AN: I HOPE YOU LIKE IT. PLEASE REVIEW! I REALLY LOVE REVIEWS! THIS STORY IS GETTING DIFFICULT FOR ME TO WRITE... LETS SEE HOW IT WORKS. YOU ARE ALWAYS INVITED TO READ MY OTHER STORIES.
DICLAIMER: L&0:SVU AND ITS CHARACHTERS ARE NOT MINE.
CH14
Liv's sickness had passed soon and finally they find themselves on the largest couch of the room in front of the thin screen that is hanging on the wall, ready to see "The Avengers". Elli prepared popcorn with Olivia's help while Elliot was commissioned to prepare the chocolate milkshakes or 'chocos' as his son calls them.
The little boy insisted on being the one who put on the movie while the adults settled into the large sofa.
"Ready! You see? I can do it by myself." Elli says to his father excitedly. He turns off the main light and returns to the sofa between the two adult. Olivia gets rid of her shoes and lifts up her legs trying to stay warm. Elliot extends one of the covers making sure to cover the three of them. The popcorns disappeared not long after the movie had started and soon the chocos were gone too... except Olivia's one. She barely touched her milkshake and hadn't eat any popcorn trying to avoid the sickness.
"Why it always have to be in New York?" Elliot complains watching the city being destroyed on the television. Olivia smiles and shrugs not answering.
"Ash! Daddy is only a movie." Elli says maturely getting up anxious. "Pause it!" Soon he disappears down the hall and his footsteps are heard climbing up stairs.
"Where are you going?" His dad asks pausing the movie.
"To the pipisroom!" The boy screams from upstairs.
"Don't forget to put down the toilet seat when you finish! And you flush it! And wash your hands!" Elliot asks yelling loudly.
"Yeeees Daaaad!" Olivia laughs at the scene and turns to see Elliot.
"You're a great dad," she says softly.
"Not so much ... I was gone a long time when the children were young. I want to enjoy Eli's childhood as much as possible." she nods understanding her former partner.
"You gave them a good life, Elliot." She animates him.
"Yes, I think I do ..." They remain silent listening to the water running and then the light steps of the little boy coming back.
"The water is cold!" Elli complains lying down again in his place and dropping his head on Olivia's entwined legs. She caresses his hair receiving him with a smile.
The kid falls into a deep sleep before the movie came to an end.
"What time is it?" Olivia asks turning to the window trying not to move too much to not wake up the kid slept on her legs.
"Early" Elliot answered immediately without even seeing the clock. Don't wanting her to leave. "He was exhausted" explains why the child is asleep already.
"Ahm... I guess so."
"I promised to take him to the Bronx Zoo tomorrow. He'll need energy." Elliot gets up and gently takes his young son in his arms to carry him to bed. "Wait here." He asks Olivia before continuing his way to the stairs. She nods and snuggles on the sofa covering herself with the blanket
"Not going anywhere Stabler" Ell smiles at the tone of camaraderie used by her and continued upstairs.
Elliot ensures to cover the child who complains between dreams but ends curled hugging a purple blanket and sleeps deeply. Elliot left on a small night flashlight, ensures that the window is closed and closes the door before getting back downstairs. Olivia continues in the same place attentive to the film's end.
"You hadn't seen it?" Elliot asks noticing the expression of genuine intrigue in his ex-partner's face.
"No" She answers without removing her eyes from the TV.
Elliot decides to clean the place while the movie is finish.
"ahm... Can I drink it?" Eliot asks referring to her milkshake trying not to distract her. Liv just nods and makes him a motion with her hand asking to withdraw from the front.
Elliot smiles and does what she asks disappearing into the kitchen. He takes his time to drink the whole choco and then takes care of washing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen attentive to the movie's audio guessing the scenes in his mind. He can't help but smile when he listen Olivia's expressions of surprise and soft giggles caused by the dialogues and the final scene of the movie.
He soon returns to her on the couch and entertains examining his friend's face. Back when they just had begun to work together, he spent time watching her cautiously trying to memorize and understand each of her expressions. He had learned to read her with ease and yet now he felt that he must return to study her. He fears that the time spent separated had erase the thirteen years of partnership. He is fascinated to find the familiar expressions without any difficulty and struggles to find some new ones.
"I really hope that the day the aliens decide to invade the city those Avengers really do appear." she said separating the look of the final credits.
"The day that happens I'll protect you" Elliot responds smiling happy to receive her attention again.
"Sure... They will annihilate both of us."She says earning a false discomfort gaze.
"How do you feel?" Elliot asks really worried.
"Much better" She moves in the coach stretching her upper extremities and letting out a big yawn. "I should go now."
"No!" Elliot answered somewhat disturbed at the idea "Is still early." He tries to give a more logical fact rather than just let her know he just wants to be with her.
"I know but ..."
"Liv I DON'T want you to go." He says repeating the words she had said the night before, which can make them smile.
"It's your weekend with Elli. We can meet other day." She doesn't want to take the time he can spend with his child.
"Stay with us ... All the weekend" Their eyes meet again with the same electric energy that had always existed.
"Ok." Olivia lets out a breath loudly. "I'll stay" she answers without looking down, without deflecting as she used to do. "I can get away from work a couple of days"
"Thank you" Elliot involuntarily let his hand slide the soft cheek of her friend and gingerly removed the rebels hair falling down her face. Olivia looks down at his lips and remembers what happened hours before. She can feel her cheeks blushing.
The strange thing is that this time they don't get scared about their connection. Now they are curious, the same question had always been flying in their minds: the 'what ifs...' What if thoughts become into words? If feelings are turned into actions? If they dared to cross the thin and fragile line that existed between them?
Her body freezes to feel his unexpected closeness and for the first time in months she feels awkward not knowing what to do. Elliot notices her reaction and separates again giving her a warm smile.
"Are you sure you don't want to eat something?" He asks waiting to hear her voice.
"Yeah. It's not a good idea to put in more food into my stomach."Olivia responds calmly, confident voice hiding her nervousness.
"Good. Do you want to watch another movie?"
"No. I'd rather ... ahm ... I just wanna be with you." The thoughts convert into words.
The huge smile that draws on Elliot's face impresses her. Was he happy to share his time with her too?
"That sounds perfect to me." Yes, he wants to be with her too.
AN: NEXT CHAPTER… WILL LIV EXPLAIN THINGS TO ELLIOT? PLEASE REVIEW FOR MORE!