Too Late

Olivia stepped out onto the sidewalk outside the precinct and headed for her car, deciding she didn't care if Elliot thought she was fit to drive or not. She no longer worried what would happen to her.

Spotting her car, Olivia jogged over and unlocked the door. She put the key in the ignition and turned it. Once, twice, three times. Nothing happened. The engine groaned pitifully. With a slightly sick feeling in her gut, she looked at the gas gauge. Empty. Crap.

Olivia got out of her car and headed back to the street. She would hail a cab. No way would she ask Elliot for a ride home. She stood on the sidewalk for half an hour, trying to flag down a cab, but since it was Friday night and people were getting drunk, it looked as though every single cab driver had his work cut out for him.

She was debating whether or not it was actually safe to walk home when someone tapped her on the shoulder. Her hand instinctively flew to her gun as she whirled around to face the person. It was Elliot.

"Were you in the precinct that whole time?" she asked incredulously. She thought Elliot must have gone home by now.

"Yeah," he answered quietly. "I had something I needed to take care of. Come on, Liv, let me drive you home. All of the cabs are busy tonight."

Olivia opened her mouth to say no, and thought better of it. She was heartbroken, but she wasn't stupid. So she relented. "Okay…" she said quietly.

They got into Elliot's car and Olivia waited, but he didn't touch the ignition. "What?" she asked a little worriedly.

"Please tell me what's bothering you, Olivia. I don't understand at all what's going on," he answered.

Olivia blushed crimson. "El, it's something I have to work through by myself. I don't think it would be a good idea to tell you."

He sighed in resignation and silently drove her home. When he reached her apartment building, Olivia got out and started toward the door, but Elliot had gotten out, too. They looked at each other for a long moment without saying anything. Then, suddenly, as though driven by an unseen force, Elliot hurried towards Olivia.

Olivia's heart started pounding unreasonably fast, as it normally did around Elliot. He wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her in an impossibly comforting and warm hug. Her arms, seeming to move on their own, reached up and hugged him back. It took all of Olivia's willpower not to burst into tears. Here she was, nestled in the arms of the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, but was completely forbidden to have. She couldn't help but notice how well they seemed to fit together, as though they were destined to be.

Shut up, her pessimistic side snarled. You can't have him, Benson! You had your chance, and you ran off to Oregon. Maybe he wouldn't be going back to Kathy if he thought you actually cared about him! Eight years together and you suddenly decide to leave without even saying goodbye! I wonder just how close he and Dani got…

At this last thought, Olivia gasped slightly and broke the embrace. "Thank you for driving me home, Elliot," she said quickly and hurried into her apartment building.

She used the elevator to get to her apartment as quickly as possible; she didn't think that she could fight the tears much longer. Quickly unlocking the door to her apartment, she basically threw herself inside and immediately shut the door. Slipping down onto the floor, she started to cry. Hard. She hadn't cried like this in years. She didn't know losing her soul mate would feel like her heart had been liquefied in a blender with new blades.

Eventually, she got a hold of herself and dragged herself to bed, not caring about her appearance. She looked at the time. 11:11 exactly. Olivia fell forward onto her bed without bothering to make a wish or change her clothes and fell into a troubled slumber.

Hours later still, Olivia was jolted back to consciousness by the sudden ringing of her cell phone. She groped for it in the dark.

"Benson," she answered dully.

"Olivia, it's Cragen. It seems our perp has struck again. There's another victim. Beaten and raped just like Alice. Corner of 25th and Broadway. Call Elliot."

He hung up without waiting for a response, as was typical.

Olivia sighed. The last thing she wanted to do was call Elliot. Or, really, ever see him again. It hurt too much. Stop acting like a teenager with a crush! she chided herself and dialed the all too familiar number on her cell phone.

"Slarbler," said a very sleepy Elliot.

Olivia's heart constricted. "Uh, hi, Elliot, it's Olivia. Cragen called. We caught a case. Same MO as our suspect; raped and beat another woman."

Elliot was wide-awake now. "Where?" he asked urgently.

"Corner of 25th and Broadway."

"See you there." And he hung up.

Olivia threw on her coat and grabbed her things. As she left, she glanced at the time. 3:36 AM.

Olivia was halfway to her car when she remembered it wasn't there. It was still at the precinct. So, against her will, Olivia phoned Elliot again. Strangely, there was no answer.

"Need a ride, Benson?"

She turned to find Elliot standing directly behind her, grinning as though he'd read her mind. Her heart sped up as it always did around Elliot. She forced herself to speak, even though it felt as though her entire body had nervously seized up.

"Yeah….," she responded resignedly.

They got into Elliot's car and drove to the crime scene. Flashing their badges, they ducked simultaneously under the police tape and walked over to EMS. They were directed to the victim, who was being cared for at the back of the ambulance by several paramedics. She had a black eye and a split lip and there were various cuts and bruises all over her.

"Hello, I'm Detective Benson and this is my….my…..my partner, El-uh, I mean, Detective Stabler. What's your name?"

"Theresa Brown. I'm seventeen."

"Can you tell us what happened?"

Theresa told them everything she could remember. How she was walking home from studying at a friend's house and thought she heard someone behind her. How that someone had grabbed her and dragged her into a nearby alley and raped her, beating her all the while.

"He threatened to kill me if I screamed, so I bit him when he tried to kiss me and he bit me back, making my lip split."

Olivia swallowed hard. Theresa's story was nearly identical to that of Alice.

"Did you see his face?"

"No, he wore a blue ski mask."

"Do you remember anything about him? A smell, a scar, a tattoo, jewelry?"

Theresa paused in her morbid tale and thought hard. Her face suddenly drained of all color.

"His cologne! It was my ex-boyfriend, Jacob Alberson! I got him that cologne for his birthday before we broke up! I can't believe he would do something like this to me!"

She started crying and the detectives couldn't get another word out of her.

"I think it's time to pay a little visit to good old Jacob," said Elliot savagely.

Olivia quickly dialed Cragen.

"Captain? It's Olivia. We've got a positive ID. Theresa says our friend Jacob raped her. She recognized him by the cologne. We're off to arrest him now."

A few minutes later, the two detectives were banging on the Alberson's door.

"Police! Open up, Jacob!"

No one answered.

"Stand back, Liv."

She stood back. Elliot kicked in the door and they went inside. They raced around the house, looking for Jacob. His mother wasn't around. They came upon his bedroom and went inside. His window was open and they could hear someone running down the fire escape.

Elliot looked at Olivia and nodded.

"I'll go out the window. You go back outside and see if you can catch him!"

He practically dove out the window and Olivia dashed out of the apartment.

Skidding to a halt outside, she noticed a dark figure running down the street. Certain it was Jacob, Olivia blasted after him, intent on getting her hands on him.

He wasn't on the football team for nothing. Olivia had to put on a burst of adrenaline just to keep him within her line of vision.

"STOP! POLICE! JACOB! STOP! STOP!!"

He kept running, but he was losing steam and Olivia could tell he was looking for somewhere to hide. Suddenly, someone appeared running next to her. It was Elliot .

They ran together, their steps almost in perfect sync. That's what you get for spending nearly 24/7 with someone for over eight years.

They were getting closer. Olivia wasn't a decorated police officer for no good reason. She summoned the last of her energy and leapt into the air, tackling Jacob and slamming them both into the ground. He tried to scramble away, but Olivia jammed her knee into the small of his back, pinning him down. She reached into her pocket to pull out handcuffs. She forced his arms behind his back and handcuffed him as Elliot caught up to them, completely out of breath.

"Jacob Alberson, you are under arrest for the rape of Theresa Brown and Alice Robinson," Olivia snarled, pulling him to his feet. "You have the right to remain silent; if you give up that right, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney; if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you….."

Elliot and Olivia brought Jacob back to the precinct, where they interrogated him for two hours. He finally broke and confessed to both rapes, against his lawyer's and his mother's advice. He would soon be indicted.

Olivia hardly paid any attention after that; her thoughts were elsewhere. Cragen ordered, despite their protests, that both her and Elliot to take the rest of the day off.

The next two weeks were a complete blur to Olivia. Looking back, she couldn't remember one single thing about them. She went on complete autopilot to survive the pain of her broken heart. She barely talked to anyone, especially Elliot, and distanced herself from him by calling him "Stabler," as though they were mere acquaintances as opposed to partners and best friends.

Elliot was at his wits' end. He didn't understand why Olivia was being so distant with him. Things were going badly with Kathy. He had only tried to go back to her because he felt he had lost the one thing that mattered more to him than his own life and was trying feebly to replace it. He felt like he had lost Olivia when she had gone to Oregon undercover for the FBI. He wasn't sure when it was that he had fallen in love with his partner. Over time, he simply began to care about her more and more as more than a friend or partner and feeling absurdly jealous whenever she had a date. He had simply brushed it off at first. But, now, he was startled to realize, he wanted more than anything to spend the rest of his life with Olivia Benson. He had a friend in college who liked to talk about how everyone had a soul mate, and at the time, Elliot had just brushed it off as nonsense. However, after meeting Olivia, he realized that his crazy friend was one hundred percent right. He wished fervently that she felt the same way, only there was no way that was possible. Sometimes, he got the impression she did, but he figured it was just wishful thinking on his part. Why would a beautiful, strong, talented, loving and incredible woman like Olivia Benson want with a divorced man with four kids? His entire soul ached for her, and he found himself constantly looking for and giving excuses to be near her or to touch or hug her. Often, he'd find himself staring at her for long periods of time without even realizing it. It was pathetic.

I HAVE to tell her, he thought miserably. I can't go on like this. His memory suddenly flashed back to their conversation two weeks ago. She had mumbled something when he'd told her about Kathy. What was it? I'm too late. Too late for what, exactly? Suddenly, Elliot felt a rush of excitement and hope.

"Elliot."

"Elliot!"

"ELLIOT STABLER!"

Elliot felt something hit him square in the middle of his forehead.

Elliot jumped and looked around. Olivia was looking at him funny. "What?" he asked. Wait, she's started using my first name again! I wonder…

"Finally! I've been saying your name for a good ten minutes! I had to throw my pencil at you to get you to pay attention! Munch and Fin are laughing at us now. What on Earth had you so distracted?"

She actually seemed in a cheerful mood, much more like her old self. Elliot didn't want to tell that it was HER he was thinking about, so he picked the next thing that popped into his head.

"Uh, just, uh,"don't say ' you', you moron! Think of something else! Anything else! No! Don't look at her coffee brown eyes that you could drown in the warmth and love of!

"Um……I was just thinking about Kathy." Damn! What is WRONG with you, Stabler?! Now she's gonna think you're obsessed with your ex-wife!

And in fact, Olivia's face fell, and the light and cheerfulness died in her eyes. She returned her gaze to her paperwork and responded with a simple "Oh…"

Olivia felt like her heart had been ripped out with a chainsaw and beaten into the dirt when Elliot mentioned Kathy. Needless to say, she felt a burning, prickling sensation behind her eyes and looked again at her paperwork to hide the fact that her eyes were feeling like tears. She had started to feel more like herself this past week and hoped that Elliot's sudden far-off look was because he'd been thinking about her. Don't be an idiot, Benson, she scolded herself. He has a REAL family; what does he need YOU for, anyway?

She wasn't sure just when it was that she had fallen in love with Elliot Stabler. It had happened slowly and gradually, taking its time, as true love is supposed to. She had began to care for him much more as just a partner and a best friend, experiencing a bizarre stab of envy whenever Kathy showed up at the stationhouse or he mentioned her at work. She had never felt this way about anyone before in her life, and she only knew that she wished to spend the rest of her life with Elliot Stabler.

Olivia sighed. Luckily, the day had been uneventful and was almost over. Just fifteen minutes left. She tried to focus on her paperwork, but instead found her thoughts drifting back towards the man sitting right in front of her.

He always gets my coffee every morning, even after a fight. He laughs at my stupid jokes, even the ones that Munch doesn't get. He picked helping me over saving that kid when Gitano cut my throat last year. I'll never forget that look in his eyes when he gathered me up in his arms. He was scared. Elliot doesn't scare easily. We even have the same blood type. He said that this job and me are the only things he has left anymore. He has always spent more time here with me at the precinct than at home with his wife. He's the best friend I've ever had…………

"Hey, Liv, come back to planet Earth; it's time to leave."

Olivia jerked out of her thoughts and realized it was ten minutes past nine. She had been staring at the same piece of paper for twenty-five minutes. Resolving to actually DO the paperwork the following day, she gathered up her things and went to leave, but Elliot grabbed her arm as she passed his desk.

"What is it, Elliot?" she asked tiredly. A broken heart is very tiring, she noted dully.

"I…I….I need to talk to you, Liv," he said, more nervously than the situation warranted.

"About what?" Great, he's probably going to tell me all about how wonderful it is to have Kathy back and how incredibly in love with her he is.

"About, well, us, Liv."

Olivia snapped to attention and looked at Elliot in astonishment.

"U-us?" she said, her voice becoming slightly higher than was normal.

"Yes," he replied firmly, but inside his nerves were completely shot.

He steered her out into the hallway. She leaned against the wall, watching him apprehensively. What is it that he wants to talk to me about? Could it be he feels the same way about me that I do about him? No damn way, Benson. He went back to his ex-wife, remember?

Elliot just looked at Olivia. She was so beautiful and didn't even know it…Okay, he thought. How am I going to tell her? He felt like someone had twisted his brain into a knot so that he couldn't speak. But she was watching him curiously now. He had to say something.

He swallowed hard. "Olivia, we've been partners for over eight years now and I have something I really need to tell you."

"What is it, Elliot?" she asked, suddenly concerned that he might tell her he had cancer or something. And here I am, worrying about a stupid nonexistent love triangle! "Are you okay, Elliot? Is everything all right?"

"Well, no, actually. For one thing, I'm not getting back with Kathy."

Olivia's heart restarted. "Elliot, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. I'm in love with someone else."

And just like that, Olivia's heart died again. Haha, her mind taunted. Lost out again, Benson! Bet it's that Dani Beck chick that took your place while you were out tree hugging in Oregon.

Olivia resisted the urge to roll her eyes at herself. Be quiet, you stupid little voice! She forcibly pushed the pessimist aside and looked at Elliot, who was watching her anxiously. She swallowed back tears and said "Oh?"

"Yes, and I couldn't believe it at first. But now I'm glad that Fate picked this particular person out for me. She's the most amazing woman I've ever met. Strong, intelligent, loving and beautiful."

Olivia was fighting a losing battle against the tears.

"I'm in love with you, Olivia Benson. I have been for eight years."

Then, before Olivia had any time at all to react, Elliot's lips were on hers. The most incredible feeling spread throughout her entire body. It was like being struck by lighting, only instead of electricity, it was pure love. Her body melted into Elliot's arms and she pulled him close, kissing him back and releasing eight years of pent-up passion in doing so.

Some people wait a lifetime.

For a moment like this.

Some people search forever.

For that one special kiss.

Gently, he pulled away from her, looking into her eyes like he never wanted to look at anything else.

Olivia was in shock. She couldn't speak. Slowly, a look of horror and disappointment crossed Elliot's face as he came to the conclusion that Olivia didn't love him back and was trying to figure out how to tell him.

Olivia's brain was moving very sluggishly, but suddenly rational thought burst through. Don't just stand there, you idiot! He thinks you don't love him back! Say something before you lose him forever!!

"Elliot, I-", she started, but he cut her off.

"It's okay, Olivia. I shouldn't have done that."

"No, Elliot, I love you, too. That's what I wanted to tell you the day you told me about Kathy."

Amazement crossed Elliot's handsome features, promptly replaced by pure joy. He swept her up into her arms and hugged her hard. Then he kissed her again, with more passion than the first time.

He let go of her and she tried unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn.

He chuckled. "Am I really that boring?"

Olivia grinned in spite of herself. "No, it's just that I haven't been getting much sleep lately. I imagine I'll sleep well tonight, though…" she said slyly.

He raised his eyebrows, but before he could say anything, they heard someone clear his throat.

"Ahem."

The couple turned to see one of the late-night janitors standing right behind them, looking incredibly embarrassed.

"I, uh, wouldn't have said anything, but you're um, blocking the door and I need to get into the main room to clean," he said awkwardly.

Elliot and Olivia moved aside, and when the man had hurried off, burst out laughing. For a while, they couldn't stop.

"Wow," said Olivia, wiping her eyes. "That was really funny. Did you see the look on his face?"

Elliot snickered. "How about I take you home, Liv?"

Olivia gave him another one of her sly looks. "Yours or mine?"

She then started laughing again at the expression on Elliot's face.

"I'm kidding, El. Relax."

He ended up spending the night at her apartment, getting to know her in ways he had only dreamed about. They fell asleep locked in each other's arms.

Olivia was woken up by Elliot rolling away from her in his sleep. Smiling a little, she sat up and glanced at the time. It was 7:00. They had to be at work in one hour. She started to get out of bed, but someone's warm arms pulled her back and held her close.

"Elliot, we have work in an hour," she said, trying to ignore how good it felt to be in his arms and deciding it was a futile effort to pretend she didn't like it.

"No, I won't let you leave," he said happily. "Not now that I've finally got you."

Olivia felt the heat rise in her face and she smiled a little stupidly out of pleasure.

"Hmm, how about this; you release me and I go make coffee?"

"Nah."

"Then you leave me no choice."

Olivia reached out and tickled Elliot's bare ribs with her fingers. He yelled in surprise and let go of her. Laughing to herself, Olivia got up and pulled on a bathrobe and went into her bathroom to take a shower.

When she had finished, she headed into her kitchen to start coffee. As she stood there, taking out the container, she felt someone's arms snake around her waist and squeeze lovingly.

"Hey, beautiful," said Elliot fondly, kissing Olivia's neck.

Deciding the coffee could wait, she turned around and melded her lips with his, enjoying the warmth of his body and the safety of his arms.

They were so absorbed in each other that they didn't notice that fifteen minutes had passed and there were now only twenty-five minutes left until work.

Olivia broke away from Elliot and rested her head on his chest with a contented sigh. "I wish we didn't have to go to work," she said dreamily. Resignedly, she turned back to the coffee pot and poured cups for both herself and Elliot. She drank half of it quickly and got dressed at the speed of light.

Elliot looked slightly embarrassed. "Won't people suspect something when I show up in the same clothes I had on yesterday?" he said.

Olivia threw on her coat, looking thoughtful. Then she shrugged. "I don't think we should hide it. People are bound to find out anyway."

"But what about our jobs? Two detectives that are together can't work in the same precinct."

"Correction: two detectives who are married can't work in the same precinct. I'd like to see Cragen try to separate us."

Elliot smiled, love for his partner warming his entire body. He went over and laid such a kiss on Olivia Benson that he might as well have been trying to win the Olympics in tonsil hockey. She broke away, flushed and breathless with pleasure. "We'd better go or we'll be late for work!" she gasped.

They reached the building only five minutes behind schedule. They walked up to the door to the bullpen and Elliot took Olivia's hand and squeezed it, hardly able to believe his luck. They walked casually in together.

Munch spotted them and hurried over. "There you are; we just caught a lead on the-hey, why are you two holding hands?"

They merely grinned at him and Munch's face broke out in a wide smile.

"Congratulations! I always thought you two were perfect for each other!"

Then he yelled for his partner.

"HEY, FIN! I WON THE BET!! YOU OWE ME FIFTY BUCKS!!! ELLIOT AND OLIVIA HOOKED UP!!!"

Fin rushed over. "Hey, man, that's not fa-OH! Damn! You DO win!" he grumbled, pulling out his wallet. Neither detective noticed Elliot and Olivia shooting daggers at them with their eyes.

At Munch's pronouncement, the entire room exploded into cheers of joy and everyone started hugging everyone else. Everyone had been waiting for eight years for the two detectives to admit their feelings for each other.

The detectives were so red that their faces were burning. They glared at Munch, who slowly realized he'd been found out. Fin grinned.

"You, you BET on Elliot's and my relationship??!!" said Olivia furiously.

"Well, actually, your um, strong POTENTIAL for a relationship," Munch replied weakly. People started laughing and Cragen came out to see what had everyone so hysterical. He spotted his two lead detectives, who now had their arms wrapped around each other's waists and were ignoring everyone else as they stared rather dreamily at each other, and groaned good-naturedly.

"I knew this had to happen eventually; Benson, Stabler, my office immediately!"

The whole room cheered again as the new couple made their way to Cragen's office, looking mildly embarrassed. They got inside and shut the door, turning to face their boss.

Cragen just looked as his two detectives, whom he viewed as his own family and opened his mouth to speak, but Elliot cut him off.

"Captain, the rule says that we have to be married for you to be required to separate us; Olivia and I are just dating now; there's no reason to get us new partners, right?"

Cragen raised his eyebrows. "You two have always had a much closer relationship than any other detectives I've ever met, like two halves of the same whole that had finally been reunited. I knew the moment I introduced the two of you that we were in for a compelling few years. Never did I dream that either of you would stay on this long. You two are the best pair of detectives I've ever had the pleasure to work with, and I wish you all the best in your relationship, now and forever."

They gaped at him. Cragen almost smirked. Elliot and Olivia turned to leave, but Cragen stopped them.

"Before you go, can I just say one more thing?"

They waited.

"I always KNEW with absolute certainty in the very bottom of my heart that you two are meant to be together and would end up together eventually."

Elliot and Olivia reddened, if possible, even deeper than previously.

"By the way, uh, you'll probably see lots of people congratulating each other and exchanging money in the coming couple of weeks. Pretty much the entire building was betting on when you two would finally get together."

Olivia and Elliot simultaneously rolled their eyes and groaned, walking out the door to face the world, together.