To their mutual surprise, they didn't immediately try and rip each others clothes off as soon as they got back to Elliot's apartment. Instead, he put her suitcase away in his closet as a means of temporary storage, then met Olivia in the living room. By the time he joined her there, she already had his laptop open and was conducting a search for getaways that would not only be within their price range, but that could easily accommodate them as soon as possible.

With no exact clue where to begin, her initial search had been pretty basic, and the results were quite broad. As she scrolled through the list, Olivia called aloud the various destinations as they came up on the screen. Nothing must have sounded appealing though, as Elliot vetoed them one by one. She wasn't offended in the slightest, because they hadn't caught her eye, either.

"Atlantic City?"

"Too touristy. Plus, I'm not looking to gamble, I want to be with you."

Olivia made a slight sound of agreement, then continued on.

"The Poconos?"

"Too cliché. Do you really want one of those heart shaped hot tubs? That's not us, is it?"

She mulled it over for a minute, then shuddered at the thought. He had a point. They'd both go crazy in a room like that. She was about to continue scrolling further down the page when Elliot spoke up.

"What about the Catskills? I've never been there, and I think it would do us both good to go somewhere quiet and serene."

Smiling, Olivia cleared her current text from the search bar and entered the suggested destination. Within seconds, an entirely new list of options popped up on the screen. Her face lit up as she saw something that caught her attention.

"There's a place listed here that sounds pretty interesting, and they have zip-lining nearby as one of their activities!"

Elliot frowned slightly as he took the computer from Olivia and placed it in his own lap. Normally, something like that would pique his interest as well, but she had only just got a clean bill of health today. He didn't see it as a high risk adventure, but still couldn't shake the thought of having seen her in a sling for so many days on end.

"I don't want to burst your bubble, but why don't we save that for our next trip, hmm? Besides, what makes you think I'm going to have any intention of letting you out of our room for an extended length of time?"

He gave her a pointed look, and Olivia felt the fire flame deep within her for at least the third time since they'd left her apartment. Conceding to the point he was making, she suggested he take over looking for a place. Elliot's fingers danced across the keyboard in a flurry of strokes, and her eyes widened as a new destination showed up on the display.

"Whiteface Lodge? In Lake Placid? The Adirondacks?"

She looked at him, shocked. The Catskills was one thing, only a little over a two hour drive away. The Adirondacks, on the other hand, was twice that, and she hadn't figured he would want to go that far. Then she noticed something in the corner of the address bar, and was incredulous.

"Elliot! You had this page bookmarked?"

Uh – oh, he thought. Busted. Better explain quickly before things got out of hand. He just hoped his story was believable, because it was the truth.

"Liv, just listen to me for a minute. Yes, this page was bookmarked, but only recently. I've actually been planning to take you away somewhere to celebrate your recovery for some time. In my wildest dreams, I never thought it would be a trip like this."

Olivia's only response was to arch an eyebrow at him suspiciously, giving him a knowing smirk to go along with it. Elliot quickly amended his statement.

"Okay, okay – maybe in my wildest dreams, but I certainly wasn't expecting anything."

"That's better."

Shifting her position slightly so she could better see the screen of the laptop, Olivia rested her head on Elliot's shoulder. If he'd already given so much thought to this, she would trust him. Plus, from what she had seen so far, the lodge looked absolutely beautiful. Just what they needed to escape the city for a few days before going back to the chaos that awaited them at work.

"Tell me all about it."

An hour later, their reservations were finalized. Since it was off season, and they were arriving mid week, they'd had no trouble securing the room that they'd wanted. They would be leaving tomorrow, and returning home on Saturday. That way, they'd have all day Sunday to relax and recover from the travel itself.

To Olivia's surprise, instead of getting them the most basic room the resort offered, Elliot had booked a one bedroom deluxe suite. According to the description, the amenities included a kitchen, fireplace, and two person jetted tub – in addition to a walk in shower. The bedroom itself boasted a king size bed. As if that weren't enough, the property had a wide variety of dining options available, including room service that was offered twenty four hours a day.

What Olivia didn't know - that Elliot planned to surprise her with upon their arrival – was that he had arranged for a couple's massage for them at the on site spa. He had selected a treatment that was a combination of massage and a joint soak in a hydrotherapy tub, something that promised to be a very relaxing and rejuvenating experience. This was something he wanted to keep secret. Olivia had already insisted on paying for half of their trip when she'd seen the cost, and he wanted the day at the spa to be a gift from him to her.

As soon as he'd received confirmation of their reservations, Elliot closed the computer and set it to the side. Then he went off in search of Olivia. She'd disappeared not long ago, but he knew she couldn't have gone far. In fact, he could have sworn he'd heard her say she was going to start preparing dinner, but had convinced himself he had been imagining things. As long as he'd known her, Olivia had never claimed to be skilled in the kitchen. Perhaps it came from all her years of living alone – he knew now from experience that it was extremely difficult to prepare meals for just yourself.

Nonetheless, while he'd thought it was the least likely spot, the kitchen was exactly where he'd found her. Olivia was standing at the counter, chopping something. Not wanting to startle her while she was working so closely with a knife, Elliot made his presence known as he approached, then wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, pressing a kiss to the back of her neck.

"That looks amazing, Liv. What are you making?"

"Steak bites. I don't know how it will taste, its just a recipe I looked up online that I wanted to try and make for you."

Elliot was incredibly touched. She had done this for him. Placing one hand on her wrist, he coaxed her to lay down the knife, then rested his hands on her shoulders to gently turn her around. He wanted to tell her so many things – that he didn't expect her to cook for him, that he loved her more than words could say – but he was at a complete loss and his tongue was tied. Instead, he found a better way to phrase his gratitude.

"Can I help?"

"There's not much to do right now, to be honest. I was just getting the marinade for the steak started, it has to sit for a few hours before its ready."

He watched as Olivia moved from his grasp. She turned back around and proceeded to add the cubed steak into a plastic storage bag where she had already mixed soy sauce, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and a few herbs and spices. Sealing it closed, she shook it a few times before transferring it to the refrigerator to keep cold. After washing her hands, she turned to face him once more.

"Well, that's done. Now we just have about three hours to kill until its time to cook. To go with it, I'm going to make some broiled salt and vinegar fingerling potatoes. Maybe a salad, too."

Elliot glanced at his watch. It was just after four now, which meant their dinner would be ready around seven – pretty close to the time they had typically been eating. What to do now with all that spare time? He didn't want to be presumptuous, but he knew how he wanted to spend it – and it wasn't sitting on the couch. But despite his raging hormones, the last thing he wanted to do was rush Olivia into something she didn't want to do. He'd wait as long as it took until she was ready to take that next step with him.

However, before he could offer any suggestions, it was Olivia who surprised him. She moved toward him with purposeful steps, not stopping until their bodies were practically touching. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she rose up slightly on her toes and pressed her lips against his.

While it wasn't exactly the first time Olivia had initiated a kiss between them, it was definitely the first time she had taken such control over the situation. Before Elliot could even register what she was doing, one of her hands had dropped from its place behind his neck and was working its way underneath his polo shirt to suggestively rub the muscles of his chest.

He moaned reflexively at her touch, helpless at the way his body was beginning to respond. The ideas that had been running through his mind prior to this certainly hadn't helped any. By now, she most certainly could feel the intensity of his reaction to having her body in such close proximity to his. When her tongue darted inside his mouth to rub against his, he was more lost than ever before. Trying to reign in his control, Elliot reluctantly moved his mouth away from hers, and put his hands on her hips to gently separate their lower bodies.

"Liv, wait."

His words had come out choppy and almost breathless, so even with all her insecurities, Olivia knew he wasn't calling a halt to what was happening between them. Instead, her heart swelled even more with love, because she knew he was checking in with her – on all levels. This was the kind of man that Elliot Stabler was. He was tamping down his own desire to ensure that he had her consent, because what was about to happen between them would change them forever.

Cupping his face in her hands, she kissed him once more before pulling back to give herself a moment to get lost in the intense blue of his eyes. With a soft smile, she gave him a nod, trying to find the right words for this pivotal moment.

"It's all right, El. I want this – I want you. I've never been more sure of anything before in my life."

Olivia tipped her head forward at the same time he did, their foreheads connecting. She relished the closeness for a moment, then tilted his head ever so slightly to the side to whisper in his ear. What she said was simultaneously a request and a command.

"Make love to me."

As the reality of Olivia's words resonated with him, Elliot felt the last vestiges of his resolve evaporate completely. An audible groan escaped his lips for only half a second before his hands were on her, backing them up until they were against the nearest available wall. Olivia's back reverberated off the plaster at the subtle impact, but she didn't complain. She was entirely too focused at the way his mouth was suckling at the pulse point on her throat. Grasping at the back of his head, she held him in that spot, for once not caring in the slightest if he marked her or not.

Before long, it wasn't enough for her to just hold onto his head. She needed to feel more of his skin against hers. Olivia dropped her hands, using her fingers to grip on to the hemline of the polo shirt Elliot still wore. Tugging gently upward, she removed the garment, feeling a slight popping sensation as he reluctantly disconnected his lips from the spot where her neck met her shoulder. Useless now, the shirt soon littered the tile floor. With slightly panting breaths, Elliot tried to regain his focus, but it was no use, he was too hopelessly lost in the moment. The last thing he wanted was to take Olivia here – in his kitchen of all places. She deserved better.

Still, even though he had no plans to take things to the extreme, Elliot did want to be closer to the woman in his arms – he wanted to see her, feel her. Just as she had stripped him of his shirt only seconds before, he found himself lifting her shirt over her head now, watching as the black lace bra he had helped her put on that morning came into view. The fire that had been burning deep in his belly for the last several moments ignited anew as his eyes swept over her form. As a sound resembling a feral growl ripped from his throat, his lips descended on hers once again, and he didn't want to wait any longer. His jeans were already too tight. He could imagine that Olivia wasn't much more comfortable in her present situation.

Without even thinking of breaking their kiss, Elliot placed his hands on Olivia's waist, pulling her away from the wall and lifting her up. As though she had anticipated his actions, she lifted her legs automatically, wrapping them around his hips. They both groaned into one another's mouths as his erection made contact with her sensitive core through the denim of their jeans. Not even needing to see where he was going, Elliot made his way toward the bedroom, not stopping until he was beyond the threshold of the door, pushing it closed with his foot. Crossing the room, he lay Olivia gently on the bed, and followed her down with his body, covering her fully.

Raising himself up on his elbows, Elliot used one hand to brush her bangs off her forehead, studying her intently. There was nothing about Olivia's expression that read of hesitation – only pure desire and want. Her eyes were heavy lidded, and her lips were swollen from the many kisses that they'd already shared. Still, he wasn't about to do anything else without getting consent that his touch was welcome and accepted. As he sat up a little further, balancing on his knees above her, his hands stilled by the button of her jeans while his eyes made contact with hers.

"Liv, may I?"

Olivia nodded, raising her hips ever so slightly to give him better access. Elliot undid the lone button and lowered the zipper, trying to quell the shaking in his hands. Whether it was from nerves or anticipation, he wasn't sure which. Curling his fingers in the waistband, he gradually lowered the denim down and off her long, toned legs and discarded the jeans onto the floor. When he still felt her staring, he stood abruptly, stripping off his own as well, tossing them onto the pile. Left in nothing but his boxers, he crawled back onto the bed, pulling Olivia into his arms once more. Worried he would crush her with his weight, he rolled them to their sides until they were facing one another.

Thus began a lazy exploration of one another's bodies, each of them taking turns. Even though by now they weren't strangers to seeing each other naked, they were both awe struck by the moment. Gone was all sense of urgency, and while the ultimate goal was for them to become one, they were willing to take the slow road to getting there, knowing that for now, they had all the time in the world.

Elliot had had every intention of bringing Olivia every pleasure imaginable, so he was more than surprised when just as he was lowering his hand to stroke her intimately between her thighs that she stopped him. Concerned, but not offended in the slightest, his eyes returned to hers to check in with her once more. What he saw there made him gulp, as he'd never seen such a predatory look there before. She was truly a huntress now – and he was her prey. He was helpless to resist as he felt her nudge him onto his back, straddling him. She leaned forward, the lace of her bra scraping against his chest when she bent low to whisper in his ear, and he couldn't help but shiver at her words.

"I've had to sit by for far too long now, having to be satisfied with just the barest touches of you to get me by. Well, I'm done with that. You're mine now."

Sitting back up on her knees, still straddling his hips, Olivia re-adjusted herself. In her new position, she was situated perfectly over his arousal. The only thing keeping him from entering her at this point were the two thin layers of material that consisted of his boxers and her black lace panties. It was obvious from her movements, that she intended to reduce that number of layers from two to none.

Inching her way down, until she was now kneeling between his thighs, Olivia grasped the waistband of his boxers and tugged gently until they began to come off. Not giving up until she had removed them completely, she haphazardly tossed them on the floor with the rest of their clothes, and her own panties soon followed, as did her bra. Only after that did she return to her spot on the bed. Without tearing her eyes away from Elliot's heated gaze, she wrapped one hand around the base of his impressive length, and began stroking him purposefully, much as she had been doing daily during their showers.

But as she watched him watching her, Olivia knew she wasn't done yet – not by a long shot. After days and endless frustration in waiting, she was finally going to get her chance to taste him. She'd already experienced the untold pleasure at feeling his mouth on her body, now she wanted to do the same for him. Without removing her hand completely, only lowering it enough to cup him gently, she bent at the waist to cover him with her mouth, taking in as much as she could. Elliot's sharp intake of breath, combined with the way his fingers threaded through her hair told her she was doing everything right.

She alternated the sensations, trying to make the encounter as pleasurable as possible for the man she loved. Using a combination of her tongue and a light scraping of her teeth, Olivia managed to bring Elliot to the brink time and time again. When he could stand no more, he entwined her hair around his fingers, and tugged gently, coaxing her to lift her head.

"Liv...Liv, you've gotta stop, or this will be over too soon."

He felt as she shook her head, and he groaned again. Finally succeeding in getting her to look at him, he tried to explain, but she spoke first, and he almost didn't have the willpower to deny her.

"I want this, El. I want to taste you."

"I know you do, and we have all the time in the world for that – but here, now, - I don't want to come like this. I need to be inside you."

Olivia's eyes glazed over as desire flamed even hotter within her, and she barely managed to be able to nod her understanding. Bending her head once more, she placed a soft kiss on the tip of him, then crawled her way up Elliot's body until she was lying nestled against him. He didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her and shift their positions once more until he covered her. Using the utmost caution, he delicately lifted Olivia's arms above her head, watching for the slightest sign of pain or discomfort. When he saw none, he entwined his fingers with hers, kissing her deeply as he did so.

After several moments, he pulled back only long enough to catch his breath, resting their foreheads together. When he looked into her eyes again, all he saw was love – and it very nearly took his breath away. The next thing he felt was Olivia shifting beneath him as she spread her legs and slid her knees upward, positioning them on either side of his hips, inviting him to enter her. She had yet to break eye contact. He was about to ask again, to make sure this was what she really wanted when she anticipated his question and nodded at him. He had one final thing to say to her, and it was echoed on a husky whisper.

"Promise me you'll stop me if I hurt you."

Instead of giving him a verbal reply, he felt her feet rest against his backside, urging him to continue. The movement was punctuated by another subtle nod. Bending his head low to capture Olivia's lips once more, Elliot thrust his hips slowly, melding their bodies into one. He shifted forward by slow degrees, gradually letting her become used to the intrusion to her body as she stretched to accommodate him. He couldn't speak for her, but for Elliot, they had only barely begun and the feeling was already indescribable. He wanted to spend the rest of his days making love to Olivia Benson.

After several moments, he felt as Olivia shifted again, wrapping her legs around his waist, and clutching at his fingers where he still held onto hers. One glance at her face and he knew she was giving him the signal to move – and move they did.

Just like in every other aspect of their lives, Elliot and Olivia found that things were no different here. They were equally in sync now as they had always been. Perhaps it was that connection they had always shared that made this moment even more magical for both of them – one that transcended all experiences either of them had ever had before. It was as though this wasn't their first time, and they had been lovers for years. In a way, Elliot supposed, they had been, just not physically.

Feeling Olivia begin to tremble slightly beneath him, he wanted to do whatever was possible to heighten her pleasure even more. Though he was reluctant to let go of her hand for any reason, he moved one of his until it was between their bodies. Finding just the right spot to stroke her intimately, he continued to build her up even further. As he struggled to keep the motion of his hips from getting too erratic, he continued to try and hold back his own release so they could fall over the edge together.

"Come on, Liv. Let go. I'm right here with you. Come for me."

Whether it had been the friction of their bodies together, the touch of his hand, or his words, something had been enough to make Olivia shatter in his arms then and there. She cried out as she climaxed, her back arching as the pleasure spread through her body. Elliot removed his hand from her center so he could wrap both arms around to her hold her tight as he quaked with his own fulfillment, taking great care to roll their bodies so she was resting atop his chest and he didn't collapse on top of her when they were both spent.

Using the last bit of his remaining energy, Elliot reached down for the covers, pulling them up and over their rapidly cooling bodies. Then he wound his fingers in Olivia's hair yet again, tilting her head back to study her carefully.

"Are you all right?"

Even through her sated expression, her smile was dazzling. It warmed Elliot's heart, and put any remaining nerves at ease. She was happy – moreover, she was content. Olivia's lips touched his for a blissful moment before she tucked her head underneath his chin to snuggle up close in post-coital bliss, and he sighed contentedly. Both of them were in need of a nap. Later, when they woke, he promised himself he'd offer to help her cook dinner. As much of a turn on as having her cook for him would be, it would be even more of one to prepare a meal together.

With no set time to wake up, and having not set an alarm, Elliot and Olivia were equally surprised that their nap had lasted only a little over ninety minutes. It was fortunate, though, as they still had a lot to do tonight before leaving the following day.

Since they were keeping things causal the rest of the night, they dressed simply, helping each other along the way. When Olivia suggested she get started on dinner, Elliot immediately offered to help out. To his delight, she agreed.

"The potatoes will take the longest to prepare, they have to soak in the vinegar solution for thirty minutes. We can always focus on packing while that is going on."

"Sounds good, Liv."

In the kitchen, Elliot insisted on using the mandolin to slice the potatoes while Olivia preheated the oven and poured the vinegar. When she called him out on it, he fully admitted he was being overprotective, but since she had just gotten staples out today, he didn't want to see her get more for a kitchen injury. Even so, he exercised the utmost caution for himself, using the hand guard at all times.

Once the potatoes had boiled in the vinegar for eight minutes, it was time to let them cool for thirty so they could absorb the flavor. With nothing else to do for the time being, they both headed back to the bedroom – their newfound oasis – to finish packing.

As Olivia reorganized some of the items she had haphazardly thrown in her suitcase earlier, as well as added some others, Elliot worked on his own bag. It didn't escape his notice when she added the dress she had worn on their first date, so he made a point to pack the suit and tie he'd had on that night, too. While he fully intended to make the most out of their private suite at the lodge, he planned on taking her out for at least one fancy dinner.

They had just finished their task when the timer from the kitchen sounded, indicating that it was time to put the potatoes under the broiler. At Elliot's insistence, he carried both bags out to the living room to put by the door for easy access the following morning, and joined Olivia by the stove moments later.

While she was finishing the job on their side dish, he got to work preparing a salad and slicing a baguette to round out their meal. In no time at all, their mutual tasks were complete, and everything was just about ready. Everything that is- except for the steak. All that needed to be done for that, though, was add the marinated meat to a screaming hot skillet and cook it for about three minutes. Before they knew it, Elliot and Olivia were sitting down at the table for their first meal that they had ever prepared together – complete with a glass of wine.

Holding up his glass and offering a toast, Elliot made note of what they had to celebrate. Olivia's clean bill of health was first on the list. It was followed up with, but not diminished by, their upcoming trip. Last but not least, he took her hand in his and brought it to his lips. No words needed to be spoken then, for the sentiment was completely understood. She knew he was referring to their new status – the one where all barriers between them had been broken, and where the only thing they could do was grow closer together.

They clinked their glasses together, took a sip, then set them down to enjoy the food. Both were still on an emotional high from their lovemaking earlier, and filled with excitement for what waited them tomorrow. It was safe to say that the night would likely not produce much restful sleep. Not only would they not be able to keep their hands off one another, but the anticipation of their getaway would keep them both awake. None of that mattered. So long as they were together, that was all that counted.