a/n - I don't really like how they didn't show how they resolved this conflict, and just moved onto the next case without mentioning it. I know this isn't the most popular ending for this episode, so if you'd rather have El and Liv just stay friends, well, I'm sorry. Also when you're done, please review. This is my first fic, and I would like to know if I should continue on with the next buncha chapters. Feedback is appreciated...Praise is nice but so is constructive criticism.

It was late, and Olivia Benson had been sitting alone in her apartment. The trials of the day kept running through her mind as she sighed quietly.

There was a knock at her door, and she knew it was him. She refused to answer. Her telephone began to ring as soon as the knocking had stopped, and she assumed that it was him continuing his efforts to contact her.

A single, regretful tear slipped down her cheek as she stubbornly tried to ignore him.

He must be using his cell, she thought.

Suddenly she realized that the way she was behaving was both unreasonable and out of character. She wasn't the type to give her own partner the silent treatment. She was a mature professional. Not only that, but if she was completely honest with herself, she knew that he hadn't really done anything wrong. Besides, she could never stay angry with him. She cared about him way too much to let the night end with him walking away from her door, possibly even out of her life.

The phone stopped ringing abruptly. With a look of panic she sprang up from the couch and rushed to the door. Tears flooded her eyes as every emotion she'd felt that day, as well as every one she'd ever felt towards him, washed over her. She flung the door open and stepped shakily into the hallway to see him walking away from her, no more than two doors down. She stepped hesitantly towards him and managed to choke out his name.

"El...Elliot."

He immediately turned around. At the first sight of her obvious angst, he walked quickly up to her with the look of concern on his own face she'd gotten used to seeing, especially in the past couple of days.

"Liv, sh, Liv it's gonna be ok. Come on, let's go inside."

He put his arm around her waist gently and ushered her back into the apartment. He didn't want any of her neighbors waking up and storming out into the hallway. He knew she valued her privacy, and that coming here tonight had been a risk.

Once inside, he closed the door and she immediately wrapped both arms around his waist. He held her close as she sobbed against his chest. He was surprised he wasn't facing her anger after the way she'd reacted to him that day. He kept thinking that it was his fault for the way he'd handled the whole situation with that psycho Plummer. He'd never seen Olivia cry like this, or look so vulnerable before. He reminded himself that no matter how strong he thought she was, she was only human.

While he'd been thinking about how this had all happened, she'd been regaining some of her composure. She lifted her head and tried to look at him steadily, as tears still streamed from her eyes. She began to speak pleadingly, desperately. "Elliot, I'm so sorry...You were just looking out for me, you're my partner and that's your job. I can't believe how stupid I was to be angry at you for that, and I don't want a new partner. You're my partner, Elliot, I need you!"

She gripped him tighter and rested her head against his shoulder, as the tears continued to stream quietly.

She'd never shown this side of herself so willingly. She'd always acted so confident and self-reliant, like she didn't need help or pity from anyone. Of course, he hadn't wanted a new partner. He'd been horrified at the last sentence she'd uttered before leaving his front porch the night before... "If you can't trust your partner, Elliot, it's time to get a new one." She was more than just his work partner, she was his best friend. He believed in her, respected her, and confided in her. Hell, she understood him more than Kathy ever had. Being around Olivia was comfortable, and they could always talk to each other about anything. What could he possibly do if he lost her?

She felt his voice vibrate through his chest as he started to speak softly.

"Olivia, I didn't just have the protective detail put on you because looking out for you is part of my job. You know that, right?"

She lifted her head and gazed at him silently for a couple of seconds as he looked back at her questioningly. She smiled weakly and nodded slowly in response.

"Good. Come 'ere."

He placed his hand at the back of her hair and gently brought her head back to rest up against his neck. She was still shaking from her crying, and she breathed out a few shuddering gasps against him. He rocked their bodies back and forth slowly, trying to comfort her.

She'd spent the night thinking about Elliot, worrying about what she'd said to him and feeling guilty for throwing his concern in his face like it was some sort of insult. How could she have thought he was acting condescending? She knew he admired her more than any other man ever had, just like she admired him more than she did any other man. He was the most honorable, kind-hearted person she'd ever met. She considered herself incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful man in her life. What would she do without him?

This was so different. He wasn't comforting one of his kids after they'd gotten a boo-boo, and he wasn't trying to calm Kathy after they'd been in a fight about his job or God-knows-what complaint of hers. He was holding Olivia, and he viewed it as a welcome and satisfying change of pace. It felt natural to him, and at the moment he wanted nothing more than to make her feel that everything was going to be alright.

They'd never been this close, for so long, he thought. Suddenly he was all too aware of her breasts pressed up against his chest, her hips pushed against his own, the softness of her hair beneath his fingers, and her warm breath gently caressing his skin.

The first time he'd laid eyes on her, he'd found her unusually attractive. But of course he'd never acted on those thoughts, because he was married with kids and they were going to be partners. He was usually able to control himself when they were in close proximity on the job, thinking about anything other than her incredible beauty to suppress his frequent (and thoroughly embarrassing) erections. But now...it was just so hard.

As he held her close to him, he inhaled the intoxicating scent of her perfume. Before he had time to think, he was more hopelessly aroused than he could ever remember being.