Disclaimer: Only my overactive imagination belongs to me. :-)
A/N: This is a short one, sort of EO, but sort of EK. If you've ever heard Sugarland's Stay, you know what I'm getting at. It was hard to write since there really isn't a lot of time elapsing in the song, but when I heard the song the other day I knew I had to do something with it. I hope you enjoy and forgive me for the non-happily ever after. Let me know what you thought, but keep it constructive! Thanks!
Olivia rolled over and glanced at the clock as the numbers changed to 3:47 AM. Kathy would start wondering soon, just like she always did. Even with this knowledge, Olivia still jumped when Elliot's phone rang.
"Stabler," he answered. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm still at work, Kathy. I'll be home soon, okay? Yeah. Bye," he flipped the phone shut. "I gotta go, Liv," he kissed her.
"I wish you wouldn't," Liv pleaded.
"I know, baby. I'm sorry."
"I love you, Elliot," she said. It sounded so pathetic to her own ears.
"I love you too," he replied. She wanted to scream at him. To ask him if he loved her why the hell was he going home to his wife, but that didn't sound just pathetic – it was flat out ridiculous.
I've been sittin' here starin' at the clock on the wall
And I've been laying here praying, praying she won't call
And you'll get it and be gone
And I'll be cryin'…
And I'll be beggin' you baby
Beg you not to leave
But I'll be here waiting
With my heart on my sleeve
Oh, for the next time we'll be here
Seems like a million years
And I think I'm dying
Olivia pulled on track pants and an NYPD sweatshirt, following Elliot out to the living room. She sadly retied his tie and he loosened it a little to make it look like he'd been working a long night, not having sex with his partner. Olivia ran a hand over the hair she'd only moments agao been spearing her fingers through to smooth it out.
"I know this sucks, Liv. I just need you to wait a little longer," Elliot explained.
Olivia nodded. "You know she doesn't love you like I do, El," she said. She hated herself. Hated herself for being the mistress, hated herself for being pathetic, hated herself for loving him.
"I know, Liv," he kissed her quickly and was gone. Olivia shut the door behind him and sank to the floor, sobbing.
What do I have to do
to make you see Why don't you
stay You keep tellin' me baby It's too much pain to have to bare
She can't love you like me
I'm down on my knees
I'm so tired of bein' lonely
Don't
I give you what you need
When she calls you to go
There is one
thing you should know
We don't have to live this way
Baby, why
don't you stay
There will come a
time
When you will leave her arms
And forever be in mine
But
I don't think that's the truth
And I don't like bein' used and I'm
tired of waitin'
To
love a man you have to share
Olivia didn't know how long she sat and cried over her broken heart and fucked-up relationship, but she ached inside when she couldn't cry anymore. She needed to be better than this. Elliot needed to make a choice. If he wanted to be with Kathy, then he couldn't be with Olivia. She was done.
I can't take it any
longer but my will is gettin' stronger So next time you find you wanna leave her bed for
mine Why don't you stay Baby why don't you stay
And I think I know just
what I have to do
I can't waste another minute
After all that
I've put in it
I've given you my best
Why does she get the
best of you
I'm up off my knees
I'm so
tired of bein' lonely
You can't give me what I need
When she
begs you not to go
There is one thing you should know
I don't
have to live this way
