Author's Note (Please Read): So there is going to be a bit of a time jump, about 3 ½ months. Elliot and Olivia have been dating for a year, she has taken the Sergeant's Exam and passed with flying colors, and is in the process of taking over for Cragen.

Line Break…

Olivia walked through the door at about 10 p.m., exhausted. She never realized how much Cragen had to deal with. While she was in the field a lot less; dealing with reporters, One PP, Chief of D's, her detective's attitudes, and all the cases was mentally taxing. Not to mention that because she was training for the job, they were down a detective. Munch wasn't doing much field work besides interviews on rare occasion, and did more computer searches than anything else.

Elliot was sitting up on their couch, watching some show that she thought was ridiculous. When he heard the door open, he looked at her and smiled. He got up off of the couch and walked over to her, pulling her into a hug. She relaxed in his embrace, and hugged him back tightly. This had become the norm for them. If he was still awake when she got home, he would hug her as soon as she walked through the door.

He then helped her take off her coat, and belt with her badge and gun. There was nothing sexual about it, he just enjoyed being with her. They had grown to enjoy the little things even more since the shooting. They know how precious life can be, and every day she came home to him was a blessing.

He took her by the hand and led her to the bedroom, making a quick stop to turn off the TV. Once inside the bedroom, they slowly helped each other undress and climbed into bed.

Olivia laid her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, while he ran his finger through her long brown locks. Soon Olivia was out like a light, and Elliot watched her sleep. She always looked so calm, and all of the stress and cares left her. Soon listening to the sound of her deep, even breathing lulled him to sleep.

Unfortunately the peaceful bliss didn't last as long as they would have liked. Around 2 a.m. Olivia's cell phone rang loudly into the dark silence of their bedroom.

"I thought that the middle of the night calls were supposed to stop when you got this promotion." Elliot groaned.

"I did too. And why are you complaining, it's not your ass that has to go out there." Olivia complained, and answered her phone. "Benson."

She listened to Cragen tell her what was going on and where she needed to meet the team. After she hung up, she groaned out loud and got out of bed. She was quickly getting dressed, and making herself look somewhat presentable.

"Case needs all hands on deck. So, I probably won't be home for a few days by the sounds of it." Olivia warned Elliot.

"Keep me up-to-date on what's going on with you, baby. Don't do anything stupid." Elliot pleaded.

"I will try to call you as often as I can; I gotta get going. I love you, babe." She gave him a peck on the lips and hurried out the door.

Line break….

Olivia had been working on this case for five days straight with little sleep and food, and a lot of caffeine. They still hadn't caught a break in the case. Just when they thought they had something, it turned out to be a dead end or the wrong person.

The case started out with a double rape homicide at Hudson University. It was quickly determined that there were two perps working together. Unfortunately they were smart enough not to leave any DNA, or usable trace evidence. They had canvased and talked to people who knew the two girls. It seemed that people either loved or hated them; there was no in between. Everyone who seemed to have an issue with these two ladies had a solid alibi.

The entire squad was getting on each other's nerves, and really just wanted to catch these guys. Olivia was finally going to get her chance to get out of the squad room for a little bit. Elliot was taking her out to lunch, and she was grateful. It was already 11:40 and Elliot was supposed to pick her up at noon.

Elliot walked into the bullpen at quarter till noon, and his face instantly lit up when he saw Olivia. It had been a long five days without her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and breathed her in.

"Hey, you're early." Olivia exclaimed and turned around in his arms, so she could hug him.

"Yeah, I know. I wanted to talk to Cap real quick. Is he in his office?" Elliot explained.

"Everything okay?" Liv questioned, he didn't usually chat with Cragen.

"Everything is fine, I promise. Now why don't you finish what you were doing before I interrupted, and we will got get lunch when I come back out."

Elliot walked over to Cragen's door and knocked, waiting for permission to enter the office. Upon hearing Cragen say come in, he opened the door and entered.

Cragen looked up and saw Elliot entering.

"Elliot, what can I do for you?" Cragen asked.

"Well, I would like for a favor from you. Quite a large one actually." Elliot stated.

Once he saw Cragen nod for him to go on, he continued.

"I know Olivia has used a lot of time, with recovering and all, and that she needs to finish her training with you, but I was wondering if after this case she could get a week off." Elliot said really fast, and without taking a breath.

"She hasn't asked for anytime off. Is everything alright?" Cragen asked concerned. Elliot nodded and then continued.

"Everything is fine, and she hasn't asked for time off, because she doesn't know yet. You see, I wanted to take her on vacation before she officially becomes acting commander. With everything that has happened over the last year, I think getting away and enjoying herself would be just what she needs."

"I agree with you, and I will get everything worked out so she can get time off. Lord knows that she has all the time saved up."

"That brings me to the next thing I want to talk to you about. You know that Olivia thinks of you as a father, and we have been together for a year now, and I really love her. I have for a long time."

Cragen put his hand up, and Elliot stopped talking. He was fidgeting nervously, hoping to get the answer he was looking for.

"I love that girl like she was my own daughter. I haven't seen her happier than I have over the last year, and that is thanks to you and your kids. So if you are asking me what I am pretty sure you are asking me, then you have my blessing."

Elliot let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He walked up to shake Cragen's hand, and Cragen pulled him into a fatherly hug.

"I also think of you as a son, and I am happy for you too." Cragen told him with a smile.

Elliot walked out of the office, and helped Liv put on her coat. They walked out of the precinct hand in hand and Cragen watched from his office with fatherly pride.

Line break…

They went to their favorite diner, and got a booth near the back for a little privacy.

"I have missed you so much. It's hard to sleep without holding you." Elliot complained a little, holding her hand across the table and rubbing her knuckles with his thumb.

"At least you are getting the opportunity to sleep, I am exhausted beyond belief," she shot back, "I just hope that we catch these freaks soon. I want to be done with this."

He was about to reply when their waitress brought their food to them. After thanking her, they went back to the conversation

"Aw baby, I know you guys will get them soon, all of you are good at what you do. Now eat up, I know you haven't gotten the chance to eat properly in a while."

Normally they would share their food, but Olivia was hungry. She ate her entire plate, and half of Elliot's fries. Elliot didn't mind, he had a feeling that was going to happen.

After they had finished and paid, Elliot walked her back to the 1-6. He rode the elevator up with her, and hugged and kissed her goodbye.

He was on his way home to plan and book what would hopefully be the best vacation he has ever taken.

Line break…

It took another two days, but thanks to an anonymous tip, they were able to get the guys. At first it took a while to get them to confess, but after they got one of the guys to confess, the other flipped like a pancake. Everyone was glad to be done with this case. When she finished her paperwork, she called Elliot to let him know she would be home in 20 minutes.

Olivia enter the apartment that night, wanting nothing more than to climb into bed with her man, cuddle up to him, and sleep.

When she walked into the apartment though, she was taken back by what she was seeing. There was a rose petal trail illuminated by tea light candles. She gasped, and followed the trail into the bedroom, where she was met by her wonderful boyfriend. He didn't say a word, just handed her an envelope.

She opened the envelope, and saw plane tickets and a resort reservation. She looked at the destination and saw that they were headed to the Bahamas. She looked at him utterly stunned.

"Bu-but, how, when, why?" She couldn't get a coherent thought together. Elliot laughed at her babbling and pulled her onto the bed and sat with her.

"Well, that's what I was talking to Cragen about. I asked him for a week off for you. When? We leave in two days. Why? Well because I love you, we have been together for a year, we never celebrated you making Sergeant, and about a million other reasons."

She couldn't say anything, so she just kissed him. He kissed her back with all the love in the world. He just hoped that she would still feel the same way when he surprised her once more while they were on this vacation.