"Olivia?" Elizabeth Stabler grinned when Olivia made her way downstairs from the bathroom. "Wow…I haven't seen you forever," she ran up and hugged her, taking Olivia a bit off guard.

"Lizzie?" she asked, staring at the girl who was now a woman. She was almost as tall as Olivia, with long blonde hair braided down her back. "Look at you…" she smiled. "You're all grown up."

"I'm in college," she smiled. "I'm majoring in journalism. I should graduate next year." She looked toward the living room where her twin brother was busy trying to straighten the Christmas tree and Noah and Kate were wrapping themselves in garland. "Your little boy is adorable."

"Thanks," she smiled. "Dickie…move the tree a little to the right," she suggested and he looked up at her and smiled.

"Olivia…I was wondering when you'd get here," he finished fidgeting with the tree and stood up, "Dad wouldn't let us decorate the tree until you got here. Oh, and just call me Richard, okay?"

"Got it…Richard," she sat down on the couch, and Noah toddled over to her. She picked him up, sitting him in her lap and he leaned back and cuddled in her arms. He was tired. It was almost his bedtime and she'd just made it home. Some holiday this was turning out to be. She kissed him and held him close, "Mommy missed you today," she whispered. Then she looked around the room, wondering where the rest of the family was, Elliot included.

"Go get Eli," Elizabeth said quickly. "I think he's upstairs." So her brother walked upstairs to find the youngest of the Stabler clan. Elizabeth sat next to Olivia, "Dad said you'd probably stay because of the snow. Are you staying?" she asked.

"Probably," Olivia nodded, feeling more uncomfortable by the minute.

It was only a matter of time before everyone else bounded into the room. Olivia stared in awe when she saw seven year old Eli. She barely recognized him. She hadn't seen him since he was a toddler, and she'd always felt a strong connection to the little boy she'd helped deliver the day she and Kathy had been in what could have been a tragic car accident. She remembered holding Eli in her arms while his mother coded in the ambulance, the fear she felt when she realized she might have to tell Elliot that his wife was dead, and the relief she felt when she finally knew Kathy would be alright. As much as she'd loved Elliot…she never wanted things to end up like that…and the sad, lingering hug he'd given her at the hospital after he'd seen his wife and son still ached in her soul. That was when she knew he could never choose her over them, no matter how much he might have wanted to. He may have loved her, but he was committed to his family and even she couldn't break that. And now here she was, trapped in the house with them, and all she wanted to do was grab her son and go home.

"Olivia…" Kathy's smile looked genuine, as Olivia swallowed the lump in her throat. "I hope you don't mind spending the holiday with all of us. I can't believe the airport canceled my flight," she looked almost as uncomfortable as Olivia. She grabbed the man standing next to her and wrapped her arm around him, "This is my husband, Paul. Paul…this is Elliot's ex-partner, Olivia Benson."

Olivia extended her hand, "Nice to meet you."

"Come on," Maureen picked up Kate and smiled. "Let's get this tree decorated."

Olivia let Noah down from her lap so he could help with the festivities, but she was scared to move from her place on the sofa. She had her coat, carefully situated in her lap, trying to hide what she was sure would be obvious to everyone…and she didn't know how to keep that up all night.

"Your son is precious," Kathy sat down next to her while her husband went to help the kids with the tree. "You must be so proud of him."

"I am," she agreed, her pulse racing. "I love him more than I could ever have imagined loving anyone."

"Yeah," Kathy nodded. "Kids do that to you." She smiled, "Thanks for hiring Maureen…she really needed a steady job."

"She's great," Olivia insisted. "Noah loves her…and I could never find anyone else I could depend on like her. She's been a Godsend."

"She really needed this after that asshole of an ex treated her the way he did," Kathy sputtered. "So I just want you to know I appreciate you looking after her." She stood up and walked over to Elliot who was helping Eli pull apart icicles. "Come help me in the kitchen," she suggested. "We can make some cocoa for everyone." Elliot glanced at Olivia, still sitting in the same position on the couch and she nodded, letting him know she didn't care if he left her there. So he reluctantly followed his ex-wife into the kitchen.

Kathy started to heat the milk on the stove while Elliot grabbed cups from the cupboard. They could see into the living room where everyone was busy throwing years-worth of handmade decorations on the tree. The twins were arguing over the best place to put their grandmother's glass bulbs and the little kids were gleefully piling ornaments on the bottom branches. Olivia pulled herself up from the couch then, placing Noah on her hip so he could reach some of the higher branches…trying to even out the ornament display, and Kathy watched them knowingly. "Olivia looks good," Kathy stood next to her ex-husband as they both stared at the scene in the living room. "I haven't seen her in a while."

"Yeah," he agreed. "I'm glad she decided to stay tonight."

"She's gained weight…nice to know she's not so perfect anymore," Kathy feigned a slight chuckle. Then she looked at Elliot with solemn seriousness, "Is her son yours Elliot?" she asked.

He turned to her, his eyes widened with disbelief. Kathy always knew how to push his buttons, even when she wasn't trying to. "She adopted Noah," he answered. "Why would you even ask me that?"

"He looks just like her," she shrugged. "I wouldn't have guessed he was adopted. I just thought…you two seem awfully close…"

"Me and Liv?" he asked. "Or me and Noah?"

"Both," she sighed. She stared as Olivia situated Noah again, trying to balance him better on her hip. "What about the baby she's carrying?" she looked at him. "Is it yours?" The shock on Elliot's face made her want to laugh and she had to force herself not to. Did he really think she was that stupid? "Don't look so surprised," she told him. "I've carried five babies Elliot and I've been pregnant four times. I recognize a pregnant woman when I see one." She motioned toward the living room, "See how she keeps moving Noah from one hip to the other…she's trying to take some of the pressure off her back. And how she keeps moving his little feet away from her belly whenever he squirms…she knows he's gonna kick her in the stomach with his little boots. I've been there, Elliot…I've done that." She looked at him and smiled, "Besides, that sweater she's wearing really doesn't do much to hide it. You didn't answer me. Is it your baby?"

"Yeah," he poured cocoa into the milk on the stove, stirring it mindlessly.

"I figured," she sighed. "When are you going to tell the kids?"

"I was planning to tell them today," his voice was bitter. "Before she got here. I didn't want her to have to be here when I did it…in case it didn't go well."

"But I ruined that for you?" she asked. "I'm sorry…"

"You couldn't control the snow storm," he sat at the table and Kathy walked over and sat next to him. "Kath…the kids aren't going to be happy about this. I don't want to hurt them…and I don't want to hurt Liv."

"The kids are more grown up than you think," she smiled. "I wouldn't be surprised if they already know. How did Maureen take it? I assume she knows, right?"

"She was wonderful…about everything…" he said gratefully.

"What do you mean…everything?" Kathy asked.

"Kathy…this hasn't been an easy pregnancy," he admitted. "I've been kind of a jerk…"

"Why does that not surprise me?" she laughed.

"I'm being serious," he admitted. "I really hurt her. I didn't want this baby and I told her that."

"You what?" she was shocked. She couldn't imagine Elliot doing anything other than pushing his feelings down and doing the right thing, because that was what he'd always done with her.

"I just couldn't imagine bringing another child into this world…" he admitted. "After what happened with Kathleen…I just didn't want to have to try to be a father again."

"You're already a father, Elliot…to four other great kids," she insisted. "Kathleen didn't change that…she didn't take away how important you are to them…or to this little baby."

"I know that…now," he sighed. "It took some time…"

"Olivia deserves better than that, Elliot," she said seriously. "She's not young…this pregnancy can't be easy on her…you should be making it as easy as possible…"

"I am," he argued. "I swear. Things are good now…really good." He couldn't believe he was sitting there while his ex-wife lectured him on being insensitive to Olivia. He watched as Kathy made her way to the stove, pouring the cocoa into cups. "Kathy…" she looked at him and he took a deep breath. "I want to ask you something…since you obviously know a hell of a lot more than I do about how to make a pregnant woman feel better about things…"

She laughed a little, "What, Elliot? What do you want to ask?"

"The baby…she has Down syndrome…" he saw Kathy's face change…saddened by the news and he hated that look. It was the look everyone gave the first time they heard it and it was heartbreaking to know the mention of your child provoked that response in people. "Liv's having a hard time with it," he admitted. "She loves this baby more than anything, but she's so scared and worried and just sad a lot of the time. How can I fix this for her…make things okay for her?"

"I don't know if you can," she said sadly. "Elliot…this is a hard thing…I can't imagine. Why would you have the testing done anyway? I know you're against that…"

"She did it," he told her. "Without telling me. I was mad at first, but now…I guess I'm glad we know. We can get ready for her…"

"Have you done that?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" he questioned.

"Gotten ready for the baby," she smiled. "Bought her clothes or started her baby book or picked out her name…the things you do when you're having a baby Elliot. Are you getting ready for your daughter?"

He shook his head, "I guess we've been too focused on learning about Down syndrome and how to help her with that."

Kathy nodded, "Well then that's where I think you have to start. Olivia's having a hard time with this, but she still deserves the chance to experience becoming a mother. You've been getting ready for her Down syndrome…you haven't been getting ready for the baby."

Her words struck like a knife and he knew she was right, "Thanks," he whispered.

"You should tell the kids tonight," she suggested. "If you want to do it alone, I can ask Olivia to come up and help me wrap presents or something. But you need to get this out in the open. You can't ask her to pretend for the whole holiday…and I think the kids will surprise you."

"Let's take the cocoa out," he smiled, grabbing the tray with the cups. He followed Kathy into the living room surprised when she walked over to Olivia and asked to hold Noah. Olivia handed her son to Kathy, and he watched as she stretched a little, working the kinks out of her back. Her back was hurting, and she hadn't said a thing about it, but Kathy knew just by looking at her. Even though he'd never loved her the way he thought he should have, he did love Kathy. He was grateful to her…for putting up with him for so many years and for giving him beautiful children and even now for not hating him completely for ruining their marriage. He was glad she was happy with Paul, even if he didn't care much for the guy. They all deserved to be happy…and he hoped they would be.

More soon...