Stabler Kid Chat

D: Okay. How sure are we that that kid isn't Dad's?

M: Are you kidding me with this?!

E: He really looks like he's Dad's?

D: More than you do…

M: DICKIE!

L: You're such an ass

M: Lizzie did you find his adoption record…this is getting ridiculous.

K: Guys. Stop it. He's not Dad's.

D: Prove it.

K: He told me Olivia found him in a drawer during a human trafficking case.

M: Oh my God.

D: I'm an ass.

E: You're just realizing this?

D: Shut up. She found him in a drawer?

L: I'm literally crying.

K: I know. And yeah. A f-ing drawer.

L: That just makes him that much more adorable. And amazing.

D: So crazy though… that he looks like both of them. Fate I guess.

L: or a blessing.

K: No…it's a miracle.

-000-

Not long after fielding the messages after Dickie's departure she received a message from her dad.

Dad: Found Colton. He's safe. We are making one stop with him and taking him home. Liv might need to go back to the precinct but I'll be home soon. Love you Katie. Thanks for helping with this.

K: I'm so relieved I could cry. Noah will be so happy. He's been so worried.

She blinked back some tears, and turned to Noah who was waiting impatiently near the oven. "You set the time right?" He asked. He flipped the light on inside the oven to see the cookies baking.

"Yeah I did," she chuckled. Then a little more seriously she added, "My dad just texted me," Noah's eyes immediately shot up to hers. "He's okay Noah. Your mom and my dad found him."

She took a step back to brace herself as Noah almost barreled into her, wrapping his arm around her. He was sobbing in relief and she could help feeling the same emotional relief on his behalf. This kid was twelve and this week had been hell.

Kathleen held him tightly, providing comfort until his tears subsided into occasional hiccups. She brushed a reassuring hand against his curls and asked. "Are you okay?"

He pulled back, a little embarrassed. He wiped back his tears and gave what was beginning to seem like a characteristic half smile. "Yeah. I…I don't know what your dad has told you about all this stuff, but my friend Clem… she uh," he bit his lip. "She died earlier this week," he spit the words out in a rapid fire mumble.

Her heart broke all over again and she instinctively reached for him again. "God, I'm so sorry Noah." She bit back more tears, "I'm so so sorry."

He pulled back again. "Thanks," he sniffled a little, but tried to bring back some cheer. "I'm just really happy Colton is okay," he explained. "I was so scared…I didn't want to lose another friend."

"I'm glad he's okay too," Kathleen smiled through her own tears.

A beep interrupted their emotional conversation. Noah darted away from her and back to the oven to inspect their cookies. "I think they're done," he smiled, and she knew he was grateful for the timely distraction.

She followed behind him and opened the oven. "They look perfect." She grabbed a pot holder from the counter. "You wanna pull them out?"

"Yeah!" He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Kathleen watched him carefully pull the cookies from the oven, and set them on the stove. As she watched him for a moment she realized that this kid might not be her biological brother, but that didn't matter. Just like Olivia, was theirs and he'd always have a family with them if he wanted it. She silently prayed to God that one day her dad could make things official, and this beautiful curly haired boy, with eyes just like hers, would be her baby brother. Either way, she knew he'd always have a place with them.

-000-

Olivia shut the car door and leaned back into the seat with her eyes closed. They had just dropped Colton off with his parents after first stumbling through an emotional visit with Clem's mother. She felt emotionally shot already, and she still needed to return to work for the afternoon.

She felt Elliot reach for her hand. "Let's go home." His voice was low. She knew he was begging her to take a break. Rest. But she couldn't do that.

She shook her head without opening her eyes. "I need to go back to the precinct." She was exhausted, but she was used to being exhausted. She'd been exhausted for her entire adult life.

"Let Fin handle it for the rest of the day. He's fine on his own for one day." He was trying his damnedest to convince her, but her mind was too busy, too worried to settle. There was still so much to do, and she needed to ensure it got done.

She opened her eyes, and instantly knew that was a mistake. His concerned eyes were practically begging her to come home with him. She shook her head. "I can't. I gotta get back. I need to…"

He cut her off, and tried one more time, "Liv," his voice hung just above a whisper. "Please. Come home. For Noah…" he hesitated. "For me."

That almost broke her. He was sitting there, hand on hers, telling her that he needed her. And she was never good at refusing him when he broke down and asked for help. "Okay," she breathed out. "But if something comes up, if I need to go in…" she let the thought rest, knowing he was aware of her strong sense of duty and responsibility to her squad.

"Of course." She swore he was holding back a smile.

"I'll need to talk to Fin," she started, but he cut her off.

"Call him on our way back to the apartment. No reason to stop by the precinct." He knew her well. The precinct was like a black hole. If she drifted too close it would suck her in.

"Okay." She pulled her phone from her bag. It felt weird. Complying without too much of a fight. Much of their relationship was defined by outright defying one another's wishes. Fighting for the sake of fighting. Fighting because they couldn't release the tension in any other way. And while she knew that they would default to that sometimes, those habits were too strongly ingrained into their relationship, she could enjoy this softer level of passion and affection. Soft expressions of love instead of all consuming fire. There was a sort of beauty in the quiet.

He nodded and put the car in drive. She pulled up Fin's contact information while Elliot drove in the direction of her apartment. They were headed home.

-000-

He's come a long way really. He knew that. A day like today would normally have him spiraling. Running. Too many emotions at once always made him shut down and run, but instead he was asking, almost begging her to help. Begging her to stay.

He kept her hand in his while she talked to Fin for most of the drive home. When they arrived at her building and he parked,he let her hand go in favor of opening the door for her on the other side. It wasn't uncommon for him to do this. She stopped giving him shit for it a long time ago. When she stepped out, her perfect brown eyes were on his, and it was like she could see straight through him. It always felt like that with her. She knew him. The good and the bad. She always took whatever he had and made it better. She made him better.

She cocked an eyebrow at him when he didn't step out of her way when she stood. His arms found a life of their own as they slid around her waist when she stood. She pushed him back a step so she could shut the door but stepped back once the door shut.

Her head settled in the hollow of his neck and her beautiful hair tickled his nose. God she was perfect. She'd always been perfect. Her hands reached for his face, and he read the obvious concern behind her warm gaze. He knew she wanted to ask. She wanted to assure herself that he was in fact okay, but they both knew he would lie, so she held the words back. Those Brown eyes held him captive, dime sized pupils and all.

The moment her lips grazed his, it began to fall away. All the tension melted from his body as her mouth moved against his and her arms wrapped him in perfect accepting affection. She loved him. He knew that. He wasn't sure she'd ever be able to say it. He knew all the reasons she hesitated, and most of them were his fault, but still…still, here she was showering him with all the love he wasn't sure he deserved.

Her hands slid to his chest, and he knew she could feel his pounding heart. No matter how old they got, her touch would always leave him with heart pounding anticipation.

She pulled back, just enough for her lips to ghost over his. "Should we go up?" Her voice was breathy, and he swore she needed him nearly as much as he needed her.

He wasn't ready so he sealed his lips over hers again. A little more insistent, tongue slowly seeking hers. Her back was pressed into the side of the car, and her body was pressed firmly against his. He finally withdrew, just as breathless. "I love you," he whispered against her lips.

She hesitated, like she always did, but it didn't bother him. He never said it with the expectation of hearing it back. It was just the truth, and he would say it until the day he died. He loved her. He needed her. Nothing could ever change that.

-000-

They looked totally wrecked. Kathleen hadn't seen her dad look that emotionally totaled in…years. Liv only seemed moderately better. Kathleen wished she could do more, but what more could she do?

They entered quietly but Noah's ears perked at the sound of the lock turning and he rushed to his mother the minute she opened the door. Kathleen followed behind, a little slower. She reached for her dad, giving him a quick hug. She gave him a sympathetic smile before saying, "You look like hell dad."

He kissed her cheek quickly. "I feel like it too." She stepped back from him just in time for Noah to give him the same greeting as he had given his mother. Kathleen smiled to herself. Definitely attached.

The group made their way to the kitchen where Noah pointed out the treats sitting on plates on the counter. "Kathleen and I made cookies," he bounced a little with excitement.

They both grinned simultaneously, "Thanks buddy," her dad ruffled Noah's hair, "those are my favorite." He snatched one of the snickerdoodles, and Kathleen wondered when either of them had real food. They obviously missed breakfast.

Olivia kissed Noah's head. "You're the best, you know that right?" Her eyes were on Noah, but they drifted to Kathleen. Olivia meant to include her in that statement and Kathleen's heart warmed.

"Should I go," Kathleen gestures toward the door, "or should I stay here and watch a movie with Noah? You guys look like you need sleep."

Her dad looked to Olivia and they both looked to Noah. Kathleen figured they were deferring to whatever Noah wanted. He didn't skip a beat, "I'll watch a movie. I slept when we got back and I'm not sleeping again…" he hesitated, "but I don't want to hang out by myself."

"I got you little dude," Kathleen bumped his shoulder affectionately and he smiled. "Let's find something good." She started to walk towards the couch and Olivia shot her another grateful smile. Kathleen nodded before following Noah to the sofa. Noah began surfing through the movies, and Kathleen peeked over her shoulder just in enough time to see Olivia take her dad's hand and lead him into her room.

-000-

They settled into bed, and as she tossed the blanket over them Elliot pulled her tightly against him. She gently brushed her hand against his cheek. "What do you need right now?" She asked softly.

He pulled her into him so he could kiss her lips softly. "This is perfect," he assured as he tightened his hold on her. His lips brushed her forehead. "You need sleep…we both do."

She would have been fine doing whatever he needed…quietly she thought to herself. But he wasn't wrong. She needed sleep. She pressed a lingering kiss to the hollow of his throat. "You're right," she grinned with a hint of mischief, "but only if," her fingers teased at the hem of his shirt, "you let me give you what you need later." Her fingers danced across the skin of his lower abdomen, making her intentions very clear.

He hummed his agreement. "We can definitely do that," he pressed a lingering kiss to her lips, "but sleep first, okay?"

She pretended to pout, but happily rolled over so her back was pressed against his chest and his strong arms wrapped her from behind. She sighed in contentment, and drifted off to sleep.

-000-

They couldn't have been asleep long before her phone began to ring. "For the love of God," she groaned. She couldn't reach her phone with Elliot's hold on her so she had to extricate her from his arms.

"Benson," she answered curtly. She glanced at her watch. One hour. She couldn't get one hour uninterrupted.

"Sorry Liv," Fin's voice betrayed his hesitance. "But we might have a problem."