I guess I've been on a mission to get this story updated! I'm on vacation as the lake and had a nice relaxing day, so I was able to get some updates done. More people are coming tomorrow, so it will be little crazier, and I don't know how much I'll be able to update the rest of the week. So sorry in advance if I don't get anything out for a few days. Love your comments…please continue to leave your reviews!

EOEOEOEOE

Olivia walked into the gym and went straight to her locker, stashing her keys. She looked around, surprised to see half a dozen people working out. Who works out at 3AM? Actually, it was more like 3:30AM. She headed towards the elliptical, anxious to work off some of her anger and frustration and hurt. Unlike Elliot, she wasn't prone to hitting lockers and kicking doors; exercise was her outlet for all the horrible things she saw every day. And it also didn't hurt that being in good physical shape enabled her to do her job as well. She re-tied her shoes and climbed on the elliptical machine, bringing it to life as she moved.

EOEOEOEOEOEO

Elliot paced around her apartment for a few moments, trying to figure out where she could have gone at this time of night. He thought about texting Casey, but didn't want to alarm her. The she thought of Alex – same story. He sat down on the couch, and put his head in his hands. Where would she have gone?

After a few minutes, the only answer that made sense was that she'd gone to his apartment. He couldn't see her waking Alex or Casey, and when she really needed to talk, she would usually come to him. Except in this case…he was the person she needed to talk about. Still…it was the only thing that made sense. He stood up, ready to go back to his place but paused when he got to the door. She would get to his place and see that he wasn't home. She didn't have a key and she didn't have her phone. So, would she think he was just stewing inside, refusing to let her in? Would she sit in the hallway and wait for him to come out or come home? Or would she come back home? Damn it. He wished she had her phone so he could call her instead of this stupid predicament he was in. He didn't want to leave and miss her, passing each other on the street as they both went home. He walked back into the apartment. She had to come home sooner or later. This was his best option.

EOEOEOEOEO

Olivia stepped off the elliptical slowly, her body aching. She'd pushed herself past her normal routine, wanting to feel numb. It had worked. She was covered in sweat and completely exhausted. She glanced up at the clock on the wall and saw that she'd been on that torturous machine for 45 minutes. It seemed even longer. She walked over to the water cooler and filled a glass, guzzling it down. She filled it again and sat down on a nearby bench, sipping this glass a little more slowly. She closed her eyes and thought about Elliot. She wondered what he was doing right now. Probably stewing over the fact that she'd hung up. And over Jack. She let her head fall back against the wall. She was such an idiot. Why hadn't she just gone home to Elliot? That's where she had really wanted to be, but out of some messed up sense of obligation, she'd gone with Casey. She thought Elliot would understand. He loved her, despite all her flaws and scars. But even love had its' limits and she clearly pushed them to their breaking point. She sighed. She owed him a huge apology. She had to make him understand that she didn't want to be with Jack…that it had been about Aaron and Casey. And that she wouldn't make that mistake again. She had to earn the trust she had accused him of withholding.

She stood up from the bench, her body protesting. She opened up her locker, grabbed her duffle bag and carried it into the women's showers. She stripped of her workout gear and stepped into the shower area. She ran the water as hot as she could stand, and stood under it, washing away the sweat and grime, trying to clear her mind. When she was done, she stepped out and dug in her bag for some clean clothes. All she had was a red sports bra, some black bike shorts she had stashed for her next SPIN class. She also found a white t-shirt with the name of the gym on it. She pulled them on. At this point, she really didn't care. It was 5AM on Saturday morning. Who was she going to see? She stuffed her dirty clothes back in the bag, shut and locked her locker and headed out the door, wondering how early she could call Elliot without waking him.

She walked out of the gym, but didn't see any cabs. She looked left and right, and decided to head over to 7th Avenue a few blocks away. There were sure to be some cabs there. As she walked, she kept thinking about Elliot, and she was wondering how he would react if she just showed up at his apartment. Only one problem. He didn't have a doorman, and she didn't have a key. And she wasn't absolutely certain that he would let her in.

She stepped up to the first cab in line and knocked on the window, clearly waking the driver. She slid in the backseat and gave him her home address. She had decided she would head home, try to get a few hours of sleep and then call Elliot. She was exhausted and having this discussion required her to be awake. She didn't want this to escalate into a fight. She just didn't have the energy.

The cab stopped in front of her apartment less than ten minutes later. One upside of being up this early was minimal traffic. She paid the cabbie and let herself into her apartment building. She decided her sore body couldn't handle the stairs, so she stabbed at the elevator button. Blessedly the door opened right away and she stumbled in. A few more minutes and she was going to be sound asleep. When the elevator reached her floor, she stepped out, tossing her duffle bag over her shoulder and fingering the key to her door. The only thing she could think about was collapsing into bed.

EOEOEOEOEO

Elliot looked at his watch. It was almost 4:30AM. Where the hell could she be? He felt like this was a never-ending theme all damn night. At this point, he didn't know if he should be worried or upset. He wondered if she had her gun. In a panic, he jumped up from the couch and went to her bedroom nightstand. He knew she kept her gun and badge there. Sure enough, there they were. So she had gone out without her phone, gun or badge.

He didn't like that. He didn't like that at all. She was out in the city somewhere…unprotected. He always worried about Olivia's safety. She put herself in some pretty bad situations sometimes, seemingly unaware of the danger she was putting herself in. She always put victims…and others…safety first. He felt better when she had him or her gun to back her up. Preferably both. But now, she had neither. And not even a phone to call if she got into some kind of trouble.

He couldn't let himself think this way. Life wasn't that cruel. He had waited for so long to be with her; fate wouldn't take her away now…or would it? Sometimes, fate could be a bitch.

He rubbed a hand over his head. He was overreacting. He knew it. Exhaustion was seeping in. Hell, had completely settled in and he wasn't thinking clearly. There was a reasonable explanation for her absence. He'd just have to wait it out.

He walked into her kitchen and looked under her sink. He found a bottle of Scotch, way in the back. He knew Olivia didn't drink hard alcohol very often, thanks to her mother. But he knew she stashed a bottle here for company and emergencies. This was a fucking emergency. He needed to calm his nerves. He pulled a juice glass down from the cupboard and filled it up halfway. He hesitated a second before he slammed it down. It burned as it went down, but it had the desired effect. He took a deep breath, poured another shot, smaller than the first, and slammed it down too. He walked back into the living room and lay down on the couch, one arm thrown over his eyes. His exhaustion set it, and with the help of the Scotch, he dozed off the sleep.

EOEOEOEOEOEO

Olivia opened the door to her apartment and she saw him right away. He was sound asleep on her couch, his arm thrown over his head, snoring lightly. She smiled when she saw him there, a huge sigh of relief escaping through her lips. He had come to see her; he wasn't going to leave her. She set her gym bag on the floor and quietly closed the door behind her. She toed off her shoes and crept over to where he was sleeping. She leaned over him, just watching him sleep. She was overwhelmed with emotion, probably even more extreme due to her utter and complete exhaustion. She wanted to kiss him and hug him. She wanted to tell him that she was sorry, and that she loved him. She wanted to curl up on the couch with him and have him put his arms around her and tell her that he loved her. Tears were welling up, blurring her vision, and a few managed to escape, trailing down her cheeks. It took her a moment to notice Elliot's eyes opening and when she did, she stood up, swiping at the tears falling down her face.

"Liv." Elliot sat up. "Olivia." He reached for her arms, pulling her towards him. She lost her balance and feel on top of him, forcing him back down on the couch. He took her face in his hands and stared into her eyes. "Where have you been? I've been worried sick about you."

"I'm sorry Elliot. I'm so sorry about everything. I don't know why…" And then she broke down. She was full out crying and Elliot was alarmed. Olivia never cried like this. He pulled her down, wrapping his arms around her. She laid her head on his chest and sobbed, not caring if he thought she was weak…for the first time in a long time, she let her emotion out.

"Shhhh." Elliot said soothingly as he stroked her hair. "It's OK Liv." He wasn't quite sure why she was so utterly despondent but at that moment but it didn't matter. He just held her. "Shhh."

After a few minutes, her crying subsided and he could feel her hiccupping against his body. She lifted up her head and saw him staring down at her.

"Are you OK?" he asked. "Did something happen?" He had been thinking that something must have happened, either with Jack or wherever the hell she'd been tonight, to make her so upset. "You can tell me."

"Nothing happened El. I swear." She hiccupped again. She swiped at her tear stained face and tried to sit up. Elliot braced her arms and he sat up, swinging his legs off the couch. Olivia sat next to him, and they were both facing each other.

Elliot reached across and wiped at her lower lashes with his thumbs, cupping her face with his hands. "Olivia, where have you been?" He looked down at her clothes, a questioning look on his face.

"Elliot. It's been a long night. We both said and did some things we probably shouldn't have and I know we need to talk but please…can we just sleep? Can we talk tomorrow? I'm so exhausted and I just can't…" her voice trailed off and Elliot could see tears forming on her lower lashes again. He saw just how pale and spent she was.

He stood up from the couch, and reached down, scooping her in his arms, much to her surprise. "El!" she cried out weakly, but she didn't fight him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder and Elliot swore she was asleep before he lay her down on the bed. He picked up the white satin nightgown and underwear from the bed, sighing. This weekend was certainly NOT starting out like last weekend had. He set them on the dresser and then went back and covered Olivia with the comforter. He stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed, pulling her body to his and wrapping his arms around her. She settled against him, her head on his shoulder and he heard her mumble something. He kissed the top of her head. "Good night Liv. I love you."

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