Forty

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Olivia officially retired from the NYPD after going back and forth for a few months. She knew that everything in her life was delicate, and she didn't want to ruin anything by getting hurt again at work. So she just gave in and retired due to medical reasons. She planned on spending the rest of her life as a mother to three beautiful children and a wife to a husband that made her incredibly happy.

It didn't seem like it would be amazing at first, but as the weeks went by and she got closer to having Lukas, she realized that this is the life she wanted. The life she was meant to have.

"Both girls are asleep." Elliot smiled as he walked into the bedroom he shares with his wife.

"Hopefully they can sleep through the night." Olivia yawned.

"Is Amanda still going to watch the girls tomorrow when we go to the hospital?" Elliot asked, and his wife nodded as she shifted closer to her husband.

"She is ready to watch the girls and Harris, while everyone is at the hospital with me while Lukas is born." Olivia replied.

"I am going to be there through your full labor and delivery. I promise." Elliot spoke, as he rolled over onto his back and let his wife use him as pillow. He had gotten so used to holding her at night, that he wasn't really looking forward to them sleeping apart after Lukas is born.

"I hope you can stomach it all, especially since you hate seeing me in pain. And I'm going to be in a lot of pain. My body will be fighting me this time, not like when I was having Julia."

"If I faint, at least you will have Alex and Casey to hold your hands while I lay unconscious on the floor." Elliot chuckled.

Olivia smiled as she ran her hand over her husband's chest.

"I'm glad you are going to be at least in the room when our son is born."

///

The next morning, Olivia and Elliot woke up early. Olivia was getting induced, and she couldn't wait to get this all over with and be able to hold her son.

"Are you all excited?" Amanda asked, as she helped to pack things into the car.

"We are incredibly excited, but I'm also incredibly scared and nervous." Elliot sighed.

"Olivia has done this twice before. She knows what she has to do, and you just have to hold her hand and encourage her. Then you will cry like a baby together when you see Lukas for the first time. His sweet chubby little face, and those tiny little fingers and toes." Amanda smiled.

"I just hope that I don't fuck up this time." Elliot frowned as he moved back into the garage before returning with the car seat that he had yet to install.

"Fuck up? Elliot, there really shouldn't be a reason for you to fuck up this time. You and Olivia are in a very good place. Neither of you have come to me to bitch about each other, and she is so much happier knowing that she gets to see the kids grow up instead of fighting to get back to work. As long as you don't have a bomb to drop on her today, then I think everything should be fine." Amanda replied.

Elliot nodded slowly as he started to install the car seat. He stopped after a moment before looking at Amanda.

"I just feel like I'm always disappointing her on the days she needs me to the most. The day she got shot, if I had gone after her, then maybe I wouldn't have thought she was dead for eleven months. I wouldn't have missed out on her pregnancy with Amy, Amy being born, or the days after. And if I hadn't been such a freak, I would have been there for when Julia was born. I have disappointed my wife more times than I'd like to admit, and I wouldn't like to continue that trend today."

"Then don't. Today is a big day, not only for her but for you also, so just think about meeting Lukas. Instead of disappointing Olivia."

"Hey, are we almost ready to go?" Olivia called from the front door, and Elliot nodded.

"Just got to finish putting this in, and then we will be all set."

///

Elliot held Olivia's hand as the nurses and doctor started her induction. It wasn't the most comfortable, so Elliot got to really shine as he tried to comfort his wife and tried to keep her mind off of everything.

They walked the halls for hours together, and Elliot didn't even leave Olivia's side when he got hungry or tired. He didn't want to miss a thing, and he was truly proving that to his wife.

"You can't stop yawning." Olivia frowned as she reached over and caressed her husband's cheek.

"I'm fine." Elliot smiled tiredly.

"You should sprawl out over on the couch and take a nap. They said that Lukas is being stubborn, and he might not arrive till after five tonight."

"I'm not leaving your side, Liv. So why don't you try to nap, and I'll just sit here and watch you." Elliot smiled.

"Babe, you gotta take care of yourself. Why don't you go downstairs and join Alex and Casey while they eat? You have gotta be starving by now." Olivia sighed.

"I'm not leaving you alone. I'll keep my mouth shut so you can sleep, but I'm not leaving this spot." Elliot replied.

"And why not?" Olivia huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Because I'm not abandoning you again."

Olivia was shocked when her husband said that. She didn't believe that he ever truly abandoned her. They used to have their problems, but that has changed. He had been completely supportive of her and loving since their fight after Julia was born.

"You never abandoned me, El. What happened in the past, is in the past. And right now, we are in an amazing place. We are so very close to having our son, and I know that you will be right beside me through it all. But I will text or call you when I'm getting close, but until then... I need you to take care of yourself. Walk around, use the bathroom, get something to eat, or take a nap. Just do something for yourself."

///

Elliot hesitantly left his wife's side, but was called back twenty minutes later. It seemed like their son was in a rush suddenly, and Elliot needed to get back to his wife's side.

And he was there for her. He watched his wife give birth to their third and final baby, and he was so beyond amazed by how strong she was. And within an hour, Elliot and Olivia both got to lay eyes on their little boy. 

Lukas was truly the final piece to their puzzle. He was what made their lives and family complete. Lukas, along with Amy and Julia, made all the pain and suffering worth it. The three Stabler kids made those long eleven months a little less painful to think about after all these years, and completely worth experiencing.


Hey guys. Sorry about a completely dumb ending. But I couldn't figure out what else to do. I loved writing this book, but towards the end I lost interest in it. So thanks for supporting this.

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