A/N: Even though it took me longer than planned, we are finally at the last chapter of this story that I began over a year ago. This has been an incredible journey that I could have never expected, as it led me to meet a bunch of new friends. For that reason alone, it will always have a special place in my heart. I hope you enjoy this, and even though this is technically the end, I'm already planning an epilogue, that I will bring to you as soon as possible. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: SVU and all of its characters were created by and are the property of Dick Wolf. I make no profit with this story, which is my own original work.
Olivia had been back at work for two weeks now, and was more than frustrated with doing nothing but paperwork. She couldn't wait to be by Elliot's side out in the field again. If all went as planned at her physical therapy session this afternoon, she'd be able to do just that on Monday. In addition to missing working side by side with her partner, Olivia had to admit she craved the adrenaline rush she would get from chasing down a perp or interrogating a suspect. It seemed to her that it had been ages since she'd been able to do either, and though it was an irrational worry, a part of her feared that she might have lost her touch during her forced time off.
Elliot was insisting on going to Olivia's appointment with her, a topic that had been an issue of debate since the previous night. Not that she objected to his support, but it had been no secret that his days had been longer and more difficult than hers. At lunch, Olivia was trying to convince Elliot to simply go home at the end of the work day, but he refused to listen.
"I've been there for you since the beginning of this, Liv. Maybe I haven't made it to all your physical therapy sessions, but did you really think I would miss the final one?"
Olivia gnawed on her lower lip as she picked at the remnants of her salad. He had her, and they both knew it. Still, no matter how far they had come together as a couple, her stubbornness made an appearance from time to time, and so did his.
"Okay, but it's really not that big of a deal."
Elliot, who had been taking a drink of his iced tea, nearly choked on the liquid in his incredulity.
"Not that big of a deal? I'm getting my partner back! Do you have any idea what it's been like for me going out in the field these past two weeks without you?"
Elliot regretted the words the instant they were spoken. Of course she knew. No doubt she had been feeling the exact same things as he had, if not worse. After all, Olivia had been the one stuck behind a desk, not him.
"Liv -"
Olivia's smile absolved Elliot completely, even though the only thing he was technically guilty of was putting his foot in his mouth.
"El, it's fine. I'd love to have you there with me. I guess I'm just feeling a bit nervous that something is going to go wrong at the last minute and they're not going to sign off on my return to full duty."
Reaching across the table, Elliot rested his hand on top of Olivia's. He squeezed once reassuringly before letting go.
"I get it. Physical therapy was your last hurdle before being declared completely recovered. It's reasonable to understand why you'd be nervous, even if we both know everything is going to go fine later."
Despite the anxieties still nagging in the recesses of her mind, Olivia couldn't help but agree with Elliot's logic. A quick glance at her watch told her that they needed to be getting back to the precinct. Before she could tell her partner it was time to leave, his cell phone rang. The two shared a look, already knowing who would be on the other end of the call. Wordlessly, Olivia picked up their tab and went to the front of the diner to pay, dropping a few dollars on the table to leave as a tip. A few minutes later, Elliot met her outside.
"Catch a new case?"
"No. The suspect on my case was just arrested for a traffic violation as well as possession, patrol is bringing him in now."
Olivia couldn't have been more relieved for Elliot. Ever since the case two weeks earlier involving a young victim wearing a pair of Lizzie's old pajamas, it seemed as though the trail had gone cold. Now, he and Fin finally had the chance to make the collar.
"Let's get back to the station, then. As much as I'd love to be in the box with you questioning that asshole, I can wait a few more days. You need this though, and so does that little girl's family."
Several hours later, Elliot and Olivia were on their way to her appointment. His mood was lighter this evening than it had been after lunch, because he'd succeeded in getting a confession in interrogation earlier. Not only that, they were both secure in the knowledge that the next time a suspect needed questioned, they'd be doing it together.
Though he wanted to support Olivia in every way possible, Elliot wasn't permitted to go back with her while she had her last physical therapy session. However, the staff did move her to a separate room for her final assessment, and Elliot was allowed to join her then. He watched from his chair in the corner as she was put through a series of range of motion exercises, measurements being taken each time. It brought back memories of when Olivia had first come to stay with him after her injury, and she had barely been able to change her own clothes. Now, her flexibility had not only returned, but improved. As the physical therapist completed the assessment, she reached for Olivia's file and a pen, making notes on a form that both Detectives knew all too well.
"Well Olivia, the day you've been asking me about at every visit is here at last. I can finally sign off on your return to the field. You're all clear to resume your full duties on Monday."
As Olivia and Elliot looked on in wonder, each half holding their breath in expectation, the necessary form was signed with a flourish. It was official – Olivia had been given the all clear. She could finally go back to one hundred percent of her duties as a detective.
It was a very happy pair of partners who left the physical therapy office a few minutes later. Although Elliot had initially promised to stop for takeout on their way home, their intended destination had changed. Now that she actually had the release form in her hands, Olivia didn't want to wait until Monday to put it on Cragen's desk. So, they were headed back to the precinct to turn in the necessary paperwork to their superior officer, so that come Monday morning, she could head straight into the field with Elliot. Not that either of them were hoping for a crime to be committed, they would never wish ill on anyone.
Forty-five minutes later, the paper was safely on Cragen's desk, and Elliot and Olivia had just arrived at his apartment – which she was easily beginning to think of as 'theirs'. The dinner they had stopped for waited for them in the kitchen, but the two were currently in the bedroom, having found their own way to celebrate.
Standing face to face at the foot of the bed, Elliot was systematically peeling away the layers of Olivia's clothing – that is, when he wasn't distracted by her intense kisses. Olivia, too, was trying her best to undress him, but when his mouth found a spot on the side of her throat, it made her forget everything but the present moment. When they were both naked, they tumbled back against the mattress together in a tangle of limbs, their lips still fused together and hands roaming over each other's bodies.
As Elliot braced himself over Olivia, he bent his head low to trail his lips over her skin. When he got to the part of her chest where a pink scar still remained, he brushed his thumb over the spot before kissing it tenderly. The reminder of her injury that had occurred only weeks before wasn't as difficult for him to see as it once was, but it would forever pain him to know that Olivia would be indelibly marked by that fateful day. Still, it was also what had served as the catalyst that had brought them together.
Pushing the disconcerting thoughts from his mind, Elliot focused on the task at hand – giving Olivia as much pleasure as humanly possible. He purposely ignored his own needs and desires, and gently dissuaded her wandering hands every time she reached for him. It wasn't that he objected to her touch in the slightest, but he wanted to make her feel special, and loved, like she was the only woman in the world – which in his eyes, she was.
It was with surprising ease that Olivia acquiesced to Elliot's gentle commands that she keep her hands positioned on either side of her head, but for now, she wasn't going to argue. Though she could barely process much in the midst of the sensations coursing through her body, there was one final coherent thought before she surrendered to the hands and lips that were setting her skin on fire. After she recovered from the onslaught, it would be time to take her revenge. Then, Elliot's mouth traveled lower to meet her center, and Olivia forgot about everything else. Her eyelids fluttered closed as a moan escaped her throat, her fingertips gripping the softness of the sheets beneath her.
"You don't have to be quiet on my account, Liv. Let me hear you."
Elliot's voice was a whisper of breath, right where she was most sensitive, and Olivia couldn't help the shiver of anticipation that shook her body from her head to her toes. Even though she knew what he was planning next, it did nothing to stifle the cry that flew from her lips when he introduced two thick fingers into her slick heat, his thumb brushing over the swollen nub just above her entrance.
"El -"
The all-too-familiar nickname fell from Olivia's lips in a desperate plea, as normal patterns of speech were becoming more and more difficult for the brunette. Through no control of her own, she tilted her hips upward, her body asking for what she could not say in words. Elliot was all too aware of what she wanted, but not ready to give in to her subtle demands – not yet. First, he wanted to see the woman he loved come completely undone, as that was a sight he would never grow tired of.
"Not yet, my love, but soon. I promise. First, I want you to let go. You're so beautiful, do you know that? Come for me."
Whether it was the gentle words that were in themselves a soft spoken command, or the fact that Elliot had curled his fingers to apply pressure to a specific spot on Olivia's inner wall, it was all the encouragement she had needed to tumble over the precipice. With a cry, Olivia shattered into a million pieces. As flashes of light exploded behind her closed lids, her back arched and her body shook with fulfillment as wave after wave of pure ecstasy washed over her. Spent, she collapsed back against the pillows, her limbs still trembling with the aftershocks of her powerful release.
With a satisfied and proud smile, Elliot crawled his way up Olivia's body, taking special care not to overstimulate her where she was still hypersensitive. Pressing his lips to hers, he rolled their bodies to the side and pulled her into his arms.
"Just rest for now, Liv. Once you've had a chance to get your bearings, I fully intend on keeping my promise."
Olivia sighed contentedly, running her fingers idly over Elliot's chest. As the words fully registered, she couldn't help the mischievous laugh that bubbled forth.
"You are so lucky that I can't move right now, Stabler. Consider yourself warned, though – once I can, I fully intend on exacting my revenge."
Elliot tried to reply, but before he could, he noticed that Olivia had already fallen asleep. Deciding what he had to say was nothing that couldn't wait, he placed a kiss on her forehead, and pulled the covers up around them. Closing his eyes, he joined Olivia in her slumber.
Following a nap and another round of lovemaking – more like two, if they were counting their shower activities before returning to the living room – Elliot and Olivia were finally getting around to eating their long forgotten dinner. Had it not been for their growling stomachs reminding them of the need for food, they would have happily spent the rest of the night in bed, consumed with nothing but their love for each other.
Snuggled up on the couch together, the pair sat with their reheated Chinese food, which had been split equally among two plates. The television was playing softly in the background, but neither Elliot nor Olivia were focused in what was on the screen. They were, or at least Olivia was, in too reflective of a mood. She was preoccupied with the quiet domesticity she had found here with Elliot, and how content it made her. If someone would have told her just how much her life would change in the aftermath of the Valerie Sennett case, she never would have believed them. A line of duty injury was always within the realm of possibility, but having her relationship with Elliot change so irrevocably? Back then, it had seemed impossible.
Only a few short weeks ago, they had been arguing at every turn, walking on eggshells around one another. Now, they were closer than either had ever dreamed to be. However, it appeared Olivia's pensiveness was not as subtle as she had hoped. Elliot had spent the last five minutes watching his partner systematically attack a helpless egg roll, tearing it to shreds with her fingers. Gently covering her hand with one of his own, he used the other to ease the plate off her lap and move it to the coffee table. His following query was soft, but his voice no less concerned. He even tried to deflect the situation with humor.
"Easy, Liv. You know, if you didn't want Chinese for dinner tonight, you could have just said so. Come on, tell me what's on your mind."
As close as they'd become, Elliot truthfully wasn't anticipating an honest answer. He'd always known Olivia to keep things close to the vest, and he wasn't expecting – or even asking – her to change who she was overnight. Even as friends she'd frequently kept him at arm's length, supposedly in the name of protecting him, but Elliot had often wondered if the person Olivia had been trying to protect most had been herself. Now though, it seemed all those self imposed walls had come tumbling down, and as she cast her gaze in his direction, he saw the answers to all of his unspoken questions written in her expression.
Though it didn't explain all of her current emotions, it was obvious that doubt was the farthest thing from Olivia's mind. Her eyes were bright with certainty, her mouth set in determination. She was as sure of herself now as she had been on top of the mountain back in Lake Placid when he'd first asked her to move in with him. No, if Elliot had to hazard a guess, he would have to say that Olivia was startled now by her sheer absence of fear. In a situation where all of her instincts would typically be telling her to run, she was instead finding herself calm and content, and she simply didn't know what to do with that.
Reacting at last, Olivia smiled at Elliot's earlier comment as she took in the scattered remains of her dinner on her plate. Her first instinct was to offer up an apology, but she immediately thought better of it, and instead brought her legs up to the side as she nestled herself against Elliot's chest, tucking her head under his chin. A strong pair of arms wrapped around her, as though on instinct, and Olivia closed her eyes again.
"Just lost in thought tonight, I suppose. Didn't mean to take it out on the dinner you bought, you know how much I love Chinese. To make it up to you, I promise not to fight you for the last egg roll when we have leftovers."
Elliot shifted ever so slightly, only so he could make eye contact with Olivia once more. His expression was stern, but the the warmth in his gaze said otherwise.
"Nonsense. It's all yours, and you need to eat it. Tonight, if at all possible. You've hardly touched your food. I'll reheat it for you myself if I have to."
"El -"
"Don't argue with me on this, Benson."
With an exasperated sigh, Olivia could only nod. This was one fight she wasn't going to win. Pushing herself back up into a seated position, she watched as Elliot carried both of their plates back out into the kitchen to reheat them. While she waited, Olivia grabbed the remote, and absentmindedly flipped through the channels, trying to find something more entertaining to watch than whatever was currently on. From the looks of it, it appeared to be some sort of infomercial. How the television ended up there, Olivia had no clue.
"Here you go, Liv. Be careful, the plate is a bit warm to the touch."
Olivia looked up at the sound of Elliot's voice to see him back in the room, with a plates in each hand. Cautiously, she reached for the one he was extending in her direction, taking heed of the warning he had given. Olivia was also satisfied to notice that aside from the promised egg roll, Elliot hadn't appeared to add any extra food to her plate. Picking up her fork, the pair resumed eating in companionable silence.
On Saturday morning, Elliot and Olivia slept late – well, late for them, anyway. Even though the kids weren't spending the weekend, Elliot wanted to continue the celebratory mood, and told Olivia to stay in bed while he prepared a morning meal of homemade waffles with fresh strawberries. In addition to being a tradition he shared with his children, the comforting breakfast was now one that had special meaning for the couple as well.
When the food was ready, instead of calling Olivia out to the kitchen, Elliot instead arranged everything on a tray and carried it into the bedroom. He was intent on surprising her with breakfast in bed, something he hadn't been able to do since the day of their couple's massage at Whiteface Lodge. As Elliot stepped over the threshold, his heart swelled at the sight of Olivia dozing lightly, her hair splayed out over the pillow. Clearing his throat softly, he watched as she stirred at the noise, stretching indolently under the covers before opening her eyes to greet him with an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry, El. I didn't mean to fall back to sleep. I guess you must have worn me out more than I thought last night."
"Well, it's good that you got some extra rest then, isn't it? Plus, I come bearing everything you need to help restore your energy supply."
Arching an eyebrow, Olivia's expression morphed into one full of mischief. When she spoke again, there was a sultry quality to her voice, and Elliot felt the effects almost immediately.
"Oh, and are you implying that I'm going to need that energy? And here I thought you didn't have any plans for today. I do believe you might be insatiable, Detective Stabler."
"You've got that right. I can never get enough of you. But, as you can tell, I'm trying to behave. So, if you'll make yourself comfortable and stop trying to cause trouble, I'd like to have breakfast with you."
Nodding, Olivia indicated that she was willing to comply. Elliot was about to exhale a sigh of relief, until he realized that he'd forgotten one important detail – she was still naked underneath those covers. As he watched, Olivia pushed herself into a sitting position, and the blankets pooled around her waist, revealing her perfect breasts to his heated gaze. It was a struggle to keep a steady grip on the tray in his hands, and Elliot cursed softly under his breath as his eyes swept over her beauty. Then, just when Elliot thought Olivia would tease him even more, she finally appeared to take pity on him as she leaned over and grabbed the tee shirt he had been wearing the night before, slipping it on over her head.
"You may think that was mean of me, but may I also point out that you're the one who walked in here in nothing but a pair of boxers? Two can play that game."
Laughing, Elliot shook his head. Despite the teasing exchange he and Olivia had just shared, he realized that if the rest of his days were filled with mornings like this one, he would be eternally happy. Carefully balancing what he carried, Elliot first deposited the twin cups of coffee on either nightstand before settling in bed beside Olivia, placing the tray over her lap. Propping himself against the headboard next to her, he grabbed his own plate and a fork, and the two tucked into their breakfast while it was still hot.
When the plates were empty and the coffee cups had been drained, Elliot left only long enough to take the tray back to the kitchen before returning to the bedroom. Snuggling back under the covers with Olivia, he wrapped her in his arms as they nestled together. Neither had any concrete plans for the day, but were content to simply relax at home. That meant spending as much time as possible with each other.
After another hour or so in bed, dozing lightly, the pair got up and got dressed. Olivia had decided that she wanted to spend part of the day at her old apartment, sorting through the last of her things. It wasn't often that they were gifted the opportunity of free time, and she knew before long the deadline would be up. She didn't want to be rushed in her decisions as to what to keep and what to give away.
Taking into account that a supply of boxes already waited at the apartment, there wasn't much for Elliot and Olivia to do but travel to her old residence. Knowing that the fridge would be bare – a chronic condition from when Olivia had still lived there – they planned ahead and packed a small cooler bag with a few bottles of water to keep themselves hydrated as they worked.
Once they'd arrived, Elliot was designated with the job of packing up her books, followed by cleaning out the meager supplies in her kitchen cabinets. While Olivia fully intended on keeping her collection of novels – a majority of which had been bequeathed to her by her mother – her pots and pans would either be donated or held in storage until Maureen moved out of the dorm and into her own apartment this coming summer.
While Elliot was busy in the main rooms of the apartment, Olivia relegated herself to the bedroom. There, she systematically went through her closet, a task she had been intending to do for some time. Separating the garments into three boxes – one to keep, one to throw away, and one to donate, she worked her way through her wardrobe.
Olivia had been working for nearly two hours when a knock on the door got her attention.
"You can come in, El. I didn't mean to shut you out in the first place."
Elliot walked into the room, a bottle of water held in each hand. With a smile, he extended one in Olivia's direction, knowing full well she was just as thirsty as he had been.
"Here. Thought you could use a little break. Plus, I just finished in the kitchen, and wanted to know what job you have for me next."
Olivia nearly choked on her water, coughing and sputtering a little as she tried not to laugh. Elliot was making it sound like she was giving him orders today – and enjoying doing so. As though he'd read her mind, the man in front of her gave her a mischievous grin with a matching gleam in his eye as he continued.
"Just an observation Liv. If I didn't know better, I would think you're enjoying being in charge."
Not to be outdone, Olivia fired right back.
"I've never heard you complain before. Especially when I take charge in the bedroom. Speaking of which -"
Olivia's voice trailed off suggestively, and her eyes changed color to reflect her desire. Nothing more needed to be said between them. Elliot knew they'd just found the perfect way to say goodbye to her old apartment. Pressing his lips to hers with a low growl, he followed her down to the bed.
Elliot and Olivia had eventually made it back to the apartment they now shared, making a stop along the way to drop off a few boxes at the storage facility she had rented. Exhausted from their busy day – and still in a sated state from their lovemaking – they decided to keep their plans for the evening simple. After placing an order for delivery for dinner, the pair changed into comfortable clothing and cuddled up on the couch together to watch a movie.
Olivia was unusually quiet, but Elliot took no offense. He'd been expecting a reaction of some sort, after all. It couldn't have been easy for an independent woman such as herself to let go of the place she'd lived for so many years. Even though he knew Olivia never truly considered the apartment a home in the traditional sentimental sense, it had been hers, and it was something she was proud of. Deciding to try and offer some support, Elliot spoke up.
"Liv, if you're not comfortable giving up your place just yet, please tell me. I'm sure we can talk to the landlord and extend the lease for another six months."
Tilting her head up to look Elliot directly in the eyes, Olivia rested the palm of her hand against his cheek and gave him a warm smile.
"I'm not worried about that El, I promise. I know I've been quiet tonight, I've just been in a reflective mood."
Leaning forward, Elliot touched his lips to hers in a soft kiss.
"You don't have to explain to me. I just wanted to make sure you didn't feel rushed. It really hasn't been that long since I asked you to move in with me."
"I know I was shocked when you asked, but I've never been so certain of a decision in my life."
Pressing her lips against his, Olivia moaned as the kiss deepened. The movie, long since forgotten about, droned on in the background as they lost themselves in each other. Before they could get too carried away, Elliot briefly managed to return to reality. Breaking the kiss momentarily, he rested his forehead against Olivia's, his hands still underneath her shirt caressing the soft skin of her stomach. After catching his breath, he remembered what he had intended to say.
"What do you say we take this into the bedroom? That is, unless you really wanted to finish watching this movie?"
Olivia, equally out of breath, rasped her reply. It was the only answer he needed.
"What movie?"
The television was quickly turned off before Elliot swept Olivia up in his arms, carrying her down the hall. The remnants of their dinner – a few empty takeout boxes – still littered the coffee table, a forgotten casualty in their haste to be with one another.
Once they reached the bedroom, time seemed to move at an accelerated pace. It didn't matter that they'd made love only hours before, they were each desperate to be with one another again. The need was a visceral one, and one that both Elliot and Olivia knew would never wane no matter how long they were together.
Once they were both naked, it seemed as though the need for urgency had evaporated. Their kisses became more sensual, the touches more tender. Unlike the passionate encounter they'd shared earlier today at Olivia's old apartment, or even the night before, this was something entirely different. It was reminiscent of the first time they had ever made love, full of awe and adoration. There was an aura of discovery in the air, as though each additional day spent with one another taught them something new about the other person. Maybe it did.
As much as he hated breaking eye contact, Elliot tore his gaze away from Olivia's sultry stare so that he could pepper her body with kisses. Alternating between tender caresses with his mouth and soft strokes of the tongue, Elliot coaxed a response from Olivia, until he knew for certain that she was ready for him. Blanketing her form with his own, he pressed his lips to hers once more before checking in with her.
"Are you sure this is what you want Liv? After last night and earlier today, it's not too much for you?"
There was a subtle shift to the hue in Olivia's eyes as they changed to an even deeper shade of chocolate – a color Elliot had come to recognize well. This happened only when Olivia was so overcome with
emotion that she couldn't put it all into words. Instead, the love that she felt was spoken entirely in her expression, and he didn't need an interpreter to understand what she was trying to say.
"Never, El. You could never be too much for me. I want this, I want you. Make love to me."
Entwining his fingers with hers where they rested on either side of her head, Elliot pushed his hips forward to join their bodies together as one. As the physical and emotional sensations overwhelmed him, he was again reminded of how much being with Olivia felt like coming home. She was truly the other half of his soul.
With tears pricking at his eyes, Elliot began to move, Olivia flawlessly matching his rhythm. From the first day they had met, they had always been perfectly in sync, and now that connection carried over into their life as lovers, too. As the tension began to coil deep within, Elliot was desperate to give Olivia every pleasure imaginable. Despite his intentions to ensure she was taken care of first, Elliot knew she would refuse to fall over the edge unless he was right there beside her. Olivia's movements had grown more erratic beneath him, her hips rising up to meet his powerful thrusts. Her head was tossed back against the pillow, her neck arched gracefully and baring the column of her throat to his hungry mouth.
Elliot suckled on the spot he knew drove Olivia wild, right over her pulse point. He took special care not to mark her, even if his baser instincts were encouraging him to do so. A deeper logic in the more coherent part of his brain had reminded him the last thing Olivia would want upon her return to work on Monday would be any visible reminders of their weekend activities. Instead, he would simply have to leave those kind of souvenirs on another place of her body that would be for his eyes alone.
An audible moan escaped Olivia's mouth at the same time a telltale tremble rippled throughout her entire body. It was her way of telling him without words that she was getting close. Elliot wasn't very far behind in following her over the edge. They ultimately climaxed together, crying out one another's name. Using the utmost caution not to crush the woman beneath him, Elliot collapsed next to her on the bed, pulling her into his arms. Their bodies still intimately connected, they remained a sweaty, tangled mess of limbs as they tried to regain their breath. Using the last of his strength, Elliot pulled the covers up to cover them as the satiated feeling that had swept over them both gave way to fatigue, and sleep won out.
Elliot wasn't sure exactly what woke him in the middle of the night, only that something didn't feel right. In his semiconscious state, he reached for Olivia, needing to put an arm around her. All his hand found was an empty space beside him, and sheets that were cool to the touch. That alone was enough information to process that wherever she had disappeared to, Olivia had been gone from the bed for some time.
Though he didn't want to panic, Elliot's first instincts were of concern. At this point he was confident of Olivia's security in their relationship, he was just worried over what could have upset her to the point that she thought she might have had to leave. Was she feeling sick? Had she had a nightmare? Why hadn't she woken him?
Just as he was about to get up and go in search of Olivia, Elliot heard a chime from his nightstand. Fervently hoping that the incoming message wasn't work related, because his priority right now was taking care of his partner, Elliot reached for his phone. As he flipped it open to see the display screen and saw the familiar words, a smile played over his features.
Meet me downstairs. Liv
Swinging his feet over the edge of the mattress, Elliot raised himself to a sitting position. He retrieved his discarded sweatpants from earlier and pulled them up over his hips, then added a tee shirt and grey hoodie as he finished dressing. Forgoing socks, he slipped his feet into his sneakers as he headed for the door.
Just as he'd predicted, he found Olivia sitting on the stoop of the building, twin cups of coffee nestled between her knees. The only difference between now and what had happened a few weeks prior was that these cups were travel mugs from his own kitchen that they used every morning, and not disposable ones from the corner bodega.
Lowering himself to the steps beside her, Elliot accepted the cup that with a quiet murmur of thanks. He reminded himself that he wasn't going to pressure Olivia, that he would let her be the first to speak, and he would wait however long it took. He didn't have to wait for long. When Olivia spoke a few seconds later, her tone was reflective, and it matched the expression on her face.
"When I sat here with you on that morning not so long ago, I never imagined how much my life would change a few hours from that moment. All I had intended to do by coming here then was to make sure we were on solid ground."
Elliot's heart began to pound in his chest as an icy chill of fear gripped his soul. What was she trying to say? Did she have regrets now after packing up her apartment? Clutching tighter to the coffee mug in an attempt to conceal the tremble in his hands, he waited for Olivia to continue.
"I know we fought again right after that day, but that's not what I want to focus on. What I remember more is how you were there from the moment I woke up in the hospital, and the way you never once left my side, even when I argued that you should."
This was something that Elliot couldn't let pass without making a comment. Setting his cup down so he could take one of her hands in his, he squeezed gently.
"Of course not, Liv. I know we argue sometimes, and I say things I shouldn't, but I will always have your back."
Olivia smiled then, a genuine acknowledgment to the truth that had been spoken.
"I know you will. Just like I'll always have yours. That isn't what I was trying to say, El."
The subtle addition of his nickname helped Elliot to relax somewhat, knowing that whatever Olivia had to say next wasn't anything he had to worry about. If it were more serious, she would have addressed him by his full name.
"During our last case together – not counting the incident with Andrew Parker – you told me that you were the longest relationship I ever had with a man. The words may have been said in the heat of the moment, but they couldn't have been more true. It was only tonight that I realized the reason."
Elliot felt a pull in his heart as he remembered the argument that had prompted him to hurl those words at her in anger. It had never been his intention to hurt or insult her.
"From the first day we met, we hit it off. You became so much more than my partner on the job, you were my best friend. I knew I could always tell you anything without judgment, and you would always be there for me, just like I would always be there for you."
Olivia licked her lips as she pressed on.
"Gitano was our moment of reckoning. I wish I could say I regret running to Computer Crimes, but I think that was the best thing I could have done. If we had gotten together on impulse then, I believe it would have ruined us. Yes, Oregon was an unplanned obstacle that I had no control over, and if I had to that over again I certainly wouldn't, but everything else that happened brought us to where we are today."
Leaning against the man next to her, Olivia loved as Elliot's arms instinctively wrapped around her.
"You are the longest relationship I've ever had with a man, El. I don't need or want any others."
Elliot, feeling no need to swallow the lump in his throat, felt perfectly at ease wearing his heart on his sleeve. His eyes were brimming with tears, as were hers. Pressing his lips gently to hers in a feather soft kiss, he gave her his response.
"You'll never have to. Partners for life, remember? That's never going to change."
A few quiet moments passed between them before Olivia spoke again.
"So, now that we have that settled, are you hungry?"
Elliot laughed out loud as the déjà vu washed over him yet again.
"I could go for a bite. Who's buying?"
With an impish grin, Olivia gave her response.
"Well, you do have four kids, a live in girlfriend, and just recently went through a divorce, so I guess...you are."
"That's what I thought."