A/N: This is it, the end. Ack! Thank you guys for supporting me. I'm still green about writing EO so knowing that people are reading and your reviews mean a lot.

So I didn't mention last chapter but the man Liv is dating is Ellis. I just used him because it worked with the plot, lol.

Also, there are two dream sets in here. The 2nd one is a bit different, it's more of a smattering of dreams rather than one cohesive one. I hope that makes sense.

Anyway, thank you all so much. I have a long EO fic in the works that I hope you will give a chance when it's ready.

He had stuck a post it note on her desk leading to the one in her locker, leading to the one in the interrogation room, which lead to the roof.

Blowing out a cold breath he waited, hands shoved in pockets, balancing on the balls of his feet. A stark nervousness crept up his spine and he felt like a dumb teenager in love for the first time. In ways, it was the first time he had ever felt like this because how he felt about her was like nothing he had ever experienced. It was the most exhilarating, frightening thing he had ever faced and it was worth every moment of every day.

When the door finally opened he swallowed the lump in his throat and greeted her eyes. With furrowed brows she came towards him, "What are you doing here? And what's up with the post it notes…Amaro was looking at me like I had lost my mind" she teased.

Holding out his hands he waited until she put hers over them and then he steadied his gaze, "I never realized how much this place would change my life" he began, "And then you walked in…and it was like that moment something shifted."

Toffee eyes shimmer with tears and confusion, "El"

Shaking his head he clears his throat, "I don't remember the moment I fell in love with you; after awhile it just seemed like it was a part of me" Tears escaped his eyes now, the emotion coursing through him, "And I know we don't do this, grand declarations, but Liv, God…I'm so in love with you"

Tears made tracks down both of their cheeks and her hands trembled in his own as he pulled one away and reached in his jacket pocket. His own hand shook as the cool metal touched his fingers and he gripped it tightly pulling it out.

"El" she gasped her eyes widening and if he wasn't so fucking nervous he would laugh.

"I want to be your husband, so Olivia Benson, marry me"

OoO

Maureen had come after Kathy left; the bags still stark under her eyes but changed and showered. It had taken the young woman's prodding for her to head home and try to get some semblance of rest. She knew she wouldn't; not while he was in there.

She had six missed calls. Four were from Ellis, one from Fin, and one from Cragen.

Sighing she walked down to the parking garage and called Cragen first, "Benson, where the hell are you"

It was then she almost lost it, the enormity of all that had happened slamming into her, "Cap"

"Olivia, are you okay?"

The tears stat to fall without provocation and she chokes back the sob in her gut and lets the waves of anguish crash over her, "It's Elliot"

OoO

"I'm pregnant"

"Elliot, this is my partner Nick Amaro, Nick this is…my…my Elliot"

"Well it looks like in four months you will be welcoming a little girl into this world"

"Olivia Stabler"

"You take care of her or I'll kick your ass"

"Daddy do you want to cut the cord"

"She's perfect Liv…just like her mom"

"Emerson Stabler"

"Daddy, Emmy and I want pancakes for breakfast"

"I never really thought this would come true but I'm so happy it did"

OoO

Cragen had told her to take the days off and she hadn't even argued. She was tired of fighting…so damn tired.

After showering she had lie in bed and stared at the ceiling trying to will her body to rest. In twenty four hours her life had been irrevocably changed. The moment Elliot had shown up at her door, no matter how angry and hurt she had been, she knew that there was no going back…the look in his eyes had told her that he wasn't going to let them.

Her phone vibrates again as she's walking back into Bellevue and she doesn't even look at the Caller ID because right now; they don't matter.

OoO

His eyes flutter open, than slam shut when the light stings them. Slowly he works his way to rapidly blinking them open until he can finally start adjusting to the light. His body throbs, and it takes him a moment to realize where he is and the memory of the car coming at him. He had tried to swerve but the collision course was already mapped out.

Closing his eyes again he swears he can smell her…and he's sure it's just a dream and he doesn't want to wake up this time. It isn't until he feels her under his fingertips that he allows himself to open his eyes again.

Their hands are entwined, tendrils of her hair wrapped up between their fingers and it feels like a tether that binds them. Her head is on the edge of his bed, and by the steadiness of her breathing he can tell she is asleep. It's humbling and for a moment he forgets about the physical pain that is coursing through him.

This is what he wants…to be able to watch her sleep, to feel intricate bindings to her. He doesn't want to move, doesn't want to disturb her and if this is a dream, he doesn't want to wake up.

OoO

Maureen had left promising to come by that evening after he woke and she hadn't realized how tired she was until she had laced their fingers and placed her head on his bed.

"Well, look who's awake" the nurse said rousing her from her sleep.

As her eyes snapped open her gaze rose to his face. His blue eyes sparkled, deepening to almost a cobalt color and she felt the breath rush from her lungs in relief. They didn't speak, just stared at each other for a few long moments until the nurse cleared her throat.

Letting go of the warmth in his hand left her with a cold radiating from her insides, "How's the pain Mr. Stabler"

She could feel his eyes on her as she stared at the young nurse, "On a scale of 1-10, about a 15" he rasped.

"Okay well I'm going to give you something for that but first the doctor is going to come and explain your injuries"

"Kay"

When she leaves they are left alone with the sea of everything closing around them, "Liv"

Toffee colored and cerulean meet, "El"

And he has to tell her because if he doesn't do it right now and he loses the chance to, he will hate himself forever. He should have done it in her apartment, should have pushed back harder because he almost lost the chance. If he would have died in that accident; she would have never known the depth of what he felt for her. Opening his hand he holds it out to her.

Her hand trembles and she bites her lip hard but places it over his palm as he interlocks their fingers, "I'm sorry it took me so long…I'm sorry for avoiding you…and it wasn't because I didn't miss you" he started swallowing hard to keep the emotion at bay.

"El"

He knows she wants him to stop. He can look into her eyes and still read the fear but he can't stop…not now, "Liv, I spent every day thinking about what I had done wrong in my life…how I had messed up everything up...I needed to fix me before I ruined anything else"

The look in his eyes made her bones ache in pain. There were few moments she had seen him like this…undone, raw and it scared her and made her long to envelope herself in him.

"I needed to know that I wouldn't hurt you anymore…and I know I did by leaving"

"El, stop" she orders feeling a tear slide from her eye.

"I'm sorry I'm not good at this" he chokes out squinting back the own moisture in his eyes, "What I'm trying to say…is the whole time I imagined spending my life with you…and I don't mean as partners…God, I'm so in love with you"

OoO

Everything stops. She can feel her heartbeat in her ears but it's like the rest of the world ceases to exist in that moment. It was a moment she had foolishly dreamt of and woke up in the morning hating herself for. But she never actually thought…especially after he had left.

Nothing makes sense and she can't speak and she's stuck to the chair and cannot find the strength in her legs to move or to even let go of his hand.

The door clicks again with the happy nurse and the connection is severed as she lets go of his hand and practically runs out of the door trying to push air back into her lungs.

He loves her…he loves her…

Two Weeks Later

She likes to fancy herself tough as nails…but she's a coward. She ran home that day and told herself she wasn't going to look back. Except she called Maureen every day to check on him, and she would show up at Bellevue at 3 in the morning to look through the window in his room.

Cragen hadn't batted an eye when she asked for some time off; they both knew it was a long time coming. Now she sat outside a coffee shop and waited.

His eyes when he sat down told her that he already knew, "You've been avoiding my calls"

Maybe she could have fallen in love with him…another time, another place. He was a good man, and he had given her some semblance of hope when she was dangling on a withering string.

"Sorry"

He nods, "Is it Elliot?"

There is no anger in his voice but she can feel her eyes widen in shock and he tilts his head with a small forlorn smile, "You say his name in your sleep sometimes…he's your ex-partner, right?"

Ex-partner…the words burn like acid on her skin but there is no use lying to him, lying to herself, "I just need to figure some things out"

"Okay" is all he responds as he pushes back in his chair and before he goes he looks to her, "I always knew you were on loan but I don't regret the time we've spent together…you deserve happiness Olivia Benson, wherever you find it"

OoO

His body aches but it's his heart that struggles to limp to beat. He wants to call her, wants to go over to her apartment and just get her to listen…but he doesn't. Partially because he's just been released from the hospital and the other part is that he's not sure he can take the rejection. Maybe he was fooling himself, dreams were just dreams…but how was he supposed to go on and live the rest of his life with these damn snippets of the life he wanted haunting him every time he closed his eyes.

Maureen had brought him home, filled his prescriptions but he was alone in his apartment and waffling between scared to go to sleep and needing to see her face.

OoO

The scrap of paper is crumpled in her palm and she's sat outside the apartment building for 20 minutes trying to work up the courage to go up. Banging her hand on the steering wheel she finally forced herself out of the car. Two flights up and there his apartment was. Closing her eyes she tried to mentally prepare herself; her mantra was that he wasn't thinking clearly in the hospital…that he probably didn't even remember saying those words.

It was a lie; she had seen it in his eyes…she had felt it in his touch and that scared the shit out of her.

Two swift knocks, "Hold on" he said gruffly and she could hear his feel pad across the floor.

When he opens it, his eyes widen, and those oceans inside of them waft over her, "I came back"

OoO

He doesn't care if he's got broken ribs, a lung that still burns like shit because in an instant she's in her arms, the soft curves of her fitting against the hard planes of him perfectly as he inhales the smell of her hair.

It's not a dream this time…she came back to him and this time he's going to make sure it's for good.