Once the trio arrived to Elliot's apartment, Eli took it upon himself to show Olivia his bedroom at his father's house. Olivia had spent two nights in this apartment and had never bothered to explore further than Elliot's bedroom.
"This is a baseball that Daddy got me at the baseball game," Eli showed Olivia showing her a baseball with a Mets logo on it. After Olivia admired the ball and voiced her approval, he replaced the ball into it's holder under a lamp on his desk. "Hey, Livia?"
"Yes, Eli," she said as she sat down on the edge of his full sized bed so she could face him better. She was beginning to love the way this little boy pronounced her name.
"Will you and Daddy tell me one of your superhero stories tonight?" he asked as he walked over towards her until they were face to face.
"Sure," she said tilting her head to one side while grinning. With that word, Eli jumped towards her wrapping his arms around her neck. She returned the hug as she fell backwards onto the bed, taking the boy with her. His giggles filled the entire apartment and Elliot smiled as he approached his son's doorway.
"Hey Liv," Elliot said walking towards the bed where Eli and Olivia were playing. "Did you know Eli has a tickle spot?" he said as he flipped his son over and began tickling the boy under his arms.
"I did not know that!" Olivia said as she turned over and joined Elliot in tickling the boy. His giggles escalated even louder than before.
"Daddy! Livia! Stop it!" Eli shouted with laughter. Finally, the couple stopped the tickle assault on the young child as he caught his breath.
Olivia sat back staring at Eli and Elliot and realized how happy these two made her. She felt as if she belonged in this apartment with the Stabler boys. She had never felt this comfortable in all the month's of living with Brian and realized that she and Brian had merely shared an apartment, but her and Elliot could really live together.
"I'm going to go start on dinner," Olivia said as she stood from the bed and began making her way into the kitchen.
"Can I help?" Eli asked following her like a lost puppy dog.
"Sure!" she said delighted that Elliot's son was so fond of her. She had been a little nervous beforehand that he would not enjoy sharing his father with her.
Olivia let Eli help her fill up the pot with water before placing it on the stove top. Once the water was boiling, she allowed him to place the noodles in with her help, stir the sauce and then organize the bread on the sheet to be placed into the oven.
"Daddy! Dinner is done," Eli yelled to Elliot from the kitchen. Elliot climbed up from the couch and walked towards the dining table.
"It smells great, buddy," he said to Eli implying that it was his cooking that had created the wonderful aroma.
"It tastes even better!" Eli exclaimed as he slurped a noodle from his plate which caused the two adults laughter.
Elliot reached to his right and grabbed Olivia's hand as he mouthed "thank you" to her with a smile. He was overjoyed that Olivia and Eli were getting along so well.
After dinner, Elliot and Olivia let Eli pick a movie for the three of them to watch together. After the movie of choice, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, ended, Elliot took his son into his bedroom to change into his pajamas. Olivia folded up the blanket Eli had just finished using before joining the boys in Eli's bedroom. As she walked into the room, Eli was just beginning to climb into bed followed by his father pulling the covers up around his chest.
"What story are we reading tonight, bud?" Elliot asked of his son who was cuddling into the blanket on top of him.
"Livia said she would tell me a superhero story tonight," Eli exclaimed looking over at Olivia standing just inside the doorway.
"That's right, Eli. And your daddy is going to help me," she said walking over to sit on the edge of the bed. Elliot walked to the other side of the bed and sat just across from Olivia. "Which story should we tell him?" she asked of her ex superhero partner.
"I know the perfect one," Elliot stated while staring at Olivia before turning his attention to his son laying between them. "Once upon a time," he started, "there as a man named Elliot.."
"That's you, Daddy!" Eli interrupted the story, proud that he knew his daddy's name.
"That's right," Elliot said calming his son down again. "Elliot was a superhero. But, Elliot didn't have a partner to help him catch the bad guys. Then... one day, this beautiful woman came in and said she was his new partner. Do you remember what her name was?" Elliot asked of his son. Olivia realized this wasn't the first time he had told this story.
"Livia!" Eli shouted.
"That's right. Olivia and Elliot were partners," Elliot said raising his eyes from his son to Olivia who was listening carefully and wondering how often he told this story to his sweet son. "Olivia and Elliot helped lots of people together..."
"Like Spiderman?!" Eli questioned interrupting his father's story again.
"Kind of," Olivia answered cutting into the story. "One time, Elliot even saved Olivia," she said looking for the boy's approval to continue.
"He did?" he asked inquisitively.
"Yep, he sure did. She was chasing a bad guy and the bad guy hurt her," she said referring to the time Gitano cut her throat in the train station. She looked over at Elliot as she continued, "but Elliot saved her life. He was her hero."
"Daddy saved you, Olivia?" Eli asked surprised.
"More than you know, Eli," she confessed to the five year old.
"Alright, partner. Time for you to go to sleep," Elliot said standing from the bed, leaning down to kiss his son before walking towards to doorway.
"Good night, Daddy. Good night, Livia," Eli said as he reached his arms out towards Olivia requesting a hug. She obliged.
"Good night, sweetheart," Olivia said squeezing him before retreating to the doorway with his father. They watched as the boy turned over and pulled his blanket up to his chin. They slowly exited the room and shut the door.
"Thanks, Liv," Elliot said to Olivia as they made their way to his bedroom just down the hallway.
"For what?" Olivia asked confused.
"For making me sound like a hero to Eli," he said they entered the bedroom. He walked over to his chest of drawers, opened it and withdrew a tshirt. He tossed it over to Olivia knowing she didn't have any pajamas with her. As he walked over to the bed, he pulled his shirt off and jeans before climbing into bed in just his briefs. Olivia disrobed down to her panties before slipping Elliot's tshirt on. She followed his lead and slipped under the sheets with him.
"You are a hero, El," she said as she leaned over to kiss him quickly on the lips. "You're my hero."
"This is why I love you," he said smiling as he placed his hand on the back of her head, slightly pulling her towards him. Once their noses were touching, he tilted his head and guided his lips to meet hers. Their kiss quickly turned passionate. He gently pushed her onto her back and sat on his knees between her thighs. He climbed on top of her slowly, holding himself up with his hands placed beside her ears on either side of her head. He lowered himself onto her and resumed their kiss. As their lips pressed together, Olivia closed her eyes and began opening her lips slightly. Elliot quickly followed suit. She allowed his tongue to dance alongside hers in her mouth before she moved her kisses to his cheek before nibbling on his neck. He moaned as she moved from his neck to his ear lobe before whispering "I love you" quietly to him.
As Olivia kept kissing his neck, her dominant side reared it's head again and she pushed Elliot down onto his back. She continued her kisses starting on his chest before slowly making her way down to his toned abdomen. Before she knew it, she was met with the elastic of his briefs. She slowly slid her fingers under the band and slid them down, exposing Elliot and his excitment to her. Once his legs were free from the restraint of the briefs, she resumed her kisses where she left off. She took him in her hand and began stroking him. He was determined not to climax as quickly tonight. He wanted to make this experience last as long as possible.
She paused momentarily, stood and pushed her panties down before stepping out of them. Elliot watched her closely as she climbed back on the bed. She patiently crawled up next to him before shooting him a deceiving smile. What is she going to do to me tonight? Elliot thought to himself. He wasn't used to being dominated in any way when it came to the bedroom. Kathy was extremely plain in the sex department. Missionary was their usual position and it never varied far from that. He knew Olivia was going to take him places he wasn't use to, and that excited him even more.
Slowly, she sat up and removed the tshirt she had just put on. She tossed it to the end of the bed before raising onto her knees and looking at Elliot. "Wanna have a little fun, Detective?" she asked in a very sultry, seductive voice.
Before he had time to answer, she was standing up on the mattress looking down at him as she straddled him, allowing him to see all of her directly over his head. She slowly lowered herself directly above his face, stopping three or four inches from his nose. He could smell her sweet fragrance. He quickly reached up, wrapping his arms around her upper thighs and pulling her onto him. He proceeded to make love to her intimate areas as he kept his hold on her legs. She reached out and held on to his headboard for support as he kissed her most private places. The deeper he inserted his tongue, the less stable she became.
"Elliot," she managed to gasp as his tongue whirled circles underneath her. She tried to lift up a little for a second of relief from his sweet torture, but his grasp was so strong she had to endure through the urge.
Finally, he eased up on his hold which allowed her to raise up to her knees while he continued to lay between her legs. She quickly brought her left leg over his head to join her right leg. He sat up and motioned for her to move in front of him. She complied. He brought himself up to his knees while he tenderly urged her back to bend over until she was before him on her hands and knees. He slowly moved towards her as he graced her backside. Gently, he held onto her hips as he slid into her from behind and he let out a sigh of ecstasy. He wondered to himself if every sexual encounter they had would always be this sublime.
His thrusts quickly became more fast paced and rhythmic. He used his hands still placed on her hips for support as he motioned back and forth, in and out of her. He took in the sight of her in front of him: her sleek back, her mahogany colored hair swinging in rhythm with his movements, her toned hips moving against and then away from his. Sweat quickly formed above his brow and began running down his face. His skin had became flushed from the workout his body was enduring.
She could feel his strong hands holding onto her hips, his fingers digging into her flesh deeper each time he pulled her back into him. She could feel every inch of him inside of her as he thrust into her. She looked back over her shoulder and saw how red he had turned during the last few mintues of vigorous activity. He caught her glimpse and could see the seduction in her eyes. She was alluring and irresistible to him and she was enjoying this as much as he was. While he was still lost in her deep brown eyes, she flashed a coquettish grin just before she turned her head around as she felt her end nearing.
"El," she whispered trying to keep the noise to a minimum somehow remembering the sleeping child in the next room.
"You ready, Liv?" he asked not missing a beat in his motions.
"Yes, El. Yes," she said as they both reached their peaks simultaneously. He slowly managed to push into her two more times before collapsing beside her. Both of them laid there silently as they tried to find their breath in the hot air of the bedroom. Sweat drenched both of their bodies.
"We better shower," Olivia said quietly once she had regained enough strength to turn from stomach to her back. Elliot climbed up and grabbed her hands, helping her to a standing position before leading her into the bathroom off of his bedroom.
After their shower, they returned to the bedroom. Olivia replaced the tshirt Elliot had given her earlier and grabbed a pair of shorts from another drawer in the chest of drawers. Elliot fumbled through a different drawer before producing a pair of boxer shorts and putting them on. They climbed back into the bed they had just made intimate, passionate love in, but this time for some much needed rest. Elliot rested his head on his pillow as he pulled Olivia close to him. He didn't know how he'd ever sleep again if she wasn't beside him. Within ten minutes, they were both sleeping peacefully as a quiet, gentle storm rolled in and played a lullaby outside of their window.
"Livia. Livia," she heard a whisper as she was nudged gently. "Livia," she heard again. She opened her eyes to the darkness of Elliot's bedroom. "Livia."
"Eli?" she asked as she could faintly make out his shadow standing beside the bed. "What's the matter, baby?" she asked as she set up curious if he was okay.
"Livia, it's thundering outside. Can I... Can I sleep with you and Daddy?" he inquired with a very timid tone. She could tell he was frightened and needed comforting.
"Of course you can, Eli," she said as she scooted over away from Elliot and towards the edge of the bed, making room for Eli to lay between the two of them.
"Thanks, Livia," he said as he snuggled into her. She was hesitant before wrapping her arms around the young boy. She hadn't played the role of mother since Calvin, and even then, he was older than Eli. He didn't need the same type of comforting. But she was more than happy to accomodate his needs. She lowered her head down and softly whispered to him, "I love you, Eli."
"I love you, too, Livia," he responded and quickly drifted off to sleep in her safe embrace.
The next day went by too fast for Olivia. She was sad to see Eli leave to go back to Kathy's and she knew Elliot felt the same. One day a week with his son wasn't near enough, but it was all the court allowed him.
"Liv, you want to ride with me to take Eli home?" Elliot asked as he finished zipping up Eli's overnight bag that sat on the dining table.
"I think I'm going to take care of some unfinished business while you're gone," Olivia replied to Elliot while looking down at her phone. Unbeknownst to him, she had text Brian earlier asking if she could come get a few things from their apartment and attempt to explain things to him. He had just responded to her granting her permission to come over and speak with him.
"Liv, you sure that's something you want to do alone?" Elliot questioned her. He wasn't comfortable in the least with her going to see Brian alone. He knew she was a strong, independent woman but that didn't mean he didn't feel a need to protect her from all that he could.
"I can handle it, El," she said slightly offended at his previous comment. She walked towards where Eli sat on the couch, playing a game on his father's phone.
"Hey, Eli. I have to run a few errands while your daddy takes you home. But I'll see you next weekend, okay?" Olivia said kneeling in front of the boy sitting in front her.
"Okay, Livia. I'll miss you," he said sitting up and giving her a hug.
"I'll miss you, too, Eli," she said as she stood up and walked back towards Elliot.
"I'll call you after while," she said as she leaned in to give him a peck. "I love you."
"Love you, too," he said picking up Eli's bag and slinging it over his shoulder. He was not hiding the fact that he was irritated by her plans, but he knew he couldn't stop her. Once Olivia Benson set her mind to something, you could consider it done.
Once she arrived at her apartment, she realized how unfamiliar it all felt to her now. Elliot's apartment was now where her heart was; where she considered home. She felt like she was visiting an old acquaintance in the building where her name was currently on a lease. But she knew she didn't belong here anymore.
She made her way to the fifth floor and walked over to the door she had walked through so many times with Brian over the last couple of months. She proceeded to knock on the door, even though she held the key in her right hand.
Brian quickly came to the door. "You didn't use your key?" he asked as soon as he opened the door. He was still upset, understandingly.
"I just.. I didn't want to... I didn't know," she said searching for an explanation but nothing came. Brian moved from the doorway allowing her to enter their apartment. "Bri.." she continued but was cut off.
"Liv, just don't," he said walking towards the kitchen and picking up the beer he had been nursing before her arrival. He continued to drink it while she stood silently. "I understand," he said to her surprise.
"You do?" Olivia said walking towards where he was standing.
"Liv, I knew you loved Elliot. Hell, I could tell there were feelings between you two before I quit the Unit. But, I thought that maybe him leaving you haulted your feelings for him," he trailed off as he took another swig of his beer.
"Brian, I don't know what to say," she said looking down shamefully. She knew she had hurt him and she knew she had handled the entire situation incorrectly. "I should have talked to you. I shouldn't have lied."
"No, you shouldn't have lied to me, Liv. You know I hate liars," he said sitting his beer down and walking into their bedroom. He quickly reappeared producing a box from his left hand. "I just wanted you to know that I had bought this for you," he said handing the box to her.
She opened it and tears promptly permeated her eyes and streamed down her cheek. "It's beautiful, Brian," she muttered as she rubbed her nose with her free hand. Settled within the black box was an exquisite diamond ring. The face of the stone was square and large, at least two carats. Around the large stone was a row of smaller stones all centered on a silver band.
"I was going to ask you this weekend," he said as she handed the box back to him.
"Ask me?" she questionned not realizing his implication.
"To be my wife, Liv." Those words were like daggers to her heart. Marriage? She definitely did not see this coming. She was was dumbfounded and couldn't produce a word. They stood there silent in the kitchen of their apartment for a few moments before Brian finally broke the monotony of the silence. "Is there anything I can help you get?"
"Uh, no. I'm just, umm.." she struggled to maintain her composure. Being here in this apartment with Brian made her much less inimical to him. "I'm just going to get some clothes. I'll... I can come back while you're at work for the rest of my things," she said displaying penitence. She knew her actions were detrimental to her relationship with Brian, but she caught herself pondering the possibility that she was expeditious in rekindling her relationship with Elliot.
"That's fine. Just keep your key and come back whenever," he said watching her make her way to their bedroom.
She emerged a little later with two of her suitcases packed with her belongings. They had just moved in not that long ago, and here she was moving out again.
"Brian," she said placing the suitcases in front of the door that lead to the hallway.
He looked up at her from his place on the couch, not saying a word. She could tell there were tears in his eyes, which immediately brought tears to hers again. She walked over and sat beside him on the couch. Before she could say anything to comfort him, he spoke to her.
"Liv, I really do understand. I know you love him and I know you would never have loved me the way you do him," he said looking into her sad, tear filled eyes. "But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like a bitch."
"I am going to miss you, Brian," she said trying to convince him. "We had a lot of wonderful times together. You, you helped me in ways you don't even realize. Brian, when I was attacked, you were the reason I recovered. You were the one who I woke up for every day. You were the one who kept me going to therapy. It was you," she paused. "It was you who healed me. And for that, I will forever be grateful," she finished. It took every ounce of her strength to say those words. Feelings that she didn't want to feel resurfaced. She didn't want to remember the way she felt when she moved into Brian's apartment while her apartment was still an active crime scene. She didn't want to feel the feelings of Lewis burning her again. She didn't want to recall the face of woman he raped in front of her. She realized Brian knew things about her that no one else did. Elliot wasn't the only one who knew her deepest, darkest secrets.
"Let me help you take those to your car," he said referring to the suitcases in front of the door.
"Brian," she said as they both stood up from the couch. She walked over towards him and wrapped her arms around him. He eventually gave in and returned her embrace. "I am so, so sorry," she said as her head leaned against his chest.
Once her bags were packed into her car and Brian had returned to what use to be their apartment, Olivia sat alone listening to the radio quietly playing around her. She leaned her head down until it was resting on the steering wheel and her tears began flowing from her eyes freely. She didn't try to stop them.
After a few minutes of relentless sobbing, her phone alerted her of an incoming message. She unlocked the phone with one hand while wiping away tears with the other.
Everything okay? -El
She smiled seeing Elliot checking up on her, but she still felt tremendous guilt knowing Brian was alone in what use to be their shared apartment.
Heading back now.
She took her car out of park and began the short drive to Elliot's apartment. Her apartment. Their apartment?
When she arrived at her destination, she noticed Elliot's car wasn't there. She was somewhat relieved to have a few moments to unpack her things before he returned. As she grabbed her suitcases out of her trunk, she retrieved the key Elliot had given her earlier that morning and made her way to the front door. She unlocked the door and walked the short distance down the narrow hallway to Elliot's apartment. Once inside, everything was as she had left it just a couple hours earlier. She noticed Eli's blanket on the arm of the couch as she walked by. The thought of that sweet boy made her smile. She really was going to miss him this week.
As she made her way into his.. their bedroom, she noticed the small pile of laundry still laying in the middle of the floor. "I guess I need to clean this up," she said softly to herself as she walked over and picked the clothes up. She walked over to the hamper situated beside the chest of drawers and placed the clothes inside. She continued to Elliot's nightstand and switched on the radio to drown out the silence. Many the Miles by Sara Bareilles sifted through the speakers filling the bedroom with the upbeat tempo. She caught herself singing along as she placed her clothes on hangers and hung them in their now shared closet.
"How far do I have to go to get to you? Many the miles.. Many the miles.." she sang outloud as she reentered the bedroom from the closet. She was quickly quieted by Elliot standing in the bedroom enjoying the concert.
"I didn't know you sang, Detective Benson," he said playfully as he walked over to her emerging from the closet.
"Yeah, I usually charge for these concerts, Stabler," she joked with him as she was swept up in his arms. He gently kissed her before laying her on the bed. He positioned himself on the bed beside her and propped his head up with his arm.
"So, are you okay?" he asked referring to her trip to Brian's apartment.
"I'll be alright," she said. "It was harder than I thought it would be. But, I know I made the right choice," she said to ease his mind. Truthfully, she had no idea what she was doing at that point in time. She was more confused than she had ever been. She loved Elliot though and that was the one thing she knew without any uncertainty.
"Eli talked about you the entire drive home," Elliot said trying to lighten her mood. "Kathy should enjoy that for the rest of the week," he laughed to himself.
"He's a great kid, El," she said staring at the ceiling fan as it made repeated rotations above their heads. "I can't wait to see him again."
"Me either. Sundays are the hardest days for me," he said also staring at the ceiling fan. "Usually I'm alone after I take him home, though."
Alone. Brian was alone right now. The guilt began to overtake her body again. She felt a tear roll down her cheek and she reached up to wipe it away. Elliot noticed her movements and turned over to investigate.
"Liv? What's wrong," he asked concerned.
"It's nothing, El," she said trying to satisfy him to no avail.
"I can tell something is really bothering you, Liv," Elliot said quietly. "Talk to me."
"Oh, El. I wasn't prepared to feel this amount of guilt," Olivia reluctantly gave in to Elliot's request. "He was going to propse to me," she continued while staring at the ceiling, still laying on her back on their bed.
"What?" Elliot said shocked. "How do you know that?"
"He showed me the ring before I left," she answered his question not moving her focus from the white, textured ceiling. "I never expected that type of commitment from him. We hadn't even said we loved each other yet."
"Liv," Elliot started searching for words to comfort her but still hide his growing aggravation at the situation. Before he realized what he was saying, he blurted out a sentence that he instantly regretted saying. "Is he the one you want to be with?"
Olivia's stare immediately changed from the ceiling to Elliot. Her eyebrows were furrowed and she sat up quickly on the bed. "No, Elliot. No," she said without hesitation. "I just can't believe he was going to propose to me. I... I've never had somebody want to make that type of commitment to me."
"Listen to me, Olivia," Elliot said as he moved from laying on the bed beside where she had been laying to kneeling in front of her on the floor. "I want to wake up with you every morning. I don't want a night to go by that you're not in my arms anymore. Olivia Benson, I'm in love with you and I don't ever want to lose you again. I don't have a ring to give you right now, but I have my heart. I love you," he said as a single tear fell down his cheek as he realized how long he had held those words inside.
The weight on Olivia's shoulders quickly began to fade as she realized her relationship with Elliot was just as important to him as it was to her. She had dreamed so many times over the last decade of how he would profess his love to her. His submission right then surpassed anything she had ever conjured up in her mind.
"I love you, too El," she said as she felt tears begin to stream from her eyes as well.