A/N- Ok, its just a short little fic. …kinda fluffy I know, but I really tried to make it as serious as possible while still sounding cute!
Disclaimer- I don't own Law and Order SVU, Dick Wolf does, and unless he miraculously decides to give the show and characters to me….they still belong to him….(sigh)….oh, and the song 'You and Me' still belongs to Lifehouse.
"Never pretend to a love you do not actually feel, for love is ours to command." Alan Watts
You and MeWhen you have something that had been distant for so long, suddenly come so close….you can feel it. You can feel your heart stop. You can fell your eyes slowly start to water. You can feel your breath escape your lungs.
That's exactly how Detective Olivia Benson felt as her six-year partner slowly approached her from the other side of the quite elegant room. It was that most dreaded part of the year again. The annual New York City Service Dinner, (I really don't know if there is one!) basically it was a formal dinner/dance, which a whole bunch of wound up New York politicians and union workers attended. Well maybe the word 'attended' isn't right; it's more like 'forced to come by your bosses'. She still can't believe she came, I mean this morning she was just joking about it with Elliot.
Captain Cragen stepped out of his office with a grim look plastered to his face and slowly made his way over to his Detectives. "Got another case Captain?" said Elliot eagerly. "No," Cragen sighed "But I hope your not planning anything for the fourteenth."
"Why?" said Olivia curious.
"I know why," said Munch blandly.
"Yeah, its that boring service dinner again, isn't it?" Fin finished.
"Yes, and your all cordially forced to attend." Said Cragen sarcastically. As he gave them all the invites and walked back into his office exasperated.
After a while of sitting there in silence, Elliot asked, "So, are you going?"
Olivia smiled and said with a laugh, "I think we kind of have too."
"Unfortunately," Munch mumbled.
"Maybe it won't be that bad," said Elliot as he was given skeptical looks from his fellow detectives, "I mean all you have to do is show up, shake a few hands, and make mindless small talk for an hour or two." Said Elliot with a large grin plastered to his face as everyone chuckled at the simplicity of his theory.
Olivia smiled as she remembered how funny it was then, but she forgot the one part that wasn't so funny, dancing. Its not like she had never danced with her partner before but something was different about him tonight? Some thing that made her stare in awe every time her eyes grazed his face. Maybe it was the fact that he looked absolutely stunning in his tux, or maybe it was that carefree smile he had on tonight? He looked so happy, like for once in his life he wasn't focusing on crazed pedophiles or there scared victims.
"Hey," Elliot said smoothly as he walked up to his equally gorgeous partner, dressed in a strapless, red, satin dress that crossed at the back.
"Hey yourself looks like you've been having a lot of fun." Said Olivia with a nervous
smile as she tilted her gaze downward.
"Yeah well it seems this parties not half as boring as I thought it would be." Said Elliot with a grin as he remembered his various dances with some of his rather beautiful colleges.
Why did she feel like this around him? Her hands were sweaty and she felt like she was going to through up. She felt like some stupid love struck teenager again, trying to ask a guy to dance. She must have looked like a tight ball of nerves ready to explode, from a distance.
After a moment of silence Elliot asked, "So, are you having any fun?"
"Well besides seeing Munch spill punch all over himself, nothing really much has happened," said Olivia with a chuckle.
"I bet he just did that to have a reason to go home," said Elliot as he laughed with Olivia.
Elliot had been avoiding this question for a while and it probably was a dump idea to ask, but she couldn't help it, "Hey Elliot," said Olivia in a bit more serious tone, "Are you ok, you know…with your divorce and everything?" she asked meekly.
Elliot's face grimaced as he tilted his head toward the bright yellow lights covering the ceiling, and sighed. "Its ok, I'm dealing with it…we were only staying together for our kids anyway…" Elliot said with a frown.
"But… there's more, isn't there?" Olivia asked.
"How'd you know?" Elliot asked curious.
A small smile graced Olivia's face as she said, "I've been your partner for six years, and I think I know a bit about you by now."
Elliot decided not to beat around the bush, it would be easier that way. I mean I guess he owed her the truth after pushing her away the last couple of months. "She accused me of having an affair with you and walked out." Said Elliot, plain and simple.
Olivia was shocked; she didn't know what to say to him, if she could say anything at all. She finally understood why he had been so distant lately; being around her would only remind him of his shattered marriage and his torn kids. "Elliot…I'm so …sorry." Olivia said as she laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. She could go offer to talk to Kathy, but she knew that that would only make matters worse. And when Kathy made up her mind, she stuck to it so there's no possibility of return and that's what crushed Elliot the most. Forever lost from his kids and ex-wife. Of course he had visitation rights with the kids, but it would never be the same.
"Don't worry Liv, the marriage was moving like a slow train wreck for years now." Said Elliot.
"Yeah, but I still feel guilty as hell." Said Olivia staring down at her feet in embarrassment.
"Please it ok," said Elliot gently. What he said next was totally out of impulse and he probably shouldn't have said it at all, but he really wanted to get off of this topic. "You want to dance?" asked Elliot hopefully, holding out his hand as a brand new slow song started.
Olivia, a bit taken back at first by the randomness of the question, gracefully accepted his hand as the music started to softly play.
What day is it
and in what month
this clock never seemed so alive
I can't keep up
and I can't back down
I've been losing so much time
As Elliot swiftly glided her to that middle of the dance floor as she warped her arms around his neck, intertwining her fingers behind his neck and brought him closer. At the same time he placed two loving hands on her hips as they slowly swayed, losing themselves in the music's moment.
They danced in silence for a moment enjoying each other's company before Olivia asked him a question, "Hey Elliot," she said with a spaced out look, staring in the direction of the other dancers, "Do you believe in fate?" Olivia asked tilting her head upward to gaze in to his crystal blue eyes.
Cause it's you and me and all of the people
with nothing to do
nothing to lose
and it's you and me and all of the people
and I don't know why
I can't keep my eyes off of you
Elliot's brow furrowed as he asked, curious to her question, "You mean like destiny?"
"Yeah," she said confidentially, "Like the saying, 'everything happens for a reason,'"
"Well before I answer, please tell me, shy the sudden 'deepness,'" Elliot asked sarcastically. Olivia looked down at her shoes and quietly said, "I've just been thinking about the victims that come into our precinct everyday, about how cruel fate must have been to put something as vile as rape into their future," Olivia whispered as tears brimmed her eyes.
All of the things that I want to say
just aren't coming out right
I'm tripping inwards
you got my head spinning
I don't know where to go from here
Elliot put on a loving smile and put a gentle hand on her chin to lift her head up, "Yeah, I guess fate can be harsh sometimes," he said softly, "But sometimes out of fate's mistakes come the most beautiful triumphs,"
"Like what?" asked Olivia, with a depressing sigh.
"Like you." Said Elliot as he gazed into her huge chocolate brown eyes.
Cause it's you and me and all of the people
with nothing to do
nothing to prove
and it's you and me and all of the people
and I don't know why
I can't keep my eyes off of you
That was it he had just broken an invisible wall that was never meant to be broken, or so everyone thought. Why did Elliot have to cross that line? With just two words he made her life all the more complicated. With his second of relaxation and comfort of not worrying about rule and regulations, he just jeopardized their partnership and everything it stood for, professionalism. "Elliot please, don't go there," she whispered, her eyes still locked with his. "Why not," he said with a carefree smile, "It's the truth isn't it?"
There's something about you now
I can't quite figure out
everything she does is beautiful
everything she does is right
What was wrong with him tonight? He seemed so in the moment, like nothing else mattered except the 'here' and 'now'. His six-year longing was blinding him to the consequences of tomorrow. "El your obviously too drunk," said Olivia, her common reasoning kicking in, "You don't know what your saying." Olivia said almost trying to convince herself that he didn't mean it. "That's where your wrong Olivia," said Elliot never breaking contact with her eyes, fearing he might break the connection, "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."
You and me and all of the people
with nothing to do
nothing to lose
and it's you and me and all of the people
and I don't know why
I can't keep my eyes off of you
Olivia was in too much shock to speak. "You know, when Kathy left I didn't even try to stop her because in a sense, she was right. I was having an affair with you maybe not physically, but emotionally…" Elliot began to say but Olivia interrupted him, "Elliot please…don't," she whispered hoarsely. But that wasn't going to stop him, he was on a roll finally confessing what he had wanted to say for six years, "I've never been more in love with you." He finished.
You and me and all of the people
with nothing to do
nothing to prove
and it's you and me and all of the people
and I don't know why
I can't keep my eyes off of you
Olivia was awe struck by what he just said. Did he just confess his love to her? She slowly unwrapped her arms from around his neck and silently started to back away from the man she had always adored. She needed some time to think about what had just happened, but concluding from what happened next Elliot wasn't going to give her that time.
What day is it
and in what month
this clock never seemed so alive
As she quietly turned to walk away, she felt a soft but warm grip grab her wrist and turn her around to meet in a gentle kiss. She was in complete surprise by his eager approach, but she soon adjusted to the kiss as she accepted it and wrapped her arms lovingly around his neck. Elliot also placed his hands around her waist as they deepened the kiss. After a second or two they both pulled away to gaze deeply into each other's eyes. And for that second there was just them, no rules, no regulations, no tomorrow, just today. And for today there was just them.
A/N- So anyway please review! I LOVE reviews! But please….no flames!
Yours till Evil Snowmen kill me,
Truly Insane