Olivia pushed her door open, tossing her bag to the side nonchalantly and
walking into her apartment. Elliot followed hesitantly, placing his bag
next to Olivia's, nearly chuckling. He had the urge to pick up her bag and
straighten it, but decided not to. Instead, he closed the door to her
apartment and stood in her small foyer, looking around.
"It's okay, Elliot. You've been in my home before," Olivia said softly.
"I know, Liv," Elliot said with a sigh. He forced his legs to move, walking into her kitchen to set the bag of Chinese food on her counter. 'Thank God for 24 hour Chinese food places,' Elliot thought wryly as he caught a glance at the clock on her microwave. It was almost three AM. He walked back into the living room, shrugging his coat off and placing it in the closet.
"Do you want anything to drink?" Olivia called from the kitchen. "I've got water, ice tea, a dusty can of diet Sprite, or beer."
"It's definitely a beer night," Elliot said with a sigh, walking back into the kitchen, seeing Olivia struggling to open the Chinese food box with her good hand. It was obviously a losing battle and Elliot could tell the box was about to be hurled across the room.
"Liv, let me help you," Elliot said, closing his hand over hers. He gently guided her hand away, squeezing it gently before turning his attention to the flaps on the box.
Olivia moved back, leaning against her counter. "I'm a lousy hostess," she said with a sigh.
"I think you have a good excuse," Elliot said with a small chuckle, using a fork to dish out some rice on two plates. He opened another box, dishing out beef and broccoli.
"Yeah, well, it still sucks," Olivia said grumpily, moving away from the counter to turn to her refrigerator, opening the door and grabbing a bottle of beer and a bottle of water. "I'm not even going to attempt to open these things," she told Elliot, sliding one bottle across the counter, followed by the other.
"Smart move," Elliot said lightly, finding a bottle opener and popping off the lid to the beer and twisting off the cap of the water. He handed Olivia a plate of food before grabbing his own and picking up the two bottles by the necks. He walked behind her to the small kitchen table, handing the bottle of water. "Cheers," he said with a small smile.
She tapped her bottle against his, then asked, "What are we toasting to?"
"I don't know, Liv," Elliot replied. "New starts, I guess."
"Sounds good to me," she said, tipping her bottle towards him again before taking a long drink. "I could really use a beer right now," Olivia sighed, looking longingly at Elliot's bottle.
"I know, Liv," Elliot said sympathetically, his eyes moving toward the cast on her arm. "You don't want to mix pain pills and alcohol, though."
"Yeah, I know," Olivia muttered. "This thing sucks. I can't drink alcohol as long as I'm taking the pills, I can't soak in the tub, I can't drive, and probably a whole bunch of other things I haven't thought of yet."
"I know, Liv... Dickie broke his leg and the poor kid seemed like he was going to go crazy." Pain filled his eyes at the mention of his son, but he quickly continued, "But at least you can still work on the street."
"Yeah, I know."
"And at least you're okay."
"Yeah."
"At least it's not the arm you write with. You can still do paperwork."
"And that's good because...?"
"I don't have to do as much," Elliot said, his attempt at an innocent smile nearly melting her heart.
"Shut up Stabler," Olivia said with a grin, "Or you'll be sleeping on the floor."
Elliot smiled back, concentrating on his dinner. After a few minutes, he glanced at Olivia, somewhat surprised to see her head drooping, her fork held loosely in her fingers.
Standing up, Elliot walked around the table to Olivia, standing behind her. "Liv, come on. Let's go to bed."
"I think the pain pills are taking effect," Olivia said deliriously, leaning against Elliot.
"Yeah, me too," Elliot said, balancing Olivia against his chest. "Come on, honey, work with me," he muttered, struggling to hold her upright.
"Can't..." Olivia muttered, leaning even more on him.
Elliot thought for a second, then reached down and swung her legs up. "I'm probably lucky you're half loopy now," Elliot whispered, sliding an arm across her back to secure his grip on her, "Or you'd be kicking my ass."
He received no spoken reply, only felt her head rest against his chest. Elliot smiled to himself, enjoying the feel of Olivia in his arms. He glanced at the boxes on the counter, choosing to ignore them for now as well as the empty plates on the table.
"Let's get you to bed," Elliot murmured against her hair, carrying her easily to the bedroom and setting her down on the large bed. Elliot smirked at her unmade bed, laughing to himself at his usually neat partner's mussed bedspread. He gently laid her head against the pillow, taking care as he removed her sling and set in on her nightstand. Her arm slid off her chest and hit the sheets gently.
Elliot reached down and took off her black shoes, settling them by the closet. He debated whether or not to put her in her pajamas, but chose not to out of fear of getting beat up in the morning. He didn't even want to think about how she would react if she was in her pajamas when she woke up. Instead, he tugged at her sweater, pulling off the item carefully before placing it in her clothes hamper, leaving her in her black pants, blue shirt, and socks. He sat on the edge of the bed, taking her right hand in his hands. He bent down, kissing her softly on the forehead. "Night, Liv," Elliot whispered, standing up to leave.
Elliot was caught by surprise when Olivia gripped his hand tightly. "Stay," she muttered, tugging at his hand weakly.
He obeyed, settling on the edge of her bed once again. He attempted to move his hand, only to have Olivia grip it even tighter. "Okay, okay, I get the point," Elliot said softly, knowing that Olivia was out of it and couldn't understand him. He kicked off his shoes and pushed them to the side with his toe. Using one hand, he tugged off his tie, tossing it to the side. He unbuttoned his shirt, shrugging his arm out of the one side.
Elliot glanced at Olivia, then whispered, "Liv, I need to take my shirt off but I can't do it if you're gripping my hand." She seemed to comprehend this and let go if his hand, confident in her delirious state that he wasn't going anywhere. Elliot quickly stripped off his shirt, his body reveling when the cool night air hit his bare arms. He tugged at the front of his undershirt, relieved to be stripped of the sticky material of his dress shirt.
He heard Olivia whimper softly, and he realized that his partner was probably wondering where he was. "I'm right here, Liv," Elliot whispered, moving swiftly to lay next to her. Elliot hesitated slightly before draping an arm across the pillow behind her, her head resting in the crook of his elbow. He placed an arm across her abdomen, pulling her gently to his body.
Unconsciously, Olivia draped her leg across his calves and brought her right arm up to rest across his chest. Elliot stroked her hair affectionately, closing his eyes and enjoying the feel of her even breaths against his bicep.
Elliot drifted off to sleep, his last thought that he could get used to sleeping with Olivia in his arms.
~/~
The shrill ringing of her phone startled Olivia out of her deep sleep. She grumbled softly, not wanting to move out of the warm embrace of her partner. Olivia wasn't sure why they were sleeping in the same bed but she wasn't going to complain either.
The phone rang again and she pulled away from Elliot, the man not even stirring at her movements. She grabbed the phone and answered groggily, "Benson."
"Good morning, Detective." Olivia snapped completely awake, her eyes darting to the clock by her bed. 6:27 AM. She recognized the voice right away.
"Wald," she stated, her anger evident in her voice.
"How's the arm?" the perpetrator asked casually.
"As good as it could be considering you hit me in the wrist with a metal pipe," Olivia answered. Hearing no response, she asked, "What the hell do you want?"
"It's not what I want, Detective. It's what you want."
"And what is that?" Olivia pressed.
"You want me. You want my ass on a stick. You want to face me one on one."
"Yeah, well, it's not a fair fight considering you broke my wrist."
"Well, I'm willing to meet you, Detective."
"Do you honestly think I believe you?" Olivia asked, glancing at her still sleeping partner.
"You should, Detective. After all, I have a pretty young thing here. If you don't meet me in an hour, I'm sure she'd love having sex with Jesus Christ."
"You are one sick son of a bitch, Wald," Olivia hissed.
"You sure have a smart mouth, Detective," Wald replied.
"How do I even know you have a hostage?" Olivia asked, suspicion filling her body when she realized this could be a trap.
Wald was silent for a second, and Olivia heard the soft clunk as the phone hit a floor. She heard the sound of a hand hitting flesh, immediately followed by a woman's whimper.
"I get your point, Wald," she hissed into the phone when he heard Wald hitting the woman again. "Stop!"
"Believe me now, Detective?"
"Shut your fucking mouth, Wald, and tell me where you are."
"I'm in the abandoned apartment building on 5th and Broadway."
"Where you dumped your victims."
"You know the place."
"Wald, I swear to God I am going to make you regret being alive."
"You can't make me regret being alive," Wald said softly.
"And why the hell is that?"
"Because I am God."
The click of the phone sounded in her ear, and Olivia hung up her phone slowly. She stumbled out of bed, looking at the sleeping form of her partner. She didn't want anything to happen to him yet she knew he would be royally pissed if she went into a dangerous situation by herself.
"Aw, hell," she said aloud, leaning across the bed to shake Elliot's shoulder.
He mumbled in protest, rolling over so his back was to her.
"Elliot, I need you to wake up," Olivia commanded, shaking his shoulder harder. He still ignored her and Olivia said loudly, "Unless you want me to go talk to Wald alone I suggest you get your ass out of bed."
Elliot sat up, the words finally registering. "Did they catch him?" Elliot asked, his eyes bleary as he rolled over, falling out of the bed.
Olivia nearly laughed at his clumsiness and said, "No, he just called me."
"And you didn't wake me?" Elliot nearly screeched, standing up and cursing when he couldn't get his shoe on.
"You're lucky I did wake you at all. Wald wants me to meet him in an abandoned apartment building."
"What? Olivia, no!"
"Elliot, I have to. He has a hostage," she said softly, tugging off her blue shirt. Elliot was speechless at the swift movement that left her only in a lacy white bra.
"Well, you're going to end up hostage as well," Elliot managed to say as she pulled on another shirt.
"Why do you think I woke you? I need your help."
Elliot softened at her plea. "Okay, Liv. But I'm going in there with you."
"I wouldn't expect anything less," Olivia replied, crossing the room. She cupped his cheek in her hand and stroked his jaw with her thumb. Ignoring the voice telling her not to, Olivia moved forward and kissed him gently. "We have a lot to talk about once this is over," she whispered against his lips.
"I know," Elliot replied, dazed as she pulled away.
Olivia walked out of the room, calling over her shoulder, "By the way, you're trying to put the left shoe on your right foot."
Elliot looked down sheepishly at his foot, seeing she was right. He couldn't help but smile despite the obviously dangerous situation they were about to enter.
~/~
End Part 8
"It's okay, Elliot. You've been in my home before," Olivia said softly.
"I know, Liv," Elliot said with a sigh. He forced his legs to move, walking into her kitchen to set the bag of Chinese food on her counter. 'Thank God for 24 hour Chinese food places,' Elliot thought wryly as he caught a glance at the clock on her microwave. It was almost three AM. He walked back into the living room, shrugging his coat off and placing it in the closet.
"Do you want anything to drink?" Olivia called from the kitchen. "I've got water, ice tea, a dusty can of diet Sprite, or beer."
"It's definitely a beer night," Elliot said with a sigh, walking back into the kitchen, seeing Olivia struggling to open the Chinese food box with her good hand. It was obviously a losing battle and Elliot could tell the box was about to be hurled across the room.
"Liv, let me help you," Elliot said, closing his hand over hers. He gently guided her hand away, squeezing it gently before turning his attention to the flaps on the box.
Olivia moved back, leaning against her counter. "I'm a lousy hostess," she said with a sigh.
"I think you have a good excuse," Elliot said with a small chuckle, using a fork to dish out some rice on two plates. He opened another box, dishing out beef and broccoli.
"Yeah, well, it still sucks," Olivia said grumpily, moving away from the counter to turn to her refrigerator, opening the door and grabbing a bottle of beer and a bottle of water. "I'm not even going to attempt to open these things," she told Elliot, sliding one bottle across the counter, followed by the other.
"Smart move," Elliot said lightly, finding a bottle opener and popping off the lid to the beer and twisting off the cap of the water. He handed Olivia a plate of food before grabbing his own and picking up the two bottles by the necks. He walked behind her to the small kitchen table, handing the bottle of water. "Cheers," he said with a small smile.
She tapped her bottle against his, then asked, "What are we toasting to?"
"I don't know, Liv," Elliot replied. "New starts, I guess."
"Sounds good to me," she said, tipping her bottle towards him again before taking a long drink. "I could really use a beer right now," Olivia sighed, looking longingly at Elliot's bottle.
"I know, Liv," Elliot said sympathetically, his eyes moving toward the cast on her arm. "You don't want to mix pain pills and alcohol, though."
"Yeah, I know," Olivia muttered. "This thing sucks. I can't drink alcohol as long as I'm taking the pills, I can't soak in the tub, I can't drive, and probably a whole bunch of other things I haven't thought of yet."
"I know, Liv... Dickie broke his leg and the poor kid seemed like he was going to go crazy." Pain filled his eyes at the mention of his son, but he quickly continued, "But at least you can still work on the street."
"Yeah, I know."
"And at least you're okay."
"Yeah."
"At least it's not the arm you write with. You can still do paperwork."
"And that's good because...?"
"I don't have to do as much," Elliot said, his attempt at an innocent smile nearly melting her heart.
"Shut up Stabler," Olivia said with a grin, "Or you'll be sleeping on the floor."
Elliot smiled back, concentrating on his dinner. After a few minutes, he glanced at Olivia, somewhat surprised to see her head drooping, her fork held loosely in her fingers.
Standing up, Elliot walked around the table to Olivia, standing behind her. "Liv, come on. Let's go to bed."
"I think the pain pills are taking effect," Olivia said deliriously, leaning against Elliot.
"Yeah, me too," Elliot said, balancing Olivia against his chest. "Come on, honey, work with me," he muttered, struggling to hold her upright.
"Can't..." Olivia muttered, leaning even more on him.
Elliot thought for a second, then reached down and swung her legs up. "I'm probably lucky you're half loopy now," Elliot whispered, sliding an arm across her back to secure his grip on her, "Or you'd be kicking my ass."
He received no spoken reply, only felt her head rest against his chest. Elliot smiled to himself, enjoying the feel of Olivia in his arms. He glanced at the boxes on the counter, choosing to ignore them for now as well as the empty plates on the table.
"Let's get you to bed," Elliot murmured against her hair, carrying her easily to the bedroom and setting her down on the large bed. Elliot smirked at her unmade bed, laughing to himself at his usually neat partner's mussed bedspread. He gently laid her head against the pillow, taking care as he removed her sling and set in on her nightstand. Her arm slid off her chest and hit the sheets gently.
Elliot reached down and took off her black shoes, settling them by the closet. He debated whether or not to put her in her pajamas, but chose not to out of fear of getting beat up in the morning. He didn't even want to think about how she would react if she was in her pajamas when she woke up. Instead, he tugged at her sweater, pulling off the item carefully before placing it in her clothes hamper, leaving her in her black pants, blue shirt, and socks. He sat on the edge of the bed, taking her right hand in his hands. He bent down, kissing her softly on the forehead. "Night, Liv," Elliot whispered, standing up to leave.
Elliot was caught by surprise when Olivia gripped his hand tightly. "Stay," she muttered, tugging at his hand weakly.
He obeyed, settling on the edge of her bed once again. He attempted to move his hand, only to have Olivia grip it even tighter. "Okay, okay, I get the point," Elliot said softly, knowing that Olivia was out of it and couldn't understand him. He kicked off his shoes and pushed them to the side with his toe. Using one hand, he tugged off his tie, tossing it to the side. He unbuttoned his shirt, shrugging his arm out of the one side.
Elliot glanced at Olivia, then whispered, "Liv, I need to take my shirt off but I can't do it if you're gripping my hand." She seemed to comprehend this and let go if his hand, confident in her delirious state that he wasn't going anywhere. Elliot quickly stripped off his shirt, his body reveling when the cool night air hit his bare arms. He tugged at the front of his undershirt, relieved to be stripped of the sticky material of his dress shirt.
He heard Olivia whimper softly, and he realized that his partner was probably wondering where he was. "I'm right here, Liv," Elliot whispered, moving swiftly to lay next to her. Elliot hesitated slightly before draping an arm across the pillow behind her, her head resting in the crook of his elbow. He placed an arm across her abdomen, pulling her gently to his body.
Unconsciously, Olivia draped her leg across his calves and brought her right arm up to rest across his chest. Elliot stroked her hair affectionately, closing his eyes and enjoying the feel of her even breaths against his bicep.
Elliot drifted off to sleep, his last thought that he could get used to sleeping with Olivia in his arms.
~/~
The shrill ringing of her phone startled Olivia out of her deep sleep. She grumbled softly, not wanting to move out of the warm embrace of her partner. Olivia wasn't sure why they were sleeping in the same bed but she wasn't going to complain either.
The phone rang again and she pulled away from Elliot, the man not even stirring at her movements. She grabbed the phone and answered groggily, "Benson."
"Good morning, Detective." Olivia snapped completely awake, her eyes darting to the clock by her bed. 6:27 AM. She recognized the voice right away.
"Wald," she stated, her anger evident in her voice.
"How's the arm?" the perpetrator asked casually.
"As good as it could be considering you hit me in the wrist with a metal pipe," Olivia answered. Hearing no response, she asked, "What the hell do you want?"
"It's not what I want, Detective. It's what you want."
"And what is that?" Olivia pressed.
"You want me. You want my ass on a stick. You want to face me one on one."
"Yeah, well, it's not a fair fight considering you broke my wrist."
"Well, I'm willing to meet you, Detective."
"Do you honestly think I believe you?" Olivia asked, glancing at her still sleeping partner.
"You should, Detective. After all, I have a pretty young thing here. If you don't meet me in an hour, I'm sure she'd love having sex with Jesus Christ."
"You are one sick son of a bitch, Wald," Olivia hissed.
"You sure have a smart mouth, Detective," Wald replied.
"How do I even know you have a hostage?" Olivia asked, suspicion filling her body when she realized this could be a trap.
Wald was silent for a second, and Olivia heard the soft clunk as the phone hit a floor. She heard the sound of a hand hitting flesh, immediately followed by a woman's whimper.
"I get your point, Wald," she hissed into the phone when he heard Wald hitting the woman again. "Stop!"
"Believe me now, Detective?"
"Shut your fucking mouth, Wald, and tell me where you are."
"I'm in the abandoned apartment building on 5th and Broadway."
"Where you dumped your victims."
"You know the place."
"Wald, I swear to God I am going to make you regret being alive."
"You can't make me regret being alive," Wald said softly.
"And why the hell is that?"
"Because I am God."
The click of the phone sounded in her ear, and Olivia hung up her phone slowly. She stumbled out of bed, looking at the sleeping form of her partner. She didn't want anything to happen to him yet she knew he would be royally pissed if she went into a dangerous situation by herself.
"Aw, hell," she said aloud, leaning across the bed to shake Elliot's shoulder.
He mumbled in protest, rolling over so his back was to her.
"Elliot, I need you to wake up," Olivia commanded, shaking his shoulder harder. He still ignored her and Olivia said loudly, "Unless you want me to go talk to Wald alone I suggest you get your ass out of bed."
Elliot sat up, the words finally registering. "Did they catch him?" Elliot asked, his eyes bleary as he rolled over, falling out of the bed.
Olivia nearly laughed at his clumsiness and said, "No, he just called me."
"And you didn't wake me?" Elliot nearly screeched, standing up and cursing when he couldn't get his shoe on.
"You're lucky I did wake you at all. Wald wants me to meet him in an abandoned apartment building."
"What? Olivia, no!"
"Elliot, I have to. He has a hostage," she said softly, tugging off her blue shirt. Elliot was speechless at the swift movement that left her only in a lacy white bra.
"Well, you're going to end up hostage as well," Elliot managed to say as she pulled on another shirt.
"Why do you think I woke you? I need your help."
Elliot softened at her plea. "Okay, Liv. But I'm going in there with you."
"I wouldn't expect anything less," Olivia replied, crossing the room. She cupped his cheek in her hand and stroked his jaw with her thumb. Ignoring the voice telling her not to, Olivia moved forward and kissed him gently. "We have a lot to talk about once this is over," she whispered against his lips.
"I know," Elliot replied, dazed as she pulled away.
Olivia walked out of the room, calling over her shoulder, "By the way, you're trying to put the left shoe on your right foot."
Elliot looked down sheepishly at his foot, seeing she was right. He couldn't help but smile despite the obviously dangerous situation they were about to enter.
~/~
End Part 8