Confusion
By Fic Fairy
They'd been here so many times before. In their line of work, the stake out was a regular occurrence, and from day one they'd spent countless hours sat crammed in cars just watching and waiting for something to happen.
And yet, to Elliot, this one felt different. There was an awkwardness, an atmosphere that had been hanging over their heads for far too long, and he hated it because it wasn't necessary. It shouldn't be that way, not for him and Liv. They were too close for that.
It wasn't like they'd argued, they weren't angry with each other. She'd just withdrawn, gone silent, and it was that which was causing the atmosphere. The atmosphere that he was determined to do away with.
His partner was staring moodily out of the window, as rain hammered down on the outside, completely locked in her own thoughts. He reached into the back seat, pulled out a can of soda and handed it to her. She took it, opened it, but still said nothing.
"Liv?" he said gently, "Is there something going on? Something I should know about?"
She finally turned to look at him, shaking her head in denial, but he didn't believe her. He could tell from the look in her eyes that she knew exactly what he was referring to.
"You're not yourself." he commented, "You've not been yourself for weeks. Since the little angels case."
She shrugged, "It was a heavy case. Hard to forget."
She wasn't wrong there. He still had nightmares about the case himself. Six newborns, kidnapped from their hospital cribs, photographed dressed as angels by the sick bastard who took them, and then left in dumpsters to die. The fact that Lennox Moriaty would spend the rest of his life in jail went some of the way towards wronging the right, but it didn't change the fact it never should have happened in the first place.
But, that wasn't it with Olivia, he was sure of it. It might account for her moods or whatever, but it didn't explain why she'd distanced herself from him. Usually such cases brought them closer together, not this, which seemed to have done quite the opposite.
"Is there something going on at home?" he asked, still not willing to let it go.
She sighed, "A huge pile of dishes sat on the side because I'm too lazy to unload and reload the dishwasher. Two weeks worth of laundry I can't be bothered to do. Oh, and I spilt red wine on the living room carpet last week."
He smiled, but it was more out of exasperation than anything else. Besides which, her diversionary tactics just made him all the more certain there was something a foot. "That's not what I meant Liv. I meant, is there something going on with you outside work." Suddenly something occurred to him, something that made a lot of sense taking into account the fact that she'd actually been leaving work on time in the last few weeks, and not to do chores if what she had just said was to be believed, "Are you seeing someone?"
She shook her head, but seconds later she started to laugh when she realised that he clearly didn't believe her, "God, I can't keep anything from you can I?"
Elliot smiled, "Nope. So what's the deal? Why didn't you tell me?"
Olivia sipped her soda and then shrugged, "I didn't tell you, because…" she shoved her soda in the can holder that sat between them and put her head in her hands, "Elliot… I can't talk to you about this. Its complicated. Its so complicated."
That much he'd worked out for himself. The last time she'd kept a romance from him was when she'd been involved with Cassidy, which had been complicated by the fact the three of them were colleagues. But that wasn't the problem now, he knew that. He, Liv, Munch, Cragen and Fin were tight, but too tight for her to be involved with one of them without him knowing. He had to look to the bigger picture.
He thought about it; what would constitute 'complicated'? What would make her feel awkward around him?
It didn't take much to work it out.
"He's married." He tried to make it sound as far from an accusation as possible but wasn't sure if he succeeded. It was difficult, with his faith he was always going to view adultery negatively - if he hadn't they'd probably have jumped into the sack themselves a long time ago - but he didn't want her to think he was judging her. She'd never confide in him otherwise.
There was a long uncomfortable silence. Unbearably so, and it just went a long way to convincing him he was right. And yet, when Liv eventually looked up and met his eyes with hers, she shook her head.
"No. He isn't married." At her words he started to question what it could be? What else was there that could leave them so estranged? But then he realised she wasn't done…
"He isn't married, Elliot." she repeated, and he could see the tears forming in the corners of her eyes. All the same, he never saw what was coming next;
"But she is…"
*** L&OSVU *** L&OSVU *** L&OSVU *** L&OSVU ***
I know what you're thinking! If you like slash, I'm your new best friend, if you don't, you're running away screaming but pleeeeeeeeeease consider this…
1. I never write anything I can't justify
2. I write plots and characters, I don't write tacky sex
3. If Olivia goes gay, her whole world changes - and that's as much about Elliot, Fin, Munch and Cragen as it is about her unnamed lover (FTVW - shush!)
4. I die without feedback! :D