Disclaimer: As if you all didn't know they aren't mine. So, thus, I suppose there's not point to saying it but for legal purposes I will – characters don't belong to me. And if anyone thinks of suing think of this first – you will only succeed in obtaining a well-spoiled cat, an even more spoiled chinchilla and 2 geckos who have to be kept in separate aquariums because they don't get along – and require live crickets. So, if Mr. Wolf or anyone else feels this is worth it, I will let you live with them for a week and you will most likely quickly change your mind!
Rating: PG
Category: Drama. O/E friendship and UST
Spoilers: Minor ones for a few older eps but nothing significant.
Author: Traci traci_ann@yahoo.com
Archiving: Sure, just drop me a little email letting me know where.
Summary: Olivia's neighbor is found floating in the river. The detectives take on the case but what they find in the process puts them both in danger.
Author's Notes: This was inspired by the song "On My Own" from Les Miserables.
************************
To Walk With Me
************************
Darkness had settled upon the bustling city once again. One by one the streetlights illuminated the pavement. The moon, almost full, lazily arose from the horizon to fill the night sky.
A young woman stared out across the city from her fourth-story apartment balcony as a lone tear escaped from her eye. Somewhere out there walked the man she secretly loved. Somewhere out there he was walking with another.
********************
"Hey Liv," Detective Elliot Stabler said as his partner sat at her desk across from him.
Olivia Benson mumbled something incoherent before getting up and slowly making her way to the coffee machine.
Stabler shook his head and chuckled before returning his attention to the paperwork on his desk. "Rough night?" he teased without looking up.
"Stupid neighbors wouldn't stop yelling all night," she growled taking a large sip of her coffee. "They didn't even care when I threatened to haul them in myself."
Elliot's blue eyes met her tired brown ones. "Nothing's going on right now. Why don't you go catch some real sleep up in the Crib. I'll wake you in a few hours."
Her heart melted each and every time he showed concern for her. With a small smile she yawned. "Thanks, El, but I don't think Cragen would appreciate it. I'll be fine with enough cups of this." She held up her coffee mug. "However, if my face meets the keyboard please just let me sleep."
Before he had a chance to respond, Cragen emerged from his office and headed straight to them.
"You two need to get down to…" He stopped when his gaze fell upon Benson. "Are you alright?"
"Noisy neighbors," she quickly explained.
Giving a small nod, the Captain continued. "I need you two down at the docks at Chelsea. The body of a female was just pulled up. I'd send Munch and Fin but they are in court for awhile it seems."
"Is it a rape?" Stabler asked, sliding his coat on.
"There are signs of assault," Cragen offered.
Benson took another long sip of coffee before quietly following her partner.
************************
Daylight shone through her tattered curtains. The warmth of the sun seemed to melt away the loneliness she felt every night. Stretching her arms, she pushed back her blankets and stepped onto the cold floor.
Peering outside to the bustling world around her, she smiled. Today was the day. Today he would walk with her.
**********************
Stabler and Benson held up their badges as they approached the scene and were immediately taken to the victim.
"Age is between thirty and thirty-five I'd say," the medical examiner told them. "No immediate signs of fluids."
Stabler knelt down beside the waterlogged body to examine it. Benson stood behind him and gasped when he lifted the sheet.
"Do you know her?" he asked, looking up at Benson.
She nodded, fighting back tears. "She was…" Swallowing hard, she continued. "She was my neighbor."
"The ones who were fighting last night?" he asked, standing to face her.
"No. She lived on the other side. No husband or boyfriend that I'm aware of, though we only really talked in passing."
"You want off this?" he asked quietly.
Shaking her head, she looked at him. "No."
Stabler looked down at the victim once again then suddenly at his partner. "Liv, she looks a lot like you."
She shrugged. "We'd get that a lot."
"Maybe she wasn't the intended victim."
******************************
"Her name was Shelly Bradford," Olivia offered while sitting in Cragen's office. "She had moved in about two years ago. I'm not really sure where she's from originally." She looked up at her partner who had seated himself on a nearby table.
"The ME found no fluids and there were no visible signs of sexual assault," Stabler added. "They have not found the cause of death as of yet, but it was not drowning."
"People don't just randomly end up floating in the river," Cragen commented.
Stabler looked at Benson. "Cap't, I…" He hesitated.
"You?"
Benson gave him a look that let him know it was alright to continue.
"I don't think Shelly was the intended victim."
Cragen looked between the two detectives waiting for a further explanation. When he got none, he pushed on. "Anyone care to fill me in?"
Olivia handed him the file. He looked at her upon seeing the picture. "What do you think?"
She shrugged. "It's plausible. She was my neighbor. She looked like me. I don't necessarily want to believe it."
Cragen looked over the rest of the file. "Alright, I'll have Munch and Fin look into it from the angle of she was the intended. You two look into possible enemies for both of you."
"Both?" Stabler asked.
"Both. If Olivia was the intended victim it's also possible the killer was trying to get even with you somehow."
When they returned to their desks, Elliot picked up the phone. "I just have to call Kathy and tell her I won't be able to take the kids tonight."
"El, no. I'll work on this. It's your night with the kids. Besides, we have a good five hours left before it's time for you to go." She knew things had not been easy for him since his divorce from his wife of nearly twenty years. The last thing he needed was to miss out on his night with his children, not that they were really children anymore. Maureen, the eldest, was already halfway through her sophomore year at college and Kathleen was about to graduate high school. The twins were in their teens and in the process of learning to drive. Still, to him they would always be kids. Part of her was envious at all he had, even if the marriage had not worked.
"I'm not going to leave this all on you. I'm sure we can make it another night."
Benson reached over and hung up his phone. "No. If you start doing this now it will be a pattern you won't be able to break."
He sighed. "Alright, then let's get started. Maybe we can get this done so both of us can go home tonight."
*********************
A large flock of pigeons had gathered around her as she continued to throw tiny pieces of bread at them. He should be by any moment. He would walk by. He would walk by and see her. He would walk away with her.
*******************
Four hours had passed since they had begun their search. Two coffee pots later found them no closer to an answer than they had been.
"Go get your kids, El," Benson offered.
"Only if you go home too," he countered.
"Elliot…"
"No way. I am not going to spend the night feeling guilty that I left my partner here to work while I went to the movies with my kids."
She looked at him. "Did you ever think that maybe Shelly really was the intended victim?"
He studied her eyes for a brief moment then shook his head. "Something just doesn't sit right about that. Liv, maybe you should think about protective detail."
"No! No way and if you even think of calling…"
"I won't," he interrupted. He'd made the mistake of calling detail on her without her permission once before and had nearly lost her over it. Some mistakes are not to be made twice.
"What about you? If Cragen's right and you are actually the target…"
He shrugged. "I guess we both just have to hope that he's not right." He stood up and grabbed his coat then stood beside Benson.
"What?"
"You. You're still sitting."
"I'll be out of here in a few minutes. I just want to finish…"
"The agreement was you would leave too."
"I will. I just want to finish typing this up."
He sat in a chair beside her desk.
"What do you think you're doing?" she asked.
"Waiting. I'm not leaving until you do."
"Elliot."
"An agreement is an agreement."
Frustrated, she hit save and shut down her computer. "Fine. You win. But only because of your kids."
He grinned at her.
"You'd better wipe that smirk off your face," she warmly warned as she slid her coat on.
"What are you doing tonight?" he asked, holding the door open for her to the cold outside.
"You know, I haven't been home this early in I don't know how long. I have no idea what's even on TV."
"Why don't you come to the movies with us?"
She looked at him as if trying to decide but shook her head. "It's your night with the kids. I'm not going to intrude on that."
"I don't mind at all. I wouldn't have asked if I did."
She smiled at him. "You may not mind, but the Elizabeth and Dickie might."
"They adore you."
"But I'm not the person they look forward to spending time when they are going out with Dad."
He nodded. "Want me to drive you home?"
Olivia laughed. "El, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. Now go."
"Sure you don't want to go with me?"
"I'm sure."
"Well goodnight then." The started walking in opposite directions when he stopped and turned around. "Liv?"
She turned to face him. "Yeah?"
"Please be careful."
Opening her mouth to protest, she merely nodded and said, "You too."
*************************
She sat alone on the cold park bench, illuminated only by the flickering streetlight above her. He had not seen her. He had not walked by that night. Bitter tears dampened her face. He belonged with her.
***********************
The loud shrill of the phone drew Benson out of a much-needed deep sleep. "'Lo?" she mumbled, glancing at a nearby clock.
"Liv?"
"Elliot? It's… ugh, it's three thirty in the morning."
"I, uh, know and I'm sorry but…"
She sat up in bed. She knew that tone all too well. "What's wrong?"
"Munch called me. They found nothing."
Unsure whether she wanted to laugh or kill him at that very moment, she sighed. "And you called to tell me that?"
There was a long pause on the other end.
"El?"
"There was a note waiting for me when I got back to my apartment. Olivia…" Again he paused. "Liv, either you're going to let me stay with you or you're going to allow me to put detail on you."
"Are you going to give me more information than that?"
"I would if I knew more."
"Okay, you're going to do this the hard way. What did the note say?"
"Sorry. It said, 'I know you love me and now that your partner is out of the way you are free. You are no longer bound to the chains she had put on you.'"
"What?"
"No signature or anything."
"Do you have any ideas?"
"No. But I'm on my way over there now. We already know she's capable of murder and when she finds out she killed the wrong person…"
"Yeah." Her heart pounded in her chest at the realization that she had, in fact, been the intended victim. Tears filled her eyes at the thought that her neighbor had been killed merely for mistaken identity.
*********************
Empty sidewalks only led to empty hearts.
*********************
A loud pounding at the door alerted Olivia that her partner had arrived. Quickly she opened the door and ushered him in. "Are you trying to wake my neighbors too?" she hissed.
"Well, they keep you awake," he grinned.
Shaking her head, she went back to the kitchen and handed him a mug of coffee. "I take it you called Cragen?"
He nodded and sat beside her on the couch. "He wasn't too happy about the time either."
"Bet not." Sipping her tea, she looked over the copy of the letter he had handed her. "And you have no idea who your secret admirer could be?"
"No. Nothing. This is the first I was even aware I had one."
"Give me a sec to get dressed and we can head down to the lab and make them rush this."
**********************
She stopped short. How could this be? How could he? She was gone yet there she was, walking beside him in the dawning light. Cold metal stung her fingers as she wrapped them around it.
********************
"I'm sorry I couldn't park closer," Stabler apologized as they reached the next block.
"You know I expect door to door service," she teased. "Especially this early."
With a smirk, he looked over at her. "Yeah, right."
Laughing, she nudged his shoulder with her own but cried out when a searing pain soared through that same shoulder.
********************
He will be mine.
*****************
"Liv? Liv?" Pulling out his gun, he whirled around but saw no one. Not wanting to leave his injured partner, he chose not to look for the perp.
"El, I'm okay. Go find whoever shot me," she whispered, pulling out her own weapon and sitting against the car for support.
Hesitating, he shook his head. "I'm not leaving you. What if she is waiting for just that?"
"You know you live up to the stereotype of stubbornness in the Irish, don't you?"
"At least it didn't hurt your sense of humor," he commented before calling for an ambulance and backup. Grabbing a first-aid kit from his car, he knelt down beside her and helped her slide her arm out of her jacket. Applying a bandage and pressure, he sat down as well. "Ambulance is on its way."
"Did you get a look at who it was?"
"By the time I turned around no one was there." He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Liv."
"For what? You didn't shoot me."
"I… I don't know."
The ambulance sirens could be heard in the distance.
"You know it's not your fault. Don't start blaming yourself on me."
"I guess I never really had a chance to look at it from the victims perspective. We see it everyday, how the victims blame themselves but…" He held his hand against her wound a little tighter upon feeling the blood flow through his fingers. "You never really understand it until you're in the same position."
Her eyelids were drifting closed.
"Liv? Wake up. Stay with me."
"I'm here. Just tired."
"Ambulance is only a block away. Hang on."
**************************
Cold, heavy rain fell all around her. A chill ran through her. He would warm her. If only he could see her. She splashed through puddle after puddle imagining him pulling her close as their images reflected off the glistening pavement. Pulling her coat tighter she knew what she had to do.
**********************
"How is she?"
Stabler turned to find Munch, Fin and Cragen standing in the doorway of the waiting room. "Still in surgery," he answered Fin.
Cragen walked over to his detective. "Elliot, why don't you take a break? Get some coffee, take a walk…"
His blue, tear-filled eyes met his Captain's. "I can't."
Cragen nodded.
The three other men sat while Elliot continued his pacing.
Forty-five minutes passed until a doctor entered the room. "Detective Stabler?"
"How is Liv?" he asked, nearly running to the door.
"She's going to be fine. I'm keeping her overnight for observation." He looked at the other men. "She did lose more blood than I would have liked but it was not enough to put her in real danger."
"Can I see her?"
He nodded to Elliot. "Yeah, but not for long. She needs her rest." His eyes once again fell upon the other men. "I'm sorry but…"
Munch smiled. "It's alright. We'll be right here when you're done. Give her our best."
*****************************
'I love you so much, Elliot,' she whispered in his ear.
'I love you too,' he whispered back, pulling her close to him as they danced in the moonlight. 'It will be like this forever.'
'What about her?'
'She never meant a thing to me. No one ever did. Only you,' he murmured as he leaned down to kiss her.
"Miss? Miss! You have to leave the bench now. The park is closed."
She looked up at the patrol officer mounted on his horse.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
Wiping the tears away, she mumbled, "I will be."
*****************************
He knocked softly on the door before opening it. He smiled.
"Told you I'd be alright." Her voice was hoarse but she was at least speaking.
"Yes, you did." He sat on the edge of her bed and noticed the sling around her arm. "How does it feel?"
Olivia chuckled. "With the pain meds they've got me on right now I'm not feeling much of anything."
"Hmm, maybe I should get shot…"
Her brown eyes widened and turned serious. "Don't you even think that, Stabler!"
Elliot took hold of her hand. "Munch, Fin and Cragen say hi."
She looked behind him. "Where are they?"
"In the waiting room. The doctor would only allow one visitor."
Yawning, she smiled. "Go home. Get sleep. You look like hell."
"Is your bed comfortable?"
"For a hospital bed."
"Good." His eyes wandered over to the empty bed beside her.
"El, no. You need real sleep. I'm not going to be any real help for a few days so one of us has to be alert."
"I'm not leaving you alone. Whoever shot you is still out there."
"So post a guard outside the door."
He grinned. "And you called me stubborn!"
"You are," she said, grinning back. "Never said I wasn't."
"Alright, I'll get Cragen to get someone in here but I'm not leaving until detail gets here."
"Deal," she agreed, yawning again.
Slowly, he released her hand and stood up. "Go ahead and go to sleep. I'm just going to let the guys know you're okay and they can go."
*************************************
Staring down into the river, her eyes fought against the offending mid-afternoon brightness of sun reflecting off water.
She had taken the magic away. She was responsible. He was with her.
A cool, spring breeze whipped around sending tiny speckles of debris around. What had once been bright and beautiful beneath the moonlight was now cold and lonely in the daylight.
*********************************
"There's just one thing I don't get," Elliot said as he drove Olivia home from the hospital. "Why go after you? Why not Kathy?"
Olivia, barely able to think straight while on the medication, blinked a few times and thought. "Because partners tend to spend more time together than they do with their spouses," she simply stated.
Making a right turn, he sighed. "I guess you're right. Kathy used to complain about that."
"And the bond between partners is often stronger, in a different way. We have to trust each other with our lives, be willing to die for each other."
Elliot glanced over at her and grinned.
"What?"
"You are the only one I know of who actually gets *more* philosophical when drugged up," he teased. "But you're right. Which leads us to…"
"Who, of the hundreds of people we know of, could it be? And that's not to mention the ones we don't know of."
He nodded while pulling up in front of her apartment building.
*******************************
Tears streamed down her face. He was still with her. He was still helping her.
"Lady, watch out!" yelled a jogger when she stepped into the path. "Stupid dimwit," he mumbled as he ran by.
Why couldn't he see her? She was right there. Right there waiting. For him.
*****************************
"El, I have to go," she argued, struggling to get a satin black shirt on with her bad arm.
He stood on the other side of her bedroom door. "You just got back from the hospital. The hospital, Liv, not the diner. I'm sure they'd understand."
Finally succeeding with the shirt, she held it closed as she opened the door. "Shelly was killed in my place. I at least owe it to her to go to her funeral," she softly told him.
His eyes met hers. Arguing further would get him nowhere. "Then I'm going with you."
She shook her head. "You need to find out who did this. I'll stop by the station when the funeral is over."
"Liv."
"El."
Glancing at the sling that was back around her arm, he asked, "How are you going to get there?"
"Taxi."
A small smile played on his lips. "You have an answer for everything, don't you. Okay, Smarty, how are you going to button your shirt?"
She looked down at the shirt she still held closed with her hand. "It will take a little extra time, but I can do it," she retorted.
Without a word, he reached out and began buttoning the lower buttons for her. "Why don't you just let me help you for once, Liv?"
Her heart jumped but, realizing there was nothing more to his actions than concern for a friend, she relaxed, letting go of the shirt as he reached the buttons covered by her hand and let him finish buttoning it for her.
When he finished, his eyes searched hers.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" he asked, his voiced barely above a whisper itself.
She nodded. "Really, I'll be alright. Maybe you guys can find something we've been missing while I'm gone."
"You have your cell phone?"
She smiled, only then realizing they were still standing in her bedroom doorway. "I will when I leave."
Elliot tried to stifle a yawn.
"When was the last time you were at your apartment?" she asked.
"Uh…"
Olivia took his hand and pulled him into her bedroom. "The shower is in there and if you want to take a few hours for a nap there's the bed." She turned to leave when she felt his hand wrap around her wrist. Turning around, she found her face to be mere inches from his.
"Thank you."
"El, it's what partners… and friends… are for."
"No, thank you for not dying." He carefully pulled her into a hug. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
Ignoring the pain shooting through her left arm, she managed to get her right arm around his waist and hold him. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."
****************************
If she had eliminated the right woman in the first place he would be with her now. If she hadn't made that mistake. If…
She sat on the park bench and watched Olivia leave the building. An orange tint reflected from the windows as the sun began it's daily decent. Arising from the bench, she made her way to the building. He would have to see her now.
***************************
"Shelly was a beautiful woman," the mother tearfully said. "She will be missed more than she ever knew."
When the service was over, Olivia quietly made her way to the exit only to be stopped by Shelly's parents.
"I'm very sorry," Olivia offered.
The mother smiled. "She thought highly of you. She told us you were the only one who made her really feel welcome there." She hugged Olivia. "Thank you for that."
Tears began to fill Olivia's eyes. If it hadn't been for her, Shelly would still be alive. "Thank you for letting me know," she whispered before departing.
****************************
Stabler had no realized how tired his body was until he hit the pillow on Olivia's bed and fell asleep almost instantly. He only awoke upon hearing the apartment door open. "Liv?"
No one answered. His body screamed for him not to get up but he was concerned. Buttoning his jeans, he opened the bedroom door and walked down the hallway to the living room. "Liv, are you alright?"
No one was there. Glancing back at the front door, he saw the deadbolt was locked. 'Maybe I dreamt it,' he thought, heading to the kitchen for a glass of water.
"I'm sorry, my darling."
Elliot whipped around, sending the empty glass shattering on the floor.
A petit brunette stood hidden in a corner of the living room. "She wasn't supposed to be the one to die," she murmured.
He reached for his gun then realized he had left it sitting on Olivia's nightstand. "Who are you?" he demanded.
She stepped into the light. Her hair was a dull color and her blue eyes appeared haunted. "I am the one you dream of. The one you need."
As she took a few steps closer, he saw the gun in her hand. "If I'm that important to you, why are you going to kill me?"
She stopped, glanced down at the gun in her hand, and laughed. "Oh, this isn't for you, my darling. This is for her when she returns. She should have seen what we are to each other but she chose to ignore it for her own selfish reasons."
He took a step towards her but she raised the gun.
"You betrayed me," she hissed. "I know it wasn't your fault but if you try to protect her again I will have to kill you too."
****************************
Olivia had been dropped off a few blocks from her apartment. She needed a walk and nighttime always made the city a little more bearable. As she passed the numerous apartment buildings towards her own she wondered how many people had taken time to get to know their neighbors? What if she had taken more time and become friends with Shelly? What if… Olivia shook those thoughts from her head. Nothing would change what had happened.
A light mist filled the air. Tiny droplets of moisture sparkled where they clung to streetlights and front porch lights. New York City seemed more peaceful on rainy nights.
The doorman at her own building smiled and tipped his hat. "How is your arm, Miss Benson?"
"It's getting better." She smiled at him.
"Glad to hear it. Your friend is waiting for you upstairs. She said you had given her a key and she showed it to me."
Inside, an invisible hand clutched her heart but she did not wish to alarm the elderly doorman so she merely thanked him and quickly went inside.
Thankful to be alone in the elevator, she placed a call to Cragen then pulled out her gun praying that Elliot was alright.
*********************************
He sat on the couch praying Olivia would return much later.
"What is it about her?"
Looking at the woman, Elliot shook his head. "You haven't even told me your name or why I'm supposed to know you."
Hurt quickly crossed her eyes. "You see me everyday… at least you used to. In the park." She paused, waiting for him to remember. "You even smiled at me a few times as you passed me. That's how I knew. That's how I knew you loved me."
"I…"
"Kimberly. My name is Kimberly. Do you remember now?" The gun began to shake in her hands as her frustration grew.
"Kimberly. Of course, how could I forget?" He would have to play along if he were to live, he quickly realized. "I… I'm sorry. I just never thought you could or would feel the same way about me."
A large smile grew on her lips. "So you do remember." That same smile quickly disappeared when she asked, "Then why her? Why your partner?"
"Olivia? She… means nothing to me."
"Then tell her that. When she gets back let her know."
If he excused himself to use the bathroom he could retrieve his gun, but what if Olivia walked in while he was in the other room?
"I will but only if you put the gun away. No more death."
"I must be sure you will tell her."
Elliot leaned forward on the couch. "If you kill her then I will lose you to prison," he whispered to her. "I could not bear that."
Kimberly's eyes locked into his. "I know the perfect place where we can dance beneath the stars."
"You will have to take me there."
Just then the sound of a key in the lock echoed throughout the apartment and the tension grew thick inside.
"Please, Kimberly, just let me tell her and we can leave together. No one gets hurt."
Hesitantly, she lowered her gun halfway.
*****************************
Olivia could hear voices from within her apartment. At least it meant Elliot was still alive. Not wanting to alarm the intruder, she opened her door as she normally would.
"El? You awake?" she called out before entering the apartment.
Inside he smiled. She knew. "In the living room."
Hiding the gun behind her back, she closed the door with her foot and went to the living room. "Who is this?" she asked.
Kimberly smirked. "Your replacement."
Olivia's eyes went to Elliot, who nodded. "Liv, I know you think there's more here but you are wrong. It's Kimberly I will be leaving with."
She did not respond, trying to figure out what he was trying to tell her. Then she saw it. A slight glint of light reflecting and immediately she aimed her gun at Kimberly who raised her own gun to Olivia.
"You think you can shoot me with only one hand?" Kimberly laughed. "No one is that steady. Now, if you don't mind, Elliot and I will be leaving to start out new lives together." She stood up and waited for Elliot.
He did stand up. "I need to go grab my shirt," he told her.
"Hurry, please, Darling." Her gun was still aimed firmly on Olivia.
Passing a quick glance to Olivia, he disappeared into her bedroom once again, quickly slipped his shirt on, grabbed his gun and returned to the living room. With gun raised, he said, "The game is over, drop the gun."
Stunned, Kimberly stood staring at the two partners, standing beside each other. Tears quickly filled her eyes. "Elliot, Love, I thought…"
"Drop the gun," Olivia hissed.
Closing her eyes, she did then fell into the chair sobbing.
Olivia ran over and grabbed the gun then looked at Elliot. "You alright?"
"Yeah. Great timing."
At that moment Cragen, Munch, Fin burst in followed by a few other officers who immediately arrested the woman.
Grinning, Olivia said, "Speaking of great timing."
***************************
Nearly two weeks had passed since the arrest and court hearing of Kimberly Zunder. The judge had sentenced her to four month in a psychiatric hospital then there would be another hearing.
Olivia, through physical therapy, nearly had full movement back in her shoulder.
"Liv, you hungry?" Stabler asked from across his desk.
"Sure. You buying?" she responded.
He smiled at her. "Absolutely."
They barely beat the evening crowd at a small Italian restaurant down the street from the precinct. The waitress apologized for having to seat them in a dark back corner but they assured her it was fine.
After ordering drinks, Olivia relaxed a little then winced.
"If your shoulder is bothering you…"
"Elliot, it's okay. It's going to bother me on and off for a little while but in no way am I letting you get out of buying me dinner."
The waitress placed beers in front of them.
"I still have no idea who she was," he quietly admitted, sipping his beer.
"You couldn't have done anything."
His eyes met hers. "What if I had paid more attention to who I was saying hello to when I went for a jog? What if I paid more attention to strangers?"
"I've asked myself the same thing over and over since Shelly's death. El, there's nothing either one of us could have done. We don't live in some small town where everyone gets to know each other. It's the way it's always been."
"But does that make it right?"
She studied his face for a moment. "It doesn't make it anything. It's circumstances."
He took a large gulp of his beer. "A complete stranger, Liv. A complete stranger killed your neighbor, nearly killed you and…"
Olivia's heart broke when she saw him fighting back tears. "Want to forget dinner and just talk at my place?"
Elliot shook his head. "Maybe later. For now I just want to have dinner with my favorite partner and my best friend and let her know how much she means to me."
For a brief moment, Olivia thought of making a joke but the sincerity in his eyes made her think twice. "You mean a lot to me, too," she whispered.
"Enough to let me button your shirts for you more often?" he smirked.
"Just try it, Buddy," she laughed.
Reaching across the table, he took her hand in his. "Liv… Nevermind." But when he went to remove his hand, she held it tighter.
"I feel it too, El. Let's just see what happens and where it takes us without rushing it, okay?"
"Sounds like a good idea." He squeezed her hand then pulled it back when the waitress came by with their meals.
"Just promise me one thing, Elliot," she said between bites of manicotti.
"What?"
"No more women obsessed with you."
He shifted his spaghetti around with his fork. "Hey, I can't help it if I'm so irresistible."
"And so modest at that," she mumbled.
"No talking with your mouth full," he commented with a smile then took a bite of her manicotti.
"And no stealing off my plate!"
Their waitress sat at the bar nearby counting her tips and watching them. Something told her they would soon be her new favorite regulars.
The End