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It had been a rough few days. Mother’s Day didn’t end the way Olivia had hoped that it would. Though she was pleased that Noah finally met Elliot. And she knew Noah suspected something was off between her and her old partner.
After the case had wrapped up she and Noah were watching a movie the next evening when her phone dinged with a text.
'Hey, I’m downstairs. Can I come up?'
Olivia typed out a quick reply and waited for her a knock at her door.
Elliot had made it up to his family for the case taking over Mother’s Day, but he figured Olivia wouldn’t do it for herself. He had been on his way back to Queens when he saw a flower stand. He stopped and bought another bouquet then turned to drive back to Manhattan.
She answered her door and saw him standing there with that Elliot smile on his face. She stepped aside without a word and let him into the apartment.
“Elliot,” Noah exclaimed as he saw the older man walk into the living room.
“Hey,” Elliot said and tousled the boy’s hair. “Did you and your mom ever get that ice cream?”
“No,” Noah said and looked over to his mom. “Are those for mom,” the boy asked and pointed at the bouquet of flowers in his hands.
“Yes, they are,” Elliot said and turned around to hand the flowers to Olivia. “Happy Mother’s Day.”
“Thank you,” she said and took the flowers from Elliot. She walked over and found a vase to put them in. “So did you just come here to fill my son with sugar?”
“Yes,” Elliot said and threw a wink in Noah’s direction. “Are you two free?”
“Yes,” Noah nearly shouted and jumped up from his position on the couch. “Can we go, mom?”
“I’m buying,” Elliot said and gave her that smile again.
“Please, mom,” Noah begged.
“Yeah, please mom,” Elliot mimicked.
“Get your coat,” Olivia told her son.
Noah jumped up and put on his shoes and coat. Olivia watched her son get excited about ice cream. It concerned her letting Noah spend too much time with Elliot too soon. But then she watched Elliot grab Noah’s coat off the hook and help him put it on and then take hers and offer it to her.
This was different. Good, but different. She smiled and let Elliot help her with her own coat before they exited her apartment.
The three of them started walking and Elliot knew they didn't live far from Serendipity and wanted to take them there knowing Noah would love it. They were able to get a table quickly and Noah begged his mom to let him take a frozen hot chocolate. She agreed even though she knew he wasn’t going to be able to finish. Elliot said he’d help out finishing the drink.
“So, your mom tells me you dance,” Elliot said just as the waitress set down the large frozen hot chocolate glass with three straws for them.
“Yeah, I used to play baseball, but when Peter left I didn’t really like it much,” Noah said and took a large sip of the drink in front of them. “But I love dancing. I have a recital coming up. You should come. Everyone else always has lots of people there.”
Elliot looked over at Olivia for the okay to agree to go. She offered him a small smile and a slight nod. “I would love to,” Elliot said to the boy. “You just have your mom remind me.”
“Mom, don’t let him forget,” Noah said after another long sip. “Where did you go? I remember seeing you last year and mom was sad.”
Elliot looked for that same instruction that he could tell her son the truth. He was not going to reveal anything that she wasn’t okay with.
“You remember me telling you about my old partner,” Olivia started, “and how he left?”
“I left because the job your mom and I did was too hard for me,” Elliot told him. “Your mom was meant to do what she does and I was too, but not for as long.” He gave Olivia another look. She nodded. “And your mom was very special to me, but I thought I had to leave to do what's best for my family. So I left. I regret hurting your mom and she was right to be very mad at me. I hope that I can make it up to her.”
“You’ve got a great start,” Olivia joked.
“Is she still special to you,” Noah asked. His full attention was now on Elliot.
“Very much,” Elliot said. His eyes moved from Noah to look at the woman sitting across from him. Very special. He hadn’t really known where he stood with Olivia, but as he looked into her eyes he saw it there. He saw what he felt. They just needed to figure out how to get there.
“She is special,” Noah told the man. “Just don’t hurt her again, please.”
“Never,” Elliot said without losing eye contact with Olivia. “Your mom deserves to be happy.”
“I am,” she said quietly. She was trying to hide the tears pooling in her eyes. The day has been perfect. Elliot and Noah got along great. The two of them laughed and joked with each other. Elliot told the boy about his own kids. And that maybe one day, if Olivia was okay with it, they’d all get together and Noah could meet the Stabler group. And even his grandchildren, who were a little closer to Noah’s age.
Elliot paid the check as he kept pushing Olivia’s hands down as she tried to pay. “I said I was buying,” he told her. “This is your Mother’s Day gift from me,” he said as they exited the restaurant. “I always knew you’d be a great mom. I’m proud of you, Liv. You’ve done it all yourself. You’re Captain of SVU. You’re raising Noah. I admire you, Olivia Benson.”
“Thank you,” she told him. “After you left I wasn’t sure I could do it by myself.” She felt Elliot’s gaze on her as they walked. Noah was sipping on the left over frozen hot chocolate that they had and walking ahead of them. “It was hard after you left. I missed you, Elliot.”
“I missed you too,” he told her. “Every day I thought about calling you and convinced myself you didn’t care and wouldn’t answer.”
“I wouldn’t have,” she said with a small chuckle. “But I still cared. So much so that I hated you for leaving." There was a short pause. "El, you’re making up for it. You’re finally being honest with me. Asking me about my life. I appreciate that effort.”
“I’m glad you yelled at me for it,” he told her. “I was really wrapped up in my own shit that I just didn’t think. And I am sorry that I didn't treat you right when I got back.”
Olivia smiled at him and linked her arm with his. Walking down the street with Elliot and Noah felt normal. The boy was dancing down the sidewalk and into their building. Elliot stopped before entering not wanting to push any boundaries she may want to have in place. He wanted to be in her life, but at her speed. He felt her tug at his arm and followed her into the building. He couldn’t stop watching her as she talked with Noah and she hugged him knowing he was getting tired.
They got up to her apartment and Olivia quickly started getting Noah ready for bed. Elliot looked around her apartment. He didn’t remember the last time he was there. It was all flashes. He did remember telling her that he didn’t fully write the letter that he had given her. And hearing her repeat the final line back to him. It was supposed to be them. It was always supposed to be them.
As Olivia tucked Noah into bed he was telling her how much fun he had. “I like Elliot,” he told her mother as he climbed into bed. “I hope he comes to my recital.”
“I hope he does too,” Olivia said to her son.
“Is he special to you?”
“Yes, he is,” she said quietly. “I’m glad you like him.”
“Can we hang out with him more?”
“We’ll see,” Olivia said and kissed his forehead before saying ‘goodnight’ and heading back out to the living room.
She walked out to see Elliot looking around at all of the pictures in her house. He looked upset as he continued to take in all of the photos. “He likes you,” he heard her say from behind him.
“I like him too,” Elliot said with a smile. “He’s a great kid, Liv. You’ve done such a great job raising him.”
“Thank you, El. Do you want something to drink,” she asked as she poured herself a glass of wine. He nodded and she grabbed another glass.
“So who’s Peter,” he asked her as he sat down at her breakfast bar and took the glass from her.
Olivia chuckled. She knew that he was going to ask after Noah had mentioned him at Serendipity. The first thing he’d asked her after their fight was how many people she had dated while he was away. “He was our ADA we had for a little while.”
“And...”
“He and Noah got close. He and I got close,” Olivia said and saw that look on his face. The look asking her if she had been involved with this Peter. “You don’t get to know that yet, Detective.”
“Liv,” Elliot said and walked around the breakfast bar into her kitchen, “we’ve been doing this for a couple months.” He placed a hand on her back until she turned to look at him. “I’m glad you let me take you and Noah out tonight. I do want to get to know him. Especially since we’ve started whatever this is.”
“And I’m enjoying whatever this is,” she told him and placed a hand on his chest. “But you still don’t get to know about my dating history yet.”
“Yet,” he said with that mischievous grin on his face. She was getting used to that grin the more they spent time together outside of work. He took a chance and took her waist to pull her into him. Though they had been casually seeing each other for a couple of months they hadn’t moved past holding each other and never this close to any of their children.
Olivia tensed at the motion, but quickly let herself be held by him. It was nice being held by him. They’d fallen asleep on his couch together a couple times and she was happiest when in his arms. She was safe in his arms. She always had been. She knew that his arms would always make sure she’s safe and well.
She put her head on his chest and he held her a little tighter. She pulled away from him slightly and moved her arms to wrap around his neck and looked into his eyes. She couldn’t stop herself from moving closer to him.
The feel of her breath on his skin made him tingle as she slowly moved closer to him. His grip got tighter and tighter. It was brief and soft, but her lips touched his. It was enough for both of them to panic slightly before she pressed her lips to his a little harder. Their bodies melted together in her kitchen. His hands moved up her back and pulled her closer to him. Trying to fuse their bodies together.
The kiss was everything they had been wanting for twenty-three years. They continued to stand there in her kitchen, their lips pressed together, tongues finding a rhythm as they tangled together.
Neither adult heard the bedroom door open or Noah walking out to the kitchen for a glass of water. He stopped when he saw his mother kissing this man he had only just met. Noah had quickly realized that there was more than friendship between his mother and Elliot. He stood there for one more second smiling knowing that his mom was happy.
As Noah slipped back out of the kitchen without his water Olivia pulled away from Elliot. “Thank you for tonight, El.”
“Anytime, Olivia,” he said and kissed her lightly again. Now that he had gotten a taste of her he just wanted more. He wanted to stand there kissing her for the rest of the night. “Thank you for letting me back in. I know you didn’t have to. I made everything really hard for you when I came back.”
“Elliot,” she started as she let her fingers dance on his cheek, “I want to move forward. I know you’re still feeling guilty. But you’ve been so great the last two months that I’m over all of the past. I learned a long time ago to not hold onto a grudge too tightly. Especially when you care so much about the person.”
Elliot smiled and kissed her again before he took his wine glass in his hands and handed her the other. “To the future, my friend, Olivia.”
“To the future, my friend, Elliot.” They clinked their glasses and took a sip before quickly setting them back down and letting their lips lock once again.
This was the best Mother’s Day yet.