Hope you enjoy this chapter. I was able to update a lot quicker this time.
"The prosecution calls Miss Olivia Benson to the stand. Miss Benson, please tell the court how you know Elliot Stabler."
"He was my partner for eleven years."
"How was your relationship? Was it mainly professional or did it become personal, too?"
"Our relationship was good. We understood each other and had each other's backs. We always kept our relationship professional."
"Don't you have a child together?"
"Yes, a daughter."
"Well, doesn't that take your relationship to a personal level?"
"I guess so."
"Isn't it true you hid your pregnancy from Elliot because you didn't think he would be a good father."
"Well yes, but not for that reason; it was compli—"
"Miss Benson, just answer the question, did or did you not hide your pregnancy from Mr. Stabler?"
"Yes, I did."
"Thank you, that's all."
Elliot's lawyer got up and began to question Olivia.
"Miss Benson, you said you knew my client for eleven years, isn't that right?"
"Yes."
"In those eleven years, did you ever not trust him?"
"No, I trusted him with my life and still till this day I do."
"What kind of father would you say Mr. Stabler is?"
"An amazing father, he would do anything for his children; he would walk through fire for them, he is there for them no matter what and always will be. He loves them, with all his heart."
"All his children; even Gabriella?"
"Yes all of them, even Gabriella. I love seeing them together, he's great with her. She is very loved by him as well as her sisters and brother."
"Mr. Stabler's ex-wife is suing for custody on the terms that he doesn't have any time for them and they are left alone, is this true?"
"No, it definitely is not; he spends all the time with them that he can."
"How do you know it?"
"Because if his ex-wife gets full custody of them, it's not just Elliot that she's taking them away from; I'd be losing them too. We've been living together for the past four weeks, Lizzie and Dickie stay home with me and Gabriella when Elliot is at work. On days that I have an appointment or something, they either come with me or they go to this amazing camp that they love. I love those kids as if they were my own. When Elliot gets home, we all do something as a family whether we go out or stay at home and play a board game or do an arts & crafts activity. Elliot and I love those kids. Don't they deserve to live with us as a family, rather then live with their biological mom and be pushed off onto a nanny?"
"Thank Miss Benson; you can take your seat. I have no more questions."
As Olivia got back to her seat with the children and sat down the judge said,
"Court will be taking a fifteen minute recess and be back with my decision then."
Twenty minutes later…
"Is there anyway to have Kathy's rights terminated, Ms Benson and I have been talking lately and even though we aren't married, we are living together; she and I would both like for her to be the children's other legal guardian. She wants to adopt them."
"Mr. Stabler you will have to file for that and another court date will be set; please don't start pushing your luck just yet," the judge told him.
"Thank you."
Elliot walked over to Olivia and the children, he pulled her up into a hug and kissed her; then, hugged each of his kids. He had never been so excited; he finally knew that there was no way his kids would be taken away from him now. Elliot picked up the car seat that held Ella, who had the biggest little grin across her face like she knew exactly what was going on or something. He walked out hand in hand with Olivia, who was carrying Lizzie who kept asking question after question. Lizzie was filled with delight that they were never going to have to leave her dad and Olivia again. Lizzie looked up at Olivia and said,
"Mommy, I love you."
"I love you too baby. Come on let's get you guys in the car. Maureen and Kathleen are you going to meet us back at our apartment?"
"Nah, we are going to head to finishing packing our stuff at Kathy's but we will be over in the morning to pick up Lizzie, Dickie and Ella, we want to take them out and do something fun. Plus, you two can finally have a break."
"Okay, see you guys then, I love you two."
"We love you too, Liv." Maureen and Kathleen said in sync then went over and said bye to their father.
Elliot was setting Ella's car seat into its base when he heard the twins giggling from their hands up game with Olivia. Elliot felt Olivia's eyes on him as he climbed into the driver's seat. She leaned over, kissed him and said,
"I love you, let's get home, how about Chinese take-out? It's been a long day and I think everyone is exhausted."
Time had flew by and before Elliot knew it, he was cleaning up from dinner while Olivia gave the kids baths' and got them ready for bed. Elliot had just finished cleaning up went he felt Olivia behind him, she had her head resting on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"I missed you," she whispered into his neck.
Elliot turned around and took her into his arms, just stood there and held her for a while. After a while he said,
"Come let's go to bed."
That night they made love twice, the first time being the first time since they had conceived Ella. Olivia woke up the following morning with the biggest smile on her face, she finally felt like she was home. She slowly got up out of Elliot's arms, threw her hair into a ponytail and put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, to go get the kids' stuff ready for today. She walked into Lizzie's room to find her sitting on her bed playing barbies.
"Hey baby doll, what are you up to?"
"Just playing with my barbies, is it time for breakfast?"
"It is if you are hungry, are you hungry?"
"Yay, breakfast time!"
"How about I whip up some pancakes?"
"That sounds good, Mommy."
"Okay, let's go get Ella and see if your brother is up."
Elliot woke to the smell of pancakes and maple syrup. He walked into the kitchen to find the kids seated around the table coloring, Ella on top of the table in her bouncy seat trying to figure out how to get her toes in her mouth and Olivia at the stove making pancakes. He walked up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Liv, it smells amazing, how come you didn't wake me?"
"You looked so peaceful, I figured you could use the sleep; plus I couldn't fall back to sleep, otherwise I would have stayed and slept with you. Besides, I got everything ready for the girls today when they take the twins and the baby. So really we just need to finish breakfast and get them dressed. The girls called a little while ago, they are on there way. They are going to bring their stuff up to your apartment then come have breakfast and leave with the kids."
"Sounds like you have everything under control."
Before they knew it breakfast was over, Elliot was finishing cleaning up as Olivia walked the kids down to the car with Maureen and Kathleen. She made sure they had everything they needed from diapers to the stroller, extra clothes and band-aids. Hey with three kids under the age of ten anything could happen. She said her good-byes; made sure everyone was buckled in, and then made her way back to the apartment.
When she got to the door she heard a soft tune playing, she opened the door to find Elliot standing in the living room waiting for her, a song was playing in the background. She just looked at him confused.
You were Juliet and I was into you
And I asked you out 'til you couldn't say no
And you finally felt it too
I drove you down the boulevard
That's where you took my heart
And you gave me yours instead
And every day you find new ways to be beautiful
"Liv, don't say anything, come here, just dance with me. This song is you and how I feel about you."
Olivia didn't say anything; she just walked over to Elliot and found herself immediately wrapped in his arms dancing.
You laugh at the garden that we grow in the lawn
Drink coffee in the kitchen with no makeup on
Sing all the wrong words to my favorite songs
You're beautiful and that's beautiful
You got lines on your face from sleepin' on me
Call me at work 'cause you lost your key
Go to buy a dog and you come home with three
You're beautiful and that's beautiful to me
Yeah
You turn every head when you walk into a room
But your kindness and your sweetened soul lingers like perfume
Babe, you coulda gone with Romeo but you let him go
And you stayed with me instead
And every day I find new ways that make you beautiful
You say, "honey give me roses, but don't buy red"
You need 46 pillows all over the bed
Guess every punchline before it's said
You're beautiful and that's beautiful
What you doin' with a guy like me?
You're so cool and I'm high tea
I don't deserve to have a girl as beautiful as you
Yeah you laugh at the garden that we grow in the lawn
Drink coffee in the kitchen with no makeup on
Sing all the wrong words to my favorite songs
You're beautiful and that's beautiful
You got lines on your face from sleepin' on me
Call me at work 'cause you lost your key
You go to buy a dog and you come home with three
You're beautiful and that's beautiful to me
You're so beautiful and that's beautiful to me
Elliot looked down at Olivia as the song ended and said,
"Liv, I love you. I always have and always will. You are amazing and the greatest, sweetest, kindest mother to our children. I never met a woman who is as gorgeous as you are both inside and out, whether you are sitting with our kids reading to them or cleaning up the kitchen in shorts, a t-shirt and your hair in a ponytail, you never complain," Elliot could see the tears running down Olivia's face as he got down on one knee, "like this morning you got up and did everything and didn't even ask for help. Liv, I love you. I want to be with you through the good and bad; the little black dresses and the ponytail hair days."
Elliot pulled a small black box out of his pocket, opened it then looked back up at Olivia, took her hand as he said,
"Liv, will you marry me?"
Please don't kill me for leaving this as a cliffhanger. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.
The song is not mine, it's called That's Beautiful to Me by Jaron & the long road to love or something like that. It's one of my favorite songs and I had to find a way to work it in and I did!
So what did you think of this chapter?