Forever Changed

Chapter 14

As the weekend of Elliot's birthday party rolls over, he tells her that he really only wants to go out for dinner with her and the boys. She organizes it all, and it's a Friday, so the chances of her getting out early are pretty grim. Thankfully, the squad makes arrangements, and she's promised Elliot that she'll be out by 5.30, pleased when he offers to pick her up.

Elliot arrives to the precinct with Eli and Noah in toe. Noah's hand is tucked in his, the 8-year-old is still cautious whenever he enters the space of his mother's job. Anxiety and fear still riddle the boy whenever he finds the time to think about the bad guys, despite the number of hours that Olivia and Elliot have spent trying to reassure him away from it all. He's just a child, he's supposed to be worrying about mundane things, and not his mother being hurt. 

But the little boy is so bright, so clever, that Elliot knows what Noah sees when he studies his mother in her element; that there's more to her than just the dark side of her squad room.

As they walk through the corridor to the svu headquarters, he feels Eli stop to study the photos of previous and present police officials belonging to the space. His attention stops at a photo of Elliot dressed in uniform, a lifetime ago.

His father reads him from a far, reminded yet again that his son has expressed interest in law enforcement lately, already asking questions of the best colleges to study criminology. Although discrete about it, his father isn't totally opposed to the idea of Eli following in some of his footsteps, hopefully not all. He's glad that at least one of his children seems remotely interested in his career choice.

"Son?" Elliot speaks, silently motioning for Eli to join them again. Eli nods, attention less distracted as he nears his father and Noah. Elliot places a hand on his shoulder, motioning him forward, and when he catches sight of the familiar uni stood at reception, he nods in his direction.

"Officer."

"Detective Stabler, Captain Benson is just finishing a meeting with a vics parents. They should be out soon."

Elliot thanks him, and they move to wait in the seats when Noah spots his godmother exiting the kitchenet. "Aunt Amanda!"

"Noah! Hi sweetheart!" She opens her arms up as he barrels into her, and Elliot isn't the only one smirking. Eli leans against the wall, studies with his father the way Noah so easily gravitates towards the rest of the squad.

Minutes later, the door to Olivia's office opens and a mother and father walk out with their daughter tucked between them. Elliot's gaze travels between them to his son, studies as Eli's attention meets Olivia at the door.

Her face lifts into a warm smile, and its barely audible, but Elliot can almost hear it as he reads her lips; she whispers, "There's my guys."

And it's ironic, Elliot thinks, that she has spent the better part of her life dismantling the patriarchy, only to find herself in love with one of the most arrogant men of all and raising two of their own. He's never seen her happier, and perhaps that is the bittersweetness of it all.

Elliot remains against the wall, studies as Noah gives her a quick peck on the cheek and while she is happy to see her own, she's just as equally happy to see Eli too. It shows when she pulls him in for one of her forced but not-so-forced hugs.

Eli and Noah disappear into her office, and her eyes travel to meet his, as if knowing he was there all along.

With a crooked brow, she tilts her head, silently asking for when he is going to greet her too.

He pushes himself off the wall and with his hands tucked in the pockets of his coat, he traverses the distance between them, stopping only inches away from her face. They never kiss, not in her squad room and seldom ever in her office, but their eyes tell more about them than lips ever will. She breaks the contact when she steps to the side. He steps into her space, and there's always an aura that greets him here, a scent that is uniquely Olivia, mixed with the ambience of power and prestige that she carries effortlessly.