Benson came in the next day with a shameless smile. She couldn't get it off her face, and Stabler felt terrible about seeing her so happy.
"Morning" She said happily to Munch as she walked by.
"You're happy" He commented.
"And I have a reason to be" she smirked as she walked away, Munch raised his eyebrows. She went to Cragen's office and shut the door behind her. Stabler and Fin looked at each other a few times, waiting for Benson to come back out. She finally finished and started to walk off.
"Liv, where you going?" Stabler jumped up when he noticed she wasn't going to stay.
"Oh, Cragen let me have the day off" Benson smiled.
"Why?" she asked.
"Well… I mean, we were working on that case you know." He told her.
"We finished it, we can start another tomorrow" she suggested. He didn't know what to say and she turned to walk off when he jumped in front of her.
"Elliot. Is something wrong?" she asked a little upset.
"No. I- uh- just thought…" he didn't know what to say.
"I'll be back tomorrow" she smiled.
"You might need a day off yourself" she told him as she headed to the door again.
"Olivia!" he called out.
"Yeah?" she asked as she turned around again.
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"… not that it's any of your business, but John is taking me out" she told him, as she turned around once more.
"Where?" he asked a little wary. She took in a deep breath but just turned her head to the side.
"It's a surprise" she told him before she finally left. Stabler looked up at Fin.
"She'll be fine" Fin reassured him. Stabler nodded, desperately worried about her then went to his desk. He tried to do his work, but couldn't think. Fin couldn't help but watch him, as he fidgeted with things on his desk. He finally stood up and through his jacket on. He headed for the door when he turned around and looked at Stabler.
"Well are you coming or what?" He asked as Munch looked up too. Stabler got his jacket it quickly and went for the door. Before they left Fin called out to Munch.
"Come on" He said. Munch frowned but followed. (Telling Cragen where they had all gone slipped their minds- oh well).
"What's going on?" Munch asked as Stabler started to drive to John's apartment. Fin sat in the back with Munch, and explained on their way. Stabler ran up into John's apartment, while Fin watched the halls, and Munch stayed in the driver's seat.
"See anything?" Fin called out as Stabler looked through the apartment.
"Got it!" he said grabbing a pamphlet of a small ranch not to far out of the city. He grabbed it and ran fast to the car, as Fin rushed to keep up.
A few hours later
Munch pulled over along a dirt road when they saw the ranch. Stabler got out binoculars and saw John's car.
"Their here" he told Munch and Fin. He sat back in his seat, as Fin and Munch looked at him from the front of the car.
"I don't want Olivia to know we're here" Stabler told them.
"It would totally break our trust" he told them. Munch and Fin nodded as Munch got out of the car.
"I'll look around, find out what room their staying in, and all that" he told them, as he ran hunched over, so he wouldn't be spotted.
"Excuse me" he said at the small front desk.
"How can I help you?" a woman asked with a strong southern accent.
"I'm looking for…" he started to take out a picture of Olivia when he saw a woman he recognized.
"Sir?" The woman at the counter asked as Munch walked off. He walked outside to see a small group of people around a man giving lessons on how to ride a horse. Stabler was watching through the binoculars.
"What is he doing!" Stabler shouted as Fin peered through. Munch walked with a deep frown as he approached a woman in the group. He looked at her as his mouth dropped a little.
"John!" a woman said surprised as she stood.
"What are you doing here?" he asked as a man stood up next to her.
"Me and my fiancé come here a lot" she told him.
"I see" He said.
"Who is this?" the other man asked.
"My first husband" she told him. The man gave Munch a nod then sat back down.
"Have you found anyone yet?" She asked as they moved over to the porch not far from the group.
"No" he told her quietly.
"I didn't think so" she commented.
"You know, I thought you were the one" he told her.
"…I was… but that was a long time ago" she looked at him.
"Do you ever wish… it could have worked?" he asked.
"For a long time I did- but we weren't right for each other" she looked away. He nodded then thought she might have seen Benson.
"Oh, hey…" he said as he pulled out the picture.
"Have you seen this woman here?" he asked.
"Oh yeah! She came with some guy a couple hours ago, they went to their room." She told Munch.
"Seen them since?" Munch asked.
"No" she told him.
"Ok, thanks" he told her, remembering he had to help Benson out right now, not reminisce over old times with an old flame.
"It was good seeing you John" she told him.
"Yeah, you too" he told her before she walked back over to the group. He walked back into the lodge and went up the stairs. He didn't know how to find her, when he heard screaming. He hid inside a room that was open, as he watched from a crack.
"What are you doing?" Benson stepped out into the hall and John followed her.
"I thought we could… you know" he smiled.
"Not now" she told him angrily.
"Oh come on" he said sweetly as he stood close to her.
"John…" she couldn't help but smile.
"Come on… you don't have to do a thing" he told her as he lightly nuzzled his nose under her hair and kissed her neck.
"Not now" she smiled as she pulled away.
"Come on, were missing the horse lessons" she told him grabbing his hand and pulling him down the hall. Munch closed his door quickly and waited a few minutes before he started to head back to the car.