Liv walked into the kitchen, her laugh dying from her conversation with Bernie in the dining area. She was having a great time so far here with the Stablers, granted her time had only been spent between Bernie and the kids, her usual interactions. Next on her list were the ones she came here to meet originally, the Stabler siblings.

The youngest Stabler brother, Joe, stood by the island, his back slightly rigid as he stared down at the marble countertop. His shoulders tensed as her voice pierced through the silence, though he quickly composed himself, attempting to act nonchalant as he sipped from a glass of water.

"Hey," she said as she stepped into the kitchen offering a smile, her casual greeting hanging in the air.

His stance was casual, but there was a weight behind his eyes, something Liv could sense immediately as soon as she entered the room. He was different from the rest of the Stablers—quieter, more introspective. Maybe that's why she was drawn to him in this moment, sensing he could use someone to talk to.

"Hey," she said again, softer this time, her tone carrying a comforting and familiar warmth.

Joe shifted his weight, his dark eyes flickering to meet hers. There was a momentary hesitation in his gaze, a kind of guardedness that reminded Liv of her own struggles to open up, even when someone offered support. His stoic nature, the brooding quiet that followed him, was somehow even more difficult to decipher than his older brother's temperamental outbursts. She could see that it was just temporary, that the recent ordeal with his addiction had taken a toll on him and there was a brighter spirit underneath.

"Not to be too forward," she began, her voice steady, knowing she was treading delicate ground, "but I heard about your situation from El." Her sentence ended timidly not wanting to push any boundaries by mentioning his recent troubles with the law, but she knew how important it was to offer a hand, especially when it seemed like Joe was carrying a lot on his shoulders.

She watched as his body stiffened, the tension rippling through his body at the mention of his brother. Elliot was a sensitive topic after he pushed his brother to break away and get clean. Joe was in a vulnerable state, something that Liv had seen countless times with victims at the precinct. It was like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop, the final judgment.

"I was just offering a helping hand," Liv continued, sensing his internal struggle. "I know a lot of people from working in the department. If you need anything outside of the people at the center, I could help."

Her tone was calm and measured, designed to ease the nerves she could see building in Joe. She saw it then, the brief relaxation in his stance, a sign that he was starting to let go of whatever weight he carried. His lips turned up slightly in a smile, not one of joy, but of gratitude. Yet, behind his eyes, Liv saw something else—a familiar darkness, the kind she had seen in herself over the years, lingering just beneath the surface. His eyes, darker than the rest of the Stablers', mirrored her own in a way that settled her, but its like she could read them all the same.

"Thank you," Joe murmured, his voice sincere yet guarded. He offered her a small, appreciative smile with his next words. "Um, that's great to know, actually."

Liv pressed on carefully, knowing that sometimes just having someone to talk to outside of family could make all the difference. Smiling, her gaze softening, she turned her body fully to him creating a little bubble of their own. "I'm here, too, if you need someone to talk to. I know it can be hard with everything you're dealing with. And from the few visits I've made, I can tell Randall is just like Elliot. Those two can be tough on its own with, you know, opening up and all." She offered a lighthearted laugh, trying to make the situation less intense.

She knew she was pushing boundaries, but the hesitation in Joe's voice, the guardedness, reminded her so much of her own. Technically she was a stranger and she knew how hard it could be to open up so easily, hell she even struggled with it. She couldn't help but want to offer him an olive branch, even if it was a shaky one.

Joe chuckled softly, his laugh as hesitant as his words. "Yeah, Thank you for that, it would be nice actually," he replied. "Like you said the two bald men over there aren't the easiest to open up to sometimes."

The tension between them eased with that small exchange of humor. It was always like that with the Stablers, a mixture of fun and intensity, often balanced on a thin line. She had been around them long enough to know how protective they could be, how guarded they were when it came to their emotions.

"Actually," Joe said, his tone adamant as if he had been waiting to bring this up. "there is something I could use your help with," He looked at her suddenly more seriously. His hand ran through his hair, a nervous gesture. "I know you deal with assault victims, and this might not exactly be in your wheelhouse, but—"

Liv waited, watching as his discomfort became more palpable. He was clearly struggling to get the words out, the nerves steaming off of him, but she knew better than to push him didn't want to do anything that could stop him from opening up. Liv's eyes narrowed, her mind already racing through the possibilities. Joe had always been the quieter, more reserved member of the Stabler family, but that didn't mean he wasn't capable of finding himself in dangerous situations. Nodding encouragingly, she waited for him to continue.

"While I was working with Redcoat, I got connected with his kid, name's Giles Emery," Joe finally said, his voice low, almost as if he didn't want to be overheard.

Liv felt a pang of shock. A kid? She held back her reaction, keeping her expression neutral, though her mind raced. She hadn't expected this to be about a child.

"Good kid," Joe continued, his voice softening. "Smart, creative, has his whole future ahead of him, but…"

"But you're worried about him being in that environment?" Liv offered gently, filling in the gaps with clues.

Joe nodded, his jaw tightening. "Yeah. When I was with them, I was mainly the only one who looked out for him," he admitted, his voice thick with concern. "Nobody else cared—it was just a job to them. They barely saw Giles as a person, more like a chore. It was bad enough he got treated that way by the men but his dad treated him just the same."

Liv's heart ached at his words. The thought of this young boy being neglected for such a dangerous game by his father. She had seen this before, the way children were often mistreated in toxic environments, treated as collateral damage. "If you want, I could check the system and see where he was placed," she offered. Thinking about the kids like Giles she saw slip through the cracks, and if someone was around that cared she wasn't about to let that happen here if she could help it.

Joe looked at her with a glimmer of hope, as if her words lifted some of the weight he carried. "Really? That would mean a lot."

"Of course, I would" She could see the light in his eyes at her answer but couldn't help the growing question that started when he mentioned the kid. " What exactly are you hoping for if I do find Giles? I know you said you looked after him before but " she paused trying to find the right words that didn't sound harsh. "You do know that with everything going on right now and with the case the likelihood of custody would be slim?" the words came out in a soothing town, not wanting to startle the peace they've already made.

"I know, I just really worry about him," Joe said after a moment, his voice quieter now. "He was almost like the son I never had."

There was a pause then, but Liv could tell Joe wasn't finished. He had more to say, more to confess, but the words were caught somewhere between fear and guilt. She stayed quiet, giving him the space he needed to gather his thoughts.

"I would just like to know he's alright, with all the free time now I've thought about it." He paused his eyes showing sincerity. " If he's safe I would just like to be there you know, I'm already Uncle Joe what's more. But if not and I hope that is not the case, I would do everything I could if I needed to take him."

Liv understood that feeling, more than Joe could possibly know. She had been in his shoes before, connecting with children in ways that went beyond her job, feeling protective of them as if they were her own. "I get it," she said softly. "I've felt it too, multiple times while working cases. It's one of the reasons why I have my son now."

Joe raised his eyebrow in question, clearly not expecting that. "You adopted?" he asked, his tone curious.

"Sorry," Liv said with a soft chuckle, realizing she had surprised him. "Sometimes I forget not everyone knows Noah is adopted. Sometimes I forget myself." She turned her gaze toward the living room, where her son, Noah, was laughing with the other Stabler kids. He seemed to fit so naturally into their family dynamic, something she had always been grateful for. It was one of her greatest fears, not being able to give him a real family outside of her squad. She wanted to give him the stability she had craved as a child.

Joe followed her gaze and smiled. "Well," he said, his voice breaking into her thoughts, " I doubt my word means much, but I can tell he's happy. You're doing great."

Liv was touched by his words. It was one thing to hear it from people at her job or parents she knew, but from someone she's barely interacted with the words hit home. "Thank you, It means something," Liv replied, offering him a grateful smile in return.

There was a warmth between them now, a mutual understanding that didn't need to be spoken aloud. Joe's worries, his fears, and his protectiveness toward Giles mirrored so much of what Liv felt for Noah. It was as if, in that moment, they both saw pieces of themselves in each other.

It was a quiet acknowledgment of the complexities of family, and the sacrifices they both had made known or not. Liv's gaze shifted as she caught sight of Elliot walking back into the living room from outside. He was talking to his sisters, a warm smile lighting up his face, the kind of smile she had grown to love over the years.

Joe followed her gaze and grinned. "So," he began, clearly sensing an opportunity, "how long have you and my brother been together?"

Liv blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question. She laughed nervously, not used to being the one on the receiving end of the questions. "Uh, that's kind of a complicated question," she admitted with a soft chuckle. "We've been partners for twelve years, basically family before he left for Italy."

Joe raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Yeah, I always wondered about that."

"About what?"

"Why he just up and left for Italy," Joe said, his tone thoughtful. It wasn't a question Liv had expected, but she could tell it had been weighing on him for some time. She herself had spent years grappling with that very question, trying to understand the reasons behind Elliot's sudden departure.

"Well, um," Liv started, gathering her thoughts. It was still a tough topic for her to talk about, even after all these years and the conversations she and Elliot had shared since his return. "The job is a lot, you know? Things happened, and now I know that his leaving was for his own good."

"Now?" Joe asked, picking up on her choice of words. "You didn't know that before?"

Liv paused, realizing she had let more slip than she intended. She took a deep breath, weighing her options. There was something about Joe that made her want to be honest, maybe because he had been so open with her just moments ago. He had spoken about Elliot with a mix of admiration and a kind of heartfelt reverence, and Liv knew that he would understand. He would get it.

"No, I didn't know," Liv admitted, her voice softer now. "I didn't understand it at the time. Like I said, things were complicated. I guess you could say we got too close. It got to a point where we were choosing each other over the job."

Joe studied her for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "Nothing ever happened, though?"

"No, God no," Liv said quickly, shaking her head. "That line was never crossed."

Joe smiled softly as if he had expected that answer all along. "You don't have to explain," he said gently. "I know my brother well enough to know he wouldn't do that. He's got a hard head, but he uses it."

Liv couldn't help but laugh at that, appreciating the way Joe managed to lighten the mood. "Yeah, he does," she agreed, her gaze shifting once again to Elliot as he approached them, a bright smile on his face as he neared the counter.

"Talking about me?" Elliot asked, raising an eyebrow playfully as he reached them. "All good things, I hope?"

Liv grinned as she leaned into him, letting him pull her close to his side. "Don't worry about that," she teased. "I was just getting to know Joe a little better. You failed to tell me he's the easiest Stabler brother to talk to."

Elliot shot Joe a playful look, his arm still wrapped around Liv. "That's because you haven't spent enough time with him," he quipped, earning a chuckle from both Joe and Liv.

Joe watched them, his eyes softening as he took in the scene. It was a side of his brother he hadn't seen in a long time—this happiness, this ease. He couldn't remember ever seeing Elliot smile like that, not even with his late wife. There was something about Liv that brought out the best in him, something that made him lighter, freer.

"If you don't mind," Elliot said, turning to Joe with a grin, "I'm going to steal her for a few minutes."

"No problems out of me, big bro," Joe said with a smile, watching as Elliot and Liv walked away, hand in hand.

As they disappeared from view, Joe found himself feeling genuinely happy for his brother. He had always worried about Elliot, especially after everything he had been through. But now, seeing him with Liv, seeing the way they fit together so effortlessly, he knew his brother had found something special.

But just as the moment seemed to settle, Joe's expression shifted. A look of panic crossed his face, and he whispered under his breath, "Shit." The true purpose of the dinner came rushing back into his mind.