A/N: This is something that I've had floating around in my head, so I thought I would put it down in words and see where it goes. It's not thetypical Elliot/Olivia story, but it is hinted at in the beginning. Hope you like it!
There was a crowd at the bar tonight. Have these people had the same kind of day as I have? Elliot walked to the end of the bar and took a seat, and asked for a beer. It had been a long day, starting the night before. Another case…they never ended. Lock up one rapist or murderer, then go after another. He and Olivia had been involved in a shootout, and Olivia had been hurt, but not seriously. The bullet had just grazed her ear. He had never been so scared in his life. Watching her fall, with blood on the floor. How relieved he had been that she was okay, but it stirred up emotions in him he didn't know he had. She's my partner, my best friend, but that's it. That's all it can be. Elliot tried another beer to convince him that was the reason he cared so much. Ever since his divorce, all he had to hold onto were occasional visits with his kids, his job, and her. But she was his partner, part of his job. Don't mess this up. Don't screw up one of the few things you have left. Maybe another beer would do the trick.
He couldn't help but notice her when she walked in. She looked sad and unhappy, but beautiful and graceful. Chestnut hair flowed down her back, and green eyes sparkled with tears. She walked closer to him and took the only available seat at the bar, which was right beside him. As she downed two drinks, he wondered what could have happened to her. He was still staring at her when he reached for his drink and clumsily knocked over his bottle on the bar and into her lap.
Elliot expected her to jump up, to scream, to curse him. But she didn't. She calmly grabbed a few napkins, and blotted at her dress. She smiled as he apologized.
"Shit…I didn't mean to…I'll pay to have it cleaned…I am so sorry."
"Don't worry about. Accidents happen. Thanks anyway."
Elliot quickly offered to buy her another drink, and she accepted. They began to talk, and Elliot learned a little about this lovely woman, who had distracted his thoughts from Olivia. Her name was Elizabeth, and she had broken up with her fiancé. She had come home from a trip and found him with his latest conquest. Apparently it had happened before, and she had forgiven him, but this was it.
"Why am I such an idiot? I knew what he was like. He's done this so many times before. Why did I think I would be different? I thought I could have been enough for him. A fool who thought she could change him. How much more stupid could I have been?"
"He's the crazy one. No man in his right mind…"
"But he did. The crazy thing is if he had begged me right then to stay and forgive him, I probably would have. Maybe not tonight, or tomorrow, but I would have. I always have before. Tonight though, he just looked at me and said 'I wanted to try something new. You understand don't you baby?'
Elliot and Elizabeth continued to drown their sorrows. He let her do all the talking, but he helped with the drinking. It was nearly 3:30 am when she finally asked him why he was here. Elliot glanced around the bar and noticed they were two of only a few people left. He had barely noticed the time passing during his conversation with Elizabeth. Maybe it was the alcohol; maybe he just didn't want to get into his relationship with Olivia or his job. Maybe it was because she was a beautiful woman who was willing to listen to his problems. Instead of answering her though, he did something even he couldn't believe he was doing. He leaned in and kissed her. She pulled back at first, then just looked at him. Elliot thought he had made the wrong move when she finally smiled at him a bit. She placed her land on his knee and asked the bartender for one more drink. She started to get down from her barstool when the effects of all those drinks kicked in. Elliot nearly fell trying to keep her from falling. He whispered that his apartment was only a few blocks away, and they walked out the door in silence, holding on to one another for support.