Three days later they'd settled into a routine though they'd never quite discussed it. They slept in, late, very late. Somehow the daytime seemed safer than the night to be sleeping, at least for Elliot. They'd hang around the house, take a walk outside, once all the way to the ocean with permission. Come back, sometimes she'd read, he'd watch sports, sometimes they played cards. But every night, they ate dinner and always ended up on the loveseat watching a movie. And each night, they got just a tad closer.

For Elliot, he loved being close to her and he found that when he was beside her, he didn't have nightmares. For her, she too loved the closeness but she also wanted to help him in any way she could. For the both of them, it felt good. Damn good to be back together, doing things that may seem so trivial, so normal and both of them wanted to keep it this way. They knew more than likely there were going to be more arguments, difficult conversations and this situation they were in was dangerous even if at the moment it didn't feel like it.

That night, Olivia was standing in the kitchen getting some snacks ready. Elliot had retreated to the bathroom and she assumed he was going to take a bath after he'd worked out. She was humming to herself, wondering what movie they would watch tonight and how it could bring them closer together if at all. As she was popping a pretzel into her mouth, she heard a loud crash and the unmistakable sound of her former partner shouting "Son of a bitch!"

Frowning, she turned towards the bathroom and walked quietly towards it. Pressing her ear to the door, she listened and heard him grumbling, something that sounded like slipping and more curses. "Everything okay in there?"

Hearing her voice only made him more frustrated and the growl he let out made her laugh, she had to bite her lip, "Can't a man get a little privacy?"

She opened her mouth to respond when she heard another loud crash, "Jesus! What are you even doing in there?" She waited, heard more slipping and then heard him shout out in pain, worry filled her chest and she turned the doorknob without asking, "What are you-"

"Jesus Liv!" He shouted as she pushed open the door, he grabbed his towel, tossed it across his lap as he sat awkwardly in the tub, legs draped over the edge.

"What the hell are you doing?" She asked looking around the small bathroom, there was water all over the floor, "It looks like a tsunami flew through here!"

Huffing, he held the towel closer to himself making sure everything was covered, "Do you mind?"

"Well it sounded like you were fighting combat in here." Still she looked around, "Although I can't figure out with who…" She glanced down at him, his feet dangling over the side and she noticed a large bruise on his thigh, "Elliot, what the hell did you do to yourself?"

She moved to touch the bruise and he swatted her hand away, "Friends don't touch friends that way Ms. Benson."

Rolling her eyes she leaned back against the wall, "No. They don't. But they do question the sanity of their friends…" He just stared at her, "What the hell is going on?" He sat there, still just watching her and then she laughed, "Oh my God…you were freaked out by the bath weren't you?"

"What? Freaked out?" He shook his head adamantly, 'I'm not afraid of a bath Olivia."

"I didn't say afraid but maybe that is the better term." Leaning down, she picked up a small bucket, "You were standing up and trying to shower even though that's useless here."

He gripped the bucket and tugged it towards himself, "As a grown ass man, I haven't taken a bath since I was a kid. It feels weird."

She started to laugh harder, "Well it's either that or stink up the house and I'm not staying here with you if you don't bathe." He glared right at her and she smirked, "I guess the other option is break your neck…your choice."

Sitting up slowly, he frowned, "I feel like a child…"

"Yeah well…you stink. And you're gonna flood the bathroom, so figure it out." She said with a laugh as she mopped up the puddles on the floor, "Don't make me come in here again, I'm not your Mother Stabler. Not gonna bathe you myself."

Suddenly his frown turned into a smile and he leaned closer over the edge of the tub, "Well when you put it that way…I could be okay with it."

She shook her head as she laughed, tossing some bubbles at him, "Not gonna happen. This is one adventure you're gonna have to figure out on your own…"

"For now." He muttered as she walked towards the door, when she turned back to him he smiled, adjusting his position in the bath as he turned the knobs again to fill it up more, "For now you won't take a bath with me…but I bet I'll get you in here with me sooner rather than later."

Biting her lip, she knew her cheeks were a dark crimson and she was sure he could hear her heart pounding in her chest, "You've got a wild imagination, anyone ever tell you that?"

He smirked, going to move the towel away from his middle, "Oh you have no idea Benson…none. My imagination runs wild…especially when it comes to you."

She banged into the door frame and huffed softly, "I'm leaving now…"

"You're the one that barged in to begin with. If I didn't know any better you wanted to see my-" But she didn't let him finish before slamming the door shut.

She could hear him laughing, sloshing around in the water and she had to laugh. He was good, she'd give him that. Because once again, her mind was swimming with images of the two of them in that very tub. His strong hands sliding along her body, teasing, exploring, touching her in ways he hadn't before. The heat began to fill her body, pooling between her legs, she fidgeted nervously knowing they were in dangerous waters. But for the first time in a long time, that felt exciting. Sighing, she crossed the room and walked towards the kitchen once more, already anticipating this movie night more than the last.


When he was finally done, he came into the living room and found her sitting on the couch already. As the last few nights, there was no discussion about it, it was just intuitive. They gravitated towards this spot just as they gravitated towards each other in life. Sitting down beside her, he rubbed the back of his neck and asked, "What are we watching?"

Handing him the bowl of snacks she asked, "How was your bath?"

Looking back at her he smirked, "Woulda been better with you in there with me…"

"Hm." She reached for the remote and pressed play, "Keep dreaming."

"I plan too." He tossed a pretzel in the air and caught it with ease, smirking at her as he looked back at the TV, "As I said, what are we watching?"

"Um…actually I just popped in the one on top of the pile without looking." She said honestly, "Didn't seem important."

Elliot nodded and watched as the credits began to play, "Ah, another Julia Roberts film." Olivia curled up on the couch, her knees bumping into his thigh and he grimaced, "Ow."

Looking at him she frowned, "Ow?" Then she remembered the bruise and laughed, "Big baby…"

He pouted and began to massage the hard muscles of his thigh, "You know if we're working on this friends thing…can I suggest that you be nicer to me?"

Rolling her eyes she glanced quickly at him, "Face it Stabler you're lucky I tolerate you at all right now."

He smirked and crunched his pretzel loudly, "Fair enough. But…it wouldn't kill you to be nicer. Even for a few minutes."

She laughed and turned back to the TV, "Actually, I think it might."

He smiled and turned back to the TV as the title filled the screen, "My Best Friend's Wedding." He paused, his hand held out in front of him, "Hm…"

Not thinking much of it, Olivia yawned slightly and reached for a blanket, "Oh, I've seen this one. Cameron Diaz is in it too."

Elliot settled into the cushions, a million thoughts racing through his mind and he felt a shift. She seemed to sense it, turning to look at him, she saw a more serious look on his face, "Hey…you good?" He didn't say anything, "Did that really hurt? I'm sorry…"

"No. It didn't hurt." He smiled, but it was forced and they both knew it, "I'm good. I've just never seen this one so I'm trying to pay attention."

Settling in beside him, she knew better than to push it so she wrapped the blanket around her tighter and tried to relax. But as the movie played out, her mind was elsewhere, trying to figure out where she'd gone wrong. If he was upset about her walking into the bathroom, he'd hid it until this moment. It had to be something more. She just hoped he'd tell her or she'd be able to figure it out sooner rather than later.


As the movie continued, he scooted further away from her on the couch. It was probably irrational of her given how all over the place she'd been since their reunion, but she was upset. They'd been getting along so well and she felt him putting up a wall between them again. Selfishly she felt that that was her job. Looking over at him, she saw his face was hard, unreadable and it brought tears to her eyes. Pushing herself up off the couch, she moved towards the kitchen needing a little space.

He watched her out of the corner of his eye and knew that she was upset. He knew he'd been quiet, much quieter than the last few nights and she knew him well enough to know something was wrong. At the moment though, je just didn't know what to say. He heard her shuffling around in the kitchen, pretending to be busy, "Grab me a water?"

"Sure." She mumbled as she continued to move around the small space.

He turned to look at her and watched her, her body was tense and she was worried. "Liv…"

"Look if you would rather not watch a movie tonight, that's totally fine." She said looking back at him, "Maybe we should-"

"No. That's not…" He sighed and nervously tapped the back of the couch, "That's not what I want…I want to watch a movie. I'm just…"

His words cut off and she frowned, "You just what?" He just stared at her and she shrugged, "If this is about me barging in, I'm sorry…but I thought you were hurt and I was worried so I-" now it was her turn to stop talking, her face flushing once more, "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I know. I know…" He nodded quickly, "And I…appreciate that. Even though it was embarrassing…" She just stared at him, wide eyed and he knew if he didn't want her to retreat again, he had to explain, she was trying and so would he, "This movie…it's just making me think about something."

Not understanding, she pressed her palms into the counter behind her and shrugged, "Okay?"

Taking a slow breath, he looked down at the floor, unable to meet her eyes as he spoke, "I…used to think about what it would be like if you got married. A lot. In fact…I thought about it more often than I should have."

She pushed herself off the counter and crossed her arms over her chest, "What?"

Lifting a hand, he ran it over his tired face and frowned, "I just…I always thought about what would happen. How I would feel…if you…"

"Got married?" She asked with a frown, his cheeks flushed but he nodded and she whispered, "You were married…"

His heart started pounding a bit harder and he nodded slowly, "Yeah…I'm aware."

"So what difference would it have made?" She asked curiously, "We weren't together. We weren't…"

He smiled sadly, "I don't know that I could have done it…"

She stepped even closer to him, tears burning in her eyes as she tried to keep up, "Could have done what?"

"Watched you marry someone else." He whispered, he saw the shock on her face "I know that's selfish…I know it is. But I'm being honest…I don't think I would have been able to sit at the wedding and just watched it happen."

"So if it had happened…you wouldn't have come?" She asked curiously, "My best friend wouldn't come to my wedding?"

"Olivia, it would have just been too hard to watch you stand up there and commit yourself to another man. It would have killed me." He answered.

"And you think it didn't kill me watching you with Kathy for twelve fucking years?" She spat at him, "You think that wasn't hell on Earth for me? To smile, to play nice, to respect her and your family? You think it still doesn't kill me?"

He smiled sadly and shrugged gently, "Well, you've always been stronger than me."

"Yeah well…" She sniffled softly, "I guess it worked out for you because we never even got close to that did we? No one wanted me. At least not anyone while we-" She grimaced and turned away, "I'm going to bed."

His heart was pounding as he watched her go, knowing that if he didn't do something soon they were about to take ten steps backwards. Lucky for him, the movie gave him an opportunity to pull her back in. Another lie he'd told was that he hadn't seen this movie. But he had. In fact, it was one of Kathy's favorites. And maybe he'd tell Olivia later, but this very movie ignited an argument with his ex-wife about his best friend. As her foot hit the first step, he jumped without hesitating, beginning to sing with George, "The moment I wake up…before I put on my makeup…"

She paused on the step and he knew he had her, "I say a little prayer for you…" Pushing himself up off the love seat he walked towards her, "While combing my hair now…" He smirked and he knew she was laughing thinking about his bald head, "And wondering what dress to wear now…"

"What are you doing?" She asked as he reached for her hand, "Stop-"

"I say a little prayer for you." He crooned, tugging her onto the floor, "Forever, and ever,

, You'll stay in my heart and I will love you." He pulled her against his chest and spun her around making her gasp, "Forever, and ever, We never will part Oh, how I love you, Together, forever…"

Her fingers curled around his neck as he spun them around the room and she tried not to laugh, "This isn't funny!"

"That's how it must be to live without you, Would only mean heartbreak for me, ooh…" He sang with a pout, and turned her, the song continued on the film and he frowned, "I'm sorry if that made you uncomfortable…but it's the truth."

Subconsciously, they continued to sway to the music together as the actors sang loudly, "You wouldn't have come to my wedding?"

He sighed and turned them again, "I would have dragged myself there…but it would have been torture. And to be honest…I'm not sure what I would have done."

She raised an eyebrow in surprise, "What like try and stop it?"

He shrugged nervously, "Either that or get completely wasted and make a scene…wouldn't put either scenarios past me. I would have been a wreck, Liv." She turned her face away from him, "Whether right or wrong…I can't help how I feel."

Swallowing hard, her fingers danced along the back of his neck, "I don't know what to say. I mean…does it really matter? No one ever wanted me enough anyway…"

"I don't think that's true." He whispered, "I think maybe you didn't let them in…lord knows you had plenty of men interested."

Her cheeks flushed and the words slipped from her lips before she could stop herself, "Everyone except the one I wanted…"

He stopped dancing with her and let his hand slide down to her lip, "I wanted you…I just…I couldn't…"

"I know." She whispered softly, "I know…" Stepping back, she put some much needed space between them, "Like I said…none of this matters."

"It always mattered." He whispered, "You know it did…"

Neither of them said anything before a knock on the door startled them both. Not expecting anyone, Elliot quickly reached for her and pushed her behind him in order to protect her. He signaled for her to be quiet as he gripped her wrist, walking them both towards the kitchen. His hands slipped onto the gun hidden in the top drawer and then walked towards the door, pointing to the corner for her to walk towards. Peeking outside, it was dark, too dark to see who it was, "Who is it?"

"Open up Shrek. I didn't travel this far to be left out in the cold." Elliot looked back at Olivia and saw that she was just as surprised as he was, "Yes. I live, now open the damn door."

Turning the doorknob, he quickly yanked the door open and stepped aside, "Wes?"

His arm was wrapped up but it was him, he smiled and stepped in, "Shrek." He turned towards Olivia, "Fiona. How's it going?"

Olivia quickly walked towards him, "What are you doing here?"

"Made Dana let me come check on you two." He walked towards the kitchen and reached for the bag of pretzels on the counter, "Thought it would be a nice surprise."

Elliot shut the door behind him, both slightly irritated that he had interrupted them but also glad to see him walking around. If he was honest, he was pretty sure Olivia would have retreated to her bedroom which was the last thing he wanted, so maybe this was a good thing, "Well…it's good to see you up and walking. Are you feeling okay?"

Opening the fridge, Wes took out a container full of pasta and reached for a fork. He stabbed it in the bowl and took a bite, "Just peachy." Through a mouthful of food he asked, "How are you two doing?"

"We're…fine." Olivia repolied, pulling at her cardigan, "Just…fine."

Looking over at Elliot Wes raised an eyebrow but got no response, "Good. That's good."

Reaching into his back pocket, Wes tossed something to Olivia, "Call Dana on this. She wants to talk to you."

Olivia frowned and caught it quickly, "Why didn't she just call me herself? I have a phone."

"I don't know." He said with a shrug as he took another bite, "She makes her own rules doesn't she?"

Looking over at Elliot, she knew like her he was thinking about the unfinished conversation they had had. But now wasn't the time, and quite frankly she was wondering if it would ever be time. Turning she pointed to the loft upstairs, "I'm gonna…"

Elliot smiled sadly and nodded, "Sure."

As she turned to walk away, Wes watched Elliot watching her go, "Did I interrupt date night?"

Elliot huffed and glared at him, "You shut your mouth."

"That's no way to talk to a man who literally took a bullet for you and your lady love." He said, placing a hand against his chest, "I'm still fragile."

"Fragile my ass." He said with an eye roll, "You're just an ass."

Wes laughed and took another bite, "Your lovely temperament tells me you haven't gotten any since you've been out here…all that poison is still building up in your body."

"Poison?" Elliot asked with a frown, then Wes made a crude gesture to mimic jerking off and he sighed, "Christ…would you please stop talking?"

"Just admit you haven't…" He cocked his head towards the spiral staircase, "Made any headway with Princess Fiona…"

"I was well on my way before you knocked." He said with a smirk, "So you can leave anytime now."

Wes smirked at him, "Guarantee it wasn't gonna happen tonight but I'm not staying long. Told Dana I'd get Olivia the message and then let her call. Make sure you are both alive and then head out. Though I'll be stationed nearby if you need anything."

Elliot leaned back against the wall at his side, "You don't know what Dana wanted?"

Wes shook his head and put the top back on the container in front of him, "She didn't say. Just said for the time being she didn't want the person to have Olivia's other number."

Elliot's eyes scanned towards the staircase, envisioning Olivia huddled up there on the bed, "Why? Who is it?"

"Again, I don't know. But Dana wouldn't put Olivia in any danger." He said with a shrug, "I'm sure Olivia will tell you…"

"Hm…" He wondered if that was totally true, then he turned towards Wes again, "No leads on Theo or Chet?"

"Well the bar's been shut down indefinitely. A few of the members have been taken in but most of them took off or are laying low. As far as Chet and Theo…we had a lead towards them yesterday but they got tipped off. We aren't sure how…but they took off again. I've been manning all the bugs we've got to look for any info. But Dana almost had them yesterday…missed them by less than a minute." He said with a sigh.

Elliot didn't like that answer and Wes knew it, "Great."

"We're gonna get them." He said softly, "And in the meantime…you're here with Olivia. He won't touch her. Not with all of us keeping watch."

Elliot rubbed his hands together nervously, "I hope so…"

Walking towards him, he lifted his uninjured hand and clapped Elliot on the back, "You really are whipped Sir Shrek…you hanging in there?"

Elliot rolled his eyes and brushed off his hand, "I'm fine." Wes just stared at him, "I'm…managing."

"Getting any sleep?" He asked curiously, "You know that in order to protect her you need to be at your best. And sleep is important…the nightmares keeping you up? Or have you been able to keep them at bay?"

Elliot swallowed hard, "I've gotten some sleep…not long stints of it but enough. Working on it as best I can."

"All you can do I suppose." He sighed and walked towards the TV, "Mind if I hang out for a bit? My shift doesn't start for about two hours. I brought something for us to watch."

Elliot frowned, realizing that even if Wes left now the spell had been broken and Olivia wouldn't want to talk again. Shrugging, he nodded, "Yeah. That's fine."

"Good." He pulled something out of the bag he brought and smiled, "No peeking. We'll wait for Olivia, it's a surprise."

Elliot plopped down on the couch and ran a hand across his bare head, "Whatever you say donkey…"

Wes was mumbling to himself but all he could think about was all the unspoken things still under the surface. He'd admitted something he knew had upset her and he knew it had been selfish, but it was the truth. He never would have been able to watch her marry someone. His eyes darted towards the stairs again hoping that she didn't take too long and more than that, that whatever Dana had to say, it wouldn't take her away from him. Not now. He wasn't ready to let go because he knew she'd still run as far away as she could.


Upstairs, Olivia sat down cross legged on the bed and pressed her ear to the phone waiting for Dana to answer. After a moment she heard the familiar southern drawl, "How's it going Benson?"

"Dana, I talked to you yesterday. What's with the secrecy? Why am I calling you on another phone? Is something wrong?" She asked.

Dana sighed, "No, no. Nothing is wrong. But…I do have a favor to ask. And I didn't want the person I am calling for to have your regular number. For safety reasons."

Curiosity spiked in her mind, "Okay? So who are you calling for?"

"You gave Morah one of your cards. She called the 1-6 looking for you and Cragen answered. He explained you weren't back yet." She said.

Worry filled her chest and she sat up a little straighter, "Is she okay?"

"Well, where we had her before wasn't working out. She's looking for a place to stay. She's also trying to help a friend of hers…she's in even more danger than Morah it seems. Her name is Ellie. I need a place for them to say and since you aren't back…I was wondering…"

"You want them to stay at my apartment?" She shrugged, "That's fine…who knows how long I'll be here and it's just sitting there…"

"Are you sure? I'll be monitoring the situation and making sure all your assets are safe. I trust Morah, I just don't know this other girl. Seems like she followed a somewhat similar path to Morah. I also believe she is pregnant…"

"Jesus." Olivia mumbled, "No. That's fine…just keep me updated and if you need anything from me let me know. They can stay as long as they need too."

"Thank you." She said with a soft sigh, "I'll let you know when I have them settled. Until then…how are you doing? You haven't killed Stabler yet it seems…"

Olivia laughed nervously, "We're both still alive…for now."

"That's good to hear. Any improvements on ya know…the personal side of things?" She asked curiously, "Any more hoi-"

"Please don't even finish that thought. And no…" She said laying back on the bed, "We're…just trying to navigate all of this at the moment. There's no time for all that…"

"There's always time for hoitus coitus honey. Especially when you're locked away in a cabin with very little to entertain you." She teased.

Rolling her eyes, she thought back to all that had happened in the last hour and once again her heart rate sped up. He'd admitted that he wouldn't have been able to watch her marry someone which meant that he'd cared for a long time. Too long. Why did it all have to be so fucking confusing.

"Are you still with me Benson? Or did I lose you?" She asked softly.

"Sorry, no. I'm here." She paused for a moment, "Just…a little lost in my own head it seems."

"I know from personal experience that that can be terrifying. Even more terrifying than facing the perps we see day in and day out." She whispered, "But…can I offer some advice?"

Olivia chewed her bottom lip and whispered, "Not if you use the term hoitus coitus again…"

Dana laughed loudly, "I won't say it again. I was just going to say…we live the kind of lives where we're on the move every second of everyday. There's never any time to stop and think…to feel…to explore what we really want. And as messed up as this all is…you've been given a rare opportunity to do just that. Plus…you've been given a second chance to make something right with someone you care about. Not a lot of people can say that they can experience that. Don't you think you owe it to yourself…and the twelve years you spent as his partner to at least be honest? If nothing else…it will give you closure."

Closure.

To her that meant the end of something. The end of this. Whatever this was. Turning, she saw his t-shirt lying on top of her suitcase. And beside that, lay his letter.

"You're right…" She whispered, "I have some things I definitely need to figure out…"

"You've got this Benson. And if he really pisses you off…just remember the offer still stands to shoot him. I can make it look like an accident." She teased.

"I remember." She paused, "Keep me updated on the girls? If you need anything, let me know. Just make sure they're safe."

"Will do. You make sure you're safe too. I've got eyes and ears all over. I'm confident we'll find Theo and Chet. Just stay sharp and smart. But…have a little fun if you can too. I left all my favorite movies."

Olivia smiled, not thinking much about what she was saying, "Thanks Dana. Talk soon."

When she hung up, she turned to look at the letter and the shirt again. Tonight with Wes around, it wasn't the night to read it. But…it was coming. Soon. And no matter what it said, she was going to have to face this, face him head on. Why was that scarier than facing down the barrel of a gun? With a heavy sigh, she rolled off the mattress and ducked her head as she walked down the spiral staircase. She was quiet as she walked, but Elliot turned to look at her as if he sensed her which wasn't unusual. They'd always been able to read each other, to sense each other, to find each other in a crowd. As she got to the bottom of the steps, her fingers curled around the railing and she thought about how he'd pulled her into his arms, how he'd danced with her. How he'd just wanted to make her smile.

Her heart ached looking at him, and somehow she knew he was thinking of it too, "Everything good?"

Snapping out of her daze, she nodded slowly and whispered, "Yeah. Everything's fine."

She knew he didn't believe her, but she also knew he wouldn't push her. Walking towards the living space, she saw that Wes was sprawled out on the loveseat beside Elliot. He gave her a frustrated look and she smiled, offering him a little shrug. Pulling over the tiny chair in the corner, she curled herself into it, already missing being close to Elliot.

"Good, you're back just in time. We're going to watch a movie." He looked incredibly comfortable and smug, and both Elliot and Olivia were looking at him feeling slightly annoyed, "What?"

Elliot pointed at him, his feet propped up on the arm of the couch, "Just make yourself at home Donkey."

"Oh I plan to." He said with a smirk as he reached for his remote, "Now who is ready for a little entertainment?"

Olivia turned to look at the screen, and instantly she started laughing, "You brought Shrek?"

"Felt like I had too. You ever seen it?" He asked as he popped a pretzel in his mouth.

Olivia's cheeks flushed and she knew Elliot was looking at her, "I have. I took Elliot's kids to see the first one…"

"Well, well, well…" He smirked at her, "The plot thickens. How close are you with his kids?"

"Oh." Olivia sat up a little straighter, "I've just known them a long time…haven't seen them much in the last-" She paused, afraid to finish her thought and then turned away, "They're great kids."

"You have five, right?" Wes asked, looking over at Elliot again, "Three boys, two girls?"

"I do." He said with a slow nod, "Oldest two are girls, then had twins, boy and a girl. And then…we had Eli." He fidgeted nervously, "He was…a bit of a surprise." He was looking at Olivia, but she didn't look at him, "A big surprise. But…I love him." He paused, "Olivia helped deliver him actually…"

Wes turned back to Olivia quickly, "Geez, full service partnership you two had eh?"

Olivia shot him a look and frowned, "It was…more complicated than that."

Wes snorted as he reached for his soda, "Seems like everything with you two is complicated."

"Elliot got stuck at work and-" Wes was just staring at her, "What?"

"You're saying his name now?" Her cheeks flushed even darker and he smiled, "See, you are making progress kids! Good for you."

Olivia huffed and pulled the pillow into her lap, "Anway, he was at work and Kathy had an appointment. I offered to take her…but we were in an accident."

"Damn." He whispered, "But you were okay?"

Olivia's hands shook at the memory and she knew that Elliot was watching her intently. They'd never really discussed that day in depth. "I…was fine. Kathy was a bit worse for the wear and the trauma sent her into early labor. I just happened to be there…"

"We should have named the kid Oliver." Elliot said with a proud, grateful smile on his face, "She did more than she'll ever admit."

She looked down quickly and pulled at the strands on the edge of the pillow, "If you had named the kid Oliver…I would have killed you both."

"Olivia." She looked up at him quickly, "If I never said it before…I'll never be able to thank you for that day. And for all the days you saved me…and my kids. Lord knows there's many I don't even fully know about I'm sure."

Shrugging she whispered, "Partners are there to help each other. And each other's families."

"And did he help with your family?" Wes asked, suddenly asserting himself into their not so private conversation.

Olivia felt tears burning in her eyes but before she could answer Elliot spoke up, "Maybe we should-"

"Yes." She whispered, cutting him off, knowing that he was trying to protect her, "My family life…was quite complicated. But he was there…whenever he needed to be. Supported me with my drama…my mom. My long lost brother…he almost got fired because of me for that one."

"And you almost got fired because of me and my temper many, many times." He said with a sigh, "Like you said, we were partners. We had to look out for each other."

"Partners are like family." Wes said, "So maybe you didn't need anyone other than each other."

Licking her lips, Olivia turned back to the TV knowing in her heart that Elliot was the only person she ever really considered family. He knew it too. And he'd left without a word. Pulling the pillow against her chest she whispered, "Let's watch the movie."

"I'm assuming that means she's done talking?" Wes asked, looking over at Elliot.

Elliot smiled, "Yes Donkey, Fiona is done talking about this."

"Then I'll keep my mouth shut." Elliot just stared at him and Wes laughed, "For Fiona, I can be quiet."

"And for me?" He asked with a chuckle, "You never shut up."

"Just trying to peel back all the layers of that onion." He said with a devilish smirk.

Elliot could hear Olivia laughing from her spot, and for the moment that was enough for him. He could wait, he'd wait forever if he had too. She was worth it, he just hoped he didn't have too. As the movie played out, they made small talk but Wes didn't push too much which they were both grateful for. About ¾ of the way through the movie, Wes got up to go to the bathroom, leaving them alone for a few minutes. Olivia was still watching the movie, not turning to look at him, but curiosity got the better of him.

"Everything okay?" She turned her head towards him, "Dana…what did she want? Everything okay?"

"Oh." She paused and pressed her hands into the fluffy pillow, "Yeah…everything is fine. She needed a favor." Nervously she scratched at the tip of her nose, "Morah needed a new safe space…and she's trying to help a friend of hers too. So they are going to stay at my apartment."

"Is she okay?" Elliot asked quickly, "I mean is Chet still looking for her?"

"I guess so." She said with a sigh, "Sounds like her friend is pregnant…along a similar path and Dana just wanted somewhere where they could lay low. I suppose New York is far enough away that it will be best for both of them. Besides, I'm not there right now. Might as well use it."

Elliot nodded slowly, "Are you still at the same apartment?"

She paused a moment before whispering, "Yeah, why?"

He shrugged nervously, "Oh…just wondering. I mean two years…you could have moved. Guess I'm just curious about life while I was gone…"

"Life while you were gone was…much like life while you were there." She said with a sigh, "I was just a lot more bitter."

He grimaced slightly, "Anyone other than Brian in your life?"

Rolling her neck back and forth she asked, "Not that it's any of your business…but no one special. No."

"You didn't suddenly start dating Ed Tucker just to spite me?" He said with a smirk.

"Ed Tucker…" She snorted loudly, "Christ…if I ever start dating Ed Tucker please just shoot me…"

He smiled and rested his head on the back of the couch, "I want you to be happy, you know that right. What I said before…" He saw her inhale sharply, "It would be hard to watch you with someone else…but if you decide that's what you want…then I'll support it."

Her fingers curled around the pillow and whispered, "Elliot…"

"I have a lot to make up for. I know what I want…but if it's not the same as what you want, then at the end of the day I can be your friend." He replied.

Her heart flipped in her chest, "You mean that?"

Though she wasn't right beside him, if he leaned forward he could touch her. Reaching out, he placed his hand on the arm of the couch, "I mean that Liv. I don't want to lose you again. So you decide what you want…and I'll…do whatever works best for you. I'm here…"

She wanted to walk over to him, crawl into his lap and cry. She wanted to tell him she loved him, tell him that she never wanted him to let go but the door opened and Wes walked out, breaking the spell. Elliot dropped his arm back into his lap quickly, "You guys only have a bath? That sucks…I'd feel like such a child in the bath."

Olivia thought back to earlier and another smile filled her face, "I love taking baths."

Wes plopped down on the loveseat again and sighed, "You a bath guy Stabler?"

Elliot kept his eyes on Olivia, hoping she had truly heard him, "They aren't my favorite. But I'm learning to accept things in order to make other people happy…"

Wes reached for the snacks again, "Oh good, then you'll accept that I'm crashing here tonight." Elliot turned to look at him, "I got a text saying they don't need me on patrol. But…I'm not driving all the way back into town. So this loveseat is my bed tonight." He turned to Elliot, "Unless you feel like sharing."

Elliot rolled his eyes as Olivia chuckled, "In your dreams donkey…"

"I thought as much." He sighed and turned to Olivia, "And I'd ask you but I think before I even got the words out that Shrek over here would-"

"You want me to fuck up your arm there smart ass?" Elliot growled, "Cuz I will."

"So many layers…" He said with a sigh as he smirked at Olivia, "I can't imagine why the hell you put up with him Fiona."

"I can't imagine either…" She whispered, but when Elliot looked back at her, she was smiling and for right now, that was enough.


Wes was still on a few painkillers and fell asleep before the movie even finished. Elliot was gathering up the items in the living room and bringing them back to the kitchen. Olivia cleaned up around Wes and adjusted his position on the bed to let him actually get some rest. She pulled the blanket up and over him as Wes mumbled, "Fiona, can we have waffles in the morning?"

Olivia laughed and placed a hand on his arm gently, "We'll see donkey, we'll see."

Slowly, she pulled away and walked towards Elliot in the kitchen. He looked a bit anxious and she wondered if he was worried about going to sleep. He hadn't had a nightmare in the last few nights, but they'd been sleeping side by side on the loveseat. Tonight, they would be apart.

"He means well…" She whispered, Elliot huffed and she nudged him carefully, "And he has done a lot for us…"

"Yeah…" Elliot dried his hands and leaned against the counter, "I know. You're right."

"After all these years you should realize I'm always right." She whispered.

Smirking, he crossed his arms over his chest and asked, "Always?"

Rolling her eyes, her cheeks flushed before she whispered, "Most of the time anyway…" She stared at him for a moment, and he didn't move, sensing something, "I was right about one thing…"

His heart thumped wildly in his chest, tilting his head to the side he asked, "And what's that?"

Without letting herself second guess it, she stepped closer to him. Lifting one hand, she placed it on his chest, she could feel the wild beating under her touch. Biting gently on her lip, she glanced up at him through heavy eyelids and whispered, "I knew the moment I met you that you were a good man Elliot Stabler."

He shifted slightly, afraid to break this spell, "You did?"

"I did." Her hand slowly slid along the expanse of his chest and settled against his neck, her fingers grazing the edge of his beard just so, "And despite everything that happened…I know that you did what you felt was right. Even if it hurt…" Slowly, she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek, "You're a good man Elliot Stabler…" When she pulled back, she saw that his eyes were wide, "I just need a little more time…"

His eyes searched hers for a moment and he knew that she was being sincere, honest and for that, he was grateful. Slowly, he lifted his hand and brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes, "Take all the time you need Liv. Like I said…" His finger moved lower and traced her bottom lip, "I'm here. However you want me…I'm here."

She smiled nervously and nodded, "I'm glad to hear that…" Glancing at Wes out of the corner of her eye she whispered, "I think I'll take a quick bath and then head to bed. That okay with you?"

His mind wandered to images of her naked body soaking underneath all the bubbles. He felt that stirring that only she could ignite. She was teasing, and he took that as a good sign. She said she needed a little more time, and he had to respect that, even if it was absolute torture. Clearing his throat he decided to tease back a bit, "Need help washing your back? I'm more than happy to oblige. Partners should look out for each other in any way they can…"

She giggled and nudged him with her hip, "You always were watching my backside and not my back…"

She turned to walk towards the bathroom and he groaned, watching her, "What can I say…I've always been fond of your ass-" She shot him a look and he smirked, finishing his thought, "-ets."

Rolling her eyes she reached for the bathroom door knob, "Do me a favor?" He nodded once, "Don't kill donkey…I've become oddly accustomed to him."

He laughed and nodded, "I'll do my best Princess Fiona."

"Good." She squeezed the doorframe and then whispered, "By the way…" She stood up a little straighter and whispered, "I had no idea you were such a good dancer."

Dropping his hands to his sides he smiled, "I guess there are things you still have to learn about me after all this time. And just think…I wasn't even trying that hard. If you would like a redo…just say the word and I'll take you for a spin."

She stepped back into the bathroom and smiled, "I just might have to take you up on that offer some time Detective…"

"Well I'm at your service Princess Fiona…" He said with a little bow.

She laughed again and quickly shut the door, leaning her back against it. She felt that rush of emotions that only he seemed to be able to ignite. Turning towards the tub, she had a feeling he was right too. He'd have her in this tub with him sooner rather than later, and at the moment that didn't feel like such a bad thing.

Out in the kitchen, Elliot was finishing cleaning up when he heard Wes mumble from the couch, "Still just friends Shrek?"

Elliot laughed, picked up an empty water bottle and tossed it towards him, "Go to sleep donkey…"


The next day it was pouring and after a breakfast of waffles per donkey's request, he escaped the cabin and promised to call with any news soon. Neither one of them had slept much the night before. Being away from each other had been hard, even just after a few days. Especially for Elliot. For now they were settled in the kitchen, both of them cleaning quietly when a thought occurred to Elliot, "Can I ask you something?"

Turning off the faucet, she turned her head towards him, "Sure."

"You still want kids?" Her eyes went wide and he shrugged, "I was just thinking about Eli and…you said Morah's friend was pregnant. Just…babies." He cleared his throat nervously, "Is that something you still want?"

He had caught her off guard and she knew that he knew it, "I've always wanted kids…you know that." He continued to stare at her, "So…yeah. I do. I just…don't think it will ever happen. Not at this point in my life."

"But if it was possible." He asked as he reached for a towel to wash his hands, "In some way, anyway, you'd want that?"

"You know, you'd make a great mom."

"Oh, my God. I'm not having this conversation.:

"You're great with kids."

"Yeah, I know."

"Look, maybe you should start thinking about having kids and any way you want to do it, I'll support you."

After a moment, she looked up at him again, "You have five children."

"I do." He said with a nod, "But I'm just letting you know…that if that's still a dream of yours…I wouldn't close the book on it quite yet."

What exactly was he trying to say, "I probably couldn't have one of my own at this point…or it would be really hard."

"There are other options." He said with a shrug.

"I tried those, remember? They didn't think I was a good candidate." She said with a heavy sigh.

"Elliot, a few months ago I looked into adoption."

"That's great."

"They turned me down."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, I'm single, I don't have an extended family support system, I work all hours. They didn't see me as prime parent material."

"They're wrong."

They were both remembering, and they knew it. Tapping the counter behind him he whispered, "Like I said before…they were wrong. And they'd be wrong now."

"Well not much has changed in my life. They probably won't want a single Mother who works as much as I do…they didn't then and why would they now all these years later?" She turned to walk towards the living room when he spoke and she turned again, "What?"

He'd whispered his response at first but he knew he had to say it louder, "Well…maybe you wouldn't be applying alone."

The rain lashed at the panels of the cabin outside, "Is that so?"

Walking past her he smiled, "Like I said…I'll support you in any way I can."

Adoption. A child. A partner. Could she really have it all? Better yet, could she have it all with the man she'd been in love with for a decade and a half? Walking towards him, she settled onto the loveseat, "Good to know…"

He smiled and knelt down in front of the TV, "Yeah…good to know." He glanced at the pile in front of him, "Should we put in another movie?"

Olivia pulled her legs up beside her and nodded, "Sure. You pick this time."

"Hm…" He sorted through the piles and tried to find something that interested him, "Well we never did finish My Best Friend's Wedding…" She didn't respond and he smiled, "But…maybe we can skip that one." He sorted through the pile again and found an empty case, "What's this one?"

Olivia shrugged, "No clue. I didn't notice it before."

Elliot frowned and pressed the button on the DVD player, "Is Dana out here pirating illegal copies of movies? How shameful!"

Olivia laughed and propped her feet up on the coffee table, "I'll let her know you said that."

As Elliot stood up, the movie immediately began to play given there was no home screen. Loud moans filled the space between them and both of them froze. And there on the screen were two people having sex. In fact, it was two people who happened to be dressed (or partially dressed) as police officers going at it on an interrogation table. Flustered, Elliot quickly tried to look for the remote, "Jesus Christ…"

The laugh that filled Olivia's chest erupted, her body shook and she doubled over as she watched Elliot frantically trying to turn the film off. Only he skipped a scene and now the couple was going at it in a squad car. Olivia's laughing only increased and then she remembered something Dana had said last night on the phone.

I left all my favorite movies.

Oh yes, this was purposeful. Very purposeful indeed. And dear God it felt good to laugh. Elliot was so stressed out he didn't think to just turn the DVD player off manually and was still frantically searching for the remote. "Jesus Christ…Liv I'm sorry I-"

On shaky legs, she pulled herself up through her laughter and walked towards the pile of films. Picking up the discarded case, she searched it and found exactly what she was looking for. A handwritten note from Dana herself.

Thought this might help set the mood. A little film titled "A crime of passion" a story about two partners who fall in love on the job. Enjoy!

Olivia was wiping away her tears as she bent down to stop the film to hopefully put him out of his misery, "You walked right into that trap…"

He froze, and turned to look at her, his face fifty shades of red, "Huh?"

She smiled and held out the case for him, "Dana…she planted that on purpose." She laughed again and wiped another tear away, "I'll have to thank her for the laugh later. You almost broke your damn neck trying to find the remote."

He ran a hand over his face, "I'll kill her."

She bent forward slightly, hands on her thighs as she tried to breathe, "You should see your face right now…"

"What the hell were they doing in that last scene?" He asked, pointing at the paused screen, "Is that normal?"

"Oh boy…" She laughed and settled a hand on his arm, "If I ever let you touch me again…I have so very much to teach you."

She went to walk past him and he grabbed her arm, firmly but still making sure not to hurt her. She gasped slightly and he pulled her flush against his body. He could feel the warmth of her skin, feel the beating of her heart in her chest and a smile filled his face, "If you ever let me touch you again…I'll be more than willing to learn. But…" Leaning in, he heard her gasp slightly before whispering, "I bet I could teach you a thing or two as well Detective…"

She felt dizzy with anticipation, felt her body go weak at his touch and words, "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah…" He licked his lips as he watched her, "I've fucked you Liv…twice now. And I loved every second but…" His fingers slid across her pulse point and down her wrist, slowly inching up her arm, "I haven't made love to you yet…and that is a moment I've been dying to experience."

Her body fell into his slightly and he smiled, knowing he had surprised her, "I can't wait to take my time…taste you, explore every inch of you, find out what you like, what turns you on. And seeing as we're in the middle of nowhere…" He smirked and leaned in, "I want to see how loud you can be too."

She gasped again, louder this time, her fingers digging into his arm, "You seem awfully sure of yourself Stabler…sure that you're going to get to do all those things."

He laughed softly and pulled back, "Oh I am."

Raising an eyebrow she smiled, "And why's that?"

"Because…" Leaning in, he brushed a kiss to the side of her face, "The look on your face tells me you want it too."

When he pulled back, he gave her that infamous Stabler smirk and she knew for a fact that she was a goner. There was no turning back now. And maybe Dana was right. This was her chance, a chance to figure out what this all was once and for all. A chance to make it all right or get closure. As he walked back towards the kitchen whistling to himself, she thought, maybe just maybe the stars were finally aligning in her favor…