Disclaimer: SVU and its characters belong to Dick Wolf. I own nothing.
The door to Olivia's apartment opened, and she stepped across the threshold gingerly. Elliot followed a few steps behind, closing the door behind them. True to his word, he'd gone to see her at the hospital as soon as his program had let out for the day. To his surprise, he'd found her not in a hospital gown, but dressed and nearly ready to leave. The observation period had gone so smoothly that they were willing to discharge her a few hours earlier than originally planned. He had gladly been ready to bring her home.
Since she was already in comfortable clothes, there was no worry that Olivia would immediately have to change. Elliot helped her sit on one of the sofas, then hurried into her bedroom to grab some pillows to make her comfortable. Once she was settled, he passed her the remote control and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"If you'll be all right here for a little while, Liv, I'm going to run out for a bit. I'll go to pharmacy and get your prescriptions filled, then stop on my way home and get us some dinner."
"That sounds great, El. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I might even take a little nap."
Even as she spoke, Olivia's eyelids were drooping. It was no surprise to Elliot that she was exhausted, as she likely hadn't been able to properly sleep at all while in the hospital. Making certain that her phone was within easy reach, he tiptoed out of the apartment, intent on running his errands as quickly as possible.
While waiting at the pharmacy for her scripts to be filled, he called ahead to place an order for their dinner. Though Olivia hadn't asked for anything specifically, he figured her stomach was lightly still somewhat tender. He selected a couple of sandwiches and some soup, opting to keep the meal as simple as possible.
Remembering that Olivia had been told to ice her shoulder and other injuries as much as possible, he also looked in the first aid section of the store. There, he found a decent sized cold pack that would cover large areas of the body. It was also soft and pliable, making it ideal to conform to the area around her shoulder. Not caring one bit about the expense, he picked up two.
Olivia's name was called then, so he made his way back to the pharmacy counter to pay for his purchases. He made sure they had given her both prescriptions – the antibiotic to ensure the wound on her back didn't get infected, and the painkiller they were finally allowing her to take. The last thing he wanted was for her to be in pain, or heaven forbid, her recovery to be sidelined by an infection.
His next stop was a bit of an impulse, but one he felt was necessary. Even though he suspected Olivia's stomach may still be upset, thus his reasoning at getting her soup for dinner again, he wanted to get her a treat. Within minutes of leaving this next store, he had a bag of specialty ice cream in the car that would make for a treat for them later tonight. Granted, it wouldn't be the chocolate layer cake they'd had in the Poconos, but it was something.
Last stop on the list was for their food, and he was relieved to find their order ready and waiting. In his mind, he'd already left Olivia on her own for far too long. Not that she couldn't take care of herself, but she'd only just got home from the hospital. He wanted to stay by her side and take care of her.
Back at the apartment, he found Olivia just as he left her, dozing lightly on the living room sofa. She seemed to be as comfortable as possible, given the sling she still had to wear. Luckily, she only had to use that for one more day, and then it could come off Friday morning.
Looking at the clock, he realized he'd only been gone for just under ninety minutes. It seemed as though Olivia had slept through his entire absence. He took advantage of a few extra minutes of quiet to head into his bedroom to change into something comfortable, and when he returned to the living room, Olivia was awake. Rushing to her side, he helped ease her into a sitting position.
"Not that I don't appreciate the help, Elliot, but you can't keep doing that."
"Liv, you just got home from the hospital a few hours ago. You've got to let me help you for a little bit."
With his arms still wrapped around her, he could feel the moment when the tension left her body as she conceded to his request. He knew this wasn't easy for her. Until recently, asking for help hadn't been easy for him, either. When she spoke again, her voice was quiet.
"Okay, Elliot. You're right. I promise I'll ask for help when its more than I can handle."
Wisely knowing it was time to accept the victory and not comment further, he simply pressed a small kiss to her temple and said nothing else about the matter. Instead, he changed the subject.
"I brought home soup and sandwiches for dinner. Did you want to eat at the table, or do you want me to bring them in here?"
Olivia's eyes shone with gratitude. They both knew that she was in no condition to sit at a table and eat. Her pain was so great that she needed the comfort the sofa and pillows had to offer, but she wouldn't openly admit to that. By offering her a choice, and not deciding for her, Elliot had put some power back in her hands. She was eating in the living room because she chose to, not because she was forced to.
"Let's eat in here, El. I think there's a movie on we were wanting to watch."
Elliot nodded and went to collect their meals without another word. The two ate in companionable silence while watching a movie together, and it was almost as if it were a normal night in the apartment for them. For a little while, they could almost pretend that the last twenty four hours hadn't happened.
After they had eaten, Elliot checked in with Olivia. Though he could tell it hurt her pride to admit it, she confessed to being in a great deal of pain. He convinced her to take one of the pills that had been prescribed to her. As he was bringing her the medication along with a glass of water, he couldn't help but think of how their roles had been reversed. When he'd first arrived here, it had been Olivia who had passed out his medication to him. Now, he was giving it to her.
Olivia accepted the tablet into the palm of her hand, and popped it in her mouth, then chased it down with several gulps of water. Passing the glass back to Elliot with a grimace, she shook her head in disgust.
"I hate this."
Sitting down next to her, Elliot looped his arm around her good shoulder. He needed to tell her this, that he understood what she was going through.
"Liv, I know you don't want to take the medicine, but you need to."
She shook her head, not implying that she was refusing, but that he had misunderstood her.
"No, El. You don't understand. I know I need the medicine, and I'll take it without argument, I promise. It's just that I hate having to take the pain medicine because of the way it makes me feel."
Now he understood. He reminded her then that the hospital had only prescribed a short supply of the prescription pain killer, to last until her appointment on Friday with her primary care doctor. Then decisions could be made where to go from there.
Olivia was still in pain, and he could tell she wasn't getting as comfortable as she needed to be on the sofa. Though he would miss her company greatly, he was going to suggest that she go to her room for the night, and watch something on her television in there. Chances were high she'd fall asleep early, anyway. Then, before he had a chance to suggest anything, Olivia surprised him.
"El, don't take this the wrong way, but would you mind if we watched TV in my room tonight? I'm not ready to fall asleep yet, but I want nothing more than to crawl into bed. I wouldn't mind if you were to join me in there."
"I don't mind at all, Liv."
Minutes later, Olivia was settled in her bedroom for the night. Elliot had told her about the ice cream he'd bought, but she was opting to save it for the next day. Using a few of the extra pillows from the linen closet, they'd arranged it so she could sleep in a somewhat reclined position – not quite upright, but not exactly laying down, either. Elliot was about to sit in the oversized chair in her room when she stopped him.
"El? What are you doing?"
"I'm going to sit with you and watch TV."
"Then get your ass over here and in the bed."
Knowing from just her tone that he'd better not question whether or not she was certain, or if he'd be overstepping his boundaries, Elliot stepped around to the opposite side of the bed. He reminded himself that he'd sat with Olivia in her bed before, wearing far less clothing at that. Pulling back the blankets, he slid under the covers and propped up the pillows on his side before leaning back against them and getting comfortable next to her. He placed his cell phone beside him on the bedside table. Olivia tuned into a channel they both watched often, then passed him the remote.
"Here. I'm sure to fall asleep before you, so you can watch whatever you want if this doesn't interest you."
"This is fine, Liv."
Her words struck a cord with him. Was she asking him to stay all night? He intended to question her about it, but then she shifted next to him and cried out in pain and all his questions were forgotten. Wrapping an arm around her, he pulled her close.
"Oh, Liv. I'm sorry you're hurting, honey. Come on, why don't you try leaning against me?"
Neither one of them seemed to register the fact that he had just called her 'honey'. Or, if they had, they chose not to comment on it. Instead, Olivia followed his directive and moved away from her pile of useless pillows. Leaning against Elliot's chest, she felt his arm come around her back to hold her close. She also felt some of the pressure in her body begin to alleviate. If only her arm wasn't encased in this dreadful sling, she'd be able to wrap it around his waist and hold him in return. That thought was quickly forgotten when his other hand came up to caress her temple, lightly cradling her head against his body. Concentrating on the sound of his heartbeat under her ear, Olivia was able to forget about her pain, and let sleep claim her.
Elliot awoke the next morning, in the same position that he'd fallen asleep in. Olivia still lay draped over him, his arms wrapped securely around her. He hadn't intended to spend the night in her bed, but when she'd cried out in pain, it had nearly broken him. When the pain seemed to have lessened with her leaning against him, his intentions had been to stay only until she fell asleep. Then, she had looked so peaceful, he couldn't bear to leave. His only hope this morning was that she wouldn't be angry for his having stayed.
Bending his head low, he pressed a kiss to the top of Olivia's head. More memories from the night before came flooding back. He'd called her 'honey'. They'd used nicknames for one another for years – using shortened versions of their given names, or even affectionately calling one another by their surname. But last night had been the first time he could clearly recall using a term of endearment like that with her. He supposed he should feel guilty, but he didn't. If anything, it had felt like the most natural thing in the world at that moment to call her that.
Glancing at the clock in the room, he felt a wave of sadness. His alarm would be going off soon so he could get ready for Partial. The last thing he wanted to do today was to go to group and leave Olivia on her own, but he knows she wouldn't want him to miss his treatment on her behalf. Plus, he reminded himself that even though she was hurting, it's not as though it were anything critical.
Elliot's wayward thoughts stopped the moment he felt Olivia stirring in his arms. A whimper of pain escaped from her lips. Reflexively, he tightened his hold.
"It's all right, Liv. I'm here. I'm sorry your hurting."
He'd thought she was still asleep, and he was just murmuring assurances, but to his surprise, she answered him.
"It's not your fault, El."
Shifting ever so slightly so he could look in her eyes, Elliot studied her expression carefully. He could see tension in her face – the pain she was trying to hide – but no traces of anger or upset. If anything, Olivia seemed content to be waking up in his arms. Deciding to leave it alone for now, Elliot focused on the matter at hand. He wanted her to eat something before he left, so she could take her medicine. If he was going to make them breakfast, he needed to get up now.
"What do you say I make us something to eat, Liv? I know, you're probably not that hungry, but you'll need something in your stomach when you take that pain pill – the antibiotic, too."
He was fully expecting an argument, but to his surprise, Olivia gave in. Not only that, but she requested that he make eggs and toast. Helping bring her to a sitting position against the headboard, he kissed the crown of her head a final time before heading to the kitchen to prepare their breakfast.
While he was in the kitchen cooking, Elliot heard some movement. He figured there were some things Olivia needed to take care of, but hoped she would go back to bed after, and not push herself. To his relief, she never appeared in the living room or kitchen.
Finding a tray in one of the kitchen cabinets, Elliot placed Olivia's breakfast on it. He also added a cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice. As an afterthought, he put her medication in a small disposable cup that he had saved from the deli the night before and cleaned out for this purpose. Then he carried it into the bedroom.
"Here you go Olivia, scrambled eggs just the way you like them. Plus toast, coffee, and juice."
With great fanfare, he placed the tray over her lap. She looked up at him with wonder.
"El, you didn't have to do this. I would have come out to eat."
"Nonsense. You're obviously more comfortable here. Don't you remember what we discussed last night? You agreed to let me take care of you."
Olivia felt a swell of emotion at his words. She had agreed to that. But, she wasn't expecting all of this. She remembered the moment she had woken up in his arms this morning. At that time, the pain was easily forgotten in favor of how safe and secure she'd felt. Things between them just seemed to keep evolving, and she wasn't sure she wanted to stop it. Even though there was part of her that insisted she should, the other part said she should just let things continue at whatever pace they wanted to go.
"Liv?"
Olivia felt a flush in her cheeks as she realized she'd completely missed Elliot talking to her. She hoped he would write it off as her being distracted by pain.
"What is it, Elliot?"
"I asked if you needed anything else."
"No, I'm good. You should eat something, too."
Taking hold of her hand in his, he squeezed gently. Even now, she was still thinking of him.
"I will, I promise. I just turned my breakfast into an egg sandwich to go. I'll eat it on my way to group."
With that, he left, but not before promising to call her at lunch to check on her. Olivia watched him go, listening as the door in the other room shut and latched. Then, she focused her attention on the delicious breakfast Elliot had prepared for her.
Elliot used his keys and let himself into Olivia's apartment, not sure exactly what he'd be walking into. He'd called her on his lunch break, but she hadn't been too talkative. He figured it must have been the pain medicine making her drowsy.
It was mostly quiet when he entered, though he could hear the slight drone of the television coming from Olivia's bedroom. Hastily setting down his keys and putting away his coat, he hurried in to check on her.
Olivia was dozing propped up against her pillows. The tray from her breakfast that morning sat on the empty space beside her. Elliot wondered about that, then realized there would have been no way for her to move it on her own. He was about to walk around to the other side and remove it when she opened her eyes. He hadn't made any noise, so she must have sensed his presence.
"El? What are you doing back already?"
"Group is done for the day, Liv. I just got back a few minutes ago."
She nodded then, as though trying to process the information. It was clear to him that she was still groggy from sleep. Then something occurred to him.
"Liv, what did you eat for lunch today?"
"Nothing. Don't look at me like that, Elliot. For the most part, I just slept. I hurt more today than I did yesterday."
He hugged her then, something he'd been wanting to do since he first stepped into her bedroom. Still he felt bad that it hadn't occurred to him to make her a lunch and leave it behind so she would have had something to eat. He felt like he was failing her.
"Tomorrow, I'll make something for you, and leave it in the fridge."
"I won't need a lunch tomorrow. I have my doctors appointment, remember?"
Shit. That was right. Olivia was scheduled to see the doctor late tomorrow morning at eleven thirty. Again, he felt consumed by guilt knowing he wouldn't be able to take her. Technically, he could, but Elliot knew she'd never want him to miss a day of his program. Still, he worried about how she'd get there and back.
He quickly carried the empty tray to the kitchen while Olivia used the bathroom. Then she met him in the living room, insisting that she needed a change of scenery. They were settled together on the same sofa side by side about to talk when Elliot's phone rang. Initially cursing the interruption, he felt differently when he saw that it was Kathy calling. He answered immediately.
It turned out, the reason for Kathy's call had nothing to do with the kids. She wanted to know how Olivia was doing. Elliot briefly explained the situation, telling his soon to be ex-wife that Olivia had a doctor's appointment scheduled for the following morning. What she had to offer next touched him deeply, and took a great weight off his shoulders. Placing his palm over the receiver, he took a moment to relate the question to the woman sitting next to him.
"Liv, Kathy wants to know if you'd like her to drive you to your appointment tomorrow. She doesn't want you to have to worry about taking a cab with the amount of pain that you're in."
At first, Olivia was initially going to refuse the offer. Not because she wasn't grateful, but because the last thing she wanted to do was be a nuisance to anyone. Then she saw the pleading look in Elliot's eye. Not only would this be a great help to her, but by accepting, she'd be doing him a favor, too. It would take a great deal of worry off of his mind while he was at his group.
"All right, Elliot. Tell her I accept – and tell her I said 'thank you'."
Returning to his call, Elliot relayed the message. He spent a few minutes more on the phone with Kathy, and informed her what time she would need to be at Olivia's apartment the following morning. A few minutes later, they ended their call.
"Thank you, Liv. I'm glad you agreed to let her drive you. You know that means I'll worry less."
"It was kind of her to offer."
Elliot agreed. Then, he moved on to his next concern – the fact that Olivia hadn't eaten since breakfast. Though neither were ready for dinner anytime soon, he wanted her to eat something. After some convincing, he was able to get her to allow him to fix her a light meal.
After she had eaten, he moved on to the next topic at hand. It might be a more delicate subject, but his only concern was her well being.
"Liv? Did you want to shower before your appointment tomorrow? More importantly, does the bandage on your back need changed?"
She quickly shook her head, and for a second, he misinterpreted her reaction. He thought she was refusing his help. In reality, it was quite the opposite.
"No, El. They changed the bandage yesterday, wanted me to keep it on until I saw my doctor."
She rested her hand on top of his, then continued.
"Because of that, I'm not allowed to shower until I see the doctor, either. Try not to worry, they let me take a sponge bath at the hospital before I left."
Her attempt at joking about her situation did some good, and he couldn't help but smile. Even though the last thing he wanted was to lose contact where their hands were touching, he moved so he could wrap his arm around her and pull her closer to his body. Pressing a kiss to her temple, he leaned his head against hers. Then her soft voice met his ears yet again.
"After I get home on Friday, I will need your help when it comes to changing the bandages. They'll probably need to be changed daily."
"I'll do whatever you need me to, Liv."
He felt her nod against him as she snuggled more into his warmth. They said nothing more, but sat there together contentedly.
Friday morning dawned much the same as Thursday had. Elliot woke up in Olivia's bed for the second morning in a row, with her nestled in his arms. He wasn't complaining – if holding her while she slept kept the pain at bay, he'd gladly do it every night.
The only difference this morning from the day before was that Olivia insisted on joining him in the kitchen for breakfast. They had just finished and Elliot was getting ready to leave when there was a knock at the door. He hurried to answer it to find Kathy standing there.
"Good morning Elliot, Olivia. I know I'm early. I just didn't know if you would need any additional help getting ready, Olivia. I thought I'd come by and offer to see if you needed any help with a shower or anything."
Olivia was touched by the other woman's offer. Even though she was unable to accept because she wasn't allowed to shower yet, the fact that Kathy was willing to do that for her meant so much.
"No, thank you Kathy. I'm still not allowed to shower, but I think I will accept your help with a change of clean clothes. Managing with the sling is so cumbersome."
"No problem, Olivia."
Elliot reached into his pocket and removed his wallet. Withdrawing several bills, he held them in his hand.
"There's something you can do for me as well, Kathy."
"What's that?"
"After Liv's appointment today, I want you two ladies to go out to lunch on me. Provided Olivia is feeling up to it, of course."
He extended the money to Kathy, whose palm closed around it. She exchanged a look with Olivia, almost as if she were seeking permission. The other woman nodded, as if agreeing to the proposal Elliot had suggested. Neither were sure why he wanted them to do this, but both were fine with the arrangement.
"Okay, now that that's settled, I need to get going. Liv, please don't forget to call or text me after your appointment. You know I'll only worry if you do."
As he spoke, he crossed the room to where Olivia stood. Placing both hands on each of her shoulders, he kissed the crown of her head in parting. Then he walked over to where Kathy was.
"Kath, thank you again for offering to help. I'd give anything if I could be there myself today, but I don't want either of you to kick my ass for missing group."
He kissed Kathy on the cheek, then grabbed his keys and left. Two stunned woman were left standing in Olivia's apartment in his wake. They stared at one another for several minutes before speaking. Finally, it was Olivia who recovered first.
"Would you like some coffee, Kathy?"
"Yes, please."
Two hours later, after Kathy had helped Olivia change into one of her more comfortable pairs of jeans, a bra, and a nice shirt, they were ready to leave. Olivia recited the address of her doctor's office and Kathy found the place easily.
Olivia emerged after being in with the doctor for twenty minutes. She was holding her right arm gingerly, but she was sling free. In her other hand, she carried a bag filled with the necessary supplies to change the bandages on her back for the next fourteen days until the stitches could be removed.
Back in the car, Kathy asked if she felt up to going out for lunch. To her surprise, for the first time in days, Olivia had to admit she actually had an appetite. The two women decided on a restaurant. While Kathy was driving there, Olivia took the opportunity to call Elliot and let him know how the appointment had gone. To her delight, she caught him on his lunch break, and was able to talk to him in person. After sharing the good news about no longer needing the sling and a few other bits of information, she put the phone on speaker so he could say a few words to Kathy. He was pleased to learn that they were on their way to lunch, just as he'd requested that morning. Not wanting to bother Kathy too much while she drove, he ended the call with the promise to talk to both of them later.
Despite the heavy lunch crowd, Olivia and Kathy were seated promptly at the restaurant. After they placed their orders, they sat quietly for a few moments. Finally, it was Kathy who broke the silence.
"Olivia? I don't want to act like I'm speaking about something that is none of my business, but I need to know. Is there anything going on between you and Elliot?"
Olivia had been taking a sip of her iced tea, and she started to choke. After a few coughs and taking a few moments to collect herself, she studied Kathy carefully. There was no anger or judgment apparent in the other woman's body language. If anything, it was curiosity. Olivia couldn't fault her for that. The truth was, she didn't really know the answer.
"I don't know, Kathy. I'm not just saying that for the sake of saying it, either."
Taking another sip of tea, Olivia saw that Kathy was waiting for her to continue.
"Yes, the truth is that Elliot and I have gotten closer since he first started staying with me. And yes, I care about him a great deal – I always have. But to say that something more concrete is there, I can't confirm that."
Kathy sighed then – it was an expression of relief, not frustration. She knew that Olivia was telling her the truth. If she were to question Elliot about the status of his relationship with Olivia, he'd likely tell her the exact same thing. From what she'd witnessed this morning, though, it was clear things were evolving between the two. To her surprise, she wasn't upset. There were far worse people her soon to be ex husband could end up with other than Olivia Benson. Physical beauty aside, the woman had kept him safe for twelve years, and had always cared about his family, too. She knew then, what she most wanted to convey.
"I'm not saying anything will happen right away. I know Elliot is still dealing with a lot. And I know nothing has ever happened in the past between the two of you."
Olivia nodded, wondering where Kathy was going with this.
"All I'm saying is this – if anything should happen, don't deny your feelings for each other. I won't be upset."
Choked up with emotion, Olivia could only nod. She also felt a strange weight lift off her shoulders. Perhaps it was the lingering guilt she'd had for having used Elliot as a virtual pillow the past two nights. Even though she knows she'd never have gotten to sleep without him, and they'd done nothing wrong. Knowing that Kathy wasn't angry with either one of them and no longer harbored any jealousy toward their unique relationship with one another put her at ease. She didn't expect things to change between her and Elliot overnight, but if things continued to evolve, she'd hold true to her promise – she wasn't going to run.
