Panic
Summary: See ch1
Disclaimer: Not mine
A/N: Keep up the reviewing, glad everyone seems to like it so far!!!
Third Time's The Charm??
"Thank you for a great evening." Olivia said, finally breaking the silence that had been in the car since the two left the restaurant.
Since his second botched proposal plan Elliot had been uncharacteristically quiet, and it was getting to Olivia.
"What makes you think it's over?" He finally asked, looking over to her briefly before turning back to the road in front of him.
"There's more?" She asked, staring at him. She was shocked. "El, you've already made me breakfast in bed, threw me a surprise party at work, brought me roses, taken me out to a wonderful dinner, and almost killed me dancing." She smiled. "What more could there be?"
"You'll just have to patient." He teased. She had no idea what as coming.
While he hadn't originally planned for anything after dinner, he had to think of some way to get the ring that was currently in his pocket on her finger. The entire time he had been silent he was thinking of a way to ask her that would take her breath away.
She just shook her head and laughed.
Within a few minutes Elliot pulled to the side of the road and turned the car off. Olivia immediately recognized their location as the other side of Central Park.
Elliot again ran to her door to open it for her.
"We could have just walked here ya know." She said as she stepped out of the car.
"In those heels?" He asked, motioning to the shoes she was wearing.
"You'd be surprised how much I can do in these heels." She answered, leaning into him as he wrapped his arm around her waist. The two walked back into the park.
"Really? And just what can you do in those heels?" He asked mischievously with raised eyebrows.
"Get your mind out of the gutter Stabler." She said swatting at him. "Now, where the hell are we going?"
The two walked to the lake that was in the middle of the park.
"Tell me detective, you've lived in the city your entire life, yet have you ever rented one of the little boats to take into the lake?" He asked.
"No." Olivia answered simply.
"Well tonight, you will." He smiled pulling his arm way from her, and taking her hand to lead her over to the kiosk where they could rent boats.
Elliot readied the boat and helped Olivia step in. Then he got in, and pushed them away from the dock.
"This has got to be the best date I have ever been on." Olivia smiled.
"Good." Elliot answered. His ego swelled about three times its normal size with that comment. He knew that Olivia had been on many dates before, and the fact that this one trumped all made him extremely happy.
Once they got to the middle of the lake he stopped rowing, and laid the oars in the boat. He made his way over to Olivia so that he could pull her into this lap. She sat between his legs with her back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her.
"The city seems so peaceful from here." She remarked. Sitting in the middle of a lake in Elliot's arms truly changed the way Olivia saw the world.
"Everything seems more peaceful when I'm with you." Elliot answered. The third time had to be a charm. "Everything makes sense when I'm with you."
Olivia smiled because she felt the same way about him.
"My life just wouldn't make sense without you Liv." He continued, pulling the ring from his pocket, once again. "I love you Olivia."
Olivia was starting to get worried. He kept telling her that. He was acting so strange. She rose out his arms and turned to face him. Elliot quickly shoved his hand in his pocket to keep the ring box out of sight until he was ready to ask.
"I know you love me Elliot. Why do you keep telling me? What's going on? Do you think I don't feel the same way or something?" She asked.
"What? No, of course not." Elliot answered quickly. This was not going the way he had pictured. "It's just that I… Liv, I want you to…" He began, but was interrupted by a rather loud crack of thunder.
Both Elliot and Olivia snapped their heads up to the sky. Both had been too caught up in being together to notice the storm clouds forming.
Before either had time to react, the sky opened up.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me!" Elliot exclaimed.
"Think we should get outa here before the lightening strikes?" Olivia asked with a laugh. She found this whole thing very amusing. First Elliot knocks over the champagne, the he falls on her, now this; they were not having a good night, yet it was still the best night of her life.
Elliot quickly rowed back to the dock and the two ran to the car. By the time they got in they were both drenched.
Once again, the ride back was silent. Elliot was too busy thinking. "Maybe someone's telling me not to marry her. Maybe this is a bad idea. Maybe I'm just jinxed!" He wondered.
It was still pouring when he pulled to a stop in front of Olivia's building. He walked to her into the building and up to her door.
"I hope that you had a good birthday." He said as she put the key into the door.
Olivia unlocked it, and pushed it open before turning to face him.
"I had a wonderful birthday, but why does it sound like you're calling it a night?" She asked.
"Because it's late, and I figured, with the luck we've been having tonight, we'd cut our loses before someone loses an eye." He said with a smile. The truth was, he was frustrated with the way the night had gone. He thought he'd be engaged by now, but he was only we and irritated.
"I am not letting you walk around in those wet things any more." Olivia argued. "You're gonna get sick. You're coming in and changing into something warm and dry." She ordered.
"Okay mother." Elliot said with a smile. "When did you get to be all maternal?"
"You don't think I have the ability to be maternal?" She asked, slightly hurt.
Elliot was taken aback when he heard the hurt in her voice. This was definitely not the way this night was supposed to go.
"I didn't say that." He defended quickly. "Of course I think you have the ability to be maternal, in fact I know you do. I was just breaking your chops." He smiled. "You're gonna make someone a great mother one day." He added. "Hopefully someone with the last name of Stabler." He thought.
"So, are you staying?" Olivia answered with a smile that said all was forgiven.
"Of course." Elliot answered, following her in.
The two headed right for Olivia's bedroom. Olivia continued into her bathroom and retrieved two towels. She tossed one to Elliot, who was already going through the drawer designated to him.
He changed in the bedroom while Olivia changed in the bathroom so that she could wash her face, and towel dry her hair without dripping all over the place.
Elliot removed the ring box from his jacket pocket, and stuck it in the pocket of his sweat pants. He didn't need Olivia finding it randomly.
"Ahh, so you've decided to stay the night?" Olivia asked coming out of the bathroom, still towel drying her hair. She had changed into her favorite flannel pants and a gray tank top. She had noticed Elliot pulling back the blankets on the side of the bed he usually slept in when he stayed over.
"Well, I figured since I was already here and changed, and since my cloths are hanging in your bathroom drying, what the hell!" He smiled as he climbed in.
"Well I'm glad you finally came to you senses." She smiled.
She tossed the towel into the bathroom sink and climbed between the sheets next to Elliot. She snuggled up to him, rested her head on his chest, and let him wrap his arm around her.
"I really did have a wonderful time tonight" She smiled.
"Well I'm glad." Elliot answered. "Happy Birthday." He said before kissing the top of her head lightly.
As the two lay in the dark room in silence, something stirred inside of Elliot. It was the moments like these that made him know he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Olivia; the silent moments, when he could feel their hearts beating as one.
"I want this forever Liv." He said suddenly, surprising even him self with the sound of his voice.
"Want what forever?" Olivia asked confused, turning so that she could look into his face.
Elliot was silent for a moment. He didn't know what to say. He hadn't meant to talk; the words just seem to come out on their own.
"This." He finally said. "You and me, just laying here like this" He tired to explain, but could see he was failing by the look of utter confusion in Olivia's face. "Look Liv, I love you." He began. "And I know I've told you that about a hundred times tonight, but that's only because I can't say it enough to stress how much I really do. I can't imagine what my life would be like without you, and I don't want to. I've been trying to find the best way to say this all night, but I guess the best way to say it, is to just say it." He stammered.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Olivia interjected. He was babbling, and she had no idea why.
"I'm talking about the fact that I wanna marry you Liv." He blurted. "I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I could never see my self with anyone else. You make me happier than I've ever been. You make everything better. I love you, and I want you to be my wife. Please Liv," He said as he pulled the box out of his pocket. He pulled the ring out, and held it up to her. "Will you marry me?" He finally asked.
Olivia just stared at him in utter shock. Tears began forming in her eyes. This really was the best birthday she had ever had. Her heart seemed to have stopped beating in her chest.
"Is this why you were acting weird all night?" She finally managed.
"Yeah." He answered simply. His heart was in his throat. Was she going to say yes? "And, I know that this isn't the most romantic way to ask you, but I can't live another second with out knowing." He explained.
"El, I couldn't imagine a more romantic way for you to ask." She whispered, her voice catching slightly in her throat. "I would be honored to be your wife." She smiled.
Elliot captured her lips with his, and pulled her tight to his body. They separated for a brief moment so that he could slip the ring onto her finger.
"I love you." She whispered before returning her lips to his.
She pulled away again for only a brief moment. "Thank you for making this the best birthday of my life." She smiled.
"Thank you for making this one of the best days of my life." Elliot answered.
TBC... so, he finally got the words out!!!! Stay tuned for more to come, and tell me what you think!!