The Unfortunate Divorce

Elliot came into the Bullpen throwing his jacket onto his chair and flopping into his desk. Olivia looked toward Fin who shrugged and then they both looked at Elliot. Elliot started his work without acknowledging Olivia and Fin.

Cragan walked out and looked at his detectives, and instead of giving the new case to Elliot and Olivia who only had one other case, he gave it to Munch and Fin already loaded with five. Olivia gave him a strange look and followed him into his office, after Munch and Fin walked out the door.

"What the hell was that about?"

"I can't give you and Elliot anymore cases right now." He said turning to face her.

"Why the hell not?"

"Talk to Elliot, I will not be the one to spill the beans." She jerked her head to the door, and saw Elliot shift at his desk. Elliot turned to face her, and turned back to his desk.

"Don, what's going on?"

"Talk to Elliot, that's all I am saying." Olivia nodded and walked out into the Bullpen. She put a hand on Elliot's shoulder and he looked up at her

"Come with me" she said making it an order to follow her rather than a suggestion. He picked up his coat and followed her out the door.

They sat comfortably in a booth at the back of a coffee shop down the street, and they sipped their coffee for about ten minutes before Olivia finally spoke. "Elliot…please talk to me. I'm your partner and I want to help you, but I can't do that..." She laid her hand across the table on his arm, "...unless you talk to me."

Elliot shifted and put his other hand to his face. "Kathy and I are getting a divorce, and Dickie and Lizzie came up to me yesterday, and told me they hated me because I'm leaving." He started to cry softly

"Oh El" she stood and went to his side of the booth, and pulled him into her arms. He put his head into her shoulder and sobbed.

Kathy was out shopping near the stationhouse, and wasn't trying to go near it. She wanted to avoid her husband at all cost.

After she left the clothing store, she put the bags into her car, and looked across the street and saw the coffee shop 'Ah, Coffee' she thought.

Leaving her car, she crossed the street and walked toward the shop

Hearing the jingle of the door, Olivia looked toward the sound, and saw Kathy walk in and order, "Oh, no" she whispered

"What?" Elliot looked toward her, then followed her gaze, landing on Kathy. "Oh, it's ok" He pulled from her embrace, wiping the tears from his red face.

"You ok?" She asked looking toward him. He nodded and picked up his cup.

Kathy received her coffee and turned toward them in an attempt to leave the shop, and met their gazes. Olivia's hand draped over Elliot's in an attempt to calm him, knowing he wanted to get up and yell at her.

She came toward them and sat on the seat recently vacated by Olivia.

"Hello, Elliot, Olivia" Kathy said lightly.

"Kathy" Olivia returned.

"This is upsetting, seeing you to here, together."

Elliot answered this one. "Kathy, don't forget the fact that Olivia and I are partners, and she is my best friend."

"Still, remember the talk we had last night, about why we were getting a divorce?"

"Olivia is not the reason we are getting a divorce." He bit back at her, putting a hand on Olivia's thigh under the table. Kathy blaming Olivia was a sore spot with her and Elliot didn't want her to blow her top. Olivia put a hand over the one that laid gently on her thigh.

"Really, you spend more time with her, than me or our kids."

Olivia finally blew, "Kathy, don't blame Elliot for doing his job, to provide for the kids and you, yes he's with me, but most of the time that he is with me, he's thinking of you and the kids."

"Excuse me, but if he thinks about me, than why the hell isn't he ever home with me."

"Because he's helping victims and families." She snapped, "They need him too"

"Ok, well," she grabbed her purse and coffee, "They can have him, I want your stuff out of the house by the weekend" She turned on her heel and left.

Elliot looked really defeated and the grip on her thigh loosened. Olivia took out her phone and called Cragan. "Cragan, Elliot and I need to take the rest of the day off."

"Alright. Be here tomorrow at eight"

"Yeah"

"Olivia, take care of him" he said concern in his voice as it came through the cell phone.

"I will, Don, see you tomorrow" she hung up and looked at Elliot, defeat still emanating from his body. Olivia stood and simply extended her hand, and he took it following her as she lead him out the door and to the car.

She took his hand as they walked up the stairs to her third floor apartment. She never let go of his hand trying to support him through this extremely rough time.

They got into the apartment and she finally let go of his hand to let him in. He sat on the couch and after grabbing a couple beers she joined him. "You can stay here as long as you need, till you get your feet on the ground." She swigged her beer before he answered.

"Thank you Olivia, you are so understanding, you're a fantastic friend to me, and I don't deserve you." She put her beer on the coffee table and took his from him putting it on the table as well. She then took his hands into hers and looked at him.

"Elliot, you are the most wonderful person I know, and I would give anything to help you through this, to make you feel better. I love you Elliot and I hate to see you like this."

"Olivia," he started looking at his hands. "You are probably the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I don't want to burden you with this, because I don't want to lose you."

She pulled him into a hug, "Oh, El, you will never lose me, never, you hear me."

"I love you, Liv." She looked into his eyes, she desperetly wanted to kiss his lips, but thought it inappropriate considering the day he had.

They sat there in the consolation of each others arms, for what seemed like forever, but they didn't mind. Olivia soon felt Elliot drift off to sleep. She laid him down on the couch and got down next to him, laying her arm across his abdomen pulling him close. He wrapped his arm around shoulders. Soon Olivia drifted off to sleep in Elliot's arms.