AN: I'm having so many issues with this site. I tried making Part two of this story it's own story but the website keep deleting the chapters once I post it and get reviews. So I had to delete "Delicate" three times. I'm just going to add it to this story as a PART 2. So sorry if I've confused anyone or annoyed anyone with crazy updates.

PART 2

"Delicate": When Elliot and Olivia start their family, they quickly realize how difficult and discriminatory it is for women to balance motherhood with career. Elliot takes on extra hours with his new female partner Dani Beck. Olivia finds herself losing grasp of who she is.

Chapter 1

August

2001

NYPD Annual Awards Ceremony

Cragen stood at a podium in a room full of NYPD officers, court officials, and their significant others. All were dressed in black tie suits or ball gowns. Most were in head to toe uniform, including him and his entire squad of SVU detectives, who all sat at the front of the room proudly looking up at him. Elliot held a modest bouquet of flowers, and sat next to Alex and her lawyer boyfriend Tom, who had already blown through half a roll of film on her disposable camera.

Olivia sat with a line of other officers behind the podium waiting for Cragen to announce her.

She looked out of place on that stage. Like a pearl to swine. Her hair was cut short in a bob cut and colored auburn with blonde highlights. She'd had it professionally blown out and her makeup done to match the black maternity evening gown she had to purchase last minute when she realized her 8 month pregnant belly wouldn't fit into her uniform. When she was standing she was radiant. The summer sun had kissed her skin, and pregnancy highlighted all of her curves.

Before she left for the ceremony, Elliot and Alex made her feel like Beyonce at the Grammy's, however now as she sat on this stage next to the buff stuffy non-pregnant men in their crisp black uniforms, their hats tilted just so, most medals already coloring their chest, and their shoes polished to match their perfectly white gloves, she felt more like Miss Piggie in a sea of sausage.

Cragen started his speech and intense heartburn and light kicking from the baby, hit her chest like a brick wall. She looked down at her belly, and rubbed it in hopes she could calm the storm within her. Anything to get through the speech without throwing up or passing out.

"A detective does their due diligence the moment they get a call. They pick up on the smallest details, they ask every question, and they piece the puzzle of a crime together in hopes that justice will prevail. That is the basic job of a good detective. And on a good day, that's all we can expect from our dedicated detectives. Yet, on an average day at SVU, a detective has to delicately work with it's victims and gain trust, to accomplish the basic tasks of their job. In a unit such as this there is very little room for average detective work. That's why I feel lucky to get to work with one of the most meticulous intuitive detectives in the city, Detective Olivia Benson. Detective Benson is the kind of civil servant that doesn't quit, even on the more difficult cases, when the victim wants to give up and throw their case to the wind, Detective Benson finds a way to close the case with integrity. She stays overtime to beat the clock. Bravely puts our community before her own needs. Creates personal connections with the victims. She sets the bar high for the entire department. Tonight I grant her this award of Exceptional Merit for her work this past spring, when she took out a national sex trafficking ring with her undercover work. Risking her life when faced with one of America's most hardened criminal masterminds, Dawgge-D. And I don't know if you can tell, but she is 8 months pregnant back there, and yes she was unknowingly pregnant at the time of this operation."

Reaction to her pregnancy audibly made its way around the room. Fin whistled loudly.

"This act of bravery took out an operation that was untouchable for over a decade. Her undercover work led the FBI to capture every main artery of this national trafficking ring, freeing over 2,000 women and children who were imprisoned by Dawgge-D and his gang, and shut down a large part of this group's national activity."

The room erupted into applause and Cragen smiled and nodded with pride.

"Make no mistake, this won't be the last time you hear her name. Detective Benson, your work is truly exceptional and you have gone above and beyond the call of duty. Detective please step up and accept this medal of honor."

Olivia pulled herself off of her chair and made her way slowly to the front of the stage. Cragen started toward her with the medal so that he could pin it to her uniform, but was caught off guard by the dress and her cleavage. He recanted his action, and awkwardly handed her the pin.

"Very proud of you, detective," he softly smiled.

She took the podium over and smiled nervously. "Thank you for this recognition. I'm not one for speeches, but I am very grateful, and I apologize for my lack of uniform on such an honorable night. However, it's clear the NYPD isn't used to giving medals to women, let alone extremely pregnant ones." A few people chortled at that comment. "Thankfully, I'm a woman…so I can pin this on myself." Which she stopped to do right below her swollen chest. "There we go. I swear this dress wasn't as revealing two weeks ago. Pregnancy! Gentleman, consider this my strong suggestion for maternity uniforms."

The women in the crowd laughed and made agreeable sounds.

"I want to thank my Captain and my partner in life and crime, Detective Elliot Stabler. Without them, I'd still be in the Bronx with a level one status or dead next to the East River. So, thank you for believing in me, for your trust in me, and for your endless knowledge that I learn and grow from on a daily basis. Thank you to my entire squad. They are my family and they have my back always. ADA Alex Cabot thank you for fighting so hard at court for our victims. And thank you to the NYPD for this recognition. Thank you."

Everyone clapped and she made her way off stage as the rest of the medals were being announced. Elliot helped her down the stairs and into a seat.

"Proud of you," he whispered into her ear and kissed her cheek.

"You don't thank the ADA," Alex whispered. "But thanks."

"I am 38 weeks pregnant and stuffed into an evening gown on the hottest day in August, I will say whatever comes out of my mouth," she whispered under her breath to Alex who got the point and lightly bowed with her hands.

Elliot had his soft lovey dovey eyes held on her. It used to be her favorite face, but now she knew he was mostly thinking about the baby and not her puffy face, and it was adorably irritating.

"You're glowing," he whispered when she caught his eye.

"That's just the heartburn. Eh, I feel swollen everywhere, and I haven't even eaten yet."

She rubbed her belly and Elliot put his arm around her shoulders.

"We don't have to stay at the party long. Have some apps, say our hellos with the bigwigs, and we can waddle you back home as soon as the dancing starts."

"Sounds good. I would kill for a tums. Can that happen the second we get home," she held her chest.

"I'll rub your feet and feed you tums, you delicate flower," he whispered and glanced at her chest. It was glistening.

"Give me that card," she asked, grabbing the card from the flowers and fanning herself with it. "They really need to turn the AC on." Her face was flush and her swollen breasts were eating her dress alive. A group of officers standing near the front of the stage stared at her, and Elliot gave them a hard glare.

"Is my cleavage really that offensive," she pulled her dress up higher, and caught Elliot starring now.

"Ah…I wouldn't say I'm offended," he blushed.

"Well, then eyes up here," she pointed, and then tossed a finger at the men in the corner too, who all turned as soon as she called them out.

"You bring a sweater or something, those things have their own atmosphere," he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"If I put a sweater on, you're going to have to roll me out of here in a bus. I will hot flash myself to death," she pushed his arm off of her hot shoulders and fidgeted uncomfortably in the hard chair that her body was sticking to.

"It's good for you, they already called a bus for Cragen when he realized he couldn't pin that medal to your heaving tits."

Olivia and Alex both snorted and Judge Donnelly shot them an angry eye.

"Keep it down, preggo," Alex mumbled, holding back a smile.

The evening moved on to cocktail hour and some dancing. Elliot could barely get a moment with his very popular wife. The head of IAB, Tucker, Captain Cragen, and the police commissioner had her cornered on one side of the room while Elizabeth Donelly and a few of her courthouse cronies held him hostage on the other side of the room.

"So what are you having," Donnelly gave her wide-mouthed smile. "Boy or girl?"

Elliot fidgeted into a wide-legged stance. "Don't know. We wanted to be surprised."

"Wow, how exciting! How do you pick a name if you don't know the gender?"

He hated that question. "Same way you pick out a name when you do know the gender."

Donnelly gave an embarrassed head nod. "Good point. Well do you have a registry or anything, I feel like I need to buy this little gumshoo something fantastic."

Elliot went red a bit and felt too proud to answer that notion. "We had one at one point. But the nursery is pretty packed. That's kind of you, though."

"Now now, I know what you make annually. You let me buy you something," Donnelly insisted. "If you don't tell me what you still need, I will just send something extravagant to the house. Like a 10 foot giraffe"

"Ha, definitely good on giraffes," Elliot ran his hand through his hair, and locked eyes with Fin. "Hold that thought. I'll get back to you," he quickly walked with Fin toward their table. "Holy shit, I hate all this baby talk. Act like you need to talk to me."

Fin held a plate with a mountain of appetizers on it as he walked over to the table. "You want a meatball," he asked Elliot.

"I'm good," Elliot pursed his lips, sat down, and let out a long sigh as he leaned back in his chair. Munch and the new Detective Amaro talked next to them.

"What do you think they're talking about over there," Amaro asked Elliot. He gazed over at Olivia and every bigwig in the system. "Looks intense."

"I'm sure I'll hear all about it later. But they better be talking about how outdated the NYPD's maternity leave program is." Elliot changed his mind about Fin's food, and popped a meatball into his mouth.

"That bad," Fin asked.

"12 weeks. Unpaid."

"Unpaid," Fin scoffed. "Shit, how you gonna pay that rent, Stabler."

"Rent is nothing. The hospital bill and the doctor visits that come after all is said and done, is what I worry about."

"Aren't you military," Munch asked. " Should be free. Either way, thanks to the messed up system of the privatization of health insurance, you don't have to pay that bill right away. I'm still paying off a surgery I had in my 30's. It's the nanny that will leave you with a bad taste in your mouth."

"It's certainly not the spoonful of sugar we thought it'd be," Elliot lifted his brow in overwhelm. "It'll be fine. I can't worry about it. We have it planned out, for now anyway, that my mom will live with us until we get a good schedule going. If we schedule ourselves so that she's working on my days off and visa versa, then my mom only has to be there for three days and emergencies."

"When you supposed to see each other," Fin said through a mouthful of food.

"In our sleep, I guess," Elliot replied with contempt.

"Ha," Fin laughed. "Good luck sleeping with a newborn. My son had colic. I didn't sleep for a solid year, and then my ex-wife let him sleep in our bed. Needless to say, One of the many reasons why she's my ex-wife."

"Ah, come on, Fin," Munch slapped Elliot on the shoulder. "Let's not scare the man. If anyone can figure out how to raise a baby with a career-driven feminist like Liv, it's this guy right here."

"Thanks, Munch," Elliot looked toward his wife. She really was amazing, and altogether stunning. "Just pisses me off. The principle of it. I really don't know how they can expect women to stay in the force after they have kids."

"They don't," Munch interjected. "Duh, it's the good ol' boys club, Stabler. Look at the statistics. It's one woman for every 5 men. And you name one female Sergeant or Captain that has kids? Name one?"

Elliot, Amaro, and Fin sat in silence.

"They make it hard for women because they don't want women in the positions, and they don't want to pay the maternity leave or the healthcare or the child care or the lawsuits. Meanwhile, I'd like to see any of these baboons do what a woman can during some of these interrogations and undercover operations. There is a certain unfair advantage to being a hot female when you need to sweet talk a perp into coughing up information. But Tucker doesn't see it that way. He only sees liability and dollar signs."

Elliot could see Olivia storming her way towards their table. "Dance with me," she said with a scowl on her face.

They all jumped, unsure if she meant Elliot or all of them. "You…okay," Elliot stood first.

Munch nodded. "Good luck, El."

Olivia pulled him to the dance floor and they swayed back and forth like two teens at the 8th grade dance, only with a watermelon-sized belly keeping them apart instead of their sweaty hormonal bodies.

"Tucker, upset you," Elliot asked and then positioned her belly to the side of his body so she could lean her face next to his.

"He's a fucking asshole," she tiffed. "He congratulated me, and then says 'too bad we're losing a good detective to a baby.' I say 'you're losing anyone to a baby.' He then says 'you just wait. Babies change you.' Then he went through all of the reasons why I should take a desk position at the IAB office with him and his team, now that I'm a mother. The commissioner seconded the offer and waved a 5% raise in my face, like that was some grand offer that I'm supposed to what…throw my badge and my career and …..passion…. in the trash and put on a skirt for a measly $3K minus taxes. Screw those guys."

"Cragen back you?"

"Cragen was quietly livid but eloquently shut them up…the way he does. He's so good at that. I have to get better at being calm and assertive to those pitbulls. Thank god for Cragen. Ehmmm," she stopped and held her belly as a small contraction rolled over her midsection.

"What's wrong," Elliot could feel her stomach tense.

"Braxton Hicks. Just light contraction again. It's gone."

Elliot's eyes grew wide. "What do you mean again?"

"It's nothing, Elliot. Dr says, it's my body practicing."

"Do we need to go home?"

"Elliot, I'm fine. Dance," she ordered again, still salty from her interaction with Tucker. "Anyway, I tried to bring up that I have no plans to leave my position at SVU, but that if the NYPD policy were properly updated to meet the new maternity requirements that regular businesses follow, that they'd have more women over the age of 30 staying on the job."

"Bet Tucker loved that," Elliot rubbed the small of her back and massaged her hips.

"Ow, keep doing that, that feels so good," she half went in and out of the conversation, distracted by Elliot's touch. "I…mmm…Tucker was unamused. And then I asked him about his wife, to which he replied that they had just had a baby girl, and I asked what her maternity leave pay was, and he turned five shades of red, because he knows that I know, his wife works for the largest law firm in the city, and she makes half a million a year, so she doesn't need maternity leave pay. She can afford a live-in nanny, a maid, and a brownstone in midtown. Anyway…" she was cooling down and fully distracted by Elliots hands.

He kept one on her hand to lead the dance, while the other rubbed the line of her belly and down her back to her aching hips.

The music was louder now and they were surrounded by other dancers.

Boys II Men came on.

"Hold me close. Let's go slow."

Elliot held her closer to his body now. They danced cheek to cheek while he whispered into her ear.

"Remember this song?"

She smiled and leaned into him. "Mmm, I remember the sex."

He nuzzled her bare neck and nibbled her skin. "We should go home. You are too hot in that dress."

"Can't wait for you to rip it off," she moaned back into his ear.

Cragen was still talking with the commissioner and their eyes fell on Elliot and Olivia, to which the commissioner grumbled. "I know you say they're your best detectives, but they dance too close to the line for my comfort. I'd like to know your plan for when she comes back from her leave. If she comes back. The last thing I need is some New York Times reporter blaming injustice on NYPD nepotism."

"She'll be back, if I have to pay her with my own bonus," Cragen shook his head to keep from getting angry at his boss. "I have two new detectives starting this week to pick up the slack. And these Elliot and Olivia have not been paired together since their wedding. If I were you, I'd be more concerned about your department's arcane view on women and their maternity leave options. This is 2001, women want to be mothers and keep their career. They aren't sitting at home with their children anymore. Time to roll with the times. And when it comes to Olivia Benson, I'd trade every single one of my male detectives just to keep her."

"Even Stabler," the commissioner watched Elliot rub Olivia's hips and was taken aback.

"No need to clutch your pearls, sir. They are married and this is a party."

And with that, Cragen stepped away.

The song ended and the two talk of the town Detectives were more than ready to make a grand exit.

Elliot held her arm in the crux of his elbow and grabbed her purse from the table, Fin, Alex, Tom, and Munch were camped out at.

"Night folks," Elliot waved.

"Good night. Congratulations, Liv," they all waved back and commenced their conversation.

"I'm sorry all that happened tonight," Elliot continued their conversation as they headed for a cab. "Just like Tucker to ruin your night."

"Ah. he didn't ruin it. It's only ruined if you don't get me home right now...and cool me down…if you know what I mean," she suggested sex with her eyes, and then grabbed the card from her flowers again and started waving it at her overheated face. "It's so damn hot. And my hormones are out of control. I could just rip this dress off and jump you right here," She said, out of character and with every emotion in her body. Part exhausted, horny, angry, and delighted.

"Olivia Benson," He pretended to blush, while he waved a cab. "Keep it together before we both get asked to work the desk job," Elliot grinned and looked down at her belly as he rubbed it.

They climbed into the cab and she immediately pulled her skirt up past her knees, like she had wanted to release her legs from that polyester for hours.

"8th and 25th," Elliot talked to the cab driver and then looked over at Olivia with her legs out and open.

"What…are yeah doing," he said with a conspicuous glance to her and then a flicker toward the front of the cab where the driver was too hardened to even give them the time of day.

She breathed heavily. "It's like 100 degrees outside and I'm in all black."

"Can you turn up the AC," Elliot asked the driver, and the sound of blasting air hit them both.

She bent over the vent and attempted to cool off her chest.

"Liv," Elliot gave her a look insinuating the driver could see her.

"That guy doesn't care," she looked at the cab driver who was on his phone. "If I didn't want to get home so badly, I'd ticket him for driving with that phone, but..."

Elliot put his hand on the inside of her thigh and her entire body quivered.

"Careful," she held back a wave of hormonal urges, but he could only relish in her need for sex. He ate her up with just one look, and she lifted her skirt a little higher.

"…usually it's me begging for sex. I think I like you hormonal," he whispered as he slouched next to her in the back of the cab.

She laughed and Elliot lightly kissed the top of her cleavage. It took deep willpower not to keep going.

He held himself together and mentally got serious for a second, while he traced a heart with his finger dangerously close to her underwear line.

"I hope you're not worried, Liv."

"About what," she breathed heavily again, and kissed the five o'clock shadow on his chin. His cologne drove her wild, and she nuzzled her nose into the side of his neck.

"About money and work and the baby. We'll figure out the money and the nanny and all of the things. My mother and father raised 5 kids with a lot less."

She tried to nibble his ear. "It's okay. I'm not worried," She whispered. "Kiss me."

He kissed her and then continued. "If worst comes to worst we move to Queens."

She slapped his chest. "We will never move to Queens."

"No Queens-," he started to say, but she kissed his mouth to shut him up.

He lightly touched the soft part of her thigh again, and made his way to the edge of her underwear. They were lacey around the edges and she tensed and stopped breathing the second he touched her there.

"My point is, you don't have to take a desk job. Cragen will do anything to keep you on the team. And I'm finally going to take the Sargent test. I will have a significant raise by the end of the year, and then we can afford a full-time Nanny, and my mom won't have to help so much."

"Yeah," she responded, with only sex left on her raging hormonal pregnant mommy brain. She moved his hand directly where she wanted it to be, and held back all audible reactions.

He nervously stopped to make sure the driver was still in his own world.

"Please," she mouthed and then kissed his neck.

"We have enough in savings for 2 months," he slipped a finger inside of her.

"Yes, we do," she responded through the oppressed sex cries.

"And if you need to take the full 12 weeks, we have three open credit cards."

"Fully open," she sighed.

The driver looked into the rearview mirror, and Elliot stopped.

"Mmm," she looked up and waited for the driver to continue his phone conversation, which he did.

Elliot used his thumb and fingers this time and she nearly lost her mind.

"The only thing," Elliot teased her with his words. "I'm concerned about…"

"Yes," she asked and bit her lip.

"Is if the baby sleeps in our room, can we still do this," he whispered and brought her to full orgasim. "Shhhh…," he smiled near her ear.

The cab came to a stop and Elliot pulled out.

"You said 25th, right," the cabby asked.

"Yep," Elliot went to hand him some cash and fumbled trying to only use his left hand. "Keep the change."

He quickly got Olivia out of the cab and rushed her past the doorman.

"Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Stabler," the doorman nodded.

"Perfect evening, John, " Elliot winked, trying hard to avoid small talk.

"When's the due date again?"

"Two weeks," Olivia shouted as she pulled Elliot towards the elevator.

"You got a name yet? I hear John is making a comeback," John yelled toward them.

"Good try," Elliot joked back.

They watched the floor numbers fall. 10….9….8…

The door opened just as they were about to get into an empty elevator, an older woman on floor hobbled in with a pizza delivery guy, and the man with the white dog.

Elliot squeezed her hand and looked at her glowing face. She had sat by the pool a little long last weekend and her button nose was sun-kissed and her freckles were showing. She swayed back and forth with each floor, antsy to get out of the elevator. When they finally got to the 10th floor the two of them pushed through.

Elliot had the keys ready. The door opened and he grabbed hold of her face and pulled her in for a long deep kiss.

"Unzip me," she begged through their kissing.

Elliot pulled her dress zipper down as she unbuttoned his pants.

"Get on the chair," she begged.

"Which chair," he looked around.

"Kitchen," she pulled her dress down and began to straddle him.

"Are we going to break this chair," Elliot held her hands, and they froze.

"I have to pee," she disappeared, leaving Elliot half dressed with a hard-on in their kitchen.

He took that moment to grab the tums, the prilosec, and a glass of ice water, which he held in front of his manhood for full ridiculous effect.

When she returned, also naked, the vision immediately sent her rolling with laughter, but he kept his serious face.

"Heartburn meds, my lady," he held back his laughter as she dropped to the couch laughing so hard at him under her giant belly.

"You are too much," She gasped for air.

"I promised tums and a cool down," he knelt down next to her on the couch.

"I'm stuck...I'm stuck...oh my god...that's too funny. Lift me up," she laughed, and he pulled her up to a seated position on the couch.

He then fed her a tums and a pill and held up the glass.

"Want you to be comfortable. I hope you know, that I might not be able to buy you a nanny and a brownstone right now, but I will always take care of you," he looked at her seriously now.

Never had they found themselves so vulnerable, as they had in recent days. It was a babymoon to remember.

She pulled him in for a long kiss and they made love until morning.

AN: Who loves EO Babies?! Me. Let me know if you're liking it.