Noah's First Word

Noah: Age 1

(Olivia's Apartment—0730)

Olivia walked into Noah's room and looked down into the crib with a smile. Noah smiled back, his eyes bright and full of energy. She reached into the crib. "Hi."

"Alec." Noah squeaked something resembling a word and Olivia froze over the crib.

"What?"

"..."

Noah watched her, innocently keeping quiet. He'd say it again as soon as she'd turn her back. But she knew what she heard, didn't need a second validation before she scooped him up and rushed into the bedroom.

"Alex wake up!"

Alex jumped from her sleep. "Wha—" She fought with the sheets amidst a sleepy haze. Tangled, she managed to free an arm, slipping it through a little opening and grabbing for her glasses on the nightstand.

"Noah said his first word."

Alex cleared the sleep from her throat. "Th-that's great Liv." Alex slipped her glasses on and sat up, grimacing slightly at the tightness in her neck.

Olivia set Noah on the bed, and he crawled over to Alex with a smile. She picked him up and set him in her lap. "Hey little dude." She stroked his cheek with the soft touch of her finger.

"His first word was Alex."

"What?" Alex looked to Olivia, who climbed over her legs, settling atop the comforter on her side looking up at Noah. Noah bounced in Alex's grasp, and she watched him with a tired smile starting on her face. "You sure it wasn't mom or something else?"

"It was Alex. Well...Alec. But I know he meant you."

Alex smirked. "Probably because he hears you yell at me all the time."

"I've never yelled at you."

Alex opened her mouth to speak. "How did our relationship start again? In the precinct...locker room?"

Olivia grinned. "Cases were different."

"You yelled at me because I told you I couldn't get a subpoena for the victim's attacker...I think that was our fifth argument that week."

"You kept count..."

"Of course." Alex softly smiled and relaxed into the pillow behind her, ignoring Noah's tugs at her shirt.

"I don't remember any more arguments after the locker room." Olivia smiled and Alex grinned in response.

"…No."

Olivia poked Noah's tummy, getting him to look at her and giggle.

"Alex come here, Alex where are you at, Alex can you do this, Alex pick this up, Alex don't forget Noah's..." Alex trailed off with a smile. "That's probably why my name was his first word. It's what he hears you say the most."

Olivia put her hand on Alex's thigh. "If I'm getting pushy let me know."

"You're being a mother. It really doesn't bother me Liv. I don't mind helping where I can."