As he lay on his bed in the cribs, Olivia's words rung through Elliot's mind: "Kathleen may be sick… but you're the one with the problem." The thing that bothered Elliot the most, was that he knew she was right. Deciding to talk to her, Elliot rolled out of his bed and began to walk to her desk.
Walking to the edge of her pine-wood desk, he waited for her to look up. She was, as usual, indulged in the paperwork she was working on. As he let his shadow cast over her head, she brought her head up, her eyes falling on his and becoming soft. "Hey, El," she said, gently.
Elliot smiled at her, and decided to get straight to the point. After a quick pause and a long sigh, Elliot spoke, almost sheepishly, "You were right." He felt almost…shameful… but he needed to talk to her.
Quickly understanding what he meant, Olivia stood up, and gently took his hand. She led him to the only place they could speak privately; the cribs.
Showing him to the bed opposite of the one she was sitting on, she asked kindly, "What's bothering you?"
Elliot was hesitant, and kept his eyes to his left shoe. Knowing that he faced her with a purpose, he brought his eyes up to hers. Her head was cocked slightly to the left, her face solemn, and her eyes burning with intensity as they rested on his. He had to speak. "I'm afraid that my job and my…temper…affect my kids. So much so," he shook his head, "that it triggered Kathleen's sickness."
"Elliot," Olivia whispered. She grabbed his colossal hands and began to rub her thumbs against each one, knowing that she could never cover the full hand itself. "You did not make Kathleen sick. You haven't caused anything. And you never show your temper around your kids—I've seen you. You're a very good father, El." She flipped over his hands, drawing circles with her thumbs, "Don't think otherwise."
Elliot nodded, slowly, knowing that he couldn't argue with her. "I owe you one, Liv." He muttered, after a moment. "You didn't have to do any of the things you did for me."
Looking down at his hands, and then back up at him, Olivia smiled and said, "It's fine. I was glad to help—I know you'd do the same for me." She smiled, sweetly. "You're kids are great, El. I'd do anything to help them." She leaned into him, and kissed his cheek slowly. Pulling back, she gazed at him for a moment, and then stood up. Rubbing his shoulder as he walked by, she walked out of the cribs and back to her desk.
Elliot sat there, recalling the last five minutes spent with Olivia. He knew she was right—she was ALWAYS right—and his worries instantly stopped.
Standing up to go back to work, Elliot realized that his hand was on his cheek.