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


Olivia's first day back at work would have probably been a lot tougher on Elliot had he known she was headed straight back into the field right away. Knowing she had a couple days of desk duty gave him – and his nerves – a bit of a reprieve. For all of his promises about trusting her, he still couldn't stop his worry. He knew that no matter how careful she was, the criminals in this city were unpredictable at best. He'd lived with that fact on a daily basis himself for over twenty years. He even had the scars to prove it. Then again, so did Olivia. He had to remind himself that this wasn't the first time she'd been hurt on the job. God willing, it would be the last.

When he had met with Dr. Simpson on Monday afternoon, he was able to vent out some of his fears that he hadn't even been able to tell Olivia about yet. Some of them were leftover from the previous visit, when he repeated how scared he had been to get the phone call from Fin two weeks before. That led to some of the dreams that he'd been having. He wouldn't call them nightmares exactly, because every single event that had occurred in one of his dreams had actually happened. What they were, in reality, were memories.

Each night he would relive a case from his and Olivia's past together, but often in some twisted macabre version of itself. Richard White, where the man had killed his partner in an instant on the park bench before the squad could move in. Eric Plummer, who had stalked and murdered Olivia after she ditched the detail he'd hired for her. The names and places just kept popping up - Gitano, Mike Jergens, the car crash with Kathy, Lowell Harris, even Dale Stuckey. He even envisioned Olivia being killed in Sonya Paxton's place. It all came full circle until it tied in with his nightmares about Jenna all over again.

Dr. Simpson listened with empathy, and encouraged him to talk to Olivia about his dreams. She told him that being open about his fears might be a way to make them go away. That by voicing them out loud to the one person who had a starring role in each and every one of them – Olivia herself – he could once again gain control. Though she didn't say anything directly, she also believed Olivia's reassurances would continue to have a calming effect on her patient. Once he was calmer, she shifted topic to the next matter at hand.

"Tell me something, Elliot. Do you feel that this twelve week course of Partial therapy has been beneficial to you?"

"Absolutely. I learned so much these past three months. I'm just sorry I didn't consider something like this sooner."

Dr. Simpson shook her head gently. She wouldn't allow him to berate himself for any reason.

"This wasn't something you could be forced into. You weren't ready until that day you were in my office those few months ago."

She gave him a few minutes for her words to sink in, then continued.

"I don't think we need to have you attend another twelve week session. I also don't think you need the Intensive Outpatient Therapy at this time."

Elliot begin to feel some anxiety creep up. Did this mean she was going to stop seeing him as a patient? He couldn't believe that he was worried about that. There used to be a time when the only way to get him to see a psychiatrist was to make it mandatory, now he went willingly.

As though she had read his mind, Dr. Simpson answered his question before he could ask it.

"Of course, I will still see you here in my office once a week. Over time, we can always decrease the frequency of your visits if necessary."

Elliot exhaled a sigh of relief. He didn't even bother asking if he still needed to continue taking the medication he was on, he knew that he was nowhere near ready to stop that.

"Thanks, Doc. So, I just have to finish this week, and I'm done with Partial? There aren't any forms to fill out or anything?"

"Not here. You'll just need to sign off at the desk when you complete the day on Friday. The workbook will be yours to keep."

After a few more questions, Elliot left the office, making sure to schedule an appointment for the following week. Then he went home. He wanted to get started on dinner before Olivia got back. She would be home around five for the first few days this week. It was only on Thursday that her hours would get unpredictable again.

Digging through the fridge and freezer for ingredients, Elliot knew exactly what he would make tonight. It was something that had become a favorite of Olivia's since he had begun staying with her three months before – tortellini in broth. To go with it, he would make a salad and bake some garlic bread. Then, hoping he wasn't getting too far ahead of himself, he thought about the moments before bed tonight, hoping that they could share another shower.


Wednesday afternoon, Elliot counted the minutes until his last group at partial was done for the day. He barely was able to focus on his final project for woodworking. All he could think about was meeting Olivia at her doctor's appointment. As soon as the clock struck three, he said goodbye to Nathan on his way out the door, and headed for his car.

By chance, they arrived at the doctor's office at the same time, meeting up with one another just outside the building. Elliot embraced Olivia and gave her a brief kiss before holding the door open for her so she could go inside, then followed behind her.

"How was your day, Liv?"

He asked the question as they were waiting for the elevator, each of them pleasantly surprised that they were the only ones around. Normally the area was much more crowded than this.

"It was okay, if you can call desk work and pushing papers 'okay'. I'll be glad to be getting back into the field tomorrow."

Elliot wrapped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her to him just as the elevator doors opened and a few people spilled out. Then they went inside to select their floor.

The waiting room was a little busy, but not overly crowded. After Olivia signed in they were easily able to find two seats together. They had been sitting for about fifteen minutes when a nurse called Olivia's name. Standing, she turned to Elliot and made a request.

"Will you come back with me?"

It wasn't that she couldn't handle this visit on her own, she could. However, Olivia knew that Elliot needed to hear with his own ears from the doctor himself that she was fully healed. The relief on his face was clear to see before his expression changed again.

"Of course."

The two followed a nurse back to the exam room, and Olivia was given a gown. She was instructed to remove her blouse and bra, and to put on the gown with the opening in the back. Then the nurse left the room, leaving the two alone.

Even though he had already seen her naked, Elliot was respectful of Olivia's privacy. He noticed that there was no changing area or curtain that she could change behind, so instead he made an offer.

"Did you want me to step out of the room or turn my back while you change into the gown?"

"That's not necessary, El."

Olivia shed her blouse, then with Elliot's assistance, slipped her arms into the sleeves of the gown. He fastened the tie at her waist, then she turned around. Then, thinking she had forgotten, he reminded her of something.

"Wait, Liv. You were supposed to take your bra off, too."

She gave him a knowing grin, then slid her arms back inside the gown and around her back. A moment later, she was producing her bra from one of the sleeves. He shook his head at her, taking the garment and folding it so he could put it on the chair with her blouse.

"It never fails to amaze me how women are able to do that. I always wondered, is that something they pull you aside in school and teach you?"

"No, it's something you figure out when you have to change for gym class. Same thing as changing shirts without taking the first one off."

Elliot laughed heartily, pulling Olivia close to him and placing a kiss on her forehead. In reality, it wasn't how he wanted to kiss her in that moment, but he needed to keep himself in check. The last thing he wanted was for the doctor to walk in on them. It would make for an awkward situation.

A knock at the door brought them both back to reality, and a second later, Olivia's doctor stepped into the room. If he was surprised to see that she had brought someone else with her to the appointment, he didn't let it show.

"Well, Detective, I see you are here to get those stitches removed. I bet you are glad about that."

"You bet, Doctor. I did all right with them for awhile, but the past couple of days they have started to get itchy."

Nodding, he explained that was just part of the healing process. Olivia of course, was no stranger to stitches and already understood. After a few more basic questions, he began the exam. He asked Olivia to lay back on the table and he lifted the gown up so he could examine how the bruising on her torso had healed. Seeing only the fading remains of yellowish bruises, the doctor was satisfied and lowered the gown once more.

Then, Olivia was asked to swing her legs to the other side of the table. This position had her facing Elliot, but also bared her back to the doctor's eye. Parting her gown, he examined the expanse of her back, checking how the bruises there were healing. Lastly, he focused on the area where the stitches were.

"This has healed well, Detective. No sign of infection at all. I'm completely comfortable removing your stitches today."

Olivia felt her body relax, and she could see that Elliot had sighed with relief as well. She sat still as the doctor began cutting through the threads that had held her skin together these past two weeks, then used tweezers to gently tug and remove them. After he was finished, he gently cleansed the area with an antibacterial solution.

"Now, I'm going to apply some steri-strips to this, but they should only last a few days to a week at most. Just keep them on until they fall off on their own."

"All right. Are there any other restrictions, or am I free to resume my normal activities?"

Elliot chuckled again, reaching for Olivia's hand.

"What I believe Olivia is trying to say is, is she allowed to go back to being the kick ass Detective we all know and love?"

The doctor smiled at Elliot's question, and the interaction between the two people in front of him. Having known Olivia for quite some time, he'd really not needed the translation, but he appreciated it anyway.

"Yes. You can go back to work, Detective. However, I don't want to see you back in this office – unless it is for a routine check up, understand?"

Now it was Olivia who was shaking her head and smiling. She also hadn't missed the subtle hint by her doctor that she needed to schedule a routine checkup – something she was used to making excuses for. She thanked him, then shook his hand. The doctor also shook hands with Elliot before excusing himself from the room, leaving Elliot and Olivia alone once again.

As soon as Olivia had hopped off the exam table, but before she had a chance to reach for her clothes, Elliot was by her side. He swept her up off her feet and spun her around, then kissed her. Only when his mouth lifted off hers did he set her back down again.

"I'm so happy for you, Liv. What do you say we go out to dinner and celebrate?"

She moved even closer to him, leaning up to press a kiss on the corner of his mouth before whispering in his ear.

"I was thinking we could just go home and celebrate, then get dinner later."

He pulled back suddenly to study her expression. What he saw written there told him all he needed to know. Easing her out of the gown, he gently dressed her in the clothes she had come to the office in, then kissed her softly.

"Let's go home, Liv. I want to be with you."


Since Olivia had taken a cab to work that morning, she was able to ride home with Elliot. Even though it was only the span of a few blocks, the drive seemed endless. Both of their minds were on what would happen between them when they got back to the apartment. The atmosphere was filled with a mixture of anticipation and nervous energy.

However, despite the desire coursing through them, nothing happened the exact moment they walked inside the door. If he could have predicted it from the way they had looked at one another in the doctor's office, Elliot would have figured that he and Olivia would have been swept up in passion almost immediately.

Now, looking at her, all sense of urgency was gone. He could tell that she felt the same way. Yes, he still longed to make love to her, but the last thing in the world he wanted to do was rush this. Standing behind her, he kissed Olivia's neck softly while he slipped her jacket from her shoulders. Her head lolled back against him, giving him more access to the side of her throat, and he haphazardly tossed the jacket over the back of the sofa, then wrapped his arms around her waist. She turned in his arms until she was facing him, looping her arms around his shoulders, then tilted her face up to meet his kiss. When they parted, she whispered against his his lips.

"Just give me a minute, then follow me in the bedroom. No need to knock."

Through his haze of desire, Elliot managed to nod. He returned to his senses briefly as he realized that while he was hugging her, his arms had inadvertently brushed against the holster at her hip. Olivia wasn't having second thoughts, she was just giving him the necessary time so he wouldn't have to see her lock away her gun and badge. She still knew he wasn't ready to see his father's off duty weapon yet. The love in his heart swelled even more as he walked toward the bedroom. If someone would have told him this is where he would be in nine months time from the day he left the force, he never would have believed them. Now he was about to make love to Olivia Benson for the first time.

The moment he stepped over the threshold into the bedroom, all thinking ceased. Olivia was still fully dressed, but she had loosened her hair from the clip it had been held up in all day. Now, the chestnut locks fell to her shoulders in gentle waves, framing her face.

Elliot crossed over to where Olivia stood next to the bed, and cupped her face his in hands. All the words that he wanted to somehow say were caught in his throat, so instead he chose to convey them in his kiss. He knew she understood when her hands slipped underneath the polo shirt he was wearing to smooth along the muscles of his back.

Olivia's hands dropped again, but only so she could grasp the material at the hem of his shirt, and tug it upwards and over his head. He stopped kissing her only long enough to lift his arms to comply. Then he reached for the buttons on her blouse, undoing them one by one to reveal the lace bra she wore underneath.

Not stopping there, he reached for her pants next. With one hand, he flicked open the button then eased down the zipper. Not once had he ever broken eye contact. He sensed, rather than saw the slight shiver that overtook Olivia's body. Instinct told him it was not cold, but rather anticipation that had prompted the sudden chill. Still, he couldn't resist the urge to tease her.

"Do you want me to stop?"

His voice rumbled low, a knowing smirk on his face. Even as he spoke, his hands were already preparing to slide her pants down over her hips.

"Don't even think about it."

Elliot shook his hand, indicating that he wasn't about to do anything of the sort. Then he did indeed lower her pants, skimming his hands down her thighs as he did so. It seemed as though he was eager for every opportunity to touch her – that he couldn't get enough of the feel of her skin.

Olivia wouldn't let him have the upper hand for long, though. Not long after her pants were gone, she was resuming control once more. Taking hold of Elliot's wrists as he reached for her yet again, presumably to remove her bra, she lowered his arms to his sides. With a look, she silently instructed him to hold still. He arched an eyebrow in response, but obeyed her directive.

Then it was her turn to tease him. Running her palms down the broad expanse of his chest, she didn't stop until her fingers played at the waistband of his jeans. Curling her fingers around the fabric, she deftly undid the button, then unzipped the fly. When the denim fell to his ankles, he kicked the offending item away.

Things were escalating between them now rapidly. Their kisses were becoming more and more heated and intense. Though he didn't want to put a damper on the mood, Elliot wanted to ask something before he completely lost all power of rational thought.

"Olivia? Did you need me to use -"

She silenced him with a kiss, tears pricking at her eyes. She was beyond touched that he had asked. Using protection had always been a steadfast rule of hers, in all of her relationships. None of that was necessary now. Not only did she know everything about Elliot's history, but she trusted him. There was no hesitation in her answer.

"No, El. I love you, and I want to feel you – all of you."

She kissed him to punctuate her statement, and he groaned into her mouth in response to her words. He also felt his breathing hitch as her hand traveled down his body to stroke him through the cotton of his boxers. Olivia seemed so intent on heightening his pleasure, that she had forgotten she was still wearing her bra and panties. He hadn't though, and longed to feel every part of her body pressed against him.

Unclasping her bra, he let it fall away to join the growing pile of discarded clothes at their feet. Then he lowered his hands to her waist, and hooked his fingers around the waistband of her panties. To his surprise, as he began pulling down, Olivia sat back on the mattress to assist him in taking them off. She looked up at him then in such a way that he felt a shudder pass through his body. This was really going to happen.


Gathering Olivia in his arms, he followed her down to the bed, blanketing her form with his own body. Then, he began peppering every inch of her skin with kisses, starting with her face. As he moved down her body, he lavished attention on her with his mouth and tongue. Her breathy moans and gasps told him all he needed to know, and when he added his fingers to the mix, she shattered beneath him, crying out his name.

Crawling back up beside her, Elliot placed kisses on her eyelids first, then her nose, and finally her mouth. After a few moments, her lashes fluttered open and she blinked up at him with a blissful expression.

"I love you, Olivia."

"I love you, Elliot."

He pulled her into his arms, feeling the beating of her heart against his. It was then that he noticed that even the rhythm of their heartbeats were in sync with one another. Realization hit him deep down in his soul that after this moment, Olivia would truly be his partner in every way that mattered.

She felt him tremble in her arms, and pressed a kiss against his brow as her arms soothed the skin of his back. Worried that their intimate encounter might be too much, too soon, but noticing that he was making no attempts to pull away from contact, Olivia tried to check in with him.

"El? Are you all right? Talk to me."

"I'm more than all right, Liv. Just feeling emotional, but in a good way."

"I understand."

They lay together for a few moments, just listening to the silence together. Then, gradually, the heat began to rise between them again. The subtle kisses became deeper, more heated. The flames were being fanned once more, and they both knew that this was going to be the point of no return for each of them. Neither of them wanted to turn back, though. They had already confessed their love for one another, and were fully committed to their decision.

Covering her body with his once more, Elliot lifted Olivia's arms above her head, entwining their fingers together. Studying her expression carefully, he waited until she gave him a nod, then bent his head low to kiss her. At the same time, he pressed his hips forward, joining his lower body with hers until they were one. They both trembled from the onslaught of emotion brought on by it all, and let go of each others hands only so they could cling to each other tightly.

After a few moments, and not once breaking eye contact, they began to move together. It was as though this weren't their first time, but rather they had been making love all of their lives. It was as though the kindred spirits they had always been had finally united to create a single soul.

They both reached their peak together, and shattered in each others arms. Calming one another with gentle caresses and kisses, neither was willing to let go or break the connection they had established.

As the last light of day was fading, they dozed off together, their bodies still intimately joined.

It was Elliot who awoke first an hour later. The bedroom was dark, and the scent of their lovemaking still lingered in the air. Olivia lay draped across his chest, a lock of hair covering her face. He hugged her tighter, then cringed inwardly when she stirred in his arms. He hadn't meant to wake her.

"El?"

Olivia's voice reached his ears, and it had a quality that he'd never heard before. If he had to guess, there was a hint of wonder, followed by a depth of love. If he was lucky, he would get to hear that voice every time he woke up for the rest of his life.

"Yeah, Liv?"

"Please don't think that I don't want to do that again, because I do. I hope this doesn't sound bad, but, could you maybe feed me first?"

He couldn't help his laughter as he hugged her even closer to him, cupping her head against his chest. Even now, she never failed to surprise him. It was then that he remembered that in their rush to make love, they had skipped dinner. Looking at the clock on the night stand, he saw that it was only a little after seven. Still plenty of time to have something to eat, relax, and maybe repeat the nights activities before getting a restful night of sleep before tomorrow.

"I'll make you anything for dinner that you want, my love."

"Actually, while that sounds great, I was just thinking we could order in."

After kissing her again, he agreed that sounded like a great idea. They quickly came to a decision, and got out of bed. Elliot pulled on a pair of sweats, still glad that he had some clothing in Olivia's bedroom from the weekend, and went to make the call for delivery.


They'd ended up splitting a pizza while cuddled together on the sofa in the living room. Elliot was definitely feeling nostalgic tonight, as it brought back memories of when he had first arrived at her door. He thought of how Olivia had slept with him night after night in the living room until he was comfortable enough to be in the guest room on his own. If someone would have told him then that three months later, he and Olivia would be lovers, he'd never have believed them.

By his side, Olivia was currently shuffling through her mail, her head resting on his shoulder. He was flipping through the channels, trying to find something for them to watch. What he really wanted to do was carry her back to bed and make love to her again, but he was trying to calm himself down. The last thing he wanted Olivia to think was that he didn't have any control at all.

A gasp from his left quickly caught his attention, and dispelled any of his current thoughts. He knew that sound when he heard it. Olivia was upset. Moreover, it was going to be hard to get her to tell him what was wrong, because she would be worried about upsetting him. Still, he had to try.

"Liv, what is it?"

Olivia was staring at the piece of paper in her hand, as though she were willing the words on it to change. No amount of will would have that effect, though, and she knew it. Though she desperately wanted to hide this truth from Elliot, there was no way around it. All she could do now was assure him that he wasn't at fault.

"It's from my landlord. I'm being evicted. He gave me one month to find someplace else to live."

Elliot was incredulous. Evicted? Olivia? She was the most perfect tenant anyone could ask for. Besides the fact that she was a cop, he knew she always paid her rent on time. She wasn't messy, and she wasn't loud. What reason could her landlord possibly have to evict her. Then, the answer dawned on him – he was the reason. Her landlord must have found out that she had had someone else staying in her apartment for an extensive period of time, not paying rent, and gotten upset about it. While Olivia had been busy saving his life, he had gotten her kicked out of her home.

"Liv, I'm sorry."

"No, El. This is not on you. I could have just as easily notified my landlord that I was going to have a long term guest. I just never realized he'd be such an ass about it."

He took the paper from her hand then, setting it down on the coffee table. It didn't matter now how many times she read it, the words weren't going to change. Still, he wanted to make this up to her.

"Do you want me to talk to your landlord, explain the situation? Tell him that it was only temporary, and I'll be moving out?"

Olivia felt her heart skip a beat at the mere thought of that happening, even though she would need to be moving out soon, too. The idea of not sharing an apartment with Elliot anymore made her breath catch in her throat.

"It wouldn't do any good, Elliot. His mind is obviously made up. I'm just sorry that you are being effected by this, too."

His next idea was impulsive, but Elliot didn't stop once to think about the consequences. He went with what his heart was telling him to do.

"Move in with me."

"What?"

He saw the shock in her face, but there was something else underneath it. If he wasn't mistaken, it was hope. Taking a deep breath, he gathered her hands in his and held on for all he was worth.

"Let's get a place together. We've been living together all this time already, Liv. Why not make it permanent?"

He took her silence as a sign that it was okay to continue.

"If you're not ready for something serious, we can find a place with enough bedrooms that you can go back to having your own, I -"

"El, stop."

He did stop then, his heart racing so fast that he thought it might jump out of his chest. She hadn't let go of his hands, though, and she didn't sound angry. It seemed she just wanted a chance to speak.

"I don't need my own room. I know people will probably think we're crazy, but my answer is 'yes'."

He picked her up in his arms then, spinning her around in a circle. One her feet were back on solid ground, he kissed her soundly.

"I'll stop by the realty office tomorrow on my way home from Partial, pick up some catalogs. We can start looking for places tomorrow night."

"That sounds great. Now, you can do something else for me."

He studied her carefully. Didn't she already know he would do anything she asked? Nodding his confirmation, he waited for her request.

"Take me back to bed and make love to me again."

"Yes, ma'am"

He swept her off her feet, ignoring the empty pizza box and mail still littering the coffee table. Carrying her into the bedroom, he used his foot to shut the door behind them. All that mattered now was being with each other.