Elliot was sound asleep when he heard his phone go off. He groaned as he rolled over and snagged the phone.
"Stabler."
"Elliot. I need you and Tony to get over to Alphabet City. Rape victim was found in Tompkins Square Park."
Elliot looked at the clock and saw it was 3AM. He groaned inwardly, knowing his plans for Saturday were shot to hell. Damn it. When he talked to Olivia a few hours ago, he had promised to be there by noon. "What hospital? I'll send Tony there while I hit the crime scene."
"You don't need to do that. This victim will be going to the morgue."
Elliot hung up after acknowledging the Captain's comment and called Tony, giving him the pertinent information. He thought about Dick and getting him home, and he knew Kathy was going to be pissed that she had to come into the city to pick him up. He climbed out of bed and got ready to go out. Before he left, he woke up Dick and told him what was going on, and he honestly didn't know if he would remember that they spoke. He made a mental note to call him later in the morning.
He considered texting Olivia, but decided he would let her sleep too. She'd had enough calls in the middle of the night to last a lifetime. Once again, he was hit with a sense of nostalgia, wishing it was her that her at his side.
EOEOEOEOEO
Elise woke up Olivia bright and early, bouncing off the walls with excitement that Elliot was coming to visit them today. Olivia almost wished she hadn't told her last night, but the young girl was driving her insane, constantly asking when they would see him.
"When is Daddy going to be here?" she asked as she snuggled up next to Olivia in bed.
"I don't know honey. I would say lunch time." Elliot had said noon, but she knew Elliot had to drop Dick off in Queens, which put him even farther out and meant a longer drive. Lunch time was vague enough.
"He promised he would take me to see a movie today." She said, bouncing back up on her knees.
"I heard that." Olivia said, laughing. That was probably the 100th time she heard it from Elise.
"Are you going to come along?" Elise asked.
"Am I invited?" Olivia asked, seriously wondering if Elise wanted Elliot to herself. He had definitely won this little girl's heart and sometimes Olivia felt a small stab of jealousy since she was used to being the center of her universe. But it passed quickly.
The little girl shrugged and gave her a funny expression and Olivia shook her head at how like Elliot she was sometimes, even before the two had met. The look on her face was pure Elliot, and it always made her think about the nature vs. nurture debate. Elise had so many of Elliot's traits. It had helped her survive the years without him. Her little El.
"OK then. Maybe I'll stay home and be lazy." Olivia said, climbing out of bed.
Elise hopped out of bed and took Olivia's hand as they walked out of the bedroom. "Maybe you could make cookies." Elise said and Olivia laughed at her tone. Four-year-old logic. Don't take time for yourself; do something for me.
"Maybe."
EOEOEOEOEOEO
Elliot and Tony had spent all morning trying to piece together the last few hours of Emily Scinto's life. She had been at a local bar with friends and then was gone. They had tracked down her friends and interviewed about half of them and the only thing they had so far was that they were all too drunk, that everyone had been dancing and taking shots, and no one remembered anyone in particular or anything out of the ordinary. A normal Friday night in a packed bar.
They were on their way to their next witness/friend of Emily's when Elliot saw a text message from Olivia come across his screen. Damn it.
He looked at his watch and saw it was almost noon and he felt like an absolute shit because he'd lost all track of time. He hadn't called her and he hadn't called Dick either.
He looked over at Tony, who was steering them through the city. "I have to make a call." He said. He still hadn't filled him in on all the latest developments in his life and he knew he should do that too. Tony was an open book and Elliot knew more about his life then he probably wanted to. Tony didn't know much about him at all; it was almost as if he didn't want to invest anything in a new partner. Even though it had been years.
"No problem." Tony said. "Do you need me to pull over?" An offer of privacy.
Elliot shook his head as he hit Olivia's number on speed dial. She answered on the second ring.
"Hey. I'm sorry to bug you." She started in right away. "I know you're getting here as fast as you can. But usually you text me when you're leaving and I hadn't heard from you and Elise is driving me crazy."
Elliot could hear her in the background. "Let me talk to him. Let me talk to Daddy." Over and over. Shit.
"Liv." He said, regret in his tone, and he could hear the sigh on the other end. She knew what was coming.
"Oh El." She said. He could hear a mix of disappointment and understanding in her voice. She'd been in his position, canceling dates and putting life on hold because of a case. But he knew it didn't make it any easier, and he knew she had to deal with a very disappointed Elise as well.
"I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do about it."
"Are you going to be tied up all day?" she asked, hoping that maybe he could drive up in the evening.
He knew what she was thinking, but he didn't want to make any more promises because he didn't know if he could keep them. "I don't know." He said, his voice deflated. "But yeah, probably. Tomorrow too."
The silence hung between them for a minute as they both struggled with their disappointment.
"I understand." Olivia said, because she did. But that didn't mean she wasn't a little mad about another sociopath honing in on her life. "Just call when you can." She disconnected the call, knowing she was being a little unreasonable but not able to mask it right now. She took a deep breath and turned to Elise, readying herself for the meltdown that was sure to ensue.
Elliot looked at the phone for a second, a little pissed that Olivia was upset with him and had ended the call so abruptly. It reminded him of Kathy to some degree, but it confused him because she knew what it was like. He let it go, chalking it up to the fact that she now had to deal with a cranky 4-year-old.
"Everything OK?" Tony asked.
Elliot nodded. "Yep. Wonderful." He looked over at him. "I have to make one more call." He dialed Dick's number, assuming he had gotten up, found him gone and put two and two together even if he didn't remember their 3AM conversation.
EOEOEOEOEOEO
Olivia crashed down on the couch, thankful that Elise had actually fallen asleep. She normally didn't nap in the middle of the day anymore, but she had worn herself out. As predicted, she'd had a complete tantrum when Olivia told her that Elliot couldn't come. Complete with major theatrics, throwing herself down on the floor, kicking her legs and wailing. When she got like this, there was nothing Olivia could do except let it run its course. Any attempt to intervene or request that she calm own only made it worse. When she had finally wound down, Olivia had tried to talk to her about going to a movie or going out for lunch but Elise wouldn't budge; she wanted to do those things with Elliot. Anything that Olivia offered was turned down and Elise had spent the afternoon in her room, preferring to be alone. Olivia kept checking on her and she could see that Elise was holding on to her anger, refusing to engage with her mother. Olivia sighed at this side of her daughter. A mini El for sure.
When Olivia had checked on her again, she had found her sleep on her bed, books and stuffed animals strewn around her. She pulled up the covers and gave her a kiss, knowing she would be in a better mood when she woke up.
She hadn't heard from Elliot all afternoon, and while she remembered what it was like when you were in the middle of a case, she had still hoped he would check in. She knew she was being unreasonable and it made her think of all of the times she'd had to cancel plans. She could definitely understand it now from the other person's perspective, and she felt bad about being so short with Elliot. She knew he'd rather be here with them.
She picked up her phone and sent him a text, not wanting to disturb whatever he was going with a call.
"Sorry. I understand. I really do. Just call when you can." She hesitated because she normally wasn't one for mushy messages. But she added I love you at the end before she hit SEND.
EOEOEOEOEOEO
Elliot was at the station when he got her text message. He picked up the phone on his desk and dialed her number.
"Liv." He said quietly when she answered.
"Hey." She said. She hadn't expected to hear from him so quickly. "How's the case going?" she asked.
"It sucks."
"Yeah." She said. She knew what a toll each case took on them. "Sorry."
"You know I'd rather be there with you."
"I know. I didn't mean to give you a hard time." She really meant it. "This is just a lot harder than I thought it would be." She had been on her own for five years, so she couldn't believe how quickly they had gotten back into a rhythm and how much she missed him when they weren't together.
"I can't stand the thought of not seeing you or Elise for another week." He said.
"I know. Especially if you keep talking like you did this past week." When Elliot had been telling her exactly what he wished he was doing to her, she'd actually been surprised at how much her body reacted to his voice and words. She had been looking forward to getting Elise to bed and having him actually do every one of those things.
"Don't get me going Liv." He said, thoughts of her naked body beneath his causing a rush of heat to his groin. "I'm in the squad room for God's sake."
"Wouldn't be the first time you had a hard-on for me hidden beneath that desk." She teased.
Elliot growled into the phone. "I could say something right now…" He looked up and saw Tony looking at him. Maybe he was talking more loudly then he thought. "But I can't." he whispered, covering his mouth over the phone.
"Too bad we were in denial for so long. I could have taken you into the cribs…or the interrogation room…and taken care of that for you." She continued, knowing that she was probably driving him crazy because he had shared a couple of those particular fantasies with her at one point in time.
"Stop." She heard him say in a choked tone.
"Hey, if you can't get yourself up here to Connecticut, then I'm going to have to settle for phone sex." She had dropped her tone. "Elise is sleeping right now, so maybe I'll just have to take care of things myself." She teased. "Can you find a quiet spot and take a short break?" she said, her voice breathy and seductive.
Fuck. She was driving him insane.
He looked up, feeling like her words were written on his face and everyone knew what he was talking about on the phone. He saw Tony motioning to him and he knew he had to go.
"Liv. Fuck." He whispered. "I have to go."
"OK." She said playfully. "Call me later and I'll let you know what you missed." She disconnected the phone and laughed as she tossed it on the coffee table. He was so easy to get riled up and she loved to tease him. She let out a heavy sigh, realizing that she had gotten herself a little worked up as well, and she hoped that she would be able to see him soon.
EOEOEOEOEO
It was after 9:00 when Cragen told them to knock off for the night and be back at 8AM tomorrow. He got in the car and drove home, in need of some food and a shower. Not necessarily in that order. He walked into the house and dropped his keys, gun and badge on the counter. He stood for a second, taking in the silence of the apartment. He hated it.
He jumped in the shower, washing away the grime of the past 18 hours. The whole time he couldn't stop thinking about Olivia. He got out, toweling off and wishing that she as waiting for him in the next room. Before he knew what he was doing, he was dressed and out the door, keys in hand. He stopped and got a coffee and headed out of the city.
It was almost midnight when he pulled into her driveway and killed the engine. The small house was dark and he was pretty certain she was asleep. He debated what to do next; he didn't want to startle her or risk waking Elise by banging on the door. He pulled out his phone as he walked up towards the stairs to the porch.
"Open the front door." He smiled and hit SEND.
He walked up the steps and leaned against the post, a few feet from the door. He hoped that all of her years of conditioning to hear her phone in the middle of the night paid off. He waited a few minutes before he saw a light come on, and he saw her peek through the window that ran vertical to the door. He gave her a grin and saw the look of surprise on her face.
The door opened and he moved towards her when he saw her standing there, taking in her rumpled clothing, messy hair and baseball bat in her hands.
"Elliot." She said, her voice husky from sleep. "What are you doing here?"
He closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. "I missed you." He said, feeling relief wash through him; the stress of the past day and a half gone as he held her close.
He took the baseball bat out of her hand and leaned it against the wall as he walked her backwards into the foyer and nudged the door closed with his foot. He ran his hands up her back until one of his hands cradled her head and he kissed her, releasing all of the built up frustration and want. He held her close with his other arm, feeling the warmth of her body against his.
She laughed lightly as he released her lips. "What are you doing here?" she whispered again.
"I told you I missed you."
"So this is some kind of booty call?" she said, raising an eyebrow at him as he wrapped his other arm around her, holding her against him.
He kissed her forehead and let out a hushed laugh. "I wish it was, but I'm so exhausted I don't think I'd be any good to you." That had been on his mind when he left his apartment, but he realized on the way up that really, he just wanted to see her. To wrap his body around her as he slept, his face buried in her hair and her legs tangled with his.
Olivia looked at him skeptically. "You drove all the way up here to sleep?"
"Is that so hard to believe?" he asked, knowing it probably was. "I have to leave by 630." He picked her up slightly as he moved towards the stairs, dragging her along with him. "Let's go to bed."
He released her then, grabbing her hand in his and starting up the stairs. Olivia smiled as he tugged her along behind him. He shed his t-shirt the moment they were inside her room, and his jeans were gone seconds later. He pulled back the covers and lay down on his back with a heavy sigh. Olivia turned out the hall light, immersing the room in darkness. He felt the bed shift as she climbed onto the bed and he reached for her and pulled her down next to him. He leaned over her and kissed her.
"Roll over." He said, nudging her.
"What?" She didn't understand what he was asking her.
"Roll over." He nudged her again and she started to roll over, away from him. When she was on her side, he stopped her by wrapping his arm around her and pulling her body back towards him. He lay his head next to hers and threw a leg over hers, snuggling her as tight as possible to his body. "Now I can sleep." He whispered in her ear and she relaxed against him.
"I can't believe you drove all the way up here to sleep." She whispered, but he didn't hear her. He was already snoring lightly.
EOEOEOEO
Olivia was roused from sleep when she heard Elliot's phone alarm going off quietly from the floor. He must have left his phone in his jeans pocket. He groaned as he disentangled himself from her body, having barely moved all night. He reached over and grabbed his jeans off the floor, fishing in the pocket for his phone and turning off the alarm. He groaned as he rolled back against Olivia. "I don't want to go."
Olivia wanted to tell him to stay, but she knew he couldn't. She didn't want to make it even harder for him. "I'm glad you came." She said. She was unbelievably happy that he had shown up on her doorstep. Even though it was for a brief time, it would tide her over until they could see each other again.
Elliot nuzzled his face into her neck. He pulled her hair back and placed a kiss on her neck. He pressed himself against her and she could feel his hard-on.
"Do you have to leave right away?" she asked quietly, reaching back and wrapping one hand around his neck.
"I have fifteen minutes." He said. "Maybe more if I speed on the way back."
"Extenuating circumstances." Olivia whispered. "They'd probably let you off with a warning." She pushed her ass back into him.
Elliot lifted himself up and he climbed over her as she rolled over on her back. He kneeled between her legs, pulling his briefs down and kicking them off. He snagged her underwear and dragged it down over her hips. "If I get a ticket, it'll be worth it." He said as he settled between her legs. He leaned in and kissed her, penetrating her slightly.
Olivia arched her back and wrapped her legs around him, urging him inside her. "I'll pay for it." She said, gasping as he slid slowly inside of her. She closed her eyes and moaned quietly as Elliot set a slow rhythm between them. He buried his face in her neck, relishing the feel of her around him as he thrust into her. "I love you so much."
It was slow and sweet and he covered her mouth with his as they both came, thankful for whatever fate had brought her into his life.
EOEOEOEO
Elliot kissed Olivia gently. "Go back to sleep." He whispered. "I'll call you later." He dressed quickly and gave her one last kiss. She smiled at him as she watched him go, sad to see him leave, but happy he had been there, even for a short time.
He hesitated at the door, not wanting to wake her, but wanting to peek in on Elise. He pushed open her door and saw her sprawled out on the bed, covers thrown off and stuffed animals everywhere. The sight of her made him smile. She looked so much like Olivia and once again, he liked to think that he was getting a small glimpse of what she was like as a little girl. He walked quietly over to the bed, trying to dodge the toys on the floor. He leaned over, and pulled the covers up over her, pushing some of the animals littering the bed out of the way. "Hi princess." He whispered.
To his surprise, she opened her eyes slightly. "Daddy?" she whispered.
As much as he hadn't wanted to wake her, her little voice was like music to his ears right now.
She held out her arms towards him and he scooped her up, holding her close to him and kissing her on top of her head. "It's me baby." He said. "I came to see you."
She snuggled into him and he realized she was still half asleep. He carried her out of her room and into Olivia's. She smiled when she saw her in his arms; she'd had a feeling he wouldn't leave without seeing her. She snagged her underwear off the floor and put them on under the covers. Then she held out her arms and Elliot lay Elise down next to her.
Elise opened her eyes and looked up at Olivia. "Mommy?"
"Shhh." Olivia said, leaning down and whispering in her ear. "Go back to sleep."
Elise closed her eyes and Olivia pulled her little body into hers as they snuggled back down against the pillows. Elliot pulled the covers back up over both of them and placed a kiss on each of their foreheads. The sight of them lying there was tugging at his heart and the only thing he wanted to do right now was crawl back in bed with them.
He swallowed the lump in his throat.
Olivia could see the look on his face and she reached up and caressed his cheek with her hand. "It's OK El." She said. "We'll figure it out."
He placed his hand over hers and then stood up, keeping her hand in his as he looked down at them. "Soon Liv." He placed a kiss on her hand and then released it.
He couldn't look back as he left because he really thought he might not be able to leave.