And it's back! This takes place the next morning, following last chapter. Anything in italics is a flashback! I own nothing you recognize. Enjoy!

The next morning, she was the first one up. Noah was still asleep, and she lay next to Ed, watching him sleep, and thinking back over their relationship. Their first real date.

Olivia heard the knock at the door, Noah on her hip as she went and opened it. She smiled. "Hi," she said a little coyly. She looked at Noah. "Can you say hi to Tucker, my love?" She asked. Noah promptly hid in her neck. "Sorry," she said "he's shy. He's a little cranky too. He didn't get a good nap in today, huh, mister?

Ed looked her up and down. He was speechless. She was gorgeous. Her red, sleeveless dress fell just above her knee, showed just enough cleavage, and hugged her just right. The red shoes she wore were red patent leather pumps that accentuated her legs. Her hair was curled to a gentle wave, a dark eye and a nude lip. "Hi." God, motherhood looked amazing on her. The corner of his mouth quirked up into a smirk and gently rested his hand on the toddler's shoulder. "Well, now that's understandable. Who isn't cranky without a nap?"

She was stunned and smiled. "Yeah." Who was this man and what had he done with Ed Tucker? "Um, I'm just going to get him settled with the sitter, and then we can go?" she said, more as a question. She knew being a single mother wasn't a big turn on for most, but she always made sure that whoever she was going out with knew they came as a package deal. Which means she made sure Ed knew they came as a package deal. She hadn't wanted or needed to date anyone since she adopted Noah. Actually, since she broke up with Brian. She'd stopped looking. She'd given up.

He nodded. "Take your time. We have time before our reservation." He saw her smile as she walked back to the living room, making sure Noah was settled with Lucy, kissing his head, saying a goodbye to him in a soft, comforting voice. She thanked Lucy and grabbed her clutch and walked over to Ed. He smiled, "Ready?"

Olivia looked up at him and nodded. "All set." She waved goodbye once again and walked out of the apartment with him. "Where are we off to?"

Ed looked at her and got lost in thought for a moment before he shook his head slightly. "We have a reservation for 2 at The Smith, and then I figure we could go star gazing at Lincoln Center."

She cocked an eyebrow. "Stargazing, hm?"

He walked to the elevator. "The galaxy doesn't hold a candle to you."

Olivia furrowed her brows. "Excuse me?"

Ed faced her and smiled. "You, tonight, probably every time I've ever seen you, are more beautiful than any star in this galaxy. In any galaxy."

She blushed and smiled. "Thank you." She moved a little closer to him, feeling his mmhand on the small of her back as they waited, the contact sending a shiver down her spine.

Olivia bit her bottom lip and remembered him standing behind her as she looked through one of the telescopes, in awe of how beautiful the Universe was. He continued to flirt with her. She couldn't remember a night before then when she felt so beautiful. She remembered their first kiss.

Two weeks after their first date they went for a walk through Central Park on a rare night where neither were working or on call, and for Olivia this had been the second night in a row. They just wandered and talked about everything. Ed asked about Noah, Olivia asked Ed to tell her more about his personal life.

Ed had his hands in his pockets as she picked at her fingers with her nails. "Well, I've dated here and there."

"Rita Calhoun," Olivia mentioned looking over at him.

He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah. Not very long. Only about 6 months. It started out casual. We tried for something deeper and it didn't work, so we kept our agreement of casual, here and there."

"Never would have pegged Rita as the casual sex type."

Ed looked over at her. "But you would peg me as such."

Olivia smirked and looked over at him, conveying the lightheartedness she felt. "One, there was a time, and two, I'd never guess you were the type to be into… pegging." She winked.

He shook his head. "I don't want to know." He chuckled as they kept walking, noticing she'd folded her arms. "Cold?"

She looked at him and shrugged. "A little," she smiled and felt his coat wrap around her shoulders. She smiled. "Thank you." As they started walking again she gently bumped his shoulder. "Any other women in your repertoire?"

Ed raised an eyebrow. "Repertoire?" He chuckled. "A few. I was married for a few years."

This stopped Olivia in her tracks. "You had a wife?"

He sighed. "Yeah, it was a mistake from the get. We were both trying to please our mothers. Even though I don't think I ever really loved her. I kept all of my vows. She didn't."

Her heart broke a little. It explained a little of his past self. "She cheated?" When she saw him nod she stopped him and rested her hand on his shoulder. "Tucker… Ed," she would never get used to calling him Ed. She was convinced. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Ed smiled at the correction of herself. He shrugged and looked at her. "Water under the bridge. After that I pretty much married to the job. Had a few women around that amounted to mistresses." His hand brushed against hers. "You?"

Olivia groaned. "Well, Brian. Started as a one night stand my first year at SVU. Reporters, doctors, food critics, theater critics, musicians, Brian again. Lawyers…" she shrugged her shoulders. "No one could handle my job. They heard I work sex crimes and they either run away, or they are way too interested. In a creepy way. Or, you know, decide we're going to role play out the case I'm working. I hate reporters."

He whipped his head around. "That Moss guy, from the ledger?"

She shook her head. "No, him, there wasn't anything there. He scratched an itch. No, this was another first year guy. Nick Ganzner. The Sun I think? I don't remember, he was a creep. When I kicked him out, before going to wash his hands off of me, he stole a confidential file and ran it."

Ed seethed. "I bet Cragen popped his cork."

Olivia shrugged. "Told me to never turn my back on a reporter after I explained what happened. He offered to take care of it but I told him I'd handle it."

He chuckled. "Oh, don't tell me you hurt the poor guy."

"Poor guy!?" She shook her head and scoffed. "No, took a cold case file over to the newsroom and loudly proclaimed that the rapist was a man just like him, in front of all his female colleagues."

Ed let out a laugh. "You are vicious."

Olivia smiled. "Ed Tucker has a laugh, where's a reporter when you need one?" She nudged him. "I can be," she said and looked from her viewpath in front of her to the ground, pushing the images of William Lewis aside.

He noticed his and stopped her, his hand on her elbow. "Hey," he saw her eyes lift to meet his. "Where'd you go?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Nowhere. Come on, we're almost back to my apartment. Night cap?"

Ed checked the time. "Oh, I can't stay. I have a meeting with the Commissioner in the morning."

Olivia smiled and steered him toward her apartment. "Lucky you," she said sardonically.

He smiled. "I'll walk you up. Make sure you're home safe, hell I'll even unlock your door for you if you so desired."

She nodded slowly. "So this is what it's like." She bit her bottom lip as they reached her apartment building, walking inside and onto the elevator.

Ed looked at her. "What, what's like?"

Olivia grinned and took her key out and held it in front of his face when they got to the door. "Being courted."

He took the key and he nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess it is." He looked into her eyes, his hands dropping to meet hers.

She tilted her head just so and smiled as the magnetic force, whatever it was, pulled them together. The moment he felt her lips against his she let out a soft moan. She pulled back slightly and looked into his eyes, only to start kissing him again, lifting her hands to wrap around his neck, his thumbs sliding into the belt loops of her jeans. After a moment more she pulled away. "Wow," she whispered.

Ed looked into her eyes and caressed her face. "I am so ready to stand up the Commissioner."

Olivia let out a giggle and rested her hands on his chest. "You would be without a job, Ed."

He shrugged. "If it means I got to kiss you more, I don't care what it means."

She bit her bottom lip. "This isn't a one time thing you know," she moved closer to his ear. "There will be another date." She said softly before pulling away with a smile.

Ed moved his hands from her waist to cradle her face, he searched her eyes for a split second, and then captured her lips in a firey kiss. Her hands found the his jacket and she pulled them closer together.

Olivia kissed him until she needed to catch her breath when she pulled away, and gently pushed back. "God you're good," she smirked as she tried to catch her breath. "Okay. I am going to give you a much less chaste version of that kiss and say goodnight. You are going home, and going to get some sleep so you can crush this meeting with the Commissioner in the morning. You're going to let me know how the meeting went tomorrow and we'll plan out when we're getting together next so we can do more of… that," she looked at him and smiled.

He nodded with a smirk on his face. He had started to unravel the great Olivia Benson with a single kiss. "Sounds like you got it all figured out."

She shook her head. "If I didn't you'd be getting fired tomorrow." She chuckled. She watched him as he turned and unlocked her door. He held the key in front of her. She took it from him and smiled at him. "I had a good time tonight Tucker… Ed." She winked and pulled him closer to her by his shirt. "Talk tomorrow?" She asked, knowing the answer, and her smile only grew. "Goodnight," she whispered before leaning in and kissing him softly, letting his shirt go. She pulled away sooner than she had before and she walked around him, her cheeks flushed.

Ed watched her open the door and stand at the door frame, looking at him. "Night." He saw her smile, and just like that, she slipped into her apartment. He heard her locks lock and he walked back to the elevator.

Olivia stood, back against the door, after she locked the door and she touched her lips, staying there for a moment before pushing off the door, and going to relieve Lucy.

She looked over at Ed's sleeping form and touched her lips. He still took her breath away with a single kiss. She kissed her fingers and gingerly brushed them against his lips so she wouldn't wake him. She thought about the first time he stayed over, before they had sex.

Olivia finished tidying up the house and made sure Noah was cleaned up and ready for a night in. So he was in his pajamas. Olivia was in a pair of yoga capris and a t-shirt. She wouldn't generally have this kind of atmosphere with her boyfriend coming over, but they decided to have movie night, and Tucker asked if he could crash at her place. He promised to take things at her pace, but this was still new to her, being comfortable around him actually made her a nervous wreck. When she heard the knock at the door she padded across the apartment and opened the door with a smile. "Hey, come on in." She stepped back and let him in, seeing the goodies in his arms.

Ed smiled and kissed her cheek. "I brought some movies and snacks, wine, flowers for you, and something for the little man." He showed her the fire truck he bought for Noah. "I figure since he has so many cops in his life, he probably has a thousand cop cars. But fire trucks are just as important." He held out the dozen red roses for her. She couldn't help but smile.

She smiled and took the flowers from him and kissed him softly. "Thank you," she whispered and looked from Ed to Noah. "Why don't you give him his present," she smiled and kissed his cheek before she walked to the kitchen to put the flowers in a vase.

He watched her walk to the kitchen then got on the ground with Noah and smiled at him. "Remember me, kiddo?" Ed saw him nod and he showed him the fire truck. "I got you a new toy."

Noah's eyes lit up and he touched it. "Tuck!" He looked at the truck and then up at Ed. "Red Tuck!"

Ed chuckled. "Yeah bud, it's a red truck. A fire truck. That's what the firemen ride on to put out the fires."

The toddler was fascinated. "Fire tuck! Put out the fires!" He cheered.

Ed smiled. "That's right!"

Noah got up and ran to his mother with the truck. "Mama! Mama! Tugger got me a fire tuck!"

Olivia knelt down. "He did!? You are one special little boy. Did you say thank you?"

Noah ran back over to Ed and threw his arms around him and hugged him. "Fank you!"

Ed hugged him back and smiled. "You're welcome bud." Noah ran off to play with his new toy. Ed stood up and walked over to Olivia.

Olivia's smile beamed. "You are incredible," she whispered. She wrapped her arms around him. "I'm in awe of you."

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Noah's occupied. What ever should we do?"

She laughed. "Movie night," she shook her head. "Um, Ed I don't want you to think—"

Ed caressed her face. "Hey, I told you. Your pace."

Olivia nodded. "I know it's just…" she looked down before closing her eyes. "Ed, I want to," she met his eyes. "I just don't," she stopped again. "You'd be the first."

Now he was confused. "You're a virgin?"

She rolled her eyes. "God no." She look at him and took a deep breath. "The first to see me. Since Lewis," she whispered.

Ed nodded. "I thought—"

Olivia shook her head. "Brian didn't see me after. I was either in a long shirt, I covered the… scars with makeup, made sure the lights were off, under the covers." She shrugged. "I didn't want him to see what he'd done to me. How he marked my body," she looked at the ground.

He pulled her into a hug. "Hey, when you're ready, however you want this to happen, I'm here. It's your decision, not mine. You tell me when and where I can touch you, you decide whether you're bare ass naked or not. I don't care, Olivia. That's not why I'm here."

She felt the tears in her eyes. "I will never get used to how amazing you are. It will never cease to amaze me."

Ed caressed her face and kissed her gently.

They'd watched a kids movie with Noah, once he was in bed, the other movies Ed brought were forgotten as they fooled around a bit, clothes staying on, winding up cuddled up in her bed, fast asleep, wrapped in each other's arms. The first time they had sex wasn't too long after that.

It had only been a few days since Ed had slept over the first time, but his kiss, his touch had her craving more. She hadn't felt this way in years, and she was ready. They were sitting on her couch kissing and she stood up and took his hand in hers, looking back at him and leading him into her bedroom where she closed the door and started kissing him again. Ed pulled away slightly. "You're sure. I need to hear you say yes."

Olivia smiled and nodded. "Yes, I'm sure." She ran her hands over his chest. "Just promise me two things."

He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Anything."

She smiled. "Touch me all over, don't focus on my scars, kiss me all over, not just the scars. Your kiss, and your touch aren't going to take them away." She kissed his cheek. "And don't pity me. I want you to have sex with me because you think I'm beautiful regardless of what he did to me. Not because you feel sorry for me because of what he did to me."

Ed kissed her softly. "I promise," he whispered. "On both counts." He kissed her again. "I would never pity you, you don't need it." He smirked and kissed her again. "And I need you to promise me something too."

Olivia couldn't help but smile. "Name it," she ran her hands over his chest.

He took her hands and looked into her eyes. "Olivia, I don't want to hurt you. If I'm doing something to trigger anything, making you uncomfortable in any way, I need you to tell me. I need you to communicate with me."

She nodded. "You got it." She kissed him again and pressed her body against his before she pulled back and grinned. "Can you touch me now?" She asked, slipping her hands under his shirt.

Ed groaned. "I thought you'd never ask," he whispered and moved his hands under her t-shirt, looking into her eyes. "Can I?"

Olivia nodded. "I'm planning on getting you naked. I want you to see me. All of me." She reached down and pulled her shirt over her head. Her bare torso coming into view, scars and all. She turned on the bedside lamp. "No hiding," she whispered.

He took his shirt off and stepped to her, pulling her body to his, so they were chest to chest. She melted into him. They made quick work of getting the other out of their clothes and in an instant they were on the bed, and Ed was kissing every inch of her body, regardless of if a scar fell under his lips. That night, they had sex until the sun came up.

Olivia bit her bottom lip and smiled at the memory. Never before had a man make her orgasm the way he did. He worshiped her body, and he was sure she knew just how beautiful he thought she was. And of course, she remembered the first time they said I love you.

Their entire relationship had progressed in a way that was slow, but not painstakingly so. One night in Paris, while Noah was with a sitter, provided by the hotel and vetted extensively by both Ed and Olivia, they decided to have a date night. Just the two of them. They went out for dinner, went to the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, walked along the Seine, they were just romantic tourists. When they stood looking out over the Seine, the Eiffel Tower in the background when he gently squeezed her hand. She looked over at him and he kissed her temple. "Olivia," he whispered to her softly.

Olivia couldn't ever remember feeling as content as she did in this moment. She turned to face him. "Oui?"

He smiled and turned to face her. "I love you."

For the first time in her life, she didn't question a man's love for her, and she didn't hesitate to reciprocate. "I love you, too." She leaned in and kissed him softly. "I don't just love you Ed. I'm IN love with you," she smiled. "I've had feelings of love for others, but never like the love I feel for you. I fall more and more in love with you every day, Ed Tucker," she wrapped her arms around him.

Ed nodded. "I know the feeling," they both turned and looked out at the scenery before them, and they were content to stay silent. Nothing more needed to be said.

Olivia couldn't help but smile when she thought of their relationship firsts, and she couldn't wait for more. She felt him stir and she looked up at him. "Someone was tired."

He nodded. "Someone wore me out," he said slyly.

She grinned and kissed him softly. "I've been waiting to do that for what feels like forever," she whispered against his lips. "It was actually more like fifteen minutes."

Ed cocked an eyebrow. "So, what have you been doing for fifteen minutes?"

Olivia smiled. "Thinking about you. Us. Remembering our firsts, and looking forward to the firsts that are still to come."

He caressed her face. "A lifetime of them."

She smiled and nuzzled into him. Mm," she rested her head on his chest. "And now we're living together. In just a little more than a year or so." She kissed his chest. "I was thinking back to our first time having sex," she looked up at him. "I love that you worshipped my body. You still do."

Ed rubbed her back. "Liv, you're a masterpiece. Why wouldn't I worship you as such."

Olivia blushed. "I'm laying here naked next to you. Flattery will only hasten the inevitable."

He's smirked and pulled her up for a kiss. "I'm not complaining," he whispered against her lips, flipping them over.

She giggled and kissed him back. "Me either."

A/N: Thanks for reading! Leave a review, please. Here or Twitter (mariskaxcouric). See ya soon!