Disclaimer: I still own nothing and I don't believe Detective Munch is available yet.

A/N: No spoilers unless you still haven't seen season 1. I wrote this after I watched Olivia's reaction at the end of the episode A Single Life in Season 1. Not really episode related just my thoughts running away and settling down on a piece of paper as usual. Although this is not only limited to said episode, it generally the entire season.

Promises

Olivia sat at the bar looking at the bottles stacked up in front of her and contemplated if there was enough of the 'good stuff' in all those bottles to help her alleviate the pain that had settled in her head. She felt as though there was a giant metal ball hitting the sides of her head and it seemed like it was not going to stop anytime soon.

How could a father do that to his own child? How could he think he even had a right to touch her in that way? The questions turned in her head and she did not have the answers to it. She had been brought up to respect the people in her life and those around her, to always listen to what your parents told you, to believe that they were there to protect you at all costs… but this man had done none of those things.

He had shattered the lives of both his daughters and he was on the verge of destroying another innocent little child. Well he was no better than her father," she thought to herself. They're all the damn same, use you for their pleasure and than spit you out as soon as they're done with you…"

She swirled the glass, which contained some good tasting amber coloured liquid and brought it up to her lips in an attempt to swallow it. As she did so, a large hand attached itself to hers and stopped her from drinking it. She turned around to look at the owner of the hand, and when she saw whom it was she let out a tired sigh.

"I think you've had enough to drink Liv" Elliot Stabler was next to her, his intense blue eyes challenging her tempestuous brown ones. The sound of him calling her Liv startled her for a moment but she swiftly regained her composure. "I decide when I've had enough and this is definitely not enough," she challenged him back as she pointed to the dozen or so glasses lined up on the counter in front of her.

"Drinking is not going to make you feel any better, Liv and it's not going to stop the pain either. So why don't I take you home and you can sleep off the alcohol effect and you won't be hung over when you come into the squad room tomorrow morning?" He placed a hand on her waist and attempted to help her up from her stool but she just did not budge.

The feel of his breath cascading down the back of her neck was enough to send her mind into overdrive. She had to send him away, before she said something in her drunken stupor. Besides – he was married, maybe not happily at this moment but he was still off limits to her, and that was the bottom line.

"Why do all you men think you can tell us women what to do and just get away with it as we simply comply to all your demands and whims?" he voice was unnaturally soft and Elliot knew it was a sign of trouble. "And just why did you have to come and get me? Couldn't you find someone else to come? Shouldn't you be at home with your wife and kids? As it is they already see so little of you!" She was trying to get rid of him.

She set the glass that was still in her hand on the counter with a thud. Suddenly her voice and whole posture changed. "You wouldn't do something like that would you?" he knew she was now talking about the case. So, that's what was troubling her. She had come to an unknown, seedy bar to get exceedingly drunk to forget all her bad memories.

"No Liv I would not," was all he said as he gently lifted her from the stool and set her carefully on her feet. He placed a stack on twenty dollar bills on the counter and then pulled her as close to him as he could. She needed reassurance tonight and that was just what he was going to give her. He was going to give her something to believe in, someone to trust and someone who would always be there for her no matter what. He was her partner and he was not about to let her self-destruct for something that was not her fault. She was a child of rape, she did not ask for it, it just happened and yet here she was blaming herself for the injustice of not being able to choose her father.

The cold wind felt on his face felt refreshing after spending time in the stifled, smelly bar and not to mention how close to Olivia he was. They had stood together like this on many other occasions, but those were all professional and none of them had sent his mind reeling as it was now. The feel of her hand gripping his bicep for support, the other on his chest for some unexplainable reason, her head on his shoulder as she had somehow lost all balance and navigation skills. This was a very dangerous situation to be in.

The drive to her apartment was short and they decided to keep the conversation to a minimum. She was on no state to talk and he was afraid he would say something that would further upset her. She had closed her eyes somewhere between the last set of traffic lights they passed and her apartment. "Liv we're here" he said as he gently laid a hand on her to wake her up. She nodded in response "Come on I'll see you up" he continued when she did not say anything.

The trip to the second floor was done without any incident and Elliot was sure Olivia would sleep like a baby after he put her to bed. He pulled out the keys from her handbag and unlocked the door, opened it and waited for her to enter before he followed her inside. "Lets get you to bed!" he smiled at her and she duly complied with his instruction. He had made sure she had everything she needed before he left. When he was satisfied she would be okay he decided it was time to leave.

He made the last trip to her bedroom to tell her he was leaving. He saw she was lying down with her eyes closed and he could not resist the temptation he had to kiss her on her forehead just to reassure her that everything would be okay. He walked up to her side of the bed and bent over to kiss her on the forehead as he had planned and did so without any reaction from her.

As he tuned to walk away she grabbed a hold of his wrist, effectively making him turn around to face her once again. She sat up while still holding onto him. "El promise me you'll never let anyone hurt me," she said softly, her innocent brown eyes pleading with his reassuring blue ones. "I promise," he replied as he sat down next to her.

He pulled her close into him, creating a feeling of safety and trust between them, and she knew he would not make promises he could not keep. Her hand once again moved to his chest and she drew small circles making him squirm under her touch. Slowly she inched her face closer to his. He knew this one action would change their relationship forever but then again she did have quite a few drinks and maybe she wouldn't even remember this in the morning.

He followed her action and leaned in toward her. The kiss is anything but platonic and Elliot knows this is not what should be doing but Olivia needs to be reassured and of the promise he had just made to keep her safe. He is the one she chose, he is the one she wants to believe in and he is the one she wants to protect her when she needs and that is what the kiss says… that he will be there to do all those things for her.

He realises it does not matter if she does not remember this in the morning but hell he will.

A/N 2: This was just a random thought. It was meant to be a drabble of sorts but it grew so I guess it's now just a one shot.

Don't worry I am still busy with Child's Play, but it still might take a while as I haven't found my flash drive yet. (sulking in a corner)

You guys know how it goes now. Tell me if you like it… Tell me if you don't and tell me if I should continue writing for SVU more importantly.

Have a great weekend

Hellraiser