All the remaining little storylines coming full circle as we come to the end of this interesting look into the future. Thank you for reading this story all the way to the end!

...

54. Family

Everyone was going to be there and Olivia was a little nervous. She wasn't insecure but it would be strange to see the entire Stabler family again after all these years. She and Elliot weren't the only ones who had gotten older and the children she had known as kids, teens and young adults, now had children of that age themselves.

Elliot was always gushing about his youngest granddaughter Lily Rose and Olivia had seen her once so far, on screen when Elliot had been video chatting with Kathleen. She knew Kathleen would be her ambassador. Elliot's middle daughter had been ecstatic to learn that her dad was finally with Olivia. Olivia wasn't really worried about how the rest of Elliot's family would react though. She was a little too old to worry about what other people would think of her. She hadn't pursued their father and grandfather during their partnership, and she hadn't exactly gone after him right after his divorce either. Enough time had gone by not to have to worry about these things anymore.

The only one she'd wondered about a few times, was Richard. Of all the children, Richard had been the most wary of her. He'd all but accused her of sleeping with his father, and even if it had been a very long time ago, she couldn't help wondering if he still felt that way about her.

Catherine's father was turning 50 and it would be the first time for Noah to meet her parents and younger brother. They had all come over from Germany for the summer, and it would be the first time in years that the entire family would be together.

"You look fine honey," Catherine assured her boyfriend once more, straightening his tie, and Olivia smiled at Elliot.

It had been ages since they had worried about their appearance like that, but they remembered. The four of them were ready to head out and Elliot grabbed Olivia's hand when they headed out to his car for the short drive to the restaurant where Matthew Taylor was celebrating his birthday.

…

Catherine's parents were so nice. Noah had been a little jittery but he knew now there had been no need. Even after all these years, the mere fact that he was Olivia Benson's son had given him all the credit he'd ever need in this family. Even Catherine's grandmother had given him a very warm welcome, telling him that they all went way back and that they considered both him and his mother family already. He scanned the room for his mother and when they caught each other's eye, she smiled and waved at him.

His mother was a legend. He'd always been proud of her but the way these people spoke of her only added to his pride. Catherine stood next to him and squeezed his hand, her bright eyes sparkling.

"Isn't this great?" she asked him excitedly. "Everybody's here."

She was proudly introducing Noah to everyone and much to her surprise, even her younger brother Alan seemed to take a liking to her boyfriend immediately. She saw her mother give Noah's mother a hug and had to swallow a lump in her throat. Noah's family had been so small compared to her own but they were now merging together so naturally that it moved her. She was certain now, that it was all simply meant to be.

...

Elliot was so proud of her. He watched Olivia greet his family, one by one. His kids were all so happy to see her and were proudly introducing their spouses and children to her. Olivia joked that she'd never be able to remember all their names. Truth was, they had been practicing and she was actually remembering them all just fine. Kathy walked up to him and looped an arm through his.

"Congratulations Elliot," she said warmly. "It was about time you found someone."

"Thanks Kath," he said, smiling at the mother of his children. "I'm just grateful she allowed me back into her life."

"Yeah, she didn't have to do that," Kathy acknowledged. "She's always had a big heart."

"It took those kids over there to drag me back to her," he said, nodding at Catherine and Noah, who were talking to a few of their other grandchildren.

"You would have found each other again without them," Kathy said, and she seemed very sure about it.

"You think so?"

"Definitely. It just may have taken another ten years and wouldn't that have been a waste of time?"

They both chuckled then and while he didn't think it would have taken him ten more years, he knew Kathy was right. He would have found the courage to talk to Olivia eventually. The kids had just given him a much needed kick in the ass, and the rest was history now.

...

Olivia's eyes widened, like they had done several times already that afternoon, when she saw Richard walking up to her, hand in hand with a beautiful dark-haired woman. While his face was distinctively different, everything else about him oozed Elliot. The way he walked, his posture, definitely not the slender boy she had known anymore, and his blazing blue eyes. Even the vein near his temple, that betrayed some tension despite the smile on his face when he extended his hand to greet her.

"Richard," she sighed simply.

"Olivia Benson, it's really you," Richard replied.

They shook hands, Richard holding her hand with both of his and shaking it firmly.

"So the Benson clan has come to join the Stabler clan at last," he said jokingly and Olivia laughed out loud.

"There's just two of us here against dozens of you, so I'd say we're simply being swallowed whole by the Stabler clan," she said, grinning.

"True, true," Richard conceded. "There are a lot more of us than the last time we spoke. On that note, my offspring is running around here somewhere but right now, I'd like you to meet my wife, Anna. Or maybe I should say, this beautiful woman here is my Olivia."

Olivia raised an eyebrow and looked at the younger woman while shaking her hand. Anna smiled and seemed to know exactly what her husband meant. Was Richard referring to their appearance? They both had dark hair and brown eyes, but Anna's skin was much darker than hers, and the young woman wasn't nearly as tall as Olivia. It soon became clear that Richard was referring to something else.

"As you may know, Anna is my second wife. Maybe dad told you? Anyway, I talked to dad about my struggles in my first marriage, and he helped me to see that sometimes we need to let go of an imperfect situation, so we will be able to get it right next time. He should have done that much sooner himself, but he stayed because of us kids. He actually helped me to make the right choice at the right time. After my divorce I met Anna and I just knew she was the one. Just like you're the one for dad."

Richard's words moved Olivia deeply. That he would compare his happy second marriage to her and Elliot went far beyond the acceptance she had hoped for from the young man. There was no resentment at all, no blame for the demise of his parents' marriage like there had been when he was a teenager. For once, she was speechless and tears sprang in her eyes. She forced a smile and Richard rubbed her upper arm gently with his hand, sensing her emotions.

"Everything alright here?" Olivia heard Elliot asking as he stood next to her.

She looked up at him and his eyes scanned hers, needing to know she was alright.

"Yeah dad, everything is alright here," Richard told him. "I'm just glad you finally got it right as well. Congratulations."

Olivia saw Elliot's face light up when he realized what Richard was referring to. He pulled his son in his arms and gave him a crushing hug. Richard laughed and then wrapped his arms around his father's waist to lift him up from the ground.

"Careful with your old man," Elliot huffed, but he was grinning widely.

Once he and Richard had broken apart, they each wrapped an arm around the woman they loved and Richard nodded.

"Yep," he said, looking at Olivia and then Anna. "We all got it right this time."

...

…

EPILOGUE - 5 YEARS LATER

…

"What time will they be here again Liv?" Elliot asked his wife, who was sitting on the sofa in Noah and Catherine's apartment, cradling her first grandchild in her arms.

"Do we really have to go?" Olivia asked him, not taking her eyes off of the little boy in her arms for one second.

"You've been looking forward to seeing this show for weeks."

"I know but ... just look at that little nose and those little lips."

Elliot sat down next to his wife on the sofa and draped one arm behind her on the headrest of the sofa while leaning closer to her to admire his sleeping great-grandson. He really was the most beautiful baby he'd ever seen, just like all his children and grandchildren had been. Every new baby was the most beautiful baby in the world.

He had to remind himself that this was Olivia's first grandchild, while he already had ten of them. An eleventh on the way, now that Eli's former partner, now girlfriend, was also pregnant.

And little Matthew Benson was perfect. They had been babysitting for a few hours for Catherine and Noah, who were away on a well-deserved weekend after the first exhausting months after becoming the proud parents of little Matthew. Sarah and Peter were going to come and take over from them soon, so they could go and see a Broadway show with Rafael and Kayla to celebrate the Barbas' first wedding anniversary.

Seeing Olivia with the baby was making his heart flutter and he knew why it was so hard for her to tear herself away from her grandson. He was so happy for her that she was so happy to be a grandmother at last. It may have taken her longer than most, but in the end, she had gotten everything she had dreamed of after all. And she deserved it.

A soft knock on the door announced Sarah and Peter's arrival and Elliot hoisted himself up from the sofa to open the door for the couple.

After meeting at Melinda's birthday party, it had taken Sarah some time to open up to Peter, but that hadn't deterred the young man. After several dates spread out over a few months, Sarah had announced that she was officially in love and the two had been inseparable since. Peter was a DJ on weekends and with him looking out for her, she had started going out to parties again. On the outside, it was as if nothing had happened to her, and that was the way she wanted it to be. She was still the same person and she was going to live her own life, with the help of Peter, Jen and her family.

Sarah and Peter had been living together for two years now, and judging by the looks on their faces when they sank down on the sofa next to Olivia to admire Matthew, Elliot wondered how long it would be before Olivia would be able to hold her second grandchild in her arms.

After Olivia had finally handed the baby off to her daughter, she stood up and smiled at him.

"I'm just going to freshen up and then we'll go," she told him and he nodded.

He watched her walk away and took a deep breath. She still took his breath away after all this time and while he was looking forward to their evening with the Barbas, he was already looking forward to being alone with her afterwards. He had finally found a home for his soul and he was at peace when he was alone with her. They were getting old, there was no denying that. But there was no one else he wanted to grow old with but her. She was more than family to him. She was half of him and without her he hadn't been whole.

When she came back and they had said goodbye to the younger couple, Olivia slipped her hand into his and squeezed it. They walked to the elevator and after stepping in, Olivia chuckled.

"What?" Elliot asked, looking at her.

Olivia bit her lip and looked up at him through her eyelashes. She seemed years younger that way. She squeezed his hand again and told him, just as the elevator doors started to close,

"I'd still give you a kidney."

Remembering, Elliot turned to face her and cupped her face with his hands. Olivia wrapped her arms around his waist and smiled when he mumbled against her lips before kissing her,

"Not if I gave you mine first."

...

The End.