CHRISTMAS EVE

She had been keeping her secret for two whole weeks. Two weeks of reveling in complete joy at the life growing inside her. She almost told Brian the day she found out but she thought about it and decided that she wanted to wait until Christmas to tell him the news. It had been a challenge keeping it under wraps especially with her symptoms in full swing. The pre-natal vitamins helped to alleviate her tiredness, but, they aggravated her morning sickness. She would be extremely nauseous until noon. Then, without fail, as soon as 6pm rolled around, she'd be on her knees retching violently and cursing the day she went off the pill. In addition, her hormones were making her cry at the slightest thing. Just yesterday, her desk drawer was stuck and she burst into tears, leaving Fin at a complete loss for words!

Nick was still the only person who knew about the baby and she made him swear to keep it to himself. She had no intention of anyone else finding out before Brian did so she made every effort to hide how sick she felt. Nick was a huge help. Every morning he would bring her club soda to help with her nausea but he'd put it in a coffee tumbler so that no one would question why she was drinking it. During the day, he would make sure that she took breaks if she looked tired and came up to the cribs to check on her to make sure that she was actually resting. Their friendship grew even stronger over him sharing something so personal with her. She knew nothing about what to expect, but he had been through it with Maria and was a welcome wealth of knowledge. She would often find herself amused at the fact that Nick, her male partner was her pregnancy buddy. But, neither Alex, nor Casey or Amanda could give much advice seeing as they'd never gone through it themselves. Besides, Casey and Alex were now thousands of miles away, Casey now a CADA in Los Angeles, and Alex being the Senior Legal Advisor for a women's rights advocacy group in Seattle.

She stood by the window, staring out at the city, admiring how beautiful it was when it snowed. She and Brian had decided to skip the parties they'd been invited to and just have a quiet Christmas Eve at home. Not since she was a child had she been so excited about the holidays. Brian wanted to make this Christmas extra special for her, complete with an 8 foot tree that they themselves had decorated and had done a pretty good job at. She smiled as she ran a hand over her still flat stomach. "our first Christmas together." She whispered to the baby then laughed to herself, feeling silly. Does it even have ears yet?

"Sorry about that, Babe." Brian apologized as he entered the living room, taking Olivia in his arms and kissing her. He had gotten a call from his Captain about a case they had just wrapped up and had spent more time than he'd wanted to on the phone.

"Tell me you don't have to go in tonight."

"Nope, all good!" he took her hand. "come, I want you to open your present."

"Isn't it a little early for that?"

"Nope, 12:02am, it is officially Christmas!" he kissed her before sitting her down on the sofa and going over to the tree to retrieve her gift from underneath.

"I thought we were gonna exchange tomorrow when everyone is here."

"We will, but this one..." he said as he took a huge, beautifully wrapped box from beneath the tree. "Is special!" her mouth fell open at the size of the box. It was about a foot tall and at least two feet wide on either side. He'd definitely piqued her interest.

"Bri, what did you do?" she asked incredulously as he sat the giant box on her lap and sat beside her.

"Merry Christmas, Babe!"

"Merry Christmas!" Their lips met for a long kiss before she looked down at the box again and squealed gleefully like an excited child and began to unwrap it. She carefully undid the bow and lifted the lid from the box. He sat watching, waiting for her reaction. She removed the tissue paper and was surprised to see another, slightly smaller box inside that was about a foot wide all around and 8 or 9 inches high. She looked at him perplexed. He gave a sly smile. She turned her attention back to her gift and untied the ribbon on the smaller box and opened it, again, more tissue paper. She took the paper out and couldn't help but laugh when she saw yet another box inside. This one was about six inches square, height and width.

"You're serious about this?" she couldn't stop laughing. He simply shrugged innocently as she untied the ribbon and began removing the tissue paper. "Brian, so help me, if there is another box insi-"

Her heart stopped. She looked over at him, she was speechless. She then looked back down at the box. This was the reaction he was waiting for.

Her hands were trembling as she reached inside and lifted out the little blue box tied with a white silk ribbon. The other boxes fell from her lap and onto the floor "oh my God!"

"Go ahead, open it" it made him happy to see her so excited. Her hands were still shaking and she felt like she couldn't breathe as she untied the ribbon from the box, letting it fall into her lap. She opened it and inhaled deep before lifting out the black velvet box inside. Her chest was heaving and tears were falling. She paid no attention to the fact that Brian had now moved from the sofa, down to the floor and was kneeling on one knee in front of her and she was not prepared when she opened that little velvet box saw the most perfect 2 Carat, square cut solitaire. In that moment, badass Benson temporarily ceased to exist, leaving a soft, pink, sobbing girl in her place.

"Bri..." she could barely get the words out. "I-is this...?" he smiled and took the ring from the box and took her left hand in his, looking into her eyes.

"Liv I'm no good with words, but I'm good with you; we're good together. And, what I knew 14 years ago is the same as what I know now; that I love you!" now he was crying too. "you already have my heart; I want you to have my name. Will you marry me, Babe?" he slipped the ring on her finger and kissed it.

She was crying so hard, she couldn't speak so instead she nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes!" she cried as she threw her arms around him and pulled him in for a passionate kiss.

They ended up making love right there on the sofa. Afterwards, they lay there in basking in the serenity of the moment, her body on top of his, his chin resting on the top of her head while he stroked her hair.

"I can't believe how beautiful it is." she was staring at the ring on her finger. He entwined his fingers with hers. "I love it."

"and I love you!" he said. She smiled sweetly. "what are you thinking for the wedding? Big event?" she shook her head.

"No. Very small, and intimate, nothing fancy"

"we could do it soon then" he suggested, she sat up, straddling him, the throw blanket that covered them falling around her naked hips.

"How soon?" she wondered

"New Years Eve?" he asked, kissing her hand

"Wow!" she exclaimed, never imagining that he meant that soon.

"Too soon?"

"Nope. Perfect" she smiled.

"So, it's a go?"

"I don't know" she looked down at her stomach "what do you think?"

"Babe, who are you talking to?" she looked at him and smiled, tears filling her eyes once more then took his hand and placed it on her still-flat stomach.

"Your baby."

Now he was the one in shock. He put both hands to her stomach and for a long moment, he just allowed his palms to lie there against it as if he could feel the life growing inside her. He was completely overwhelmed, but in the best way possible!

"My - I'm gonna be a father? " a huge smile spreading across his face.

"Merry Christmas, Babe!"