New Years' Secret

Kathy invited Alex and Olivia over for dinner on New Years Eve. Elliot had to work, so the family decided to stay in.

The invitation was music to Alex's ears. When she heard Elliot had to work, she almost cheered. Olivia gave her a be nice look but Alex only shrugged.

"Olivia, you are absolutely glowing," Kathy pointed out after hugging her.

Olivia blushed happily. "I'm just so excited." She felt herself about to cry. Damn, these hormones.

Alex kissed her wife's cheek. "I'm so lucky." Olivia was giving her the best gift in the world.

Dickie and Lizzie came downstairs as soon as they heard the front door open.

"Hi Liv, Hi Alex!" Dickie was happy to see them both and their little rugrats.

"Hey Dickie!"

Hugs were given all around before they all made their way to the dinner table.

Of course, the children all started talking about Christmas. Each one was thankful for the gifts he or she received, especially the ones the Cabots picked out.

"What did you get for Christmas?" Dickie asked their guests.

While the Stablers and the Cabots were having a nice home cooked meal, Elliot was eating takeout with Dani. She had gone to get them sandwiches. She was nice, but in some ways, Dani was just a substitute for Olivia. Elliot missed the days when it was just him and Liv.

Back in those days, he had seen her more than he had seen his own wife. When a case involved children or something equally horrific, Olivia took care of him in ways that Kathy knew nothing about. Now, those days were gone, and seemingly not coming back.

"Is your family doing anything for New Years?" Dani questioned.

Elliot shrugged. "Kathy invited Olivia and her family over for dinner."

"How nice," Dani said with fake sincere tone.

Elliot rolled his eyes. "I don't get it. Kathy's enamored with Alex." She had nothing but good things to say about the Bureau Chief.

"Alex is someone she can relate to," Dani said. "They both have spouses who work dangerous jobs and long hours. They seem to both take on the more domestic side of child rearing, and didn't you say she told the twins they could come over whenever they want? I'm sure Kathy's relieved every time she gets them out of her hair."

That's another thing that got Elliot annoyed. Alex didn't even ask before she sent that open invitation.

"Yeah, she did," he sighed.

"Child rearing just isn't my thing," Dani said. "I would never sign up to watch other people's kids on top of my own kids. My idea of a good time, a nice dinner, no where too fancy but somewhere that has good beer and a nice steak, then get out on the ground and explore the city, lights action everything. I'm no Susie Homemaker."

Elliot couldn't remember the last time he had a night out like that. Dinner, sure he and Kathy did that some times, but just exploring the city for what it was, not something they did.

"Your husband's a lucky guy."

"Who said he's invited?" she teased.

Elliot was envious of Dani. She was free to do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. Even her husband didn't seem to have a handle on her.

Elliot and Kathy had married so young, he wondered what that kind of freedom tasted like.

Lorelei and Ollie were having fun running around the living room with Lizzie and Dickie.

Kathleen and Maureen were watching the Times Square event, and Alex insisted on helping Kathy with the dishes.

"You're our guest."

"And guests are supposed to be thankful," Alex retorted as she got the rest of the plates. "Dinner was fantastic." They had coq au vin for dinner.

"I have you to thank for the recipe," Kathy answered. Alex had given her a set of recipes she could make with a slow cooker, saving her a lot of cooking time.

"Thank Julia." Once Alex had been introduced to Julia Child, cooking became so much easier.

Olivia would have helped with the dishes, but Alex insisted she rest. She was all about taking care of her pregnant wife. I wish she'd take care of me in bed, right now.

Poor Olivia's hormones were raging and Alex, being a sexy beast, did not help matters at all.

"Mommy!" Her concentration broke when Lorelei hugged her leg.

"Hi Lorelei."

"I have to potty!"

Olivia got up to take her to the little girls' room.

"It's good they're potty trained now," Dickie commented about the younger twins. "Else, they'd have three diapers to change soon."

"It's nice that they're going to have a big family," Lizzie said to her brother. She just wished Casey had someone. The girl was too awesome not to have someone to love.

Once the dishes were away and the kitchen was clean, Alex and Kathy broke into a bottle of Champagne, one she and Olivia had brought back from France.

"I wish I could have some," Olivia commented as she saw them with their glasses.

"In France, many women don't stop drinking when they're pregnant," Alex commented. "They actually drink red wine to relax."

"Really?" Kathy questioned. "Do they have more incidents of fetal alcohol syndrome?"

"I'm not sure, but in France the focus is more on 'not binge drinking' not abstinence."

Olivia declined to have any wine. Instead, she settled for the taste of it on Alex's lips. "They're so sweet."

"Aren't they always?" Alex teased before kissing her wife.

They had been married for almost two years, but they were still in honeymoon mode. Kathy thought that phase expired as you got old, but they still had it. She longed for the days that she and Elliot were all over each other. "How do you two do it?"

"Do what?" Olivia asked innocently.

"Still look at each other like you just got together."

Alex rubbed Olivia's hand. "I don't know how to look at her any other way. It's like asking why is my hair blonde or why are my eyes blue. They happened to be that way and although there is some metaphysical reason for it, I'll never know the answer. I happen to be madly in love with her and every time I see her it's like my biggest dream just came true. How I got so lucky, I'll never know."

Olivia pulled her wife closer. "How are you so amazing with words?"

"You're my muse." Alex turned her attention towards Kathy. "Maybe you and Elliot need a date night, a chance to rediscover what drew you two together in the first place."

"We'd be happy to take Dickie and Lizzie for a night if you needed the time to yourselves," Olivia offered.

That did sound nice. "You are so kind."

"It's what friends are for," and Alex did consider Kathy a friend, even if she'd push Elliot off a cliff.

New Years Eve had been a slow night in the 1-6. Surely, the drama would really happen through out the night. They would likely get an early morning call about someone who woke up, having been attacked and not remembering what actually happened. It was typical for New Years.

Elliot and Dani had their own countdown to New Years with beers and pork rinds. Obviously, they weren't allowed to drink on the job, but work was slow and no one was here to catch them.

When the clock struck midnight, the two partners turned to each other and kissed.

Elliot had been expecting maybe a peck, but it quickly turned to something more. This was new for Elliot; he hadn't had another woman's kiss in two decades. It was wrong, but right now, it just felt like fun.

Dani broke the kiss first and said, "Happy New Year, Elliot!"

They didn't talk about the kiss for the rest of the shift. No one had to know, right.