Partners For Life [A Bensler FanFic]

Eleven

Once their lips parted, Elliot rested his forehead against Olivia's and waited for her to speak. He wanted her to say that she was ready to come home and stay for good, but after a few minutes of silence Olivia had yet to say a thing.

"Liv?" Elliot asked softly, as he finally opened his eyes and looked at Olivia.

"Your daughter just watched us kiss." Olivia whispered, and Elliot nodded slowly as he ran his hands over her back.

"Yeah, I know. But you are pregnant, so I'm pretty damn certain that she knows this has happened before. A lot more than kissing has happened before." Elliot chuckled softly as he watched Olivia's cheeks grow red.

"Do you think we could talk in private? Because we really didn't talk through everything, I'm too scared to talk about things in front of Mo." Olivia whispered.

"Of course, Liv. I think I'll drive her home and then come back. Does that sound good?"

"I'll be waiting up." Olivia smiled tiredly. They shared a few more soft kisses, before Elliot stepped away from Olivia and moved into the living room. He looked at his daughter, and Maureen sighed as she stood.

"I did all the hard work, and then you just come in and kiss her and think you fixed everything?" Maureen smiled.

"Lose the sass, Maureen Stabler. Now, give me the keys. You are going home and will be watching your siblings. Check their homework and make sure they all bathe. Okay?"

"I can do that, but only as long as you can get her to come home soon. We love her, and we all need her."

"I'll try my hardest to get her to come home. Long before it's time for the baby to be born."

///

Elliot dropped Maureen off before speeding back to Olivia's apartment. He wanted to get back as fast as possible, so he even put on his lights just in case.

"You know that you shouldn't use your lights and sirens unless there is a real emergency, Elliot." Olivia scolded as soon as she opened the door for Elliot.

"Liv, I couldn't wait any longer to get back to you." Elliot smiled, before grabbing Olivia's hand and started to drag her in the direction of her bedroom.

"Elliot!" She exclaimed, and Elliot turned around before looking at her.

"Yeah?"

"I'm not sleeping with you right now. When I said that I wanted to talk, I meant it. So please be understanding of that." Olivia frowned.

Elliot nodded slowly before stepping closer to Olivia. He hugged her tightly as he gently caressed her hair.

"I will do anything for you, love. So let's talk. About anything and everything you could ever want to talk about."

They settled down at the kitchen island as Olivia started to talk about how she felt and what plans needed to be made. 

"I'm still scared that because your divorce is so recent and fresh, that you aren't as ready for a relationship as you think you are."

"The divorce is more recent than the breakup, and I love you. I want to be with you. I don't want you to just carry the baby and then give it to me when it's born. I want us to raise it together. And I want the kids to be its siblings." Elliot replied softly.

"El, you really didn't tell me if you are ready or not. You have loved me for years, but this is different. What we are doing is different."

"When we kissed for the first time, I was thrown off. Like I have only kissed Kathy in the last seventeen years of my life. But when I kissed you, I really enjoyed it. It was different and you are amazing at kissing. I know that it was just like a quick peck, but still. I loved it."

"Could you see yourself kissing me... for the rest of our lives? Not just until you get bored with me? Like, will you be willing to put in the work?" Olivia sighed as she ran her fingers over the rim of her glass.

"I'm willing to do anything for you. I can't promise that I'll be perfect but-"

"I'm not perfect either, so don't worry about that... but there is still just so much to figure out. Like, are we together? Where will we put this kid? And what do the kids think about this all?" Olivia rambled as she grew nervous about this very different and scary situation. She never thought that she'd fall for a guy with five kids, let alone the guy she had known for years and had fallen in love with before he even noticed her in the way she noticed him.

"I think the kids will be okay. And if not right now, they certainly will be in the future." 

"And like us? What are we?" Olivia breathed.

"Do you wanna be my girlfriend, Liv?" Elliot asked, and Olivia smiled softly.

"I guess that I should probably give you a shot since I'm currently carrying your kid."

"It would be incredibly kind of you." Elliot chuckled. He leaned over and kissed Olivia's temple gently.

///

The next morning, Maureen woke up to find Olivia in the kitchen. She was sure that she wouldn't see her father or Olivia until the next night, but clearly she was wrong.

"Liv? What are you doing here?" Maureen asked, and Olivia smiled softly as she finished making sandwiches for the kids' lunch.

"Your father and I talked last night, and we are going to try a relationship... so I moved back here last night. Well, mostly. We still have to decide if I'm here for good or if I should still keep my apartment." Olivia replied.

"So like, you are dating my Dad?" Maureen asked, and Olivia nodded.

"Kinda. Is that okay? We need a general label for our relationship, especially when we have to start telling people. Like we have to tell our Captains because two detectives really shouldn't be together." Olivia rambled. 

"Hey, calm down." Maureen spoke softly as she moved over to Olivia.

"Mo, I'm scared that I will mess everything up. That either I'll fuck up my relationship with your father, or I'll be a bad mother figure to you and your siblings... or I'll screw up my baby. A lot is changing, and I'm not good with change."

"As long as you don't abandon us and don't intentionally hurt us, I think we will be able to figure out things as we go."