Baby Deals

Sreed

Disclaimer: I wish. I wish, I wish they were mine, but no.

Spoilers: Pre-Ep for Ace

Author Notes: My first fanfiction. Please be gentle.

"Do you love your wife Mr. Butler?"

Elliot stepped closer to Olivia and put a protective arm around her waist.

"What kind of question is that? Of course I love my wife. Why do you think we're here dealing with someone like you? She wants a baby and I want to make that happen for her."

"Prove it."

"Excuse me?"

"I said prove it. Petrov eyed the fake photos of Elliot and Liv. If you love your "wife" so much then tell her you love her, kiss her and show me how you feel about her."

Olivia could feel Elliot shift his weight. He always did that when he was nervous. She froze and kept her eyes on the baby dealer. Had they blown their cover? Why was Petrov hesitating to close the deal?

"No. Look we've made good on the money, now show us the baby."

"Not until I know the child is going to a "loving" couple. Now, Mr. Hanson, or the deal is off."

Olivia could feel Elliot turn to face her and at the same time he slipped his arm to the side of her waist and turned her very gently to face him. She could feel herself trembling. She could feel him trembling as well. His eyes locked with hers and she could read everything in them. An apology, fear for their safety and what? He looked at her with so much love that she could feel her eyes filling up with tears. She knew he would do anything to protect her. He tenderly cupped her cheek with his other hand and said, "I love you. I always have." Then he closed the distance between them and she felt his lips, so exquisitely soft pressing against hers. Never had Olivia felt so loved as she did in that one moment. The kiss felt so genuine, so real, she didn't want it to end, and then he pulled her closer, wrapping his strong arm all the way around her waist. He opened his lips to deepen the kiss. Olivia responded and began to feel like she was going to faint. How did he learn to kiss like this? She hated that her thoughts went to Kathy. It had been almost a year now since the divorce. How could she let a man that kissed like this go? The kiss seemed to go on forever until the Russian cleared his throat.

"All right, Mr. Butler, I believe you. That was quite a show. Now let's get down to business."

Elliot pulled back from Olivia and looked her over, smiling gently at her. He caressed the side of her face before he dropped his hand and turned back to face their perp.

"Okay, when do we get our baby?"

"Uh, uh, uh. Not so fast, Mr. Butler. As we discussed earlier, I get half the money now and the other half tomorrow at the drop. Until then, you are to remain here. No one leaves or enters this apartment. One of my men will pick you up in the morning and bring you to the location in your car. We hand off the baby. You give us the remaining money and drive off into your new life as parents. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes. We have a deal." Elliot handed the man a briefcase.

"Goodnight, Glenn. It has been a pleasure doing business with you. Take care of your pretty lady."

And then he was gone. Liv just stood in place as Petrov disappeared down the stairs and she heard the front door close. Elliot stood for a moment with his back to Olivia and then turned to face her. He didn't speak, but just looked at her with a worried expression.

Olivia didn't know what to say. She dropped her gaze when he continued to stare at her. When she looked up again, he had moved closer and was searching her face for some kind of reaction. Olivia wanted to run away. She knew if she looked at him he would see it all. He would know the truth. She was afraid of what would happen to their partnership if he knew what a great actress she had been for the last eleven years.

"I…I'm going to take a shower and go to bed. Let's just try to forget about it, okay? We did what we had to do to protect the cover and tomorrow we get one baby to safety and catch the perp. It's all good, you know?"

Silence just hung in the air between them as he continued to stare at her. It was unnerving.

"Liv…."

"Good night El."

"Olivia, are we okay?"

"Sure, I'm just tired you know, the stress."

"Right."

Olivia almost bolted for the bedroom. She walked straight into the bathroom and closed the door. Sliding down to the floor she dropped her face in her hands and only then did the tears that had been gathering in her eyes spill over and down her face.

"Oh, El, How can I continue to live and breathe never getting to do that again with you?"

Olivia stood under the water until it ran cold. She finished getting ready and then climbed into bed. Why was she reacting the way she was? It was only a kiss, and yet El had made it feel so real. She was always the professional in his presence, but tonight she just wanted to go home and hide her feelings from him. It was all too close to home. She wanted a baby so much. If she was going to have a baby with any man, it would be Elliot. He was divorced. It could be real if it weren't for the fact that they were just partners and he hadn't shown her any signs that he felt anything for her this past year other than friendship. Olivia tried to keep quiet, but a sob tore from her lips and she began to cry again with the reality of it all. For years she had only lived for the job and Elliot and now, she had nothing. No baby, no man, no future other than a best friend that just kissed the hell out of her. How cruel could fate be? A new round of tears escaped and she sat up in bed weeping with her head on her knees.

Very slowly, she heard the door open. She looked up and the light from the living room revealed Elliot standing in the doorway in his boxers and a T-shirt.

"Liv, are you okay? I thought I heard you crying…Oh Liv."

He crossed swiftly to the bed and sat on the edge. Then he shocked Olivia by reaching for her and taking her into his arms.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't know what else to do. I didn't want to hurt you like this. I crossed a line that I shouldn't have."

"It's okay El, it's just...hard you know? I always wanted a child and being in this situation with you has made it seem real. I think the lines are just a little blurred right now." Olivia hiccups and they both laugh.

"I know you're upset with me, but honestly, Liv, about the kiss earlier…I'm not sorry I did it, okay?"

"Can we just not talk about that El? Wait. What?"

Elliot slipped a finger under her chin and lifted her eyes to meet his. "Liv, I have wanted to know what it would feel like to kiss you for eleven years. I'm just sorry it had to happen in front of an audience. It was amazing and I meant what I said when I said I loved you. I don't want to take that back either."

"You don't?"

"No. Do you regret it?"

"Are you kidding me? The only regret is thinking I might never get to do that again."

"Tell me then."

"El, what?"

She had never seen him this uncertain ever. It was very sweet and she suddenly felt she had a window into Elliot the man, not the partner, not the friend, just a man wanting to know he was loved too.

"Tell me in words what I mean to you, please…"

Olivia cradled his face and looked into his beautiful baby blues. Her breath hitched at what she saw there.

"You are everything…everything to me. I have loved you for so long now that I can't even remember when I didn't. I love you so much, I don't know how to breathe at times.

"So I take it another kiss would not be unwelcome?"

"Never. I mean I hope you never stop kissing me."

"Good, because I do intend to keep doing it for a very long time." Elliot gently wiped her tears away with his thumb and cradled her face in his hands looking deeply into her eyes, blue meeting brown. He pressed his lips to hers and then pulled back to search her face. He whispered, "I love you Olivia Benson and I plan to make this dream come true, husband, baby and all, if you will have me."

A fresh round of tears were forming in Olivia's eyes. Just before she reached to touch her lips to his, she whispered back, "I love you too Elliot Stabler."