A/N: So by now Amanda would have given birth. I used a random generator to determine the sex and name of the baby. I didn't put too much thought into it. This is one of the longer chapters, so be prepared.

UNFORTUNATELY, I DO NOT OWN LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT, LAW AND ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME, OR ITS CHARACTERS.

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Elliot glances at his watch and huffs, "Come on…" Rounding the corner, he sees his partner in a casual getup. Considering this was nothing more than a boyfriend introducing his girlfriend to his boss, she felt no need to get all dolled up. Elliot steps forward to meet Olivia and embraces her while whispering, "Ready to save my ass, Maggie?"

Whispering back, "Wouldn't be the first time I saved your ass, Emmett…"

Releasing from the embrace, Elliot takes her hand in his and enters the pizza joint. Angus and Shannon are seated in the booth at the back of the shop. Elliot squeezes her hand for security as Angus stands up to greet them. Shaking hands with Elliot, Angus pulls him in, "You didn't say your chick was a stunner."

Pulling back Elliot smirks, "I thought you should see for yourself."

Angus reaches for Olivia's hands and delicately places a kiss on her fingertips, "And you are Miss…"

"Maggie. Maggie Bernard. You must be Mr. Maguire. Emmett's told me about you," Olivia tries to appreciate Angus' greeting. Pushing herself closer to Elliot, she places her hand on his chest and strokes him, "He's been so antsy for me to meet you."

Shannon clears her throat loud enough to catch Angus' attention. Motioning towards the seats, he says, "Please, sit." Elliot pulls out Olivia's chair allowing her to sit first. Once seated, Elliot intertwines his fingers with hers. Angus asks, "So, Maggie. How did you end up with a man like Emmett? A woman as magnificent as you could get much more than just an accountant."

Olivia brushes past his misogynistic comment and answers with a smile on her face, "We actually met at work." Elliot squeezes her hands nervously. She looks into Elliot's eyes, "I was just starting out as a pastry chef. He came into the bakery asking for five hundred macarons for a work event." Laughing to herself, she continues with her tale, "He needed them for the next week. At the time I was working on a wedding cake and said, 'Absolutely no way.' But I couldn't get over his smile. His smile…" Elliot begins to grin as he listens to her.

"It's been two and half years of pure bliss," Elliot adds. Olivia leans her head into his shoulder and feels her temperature start to rise.

Shannon rolls her eyes at Olivia's story. Asking for more details, Shannon hopes that Olivia will eventually falter, "Two and half years is a long time. Why not get married?"

Elliot can feel his heart rate faster. He hadn't thought that far in advance. Olivia answers quickly, "Being a pastry chef isn't the most financially rewarding career. But, we know that we love each other." Rubbing her thumb across his hand that is still clasped onto hers, she longingly looks into his icy blue eyes, "There's nothing we wouldn't do for each other. There's no rush when you find the one."

Elliot feels as if there is a bit of truth in her statement. He feels his cheeks redden from the inside out. Shifting his weight, he focuses on Angus' approval, "So, whatcha think?"

Angus leans back in his cushioned seat, glancing between Olivia and Elliot. He sighs and reaches for his tall glass of Guinness, "Looks like you get to go home tonight. Take tomorrow off and buy your lady something nice." A flash of relief passes through Elliot. Angus lifts his glass, "Cheers, lad."

Elliot nods his head. Pushing away from the table he can hear Shannon mumble something under her breath. He asks loudly, "What was that, Shannon?" Going pale, Shannon doesn't answer. Satisfied, Elliot helps Olivia out of her chair. Hand in hand they walk out of the pizza place and head down the block. Elliot notices one of Angus' soldiers across the street. Stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, he reaches for both her hands and leans into her neck. To the soldier watching, it looks like Elliot is pecking at Olivia's neck. In reality, Elliot tucks his mouth next to her ear and says, "Come to my place."

Leaning her head into his she whispers back, "Why is that?"

"Someone is watching. You need to come to my place," Elliot insists. He can feel Olivia nod her head in agreement. Taking her hand again, he walks no more than two blocks to his small apartment. His keys clank against the heavy wooden door. Entering his apartment he brings his finger to her lips before she can open her mouth. Understanding what he meant, Olivia stayed silent. Elliot rustles through the closet and pulls out a small gadget. Scanning the small area of the apartment he places it back in the closet, "Not bugged." Elliot takes a step towards Olivia, "Thank you, Liv."

Trying to steer away from any tender emotions Olivia mentions, "Shannon is quite the character."

Elliot rubs his hand over his stubble and chuckles, "She really is."

Olivia walks towards the kitchen and points to the fridge, "You got anything to drink?"

"Water or beer," Elliot walks with her and opens the nearly bare fridge.

Olivia reaches for a beer and steps over to the couch, "Nice bachelor pad you got here."

"Isn't it?" seating himself next to her on the uncomfortable couch, he clinks his bottle with hers. He smiles as he sips his drink, "Drinking at four in the afternoon is definitely not what I had planned for today." Olivia beams with light and nods her head in agreement. Positioning himself to face her better, he comments, "I didn't think Angus would have someone tailing me, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I figured that I might have to stay longer than I planned."

"Liv, I don't want him following back to your place… You have to stay here tonight…"

"I figured that too. Rollins has Noah for the weekend."

"You really thought this out."

"I try my best to think about what the aftermath might be before I commit to something."

Elliot feels a jab in his heart. He knows she didn't mean to hurt him, but it still pained him. Sinking into the couch, he places his beer on the side table. Covering his face with his rough hands he mumbles, "I'm sorry, Liv."

Olivia places her drink next to his. Sensing the change in emotion, she leans into him, wrapping her arms around him, "Elliot… It's okay."

Swiftly jumping up from the couch, he raises his volume unintentionally, "It's not okay. It's not okay, Olivia. I hurt you. I promised I would never hurt you. We were partners… For better or for worse, we were partners."

"El…" Olivia stands up slowly and embraces him. He pushes his weight into her as he emotionally collapses. Rubbing his back, Olivia softly soothes him, "El, I'm okay…You're here now… I forgive you, Elliot."

Elliot cries out, "How can I forgive myself? I loved you, I love you and I just abandoned you!"

Moving past his confession, she continues to soothe him, "I'm okay. It'll get better… I promise."

Progressing through the night, Olivia makes herself a cup of decaf tea. She hears the shower stop and the door slide open. Plopping herself on the couch she scrolls through her recent messages and emails.

AMANDA: Noah is all set. He's excited to go to the park tomorrow.

OLIVIA: Thank you, Amanda.

AMANDA: I'll gladly take Noah anytime. He's amazing, Liv. You did a great job with him.

OLIVIA: I could say the same with your girls. I expect pictures of Frankie. She is precious.

AMANDA: I'll be sure to send some. Goodnight, Liv.

OLIVIA: Sleep well, mama.

Placing her phone on the small coffee table, Olivia can feel Elliot's presence in the room, "You don't have to lurk in the corner, Elliot."

"There's not many places to stand. It's a studio apartment and you're sitting in the middle of it," Elliot tosses his wet towel into his laundry pile.

"That's how your clothes get moldy," Olivia rises from the couch and picks up the towel. Hanging it on the door to the bathroom, she smiles, "That's better."

Elliot makes his way to the small kitchen table and pushes it out of the way to make room for his bed. Pulling at the cabinets on the side wall by the bookcase, the pulls down a full-size murphy bed, "I've always loved these things."

Olivia throws a blanket on the couch, "You've never been afraid it's going to flip up with you in it?"

"The chances of that are like the chances of me getting struck by lightning."

"One in about fifteen thousand."

"What?"

"The chances of getting struck by lightning is one in about fifteen thousand."

"How do you know that?"

"Noah told me after his weather unit in science. He loves that stuff."

"You've got an amazing kid, Liv."

"Thank you," she answers. Elliot lays himself on the freshly made couch before Olivia can get the chance to. Olivia bluntly says, "I'm not taking that death trap."

"Seems like Captain Benson is scared," Elliot props himself up on his elbows.

"No, I'm not…" Olivia glances at the bed and then the couch, "Okay, maybe I'm a little scared…"

"You're my guest. You get the bed."

"Elliot-"

"Olivia."

Knowing she wouldn't win this battle she slowly crept under the covers and took a deep breath to relax her nerves. "Goodnight, Elliot."

Elliot does not respond. He simply sighs and stares at the ceiling. A minute later he mutters softly, "Liv…"

Trying to fall asleep and move past her irrational fear, she replies, "Uh-huh."

"I'm sorry."

"Elliot we just talked about-"

"No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I never listen. I never ask questions. You always ask about my kids and me. I never ask about you. I never sit down and listen. I never let you talk. I'm sorry."

"Elliot, it's o-"

"It's not okay, Olivia. That's not what friends do. That's not what partners do. They listen to each other, they talk with each other."

Olivia falls silent. Not knowing how to reply she only takes a deep breath. She opens her mouth the speak but only gets out a little bit, "El-"

"One thing. Just tell me one thing that happened to you while I was gone," he insists.

"El…"

"Big or small. Sad or happy."

Thinking back, she tries her best to think of something light. Something that won't keep him up all night. She knows that she can't mention Cassidy, Lewis, or Tucker. Olivia wants to talk about finding Noah, but that would just make her upset about how she isn't home with him. Turning slowly, she faces the back of the couch where Elliot lay, "A lot of things happened…"

"Just one, Liv. Please," Elliot sits up to see her looking at him.

Without even thinking, she states, "Simon came back for a while." Silence creeps in. Olivia continues, "He married, had a daughter, named her after me, then got arrested. They lost custody of the kids. He and his wife kidnapped them out of their foster house. He got a deal. Simon had to divorce his wife and had limited visitation with his children."

"Liv, I'm sorry…"

"He came back again. Sometime later when Noah was older. He asked to meet us. He wanted to meet his nephew. But…"

Elliot stands up from the couch and walks over to the bed. Placing himself gently on the side of the bed, he reaches his hand to her shoulder, "I'm sorry."

She shivers as his icy hand presses against her. Olivia sits up to be at eye level with Elliot. She inhales sharply, "He didn't show… And I left a hateful and angry message saying how I never wanted to see him again. But… He had overdosed."

She rests her head in her hands and sniffles her nose. Elliot lifts her chin up with a finger and says comfortingly, "It's not your fault. You didn't cause him to overdose, Olivia."

"A little while later we thought that his death was connected with a string of overdoses, but that wasn't true. His friend gave him the drugs. During the investigation, I found out that he didn't listen to my message. That he had died before I even sent it."

Elliot wraps his arms around Olivia and embraces her, "He died knowing that you wanted to build a relationship with him."

Lifting her head and placing it on his shoulder she rubs his back, "Thank you, Elliot."

"I'm here to listen, Liv."

"I know."

Elliot pulls away from the hug and goes to stand up, "Goodnight."

Tugging on his white t-shirt she pulls him back on the bed. Olivia points to the other side of the mattress, "You are freezing, Elliot. Sleep in the bed."

"I'm fine," Elliot goes to stand once more but is tugged back down by Olivia.

"Just get in the damn bed," Olivia demands.

"Okay, okay," Elliot walks around to the other side of the bed and lays on top of the covers.

"You're a fool."

"What?"

"Get under the fucking covers."

"Are you this bossy in your own home?"

"Wouldn't you like to know…" Olivia slips back under the covers and turns away from Elliot. She smiles and closes her eyes, "Goodnight, Emmett."

Elliot chuckles under his breath, "Goodnight, Maggie."

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A/N: Hope you liked this chapter. Please comment if you want to see anything in particular happen with this story. Much love to all of you!