Sixty.

Kneeling on a dining chair, Noah assessed his collection of brand new school supplies. He couldn't decide whether or not he wanted to unpackage them before the first day or if he preferred to keep them secure until they were needed. A Kindergarten veteran, he speculated he would not be asked to do a lot of work on the first day and wondered aloud if he should go so far as to keep some items at home.

"Babies, whaddya think?"

Maggie and Wyatt were playing on the floor in their usual spot between the living and dining areas. Older now, the play mat had been discarded and replaced with a Berber-style rug, but a variety of toys-large, small, loud, and lacking sound capabilities-proved two young children resided there. Wyatt stood at his workbench hammering plastic nails into their pre-cut holes. Maggie had constructed a maze with blocks and was rolling cars through the lanes until she got tired of following her own path and blasted through the walls.

Wyatt narrated for her. "CASH!"

"CASH!" Maggie echoed. "Bi'CASH! Here, car, Wy!" Maggie ran to Wyatt and gave him the bus he'd won at the birthday party ring toss game. As soon as he grabbed it, Maggie took it away. "MY CAH!"

"S'a bus, small sister." Noah said.

"BUS!"

Maggie ran to Noah and tugged at his arm. "Pay, NO! Bus!" Liking the way the work came out of her mouth, Maggie chanted "bus" and skipped back to the rug. Noah decided to let the school supply dilemma wait for a while longer and joined the twins. Maggie had elongated her maze using a cheap set of plastic baby dolls neither Ed nor Olivia could remember buying.

"Maggs!" Noah watched with shock as Maggie ran the bus over the dolls. "You don't run over people!"

"Dolly, No!"

Noah picked up a doll and smoothed its synthetic, straw-colored hair. "Be nice to the baby, don't hurt it! If you get under a bus, it's really gonna hurt." He looked over at Wyatt's bench. "Now, brother can hit da nails but it doesn't hurt 'em 'cause nails are 'posedta get pounded."

Ed strode into the room from the foyer where he'd been stacking boxes destined for either storage or charity. Part of his last week of summer was devoted to decluttering their lives. "Remember when we used the tools to put the cribs together, bud?"

"YEP!" Noah grinned proudly. "We made dose beds, Daddy!"

"Sure did," Ed replied, "And we're gonna have to make some other beds pretty soon. Maggie and Wyatt aren't gonna be in the cribs much longer."

"They aren't?" Noah asked, wide-eyed.

"Remember? Gotta get them some toddler beds, maybe in a couple months. Maybe for Christmas."

"Christmas…" Noah looked out the window at the warm, sunny Manhattan day. "Daddy, those babies always sleep in da cribs! How they gonna sleep in a bed like me?"

"Sometimes they do sleep with you, bud. They've had some practice."

"We haveta have da rail," Noah said, "So they don't fall out."

Maggie spontaneously erupted into a giggle fit. She careened across the floor, off-balance, and ran into Wyatt. They fell to the floor in a heap, managed to hold their heads up so they didn't collide with the parquet, and became so tangled Ed and Noah eventually helped them stand.

"You two are silly," Ed said.

"SI'Y! Dada!"

They looked like Olivia when they smiled. Ed swore he saw a childlike version of his wife's face superimposed on theirs. Sure, Maggie's face was narrower. When she was determined, her eyes steeled and got icy like her father's, but when she smiled, she undoubtedly resembled Olivia.

On cue, the door opened and Olivia appeared. Noah shouted, "MOMMY'S HOME" and the three of them ran to her.

"BAY PIE! BAY PIE MAMA!"

Olivia crouched and hugged all three of them. She maintained the position as long as she could and ushered the trio farther into their home where Ed was waiting. He grinned and gave her a tender kiss. She'd been gone all day, consumed with Benson Center matters, and he'd missed her.

"Welcome home," he said softly.

"Babies," Noah said, "C'mon, let's get a drink and after Daddy kisses Mommy we eat dinner."

Ed and Olivia pressed their cheeks together and laughed. "Whaddya wanna eat?" He asked.

"In or out?"

"You were just out."

"It's a beautiful day," Olivia said, "Let's go somewhere and...be loud and order a bunch of food that isn't good for us."

"You got it."

….

The Vidal Apartment had never looked more festive than the day Sarah and Justin brought their children home to New York. Brooke and Noah spearheaded the venture with the occasional assistance of the seven-year-old twins and Kindergartener Sofia. The living room was filled with multicolored balloons, silver streamers, a "Welcome Home" banner, and assorted, cheesy, New York City souvenirs which Maggie insisted on including. For an additional touch, Wyatt added a Puerto Rican flag magnet to the refrigerator and then surrounded it with magnetic letters spelled out in Anthony's and Mari's names. Noah scanned the space, nodded approvingly, but predicted Sarah and Justin would have to move sooner rather than later.

"They're gonna need another bedroom," he said sagely.

"Anthony and Mari can share for a while," Brooke replied from the kitchen where she was arranging crackers and cheese on a glass platter.

"She's a baby," Noah pointed out, "All that crying."

"Brookey?" Maggie interrupted, "Is Mari's name Mari or is it a longer name? Like Maddie is really Madeline."

"I don't know," Brooke murmured hesitantly, "And we probably won't know."

Maggie stuck out her lips in an exaggerated pout and put her hands on her hips as if she thought Brooke was lying. "Why not?"

Brooke sized up her young adversary, but she couldn't match Maggie's steadfast insistence on always knowing exactly what was going on. Behind her messy brown ponytail and deep blue ocean-colored eyes, Maggie was fierce and relentless and not backing down, so Brooke found herself looking to Noah for help. Other than Olivia, Noah was the person most effective at explaining life to Maggie. However, to Brooke's surprise, Wyatt stepped in.

"Cause Mari's first mom is gone," he said. "Daddy said she probably got dead in the hurricane."

"Wyatt," Maggie replied matter-of-factly, "If her Mommy got dead then where's her Daddy?"

Noah took over. "We don't know very much about Anthony and Mari," he explained, "Because they're adopted. Like me."

Maggie nearly toppled Noah with her hug. "Love adopted you!" She growled. "Best big brother!"

Wyatt joined the bear hug and Brooke grinned at the older version of "baby pile."

"Noah?" Wyatt asked, "If Sare Bear gets a new house, where we gonna do the stories?"

Noah glanced at the door leading to the terrace. He and Wyatt had spent many afternoons there eating chicken from the Nugget Spot and people watching. They would fixate on certain individuals and narrate their actions until the person disappeared at which point they either completely made up the plot or focused on someone else. Maggie didn't have the patience to sustain the tales, nor did she have the interest in making up fictional lives for people who clearly had places to go. She would scoff and say things like, "See? And he goes home. Down to the train! The end!" Wyatt and Noah would sometimes predict where the person was going; sometimes they were so elaborate that they even mapped out the subway stops.

"I bet Sare Bear will wanna always have a balcony," Noah said.

"You tell her she hasta have one!" Wyatt insisted.

"Okay."

Sofia pressed her face to the glass door. It was the dead of winter and way too cold to be outside, but she liked the feel of the frigid window against her skin. "Mommy we need a balcony."

"Well, we don't have one," Brooke said, "We do have an Aunt Sarah, so that'll have to do for now." Brooke glanced at her phone and audibly gasped. "They're here," she said to the four expectant faces.

The kids lined up, tallest to shortest, and waited for the door to open. Sarah entered first, holding Anthony's hand. He was bundled up in the new parka, hat, and mittens Ed and Olivia brought to the airport. Sarah removed the outerwear. Behind them stood Olivia and Ed. Olivia had Mari in her arms and Ed bore half of the suitcase load. Justin had the rest.

Brooke and Company had not rehearsed a greeting, so instead of a loud "WELCOME HOME," everyone exchanged glances in silence until Anthony smiled and ran for the toys. The trucks, cars, dolls, and stuffed bears were a combination of new purchases and items donated from the Tuckers' and Carisis' personal collections. The four kids stood proudly to the side and watched as Anthony rifled through the stacks. The adults audibly gasped when Anthony selected a small purple bear and handed it to his sister. Mari was sleeping, but Olivia placed the bear under one of her arms. Satisfied, Anthony spun around in a slow circle, apparently pondering his next move.

"Wanna play trains?" Wyatt asked abruptly.

Nobody was yet sure whether or not Anthony spoke exclusively Spanish or if he understood or could communicate in English, so they all waited, anxious to hear how or if he would respond to Wyatt's question.

"Tane," Anthony finally whispered.

Sarah let out a whoop as if she were cheering at a sporting event. Ed laughed. Olivia, Justin, and Brooke waited. Anthony followed Wyatt back to the toys and Wyatt connected pieces of track into a loop. He offered trains to Anthony.

"Blue? Red? Green?"

Sarah and Justin and the orphanage staff has estimated Anthony's age to be approximately three and a half. Certainly old enough to know a few colors. Anthony sat down in front of Wyatt and selected the red train.

"Rojo," he said softly.

"YUP!" Noah skipped over, "Rojo!" He then fired off several sentences in Spanish. Maggie and Sofia joined the boys and, very soon, they were in their own little imaginary-filled, bilingual world.

Sarah turned and looked at Justin and Ed who where still shouldering bags and holding luggage handles. Olivia rocked Mari in her arms. Brooke had retreated to the kitchen to fix snacks and drinks for the kids.

"I guess, uh, well, let's….eat?" She asked.

"Yeah," Olivia said softly.

Sarah looked at her living room, a space that, when she and Justin departed, had included no less than ten hazards for young children. She noticed Brooke had covered electrical outlets and otherwise cleansed the space of dangerous impediments. The guest bedroom had also been transformed into a child-friendly space, complete with the crib and toddler bed Sarah had ordered online. The beds were made, accessories in place, and the room was ready to receive its occupants. Sarah wedged herself past Olivia and Ed and grabbed Justin's hand.

"I love you," she whispered.

He grinned and kissed the top of her head. "Love you, too."

…..

After tossing around a few ideas, the Tuckers ended up settling in for dinner at a large garden table at a recently opened restaurant a few blocks away from their home. Ed initially balked at the "comfort food" theme, but after perusing the website and immediately seeing a "build your own burger" section, he agreed to go. When the host distributed menus, Noah politely asked for a "big one" in addition to the kids' version. Olivia and Ed smiled appreciatively. Olivia was ready to explain that Noah had eschewed children's menus since he'd been dining with Sarah on a regular basis, but the host gamely handed over a regular menu and cheerfully took their drink orders.

"Oooo," Noah said, "C'we get da mac-n-cheese balls?"

Olivia read the description and nodded. "The bacon wrapped shrimp look good, too."

"We don't have anywhere to be," Ed said, "Let's get a few of these small plates."

The twins were already absorbed with the restaurant-issued crayons and coloring pages. Olivia appreciated that the high chairs were the perfect height and allowed for the toddlers to sit flush with the table. She predicted they had at least a half hour before they got restless, and, even then, the garden was small and secluded enough for her to feel comfortable letting them wander as long as it didn't get too crowded.

"How'd it go today?" Ed asked after they'd toasted to the nice day and taken their first sips.

"We're ready," Olivia reported. "The two counselors and the social worker are starting Monday. They'll lead the group sessions, make recommendations for follow-ups with whatever's needed. We have the services all mapped out-emergency housing, detox centers, educational and job assistance-I'm not...excited...but there's some satisfaction there."

"Can't really be excited about the first person to walk through the doors."

"No."

"Who's gonna be the first person?" Noah asked innocently. He had a knack for both playing with Maggie and Wyatt and keeping an ear on the conversation.

"Someone who needs my help, sweet boy," Olivia replied, then, realizing the answer was probably not specific enough, added, "Someone who's not feeling so great."

"Yeah," Noah said confidently, "You help 'em feel better." Some birds flew around in a nearby tree and distracted Noah before he asked more questions. "Look!" He said to Maggie and Wyatt, "Those birds are chasin! Three birds! Jus' like us!"

Wyatt looked up and grinned. "BUH!" He shouted then babbled something that sounded like birds in the tree.

Maggie replied with an equal amount of toddler talk and decipherable words. Then, she reached over and grabbed a crayon from Wyatt's grip. "BOO! My BOO!"

Though proud of Maggie's ability to recognize the hue, Olivia took the crayon and gave it back to a bewildered-looking Wyatt. "Maggie, Wyatt's using the blue. Wait until he's done with it. Here, use this." She gave her a red crayon but Maggie handed it to Wyatt and took the blue again.

"MY BOO!"

Terrible at discipline and amused both by Maggie's stubbornness and Wyatt's expression, Ed smirked and sipped his beer. When Olivia looked to him for help, he shrugged. "They shoulda given them two sets of crayons," he explained.

"They did."

Noah looked under the table. "Da other blue's on the floor!" He slithered from his chair and, careful not to bump his head, he retrieved the blue and a yellow and pink and triumphantly slapped them on the table.

"Problem solved," Ed said, "Thanks bud."

Olivia didn't look convinced, but she buried her concern for the moment. "So," she said brightly, "Looks like your decluttering mission has been accomplished."

"Almost," he replied, "Last thing is the clothes."

Olivia cringed. She hated parting with the twins' clothing. The last time she and Ed purged items from the bureau and closet, she did so with tears in her eyes. The only silver lining was that many of Maggie's outfits were going to Sofia.

"They probably haven't worn a lot of the things," Olivia murmured.

"Nah," Ed replied. "I think we did a good job this go-round."

She shot him a grateful smile knowing there was a strong chance he was fibbing. "Well then, that's good news...room for more shopping, right, Maggs?" She played with Maggie's brown pigtails and kissed her cheek.

"Boo cran, Mama?" Maggie offered the crayon to Olivia.

She grinned, "You worked hard to get that from your brother," she said, "you keep it."

"Liv?" All five Tucker heads turned to the source of the voice-a tall, suntanned man with wavy blonde hair and tattoos running from each wrist up to where the patterns disappeared under his t-shirt sleeves.

"Michael!" Olivia stood up and gave him a quick hug. "Ed, this is Michael Watts, he's one of the show's producers."

Ed smiled politely and shook Michael's hand. "Congratulations," Ed added to break the ensuing awkward silence, "We're lookin' forward to seeing the pilot."

"Yeah, couple weeks," Michael said, "It's been a long road, but, this one," he squeezed Olivia's shoulder, "Has been a tremendous help. Couldn't have done it without her. She brings such authenticity to the writing."

"Three decades'll do that," Ed replied, smirking proudly at his wife.

"No doubt." Michael eyed the three kids. "Let me see," he said slowly, "I'll bet...you're Noah," He paused and Noah nodded and grinned, "And this is Maggie," he tapped Maggie's head and did the same with Wyatt, "And this is Wyatt."

"Right!" Noah said cheerfully. "And we're havin mac and cheese balls AND shrimp AND pretzel sticks!"

"Excellent choices," Michael said, "I might have the same thing."

Noah giggled.

"Well," Michael saw the server go to his table, "I don't want to be left out of the cocktail order. See you next week, Liv. Nice meeting you all."

Ed waited to speak until Michael was out of earshot. "He seems like a good guy."

His tone was dry and clipped. Olivia tilted her head to one side and gazed at her husband. His neck had reddened and blazed against the collar of his black polo. In an attempt to try and look like the encounter hadn't bothered him, Ed appeared that much more threatened and annoyed.

"Everyone on set calls me Liv, Ed," Olivia explained, accurately sensing one source of his angst.

"Everyone get so handsy?" Ed managed to pose the question in a lighthearted voice so it wouldn't alarm Noah.

"That guy he's sitting with," Olivia shot a quick glance at their table, "Is his husband," she said pointedly.

Ed broke into a relieved, self-deprecating grin. "I kinda figured, but…"

"...you're possessive and prone to becoming insanely jealous?"

"Exactly."

"Well, Ed Tucker, I have good news."

"What's that?"

"I feel the same way about you."

Their uneasy flirting came to an abrupt stop because a food runner arrived with a large tray containing the Tuckers' first course. He placed the steaming platters in the center of the table. Noah rose to his knees and surveyed the food. "YUM!" He said as he unrolled his silverware from the napkin. "Looks hot, though, babies, don't touch!"

"DO'TOUCH!"

"Do'touch, NO!"

Olivia broke a pretzel stick in half and blew on it. "These are okay," she gave one each to Maggie and Wyatt. "Here you go, sweethearts."

"Mmmm," Wyatt droned, "Chi'nugg!"

"Those aren't nuggies, silly," Noah said. He dipped a pretzel into the accompanying cheese and took a bite.

The small plates were next to Ed. He filled one and handed it across the table to Olivia. It was a chivalrous gesture many women would have perceived as outdated and unnecessary, but she saw the care he'd taken with the portion size and that he'd pierced the fried exterior of the mac-and-cheese so it would cool more quickly and she wouldn't burn her mouth on the first bite.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"You're welcome," he said.

They locked eyes for a split second. Ed silently plead for forgiveness. He couldn't help his instincts; he couldn't stop the tension that filled his entire body when he saw Michael embrace his wife and heard him use "Liv" in such a friendly, familiar tone. Olivia had never mentioned Michael before, but they were obviously friends. How many more Michaels were there?

"Noah," Olivia said, "Have Daddy cut the macaroni and cheese like he cut mine. Let it cool off a little bit before you take a bite."

"Kay." Noah watched Ed slice the ball with a sharp knife. "Good job, Daddy."

"Thanks, bud."

Olivia reached across the table and grabbed Ed's fingers. "Daddy's a good man," she murmured. "We love him." She leaned forward, kissed his knuckles, and mouthed I love you."

This time, when his face reddened, it was the good kind of flush-the kind he got when Olivia lovingly toyed with him. Satisfied the tense moments were over, they resumed their family-focused chatter, ordered more food, and snapped photos when Noah's dessert-a strawberry milkshake as big as his head-arrived with a mound of whipped cream, sprinkles, and extra cherries on top.

…

Inside a loud, crowded pub, Olivia and Rollins treated Carisi to drinks after his stint undercover at the shelter. Prior to having Jesse, Amanda had been a regular at the pub and people occasionally stopped to say hello and coo at photos of the baby. A pair of fellow NYPD detectives invited themselves to their table and listened with interest as Carisi, clearly feeling the effects of the alcohol, described his experience. They traded stories, laughed, and the guests bought another round. Olivia checked her phone. Tucker was en route and taking her to dinner. After jumping back into her role amid such an intense case, she was looking forward to a quiet, romantic dinner. She let him know exactly where in the bar they were set up and less than a half hour later, he appeared, looking authoritative and every bit the IAB investigator he was.

Olivia stepped forward and greeted him with a quick peck on the cheek and rubbed his arms. "Hi," she said with a smile, "No coat?"

"Left it in my office," he said, "I was in Cole's office and walked out with him...didn't wanna be late."

"We'll go some place close."

"I'm good."

"Want a drink or would you rather go?"

Socializing with Olivia and her squad was new and still a bit awkward, but Ed nevertheless agreed to stay for one last drink. Between Carisi's animated anecdotes and the boasting of the other two, Ed didn't have to contribute much to the conversation, but Olivia saw his jaw set rigidly every time one of the guys nudged her or said something that made her laugh. She inched closer to him and drank quickly. Fifteen minutes later she placed her empty glass on the table and wished everyone a goodnight.

"Where you wanna go?" Ed asked as soon as the door slammed behind them and they stepped into the chilly March night.

Olivia looped an arm through his. "How about the Thai place up here?"

"Sure? I'm really not cold."

"Yeah, I like it there."

"Okay."

"Everything alright?" Olivia asked, "You were a little quiet in the bar."

Ed grinned sheepishly. They were only a few feet away from the restaurant and he waited until they were seated to answer. "I hate to tell ya, Olivia Benson, but...other guys makin' ya laugh like that, it's kinda like a gut punch."

Even though Ed was always honest with her, the raw transparency of this particular admission stunned Olivia.

"...I'm sorry to say," he added weakly, pouting a little and letting his eyes droop.

She grabbed his hand and tugged him close for a kiss. "Polite laughter," she said softly. "Wouldn't have looked very good if I was standing there stoically while they told their cop stories."

"Gonna take a little while to get used to...bein' around people."

Hearing this, Olivia broke into genuine laughter. "People can be awful."

Ed grinned. "You know what I mean."

"I do," Olivia kissed him again and went back to the menu. "You want to share a couple things?"

"Yeah," he said softly, "You pick."

"Oh come on," Olivia replied, "You choose something."

"I choose you."

Everything dropped-the menu, Olivia's jaw, her stomach-the look on Ed's face suggested the sentence had unintentionally slipped out but its impromptu delivery did not diminish its meaning.

"Wow…" She murmured. "Ed, I...wow…"

For the second time that night, he apologized. "Sorry...it's, uh, it was the logical response."

She grinned and cocked an eyebrow. "Logical?"

"Maybe that's the wrong word."

"I like your words," Olivia said. "I especially like them when they surprise me. And I hope…" she bit her lip, "You'll choose to come home with me, stay tonight?"

This time, Ed fought the urge to be completely honest and say something like he wanted to be there every night. "I did have somethin' like that in mind."

"Really…"

"I've been thinking about you all day, Liv."

She smiled shyly and ducked her head.

He continued. "Wasn't busy...not much goin' on...maybe everyone's still avoiding me to a certain extent-"

"I didn't know it was so hard for you to go back."

"It's been different," he admitted, "But that's fine...because...there's you and Noah...I have you two to look forward to, even if it's a night we're not together, I know, eventually, we will be." Ed grinned sheepishly. "And I could literally sit at my desk and think about that all day. Sor-"

"-Stop apologizing," Olivia said firmly yet she was clearly enamored. "I hate that it wasn't a smooth transition back, but...for you to say we make it bearable...Ed, that's probably one of the greatest compliments. It makes me happy."

"Are you happy?"

"Yes," she replied confidently, "And I'm...optimistic...about the future."

"So am I," Ed raised his wine glass, "To the future."

Olivia shot him a wide smile. "To the future."

….

Olivia tore her shirt from her body and wrapped her arms around Ed. He yanked off her bra and shoved down her jeans without completely unzipping them. Mouth open wide, he part-kissed, part-inhaled her chin and neck. He was already breathing hard, panting, and Olivia could feel his fingers in her hair and against her back. It was a prelude to torrid, fierce sex which was a rarity. Ed never felt comfortable getting close to rough with his wife and Olivia never complained. Sometimes his drawn out foreplay annoyed her, or, rather, annoyed her as much as an infatuated husband dedicated to tantalizing her every erotic nerve could be, but she never found herself wishing he was more forceful. Sure, they'd had their trysts on countertops and against walls, but those circumstances mandated a higher level of ferocity. To be rough for the sake of being rough wasn't in Ed's repertoire.

"Ed, honey," she managed to say, "Slow down."

Worried he'd gone too far, Ed completely froze and looked at her with raised brows.

"I want long, drawn out sex tonight," she said in a low, sultry voice. "I want to feel you loving me. All night."

"Okay."

Olivia could see she'd deflated him a bit, so she added, "It's early. We have all night."

He smirked and lifted her onto the mattress. As he hovered over her, Olivia slid off the rest of his clothing then closed her eyes. During sex her mind often wandered to pleasant places-memories of their life together, the early days when Ed was a little nervous yet intensely earnest...maybe, she thought, his demeanor still fit this description. She wondered if it was wrong that, when they were in the throes of carnal bliss, montages of her family flashed in front of her-smiling faces, lazy days at the beach, raucous sessions with their extensive collection of toys and games. Tonight, on the heels of the encounter with Michael, as innocuous as it was, Olivia couldn't conjure any of those happy thoughts. She was worried. If Ed reacted to Michael with near-seething jealousy, what would he do at the premiere when they mingled with dozens of Michaels? On a larger scale, was he really supportive of her second act, or was he merely reciting versions of the same script over and over again, hoping she'd believe him?

"Liv." Ed had kissed his way back up her body. Olivia could feel him, ready, hovering over her but unwilling to make any moves until she gave him permission to proceed.

She caressed his cheek and gazed into his eyes. Even in the darkness, they sparkled and glistened. "I love you, Ed. I love you so much."

"I love you, Olivia Margaret."

Later, the breeze from the ceiling fan wafted over their bare, damp bodies. Olivia shivered and Ed worked to straighten a sheet that had become twisted and tangled with other bedding. He covered Olivia and wrapped her into his arms so she was partially on top of him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair.

"For what?"

"For earlier. For feeling like I'm gonna blow up if someone other than me touches you. I, Liv, I dunno why I get like that. It never happened," he swallowed hard, "Before."

"Ed-"

"I can't lose you, Liv."

"You're not," Olivia took and deep breath and continued in a pragmatic manner, "I promise you, you're not. But, Ed, you have to understand, accept, that there are other people who...I'm going to meet and work with and," her stomach flip-flopped, "It's going to be hard for me if I have to constantly worry about how you're going to react."

To Olivia's relief, Ed kissed her face and lovingly played with her hair. "I'll be better," he said, "You don't have to worry. I promise."

There was a hitch in his voice and Olivia raised her eyebrows. "But…?"

"You love me more than the tattoo guy, right?"

Thrilled their conversation was shifting to playful banter, Olivia grinned, but her answer was still deeply sincere, maybe excessively so. Nevertheless, they were words she knew he needed to hear. "Ed, I can't live without you. There is no one I will ever love more than you. You. You are everything to me. I don't say it enough, I know, but I love you most, and I always will."

Tears may have welled in Ed's eyes, but Olivia couldn't be sure. Invigorated, Ed shifted their positioning so he was on top and he kissed her again. It was passionate, and they gasped for breath every few seconds while still keeping their lips together. More sex was imminent. If she hadn't been absorbed in the kiss, Olivia would have grinned appreciatively at Ed's virility and his ravenous desire for all things her. She closed her eyes. The mild panic of a few hours ago was nowhere to be found. Ed trailed kisses down her chin and neck. Olivia took a deep, relieved breath. She glanced down at Ed. Sensing her eyes on him, he looked up, and they locked eyes long enough for him to shoot her a cocky smirk before he continued lavishing his love on every inch of her body.

….

#Tuckson