A/N: "Being lonely is crippling. Being left alone is comforting. There is a difference."
DISCLAIMER: SVU and characters belong to Dick Wolf. TStabler© owns this story.
Olivia woke up with a gasp, looking frantically around the room. It was a nice dream, and she was rudely ripped from it by a ringing phone, shrilling so loudly it scared her. She heard him murmur his protests as he rolled over beside her and she chuckled. She reached for the phone, and when she saw the name flashing on her screen, she decided answering it was not an option.
"Who is it?" he mumbled, his mouth covered partially by her arm. "Baby?"
She sighed. "It's Dean again," she said, moving to put the phone down.
He was up and snapping the phone out of her hands in seconds, and he tapped the screen with a growl. "What the hell do you want?"
She looked at him and bit her lip, hating this.
He gave her a reassuring nod and said, "No, she's asleep, asshole, where else? Even if she wasn't she wouldn't talk to you. She doesn't want to talk to you, you son of a bitch." He rolled his eyes and he spat, "Ya know what? Neither do I." He ended the call with a huff and looked at Olivia.
She took the phone from him, and looked at it as it rang again. He reached for it, but she said, "Don't." She tossed the device back onto the end table and said, "Just don't."
He kissed her forehead as he nodded. "Why is he still calling you?" he asked in a whisper. He looked at her and tilted his head. "You said 'again,' baby. How often does he call? Do you talk to him?"
Olivia stared at him for a moment. "He calls…a lot. I never answer him, and I just delete the messages he leaves for me. I don't even listen to them. Of course, I don't talk to him, El. I have nothing to…"
"We're getting your number changed. Tomorrow," he spat, furious. "He has no right…absolutely no reason to call you!" He narrowed his eyes and glared at her. "And you! Why the hell didn't you tell me about this?"
She took a small breath. "I dunno, El. Maybe because I knew you'd react like this and I hate when you get this way!"
He gave a bitter scoff and said, "If Kathy called me at all hours of the goddamned night…"
"I would assume she was checking on her kids," Olivia interrupted. "Don't even try to compare the two."
He inhaled deeply, then shook his head. "I hate him, you know that, and I don't want you…"
"I'm not," she interrupted. "El, I'm not. Calm down. I told you I don't pick up when he calls. I don't talk to him, I don't want him in my life. You don't need to get this upset."
"Like hell I don't," he hissed. "Damn it, Liv, you're mine! After everything that prick did to you, he has the nerve to call you like he…I don't even know what he could have to say to you, and unless it's groveling for your forgiveness I don't want you even entertaining the idea of listening to him!"
"Calm down," Olivia said, her voice soft as she reached out a hand to hold his. "El, breathe, baby."
He seethed for a moment, stewing in his own anger. He was shaking, his face was a shade redder than it should be, and he couldn't look at her. "Damn it, Liv," he gruffed.
She leaned closer to him, knowing better than to prod or push when he was like this, having seen him pushed to his limits on several occasions over the years. She felt the heat radiating off of him, the vibrations emanating from his body. She blinked, she looked at him, and she slowly moved her hand toward his face. She cupped his chin and moved him, forcing him to look at her. "Stop it," she whispered.
He shook his head and rushed at her, throwing his arms around her and pulling her tightly to him. "Mine." He mumbled the word over and over, as if trying to convince her that she was really his, and trying to assure himself she always would be.
She nodded as he pressed her head into his chest, holding on for dear life. "Yours," she told him softly. "All yours."
He kissed the top of her head, then dropped tiny pecks down her face, landing on her lips. The sweet and small gesture grew as he lapped at her lips, begging her to open her mouth, let him in.
She did, willingly, and he consumed her completely, closing around her like an envelope as he moaned softly and won the fight for dominance easily. He pulled away breathlessly and rested his head against hers as he tried to catch his breath. "I can't…I can't even think about…shit."
She kissed him again, her lips lightly pressing to his. "Go back to sleep. I promise, I will be right here when you wake up. I'm not going anywhere, with anyone. I'm yours."
"I'm yours," he repeated, looking intently at her. "I'm yours, Liv, not him."
She tilted her head. "Why is he bothering you like this?" she asked, sweeping her hand over the side of his face affectionately.
He grabbed her palm, turning it out and kissing the inside of her hand and each of her fingertips. The action made her melt, and he knew it as he looked into her wondering eyes. "I don't wanna lose you again," he whispered, afraid to admit it, afraid to seem weak and insecure. "I know you don't…I know you won't go back to him, but I can't help…knowing he got to you first and he almost destroyed you, I don't want him to have any opportunity to hurt you again. I just got you back, all of you, and I'm not giving any part of you up. Not for anyone."
She took a slow and trembling breath and she said, "You will never have to."
"How do I know that, baby?" he asked, so quiet she could barely hear him. "The last time someone made that promise to me she…" He closed his eyes and shook the thought away.
"I promise you," she said, her voice serious, a tone he knew all too well. "I have never broken, and will never break a promise I make to you. I swear to you, I'm not gonna let you push me away, I'm not gonna pull back. You know this is pretty much a done deal, Stabler. You're stuck with me, because I am just as stubborn and thick-headed as you are. You know I'm not going anywhere, because I love you, you idiot."
He chuckled at that, thankful she always knew how to make him laugh and smile no matter what mood he was in, and he kissed her again. "I love you," he said.
"Obviously," she cracked, rolling her eyes. "You were ready to kill someone because…"
"Wear something nice to work," he interrupted suddenly, veering from the topic.
She raised an eyebrow. "As opposed to the suits and sweaters? That's as good as it gets, pal. I'm not breaking out the Versace for a day at the office."
He laughed. "Just something a little more…like what you'd wear on a date." He held her gaze and said, "Like the black pants you have with the zipper on the side, and the blue and black shirt with…"
"You pay way too much attention to my wardrobe," she said with a grin.
He chuckled. "Not enough," he said. "I don't pay enough attention to you. That's why we're going out after work. I'll tell Maureen to lock the door when she and the other kids get home from school, we'll leave them pizza money and a few codes for the movie channels, and I'm taking you out."
"On a date," Olivia said, skeptic.
"On a date," he affirmed. "A romantic, and hopefully very physical, date." He wagged his eyebrows at her and leaned into her, kissing her once more.
Their moment was interrupted, though, when her phone rang again. Without even looking at the screen, Elliot tapped the button and spat out a harsh, "Fuck you, Dean!" His eyes widened and he stuttered out an apology.
Olivia chuckled as she heard him trying to tell Fin what had been happening. Then she froze; the look Elliot was giving her was serious. "What?"
He shook his head and he kissed her as he said, "Okay, calm down. We're coming." He hung up and looked at Olivia. "Fin wants us down at Mercy, and he wants us to bring the kids. Kathy passed out, there…there might be something wrong with the baby."
Olivia's eyes widened a bit, and she followed Elliot's lead, getting out of the bed to get dressed and wake the kids. She sighed as she felt the worry sink it. It was times like this she wished she were a better Catholic. She would be praying if she knew how, if she thought someone would listen.
She looked back at Elliot, and it didn't take long for her to realize that it was what he was doing. Praying. She could only hope his prayers would be heard, and answered, because if anyone had an "in" with God, it was Elliot.
A/N: Will Kathy and the baby be all right? Will Elliot's prayers be heard? And what, exactly, was he praying for? Review here or on Twitter: TMG212