Summary: Elliot checks on Olivia after a difficult case

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Law and Order: SVU

Rating: K+

Pairing: Elliot and Olivia

FORBIDDEN FRUIT:

Some days were harder than others. Some days she could block it all out. Some days Olivia Benson could keep her emotions centered on the victims she dealt with day in and day out without bringing her history into it. Then there were days like today that Olivia wanted to crawl under her covers to let the swirling emotions take her. Days like today, with rape victims, made Olivia nearly choke. She was the product of a rape. Today hit home for her. They had caught the case of a woman who had been raped not once, but twice; eight years apart. And there was a child. Olivia couldn't help looking at the little boy and seeing herself reflected. Today had been too much for her.

Elliot left the squad room as quickly as he could so he could check on Olivia. She had had bad days before, but nothing like this. That little kid hit too close to home for her. He knew about her past, the fact that her mom had been raped, and that she had been the result. Elliot felt protective of Olivia when days like this happened to her. From time to time he had seen her teeter on the edge, any yet somehow she never managed to fall over. Olivia would get back up, brush herself off, and jump right back into the thick of things with overwhelming compassion for the victims. That need to know she was ok had brought Elliot here. Still, he hadn't knocked on the door. This was Olivia, someone who was closer to him than his wife. That was that; Elliot knocked on the door.

Olivia was about to call it a night, to crawl in bed, and wait until she was paged for yet another rape. She was halfway to her bed when a knock sounded on her door. The cop in her went for her gun as she headed for the door. Olivia looked through the peep hole and saw Elliot standing there. It was late at night and he should be at home with his wife and kids. Yet, he was here. She sighed removing the security chain and the dead bolt. Olivia opened the door, "Elliot, what're you doing here?" She asked stepping back out of the way. They were partners, more than friends, less than lovers. They had each other back and knew without a doubt they would take a bullet for the other.

"I came to check on you." Elliot answered taking a step closer to her. Olivia naturally moved back letting him into her apartment. He could see that she had been put through the ringer already in her head. She was picturing that little boy, picturing what was going to happen to him now. They had gotten the case of a child crying, of screams, and violent sounds in a low income apartment building. The smell more than anything had reached them first. In the apartment a woman lay on the floor in the fetal position and her seven year old son was huddled in the corner too scared to move. If he could have, Elliot would have kept Olivia from seeing all of it. "Today was a hard day for you."

Olivia shrugged. She was about to give some excuse, some form of 'I'm fine,' but this was Elliot. He knew her. Tears filled her ears, but did not fall. "This one was…" She blew out a breath at a loss for words. Elliot moved to her then and took her in his arms. This was what she had needed all day. He knew what she needed, mot days that scared her, but today Olivia relied upon his innate ability to predict her. Olivia wrapped her arms around Elliot and held on to him, burying her eyes against his strong shoulder. For right now Elliot was all hers. He was here, he was with her. Why was he the one man hat she had the most connection with so far out of her reach? Elliot was married. He had a wife. He had kids. Olivia couldn't help but love him. It wasn't fair. Why did he have to come into her life?

Elliot held tight to Olivia taking yet another step into her apartment. She moved in step with him and when he was far enough away from the door, Elliot kicked it closed. Everything in him screamed that he should go home to his wife, to his kid, but Olivia needed him. He tightened his hold on her, lifting her off her feet a few inches and walked with her to the couch. Setting her back on her feet, they sat on the couch where Olivia curled into his side. Once again, Elliot wrapped his arms around her resting his cheek against the top of her head. Being here with her was comfortable, it was relaxing. The day's events just fell away when he was with her.

THE NEXT MORNING:

Olivia woke where she had fallen asleep; on her couch. Elliot was still with her, his arms holding her close. Her head was pillowed on his chest where she could hear the sound of his heart. It beat strongly against her cheek. Last night she hadn't been plagued with horrifying dreams that normally had her waking in a cold sweat. Not this morning. This morning was pleasant to wake up to. Elliot was still here. Slowly she sat up freeing herself from his arms. Olivia hadn't wanted to leave the warmth of his body, but it was morning, and soon they would have to be back at it. More than likely they would catch another case. The least she could do was make breakfast before this world was shattered. Tip toeing into the kitchen Olivia pulled out some eggs, cheese, and ham to make a simple omelet for them to eat. While the skillet heated she whipped the eggs, and then put coffee in the coffee maker.

Elliot woke, for a second not knowing where he was, and then inhaled the scent of fresh coffee and eggs. He opened his eyes to Olivia setting two plates on the coffee table and then going back into the kitchen for two cups of coffee. Sitting up, Elliot stretched feeling his muscles and joints pop from a night spent on a couch. He wasn't a young many anymore. More often than naught he relied on coffee to jump start his brain while knowing he drank too much of it to keep him going through all of the late nights. Olivia made the job easier to take. "Morning," He greeted pulling off his suit jacket that he never got around to doing last night. "Did we spend all night here?" Elliot asked knowing the answer, but he needed something to ask, he needed to gauge her state of mind.

"Yup, all night," Olivia answered. "I had no idea you were quite the snuggler." She teased sitting down next to him lightly bumping his shoulder with hers. "I hope you're hungry. I figured something fast and easy before we get paged to a crime scene." Olivia was chipper this morning. It was all thanks to Elliot. He was her savior in the dark times. She took a slow long sip of her coffee while he set his fork to his food. Men. They liked to eat first and have coffee second. Olivia lifted her fork and cut into her omelet. The yellow fluffy eggs practically melted on her tongue mixing the aftertaste of her coffee with the cheese and the ham he had cooked into it.

Elliot had devoured more than half of his omelet before he gave a second thought to his coffee. His empty stomach had demanded food, and food it would have. Stopping, Elliot grasped the handle of the mug bringing the blue ceramic cup to his lips where the warm liquid washed down the eggs, the cheese, and the ham. Looking beside him Olivia was giving him one of her amused faces. "What?" He asked setting the mug back on the coffee table. She chuckled and shook her head. "Come on, what are laughing at?" This time, his voice had a small laugh threaded through the words.

"Nothing," Olivia smiled taking another sip of her coffee. Elliot pinned her with his famous cop stare was designed to intimidate suspect, but it never worked on her. She chuckled taking another bite of her omelet. Still, Elliot stared at her. Lightly, she meant it as a friendly touch; Olivia placed her hand on his knee with the intention of patting him affectionately. The moment her hand touched his knee a spark lit between them that raced up her arm and back again into Elliot. She was too afraid to move her hand as they looked at each other.

Elliot felt her hand upon his knee like a great warm weight. There was always something there, lurking beneath the surface with them, something just out of reach. Now, whatever it was seemed to ratchet up about ten notches. Her hand was still on his knee and Elliot wasn't about to make her move. Without thinking he moved closer to her; she didn't move away. Elliot moved closer still, being pulled by and invisible tether, towards Olivia. Her fingers dug into the fabric of his suit pants. Still, she didn't say stop. She said nothing at all. He leaned closer until they were breathing the same breath of air. An instant before his lips touched hers; he felt them quiver as she gasped. Elliot gave her no time to draw in another breath. His tongue invaded her mouth while his lips fused to hers.

Olivia knew she should push him off, tell him this was wrong, but all she could feel was his lips on hers. He tasted of power, of coffee, and of familiarity. His tongue swept right into her mouth without resistance. Olivia would never resist Elliot; he was too ingrained in her in her heart, branded to her skin. Now, she as tasting the most forbidden fruit of all, the kiss of a married man, the kiss of her partner; a man she trusted more than anyone. With her other arm, Olivia draped it across his shoulders pulling him closer to her. All she knew in this moment was the feel of Elliot pressed to her. He made her dizzy with feelings when his fingers tangled in her short cap of hair keeping her mouth to his. Finally, after what seemed like forever, they broke apart; breathing raggedly. Olivia touched her forehead to his.

Elliot breathed hard, "I needed to know the taste of your lips, just once," he gasped bringing his hands up to cup her face. They were partners. They were friends. They were vital to each other's day to day life. Elliot couldn't picture his life without her. Now that he's had the feeling of her lips on his, how could he focus on anything else? Gently he stroked her cheeks while breathing in the same air she did. She was in his lungs. This time when Elliot angled his head, he meant to seal their lips together, but he didn't get the chance. Olivia's phone rang. Like being electrocuted, Elliot jumped back while she sprang from the couch to answer her cell phone.

Olivia took her cell phone from the desk that was across the room. "Benson." She answered trying so hard to not look at Elliot still on the couch. On the other end Munch prattled in his usual manner letting her know that they caught a case. "Thanks Munch. I'll be in shortly." Olivia said closing her cell phone. "We caught a case." She said to him. Olivia ran her hand over her mouth. The feel of Elliot's lips were still hot upon her own. Tentatively she licked them, her tongue darting out for one more taste.

POLICE STATION:

Elliot forced himself to focus on the latest rape victim; this time the case didn't hit him as hard in the gust as it normally would have. It still infuriated him that there were perverts in the world who felt the need to resort to things that hurt others. Maybe this day was easier to bear because he kept feeling Olivia's lips pressed to her. She could be this silver lining in a world full of clouds. Every so often when he would look at her, he got the craving to kiss her, to have her pressed up against him. When he would picture her lips, he pictured her licking them. A few times Elliot had to push away from his desk under the guise of getting coffee, but then he would disappear down the hall and stare at all the junk food in the vending machine.

Olivia watched Elliot get up from his desk. She was trying so hard not to stare at him, trying so hard to keep from wanting him. The kiss was messing with her head, but not in a negative way. Olivia was seeing threads that connected all the interview statements together, she was picking out the lies. If anything, that kiss from this morning had improved her productiveness. What was it about him? Olivia couldn't help but wonder. She had to get this out of her system. Getting up from her desk, Olivia went in search of Elliot. It was against the rules, but she had already tasted the forbidden fruit when they kissed, what was another bite?

Elliot stole into an empty storage room just to try and collect himself. He was pacing back and forth when he heard her footsteps coming down the hall. In a flash he was at the door, opening it, and yanking Olivia inside. She gasped but draped her arms over his shoulders. He closed the door and walked with her to the back wall. Elliot had to have her against him. For right now he didn't kiss her, he just rested his forehead to hers. Her air was his. Elliot ran his hands down her sides and back up.

Olivia held Elliot tight against her. She brought her hands to his face in anticipation of another kiss. "What are we doing?" Her voice was more of a gasp but she wasn't going to let him go, not yet. Olivia knew Elliot was off limits, he was supposed to be, and yet here she was, her arms around him, and her hands on his face.

"I'm just holding you." Elliot answered slipping his hands around her waist. He needed her close to him for as long as he could. Keeping his eyes closed, Elliot kept breathing in and out slowly. He wanted her branding into his body for when he would have to leave work, to go home.