A/N: Ok, I know I have been seriously lax in updating but I've been crazy busy with school, work and family stuff. Still, I'm sincerely sorry for the delay. Thanks for sticking with me.

Oh, just to let you know, I don't really know where the ending for this chapter came from cause its not what I had planned, but I couldn't resist. Please review and let me know what you think.

There was something strangely reminiscent of high school about entering the squad room that late afternoon. As she walked through the room the hushed conversations among co-workers seemed to stop as she neared. She knew they were all talking about her, but she wasn't in the mood to deal with such immature behavior so she shook off the prying eyes and low whispers and forged on.

Before she reaches Cragen's office, Munch steps in front of her.

"Don't do it Olivia," he warns.

Olivia rolls her eyes. "Move John."

"Come on Olivia, are you really going in there to fight for a man who sent you to the hospital with a broken cheek bone?"

"Fractured," she corrects as if it makes a difference. Munch shakes his head and gives her a disapproving look. "Don't make me feel guilt about this too," she whispers.

"What do you have to feel guilty about? Elliot's the only one who should feel bad."

"You don't get it," she tells his sadly.

Munch crosses his arms over his chest. "What don't I get? I have a partner too, you know."

"Yes. And I've seen you fight all the time, but you still care about him."

"Fin never hit me and I've never hit him," Munch responds.

She shakes her head. "So? What if he had? Would it be that big of a deal?" Before he has a chance to answer she continues. "No! Because men get into physical altercations all the time. You'd get over it, right? Apologize and move on. But because I'm a woman and Elliot's a man, all of a sudden it's a huge deal."

"That's not true," he counters.

"Oh, bull sh-"

"Fine," he cuts her off. "Fine. Maybe on some level you're right, but that doesn't change things. What he did was wrong. Period."

"I don't condone what he did. I just need to know what's going to happen to him," she says pushing past him.

The door to Cragen's office is closed so she knocks and waits for permission to enter. Don's voice calls out gruffly from behind the door, summoning her in. "Olivia," he pronounces some what shocked. "I didn't expect to see you here." She notices he is trying his hardest not to focus on her black eye.

"Sorry Captain, I just wanted to talk to you," she replies meekly.

He motions for her to sit down. "Sure. How are you? How's the eye?"

She forces herself to smile. "It's fine. I'm fine."

"Good," he nods. "So let me guess, this is about Elliot?"

"Yes Sir," she answers simply.

Cragen frowns. He hates that something like this happened between two of his detectives, in his squad room. "Look Liv, I don't want you to worry about that. I will take care of it. Elliot will be dealt with."

"Dealt with how?" she asks as she crosses her legs and folds her hands over her knees.

"Don't do this to yourself, Olivia," Cragen pleads.

She looks at his crossly. "Do what?"

"Hold yourself responsible for whatever punishment Elliot receives."

She can't help but crack a smile. "How do you know I'm not here to ask that you give him the harshest punishment possible?"

"Are you?" he asks arching an eyebrow. She lets her eyes fall to the ground. "Didn't think so."

"I just...I don't want him to...he's not the only one who should be punished," she manages to spit out.

"Excuse me?"

Olivia runs a hand through her hair nervously. "Don't go too hard on him. It wasn't his fault. I mean it was, but not entirely."

"What are you trying to say?"

She sighs and uncrosses her legs. "We had a pretty heated argument. We both said some things…insults, accusations, and well I provoked him. He shouldn't take the fall alone."

Cragen nods. "Olivia, did he insult you? Did he say anything to upset to you?" he asks.

"Yes, but I did more than insult him. I pushed his buttons. I was trying to get a rise out of him. He just made me so mad." Her voice is strong and regretful.

"And why did he make you so mad?"

"He questioned my judgment, my competence."

"But did you hit him?" Cragen asks pointedly.

Olivia shakes her head. "No, but it's not the same thing."

"Why not?" he asks with a shrug.

She's silent for a moment, thinking. "Because he's different. I'm not...I'm not..."

"What?" he pries.

She sighs and gives in. "Angry. I'm not angry like him. I mean, he's angry all the time and sometimes he just looses it. He has a lot to handle."

"So that gives him an excuse to punch people?" he antagonizes.

"No. Of course not. But I understand why it happened. It's not like he meant to hurt me. And I know he's sorry."

"Did he tell you that?"

"I haven't spoken to him yet," she admits guiltily, fearing her previous point will now be considered invalid.

"So how do you know he's sorry?"

"Come on Cap, its Elliot. He's probably at home beating himself up." She cringes at her chosen phrase. "I mean he's probably really upset over it."

Cragen nods recalling his earlier conversation with Elliot. He was clearly regretful and overly apologetic. In fact he almost felt bad for Elliot, he just seemed so devastated, but Cragen couldn't feel too bad for any man who could hit a woman. "He is. Still, what he did is inexcusable and I will not tolerate it in my squad."

"You're going to bounce him from the unit?" she asks, her voice low and afraid. Her stomach twists in knots. She can't believe how quickly this all escalated. Elliot's life would be destroyed and it was all because of her.

Cragen sighs and scratches his head. "If it was any other man who had given you that black eye would you be in here pleading for his job."

Olivia thinks it over carefully. "No," she answers firmly. "That should tell you something."

"Olivia, you said it yourself, he's angry all the time. Is that really the kind of person you want doing this job? Its tough and its not getting any easier. You have to be there-mentally, and I don't think he is anymore. He can't let go of all the rage he has inside and it's destroying him. What happens the next time he looses it? Huh?"

"He's going through a lot," she points out defensively.

"I know, but that's not an excuse. When you strap that gun on you got to check your personal issues at the door. If he can't do that, if he can't leave all that at home, then he can't do this anymore."

"I think he has reached a point where it's all too much."

"Yes. I think he has too."

Olivia lowers her eyes. "So what's going to happen to him?"

"I don't know. I'll call around; see if I could place him somewhere more suitable for his mind state."

"Pushing papers in some country club precinct?" she asks regretfully.

"I don't know yet," Cragen tells her.

Olivia brings her hand to her head. "This is going to kill him," she says quietly. "This job is his life."

"Then he should have gone a long time ago. Passion's one thing, but you got to be able to separate yourself from the job; otherwise you just won't make it."

Olivia racks her brain for something, any sort of solution. "I'll go," she blurts out.

"What?"

"I'll leave, instead of him," she offers.

"What's that going to solve?" Cragen asks.

"I know him, Don. I know what kind of man he really is and the way he's been acting lately, that's not him."

"So? What does that have to do with you?"

Olivia closes her eyes, swallows her pride and prepares to potentially destroy her career. "We slept together."

"You what?"

"Just once. A few weeks ago. I ended it the next morning. I just wasn't in the right place. He's been off ever since." Olivia looks up to find her Captain's eyes fixed on her intently. She quickly falters under his gaze and lets her eyes fall to the ground.

Cragen can't believe what he's hearing. It takes him a few seconds to grasp what she's saying. "You and Elliot? Had sex?" he questions in shock.

"See, this is my fault."