Who Could Have Known
Chapter 26: Interrogation of a smurf.
A/N: Fair warning boys and girls...fluff...and violence.
Olivia lay on her side for the first time in three weeks. She listened to the steady breathing of Elliot who slept as close to her as he could possibly manage. She smiled knowing that if he had his way he would have probably had his arms wrapped tightly around her waist but she was still sore and he was constantly afraid he was going to hurt her even more.
Olivia ran her hand along her stomach knowing that only weeks ago it held the life of their child and that now, her womb was painfully empty. She hadn't yet brought herself to talk with Elliot about the miscarriage and while she knew he was hurting he never showed himself anything less than strong in her presence. She reached up and softly touched his face tracing the shadow that the moonlight cast. He stirred slightly as she lowered her head and kissed his lips gently.
"Liv?" He said groggily lifting his head from the pillow, "Honey, you okay?"
A flood of emotion ripped through her wondering if their son would have had his eyes or if their daughter would have had her lips. He voice came out in a stressed whisper, "No," she began to cry softly, "I'm not."
Elliot shifted his body giving her his full attention, "What is it? Did you have a nightmare?" he asked her softly.
"I'm ready to talk." She said resting her head in the curve of his neck.
"About what?" he said looking at the clock, "It's three in the morning." He let out a soft laugh that she understood to be inoffensive.
Olivia wiped one tear away and rested her hand on his waist, "I didn't want to wake you but…" her voice trailed off unable to let the words flow from her mouth. She was Olivia Benson, fierce and fearless, yet here she was, breaking in the arms of a man who had taught her that there was more to being fearless.
"But what?" He prodded her gently.
Olivia took a deep breath and whispered, "I'm…hurting."
Elliot understood that she wasn't talking about the physical pain of having been beaten but she was speaking of the pain that came from loosing their child…a child they never knew they had until they felt their hearts break when they lost him…or her. He also knew that for Olivia to admit that she was hurting meant that she was in a great deal of pain. "Can I let you in on a secret?" he asked her gently.
Olivia raised her head and looked at him, "Please." She said positioning her head back on the pillow to look at him in the pale light.
Elliot ran his hand through her hair forcing his words through a tight throat, "I'm hurting too."
She felt herself break over and over again and hid her body against his, "I'm so sorry." She whispered holding him tightly, unwilling to allow him to slip away because she failed him.
Elliot kissed her forehead softly, "No need to be sorry Liv, you couldn't have known Vicente was going to be there."
"I thought I was pregnant." She blurted softly, "Intuition."
It made no difference to Elliot, but he knew it made every bit of difference to Olivia, "For how long?" He asked careful to exude compassion instead of accusation.
"Ironically, that morning." She sniffled, "I was a day late and it crossed my mind." She confessed.
"Liv…it crossed your mind, that's not an absolute…don't punish yourself for this." He pleaded with her.
"Elliot," she whispered, "Would you…um…would you have wanted the baby?"
"Absolutely." He grinned and she saw the perfect row of teeth. His smiled faded when a more serious thought entered his mind, "Liv…would you have?"
Olivia fought that tears that were falling, she pursed her lips together keeping her hand on his chest shaking her head affirmatively as she finally gave way to a sob. Elliot gently pulled her close to him, careful of her ribs. He wrapped his arms around her tender body and kissed the back of her head softly.
After several minutes Olivia managed to gain enough composure to force out her remaining question, "Elliot?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think I would have been a good mother?" she asked shakily.
Elliot whispered gently into her ear allowing her to feel his steady breath, "I think you're going to be an awesome wife and an awesome mother Olivia."
Olivia closed her eyes taking in what he had just told her. She was very aware that he'd said she would be an awesome wife, that was a loaded statement, but being an awesome mother…was unthinkable. She closed her eyes sobbing again and trying to regain her composure at the same time.
Elliot kissed the back on her head softly, "Cry Liv." He whispered through his own tears, "It's okay." His voice cracked, "I'm crying with you."
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Nearly six weeks after Olivia lay defeated in Elliot's arms she found herself curled up on her couch starring into a mug of chocolate that she'd poured to relax but had been unable to drink. Her hands had drained out the warmth of the mug and there was no longer steam rising into the air. The hot chocolate turned cold as she thought of returning to work in the morning.
The crew knew she was recovering from the broken bones and bruises but she wouldn't be able to share the pain of loosing her child. Olivia exhaled as she heard a key slide into the deadbolt of the front door. She closed her eyes knowing it would be Elliot coming over to watch a movie with her at her own request.
Olivia had been in dire need of Elliot's company and strength over the last several weeks. He'd been there to hold her while she rambled on about wanting to kill Vicente, he'd been there to hold her after the nightmares that seemed to plague her even more and he'd been there to hold her when she cried, but there was a part of her that felt so full of shame that she was beginning to find it difficult to accept his touch or his advances. While she knew it was cruel to deny him the pleasure of making love to her she couldn't bring herself to accept that he still wanted her in such an intimate way.
"Hey Gook Lookin'" Elliot's voice drew her out of her thoughts, "How was your day?" he asked kissing the top of her head gently.
"Non eventful." She said unwilling to turn her body toward him.
"Hungry? I got Chinese." He smiled holding a plastic bag in his hand.
"No, thanks, I ate already." She said taking a sip of the chocolate and making a disapproving face at the coolness of the liquid.
Elliot observed her noticing her body curled up on the couch, her inability to look at him and the fact that as much as she wanted the hot chocolate she wouldn't get up to warm it. He fumbled around the kitchen gathering this and that, and then returning to her.
"Here." He said softly as he took the cold mug from her hands and offered her a steaming cup of chocolate. "I know you only like it if it's boiling." He chuckled softly.
Olivia took it and wrapped her hands around the mug feeling it's warmth, "Thank you." She smiled. "What's on the agenda tonight?" she stood a little slower than normal but still able to hunt down a DVD.
Olivia ran her finger along the spines of the DVDs pretending to look but actually not caring what they watched. It was when she ran her fingers over the spines for the third time that she felt Elliot embrace her from behind kissing her neck softly, "My agenda says…you." He smiled sliding his hand into her front pocket.
She lowered her head and withdrew his hand so she could turn to face him. She offered a weak smile and gave him an even weaker kiss on his cheek before sidestepping him and retreating to the couch. While she knew she was hurting him she wasn't sure what to do and so she sat. Elliot walked to her undaunted by her stubbornness…he could be equally stubborn. He tilted her head up to meet his lips and kissed her softly before retreating to the foyer. He opened the front door to leave when Olivia's sneakers caught his eye. He closed the front door and then heard her release a quiet sob. Elliot glanced around the apartment looking for the source of her pain and then realized that she must have thought he left and thinking she was alone allowed herself to cry.
Elliot grabbed her coat from the hook in the hall and scooped up her sneakers bringing them back to her. She looked up at him shocked and somewhat confused. She wiped her eyes trying to hide the evidence of her pain.
"Elliot, I…I thought you left." She said shakily.
"Well," He smiled kneeling in front of her with a smile, "You thought wrong."
"What are you doing?" She asked with a sniffle.
"I'm helping you put your shoes on." He said matter of factly holding the tongue of one show and slipping it over her foot, "It must still hurt for you to bend to tie them." He said not giving her time to fight the fact that he had something planed.
"El, please." She whispered.
"Please what?" he said looking around for the other shoe, "Please for a double knot?" he smiled helping her with the other shoe and tying it quickly.
"Let's go." He said holding her jacket open so she could easily slip her arms in.
Olivia sighed and slowly stood turning around and allowing him to slip the jacket over her arms, "You're a pain in my ass Stabler." She mumbled and offered a half smile.
"Well," He smiled back, "At least it's a cute one." He winked and escorted her out of the apartment.
"I'm sorry about the Chinese food." She bowed her head as they walked along the cement.
"Not a problem, we can take it for lunch tomorrow if you want." He offered.
"I don't think it's a good idea if we show up with the same leftovers…dead give away." She laughed.
Thank you God for that one laugh. Elliot thought to himself, "Well then, you can have it…it will save you time getting ready tomorrow."
"Thank you." She said leaning in a little closer to him but not making any overt gesture just in case anyone they knew walked by.
"We're here." Elliot smiled.
"Where?" She said looking around the intersection they were at.
"Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream." He smiled opening the door for her.
They sat across from one another their legs touching in a manner that wouldn't bring suspicion but let the two of them know that they were alive in spite of the pain they felt and they were with one another. "You anxious to get back to work tomorrow?" He asked her taking a bite of his ice cream.
"Not really…I'm gonna be riding a desk for another two weeks…yippee." She said dryly delving into her Heath Sensation.
"What? You don't want to do my paperwork for me?" He feigned hurt.
"Oh please!" she smiled rolling her eyes. "I do it for you as it is." She joked with him and he was happy to see that she was willingly doing so.
"So, I have to tell you something." Elliot said with a smile, "Cragen made me promise not tell you…wanted it to be a surprise for when you come back…if you want it anyway." He smiled watching her take her last bite of ice cream.
"What?" She furrowed her brows swallowing the ice cream quickly and shocking Elliot by her seeming immunity to brain freeze.
"Um, well…they brought Vicente up on different charges."
"What!" she said angrily, "Why the hell did-"
"Hold on Liv." He smiled taking a spoonful of ice cream into his hand and then watching her take it out of his hand and eat it.
"Uggh!" she frowned moaning in disapproval, "That's disgusting, what is that?" She said looking for a napkin and spitting the half melted ball into it.
"Vanilla." He smiled knowing she wasn't fond of something so simple.
"Plain?" she asked incredulously, "Who does that?" shook her head trying to erase the memory of the taste.
Elliot laughed, "Those of us who like our ice cream simple."
"You did that on purpose." She smiled.
"It's the only way I can keep my own scoop." He smiled, "What did you think it was?"
"I was anticipating a white chocolate chip or at the very least a French vanilla but…plain?" She shook her head, "That's wrong, my taste buds will hate me forever." She laughed, "Alright," She tried to regain her seriousness, "Tell me why they brought Papa smurf up on other charges."
"Well," he said taking his spoon back, " Cragen thought you would want to question him."
"Okay…well, it's been six weeks, I can't question him." She furrowed her brows.
"You can if he's serving time for something other than the crime you want to question him on." Elliot smiled, "He was stupid enough to plead guilty to assault on a police officer…he's at Rikers minimum of a year…he's yours when you want him." Elliot smiled.
"Tomorrow then." She shook her head; "We'll see him tomorrow."
Elliot stood to his feet, "Come on Liv," He extended his arm to her, "I'll get ya another scoop to offset the horrors of the vanilla."
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Elliot and Olivia stood outside of her apartment and he couldn't help but feeling like it was a first date. He smiled at her taking her hands into his. "You should have seen your face when you tasted that vanilla." He laughed.
"Oh you think that's funny?" She laughed with him, "You set me up."
Elliot saw her smile and wanted to make love to her right there and he didn't care who saw. Olivia, felt her heart race as he stared at her, searching her. It was a feeling she had missed but didn't know if she could handle. He bent slowly and hesitantly kissed her lips not sure if she would push him away for the millionth time. When she didn't shy away, he took a step closer and delicately embraced her bottom lip with his own moist lips. He closed his eyes and partook of her as if it was their first exploration of one another as if Olivia Benson were fragile.
"Olivia I-"
Olivia pulled him to her gliding her tongue from her mouth into the sweet comfort of his and caressed his face in the warmth of her hands. Both moaned into one another as Elliot fought to gain entrance into her own mouth. He tasted the sweetness of the caramel that still rest within her as he ran his fingertips along her arms to her shoulders and then slowly down her body. Olivia stepped forward closer to him feeling her effect on him but suddenly cried out feeling Elliot caress her side.
"Ahh, that hurts!" she cringed pulling away from his mouth and holding her side.
"Oh crap! Liv, I'm so sorry." Elliot said bending slightly to look her in the eye as they teared. "I'm so sorry." He whispered hugging her around the shoulders, "I just…I"
"Elliot, it's okay." She sniffled, "It just caught me off guard." She assured him with a small smile. She was happy that for once in the past six weeks she wanted to make fiercely tender love to the man in front of her but she knew she was physically incapable.
"You're a beautiful woman you know that?" he smiled brushing her hair from her face.
"One day I'm going to end up believing you." She kissed his cheek softly, "Elliot?"
"Yeah?"
"Would you mind if I stayed alone tonight?" she asked partly because she knew she wanted him and couldn't have him and partly because she needed to sleep well before showing up to work. She saw the confusion and almost hurt in his eyes.
"Did I do something to offend you?" He asked.
Olivia grinned at this innocence, "Not at all…I just kind of want to get sleep tonight." She blushed.
"Ah, I get it." He smiled his best cocky grin, "Olivia Benson wants me." He straightened his tie and gave a tug on his suit jacket, "Can't say I blame you."
Olivia laughed softly, "Elliot?"
"Yes?" he unlocked her front door with his own key holding it up to her, "I don't think I've ever been happier about a butterfly key."
"Oh yeah?" she arched her brows, "I practically crapped a brick at your seeming lack of interest in the bullpen."
"What can I say Liv, I'm sexy and a good actor." He smiled kissing her gently, "Better get in there before all the heat comes out." He whispered kissing her again as she turned to enter her apartment. "Wait!" he smiled, "Don't forget to empty your pockets before you put your jeans in the hamper."
"Huh?" she furrowed her brows and suddenly forgot what she was going to tell him.
"Bye." He smiled walking down the hall.
Olivia smiled and closed the door retreating to the shower before it got so cold in her apartment that she wouldn't want to get out of her clothes. After letting the water warm to her liking she stepped in allowing the warmth to embrace her frame. She slowly lifted her arms and allowed the massaging effects of the water to relax her still slightly bruised ribs. She washed her hair gently, careful to use the shampoo that Elliot couldn't resist and the liquid soap that made him putty in her hands. She smiled softly. He's so easy.
She towel dried quickly and slipped into flannel pajama bottoms and the Grey sweater she'd taken from Elliot's the first time he cooked for her. She climbed into the bed happy to get some sleep and for the first time in the last several weeks, not ashamed for loosing her baby, and not ashamed for being loved through the process.
As Olivia drifted off to sleep she suddenly jerked awake remembering Elliot's odd request. She pulled herself out of the bed turning on her bedside lamp and walking to the hamper. She retrieved the jeans she had worn and searched through the back pocket as she headed back to the warmth of her bed. After finding nothing in the back pockets except her receipt from a coffee house she tucked her hand in the front left pulling out a ten dollar bill she'd forgotten about and then moved to the last pocket pulling out an unfamiliar piece of paper that had been folded.
Olivia cast her jeans aside and tucked herself tightly back into the comforter. She smiled unfolding the paper and seeing Elliot's handwriting.
Liv-
We're gonna get through it, we're gonna make it, I love you.
Elliot.
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"Elliot! Just tape my damn ribs!" Olivia yelled in the precinct locker room.
"No, your out of your mind if you think your gonna go in and question Vicente today!"
"I told you yesterday that I wanted him today!" she barked back, "Now, if you don't tape my ribs…than either will I," She kept yelling, "and I'll still go and interview him!"
Elliot exhaled deeply, "Damnit." He took the tape from her and rolled his eyes at her smug smile, "You have to be the single most stubborn woman I have ever seen Olivia."
She raised her shirt tucking it under her arms keeping her breast covered in case someone should walk in and find the two in a very compromising position. She looked down at her side as he began to tape her ribs, "You say it like it's a bad thing." She laughed and then grimaced feeling his hands smoothing out the tape and ripping it and then starting the pattern again.
"Ready?" He asked pulling her shirt down and tossing the tape back to her.
"Yeah, go ahead and start, I need to tuck my shirt in and make myself look good for the perp." She laughed at the concept.
"Got your fight face?" Elliot smiled…"You talk in your sleep…well checklists actually." He laughed, seeing her stunned, "We'll be in interrogation room four."
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"Hey," Vicente smiled as Elliot walked through the door, "Your that big-nosed-ass from the bar!" He laughed.
Elliot smiled tossing a file onto the table, "And you're that short little prick from the Eighth Note." Elliot watched as the cocky smile melted off of Vicente's face, "No pun intended of course."
"What do you want with me Gonzo boy, I'm serving my time…eleven more months." He smiled and leaned forward clasping his hands in front of him, "Then I'm out to finish what I started."
Elliot smiled hearing the door of the interrogation room open and taking in the scent of his partner sizing up her prey, "I wouldn't be too sure of that."
"Your…the bartender." He said looking confused.
"No," Olivia retrieved her badge and brandished it with her own wicked smile, "I'm the detective."
"Mr. Vicente," Elliot leaned back motioning to Olivia to join them, "I'd like you to meet my partner Detective Benson."
Vicente offered a smile to conceal his obvious shock, he wiped his brow with his fingertip and then suddenly smiled sadistically, "Well gorgeous, tell me, how are those ribs of yours?"
Olivia smiled at his remark and grabbed a chair sitting in it backwards in order to rest her arms over the back of the chair. She sat and looked at him, "I've been hit harder by a girl Mr. Vicente."
"You know Liv," Elliot chimed in, "He's got a high voice….maybe he is a girl." He smiled.
Vicente offered a stone face and enraged eyes, "How about you and I go out and I show you how much of a man I am." Elliot pursed his lips and looked at Olivia with raised brows.
"You mean like you were going to show me?" Olivia tilted her head knowing he'd just opened himself up for more questioning, "You walked right into that one genius." She shook her head and looked at the clock setting a goal of obtaining a confession in less than two hours.
Olivia smiled at Elliot, "I got twenty by noon."
Elliot looked at Vicente and then back at Olivia, "I'll take that."
"You'll take what?' Vicente furrowed his brows, "What the hell is she talking about?"
"Ah, nothing…we were trying to figure out where to have lunch." Elliot smiled, "But let's get back to you…you killed a lot of girls Mr. Vicente."
"No."
"Oh yeah?" Olivia furrowed her brows and slid photos over to him. "Then why does the rope that the Crime Scene technicians found in your apartment match the ligature marks on all of the victims?"
"Nylon rope is common…I like to hike." He smiled.
Elliot leaned forward knowing he'd caught him again, "Who said it was nylon?"
Vicente's smile dissipated quickly.
"You had three different types of rope in your house…yet you chose to defend Nylon…why?" Olivia smiled knowing she'd be twenty dollars richer.
"Happenstance." Vicente shrugged his shoulders.
"Happenstance?" Olivia furrowed her brow and replied sarcastically, "Who are you? Rachael Yamagata?"
"You don't like to hike." Elliot spoke dauntingly quiet cutting off Olivia's sarcasm, "Not with those hands." He grabbed Vicente's hands and turned them palms up.
"Look Liv," Elliot taunted him more, "He's got softer hands than you do."
Olivia smirked, "Now I'm jealous."
"Don't be gorgeous." Vicente smiled, "You've got a great voice."
"Speaking of voice, why'd you cut the girl's vocal chords?" Olivia asked sliding a very bloody picture over to him.
"You've got rough hands." He told her ignoring the presence of Elliot.
"Well," She smirked, "I tend to work for a living."
"Your attitude needs to be adjusted you know that?" Vicente crossed his legs.
Elliot smiled and couldn't resist an innuendo, "Is it pretty easy to do that?"
"Do what?" Vicente asked confused.
"Nothing." Elliot shook his head trying to hold in a smirk.
"You'd never make it as a singer." Vicente returned to Olivia.
"Well thank God I'm a cop then." She plastered a fake smile and narrowed her focus. "I did some research on you." She smirked opening a file and reading.
"I have to say…for short, and furry you're pretty interesting." She stood and passed the file to Elliot, "Check this out Stabler," She smiled standing only feet next to Vicente, "Says here he walked off stage during a performance."
"Were you chicken?" Elliot questioned.
Olivia leaned in further, "Naw, probably just pansy."
Vicente slammed his fist against the table and stood to his feet, "I should have ripped your damn tongue out!"
Olivia smiled a divinely sly smile as she tilted her head, "What bothers you more Mr. Vicente? The fact that I'm ballzy…or the fact that you literally don't have any balls?"
In a split second Vicente went for her neck causing Elliot to jump to his feet but before he could get to the two, Olivia had secured Vicente's right wrist with her own she took a step back and provided a dangerous amount of downward pressure before reaching around and grabbing his jugular with her left hand and pulling him to her body.
With his air supply harshly blocked and his right hand in a twisted hold Olivia decided to let him know who was perp and who was cop. "Let me tell you something," She began in a voice Elliot wasn't sure he'd heard from her before, "it wasn't the suffocation they died from, it was a little bone in their necks that broke." She dug her fingers against his trachea, "it's right about here." She hissed keeping pressure on his wrist joint at the same time.
"Detective." Elliot called her name hoping to keep her aware of what she was doing, but when her eyes seemed almost black he wondered what exactly she was capable.
Olivia yanked on him again, "You are starting to piss me off-"
"Good!" He barked back then regretted it as Olivia shifted him and forced him head and belly first into the wall and forcing more leverage on his wrist.
"Ever broke a bone Mr. Vicente? I broke two ribs…hurts like hell." She said forcing herself to forget the incredible pain that was shooting through her side as she spoke. "You know what they do to guys like you in the pen?" she whispered holding him against the wall.
"Detective, let him go." Elliot spoke up but still didn't try to separate the two.
Olivia ignored him and continued with her warning, "They do the same thing you did to those girls…that you tried to do to me."
"I don't…..know" Vicente panted out his words, "What…your….taking about."
Olivia pushed him harder into the wall, "Bullshit!"
Elliot inched his way closer, if Cragen hadn't come in yet, that was a good sign, and so long as she didn't break it…he'd let it play out.
"Let me tell you something Sweet pea," She hissed into his ear feeling her cheek against his own, "We matched the rope, we matched the molecular structure of your insulin with the one you used to kill that girl before you slit her throat…with the knife that you were stupid enough to keep in your apartment…and if there is one thing I resent…it's you saying I have rough hands," She smiled and whispered again, "Your screwed Vicente."
"Detective Benson." Elliot finally place his arm between the two and shook his head indicating it was okay to let him go. She blinked rapidly and slowly removed her grip from his neck and then his hand. She returned to her seat as Elliot ensured Vicente would take his.
"I'm going to sue you." Vicente smiled.
"Not if the state kills ya first." Olivia smirked.
"You're screwed Mr. Vicente." Elliot reiterated as he took a seat.
"You cooperate with us though and maybe we can get away from the needle." Olivia crossed her arms in front of her and waited for his response.
"I want it in writing." He whispered.
"Done, talk." Olivia leaned forward feeling her ribs protest but forcing herself to do as her mind demanded.
"What do you want to know?" He smiled, "I'm pretty complex."
"How about you start with the victims…why the Eighth Note?" Elliot asked before glancing at Olivia who seemed to still have that flicker of darkness in her eyes.
Vicente pushed himself to the table sniffling as he ran a hand over her face. "Victim number one." He smiled, "She could have been a great singer with some work…I took her home and she turned me down."
"So that gave you the right to strangle her and rape her?" Olivia narrowed her eyes in disgust.
Vicente looked at her amused at her reaction, "Victim number two," He smiled in enjoyment as if he were reliving the memory, "Her voice wasn't so hot…but her ass was a different story, I offered private lessons…one thing lead to another and –"
"And she turned you down." Elliot stated flatly suddenly realizing what happened, "They all found out you were essentially neutered and couldn't bring themselves to have sex with you."
"That's got to be embarrassing…no one wants to make love to someone who doesn't have all the equipment…so you catch them off guard and strangle them." She shook her head knowing they had figured it out.
"But victim three?" Elliot questioned, "Why'd you change things up? Why'd you cut her?"
"That woman couldn't hold a note to save her life…she had to die." He justified himself, "I did the Eight Note a favor doing her in."
"You didn't think that was a little overboard after overdosing her on insulin?" Elliot asked.
"With a voice that bad," Vicente licked his lips and smiled arrogantly, "I had to make sure she was dead."
Olivia exhaled and listened to the twisted thinking of the man in front of her. She took notes and restrained herself from bashing him against the wall again. After tying up loose end and learning about his extreme hatred for his mother who allowed him to be neutered for the sake of music and money they had what they needed. "Write it and sign it, you've got thirty minutes." She said looking at the clock. Twenty bucks could buy a nice lunch.
"Of course," Elliot caught her looking at the clock, he just needed the statement to be signed after twelve, "Take you time and make sure it's accurate." He looked back at her and while he didn't smile his eyes told her he was on to her.
Vicente eventually slid the legal pad back to Olivia as Elliot opened the door and called for the uniform, "Take him back and let them know there's going to be more charges coming down the pipe."
"Yes Sir." The uniform said slapping cuffs on Vicente and taking him out of the interrogation room.
"Good job guys." Came Cragen's voice over the intercom, "We'll start work on the new charges."
Elliot closed the door and turned seeing Olivia resting her forehead on the table with her arms folded protectively over her sides.
"Good job Liv." He was sincere, and wanted to touch her but knew it was a bad idea at work.
"Thanks." She said against the table but he could tell she was smiling.
"Well, I have to start paperwork, you okay?" he asked just to be sure.
"Yep." She responded and exhaled, Vicente had given her a run for her money - speaking of which, "Hey Elliot?" she called to him without raising her head.
"Yeah?"
Olivia pointed to the clock that read 11:53, "You owe me twenty dollars."
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After several minutes of paperwork and a twenty-dollar dent in his wallet Elliot looked up to see Olivia walking to her desk and slowly sitting down. "Hard way to get a twenty." She smiled.
"I thought you were going to kill him." He laughed.
"It crossed my mind." She smiled at him and took a sip of coffee.
"You in pain?" Elliot asked seeing her moving slowly.
"Ah…just a little stiff." She exhaled taking a look around, "Where the hell is everybody?" she asked suddenly aware of the quietness.
"It's lunchtime Liv." Elliot smiled. "I would take you to the hot dog stand but someone took my last twenty."
"And it was a pleasurable experience." She winked.
"Benson – go home!" Cragen barked from his office.
"What?" she was taken back and then suddenly nervous she was getting suspended, "Sir, it was the-"
"Go home…your sore and in pain take your files home." He instructed walking to her desk.
"But sir, I need to work."
"Damnit Benson," Cragen shook his head, "You'll sneak your ass back here is I don't force you home wont you?"
Olivia smiled a grin that told him she absolutely would, "Fine then." He turned suddenly, "Stabler!"
"Yes Sir?" He narrowed his vision; Olivia is always getting me in trouble. He held his breath.
"You are officially babysitting your partner!" Cragen spoke irritated that he had to use such measures…couldn't she just take time off?
"What?" They protested in unison,
"Sir," Olivia tried to stand then decided she wouldn't, "I don't ne-"
"Stabler, she doesn't come near the station, she doesn't drop by to pick things up," Cragen used air quotes, "And she doesn't leave your sight…if I see her here I'm writing both of you up…now get the hell out of my station."