..as the summary said. and takes place about 3 weeks after undercover
It was a normal day at the 1-6 precinct. Elliot, Olivia, and Fin were in the squad room. John was on vacation and the captain was in his office as usual. Yep, completely normal. That was, until a fight broke out.
Elliot looked over at Fin, and scoffed. For no apparent reason. Just for some reason Elliot couldn't stand to look at the man.
Fin glanced up and Elliot looked back down.
Liv saw what happened and rolled her eyes.
"What is your problem?" She asked.
"Nothing." He simply replied.
"Sure. For the last few weeks all you've been able to do is put him down and make mean remarks for no reason. What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing is wrong with me. What about you? How have you been sleeping? You don't seem to be eating... at all. Every time I ask, you say you're not hungry. But I don't see how that can be, since you're not eating. You seem to have lost about 30 pounds in two and a half weeks. I don't know that much about weight-loss, but I don't think that's very healthy."
His words were cold. His tone was somewhat cocky... in a, -in-your-face sort of way.
She has no idea what has gotten into him.
He looks back at Fin and rolls his eyes. But this time Fin sees him.
"You got a problem?" Fin said.
"Yeah. You." Elliot retorted.
"What are you all mad about? You've been this was since I got back from the undercover gig. And I'm tired of it."
"Oh I'm so sorry." Elliot said in a sarcastic way.
"Look man. I don't know what your problem is but it makes everyone around you in a bad mood. No one wants to hear your crap!"
"Fine. You want to know what my problem is?!"
"Sure!"
"It's all your fault!"
"What are you talking about?"
Liv is just listening to them. She doesn't want to bother stopping them. She figures if they fight it out, it might be better by tomorrow.
"What happened to Liv. It's you're fault!"
Olivia's mouth drops wide open.
"You've got to be kidding. Nothing happened to her! I got there in time!"
"All the bruises say otherwise! You're lucky that son-of-a-bitch didn't rape her! Because if he did I would've had to kill you. He was one step away! But I bet you don't care!"
Fin has been secretly feeling guilty for that. But he can't let anyone know.
Olivia sees something in Fins eyes. Like... guilt? Oh my God, he does feel guilty fro what happened. "Elliot." She says softly.
He holds up his index finger.
"You're not saying anything because you know it's true! You bastard, you could have gotten her raped. Or worse, killed!"
"I'm speechless that you actually think that. None of what happened to her is my fault. And you better think again if you think I don't care about it!"
"Of course it's your fault!! Creagen sent you in there to protect her! Yeah, great job with that!"
"I did! She wasn't hurt that badly."
"Is that what you tell your self so you can sleep at night?"
Actually Fin wasn't sleeping well since that event.
Elliot continued. "Well she's not! Look at her! She has circles around her eyes. She lost about thirty pounds! She was traumatized by what happened. Don't tell me she wasn't hurt that badly."
Olivia just looked down.
"It's not my fault. I-"
"Let me guess. It's not your problem either!"
"I had nothing to do with what happened. I did my best."
"Well I guess your best needs some improvement."
Fin just shakes his head.
"You're just bitter because you feel guilty because you weren't there to save your precious partner."
"I had no way of being there. I wasn't sent in undercover to protect her. But I can tell you this. If I was, she would be fine!!"
"I am fine." Olivia said.
Even though Fin was fighting otherwise, even he knew she wasn't.
"No you're not." Elliot and Fin said in unison.
"Oh! So you know she isn't okay, and you just don't care!"
"Of course I care. I care a lot. I'm just saying its not my fault!"
Maybe if he keeps saying it, he'll believe it himself.
"I don't have to hear this crap from you." Fin says. He grabs his coat and keys and leaves.
Liv is on the verge of tears. She can't believe what just happened. She can't believe Elliot accused him for Harris' actions. She can't believe Fin actually feels guilty about it. She can't believe that it was so obvious to the others that her eating and sleeping habits have changed. She just simply can't believe it.
Elliot just stands there.
"Elliot." She said softly.
Elliot was scared she was going to be furious with him.
"What?" He said as softly as her.
"Do you really believe it was his fault?"
"Yes I do."
"You have to know that's not true."
"Yes it is."
"Have you ever tried blaming Harris?"
"Yeah. But if Fin had been there there wouldn't be those actions that leads up to you not sleeping or eating. Do you have nightmares?"
"Yes I do. But if it weren't for Harris doing what he did then we never would have got him in jail. He would still be at his job raping women if I hadn't of seen that God damn mole."
Elliot flinched when she said that. "So what? Are you glad he nearly raped you?"
"No and yes. Don't get be wrong. The experience was terrifying and painful. But it ended up well."
"Not for you."
"Well, it can't always be about me." She smiles but Elliot doesn't take it.
"That's the thing though. It's never about you. You lay yourself down for this job. Why?"
"Because I love what I do."
He shakes his head. "I bet Fin officially hates me now."
"Probably. But don't act surprised. You wanna know what I think?"
"What do you think?"
"I think that you have never really liked Fin and Fin never really liked you. It was just one of those things where you don't like each other and not for any good reason. You two just don't get along. And there's nothing wrong with that. But blaming him was. I don't think you actually blame him. I think you're just looking for a better reason to dislike him and to get the guilt away from yourself. I think you blame him so that maybe you'll believe it wasn't your fault. And it wasn't your fault. Not even close. But Fin was right. You're upset because you weren't there to help me. You feel like you can't protect me anymore. But you do. Probably without even realizing it."
"Who made you shrink?"
"I've always had a mind like a shrink. I just came with it. But you're avoiding what I said."
"Yes. Sometimes I feel bad for not being there. Yes. Sometimes I feel as if its my job to protect you and I fail. Yes. I just needed to blame someone else for what happened. You are right."
"I know."
He laughs.
"If you still feel like you need someone to blame it on other than yourself... Blame me." She says.
"You? Why?"
"Because. If it can be Fins fault it can be mine."
"How does that work?"
"Well if you can blame Fin for not getting there in time then you can blame me for not being able to get him off me. Blame me for not fighting back hard enough. Blame me for not hiding well enough to trick him. Blame me for letting it get so close that I needed Fin to rush in and save me. If you can blame him. You can blame me. And if you can blame me, blame Creagen for letting me go. Blame my father for making be born to come work here. Blame my mother for not having an abortion. Blame God. The blame game is just a cycle that always comes back to that God guy.
"I guess you make a good point. Even though I could never blame you. Ever."
He smiled.
"I'm surprised Captain didn't hear anything." Elliot said
"I did." Creagen said coming out of his office. "I wouldn't of handled it any differently. Good job Liv."
She smiled.
"Are you mad?" Elliot asked.
"Well I'm disappointed how you handled that. Olivia go find Fin and talk to him. He should be home. Do you know where he lives?"
"Yeah. Get some sleep Elliot."
"You too. And eat something. Please."
She nods and walks out the doors of the precinct. She was expecting to have to go to Fins house, but he was outside. He was slouched down against the wall. Just staring.
She comes up next to him. He doesn't even notice her presence. Olivia can tell so she slouches down next to him. He looks over at her.
"Hey." He says
"Hey." She said back.
"You talk to Elliot?"
"Yeah."
"You don't think it was my fault. Right?"
"Of course not. But I know you do."
"No I don't. Thats what I was arguing with him about."
"But I saw it in your eyes."
"What did you see in my eyes?"
"Guilt."
Fin looked down.
"A little." He said after a momentary pause.
"Well It's not. So don't think that. You saved me."
"But if I was there sooner, I-."
"Eh." She said cutting him off. "You got there at the perfest time. Enough time for him to do something to me so we could throw him in jail and enough time for me to see the mole. Which was the thing that put him there. If not then he would be raping some woman right now. I'm glad you came wheh you did. Not too soon, not too late."
She smiled at him and he smiled at her.
They stood up.
"Get some rest tonight okay. And stop blaming yourself."
"I will if you start eating and sleeping too."
She laughed a little.
"Deal."
They shook hands. After thet pulled from their handshake they looked at each other for a moment then hugged.
Since that night Olivia's eyes hadn't had any dark circles and she was back to a healty weight. All ended well.
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