Worth It

Necklace || Peyton

5 MONTHS EARLIER

"How are you two this morning?" Elliot's voice filters out from the kitchen and I can smell a fresh pot of coffee brewing. I stretch my legs out and feel them hit Liv's knee. We must have fallen asleep watching the movie last night. I yawn and stretch my my arms out above my head as i sit up. There are tissues all over the floor along with our forgotten wine glasses and two empty bottles. I smile as i remember the laughing and histericall crying that begun once the wine hit our systems.

"Don't just stand there bring me some coffee Stabler." I look over at Liv who has her arm across her eyes, shielding them from the morning sun flowing through the open curtains in the living room.
"You're just such a ray of sunshine in the morning aren't you Benson." Elliot's chuckle is so soothing. He walks towards us with a coffee in each hand, one for me and one for her. I watch as he sits behind her and she settles back against his chest. They are so cute and sweet. It's so hard to believe they haven't been together all this time. I watch as she takes a sip of her coffee and a smile settles on her face as the warm liquid makes it's way down her throat.

She looks up at me with sleepy eyes and i can't help but smile at her.
"So what does miss Peyton want to do for her birthday?" She lifts an eyebrow at me questioningly as she takes another sip of her coffee, I furrow my eyebrows in confusion.
"My birthday?"
She laughs softly. "Yes, today is the 7th of July and it is your 25th birthday." I slowly pull the blanket up and over my head before sliding back down into the couch and can't help but groan at the idea of celebrating my birthday.

Every year on my birthday something bad happens, I just hate my birthday. Either I am alone celebrating yet another day of my stupid life or someone plans something for me and it all goes wrong. I don't want to celebrate and I can't believe Liv found out when it was. Wait. I yank the blanket off me and throw it on the floor, sitting up straight.
"How did you find out when my birthday was?" she smiles and takes another sip of her coffee before getting up off the couch and moving towards Noah's bedroom.
"Noah!"
"Yeah mommy." I look at Elliot with a confused look on my face, hoping to get some information but he just shrugs at me,
"Pancakes for you baby?"
"Yes please, can you write happy birthday P on hers please?"
She turns towards me and smiles, it's like she knows something i don't, and something inside me can't help but smile too.
"I'll try baby."
Maybe this birthday will be different.

*        *        *

I stand in my bedroom in a tight long electric blue backless dress with long sleeves. I have pulled my hair over my left shoulder and left it in huge curls down my chest. I stare at myself in the mirror and just seem so out of place. I hear my bedroom door open and i can feel Liv standing in the doorway just staring at me. I place my head in my hands and sigh.
"Do we have to go out?" I mumble into my hands.
"Why are you so set in not celebrating your birthday?" Liv's voice comes across so sweet, so genuine, that i almost break.
I turn so that i am facing her, "do you celebrate yours?" She lets out a sad chuckle before she looks at the floor. I shake my head, "that's what i thought."

"Elliot makes me celebrate my birthday," she breathes out and smiles, "every year. Even when i told him i  didn't want to. Granted he missed the last 7 years but before that." She looks me in the eyes, with love in hers, "he didn't miss a single year."
"That's because he loves you Liv," i turn back to the mirror, "that's what you do for people you love. She walks up behind me and i feel her arms come around my waist and her head rest on my shoulder.
"Exactly," she kisses my cheek softly. "I love you, I'm doing this for you, because I'm guess nobody has before." I feel my body relax and i lean into her hug as she places another kiss on my cheek. "It's going to be okay, besides I brought you a present."
"Liv you didn't -" She holds up her hand to silence me.
"I know but i wanted to." She smiles and turns to pick up a small black box up off my dressing table, where she must of put it when she walked into my room. "Don't make that face," she giggles, "It's not much."

I didn't even know I was making a face but i quickly wipe all emotion from my face as she places the box in my hands. She looks from me to box and back again with a beautiful smile on her face and I can feel myself mirroring her. I open the box slowly and gasp when i see what's inside.
"We both love the snow. I just thought it was something for you to keep with you always. I know you like the snow because it's like the snow cleanses everything it touches," she looks down at the snowflake necklace in my hands. She picks it up and turns me towards the mirror, Liv stands behind me as she puts the necklace arounf my neck. "It's the reason i like it so much too."

I look down at it and touch it softly with my fingers. The snowflake is small and delicate, but it is laced with small diamonds, that make it shine and make it look frozen. I feel the tears well in my eyes and my voice catch in my throat.
"Liv I love it," a tear slowly falls from my eye but i smile. "Thank you."
There's a flash i catch out of the corner of my eye and both, Liv and I turn towards it to find Elliot and Noah standing in the doorway with a camera.
"You both look so beautiful."

I look between the three of them and i just can't help but think this is what birthday's are supposed to be like. You are supposed to be surrounded with people you love and people who love you.

Family.