A/N: Sorry about the delay, keep forgetting about this one. Here the chapter finally is. Please read and review for more.
Disclaimer: Don't own anyone or anything you recognize.
The next morning found Olivia feeling blessed that she was finally a mother. And she couldn't wait to finally get out of the hospital and take her baby girl home, so that the three of them could be a family. Bella Olivia Stabler had arrived at dinner time as predicted. 7:03PM to be exact, weighing in a seven pounds, three ounces. Eighteen inches in length.
In Elliot and Olivia's eyes, absolutely perfect.
"What?" Olivia asked with a smile. As she sat nursing Bella in the hospital bed, she had felt Elliot's eyes on the both of them. "What are you staring at?"
Noticing that he'd been caught out, Elliot cleared his throat. "You two," he replied. "My girls.... So beautiful."
"Yeah, she's so perfect, El," she whispered, stroking a still nursing Bella's silky dark brown hair. "We did good."
"Yes, we did," Elliot agreed and kissed Olivia's head before caressing Bella's baby soft cheek with the tip of his index finger.
"Are you sure on her name?" Olivia asked suddenly having second thoughts.
Furrowing his brows, Elliot rolled his eyes playfully as he watched Olivia move the baby up to her shoulder to burp. "Baby, we've been through this a dozen times since we found out she was going to be a girl," he said, leaning over to cover up her chest again with the thin, flimsy hospital gown. "We both agreed on the name. What's bothering you now, sweetheart?"
Olivia sighed. "I'm just not sure... Are you certain you want to name our daughter after me, El?"
"Livvy, we've been through this. Bella is beautiful just like you... She's going to be strong and independent too, just like her mommy. It's a beautiful, strong name. I really want to name our baby girl after you. Her beautiful, amazing mother," he assured her and kissed her on the lips.
"Okay, since I got to choose her first name and I promised that you could pick her middle name..." Olivia couldn't help but smile, "We have Bella Olivia Stabler," she whispered and kissed Bella's cheek just as she released a loud baby blech right in her ear. "Excuse you, little miss," Olivia laughed. "I wonder where she gets that from," she said and turned to Elliot.
Elliot feigned shocked, putting his hands up in front of him. "Who me? No way," he laughed.
"So beautiful," Olivia whispered, still captivated by Bella's chubby face. She had a bruise on her forehead from being stuck for so long as Olivia tried her hardest to push out Bella's slightly too big head out. It had taken close to two hours for Bella to be born and Olivia had been completely worn out. Physically and emotionally. "I can't wait till we can get out of here, El."
"The doctor said this afternoon if everything continues to go well, babe," Elliot assured her and kissed her on the lips.
Olivia returned the kiss and pulled away with a smile. "I never want to take my eyes off of her."
"You need to sleep though, hon," he laughed softly, stroking back Bella's short hair.
"I know," Olivia whispered, caressing Bella's cheek, "But she's so beautiful. I finally have my little girl and I'm scared that if I look away she'll stop breathing or something."
"All new moms are like that, beautiful, but Bella here, is very healthy," he assured her, rubbing her arm.
Olivia nodded. "I know, I know." She sighed but looked up at Elliot with a smile. "Cragen still giving you two weeks off to be at home with us?" she asked hopeful.
"Yes, he sure is," Elliot assured her and pecked her on the cheek. "Now rest. I can hold Bella, I'm not going anywhere."
Sighing, Olivia reluctantly handed the newborn over to her father but as soon as her head hit the pillow she was out like a light, she was still so exhausted.
"Look, Bella bug, Mommy is asleep. You weren't really wanting to come and you exhausted her," he laughed lightly and kisses Bella's head.
Bella yawned and reached up aimlessly with an open fist before bringing it back down, closing it. Her chocolate brown eyes blinked and she fell asleep.
Elliot smiled and took a good look at his new daughter. He went through her facial features, running the tip of a finger down her tiny nose as he worked his way down memorizing everything about his baby girl. Finally getting to her tiny feet which were covered in frilly pink socks, he smiled and gently pulled one off. "Your mommy's toes. You have your mommy's toes, thank goodness," he whispered to himself and put her sock back on as she grunted in her sleep. "You have Daddy's fingers though," he whispered and kissed her hand.
After a while, Elliot laid Bella in her clear bassinet with her name and birth information displayed on the side. "Sweet dreams, Bella boo," he whispered and kissed her hand. He needed coffee badly.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
As promised by the doctor because everything continued to go well, Olivia and Bella were finally allowed to go home. So their first forty-eight hours with a newborn in the house was about to begin. They just wondered how they'd cope and they just hoped that they could.
"Peuw, what is that smell?" Elliot asked, locking the door behind them as Olivia gently lifted Bella out of her carrier.
"That, my love, would be our little girl's first home poop," Olivia laughed. "Wanna come help me change her?"
"Of course," Elliot replied and followed his girls into the nursery.
The nursery's walls were painted a pale pink colour and the white sleigh crib was set perfectly in front of a feature wall, which was had mythical creatures painted on it. Olivia had painted it during her last months of pregnancy, while she was on maternity leave. Elliot had been surprised at how artistic his wife was, and that he had never known.
"El? Earth to Elliot?" Olivia laughed. "Our daughter needs a fresh diaper here."
"Oh," Elliot cleared his throat and grabbed a diaper and passed it to Olivia standing at the changing table. "There you go, Liv."
"Thanks, El," she said and continued to clean up and dress the newborn. "What were you daydreaming about?"
"Oh nothing, baby," he assured her, watching Olivia dress their daughter. She looked so natural doing it, like she'd been doing it for years. He then watched Olivia swaddle the baby, just like that was second nature as well. "Ah, Liv, can she breath like that? Isn't she uncomfortable?" he asked, panicking.
Olivia laughed. "She's prefectly content, El. It reminds babies of being in the womb," she reassured him, caressing his cheek before picking Bella up. "Come on, let's go out into the living room. Bella is due for her next feeding very soon and everyone will come and see her before the night is out."
Nodding, Elliot rested his hand on the small of her back and led her into the living room.
Everyone seemed to have decided that they wanted to arrive right in the middle of Bella's first home feed.
The door bell rang and Olivia groaned. "El, could you please pass me that pink blanket over there in Belle's carrier?" she asked, pointing. She needed something to cover herself up, so that she would nurse discreetly. She loved their colleagues as family but still didn't feel comfortable enough to have her breasts out in open, in front of them.
"Sure, baby," Elliot said and grabbed the dark pink blanket, which had Bella Olivia embroided on it, from the carrier. "Here you go," he whispered and passed it to her before heading to the door. "Ready?"
Making sure she was completely covered, Olivia nodded. "Yeah, let them in," she sighed.
"Afternoon," Elliot greeted them, opening the door. Standing on the doorstep were Captain Cragen, Fin, Munch, Casey, Alex and some of Elliot's family.
The gang said their 'hellos' and headed straight over to Olivia and the baby, all bearing baby gifts.
"Bella eating, huh?" Casey asked softly, sitting beside Olivia on the couch.
Full of motherly pride, Olivia nodded, rubbing Bella's back through the cotton blanket. "Yeah, she should be finished soon though. Would you like to burp her?"
"Oh yes please," Casey replied, smiling.
When Bella was finished, Olivia handed her to Casey and quickly covered herself up again to avoid getting a chill.
"She's so beautiful, Olivia. You and Elliot have done well. So well," Casey said, gently rubbing anf patting Bella's back.
Olivia smiled, just as the door bell rang again. She looked around the room at everyone confused. They hadn't been expecting anyone else. "El, did you invited anyone else?"
"No," Elliot replied, shaking his head and headed over to the door, just as confused as his wife. Opened the door and suddenly got furious. "What the hell are you two doing here?! You weren't invited," he hissed. "You've caused my wife too many hassles. And we certainly don't want you near our child."
"Want to make the situation worse, Detective Stabler?" one of the men on the doorstep asked harshly.
"And what situation would this be? You need to be more specific," Elliot asked, getting sarcastic, still not moving from the doorway to let the two unwanted guests in.
"You know exactly what situation, Elliot," the other man answered.
"And you both just had to turn up today and cause us trouble, didn't you?!" he snapped, getting angier.
"Elliot, who's at the door?" Olivia asked, approaching baby-less. Bella had been taken hostage by her numerous aunties and uncles.
"Liv, baby, go back to the baby," Elliot whispered, trying to block her view past the wooden door.
"Elliot, just show me who it is," she ordered this time.
Sighing, Elliot finally moved out of the way. There on the doorstep stood the last two people on Earth that Olivia wanted to see, especially right now.
"Dean Porter?! Sargent Tucker?! What the hell are you two doing here?!" Olivia asked, furiously, her arms folded on her chest as her breathing quickened in anger. "Who invited you to my house?!"
"Who said we need an invitation?!" Tucker yelled. "I own you two!"
Olivia gasped. "Own us?! No-one owns us. We're not material goods! We're fucking people!" she yelled angerily.
"Just remember who you're talking to, Benson. Who the Hell authorized your marriage and allowed to you two continue to be partners?! Me! That's right, I own you!"
Seeing that Olivia was going to burst, Elliot wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her arms up and down, in an attempt to calm her down. He kissed her neck and whispered, "Calm down, baby. Go check on Bella. She'll probably want another diaper change soon."
Olivia took a few deep breaths and nodded. "Okay, okay," she whispered and kissed him on the lips before heading back to their baby and their guests.
"What do I need to do to make you go away?" Elliot asked, heading out the front and closing the door behind him.