The sun felt warm on her skin and Olivia felt herself start to relax. She knew she couldn't fight Cragen, Elliot and Fin. And she was sure Munch was going to take their side as well. She would go to the new safe house and let them do their job, and see what she could do to help out behind the scenes. And when this was all over, she and Elliot would figure out what was next for them.

In the meantime, she would be happy to just explore that sexy man's body. She closed her eyes and started to replay the events of that night. The feel of Elliot's lips against hers…his hot mouth on her breasts…the hard length of him as he slid inside of her.

She heard herself let out a small moan and she felt a small stirring low in her belly.

She knew it was horrible to think about those things with the predicament she was in, so she tried to erase it from her thoughts.

But the things that man could do to her... She couldn't wait to be alone with him again.

She felt herself starting to nod off, but she knew she had to get back downstairs before anyone missed her. She was sure their little meeting would be breaking up soon.

Maybe just another minute. She had been cooped up in that apartment and the sun felt so good.

Suddenly she heard a commotion and someone yelling her name, and she bolted into an upright position on the lounge chair and saw a very upset Fin storming towards her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He asked, marching right up to the lounge chair and placing his hand on her bicep, practically pulling her out of the chair.

Olivia was dumbfounded because 1) she had never seen Fin this rattled and 2) Fin had never been physical with her. Before she could even say a word, he did pull her up out of the chair and started ranting again.

"You're sunbathing?" he asked, tugging her towards the door. "We're running around looking for you and you're outside soaking up some rays?"

Olivia almost stumbled as Fin continued to pull her along and she looked up at him and saw him scanning the surrounding buildings.

"You trying to give them an easy target?" He pulled her through the door and she reached for his hand, trying to pry his fingers from her arm.

"Fin stop!" she finally got out and he did, turning to look at her as he dropped his hand from her arm. He put his hands on his hips and glared at her, as if daring her to come up with a reasonable explanation. "I just needed to get some fresh air." She said. "I…"

She heard his radio crackle and she heard Elliot on the other end telling them she wasn't in the parking garage. Fin continued to glare at her as he pulled the radio from his belt and pushed the button to speak. "Fin here. I got her. She's fine." He released the button and heard Cragen reply.

"Bring her back to the conference room stat."

"I was only gone for a few minutes…" she started. She was a trained police officer, the same as all of them. She managed to take care of herself for years…thank you very much…and she was just so tired of all of this. And now Fin was berating her like a small child? No. Hell no.

"Are you kidding me with this shit?" Fin asked, making it more of a statement than a question. "C'mon Liv. You're helluva lot smarter than that." He shook his head. "A man's trying to kill you and we're all trying to nail his ass, and you run out and pull this shit?"

"I wasn't…" She shook her head, her anger suddenly gone. "I just needed a minute." She leaned back against the wall, realizing the enormity of her mistake. She really hadn't been thinking about anything except her need to escape all of the macho, overprotective bullshit. But she realized now that these people were laying their lives on the line for her. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I was only going to be gone a minute."

Fin's expression softened then, because he knew how hard this was for her. She was an independent person, stubborn as hell, and he knew she didn't like being cooped up or having everyone watching her every move. He put a hand on her shoulder. "I know this is driving you crazy. I didn't mean to be so hard on you."

Olivia shook her head again. "No. I'm sorry." She hung her head down. The weight of this entire situation was wearing her down. "What happens if we don't get this guy Fin?" she whispered. "I can't live my life like this."

Fin ducked down to catch her eye and she lifted her head to look at him. "We're going to get him Liv."

"I can't keep asking everyone to do this. To put themselves at risk for me." She said.

"Hey, I don't recall you askin'." Said Fin, giving her a small smile. "It's just what we do."

"Thank you." She said quietly. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you…and everyone."

"Baby girl…you pay us back every damned day. And you'd be the first one in line if any one of us was in trouble, so don't even go there." He lifted his hand from her shoulder and tugged at her arm lightly. "Now I better get you back downstairs before Stabler goes all Incredible Hulk and tears apart the damn building." He said and they walked to the elevators.

Fin was quiet for a second while they waited, standing shoulder to shoulder. "So…you and Stabler huh?"

Olivia was surprised he brought it up and she gave him a sideways glance. She decided the least she owed him was a little honesty.

"Yeah." She said quietly.

Fin let out a grunt and she wasn't quite sure what that meant. "Is that going to be a problem?" she asked, honestly wanting to hear what he thought.

He looked over at her. "Ain't no problem for me. Saw that comin' for a long time." The elevator doors opened and they stepped in. "But it's sure as hell going to be a problem for him if he fucks things up."

They turned to face the elevator doors as they closed and Olivia smiled. "I'll be sure to tell him that." She loved how Fin always treated her like she was his little sister. It was a sweet side of him that not many people saw.

"No need." He said. "That's a message I'm going to deliver myself."

EOEOEOEO

Olivia had seen how upset Fin was about her little disappearing act, but she completely underestimated the fury of Elliot and Captain Cragen. The minute she stepped off the elevator, she was bombarded by both of them, and while her initial thought had been that everyone was overreacting, she understood that it came from fear. She knew she had handled it poorly, despite her need for some space. If someone she knew had a deranged sociopath after them and they simply disappeared, she would be livid.

So she stood while Cragen and Elliot ranted and asked questions…until they had gotten it out of their system and they realized she wasn't answering. She could see the fury in Elliot's stature, and the deep-seated fear in Cragen's eyes.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Elliot snapped.

"I'm sorry." She said. "I just needed some space. I was feeling overwhelmed and I just wasn't thinking. I never intended to be gone more than a few minutes. I thought I'd be back before anyone missed me." She didn't know why she was bothering with any kind of explanation except that she needed them to understand how she was feeling and to know that she really was sorry. "I was just feeling…smothered."

She saw the Captain take a deep breath and then let it out slowly. Frankly, she was surprised he was so upset. He was usually so unflappable.

She looked over at Elliot and saw him struggling to keep control. That didn't surprise her at all.

Cragen took a step towards her. "OK Olivia. I get it. You're not used to this. But you can't go off half-cocked and disappear like that."

"I know."

"Well apparently, you don't." he snapped.

His words stung but Olivia knew she deserved it. Cragen turned towards the people that were assembled in the general area. "OK. Crisis diverted. Let's focus our attention back on the move to the new location."

He turned back to Olivia. "Get your stuff together. We're leaving in 15 minutes." He said and then walked back towards the conference room.

Everyone else started to disperse and Munch walked up to her. He dipped down slightly and looked in her eyes. "You OK?" he asked.

Olivia nodded.

"I know this is hard. Everyone watching every little thing you do. No privacy. But you know we just don't want anything to happen to you." He said.

She gave him a small smile. "I know. I just want this to be over."

Munch nodded. "Me too." He turned and followed Fin back towards where Cragen was standing in the office area, leaving her there with Elliot.

He scrubbed his good hand over his head and she saw him grimace. She knew he'd probably been running all over that building looking for her when he should be home in bed recovering from his gunshot would, and she felt a fresh stab of guilt. She could tell he was trying hard to keep his cool; he very obviously didn't want to get into here out in the open.

"I have to get packed." She said, turning towards the locker room. She expected to hear Elliot's footsteps fall in line behind her, but was surprised when she walked into the locker room by herself. She moved quickly, grabbing her things from the bathroom and tucking them into her duffle bag. She folded up the FBI t-shirt, sweatshirt and sweatpants and set them on the end of the bed she had used. She took a look around to see if she had left anything else when she heard the door open. She turned and saw Elliot come into the room.

She bit her bottom lip, knowing she was in for another lecture. And while part of it pissed her off, she knew it was inevitable…and that she probably deserved it for making him worry. He stood in the doorway and looked at her for a minute and she could see warring emotions in his face. He scrubbed his hand over his mouth and chin again and she saw his eyes look back and forth between hers.

The next thing she knew, he was moving towards her and she mentally braced herself for a tirade. Instead, she found herself pressed against his chest, his good arm wrapped around her and his face buried in her hair. "I was so worried about you. I know you weren't gone for very long but my mind went to the worst place." He placed a kiss in her hair. "Don't ever do that again."

Olivia slid an arm around him and buried her face in his chest. "I'm sorry." She was so used to just relying in herself…to not having to answer to anyone else…this was all new to her. "I'm still getting used to this."

"Liv, I've always worried about you. As my partner, it's my job to have your back. But now, I've realized how much I took you for granted." He said. "I'm not going to do that anymore." He placed another kiss on top of her head and then she pulled away.

She shook her head. This was all getting so serious and she wasn't used to talking to him like this. "I don't even know who you are any more." She teased. "First you apologize to me and now you come in here, and instead of yelling at me, you whisper all of these sweet things to me."

"Yeah, well. I guess love makes you stupid." He said.

"I just wanted some fresh air." She said, trying to let him know that she hadn't meant to worry anyone, including him.

"I know." Elliot said. "And I know we all probably overreacted considering you're in a Federal building. But we're all overtired and a little stressed out after the shooting. He got to you before…"

"He got to us." She said, nodding at his wounded shoulder. "I feel like I'm putting all of you in danger.'

"Liv. What do you think we're going to do? Tell you you're on your own?" he shook his head. "C'mon."

"I know. I already got the lecture from Fin."

"Speaking of Fin, you're lucky he found you instead of me." He said. "I wouldn't have been as calm as I am now."

"I've never had Fin yell at me before." Olivia admitted. "He was really upset."

"Fin yelled at you?" he asked. He was kind of surprised because while Fin got mad and disgusted by the things he saw every day; he didn't really show all that much emotion. And he would never expect him to actually yell at Olivia. "I find that hard to believe."

Olivia nodded. "He did. He grabbed me out of the chair and dragged me across the roof, yelling at me. But he calmed down pretty quickly."

"Good."

"Good for me, but bad for you." Olivia said, picking up her duffle bag.

"Why bad for me?" he asked, trying to grab her duffle from her.

She pulled it away. "I can carry my own bag." She took a few steps forward and Elliot followed her.

"Why bad for me?" Elliot repeated.

"Because he knows about us and he wants to talk to you." She said.

Elliot raised an eyebrow as they walked out. "He knows?"

Olivia nodded.

"And he wants to talk to me? Am I in trouble?" he said, teasing her.

"Yes, I think you are." She said.

They were almost to the conference room when Cragen came barging out of the conference room. He almost knocked Olivia over and she stepped to the side quickly. He was talking into his cell phone and she saw Munch and Fin come roaring out of the room behind him.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"We got a line on the van." Said Fin. "And maybe Diaz."

Cragen stopped in his tracks and turned back towards her. "You." He pointed at her. "Stay here. Do not leave this floor." Elliot started to follow Fin and Munch. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked.

"I'm going with you." Elliot said.

"Not with that gunshot wound you're not." Cragen said. There was no way he was letting Elliot go along, even if he promised to stay in the car. "You need to stay here, with Olivia."

"I can't just sit here."

Olivia put a hand on his arm. "You're in no shape to go anywhere. You should be resting." She could hardly believe the man had just been released from the hospital earlier that day. She had no idea how he was still standing upright.

"Fine." He said angrily. He stormed off towards the locker rooms and Olivia let him go. She watched as Cragen, Fin and Munch grabbed their gear, followed by Agent Metcalf and a few other FBI agents. She wished them good luck in her head…and hoped that this was the end of this nightmare.

EOEOEOEO

Olivia had left Elliot alone. She figured if he wanted to talk to her, he would find her. She was bored out of her mind and she went into the conference room to see if there were any notes or files left behind. There were not. She guessed things were pretty buttoned up at the FBI. She sat down in one of the chairs and swiveled back and forth, trying to decide what to do with her time.

"Hey." She heard someone say. She swiveled in her chair towards the door and saw Dean Porter standing there. She didn't know why she was so surprised. It had never even occurred to her that he, or Dana, might be in this office.

"Hey." She said.

"Looks like trouble follows you wherever you go." He said.

She shook her head, but she couldn't help smiling. "Not everywhere I go." She said as she watched him walk into the room.

"You're sporting some new bruises since the last time I saw you." He said, sitting down on the edge of the table a few feet away from her.

Olivia put a hand to her cheek. She had almost forgotten the bruises made by Diaz and his men. They were mostly faded by now. "Yeah, well. I had a run in with some people." She said, not wanting to get into it with him.

"I heard." So obviously the rumor milled worked much like it did at the NYPD. Hell, he probably knew more than she did.

"So. Is it good to be back?" he asked.

"Yes." She said, without hesitation.

"That partner of yours. Is he glad you're back?" He said with a mischievous grin on his face, and Olivia remembered the conversation they'd had in Oregon. That seemed like so long ago.

"Yes. I think so." She answered. If he only knew.

He paused for a second and she saw his eyes look over her casually. She shifted in her chair.

"You changed your hair." He said.

She nodded, not quite sure how to respond to that. She couldn't argue with him, but she wasn't sure she wanted him commenting on her personal appearance. They had this awkwardness between them that had existed even in Oregon. She had often wondered if he would have asked her out if he hadn't been her case manager.

"I liked it better before." He said, giving her a big grin.

She smiled at his honesty. Asshole. "I'll make sure to get your approval next time." She said, laughing.

Olivia caught movement in her peripheral vision and turned to see Elliot standing in the doorway, leaning his good hand against the frame.

"Making new friends?" he said.

She wondered how long he had been standing there. She looked back to the glass wall of the conference room and realized he would have seen them before he heard them.

He didn't look happy. He'd never liked any man who had ever showed any interest in her before. And now…

Well, shit.