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

Monday morning found Elliot and Olivia sitting in the office of the orthopedic surgeon, waiting for her name to be called. Check in had been a smooth process, and someone had already called her back for X-rays, so that by the time she saw the doctor, the films would be developed and ready.

Currently, they sat side by side, and Olivia found comfort in letting Elliot hold her hand. She was gradually becoming more accustomed to his publicly showing her affection, and today of all days, she really needed the support. Her mind was swimming with anxiety, in particular the worry that she'd be told her collarbone had not healed, and she'd have to continue to wear the sling.

"Olivia Benson?"

A woman in purple scrubs stood by the far hallway to the rear of the waiting room holding what looked like a medical file and an envelope containing X-ray films in her hand. She looked around curiously, a smile appearing on her face as Olivia and Elliot stood up together and approached her.

"Follow me please."

She led them to an exam room, where with Elliot's help, Olivia took a seat on the table. Meanwhile the assistant placed the X-rays on the display board and flicked on the light, illuminating them. The images of Olivia's collarbone that had been taken earlier came into view. After making certain that the patient was comfortable, the aide informed them that the doctor would be in shortly, and left the two detectives in the room alone.

They had been waiting for about ten minutes when there was a soft knock on the door, then it opened. In walked a slightly balding man with glasses. He was wearing a white lab coat over his clothes, and he greeted the pair in the room with a smile.

"Good morning, Detective Benson. I'm Doctor Thomas, and I'll be taking care of you today. Your follow up care was assigned to me after you were discharged from the hospital. How are you feeling?"

Olivia wasn't sure if it was because Elliot was with her, or this doctor's warmth and personality, but she was suddenly at ease. Feeling her body relax, she smiled in return, and answered his question honestly.

"I'll admit I'm a bit nervous, but other than that, I'm feeling pretty good. I haven't had much pain lately."

As an afterthought she added an amendment to her statement.

"And please, call me Olivia."

Dr. Thomas nodded, then shook hands with both Elliot and Olivia, even though he had to grasp her left hand by way of greeting. Rather than move straight into the exam, he instead turned to the films to study them. Despite the fact that his back was to the couple in the room, he still kept up a conversation.

"I read your file this morning, Olivia, so I'm familiar with what happened. This was a work-related injury for you, was it not?"

"Yes, I was hurt on the job. I'm hoping to get back to my duties as soon as possible, though."

Elliot's voice broke in suddenly, with caution in his tone.

"Olivia..."

She looked at him sheepishly, and shrugged her shoulders, as if to say 'What?'. He shook his head at her, trying to resist the urge to laugh. Even after everything she'd been through, Olivia was still Olivia. He was actually surprised he'd been able to keep her down as long as he had. He knew, that if she got the all clear today, nothing would stop her from going back to work – even if it was just desk duty.

Dr. Thomas turned back around then, and used his pen as a pointer device as he explained the films.

"The image you see on the left here was taken the day you were injured. While it's not exactly visible to the naked eye, there is a noticeable fracture along your collarbone. I can confirm that the correct course of treatment was ordered in immobilizing the arm these past few weeks to allow the injury time to heal."

Olivia exhaled a sigh of relief, even though she hadn't once doubted the word of the doctors at the hospital. Still, it felt good hearing the news again from a fresh set of eyes. However, this man had yet to answer the question most on her mind – could she stop using the sling?

Moving to the X-ray on the right, Dr. Thomas drew an imaginary circle around the same spot on her collarbone that he had indicated in the previous image. While she wasn't a trained medical professional, Olivia couldn't see any marks or imperfections. Glancing at the doctor expectantly, she held her breath again as she waited.

"This film, taken today when you arrived, shows that the fracture has healed completely. I'm confident that we can discontinue the use of the sling and get you started with physical therapy."

Olivia was so happy right now, she could feel tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. One hurdle down, only a couple more to go. Physical therapy would be a nuisance, but only a temporary inconvenience. What was really on the tip of her tongue now though was the subject of work – could she go back?

"I know you're probably wondering about returning to work. I can't say anything definitively on that yet, not until I've completed my physical exam."

Washing his hands at the sink in the room, he helped Olivia remove her sling. Then, with a gentle touch, he began pressing the fingers of his right hand along her collarbone, feeling for any deformities. As he continued to examine the collarbone itself, Dr. Thomas used his other hand to grasp Olivia's wrist, raising her arm slowly, testing her range of motion.

"Does that give you any discomfort?"

"No."

The doctor performed a few other cursory exams, and when he was satisfied, gave Olivia the all clear. It was official – she no longer had to use the sling. He did, however, want her to attend physical therapy twice a week for four weeks to help her regain any muscle tone she may have lost. After checking in with his patient, Dr. Thomas discovered which physical therapy office she preferred to use. When he asked if she'd ever been there before, Olivia and Elliot exchanged a knowing glance. It was a place they both knew very well. Over the years on the job, they'd each seen more than their fair share of the building's interior walls. She supposed adding one more time really wouldn't make a difference.

"What about work, Doctor? Am I cleared to return?"

"I'm going to let you go back to desk duty for now. As for your return to the field, that will be up to your superior officer and your physical therapist. I'm guessing that since your dominant arm was injured, you will likely have some evaluations to undergo anyway?"

Olivia nodded as confirmation.

"Just as I thought. Well, if neither of you have any further questions, you are free to leave. Just be careful, please, both of you."

"Thank you doctor."

Before making his exit, Dr. Thomas passed Olivia the referral slip for her physical therapy, then shook hands with both her and Elliot, then turned to leave the room.

Once they were alone, Elliot crossed to where Olivia still sat on the exam table. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pressed his mouth to hers in a passionate kiss. For the first time since they had been together as a couple, she was able to wrap both arms around his neck as she kissed him back. Since they were in public, they were careful not to get too carried away, but each of them relished in the moment. Reaching behind him to grasp her hands in his own, Elliot spoke to his partner.

"Come on, Liv. Lets go see if we can get some more good news."

There had been enough time between Olivia's appointments for them to stop at the coffee shop in the medical office building. Now that a portion of her nerves were at ease, Elliot was finally able to coax her into eating something. They each ordered a muffin to accompany their dose of caffeine, and found a quiet table by a window to sit and enjoy their treat. Elliot placed the tote bag he had brought along on the chair next to him. While it had been empty earlier, now it held Olivia's sling. Seeing her without it did his heart so much good. Now, if only she could get equally positive results at her next visit, he could consider the day a complete success.

"Are you done with your coffee Liv? It's almost time to head up to Dr. Cook's office."

Elliot had noticed that while she had eaten three quarters of her muffin, Olivia had spent the last ten minutes shredding the remaining piece into nothing but crumbs. They lay scattered on her napkin, and she picked at them absently. Even if she did have any coffee left to drink in her cup, it likely had gone cold by now. While he knew the cause, he hated to see her drawn back into the web of anxiety yet again, and wished there was more he could do to help. Still, he knew he was already doing the greatest thing he possibly could – he was by her side.

"Liv."

When his first prompt hadn't gotten a response, he tried again, coaxing her out of her self imposed trance as gently as he could. This time, Olivia seemed to hear him, and her troubled brown eyes focused on his. Reaching out, he covered her hand with his, stopping her from picking at the crumbs in front of her.

"It's time. Come on, you're not alone in this – remember? The worst part is already over. You have your arm back. Now we just need to get those staples out, and you're home free."

It didn't escape his notice the way she flinched when he said the word 'home'. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in his brain, and Elliot knew what the problem was. Getting up from his chair, he walked around their small table and pulled Olivia up into his arms, their trash temporarily ignored. Enfolding her into an embrace, he whispered fiercely in her ear.

"Olivia Benson, I told you before, you don't have to go anywhere. For as long as you want it to be, my home is yours."

She held onto him for a full minute before reluctantly pushing him away. There was no regret in her body language, only an expression on her face that clearly read 'not here', indicating that she didn't have the emotional fortitude for the conversation to progress any further given their current location. With a brief kiss to her temple, he released her, then wordlessly helped her throw away the items that littered the table's surface before linking her fingers with his. Clutching the tote bag in his his other hand, they walked out of the coffee shop hand in hand, headed for the next appointment.

Elliot was relieved to see that Dr. Cook's office wasn't crowded. The last thing Olivia needed right now was to deal with a room full of people. The less time she had to wait right now, the better.

Since this was a post-op visit, check in was fairly simple, and there was little paperwork for Olivia to fill out. After fifteen minutes of waiting, they were called to the back. The nurse spent some time asking Olivia some perfunctory questions, then went about taking her vital signs. Before leaving them alone in an exam room, she opened a cabinet and removed a gown. Passing Olivia the garment, she instructed her to remove her shirt and bra, but let her know that she could remain in her jeans and shoes. The only other directions were to wear the gown with the opening facing the front, given the positioning of the staples. Then, the nurse exited the room, affording Olivia her privacy.

"Do you want some help, Liv?"

Elliot had asked the question cautiously, unsure of exactly how to proceed. Yes, it was true he'd been helping her change daily for quite some time now, but she'd only just been granted her autonomy back when it came to doing things for herself. He didn't know exactly what she wanted to do.

"Please."

As quickly and efficiently as he could, he got Olivia out of her shirt, helping her to slip the gown on. Only when it was securely wrapped around her waist did he reach underneath to unhook her bra and slide it out one of the sleeves. Even though he'd seen her naked on a daily basis with their shared showers, he was doing whatever was necessary to keep her as comfortable as possible. Placing a soft kiss on Olivia's lips, he gently wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her up onto the exam table. It wasn't anything she couldn't have done on her own, but he was just showing his unwavering support. Then, he kissed her once more – this time on the forehead, before taking a seat in the nearby chair.

Minutes later, a knock on the door announced the arrival of Dr. Cook. They hadn't seen the man since the night Elliot had taken Olivia to the emergency room. So much had changed between them in that time. As he entered the room, the surgeon greeted them both warmly, reminding both detectives why they liked this doctor so much to begin with. Even during Olivia's initial hospital stay, he had always done whatever he could to put them at complete ease. Today was no different.

"Good morning Detective Benson, Detective Stabler. How are you both doing today?"

As they exchanged greetings, and again instructing the man to address them by their first names, Elliot watched as Olivia's body language changed. She was holding herself differently. While she was obviously comfortable in the doctor's presence, it almost looked as though she were holding her breath. Silently, he willed her to relax, exhaling deeply, as though he could encourage her to breathe simply by controlling his own breaths. Fortunately, Dr. Cook was very observant, and got right to the point.

"I'm not going to waste any time asking you questions, Olivia. I know you must be incredibly anxious to get those staples out, so lets just get right to the exam, shall we? Elliot, if you could step out of the room for a few moments?"

"I want him to stay."

Olivia's voice was quieter than her usual tone as she gave her express permission, but no less sincere in making her wishes known. Not bothering to question her further, Dr. Cook opened a drawer on the exam table and withdrew a sterile drape. Removing the packaging, he asked his patient to open her gown. With the greatest care and respect, he quickly covered her with the blue material. There was an open space in the precise area where he needed to work.

Dr. Cook's next step was to move a tray with tools closer, so he could have easy access. An overhead light was turned on so it would shine on Olivia's torso. When she saw him coming closer with the forceps that he'd be using to remove the staples, Olivia reached out her hand toward Elliot. Her partner didn't think twice, but came to stand on her other side, clasping her fingers in his own. This procedure wasn't expected to be painful in the slightest, but would most definitely feel awkward. Plus, if he had a guess, Elliot figured the situation likely had a surreal quality to it for Olivia. After all this time waiting, it probably didn't feel like this day was really here.

Reflexively, Olivia closed her eyes as Dr. Cook began his work. There was a mild pinching sensation, much like when Dr. Shaw had removed the staples from her head the week before, but it didn't hurt. Before she was even fully aware, the job was finished. The next thing she felt was an antiseptic solution being sprayed on her skin, and she shivered slightly at the coolness. Dr. Cook then wiped the area dry with a gauze pad.

"This has healed beautifully, Olivia. Despite your earlier complication, your scarring should be minimal, and will continue to fade over time."

The doctor pulled one edge of the gown closed, slid back the sterile drape, then covered her with the other side of the gown before removing the drape entirely. As Olivia used her hand to clutch her gown together at her chest, the doctor worked with Elliot to slide a hand under her back and help her to a sitting position.

"I'm satisfied with your recovery, and there is no need for any further follow up appointments. You are also free to resume all your normal activities that you participated in prior to surgery, with no restrictions. Just please, be careful – both of you. I know you have a high risk job, and I'd hate to see either of you as a patient again."

"Yes, Doctor. Thank you."

Elliot and Olivia answered in unison, then shook Dr. Cook's hand before he left the room. Once they were alone, Elliot couldn't resist sweeping Olivia up in a huge bear hug. A laugh of relief bubbled forth from her lips as her arms wrapped around him in return.

"Come on, Liv. I'll buy you some lunch, then we can go home."

He knew she'd had a long morning, and figured she would want to go back to his place and decompress. But Olivia had other ideas.

"Wait! Can we stop by the precinct first? I've missed everyone so much, and I want to tell them we're coming back."

Laughing, Elliot nodded his agreement. He could never deny her anything.

"All right, Liv. You've got a deal. The precinct it is."

After being absent for as long as they had, both Elliot and Olivia received a warm welcome when they arrived at the squad room of the one-six. Munch and Fin were happy to see them. Even though they had made frequent calls to check up on Olivia's progress, it just wasn't the same as seeing her in person. Everyone, Cragen included, was pleased to hear that she had been given a clean bill of health.

Currently, they were experiencing a brief reprieve in their workload in the form of a quiet spell, although the two temporary detectives filling in were out interviewing a witness. Munch and Fin had just been about to order in some lunch for themselves and the Captain, and invited Elliot and Olivia to join them. After exchanging a glance, the two partners agreed. Not wanting to break up the happy mood, but knowing it had to be done, Cragen cleared his throat and addressed Olivia.

"While those two are getting lunch squared away, may I see you and Elliot in my office please?"

He'd tried his best to keep his voice and expression neutral, hoping that if there were any suspicions about his intentions, the other two detectives would write the private meeting off as needing to iron out details about Elliot and Olivia's return. The last thing he needed was for the gossip mill to be churning before his suspicions were even confirmed.

Elliot and Olivia followed Cragen into his office, closing the door behind them. They took their seats, facing their Captain across his desk, curious as to just why he had asked to see them privately. Cragen opened a drawer, removing a file folder, and placed it on the surface of his desk. Then he began the conversation he always knew he'd have to have with them one day.

"Before I begin, I'm going to ask you to please not insult my intelligence with denials. I probably saw this coming before either of you ever did. What I do want to know is this – how long? Was it before or after your injury, Olivia?"

Olivia exchanged a glance with Elliot, holding a silent discussion with him with just their eyes. They both had known that before returning back to work that they'd have to disclose, they just hadn't been expecting to be called out in this fashion. Still, she supposed now that it was out in the open, there was no way for honesty to hurt them.

"After. Things only changed between us when I was staying at Elliot's recovering. Up until then, we were just partners."

Cragen gave her a smile, followed by a short laugh – but there was nothing mocking about it. With kindness in his eyes, he held out both palms toward the couple sitting across from him, gesturing helplessly.

"Forgive me for saying this, but the two of you have never been 'just partners'. There was always something about your connection, even on the very first day I paired you up."

Reaching for Olivia's hand, Elliot spoke up, even though there was dread in the pit of his stomach. They hadn't really discussed yet what they would do if it came to this, but he wasn't about to force her to go somewhere else. Special Victims was where she belonged. Though he would desperately miss working side by side with her every day, so long as he got to go home to her at night, he could survive in another department.

"I'll transfer, Cap. I'd prefer it if you'd put me with Munch, but if that isn't possible, let Liv stay here."

Shaking her head adamantly, Olivia contradicted Elliot's statement. She wasn't going to let him give up a job he loved for her. Not after everything he'd done for her already.

"No, Captain. I'll transfer. I can always go back to Computer Crimes. Elliot is the senior of the two of us, he should be the one to stay."

Cragen looked on, amused. He'd never even gotten the chance to give them his news yet. Still, nothing they'd said or done so far had come as a surprise. Instead, he arched an eyebrow and looked at them pointedly.

"If the two of you are done falling on your swords for one another, may I be allowed to finish?"

Wisely, Elliot and Olivia both grew quiet and nodded. They were more curious than ever now, but weren't about to say another word.

"I had my suspicions about this, and figured if anything would be the catalyst to bring you two together, it would be an event like this one. That's why I've spent some of the time you've been off making the necessary phone calls – all hypothetical, of course."

Cragen paused for a moment to let his words sink in, then continued.

"While it is frowned upon, partners developing romantic attachments is not forbidden. There is, however, a set of criteria to follow."

Subconsciously, Elliot and Olivia leaned forward in their seats as they continued to listen intently. There was a way for both of them to stay at SVU and remain partners? They'd be willing to jump through whatever hoops were necessary.

"First things first – you will be under a probationary period for at least six months. During this time, you will be closely monitored. So long as your day to day work routines do not change in any way, I don't see that being a problem."

Looking at the paper on his desk, Cragen continued to read off the rules they were expected to follow. Mandatory psychiatric evaluations every two weeks – both individual and joint, as well as having someone assigned to them to keep track of their case closure rate. It was a few more hoops to jump through, and while Elliot normally protested stipulations like this, he'd do anything for Olivia. Plus, once the probationary period was complete, the only thing they'd have to keep up with would be the evaluations with Dr. Huang once a month to make sure that their work lives and personal lives weren't colliding.

"We'll do it."

Elliot spoke for them both, but didn't even need to look at Olivia to know she was in agreement. He knew the fear of working with someone else, especially after everything they'd been through only recently still resonated with her deeply.

"Okay. I'll make the arrangements."

Closing the folder and standing up, Cragen came around the desk. By now, Elliot and Olivia were on their feet as well. The Captain shook Elliot's hand, patting him on the back as he did so. Then, he embraced Olivia warmly. Now that the matter of technicalities had been dealt with, he could truly express his happiness for them.

"Take care of each other, both of you. I know I don't have to tell you to do that, it's what you've been doing for years, but I can't help it."

"We will."

Before exiting the office, there was one more bit of news Cragen had to share. This he feared, would not be as welcome.

"While I know you've gotten the all clear to come back to work, Olivia, I'm afraid that I'm not going to be able to transfer out our two temporary detectives until next Monday."

Olivia was disappointed, but not as upset as she had expected.

"That's all right, Captain. I likely won't start my physical therapy until then, anyway. Plus I need to be re-certified for my weapon, too."

He was about to comment on that when there as a knock on his door, and Munch's voice called out.

"Sorry to interrupt, Captain, but the food is here."

Cragen smiled then, putting a hand each on Elliot and Olivia's shoulders.

"Well now, what do you two say we go eat some lunch? I think its about time we celebrated your return."

It had been wonderful spending time getting caught up with Fin and Munch again, felt just like old times. Neither of them were suspicious of the new dynamic between them – or if they had been, they hadn't said anything about it. Elliot and Olivia would have liked to have stayed longer, but just as they were finishing lunch, a call came in, and their colleagues had to go. However, plans were made to go out for drinks the following Monday to celebrate their return to work in an official capacity.

As Elliot and Olivia headed for his Jeep, she noticed that he was uncharacteristically quiet, especially given the events of the day. Concerned but not wanting to press him for details, she merely squeezed his hand once they were seated in the vehicle. He glanced at her and immediately smiled upon seeing her expression, realizing that she had been worried about him.

"I'm sorry, Liv. My mind was somewhere else."

"Care to share?"

Her prompt was gentle, but he knew she had to be curious. He decided he would let her know just what he'd been thinking about, and he hoped that his ideas would be contagious.

"Well, the Captain told us today that we don't have to report to work until next Monday, right? And your physical therapy doesn't start until next week either?"

"That's right..."

Olivia's confirmed his statement, but then her voice trailed off, wondering just where he was going with this.

"The kids aren't coming over this weekend, which gives us six whole days together – just the two of us. What do you say we take an impromptu trip somewhere, get out of the city for a bit?"

Catching on, a grin broke out over Olivia's features.

"Where could we go?"

"Does it matter? I'll gladly go anywhere, so long as I'm with you. We can make the arrangements tonight, leave first thing in the morning, Wednesday at the latest. Come back on Sunday afternoon."

Laughing now, Olivia reached for her seat belt to put it on – a task that she hadn't been able to do for herself in weeks. This plan was insane – but she wanted to do it more than anything. She hadn't been this carefree since she was in college - and the fact that she would be going on a trip like this with Elliot of all people – sent a rush of heat through her body.

"You're crazy, Stabler, but you have a deal. Let's plan a trip."

Before starting the engine, he leaned across the console to kiss her impulsively, cupping the back of her head underneath her hair to fuse their lips more closely together. It was several moments before they separated, then finally headed on their way. Olivia insisted they drop by her apartment first, because impulsivity or not, she was going to need to pack.

Once at her apartment, Elliot offered to help. Olivia gave him a bag, and instructed him to go into her linen closet in the bathroom and pack the travel size items that were on the bottom shelf. Meanwhile, she got a small suitcase out of her closet, and began going through her clothes, trying to figure out just what she should bring along.

"Hey El? I know nothing's decided yet, but exactly what kind of climate should I prepare for here?"

Elliot poked his head out of the bathroom so he could answer.

"Nothing that is too far away, I would think. Granted, I'd love to take you somewhere exotic, but that's a bit difficult on short notice. However, I am going to try my hardest to get us somewhere that at least has a hot tub."

With that last statement, he wagged his eyebrows suggestively. Olivia grabbed a small decorative pillow off her bed and tossed it toward his head, laughing. He caught it effortlessly and threw it back.

It didn't take her long to find an assortment of clothes to bring with her – a few pairs of jeans, some nice blouses and tops, not to mention several matching sets of underwear and bras. Now that she didn't have to wear that sling anymore, She planned to step up her game considerably in the lingerie department, especially where Elliot was concerned. She also made a mental note to add the dress she had worn on their date to the suitcase, too. As a final touch, Olivia added two swimsuits to her luggage, just in case their destination did in fact end up having a hot tub or indoor pool.

"Liv?"

Something about Elliot's voice sounded different than the playful tone he'd been using only moments earlier. Curious, she turned to face him. He was walking toward her, and the expression on her face read as though he expected to get in trouble for whatever it was he was thinking.

"What is it, El?"

"I don't want you thinking I was snooping, because I wasn't. This isn't the first time I've been in your bathroom getting things to bring over to my place. I also don't want you thinking I'm being presumptive, because I'm not – I would never expect anything from you that you're not willing to do -"

His words were starting to make her dizzy. Crossing the few steps it took to get to him, Olivia put her hands on his face and tried to get him to focus.

"Elliot, stop. Just talk to me. What is it?"

He held up his hand then. In it was an unopened box of condoms. She'd completely forgotten that she still had them in her apartment. She certainly hadn't had a need to use them in quite some time. Wondering just what the problem with his discovery could be, she questioned Elliot further.

"Does that bother you? I mean, you must know I've dated over the years -"

Elliot smiled then, suddenly relaxing and realizing how ridiculous he must sound. The last thing he wanted now was to have a misunderstanding.

"No, Liv, no. What I was wondering, was – should we bring these with us for our trip? I don't have any at my place."

Now, she knew what he meant. The same tingling feeling as earlier began to spread through her body once more. Olivia knew what it was she wanted most, but she couldn't – and wouldn't – speak for him.

"You can pack them, if you want, but I don't think they'll be necessary. I'm on birth control, and I trust you Elliot, with everything I am. I don't know about you, but when we do make love, I'm not going to want anything in between us."

Without another word, he tossed the package over his shoulder, letting it fall wherever it landed. Sweeping Olivia up in his arms, Elliot kissed her with an intensity as never before. When they separated, both were trembling visibly.

"Are you finished packing?"

It took Olivia a moment or two to comprehend the question, and even longer to find her voice.

"I think so, yes."

"Then lets go back to my place."

The heat in Elliot's eyes told her everything she needed to know about his plans for her upon their return. She should have known they wouldn't be able to wait another night until their trip to be together. Tonight was truly going to belong to them.