Disclaimer: Not mine. Blah blah blah.
Author's Note: Uhm...like I said in the author's note on the 3rd chap of Thinking It Over, I have to use my public library to update now so it'll maybe be one update a week for Thinking It Over cuz this baby is DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the epilogue because I don't have anymore ideas. Sorry! R&R on this chap and the whole story if ya wanna cuz ya love me so damn much!
And...for the final chappy here's the current and final stats:
Maureen Nicole Burks (Stabler) - 32
Kathleen Michelle Spencer (Stabler) - 28
Richard (Dickie) Elliot Stabler - 24
Elizabeth Lynne Stabler - 24
Breanna Alexandria Cassandra Stabler - 10
Bryce Donald Elliot Stabler - 10
Benson Joshua Damion Stabler - 5
Elliot Daniel Stabler - 50
Olivia Rene Stabler - 48
I glanced down at my son sitting on my lap, a notebook cradled on his tiny legs. "B-E-N-S-O-N?" He looked up at me with a wide eyed, questioning look.
I grinned and kissed his forehead. "Perfect Ben! You wanna try your whole name this time?"
He nodded and started writing. He got out his first name and then stuck his tongue between his lips in concentration. He then grinned to himself and finished writing. "B-E-N-S-O-N J-O-S-H-U-A D-A-M-I-O-N S-T-A-B-L-E-R! I did it Mommy! I did it! Benson Joshua Damion Stabler! I wrote my whole name!"
"Yes you did. I think that you are ready for your first day of your last year in preschool tomorrow, Little Man. What do you think?"
He nodded excitedly and jumped off my lap. "I'm gonna go tell Daddy, Mama!"
I smiled to myself. My babies were all growing up so quickly. I could just see the day Ben was born in my mind. One of the three best days in my life. The other two were my wedding day and the day the twins were born.
I had three children of my own and four step children. Me. Olivia Stabler. As Olivia Stabler it's easy to believe that I'm a wife and mother with seven children. When I was Olivia Benson, nope. No way in hell.
God, seven kids. I mentally evaluate their lives:
Maureen is 32 and a very highly acclaimed surgeon at Grace Memorial Hospital. She got married at 29 and has a two year old son, Chase. Her husband, Matt, works at the 1-6 under Elliot's command.
Kathleen is 28 and, get this, a detective at the 2-9. She is a wonderful detective and is highly praised about in the NYPD. She got married the day of her 25th brithday to her husband, Levi, a teacher at NYU. He has a four year old son named Kenny that Kathleen adopted when they got married.
Elizabeth is in her senior year in college, as is Dickie. They turned 24 a couple weeks ago. They both decided to wait a year after high school to help out with the twins and Ben until they went to college, so they're a year behind most of their friends. Elizabeth is going to be a teacher, Dickie is going to be a lawyer. Elizabeth is engaged to a boy named Caleb. Dickie proposed in February on Valentine's Day to a girl he had dated since his senior year in high school named Catherine.
Bryce and Breanna are starting third grade tomorrow and turned 10 last month. They both play in little league baseball and softball. Breanna plays volleyball also, and Bryce plays basketball. Gives me a full time job.
Benson, or Benny, as we normally call him, turned 5 yesterday and is starting his last year of preschool tomorrow. He has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. They're a mixture of chocolate and cerulean with little flecks of honey in them. He has my nose and dark skin tone with Elliot strong jaw and tall build. He has a mixture of personalities. He is empathetic, like I am, and playful, also like me. But, he can get very angry at times and holds a gruge like only he, Bryce, and his father can. All in all, he's perfect, just like all my kids.
I am enormously proud of my life. Wonderful husband, seven amazing kids, what could be better? I think about that for a minute and come to the same conclusion as always. Only one thing. If D.J. and Zac could be here, life would be perfect. But...this is as close as it's gonna get so I'm ecstatic.
With that thought in my mind and my family's pictures running through my mind I collapsed backwards onto the couch and smiled as I heard the door open and a stampede of feet trample in.
"Mom! Dad! We're here!" I heard Maureen call out. Every year since Elliot and I had gotten together, the day before school started was a day of cooking out, swimming, sprinklers, and family.
"In here guys!" I yelled as soon as my husband and three youngest came into the livingroom from the kitchen.
"Oh! Hey!" Kathleen said and I smirked as I was attacked by Chase and Kenny.
"Nana! Nana! We missed you!" Kenny said while Chase gave me wet, sloppy kisses all over my face.
I kissed Chase on the forehead and sat him back down to pick Kenny up and give him a kiss and hug, too. "I missed you guys, too. How was Gramaw's yesterday?" Kathy was Gramaw, I was Nana. Elliot was Papa and Kathy's husband Bill was Grandpa. When Chase was born Bryce and Breanna told Elliot and I that we weren't old enough to be Gramaw and Grandpa so that's why we got Nana and Papa.
"It was 'kay I guess, but it wasn't as fun as here. She don't have any toys and there's no one else to play wit. Her I play wit Bryce and Breanna and its so so so fun! I mean at Gramaw's, Chase was there but...he just hits me and when he tries to talk to me I can't understand him. He just goes blah blah blah blah Mamma, Dada, Nana, Papa. He never says Gramaw though and it made her mad yesterday 'cause he wouldn't say it but he'd say Nana. It was funny! But it got really boring after like...two minutes!" Kenny went on to tell me his exagerated story not having fun at Kathy's house and I smiled and nodded, listening intently.
"Well...sounds like you, my man, didn't have much fun. I bet some ice cream and playing in the sprinkler will do you some good. What do you think?" He squealed, causing Chase to squeal, making everyone laugh.
"Yes! Yes! Yes! YYYEEESSS!" Benny hollered and we all laughed even harder.
"Who said you got to play in the sprinklers Benny Boo?" I asked my youngest playfully.
"Uh, DUH, Mommy! You love me so so so so so much that you'll let me play in the sprinklers whenever I want. Right, Bryce?"
"I dunno, Ben. I think Mom might not let you." I love that boy. He cracks me up. He knows exactly whenever Elliot or I are playing a game with Ben that we want to try to convince him, as does Breanna. They're our "little detectives."
"Yea, I agree with Bryce, Benny." Breanna nodded solemnly. See? Told you she knew when we were playing serious too.
Ben laughed nervously. "Oh, come on Bryce, Breanna! You know Momma let's us play whenever we wanna right?" I cocked up an eyebrow at him and his eyebrows furrowed together and he gave me his puppy-dog eyes. Perfected and taught to all of the children and grandchildren by the one and only, moi. "Pppwwweeeaaassseee Mommy?"
"Aww, I guess. I just can't say no to my own puppy dog eyes." I grinned and everyone laughed again. The door chimed and I knew the original 1-6 squad plus Casey and Alex and their signifigant others had arrived.
Two hours later and we were all relaxing outside, either in the pool or beside it. We had just gotten done eating and I took the opportunity to admire my family. Blood, marriage, and extended.
My father and his wife; Don Cragen and Liz Donnelly-Cragen.
My sisters; Alex Langdon, Casey Munch, Melinda Warner and Monique Tutuola (never thought that would happen.)
My brothers/brothers-in-law; Fin Tutuola John Munch, Will Warner and Trevor Langdon.
My daughters/daughter-in-law; Maureen Burks, Kathleen Spencer, Elizabeth (soon to be Daughtery) Stabler, Breanna Stabler and Catherine (soon to be) Stabler.
My sons/son-in-laws; Richard Stabler, Matt Burks, Levi Spencer, Caleb Daughtery and Ben Stabler.
My neices; Olivia "Livvy" Langdon, Kallie Warner and Shaina Tutuola
My nephews; Devon Langdon, Kristopher Warner and Elliot Jordan "E.J." Munch
And my all important husband who brought me this whole life, which is actually the only thing that makes me happy; Elliot Stabler.
I feel his presence beside me and glance up at him. He then smiles that still-boyish grin at me and I melt. Still, after all these years, my knees still go weak at that smile. God I love this man.
"Hey Baby. Whatcha thinkin' about?" He asks and I sigh happily.
"Oh not much...happiness, family, love."
"Oh yea?"
"Yea."
"Well, guess what?" He kisses my neck and I shiver, even after all this time.
"W...wha...what?" I stutter out, his lips still on my neck, sending shivers down my spine.
"I'm happy." He breaths against my ear.
"Me too." I smile at him and even though he can't see me I know he knows.
"I have a huge, beautiful family."
"I happen to be a part of and share that huge, beautiful family. And you're what gave me my big, happy family." I tease him by planting a chaste but sweet and alluring kiss on his lips.
He moans lightly at the teasing and cotinues, "I know. You gave me my happy family, too."
"I love you." I declare.
"I love you, too." He kisses me passionately and it feels like we're in our thirties again, standing under the street lights at mid-night out side of Meloni's and kissing for the first time.
But of course, our "Little Man" as we call him, Benny, breaks the spell, "Momma! Daddy! That's icky!"
We both laugh and hug him. I look down at him. The youngest living thing that is a part of what Elliot and I have done and he physically represents the love we have for each other. The two oldest run up in their bathing suits asking for my husband and I to hold their towels and giggling with each other in a way only twins can. In that moment I relish the feeling I have all the way to through the depths of my heart to a place that used to be cold, lonely, dark and devoid. And now, after almost 2 decades of knowing Elliot Stabler, I know that feeling. And that feeling is love.
FINIS
Author's Last Note: So, how was it? I need to know! I'll probably be updating chapter 4 of Thinking It Over next week, I just posted chapter 3 of it. I hope you all like this ending! I thought it was pretty good. Fitting. To tell me what you thought, PM me or leave it in a review. Or you can reach me at mentalcase911 (at) sbcglobal (dot) net !!!!!! Feel free to e-mail me anytime or IM me on yahoo with that adress, AIM with purduepinky1 or MSN with boilermakers1