A/N: Hey everyone!!! It's me!!! I'm back!!! Okay, I'm hyper… Soooo… I dunno, I was watching a rerun of Wrath and so this was born… It's meant to be what would have happened if Liv would have opened the door to Elliot at the end… So. Dedications. Again, to the amazing Norma Lopez, my beautiful grandmother. And to my friends from Campoalegre, all of them… Chulian especially, and Lord Matthew… And his sister… And my dad. Kay, read people, review!!!
Why??? Olivia asked herself. Why would he care about her enough to go and put a detail on her??? Why does he dangle all she wants, all she lives for, in front of her??? That day, they had argued because of exactly that, because Elliot had been there for her when she thought she didn't "need" it… But deep down, she knew that she did want it, at least. She wanted someone to care; she wanted him to care… Why did he pretend like he did??? She heard the doorbell ring, but didn't go… It would have just been a waste of hope that he might actually care… He was all she had left. He was all she needed… She loved him more than anything else… Why wouldn't he love her back???
Why??? Why won't she answer??? She doesn't need me… That's why. I was obscured by my love for her, I was overprotective… But how couldn't I be??? She means too much to me… But I don't mean anything to her… I'm just another guy, blinded by her smile… Just another guy that loves her…
Olivia swung her front door open and yelled "Elliot!!!", too overcome her need to know why he just pretended to care… He turned around and their eyes connected like they had so many times before… But this was different. A single tear rolled down Olivia's cheek as she began, "Why did you…" but she was hushed by Elliot's lips pressing against hers… That was something that she did not expect. The instant their embrace broke, Elliot answered, "Because I love you. Because I care. I wasn't pretending." He held her in his arms once again, her head resting on his shoulder. This was all they needed… Olivia needed the only person she had left, to care for her; to need her… "I thought you didn't… Need me..." Elliot whispered… "Of course I do, El, I need you to need me," Olivia said into Elliot's ear, smiling faintly, the joy of finally being lost in Elliot's gravity making her voice sound tense. They stood there for a while, lost each other's arms, finally consoled by the fact that they were both there for each other, because Olivia, too, would give her life for him. There they were, two partners, shielding one and other from danger, protecting one and other from the dark… Hearing the storm outside, but pledging, with their stares, to never let anything happen to either of them… Until reality came at them like thunder… Though they were meant to stay like this forever, it was impossible.
That was 9 years ago. They accepted that they were in love that day… To each other. The tension won't last much longer… The longing to unite once again after all those years was so strong that…
Yup. In the cribs. I learned to knock after that.