The boat had finally reached the shore and Elliot took Olivia's hand in his and helped her jump down. He wasn't ready for the night to end yet so he took Olivia to a quiet spot on the beach and he laid out a thin blanket. He patted the empty spot next to him and Olivia sat down, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"This has been a great time," Olivia said.
"It has."
The waves slowly collided with the sand causing background noise to the otherwise quiet night. The seagulls had already disappeared to their nests and were sleeping soundly. There weren't many people in sight on the beach. Elliot and Olivia had the place pretty much to themselves.
"Can I kiss you?"
Elliot didn't mean to say it out loud. He thought it was just a thought that only he could hear. The look he got from Olivia told him otherwise. "El... I don't... want to take things to fast."
"Liv, this isn't too fast. I have waited several years for this... I know you have too. It's just a kiss."
Olivia looked to him with fear in her eyes. Just a kiss. Just a kiss never meant just a kiss. If she kissed him she would want to go further and she wasn't ready for that. She had forgiven Elliot but, she was still hurt by him.
"El-" before she could finish speaking Elliot's lips crashed onto hers just like the waves crashing onto the sand of the shores.
When he pulled away Olivia couldn't manage to break the stare they held. Her eyes bore into his and neither of them dared to move. Elliot's hand was still on Olivia's cheek and he could feel her temperature rise. He was preparing himself for her lashing out. Instead... he got something completely different. She moved her hands to rest them on his chest and she grabbed a fistful of his shirt into her hands. "I love you so much that I hate you," she whispered, "This night... it's been one of the best nights of my life."
Elliot could see that her eyes were watering by the way the light from the moon shined down on her. He thought she was going to smack him or get up and walk away but, she didn't. "I love you," she repeated before moving in closer and repaying the gift of a soft kiss. She slipped in her tongue this time and Elliot didn't try to stop her. He had been ready for this moment for a long time.
"Let's go back to the house," Olivia said when she reluctantly pulled away. We'll have a lot more privacy."
Elliot was feeling giddy now so he stood up and scooped Olivia into his arms, forgetting about the picnic basket and blanket, and headed back to the beach house. They were barely in the door when Elliot couldn't wait any longer to get her clothes off. He reached for the bottom of dress and lifted it up over her head, tossing it somewhere in the living room. He went back to kissing her as they moved down the hallway and into his bedroom, throwing both of them down on the bed. Olivia took one look into his eyes and she knew she was ready. She wanted this. She reached her hands under his shirt and rested her palms against his chest. She loved feeling his masculinity and soon it would all be exposed to her. She slowly worked to undo the buttons on his shirt.
This was the night that would change everything.
The sun shined through the curtains bringing a new found warmth to the room. It cascaded over Olivia's naked body and she stretched, slowly fluttering her eyes open. She smiled when she turned her head to see Elliot lying right next to her with his head propped up on his hand; staring at her.
"Hey," he smiled, "How did you sleep?"
She smiled even bigger, "I slept just fine. How about you?"
"I didn't sleep. I couldn't help but watch you."
"That's a bit creepy, El," she teased.
"So arrest me."
Talking about arresting made Olivia think back to the little kid who had entered the precinct right before she was about to walk out. She wondered how he was doing and if they had made god progress on his case.
"What?" he asked seeing that she was thinking about something. "What's wrong?"
"Josh," she sighed, "I was just thinking about if they found his family."
Elliot reached over to the bedside table and handed her her cell phone; knowing she would want to call and find out. "I'll make us something to eat," he said giving her a quick peck on the cheek before getting up and leaving the room.
Olivia dialed Cragen's number and waited for an answer.
"Hello?"
"Hey," Olivia said, glad to hear her captain's voice, "How's everything going."
"Typical," he said, "How's your vacation?"
"It's great," she said honestly, "I'm really having a good time. I called to ask if you had found Josh's family yet?"
There was a moment of silence from Cragen's end of the line and Olivia knew that it wasn't good. He sighed and finally responded, "Honey otherwise known as Stacy Brooks somehow found out where Josh was staying. She went to the foster home and... nobody made it out."
"He's dead?" Olivia asked with a tear already escaping down her cheek.
"I'm sorry, Liv."
She nodded although Cragen couldn't see. Her chin trembled as she tried to keep her composure. "I got to go..." she said, "I'll talk to you later." Before Cragen could say anything she hung up and tossed the phone to the floor.
Guilt had over taken her body. If she would have stayed in Manhattan then Josh might still be alive. She promised herself she would never walk away from a victim but, she had and now... More tears were making their way down her face.
"Hey, we don't have any more pancake batter so I have to run to the-" he stopped when he reached the bedroom and saw that Olivia was crying.
"Liv? What's wrong? What happened?" He made his way to the bed and sat down next her, wiping the tears away.
"He's dead," she sobbed.
Elliot sighed and wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her close. She rested her head into his chest and wept. Elliot knew she would blame herself. Then she would blame him because he made her come to Florida. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself without his help.
"I'm sorry," he said as he rubbed her back, "I'm so sorry."
"This is all my fault," she cried, "I never should have left him."
"Liv," Elliot said gently, pulling her body away so he could look into her eyes, "You couldn't have done anything different."
Olivia sighed angrily, "I could have tried!"
He sighed again and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. He shook his head slowly, thinking of what to say next. "Olivia, you try so hard to help other people. They always come first in your book. In mine, the first person is you. I wanted you to come out here because I knew you needed the break. I knew you loved me almost as much as I love you. You can't save everyone."
"You're wrong, El," she said wiping away her tears, "I love you more than you know."
Elliot gave her a sad smile and pulled him close to him again. He kissed her on top of her head and whispered that he loved her in her ear. "Why don't you get washed up and we can go out for breakfast?"
She nodded, liking the idea. "Thanks."
"You don't have anything to thank me for," he said, "I was just being honest."
