CHAPTER 14
It was well after, Ally's bedtime when she started to get crabby as everyone sipped wine at the table. Will volunteered to read her, her stories and put her to bed, leaving, Elliot, Olivia and Will's mother alone at the table.
Rose watched as her daughter-in-law talked about her partner. She smiled because she was happy that, Marissa had found a family-like substitute. While, Rose wished that maybe the pair weren't as close as they appeared to be, she took a great comfort in knowing that, Elliot had her daughter's back.
When, Marissa had come into her life, she could not have been happier for her only son. Marissa was wonderful, absolutely wonderful. It was the first girl that, Will had ever introduced her too. To be honest, she was just grateful that, William had brought home a girl.
"Tell me how she got the scar on her neck," Rose said to Elliot, as she pointed to the faded pink line on, Olivia's neck.
Elliot and Olivia both stared at each other, "Uh…" Olivia said as her hand instinctively went to her neck.
Elliot stared at Olivia, and the look on their faces was priceless. Olivia's eyes widened so that they took up half her face, while her coloring went from nice-tan, to Casper-white. Elliot nearly choked and sat back in his chair, as beads of sweat covered his forehead.
"You think I didn't notice?" Rose said with a motherly tone in her voice, "A mother always notices, my dear."
Olivia tried to smile; however, the nightmare that was that day was not an easy topic to talk about, especially not at family dinner. Images of the warehouse quickly came back, and Olivia could feel the panic start to build in her chest.
All Elliot could see was, Olivia, lying on the floor gushing blood out of her neck. He felt his chest compress and the fear creep into his veins. If it weren't for the soft, comforting touch he received from underneath the table, he was sure he was going to loose it.
He placed his hand on top of hers and squeezed it tightly. While, he couldn't look at her with out the fear of shedding a few tears, the comfort of her hand gave him the strength to answer Rose's question.
"It was my fault," he replied and felt Olivia's hand immediately slip away.
"What? No it wasn't, Elliot!" Olivia said, unable to control her emotions, "It was my fault, I got too close to a suspect," she told, Rose.
Elliot stared at Olivia in bewilderment. He felt a rush of guilt, and he knew that it was his entire fault that, Olivia blamed herself. Why did he have to be such an asshole that day, and yell at her? In all honesty, he never ever thought it was her fault, he was just so God damned scared. Those few seconds when he thought he had lost her had terrified him. He never wanted to feel that way again, ever.
Rose quickly picked up on the fact that neither one of them wanted to talk about that day; open mouth, insert foot, she thought, "Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean--"
"No--its ok, Mom," Olivia said, "It was just a hard case, that's all."
Feeling a little bit uncomfortable, Rose excused herself from the dinner table to help Will put, Ally to sleep.
Elliot and Olivia just stared at each other at the table, both frozen in their chairs, and unable to speak. They both knew that the other was replaying the horrible ordeal of that day; that wretched, awful day.
Elliot wanted to tell her everything he felt that day, the anger, the hurt, the confusion, he wanted to tell her that he didn't blame her, that it wasn't her fault; however words were failing him, so he did the only thing he could think of. He reached out his hand and placed it on her neck. His warm fingers running across the scar over and over.
Her breath hitched at the touch of his hands on her burning skin. He looked her into his eyes, and prayed to God, that he wouldn't lose it now. It was as if that day was a bad movie that kept repeating over, and over in his mind. Gitano, the knife, Olivia--on the floor, bleeding. He felt his chin start to tremble and he knew he had to pull himself together immediately.
He felt the tenderness of Olivia's hands cup his jaw. They bowed their heads so that their foreheads were touching, she closed her eyes and whispered, "I love you," before pulling away with fresh tears in her eyes. She stood up from the table and started to clear off the dirty plates.
Elliot got up slowly and helped clear the table. He brought the dishes into the kitchen and found Olivia standing over the kitchen sink, her hand over her eyes, her shoulders shaking, she was definitely crying. Of all the times in the world for that day to come to the surface, it had to be now? During family dinner at Olivia's? They had gone, what-- 3 years, with out ever mentioning it?
She let out a soft whimper and Elliot quickly made sure the coast was clear before he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. Her body naturally fell back into his, and he leaned his head forward so that his nose nuzzled in the crook of her neck, "I almost lost you that day," he whispered.
"Please, El…we can't do this here," she whimpered.
"I know, but it's something we really need to talk about, Liv," he said, and quickly jumped back at the sound of a door shutting.
Olivia quickly wiped her tears that had fallen, and turned around to face the music, "She sleeping?"
"Like a baby," Rose said placing a reassuring hand on Olivia's shoulder, "Look, Liv, I didn't mean to upset you guys--"
"No, no, it's okay. You didn't, promise," she said with small smile, and tried to snap out of the funk she was just in.
Will made a mental note to ask his wife what had happen; however; he knew from, Olivia's face that now was not the time. He looked at, Elliot who looked just as out-of-it as his wife did.
Elliot knew he had to get out of there, and quickly. He only wished he could take, Olivia with him, "Well, it's getting pretty late; I should probably get going."
Olivia couldn't look at him, she couldn't, especially with Will standing right there, "Yeah, okay, thanks for coming over," she said as fast as she could, and she disappeared into the dinning room to collect some more dishes.
"It was a pleasure meeting you, Elliot," Rose began, "It's nice to know that Olivia was in good hands while she was away from her family."
Elliot smiled weakly, while he didn't honestly believe that she was in the best hands, he didn't have the fight in him to tell her otherwise, "Thank you. I had a great time tonight."
Will came up to him and outstretched his hand, "You're welcome, anytime, Elliot. I mean that."
Elliot's heart sank into his chest, why did they have to be so nice? "Thanks again for dinner," Elliot said shaking his hand as Olivia appeared back in the kitchen; arms full of plates, condiments, and glasses, "here, let me help," Elliot said taking a few things from her.
"Thanks," she said with a smile, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?"
"Bright and early," he said with one of his famous grins. His eyes locked with hers and he moved his eyes towards the basket in the hallway that, Olivia kept her keys in. He made sure he did it fast and that Will or Rose, did not see; however, he wasn't sure if, Olivia got his message or not.
EOEOEOEOEOEO
She couldn't sleep, not a wink. She was absolutely exhausted and yet, her eyes would simply not close. She tossed and turned in the bed, but it made no difference. She needed to talk Elliot, now. She rolled over and looked at the clock flashing: 4:13am.
All she could see when she closed her eyes were, Elliot's. His terrified, guilt filled, eyes that burned holes through her pupils when, Rose mentioned the scar on her neck. They had managed to avoid the subject for 3 years, and all of sudden--BAM! There it was, Gitano. The son of a bitch that almost destroyed their partnership.
That did it; she had to see him, immediately. She quietly and quickly got dressed, checked in on, Ally, grabbed her keys and bolted. As she locked the door behind her she noticed a key that she didn't recognize on her keychain. It was one specially made; the key was actually purple with small printed lilies on it.
She smiled as she stared it. A memory popped up in her head of her and El, at the lock and key place when, Olivia locked herself out of her apartment for the hundredth time, Elliot made her get 10 extra keys made. She almost bought this exact design, but for some reason, she didn't. The fact was that she really wanted it, but she didn't want to seem too girly in front of him, so she went with the standard silver one.
She felt her heart warm. The fact that he remembered that day did something to her that she couldn't describe. She felt butterflies in her stomach as she hailed a cab to Elliot's apartment. A smile crept up on her face when she realized that in just a couple of short minutes she would be wrapped up tight in, Elliot's arms.
EOEOEOEOEO
She quietly entered the dark apartment. Unable to see a thing, she carefully took off her shoes and padded down the hall using the wall as her guide to, Elliot's bedroom. Her smile grazed from ear to ear when she saw that he was too, awake, "Hi," he said softly when he saw her standing there.
"Hi," she said in a deep sexy voice that made Elliot perk up. As she made her way to the bed she slowly and erotically started undoing her top.
"Liv--"
She shook her head, and brought her pointer finger to her lips, "Shhhh." She undid every button and slowly let the article of clothing drop to the floor. She smiled at him seductively as she took another step towards the bed.
"Liv--"
"Uh-huh-uh," she said, waving her finger in a naughty way at him. She reached the bed and not only climbed on it, but climbed on him as well, "I want to thank you for my present," she said as she ran her hands up and down his chest. She grinned evilly when she realized how 'awake' Elliot really was.
She placed her lips softly on his, "I know we should talk about, Gitano, but Elliot I really don't feel like talking tonight, okay?" She said hoping that, Elliot would stop trying interrupt her and just let her do her thing.
She pressed her lips firmly on his as she lowered him back on the bed and straddled his hips, "God, you have a fantastic bo--" she stopped dead in her tracks, "what the fuck was that?!" She asked in a whisper.
Elliot smiled, "Sounds like the toilet," he said with a smirk on his face.
Olivia slapped him on the chest, "Elliot! Who is hell is here?" She asked keeping her voice to just below a whisper.
Elliot sighed, "Kathleen. I was trying to tell you, but you were too busy trying to seduce me--"
"Oh my, God!" Olivia gasped as she climbed off of him, "I…oh my God!" She said trying to find her clothes to cover herself up. She looked over at; Elliot who seemed amused watching her freak out.
"Liv," he whispered calmly, "its okay. She's not going to come in here. Now come on, come over here," he said patting the spot next to him.
Reluctantly, Olivia climbed back on the bed and cuddled up to him, "You could have at least sent me a text, saying she was here."
Elliot smiled, and leaned over her, "This won't do," he said as he undid her buttons on her top. He took his time with each one, "We have to be extremely quiet," he said when he successfully got her top and bra off.
He sucked on her nipple causing her back to arch and her thighs to burn, "Elliot--" she said in a warning tone, "maybe we shouldn't do this--"
And then, they both froze when they heard a sound on the outside of his door.
Knock, knock.