He faced her as they walked, him forward, her back. The darkness of the apartment swallowed them as they continued their slow movements into the bedroom. When they stood at the foot of her bed, Elliot stopped as she did, in synch with one another as they had always been.

She held his gaze in hers, her heart beating fast and light. She never wanted to go back to where those men had taken her - not now, not ever. Elliot heard her speaking in her head. He planned to love her gently, and he began by showing her his soft touch. He put his hand beneath her hair, his palm settling on the back of her neck while the other wrapped around her waist, bringing her toward him. Her lips met his again.

Her eyes closed as she felt the passion in his soft lips. Her heartbeat slowed. She knew it was time to do what she had to. She had to get back to where she was before, and this would do that. Her lips parted, granting him full access to everything she had. His tongue slid into her velvety mouth and rimmed the bottom of her teeth.

Elliot ended the kiss and unbuttoned his shirt. Olivia took a breath and did the same. After he slid the fabric off his shoulders and onto the floor, Olivia moved her hands from her own shirt onto his rippling muscles. Her shirt was open, revealing a sliver of skin to Elliot. He closed his eyes. Her touch was like that of an angel's. Her fingers traveled along every contours his abs made in his tough skin.

She was amazed that they were doing what they were. It felt like she was in a dream, a dream she'd had for over a decade. Elliot let her explore his torso for only a moment longer before sliding her shirt off her shoulders. She shuddered involuntarily as the cool room touched her skin. She closed her eyes, willing herself not to see those men. It was time.

Elliot brought her in for another passionate kiss after he saw the fear in her eyes. They didn't need to speak aloud. Their thoughts gave the message through their eyes, which both could hear loud and clear. He backed her up until the backs of her knees touched the foot of the bed. Not taking his lips from hers, he lowered her to the bed. They broke their kiss as she slid up to the pillows at the headboard.

Elliot unbuttoned his pants and slid them off before joining her. He gave her a reassuring kiss before doing the same to her. And there she was, sprawled before him, his partner of 12 years in only her lace undergarments. Her body was touched by age, perfectly curved and tanned. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He smiled down at her, and she did up at him. She was ready - she felt she was.

As he climbed up to capture her lips again, her hand wrapped gently around his wrist while he supported his weight. She could feel the love coursing through him, just through his touch. His left hand, free to roam, wandered down her smooth shoulder and down the length of her body. It felt like silk beneath his fingers. Her next movement left her vulnerable to him, but she had done it on her own.

She slipped the straps of her bra over her shoulders and laid before him nearly naked. Elliot took his kisses downward, first kissing her jawbone, then her neck, then her collar bone. His hand laid wherever his mouth was not. He traveled down the canyon between her breasts, just as soft and perfect as he had seen them before, contained only by her purple bra that morning so many years before. And now they were his.

Each and every time his lips touched her body, Olivia's skin broke out into goosebumps, tiny little shocks sent through her every nerve. She loved every moment, not even thinking about what she'd been through only three months before.

When he was finished showering her in his gentle loving kisses, Elliot found himself sliding his fingers beneath the fabric of her last undergarment. He slid the lace down her legs and took in the sight of her before him. She looked so comfortable in her beauty, so beautiful in her confidence. She was a woman who was unlike any he'd ever encountered before.

Olivia was so confident in herself, so fearless. In fact, the only thing she now wore before him in the dimly lit room was her 'fearlessness' pendant. It was the only thing she needed. Now he knew the word was a true description of her. If he were ever asked to describe his partner, friend, and lover in one word, it would be 'fearless.'

They never spoke. No words were going to be needed. Both could hear each other through their thoughts. Elliot felt himself so ready it hurt. He pushed his own last layer of clothing down his legs and then joined her again on the bed. He held his weight with his right hand as he kissed her soft lips softly and lovingly.

Olivia's eyes were closed every time they kissed. It was like being in love had a whole new meaning to her. She was ready to take the next step past the point of no return. He pulled back, looking straight into her eyes, looking for the ok. Olivia gave him a nod and a soft spoken word.

"Go."

He captured her lips in another kiss as he pushed her legs open with his knee. He lowered himself down, anxious and ready to be inside her. He grazed her entrance and his lips left hers as she wrapped here arms around his neck gently, his head and hers right next to each other. Cheek to cheek, heavy breath caressing both their faces.

Another nod.

He began to bury himself. Her breath came in unequal bursts, some short, some incredibly long. Elliot didn't stop until he was filling her completely. She had her brow furred together in concentrated pleasure. The feeling of him inside her was different than when those men had taken it by force. They were in complete sync with each other as their bodies became one.

When they reached the point where Elliot could go no farther, they just held each other for a moment. Olivia breathed deeply, her breaths tickling Elliot's cheeks. He closed his eyes in pure pleasure, taking in the feeling he'd thought he'd never experience. Her eyes remained closed. Elliot noticed the furrow her brow was making, and he couldn't tell whether it was pain, fear, or pleasure she was showing.

"Come back, Liv."

She opened her eyes, just on the verge of going over the edge to the darkness of those awful nights. She kissed him softly.

"I didn't leave."

Her lower body moved against his. She was craving more.

Both moved slowly, an easy pace for Olivia, before they reached the precipice of pure bliss. That all too familiar feeling of a man coating her insides rained inside Olivia again, but it didn't feel like it had. She had felt the sour sting of the every man who had taken her, the vile substances burning viciously as it ate at her. This was not like that.

Her eyes rolled back as she felt the waves of pleasure crashing over her. Elliot shook against his love as he came down from his cloud of pleasure. He'd never before had such an intense experience with such ecstasy in his life. It was absolute perfection. He left her when they had both returned to Earth, and he rolled onto his side, facing her as she moved to face him. Their hands connected in between their heated bodies as they smiled at each other.

"I love you, El." Olivia whispered.

She had said the words for the fourth time. Elliot smiled wider than he thought possible.

"I love you too."

With their hands still weaved together, they shared another passionate kiss. Then Elliot turned onto his back and pulled Olivia up so her head rested on his chest, just beneath his chin. Everything was just as it should have been as they laid there, her hands still drawing circles on his.

"You ok?" He asked her.

Elliot was well aware that she may have been caught in the clutches of the past after what they'd done. That kind of fear never went away.

"I'm just fine. You don't have to worry about me." She replied.

All she wanted was to be treated normally again. Even at work people who had never even looked twice at her would ask her daily if she needed anything. She just wanted to be Olivia Benson again.

"That's my job." He squeezed her in closer with his arm around her.

A sigh escaped her lips. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if only he was the one asking if she needed anything. She smiled.

"I know."

He ran his hands gingerly through her hair, giving her goosebumps as he did. The sounds of the night came through the walls easily, mingling in the dark space of the bedroom as if they originated from there. The taxis on the street honked their horns; the parties of people gathered for a good time on a Friday night cheered loudly in the lights of the city.

Olivia sighed in contentment, her hand tracing his chiseled Ab muscles as she did. He continued with his fingers raking through the sea of silky hair he had always admired. Without knowing he was speaking out loud, he began to say what he was thinking.

"I always loved it when your hair fell in your eyes, when it blew in the wind. I still love the way it shines in the sun."

She listened with a smile on her face as her cheek pressed against his beating heart. It brought her comfort to have another heart like hers beating so close to her. It was almost too real that it seemed unreal.

"What if I had lost you?"

His whisper was so faint even she had trouble hearing it. Her hand rubbed his chest comfortingly.

"You didn't." She spoke just as softly.

He took his hand out from her hair and put it on her back, gently moving his hand up and down.

"Thank god for that."

Elliot pushed his chin into his chest to look at her. She saw his attempt, stretching her own neck to place a kiss on his.

"I don't know what I would've done."

The words were so honest that they almost brought tears to Olivia's eyes.

"You would have moved on. You would have let me go." She said, pain only a dull hum in her ears as she thought to the alternative outcome.

Elliot felt the lump return to his throat. He was thankful beyond words that he didn't have to try and even think about what he would have done, because she lay there next to him.

"I don't think I could have." His voice cut in and out of a whisper.

She closed her eyes, a tear falling from her eye, traveling over the bridge of her nose, and settling on his chest. He felt it immediately.

"What are you thinking, Liv?"

He drew invisible shapes on her back with his hand. She smiled, the sun amidst the rain. Her hand reached for his, lying limply at his side.

"Nothing."

She let another tear rain down on his warm skin. It was no use. It spilled out easily.

"One of those nights, I said your name. I expected you to hear me."

She smiled at herself, a little amused that she had actually thought it at that time. Elliot stopped his hand from moving around her back. He had felt it that night.

"I did." He replied.

Olivia put a kiss on his chest and closed her eyes again.

"I thought I was going to die." She stopped the tears and reflected quietly.

Elliot felt the huge lump leap farther into his throat.

"I didn't only think I was going to; I wanted to."

Her words were painfully honest, but they had to be said.

"I wanted it to end. It hurt."

The last word she spoke held a tremor and a silent sob within it. She felt herself seeing it again. Her eyes blurred again.

"And I didn't want any of you seeing me like that - like you did, like you had to."

Her fingers continued their tracing of the invisible lines in Elliot's rippled skin. He comforted her silently, still rubbing her back gently. Another tear fell onto his chest.

"You made it out of there." He replied in a low tone.

His fingers found the lines on her back as well, raised, not invisible. He imagined the pain she had felt when the man brought down the leather on her back. She felt his fingers begin to trace her wounds.

"My lesson." Olivia commented quietly.

Elliot recalled the night at the hotel when she had removed her shirt, his eyes taking in the angry slashes on her back.

"Don't leave me like that. I don't know what I'd do either."

Her voice was only laced with a slight tremor. He smiled slightly.

"I won't if you don't."

She nodded, looking up at him again.

"I promise." She said quietly.

"Alright. And I promise you too."

The silence took over again. The path had finally become lit with the sunrise of a new day, a new phase. He was showing her the way they both needed to go, and by doing it, they took a road they never would have had the opportunity to otherwise.

Olivia Benson was safe with Elliot Stabler. Elliot was safe with Olivia. And that would never change. She needed his comfort and he needed hers. That was the way it had always been and would always be.

Their days would be spent together, their nights the same. Best friends and lovers traveling an unknown road - always willing to show each other, the city, and the world - the way.

If you have anything you want to share, please review and let me know. ❤❤❤❤