207.

Brooke's smirk, Ed had always known, was incredibly similar to his. The eldest Tucker child indisputably favored her mother, but Ed had to admit he'd passed down whatever gene contained the smirk to all of his daughters. Sarah was his spitting image and Maggie was looking more and more like her mother with each passing day, but the three girls shared the smirk. And Ed didn't consider this a bad thing.

Two days after finally revealing Stabler's email to Olivia, Ed met with Brooke for what was becoming a biweekly Thursday afternoon meet up while Sofia spent time with her Carisi side of the family. Brooke joked that the arrangement was perfect for several reasons, perhaps most of all because it was a brief introduction to what sending Sofia off to preschool would be like. Ed admitted it was tougher this time around to drop off Maggie and Wyatt, but insisted he was far less anxiety-ridden than Olivia.

And then, over the course of their conversation, Ed mentioned the email and how he was slightly in the doghouse with his wife for waiting a week to tell her about it.

"Uh oh," Brooke said breezily, confident whatever conflict had occurred between the two of them had already been worked out or would pass quickly.

"Well, not really the doghouse," Ed admitted, "But I sensed she thought I was extremely pathetic."

"You are."

Ed grunted self-deprecatingly and raised his coffee cup, owning up to the label. "So anyway, what else is going on? How's Sonny? Haven't seen him for a while. He's not avoiding us, is he?"

"Ha, no. The prosecutor's job never ends," Brooke tried and failed not to appear gloomy, "I've been nudging him to think about private practice, well, not really nudging, what's less than nudging?"

"Tapping?"

Brooke laughed. "Okay, I've been tapping him in to thinking about private practice," she screwed up her face, "That doesn't sound right either, but, anyway, I honestly don't see how our family's sustainable with him working these hours. I don't get how anyone does it. And then he tells me all of the other ADAs are single or divorced…no wonder."

"Are you—"

"—No," Brooke said, anticipating the question, "I'm seeing the future and it isn't pretty. And actually, I'm okay. It's him. He's miserable. He already hates that he's missing Sofia's first everything, and he knows he's burning the candle at both ends, but it's like he's unsettled if both ends aren't burning. He can't get that balance. You know, like Liv."

"It took her a long time to figure that out," Ed replied, "And I don't think there's a one-sized fits all piece of advice or technique or pill to make it happen. I remember once, one of the first dinners, real dinners we had together, she caught herself peeking at her phone and gave it to me. I told her I didn't know if I'd be much help because I had to leave mine in the car to make sure I was giving her my undivided attention. She laughed and joked she didn't know if she was ready to go that far. But…she figured it out. And, if you want my advice? The less pressure Sonny has from you, the better."

"Makes sense."

Brooke tucked her hair behind her ears and leaned forward on her elbows. It was nice to be here with her Dad, to have him to herself for a while. When she was younger she loved staying up late with him and chatting about the news or the weather or the Yankees. There was something about being in his presence that made her feel like all was well in the world, even if it wasn't.

"And then, of course, there's Aidan," she said, "Thanks again for lunch the other day. He sort of invited himself at the last minute."

"Invited himself? That's a good thing, right?"

"Yeah…I…wish there was more I could do for him, but he seems like he's as happy as he can get right now."

"Where's he living?"

"A few blocks from us."

"You think he moved there on purpose?"

"I, well, maybe? I don't know how he would've been able to track us down, and if he wanted to, why not just call? I don't know," Brooke threw up her hands, "Teenagers baffle me."

"Wait until you have your own," Ed replied, laughing.

"You get your round two first," Brooke said. "Noah will be easy but I bet the twins are going to be a handful."

"They already are."

Brooke raised her eyebrows. "More preschool trouble?"

"No," Ed replied with a smirk, "They're growing up, have their own personalities, they're fun, but, they're a handful. We, uh, well, we've kinda gone with the anything goes parenting style."

"We have too," Brooke said.

"I guess I prefer them being happy and a little spoiled…sorry world."

"No," Brooke said, "The world will be better off. I spent a lot of time with kids who were loved, but not loved the way they needed and not well cared for. It's better your way."

"Liv just wants them to be nice."

"You can do a lot in this world if you're nice." Brooke saw an odd expression cross her father's face. "What? You don't think it's true?"

"Nah, I think it is," Ed replied, "Just thinking about me."

"You're nice."

"Most people would disagree with you."

Brooke stared at him intently. "Not the ones who matter most."

Ed thanked her and shifted the conversation to less heavy topics, but he was uplifted by the compliment. Brooke was, perhaps, his most honest and harshest critic and approbations did not pour from her mouth like they did Sarah's. His heart was full, and even though Brooke clearly had some question marks in her life, Ed got the sense that she had turned a corner and their father-daughter relationship was not only intact, but stronger than ever.

….

Olivia saw Ed as soon as he rounded the corner and strode into the squad room and she watched, amused, at the members of her squad grimace, roll their eyes, or blatantly frown at him. He walked with command and with an air of untouchability and, tonight, he chuckled to himself because he was not at the 16th for any other reason than to see Olivia. But he had to pretend. The pretending was kind of fun.

"Lieutenant." He said after he closed her door and glanced backward to see whose eyes were still on them. Fin and Rollins were taking turns with peripheral glances, so there was no way a kiss or a hug or even a touch was going to happen.

"Tucker," Olivia removed her reading glasses but otherwise didn't move. She peered at him from behind her laptop, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Ed smirked. He had no idea how she kept her cool. He was ready to jump all over her.

"About tonight," he said, "I gotta head up to Riverdale now, my Ma—"

"—is she okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," he replied, smiling and grateful she cared that much to ask, "I was just saying, I have to go up there, something with her deck, but I'll be back, but probably a little later than I thought, so dinner…"

"Why don't I go with you?" She asked, "Get Noah? And we'll do dinner up there?"

Shocked to the point he took a step backwards, Ed coughed and managed to croak, "Yeah, that sounds good."

"I can leave now."

"With me?"

Olivia shrugged and started gathering her things. "I've had enough of work today," she said, "Let's go. And we'll let them talk amongst themselves after we leave."

Ed narrowed his eyes, "You okay?"

"Yes. I'm…I'm tired. I need to get out of here. And I want to see my son. Be with you. And you know your mother is one of my favorite people."

"I'm quite sure the feeling's mutual."

Olivia exited the programs she was working with and slammed her laptop shut. "I'm not even taking it with me," she said, "Proud?"

"Very." Ed looked over his shoulder again and the eyes were still on the Lieutenant's office, "Damn, want to kiss you."

"I think you can wait a few more minutes," Olivia winked, "C'mon."

"You gonna hold my hand?"

She shoved him but he wasn't expecting it. Struggling to catch his balance, he stumbled on his way out of the office and struggled to control his laughter. In the elevator the two of them laughed and maintained their distance until they were in the car and out of the way of any cameras.

"You sure you don't want me to follow you to your building?"

"No," Olivia bit her lip, "As long as you don't mind dropping me off tomorrow?"

Ed nearly fainted. They'd been sleeping together for a while now and he stayed over on occasion, but Olivia being this outwardly desirous of him was new and very, very welcome.

"Not at all."

"Then…day care, stop at my place, and Riverdale we go."

"My mom's gonna be thrilled."

"Good." Olivia folded her hands in her lap and smiled.

"I am too," Ed added. He grabbed her hand and kissed it.

Olivia beamed. "It's going to be a great night."

…

Olivia kept an eye on the time and laughed, embarrassed, when Barba caught her glancing at her watch, a more feminine version of the Breitling she'd worn throughout her career. Ed had given it to her for her last birthday after she mentioned in passing the old watch was a bit too bulky and bold for a retiree with three young kids.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly, "I'm always scared I'll be late and thinking about them there with no one to pick them up is an agony I do not want to imagine."

"That would be terrible," Barba replied in his typical, clipped manner. "So, anyway, I want to apologize again for not being at the benefit. Was having too much fun down in Puerto Vallarta."

"It certainly sounds like a better time. You weren't worried about your constituents accusing you of shirking duties?"

Barba held up his hands, "Are elected officials not allowed to go on vacation?"

"I guess they are." Olivia smiled, "At least you didn't send Ed an email excusing yourself from the event."

Barba raised his eyebrows. A curious expression crossed his face. "What do you mean?"

"Elliot," she replied, "He sent Ed an email. My God, it was…bad…sad, really."

"Why'd he send it to Ed if it was about the benefit?"

"I have no idea, but I'm worried about him. He's obviously not in a good place, who could be after losing a child? But, it was weird, how he urged, begged Ed to count his blessings—"

"—because Ed's so lucky to be married to you?"

"Yes. How'd you know?"

"Good guess," Barba replied with a shrug, "And I don't know Stabler, but I know of him, and of the relationship you two had."

"We were partners, Rafael, nothing else."

"I know. But partners…that's family. Especially for as long as the two of you were together. There's a relationship there, a love, so it's not surprising to me that in this moment of crisis for Stabler, he's looking back on the times with you and maybe realizing or rethinking his feelings, wishing he would've done something different, taken a risk and acted on something between the two of you."

"I've always considered him as a brother, not a lover," Olivia replied matter-of-factly, "A romantic relationship…that would have been…weird."

"More weird than Tucker?"

Olivia burst into laughter and asked, "Is the fascination with the two of us ever going to end?"

"To some of us, no. But I don't understand the half of it. I can't imagine what Stabler must think."

"Probably like everyone else. Shocked. Curious. But, Elliot? Maybe a little betrayed. But what Elliot would never admit and will never admit is that IAB saved him. He did cross the line. A lot. Had IAB not been on his ass, one of those days, he would have went too far. I know it."

"You going to reach out to him?"

"I don't know," Olivia murmured, fidgeting slightly, "Ed, after I gently admonished him for almost keeping the email from me, suggested I give him a call. But the last time, after the funeral, it was bad, Barba. He was a mess. And it was awkward. And I don't want to go through it again." She locked eyes with her friend. "Selfish?"

"No," Barba replied gently, "Self care isn't selfish."

Olivia nodded. "I want to let it go. I hope he gets the help he needs. Goes back home. Finds some peace. I don't know if Elliot's ever known peace, and it might have just gotten farther away from him."

"It takes someone knowing how it is to live in peace to be able to say that," Barba pointed out with a tiny, sly grin. He was immensely happy for and proud of Olivia. Every time they saw one another she looked more relaxed. The tension she had always carried with her was totally gone.

Olivia's eyes sparkled. "Thanks," she half-whispered, both embarrassed and thrilled Barba noticed and made sure to mention her obvious joy. She took a peek at the time again. Fifteen minutes until preschool dismissal. She had to go. "Want to come with me?"

Barba recoiled, "Oh no. I'm under a self-imposed mandate to stay a hundred yards away from preschools."

"Even in your district?"

Barba nodded. "Even there."

…

The twins skipped out of their classroom and to Olivia with wide grins on their faces. They were slightly grubbier versions of themselves—Maggie always had a red juice ring above her upper lip, and Wyatt's hands were blotted with dark spots of what looked to be specks of glue that had darkened from flecks of whatever else he'd come into contact with during their activities. Olivia hugged them both and cooed, "It's so good to see you!" As if they had been separated for weeks.

"Goo'to'see'you!" Wyatt repeated.

Olivia kissed his forehead and cupped his chin. "You are precious, Wyatt Edward," she said.

There wasn't much more time for doting. Maggie was in a hurry to get out of the building and she jumped up and down impatiently. Olivia scanned the hall, always expecting the teacher to come to her with a report of another Tucker twin infraction, but the staff merely waved cheery goodbyes and they were off.

"Want to have lunch at the pub?" Olivia asked. Despite it now being well into fall, the temperatures were gloriously pleasant. Sun abounded and the breezes were comfortably cool and tousled the twins' locks as they walked.

"Grillcheese!" Maggie said.

"No adda pub, Mama?" Wyatt asked.

"No, he's at school. Remember? He goes to school all day? We'll see him later."

"Where Daddy?"

"With Brooke."

"An' we wi'Mama!"

"Yes you are!" They rounded the corner and the pub was in view. Maggie started running, but Olivia grabbed her before she could dart ahead. "Stay close, Maggie girl."

"Da pub ri'dare!"

"I know sweetie." They were at the pub in seconds and Olivia ducked inside only to motion she and the kids were going to take an outdoor table. The familiar bartender waved and brought menus and Shirley Temples a few minutes later.

The lunch menus, printed on paper because they changed daily, came with a printed advertisement on the back. Wyatt immediately focused all his attention on the graphics—shiny restored '50's and 60s' behemoths and coupes that looked so futuristic they favored spaceships more than they did automobiles.

"Whatcha see, Wyatt?"

"Cahs!"

"Dat mah'cah!" Maggie exclaimed, pointing at a bright green Studebaker.

"I think I'll choose this one," Olivia said of a blue Thunderbird. She noticed the details of the event—an auto show near the Jersey Shore. "Would you like to go and see these cars?" Olivia asked.

"Dive'em?" Maggie asked back.

"No, not to drive, but I bet you can sit in them or look inside."

Considering the offer, Maggie twisted her lips, took a sip of the Shirley Temple, and finally nodded. Wyatt was so absorbed in the colors and the lines on the paper it was obvious he would love to go. She was certain Noah and Ed would have zero objection to heading out to the Shore next weekend. Before she could relay the plans to the twins—she always talked to them like they were much older—a screeching "omigod it's Gavvie!" brought everything within a few feet, at least from Olivia's perspective, to a standstill. Olivia nearly gave herself whiplash as she searched for the voice and it took her only seconds to find its owner. Five feet away, two twenty-something young women stood gawking and pointing at Wyatt, whose name, on the show, was Gavin.

Olivia's heart pounded against her rib cage. Wyatt and Maggie froze, startled by their mother's face which had lightened a few shades and was twitching ever so slightly. The twins had given the women a cursory glance, but the three-year-olds went right back to the car show ad and sucking on the cherries in their fancy drinks. Olivia stared at the women, wondering what they would do next, and they moved closer.

"Can we get a picture?" One of them asked, not quite daring to come within a yard of the table because Olivia's eyes, even behind sunglasses, were threatening and protective.

"A picture?" Olivia asked.

"Yes. That's Gavvie, right? From Netflix?"

"His name's Wyatt," Olivia replied curtly then kicked herself for not lying and saying she had no idea what the girl was talking about.

"Right, right, Wyatt Tucker. I remember from the credits."

"I'd actually prefer you not get a picture," Olivia said, "Please. He's three."

The two fans relented. "Sure. Sure. We get it."

They were so gracious, Olivia started to feel bad, but she had to protect her son. She and Ed had not predicted this type of attention. The fans most likely stumbled upon them by happenstance, but what if they hadn't? What if they knew where Wyatt went to school? Where they lived?

"How about an autograph?" Olivia offered. She pulled a piece of blank paper from one of the many small notebooks she carried and handed Wyatt a pen. "Write your name, sweetie."

Wyatt smiled and scribbled away. He and Maggie both joined in when Noah practiced his signature, so Wyatt knew exactly what to do. Olivia handed over a paper full of worthless scribbles and the fans walked away starstruck.

"Everyone wins, sweet Wyatt," Olivia murmured.

Wyatt smiled as if he knew exactly what his mother was talking about. "C'I do 'nother my name, Mama?"

"Sure honey."

"For da fans," he added.

Olivia's eyes nearly popped out of her head, but, seconds later, she laughed and kissed his chubby cheek. She had forgotten that, at the last outdoor shoot, there had been a few clusters of selfie-requesting fans scattered around and Wyatt almost certainly picked up on the interplay between the actors and their admirers.

"Just remember I'm your number one fan, sweet boy. Yours too, sweet girl," she whispered so quietly there was no way anyone could hear. Maggie and Wyatt were making and toppling sugar packet towers.

Inaudible, yes, but no less true.

The Tucker kids would never, ever, have any doubt about who in the crowd was their biggest fan.

….

The candles flickered and made shadows against the wall. Ed thought the dining area might have been too dark, but he left the presentation alone until Olivia arrived. He would know immediately if she liked it or not. They had spent the last two days on separate paths—their errands and appointments had taken them away from one another and Ed needed to reconnect.

"Oh my," Olivia intoned when she emerged from the bedroom where she had been asked to camp out while Ed readied the meal for their in-house date. "This is so nice," she kissed Ed softly on the lips, "Thank you!"

"You're welcome." He held up a glass, "Red?"

"Yes please."

Ed poured them each a glass of wine and took his seat. A small antipasto plate separated them and Ed raised his glass over it. "To us," he said.

"To us," she repeated, making sure to look him in the eye as she took her first sip.

"Here," Ed handed her a small plate, noticing her eyeing the food, "Have some."

"Thanks." She selected some peppers, cheese, and a roll of prosciutto, "So good."

"We haven't had Italian, well, real Italian in a while. I didn't cook," he admitted with a shy smile.

"I would have wondered when you found the time."

Ed's eyes sparkled and he gazed at her as if he were entranced as he spoke. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," Olivia held one of his hands, "I used to think I wanted to be with someone who would give me space, but now I know the opposite is true. I'm okay with us being one of those couples who never wants to be apart. In fact, I love it."

"You know I wanna be with you all the time."

"I know." Olivia leaned in for a kiss. "I love you, Ed."

"I love you." He kissed her hand and grinned, "So, Wyatt was signing autographs today?"

"Yes."

"Tough being in his entourage?"

Olivia appreciated how he could help her make light of what was, in the moment, a moment of terror. She laughed and her heart filled with warmth. Everything was okay. "I should've charged for the autograph," she joked.

"Or let 'em have the picture for a hundred bucks."

"I'm afraid that they probably would've paid," Olivia replied, "I'll be better prepared next time."

Ed scooted his chair closer to her so he could rub her thigh and get another, more passionate kiss. "It musta freaked you out," he whispered.

"It did."

"Think it was a one off?"

"I think so…but if he's on more and more…it'll happen. I guess… he's my baby, not a movie star, so someone seeing him, well, they reacted the way they did. It was just weird. But I'm okay."

"Have ya looked to see if someone posted a pic of the autograph?"

"No."

Ed grinned. "I'll look later."

Olivia shook her head. "I'm sure you will."

"But now…tonight, let's…enjoy ourselves, huh? I got shrimp Alfredo and marinara. Want a little of both?"

"Sure, but, let's finish this first," Olivia gestured toward the appetizers and wine, "I want to just…enjoy right now, enjoy being together. Oh, and we have to talk about next weekend. I told the twins we were going to a car show on the Jersey Shore."

"Sounds good. Make a weekend out of it? Hotel? Pool? Beach?"

"It is still so warm."

Ed and Olivia made plans for the next weekend and talked about places they wanted to go in the future. They set robust travel goals through the twins' high school years and congratulated themselves on giving their children the opportunity to see the country and the world. They ate their pasta, blew out the candles, and went to bed without cleaning up. The mess could wait. The nightcap could not.

….

#Tuckson