Disclaimer: SVU and its characters belong to Dick Wolf. I own nothing.

The week passed quickly, and before Elliot or Olivia knew it, it was Thursday night. They would be leaving on their trip the following afternoon. After some careful research, and discussing what they were looking for, they had opted to go to the Poconos. They had originally wanted somewhere a little less of a tourist trap than that, but all the places they were interested in were already booked. However, by doing their homework, they found a place off the beaten path.

Some compromises had been made, though. After checking in with Olivia repeatedly that he wasn't overstepping any boundaries, Elliot suggested that they share a room so they could get something more extravagant. Olivia commented that since they had been roommates for two months now, sharing a hotel room for a weekend wouldn't be an issue at all.

Currently, they were working out their schedule for tomorrow. The plans were for Olivia to drop Elliot off at his program before going to her spa appointment, then meet him for lunch when she was done. After, she would come back to the apartment and finalize her packing. When his last group ended, she would pick him up, and they would leave from there. Their destination was about a two hour drive away, but would be longer given weekend traffic.

"Liv?"

Olivia was pulled from her thoughts, her mind already focused on the following day, and turned her head in the direction of Elliot's voice. Though she didn't speak, she raised her eyebrows to indicate he should continue with his question.

"Are you sure you're okay with the sleeping arrangements this weekend? I can easily take the sofa there, it won't be a prob-"

"El, stop."

Olivia interrupted him before he could complete his sentence. She was trying desperately to keep the exasperation out of her voice, knowing Elliot's intentions were genuine. Still, it wasn't the first time he'd asked her if she was certain since they'd decided to share a room. They'd seen a picture of what the layout would look like on her computer, and the space was more than adequate for two people to share.

This particular hotel suite was divided into two rooms. The first room featured a sofa, television, and small table with four chairs. A small fridge and microwave were also there. One of the main features, though, was on what would have been the balcony.

Instead of having a traditional balcony that you could sit out on, there was instead an alcove in its place. Positioned there was a hot tub with a clear view out the window of the mountains. Both Elliot and Olivia were relieved that it was just a 'normal' hot tub, and not one of the more cliché heart-shaped ones that tended to be featured in rooms at Pocono resorts. Though neither had discussed it, both were looking forward to that amenity.

The second room was like a traditional hotel room. It featured two queen sized beds, along with a second television. That relieved Olivia, because she knew Elliot still needed the background noise to help him sleep at night.

"Liv?"

Realizing that she had been lost in a daydream, Olivia felt a blush stain her cheeks. Her mind was already on the weekend, and not on the present.

"I'm sorry El, I was distracted. What did you say?"

Elliot took no offense to Olivia's wandering thoughts. Truth be told, he was having trouble focusing tonight, too. For the first time in a long while, it was for a positive reason. His mind wasn't swarmed with runaway thoughts and anxiety over things he couldn't control. Instead, it was filled with thoughts that he was pushing Olivia into something she didn't want to do – even though the trip had been her idea in the first place. That and the lone nagging thought that at this time tomorrow night, he'd know what she looked like in a swimsuit. Shaking his head, he tried to push that one out of his mind as quickly as it entered. Just what was his brain trying to do to him?

"I just wanted to know what time you needed to leave in the morning, Liv. I don't want to make you late for your appointment, so you can drop me off early if you need to."

"My appointment is at eight, El. I know that's about an hour earlier than what you start. If you'd rather take two cars tomorrow -"

"No, Liv. That would be silly. I don't mind waiting."

The decision made, they both ultimately realized they should go to bed, as morning would come sooner rather than later. Elliot hugged Olivia goodnight as he always did, again trying to push errant thoughts out of his mind. He reminded himself that this weekend wouldn't be the first time he'd ever slept with her in the same room. They'd done it plenty of times on the job in the cribs, and again since he'd come to stay in her apartment. Plus, she'd repeatedly told him she wasn't uncomfortable with it, so he needed to stop asking her.

"Goodnight, Liv."

"Goodnight, El."

At Elliot's request the next morning, Olivia dropped him off about a block away from the building where his program was. He was going to stop and have some breakfast before going in. She suspected he also wanted to stop and buy a newspaper on his way, too. His last words to her before getting out of the car were to forget about everything else and spend the morning enjoying herself.

Knowing Elliot was taking care of himself, Olivia turned the car in the direction of the spa. The building where it was housed was in an upscale section of town, and she was more intrigued than ever when she walked through the doors.

Heading up to the reception desk, she gave her name. The host confirmed her appointment then disappeared into a back room. When she returned, she passed Olivia two sealed packages. One was a plush robe, and the other was a pair of slippers. Olivia now understood why they had asked for her size preferences when she had made the appointment.

The last thing she was given was a key to a room with a number on it. Olivia realized that instead of having to go from place to place in the spa herself, she would remain in one central area while all the services would come to her. She began to wonder just how much Elliot had shelled out for this purchase, but quickly pushed the thought out of her mind. She'd promised him she would enjoy her morning, and she had every intention of doing so.

She found her appointed room on the second level. It was more spacious than she expected it to be. There was a comfortable recliner in one corner next to a small side table. Along the one wall there was another chair, with an attached foot bath designed for her pedicure.

Rather than spend time investigating all there was to see, Olivia stepped into the adjacent changing area and shed her clothes. There was a note present that stated for patrons to do whatever they felt comfortable doing. If they chose to remove all of their clothing their massage, the massage therapist would drape a sheet over them respectfully to ensure their privacy would be respected. If they preferred to remain clothed, that was fine too.

Olivia was comfortable with her body, and had no real preference. In the end, she opted to shed all of her clothing, save for the black boy shorts she was wearing. Wrapping herself in the robe, she remembered the instructions from earlier, and flipped a switch by the door. That activated a light outside the room to let them know she had changed and was ready. Then she sat in the recliner and elevated her feet.

A knock came at the door then, and Olivia called out her permission to enter. The door opened, and in walked in a young woman with her hair pulled back in an elegant french braid. She carried a clipboard, and quickly introduced herself.

"Good morning, and welcome. My name is Hannah, and I'll be your assistant today. I just have a few questions to ask you before we get started, if that is all right?"

Olivia nodded her consent, unsure what could be so detailed that it would require so much information.

"First off, what would you like to have done first? Most of our guests prefer to have their manicures and pedicures done first, so they can fully relax and enjoy the massage experience."

Since she was new at this, Olivia couldn't help but go along with the majority in this case.

"That sounds fine."

The next questions were all rather basic, but no less important. Hannah asked Olivia her preferences on lighting, ambient noise, and whether or not she wanted to include aromatherapy in her session. The next series of questions involved her choice of massage therapist. Did she prefer a man or a woman? Were there any health conditions that they needed to be made aware of? Lastly, Hannah offered Olivia a choice of something to drink while she was getting her pedicure.

Several minutes later, Hannah was bringing in a bottle of water for Olivia. She was followed by one of the spa's nail artists, named Ilsa. Olivia was moved to the other chair in the room, and the foot bath was turned on. This was something she was no stranger to. Though a manicure and pedicure were rare indulgences for her, she did treat herself on occasion.

While her feet were soaking, Ilsa inquired as to her preferred color choice. Knowing she couldn't opt for anything too flashy because of work, and not being a big fan of it anyway, Olivia chose the more natural look of a french tip style for both her hands and her feet. She did however select a sheer tint instead of just the basic clear polish.

As though intuiting that Olivia was completely in relaxation mode, and not in the mood to talk much, Ilsa kept mostly quiet as she worked. Per Olivia's request, music played softly in the background. The soft scent of lavender wafted on the air, providing another layer of calm without being too overpowering.

Before Olivia quite realized it, a gentle hand touched her shoulder. She couldn't believe that she had dozed off during her manicure and pedicure. Her nails were now set and dry, and it was just about time for her massage. After a brief break, Lauren, the massage therapist stepped into the room and introduced herself.

Olivia sat on the massage table, and slipped her arms from the robe. However, it was only after she was lying flat on her stomach and covered with a sheet that Lauren removed the robe completely. As the massage began, Olivia became aware of all the tension in her body that she never realized she carried with her. Gradually, she felt it all evaporate away as Lauren worked her way through the various muscle groups.

Forty-five minutes later, Olivia was feeling more relaxed than she ever had in her entire life. When she had finished dressing, she flipped the light a second time. Hannah reappeared in her room, bearing another bottle of water. Olivia was instructed to drink it all, as a means to replenish her body and help her recover.

Upon checkout, Olivia headed for her car with a smile on her face. There was just enough time left for her to pick up some takeout for lunch and meet Elliot. Sending a text to let him know to wait for her in the common room, she pulled out into the street and was on her way.

By two thirty that afternoon, Olivia was zipping up her weekend bag and slipping the strap over her shoulder. She was getting a later start than she planned. Without meaning to, she'd fallen asleep after getting home earlier. She supposed it had been because she was still so relaxed from her morning at the spa.

On her way to the door, she grabbed Elliot's bag that he had packed the night before and took that with her as well. She was glad that Elliot had offered to drive them to their destination this evening. She didn't want the stress of dealing with rush hour traffic to ruin how relaxed she still felt. To make up for it, she promised herself she would drive them home on Monday.

Thirty minutes later, they were on their way. A good station was playing on the radio, and they each had a bottle of water in the car's cup holders. Miraculously, rush hour traffic hadn't fully set in yet, so they made their way through the city in a decent amount of time. As they were taking the exit for the interstate, Elliot looked over at Olivia with a grin.

"Are you ready for this, partner?"

The simple phrase brought back so many memories for them both. The events of recent weeks, especially working in tandem to help Nathan the past weekend, truly had them feeling like partners once more. Now though, there was a new and deeper layer to their connection. Neither knew what awaited them this coming weekend, only that they would face it together. Olivia's smile matched his as she looked back at him.

"You bet, El."

The two and a half hour trip went by smoothly. They passed the time pointing out the scenery to one another, or commenting what their favorite songs on the radio were. Years of spending endless hours together in a car for stakeouts had them familiar with each others personal tastes.

Soon, they were pulling into the long driveway of the resort hotel that they had chosen. The mountains provided a beautiful backdrop to the panoramic view.

Elliot parked the car, and though Olivia tried to get her own bag out of the trunk, he insisted on carrying both. Within minutes, they found themselves at the reception desk inside the lobby. Though the décor was elaborate, it wasn't excessive.

While they waited for the check in process to complete and to receive their room keys, they took in their surroundings. On the far wall, there was a huge fireplace, and the lounge area held several small sofas and plush chairs. In the opposite corner there was what looked to be a small cafe with tables and chairs set up, and the receptionist explained that a breakfast buffet was served every morning.

They also learned that a formal restaurant was housed in an adjacent building. In addition to that, room service was available twenty four hours a day. After ensuring that neither Elliot nor Olivia had any questions, the receptionist passed them their room keys and gave them the necessary directions.

When they set foot into their room moments later, it was everything the description had said it would be. Holding his breath and hoping the good fortune would continue, Elliot hurried into the bedroom area of the suite. It had been an irrational fear of his all week long that they would be given only one bed.

To his relief, the room – just like the rest of the suite – was just as described. Two queen beds sat side by side, with a bathroom entrance located on the far wall. Before he could ask Olivia the question on his mind, it seemed she'd anticipated it.

"Elliot, I swear – if you ask me one more time if I'm comfortable sharing a room with you, I'm going to hit you with a pillow."

He took her threat seriously, even if it was accented by a smile. He knew she would have no problem carrying it out. Instead of following through with his initial question, he asked something else.

"Do you have a preference as to which bed?"

"No, El. But, why don't you take the one on the left? You'll be closer to the television that way."

Again, her gentle understanding filled him with warmth. He set the bags down, taking the bed she had suggested for himself. Then another question came to mind.

"What did you want to do for dinner tonight, Liv? I'll take you to the restaurant, if you want."

Olivia's smile brightened her whole face. She didn't want to turn him down, but the thought of going out tonight just didn't appeal to her. Instead, she offered a compromise.

"Why don't we get room service, and go out to the restaurant tomorrow? That way, we can relax tonight and be comfortable."

"Sounds good. I'll call and make us a reservation, just in case. We don't know how busy they will get. How does seven sound?"

Another smile was the only answer he needed. Without thinking about his actions, Elliot placed his hands on Olivia's shoulders. He leaned in and pressed his lips to her forehead, then walked out of the room, giving her privacy to change.

Later that evening, after enjoying a delicious dinner, Elliot and Olivia were seated comfortably on the sofa. The television was on, but neither were really paying attention. In fact, it seemed to Olivia that something was bothering him. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what. Wanting to get the elephant in the room out of the way so they could enjoy the rest of the evening, she decided to broach the subject herself. Otherwise, Elliot would sit there and obsess over it all night long.

"I know what you're thinking about El, and I want you to stop."

His head turned sharply in her direction, a look of surprise written on his face. Still, he said nothing.

"You were quiet all through dinner, and I know you've been worrying about what happened in the bedroom earlier. You didn't overstep any boundaries."

Finally, that seemed to get his attention, and he spoke.

"But, Liv. I kissed you - without your consent."

She placed her palm on his shoulder, squeezing it softly. The gentleness of the action brought his eyes up to meet hers.

"El, you brushed your lips against my head. It was a gesture of affection. It's not the first time you've ever kissed my forehead, either."

"Yes, but -"

She raised her fingers to his lips, silencing him.

"But nothing. You know me well enough by now that if I'm uncomfortable with something, I'm certainly going to say so."

Despite his every effort to fight against it, she felt his smile underneath her fingertips. He had to concede that she was right, and had she really had a problem with it, she would have spoken to him about it. Looking at their earlier interaction with new eyes, he remembered. She had been relaxed, content even. When he'd pulled back to study her face, her eyes had been closed. She'd been comfortable with his kiss on her forehead.

"Feel better, El?"

Her voice pulled him out of his thoughts, and he nodded his agreement. Then she asked him another question.

"What do you say we throw on our swimsuits and make use of the hot tub? After all, it is why we shelled out the extra money for this fancy room."

"That sounds like a great idea, Liv. Did you want to change first?"

Olivia shook her head, indicating that he should go ahead. When Elliot was done, he returned to the main room, wearing a pair of dark blue swim trunks. He headed toward the far end of the room to get the hot tub set up and ready while Olivia took her turn.

Elliot adjusted the temperature to what he felt was a comfortable setting without being too hot, and turned on the jets. He noticed that the tub was spacious enough that they could easily share without touching inappropriately. It had been another irrational worry of his that he would crowd her. The sound of the door opening behind him caught his attention and he turned toward the noise.

Olivia stepped out into the main room in a black one piece swimsuit that flattered her figure and walked over to where Elliot stood. She accepted his outstretched hand and allowed him to help her step into the tub. Then she sat down, stretching her long legs out in front of her. Elliot quickly joined her, copying her movements.

They sat side by side facing the window, the water covering them up to their shoulders. When Elliot turned his head to look at Olivia, he saw she was looking at him too. He noticed then that she had pulled her hair up in a high ponytail, to keep it from getting wet. Placing his hand on the back of her neck, he squeezed softly.

"Thanks for suggesting we do this this weekend, Liv. Some time away is exactly what I needed."

A pause went by before he spoke again, and this time, there was a hesitant quality to his voice.

"Can I ask you something? If you don't want to say, it's perfectly all right."

"You can always ask me anything, Elliot."

Another pause, and it seemed as though he were trying to gather up his nerve. Even though she had been witness to this side of him for a couple of months now, it was still unusual for her to see this less bold side of Elliot Stabler.

"Did you have the facial done today? I'm not trying to be nosy, it's just that your cheeks are really rosy and I thought that -"

His hand fell away from her neck then and he let it sink down into the water between their bodies. Olivia immediately took it in her own and squeezed.

"El, that question isn't too personal at all. No, I didn't get the facial. If my cheeks are flushed, that's likely because of the heat from the water."

As though reading his thoughts, and thinking he was going to admonish her for not pampering herself enough, she informed him that the reason she didn't get the facial was because she utilized the extra funds to add an extra amenity to her massage – hot stone therapy.

He smiled at her then, glad that she had fully taken advantage of her entire gift card. He'd noticed at lunch how relaxed she looked, but it was only now that he was really aware of just how much the morning's events had had their effect on her. Then he fell silent, content to sit quietly and enjoy Olivia's company.

The stillness of the moment was eventually interrupted when the jets stopped working, indicating that the timer had reached its end. Elliot stood and exited the tub first, briskly drying himself with a towel, then wrapping it around his waist. He then extended his hand to Olivia, helping her. When she was back on solid ground, he grabbed another towel and wrapped it around her shoulders. Rubbing her arms briskly, he tried to keep her from catching a chill.

"Why don't you take the shower first, Liv?"

Olivia could only nod, then turned to follow his instructions. Elliot watched her go until the bedroom door shut behind her, then moved about cleaning up. This last half hour sharing the hot tub with her was quite possibly the most intimate they'd ever been, but not once had he felt uncomfortable or awkward. It just felt natural. Maybe sharing the bedroom tonight wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.

Later that night, Olivia and Elliot were getting ready to turn in for the night. Scattered on Olivia's bed were some of her clothes, and she was trying to put them back in her bag. It didn't escape Elliot's notice that one of the items in her hand was a bikini. Again, his earlier anxieties were ignited anew, and he had to question her.

"Liv? I couldn't help but notice the swimsuit in your hand, and I hope you weren't uncomfortable wearing it around me."

Olivia looked puzzled at first, then finally understood.

"That's not it at all, El. The suit I wore tonight, I typically wear at the gym when I swim laps. It's designed for higher chlorine content, like the kind they use in hot tubs."

She waited a moment, then continued, raising her hand with the bikini in it.

"This swimsuit is if we go down to the hotel pool."

Relieved then that he hadn't made her feel awkward or at unease, Elliot let himself relax again. They agreed on a time to go to breakfast the next morning, and were about to crawl into their respective beds. Noticing that Elliot was about to go to sleep fully clothed, Olivia called him out on it.

"El, you told me when you first got to my place that you normally sleep in your boxers. Don't do anything out of your normal routine on my account. This is your vacation, too."

Elliot couldn't believe she remembered that little bit of information that he'd told her. Then he recalled something on his own - the night he'd snuck into her room looking for the gun. He'd been wearing only his boxers then, and she hadn't even flinched. She'd invited him into her bed to sit and talk, and that was ultimately where he'd fallen asleep. He pulled off his tee shirt and stripped out of his sweats before crawling between the sheets of his bed.

"Here you go, El. The remote was on my nightstand."

He looked to his side to see her extending it in his direction between their beds. He knew he didn't need to ask her if the television would bother her. From the looks of it, she was half asleep already. Likely all the efforts put into her relaxation today were still having an effect on her.

Finding a channel to keep on while he slept, Elliot turned the volume low anyway. He thought of something else he wanted to ask her, but when he turned his head to the side, his breath caught in his throat.

He could see Olivia clearly by the soft lights from the television. She lay on her side facing him, one arm tucked under her pillow. Her mouth was parted slightly, exhaling soft breaths at even intervals. She looked so peaceful – so beautiful.

It had never been lost on him over their years together that he'd been partnered with an attractive woman. It was just in his more recent dependence on her in the past couple of months that he was more willing to acknowledge his attraction to her. Maybe it was because the separation from Kathy was so recent that he felt so guilty. Or, it was because he'd known Olivia for so long. That would explain why he constantly felt like he was overstepping his boundaries. He was so afraid of destroying the great relationship that they already had.

Not wanting to be caught staring should Olivia suddenly open her eyes, Elliot forced his eyes away from her. Drowning out the sound of the television and instead focusing on the sound of her breathing, Elliot drifted into a quiet slumber of his own. His last conscious thought was that they still had two full days before they had to go back to reality. He planned to enjoy every minute.