***********
Elliot got back to his empty, hollow apartment to find his answering machine blinking. He pressed the PLAY button, hoping it was Olivia.
The first message was blank air.
The seond message was from Kathy.
"Hi, it's me," she began, "We're all back safe and sound so give us a call when you get in and we can talk about when you want to take the kids."
He called back and got their machine - Kathy and Stewart's. He left a message saying that work was a bit unstable and he'd call them in a couple of days. He needed to fix this problem before he could see the kids. He figured another day with their mother wouldn't kill them. It was better than spending it with him when he was extremely distracted.
Then he sat down at the table and began drafting a letter to the I.A.B.
**********
The cell block was bleak, cold, sterile, and her footfall echoed loudly down the corridor as she approached the cell.
She rounded the corner tentatively, opened the creaking door, and saw Officer Luke Edmunds sitting at the table, staring into space.
"Partners are like blood," Edmunds stated, turning to look her in the eye. His voice cut right into her. She whirled around and saw Alex Cabot sitting at her desk.
"Olivia," Alex said earnestly, imploring, "Why are you doing this?"
"Because this kid is in trouble," she heard herself answer even as colours and beams of lights swirled around her and Alex's face was replaced by Ashley Austin-Black's, the cell block turning into the sidewalk outside the girl's house. The girl raced out of Olivia's grip and ran into the street. She chased her, impulsively grabbing the screaming child, hearing drowned by the truck which beeped its trajectory as it backed up.
Then Luke Edmunds stood on the sidewalk. He half-smiled at her as she put Ashley down, as if he knew a deep, dark secret.
"Partners are like blood," he repeated strongly.
Olivia's eyes snapped open and she lay in bed, calming her breathing, reaching to her dresser for a glass of water. She looked at the clock - three thirty-six a.m. Five hours before she could call Mercer and MacLean.
**********
Elliot came into the squadroom and headed over to Munch and Fin after looking around.
"Where's the Captain?" He asked.
"In the interview room with Benson and those guys from I.A.B. Do you know what that's all about?" Fin asked. Elliot shrugged, even though he had a pretty good idea. He walked down the hall for some water, glancing nervously at the interview room. Through the window, he could see Mercer and MacLean stand up, followed by Olivia and the Captain. The door opened and he tried to appear nonchalant as they filed out.
Olivia went right to the corner of the squadroom to get her coat and Elliot tried to ignore the jolt that happened when he saw her. Mercer acknowledged Elliot as he left with his partner.
"Detective Stabler." Elliot nodded, then followed Olivia.
"Olivia. I have to talk to the Captain, but we need to sort this out. Will you wait a minute?"
"Okay," she said reluctantly, swallowing so that her voice didn't sound so choked. Her clenched jaw and tense posture told him she was still having trouble reining in her emotions and she shut her eyes tightly when he brushed a hand down her arm.
He found Cragen sitting at his desk, filling out some paperwork.
"Captain, I need to give you my statement on this incident," Elliot began, shutting the office door.
"I don't think it's necessary, Elliot. You can verify Benson's statement if you really want." Cragen's voice didn't sound angry at all, which Elliot found confusing.
"Can I read it?" Cragen handed over the paper. A short paragraph was written in Olivia's neat printing, then signed with a flourish at the bottom. Elliot scanned it, then handed it back. "All right. If you don't think I need to." He finished it and was suddenly anxious to get out.
"I.A.B. Seemed satisfied with this," Cragen stated off-handedly.
"All right. I've got one more day off, so I'll be in again on Thursday," Elliot said quickly, exiting the office. Olivia was sitting at her desk, reading through a file and Elliot came up to her.
"Where should we go?" She asked, voice expressionless.
"Well, I need to get the rest of my stuff from your place," he said slowly, not wanting to acknowledge what her agreement to this would mean.
"All right."
**********
They took separate cars and met there, Elliot arriving slightly before Olivia.
She let him in, unlocking the door steadily. As soon as they were both inside, Elliot turned to her.
"Why did you cover for me?" She took off her coat before answering him, tossing it over a chair.
"You're my partner," she said simply.
"But you lied in your statement. You said the information was for an actual case. It was just me trying to keep my kids safe."
"Partners are like blood," she said slowly, clarifying. He followed her to the couch, where she sat gingerly.
"Olivia, I said I was sorry. I meant it. I love you," Elliot said surely, crouching down in front of her, looking into her eyes and taking her hand. She smiled slightly and nodded in acceptance.
"Do you remember Ashley Austin-Black?"
"Sure," he said, "Your hands are freezing," he added, warming them in his.
"I would've done anything for her, even breaking a few rules....and she wasn't even my own child." Elliot moved, sat down beside her as she continued. "So I decided that if you could forgive me for something like that, I could forgive you for this."
Elliot wrapped his arms around her, clung to her tightly. She broke the hug, then framed his face with her hands and kissed him slowly, as if memorizing his lips. "Do you really want to move out?" She murmured.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, we've still got one sick day left. Why don't we put it to good use?" Her breath was warm against his cheek as they rested their foreheads together. Elliot grinned.
"What did you have in mind?"
************
The End
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