This will be the final chapter!

I know the previous chapter contained a spoiler about the baby, but I didn't want to keep the actual birth from you, or their entire wedding day, so let's flash back a bit before I wrap this up. Enjoy.

...

63. Anchored

Elliot watched his wife as she walked around their living room slowly, touching the furniture, looking at the many framed pictures scattered around the room, a dreamy smile on her face. Her contractions were still very far apart, at least thirty minutes, and they knew they still had hours to go. Maureen had already picked Joy up, so it was just the two of them for now, like Olivia had wanted.

He was so proud of her. She was so calm and relaxed. So different from the first time she was about to have a baby. The memories were etched in his brain forever.

"El! Elliot! Elliot!"

Elliot rushed into the bedroom and then the bathroom to find his fiancé. The panic in her voice told him that it was serious. He found her hunched over on the toilet, her skirt bunched up around her waist, her panties around her ankles and her arms wrapped around her knees.

"Liv, what's wrong? What's wrong?" he asked her, his heart leaping in his throat.

He knelt down beside her and put a hand on her back.

"Blood. There's blood," Olivia croaked, and Elliot's stomach clenched.

But he had to remain calm now, for Olivia's sake and for the sake of their unborn daughter.

"Let me see baby?" he said as calmly as he could manage, and Olivia carefully scooted forward on the toilet.

Elliot could see the traces of red in the bowl, and more fluids still seeping out of Olivia's body.

"Your water broke," he said, and Olivia nodded.

"I know. But there shouldn't be blood. Right?"

He wasn't sure what amounts of blood were considered normal but he knew that they needed to get to the hospital, now.

"Are you in pain?" he asked Olivia.

"No. But I'm scared. What if she dies?"

"She won't die," Elliot said confidently, although he was feeling anything but confident right now.

He needed to get Olivia up and into the car. She seemed a little numb and did everything he asked her to do. While Olivia cleaned herself up, put a sanitary pad in her panties and pulled them up, Elliot grabbed the bag that had been ready for two weeks for this occasion. Within a few minutes, they were on their way to the hospital. Once they were there, Elliot refused to leave Olivia's side and she held on to his hand the whole time while she was examined. Doctor Lee, their own gynecologist had been paged, and Elliot felt a little better when the woman didn't panic right away at the sight of the color of the fluid that was still trickling out of Olivia's body.

"Are you in pain?" she asked Olivia.

"No," Olivia said, squeezing her fiancé's hand a little tighter. "But nothing is happening. Please tell me this is normal."

Doctor Lee smiled at her.

"There is no reason to worry that you're not having contractions yet, Olivia. I'm just going to check how far along you are."

Olivia tried to relax while the gynecologist used her fingers to check if she was already dilated. The doctor nodded and Elliot stared at her intently, willing her to tell them everything was fine.

"You're already half-way, Olivia," she told them with a smile.

"But how?" Olivia asked. "I haven't had any contractions yet."

"You probably have, only you didn't recognize them as such."

"I've just had some back pains these past few days."

Doctor Lee smiled.

"Those were probably contractions."

"What about the blood, doctor?" Elliot asked when the doctor didn't say anything about it.

"Well, as we've seen on the ultrasound, the placenta is situated very low in your womb. This is most likely the reason you're losing some blood. But as long as you're not in pain, there is nothing to worry about. We'll monitor you and the baby closely, and if we feel there is a reason for concern, everyone will be standing by to make sure you and your daughter will be fine."

Olivia noded. She wasn't completely calm yet, but she knew they were in good hands.

"Anyway," doctor Lee continued, "things are looking good so far, but we may need to give you some medication to stimulate the contractions."

...

It had taken several hours, but once Olivia had been given the go-ahead, she'd shown her true strength. She was staring out the window now, rubbing her belly with both hands, and Elliot wondered if she was thinking about the same thing. He stood up and walked over to his wife. He stood behind her and placed his hands over hers on her belly.

Olivia leaned back against his chest and closed her eyes. She could do this. She wasn't afraid this time. It would all be worth it, just like the first time.

"Push Olivia, as hard as you can."

She had never known such pain, but it wasn't a debilitating pain. On the contrary. It served a wonderful purpose and she was determined to give all that she had to push their baby into the world. She had given them so much joy already, and she and Elliot had gotten so much closer over the course of the pregnancy. When she told him the name she wanted to give their baby if it was a girl, Elliot had shed a few tears. He had known that his reaction to the news of her pregnancy had been important to her, but he hadn't planned any of it. He had truly been overjoyed and when they found out that they were indeed having a girl, Olivia had cried again. They had called their unborn child Joy ever since whenever they were alone, and she couldn't wait to hold her in her arms.

Elliot couldn't do much for her, but just having him by her side, squeezing her hand and wiping her forehead with a damp cloth every now and then, was enough. And when Joy Stabler was finally born and was put on her chest, he held both of them in his strong arms. She had never felt more complete than in that moment.

Joy was perfect. She had dark hair, albeit not a lot of it yet, and dark eyes like her mother. Elliot laughed and cried simultaneously when he saw her, and he knew instantly that he'd do anything to protect this small creature from harm. The responsibility hit him like a freight train, but he was all in. This was what he'd always wanted and he would die for his family if he had to, and live for his family until his dying breath. His daughter was perfectly healthy and Olivia was fine as well. The bleeding hadn't increased at all, and the placenta came out completely intact just a few minutes after Joy had been born. It was the happiest day of his life.

...

"What are you smiling about?" Olivia asked him, looking up at the man standing behind her at the window.

Elliot bowed his head and kissed her shoulder.

"Just remembering the day Joy was born."

Olivia reached up and placed her left palm against his left cheek.

"Me too."

"You're so calm now," Elliot observed.

Olivia just smiled and turned around in his arms so she was facing him.

"We're good parents," she stated.

Elliot rubbed her back and kissed her on the forehead.

"We are."

"We can do this."

"We can."

"So I'm not afraid."

She held him a little tighter and rested her head on his shoulder, until she felt another contraction begin. She lifted her head and held on to Elliot. They breathed together slowly, their foreheads glued together, until the contraction had subsided. Olivia smiled again and then moved away from him to walk back to the pictures on the side table.

"That was a beautiful day," she said, picking up one of their wedding pictures.

Elliot stood next to her and nodded.

"I married the love of my life that day."

Olivia looked up at her husband and bit her lip.

"So did I," she whispered, and Elliot replied with a grin,

"Go figure."

They both chuckled, then stilled, both lost in thought about that beautiful day, almost two years ago.

So many people had played a part in their story, and all of them had come. Elliot's family, his two best friends Robert and Declan and their wives, as well as his closest co-workers, had all made the trip to Olivia's town to be at their wedding. When Olivia had hinted that she'd like to get married in her home town, Elliot hadn't hesitated for even a second. It didn't matter to him at all where they got married, as long as she was his wife at the end of the day.

Bernadette and Sharon had doted on Joy the whole time, and even Tracy had given Simon a glance from time to time after looking at the adorable six month old baby as well as Vivian's enormous baby bump. Olivia expected more baby news in the near future from her brother and his girlfriend and she loved how their family just kept on growing.

When they exchanged their vows, Rafael Barba cried a few real tears. Olivia realized that could have been her. She could have missed out on the best thing that had ever happened to her and she made sure to thank Rafi once again for encouraging her when she had needed it. Rafael insisted that she enjoy every single day of her life with the love of her life, and she promised him she would.

Elliot had watched Nick a little suspiciously at first, but the love between Olivia's ex and his girlfriend Cynthia was so obvious, that he was able to let it go after a while. Still, he was glad Olivia had moved to New York. He didn't know if he could stand running into Nick on a weekly basis. He knew her heart belonged to him now, but he couldn't help being a possessive bastard at times. No man except him was ever going to touch Olivia again.

Dana and Noah were beaming the entire day, feeling as if they were seeing their own child get married. And waitresses Sandy, Tina and Julia surprised them with a funny song about Olivia's career as a waitress. Julia's daughter Nina was the most adorable flower girl and Kathy, the maid of honor, couldn't stop grinning all day long. The fact that Kyle hardly ever left her side had a lot to do with that as well, and when she and Olivia had a moment alone that evening, she told Olivia that she was going to move to New York as well. Both best friends squealed and hugged each other tightly, until their other halves pried them apart to share in their joy.

Kathy had missed Joy's birth, because the little girl had been born a little early and she hadn't had time to get to New York on time. Olivia made her promise she'd be there next time.

"Next time?" Kathy asked, looking at the blushing bride a little more closely.

"No, I'm not pregnant yet Kath!" Olivia exclaimed. "Please, I'm still getting over having Joy."

"Oh well, these things can happen pretty fast, and knowing you two, you're already practicing every day," Kathy said with a grin, earning her a poke in the side from Kyle.

"What?" she asked him, raising an eyebrow. "You think he can keep his hands off of her? Have you seen them together? No way."

Elliot just shook his head wearily but couldn't suppress a small smile. Olivia moved into his arm and moved her mouth close to his ear before whispering,

"You wanna make another baby tonight?"

Elliot wrapped his arms around his bride and answered her softly,

"No, but I'm willing to practice with you all night long."

"Is that a promise, Mr. Stabler?"

"That's a promise, Mrs. Stabler."

...

When her contractions were fifteen minutes apart, Olivia called Kathy. She wanted her best friend to be a part of this day, of the birth of their second child. It had been right that it was just her and Elliot when Joy was born, but she wanted Kathy to be there this time. Not because she didn't think she could do it without her. But because Kathy meant so much to her. Elliot understood. He knew how important friends were. He owed a lot to Robert and Declan and made sure to stay in touch with them, no matter how often he had to work overtime at SVU. Real friends were hard to find and they had been blessed to have so many of them. Fin and Munch had also stepped up, filling in for him whenever Olivia had a doctor's appointment. They were secretly hoping Olivia would give the detective a son this time, so he could be named after them.

After finishing her call to Kathy, who would be over shortly, Olivia continued strolling around the house. She couldn't really sit still so she just kept moving about, stopping every once in a while when another contraction hit her. She knew Elliot was timing them meticulously so she wasn't really counting the minutes herself.

"I love this house," she said, leaning against the wall next to the stairs. "I want to live her forever."

Olivia had used the money her mother had left her and they had been able to get a mortgage on the beautiful family home in Queens for the remaining amount they had needed to buy it. Their neighborhood breathed almost the same atmosphere as her home town, and she'd fallen in love with the neighborhood as well as the house instantly. Elliot had put up a solid fence around the backyard, so Joy could play outside safely. He'd built their daughter a sandbox and they had a double swing. One for Joy and one for baby, as their daughter had told them. She'd even convinced them to get her a rabbit that she loved to chase around the yard, and so far, it hadn't escaped yet.

Olivia loved to watch her daughter play while she sat in the rocking chair on the back porch. The last month of her pregnancy she'd been home and they had made the most of their time together. Still, the moment Joy noticed that daddy was home, mommy was completely forgotten. It was a joy to watch the little girl's eyes light up just like Elliot's when they saw each other, and Joy really lived up to her name.

And now their second baby was going to be born. Olivia took a few deep breaths, breathing yet another contraction away. The doorbell rang and they knew it was Kathy. Elliot hurried over to the door to let her in, and Olivia followed him a little slower. Kathy was elated to see her friend, and to be a part of this important day. After learning from Elliot that the contractions were now about ten minutes apart, she suggested they go to the hospital so they wouldn't have to rush later on.

"I'd like that. We just waited for you to get here, so we could all go together," Olivia said.

"We'll take my car," Kathy said. "You two aren't going anywhere once we get there anyway."

Elliot grabbed Olivia's bag and checked the contents one last time.

"Phone charger?" Olivia asked him, because she would have to call Joy as soon as her baby brother or sister had arrived.

She missed her little girl already and replayed the short clip they'd recorded on her phone once she was in the passenger seat of Kathy's car.

"Isn't she just the cutest?" Kathy sighed, looking at the toddler blowing kisses as her mommy on the small screen. "And soon you'll have two!"

Olivia closed her eyes and smiled. Two children. She had felt so blessed just to have Elliot, but her happiness just kept multiplying. She took a deep breath when she felt another contraction, and Elliot announced from the backseat that this one was only six minutes after the previous one.

"Almost there," Kathy said, winking at the overly concerned daddy-to-be in her rear-view mirror. "We've got time enough."

...

Nurse Kathy was right, of course, but things sped up rather quickly once Olivia was settled in a hospital bed and hooked up to all the necessary monitors. Their baby's heartbeat was strong and he or she seemed to be sleeping peacefully while Olivia's body was preparing to push them out. This time, they hadn't wanted to know the gender of their baby and the doctors had made sure not to tell them or drop hints. While they had had the name ready for Joy months before her due date, they were still unsure of the names this time around. They both didn't want to name their fathers if it was a boy, and there were too many girls' names to choose from in their circle of friends and family. Olivia felt that Elliot should have the final say, because she'd chosen Joy's name. They both loved Calvin, but that name was already taken by their adorable nephew. Elliot wanted their child to have a short name, just like Joy and had run his suggestions by Olivia. Olivia loved the names and had told him to just choose one as soon as he laid eyes on their baby.

"You'll know what to name them when you see them," she'd said confidently.

Right now, Elliot was feeling anything but confident, and he was glad Kathy was there with them to distract Olivia from the contractions, that were growing stronger quickly now. Olivia had refused the epidural, just like the first time. She'd studied the pros and cons the first time around and had decided she didn't want the relief. Women around the globe were having babies without any pain relief, so she could do it too.

The first time, she'd been terrified of everything that might go wrong. This time, she wasn't. Elliot was so proud of her. She'd grown so much over the past years, as a woman, a wife, a mother and an advocate for abused children. And she'd become sure of herself. Of who she was and of what she could do. She could do this. He knew she could. She was the strongest person he knew.

Olivia didn't make a sound when she finally pushed her baby out. She was completely focused on completing the enormous task, and she was quiet until the child had finally left her body. Then she simply sighed,

"Thank you God."

Elliot stayed right where he was, next to Olivia, while Kathy rounded the bed to look at the new world citizen. He kissed his wife on the forehead and a single tear fell from his cheek onto hers.

"You did it baby," he whispered, and Olivia lifted her head to look at her child, that was beginning to wail softly while the doctor wiped its little body with a soft cloth.

"It's a boy!" Kathy said, her eyes filled with tears of joy.

Olivia held out her arms and the doctor put her son on her chest. She enveloped it in her arms and mother and father both kissed the little boy's head. Then Olivia looked up at her husband. He kissed her softly on the lips and smiled.

"We have a son, El. What's his name?" she asked him.

Elliot looked at the boy on his wife's chest. Their son. Their son. He was still crying a little but was already trying to open his eyes. He had dark hair like his sister and was already wrapping his tiny fingers around the fabric of Olivia's top.

"He's a strong little man," Elliot said, his chest filling with pride. "And his name is Sam."

...

...

On Joy's first birthday, they had taken her up to the lake and to the place where they had made love for the very first time, and where Olivia had told Elliot about her for the first time. And they went there again when Sam turned one. It became an annual trip after that. They spent at least two weeks in Olivia's home town every summer, and always went up to 'their spot' and then went swimming in the lake. It was like these places anchored them, reminded them of who they once were, who they had become, how much they had healed and how blessed they were to have found each other.

Despite what Elliot saw on a daily basis on the job, the life he came home to almost every night, was a life of joy. They didn't look back anymore, only forward. And they would always remember to take their time to enjoy the life they had been given, one day at a time, savoring the little moments. Together. As a couple. As a family. And as a safe haven for many. But that's a story for another day ...

THE END

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...

I hope this chapter made up for the huge time jump in the last one, and that it's a satisfying conclusion to this story. I know it is for me. It has been a pleasure to write this original story and I thank all of you for sticking with me until the end. As for the final line - I can see them taking abused children in and helping them on their way. I don't know if I'll ever write that story, but I just wanted to leave you with that parting thought. A strong marriage is a force to be reckoned with in the world.

On another note: In case you didn't know, I recently started a new story, Timeless, which is completely different and totally new for me to write. Maybe I'll see you there. In any case, thank you very much for joining me on this journey!