Olivia stared at him as he walked away from her. Resentment turned to anger, which seethed inside her. Who the hell did he think he was, showing up after seven excruciating years, and acting as if nothing had happened. How could he do that to her? How could-
Olivia stopped herself. No, she wouldn't let him affect her like this. She'd moved on, past him; she was over him; she was beyond his reach. She - she-
She power walked behind him.
"How dare you!" she finally caught up within earshot of him.
Elliot slowed his walk and turned back toward her. They stood on the sidewalk. Passers by ignored the pair's conversation.
"How dare I, what?" he wanted to know.
Olivia had a million things she wanted to say in response to that question. How dare he leave her without a trace, while she cried alone in an empty interrogation room. Didn't he know how she felt about him? She'd said it once as much, to a corrupt cop. Perhaps, she was really talking about herself, and about Elliot. Was he going to wake up and realize she was the woman he'd been waiting for?
Well, was he?
It didn't look like it.
"You know damn well what you did"
He looked at her, or rather, his blue eyes pierced into her soul, and he uttered the words she had a feeling he might say.
"It's not like you to hold a grudge" the hands came out of his pockets. No ring, she noticed.
Damn her for noticing.
He went on, "It was good seeing you again, Liv" he smiled, and began extending his hand, but then stopped. "I – uh – take care" he spun on his boot clad heels and was off on his way once more.
Liv didn't wait to reply this time, "No" was all she had to say.
Elliot stopped, and turned around purposefully. He stared at her, waiting for her to contine.
"Why?" she finished, "Why did you just leave, and say nothing. Didn't I matter to you? Didn't twelve years of being partnered matter?"
"I –" he began
"Well, spit it out, damn it!" she finally exploded.
"I couldn't"
"You couldn't?" she could hardly believe what she was hearing, "What, do you have some sort of nondisclosure contract? Is that part of whatever Kathy's doing to you this time?"
"Kathy has nothing to do with this" he was terse, "now please, Liv, just let it go. Move on, be happy. Your – your son needs you"
"You don't get to bring him up" she glared at him
"Why not?" he crossed his arms in front of him. Passers by ignored the pair's argument. "He clearly knows who I am"
"It's not like that" she began explaining
He didn't let her finish, "It's ok. I didn't expect you to wait for me to get divorced. While I'm here, let me say that for what it's worth, you're still the closest relationship I've ever had with a woman"
She knew exactly what he was talking about.
Last time, he'd said longest.
The change in dialogue meant something- to him, to her, to both of them.
"Close" she scoffed, "and you couldn't bother to let me know you were alright"
"I can't get into this now, Liv"
"You don't get to call me that anymore"
"The hell I don't" he was blunt,
"No" she was firm, "You don't. You don't own me. You never did"
"I never wanted to"
"You could've fooled me" she laughed derisively
"I really can't talk right now. I've got to be somewhere"
"Then go" she waved him away with her hand
He turned to go, and then looked back, "I never meant to hurt you. That was never, ever, my intention"
Olivia couldn't hold back, not now, not this moment, "You did. You hurt me terribly, El"
He turned around, and faced her. "I'm sorry, Liv. You've got to believe me"
"You have a funny way of being sorry" she sounded bitter
"I want to keep talking" he glanced at his wristwatch, "but I've got to go"
"I bet you do" she glared at him
And then, he was off. Olivia was left on the sidewalk, a block from Noah's school. She dug her phone out of her purse.
Damn, she was late for work.