Work Text:
“No, no. Of course, Lucy. We completely understand. Hope you feel better.”
Olivia hangs up the phone and continues to gently bounce and sway her three-month-old daughter as she tries to figure out a solution.
“El, can you come here for a minute?”
Her fiancé rounds the corner into the kitchen carrying fifteen-month-old Noah. He’d come to them as a surprise just a few months before baby Alison - Allie - was born. Olivia had felt an immediate connection to the boy when she found him in a drawer, but it was months later before he became theirs. She and Elliot made a point to go to every court hearing for Baby Boy Doe, later identified as Noah, and when Judge Linden asked if they would be willing to take him in, all it took was one shared look between them. It was an immediate yes. In six months, he will officially become a Benson-Stabler like his sister.
“What’s up, Babe?”
“Lucy just called, and she’s got a stomach bug. She can’t watch the kids today. I know you’ve got that meeting with Sergeant Bell this morning, so I guess I’ll postpone my appointment with-”
“Actually, Sergeant Bell emailed and asked to postpone our meeting, so I can keep them.” Elliot is conveniently not looking at her.
Olivia narrows her eyes in his direction. “Are you lying to me? You remember I’m a Detective, right?”
“Sergeant,” Elliot says proudly and rubs his hand over the back of his head. “Okay, so she didn’t postpone, but I can call her.”
She’s about to tell him that he would be ridiculous to do anything to jeopardize the opportunity of joining the Organized Crime Task Force when he continues, “Or, how about I take him with me and you take her? That way you don’t have to pump, and we each only have to wrangle one kid.”
She considers it. “It would be nice to not have to pump for the day. Okay. But call Sergeant Bell and explain the situation before you haul him all the way out there.”
“It’s just Brooklyn, Liv, not another country,” he jokes, and she rolls her eyes in response.
He leans in to give her a kiss before stepping away to make the phone call. She smiles into the kiss and mumbles, “Might as well be.”
Olivia busies herself with getting Allie’s things packed up for the day - extra clothes, diapers, the bassinet attachment for the stroller - while Elliot calls Sergeant Bell. When he exits the nursery a short time later, Noah is dressed in a miniature version of his father’s suit - tie included - and Olivia is sure she’s never seen anything cuter. She insists on taking their photo before they leave the apartment.
***
“What’s all this? Week Two and you couldn’t bear to leave her with the sitter?” Fin jokingly questions her as she pushes the stroller towards her office.
“Didn’t you hear? It’s Take Your Kid to Work Day,” she deadpans before giving him a smile, not disappointed in the slightest to get to spend the day with her girl, even if it is at work. “Lucy has a stomach bug, so Elliot took Noah to his meeting, and I brought Allie with me.” She lifts the baby from the stroller when she begins to fuss.
Fin gives her an incredulous look. “Stabler took a baby to a job interview?”
“It’s more of a formality at this point, and he called Sergeant Bell to explain. But, yeah, I guess he kind of did,” she chuckles and pulls her phone out to show Fin the photo she took of her guys.
Fin holds his hands out to take baby Allie as he responds, “Lookin’ sharp. Stabler better watch out. Little guy there might just steal the job away from him.” Allie snuggles right into her Uncle Fin’s embrace and falls back asleep. “Go ‘head in there. Dodds showed up early. Baby Girl and I will be fine right here.”
“Are you sure?” Fin gives her a look. “Okay. Thanks, Fin. If she gets fussy, interrupt us. She’ll probably be hungry soon.” He just waves her toward her office.
***
Elliot lifts Noah from his car seat before slinging the backpack-style diaper bag over his shoulder and striding into the Organized Crime Task Force headquarters.
“Detective Stabler. Nice to see you again.” Sergeant Bell approaches. “You must be Noah. Nice to meet you, sir.” She reaches out to gently shake the tot’s hand and receives a big grin in return.
“Please, call me Elliot. Thanks for being so understanding. We had to scramble when our nanny called in sick this morning. It turned into an impromptu Take Your Kid to Work Day. My wif-fiancée took our youngest to the precinct with her, since we both had meetings we couldn’t miss.” He flushes slightly at his slip-up. He can’t wait until he can actually call her his wife. April. He only has to wait four more months.
“Not a problem. Now, I’m not saying this is the most child-friendly work environment, obviously, but things do come up. My wife and I are expecting our first, and I’m sure he’ll be in here at some point. You and your fiancée just have the two?”
Noah leans toward Ayanna with his arms outstretched, and she happily takes him on her hip, swaying slightly and straightening his tie.
“You’re a natural,” Elliot smiles. “We just have the two together, but, uh, I’ve got five from my first marriage.”
“Oh shit.” Ayanna covers one of Noah’s ears with her hand and Elliot laughs. “Sorry. That was entirely unprofessional.”
Still laughing, Elliot assures her that it’s okay and he’s not offended. “No, no, it is a lot. Our oldest is 30, and the youngest is three months.”
When Noah yawns and reaches for him, Elliot takes him back, and they move into Ayanna’s office to discuss the job. He’s already interested, but he has a few things he needs to confirm first. He reiterates that he’s not willing to do any long-term undercover work, and she assures him that he won’t be forced into those assignments.
Half an hour into the meeting, Noah falls asleep against Elliot’s chest, his head on his shoulder and his arm wrapped around his neck. Both Ayanna and Elliot instinctively lower their voices, and Elliot knows this is the right place for him. Ayanna must agree because as their conversation comes to an end and they shake hands, she tells him, “I think you’d be a great asset to this task force. The job is yours if you want it.”