"You are never letting it go, are you?" She said as she leaned against the counter and watched him drink his beer.

"You said it yourself. Never."

"Oh, Hank, come on." Olivia walked over to him and stood between his legs.

"You were standing the same way when you chose to lie to my face."

"I wasn't lying. I was just avoiding the topic." She rubbed his arms. "Plus, that was a long time ago. Why are you bringing it up now?"

"I'm not telling you."

"Please."

"Today marks six months since we first slept together and all I can do is picture him on you."

"If it makes you feel any better, you always fucked me better."

"It doesn't because it still means he touched you."

"But it didn't mean anything."

"It did to me. You knew how I felt back then and you still didn't tell me about that rat."

"But we are together now, aren't we?"

"Yes, but did we have to go through all that pain? All those fights?" Hank took a step back and walked towards his bedroom.

Olivia knew how deeply she had hurt him and she had never expected him to forgive her…but he did. Occasionally, the pain hit him again and he made her feel it. He spent four months not talking to her, avoiding her phone calls and never calling her back. One day, they had another case together and when she showed up, he called her "Lieutenant"; that had cut straight through her skin and she realized what she had done. Everyone in Chicago was mad at her and she knew she had to make it right.

[18 months earlier]

She looked up from Erin's face and saw him standing by his office door. He had a small smirk on his face and those puppy eyes she knew he always used on her. She didn't know exactly why but her heart started beating faster.

"Why does this always happen?" She asked herself as she lowered her eyes back to Erin. "I'm with someone else. That's what I have to think about. I can't think about wanting to run into his arms after all these months. You are dating someone else, Olivia." She repeated in her mind as if thinking about it would make her stop feeling what she was feeling for Voight. "I have to tell him. I have to set the record straight. But…what does he care? He probably isn't thinking about me. He's probably slept with someone else, right? But I still have to tell him. Maybe not now. But I have to."

"Glad you're here." She heard him say and her eyes went back to him. Her knees started trembling and she took a step forward so her weakness wouldn't shine through. She couldn't let herself fall for him…more than she already had. She was with someone else and she wouldn't hurt Hank by leading him on.

"I wish you were here more often," he said looking into her eyes and once again her heart sped up.

"I'm dating someone else," she thought to herself. "I will hurt you because the people I truly love always get hurt or leave me. And I can't lose you, Hank. I can't hurt you and I can't watch you walk away because I love you." She smiled softly at him without speaking. "Love?" She asked herself. "Yes. I do. I do love this man but I can't. I'm with someone else. I'm with someone else."

[1 month later]

"Hank?" She asked awkwardly as she let go of Tucker's hand when they stepped off the elevator. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, you called me last night."

"I did?"

"I guess you had one too many."

"Who is this guy?" Tucker asked looking at Olivia.

"Yeah, right. Ed this is Sergeant Hank Voight. Hank this is Ed Tucker." She watched the looks both men exchanged. "Ed, could you give us a minute?"

"I'll be inside," he said as he stepped into her apartment.

"Hank, I don't remember calling you." Olivia looked down to the floor. "What did I say?"

"That you were feeling alone and you didn't want to be alone with your thoughts. You said you were tired of constantly being reminded of the hell you've been through. And then you asked me to come." He shook his head. "I should have known it was the alcohol speaking."

"It's not like that."

"Then what is it like, Olivia? Because I feel like you are playing with me."

"No, oh my god no. That's the last thing I would do, Hank. I care about you."

"You care about me? People care about pets not humans."

"Don't be like this."

"Like what?"

"Hank, I'm sorry. I should have told you I was seeing someone else. I shouldn't have called you last night."

"But, what is the truth? The one you are saying now or the one drunk Olivia said last night?"

"I tend to be more honest when I'm drunk."

"Just…" He took a step closer and kissed her forehead. "Call me when you are done playing games and want to be with someone who truly loves you."

[5 months later]

"Nice to see you again," Hank said as she shook Fin's hand. "Lieutenant," he nodded at Olivia and didn't say another word. "You have full jurisdiction. As always. Thanks for flying out here." And with that, he walked to his office and slammed the door close.

Lieutenant. She knew he was mad but the fact that he avoided saying her name or looking into her eyes proved how hurt he was. Benson wished she could make it better. Wished she could tell him the same night he left her she had broken up with Tucker. Deep down she understood nothing she said would make him feel better. She had hurt the one man who loved her more than life itself.

"Why did you come?" Erin asked as she pulled Olivia aside. "You should have sent someone else in your place."

"Excuse me?"

"Don't play the fool with me, Olivia. I know what happened between Hank and you. We all do."

"Nothing happened between us."

"Oh really? You are going to tell me you were the only stupid one who didn't realize he loved you? You knew what he felt and you played with him."

"Erin, I didn't know. I didn't know he felt that way. I would have never hurt him on purpose."

"You were the first person he loved after Camille. I thought you were better than this."

"Fin and I are headed back to New York," she said as she stepped into his office. It wasn't as it used to be. This time she asked for permission before walking in.

"Okay. Thank you for your help, Lieutenant. Have a safe flight home."

"I would rather have you yell at me. Scream. Be angry!"

"I am not angry. I am heartbroken."

"Hank, I am sorry."

He shook his head. "Don't. You've already caused enough pain." He pointed towards the door for her to walk out. "The sad thing is that I will always love you."

[6 months later]

"What are you doing here?" Hank asked as he opened the door and saw Olivia Benson standing on the other side.

"I'm tired of this. I hate knowing I hurt you and that you hate me. I miss talking to you, Hank! Miss the sound of your voice. Hell, I miss your interrogating methods. I miss you and I am not leaving until you get it all out of your chest and we are back on good terms." She pushed him aside and walked in. "Lay it on me, Sergeant."

"I don't have anything to say to you."

"Then we don't have to talk," she said as she started unbuckling his belt.

"What are you doing?"

"What we should have done years ago."

"What about the rat?"

"I broke up with him months ago." She looked into his eyes as she took his shirt off. "Will you just fuck me already?"

"This doesn't mean you have my full forgiveness." He said as he threw her over his shoulder and carried her to the bedroom as she giggled.

It didn't take long for their clothes to hit the floor. She was happy to feel the soft touch of his lips on her neck as he thrusted his hips against her. In that moment, Olivia realized how much she truly loved him. Her body matched his pace as he worked his hips in circles going deeper and faster. His lips went from her neck to her chest until they reached her nipples and he tugged at one of them using his tongue softly. Hank didn't know how much he needed to hear her moan his name until she did for the first time; it was music to his ears. She felt him grow in her and, wrapping her legs around his waist, pushed his ass making him go deeper in her.

"I love you, Hank Voight," she whispered in his ear as he made her body leave the mattress. A grin appeared on his face as he used two fingers to rub her wet clit. Their bodies slamming together, sweat drops running between her breasts against his chest, her walls tightening around him, his fingers getting wet with her excitement as he continued to rub her clit and their groans echoing around the room. "I love you too, Olivia Benson," he said between moans as he hit her g-spot and the orgasm hit them.

"Why did we wait so long for this to happen?" Olivia chuckled as he rested his head on her stomach and caressed the scar on her hip with his fingertips.

"Because you were fucking rats."

"Touché."

[present time]

She leaned against the bedroom door and watched him sitting on the bed looking at that one photo of Camille. He always did that when they argued. Part of her knew she should be jealous, but she couldn't. She thought it was adorable when he sat on the bed, his head hanging between his legs, as he held the photo in his hands. It was little things like that one that made her love him more. When he left his guard down and allowed his feelings to take over. He was all she ever needed and she couldn't believe it had taken her so long to realize it.

"You know you always do that, right?"

"Do what?"

"Every time we argue, you sit there holding her photo." She sat next to him and he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Does it bother you?"

"No, I actually think it's adorable."

"Adorable?" He chuckled. "I don't think anyone has ever used that word to talk about me."

"Yeah, that doesn't surprise me." She nestled against his chest and took the photo from him. "She was beautiful, Hank."

"Yes, she was."

"Is this all you have left of her?"

"Nowadays, yes. I gave Justin her engagement ring."

"For his son's mother?"

"Yes."

"When?"

Hank thought back on that terrible day. He remembered fighting those men trying to keep them away. He remembered being handcuffed in that room as he watched them suffocate his grandson's mom. He remembered feeling no pain even when he got hit. He remembered his team walking in and helping the girl. He remembered the anger he felt as he realized Camille's ring was gone. He knew he wouldn't stop until he got it back and he would do anything in his power to recover it. That was the last thing he had that had belonged to his wife and wouldn't let some thugs steal that from him.

"My safety box was stolen and they kidnapped me and my grandson's mom to get the code from me. They kicked me around but I didn't cave in until they started suffocating her."

"You never told me this."

"I wanted to forget it," he looked at her. "I didn't care about the money or the documents. All I wanted was to get back Camille's ring. The men had split up the things and we had to go after the one who had the ring."

"I can imagine how you reacted."

"Worse than ever but I got it back. That night I gave it to Justin. I wanted him to have it and maybe have a marriage as good as the one I had."

"That is the kind of love you find but once in a lifetime."

"Look at that, I found it twice."

"Hank."

"No, hear me out."

"I'm all ears."

"What Camille and I shared was unique. I married her six months after meeting her because I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. But our love had an expiration date. That was seven years ago when she died. We were never meant to spend our life together…at least not mine. That's when I decided to close my heart and not let anyone in. I didn't want to love someone and take the risk of losing them. That's when you showed up. Four years later. In you I saw what I had wanted all these years. Someone who challenged me. Someone who encouraged me to be better. Someone who motivated me. Someone who inspired me. Someone I could love. And I did, from the very first time. All the things I said, like miss your smiling face or I wish you were here more often, were signs of my love. So, yes," he looked into her eyes, "I've found that kind of love twice in my lifetime."

"Is that why me dating Tucker bothered you so much?"

"Not really. What hurt me was that you knew exactly how I felt about you and you went along with it. You sent me bourbon bottles. You sent me texts. You called me. You skyped me. Hell, woman, you were standing between my legs! You knew I loved you and you enjoyed knowing I was at your feet."

"I did but not for the reasons you think. I've loved you since the first time too, Hank. You saw me for who I was. To you I wasn't just my job. To you I was a woman worth getting to know. A woman you could challenge and push to her limits. You brought me back to life after what had happened to me. You and Noah are the reason I'm alive now."

"Look at us being adults and talking about our feelings." He laughed.

"Now that we are behaving like adults. You need to tell Erin that we are together. She's still mad at me and I hate it."

"You are the one who wanted to keep us a secret."

"I know but not anymore. We shouldn't hide our love. We deserve to be happy in public."

"You just want Erin to stop hating you." Hank smiled knowing Olivia loved Erin as if she were her own daughter.

"I really do."

"Would you want me to call her now?"

"Do you mind?"

"I would do anything for you." He said as he dialed Erin's number. "Hey, it's me."

"Hank, it's late. Is everything okay?"

"I have something to tell you. I've been seeing someone these last few months."

"I know. You've been fucking Benson."

"Language, kid. You knew?"

"Yes. I could see you were acting differently, happier. So I had Mouse show me your texts and that's when we find out."

"You went through my phone?"

"Look, you are my father. I love you and I needed to make sure you were okay. I know you love her. Sometimes I think you love her more than you loved Camille. But I don't want her to hurt you again."

"She won't."

"She is there, isn't she?"

"Yes."

"Put her on the phone."

"You be nice." He handed the phone to Olivia. "She wants to talk to you."

"Hi, Erin."

"I like you, Olivia. I really do. You are the closest thing I've had to a mother in years but if you hurt him again, you will pay for it."

"I will take care of him. I promise. And, Erin," she said as she looked at Hank, "you are like a daughter to me."

"Then you take care of our family."

Tears filled Olivia's eyes as she heard Lindsay say our family. She wasn't lying when she said she felt Erin was her daughter. The feeling had started when Yates had escaped prison and, even after all that had went down, it hadn't gone away. When she realized she had hurt the young woman by hurting her father, Olivia hated herself even more. She wanted to be a role model, someone Erin could look up to but her actions had ruined that. Now was the time to fix that. She had the chance to make up for her mistakes. She was going to take care of their family.

"Thank you, Hank."

"What for?"

"For bringing Erin into my life. For letting your guard down and allowing me into your heart. For loving me. For letting me love you. For loving Noah as if he were your son. For forgiving me when I didn't deserve it. For being you."

"I'm the one who should be thankful. I thought I would spend the rest of my life alone and then you came along."

"And you won't ever have to be alone again."

"Until you go back to New York."

"So, Trudy didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"I can't believe she was able to keep the secret."

"What secret?"

"I put my papers in and asked for a transfer."

"You did what now?"

"Noah and I are moving to Chicago."

"You have got to be kidding me."

"I am not. I have spent all my life looking for you and I am tired of traveling back and forth to see you. It's time I settle down."

"In Chicago?"

"In your arms….where I belong."