Twenty-two.

On the way into the movie theatre, Olivia intentionally bumped into Ed and shot him a sassy grin. "You should feel lucky," she said in her most carefree voice, "I don't typically celebrate my birthday…much less go out and celebrate it."

Ed handed the tickets to the attendant and smirked. "My luck is not lost on me," he replied with an underlying serious tone. "Just hope tonight's okay." Recently, Olivia had mentioned in passing that she couldn't remember the last time she'd seen a movie in the actual theater, so he suggested this outing as part of her birthday present. Seeing a movie wasn't much of a date in his opinion, but they had gone to dinner and he planned for a nightcap after, if time permitted.

Olivia grabbed his hand and chills shot up and down his spine. She stopped in the middle of the aisle, unconcerned about impeding the path of others.

"Why do you think it's not okay?" Curious, she narrowed her eyes. Dinner at the Columbus Avenue bistro had been perfect and even their short stroll to the theater was filled with playful banter. Their slow, meandering gait was as flirtatious as a simple walk could be.

"I didn't mean we're not havin' a good time. I meant I hope you like seein' the show here. Be fun to do this every once in a while." He wanted to say "on a regular basis, but that would have been placing too much pressure on their fledgling romance.

"I think that's a very good idea, Captain."

"Good," he said under his breath, almost in a whisper. She led the way to their seats and he used the opportunity to take a deep breath and calm down. He and Olivia weren't strangers. They'd been out several times. Yet, certain moments gave him jitters. There was no doubt in his mind he was in love with her; part of his nervousness stemmed from his efforts to stop himself from constantly kissing her.

"These seats are nice," Olivia said, settling in to the leather cushions.

Ed agreed, but the console was too large—he wouldn't be able to put his arm around her. He played around with the controls. "Damn, you can practically lie down…could fall asleep."

Olivia gave him a suggestive look. "Almost room enough for two," she murmured.

He grinned and patted the seat cushion. She leaned over for a kiss and whispered, "This is the best birthday."

Reluctant to pry his lips from hers, he sat up and kissed her once more. The lights dimmed and the previews began rolling. Olivia cupped the back of his head. Surprised, Ed's lips curled into a smile against hers.

….

"ED!"

His only responses were gasps and grunts.

"OHHHHHH!"

The Tucker master bedroom had heard and seen its share of sexual activity and the accompanying noises, but Ed and Olivia were putting on one of their more fervent shows on this particular night.

Olivia screamed. It was guttural, carnal, and it made Ed spill into her sooner than he would have liked. He stayed buried inside of her and sloppily kissed all over her face. Her skin was damp, salty with perspiration, and he felt his own beads of sweat trickle from his forehead and run down the side of his head, collecting at his earlobe. In any other context, they were gross, disgusting…in need of a shower…but right now they were beautiful. A mess, sure, but a perfect one.

"I. Love. You. So. Fucking. Much," He rasped, kissing her between each word. "I wanna fuck you forever."

Olivia started to say something but she was interrupted by the door handle jostling. The sounds were followed by Noah's voice.

"Shit," Ed muttered. He rolled off her, threw on a pair of shorts, and opened the door a crack. Olivia huddled under the sheets.

"Hey bud."

Noah's forehead crinkled and he craned his neck around so he could see Olivia. "Mommy, you okay?"

"Yes, sweet boy."

Ed quickly wiped his brow with his forearm while Noah's attention was diverted.

"You were yellin'"

"Sorry sweet boy." Olivia had no idea how to proceed and she hoped the simple apology would smooth things over.

"You have a bad dream?"

"No sweet boy…" Olivia trailed off. She had started the reply too quickly and had trouble thinking of an excuse.

"Thought we saw a bug," Ed explained, "Over there on the floor," he gestured to his side of the bed. "But…no bug."

"Yuck!"

"I know," Olivia cooed, grateful the excuse worked.

"If ya see a bug, Daddy'll kill it."

"He sure will."

"C'mon, bud," Ed held out his hand, "I'll tuck ya back in."

Ed returned and got back under the covers he plastered himself against Olivia's body. "Not gonna ban sex, are ya?"

"Are you kidding me?" Olivia purred. "We, ah, well, we got a little out of control."

"I love getting outta control with you." Ed sucked at her neck and droned, "Mmmmm." He felt her shiver and teased between her legs. "Yeah…not done are we?"

Olivia let out a low whimper. "Noah's…probably still awake."

"He's fine." Ed slithered down her body and spread her thighs wide. "We'll be quiet, or…I will be."

Olivia arched her back but tilted her head forward and held it there as long as she could. Watching Ed pleasure her orally intensified the sensations. She collapsed back into the pillows and closed her eyes, zeroing in on his patterns, how he would swirl his tongue around, suck gently, then harder, and—

"Oh God."

He massaged one thigh then gripped her hips. He wanted all of her. Olivia couldn't follow the pattern anymore, she was deliciously dizzy, trying not to scream, but wanting to scream because she knew how much he liked to hear her come. She flailed around for a pillow and covered her face right on time, for she was quivering now, nearly moved to tears, baffled at how, every time, they managed to have better and better sex, how Ed could love her this much, so much that he refused to stop until she came again.

…..

Olivia couldn't stop repeating it.

"The Benson Center…The Benson Center…"

Ed smiled proudly. The idea had not been his, but he had been working on the project from its inception. He contacted the initial donors, set up what would become the endowment, and even gave his input on the design of the physical space.

She smiled and stared straight ahead as they strolled down the block, and she held his hand tightly. Olivia never skimped on affection, but he loved the public displays and he absolutely craved holding her hand—the feel of her fingers tightly gripping his, knowing he was providing a sense of security, an assurance that, as long as he was by her side, nothing could harm her.

"Gonna be a good place," Ed mumbled because he felt like he should say something. "Well…good…but, unfortunately necessary if that makes any sense?"

"Unfortunately necessary…it makes perfect sense." Olivia took a deep breath and sighed. "Want to…go sit for a while? By the water?"

"Yeah."

They turned the corner, crossed the avenues, and found a vacant bench overlooking the Hudson River. Ed slung his arm across Olivia's shoulders and held her close. "I'm so proud of you," he droned into her ear, "I'm so proud to be married to you."

Olivia was usually uncomfortable with praise but not when it came from Ed. His voice was so sincere and trustworthy like they were the truest words he had ever spoken. "Thank you," she replied, "It's been a long…long road…"

"What sticks out…what's the best job you've done, Lieutenant?"

Olivia pondered this for several minutes. "You always ask the tough questions, Captain."

Ed grinned. "You don't have to answer this one."

"I will…but it's probably a longer answer than you'd like."

He kissed the side of her head. "I love listening to you."

Olivia talked through some old cases, easily recalling the names of victims. She told Ed the story of Maria Recinos and he listened intently, only to lighten the mood by asking who she had been dating at the time and whether he was good looking.

Olivia held his chin and kissed him. "Not as good looking as you."

Briefly, Ed remembered how, when they first got together, Olivia would say things like this, but they came out tinged with uncertainty, as if she didn't trust her own emotions or what was happening between them. Now, she was smiling confidently, sure of herself enough to tease him, and so comfortable she didn't think twice about kissing him a few more times before nestling back under his arm and continuing on with her answer.

…

Initially, everything about the evening caused Ed to feel out of sorts. The restaurant was far fancier than their usual haunts, and, after spending the bulk of his career in suits and ties, he found himself yanking at his collar and fiddling with the stiff cuffs at the ends of his shirtsleeves. Adding to his frustration was that the producer was incongruously attired in jeans and a mock turtleneck, Steve Jobs style. His entire affect clashed with the refined atmosphere—he was loud, rakish, and constantly moving. As he spoke he rearranged the silverware and water glasses and played with the flower petals from the centerpiece.

Ed kept his arm slung across the back of Olivia's chair. He moved it only to shake hands and eat. He didn't say much, for the dinner had little to do with him. The show's writing staff had finally selected the script for the pilot, and the actress who was playing the role based on Olivia's career was joining them. She and Olivia would be spending a lot of time together in the coming weeks.

The woman was recognizable, but she wasn't a bona fide superstar. She arrived without fanfare with a date, a man who was pleasant and polite but a tad aloof and uninterested in the conversation. After fretting earlier about fictionalizing her career, Olivia spoke openly about her early days as a uniformed officer, becoming a detective, and her rise to ranks of Sergeant and Lieutenant. She avoided the ugly details for the time being and gave her input on the script which was fairly tame compared to the real-life SVU version. The actress' questions centered on the challenges of being a woman in a world inordinately full of men, and Ed was slightly surprised at Olivia's response.

"I never saw it so much as a men versus women thing," Olivia said, "It's more…a circle of power. If you can manage to get inside, you can control a lot. I managed to create my own circle at SVU, and we bumped up against others at times, but, when I leave in July, I'm going to leave with a great deal of satisfaction—SVU's cops used to be looked at as a little soft, and, well, maybe we are, we have to be, but the work we've done…is respected…and for that, I'm very proud."

They didn't linger long after dessert, and Olivia clutched Ed's arm as they walked home from the restaurant. It was a balmy, breezy April night and restaurants with outdoor seating were still packed despite the late hour.

"You were quiet tonight."

"Listening is all," Ed replied. "Somethin' new."

"Thank you for coming," she said, "I know it wasn't your idea of a perfect evening."

"It's perfect whenever I'm with you."

Olivia gently elbowed him, "That was a little corny."

"You opened the door, Lieutenant, I couldn't resist."

They were at an intersection waiting for the light to change and she kissed his cheek. "Are you sure you were only listening? Nothing else?"

Ed cleared his throat and twisted his lips. "One thing…I…I don't want it to affect you at all, because I know, I see how you're into this more and more, and I want you to be—"

"—say it, Ed."

They crossed the street. Ed looked around for a place to stop, but Olivia was impatiently waiting for his response. "I'm worried about, well, what if, as part of the show, you really need to dig back into some things you'd rather forget? What if it starts haunting ya all over again?"

The questions were beyond valid. Olivia held his arm more tightly. "I've thought about that," she said softly, "But I'm confident…it's over. I'm sure I can do this, I can channel the experience into something important in a different way. Maybe this show will make a difference. Will shed some light on issues people wouldn't talk about otherwise."

Ed put his arms around her and they drifted to the edge of the sidewalk. He hugged her and held her close for several minutes. Passersby who gave them a glance probably figured one or both of them were upset about something—maybe a death, maybe some other crushing news—but there was neither sorrow nor trepidation in the embrace.

Olivia tilted her head back and smiled, "I know how much you love me," she said, "I promise you…you'll be the first to know if it gets hard, and I'll stop if it's too much."

"I know," he said, "I just…I had to say it. I couldn't be there for you before…I know it sounds a little patronizing, but I gotta protect you now."

She put a hand over each of his ears and kissed him firmly. When she pulled away, the streetlights caught the moisture in her eyes. He, too, felt the burn of tears. The woman he held in his arms, his wife, had endured unimaginable trauma, but here she was, strong, happy, and ready to use her experiences to get justice in another way. There weren't strong enough words for Ed to convey how much he admired her.

"Let's go home," she whispered.

"Yeah…"

It was probably a good thing that Sarah's neighbor G was babysitting rather than Sarah herself, because Sarah would have insisted on details and wanted to know exactly when "her Livvie" was going to turn into a television star. Instead, they had their normal debate about payment, G reluctantly took Ed's cash, and, after looking in on the kids, Ed and Olivia retreated to their bedroom.

Olivia carefully closed the door and turned the lock. She intercepted Ed as soon as he stepped out of the bathroom and began unbuttoning his shirt. Once he was bare-chested in front of her, she slowly kissed him from shoulder to shoulder.

"I love you," she intoned in a low, seductive voice.

He pressed his forehead to hers. "I love you."

Minutes later, their clothes were heaped in two piles on the floor and they stood in the middle of the room swaying together, kissing and pausing every few seconds or so to whisper sweet words to one another.

Olivia reached down and began stroking him. Ed groaned with pleasure and gasped, "Harder."

She opened her eyes, questioning him.

"Harder," he repeated.

She complied.

"Feels so good, Liv."

Ed had planned to lavish all attention on her tonight, but she clearly wanted to be in control. He let her have her way for a while, but Ed Tucker simply could not spend much time as a passive lover. Not with her.

Once he had her on the bed, he held her hands above her head and kissed up and down her arms before descending upon her mouth and kissing her deeply. Her fingertips on his hips were tantalizing and begging for him to be inside her. Ed stared into her eyes as he positioned himself over her. The intensity was palpable.

"I love you, Ed," she rasped

"I love you, baby." He took a deep, satisfied breath and moved deeper.

She ran the fingers of one hand through his hair and added, "I feel so safe."

"You are."

….

After the movie and the nightcap, Ed walked Olivia back to her building. Without asking him if he wanted to come up, she took his hand and led him inside. They said goodnight to Lucy and Ed remained standing, unsure where the rest of the night was headed. Olivia went to check on Noah and when she returned, he had not moved.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, uh, I didn't know…what ya had planned." He smirked sheepishly and silently admonished himself for being so nervous.

She strode to him and planted a kiss on his lips. "Something like this?"

He grinned. "Fine with me."

"C'mon."

He followed her to the bedroom and they sat together on the bed where they exchanged a few kisses. Ed hooked a finger inside her collar and moved her shirt aside so he could press his lips to her shoulder.

"Here," Olivia said, "Let me help you."

In one deft motion she removed her blouse and tossed it aside. He kissed the top of her chest, the exposed sides of her breast, then unclasped her bra and laid her on the bed. He removed his own shirt and crawled over to her, leaving his pants on, letting her decide when they should come off. Olivia massaged his chest and shoulders, but it didn't take long for her to paw at his waistband. She stopped kissing him long enough to rise to her knees and tug his pants and boxer briefs from his body. Her hair fell across his lower abdomen as she ran her tongue along the insides of his thighs. Involuntarily, his hips bucked. She looked up and grinned. He gripped her upper arms and pulled her back up to him.

"C'mere," he whispered before planting another passionate kiss on her lips. "Happy Birthday, Olivia Benson."

She grinned and thanked him.

"Did you get everything you wanted?"

"Almost," she replied, lifting her hips to his.

"Have some patience." He smirked and kissed at her neck a little longer, punctuating the trail by biting her earlobe.

"Ed…" She grabbed his hips. It would be the first but certainly not the last time she did this when she was ready for him. "Please…"

He was not about to make her beg.

"Yessss!"

"Liv…"

"Don't stop Ed, right there…"

"Happy birthday, baby."

Olivia swallowed hard. He called her "baby." He'd never done that before and it intensified the pleasure coursing through her body. Ed was panting in her ear, thrusting at a more rapid pace. He probably didn't realize what he'd said or how it had affected her.

Ed lifted his head, tangled a hand in her hair, and kissed her with his mouth open wide. "I'm close," he rasped.

"So am I."

They kept kissing—clumsily, sloppily, for they were both ready to cry out. Olivia ripped her lips from his and buried her face into his neck. The vibrations of her muted scream caused him to lose control.

Sated and exhausted, they held onto each other as their breathing returned to normal. When Olivia finally spoke, it was in a low, barely audible voice. "You…called me baby."

"Yeah, I did." He smoothed her damp hair back and kissed her. "That okay?"

"Yes...it sounded good…sounded right."

"Good." He kissed her again and wrapped both arms around her.

"I want you to stay tonight," she said. "I want to stay like this all night."

"Me too."

"Ed?"

"Hmm?"

"I have to tell you something."

"What's that?"

"At first…I didn't think…this was going to work."

"Why not?"

"I underestimated you."

"Well, I guess that's better than overestimating," he quipped.

"And now…I don't want you to let me go."

Ed's heart swelled with joy and he tightened his grip.

"I won't."

…

#Tuckson