Saturday 2/5

Liv had just barely gotten the car stopped when Noah had his seatbelt undone and was reaching for the door latch. She thanked god for child safety locks, not for the first time. "Wait for me."

"C'mon mom. The guys are waiting!" Liv laughed and shook her head as she let Noah out of the car watched him race ahead to Elliot's door and ring the bell while she walked steadily up the sidewalk, feeling every moment her age with the twinges in her ankle.

"Hey buddy." Elliot said smiling as he reached down and tussled Noah's soft curls, "You leave mom at home?"

"No, she's coming, I just ran ahead." Noah said as he took off his jacket and ran forward and seeing Eli poking his head out of his room headed straight there.

"Noah, you gotta see what Richard can do with the Easter Eggs hidden in Hitman 3." he said as Noah all but slid into Eli's room and said "WOAH" just as Elliot stepped outside and walked over to Liv.

"Hey Partner." He said stepping up next to her their bodies automatically adjusting for the other so they were instantly in perfect rhythm.

"A decade and an ocean Stabler." Liv said but her voice was teasing.

"You were getting too good. I had to learn new skills. I couldn't keep up with you."

"So it was a fragile male ego thing."

"Exactly."

Liv stops just outside his door and turns to look at him. "I want you to know something. I'm not mad. I was. I was mad and hurt and…."Liv pauses and takes a deep breath, "But I've had time and I think I understand. You couldn't come back after the shooting and I reminded you of what happened so …" Liv looks off to the side swallowing down the pain she feels.

"I was afraid if I saw you I'd come back." Elliot whispers. He steps a hair closer, there is barely a shaft of light between them now. "I went home to Kathy and I didn't move for a week. When I finally got out of bed, she told me we were leaving New York. We were leaving behind all of the bad memories and pain and we were going to start over." Elliot's hands slide up to rest on Liv's elbows, "I was unable to even pack my own bags Liv. She did everything. I was a zombie. I just did what she told me, which was mostly hold Eli and stay out of the way. Once we were in Italy and settled, things got easier. I could breathe again. I picked up the phone every day for 4 months and started to call you. I knew though, I knew if I heard your voice, I'd leave and come back and I couldn't. Kathy and I were on a good path for the first time in years. Eli was thriving and I was starting to feel like myself again. Your voice, the sound of you saying my name would have broken me and so I cancelled the phone line. I told the kids I didn't want them to tell me anything about New York and I promised Kathy I was devoted entirely to her. I got a job where I didn't have a partner and barely had a boss. I was either with Kathy and Eli or alone all the time and that was good for me then. And then one day, I was sitting alone on the balcony and all I could think was I wanted you to be sitting next to me sharing the view."

Elliot rubbed his face with his hands as he stepped back, "Kathy knew. She knew I'd thought of you. As soon as she saw me she knew and was mad at me. She wouldn't say your name, wouldn't tell me that she knew, but Liv, she knew you were back in our lives and this time you were never going to leave, because I wouldn't let you."

"Elliot." Liv said softly and laid a hand on his arm. He turned and looked at her and then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close and held her to him.

"You should be mad at me Liv. I was awful to you" his voice cracked and dropped lower, " To Kathy," Elliot paused and Liv could hear the pain in his voice, "To the kids." Liv could feel him fighting to stay in control.

"It's ok El. It's just us. No one else is around." She felt Elliot shake his head slightly and took his hand in hers and walked him back to her SUV and unlocked the back door and let him slide in. She slid in after him and wrapped her arms around him, his back laid against her chest and she held him to her as he fought off the tears that wanted to spill over.

"We all forgive you El. We all love you. We're just glad you were able to come back to us." Liv whispered softly against the light fuzz of his remaining hair. She didn't know then if she was speaking for herself, Kathy, the kids or all of them combined but her heart was telling her he needed to know this.

After a few moments, she felt him take a steadying breath and loosened her arms only to have Elliot pull them back around himself. She shut her eyes and laid her cheek down on his head and let him take the comfort he needed, knowing he would do the same for her if she would allow him.

"We should get back." He finally said a hint of regret tinging his voice, "My kids are worse than Munch and Fin when it comes to gossiping."

"They don't think?" Liv said as she slid out of the car.

"Some do and don't understand why we haven't told everyone. Some think it's too soon and others think the whole idea of us looking at each other like that is preposterous."

"You only have 5 kids El."

"Plus a son-in-law, a mother, and a few significant others who have been known to share their thoughts. Oh and don't forget the grandsons, who always have an opinion."

Liv smirked, "That's right, we better get you inside Grandpa before you catch your death being out in the cold." Elliot laughed.

Once inside Elliot took Liv's coat and hung it up next to his. Liv looked around and saw what appeared to be a nearly empty house. "Boys are all in Eli's room." Elliot explained. "Richard is teaching them some video game trick to get more points."

"Remember when his video game tricks solved that case." Liv said smiling.

"How can I forget being out detective'd by my own kid." El said with a smile and placed a gentle hand on the small of Liv's back and gently led her towards the kitchen where Maureen was chopping what looked like enough lettuce for the Marines and Lizzie and Kathleen were arguing over something with both of their heads in the fridge.

"Where's your grandmother?" Elliot asked surveying the room.

"Outside" Lizzie answered lifting her head. "Hey Liv."

"Hi"

Kathleen turned and walked over, "I'm so glad you're here. You can help us decide." She took Liv's hand and pulled her into the kitchen and over to the fridge where she and Lizzie had just been arguing. "Which tomatoes are ripe?"

Elliot laughed at the question, "Have fun. I'm gonna go check on your grandmother." And turned and walked away.

Liv shook her head, knowing that he was remembering her pre-Noah days when she couldn't even boil water without burning the pan. "Well, first of all. You should never store tomatoes in the fridge. So why don't we take these out and then when they're room temperature we can see how they feel."

Lizzie turned and looked at Kathleen, "Told you. Mom said the same thing. She learned that from that chef she was friends with, Daniella."

"I didn't know Kathy had become friends with a chef in Italy." Liv said encouragingly, "Did they cook together often?"

All three girls stopped and looked at each other and finally Kathleen said, "They met when mom and dad first moved there and mom was trying to buy food at a market. Daniella helped translate and then offered to teach mom Italian if mom taught her more English."

"Really. Tell me more."

"It's ok Liv." Maureen said, "We can talk about mom anytime."

"Girls, your mom was my friend. I miss her too. Your father and I were talking about her earlier."

"You and dad talk about mom?" Lizzie asked surprised.

"Of course."

"Liv are you and Dad dating?" Lizzie asked

"Lizzie!" both sisters hissed.

Liv smiled, "No. We are just friends."

"Told you." Kathleen said mimicking her younger sister and Maureen rolled her eyes.

"Thank you for asking me Lizzie and not letting it eat at you. I'll tell you what I told your brother years ago. You can ask me anything."

"We all saw what not asking did." Maureen said softly and the other two sisters looked down and turned their heads.

"Your mom was a good woman. I don't know that I wouldn't have felt exactly the same if the man I loved spent more time with another woman than with me."

"She didn't trust him." Kathleen said "He never did anything and she never trusted him."

"That was their fight. Yours is to be able to see both sides and love them anyway." Liv said stepping over to Kathleen and speaking not to the woman in front of her but to the angry teenager she used to know.

Kathleen paused and looked at Liv and nodded, "Ok." And then rather impulsively she hugged Olivia before going back to the fridge and pulling out all of the tomatoes.

"Olivia!" Liv heard the joyous voice of Bernie and turned already smiling to see Elliot's mom coming to her on a wave of scarlet and blue and orange. "Are those girls trying to put you to work?"

"No we were just catching up and they were telling me about some of their memories of their mom."

"That's sweet of them." Bernie said and then stepped next to Liv. "You however, have been working hard all week and I'm willing to bet even part of today." Liv tilted her head slightly not agreeing but also not disagreeing. "Go and sit down for a change, you're with family, you can relax now."

As she said this last part Elliot walked up behind her and reached around her a glass of wine in his hand. "Thought you'd like this."

"Good boy!" Bernie said smiling and reached over and stole a piece of lettuce from Maureen's pile and popped it in her mouth.

As Olivia took the glass from him she noticed that he stayed in the same spot up beside her his front resting against her back and his now empty hand coming to rest lightly on her hip. She turned and looked over her left shoulder at him and saw his eyes twinkling a small smile forming on the corner of his mouth and then he winked. "You're sure I can't help."

"Everything is nearly done." Lizzie said.

"Why don't you two go sit outside and we'll call when we're ready." Maureen added smiling as she watched the silent exchange between her father and his 'partner'

The two walked through the living room and outside into the garden. Again Liv was taken back by how beautiful it was lit with twinkle lights and candles and a simple café table and chairs. "What was that?" she asked, looking at Elliot carefully.

"I was listening to my mother's advice."

Liv's eyebrows rose as she said, "Do I want to know?"

"You already do."

"El." Liv said softly, carefully. "for now…."

"I know." He replied just as softly and carefully. His eyes watched her process, he didn't blink. Slowly he reached out a hand and then when she took it he led her to a chair and held her fingers as she sat. His eyes still on hers he walked to the other chair and sat and smiled at her.

Liv's head tilted slightly, "So, this is your balcony?"

"View's better during the day, but it's still breathtaking at night."

"Thank you for bringing me here." El reached across and slid his hand over hers and felt her turn her hand and entwine their fingers.

"I knew you'd like it." He said looking only at their hands.

"El…"

"For now…." He said softly and then added, "Means later on…" and squeezed her fingers before letting go and picking up his wine glass and taking a long steadying sip.

SVUSVUSVUSVU

A while later the whole Stabler family, Liv and Noah sat around the table a Tex-Mex feast covering the table. Everyone was talking and laughing and passing platters of enchiladas, Spanish rice, refried beans, taco fixings, street corn, chile rellenos and so many other things. After about 15 minutes Elliot stood up and said loudly, "Hey."

Noah stopped right away and looked. Liv smiled at his reaction compared to the rest of the people at the table. 'Oh the difference between being an only child and being part of a large family.' She thought.

Elliot whistled a piercing sound that stopped everyone. Seamus and Kieran put their fingers in their ears and heads down. All 5 kids complained "DAD!" Loudly.

"Well I couldn't get your attention any other way." He said with a laugh.

Bernie chuckled and leaned over and whispered to Olivia, "That's what his father used to do too." And Olivia smiled in response but tried to hide it behind her glass of wine.

"Mid-Winter break is coming up for several of you." Elliot said.

"3 weeks!" Eli added helpfully

"So I arranged to rent a house for all of us upstate in Windham Mountain." Elliot said.

Lizzie's eyes got round, "A family vacation?"

"Mom always wanted to do that when we were little." Richard added softly, completing his twins thought.

"I know. I was always working though and I never made it a priority. That was wrong and I want to fix that."

"Really?" Maureen asked cautiously

"Really. The house can hold 16 people and we're only 12, so I thought if Kathleen, Lizzie and Richard wanted to bring a guest that would round the house out nicely."

"That's a big house Elliot." Bernie said in awe.

"Well yeah Mama. It's designed for large groups. But it's close to the slopes and they have skiing and skating and tubing and special events, a spa, snowshoeing and even a competition center."

"Well it does sound lovely." Bernie admitted.

"There's four rooms so it'll be 3 or 4 to a room depending on who's in what room…so I'll let you kids decide who's bunking with who if we need to go in sets of 4."

"Grandpa…." Seamus interrupted

"What's up bud?"

"Me and Keiran and Eli and Noah are four."

"Good adding!" Elliot said smiling "and as long as everyone is ok with it I think you 4 in one room is ok."

"Yay!" the three little boys cheered.

Olivia saw Richard and Lizzie exchange a look and said, "Noah and I will have to check our schedules. I'm not sure we're able to come."

"Mom!" Noah exclaimed.

"Olivia," Bernie said "You simply must."

Liv reached over and squeezed Bernie's hand comfortingly and smiled, "We'll see."