Do you remember that episode in season 7 where Bobbly Flay just randomly showed up? Haha.

Sometimes people recommend songs to go with their fic. So, if you feel like it, read this normally and then with Gangnam Style in the background. It's a very different experience. (Someday I might come up with an actual soundtrack for this, but today is not that day.)

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Somebody was shaking him.

"El," came the voice. "El!" Suddenly, his eyes flew open, cheek stinging powerfully. Olivia had just slapped him. Fear lit a fire in her eyes.

"I guess I deserved that," he muttered.

"Sorry, I thought…" She shook her head as if clearing a nightmare. "I'm really sorry, El. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Don't worry about it, it doesn't even hurt."

She looked at him skeptically, and he laughed. "Okay, yeah, age definitely hasn't taken the sting out of your slap, Benson. You're still a badass detective who can kick anyone's ass. I don't mind, though. There are worse ways to wake up."

Her mouth twisted as she suppressed a smile. "Actually, I'm sergeant now. But that's good to know, Stabler."

"You're sergeant?" It was impossible for him to imagine her as anything other than the detective that she was.

"Somebody had to do it, and I actually get to help the victims more this way. So, um, about Noah..."

"I can watch him," he offered immediately. "I mean...if that's okay with you."

Olivia let out a breath, watching him for a moment. "You don't randomly fall over or anything, do you? No weird coma side-effects?"

Elliot was so relieved he almost laughed. He had thought that she didn't trust him with her child. "No, Liv. It's fine. I'm not exactly a heavyweight anymore, but I can watch a baby."

"Alright," she smiled nervously. "I'll go get him."

When she appeared again in the doorway with her baby, Elliot could hardly believe how perfect they looked together. Early morning sunshine turned them both to gold, a sight that immediately took his breath away. Noah was nestled sleepily in the warmth of her arms, a yawn stretching his mouth open wide. He looked so content, as if he knew instinctively that he was in the best place in the world. His mother was looking at him like he was the most important person in the world, and it was in that moment the best thing Elliot had ever seen. She rested her forehead on his, and whispered to him like he was telling him the secrets of the universe.

"Noah, this is Mommy's friend, Elliot. He's going to take care of you today." She dragged her eyes away from Noah and back to Elliot. It was an electric shock–there was a new light in her eyes, an unbelievable love and warmth that mingled deliciously with excitement. He had never seen her so happy, and it made his heart swell with joy. He never wanted her to stop looking like that.

He got to his feet as if in a trance and walked over to Noah, hardly daring to believe that somebody so perfect was real. As Olivia transferred his weight into his arms, he marveled at his warmth, at the incredible softness of his hair, and looked up at her in amazement. Gaze turning back down at Noah, he realized something that made his smile hurt his face.

"I know this is weird to say, but he has your eyes."

She blinked at him, startled, but her face quickly turned pink with pleasure. "It's not weird." Shaking her head as if to clear it, she started rattling off a long list of things he had to know to take care of him. When he heard about his asthma, Elliot had to swallow his anger and keep smiling. Children should be protected and loved. He had always been a Catholic, but he could never understand why God would burden someone so innocent with a disease that made it a struggle just to breathe. Elliot vowed to himself that he, at least, would do everything he could to keep Noah safe and happy.

"I won't let you down, Liv. Noah and I are going to have a great time."

"Alright," she threw Noah one last anxious glance and grabbed her purse. "I'll see you tonight, then."

And she was gone.

Noah immediately started crying, and Elliot rocked him gently in his arms. "Shh, shh. It's okay, little man. Mommy will be back soon. Are you hungry? Do you want breakfast?" He settled him carefully in his high chair before searching the refrigerator for food. Noah was old enough to be eating some grown-up foods, but Elliot had no idea what he liked. Eventually, he decided to make pancakes. Eileen's had been so good that they were all he wanted to eat, plus Olivia actually had the right ingredients.
"Do you like pancakes, Noah?" He asked in a silly voice as he started stirring the batter together. He was rewarded with a giggle, and chuckled right alongside him. Something about this already felt so normal. "I like pancakes. Your mommy does, too. They're the only thing she knows how to cook!" Noah clapped his hands together. "That's alright, though. We love her anyways, don't we, Noah?"

"Pancakes," Noah said very seriously before collapsing into giggles. Elliot couldn't resist reaching over to kiss the top of his head. He had just met this kid, and he already loved him. It wasn't just everything he gave to Olivia–Noah found laughter in everything, and that was a rare and precious thing. He was so glad that Olivia had someone so special in her life.

"You are a very important little man, you know?" Noah made a farting noise with his mouth, and Elliot laughed out loud. "Excuse you."

The day passed by with an easy gaiety. They spent hours talking and reading, and by naptime, Elliot felt like they were well on their way to becoming the best of friends. Noah had fallen asleep on his lap, clutching his hand with the massive strength of babies.

"You're gonna be a real tough guy someday, aren't you, Noah?" Elliot whispered. "But you're so sweet, nobody will have a clue."

He found himself thinking again about his own children, and tears pricked at his eyes. How could he have missed so much? He had never gotten to help Eli with his homework, or teach him to ride a bike. Kathleen was probably done with school, Maureen might even be married. And Dickie must already be in the military–he might not even be alive. And Lizzie, little Lizzie–Jesus, she was 22. 22! This was all too much. And even now, now that he was awake, he couldn't do anything to make up for the lost time. Fiery anger rose inside of him, threatening to consume him in the most familiar way, but he felt himself calm as he remembered the precious bundle on his lap. Cooling grief washed away his rage and left only pain behind. He just missed them so much.

When Olivia came home, she greeted Noah with a kiss and examined Elliot anxiously for a moment before snatching up random toys from the floor and shoving them into cupboards.

"Um," Elliot started. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine! Can you help me?"

"What exactly are you cleaning for?" He started picking things up, too.

"I may have...invited our entire precinct over in half an hour."

"Oh," his stomach did a backflip. "Great."

As they cleaned, Elliot got the feeling that the mess wasn't really what was making her so nervous.

"Um...Liv?"

"Hm?"

"Do they know about me?"

One glimpse of her expression and it was clear. They didn't have a clue.

"I didn't know how to talk about it without tipping anyone off," she offered apologetically. "I couldn't get everyone alone. This was a bad idea, I–"

The doorbell rang, causing him to jump. He and Olivia shared an anxious look, and she went to the door, picking up Noah on her way. He wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans, realizing with a pang that they were the same clothes he had had on since he left the hospital. He felt like he was going to puke. What was wrong with him? He had never, not once in his life, experienced social anxiety. So what was this? Get yourself together, Stabler. They're just people.

He heard Olivia greeting them, and the apartment was soon crowded with unfamiliar faces, every one of them openly sizing him up. He found himself wishing for the comforting presence of Noah in his arms, but he was with Olivia. Captain Cragen waved to him, and Munch stopped dead in his tracks. When his eyes found Fin's, he saw his old coworker falter, and then stared at him like he was already dead. 'If looks could kill' had never felt so relevant, and Elliot began backing away nervously.

"It looks great in here," A blonde woman drawled.

"Motherfucker–" Suddenly, he was flat on his ass, face exploding with pain.

"Fin!" Olivia shouted. "Stop!" Cragen pulled him off, and held him back as he shouted at him.

"God damn you, Stabler! Do you have any idea what you put us through? What you put Liv through? Fucking bastard–"

"Fin," Olivia insisted, gritting her teeth. "Watch it with the language."

He glanced at Noah, who was staring wide-eyed, and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Liv. But seriously, Elliot, what is your–freakin'–problem? You think you can just waltz back in here like nothing's changed? Well get this, idiot, everything has changed."

You don't need to tell me that.

"Fin," Olivia interjected as everyone stared at him. "Elliot just woke up from a coma. Which he has been in for four years. We think that somebody targeted him, sent in his papers, and tried to kill him. Get rid of him."

Fin looked back and forth between the two of them, as if trying to figure out if they were joking. Eventually, he shook his head. "Damn. God damn. That is seriously messed up...I guess I shouldn't have punched you, huh, Stabler?"

Elliot shrugged, pinching his nose gingerly. "Somebody had to."

"Wait a second," an unfamiliar man with slicked back hair interjected as he got to his feet. "Sarge, is this is your old partner?"
Elliot worked hard not to roll his eyes. Clearly a brilliant detective. He swore he saw Liv give the tiniest shake of her head, hiding a laugh at the look on his face.

"Yes," she said, turning to address the whole room with Noah in her arms. "Obviously it wasn't my best idea to spring this on you guys without a warning, but we think we're being watched. This is Elliot Stabler." She took a nervous breath. "He needs our help."

A dark haired man looked troubled, but the blonde woman quickly offered him her hand, which he took gratefully.

"I'm Amanda Rollins," she said. "That guy," she gestured to the brilliant detective. "Is our new detective, Carisi. That broody guy over there is Nick Amaro, and this is Barba, our A.D.A."

He nodded to a man in an expensive suit, who was eyeing him dangerously. His gaze then turned nervously to Munch, who was regarding him from afar with a thoughtful hand on his chin. He didn't know what he would do if Munch couldn't forgive him, or at least try to understand.

Elliot jumped at a sudden shout. "I told you guys something had happened to him!" He laughed maniacally, seizing his hand and pumping it up and down with almost violent enthusiasm. "I knew you wouldn't just walk out on us, Stabler." He clapped him on the back, making him sway on his feet. Elliot felt so relieved that he mirrored Munch's goofy grin.

"Yeah, Munchie, but you said that aliens had abducted him, not that he had wound up in a coma," Fin laughed. "It is good to have you back, Stabler. Sorry for punching you, I guess you have enough brain injuries without my help."

Elliot nodded, smirking a little. "It wouldn't have been a real reunion if nobody got punched."

There was a bit of laughter, and a bit of the tension in the room seemed to evaporate.

"So…" Amanda rolled the word around. "Tell us what we need to know."

Thanks for reading, everyone. Leave a review if you like! They always make me smile :)

xoxo