Six Months Later:
"What do you mean he's not coming home for break?" Elliot said to his wife as they stood in the kitchen, making breakfast before work.
"He says that if he stays in school all summer, he's gonna be able to knock out an additional eight classes, which would put him at a graduation date that's almost two years early," Liv sighed.
"But at what cost? So he graduates when they're 3 and a half but has missed so much formative time?"
"That's what I said," she sighed. "But I think we have to support him."
"He's already a semester ahead."
"And he'll be back in a tonight from his Ivy League school for his high school graduation, and at that point we'll talk further with him about this," she said, warning in her voice that made him snap his mouth shut.
Sighing, he stepped forward, resting his hands in her waist from behind and popping a kiss to her shoulder.
"He's stubborn."
"Wonder where he gets it from?"
Elliot snorted. "His mom."
She let out a singular loud laugh. "Okay! And our daughters get their sass from you!"
"Shut up," he grinned, turning her around and, taking a firm grip on her hips, stepped forward to nudge his knee between her legs.
"Mr. Stabler, your babies are gonna be up soon," she warned, though her tone held no such indication of wanting him to stop.
"We have a whole 30 minutes before the littles are even gonna stir and 40 before we have to wake up our teenage and preteen monsters," he clarified, nudging his knee upwards and dropping his mouth to the crook of her neck again.
"I'm cooking breakfast," she drawled, playfulness in her voice.
Skillfully reaching behind her, he clicked off the burner on the almost fully cooked bacon and smirked. "Now you're not."
"A little morning romp in your study, Sergeant?"
"Uh huh," he nodded, slowly walking her backwards to the double doors that led to their shared home office they jokingly called "the study."
He released her momentarily to shut and lock the double doors, turning back to find her sensually untying her robe.
"Liv," he groaned, shaking his head and stalking towards her. "Liv, Liv, Liv."
"'S'Captain to you," she said, brow quirked as he shook his head vehemently.
"Oh no," he muttered, taking a firm grip on both of her wrists. "Captain is taking the morning off," he nodded, turning her swiftly and gently pushing her forward onto the antique mahogany desk he'd bought her for her birthday.
Her hands fell flat to the desk and she bent forward, glancing over her shoulder with a sly look on her face and letting her bathrobe drop further down her shoulders.
"Captain," he admonished once he'd pulled her robe up over her plump ass. "You've forgotten your panties?"
"Oh?" She asked, plastering a dramatic pout on her face. "Oopsie."
His hand connected with her bare cheek on the end of her mock sentiment, making her jump and squeal.
"Keep it down… don't wanna have to restrain you," he muttered, dropping two fingers to her slit to test the readiness of pussy for his aching cock.
"Maybe I'd like tha-at!" She cried out, head falling forward when he pushed the same two, thick fingers into her waiting opening.
"So wet for me, baby…"
"Don't let it go to waste…"
It was all of the prompting he needed.
El and Liv emerged from the study just as Noah snuffled down the stairs with Teddy in his arms.
"Hi mama," the younger boy said, reaching out for her.
"Morning," Noah grumbled.
"Ahh, teenagers," Liv sighed happily, pulling her boys into her arms.
"I can't wait for summer," Noah sighed.
"Last day! Last day!" El chanted, making Teddy giggle.
"Hi dada," he said, reaching out to him and going happily into his arms.
"Hi buddy," he smiled, kissing the two year old's cheek. "Hi big buddy," he added, kissing Noah's curls.
"Emma awake?" Liv asked, brushing Noah's hair back and laughing when he closed his eyes and laid against her chest, lulling to sleep despite his standing position.
"Yes!" Came their daughters cheery voice as she came down with Finley in her arms. Their 9 month old's dark hair was wild from the new way she slept in her crib and she was wide awake and ready to eat, reaching greedily for her momma.
"What's got you in a good mood this morning?" El teased, kissing his baby girl's head.
"Last day of school! Ready for all the things happening this summer and most importantly," she sighed contentedly. "High school!"
"Gross," Noah groaned.
"We'll still be in the same school!" Emma laughed, ruffling his hair and skipping off to grab some bacon.
"Memma me too pease," Teddy asked, sliding down from his daddy's arms and rushing to follow her.
"Technically a different building," Noah whined.
"You'll be fine!" She sang, handing her brother a piece of the bacon as Finley pulled at Liv's shirt, a frustrated pout on her lips.
"Growth spurt girl," El teased, ushering the park to the couch to get comfortable just as the front door opened after a brief knock.
The 18 month old twins from next door came bustling in, rushing toward their Papa with a chorus of his name and massive smiles on their faces.
"Budddeeeee," Ted beamed, skipping over to EJ after Emma expertly pulled the forgotten bacon from his chubby hands.
"Morning!" Sam smiled, filing in behind the two and scooping up Teddy to pop a kiss to his cheek.
"EJ your hair is wild!" Noah laughed.
"You should talk!" Emma snorted.
"Yeah well, talk to your brother if he ever comes home," Sam winked, trying to keep some levity in her voice about the situation.
"Ah, so he talked to you about it?" Liv asked, reaching an arm out to help Joey onto the couch where she quickly snuggled into her Cap's side.
"Talked, told, yeah- same difference for Mr. Ivy League I suppose."
"When's he supposed to be home?" El asked, hugging his grandson to his chest.
The little boy has become absolutely attached to him, Noah, and Beau since Eli had left for college.
"Tomorrow, but I've heard rumors he's coming home tonight to go to a party. Tom is gonna update me cause he's pissed."
"Oh yeah, he told me and Jake that," Noah said casually, handing Sam a mug of coffee that she thanked him for with a smooch to the cheek.
"I was literally there too," Emma said with a roll of her eyes.
"When did you two become friends with Tom?" El asked, brow raised.
"Babe this has been a months long bond that's formed," Liv said, as if it were old news.
"Yeah, daddy, catch up," Noah teased.
"It all started around the time Eli started neglecting his responsibilities as a parent in the name of higher education," Emma said, matter of factly, earning a stern look from her mother.
"What, it's true," she added.
"He's not neglecting," Sam said, holding up a hand. "He's just… prioritizing in a way that isn't conducive to having twins at home," she grimaced.
"Keep me updated if he goes to that party," El grumbled, swaying back and forth with EJ who was drifting to sleep in his arms, hands clutched to his t-shirt.
"El…"
"Dad, thank you, but I've got to handle this," Sam smiled unconvincingly, pecking his cheek and taking EJ. "You guys are sure you've got them for the day?"
"Oh yeah," El smiled. "Gonna have a fun day at the office with Papa huh???"
EJ cracked up, reaching for his favorite guy again while Joey looked up to Liv.
"Cap?"
"Yep!" Liv said cheerfully. "You, me, and Finely are gonna go have a girls day while Cap finishes paperwork before I take a whoooole week off to be with my babies."
Letting out an excited squeal, Joey leaded back into her grandmother and snuggled back in.
"I owe you guys big time," Sam insisted, finishing her coffee and setting down the mug. "Court hopefully won't run late today but who knows."
"Hey if they need to sleep over they're more than welcome- you need a night off once in a while," Liv reminded her.
She shrugged and gave a small smile. "I'm a parent. I don't have that luxury, but you know I appreciate you guys," she winked, making quick work of giving everyone hugs and kisses.
"I'll see you tonight," she whispered to her twins before waving at the siblings. "Love you guys! Have a great last day!"
"Love you!" Noah called as she walked out of the door before turning briskly towards his dad.
"I'm gonna kill him."
"You and me, both, kid."
The day was relatively uneventful, and Sam got out of court from her new job as a paralegal with Beau and Katie's firm at a reasonable time.
After picking up the twins and promising she was fine, she retreated to her basement apartment where she made quick work or getting her exhausted littles bathed and in bed before she settled on the couch with her phone and a glass of wine.
As she took her first sip, it buzzed with Eli's face.
With a small sigh, she answered, putting in her best happy voice.
"Hey, Eli."
"Hey girl!! Whatcha doing?"
"Sitting on the couch drinking wine," she mused, pausing before her next thought, only to be cut off.
"I know… I missed bedtime, I'm sorry."
"Seems to be the norm as of late, Elliot," she muttered into her glass.
"I'll be home in the morning," he promised. "My exam ran late which is why I couldn't talk."
"Uh huh, all good," she said, keep a fake smile on her face in hopes it would translate through the receiver. "What time will you be here tomorrow?"
"Uhhhh," he trailed off. "1 or 2?"
Sam couldn't help but snort. "Sounds great, Eli. See you tomorrow," she said, hanging up without another word and opening her messages.
S: He's a terrible liar
T: Let's give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he won't be at this party.
S: Uh huh. And if he is??
T: Any dessert you want
S: Better stop now- Mario's closes at 9 and you know his cannolis are my weakness.
"Daddy for the last time, I'll tell you when we know something," Emma groaned.
She, Noah, and Jake were in the living room that night, playing video games and waiting for the news on their brother.
"Alright, alright… want me to leave you guys alone then?"
"Yes dad, you're distracting me," Noah groaned, putting his controller down with a huff.
"Drama," Liv said, coming down the stairs and coming to her husband from behind.
"Speaking of," Jake announced, holding up the group chat.
"Hi…" Sam sighed, stepping aside to let Tom in.
"I can go back there and beat his ass?" He suggested, again, stepping into her cozy apartment and setting the box of cannolis on the counter.
"Not worth it," she sighed, leaning over the island and holding her face. "Not worth it. This is exactly why we needed to go our separate ways."
"I mean I get it," Tom insisted, but this is about his kids.
"I know… it… I know," she said with a shake of her head, pouring herself another helping of wine. "Beverage?"
"Always down to get wine drunk with you, girl," Tom grinned, nudging her.
"Why?" She laughed. "A sad single mother of twins?? You can be at a party right now, you know."
"I will murder my best friend if I go to that party," he insisted, taking a swig of her wine. "Now pour me one while I get these cannolis ready for us."
"Screw plates," she waved him off. "We'll eat from the box. Go pick a movie?"
"Looks like you're already on a bravo marathon," he laughed, motioning to her TV.
"Well yeah but you don't wanna watch that!"
"Sure I do! I love Jersey!"
Sam covered her mouth to quiet her laughter as he settled on the couch, waiting for her to join him.
When she settled beside him, she propped her feet up on the coffee table next to his and handed him his glass.
"Hey- you wanna piss him off?"
"Very much so!" She said with a giggle, nudging his calf flirtatiously with her foot.
Taking her phone from her hand, he opened snap chat and snapped a photo of their outstretched legs, captioning it with:
Bravo is better than parties?
Smirking lightly, Sam took the phone back and edited the caption.
Bravo is better than baby daddy's who come home early to party
"Too forward," Tom laughed over her shoulder, taking the phone back.
He thought for a moment before he perked up and grinned. "I've got it."
Next door, the kids Snapchat's lit up with a notification from Sam that they all opened together.
"Oh fuck," Emma mumbled.
"He's gonna lose his mind," Jake added. "It's on her story."
"Someone call the police," Noah lamented.
"They live upstairs and we'll be one brother less if we involve them," Emma sighed.
"Mhm… we've just gotta let this play out I suppose," Jake nodded. "Lord help us all."
"The fuck," Dickie muttered, early the following morning as soft knocking on his front door pulled him away from Saturday cartoons with his daughters.
Concern filled his face after looking through the peephole, and without a second thought he swung open the door to reveal his brother's best friend.
"Tom? What's up man?" He asked, putting a hand on the frantic young man's shoulder. "Where you coming from so early? You okay?"
"I…" he trailed off, holding up his hands. "I'm fine I just uh… I fuck… I fucked up," he stuttered out.
"Fucked up? What do you mean?" Dickie stated more than asked, putting his hands on Tom's arms to steady him.
"I… I just left Samantha's. I… I fucked up and your brother is gonna kill me."