The Next Morning
Elliot's
Apartment
A cell phone rang early the next morning. Elliot groaned and reached over to his bedside table. He rummaged around, knocking some things down before grabbing his cell phone. He didn't open his eyes as he brought the cell phone to his ear. "Hello?" He asked sleepily.
"Elliot, it's Cragen," the voice said.
"Umpf," Elliot said, sitting up. "Yeah…I'm here," he said grumpily.
"Is Olivia there too?" Cragen asked.
"Yeah…she's still sleeping," Elliot said as he looked over at his alarm clock. "Why the hell are you calling me at 6 in the morning?" He asked Cragen.
"We're getting an early start on the case this morning. Casey pulled quite a few strings last night, and somehow managed to get Clay arraigned. He's in jail, with no bail. Casey and I are going to need to come and get Olivia's statement soon," Cragen to Elliot.
"Yeah…of course. But can it wait a day or two? I don't know if she's up to that yet," Elliot said protectively.
"Sure…do you think she's up for visitors today?" Cragen asked.
Elliot sighed. "I don't know Cap…I guess it would be okay if just the four of you came by; you Casey and the boys. But just don't mention any of this…the case and everything I mean. I don't want to stress Liv out," he said.
"Yeah, okay. Well, I'm gonna give you the week off since it looks like you're going to be her caretaker. Don't worry about anything; just make sure Olivia gets better. I'll call before we come by," Cragen said before he hung up.
Elliot closed his cell phone and put it back on the dresser. He lay back down and turned over in bed. He was startled to find two chocolate brown eyes staring lazily back at him.
"Morning," Elliot said, smiling.
"Too early," Olivia said yawning.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" Elliot asked her.
"No, technically Cragen did. What he say?" Olivia asked curiously.
"He just wanted to know how you were. He gave me the week off to take care of you," Elliot told her.
"You don't have to do that," Olivia told him.
"I want to," Elliot replied. "I'm gonna make sure you're as good as new," Elliot said yawning. "Why don't we get some more sleep, since neither of us can or has to go in today," he said. "How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Incredibly sore," Olivia said honestly.
Elliot nodded and scooted closer to her. Olivia put her head on his chest and closed her eyes. Elliot smiled. "Night Liv," he said.
"Night El," she replied before she fell asleep smiling.
Elliot's Apartment
10 O'clock that Morning
Olivia woke up around 10 o'clock and yawned widely. She winced in pain and curled up into a ball. Her body hurt, and she didn't want to move. She turned her head and saw that Elliot wasn't in bed anymore. "El…" she called out for him.
The bedroom door opened and Elliot hurried in. "You okay Liv?" He asked, concerned about her.
Olivia smiled at him weakly. "Just didn't know where you were," she explained.
Elliot nodded and sat down beside her on the bed. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I don't want to move," she told him.
Elliot smiled sympathetically and lay his hand on her cheek. "Is there anything I can get you?"
"One of those pain pills would be nice," Olivia said.
Elliot got up. "Sure, I'll be right back he said as he went out into the kitchen.
Olivia sighed. Her body hurt right now, but the emotional effects hadn't quite hit her yet.
Elliot came back in a few minutes later carrying a steaming plate of food. "Bacon, eggs, toast, orange juice, coffee, and a pain pill," Elliot said as he sat down next to her and held the tray in his lap.
Olivia raised an eyebrow at him. "You cooked for me Stabler?"
Elliot glared playfully at her. "I'm no worse than you are," he shot back.
"Fair enough," Olivia said. "Feed me Stabler," she ordered as she lay her head back on the pillow and opened her mouth.
Elliot laughed loudly. "Only this once, and only because you're in no condition to move. But never again," Elliot said as he put a forkful of scrambled eggs into her mouth.
Olivia gave him a wide smile full of eggs, to which Elliot responded by pretending to gag.
After breakfast, Olivia called her doctor. The doctor told her that she needed to take a bath to clean off her wounds so they wouldn't get infected.
Olivia sighed after she hung up.
"What is it?" Elliot asked.
"I have to take a bath," she replied grumpily.
"When have you ever had to complain about taking a bath?" Elliot teased her.
"Well you try laying in a bathtub trying to wash your back and your hair when you can barely move," Olivia retorted.
Elliot held up his hands in defeat. "Do you have to take one?" Elliot asked.
Olivia nodded. "The doctor doesn't want my 'wounds' to get infected," Olivia explained.
Elliot nodded. "Well… I guess I could help you…I mean you can't do it yourself can you?" He asked quietly.
Olivia shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I mean I guess…yeah, I'll need some help," Olivia said embarrassed. "But I mean, I can always call Casey to come over," she said.
Elliot shook his head. "It doesn't matter to me. I mean I don't want you to get an infection, so I guess the sooner you do it the better…I'll help you," he offered.
Olivia nodded. "Okay…sure," she said.
"I'll go turn the water on, here's a towel," he said as he offered her a towel.
Olivia took the towel and pulled her 'pajamas' off. She put the towel around her and walked into the bathroom with the towel around her. She sighed a sigh of relief when she saw that Elliot had been considerate enough to put bubbles in her bath.
Elliot turned the faucet off and stood up. He rubbed his hand on his head. This was going to be awkward. "How do you want to do this?" He asked her.
Olivia shrugged. "Um, well, I guess you can turn around and I'll get into the tub," she said embarrassed.
Elliot nodded and turned so his back was towards her. Olivia got into the tub as quickly as she could and hid her body under the bubbles. "You can turn around now," she said as she closed her eyes, trying to relax.
Elliot turned around and sat down on the floor beside the tub, leaning against the wall. All he could see was Olivia's head, but that was probably a good thing. "Do you need anything?" He asked her awkwardly.
"Well I guess you could wash my back, and then you can leave…I mean that's the only thing I need help with," she told him, blushing.
Elliot nodded. "Okay…well then turn your back to me," he told her.
Olivia maneuvered her body around in the tub, and sat up, her back to Elliot. She didn't say anything, for she was too embarrassed.
Elliot soaped up the washcloth and began to slowly and gently wash Olivia's back. His cheeks started heating up, and he could feel his arousal growing.
Olivia closed her eyes as a warm feeling entered her body. "It felt so nice to have Elliot wash me," she thought before erasing that thought from her head. She shouldn't be thinking like that! Elliot was her partner, nothing else.
When Elliot was done, he got up quickly and went into the living room to let Olivia finish washing herself. He paced in the living room, wringing his hands as he reprimanded himself for getting so aroused while he was washing her. A moment later, the doorbell rang. Elliot put his hands in his pockets and opened the door.
"Elliot," Captain Cragen greeted him as he and Casey Novak came inside the apartment.
Elliot smiled weakly and welcomed them inside. Cragen sensed that Elliot was distressed, so he told Casey to go find Olivia.
"Where is she?" Casey asked Elliot.
"She's in the bathroom trying to wash up, maybe you can help her," Elliot suggested.
Casey nodded and went in to find Olivia.
Cragen sat down on the couch and Elliot finally took his hands out of his pockets and sat down as well. Cragen raised an eyebrow at Elliot. "What's going on?" Cragen asked him. "You don't look so good," he observed.
"I'm just worried about Liv," Elliot said, not exactly lying.
Cragen nodded. "Well…if you need anything, don't hesitate to let me know. How is she doing?"
Elliot shrugged. "I don't know if the whole thing has hit her yet. I mean, she hasn't shown any emotional signs that most people would after going through this. I think she's just trying to forget about it…maybe bottling everything up inside. I'm not sure," Elliot said truthfully.
Cragen nodded again. "Well, it happens. But just let her know that you're there for her, and talk to her, so that if she does breakdown, she'll have someone she trusts to lean on," he said wisely.
Elliot nodded. "Yeah, that's what I'm trying to do. I've been helping her out a lot…but some things…" Elliot trailed off as he shook his head.
"Are you uncomfortable with her staying here?" Cragen asked. "Because I'm sure Casey could take her in," he offered.
Elliot shook his head fiercely. "No, no, that's not it. I want her to stay here. She's my best friend. I want to take care of her," he said.
"If that's not it, then what is?" Cragen asked.
Elliot shook his head, and didn't say anything.
Cragen sighed. "Elliot I'm here as your friend, not as your boss," Cragen said.
Elliot looked at Cragen. "It's just…last night, she couldn't change her clothes, and I had to help her. Today, she had to take a bath, and I had to help wash her back," Elliot told him uncomfortably. "And I just got this feeling inside…this warm feeling," Elliot explained. "And I know it was wrong of me…and I don't know why it happen, but I…I…you know…" Elliot said embarrassed.
Cragen nodded. "You were attracted to her," Cragen said, understanding what he meant.
"Yeah…" Elliot said.
"Well…just take care of her, and let her know you're there for her…that's what she needs right now," Cragen said.
Elliot nodded. "Thanks Cap," he said.
In the bedroom, Casey was helping Olivia get dressed. "So Elliot was helping you bathe?" Casey asked curiously.
Olivia blushed and nodded. "I couldn't do it by myself," she explained.
Casey raised an eyebrow. "Oh of course not…but you didn't want to either," she teased, her eyes shining.
Olivia playfully glared at her. "I did not say that!" She said as she got back into bed.
"You didn't have to," Casey said sitting on the edge of the bed. "You are so obvious," she said laughing.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Olivia lied.
Casey rolled her eyes and smiled. "Well…then it will be just our little secret," she told Olivia.
"Fine," Olivia said as she crossed her arms and pretended to be angry.
Casey laughed and gave Olivia a hug. "Well, I've got to get back to work. We'll be by later," she told her.
Olivia nodded. "Thanks for coming."
After Cragen and Casey left, Elliot came back into the bedroom to find Olivia resting her eyes. He sat down on the bed beside her and watched her rest. He sighed as his thoughts returned to Olivia. "The Captain was right, I am attracted to her. But maybe I shouldn't be. I mean, she probably isn't even attracted to me. We're just best friends, partners. And the last thing she needs right now is to be in a relationship," Elliot told himself as he sighed again.
Olivia popped one eye open and looked at Elliot. He was too deep into his thoughts and watching her to notice that she was looking at him. Elliot blinked and Olivia shut her eye quickly. Elliot placed his hand gently on Olivia's shoulder. He held it there for a second before lifting it to move a lock of hair from her face, and lovingly tucking it behind her ear. He got out of bed and walked out into the living room, confused.
Olivia rolled over in bed and opened her eyes. She couldn't deny the heat that tingled through her body when Elliot touched her. But she didn't know what to do about it. So she rolled over and tried to rest her tired body.
