Five.

Whenever the Tuckers' front door opened and kids were home and awake, they dropped everything and sprinted for the foyer. Ed returned from Riverdale and was immediately greeted with a barrage of "DADDYs." Maggie and Wyatt hugged his legs and clamored to be picked up. Noah made up a "Daddy's back" ditty and sang it while Ed removed his coat and kicked off his shoes.

"Hiya, kiddos," he said, greeting them brightly, giving no indication anything was wrong. He crouched for hugs. "Everyone hungry? I want pizza."

Noah shouted, "PIZZA!" and sprinted back into the living area where he ran into Olivia. "Mommy, Daddy said we're getting pizza!"

She ran her fingers through his hair and smiled. "Yum! You think about what you want on it, okay?"

"Kay!"

Ed walked toward her with a twin under each arm. Maggie and Wyatt giggled and reached out for Olivia. She leaned in for kisses and then kissed Ed, carefully studying his eyes. He smiled and kissed her a second time, assuring her he was, indeed, okay. Nevertheless, Olivia wanted to talk so they wouldn't have to spend the next few hours zeroed in on the kids and pretending nothing was wrong.

"Noah," she said, "I'm going to talk to Daddy in our bedroom for a few minutes, okay? Want me to put on a movie for you and Maggie and Wyatt?"

"You gonna have private time?" He asked seriously.

Ed started laughing. Leave it to Noah to lighten the mood.

"Sort of," Olivia answered, "But the door'll be open and you come get us if you need something." She picked up the remote control. "Which show do you want?"

"Credibles!"

"You got it."

With Noah in the beanbag and Maggie and Wyatt in their armchairs, Olivia and Ed went to the bedroom knowing they had bought themselves at least twenty minutes of alone time.

Olivia wasted no time returning the focus to Ed. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

Early on in their romantic relationship, both Ed and Olivia realized they had met each other's match. Olivia had spent her life adeptly masking pain and despair; Ed had been used to simply shutting people out when he was upset or angry. It wasn't long before they learned their natural coping mechanisms did not fool one another.

Ed held her hands, smiled, and pulled Olivia into his lap as he fell onto the armchair. He spent a few minutes holding her before he spoke. He began with an apology. "I'm sorry for leavin' like that," he said, half-whispering with his lips buried in her hair.

"I was worried about you," she said, "I didn't think you'd take it so hard."

"It's…well…my mother—"

Olivia could tell whatever Ed was about to say was extremely difficult for him to verbalize and she ran her hands up and down his arms reassuringly.

"—she and everyone else on that side of the family, Eugene, even after all this bullshit, he was a poster child, a Catholic family with a priest, that was somethin' special."

Since the St. Fabiola's case had been settled via plea agreements and without trials, most of Eugene's complicity had been kept out of the public sphere. Ed himself had offered his mother the innocuous explanation that Eugene had been part of a cover up, and she did not pressure him for more details. Caroline was sharp, and Ed assumed she avoided asking questions simply because she didn't want to know.

"And," Ed fidgeted, "Eugene came to me in person, a few years ago, and apologized, but it was insincere, boilerplate, he wasn't accepting responsibility and was still blaming it on his own demons, he didn't even bother asking me to forgive him, he knew I would tell him to go to hell." Ed had never before divulged this information, and clarified, "It happened, um, about a year later, well, less than a year, the following February—"

He was trying to avoid saying when we broke up.

Olivia came to his rescue, "When we weren't together," she said softly.

"Yeah," he kissed her head and continued, "So, him decidin' to end it, I feel like it's cowardly, like it was his final, last ditch effort at trying to get sympathy. After all he'd done…I mean, hell, he coulda left the church, he coulda gone out and lived his life the way he wanted…date men, whatever he was into, leave the church, don't aid and abet a sex trafficking ring and set me up."

Olivia adjusted her position so they were face-to-face. She lovingly caressed one side of his face. "You're not a horrible person for feeling this way," she said, accurately predicting the root of his internal strife.

"I'm not?"

"No," she said, kissing him softly on the lips. "I get it, honey. You've spent your whole life trying to be a good man, do the right thing, people like Eugene are so foreign to you, so inexplicable, and, to top it off, to abuse the cloak of the church, an institution that's supposed to be trusted without question…and then make an innocent man the fall guy…I get it. Not everyone is worthy of forgiveness, but, I know, you have let go of most of the anger and resentment, you haven't let his actions continue to affect your life."

He leaned in for another kiss. "You're right. What do I have to be angry about?" He asked with a smirk, signaling he was ready to end the heavy conversation.

"I can't think of one thing," she replied in a sultry voice.

"How much private time you think we have left?"

He rose, lifting them both to their feet, and kept his lips on hers as they ambled to the door. Olivia hated to see Ed upset, but she sort of liked it when he was needy and vulnerable. She held the back of his head, kissed him passionately, and lifted her heel to kick the door closed.

Seconds before the latch clicked, private time came to an abrupt end.

Ed and Olivia groaned and smiled as they ended the kiss.

Noah's voice conveyed the utmost urgency.

"MOMMY! Maggie's gotta poopy diaper!"

…

The soft knocks on the door slowed Olivia's racing heart, but that didn't stop her from making a beeline for the entryway. She flung the door open, and, there he was—a pillar of smirking, handsome strength dressed in dark jeans and a tight black sweater. Flecks of fatigue clouded his eyes, but as soon as he had her in his arms, the exhaustion and angst dissipated. He held her at arm's length and sighed.

"Damn, it's good to see you."

They hadn't been an official couple for long, but the past week aged their relationship. He felt like they had been together for years; she was processing the reality that Ed Tucker was someone she not only needed…she was also falling in love with him.

"Liv, you're shaking."

She leaned back and took a deep breath. "I was so worried," she admitted. "They found Nina upstate this morning, dead, whoever is running this, they're cleaning house and all I could think about was you being next on their list."

He regarded her with every ounce of compassion and empathy he had. "They're not after me," he replied softly, making extra effort to avoid a patronizing tone, "They think I'm goin' to prison and they know the nun didn't talk. That's insurance enough."

Olivia bit her lip and fought back tears. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"They can't get away with this," she griped, sounding more like Lieutenant Benson. "They can't. My squad's on it. Something will break. They couldn't have covered all of their tracks. Someone screwed up."

Ed kissed her forehead. "I'm sure you're right. And, in the meantime, I've been advised to lay low."

"I hate that you're in this position."

"What's done is done," Ed said matter-of-factly and kissed her again. "Noah asleep?"

"He is, but he'll be up soon." She shot him a coy, semi-apologetic smile. Sex would have to wait. "Want a drink?"

"Sure."

Olivia served him a bourbon. Even though she'd already opened a bottle of wine, poured one for herself as well. She sat next to him on the couch, but he wanted her closer.

"Uh-uh," he said, wiggling his fingers in the air, "C'mere." He rested his legs on the coffee table and slung his arm protectively around her shoulders. "Helluva week."

"I'm…my head is still spinning."

"Mine too."

"And I'm also pissed."

Ed's chest shook with sardonic laughter. "You and me both, sweetheart."

Olivia's breath caught in her throat. Ed had never called her "sweetheart" before. Her instincts had been right; in the midst of this mess, their relationship had changed. Ed nonchalantly sipped his drink and moved his fingertips in circular patterns up and down her arm. The term of endearment had oozed from his mouth so effortlessly and naturally that he didn't pick up on its implicit meaning.

"Ed, I…" she spoke slowly yet assuredly, "Earlier today…there was something more than me just being worried about you."

"What was that?"

Olivia wondered if Ed could feel the butterflies in her stomach. "I was afraid I would lose you."

Ed picked up on the enormity of her revelation. "A whole lotta bad things coulda already happened, Liv. You didn't have to believe me…"

"—I never doubted you."

"I know," he kissed her again, "And you have no idea how much that means. And…I'm alive…and here we are. Together. Exactly where I want to be."

Olivia's breathing returned to normal and she settled back into his body. "It's where I want to be, too," she said.

"Whatever happens next, I'm here. No matter what, alright?"

Olivia squeezed his hand. "Seems like it's us against the world right now."

"Yep," He smirked and kissed her knuckles. "Too bad for the world…"

….

A coffee shop a block from Brooke's apartment had become the regular bi-weekly meeting place for retirement party planning. They met on Thursday afternoons when the twins were at day care and Noah, of course, was at school. The appointed time was also when Sofia typically napped, and Ed cradled his sleeping granddaughter as he, Sarah, and Brooke completed whatever tasks they'd assigned themselves for the day. Afterwards, Sarah and Ed went back to Manhattan and often stopped for a drink if Sarah didn't have to return to the office.

Even when they didn't have much to discuss, they met anyway. The week before Valentine's Day, the only updates anyone had were that the save the date cards had been mailed. Brooke argued the cards were only for weddings, but Sarah insisted they be sent. She got the idea from sending her own save the dates for her May nuptial.

"Oh!" Sarah said brightly, "I solved everyone's Valentine's Day babysitting problems!"

Ed snapped his fingers and joked, "I knew I had you for something."

The ribbing made Sarah grin. She playfully rolled her eyes and twirled a section of her wavy blonde hair around a finger. "When Noey was with me yesterday we ran into my neighbor. We chit-chatted on the way up and I mentioned Valentine's Day and she said she'd probably spend it at home with take-out and I asked if she would like to make some extra cash and watch three kids!"

"I'm not leavin' the kids with a stranger."

"But she's not a stranger! Noey and the twins know her. We see her all the time! She's the one I played softball with."

Brooke snickered. "I still can't believe you were on a softball team."

"I was good," Sarah muttered and quickly returned to the matter at hand, "She said she'd love to help out and you can either bring them to my place or she'll come to you."

Ed recalled meeting neighbor G after the one softball game he attended. She seemed friendly enough and he remembered how Noah interacted with her as if they'd previously spent time together.

"Alright," he said, "Prolly easier for her to come to our place. Twins may even be asleep."

"You're not going to take Olivia to eat before?"

"I thought maybe we'd take the kids to dinner first."

Sarah skeptically considered the plan. "I don't know…"

Ed held up a hand, "Trust me."

…

Ever since Noah had begun carrying a wallet, he habitually patted his pockets before leaving the house. He learned this routine by copying Ed, but, as he got older, the movements became instinctive. By the time he was ready to leave for his Valentine's Day date, Olivia swore he'd checked his pockets at least six times.

"I'm gonna head out," he said in a breathy, nervous voice.

Olivia smiled and did her best to be nonchalant. Noah had been fully dressed for an hour now, and she had already made him pose for pictures. He wore a red sweater over a white shirt with dark jeans. The date was casual—tacos and bowling—but he spent the hours between coming home from school and now debating whether or not he was appropriately attired.

"You got enough money, bud?" Ed asked.

Noah slid the wallet from his back pocket and counted the bills. "Yep."

"And you have your card just in case?"

"Got it."

"Remember—hold doors, her chair, you pay for everything, let her win."

Noah grinned, "I dunno about that…"

"I always let your mom win."

Olivia gave him a swat to the arm. "Keep thinking that, sir."

"I gotta go," Noah said, "Eleven okay?"

"If it's goin' well you can have 'til midnight."

Olivia gnashed her teeth but didn't overrule her husband. Noah, a high school senior, was plenty old enough to be out alone in the city; however, she never rested until he was home safely. She smiled again, told him to have a good time, and watched longingly as he closed and locked the door.

Ed put his arm around Olivia and kissed her cheek. "Wanna go get cleaned up and we'll go?" The two of them and the twins were going out for dinner. It was Maggie's turn to choose the restaurant—she delighted in finding out-of-the way, eccentric places and this year was no different.

"Brazilian," she declared that morning before she and Wyatt left for school, "It's in the Village. Get ready to eat some meat!"

Olivia immediately found the menu. "Looks good," she murmured.

He shrugged. "Steak, right? Can't be that bad."

"Right."

"Somebody musta done a good job expanding those palates when they were little," Ed mused, teasing her. He spent most of the day trying and succeeding to get a rise out of his wife. In a spirited, romantic mood, Ed took full advantage of their alone time. He took Olivia out for lunch and, when they returned, an extravagantly large bouquet of roses were displayed on the dining room table. Ed played music and they slow danced around the living room until he absolutely had to make love to her.

Maggie and Wyatt arrived home before Noah. They were both exasperated with middle school Valentine's Day drama.

"I'm never going out with anyone," Maggie grumbled.

"Fine with me," Ed muttered.

After he and Olivia showered, Ed dawdled in front of the mirror while Olivia put the finishing touches on her hair and makeup. Noah had been gone now for an hour, and she said she hoped his date was going well. He'd been out with this girl a handful of times, but he always described the relationship as something more on the side of friendship than boyfriend-girlfriend status. Ed and Olivia were surprised when he said they were going out for Valentine's Day.

"We'll find out depending on when he comes home," Ed replied with a smirk.

"I hope a hotel room doesn't show up on that credit card receipt."

"Liv!"

She peered at him via the mirror. "You never know."

"Well, he's prepared…"

Her eyes widened, "You're supposed to tell me it's extremely unlikely he would do something like that."

"What? Have sex or get a hotel room?"

Now her eyes practically popped out of their sockets. "Ed!"

"MOM!" Maggie called from the corridor, "We're starving!"

Olivia shot Ed a glare and went back to her makeup. "Ten minutes, Maggs! Your Dad is distracting me."

After a brief pause Maggie said, "Umm…I think I'm grossed out."

Ed slapped Olivia's behind, left the bathroom, and tortured Maggie a little more by asking what she was so grossed out about.

…

Billy Joel's Valentine's Day concert at Madison Square Garden featured a special lineup of treasured love songs. Though the singer wasn't one of Ed's all-time favorites, he always put on a good show and he knew Olivia would enjoy it. Also, they had only been to one other concert together. When they saw U2, Ed loved the way Olivia completely relaxed and got into the show. She even coaxed him into dancing a little in the space in front of their seats. He hoped the same would happen tonight.

"Seats okay?" He asked as they sipped drinks and waited for Joel to take the stage.

"They're perfect." They were in the first elevated row to the right of the stage and had an unobstructed view. For emphasis, Olivia turned to him and planted a kiss on his lips.

"Happy Valentine's Day."

"Happy Valentine's Day to you," she cooed, grinning, "And thank you for this, and dinner, and the flowers."

"Everyone in the precinct gawk at 'em?"

"Yes."

"Good."

The show was fantastic from start to finish. Billy Joel belted out hit after hit and enticed even the most reluctant attendee to stand and sway along to the beat. Ed and Olivia sang along to familiar lyrics like Piano Man and the chorus of Scenes From an Italian Restaurant. During intermission, Ed texted G who reported all was quiet at the Tucker home. The kids were asleep and she was perfectly content with Netflix. The second half of the show lasted only about half the time of the first, but it was full of recognizable, classic songs, the lyrics of which sent Ed into a sappy, sentimental mood.

She's got a smile that heals me

I don't know why it is

But I have to laugh when she reveals me

She's got a way of talkin'

I don't know what it is

But it lifts me up when we are walkin'

Anywhere

"Outta all these songs," Ed whispered in Olivia's ear, "This's the one that reminds me most of you."

Olivia gazed into his eyes. They danced with romance and love but also a bit of pleading as if to say, Liv, if you don't love me like I love you, I would collapse right here and die. The bright pink, blue, and green spotlights sliced through the darkness and illuminated their faces. She gave him a broad, toothy, genuine smile and pressed her forehead to his.

"This smile's only for you…you know that, right? You made me smile like this."

He responded by kissing her. They missed the last verse of the song, but neither he nor she cared. Her willingness to kiss him so much in this crowded place added to the thrill of the evening. She was as clingy as Olivia Margaret Benson Tucker ever got—grabbing for his hand, slinging an arm around his waist, leaning in for pecks on the lips and cheeks. A nightcap had been planned, but, as the band jammed to the encore, Ed decided it could take place in their bedroom. Judging by Olivia's flirtatious behavior in the taxi, she wholeheartedly agreed.

…

#Tuckson