Hope you all enjoy! Comment and reviews always welcome. Song lyrics from Precious Love by James Morrison

I own nothing lol :)

Ringing in the Future

Everyone had started to trickle in around noonish. Dickie was making bets with everyone about the score before the game started and for the first time in a long time everything felt right.

His children were here with their children… his mother was here… Noah was here fitting in like he had always been a part of this family and they were all in the home he shared with Olivia.

He was exactly where he belonged.

He only wished she was here. Here to see all the joy and feel the love of a big family. The big family she never had, but he knew she always wished for.

But it was ok, she would. She was out doing her thing. That thing she did so well, better than anyone, even him. There would be more Sundays… more dinners… and he was satisfied knowing that. Knowing what their future was going to hold for them.

Even with all the tension they had felt as of late with Wheatley, it was a good day.

Noah had facetimed Liv to have Dickie ask her if he could be in on the betting, to which she said yes to as long as the bet wasn't for money.

After that she called again a few times to apologize for missing the game, and then for missing dinner.

Elliot had reassured her there was no need to apologize. She never needed to do that.

Once it had started to get dark, everyone had trickled out. Bernie had decided a few hours ago to say goodnight and Eli and Noah went to play a few video games before bed.

Elliot had cleaned everything up and put Liv's plate in the fridge for her. He wasn't sure when she was coming home, it had been a few hours since he heard from her which meant one of two things. Either they had caught a lead, or the case was hitting a wall.

He remembered all the all-nighters they had pulled. Sometimes the cases get complicated and before you know it, it's three in the morning. Other times it seems like everything leads to nothing and you're left staring at the same pieces of paper, the same lists of suspects and everything stops.

Stuck in the same clothes for hours, stale coffee… everyone irritable, everyone tired. Those days/nights were tough, but it was time spent Liv. He wouldn't have given up a single one of them for anything. She made everything better. Even when they were fighting, he wouldn't have changed it.

He looked at his watch and sighed.

He didn't want to call and interrupt but it was getting late. It was almost midnight. The house was quiet, the boys were in bed. He wasn't worried, or angry and tired of waiting for her, which he knew Kathy had always felt, no, he just… missed her.

Then his phone buzzed.

It was Liv.

He quickly answered her facetime.

"Hey beautiful. How's the case?" he said as the relief he always felt seeing her slipped around him like a soft blanket.

"Ugh… complicated. The vic is a mess. This guy El… he really did a number on her. Repeatedly raped… old and new bruises, cuts, a broken wrist from being restrained and two fractured ribs… boot marks on her thighs…" she said and trailed off. He could see it in her face. The similarities of the wounds made those photos of Liv's flash through his mind and he shivered, but quickly blinked them out. This case was hitting her hard, but Liv would never give up on a victim.

He could see the tiredness on her face. All he wanted to do was wrap her up in his arms and give her a moment of peace. A few minutes to breath and regroup.

"We finally caught a lead through her old employer to link the ex-boyfriend and we picked him up six hours ago but there's just something… missing. I feel it. There's something else were not seeing. She's been through so much and is afraid to talk… afraid for her life, and I don't want to push her too hard. Fin and I and Velasco have all taken turns in the box with this guy but were getting nowhere."

The SVU detective in him wanted to help. Wanted to come in and look at what they had and offer his opinion, but it was her house now. If she wanted help, she'd ask. She's the Captain and he didn't want to barge in and step on anyone's toes.

What he cared about now was her. First and foremost. Always her. He wanted to make sure she was taken care of. Whether that be a good cup of coffee, or a shoulder to lean into, or help on the case. Whatever she needed he would make sure she got it.

And right now, it seemed like she needed a break.

"Hey… how about a little break?" he asked.

"I don't know El… If I come home, I'm not going to want to leave." She said with a little smile on her face.

He loved hearing her say that. "…come home…" it made his heart melt knowing it was a home they shared.

And the way it fell off her lips… so effortlessly… so easily… like she'd been coming home to him for twenty-three years.

"Ok, how about our place?" he offered. "Get you out of the precinct, maybe an actual meal and not vending machine junk… clear your head a bit. The scum will keep." He said referring to the sadistic asshole currently locked up in interrogation.

He saw her mulling it over and he knew she was going to say yes.

"What about the kids?" she asked.

"I can call Kathleen. She'd be more than happy. Her job is actually closer to us then her own apartment."

"But it's so late… are you sure she wouldn't mind?" Liv said. He could tell she didn't want to impose on Kathleen, but he could also see how much she wanted to see him and the idea of meeting him at Millie's was winning her over.

"Positive, I'll call her and meet you there in 30ish." El said.

"Ok… see you soon my love. Love you." She said smiling through her tired, but still beautiful face.

"Love you baby." He said and hung up. Elliot was about to call Kathleen but as he got up Noah was standing on the bottom step of the staircase.

"Hey bud… what are you doing up?" El asked as he walked over to him.

"I couldn't sleep. I miss my mom. Was that her?"

"Yea, that was her. She's still at work but I'm actually gonna go see her for a bit, Katie is going to come and stay with you, ok?"

Noah sighed. He looked disappointed and Elliot hated that. He knew it wasn't because of Kathleen, her bond with him was as close as ever, he just missed Liv. It was late, and he knew Noah should be sleeping, but maybe just this once he'd make an exception to bedtime.

"Hey, how about just this once we surprise your mom and you come with?"

Noah's eyes lit up and he nodded.

"K… go get your jacket and shoes, but when we come back its straight to bed, and no arguments about getting up for school tomorrow ok?" El said as Noah started running back up the steps.

El went to grab his jacket and stood there for a minute.

"Maybe an extra special little surprise…." He said to himself and smiled.

EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEO

Liv had texted that she was there already and ordered for them as him and Noah got out of the car.

The second Noah saw her, he ran to her and gave her the biggest hug. Her smile was huge and infectious, and then she gave Elliot a look.

"Hi mom… are you surprised?" Noah said beaming.

She turned back to the happy face of her son.

"So surprised… but Noah honey, it's late… shouldn't you be in bed?" she said looking into the sweet face of her boy.

"Yea, but I missed you… El and I both did… so don't be mad mom, I promise to go straight to bed when we get home, and it's only this one time."

Liv moved her eyes to Elliot's and shook her head a little with a smirk on her face.

"Yea mom, don't be mad… we just missed you…" El said making a puppy dog face at Liv.

Even if her day had not been long and hard, she wouldn't have been able to be upset with either of them.

She let the warmth of Elliot and the wonderful surprise of seeing her son surround her.

"Ok… I'm not mad… just as long as it's only this one time…" she said eyeing both El and Noah playfully.

"Scouts honor…" El said holding up his hand.

"Yea… same mom." Noah said copying Elliot.

Liv playfully rolled her eyes at both of them.

"Well since I didn't know I'd be getting such a wonderful surprise, I didn't order you anything honey. How about some pancakes?" Liv asked.

"Ooo yea… can I go order at the counter?" He asked.

"Sure." Liv said. And with that Noah headed to the counter and started to befriend their waitress.

Liv turned back to look at Elliot.

"He told me he couldn't sleep… and he missed you… I promise Liv… this is a one time thing… I know he needs sleep for school, but I just couldn't send him back to bed missing you."

Liv smiled at El and took his hand in hers. There was nothing he needed to say because this was what she needed. He knew her in every way and this was the best surprise. Nothing could top it.

"It's ok El… I really needed this… thank you…" she said quietly. She rubbed her thumb over his palm and took a breath in for what felt like the first time since this morning when she left.

"Always Liv… I'm here… whatever you need."

God she loved this man.

She took a beat before it got too heavy between them and as tired as she was, crying, even happy crying, over how lucky she really was, would only make the rest of her night harder.

Because she wouldn't want to leave them.

And she still had a job to do.

"Well for starters, I need food…" she said chucking to herself. "I didn't realize how hungry I was till I walked in and smelled the grill."

Elliot laughed. "Stale coffee and salt and vinegar chips not doing it huh?" He said.

"You know me so well…" she teased. "I got you your usual." She added.

Elliot eyed Noah making sure he was still just out of ear shot and leaned in pulling her hand up by his mouth.

"My new and forever usual better not be on this menu…" he said in that low tone of his and kissed her fingertips.

Liv felt the sharp pang of arousal hit her between her legs.

She smirked at his wanton actions, and lowered her voice. "Don't worry it's not on that one… but it is on your menu for later…" she said and his eyes darkened a little thinking about his rein check from almost a day ago.

Elliot was about to respond, loving their innuendo banter, but Noah came back over before he could.

So they sat and chatted about the game and Dickie losing his bet against pretty much everyone while they waited for their food.

After they ate, Liv looked at her watch. It was very late now and Noah needed to get back to bed and she had work to get back to.

"Ok my loves… I think it's time to get you," she said pointing to Noah, " back to bed. And I need to get back to the precinct."

Noah side eyed Elliot with a little grin on his face and Elliot nodded and handed him something beneath the table.

They were up to something but she wasn't sure what.

"Ok Liv… but I think there's something we need to do before you go…"

Her eyebrow shot up quizzically and she looked at these two goofs sitting in front of her grinning like the cats who ate the canary.

"What?" She said laughing at them.

"Go ahead…" he motioned to Noah. "You remember which one?" He asked and Noah nodded and got up and walked over to the jukebox.

Noah put the coin El had slipped him into the slot and pushed one of the buttons.

She heard the music start to play and felt heat creep up in her cheeks.

Elliot stood up and offered her his hand with that look that could break a million hearts but never break hers.

Liv couldn't keep the smile from her face. Of course he wanted to dance with her in this empty diner in the middle of the night.

She looked at her son who was beaming over having played a part in this little plan of theirs and then she moved back to El and took his hand.

He pulled her in tight and they started to sway to the music as the lyrics started to play.

I was so lost, didn't know what to do with myself,

I was my own worst enemy, I was lost and know I needed help

Then you came along and saw the state I was in

You picked me up, when I was down, showed me how to live again

Noah had moved back to their booth and sat watching her dance with Elliot, just smiling from ear to ear.

I say thank you for pullin' me through

I'm a lucky man

I didn't know what life was but now I, I understand

This is precious love, precious love

No I can't let it go

This is precious love and it's teachin' me everything I need to know

This is precious love, oh it's precious love

No I can't get enough

Oh, I'm down on my knees, begging you please, gimme more of that stuff

Oh it's love, love, love, love, love, precious love

This was different from the first time they danced together at Fin's wedding. His hands knew her body now. Knew exactly how perfectly they fit to her.

How they belonged there.

There were no nerves… no hesitation… no fear of rejection or abandonment.

She knew the way his body moved. Knew what it felt like when they were skin to skin, fitting together intimately… perfectly.

And this song tied together not only how he had always felt about her but their future too.

It was a statement.

A truth.

A promise.

Oh I got so distracted, by people all around

Whisperin' sweet nothin's, fillin' my head with doubt

So I gave up, it didn't take long, for me to see

One thing that I was missin', was standin' in front of me

I took you for granted, thought the grass was greener on the other side

I was wrong and it took me so long, to finally realize…

Oh this is precious love, it's precious love, no I can't let it go

This is precious love and it's teachin' me everything I need to know

Elliot spun her out and pulled her back in eliciting that beautiful laugh of hers. He could dance with her forever. And he was going to. All his dances were hers. She was the only dance partner he needed… and the only one he ever wanted. And it was time to make it official.

Oh, this is precious love, oh it's precious love, no I can't get enough

Oh I'm down on my knees, beggin' you please, to gimme some more of that stuff

This time when he spun her out, he pulled her back by their booth and dipped her parallel to the table, right in front of Noah.

He looked into her shining beautiful brown eyes and every single moment between them flashed through his mind at the speed of light and he knew… they had all lead them to this moment.

He stilled and suddenly, they were the only two in the room.

"Marry me Liv…"