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Olivia considers herself a fairly jaded cop. She’s seen all kinds of unspeakable horrors on the job. All kinds of breathtaking acts of humanity, too. She’s a pretty tough shell to crack; touching her heart isn’t as easy as it had once been, and there are some days when she’s grateful for it. Still, nothing can quite prepare her for the scene she sees walking into her office.
Fin had called twenty minutes ago to inform her that OCCB had found a six-month-old while conducting a raid on a trafficker’s house. OC’s very own former SVU detective had eagerly agreed to bring the infant down to the 1-6 so that they could open their own investigation and pass the baby girl off to ACS.
As Olivia walks through the squadroom, Fin catches her eye and nods to her office. “Think Detective Grandpa’s got it bad,” he says with a smirk. She pats his shoulder as she walks past his desk.
“Thanks, Sergeant Grandpa,” she says with a smirk of her own. “You are the oldest out of the three of us,” she reminds him. He huffs out a laugh, perfectly content with that.
She steps into her office to find Elliot laying on his back on the rug, his feet propped up on the couch, and a baby girl in his arms, squealing as he lifts her up and down as if bench pressing her. His hands alone are bigger than the child he is so gently holding, one of her tiny fists clutching his pinky. His suit jacket is thrown over the arm of the couch, his shoes have been kicked off, and his expensive button-down is covered in drool. His eyes are shining with joy, even as it is backdropped by a fierce heartache on the infant’s behalf; anger at humanity for abandoning such a precious, perfect gift. He’d gratefully take in every abandoned child he came across to love as his own if he could. His heart is certainly big enough, she knows.
He’s never looked happier. The picture before her is the absolute epitome of who Elliot Stabler is. She’s seen him with kids plenty of times before but this time, her heart is bursting at the seams at the affirmation of her knowledge of his heart. She missed seeing him like this. Just wholly, uninhibitedly a father. She’s one of the few people privileged to have seen him as such.
He finally snaps out of his reverie and grins up at Liv, who has an awestruck smile on her face. He gasps dramatically. “Look who’s here!” He coos to the infant. “It’s my friend, Olivia. The one I’ve been telling you about!” She chuckles. Because of course, he regaled the infant with tales about her.
He lowers the baby to his chest, pausing to pepper tiny kisses across her cheeks and nose, causing her to squeal with joy. He cradles her with one hand on her back, the other protectively over her head. She contentedly babbles her approval, grabbing tiny fistfuls of his tie and shirt, continuing to blubber all over him. He could not care less.
“I miss this age,” he says through a chuckle, sheer love bleeding into his tone, sounding almost tearful. “I hate that I wasn’t around much with Seamus and Kieran. With Noah,” he adds quietly, and tears begin to fill her eyes. “I’m an idiot and I can’t take it back,” he says, struggling to keep his tone light.
She shuts and locks the door, shrugging out of her jacket and tossing it on her desk. She slips off her own shoes and lays down next to him, letting a tiny fist wrap around her finger. She sighs. “Wish I could tell you otherwise.” She glances up at his tear-filled eyes and gives him a sad smile. “Best you can do is not miss anything else,” she says, her voice soothing in ways he can’t begin to fathom. He smiles and nods, silently promising he never will again.
“And I sincerely doubt you won’t have more grandbabies.”
He laughs loudly. “That’s a nerve-wracking thought. But you’re probably right.” She grins.
“Oh, I know I’m right.” He laughs again.
“Be by my side when I do?” He asks, shyly. She smiles.
“I’d be honored.”
He smiles brighter than she’s ever seen and lifts the baby off his chest, making airplane sounds as he passes her off to his partner. Olivia’s never been more grateful for ACS running late.