THANKS FOR CONTINUING YOUR READING. I KNOW YOU ALL ARE STILL ASKING ABOUT THE PERP...DON'T WORRY I HAVEN'T FORGOTTON.

CHAPTER 29

Olivia and Elliot were cleaning the kitchen and putting the left over spaghetti away when there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it." Elliot said trying his hands on a kitchen towel. He moved to the door but Olivia spoke up.

"El? It's past eight o'clock, were you expecting someone?" She was still wiping the counter top with a wash cloth.

"No" Elliot said not looking at her. Olivia was a human lie detector and looking at her while you told a lie was not a smart move, especially when you were deliberately trying to get away with something right under her nose.

"Hey – your late!" Elliot whispered sharply as he opened the door.

"Hello? New York Traffic!" A female voice barked back in a whisper. "What do you want from me? " She was being sarcastic, she knew exactly what Elliot wanted. They had been planning and plotting behind Olivia's back.

"Look" Elliot said handing the two small packages to the female voice. He was still whispering. "Whatever you do, don't loose these."

"Where's the rest of the stuff?" She asked

"Oh, I almost forgot." He whispered opening the hall closet and retrieving the items he had placed their earlier. "Here." He handed them off to her. "Now split, if Olivia sees us its over." he shewed her away, closing the door and returning to the kitchen.

"Who was that girl?" Olivia asked closing a cabinet.

"What girl?" Elliot asked stalling to make an excuse. Had Olivia seen her?

"I thought I heard a woman's voice." She responded to him with a smile. Elliot was convinced she hadn't seen her but he knew she heard the woman's whisper. "Oh crap I hope she doesn't recognize the voice, or I am busted. " He thought to himself.

"Pizza delivery girl." It was all he could come up with. "She had the wrong place so I redirected her." He said embracing her from behind, Elliot was desperately trying to throw her off the scent.

Olivia accepted his body behind hers. She leaned into him. She enjoyed Elliot's backwards hugs. The smell of his aftershave invaded her space. His arms and hands venturing through the curves of her body. It was a vulnerable position for Olivia but ironically it was a position that brought her a great deal of security.

"So?" Elliot said moving her shoulder length hair to the side revealing the back of her neck.

So?" She responded smiling as his lips pressed against her neck.

"I stocked up on your favorite popcorn. You up for a movie?"

"Whatdya go in mind?" She asked turning to face him.

"Well, do you remember the last time we rented movies?" Elliot said

"Yeah, I wanted to see that older movie with the little girl but they didn't have it." Olivia couldn't remember the name of the movie but remembered asking her mother to take her to see it in the theaters. Olivia never got to see it, every time her mother said she would take her, Olivia ended up cleaning her mom's vomit up after she'd come home drunk.

"Well..." Elliot said placing a bag of popcorn in the microwave. "It just so happens..." He took hold of her hand and led her to the living room. He picked up a DVD and handed it to her. "I found it this afternoon."

"Ah – The Wizard of Oz. I am totally up for it." She said. Olivia got the DVD ready and Elliot joined her with popcorn mixed with M&M's. Olivia had introduced him to the rather odd mix but surprisingly he enjoyed it.

As the credits began to roll at the end of the movie Olivia tried to sit up but Elliot had fallen asleep holding her tightly. She was so engrossed with the film she had not realized that he had drifted. She carefully broke his grip trying not to wake him. She pulled his shoes off, smiling, Elliot was insistent on always wearing his shoes.

"Liv?" He mumbled

"Shhhh." She responded. You need your sleep,- you did get beat up today remember.'' she smiled softly and kissed him on the lips. He responded to her half asleep, she pulled away not wanting to fully wake him. "I love you Elliot Stabler." She whispered quietly before returning to the master bedroom to go to sleep.

In a manner of an hour Elliot found himself wide awake and unable to sleep. He decided to get up and with no plan he walked about his apartment. Coming across the evidence box on the kitchen table he flipped through files thinking to himself. "We're gonna get you, you bastard, if it takes the rest of my life, I am gonna kill you for doing this." Still unable to concentrate on sleep, or the case, he eventually found himself sitting in a chair in the master bedroom watching Olivia as she slept. She was curled up in the fetal position her hand tucked under her face. Elliot smiled thinking she looked great in his bed. The situation he found himself in, while she slept reminded him of her accident, he had set with her every spare moment he had. Olivia stirred slightly.

"El?" she murmured. "You okay?" she pushed her body up in the bed and locked her elbows behind her for support.

" I couldn't sleep." He responded in the darkness. He had been keeping a secret that was about to unfold and it was making him nervous. Elliot was starting to doubt the outcome of his plan. Should he, shouldn't he, what if? He kept asking himself. Elliot's leg was bouncing nervously, his body language was telling Olivia he was stressed out.

"Lay down with me?" She asked him in a whisper. Elliot looked up not sure if he had heard her correctly. "Come to bed El." She said again pulling the covers from the other side of the bed down for him.

Elliot strategically placed himself away from her touch, he did not want to be tempted – not tonight. He took a deep breath just as Olivia positioned her self closer spooning with Elliot. She put her hand on his shoulder and rested her chin on his neck.

"Want to talk about it?" She asked softly.

"I am sorry Liv." Elliot whispered. Olivia furrowed her eyebrows unsure of what Elliot meant.

"For what?" She asked.

"For hurting you." Elliot replied softly, he was so tired he was falling asleep.

"What!" Olivia exclaimed. "What are you talking about?" she asked bringing him back to wakedness.

"If I hadn't went behind your back you wouldn't be in so much pain." He swallowed hard.

"Elliot Stabler! Look at me." Olivia used a stern but loving voice. "Look at me Elliot." She repeated.

Elliot turned his face to her and then adjusted his body so he was facing her completely. She placed her hand on his face caressing him softly as she spoke. " I thank God for you everyday for you Elliot." She spoke intently. "When I see you my entire body smiles." She said showing him her sexy smile. "Yes it hurt that you didn't wait for me to tell you but I am glad you did what you did Elliot." she moved her fingertips to his lips. " I am blessed that I have you Elliot."

"Why do you love me Olivia?" He asked her with his eyes shut tightly. She had never really told him why only that she did.

"I love you because with out you I literally can't function. I love that your smart and sexy. I get a kick out of the fact that you know nothing about cars but you still try to fix them. I love that when you walk into a room your presence commands attention. I love your touch and your patience. The way my heart comes to life when I hear the sound of your voice." Olivia's eyes were tearing up. She had never verbalized to Elliot what he meant to her and seeing the look on his face when she told him let her know that he desperately needed to hear it. "I love you because you looked past my facade and took a deeper look at my heart." She moved closer to him and kissed him softly on his lips. Elliot wondered if she would feel the same way when she found out what the woman at the door was really about.

As Olivia drifted off to sleep, Elliot stayed awake waiting for the phone call that would change their lives forever.