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The American Youth Dance Center was always crowded. Mothers fighting with each other. Children running around from class to class. Dance shoes everywhere and music seeping through every dance studio.
This was the first time that Elliot had brought Noah to dance class despite him and Olivia having been together for a few years. Olivia always liked to go and watch him dance with his friends. Elliot had been to recitals and dress rehearsals, but class was a whole other ball game. Somehow it was more intense than a stressful recital weekend.
Elliot kept looking around at all of the mothers watching him. It wasn’t like they had never seen him before. Just normally he was with his wife. He was beginning to get uncomfortable with the eyes on him as he sat there watching Noah through the viewing window.
Finally Elliot watched as the instructor gave her final remarks and the kids started clapping. He assumed that meant that class was over and he’d be able to get out of the studio. He loved watching Noah dance. The kid was incredibly talented and it brought Elliot immense joy watching him, but the eyes on his made him squirm.
The kids started leaving the studio and Elliot quickly stood and went over closer to the cubby where Noah had stowed his bag and street clothes. The kids flooded out of class and laughed with each other as they put their street clothes and shoes on.
“Noah,” one of the young girls said, “who’s that guy that brought you? I see him with your mom at recitals, but you never introduced him.”
“That’s my dad,” Noah said proudly.
“He looks angry,” another one of the kids chuckled.
“He’s a cop too,” Noah explained, “that’s just his face. He’s nice.”
“He didn’t come around when you started,” the first kid said.
“Him and my mom just got married,” Noah said. “It’s a long story that my mom still hasn’t told me all of. But he’s my dad now.”
Elliot had overheard the conversation and though he was not a crying man he felt tears stinging his eyes. He and Olivia had been together for just over three years. Married for only a few months. Noah had always called him ‘Elliot.’ Told people that he was ‘mom’s boyfriend.’ He had never used the word ‘dad’ before.
Noah jumped up with his things and said goodbye to his friends as he walked over to Elliot. “Ready,” he announced. Elliot put his arm around the boy’s shoulders and they walked out of the studio together. “Everyone was staring at you in there,” Noah said as they walked down the street towards their apartment.
“I noticed,” Elliot chuckled. “It was slightly awkward, but I got to see you practice and that was cool.”
“Why did you bring me today?”
“Mom caught a case,” Elliot told him. “It’s okay that I brought you though, right?”
“Yeah, just wondering where mom is,” Noah said. The two continued to walk. Noah you as still marking the steps they had just learned in class.
“What’s that,” Elliot asked, pointing at the boys’ movements. His arms opening and closing in a circular motion.
“It’s the final eight count of our number for the recital at the end of the season,” Noah told him. “I do a battement into two shenaes into an open calypso as everyone else slowly leaves the stage and I end center stage, standing and looking out over the audience.”
“I have no idea what any of that means. You’ll have to show me when we get home, but it sounds like you’re front and center so I know that is going to be great,” Elliot said with a smile. He had been trying to remember all of the names of the steps that Noah does on stage, but he gets the French names confused and can’t put the name with the movement. But he was going to be there for every recital and rehearsal and anything else Noah had because he loved the kid. He’ll cheer the loudest and embarrass him just as he did the five kids that came before him.
“Hey,” Noah suddenly stopped walking and tugged Elliot to stop him so they could talk before they got home. “I told some of my friends that you were my dad. Is that okay?”
Elliot turned to the boy and lowered himself so he could look into Noah’s eyes directly. “Noah, that was always part of the deal. I can be whoever you want me to be. You friend. Secret keeper. Movie buddy. If you want to call me ‘dad’ that would make me very happy because I love you.”
“I think I’d like to call you ‘dad.’ I’ve never had a dad before, but you seem pretty good at it,” Noah said to Elliot.
Elliot was fighting the tears again. Hearing those words come out of Noah’s mouth hit him hard. Made him fly. “Alright, can I introduce you to people as my son?”
Noah nodded his head with fervor. “Yes,” the boy nearly shouted and wrapped his arms around his dad. “I love you too, dad.”
That was it. He couldn’t stop a few tears from falling to his cheeks. He was so happy with the eleven year old in his arms. He held onto him a little tighter.
“Ice cream to ruin your dinner and hide from your mother,” Elliot asked as he finally pulled himself away from his son. Noah nodded his head and they headed off to get ice cream to ruin their dinner.
The two cleaned themselves off before Elliot opened the door to their apartment. “You two are late,” Olivia said as she kissed them both.
“We had to make a stop,” Elliot said with a smirk. “Right, son.” He threw Olivia a wink.
“Right, dad,” Noah said and hurried off to put his things away and shower before dinner and bed.
“Dad,” Olivia asked.
“After class the kids were asking him about me,” he explained. “Have the mothers of these children always stared at me so intensely because that was uncomfortable.”
“Yes, now this dad thing,” Olivia said, trying to focus her husband.
“Right,” Elliot said. His smile grew so it covered his entire face. “The kids were asking and Noah told them that I was his dad. That I wasn’t always, but that I am now. Then on the way home he asked if it was okay. I told him it was.”
Olivia couldn’t help but let a couple tears fall as well.
“I had that same reaction,” Elliot said and pulled his wife into him. “I love that kid. You did a great job on your own and I am so glad that I get to know him and help out now. You’re okay with him calling me that?”
“Of course,” Olivia quickly said as she pulled so she could see him. “You two have the relationship I wanted you to have. He loves you. And I know how much you love him.”
“I do,” Elliot leaned down and kissed her. “And I love you, my friend.”
Olivia chuckled. Even after years they were still referring to each other as ‘my friend’ as often as they could. Just to remind themselves of everything they went through to get to where they are.
“I love you too, my friend,” Olivia said and kissed him again.
Noah had come out of his bedroom to eat before bed. “Why do you always call each other ‘my friend,’” Noah asked as he sat down at the table.
“Because your dad,” Olivia had to pause before continuing, making sure that she didn’t cry at the words, “is my best friend. Always has been.”
“And your mom has always been mine,” Elliot said and kissed her cheek. “Alright, what were those moves you were telling me about?”
Noah excitedly jumped up from his chair and went to show Elliot the final moments of his recital dance. He went through the moves and Elliot was always stunned at how easy he made it look.
“That is impressive,” Elliot said.
“You try.”
“Son,” Elliot started, “there is no way I can do any of that.”
“Oh, come on, dad,” Olivia said as she sat down and took a sip of water. “Give it a shot.”
Elliot quickly gave in when he saw the look on Noah’s face. The boy quickly started laughing as Elliot attempted to mimic Noah’s movements. Elliot walked over and picked up the boy and spun him around before tossing him on the couch.
“Okay, dinner,” Olivia said and stood to grab her boys dinner.
Elliot caught her hand and pulled her into him. “This is the dancing I like to do,” he said as he made the two of them sway together. “I get to be close to you,” he whispered in her ear.
“You’re good, Stabler,” she chuckled and let herself be held by him. She was going to live in each of these moments as long as she could after waiting 23 years for them to happen.
“Can we eat now,” they heard Eli ask as he left his bedroom. He rolled his eyes at the two dancing in the living room.
Elliot and Olivia laughed as they separated. “This is what happiness looks like, Eli.”
“You should have come out sooner,” Olivia told the teen. “Your dad tried to do some of Noah’s dance steps and fell on his ass.”
“He did the same thing when he tried to really play soccer with me. Not just kick the ball back and forth.”
“I’m getting old okay,” he said. “You all need to stop making fun of me.”
“Never, dad,” Eli said. “Noah, I expect you to take over when I go off to college.”
“Got it,” Noah said and gave a mock salute.
Olivia peeled her husband off of her so they could feed their children. The rest of the night the four of them ate and laughed. The boys made fun of Elliot as Noah showed Eli what their dad looked like trying to do his dance steps.
Elliot rushed over and picked the boy up, spinning him around the living room. Olivia finally announced that it was time that they all went to bed.
Elliot brought a laughing Noah over to kiss his mother goodnight before taking him off to his bedroom. He tossed the boy onto his bed and headed for the door.
“Dad,” Noah said and Elliot quickly turned around. “I know you didn’t have to be my dad, but I’m really happy that you wanted to be. I like having you as my dad.”
Elliot walked back over to the bed and helped him get tucked in. “Thank you for being such a great son. And thank you for letting me be your dad. I love you, Noah.”
“Love you too, dad.” Noah sat up and hugged Elliot tightly again.
“Get some sleep,” Elliot said and left the boy’s room.
Eli quickly came in. “So,” he started, “you like him?” Eli sat down on the edge of Noah’s bed.
“Yeah,” Noah said.
“He’s a good dad.”
“I never had one before him,” Noah said. “Mom had some people who I was close to, but never a dad. You don’t mind that I call him that, right?”
“No,” Eli quickly assured the kid. “I like having a little brother. My other siblings are a lot older than me. We’re six years apart, but that’s closer than me and Dick and Liz. I’m glad you don’t hate us for making you share your mom.”
Noah chuckled. “You’re sharing your dad with me,” he said. “And my mom is happy. I know your mom died. I’m sorry about that.”
“Thanks,” Eli said as she crawled to sit against the boy’s headboard with him. “It was really hard at first. I miss her, but your mom is a great second.”
Noah nudged his brother. “I like having a brother.”
“You’ve got two,” Eli said. “And three sisters. If we keep talking your mom is gonna yell at us both. I’ll take you to school in the morning,” Eli said as she ruffled the boy’s hair and left the room.
Elliot had come out of Noah’s bedroom and flopped down on the couch. “I should not have tried to do that,” he said with a groan.
“No, you shouldn’t have,” Olivia said with a laugh as she sat down next to him and curled into his side.
“You were the one encouraging it,” Elliot said and squeezed her shoulder making her laugh. “He called me ‘dad’.”
“He did,” Olivia stated. “You officially have six kids, Elliot Stabler.”
“We’ve got six kids,” Elliot said. “Maureen’s kids started calling you ‘Gram’ so I think you can claim the rest of my kids too.”
“I’m being called ‘Gram,’” Olivia sighed. “I’m not sure how we got to this point, El, but I’m so grateful that we did. You and I went through hell. A lot of hiding from each other.”
“But we’re married now,” Elliot started, “and we’ve got our kids. The grandkids. You’ve got your command. I’m not getting in as much trouble as I used to. Getting married again calmed me.”
“No, it didn’t,” Olivia laughed.
“I love you, Olivia Benson,” he said and turned her head so he could kiss her. “You are everything to me, my wife.”
“I love you too,” she said and kissed him again. “I love you far more than I thought I could.”
The two leaned back against the couch still cuddled together as they continued to watch television. “He called me dad.”