A/N:

A lot happens in this chapter. I would love to hear if you liked what I did with Olivia's feeling inadequate and then, of course, the surprise at the end, and anything else you liked (or didn't like). As always, I love to read your reviews and always love answering the reviews and communicating with you!

Enjoy! R and R!

10

"You bitch!" the husband yelled as Olivia left the interrogation room and closed the door firmly.

"Good work, you two," Cragen said, smiling, having just watched the epic magic from behind the one-way glass.

The brunette detective was exhausted. They had just broken both the husband and the wife, she and Elliot having to switch halfway through the fourteen hours of questioning to try a different tactic and have the husband deal with Olivia and the wife deal with Elliot. They pulled out all of their dog and pony tactics—anger, empathy, flirtation—siding with the accused to gain trust and waiting until they made a confession, which they both ended up doing.

It worked and, once again, Olivia and Elliot had made a great team and had done it together.

Olivia made her way to her desk and she felt a hearty hand slap on the back of her neck, squeezing her painfully tense muscles, the brunette wincing from the gesture. When she looked up and saw Elliot's eyes and smiling face, she looked away.

"Great job, Liv…we did it…"

"And after only fourteen hours…" she mumbled. "We're losing our touch…we should have had their confessions hours ago…" She began gathering her things on her desk, putting them away, opening and closing drawers.

"You have time for a quick dinner? Celebrate with a drink?"

Olivia stopped, just short of putting her jacket on. "You have a family…I have a family…we both need to get home, Elliot. My wife has been sick, I haven't seen her in almost two days…I need to get home." Olivia slung her purse over her shoulder and grabbed her keys from the top drawer.

"I'll see you tomorrow…" Olivia began walking towards the elevators, taking her cell from her pocket and pressing a button. She put it to her ear, waiting for Alex to pick up.

"Cabot…" the blonde answered.

Olivia smiled, loving that simple word, and pressed the elevator button. "Hey, Babe…how are you feeling?"

"Much better. I slept a lot today and took another bath, more honey and cinnamon…I'm almost at one hundred percent. My mom left about an hour ago. How about you? I'll bet you're exhausted…the bed wasn't the same without you last night, Babe…"

"I'm glad your mom could stay another night with you…you're voice is almost all the way back…damn…" Olivia tried, smiling, stepping onto the elevator, the doors closing. "I was hoping for some dirty talk with that voice…"

"I can dirty talk in this voice, Liv…" Alex growled like a lion into the phone. "But you're coming home now, right?"

"On my way now, Babe…" The doors opened and Olivia stepped out, walking down the corridor to the exit.

"I'll be waiting, Liv…"

She disconnected the call and headed home.

… … … … … …

Alex stirred the gorgonzola polenta she was cooking on the stove. The cooked steaks were resting on the wooden cutting board, waiting to be sliced, French bread in the oven, red wine breathing on the kitchen table, two glasses already waiting.

She wanted Olivia to not have to do anything when she came home. After being at work for almost forty-eight hours straight, she wanted her wife to come home, relax with a glass of wine and a hearty meal, a little candlelight, a massage, and a good night's sleep.

Alex smiled as she set the Bose on the easy listening Sirius station and Captain and Tennille's Muskrat Love came on—cheesy, but she loved it.

The front door was heard creaking open and then closing. Alex looked up and smiled, walking toward the fatigued brunette, holding her arms out, Olivia walking right into them.

"Oh, God Alex…" Olivia said, muffled against her hair, "…what a long couple of days…"

She heard Olivia inhale and exhale deeply. The blonde had just showered and moisturized, changing into faded jeans and a white Henley shirt, hair down, glasses on.

"God, you smell so good…" Olivia pulled away and kissed her wife fully, mouths parting, tongues probing. Olivia pulled away slowly, looking her wife over. "So beautiful, Babe…"

Alex took her by the hand, leading her toward the hallway, "I know you probably want to shower…dinner is just about ready…"

Olivia played with the blonde's hand as she spoke, "I stink, don't I?"

Alex shook her head and approached Olivia once again, smiling, "No, Babe…never stink…I can get drunk off your scent…" She kissed her again, smiling, open mouth, tongues lingering. "I just thought you might feel better…" She kissed her again.

"My breath is bad, isn't it?" Olivia tried, Alex enveloping her mouth again.

"No, Babe…I'd take you right here right now if the food wasn't ready…" Alex smiled, now moving behind the brunette and ushering her down the hallway. "Take your shower…I'll be waiting…"

Olivia let out a begrudging moan but proceeded to walk down the hallway, nonetheless.

Alex smiled to herself, happy to have her wife back, all to herself.

… … … … … …

OOO

Minutes later, Olivia walked down the hallway and into the dining room, hair damp, charcoal gray mid-calf yoga pants on, a black tank and a dark gray hoodie, her feet bare.

"Better?" Alex asked, bringing the plates to the table and seating herself.

"Much…" Olivia took the bottle of wine and poured both her wife and herself a glass of merlot. Olivia smiled as she set the bottle down and sat.

"Rough case?" Alex asked, taking Olivia's hand and caressing her fingers.

"Yeah…you'll be on this one, Babe…a husband and wife…kiddy porn…their own kids, Al…we have enough evidence for you to rip them apart in the courtroom."

Alex took a sip of her wine, shaking her head. "We'll get into the details tomorrow when I come back. For now…let's have a wonderful evening…a little steak…a little wine…a little massage…" Alex smiled.

"Mmm…I like your agenda, Babe…" Olivia looked down at the beautifully plated food. Sliced tenderloin with a balsamic glaze, gorgonzola polenta with the balsamic glaze from the steak drizzled on top. "This looks…so good, Babe…look at you, running circles around Bobby Flay…" She looked up, taking her fork into her hand. "I kind of like wifey at home…"

Alex raised her eyebrows, chewing. She swallowed, "Wifey?"

"Yeah…the only thing to top it off would be you barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen…"

"Only if I can bring you a beer and watch you belch and scratch yourself." Alex smiled then took a bit of polenta onto her fork and then looked at Olivia, thinking. "Speaking of pregnant…when do you want to get started on those pregnancy preparations, Liv?"

"I think we should look into it soon. Go to a fertility doctor, get my system and everything checked out first, discuss our options…" Olivia sipped her wine.

Alex nodded. "Your periods are regular, my periods are regular…"

"Yeah, that's a plus. How about next week? I could make an appointment and we could go together?"

Alex smiled, "Of course we'll go together…we're doing this whole thing together…every minute, Liv…"

… … … … … …

"Uhhh…" Olivia moaned, Alex's hands pressing into the sides of her back along her spine with her well-oiled knuckles.

Olivia melted into the sensations as Alex worked her sore, stressed muscles.

"Your back is so tense, Babe…" Alex shifted from beside her wife and straddled Olivia's naked backside. Olivia could feel the wetness of the blonde's core, even through her cotton bikini underwear.

"It's been a stressful past couple of days…" Olivia tried, her words muffled by the duvet at the foot of the bed. The scent of lavender oil filled the room, Hillary lazily sleeping on the puffy chair by the sliding door.

Alex moved her body down to the backs of Olivia's upper thighs and began kneading her backside firmly, knuckles digging, fingers groping and squeezing.

"Does this massage involve a happy ending?" Olivia giggled.

Alex leaned forward, speaking close to the brunette's ear, "If the client wants a happy ending…fifty bucks extra…here at Spa de Cabot, we aim to please…"

Olivia moaned again, feeling her own wetness surging forth. "I never knew I had so many erogenous zones, Babe…until I met you…"

"I'd like to think I know all of them," Alex husked.

"Oh, you do…"

Alex leaned forward and brought her hands to the sides of the sensitive skin of Olivia's bare breasts, delicate yet firm fingertips skimming downward along her ribcage and then slowly repeating the motions. Olivia shivered, feeling her core pulsing now, her breathing rate increasing.

Alex worked on Olivia's back and backside a few more minutes before she said, "Roll over, Liv…" her voice filled with arousal.

Olivia smiled and turned over, positioning herself close to the attorney. Alex squeezed some more of the grape seed and lavender oil mixture into her palms, rubbing them together before placing her hands on Olivia's hips, massaging firmly in gripping circles.

"So beautiful, Liv…"

Olivia stayed with her arms at her sides as Alex's hands moved to her upper thighs, massaging her quadriceps firmly, gripping the sides, rubbing her hamstrings. Olivia felt her mouth part, slow, deep breaths being emitted. Fingertips now touched her breasts, lightly circling her nipples with the slippery oil, applying only a slight pressure to these areas, more of a teasing touch, as she felt her nipples harden instantly.

"Alex…" Olivia whispered, feeling her lower lips begin to pulsate and her brow furrow slightly. "I'm glad your mom is gone…we have our privacy back…"

Alex laughed, still tracing Olivia's breasts ever so lightly. "Where did that come from?"

Olivia opened her eyes now, focusing on the blonde. She took the blonde's hands into her own to stop her erotic motions. She looked at that arousal-flushed face, those perfect lips. "It's just that…I wanted to take care of you…"

Alex's face changed from lustful to concerned, "Liv…you did take care of me, Babe."

Olivia felt her eyes watering, filling with tears. "I should have had that soup ready," she said softly, feeling a warm tear roll down the side of her face.

"Hey…" Alex moved further up, still straddling her wife, leaning close to her face and wiping the brunette's eyes, "…you did take care of me, Babe…my mother…as much as I love her…she has that power to make others feel that way…" Alex's own eyes filled with tears. "You took my temperature, you gave me medicine, made me tea, kept me warm, made sure I was OK…" Alex kissed the brunette beneath her. "Then she swooped in…like a damn hawk…" Alex smiled.

Olivia laughed lightly, feeling more tears form.

Alex wiped the fresh ones away, "She took over…like she has always done…you took care of me, Baby…you got all those ingredients for me, right…to make the soup?"

Olivia nodded, her nose now running. Alex leaned over to the bedside table and took a tissue from her recent illness and then returned to the top of Olivia, wiping her eyes and blotting her nose, practically sticking it inside her nostrils.

"You, Baby…" She kissed the brunette again. "Your love is my cure…and the honey and cinnamon which, I'm pretty sure, was the perfect homeopathic remedy…thank you Landon…" she smiled. "OK?"

Olivia nodded, seeing the love and appreciation in Alex's eyes.

She cupped her jaw with her hand and sat up to kiss her wife, the kiss turning heated. Olivia flipped the blonde over easily, Alex moaning from the action.

"I love taking care of you, Al…" Olivia's fingers reached in between her legs, pushed her panties aside, and found their way to the blonde's center, stimulating her just so as she gasped just inches from Olivia's face. "I love pleasing you…" Olivia kissed the blonde's chin, her neck, her pulse point before taking the soft flesh of her neck in her mouth and sucking lightly, continuing her stimulation with her fingers.

"Uh, Liv…" Alex threw her head back. "I was gonna do this…Babe…" she moaned, "…for you…"

"Now, I'm doing it…" she mumbled against Alex's neck, skillfully moving the waistband down with one hand, the blonde removing them with lightning speed and tossing them aside.

Olivia returned her fingers to her wife as Alex raised her hips, gyrating to the rhythm Olivia had begun to set, slow but deep, as the detective slowly slipped two fingers inside.

"Oh, Liv…" Alex breathed, hips undulating with the pumping tempo that was now increasing. "More…"

Olivia slid another finger inside her wife, Alex's eyes popping open. The blonde gripped Olivia's shoulders for support as she squeezed her eyes shut tightly and then began panting, tilting her head back further into the pillows. "I was already ready from massag—" Alex let out a loud squeal, Hillary running from the room as she continued rolling her hips, milking every last contraction of her orgasm.

Olivia kissed the blonde's glistening forehead, light kisses traveling down the side of her face—temple, cheekbone, cheek, jaw—before laying her head next to the blonde's on the pillow.

"Give me a second, Babe…" Alex tried, "…you have a happy ending coming your way…"

… … … … … …

AAA

For a Friday morning, the bull pen was buzzing with noise, officers on the phone and talking to civilians at their desks, phones ringing, two men and a woman in the tank yelling. Olivia lifted the hot water pot and poured the scalding liquid over a green tea bag, Alex walking up, holding her mug she kept on the hook there, and letting Olivia pour hot water over her tea bag of the same blend. Alex smiled, feeling Olivia do the same, as they both looked down at what they were doing. Simultaneously, they both turned to face the middle of the room, backs to the counter, and began dunking their tea bags in the water—up and down, up and down—letting them steep. Using very quiet voices, Alex whispered, "I'll never get used to the fact that we're actually married, detective Benson. We're here, at work, and we're married…I want to call you one of your pet names so badly right now…"

Olivia turned and took the tea bag out before adding some agave syrup and stirring with a thin, brown stir stick, "You and me, both, Alex…" Olivia smiled at her from the corner of her eye. "Please don't lean on my desk today, Mrs. Cabot…I'm not sure I'll handle it well…" Olivia paused, still stirring. "You're right though, we haven't been around each other too much here at work since we've been together…I can't wrap my head around it, eith—"

"Call from west 49th street and 11th in Hell's Kitchen, second residence, same ring. Evidence of four children there…deplorable conditions, guardians skipped town with them, possibly out of country, call from the neighbor about the kids crying. CSU is on their way to analyze the scene. Let's go…"

Alex watched Olivia and noticed that it took the brunette a moment, but she quickly snapped from her reverie with her wife. Alex had been questioning the husband and his lawyer all morning, trying to come up with their predicted pleading, how much time would be asked for, and the overall penalties assigned once the case went to court. She had a few minutes until the wife's lawyer and the wife would be brought in for their own legal advisement. The blonde attorney so far, had pissed both lawyer and husband off and was expecting to do the same for the wife and her lawyer. But it was all in the name of justice, right? She hated getting called a bitch, a cold, relentless heartless bitch, but it was part of the game. It did get to her, though she wouldn't let it show—ever.

She watched Olivia grab her jacket and put her arms through it and then the brunette looked at her, catching her eyes, both smiling, before Olivia grabbed her gun and closed the drawer, taking the keys from the top of her desk and putting them in Elliot's open palm, "You're driving this time," the brunette said firmly, her eyes flashing at the older detective.

"Fine with me…" Elliot looked over at Alex who was still leaning on the coffee counter and sipping.

He had a look that was unreadable—steely yet stoic—as he moved to walk side by side with Olivia and they both headed down the corridor, away from the bull pen. Then, he made a gesture that Alex had never seen him make before. He placed his palm on the small of her back, and then moved slightly lower, as they headed toward the elevators. This, obviously, didn't go unnoticed by Olivia either.

OOO

She stopped in her tracks, facing him, just short of the elevators. "What was that?"

Elliot was nonchalant, "What was what?"

Olivia smiled, folding her arms, waiting. She shook her head, "Don't touch me like that…ever…"

"Come on, Liv…I was guiding you like a gentleman should do…or have you forgotten about men's roles in women's lives and the chivalrous actions of the male species." He pushed the elevator button, looking up at the numbers, "You've been around women too long…"

Olivia felt like slapping him but, instead, she brought her hands to her forehead, trying to find control of her anger. She took a deep breath, hands on hips, looking at the ceiling and closing her eyes before looking at the blue-eyed detective, smirking in front of her. She leaned in, "Wipe that smirk off of your face, Elliot. You know exactly what you did. I need to speak with you in private…now…before we go anywhere…" she demanded. She began walking toward a custodial closet just past the elevators, knowing that their conversation had to be quick and they were expected on a call urgently.

Once inside, Elliot closed the door behind him and then turned to face Olivia, crossing his arms. He had a slight smile on his face. She watched his eyes roam her face, her hair, focusing on her mouth, his gaze going to her cleavage in her off-white button-down silk blouse.

"I wasn't imagining things…you have been looking at me…"

"Yeah, I have to look at you, Liv…every day…we're partners. I work with you. Should I close my eyes?" He covered his eyes facetiously before uncovering his eyes, a broad smile on his face.

"What are you smiling about? This isn't working Elliot…I said January but things are getting weird. I'm gonna have to ask for a switch in partners, soon…maybe today. I think you should know that…"

"Who will you partner with?"

"I think Fin would be a good match with me…we work well together…"

"Fin?" Elliot asked incredulously. "You've got to be kidding me! You think I watch your ass all the time, Fin watches it twice as much!" he bellowed.

"At least he's not a creepy and downright blatant about it," Olivia countered. "You and I haven't been working as partners for a while. Fourteen hours is too long for an interrogation that should have taken less than half that time. Then the thing at my bachelorette party, trying to kiss me, then there's how you treat me at work, your lack of respect for my marriage to Alex…we're not friends any more Elliot…that's obvious…"

Elliot nodded, "You're right…we're not friends like we used to be…" He put his hands in his pockets his eyes scanning her body, once again. "Maybe things have changed between us in ways we don't completely understand…"

Olivia furrowed her brow, squinting, "I think I understand fully…you don't support my personal life and you've been looking at me, like you've never looked at me before, lately, and I don't think I'm being presumptuous."

He looked her over again.

"There it is again…"

"You're a beautiful woman, Liv…I'm a man…I have feelings, urges…I keep them in check, but…nine years of…" His eyes focused on her breasts, his eyes glazing over. "I can't help but to look at you…"

Olivia began to take a step towards the handle of the door, Elliot grabbing her elbow.

"Don't you ever think about us? We've been working together for almost ten years. Don't you ever think about what might be between us?"

"Wh—what?" Olivia stammered,

Both of Elliot's hands found her waist, gripping firmly. It all happened so fast, he leaned in and smelled her first, her hands pressed against his strong chest, pushing him firmly, his nose next to her ear, then, without warning his lips were on her neck, his tongue probing out, before traveling down her neck to the tops of her breasts. She struggled to get free but he was so strong.

"Get off me! Let me go!" she said firmly, trying to peel his hands from her waist. He pulled her to him once again, feeling his hardness against her lower belly. The look in his eyes was almost drugged, eyes glassy, as he leaned in for another kiss and forcefully pressed his mouth to hers, biting her lower lip, his hands now on her backside, holding her there firmly.

Then, in a surge of adrenaline and with all of the force she could muster, she brought her knee up to his crotch with force and then shoved him firmly in the chest, earning an, "Ooof!" and a breathless groaning as he stumbled backwards into a shelf of toilet paper, paper towels, rags, several rolls tumbling from the shelves.

"Jesus, Elliot!" she buttoned the top button of her blouse that had come undone from his groping. She wiped her neck as she struggled, shaking, to turn the handle and push the door open, walking down the corridor on jelly-like legs, hands at forty-five degree angles at her sides, shaking them nervously, and entered the bull pen once again.

"I thought you two left…" Fin began.

"Uh…" Olivia tried, voice shaky, feeling tears fill her eyes and her nose begin to run. "Can you take it for me, Fin?"

"Sure thing, Baby Girl…everything OK? He came up and put his hand on the brunette's back, concern in his tawny eyes.

"Yeah," she smiled, sniffing and wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "I'm not feeling well…I think I may be getting what Alex had…speaking of…is she already with the wife and her lawyer?"

"Yeah…" he leaned down to look into the brunette's eyes as she wiped her nose with a tissue, "…something happened, didn't it? Stabler?"

Olivia looked into Fin's eyes and her face must have said it all.

"I'll kill the bastard. Yeah, I'll go with him and he's gonna get a piece of my mind…" Before she could stop him or say anything, he was down the hallway. She heard him yell, "There you are!" fairly loudly, then she heard a loud thud, as if someone was being pushed against something with force. "Big man? You think you're a big man, Stabler?"

Olivia rushed into the corridor to see what happened. Elliot and Fin had gotten into a shoving match, each shove more firm than the last until Elliot had Fin pinned up against a vending machine.

"Do it, man…I've been waiting for you to make the first punch so I can beat the fuck out of you. Ya' smug bastard!"

The veins in Elliot's face were popping, his skin bright red, anger flashing in those blue eyes. He brought his arm back, elbow bent, fist clenched.

"Elliot!" Cragen shouted. "Step away…now!"

Olivia could see Elliot's fist unsteady, shaking in the air, his adrenaline pumping.

"Step away, Elliot!" Cragen tried again, now the older captain stepping in and pushing Elliot back away from Fin. Once they were a few feet apart, the captain said firmly, "My office, you three, right now!"

As they walked back into the bullpen, Cragen said to Munch, "Take Rosales with you to the scene. We need two of our men there and these three seem to think it's circus day here at the precinct."

Olivia folded her arms as she entered the captain's office, thoroughly pissed at the entire situation. The door closed behind them and Olivia stood, back to all, trying not to break down.

This was it. It was now or never. Things were about to change…that was for certain.