Thanks again for the reviews! It means a lot that people take the time to share their thoughts on my story. I appreciate everyone for taking the time to read. I am glad everyone was happy with that last chapter. Here is some more...

The day after Christmas, Olivia was determined to hit the mall for the after-holiday sales. Shopping had always been her one weakness and she laughed remembering how Elliot used to tease her about her designer purses and shoes that she spent a fortune on and then never had an occasion to wear, most of which were still cluttering her closet. She wasn't going that route this time. She wanted simple maternity clothes that she could wear for the next few months and then get rid of. She knew she'd never be pregnant again, so it didn't make sense to spend a lot. And after breakfast, which was nothing like the affair of Christmas Day, she grabbed her future step-daughters and piled in the car headed toward the mall they swore was the best one in Queens.

"I'm glad Dad decided to watch Noah and Kate," Maureen smiled. "Shopping with those two would have been a mess."

Olivia laughed, "Tell me about it. I can't even get through the grocery store with Noah sometimes." She turned the wheel, glancing at her hand and her diamond engagement ring. Elliot had announced to everyone at breakfast that they were engaged, and they all seemed happy about it, even though Eli kept pushing them to tell him when they were getting married and Richard had made a comment about how they should hurry before Olivia was 'so big' that everyone knew why they were getting married. Elliot had been sure to tell him, and everyone else within earshot that he was marrying Olivia because he loved her and not because she was pregnant, but in her heart she really did question it herself. She didn't doubt that he loved her, but she also was smart enough to recognize the baby had pushed their relationship forward much faster than either of them had expected.

"Turn up here," Elizabeth pointed toward one of the mall entrances and Olivia pulled the car in. It was packed, and they drove around forever looking for a parking space before settling on one far away from the door.

They walked through the mall, looking at all the sales and Elizabeth bought a few things for herself and a necklace for her college roommate saying they had agreed to exchange gifts after the holiday break. Maureen chose a few outfits for Kate, marked down to less than half price and she pulled a newborn-size, pink, lacy dress from the rack and held it out to Olivia, "You should get this," she suggested. "For the baby…it's so cute."

Olivia looked at the little dress and smiled. It was adorable, and for a brief second she could picture dressing her baby girl in it, but then she stopped herself. She hadn't bought one thing for the baby yet, and she knew it seemed wrong, but she didn't want to. She was scared, afraid to prepare for this baby and then have everything fall apart. Even at sixteen weeks, she was afraid something bad could happen and she'd lose the baby, or she'd be born too early and not survive, or her heart would be damaged beyond repair, and Olivia knew she couldn't face going home empty handed to an apartment filled with tiny pink baby clothes. She should have talked to Elliot about it before now, but she hadn't and he hadn't mentioned wanting to buy things for the baby either, so she assumed he was feeling the same way. "It's cute…" she said. "But I don't think it's the right time to buy baby things."

"Why not?" Elizabeth asked. "She's going to need clothes…and it's precious. Besides, this is a Stabler girls shopping trip, and she is a Stabler girl." She smiled.

Olivia looked at her, and knew she couldn't explain how she was feeling without worrying and upsetting her. "Alright," she took the dress from Maureen and ran her finger along the lacy trim. "It is really pretty…"

A couple of hours later they were loaded down with shopping bags, despite the fact that Olivia had been frustrated by all the maternity clothes. They were either too big because she wasn't showing enough yet, or too small because she was taller than average, or they looked like they were designed for a pregnant high-schooler. She went through rack after rack of clothes, trying on more things than she could count, before finally settling on a few things that she'd decided would work. Mostly they were things she could wear to work, but Maureen had convinced her to buy some decent maternity jeans, claiming she'd be glad she did, and when the two sisters went to the bookstore to pick up a book Elizabeth needed for school, Olivia had stayed in the maternity store, looking at the lacy negligees and nighties, trying to find something that would be a little more appealing to Elliot than the yoga gear she was wearing to bed now…something to ignite the much-needed spark that her son's cries seemed to snuff out every single night. She finally chose one, black with red lace trim, and even though she knew it would leave her scarred chest exposed, she decided that it was something she needed to work through. It wasn't like Elliot had never seen the scars, and it didn't seem to lessen his desire for her, so it was something she had to come to terms with in her own way and now was as good a time as any to face it. After she bought it, she hid it under her other clothes so Maureen and Elizabeth wouldn't see it. She didn't feel comfortable shopping for lingerie with Elliot's daughters.

"I'm exhausted," she said when the girls exited the book store and found her sitting on a bench outside the store. "I think I'm done with shopping for the day…"

"Really?" Elizabeth asked. "We've only hit half the stores." She sat next to her, putting her hand on her stomach, "Little one is wearing you out, huh?"

Olivia nodded, "Always…I've never been so tired in my life." She sighed, "And I have to go to the bathroom again…and I'm hungry…"

"Sounds about right," Maureen laughed.

They walked in the door and it was quiet…unusually quiet for the Stabler house. Elliot walked in from the kitchen, kissing her softly, "Kate and Noah are taking a nap," he explained. "And Dickie took Eli to the movies."

"That explains the peace and quiet," Olivia smiled.

The girls took their bags upstairs and Elliot looked surprised that Olivia didn't have any bags with her, "You didn't buy anything?" he asked. "Shopaholic like you…"

"My bags are in the car," she explained, sitting on the couch and putting her feet up on the coffee table. "My feet are killing me," she sighed. "I think they're starting to swell…"

"Is that my cue to go bring your bags in myself?" Elliot teased, but he was surprised when she shook her head.

"No…" she sighed. "Just leave them. I'm going home tonight anyway."

"What do you mean?" Elliot asked, confused. "I told you…Dickie and Lizzie are going to be here until New Year's Eve and I have Eli until New Year's Day, Liv. I can't just up and go back to Manhattan…"

"I didn't ask you to," she replied. "I said I was going home tonight. I didn't say you had to come with me."

"I thought you were staying here," he admitted. "Especially now…"

"El…I can't stay in Queens for a week. I have to go back to work tomorrow," she explained. "And besides, I miss my bed…Noah's cranky here…"

"You haven't really given it a chance, Liv," he insisted. "If you give it some time, I know you'll both like it here…and the commute to work isn't bad. I drove it for years…"

She looked at him and realized for the first time that he expected her to stay…as if the ring on her finger that made her part of the Stabler family also tied her to that house and the life he'd built there. She didn't know what to say, because as much as she loved him, she couldn't stay there forever, "El…we never talked about me staying here."

"We're engaged," he said. "You didn't think that meant I wanted you here with me?"

"Elliot…" she exhaled slowly, trying to think of the right thing to say. "I came here for Christmas…not forever…"

"So what the hell do you think I'm supposed to do," he asked, his voice angry and hurt. "I've been staying with you in the city as much as I can…driving back for work…"

"I didn't ask you to," she felt defensive. "You wanted to…"

"Because I wanted to take care of you and the baby," he reminded her. "But we can't spend our lives driving back and forth, Liv. We are supposed to be engaged, remember? You said you wanted me to adopt Noah with you. That's a serious commitment and I want us to be together."

"I want that to," she admitted. "But I really need my apartment Elliot. I just…I can't get comfortable here…"

"Liv, your apartment isn't big enough anyway. Noah's room is tiny and you're crazy if you think we can fit another baby in there too. And what about my other kids?" he stood up, rubbing the back of his neck in frustration. "I'm not moving some place where there isn't room for my kids."

"I don't know what we're going to do," she sighed. "But we don't have to do anything right now. I just want to go home so I can relax a little and get Noah back in his routine," she said. "You can stay here this week. I don't need you to come with me."

"You don't need me?" he shook his head, "But you need that damn apartment."

"It's my home, Elliot!" she yelled.

"Yeah…the home you bought with Cassidy," he kicked one of Eli's toy trucks across the floor, smashing it against the wall. "Do whatever the hell you want!" he stormed off as she stared at him in disbelief.

That night, after she'd put Noah to bed in his own crib, she looked at the shopping bags scattered across her bed. She pulled out the clothes, placing them on hangers and putting them away in her closet. She pulled out the black nightgown she'd bought in the hopes of creating a romantic evening with Elliot, and tossed it in a dresser drawer. She was picking up the bags, ready to throw them out when she realized there was still something in the bottom of one of them. She reached in and pulled out the tiny, pink dress she'd bought for the baby. She sat on the bed, staring at it, running her fingers over the lace and embroidery. Then she put it to her face, touching her skin with the delicate fabric and smelling it…almost as if she expected it to have that new baby smell. Then she let herself cry, long and hard, longer and harder than she'd cried in quite a while. She couldn't stop thinking about Elliot, storming out of the room and screaming Do whatever the hell you want…and he'd given her the cold shoulder the rest of the afternoon until she'd finally had enough, telling the kids she had to get back home for work, and bucking her son in his car seat, heading for home. She took a deep breath, wiping away her tears, and folded the tiny dress carefully, putting it back in the bag. Then she tossed the bag in the back of her closet.

She lay on the bed, running her hand over her stomach and trying not to think about anything. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, trying to relax enough to fall asleep…and then she opened them, gasping when she felt the tiny flutter deep inside her. She wasn't sure at first, but then she felt it again and she knew it was the baby. "Oh my God…" she sputtered, laughing and crying at the same time, unable to control her emotions. She picked up her phone, listening while it rang on the other end.

"Liv?" Elliot's voice sounded more worried than angry. "Is something wrong?"

"El…the baby…" she suddenly couldn't get the words out.

"What's wrong?" he asked nervously.

"Nothing…" she cried. "I felt her move…"

He didn't say anything for a while, and she wondered if he was still so angry that he didn't even want to talk to her about their baby. Then he spoke, his voice calm and gentle, "I'm glad," he said. "I wish I was there…" And she knew that even though the flutters were too soft for him to feel, that he'd have given anything to be there for her the very first time she felt their daughter move.

"El…I'm sorry…" she said sadly.

"Me too," he sighed. "We'll figure this out…"

"Yeah," she agreed.

"Goodnight Liv," she could hear him exhale into the phone. "Sleep well…"

"You too," she whispered. "I love you…"

"I love you too," he added. "Don't let the little one keep you up all night."

She hung up the phone, putting her hand back on her stomach and wishing the baby would move again, but she didn't. "Goodnight baby girl," she whispered. Then she closed her eyes and fell asleep.