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Olivia waits impatiently, her focus shifting from her phone to her front door. She’s anxious to see Noah. It doesn’t matter that the men who came after her and her son have been taken care of, she won’t truly believe he’s safe until she gets her arms around him.
She sips her lukewarm tea and looks at her phone again. As much as she wanted to pick Noah up herself, she couldn’t leave work and she couldn’t bear the thought of him staying away another night. So Olivia had called someone she knew would protect her son at all costs.
She’d called Elliot.
Suddenly, finally, her phone buzzes, and Elliot’s message pops on to the screen.
We’re here, buzz us in.
Olivia all but runs to the door, pushing the buzzer and unlocking the deadbolt. She listens for the ding of the elevator, then opens the door. Noah runs to her, arms outstretched, the way he used to when he was young. She reaches for him, steady as stone as he crashes into her, and wraps her arms around him tightly. She closes her eyes as her whole body relaxes, her boy finally home, safe and sound.
With glassy eyes she looks at Elliot, a small smile on his face as he watches their reunion. Thank you she mouths silently over her son’s curls, and Elliot nods.
Olivia loosens her grip on Noah and looks down at him, “Are you hungry? I know it’s late but we could order something. Anything you want.”
“No,” he says, then whispers, “but I really have to pee.”
Olivia laughs and playfully pushes Noah through the doorway. Olivia steps in to her apartment and feels Elliot hesitate behind her, Noah’s suitcase in his hands. She thinks about asking him if he wants to come in, but she’s afraid he’ll say no. The truth is, she wants him there, if only for a little while. “Come in,” she says, and he follows her inside.
They take a few steps into the living room, then she turns to him. “Thank you, so much, Elliot I-“
He interrupts her, shakes his head, “Don’t thank me, Liv. You would have done the same for me,” he corrects himself, thinking of all the times she’s come through for his children, “You have done the same for me.”
For a long moment, they stand, unspeaking, taking each other in. “How did he seem on the drive?” She asks
Elliot sighs, “Tired. A little on edge. He didn’t want to talk much. Seemed like he was holding a lot in,” Elliot reaches out then and runs his thumb along the bruise on her cheek, “Kind of like you.”
Olivia looks up at him sadly, “Elliot-“ They both turn at the sound of the bathroom door opening. Olivia watches Noah cross the living room. His steps are slow, heavy. She can see the exhaustion in his body, his eyes.
“You ready for bed?”
Noah just shrugs, then, despite his best effort, he yawns. “I guess so.”
“Ok,” Olivia smiles, pushing back the hair from his forehead, “Come on.” Before she follows Noah to his bedroom, she turns to Elliot, who again seems unsure of whether he should stay or go. “I’ll be right back.”
Elliot nods, understanding, “Ok.”
***
Olivia sits on the end of Noah’s bed, while he brushes his teeth. She looks around the room, taking in the books, the clothes, the posters on the walls, hardly a trace of the baby she’d brought home a decade ago. She always knew the day would come when she couldn’t shield him from all the ugliness in the world, she just hadn’t imagined it would come this fast. Her eyes fill, tears of gratitude that they are both alive and safe slip down her cheeks.
“You ok Mom?” His voice startled her out of her thoughts.
She smiles and hums, “Mmhm, just happy you’re home.”
“Me too” He says, as Olivia lifts the covers and Noah slips into bed. She knows he’s getting too old to be tucked in, but tonight, he lets her pull the blankets up around him without protesting.
When he’s settled, she asks “Are you doing ok? You’ve been through so much this week. It was pretty scary.”
The boy smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes, “I’m fine, Mom. Really.”
Olivia strokes his hair “Ok baby.” She knows he’s putting on a brave face, but she doesn’t want to push him. He’ll talk to her when he’s ready. “Get some sleep,” she kisses his forehead, “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Olivia flicks off the bedside lamp and heads to the door, when Noah’s voice stops her.
“Hey Mom?” Do you think Elliot could come in? So I can say goodnight?” He asks shyly.
Olivia’s heart skips, and a gentle smile crosses her lips. “Sure, I’ll get him.”
***
When Olivia comes out of the bedroom, she finds Elliot sitting on her sofa, his head back, his eyes closed. He opens his eyes when he hears her getting close. “He out?” Elliot asks, his voice deep and gravelly with exhaustion.
Olivia crosses her arms over her chest, almost protectively, “Actually, he asked if you’d go say goodnight.”
Elliot’s eyebrows lift, surprised. “Is that,” he hesitates, “is that ok with you?”
She gives him a small smile, grateful that he’s being careful with her son’s heart. “Of course.”
He stands and follows Olivia down the hall to her son’s room. When she stops beside the door, Elliot looks to her one more time, then knocks and lets himself in.
Olivia starts to head back to the living room, but curiosity gets the better of her. She flattens herself against the wall and listens.
“Hey little man, ready to get some sleep?” Elliot asks, standing by the bed.
Noah peeks behind Elliot to see if his Mom is in the doorway. Satisfied that she isn’t, he sits up against his pillows. “I don’t think I can”
Elliot frowns a little. “I don’t blame you for being nervous. I know this week has been scary, but your mom would never let anything happen to you. You’re safe here.”
“No, it’s not that,” Noah says, looking down at his hands. He continues quietly, “What about her? Who is keeping her safe if I’m asleep?”
Elliot’s heart aches at his words. He knows this feeling all too well. He sits on the end of the bed, “Noah, listen to me. There’s nothing you could have done. Your mom getting hurt is not on you”
The boy’s eyes fill, “But I was right there. I should’ve done something. She’s so brave, I should’ve been brave too.”
“Believe me, you are just as brave as your mom. She made sure those bad guys can’t ever hurt anyone ever again.”
“There are always more bad guys,” he says dejectedly, “Do you think…maybe you could stay for a little while? To make sure she’s ok?”
Elliot smiles, nods. “I’ll take first watch. You get some sleep.” He watches as the boy sinks down into his bed again, eyes already starting to close.
“You’ll wake me up if anything bad happens?”
“Promise,” Elliot stands, “G’night Noah.”
Olivia hears Elliot get up off the bed and she walks back to the kitchen. She stares out the window and swipes furiously at her tears. Her son’s words echo in her ears, as all the fear and anger and guilt of the last week crash down around her. She can’t stop her tears, she doesn’t want to.
Olivia doesn’t turn around when Elliot comes up next to her. He opens his mouth to speak, but before he can, she turns and throws her arms tightly around his neck. She buries her face in his shoulder, a sob muffled by his shirt. As his arms come around her, tight and secure, she raises her head, her breath warm against his ear.
“Stay.”