Thank you all so much for 800 plus reviews. I know it's in part due to my short chapters and I'm trying to make them a bit longer. Still, they will be as long or as short as the content dictates.

Naturally, I love the many raving reviews the most, but I don't mind the criticism of a few readers. Not everyone 'gets' or appreciates the psychological parts I often love to weave in and that's fine. This story is a tribute to Benson and Stabler's long history together, while bringing them back together for the happy ending they so deserve. If you think their relationship has hardly evolved yet during this story, so be it. I tend to disagree because a lot of their relationship happens inside their heads. The physical part is the easy part in the end so that is not the focus here. (It's coming though, don't worry! :)) Meanwhile, a lot of people surf happily on the waves of EO 'feels' we so love to indulge in, I myself being one of them. Isn't that post-Valentine's Day picture Mariska posted online just perfect for this story?!

Well, on with the story now. Next up, some reflection on Olivia's part, a little bit of Noah and some EO cuteness as well - all of this making for a double-length chapter. I could have put the fluff in a separate chapter but I didn't, so there. :) This chapter is dedicated to kukrae and melonian4life because of your unwavering support here and on Twitter. Enjoy!

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63. Wait

Olivia yawned. She was waiting outside the courtroom until she'd be called to the stand to testify in Elaine Wilson's rape case. She was the outcry witness, since she'd been the only one present when Elaine had woken up at the hospital after a brutal assault by one of her college teachers. She had identified the man without any hesitation and had stuck to her story consistently, even when the teacher provided a seemingly solid alibi. Olivia was the second witness that would be called. Ordinarily, she would stay afterwards to see how Barba did, trying to discredit the person who had provided the alibi, but she was tired and officially on vacation and she wanted to pick Noah up early and go home.

She was still mulling over Kathy's revelations of that morning. So much time had been lost because of the woman's actions. Elliot had comforted her and it had felt new but good. She wasn't one to cry when there were other people around. She usually retreated to be alone before she'd let her tears fall. It was tempting to just stay livid at Kathy for the time she had stolen from them, but anger wasn't productive in this case. Even Elliot seemed to be able to let go of a lot of his anger, no doubt one of the bigger benefits of the way he'd spent his life over the past three years after his divorce. Observing, he'd called it. He had become softer and more accepting of what is, in stead of getting worked up over what should be. He wasn't focused on solving things anymore, on righting wrongs. And although some of his old traits had come back, he wasn't the same man anymore.

Olivia wasn't the same woman anymore either. She wondered sometimes if it was her age or Noah or both, but she'd become softer. She could handle the different shades of grey more easily, not needing them to be either black or white anymore. Maybe that was why she and Elliot got along so well now. They didn't need to choose sides anymore. And then there was the fact that the guilt was gone. The guilt of having feelings for someone they shouldn't have feelings for. It was liberating to just be able to tell him she loved him. She felt like her heart was finally beating again, telling her with every beat that she loved him, and it was okay. He loved her too and everyone could know it now. There was finally room for love, and as a result, room for sadness. She had felt Elliot's emotions while he held her close. He hadn't cried but he had comforted her and she hadn't felt embarrassed. She didn't need to explain to him why she was sad. He knew. Things could have been so different.

Elliot had been exhausted once they got back to her place and he'd fallen asleep even before she'd left the bedroom. She had helped him out of his sweats first and couldn't help smiling a little when she remembered how she'd checked him out. He had caught her looking, of course, and had teased her about it, and it had been great to be able to laugh together. She wished he would heal quickly so they could have more fun together, but for now, it was wonderful to have him close to her every day. Who could have predicted that this year, they were going to spend Christmas together?

She looked forward to spending more quality time with Noah now that Elliot was out of the hospital and staying with them. Her little boy always put a smile on her face and he was coping with his astma so well despite the cold weather. She had wanted to go window shopping with him soon now that all the stores were decorated so beautifully, so he could point out what he would like to get from Santa. But that would mean leaving Elliot alone. She sighed. He was becoming a part of her life again so naturally that it was almost scary. Almost. She had had fleeting thoughts about what it would be like to have a man in her life that would become a part of Noah's life as well. She had said 'no' several times when someone asked her out for drinks, after answering the question for herself if this would be a person she would want to have around Noah. With Elliot, it hadn't even been a question. Noah had practically adopted Elliot as a father figure before she could wonder about it. She smiled, thinking about the two men in her life. The feeling inside her chest felt suspiciously like something she could only describe as happiness.

She jumped up when the door of the courtroom opened and she was called in to testify. If all went well, she would be out of there in less than half an hour.

...

"Momma, we spies again?" Noah asked his mother as they got off the elevator and headed for their apartment.

"You like being spies?"

"Uhuh. Noah sprise Ewwie Ot."

Olivia chucked and agreed that they would surprise Elliot, so they entered the apartment quietly. Noah froze when he kicked a toy accidentally, and they listened for any indication that Elliot had heard them.

"Who is there?" they suddenly heard Elliot say with a low and menacing voice.

Noah giggled and Olivia laughed out loud at how excited he was, bouncing up and down and then asking her if he could go into the bedroom.

"Of course you can go in, my sweet boy," Olivia said.

Noah ran over to her bedroom at once and she followed her son a little slower. Elliot was sitting up in bed, leaning against the headboard with all of her pillows behind his back. He'd apparently been browsing on her iPad, which he put aside when Noah climbed on the bed.

"Hey buddy, how was your day in school?" he asked Noah, who started telling him all about the new boy in his group and how he had let him play with the dinosaur puzzle they had at school because he really liked it, and Noah liked it too but he wanted the new boy to have it.

Olivia got them all something to drink and then sat next to Elliot on the bed, just listening to them talking and laughing. She could tell that Elliot had slept well and she was glad. He really was more carefree than he used to be, and although they would probably discuss Kathy's actions a few more times, it wasn't something he couldn't handle. They had to look forward now, he'd told her and she was trying. Watching Elliot with Noah made it much easier to start looking at the future. She could see it now, going to Coney Island together, Elliot carrying Noah on his shoulders ... She really wished he would heal quickly so they could begin their future together.

The three of them spent the rest of the afternoon quietly. Elliot rested up a bit after dinner while Olivia went through their evening ritual with Noah, who insisted on giving Elliot a goodnight kiss before going to his own bed. They both cuddled with Noah on the bed for a few minutes and Olivia blushed when Elliot stole a little kiss from her in front of Noah. What would her baby think?

"Wyssa kiss Noah too," the two-year old announced seriously, sitting up between them, and Olivia and Elliot raised their eyebrows simultaneously.

"You mean Alyssa from your class?" Olivia asked her son.

Noah nodded fervently.

"Wyssa marry Noah."

Olivia gasped and Elliot chuckled.

"Did she ask you that, buddy?" he asked Noah, who nodded again.

"You know what marry means?"

Noah looked at both adults a little insecurely and then looked down at his lap as if he felt embarrassed that he didn't know.

"You can be best friends with Alyssa for now, right Noah?" Olivia said in an attempt to help him out and Noah nodded slightly again.

"Mommy marry Ewwie Ot?"

Olivia blew out a breath slowly, and suddenly she felt a little bit of the tension return that had always hung between her and her partner. She wanted to look at the future but Noah was moving a bit too fast for her, even though he didn't even understand his own question.

"Mommy kiss Ewwie," Noah said, as if wanting to clarify his question and Olivia decided she needed to be honest with her baby from the start.

"I love Elliot very much, Noah. And he loves me. And people who love each other, kiss each other."

"Noah too."

Noah climbed in her lap and she held him close, placing small kisses on his forehead while trying to ignore Elliot's hand rubbing her back gently. Lovingly.

"Yes my love, I love you too. And I want to kiss you forever!"

Noah giggled and she tickled him until he was laughing out loud, all talk about marriage forgotten for the moment. He was a bit too young to understand the concept, but he'd made her nervous nonetheless. She knew there was a chance that Elliot would bring it up again later, and noticed that she was taking extra long to finally put Noah to bed in his own room. Elliot had been back in her life for less than two weeks. She couldn't think about such big decisions so soon. She shook her head. Who was she trying to kid? They knew each other inside and out. They didn't need to date and get to know each other anymore. Elliot was a guest in her home right now, but she knew perfectly well that he wasn't going to leave once he was back on his feet. He was back to stay and while part of her wanted to freak out over that, a bigger part of her wouldn't have it any other way.

...

Elliot smiled as he listened to the sounds coming from Noah's bedroom. He loved the little guy so much already and he'd seen Olivia freeze at the mention of marriage. He knew she had once dreamed of getting married and starting a family, but had given up that dream long ago. It wasn't practical, with her job and all. She wasn't the marrying kind anyway. That was what she'd told herself but it had only been a way to be able to keep going on her own. She'd probably had plenty of suitors. She was stunning after all, and a very loving person at that. He knew he'd chased away several of the guys who had showed an interest in the past, but she'd been on lots of dates and had had relationships. He had hoped she'd find someone, despite his own growing feelings for her. He wanted her to be happy, with or without him.

And now here they were, together at last. And while he was still grateful that Olivia had literally ran into him, he cursed his injuries right now. She was going to sleep next to him again tonight and he was beginning to get a little frustrated that he couldn't get closer to her. He wanted to touch her, more of her, like he'd dreamed of so many times. There was no one stopping them now, no moral dilemma anymore and still, he couldn't have her like he wanted to have her. Yet.

He grinned when he thought of how she'd blushed when he kissed her in front of Noah, and how tense she'd become when Noah asked her so innocently if she was going to marry him. And he remembered the look in her eyes at the mention of that psychiatrist. He wanted to ask her about that, too, and he smiled at the prospect. He secretly loved to make her uneasy because it gave his ego a boost to have such an effect on her. He wondered if he'd always been such an asshole or if this was a recent development. He was still smiling when Olivia came back in the bedroom. She stopped at the foot of the bed when she saw the smug expression on his face, and looked at him daringly.

"What?"

Elliot shrugged lightly and looked at her innocently.

"What do you mean, what? I'm not doing anything."

"Sure you are."

He grinned and waited for her to clarify what she thought he was doing. Olivia just shook her head and looked away, suddenly needing to get something from her closet.

"So tell me about that psychiatrist."

Olivia whipped back around to face him, seeming shocked at the question.

"What about her?" she was quick to ask.

"You didn't like her?"

Olivia shrugged.

"We went to the academy together. Then after two years, she decided she didn't want to be a cop putting criminals away, but she wanted to help them improve their life after they were caught."

"To each their own, right?"

"I guess."

"So why didn't you like her?"

"I didn't say that."

Elliot smiled again.

"Not in so many words."

He patted the space next to him on the bed.

"Come on, sit with me."

Olivia didn't seem eager to continue the conversation about the shrink and it amused him.

"I looked up her contact info today, on your iPad," he told her once she had sat down next to him, leaning against the headboard of the bed and her legs crossed at the ankles in front of her.

"Oh. And? She still in the vicinity?"

"Yeah. She's got a private practice in Brooklyn now. I wanna ask her what I talked to her about back then."

Olivia just nodded and didn't comment one way or the other.

"And I thought I could ask you if anything ever happened between her and me."

That got Olivia's undivided attention at last and she looked at him with wide eyes and her mouth slightly agape.

"Between her and you? I ... you just ..." Olivia stammered, and then stopped talking abruptly. "You tell me," she added then, making it all to clear to him why she hadn't liked the woman back then. Apparently she'd thought there was something going on between him and the good doctor.

"So you thought I was interested in her?"

Olivia hung her head and made a helpless gesture with her hands.

"You and Kathy had just split up and you were clearly on the rebound."

"And you didn't like it."

"I didn't want you to do anything stupid or get hurt."

"Of course. Because I was your partner."

Olivia looked at him sideways then, without lifting her head, and he could see a small smile on her lips.

"You want me to admit I was jealous of her, right?"

"Were you?" Elliot finally asked her flat out, but her smile already told him a lot. She was letting go of that disturbing feeling she'd had in the past, and was embracing what they had now, here, in the present.

"Yes," she said then, quickly sitting up on her knees and moving closer to him. "Is that what you wanna hear, you big irresistible cop man?"

She had moved her face close to his and rested her hands on his shoulders. He reached for her immediately, wrapping his arms around her waist. He grinned at her, and when they looked into each other's eyes, it was suddenly no longer necessary to continue the conversation. She had been jealous and maybe he'd even had a fling with the woman - if so, he didn't remember - but they were here now and no one was going to come between them again. They moved in sync, closing the distance between them until their lips found each other in a tender kiss, that soon became more intense.

Elliot pulled her into him until she was leaning against him and he swallowed hard, his stomach clenching when she broke off the kiss and moved one leg over him carefully, straddling him so she could get closer.

"This okay?" she whispered, a mixture of desire and concern in her eyes.

His hip didn't hurt and his ribs only a little, but even if he had been in pain, he would have told her this was okay. He had waited years to have her like this and he pulled her against his chest to kiss her again by way of an answer. This was very much okay. When Olivia moaned softly, he wished they could take things further. He slipped one hand inside her shirt and moaned as well when he felt the bare skin of her back under his hand. Olivia was kissing him deeply and he could tell she was trying not to grind into him. When he moved his hand up her back, taking her shirt with it and moved his other hand to the front, she gave in a pushed her hips into his, awakening his body in several places. He broke off the kiss, needing to take a breath, and looked into her eyes while he moved his right hand up slowly until he was cupping her breast.

Olivia swallowed hard but didn't say anything. Elliot moved his thumb slowly, giving her plenty of time to stop him before he'd reach her nipple. She didn't stop him and closed her eyes when his thumb moved over her hardened nipple. His heart was racing and her breath hitched.

"Liv," he whispered and Olivia just sighed.

His fingertips were burning and he yearned to touch more of her. All of her. They had waited so long to be together. But he needed to know this was okay for Olivia. She hadn't shown anyone her body in a long time.

"Look at me baby," he tried again when Olivia didn't open her eyes.

"El," she said softly, opening her eyes.

She kept her gaze fixed on his lips and he wondered if she really was okay with him touching her like this.

"Is this okay Liv?" he asked, moving his thumb off of her breast just in case.

He couldn't help smiling widely when she finally answered him.

"Yeah. I'm just ... afraid that I won't be able to hold back and I'll hurt you."

Elliot dropped his head forward until their foreheads were touching.

"I'm not afraid to risk it," he said softly, his voice hoarse with emotion as well as arousal.

"I am," she said just as softly.

She caressed his neck with one hand while cupping his cheek with the other.

"We've waited so long," Elliot said, trying not to sound too needy but succeeding only partially.

Olivia smiled.

"I want this El. I want you. I just ... I always imagined we'd be explosive and ... well ..."

Elliot tilted his head to kiss her softly on the lips, moving his hand from her breast to her back.

"You wanna wait till we can go all out," he said, already resigning to the fact that nothing drastic was going to happen tonight.

Olivia's doubt that she'd be able to hold back only confirmed what he'd always sort of known about her: she was a passionate lover and she didn't want to hold back when they would finally break down the last barrier between them. He knew it would be worth the wait and, taking a few deep breaths, he just held her close for a while. Olivia's arms were wrapped around his neck and she kissed his neck softly, letting him know that she really did want to be with him. He could wait, he told himself. He could wait a while longer until they could be together like he had dreamed of so many times.

...