"Good morning, little man," Elliot cooed softly, reaching into Noah's crib and lifting him up onto his chest.
They had been in the new house for almost two weeks now, slowly organizing and setting everything up...the house was coming together.
"Dada, hungry," Noah murmured against his father's chest.
"I know...let's let Momma sleep a little and we'll get you some breakfast. You wanna let Jax out?" Elliot asked him and his head perked up.
"Jax out," Noah said, nodding his head.
Olivia had been going nonstop the entire week between work and situating the house she was constantly busy from seven in the morning to about midnight. She had the day off and Elliot wanted nothing more than for her to have a nice relaxing day...and that included sleeping in.
Elliot checked on Eli quickly before padding down the stairs and into the kitchen.
"C'mon, Jax," Elliot called and he came running to the back door. He crouched down and let Noah pet the dogs head, "Be gentle."
Noah looked up at his Dad before gently rubbing his hand on top of the dog's head, "Entle."
Elliot chuckled, "You're doing so good, Noah." He stood back up, settling Noah on his hip and letting Jax out into the backyard.
"So, little man...do you want some eggs and waffles?" He asked Noah, putting him into his high chair and adjusting his tray.
"Ketup?" Noah asked.
"Yes, you can have ketchup," Elliot chuckled and went to work on preparing breakfast.
Noah hasn't wavered in his love for ketchup and Elliot had realized a few days ago that he had gotten it from Olivia. He watched her put it on almost everything these past few months...from eggs and breakfast foods, all the way to pizza which he found completely disgusting.
Elliot went to work scrambling eggs and making batter, pulling out the waffle maker they had also found during the move. While the appliances heated up he let the dog in, giving him a bone and watching him carry it to his large dog bed. He cooked the waffles and eggs, making Noah a plate with a dollop of ketchup in the corner.
"Here you go, little man," Elliot cooed, setting his plate down on the tray and cutting up the waffle into smaller pieces. "What do you say?" He coached with a soft smile.
"Tank ou," Noah said, looking up at his father.
Elliot chuckled and kissed the top of Noah's head, "You're welcome." He pulled a chair close to Noah, holding his own plate in his hand and enjoying breakfast with his youngest.
"Daddy," Eli mumbled, coming into the kitchen a few moments later still in his pajamas and rubbing his eyes.
"Hey buddy," Elliot said softly as Eli came to stand next to him and he picked him up, setting him in his lap.
Eli curled against his chest, "I'm sleepy."
"Why did you get up then?" Elliot asked him, checking the clock and seeing it was still very early while rubbing Eli's back gently.
Eli shrugged his shoulders, "Can you lay down with me?"
"Sure buddy," he replied softly, running the back of his hand across Eli's forehead and through his hair, realizing he felt a little warm, "You feeling okay?" Eli just shook his head against his Dad's chest and mumbled something about his nose being runny in between a cough. "Let me clean Noah up and get him a bottle and we'll go lay down on the big couch, okay?"
He nodded, sliding off Elliot's lap, "Can I help him with his bottle?"
"Of course," Elliot smiled softly, hating to see one of his kids sick and wanting nothing more than to alleviate it as best he could. He made Noah's bottle quickly, shaking it up and handing it to Eli to carry into the living room.
Eli climbed up onto the large plush couch, wiggling his way in between two pillows while Elliot settled Noah down next to him, drawing the blinds and grabbing a couple of blankets for them.
Slouching down on the couch, Elliot took both of his boys in his arms, covering them up and kissing both of their foreheads, "I love you two."
"Love you, Daddy," Eli replied softly, cuddling under the covers next to Noah and helping him hold his bottle in his mouth. "Love you, Noah," he murmured before he fell asleep.
Elliot gently pulled the empty bottle from Eli's hands and from Noah's mouth, setting it on the end table. Sitting back against the couch, he pulled his son's a little closer, enjoying the quiet time and the intimate moment with them. The more he thought about his boys, the more he couldn't wait for the baby to come. He wanted to be able to hold him in his arms, look down at him and see himself and Olivia in one tiny little person. He heard the stairs creek and Olivia came around the corner.
"Hey," she said quietly, padding into the living room and pulling her thick sweater tighter around her. The sight of Elliot snuggled under the blanket with Noah in one arm and Eli draped over him completely melting her heart.
"Hi," he replied just as softly, tilting his head back against the sofa so he could capture her lips.
She kissed him softly, rubbing her thumb over his cheek, "How did everyone get down here?"
"I wanted you to sleep in, so I got Noah some breakfast and then Eli came down," he said looking down at his son, "He doesn't feel good."
Olivia ran her hands through Eli's unruly bed head and pressed a kiss to his forehead, "He feels a little warm."
"I thought so too...I hate it when they're sick," Elliot sighed, rubbing Eli's back.
"Hopefully it's just a little cold...Kathy said he got his flu shot a few weeks ago," she said, running her fingers through his hair.
Elliot let out a soft chuckle, "He hates shots."
"I think every kid in the world hates shots," she added with a laugh.
"But he really hates the doctors...he tries to bribe me every time we have to go," he said, looking up at her.
She smirked and raised an eyebrow, patting Elliot's cheek, "I wonder where he got that from?"
"Guilty," he smirked and she chuckled, kissing his smile.
"I hate them too," she agreed, kissing his forehead. "Do you want some coffee?"
"That would be great," he smiled and kissed her again. "I made eggs and waffles, you might have to heat it up a little."
"Okay," she nodded, kissing his lips and being unable to get enough of him. "I'll be back."
"Okay," he murmured against her lips before he watched her turn and walk away, never enjoying the view more.
"You've seen my ass before," she called to him from over her shoulder with a smirk.
"But it's a great ass," he told her, not missing a beat.
She just shook her head and kept walking.
It wasn't his fault he couldn't take his eyes off of her...she was the one with the incredibly sexy body that only got better as she got further along in the pregnancy. God was she beautiful, he thought, all he wanted to do was pull her into bed, rip off her clothing piece by piece and letting his hands, and eyes, roam her body.
"Here," Olivia said softly, putting his cup of coffee on the table next to her cup of tea, sitting down in the seat, propping her feet up and resting her plate on her belly. Elliot chuckled and she just shrugged her shoulders, "It's convenient."
"I see," he smiled, watching her dunk her waffle into syrup and then following that with her eggs into the ketchup. "I finally realized that Noah picked that habit up from you."
"What habit?" She mumbled, licking some ketchup from her fork.
"That one," he said looking pointedly at her. "The ketchup thing...he asked me for some this morning."
Olivia swallowed and chuckled, "It's a good condiment...goes with anything."
"No," he chuckled, shaking his head, "It does not go with everything."
She shrugged, "Maybe not and to be honest, ketchup was never really my thing until now." Her hand rubbed small circles around on her bump, "I think I'm growing a ketchup fiend in here."
"I'm going to be surrounded by ketchup for the rest of my life," Elliot sighed, completely joking.
"And you wouldn't want it any other way," Olivia said, looking at him with a smile.
"And I wouldn't want it any other way," he said genuinely, giving her a look full of love.
Two days later found most of the Stabler's laying around and nursing a cold that was slowly making its way through the family.
Olivia was currently curled up in bed watching a movie, Noah snuggled in against her and Eli sprawled out beside her.
"I brought you all some soup and grilled cheese," Elliot said softly, pushing the door open with his foot and a large tray in his hands.
Eli picked his head up from the pillow, "Chicken noodle?"
Elliot nodded, "The kind with the little stars in it."
"That's my favorite," Eli said, pushing himself up against the head board.
Elliot set the tray down, taking Noah in his arms and helping him with his grilled cheese. "You hungry, Liv?"
"A little," she replied, stretching her arms over her head before pushing herself up against the pillows.
Elliot pulled another tray out from under his, setting her soup, sandwich, and a glass on it before moving the tray next to her.
"You even brought me ginger ale," Olivia smiled softly, taking his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.
"I know you," he smiled, kissing her forehead gently and running his fingers through her hair.
He settled on the bed, helping Noah and Eli while trying to make as little of a mess as possible. They finished eating and Elliot took everything back downstairs before making his way back to the bedroom.
"Alright, scoot over," Elliot said, sliding Eli over and tickling him. "How are you feeling, buddy?"
"Better," Eli got out in between giggles and Elliot was so happy to hear that sound.
"Good," he smiled, laying down in bed and letting Eli cuddle to him. "So what movie are we watching?"
"Transformers," Eli replied, already starring back at the screen. "It's awesome..."
Olivia laid back down, turning so she could face them and tucking Noah in against her, "He's obsessed with this movie."
Elliot chuckled, "He's never this quiet."
"At least he's feeling better," she said softly. "I feel bad for this one now...his little nose is all stuffed up."
Elliot reached over and rubbed Noah's back, "Hopefully he's almost over it though."
Noah turned to look at Elliot over his shoulder and reached for him, "Dada."
"C'mere little man," Elliot cooed, taking Noah and laying him against him. He kissed Noah's cheeks and cuddled next to him.
Olivia watched them, her head resting under her arm and her other hand running over her belly...there wasn't another man in this world that would be as good of a father to her children as Elliot Stabler. He was everything...kind, loving, compassionate yet stern and full of wisdom. He was the person who would help her raise her babies into amazing human beings.
Eli settled on the other side of Noah, in between Olivia and looked up at her, "If we're all sick, is the baby sick too?"
"No honey," she replied, threading her finger though his hair. "The baby is protected in there so nothing can get to him."
"Well that's good," he sighed and Olivia chuckled a little. He moved his head to her belly, resting his hand next to his face, "Hi brother...I wish you were here already...I want to play with you. We're gonna have so many toys. Daddy said there's only 40 more days until you get here."
Olivia tore her eyes away from Eli to look to Elliot who just nodded and she mouthed, Wow. Time was flying by...between working and the move, she could barely believe there was just a little over a month until the baby would be here.
"Can he hear me?" Eli asked, looking back up to Olivia and successfully bringing her back from her thoughts.
"Is he kicking you?" She asked him with a smile and he nodded. "Then he can hear you...when someone talks to him he moves around a lot and he hasn't stopped moving since you started talking to him."
"Cool," came his short reply and he rested his head back down. "I love you baby...I'm gonna be the best big brother, I promise."
Olivia's eyes filled with unshed tears as Eli kissed her belly and snuggled in against her, completely unaware of how sweet and moving that moment just was. She bent down, kissing Eli on the top of the head, "He loves you and I love you too."
"Love you, Livvie," he replied softly, turning in her arms to kiss her cheek.
Elliot loved these moments more than anything. One of his sons cuddled in his arms, the other snuggling with his wife and their unborn child...everything was perfect. He loved his family more than words could say and as long as he had these moments nothing else mattered, there was no need to go anywhere or do anything
"I love you," Elliot said softly, leaning across Eli to give Olivia a soft kiss.
Olivia awoke later that night to an empty bed. She turned and checked the clock and saw that it was only ten o'clock.
"Did I wake you up?" Elliot asked softly, coming back through the door and closing it quietly behind him.
She shook her head, "No I don't think so. Where'd you go?"
He stripped off his shirt and climbed into bed next to her, "I put the boys in bed. I woke up with a foot in my face."
"Eli?" She asked with a chuckle and Elliot nodded. "I honestly don't know how he does that. Sometimes when I check on him during the night, he's half off the bed or his head is hanging off the bottom."
"He's always been like that...I don't know how he doesn't get stuck in his covers half of the time," he added with a laugh, moving next to her and wrapping his arms around her. "How are you feeling?"
"Much better," she replied, running her fingers through his hair. "I think the day in bed was just what we all needed."
He nodded in agreement, "I remember the days when you wouldn't ever take a day off of work."
"You used to force me," she added and shrugged her shoulders, "It's different now. Don't get me wrong, I love SVU and it will always be a part of me but you, me, the kids...that's what's important now."
"I don't doubt that for a second...I'm happy you learned to put yourself first," Elliot said softly, running his fingers through her long wavy locks. "I think this is the longest I've ever seen it."
He was twirling a piece around his finger and she was enjoying the relaxing circles he was rubbing on her scalp, "It's the longest I've ever let it grow, it was close to this a few years ago...after you left." The slight fault in his movements was the only thing that made her realize what she had said. "Baby, I'm sorry...I didn't mean anything by it."
"You don't have to apologize, it was my fault," he said honestly, kissing her forehead. "I love your hair like this... and I wish I would have gotten to see it the first time around."
She rested her head on his chest, "You'll get to see it every day for the rest of your life. Don't let me do anything stupid to it, okay?"
He chuckled and kissed the top of her head, "I won't let you do anything stupid to it." He nudged her back and slid down her body a little, pulling down the blankets and pulling up her tank top, "How's the little one doing today?"
"Pretty good," she smiled, running her fingers through his hair. "He's loving all of the attention he's been getting today."
"I bet," he chuckled, rubbing his hands along the sides of her belly. "Thirty four or thirty five this week?"
"Thirty four," she answered, the amazement and wonder evident in her voice.
"Well little man, how's it going in there? I hope you're nice and warm because it's freezing out here," he murmured against her skin and he felt her laugh. "We all love you very much and can't wait until you're here," he dropped a few soft kisses against her skin, "Sleep tight, little boy...Daddy loves you."