Title: Making a Connection, Chapter 14

Author: Sorsha711
Fandom/Pairing: Munch/OFC, O/E
Rating: M, for language and references to violence; some adult situations
Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to Dick Wolf. Sigh!
Summary: Across a crowded coffee-shop… yadda, yadda, yadda. A Munch romance with a generous side of O/E; Post "Uncle" so Spoiler warnings if you've not see that episode. Please R&R!!!

Making a Connection, Chapter 14 --- Epilogue

-----

Elliot held the door for Olivia while scanning the interior of the small coffee shop for their friends. Spotting John and Arwen at a table next to the front window, he waved before offering, "I'll grab our coffee while you rescue those two chairs from that guy that's hassling with John for them. You want your usual?"

"Sounds good. And get me something sweet… muffin, danish," Olivia added, beginning to weave her way through the tangle of tables and chairs.

Chuckling, he called out, "I'm not sweet enough for you anymore?"

Cutting her eyes in his direction, she retorted, "I don't think John and Arwen would approve of my nibbling on you while I drink my coffee, so I need a danish to tide me over."

Turning her head in time to catch John rolling his eyes at her comment, she ignored him and greeted the woman sitting close to his side. "Hi Arwen. Get the boys off to school?"

Rising to accept her hug, the blonde nodded. "Dan left last weekend for Ithaca and Rob went back to Durham on Wednesday. My place is so quiet without them… even though they stayed at John's over the break. He let them use it over Thanksgiving and they headed there when they came back for Christmas like it was a given."

"I scored big with them for that." Shaking his head in amusement, John added, "We've been talking about finding a renter for my place… maybe selling it since I spend all my time at Arwen's and the guys started grumbling about losing 'their' flat. I think they like being close to their mom but having a place of their own… more freedom and a little distance from the unsettling fact there is a man in their mom's bed! God forbid they should find us making out on the couch… or worse!!!"

Grinning wickedly, Arwen recalled, "Well, we did give them reason to be leery of that happening! I think their Uncle Paul was the one that was the most scandalized. Angie and Mama Rose took it in stride… for the most part."

"You missed the 'man-to-man' I had with them when you and the others ladies went Christmas shopping," John confessed, pretending to shudder at the memory. "I was warned they would 'tear my skinny body into tiny bits' if I hurt you. Good thing they seem to like me or I hate to think of what they would have done!"

Staring up at him, Arwen asked, "They threatened you! Why didn't you tell me this before?"

Grinning, John traded a look with Elliot. "It was a guy thing. They were only putting me on warning, not really threatening me. If they meant it… well, it would have been different."

"A guy thing?" she demanded, watching the amused expressions on both men's faces with some amazement.

"Give it up, Arwen. When they say 'it's a guy thing', they mean they know it won't make any sense to a woman because it's illogical." Sighing, Olivia admitted, "I wish Elliot's kids were as accepting of me as Arwen's are of you, John. From what I could see, you seemed to be bonding with them pretty well when we came over for Thanksgiving dinner and at Christmas."

"Give them time, Liv," John urged, relieved that she was right about his relationship with Arwen's sons. "They have known you for years as their Dad's partner, so this change must be a little unsettling."

Setting a cup of coffee and a cherry danish in front of her, Elliot echoed John's observations as he took his seat. "They like you, honey. Give them a little time to come to grips with our being together. You know they probably overheard me and Kathy arguing before the split… and she regularly accused us of having an affair. I think they know that wasn't true, but… give them a little time."

"Yeah, I know," Olivia agreed, squeezing his hand where it lay on the table near her own. "So, am I right about you and the boys, John?"

"I think so… but you better ask their Mom," John replied, looking to his right to catch Arwen's gaze. "I may be fooling myself."

"You know they like you, sweetie," Arwen replied, snuggling under the arm he draped over her shoulders. "Dan and Rob were toddlers when their dad died, so it's not the same situation as it is for Liv and Elliot. Frankly, they're relieved we're together. They were worried about me being alone… especially now that they will be finishing college in a few years and moving out on their own."

"'a few years'? I thought they were in their junior year in college," Elliot observed. "I take it that means they both plan to go for their Masters… wait, Rob's pre-med, right? He still has med school and internships ahead of him."

"Yeah," the proud mother agreed. "He's already applied for pre-admission to Duke's Medical School and has been accepted. If Rob keeps his GPA close to where it is now, he'll get full financial aid. That's a relief!"

"What about Dan?" Olivia asked, quickly polishing off her 'public' sweet… eyeing the cinnamon bun sitting in front of Elliot.

Smiling as he watched her steal a big bite of the pastry, John inserted, "He'll graduate next December, a semester early. He's applying for Grad school all over the country and in Europe. The University of Edinburgh accepted him and he is leaning toward going there rather than Columbia or Harvard. Arwen is already freaking out at the thought of him going somewhere that far away, but she's about to bust from pride that they have both done so well."

Nodding, Elliot announced, "Kathleen has been accepted to St. Joseph's with a full pass. Her mom and I are both sleeping a little easier since she accepted. She had other offers, but that was the only one that had a full scholarship attached. Her grades were pretty good, but she's finally getting why we harped on them so much and is wishing she had made a bigger effort. She could have been as straight-A student with a little more work… same with Maureen. Elizabeth and Dickie seem to be getting it though. Both have been on the honor roll since third grade."

"Congratulations about Kathleen!" Arwen responded. "That's a great school! What's her major?"

"Pre-law… she wants to become an ADA like Casey. Case is her hero," Olivia inserted. "She's hoping to go to Hudson for law school. I think she may have a little crush on Ben."

"Does Casey know?" John asked, amused by the thought.

"Hell, yes… to both," Elliot admitted. "Kathleen asked to shadow her one day and hasn't stopped talking about them since. Casey, bless her, has taken Kathleen under her wing and has become her mentor. Kathy is relieved… she was worried she would become a cop like me."

"Well, your first two want to be a teacher and a lawyer, so that must make you both happy," John observed. "And, Kathleen wants to be an ADA, not some sleazebag defense attorney that helps the scum we arrest get off on a technicality."

"I'd say we all have a lot to be grateful for," Arwen observed, cutting her eyes up at John, "Except for the fact John is warping my baby."

Grinning, Olivia demanded, "What have you done now?"

Chuckling, Arwen offered, "Rob found John's cache of conspiracy books over Thanksgiving and started reading them. They bonded over JFK and Roswell! I think Dan left early so he could escape their debates."

Chucking at the smug look on John's face, Elliot teased, "I feel for you and Dan! Munchkin has been subjecting us to his rants for years!"

Tilting his head to study his companions with his trademark over-the-glasses smirk, John retorted, "It's my duty to encourage the younger generation to question authority… demand answers!"

Settling back to let the other three have fun with that comment, John took a moment to reflect on just how much all their lives had changed in a year. He had been sitting in this very coffee shop less than a year earlier, lonely and despondent, when a pretty blonde had found her way to a table near the one he routinely occupied. His first sight of her had been like an electric charge through his system. For weeks afterwards, John had come to the shop hoping to see her… hoping to start a conversation.

Taking a sip of his coffee, he admitted to himself/I had such modest hopes… a conversation with someone that seemed to read as much as I do… that might share some of my interests. If that went well, maybe dinner… a periodic companion to break the monotony of my life. I'm not sure I even let myself hope for a lover./

/A lover… I had no idea what that could really mean,/ he mused, subconsciously tightening his hold on Arwen's shoulders. /I was almost to the breaking point when I found Winnie… or she found me. A miracle… it had to be./

Their time together had slowly eased a lot of his fears; he had finally come to realize she needed him as much as he did her… though in ways more subtle and less. Arwen had long since convinced him they belonged together. They completed each other, made each other whole. And all that began with a cup of coffee, a friendly place to read and watch the people that drifted in and out of the small shop… the desire to make a connection.

-----

A/N --- Thanks so much to all of you that have followed this story! I promise this isn't the last you'll read of Arwen and John… of Elliot and Olivia in this storyline. Both couples still have a lot of challenges and milestones to face… after all, making the connection is only the first part of any relationship!

And let's not forget Fin!!! I have big plans for him… that will start in the first sequel to this story, Unexpected. I'll start posting it later this week.

Thanks again!!!