The Affair

Five

Secretly Elliot and Liv had been dating. Elliot still hadn't gone home to Kathy and the kids, but she was trying to get him to come home. She even apologized for the cheating accusation. However true it was now, Elliot felt like she drove him to Liv with everything that she was telling him all these years. He was tired of it. Dickie didn't help whenever Elliot came back to talk to Kathy about Eli going to preschool. He ignored his father at first then after Liv called he once again accused him of running to his mistress. As true as it was now, it didn't used to be like that. Kathy didn't bother correcting her son as she watched her husband leave their house. 

"El, you okay?" Liv asked one night after they had just finished having sex. He had been staring off into space for a while. He took in a deep breath and broke his staring contest with the wall. 

He didn't say anything for a moment. "Its just, I can't believe that you and I are actually seeing each other." He stroked her hair before adding, "A dream come true."

Liv blushed a little as she kissed him softly. "What about Kathy?"

Elliot took in a deep breath and let it out slowly before answering, "I don't want to be with her anymore, but I'm scared she will try to keep the kids from me." 

"She can't. You are their father." She looked at Elliot in his painful eyes. 

Ring Ring Ring 

Groaning, Elliot reached for his phone. "Cragen," he stated looking at the ID. "Stabler." He listened for a little bit before nodding. "Okay, we'll be right there."

Liv widened her eyes at Elliot. He hung up and turned to her, widening his eyes in surprise also. Unsure why she was looking at him like that. "What?" He asked looking at her harder, a little worried. 

"You said we will be there. Not I'll call Liv and head over." She nodded as the realization hit him. 

"Damn it," he whispered to himself. "Well we can't lay here worrying about that right now. Victim in Central Park, mom raped and murdered, little kid has no where to go."

They threw on some clothes and headed to Central Park. Cragen met them, eyeing each of them closely as they got there together. "Rachel Harvel, 28, raped and strangled, left for dead. Her five month old son alerted a couple getting it on nearby. The boy is clean, just hungry and cold. Too late for a foster placement, Cabot is getting Judge's permission for you two to take the boy until a father can be located."

Liv and Elliot looked at each other in complete shock. "Why us?" Elliot decided to poke the bull. 

Cragen looked at them knowingly. "You two are quiet frankly the only two I trust to leave this baby with. Plus, Elliot you have kids, you know what to do."

Elliot and Liv shrugged behinds Cragen's back and went to the boy. Liv smiled as she took him from the EMT. His curly brown hair was poking out of a white beanie, his blue eyes wet with tears from crying. As soon as Liv held him, the boy stopped crying. 

"Already taken with you," EMT stated, shaking his head a little. "He was a little hungry, but mom had a bottle for him. Formula will be needed for him."

Elliot nodded. "Thanks." The EMT nodded and headed to help his partner. Liv was completely entranced with the boy. He was already starting to sleep in his blue woven blanket. 

"What was mom and baby doing out this late?" Elliot asked, taking a look around.  

"Probably heading home from late night grocery run. Bottom of the stroller was full of food," CSU stated, pointing to the stroller. 

Sighing, Elliot took a look at the body. Blood covered her body, panties ripped off, skirt pulled up. Bruising around her neck in the shape of a large hand proved that it was a strangulation.  "Any fluids?" 

"Spermicide, possible skin under the nails."

Elliot nodded, slightly hopeful that this would be another open and shut case. However with a baby involved, it might not be. 

"Elliot," Cragen called him over. "Fin and Munch are gonna run this one, your and Liv's priority is that baby and finding his father."

Elliot felt slightly put off, but didn't object. He watched Liv talk to Melinda about the mother and what formula was in the mother's bag. They would have to make a stop before they headed home. "Elliot," Cragen interrupted his thoughts. 

"Yeah," he responded. 

Cragen didn't say anything at first. "I'm not going to get into your and Olivia's business, but I warn you, if IAB ever catches wind of anything, we're all in deep doo doo." 

"Cap, why would you think --"

"You arrived in the same vehicle, you stated on the phone that 'we'd be there soon'. As I stated before, I'm old not blind, and I'll even add not stupid." Cragen studied Elliot's face as he comprehended everything. 

Liv walked over to them, a smile on her face. Elliot's face lit up as Liv stood beside him. It didn't' go unnoticed by Cragen.  "He's so sweet, El," she whispered with a smile. 

Elliot tried to ignore the stare from his Captain as he watched the boy sleep. "What's his name?"

"Ethan Joseph Harvel, born October 3rd at Mercy General," Liv answered automatically. Her motherly instincts had kicked in and Elliot found it beautiful. 

"You two get that baby out of this cold, bring him in tomorrow with you two. You guys are gonna have to juggle baby and job together for a while." Cragen ordered, walking to Fin. 

Elliot nodded, motioning with his head for Liv to follow. "Captain," Elliot called. Cragen turned. "What if we don't find a father?"

Cragen looked at him with another knowing look. "Congratulations Stabler."

He knew what that meant. If they didn't find a father, Liv and him had Guardianship of the boy. Liv held the boy the entire way to the store. Luckily there was an all night baby shop close to Liv's place. Elliot refused to let Liv pay for the baby's stuff. He simply put it on his credit cards. 

He also refused to let Liv help bring the crib and other stuff upstairs. They moved around the couch and table for the crib in the living room. The bedroom was a little small. If this boy was here for more than a year, then they would need a bigger apartment.