A/N: So, this story starts immediately after "Gone Fishin'". This is the things we don't see on screen, as I'd like them to happen, because well, that's what FanFiction is for. I own nothing you recognize.

"We're investigating you, Liv."

It took her a few minutes, but she got rid of Cassidy, shut the door and walked back to Noah, trying to keep her emotions in check, getting Noah his ice cream, spaced out that she didn't hear Noah calling her at first. "I'm sorry, sweet boy. What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Who was that man?"

"Just an old friend of mommy's. It's okay. How about you eat your ice cream and then we'll read a story and go to bed? Sound good?"

"Okay mommy."

Olivia gave him a smile and kissed the top of his head as she ate his ice cream, holding him to her chest and closing her eyes. She let him go and took out her phone and pulled up his contact. She debated for a minute, but she called him, silently begging him to pick up. "Ed?" She let out a breath, forcing the tears back. "I need you."

Once Noah finished his ice cream she had him brush his teeth and climb into bed, and read him a story. She turned out his light and kissed his head. "I love you, sweet boy. Don't ever forget that," she whispered and hugged him tight.

Noah hugged her back. "I love you, too, mommy."

She smiled and walked out of his room, closing his door. She leaned against the wall and let a tear roll down her face. She poured herself a glass of wine, she looked at it, and dumped it down the drain. She heard a knock at the door and opened it. "Thank God you're here." Her arms flew around him and she cried on his shoulder.

Ed instinctively wrapped her in his arms. "I'm here. It'll be okay." He whispered and rubbed her back.

Olivia shook her head. "No, it won't." She sobbed and pulled away from him, wiping her eyes, letting him in.

"What happened?"

She shook her head and let out a scoff. "Brian Cassidy showed up at my door about 45 minutes ago. He's working as an investigator for the DA's office. He came to tell me about a case he caught." She shook her head and fought the tears. "They're investigating me Ed." She paused and met his eyes, he could see the tears she wasn't willing to let fall. "For child abuse."

He stepped towards her. "What!?" He realized Noah was probably in bed and he moved closer and moved her to the sofa. "Why?"

Olivia took a deep breath. "Noah has a bruise on his arm. A few days ago, when this whole Byron Marks case started, I was walking Noah to school. We were at a corner, my phone rang, I told Noah to wait a minute. The signal changed to walk, he started walking and a cab came barreling down the road and almost hit him. I grabbed him and pulled him out of the street."

"Which gave him the bruise."

She nodded. "Only after I dropped him off my head went in thirty different directions. I didn't notice the bruise on his arm, so when the school called about it, I assumed he fell or a kid gave it to him. Then his teacher called me in, and said Noah told the nurse that I gave it to him, and I still didn't remember pulling him out of the street. She asked if the stress of my job led me to physically act out, against Noah." She looked at the floor, feeling a tear slide down her cheek. "She said she didn't think… but she had to see for herself. I thought it was over." She shook her head and wiped her eyes. "Noah reminded me later that night…" she shrugged. "I can't lose him Ed." She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face.

He rubbed her back. "Liv, no CPS worker would take him from you in a million years. You're a wonderful mom."

Olivia looked at him. "Am I? Before he almost got hit by a cab, Noah told me he wished Lucy was his mom." She curled into his chest and sobbed. "He's all I have." She croaked and felt him rub her back in soothing circles.

Ed held her. "You've always got me."

She shook her head. "A year ago, I had everything I ever wanted. I had the man of my dreams, a little boy who loved me. Now I'm single again and my son is at risk of getting ripped from my arms and I don't know how to handle it. I love Noah more than life itself. I can handle a breakup, I can't handle my son being taken away."

He wiped her tears and looked into her eyes. "Look at me." He saw her eyes meet his. "They aren't going to take him away." He caressed his face. "Every kid would be lucky to have a mom like you."

Olivia nuzzled his hand a little, forgetting how good his hands felt on her skin. "Stay a little longer."

"As long as you need me."

She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath, looking into his eyes and leaning in to kiss him softly. She pulled away and looked at him before kissing him again.

He pulled away from her. "Liv," he felt her kiss his neck and he pulled her up to look in her eyes. "Liv, you're upset. Is it really—"

"I'm not upset, Ed. I'm devastated, and I'm terrified. And yes, having sex with you will be a distraction. Maybe only for 30 minutes, but it'd be 30 minutes that I'm not thinking about my life falling apart. Please, be my distraction, Ed. Please," She begged, her head on his chest, tears streaking her face again.

He lifted her face. "I want to," he whispered. "But it wouldn't be fair to you. I want nothing more than to distract you from this all night, but Liv, we aren't together anymore. It'd be one night, the devastation isn't going to go away after tonight. Not until this witch hunt of an investigation is over. I love you too much to lead you on like this. And you have to feel this, as much as it hurts. I'll be here for you to comfort you, and soothe you, but I can't numb you to this."

Olivia almost got mad, but she was stunned when he said he loved her. "Did you just say you love me?"

Ed looked in her eyes. "Yeah. I do, Liv. That is why I can't numb you to this. But I'll hold you as you go through it."

She sat back and looked around. She closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands. "God, I'm an idiot." She shook her head.

"What's wrong?"

Olivia looked back at him. "I love you, too. I love you." She let out a breath. "Why is it that every admission of love I have with a man comes on the heels of a breakup or six months later?" She shook her head.

Ed wrapped an arm around her. "Doesn't have to be that way."

She looked at him. "Ed, Noah is still my first priority. And work—"

"Olivia, you can have a kid, a job, and a man who loves you. All at the same time."

"It wasn't fair to you. We hardly saw each other."

"So I'll come over here more often. Hang out with you and Noah. We don't always have to go out. You have always wanted a family. I want to be a part of that."

"Yeah?"

"All I have ever wanted, Olivia Margaret Benson, was to make you happy. And you calling me tonight means a lot."

"You've always made me happy." She rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. "Promise me one thing," she whispered.

"Anything."

"Hold me up through this investigation, I don't know that I'll be able to get through this without you."

"I will, but you would get through this. You are the strongest person I know."

Olivia smiled. "Can I kiss you?"

Ed leaned in and captured her lips with his, caressing her face. He felt her smile against his lips and he broke the kiss, his forehead against hers. "Come on, let's go to bed, let me hold you."

She looked into his eyes and nodded. "Yeah," She let out a breath. "Thank you for coming over tonight."

He helped her up and led her to the bedroom. "I told you before, I will always be here for you, whenever you need me. That promise didn't stop being relevant when we broke up."

Olivia nodded. "I just—"

Ed put a finger to her lips. "I know." He caressed her face and led her to the bed, laying down with her, rubbing her back. "I never stopped loving you," He whispered. "There's no way I ever could, Liv."

She smiled and kissed him softly. "Ed, I've never loved anyone the way I love you. Even after… you're the only one I ever wanted. You're it for me, Ed Tucker. No one else could ever love me like you."

He held her close. "You have a long day ahead. Get some sleep. I'll be right here when you wake up."

Olivia looked into his eyes, a tight smile pressed along her face. "I love you."

Ed kissed her lips softly. "I love you, too." He brushed her hair out of her face. "Goodnight beautiful."

Olivia settled into his chest, feeling safe. She hadn't felt like this since he left. She hadn't slept like this in months. And even though she had a lot on her mind, for right now, she felt like everything was going to be okay.

The next morning, Olivia woke up to the smell of coffee and bacon, the sound of Noah's giggle. She smiled and took a deep breath, before the realization hit her. She got up and walked into the kitchen, seeing Ed and Noah. Noah was eating his breakfast and Ed was entertaining him. She walked over to him and wrapped her arm around his shoulders. "Morning." Her voice was shaky, dreading the day ahead.

"Morning, beautiful. Sleep okay?"

She nodded. "Thanks to you." She smiled and kissed his cheek. "And how are you this morning, my love?" She asked Noah.

Noah smiled. "I'm good. Tucker made breakfast!"

Olivia smiled at Ed. "I see that. That was awful nice of him, wasn't it?"

The young boy nodded. "I missed him. Is he going to stay longer, or was this morning just a treat?"

She looked up at Ed and raised an eyebrow. "What do you say, Tucker."

Ed wrapped an arm around Olivia's waist, but looked at Noah. "Bud, there isn't enough money in the world to get me to make this morning a one time deal." He saw Olivia's smile. "Want me to make you a plate?"

Olivia felt like no time had passed. "I'm not really hungry. My stomach's a little upset."

He kissed the side of her head. "Go get ready, I'll make you some tea. I'll get Noah to school." He leaned in to whisper to her, "just remember to breathe, baby."

Hearing him call her baby again made her heart flutter. She nodded. "Thank you." She looked into Ed's eyes and caressed his face. "I mean it." She punctuated her sentence with a kiss on his lips. She kissed Noah's forehead and gave him a hug before getting in the shower and getting ready for her meeting with CPS.

Once Noah was done with his breakfast, he helped Noah wash up, and then had him get dressed, he went to check on Olivia, looking at her closet, clad in a bra and panties. He came up behind her and nuzzled her neck. "I've missed this."

"Me in my underwear?" She asked, still trying to decide what to wear. "Shit." She whispered under her breath.

"The feeling of you in my arms. Tell me what's wrong."

She let out an incredulous laugh. "I don't know what to wear to defend myself against child abuse allegations." She turned and looked in his eyes. "It still doesn't feel real," she whispered and felt him draw her closer to his chest, gently swaying.

He kissed the top of her head, lifting her chin and kissing her gently. "Wear whatever makes you confident. You did nothing wrong. You saved your son. Throw on that badass Benson work attire that you wear so well, walk in there with your head held high, and remember that I love you, and that Noah loves you."

Olivia smiled and nuzzled his nose. "When does it get easier?" She asked softly, holding his hands in her own.

"I wish I could tell you, baby. But what I can tell you, is that I'm going to be here for you to help you weather the storm."

She pulled him in for a kiss. "I have to get ready," she whispered against his lips. She broke the kiss and closed her eyes.

"I'll take Noah and drop him off at school. You want me to come back tonight?"

"I'd like that." Olivia ran her hands over his chest. "I love you," she whispered again and kissed him one final time, cradling his face in her hands.

I hope you all enjoyed. More coming soon!