Thanks so much for the good reviews (and the ones with kind, constructive criticism.) I put a lot of myself into this story, but I've never claimed to be a professional writer (or even a good one,) so all I can do is the best I can. I'll keep posting until the end for those who still enjoy the story. Here is a bit more...but I promise the end is in sight.

"You look beautiful…" Elliot smiled when she walked out of the bedroom the next morning. Her knee length purple dress did wonders in brightening her otherwise pale complexion, as did the makeup she'd applied for the first time in weeks. She'd even managed to find delicate ballet-style shoes that fit over her swollen feet. While he knew it wasn't exactly how she'd hoped to look on her wedding day, he wanted her to know he wouldn't have preferred anything else. She was who he wanted…just the way she was.

"I don't feel beautiful," she admitted, but gave a smile anyway. "I feel huge." She ran her hand across her stomach and sighed, "I think I gained weight overnight…"

"I don't think so," he laughed.

"Are you two ready?" Elizabeth asked, carrying Noah in from the nursery, dressed in his new blue suit that matched Elliot's and Eli's. He was already trying to pull off his tiny red tie and Elizabeth grabbed his hand to keep him from ruining the outfit. "I wish you'd have agreed to leaving separately. You shouldn't see each other until the wedding."

"Why can't they see each other?" Eli asked inquisitively. "They have to see each other to get married."

Elliot laughed, "Your brother is right. Lizzie…the adoption hearing will be before the wedding anyway," he reminded her. "So we'd have to see each other first. It'll be okay…nothing is going to ruin this day."

"I hope not," Maureen added, grabbing her daughter's hand as they all headed toward the door.

"Do you need help, Dad?" Richard asked, watching his father move slowly with his walker, while Eli hopped along playfully beside him.

"I'm okay," Elliot insisted. "Why don't you help Olivia? I think she could use someone to lean on…" he said, watching her move heavily down the hall. He wanted nothing more than to help her himself, but it just wasn't something he could do yet. He watched as his son quickly walked up to her and grabbed her arm, making chit-chat as they walked, as if it was perfectly normal for them to walk and talk that way. All he could do was smile at his new family dynamic.

At the courthouse it felt like they'd been waiting forever. The judge had asked them to be there at 9:00, but there were a few other families finalizing adoptions ahead of them. They sat in the courtroom and watched as proud new parents signed the adoption papers and new birth certificates for their children, and a random court clerk was assigned the task of taking a family photo to memorialize the occasion. They were last in line, due to the wedding plans that would take place afterward and so they had plenty of time to watch other happy families welcome their new additions.

"They look really happy," Olivia said softly, as a couple much younger than she and Elliot welcomed a little girl who was probably around five years old into their life. The couple's parents and grandparents gathered around and took pictures while they signed the papers and hugged their little daughter happily.

"What are you thinking about?" Elliot whispered, noticing her face sadden as she watched them. "Is something wrong?"

"I was just watching that little girl's grandparents…and I was thinking about my mom," she admitted. "I wish she could have been a happier person, you know? I wish she could be here…that the drinking hadn't taken her away from me so early." She forced a weak smile, "It's just my stupid hormones," she wiped her eyes with a tissue. "Making me all emotional and pathetic."

"You're not pathetic," he squeezed her hand and watched her shift uncomfortably in her seat. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked, worried.

"Yeah," she smiled. "Much better than yesterday. I'm just not used to sitting like this…my back, you know? It just hurts worse sitting like this." Before she could say anymore, the judge called them and it was their turn to finalize their son's adoption.

They moved to the front of the room, and Olivia insisted on carrying Noah even though she knew probably shouldn't have. She wanted him there, in her arms, when she signed those papers. They'd been through so much, and she couldn't let go of the fear that something could still go wrong. As Judge Linden handed them the papers, she smiled, knowing she'd had a hand in creating this special family and she watched as Elliot struggled to sign his name legibly on the line. Then Olivia, shifting Noah as easily as she could grabbed the pen and signed her own name.

"Congratulations…" the judge smiled. Then she stepped down from the bench and took Noah from Olivia. "Do you mind? I just wanted the chance to hold him again. I've kind of had a soft spot for him since he first showed up on my case-load."

"No…of course you can hold him," Olivia smiled. He was getting too heavy for her anyway, even though she hadn't wanted to admit it.

"Noah Oliver Benson-Stabler…" the judge smiled at the little boy. "You are one lucky kid."

"We're the lucky ones," Elliot smiled. "Thanks for not giving up on us…I know the social worker wanted to take him."

"Nah…she just wanted to assert her authority," she looked at the rest of the family, sitting in the courtroom, "So…do you want to take your new family photo? Looks like the biggest group we've had all day." She laughed.

Olivia motioned for all of them to come forward. They gathered around Olivia and Elliot, Maureen holding Kate, and Elizabeth and Richard on either side of their father, while Eli stood by Olivia and grabbed her hand. Olivia glanced toward the seats where her friends were sitting…Cragen, Fin, Nick, and Amanda had been invited for the wedding, but they were a part of the family too and had taken a big step in helping care for Noah the past few months. "Come be in the picture," she insisted. "We want you too, right?" she looked to Elliot.

"Of course…" he agreed. "We'd love to have everyone in the picture."

The group reluctantly stepped forward to join the others and the judge looked at them and smiled, "This little guy has so many people who love him," she said. "Who wants to hold him in the picture?"

"Maybe you should," Olivia suggested.

"Oh, I don't ever join in the family photo," the judge said quickly.

"Well you should this time," Olivia insisted. "If it wasn't for you…we wouldn't be here." She took a deep breath and looked at everyone around her, "I wouldn't have any of this…if you hadn't asked me that day to take Noah. I'll be grateful to you for the rest of my life…you made this family."

"All right," the judge smiled, standing next to them and holding Noah who was fidgeting in her arms. "Smile, little one," she grinned as the clerk took the photo. Then she handed Noah to Richard, and looked at Olivia and Elliot, "What do you say we get this marriage started?"

"The sooner the better," Elliot laughed. "We've waited long enough."

"I think we waited just the right amount of time," Olivia admitted with a smile. Looking at her new family, she realized she didn't really miss her mother as much as she'd thought earlier. She wished her mom could see the person she'd become…that she could've been proud of her…that she'd had the chance to fall in love with her grandchildren. But in her heart, Olivia knew if her mother had been there that things probably wouldn't have worked out the way they had. Noah and her daughter had a whole family of relatives and friends to dote on them, care for them, believe in them…and for the first time in her life, Olivia realized she had that too.