Here we go. A bit of a longer chapter for you this time. I'm on a roll this weekend, I've already written half of chapter 15 and the base for chapter 16 :D

Elliot stood facing a man he truly hated. He hated many people, people who abused children, those men who assaulted their wives and scum that dealt death to kids. The hate he felt for them was immense but it had nothing on the hate he felt for Dean Porter, that was true hatred.

He knew it was wrong and totally unfounded to hate one man more than all the abusers and murdering scum but he couldn't help himself.

That was his problem, when someone hurt Olivia he hurt them. That was the way it worked and always would work. Of course he couldn't always hurt them the way he wanted to so he would find a locker or a mirror or a wall and pretend.

Pretend just like he used to pretend it was her body moving underneath him instead of his wives.

Pretend like he used to pretend the smile some guy had put on Olivia's face was put there by him.

Pretend like he used to pretend that they were a married couple when he turned up at her apartment with a take away and she'd go grab him a beer.

He had no need to pretend those things anymore and he was pretty sure pretending to hurt Porter wasn't going to be so pretend after tonight.

On the surface he hated the guy for being attracted to Olivia, he couldn't blame him for that though after all who wasn't attracted to Olivia?! Deeper down he hated him for hurting her the way he did, he blamed him for being in the way and for winning Olivia's trust. Unfortunately he knew the real reason he hated him was because he was jealous and a little part of him was scared that Olivia would leave.

He used to lay in bed at night with his wife by his side and think about Olivia, he used to pray that she would be there when he entered the precinct the next morning and even more so he used to pray that she would not succumb to that man's charm.

"Look Elliot this isn't personal."

Anger flashed through Elliot's eyes. Isn't personal? It was personal the moment he brought Olivia into this. Elliot clenched his fists at his sides knowing full well that the smug bastard was enjoying every second of this.

"I didn't come here to upset anyone, I came here to solve a case which I will admit has me totally stumped. The only way I can get to Merritt is through Olivia, you're not an idiot Elliot, you know it's the only way.

"There must be another way. We don't know anything that can help you. You are wasting your time."

"Well I read both your statements and they are very vague. Why is that Elliot? You don't remember what happened? I doubt that, there is some kind of cover up going on here. Maybe there's a tape that I haven't been given access to?"

"There's no tape. There's no anything so just go back to wherever it is you came from and let us get on with our lives."

"You know it's starting to look a little bit suspicious that you two are protecting him."

"I'm not protecting anyone." Elliot shouted while resisting the urge to smack him in the mouth.

"Well you may not be but Olivia is. Why would she want to protect the man that caused her so much pain?"

Elliot was silent which caused Porter to be even smugger than before.

"You see the only explanation I can come up with is that she is involved in this somehow."

"Go to hell Porter, you know that is the biggest load of bullshit."

"Bullshit? Come on think about it. She's desperate to get with you, desperate for you to realise you're in love with her. Funny how suddenly Merritt turns up again and gets you two together. That doesn't seem a little bit strange to you?"

"No. It doesn't, she would never join forces with a criminal."

"Well then I suppose we could conclude that she is crazy, I mean she is living with a maniac after all."

"You think I'm going to lose my temper and hit you? Is that what you want?"

"Wow haven't you changed since we last met. Before you got with her you would have hit me without a second thought. Olivia told you to behave yourself or are you just too damn scared that she'll leave your sorry ass?"

Porter laughed at Elliot's obvious discomfort. Hell he hated this man for even existing, if he hadn't of been around he could have had Olivia the first time.

"You know nothing about either of us so keep your opinions to yourself."

"I know more than you think."

"In your dreams. You know only what we want you to know and you can forget using her as bait. She's almost six months pregnant and you want her to get into a situation like that? Are you insane?"

"No but clearly she is as she's already met with him."

"Nice try Porter but I don't believe you, she wouldn't do that."

"Really just like she wouldn't be interested in me?"

"Just like!"

Porter threw his head back and laughed, he had been waiting for this moment for the entire conversation. Actually he'd been waiting for this moment since the first time he set eyes on Elliot. Yes he was going to enjoy this, he was going to enjoy this very much.

"The thing is Elliot, she is interested in me."

"No she may have flirted with you a little but that was just to cure her boredom when I was temporarily unavailable."

"The flirting was just the start of it. You want to know what else we got up to when you were 'temporarily unavailable'?

Elliot instantly paled, he didn't believe a word that escaped from that man's lips but the thought of him with Olivia made his skin crawl.

"I'll take your silence as a Yes. Isn't it just the best thing when she has her head thrown back against the pillow while screaming your name?"

"I don't believe you." Elliot turned to walk away but Porter's next words stopped him dead in his tracks.

"She likes having her neck kissed. Kissed, nipped, licked she isn't fussy but the moans you get in reward are something else."

Tears involuntarily formed in Elliot's eyes.

"What's wrong Elliot? Don't like being played. I saved the best til last. That's my baby she's carrying. How does that make you feel?"

Before Porter had time to move Elliot's hands were around his throat. He found his body slammed against the wall and even with his breathing restricted he managed to smirk.

"You son of a bitch."

Elliot moved one hand from Porter's throat to keep him held against the wall.

"I'm..no.t...lying...we..had.a.f..ight and she...she...tricked....think..ing ...you... made that...baby.."

"You are one nasty piece of work."

"You'll...see...whe.n..she goes...into..lab...our two months...ear..ly."

Elliot removed the hand holding Porter against the wall and looked as if he was admitting defeat before slamming his fist into Porter's jaw. He heard a crack and watched as blood oozed from his mouth before slamming his fist into the defenceless man's chest. He kept delivering the punches without stopping to think of the damage he was causing.

This man had taken everything from him. Today was supposed to be a happy day a day which was now completely ruined. He closed his eyes and images of Olivia and Porter flooded his mind. He didn't know how he would cope with this.

As he drew his fist back for the fifth time Porter spat blood in his face and used all the energy he could muster up to laugh.

"Just you...wait..until..it...comes out...looking..li...ke...me."

Elliot slammed his fist back into Porter's chest and took pleasure as the man struggled to breathe. He was about to hit him again when he heard it. The only thing powerful enough to make him stop filtered through his ears. The sound of her voice.

"Elliot stop, please stop. Let him go."

Her voice was frantic and he instantly let go of the man trapped between him and the wall, allowing him to slide to a heap on the floor. Olivia instantly went to help him but Elliot grabbed her arm before she could even reach him.

"Don't touch him."

"What the hell did you think you were doing? Elliot you could be suspended for this."

"I don't care. He told me. He told me everything."

"Elliot please it was a mistake. I love you, you know that."

"Go wait in the car."

"El..."

"I said go wait in the car!" Elliot shouted at her, he watched as she flinched and instantly felt bad. He hadn't meant to scare her but he was hurting and the only way he knew how to deal with that was with anger and violence.

"I'm just going to help him clean up and I'll meet you in the car. I promise I won't hit him again."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Liv please. There's nothing you can do here. Go sit down somewhere at least, you're looking a little pale."

Olivia nodded unsure of what to say and disappeared from view. To leave was the last thing Olivia wanted but she felt drained and she was worried the stress would have a negative effect on her pregnancy so she did as she was told and headed for the car.

"What you said about her already meeting him, was that true?"

Porter laughed but soon regretted it as he felt Elliot's hand closing around his throat once more.

"No." He spluttered.

"So you said it to rile me, to set me up for the big secret? Why should I believe anything you've just said? I mean you just admitted to being a liar."

Elliot let go of his throat once again to allow him to speak. Dean spat some blood from his mouth and wiped his sleeve across afterwards to clean himself up a little.

"You'll see if I'm telling you truth when the time comes. When's she told you she's due?"

"February."

"I guess you'll see at Christmas then, think of it as my present to you."

Elliot shook his head and forced himself to keep his hands in his pockets.

"You should go to her. I would imagine you have a lot to talk about."

*******

Olivia screamed as her favourite glass vase smashed against the wall and her heart instantly shattered with it. Her obvious distress stopped Elliot from picking up the photo frame which was the nearest thing in his line of sight.

The room was silent for what seemed like an eternity, neither one of them sure of what to say. Olivia had seen him angry many times but not once had she been scared of him, until today. Now she found herself not only scared but totally unsure of what his next move would be. The only thing she was certain of was that he wouldn't hurt her, not physically.

She looked at the broken pieces of glass lying on the living room floor, the only evidence remaining of Elliot's anger. He was now sitting on the arm chair with his head in his hands, trying to hide the tears cascading down his cheeks. She was about to speak when he beat her to it.

"Did you really think I would never find out?"

"I don't know, I didn't think about it. I didn't even think I would have to see him again. I didn't think it would matter."

"Didn't think it would matter?" Elliot sighed.

"You know it wouldn't have mattered if you had told me. I love you so immensely that we could have gotten over this, we could have worked things out. It wouldn't have stopped us from getting together."

"I'm sorry but you wouldn't have told me about that night with Kathy if it wasn't for Merritt so don't act all innocent."

"That's hardly the same thing."

"How is it different exactly? Please enlighten me."

"I didn't get her pregnant that night."

"Excuse me?"

Sensing the pain and distress in Olivia's voice Elliot looked up at her. He instantly realised his mistake, the shock in her eyes saying everything he needed to know and more.

He had messed up bad, believed that animal over the woman he loved with all his heart. She was never going to forgive him for this and to be fair he wouldn't blame her if she didn't. In fact he was never going to forgive himself.

"I could shout and scream at you for even thinking that, I could throw you out and tell you to never come back but I think after what I'm about to tell you I probably won't need to."

"Liv I'm sorry, I..."

"Don't El. It'll be so much easier if you just hear me out. I did something stupid today, I met with Merritt."

Elliot's head snapped up from its current position.

"You did what?"

"He phoned while you were at work, I told him I wouldn't meet but then he mentioned the kids and I couldn't say no. I couldn't risk their safety so I met him. You would have done the same."

"Where is he now?"

"I don't know?"

"You don't know? You met him and then let him go?" His voice was raised but nowhere near as much as Olivia had expected it to be.

"El I couldn't exactly chase him down the street could I? Anyway it's irrelevant, he handed himself in and I let him go."

"You let him go? After everything he did to us?"

"He made us realise what we feel for each other, he helped us to become a family. How could I arrest him for that? I know that I should have and that my feelings should never cloud my judgement but you know when it comes to my feelings for you, nothing can hold them back. I don't regret what I did but at the same time I regret it more than anything."

Olivia sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"I know that doesn't even make sense. I'm sorry El, I'm sorry for everything. If I had ever thought that we could be together I would have never slept with him. It was a lapse of judgement."

"It seems you've had quite a few lapses of judgement recently, are you sure I'm not one of them?"

"You honestly think that? Jesus El I've been in love with you all these years and you think it's a lapse of judgement? Look, you know where the door is, you're next move is up to you. After what you said about our babies there's nothing more I want to do than walk out that door but I can't. I can't live without you."

She wiped a few stray tears from her cheeks and cleared her throat.

"There are not enough words in the world to describe how sorry I am. I hope you know that."

"I know." He answered.

Olivia quickly moved a hand to her stomach and rubbed it gently.

"El I promise you with everything I have that these babies are ours. You do believe me right?"

Elliot moved and sat next to her on the sofa before reaching out to place the palm of his hand against her large stomach. The babies instantly kicked beneath his hand causing him to smile. To really smile, a smile that was big enough to reach his ears.

"I believe you." He almost whispered.

Please leave a review if you enjoyed it or even if you didn't I enjoy those too lol.

I know El would probably go mental at Liv but I didn't want them to fight any more :)