AN 2018: I wrote this initially in 2013 and I decided to go through and correct any mistakes I made with grammar ect. Also I cannot believe that this has been in the works for 5 years. The plot is the same, just a few things that have been reworded.
It had been five years since Stabler left her life. For weeks all she could think about is why her partner of 12 years could leave so suddenly without even a proper goodbye. Then the image of those blue eyes she knew so well, filled with shock at the dying teenager infront of him, flashes back into her mind. Then she knew exactly why.
Still, even now she missed him, she was with Cassidy and they were doing okay- most of the time. But something was never quite right, never quite perfect.
5:00 AM lit up the alarm followed by that all too familiar ringing. "Ughhh.." Olivia rubbed her eyes and shut the alarm off, Cassidy didn't stir. He never did.
….
"Cap, I've been going at this perp for 5 hours. Nothing" Liv complained throwing a stack of sheets on her desk
"Well, guy thinks he's a hardass. Find Amaro and show him otherwise"
"He's under, remember? I'll get Fin"
"He's out canvassing with Munch, tell him to come back on my orders. That always works"
"Kay Cap, we haven't got long till arraignment though"
"Then quit chatting" Cragen winked at her with a smile and paced away. Grabbing her phone out of her pocket she looks up just for a second.
"No…" she breathes.
Black shirt and tie he was standing in the entrance of the precinct. She'd recognize that man anywhere.
"It can't be"
The man spun around, and she was right. Elliot Stabler, was standing right infront of her.
"You're kidding me right?"
Elliot beamed "Liv!"
"Don't call me that"
Anger flashed across those chocolate brown eyes, just like he remembered. She had a fiery temper when she wanted to and right now it was aimed at him.
"Look, I need to explain things to you- properly"
"Damn right you do, you left me remember? Without even a goodbye, see you later. Nothing" She attempted to shove past him. Elliot caught her arm.
"Please, listen to me" he pleaded.
"Why? I don't think you understand how much it hurt when you left. You were my partner for 12 years, for better for worse. You were the biggest part of my life… and…"
Her eyes began to tear up and her voice almost wobbling.
"You were gone, and all I felt was empty"
Shrugging his hand off her, she sighed.
"Look unless you have some other reason to be here, you should leave"
He watched her walk away and he knew that this wasn't over yet. He knew her too well for that.
…
Two days later she lay on the sofa, flicking through TV channels half enjoying her day off. She kissed Cassidy goodbye that morning. But all she could think about was Stabler, and what he wanted to explain. Even 5 years on he still captured her curiosity.
"Oh what the hell" She pressed the keys of her phone instinctively. Even now she hadn't forgotten his number.
"Hey El"
That warm voice she yearned for quickly responded.
"Liv,i'm so glad you called. How're you doing?"
"I'm not sure, you?"
"Same. I've been thinking about the talk we had in the precinct"
A quick pause fell between them.
"Look, I'm sorry Olivia"
Swinging her legs off the sofa she knew that all the emotion he left her with five years ago was surfacing again.
"Me too, but you have to know when I saw you again I got this flood of feelings. I wanted to punch you, kick you, scream, cry and hug you all at the same time and I didn't know which one to do first."
"Shhh it's okay, I deserve all of those things. The very last thing I wanted to do was hurt you but I was in this really bad place. I didn't know what to either and I did the cowardly thing. I ran away and I shouldn't have."
"Is this the infamous Elliot Stabler admitting he has a weakness?" She asked, a smile creeping across her face.
"Hah, I guess so"
What they didn't know was that they were both smiling, at the same time, in sync. Like always.
