A/N: This is part 2 of the previous chapter. This one is a lot happier than the last one was. Since we don't actually know when Hank's birthday is, I am having it be the same as Jason's birthday, March 12th. I don't own any of the characters except my own. There are time jumps in this chapter as well.
A Cry for Help - Part 2
The week went quickly. Whenever Hank was available, he and Olivia would have lunch together. Amanda had plans with Sonny for Valentine's Day and Olivia was going over to Hank's. Hank had sent her flowers again. She got home and freshened up a little bit before walking over. She rang the bell and Erin opened the door.
"Hi Olivia."
"Hey, Erin."
"Come on in."
"Thanks."
Olivia came in and took her coat and boots off.
"Did you have a good birthday?"
"I did. Thank you so much for the necklace and earrings. I'm wearing them."
"Good. I'm glad you liked it."
Justin came downstairs.
"Livia!"
"Hey, you!"
Justin gave Olivia a big hug.
"Where's your dad?"
"He threw a load of clothes in."
"Ok."
"Can I get you anything?"
"A soda or something is fine."
Erin went to get Olivia a soda, while Olivia went to site in the living room. Hank had the laundry done.
"Hey."
"Hey."
"Is cheese and sausage ok?"
"Yeah."
"I ordered that and one with just cheese. It should be here soon."
"Perfect."
"Good. Erin, take this up please."
"Sure."
Erin took the laundry upstairs and then Hank kissed Olivia's cheek.
"It would be ok if you kissed me."
"Maybe I will later."
"Ok."
"We have cookies for dessert. Meredith and Justin made them today. Meredith loves to bake."
"I noticed that when we spent the Holidays with all of you. How was your day today?"
"Never a dull moment sometimes. I put in to get the whole weekend off for a change. How was your day?"
"Not too bad."
"Where were Amanda and Sonny off to tonight?"
"When I told him about the carriage ride we took the other night, he thought that sounded like the perfect setting for a proposal. Mandy is getting engaged and I couldn't be happier for her. She ended up with a great guy when she met him."
"He seems nice."
"He is. I have a feeling they'll be moving in together before long."
Erin came back downstairs and then the doorbell rang. Hank went to answer it, since it was the pizza delivery guy. Hank opened the door and gave the delivery guy the money. He took the pizzas and shut the door. He took the pizzas into the kitchen and saw Olivia and Erin in the family room going through the movies.
"You two find somethin'?"
"I think we found something we can all watch."
"Good."
Everyone got some pizza and they ate dinner. After they were done eating, they moved to the family room and Erin put the movie in after Erin and Justin got ready for bed. Everyone got comfortable on the sofa. Justin sat between Hank and Olivia and Erin sat on the other side of Olivia. Hank had gone to get the cookies after a while. Justin ended up sitting on Olivia's lap and Erin had her head on Olivia's shoulder. Before the movie was even over, Justin was sound asleep. Olivia got up and took him up to his room. Hank ended up coming upstairs as well. He saw Olivia kiss his son on the cheek as she covered him. Hank went in and kissed Justin's forehead and then they both came out of Justin's room.
"They both like you."
"I like them too."
"Can we talk for a minute?"
"Sure."
Hank had Olivia follow him to his bedroom and then he shut the door. They both sat down on the bed. Olivia was starting to become nervous.
"I like spendin' time with you."
"I like spending time with you too. Why do I have a feeling that this won't be a good conversation?"
"What gave you that idea?"
"I just feel that way."
"I meant what I said the other night. I'm not goin' anywhere."
"I'm starting to feel things for you that I have never felt for anyone before and you're the only man who has ever treated me with respect. I want an actual relationship with you."
"That's actually where I was headed with this but I wanted to see what your feelings were on it. I'm glad we're on the same page and to be honest, I'm feelin' things for you that I haven't felt for anyone since Camille."
"Hank."
"Yeah?"
"Kiss me."
They leaned towards each other and Hank kissed her gently on the lips.
"We might need to do more of that later."
"Ok."
They went back downstairs and Erin was asleep. They finished watching the movie and kissed more. A little while later, Olivia put her coats and boots on and went home after they kissed again. She had never enjoyed kissing anyone as much as she enjoyed kissing Hank. When she got home, she got ready for bed and thought about her night with Hank. Amanda was not home yet but if Sonny had proposed, she may not be home until morning.
The next morning, Olivia woke up to her phone ringing. She looked to see who it was. It was Hank. He had to go to work and wanted to know if she could come stay with the kids, since Meredith wasn't feeling well. She said she would but she needed to get ready. He said it was fine. Olivia went into the bathroom and took a quick shower. Once she was ready, she put her coat and boots on and checked to see if Amanda had come home. She had not. She left her a note telling her she was over at Hank's watching the kids. She then walked over to Hank's. When she got there, she rang the bell and he opened the door.
"Sorry about this."
"That's ok."
"They're awake but not dressed yet. Justin wants pancakes for breakfast, so maybe just take them out. Justin's seat is right here by the door."
"Ok. Stay safe."
"I will."
Hank kissed her and then he left, while Olivia went inside. They were watching TV.
"Morning."
"Morning."
"Hi Livia. We have pancakes?"
"Your dad told me you wanted pancakes, so how about we go out?"
"Ok."
The kids went upstairs to get dressed and then they came back downstairs. They put their coats on and then Olivia got Justin's seat. Olivia took the spare key and they walked over to the apartment, so Olivia could get her car. She put the seat in and then Justin got in, while she strapped him in. Erin got in and put her seatbelt on. Olivia got in as well. Amanda was just arriving at home.
"Hey, Liv. Where are you off to?"
"Hank had to go into work, so he asked if I could stay with the kids. We're going out for breakfast. Would you like to join us?"
"Sure."
Amanda got in and then they left for the restaurant. When they arrived, they got out and went inside. They were taken to their table and looked to see what they wanted. They had their order taken and then the waitress went to get their coffee and chocolate milk.
"How was last night?"
"It was nice. He took me out for dinner and then on a carriage ride around the city. While we were on the carriage, he proposed."
"And?"
"Of course I said yes.
"Mandy, I am so happy for you! Congratulations!"
"Thanks. How was your night?"
"It was nice. We had pizza and watched a movie. Hank wants to make things official with us and he kissed me."
"He did?
"Yes, he did."
"I am so happy for you, Liv!"
"Me too."
"When did Dad kiss you?"
"After I took Justin upstairs and put him in bed."
"No wonder it took so long for you two to come back."
"And you were asleep by the time we came back down."
"Dad never had any interest in dating until he met you. I'm glad you're in our lives."
"He came into my life at the right time."
"He told me what happened to you. I think it sucks."
"It does but I think I've made a lot of progress with getting my life back on track."
Justin put his hand on Olivia's arm.
"I love you, Livia."
"I love you too. Both of you."
"I love you too."
"That's a good sign if his kids love you."
"I know. I'm ready to be a mother and I know I want that with Hank."
"Are you sayin' you're ready to be with him?"
"I think so. He treats me better than any man ever has. I think I was starting to feel a connection with him early on."
"I really hope he's your Sonny."
"I do too."
Their breakfast arrived and then they all ate. After Olivia paid for breakfast, they headed home. Amanda went into the apartment, while Olivia took the kids home.
"Do you guys have any other family?"
"Not really. Dad's father died when he was young and Grandma died maybe 5 years ago. It was before Justin was born. He hasn't seen or spoken to Mom's parents since her funeral. I think in a way they blamed him for her death. He had no idea she was going to bleed so much when she gave birth. Their loss. They never thought he was good enough for her anyway and they were less than thrilled that he already had a kid. At least that was the impression I got. It is what it is."
"When is your dad's birthday?"
"March 12th. He'll be 34."
"When is yours?"
"April 11th. I don't have school that day."
"Maybe I'll see if I can take that day off and we can have a girls' day."
"That'll be fun."
"Of course I will have to check with your dad first."
"I'm sure he won't mind."
"I'm sure he won't either."
"I'd like to have some friends sleepover."
"Talk to your dad and see what he says. Is there something special you would like for your birthday?"
"I want to get my ears pierced again. I was 7 when I got them pierced the first time."
"Did Camille take you?"
"Yeah. That was the last birthday she was here for. She didn't have to love me but she did."
"I'll talk to your dad and see what he says but if he says no, that's it."
"I get it. I'm glad you're Dad's girlfriend."
"I am too. He treats me better than anyone. Justin, I think you need to take a nap."
"Ok."
Olivia took Justin up to his room and put him down for his nap. Erin went to her room to work on her homework. Olivia went back downstairs and relaxed. She ended up falling asleep on the sofa. A little while later, Hank came home. He took his coat and boots off and saw Olivia asleep on the sofa. He covered her with a blanket and went upstairs. Justin was asleep and Erin had fallen asleep at her desk doing her homework. Hank went back downstairs and joined Olivia on the sofa. He ended up falling asleep as well.
Olivia woke up and saw Hank sleeping. She moved over, so she was closer to him and shared the blanket. She kissed him on the cheek and then he opened his eyes.
"Hey."
"Hey. How was your case?"
"It was ok. How was breakfast?"
"It was good."
"Did Justin eat?"
"He did."
"Good."
"Can I ask you a couple things?"
"Sure."
"I was wondering if I could take Erin for a girls' day on her birthday. She mentioned that she had off of school that day."
"I don't have a problem with it."
"Good. I asked her if there was something special she wanted for her birthday and she told me she wanted to get her ears pierced again. I said I would ask you but if you said no, that was it."
"If you wanna take her, that's fine with me. I don't have a problem with it. Camille took her the first time she got them pierced."
"That's what she said. Your son told me he loved me. Actually, they both did."
"He missed out on a lot by not havin' a mom. I apologize if that was awkward for you."
"It wasn't. I love both of them too and I told them that. I enjoyed spending time with them today."
"Good."
"I know if I'm going to be a part of your life then I need to be in their lives too. I don't think I've ever connected with anyone as quickly as I have connected with you and your kids."
"When you first came into the Precinct and told me you wanted to report a rape, I couldn't stop thinkin' about you and then when I ran into you a few days later, I was relieved that you were close by."
"I'm lucky you were there when you were. He either would have killed me or raped me again. Sometimes I think I'm ready to be with you but sometimes all I see is what he did to me."
"I already told you that I want things to proceed between us on your terms."
"Would you think I'm crazy if I told you that I'm ready to be a mother and that I could see myself doing that with you?"
"Not at all. If my kids love you, that obviously means somethin'."
"Erin said you never thought about dating until you met me."
"That's true. A part of me thinks it's too soon but another part of me thinks I need to start livin' my life again. Would you have a problem if I started callin' you more often to come stay with them?"
"I'm fine with that."
"Al told me that he and Meredith are havin' a baby, so she may not be able to do what she was doin' with the kids. I guess the baby is due in August."
"My mom told me that she has an interview at a college around here because she wants to be closer to me."
"When does she interview?"
"She comes in on Thursday night and her interview is Friday."
"Ok. I'm planning to take the kids to Chicago when Erin is off for Spring Break at the end of March. Would you be interested in comin' with us?"
"I'll see if I can take off."
"Great. I'll let you know the exact dates."
"Ok."
Hank kissed Olivia.
Once the kids woke up, Hank fixed something for lunch. Olivia told Erin that Hank agreed to them spending the day together on her birthday and he was fine with her getting her ears pierced again. Erin asked if she could have some of her friends sleepover for her birthday and he said he would think about it. Olivia ended up spending the entire day with them. Before she went home, Hank gave her the dates they were planning to be gone. They spent all day Sunday together too. On Monday, Olivia put in for the days off and they were accepted.
The week went by quickly. Serena came in on Thursday and had her interview on Friday, which went well. Hank had both of them, Amanda and Sonny over for dinner. Erin had a paper due for English at the end of the following week, so she was busy writing it. Justin was sitting with Serena, Amanda and Sonny in the family room, while Olivia was helping Hank in the kitchen. Serena had gone up to check on Erin.
"Hey, kiddo."
"Oh, hi."
"What are you working on?"
"My English paper. I've been trying to get my grades up but for some reason, I don't think my English teacher likes me very much."
"I'll be here until Sunday, so if you would like some help, let me know. I know a thing or two about writing English papers, since I am an English professor."
"Can we work on it tomorrow?"
"Absolutely. I think your dad and my daughter want to spend some time alone, so maybe I will offer to stay with you and your brother. If you two are going to be a big part of my life, then I need to spend some more time with you. I think dinner may be about ready."
"Ok."
Erin saved what she was working on and then they went downstairs. They all went into the kitchen and sat down.
"If you two want to spend some time alone, I can stay with the kids. If they are going to be a big part of my life, then I need to spend some more time with them."
"I would love that. Thanks."
"You're welcome."
"Serena said she would help me with my paper. I really want a good grade on this."
"You've been workin' a lot harder this year."
"I just don't think my English teacher likes me."
"You have a few more months left."
"I'm really trying."
"I know you are. Your grades started slippin' after Camille died, which is understandable. Serena, when is your break?"
"Early to mid March."
"Ok. I was wonderin' because I wanted to see if you wanted to go to Chicago with the four of us but that's not until the end of March."
"If I was off at that time, I would love to go. If you need someone to watch them over the summer, I will be more than willing to help out."
"I appreciate that. Thanks."
"Are you taking that position?"
"I am. I decided I wanted to be closer to you."
"That's great."
"Sonny and I have been thinkin' that by summer, we may be movin' in together. If you wanna take over the apartment, I'd be fine with that. I'm thinkin' that I just wanna elope."
"My ma will have somethin' to say about that though."
"I'm sure she will but I don't want a big fuss."
"I don't want a big fuss either. I would love to get married on a cruise or in Hawaii."
"I have never heard you talk about this before."
"Me neither."
"A girl can dream, right?"
"Yes, she sure can."
They all enjoyed each other's company as they ate and chatted. After everything was cleaned up and Olivia helped Hank put Justin to bed, everyone left.
The next morning, Olivia and Serena both got up and got ready before heading over to Hank's. They all went out for breakfast and then Serena took the kids home, while Hank and Olivia spent the day together. As promised, Serena helped Erin with her English paper.
The next day, Olivia said goodbye to Serena, so she could head to the airport to head home. She went over to Hank's, where she seemed to spending most of her time.
Erin had turned her English paper in and had gotten a really good grade on it. She couldn't wait to tell Serena about it. She called Serena that night and she was really happy for her.
During the next several weeks, she and Hank continued to get closer but they still hadn't gone to the next step yet. Hank and Olivia were going out for dinner and Erin was sleeping over at a friend's house for the night. Al and Meredith said they would keep Justin for the night. That entire day, Olivia's stomach was in knots. She wanted to tell Hank that she wanted to be with him but she was afraid to. She was afraid that if they had started to get close, she would push him away because she would think about what Elliot had done to her 9 months ago. She had been to the doctor a few weeks ago and had another test done just to be sure. Everything had been fine. Hank let her know when he was leaving work. When he arrived, she got into his vehicle and kissed him. Then he drove to the restaurant.
"How was your day?"
"Good. How was yours?"
"Not too bad."
"You ok? You seem a little nervous about somethin'."
"I am a little nervous. I've been thinking about this all day."
"Have I done somethin' wrong?"
"No, of course not. I'm thinking I'm ready for the next step between us but I'm nervous about how I will react. I don't want to push you away because I start thinking about what he did to me."
"We can play tonight by ear. If you want to, then we will or if you just want me to hold you, I will. I kind of wanted to ask you if you wanted to stay over tonight, which is why I asked Al and Meredith if they could keep Justin tonight. I figured if things went further between us, we didn't want Justin interruptin' things. By the time I wake up in the morning, he's sometimes in with me. Erin had already asked if she could go to the sleepover tonight."
They arrived at the restaurant and got out of the vehicle. Hank took her hand and they went in to get their table. They had their order taken and then they talked as they waited for their food. All throughout dinner, Olivia wondered how she had gotten so lucky to have Hank in her life. This was the first time she felt like she was on the same page with the person she was with. Elliot was only in it for himself and treated her like crap. Even early on, Hank always considered her feelings. They had officially been dating since her birthday but they spent months getting to know each other. She knew she loved him but she had never told anyone that before, so she wasn't really sure how to tell him.
"You ok?"
"I'm just thinking. There is something I'd like to say that I've never said to anyone before but I'm kind of afraid to. Remember when I told you your kids told me they loved me?"
"Yeah."
"I told them I loved them too but the thing is, I've also fallen in love with you. My mother likes you and Mandy likes you. They both hated Elliot. At one point, my mother told me I needed to grow up and to stop being so naïve when it came to men. I think what I needed was a man who actually respected me and not one who just wanted to satisfy his own needs. You've respected me and allowed me to heal from what I've been through. Elliot didn't want me to spend time with anyone but him and that put a strain on my friendship with Mandy. You get along with my mom and Mandy and Sonny and I love being with your kids."
"I've fallen in love with you too. Justin asked me the other night if you were gonna become their mama. I told him I didn't know but I wouldn't be against it."
"Neither would I. Like I've told you before, I haven't had the best experiences with sex. Maybe it's me."
"Maybe it's because neither of those assholes deserved you."
They finished dinner and decided against dessert. Hank paid the bill and then they headed to his place. When they arrived, they got out of the vehicle and went inside hand in hand. They took their coats and shoes off and started kissing.
"Make love to me, Hank."
"Are you sure?"
"I've never been more sure of anything."
Hank took her hand and led her upstairs to his bedroom. They went inside and then he shut the door. They started kissing again and then they started undressing each other. Once they were undressed, they got on the bed.
"Did you want me to use a condom?"
"I'm on the pill and I trust you completely."
"Are you ok?"
"I'm good. I'm ready for this."
They kissed again and then they made love for the first time. They took their time with each other and Olivia was feeling things she had never felt before. Afterwards Hank had his arms wrapped around Olivia.
"That was incredible! I never knew sex could be that amazing."
"I have somethin' I'd like to give you."
"What?"
Hank pulled something out of the bedside table.
"I want you to have your own set of keys, so you can come and go as you like."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Do you wanna stay here tonight?"
"Yes."
"Good."
Hank kissed Olivia, got up and went into the bathroom. He did what he had to do and then he got back into bed. He told Olivia there was a toothbrush on the counter. She got up and went into the bathroom. She did what she had to do and then she got back into bed with Hank. They kissed each other and then he held her until she fell asleep.
The next morning, they woke up and made love again before they had breakfast. After breakfast, Hank went to take a shower, while Olivia went home to shower and change. Amanda was up when she got there.
"Well, well, well, look who's just now gettin' home."
"I never knew it could be this amazing."
"Maybe it's because you're with a mature man and not a selfish man child."
"I don't doubt that. He gave me a key, so I can come and go as I want."
"Next he'll be askin' you to move in with him."
"I wouldn't say no. Where's Sonny?"
"He left already. He has the bar exam comin' up, so he wants to study for it."
"Then you'll be a lawyer's wife."
"Who would have thought? Certainly not me. Who knows, you could end up bein' a cop's wife."
"I wouldn't be against marrying him but sometimes I'm scared of losing him. I don't know what I would do without him. He deals with gangs. That can't be good."
"No but he obviously knows how to take care of himself."
"I'm sure he does. If one good thing came out of what happened to me, it brought Hank into my life. I love being with his kids too. He told me Justin asked if I was going to be their mama."
"Aw!"
Olivia went to take a shower. She was happier than she had been in a long time. After she was done in the shower and dressed, she went back over to Hank's and then they went to get the kids. They all spent the entire day together.
After that night, Olivia and Hank had become inseparable and she knew he was the man she wanted to be with for the rest of her life.
A few weeks later, it was Hank's birthday. Serena was off and visiting for the week, so she was helping out with Justin and giving Meredith a break. Hank had taken the day off for his birthday and so did Olivia. Erin left for school and Serena was looking at places nearby. When Hank took Justin to Preschool, Olivia had gone over to Hank's. She was planning to fix dinner for him and she invited Al, Meredith, Amanda and Sonny. By the time Hank got back, Olivia was in his bed.
"Hey, I didn't expect to see you."
"Happy birthday!"
"Who told you?"
"Erin."
"I can't be mad at her. You took today off?"
"I did. I wanted to surprise you."
"I'm definitely surprised. I can't think of a better way to spend my birthday than with the woman I love."
"I love you too. I know you mean it when you tell me you love me."
Hank got undressed and got into bed with Olivia. They started kissing and then they made love. They spent the morning in bed and then she ended up telling Hank that she was cooking dinner. She invited Al, Meredith, Amanda and Sonny over. They picked Justin up at Preschool and had gone out for lunch. They went home and Justin had his nap, while Olivia baked Hank's birthday cake.
"You didn't have to do this."
"Yes, I did. Now go relax,"
Hank kissed her and went to relax in the living room. Once the cake was in the oven, Olivia went to relax with Hank. By the time the cake was done, Justin was up from his nap. Erin came home and started working on her homework. Serena was there and Olivia started working on dinner. Serena was in the kitchen with her and was frosting the cake.
"Mom, did you find any places?"
"I did and I made an offer on one. It's a condo a few blocks away."
"That'll be good."
"I'll do what I can with the kids too."
"Meredith is due in mid August and I know that's about when you're back to school."
"I'm hoping for classes only 3 days a week but I should have the same days off as them."
"Ok. Sonny's mother has also offered to help, so maybe between the two of you, everything is covered."
"Serafina and I will work something out I'm sure."
"Good. Justin can start kindergarten this year but Hank decided to wait another year. Some of his friends are waiting another year as well. Their birthdays are around the same time as his."
"He is a smart little boy."
"He is. Thanks for your help with the cake."
"No problem."
A little while later, everyone arrived and dinner was just about ready. They had dinner and celebrated Hank's birthday. The rest of the week went quickly. Serena went home on Sunday.
The next several weeks went quickly. Hank, Olivia and the kids went to Chicago. Hank showed Olivia where he grew up, where he went to school, where he lived with Camille and all of the sights there. He even took her to some of his favorite places to eat. He introduced her Trudy Platt, who was another one of his closest friends. She and Olivia seem to hit it off right away.
Not too long after they got back, it was Erin's birthday. Olivia had taken the day off and spend the whole day with Erin. She took her to get her ears pierced again and then she took her to get a manicure and pedicure. Hank ended up having to work, so Olivia stayed with them and spent time with Justin, while Erin had her sleepover.
Serena's offer had been accepted, so as soon as classes had ended for her, she had her closing. She had already had an offer on her house and Olivia had gone to take whatever Serena still had of hers. Amanda was getting ready to move in with Sonny, so once Amanda had moved out, Hank was going with Sonny to move the rest of Olivia's things from his parents' to the apartment. Olivia seemed to be at Hank's more than anything but the subject of officially moving in together hadn't come up yet.
Serena had officially moved to Manhattan and looked forward to seeing Olivia, Hank and the kids every day. She loved spending time with Erin and Justin and they loved spending time with her.
Olivia, Serena and Amanda had a baby shower for Meredith and invited Trudy to come in from Chicago. Hank and Al were busy getting the nursery ready. Al commented to Hank that maybe his and Meredith's daughter would have a friend soon. Hank said he knew he wanted a future with her. A part of him wanted to propose but another part of him wasn't sure they were ready for that yet. He also said a part of him wanted to ask her to move in with him and the kids but like getting married, that was a huge step and the subject hadn't come up yet.
In mid August, Meredith gave birth to Lexi. Serena was getting ready to go back to school. She had classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, which coincided when Justin would be in Preschool. Serafina would come watch him the other days and would stay until Hank or Olivia got there. Olivia was trying to change her schedule to go in earlier and leave earlier. After her attack, she had been moved to another area and had been working as an administrative assistant to her boss instead of being a receptionist.
School started up after Labor Day. Justin had an extra day, since his first day would be on Wednesday. Hank had added Serena to the list of people who could pick his kids up from school. He had added Olivia before the end of the previous school year.
A month later, Justin celebrated his 5th birthday and the following weekend, Hank had made arrangements to take Olivia away for a few days, so the kids were staying with Serena. It was the first time they were getting away without the kids. They had gotten out of the city and spent time making love. The weekend went quickly but they enjoyed their romantic weekend together. Hank had hoped that was the first of many romantic weekends together.
They again spent the Holidays together. Hank had arranged to take Olivia on a 10-day Caribbean cruise for her 30th birthday and Valentine's Day, so that was her Christmas present from him. Amanda and Sonny asked Hank and Olivia to go with them to Atlantic City on New Year's Eve, so they could make it official. Serafina said she was ok with them eloping as long as she could plan a party for them, which they agreed to. The party wasn't too long after the first of the year.
Shortly before Hank and Olivia were leaving for their cruise, he had talked to the kids, Serena and Amanda and told all of them that he was ready to propose to Olivia. He asked Serena if it was ok to ask her and she said it was. All of them were excited and they had helped him pick her ring out. Serena and Amanda both knew what she would like but he also wanted the kids involved.
Olivia was getting excited for the cruise. They were leaving for Florida after work and spending the night there before they boarded the ship. Hank came home before they left, so they could say goodbye to Serena and the kids. Serena knew Hank was nervous but also knew that Olivia wanted to be with Hank all the time. They headed to the airport and got checked in. They went through security and grabbed a bite to eat before they waited to board the plane. Once the plane took off, they both fell asleep for a little while. They both woke up by the time the plane landed in Ft. Lauderdale. They went to the hotel and got checked in.
"Thank you for this."
"You're welcome. This is a big birthday for you and I wanted to do something special."
"You could have done what you did last year and I would have been happy."
"I wanted this year's birthday to be more memorable for you. It's actually kind of for both of us, since I'll be 35."
"It doesn't seem like I'm turning 30 though. I still can't believe Amanda and Sonny are married. She really lucked out with him and I really lucked out with you too."
"I lucked out with you too. The kids are both crazy about you."
"I'm crazy about them too."
Olivia kissed Hank and then they made love. They then went to get ready for bed and fell asleep in each other's arms. The next morning, they woke up.
"Happy birthday, beautiful!"
"Thank you."
Hank kissed her and then she went into the bathroom. After she came out, Hank went in. Olivia's phone rang. It was Serena and the kids wishing her a happy birthday. While she was talking to them, Hank came back to bed and started kissing her neck. As soon as she hung up, they made love. Afterwards Hank had his arms wrapped around her and she had her head on his chest. After a while, they went to take a shower and once they were ready, they went to have breakfast at the hotel restaurant. After breakfast, they got ready to check out of the hotel and then they headed to the ship. They boarded and looked around before they went to find their cabin, while their bags were taken to the cabin. They finally decided to go to their cabin.
"This is so beautiful. This must have cost a fortune."
"Don't worry about that. I love spoilin' you."
"No one has ever spoiled like this before. Elliot was cheap and tried telling me how to spend my money. I'm surprised he didn't try taking my credit cards and checkbook. He never contributed anything. I had to pay the rent, the utilities, my car insurance, my other bills and buy groceries. He never mentioned any bills of his own. He never wanted to eat out or do anything. I asked him if he ever planned to give me money for the apartment and he'd slap me. Sometimes when he'd get like that, he'd make the excuse that he was tired."
Olivia had tears running down her cheeks. It still broke Hank's heart that she was treated the way she was.
"Come here."
Olivia moved into Hank's arms and he comforted her as he had many times before. They rested for a while and then they got ready for dinner. Hank wanted to propose to her that night, so he had the ring in his pocket as they went to dinner. After dinner, they did some dancing and then they went to take a walk on deck hand in hand.
"I need to ask you somethin'."
"Ok."
Hank took the ring out of his pocket, got down on one knee and opened the ring box.
"Olivia Margaret Benson, will you marry me?"
"Yes, Henry Voight, I will marry you!"
Hank put the ring on her finger and then he got up, so they could kiss. They headed back to the cabin, got undressed, got on the bed, started kissing and made love. Afterwards he had his arms wrapped around her and she had her head on his chest.
"I am so happy right now."
"I am too."
"I love you so much."
"I love you too."
"Does anyone know about this?"
"Yeah. I asked your mom if it was ok to ask you and she said it was. She, Amanda and the kids helped me pick your ring out. I figured your mother and your best friend would know what you'd like but I also wanted the kids involved in it too. Al and Meredith also knew I was plannin' to propose. I also want to ask you if you would at least think about movin' in with us."
"I'd be open to that. I'm with you and the kids more than I'm at the apartment anyway and it hasn't been the same since Mandy moved out."
"Erin asked me why I didn't ask you to move in with us once Amanda moved out. I told her I wasn't sure we were ready for that."
"Mom said I could have moved in with her too but I really wasn't sure I wanted to do that. I did buy new living room furniture and a new bed."
"We'll find a place for your stuff. I could move my bed into one of the other bedrooms and yours into the bedroom, since yours is newer and more comfortable."
"You have 5 bedrooms, right?"
"Yeah. I probably didn't need a place that big with the 3 of us but I like the amount of space we have. I like that the master bedroom is on a different floor from where the kids are."
"And you have a lot of closet space too."
"Yep. If you feel like I'm rushing you in anyway, tell me."
"I don't. I love you, I love being with you, I want to be married to you and I want a family with you. This is the most stable relationship I have ever been in and my mother likes you."
"The kids keep askin' if you're gonna be their mom. Justin more so than Erin, since he's never had a mom before. Erin loves that you spend time with her and do girl stuff with her. I'm glad you and Serena were around when she started her period because I wouldn't have known how to deal with that."
"Do you want more children?"
"I do."
"How do you think Erin and Justin would handle that?"
"Honestly, I think Erin wants to be able to babysit and Justin loves helpin' Meredith with Lexi, so I think they would both be ok with it."
"Lexi doesn't live with them though. There's a difference."
"Justin asked me the other day if we were gonna have one."
"What did you tell him?"
"I told him that was somethin' we had to discuss."
"I've known for a while that I want a baby with you. All Elliot cared about was reproducing and he had 4 kids he had nothing to do with."
"He never should have told you to quit takin' your birth control just because he wanted a kid and he shouldn't have invited himself to move in with you."
"I've always wanted a family but not with someone who treats me like crap. He wasn't the person I saw myself being with nor did I want to be tied to him because he wanted to knock me up. I appreciate that you let me be myself and allow me to make my own decisions."
"It's your decision but if you wanted to go off your birth control now, I'm ok with it."
"To be honest, I've been tossing it back and forth since we started sleeping together. I just didn't know how to bring it up and a part of me wanted to wait until there was some kind of commitment. The last thing I want to do is do this on my own."
"I'm not like that. That last son of a bitch you were with was pretty selfish and immature."
"Mandy calls him the selfish man child."
Hank couldn't help but laugh.
"He never once told me he was married. If I had known that, I wouldn't have let him in my life. My mom was right about me being naïve. She did say she's noticed a difference in me since you've been in the picture. I don't like being lied to and you've been honest with me since the beginning. If I hadn't seen you with your kids, would you have told me?"
"Oh, yeah. I would have."
They kissed and then Olivia went to get ready for bed. Once she was done, Hank did the same and then they fell asleep in each other's arms. The next day, they got up and got ready before they went breakfast. They went back to their cabin and put their swimsuits on before heading to the pool.
The next day, they arrived at their first port, so they got off the ship. Later that evening, they got back on the ship and it left again. They did the same at the other ports. They had spent a romantic night for Valentine's Day in their cabin having dinner and making love. Olivia had decided that she would move in with them. Once the 10 days were over, they arrived back in Ft. Lauderdale and headed to the airport for their flight back to New York.
They arrived back in New York and went home. Serena and the kids were at Hank's. They told the 3 of them they were engaged and they were excited. She called Amanda and asked if they could meet for lunch and she agreed. That night, the 5 of them went out for dinner and Hank told the kids that Olivia was planning to move in with them. They were both excited. Serena was as well.
The next day, Olivia went back to work and met Amanda for lunch. At lunch, she told Amanda that she and Hank were engaged and Amanda said she was so excited for her. She and Sonny were both happy since getting married. Olivia also told her that she was moving in with Hank and the kids. Amanda told her they would help with whatever she needed.
Olivia started moving stuff over to Hank's and he had made room in the closet. Besides Serena, Amanda and Sonny, Hank had gotten Al and some other guys from work to help move her furniture.
Hank and Olivia decided they wanted to get married in Hawaii, so they chose Christmastime. The only people they were including were Al, Meredith, Lexi, Amanda, Sonny and of course Serena and the kids. They also invited Trudy, so she joined them as well. That was their family. Serena was keeping the kids, so Hank and Olivia could enjoy some time alone. Amanda and Sonny celebrated their first wedding anniversary in Hawaii. She was happy that Olivia had finally gotten her happily ever after with a man who actually deserved her.
Once they returned to New York, Olivia started the process of officially adopting Erin and Justin. Both Olivia and Amanda found out they were pregnant. They were both excited to be going through it together. Hank was happy that he and Olivia were having a baby and Sonny was happy about becoming a dad. Serena was excited about becoming a grandma and the kids were both excited about getting a new brother or sister.
Olivia and Amanda found out they were both having girls and both dads were excited about that.
The Gang Unit working on a case that also involved SVU. Hank had been shot and was taken to the hospital. Al rode with him.
"Hang in there, man."
"I got everything to live for. Olivia and the kids are my entire world and I need to be here when Olivia brings our daughter into the world in a few months."
"Once I find out what's goin' on, I'll contact Olivia."
"Ok."
By the time they arrived at the hospital, Hank and Al's boss was there, Cragen was there and so was Sergeant Tucker from IAB.
"Olinsky, how's Voight?"
"He seems ok. I told him that once we know what's goin' on, I'll contact Olivia. Is that son of a bitch in custody?"
"He is but we still have to worry about the others. We're still lookin' for them though. I didn't like the way they threatened Voight's family because he shot and injured the leader. Do you think we need to keep them at the Precinct until these guys are caught? Who knows what they would do to Olivia and Erin."
"His mother-in-law too. He's even more protective of Olivia now, since she's pregnant. The last thing he wants is to put his family in any kind of danger because of his job."
"Detective, can we talk about what happened?"
"Yeah, sure."
Olinsky told Tucker about what had happened and then they waited to find out about Hank. Hank needed to go into surgery, so they took him in. Al left to head to Olivia's work to tell her what was going on. He thought it would be better to tell her in person instead of calling her. When he arrived, he went up.
"May I help you?"
"I need to speak with Olivia Voight."
The receptionist called Olivia and then she came up.
"Hey, Al. What's going on?"
"Hank was shot."
"Is he ok?"
"He's in surgery. We also have reason to believe that you, your mom and the kids may be in danger because some of the gang members threatened Hank's family after Hank shot and injured the leader. The last thing he wants to do is put all of you in danger because of his job."
"I understand that. I want to be at the hospital."
Olivia went back to her desk and told her boss what was going on. She said to take as much time as she needed. She shut down her computer, got her stuff and then she left. They headed to the hospital. By the time they got there, the rest of the Gang Unit and SVU were all there. Tucker was still there as well.
"Hey, Olivia."
"Hey, Monique."
"It's good to see you."
"You too."
"When did you and Detective Voight get married?"
"Around Christmas. He has been absolutely amazing with my recovery from what happened. My mom moved to NYC from Syracuse a couple years ago when she took a job at one of the colleges. She spends time with Erin and Justin over the summer and their other breaks. I adopted them after Hank and I got married."
"Did you have a big wedding?"
"No. We got married in Hawaii with my mom, the kids, Amanda and her husband Sonny, Al, Meredith and their daughter and a friend of Hank's from Chicago. We just wanted something simple."
"When is the baby due?"
"September."
"Do you know what you're having?"
"We're having a girl. We just haven't thought about names yet."
"How do the kids feel?"
"They're both excited but I think Justin wanted a brother."
"Olivia, just so you know, we have officers at the house until the rest of the gang members are taken into custody."
"Ok."
"Al, we put one at your house too just in case."
"I figured as much."
"Olivia, this is Sergeant Tucker from Internal Affairs. Sergeant, this is Olivia, Hank's wife."
"Nice to meet you."
"You too."
They got a lead where the other gang members were, so most of the Gang Unit except Al and their boss left. Olivia was anxious to say the least. The last thing she wanted was to lose her husband. He had become everything to her in the last few years and she didn't know what she would do without him. Olivia went to sit away from everyone else, so she could be alone. Al went over to her and put his arms around her. She put her head on his shoulder and cried. A little while later, the doctor came out.
"The Family of Hank Voight?"
"I'm his wife, Olivia."
"He's doing great. There wasn't a lot of structural damage. We will probably keep him a couple days."
"Can I see him?"
"Of course."
"Thank you."
"Olivia, I'll call Meredith and your mom."
"Thanks, Al. Mom can tell the kids."
"Ok."
Olivia went with the doctor, while Al called Meredith and Serena. Olivia went into the room where Hank was and then she kissed his forehead. She sat down, took Hank's hand and kissed it. She then put it on her belly. The baby was kicking
"I love you so much and I cannot wait to bring our daughter into the world together."
Hank started waking up.
"Olivia?"
"I'm here, Honey. I'm not going anywhere."
"Love you."
"I love you too."
A little while later, Hank was moved to a room and the other gang members had been taken into custody. The next day, Ed asked him what had happened. The next day, Serena brought the kids to see Hank and a few days later, he went home to recuperate.
Serena, Serafina and Meredith had a baby shower for Olivia and Amanda and Trudy came in for that. Hank and Sonny finished up the nurseries with Al's and Sonny's dad's help.
A few months later, the kids were in school and Serena was back in school as well. Olivia was at work and had gone into labor. She called Hank and he had gone to pick her up. They headed to the hospital. Once Olivia was registered and settled in her room, Hank left a message for Amanda, Serena and Al and called Meredith. Amanda had also gone into labor, so Sonny went to pick her up. Amanda had gotten the message from Hank that Olivia was in labor as well. It turned out that Amanda's room was near Olivia's.
A few hours later, Serena had gotten out of her classes and got Hank's message. She went to get Justin from Meredith and then picked up Erin from school. Erin saw her car, so she got in.
"Grandma, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. I got a message from your dad that your mom is in labor. I picked Justin up from Meredith and then figured we could head to the hospital."
"I like that idea."
Serena drove to the hospital and then they went to find out where Olivia was.
"Mommy!"
"Hey, sweet boy!"
"Is our sister here yet?"
"Not yet, sweetie."
Justin crawled up and kissed Olivia and then Erin kissed her too.
"How was school?"
"Fine."
"Good. Amanda is in labor too."
"Good."
Serena hugged Olivia and then the three of them went to the waiting room after they stopped in to see Amanda. A little while later, Hank and Sonny took Justin and Erin out to dinner, while Serena stayed with Olivia and Serafina stayed with Amanda. By the time they got back, Al was there. He told Hank that the kids could stay with them and they were fine with that. Hank said he would let them know when the baby arrived. Erin and Justin said goodbye to their parents and then they left with Al to go get some stuff. Olivia wanted Serena in the delivery room with them anyway and Amanda wanted Serafina in the delivery room with them.
Early the next morning, Stephanie Olivia Voight had come into the world as did Sophia Marie Carisi. Both Olivia and Amanda were exhausted but happy. As soon as they were moved back to their respective rooms, Olivia and Amanda fell asleep. Hank and Serena fussed over Stephanie, while Sonny and Serafina fussed over Sophia. After breakfast, Al brought the kids to meet their new sister and Dominick had come to meet his newest granddaughter. Serena left and went to take a shower, change and grab a bite to eat. Hank and Olivia let the kids hold their new sister and then Al got to hold her. Once Serena got back, Hank went to do the same thing. Al left to stay with Lexi, while Meredith came to meet Stephanie. After a while, Serena took the kids home and Meredith left as well, which allowed Hank to have some time alone with Olivia and the baby. Hank had fallen asleep as Olivia nursed baby Stephanie.
Olivia knew her life couldn't get any better than this. When she and Hank had first met over 3 years ago, she was trying to get over what had happened to her. It had been a long road for her but this was the happiest she had ever been in her life. She had a wonderful man, three amazing kids, a strong relationship with her mother, her best friend and other friends she had made in the time she had been with Hank, including Al, Meredith and Trudy. She and Amanda were excited that their girls shared a birthday and they hoped they would one day be best friends like their moms.
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