This is sort of an extended scene I made up that belongs in the season 8 premiere. It takes place after the fight Elliot has with Detective Blaine.
I don't anything or anyone in this story except the plot. Lucky man that Dick Wolf is, he gets it all
Elliot begins to put on a clean pair of pants, one leg at a time. He doesn't know why he let his fist connect with Blaine's jaw. Then again, he'd been confused about a lot of his words and actions lately. He had told his partner of 7 years, his best friend that he couldn't look out for her anymore, and that his job and her were all he had left. He thinks over all the cases he'd worked on with Olivia. He can't remember the exact moment in all of them that her safety became as important to finding the scum of the streets. Sometimes she gets priority over them, as he showed when he went for her instead of Gitano with the kid. Something deep down has been nagging him, he realizes that now. He thinks this nagging is the feeling of something deeper and it is why his priorities have been screwed up probably for the last seven years. He begins to put on his shirt.
Olivia knows it will break Elliot when he finds out why she did it—requesting a new partner. She can't keep putting him above her duty as a detective. She never should have let him get to her, but then again feelings don't let their owner pick who they get attached to. Her feelings have just grown stronger over the years as she saw him face every case on the job and every trial at home. She knew he loved Kathy but she couldn't stop what she felt. Sighing deeply she knocked on the door and walked inside.
"I love that shirt." She said as she came in as he was fastening a button, not stopping herself.
He smiled quickly before grimacing. "Why are you here Olivia? We're not partners anymore remember?"
"Yeah from what I hear you did to Blaine you are going through the well of possibilities quickly."
"Yeah, he just got on my last nerve. His methods on that case were totally wrong and not what I'm used to and then he said that it was my fault you left and I lost it." Elliot replied finishing off the last button.
"It wasn't your fault that I left. I just couldn't live with myself knowing what I've let take prescient to my job. I had to change partners to someone that I knew I wouldn't distract…" Olivia said as she looked at Detective Stabler and cutting herself off.
"Are you saying I distract you? How is that possible when you're the one I always have to worry about? I give you nothing to worry about in terms of me!"
"Yes Elliot, you jerk! My feelings for you have taken priority in my life in everything I do. I worry about your kids and if you're caring for them as much as you should, I worry about you getting hurt on our cases or worse, I worry about my worries and how stupid they are because I have no idea how you feel."
"How do I feel? Olivia, you are the most important thing to me other than my job. For the last seven years, my kids have always been a safe sanctuary from this hell of a workplace we are in but still, you're always my constant. I know I can count on you; you're the best friend I ever had. I looked out for your safety over the kid's with the Gitano case. I mean jeez." He shot back as he began to pace around the room.
"Elliot. I can't have these strong of feelings for you as a partner. It won't work; the feelings make me place your life ahead of the people we try to save every day. We need to separate now before my feelings go too far." She said as her eyes began to fill with tears.
"Olivia, mine have already gone too far. I think I place you above everything in my life no matter the cost. I showed that with the Gitano case. We can make this work somehow. Our value of each other's lives can help us stay safer on the cases."
"Elliot, what are you saying? You're not even divorced from Kathy, I know how I feel about you, and you on the other hand could hate my guts because of what I've done in wanting another partner."
"Olivia," Elliot began as he walked towards her. "I've had a nagging feeling deep within me for years now, seven to be exact. It came to a head when you got stabbed. I've grown to care more for you in seven years than I cared for Kathy in all of years of our marriage. Olivia, I love you."
He reached for her face and pulled her lips to his. Olivia melted into his arms, letting his hands travel into her hair as she wrapped her arms around his back. The tears that were forming just seconds before now fell like raindrops. She loved him too and would have let him know had he not kissed her first. She deepened the kiss, returning his passion for her with her own desire.
Minutes later the two detectives' lips separated. They couldn't help but smile. Olivia was the first to speak. She didn't want to bring up the hurtful news about her transfer, she would work on that with Cragen later. Instead, she said the only thing she'd knew for certain the entire day.
"I love you too Elliot."