It's been one week since he'd seen her. One week. Seven days. 168 hours and counting. Yet here she was, leaning against the hood of his car - waiting for him. "Liv?" It came out as a question; she was the last person he expected to see.
Olivia greeted him casually, "Hey." She was here - on a mission - the same as she'd been a week ago. His confession rattled her to the core, though the time apart allowed her to regain some sense of composure. She bit the bullet. "Elliot, did you hear anything we said to you the other night?" A mix of emotions were written on her visage - concern, unease, and hurt. Hurt that he had left, hurt that he came back into her world only to turn everything upside down.
His mouth opened, no words came out - if he spoke, he'd slip up. Just as he had done the last time they spoke face to face. Instead, he shook his head and took a step back. With a small voice, he responded. "I don't wanna talk about the other night."
She stared at his lips for a moment, perhaps too long. She sighed. A slow inhale calmed her nerves as she took a step forward. "Elliot." She pressed. "You have to take care of yourself." Her head tilted, locking eyes with her former partner - the only man she'd ever shown all of herself to. To this day, the person she could give her all to.
He slowly swallowed, "I'm begging you to slow this all down." Olivia was desperate; it was her plea. Looking down, he avoided eye contact. She was worried, but he'd be fine - he knew that, she didn't.
Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. "Go home. Eat something. Get some rest, Elliot.." He refused to look up; he feared that his tears would fall, too.
"You have to do this for yourself." She leaned forward, hands on his forearms. In a split second, her demeanor changed. "For your kids." Both were strong willed, yet she was stronger, for now. His jaw clenched, looking to the side. Her eyes bore holes into his soul. He hated being weak. Is this how she felt? He silently questioned. At one point, he knew it all - just a few months back, she knew him as if there'd been no time apart.
"...for me. Take care of yourself, for me." She reiterated.
"Okay," he said quietly. "For you." He closed the space between him, silently pleading. "Can you… Come home with me tonight, Liv." He glanced down at her hands, "I can't go back to an empty apartment again."
His confession stonewalled her. How could she say no? He was her greatest strength, her weakness. "Yes." She moved her hand to place it on top of his, "But we can't pretend forever."
Elliot took a step back, turning his back to her as he let out a sigh. "I want to feel normal. Even if it's just for a night."
"It was never normal with us." She smiled, stepping forward a second time to place a hand on his back - standing by his side. They were partners, for better or worse. For life.
—
Do you know how in love with you I am?
Do you see how in love with you I am?
Everything that you do, it makes my heart stop
—