Olivia held on to Noah as he tried to get a closer look out the window. He had his hands and nose pressed up to the glass as the boat glided through the water, and he pointed excitedly as the lights flashed up and down the Eiffel Tower. The bright lights created a strobe effect up and down the Tower, and she could hear others on the boat oohing and aahing.

"I'm glad we didn't skip this." Olivia said, glancing over at Elliot in the seat next to her. They had debated about skipping it, because they had to go late in the evening to make sure it was dark enough to get the full effect of the city lights. But had ultimately decided to go.

She twisted back in her seat towards the window, happy that the boat had slowed in its travel on the Seine, so they could see the entire light show. Pont Neuf was ahead, and she was anxious to get a night time view of St. Chappelle and Notre Dame at night as well. She was trying to keep Noah engaged until dinner; it was supposed to be extraordinary. The whole Bateaux Parisiens Dinner Cruise was the perfect way to cap off this trip to Paris.

Olivia smiled, mostly to herself, as the show started to wind down. This vacation truly was the trip of a lifetime. Olivia had wanted to go to Paris for as long as she could remember, and when she'd finally booked the trip, she had hoped it was everything she had imagined. But right now, with Elliot by her side, she knew she couldn't possibly have imagined anything like the past nine days.

Olivia leaned back into Elliot's arm as he slid it around her shoulders.

"Me too. And Noah seems to like it so far." He watched as Noah stood with another child his age…a little girl…and they both talked excitedly as the Eiffel Tower went dark.

"Yeah." Olivia watched her son as he plopped down on the floor and showed his new friend his cars, and she felt utter and complete peace. "So…" She kept her eyes trained out the window. "Let's just pretend…"

"I like to play pretend." Elliot quipped, squeezing her shoulder and earning a small laugh from Olivia. But he knew she had something on her mind when she cut her laugh short and elbowed him lightly.

"I'm being serious." Olivia said.

"OK." Elliot said soberly.

"Let's say that I retired from the NYPD…" Olivia heard Elliot's breath catch, and she knew she'd caught him off-guard. "What would we do? Where would we go?"

Elliot was so surprised by her comment and her questions, he didn't answer for a few beats. He never honestly thought she'd even consider leaving the force, but he had certainly thought about it. Many times. But he'd never told her about his visions for their future. Visions he'd had long before they'd made this trip to Paris. "I think we leave the city. But we don't go too far. Maybe out on Long Island. Get a little land…maybe a small hobby farm. Get a couple of dogs. We could have a big garden. Lots of green grass so Eli and Noah can play."

"Wow." Olivia said, surprised by the detail and the wistfulness in his voice. "You've really thought about this."

"I have."

"I've never lived anywhere except Manhattan." Olivia said. "But there is something about the picture you've painted that sounds absolutely wonderful." Life in Paris had opened her eyes to life at a different pace, and while she knew she was on vacation, she was starting to understand that she could have a life that could closely resemble this. She and Elliot had put in their time…they could live on their pensions.

"I have to tell you Liv…I'm surprised. One…that you'd ever think about leaving the job and two…that you'd ever consider leaving Manhattan."

"Well, as you've pointed out so many times in the past several months, we've both changed." She turned her head and gave him a shy smile. "Anyway…I didn't say I was going to…" Olivia said quickly. "I just said what if."

"I know." Elliot said. "But I'm glad that you're at least thinking about it."

EOEOEOEO

Olivia shifted Noah's dead weight on her lap as their taxi wove through the streets of Paris. The little boy had been clinging to her for the last hour of the boat ride, stubbornly refusing to go to sleep, or to let Elliot hold him. Olivia had carried him off the boat, and for several blocks, until they were able to find a taxi, and now she held him close as he slept. She shivered slightly. The night air had cooled down considerably, and she had a chill she couldn't shake.

The taxi wound through the streets, bumping over cobblestones in some places, and yielding to people walking through the city in other places. Elliot had told him to take a scenic route, as they wanted to take in the city one last time. Tomorrow would be packing and getting ready to leave, and there wouldn't be time for sight-seeing.

Olivia leaned back in the crook of Elliot's arm, feeling the warmth of his body seep into hers. They were both quiet as they watched the shops and restaurants pass by. Olivia knew that Elliot's thoughts were probably the same as hers. They knew this trip had to end, but they were sad to leave. This city would always hold a special place in their hearts. It was where their long journey…the push and pull that had defined them for so long…had ended. It was where their love had finally found it's voice. It was the beginning of them…the creation of a new family.

Elliot ran his free hand lightly down Noah's back, and he leaned in and kissed Olivia softly. "I love you. He kissed the top of Noah's head. "And I love Noah." He looked into her eyes. "I'm looking forward to spending the rest of our lives together."

Olivia smiled back at him. "Paris has really brought out in the romantic in you. I wonder what it will be like when we get back to New York."

Elliot smirked at her. "This is just the beginning. It took a trip to Paris for me to finally get the nerve to tell you how I feel, but I promise you, I'm going to make up for lost time and make sure I show you how I feel each and every day."

"I think I can live with that." She leaned forward slightly and kissed him. When she released his lips, she fell back against his arm. "So, if we have never come to Paris, what do you think would have happened to us?"

"If we had never come to Paris?" Elliot looked down at Noah and then back to Olivia. "It might have taken a bit longer, but you and me? It was always going to happen. It was just a matter of time. We were meant for each other Liv."

"Destiné à être." She said softly.

Elliot laughed quietly. "I like the sound of that. Destiny." He leaned in and kissed her again. He let out a small growl. "And you're so damn sexy when you speak French." He grinned. "But seriously Olivia. I've never been happier. It's you and me...forever."

Olivia smiled as she looked into the eyes of the man she had loved for almost two decades. "Forever…Partners for life."

The END

Authors note: Sorry for the cheesy line at the end. I couldn't help myself. I know this last chapter was short, but it all just came together naturally. I really do appreciate all the comments and feedback, and all those that took the time to read this and any of my other stories. Your appreciation is what keeps me writing (and a love of Elliot and Olivia too!). Thank you, and hopefully I'll be back with another story soon.