Olivia was walking home, "It's been two years she thought," she thought, "why won't this memory go away, or at least fade?"
When she reached her house HE was waiting for her. He had offered her a ride home but she said she needed to clear her head. He first thought he would just wait to make sure she got home okay, but then he thought back. He remembered what had happened two years ago. Olivia had been sexually assaulted. As soon as he remembered he sped to her house, sat on the stairs, and prepared what he was going to say. Should he just come right out with it, ease her into it, or distract her from it. That is when he realized that was the problem; she needed to talk about it if she were ever to feel better.
She sat down beside him and asked, "Why do you always worry about me, El, I'm a cop I can take care of myself."
"But you're my partner," he replied, "I am supposed to have your back, but I didn't two years ago so I have to make up for it."
"EL DON'T," she defended, "don't bring this up again."
"Liv," he said as he turned to her and looked into her with his ocean blue eyes, that he knew would make her melt, "tell me Liv, you know I care about you, I just want to help."
As Olivia listened to Elliot she couldn't help but think that she wasn't the only one ruined that day, everyone she loved, everyone that loved her was too.
"Liv, I have been working with you for 11 years. I know the best and worst about you, I know everything you have been through, except what happened in that basement. It hurts me to think you don't trust me enough to tell me."
"I do El, I just…I don't know, I just"
"Oh, El I can't I don't want you to look at me differently I want you to look at me like anyone else, if I tell you I am afraid it will ruin our relationship."
"I already look at you differently Liv, you are not like anyone else, you're my partner, best friend, and hopefully someday something more."
Sh*t did he really just say that out loud, crap, crap, crap.
What, Liv thought, What did he mean by that?
"I'm sorry Liv, I uh."
"It's fine El, I get it," Olivia said with a smirk.
"I do trust you, I know you care I just don't want to talk about it El, please just drop it."
"Liv, how many times have you told victim that they will feel better once they talk about it."
"I know El, I'm fine though I talked to a therapist," she said looking up at him. He saw the tears in her eyes. "Liv, you're not okay, invite me inside and we will talk about it."
She knew he was right but still didn't feel comfortable
"What about K*thy? She will be worried about you."
"She can get over it, Liv, this is much more important."
"Ugh fine," Liv grudgingly inviting him up.
Once they reached the apartment El went into the kitchen that he seemed to know better than his own and poured two glasses of wine.
Liv sat on the couch and turned the TV on low and reached out for the drink Elliot was offering her. She swirled the drink and mechanically began to tell her story.
'He led me down to the basement; I never should have let him do that!!'
"Liv, don't, you can't do that, IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT!"
*sigh* 'Okay he brought me to a bed and I started begging. Looking up she said "I felt so helpless." She saw the tears in Elliot's perfect blue eyes and felt him pull her closer into his embrace. She knew she shouldn't let him but she didn't care.
'I threw me on the bed and threw himself on top of me. Then he threw me against the wall so I elbowed him in the face, and ran, but he found me. He handcuffed me to the door and unzipped his pants…"
"El, he was so close and there is nothing I could have done I am a cop and I couldn't protect myself."
"Oh Liv," Elliot said compassionately.
Olivia was crying uncontrollably, and she felt relief when he pulled her even closer.
He sat on the couch cradling Olivia and let her cry herself to sleep, the whole time realizing that this is where he belonged.