They heard the door click behind the young boy and the room fell silent. For the first time since the conversation started she took a deep breath, running her hand through her hair.
"Well, this was harder than I thought it would be," she says leaning against the kitchen counter. Her shrink would have a field day with this one.
"Can't disagree with you there, but you know we always knew this day would come, that he would have questions and we'd have to talk to him about this," Trevor Langan said from where he was standing in the middle of the living room, hands in his pockets.
"I hope he understands why I waited and forgives me for not telling him before," she confides in him with a hopeful voice.
"Liv, I don't think you waited a long time, I think this is the exact time to do this, he's old enough to understand better, but it is still hard to swallow. Give him some time, he will come around." He smiles softly at her.
"Thank you for being here, by the way. I don't know if I would've been able to handle this on my own," she grabbed her compass for comfort, out of habit.
He moved to stand at her side on the counter and he smiled at her, years of knowing each other, from being on opposite ends of the justice system, to tentatively friendly, to building a friendship. He knew her a little, he saw her go through a lot.
"What's with the compass?" He asked.
She drops the necklace, not even realizing what she was doing. She looks at him, surprised. No one other than her shrink had the guts to ask her, they just assumed.
"It was a gift from a friend." She said, avoiding going into it.
"Really?" He said in a mock tone. "I need new friends, none of mine are giving me diamonds."
"Shut up, Trev,"
"How's Stabler?" He drops unceremoniously.
"Jesus, maybe we should go back to being sworn enemies," she walks around him, opening her freezer to occupy herself.
"Come on, Liv, you know better," he just turned around, resting his hands on the counter and facing her.
"Want some ice cream?" She asks, suddenly.
"Sure," he accepts, giving her a little break. He waits as she serves the ice cream and gives him a bowl. "I'm just saying, it's been years now."
"His wife died," she said. "He went undercover, three times. Pick a reason."
"And that's terrible, but I'm sure it's been long enough now," he takes the spoon to his mouth watching her discomfort. "He gave you the compass?"
She nods. "To lead me to happiness."
"And what exactly are you waiting for, Liv? I've seen you going through so much, I'd like to see you happy for a change." He looks directly at her.
"You have seen me happy," she says, defensively.
"Yeah, different kinds of happiness," he says, shrugging. "I know you've been burned before, but maybe it's time to trust that you deserve happiness." He sees her taking a spoon full of ice cream.
"It's just so much baggage. Perhaps you are right and I'm scared, but I've been trying to get better, to get to a place where I feel ready," she confides. "But it seems helpless, that I'll never be healed enough to do this." She pushes her empty bowl away.
"I'm sure you are, but Liv, nothing stops you from healing and being happy at the same time, one thing doesn't stop the other." He squeezes her hand. "I've seen you going from a relationship to another - never given me a chance, by the way - and not finding what you were looking for."
"Nothing personal, Trev. I just don't date lawyers." She smiles at him.
"You keep telling yourself that," he teases. "The fact is that you already found what you were looking for, that's why none of those relationships worked."
"The psychology world is just losing all your talent,"she jokes.
"Don't change the subject, Liv," he says seriously. "I don't even like Stabler, and I'm here trying to get some sense into you," he says exasperated at her denial.
"I'm pretty sure he doesn't like you either," she sighs. "It's been so long, so much history, what if I just can't make it work, huh? What if he leaves again?" The weight of everything that happened that day made her share her fear.
"For where I'm standing, that's not a possibility, Liv. He's giving you all the signals, and the ball is in your corner. Stop standing in the way of your own happiness." He runs his thumb over the back of her hand. "Give the guy a chance." He squeezes her hand one last time before letting go.
She nods as he starts gathering his things to leave. His keys, phone and briefcase located, he makes his way to the door, with her following close behind.
"Thank you again, Trevor," she says, sincerely, leaning against the door as he steps out in the hallway.
"Always," he turns to leave and pauses. "Just make me the groomsman or something." He jokes.
She gives him a light laugh. "That's highly unlikely."
"Worth a try. Take care." He waves and she finally closes the door.
She moves into the living room, trying to clean a little. She puts the bowls in the sink, Noah's dinner plate barely touched. Her sweet boy was going through something she was quite familiar with. She just hoped he'd come to her with his pain. She sighed.
A knock sound thought the apartment. She looks around, to see if he had forgotten something.
She couldn't see anything, so she opened the door asking. "Did you forget something?"
A pair of clear blue eyes looked right back at her.
"So it was Trevor Langan I just saw leaving your building."