you should tell him about the baby immediately and demand that he be part of your lives! It's his as much as it is yours."

"Please don't say that," Olivia whispers.

She isn't sure what Alex is alluding to, that she would have feelings for Miguel, but she doesn't want to hear that her child is his as well. It is hers and she's felt possessive about it from the beginning.

Alex raises an eyebrow and studies Olivia's face.

"Well, it's the truth. You didn't conceive it on your own Liv. But if that idea is so horrific for you, what's with the dreamy look just now?"

Olivia finally understands and bites her lip. She hadn't been thinking about Miguel but about Elliot. But she can't tell Alex that. The blonde will immediately jump to conclusions that are completely baseless. She just spends a lot of time with Elliot now, so it's only logical that she thinks of him regularly. Isn't it? Besides, Elliot is a very experienced parent. It makes sense that this is easier for him than it would be for Miguel.

She knows Alex isn't going to let this go easily so she'll have to make up an excuse for her brief lapse.

"I … I just thought I felt the baby moving but I guess it was just gas," she blurts out.

Alex gives her a suspicious look but seems to accept her answer, for now. Olivia shakes her head and points at the few remaining balloons.

"Could you inflate those for me please?"

They finish decorating the apartment quietly and everything is ready on time. Fin is just finishing putting all the snacks in the kitchen when they hear keys in the door.

"He's here!" Alex whispers loudly to Fin, who quickly steps out of the kitchen to join the women as the welcoming committee.

Elliot walks into the apartment and his jaw drops when he sees all the decorations and hears his friends shout,

"Congratulations!"

"What the …" he mumbles, but he can't really keep a grin from forming on his face.

"Ah guys, you really shouldn't have," he starts, but then a hand claps him on the shoulder and Munch and Cragen step in behind him.

Olivia loves the surprised look on his face and the sound of his laughter when he realizes he's just stepped into his own birthday party. After everyone has finished congratulating him, Elliot stands in front of Olivia.

"Your doing, right?" he asks her softly and she nods.

"We're your family too, El," she states, knowing he will know what she means.

Elliot swallows and then nods.

"Thank you."

Olivia rubs his arm and then gestures around.

"I hope you like it."

"I do," Elliot says softly and the tone of his voice makes her look back up at him.

The sadness she'd seen this morning isn't gone yet, but she sees a different emotion in his eyes now too, one she can't quite name. Is it … tenderness?

"Yo El!" Fin shouts, breaking up their little moment. "You want coffee first of should we break out the good stuff!"

Elliot laughs out loud and it's music to Olivia's ears. He walks over to Fin and she turns to greet Munch and Cragen, telling them to sit and enjoy themselves. Elliot announces that he's going to freshen up a bit and when he comes back into the festive room, he seems happy. It warms Olivia's heart that she's been able to do something for Elliot to make his birthday special after all. He loves his birthday cake, although he complains a little about the number of candles, and Olivia swears she sees him get a little emotional when opening his gifts. He hadn't expected anything to happen today and now the apartment where he's staying is filled with light and laughter. Fin has taken on the task of playing some music for them and Munch is tending bar behind her kitchen counter. Even Melinda shows up around eight and it takes a while for Olivia to register the sound of another knock on the door over all the noise.

"More visitors?" Elliot asks her when he sees her walk up to the door.

"Looks like it."

Olivia looks through the peephole and her heart skips a beat. She whips back around and beckons Elliot to come to the door.

"It's for you," she says breathlessly and Elliot frowns.

She knows her face is betraying her but she wants him to open the door for this particular guest.

"What's going on?" Elliot mumbles.

"Just open the door."

"Alright."

Elliot opens the door while Olivia takes a step back. She hears him gasp when he sees who has come to visit him on his birthday.

"Maureen."

…

Dun dun!