A/N: This isn't my first FF. I deleted a few that I started but weren't that good. Anyway this is just the first chapter and I kinda did it in a rush so it might not be that good. Reviews and corrections to any mistakes are much appreciated! Tell me what you guys think! :) These characters are obviously not mine, they're Dick Wolf's. Wish they were mine though...
November 14 Ripped at the Seams
Perhaps it was the cold steal of the metal pinching her wrists that woke her up from the daze she was in. It could've also been the contant aching of her body, although she had gone numb a while ago. The air was humid, but cool wrapping a blanket of perspiration around her heaving body. She couldn't find the strength to take in a full breath. She just couldn't. Every time she thought about what he'd made him do. The way Elliot's eyes looked pleadingly into hers, begging her for forgiveness for what he was about to do. She'd screamed bloody murder, sobbing, taking in heaving gasps of breath trying to push him away from her.
"El, it's okay..." She whimpered the lie one last time before squeezing her eyes shut, not wanting to see him, the man she loved for fourteen long years of her life, overpower her like that. Forcing her to do something she fought against everyday.
November 13
Olivia had no idea what had woken her this time. Last night it had been the stay cat, that had been fucking around on the fire escape, dragging its metal collar along the metal floor causing Liv to bolt up in bed, in fear of an intruder. The night before that it was her upstairs neighbors banging viciously. She had to throw at least three pillows over her head for the screams of lust finally subdued in the least. Everyone at work the next morning had been at one time or another been yelled at by a bitchy Olivia. Even Cragen had been. He didn't dare argue with her though, she was having a tough time enough as it was.
Liv had just recently ended a relationship with some prick she'd been dating for months. The only reason the office knew about it was by the raging fight Liv and Mark had in the middle of the precinct floor. Mark had claimed Liv was spending to much time at work and that their relationship was more important. That is where Liv drew the line. That fight had only stopped when Cragen threatened to throw Mark's sorry ass in jail. He left in a huff, muttering one final, 'selfish bitch' before exiting the room.
Liv tried to remain strong and brush it off, but the whole precinct had been staring, goggling. She politely excused herself for the day and as soon as she got home she flung herself into the shower, sobbing her god holy heart out. He'd tried to be nice and mend the wounded relationship, and she had pushed him away.
So now, with that fucking obnoxious ringtone echoing off her skull, she pushed herself out of bed with a muffled, 'fuck' and answered the phone, not bothering to look at the caller ID.
"Liv Benson." She slurred, trying to rid the sleep from her voice which was harder then it looked.
"Hey, Liv." It was Elliot. He sounded tired, distressed, and the tadist bit frustrated. Liv sighed, propped herself on one elbow, and flicked on the bedside lamp. The bright light poured over her eyes, causing for them to involuntarily snap shut.
"El, what's up?" She asked him, curious as to why he was calling her at lets see...two in the morning. She heard him sigh heavily on the other end.
"Can you pick me up?" He muttered, sounding slightly embarrased at the thought of interupting his partner's only time of peace. Now it was Liv's turn to sigh.
"Yeah. Where are you?" Liv had thrown the comfortable, warm duvet off of her. It hurt her skin knowing that soon enough she would be out in the freezing snow that was falling around at such an early time of the year.
"Joe's Bar in Queens." Elliot said. Olivia sighed. Just her luck. Queens wasn't exactly the closet thing to her.
"Can't you get a cab?" Liv asked polietly as she could, not wanting to hurt his feelings. It wasn't a huge deal for her to drive a little while to help her best friend in need, but it wasn't exactly convienient either.
"I could, but the reason I called is that I need to talk to you." Elliot sounded strained almost as if he were upset. Elliot Stabler was not the kind of man to be upset, at least not over the phone. Liv pulled an old college sweatshirt over her head.
"Fine, Stabler. You owe me." Olivia snarked a little to meanly at him. She heard him sigh in relief that he was getting a ride home.
"Thanks, Liv." She heard the genuine trust and thankfulness in his voice and her heart swelled in pride at the thought of her making him sigh like that.
Liv pulled out the car she obviously bought at her mid-life crisis, and sped down the streets of New York, suddenly a bit happier she bought the car. There weren't exactly a proceedingly immense amount of cabs circling around New York City in the middle of the night. She got there sooner then she actually expected considering the fact she lived pretty far.
He was sitting on the curb outside the dingy bar rubbing a bloody fist. Snow was curling down around him onto the dirty pavement. Her work tie was loose around his neck and he looked incredibly stressed out. Liv pulled over beside him and pretty much jumped out of the car.
"Oh my god, El, what happened?" She winced at the black eye that was starting to form, as well as a considerably long cut across his forehead.
"A fight." He admitted sheepishly. Liv took a seat beside him when she realized he wasn't moving. Her cozy purple pajama pants were hit with the stinging coldness of the snow on the sidewalk. It instantly soaked through both her pants and underwear causing much discomfort to her ass. This wasn't the time to be thinking about her ass, though.
"Oh, El." She reached an arm around his sagging shoulders. "You wanna tell me about it?" She asked as his shoulders starting shaking. Although she couldn't see his face because he'd buried it in his hands, she was certain he was choking back tears. This was like a fucking dream. Elliot Stabler couldn't cry, or even come close to it. It was against the law of his alpha male ways.
"It was Mark. He was here." Elliot managed to muster. Every muscle in Liv's body tensed at his name. Why the hell was Mark there? "Look, Liv he just came in and saw me. Started trash talking you. H-he called you the worst things and just said all this awful stuff. I snapped. Broke his fucking nose, that was sure worth these." He ushered to the still forming bruise he revealed to her and the cut glistening with blood.
"El, you should've just walked away, but thanks anyway." She was truly grateful that Elliot had stood up for her when she wasn't there to defend herself. Hearing that he broke that asshole's nose gave driving out to Queens a whole other perspective. Elliot smiled weakly at her for the thanks. It troubled her a bit to see him like this. It really and truly did. Given the fact that Liv was a bit preoccupied with her recent ugly breakup a few days prior, she hadn't noticed the slight change in Elliot as well. As a matter of fact, this whole stressed out bit had been going on weeks before she broke up with Mark. Just realizing it now made her feel especially guilty, but she promised herself she'd make it up to him somehow.
"Can I stay at your place tonight?" Elliot asked her, a bit of uncertainty tugging at his voice. Her grip around his shoulders tightened in the slightest. Never had Elliot ever asked so bluntly to stay at her apartment. He might've given hints if he and Kathy were having one of those steaming fights, but never flat out asked. She had always allowed him to stay with her on her couch, him always leaving before she even woke up. Liv wasn't about to say "no" to this. It wasn't really any trouble, it'd just be like the other times. Besides the poor man had just gotten a black eye and a sharp cut on his face, not to mention the scar that would be on his knuckles from breaking that idiot's nose.
"Of course." She said soothingly. "I think we should get home soon though. You need some ice for that eye." He smiled at her hospitality for her best friend in need of a place to stay. Slipping his strong arm around her waist, he stood up. It was a nice feeling, having him so close to her. She never really gave any thought to the way he touched her, not until now that is. The way his hand curled around the curve in her waist made her tingle. Plus the way that she supported some of his exhausted body weight. She wasn't sure why she was suddenly feeling like this about Elliot, but she kinda liked it.
They'd gotten back to her apartment in good time, and Elliot nearly collapsed as Liv was fumbling with the keys to the door.
"Woah, El. You okay there?" She asked in concern supporting him as best she could with one arm. He nodded groggily, just wanting to get somewhere warm and comfortable before he completely lost all control over his ability to stand, which was coming at quite a rapid pace.
Liv managed to swing the door open and kick it shut with her foot. Not at all noticing the way she left it unlocked, exposed.
"I jus' 'ed some 'offee." He muttered his hopes getting high that Liv would actually let him drink some. Oh hell no. She led him over to her bedroom ignoring the couch that screamed safety from any awkward confrontations in the morning. How mortifying would it be to have Elliot ask her if they slept together. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if that was the case.
"Come on, El, you're going the fuck to bed." Liv lay him down gently on the sheets that had once been warm with her body heat. He maintained his grip on her waist, not actually wanting to let go. "El, let go." She managed to pry his hand from her a place it on his chest. She then proceeded to gently slip off his shoes. Elliot's throbbing head shot up when he felt her pulling at his socks as well.
"You tryin' to rape me, Liv?" He asked her grinning stupidly. "Cause you can jus' ask." Liv rolled her eyes at him. Clearly Elliot wasn't thinking straight by the way his words to her changed from stressed out to joking. For a moment, she wondered if he'd been hit to hard and gotten a cuncussion. Then she realized it was just his game. Those fucking cocky games that he played with her everyday.
"Hardly," She muttered letting her own light smirk play across her lips, even though nothing about the situation was funny. Elliot probably felt like crap. Obviously running on low sleep, getting in a brutal fight in a bar with her ex, and being slightly tipsy wasn't the greatest list of things he wanted to do in the middle of a crowded week.
"Livv..." Elliot groaned as she began working at his belt. She sighed in frustation that he had to make everything out of this situation sexual. Although, something about the way she was taking off his pants may have given him a misleading hint.
"I'm tossing these in the dryer, El." Liv explained to him softly, wondering if he understood a word she was saying. Hell, for all she knew he was interpreting that as, 'come bang me.' "Keep your boxers on, idiot." She said tugging off the damp work pants. After she tossed them on the other side of the bed, her hands came up to his shirt. The thin cottony material made her nervous for some reason and when she toyed with the hem a jolt of electric shot through her hands.
"My shirt too? Seriously, Liv I do like strip teases, but not from myself." Elliot giggled like a girl and grinned thinking he was going to get lucky. Like hell he was. She wanted so badly to slap him across the face and scream at him for being so obnoxious and cocky. If it weren't for the black eye and bloody cut he already had retained, she might have.
"Shut up, Elliot." She hissed at him as she lifted the fabric over his shoulders, exposing his chiseled chest and muscled arms. To be honest it seemed like one of those cheesy love story moments when the girl realized her mad desire for him and they made love passionately by the light of a single candle. Liv snorted at the thought, causing Elliot to look up actual curiosity etched on his face.
"Whatt?" He wined. Liv shook her head and neatly folded his pants and shirt. "Tell me, Livvyy." He moaned grabbing at her waist. She forcefully shoved his hands off of her and glared. Guilt overtook her when she saw his eyes lower in embarrassment. Laying a delicate hand on his arm, she gazed down at him wanting to do more to comfort him. Hug him and thank him profusely for sticking up for her. Kiss him. That last part made her remember the cheesy love story thing. The sad truth of the matter was, Liv always knew she loved Elliot, therefore it didn't exactly go along with the story.
"I'm sorry, El." Liv said truthfully. She was sorry that he and Kathy were so obviously having bigger problems then expected, she was sorry that she couldn't hold out a relationship for more then a few months without having to break up because of her job, she was sorry that she felt so fucking stupid sometimes, wanting him like she never wanted anyone else. It was absolute insanity, but it was the truth. Life was shitty. Families were overrated. She wished desperately that she had someone to share her pain with, but she hardly knew what pain was with the terrible ordeal ahead of her.