I'm sorry. I apologize in advance for this little story. Don't read this just before going to sleep or when you're already feeling depressed. This is totally different from my other stories and I am really sorry. Please don't hate me.
...
He couldn't keep his eyes off of her. She had aged so beautifully and even now, she looked like an angel. Missing her had been like self-inflicted torture but he'd had no choice. Or so he thought. He needed to break the hold he'd had on her life and her heart, so she could finally go and find her own happiness. He had so wanted her to be happy, and had been willing to go on without her so she could finally find what she needed. What she deserved. If anyone deserved happiness and love, it was Olivia Benson.
He had never forgotten about her. They had moved away, he and his wife and their youngest son. He'd found a desk job with regular hours. They hadn't had money problems anymore and their household had become stable. Quiet. They had all been content. Not deliriously happy, but content. He knew many people were far worse off than he was and he'd learned to count his blessings. The only thing that had kept hurting him, right up until this day, was missing her. His old working partner. Olivia Benson.
Her hair had turned completely grey and he couldn't help smiling slightly. When had she decided she'd gotten old enough to stop dyeing it? He didn't have any hair left on his head. When his hairline had receded all the way to the back of his head, he'd decided to shave off what little he had left. People said he looked good bald, but he had decided to make up for the lack of hair on his head by growing a beard and mustache. He had a goatee these days, almost completely white now. It was fine with him. He was in his seventies now after all. He was a grandfather nine times. A white beard was fine at his age.
They told him Olivia had stayed on at SVU right up until her mandatory retirement. She'd made it all the way up to Captain. She had never married but she did have a family. He'd just met her daughter-in-law, who had given Olivia two beautiful granddaughters.
"Stabler you say? She never forgot about you."
Elliot looked at the young man standing next to his mother. He was Olivia's son.
"I never forgot about her either."
His eyes moved from Noah Benson back to Olivia automatically. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her.
"She never stopped missing you."
Elliot swallowed hard and tears were now blurring his vision. He didn't need to say the words. Noah could tell he'd never stopped missing her either. Finally he managed to whisper,
"I'm sorry. I just couldn't ..."
Noah nodded.
"She knew. She understood. Thank you for coming today."
Elliot's chin trembled and he nodded.
"Of course."
Noah's wife approached them, a baby on her arm.
"Honey, it's time," she whispered.
Elliot took a step forward, closer to Noah and Olivia.
"May I?"
Noah stepped aside.
"Of course."
Elliot moved close to Olivia slowly and placed one hand over her hands carefully. They were neatly folded on her abdomen. It shocked him how cold they were. He chocked back a sob when he leaned over her to place a kiss on her forehead. He wished he could take her in his arms and make her warm again. But she would never be warm again. His angel had joined all the other angels in heaven a few days earlier. Olivia Benson had died at the age of 73 after a long life dedicated to helping others, leaving behind a son, a daughter-in-law and two granddaughters. He had come today to say goodbye. It was the first time he saw her again after that fateful day in May of 2011, and it was the last time he would ever see her again.
END
I'm sorry.