Affairs of the Heart

Discalimer: I still don't own them, but I can dream can't I?

Summary: Most EO begin when Elliot and Olivia get together, but what would happen if the relationship soured? Olivia tries to date again, but will Elliot get in the way? Will he be able to be there for her when she needs him the most?

A/N: I got great responses from my trilogy, and I'm hoping to get good ones for this. It doesn't follow that plot, but I still hop that you guys enjoy this one! (I worked so hard get it done and up!)

The Breakup

Olivia stood outside of Elliot's apartment. She couldn't seem to bring herself to knock on the door. She knew what she had come here to tell him, and it killed her, but she had to do it.

As she stood, staring at the closed wooden door, she remembered the past few months.

She and Elliot had started dating shortly after he and Kathy divorced. Neither had planned on this happening, but it had.

Flashback

Elliot was having a difficult time with the divorce. He felt like he had failed with his family. A case he and Olivia were working on was making him feel even more like a failure. He blamed himself for the death of a little girl involved in the case. Olivia had come to this very apartment to check up on him. She had found him sitting in the dark, with his head in his hands; he wasn't doing well at all.

She remembered taking his hand, and telling him that he was a good cop, great father, wonderful man, and her best friend. He looked into her eyes to see if she was telling the truth. The two seemed to get lost in each other's gaze. He was the one who finally kissed her, although she had returned it with just as much passion, if not more. She had excused her self shortly after pulling away from the kiss, and left in a hurry.

Olivia had been able to avoid the situation for about a week before Elliot wanted to talk about it. He finally wore her down, and she agreed to have dinner with him. She had rules about dating the men she worked with, but Elliot convinced her that all rules are meant to be broken. That night he walked her home, and kissed her once again. This time, he didn't let her pull away. She knew that what ever they had, felt right. Elliot didn't go home that night, and ever since the two were almost inseparable.

End flashback

Olivia couldn't believe that she was about to end all they had. She finally knocked on the door, almost inaudibly. Elliot had somehow heard it anyway.

"Hey." He said, a little surprised. Elliot hadn't been expecting her. He also thought it was strange for her to knock. He had given her a key before they even started dating.

He quickly noticed the sullen expression on her face. "What's wrong?" He asked concerned as he opened the door to let Olivia in.

"El" She began in a whisper, "We have to talk."

Elliot's heart sunk when he heard her words. He knew that they never meant good news. "Okay…" He finally answered. "Come on in." He led Olivia over to the couch, and sat down next to her. "What's up?"

"Elliot" Olivia began, looking down at her feet, her voice shaking. "These past few months have been wonderful, but I… I think... we should see other people."

Elliot was shocked by her bluntness. Her words cut straight through his heart. He had never loved anyone as much as he loved the woman sitting in front of him, and now she was breaking his heart. He didn't know what to say. He thought everything was going fine in the relationship. "Liv." He finally managed. "Is this because I broke our date to go ice skating? I mean, Liz got sick, I couldn't take you, and Kathleen, and Maureen, but not her." He offered.

"Elliot." She said, stopping him. "This isn't about that. I just, I think that we were better off as partners and friends. I mean, who were we kidding being lovers?" Olivia finally asked.

She hated lying to him. She had to avoid eye contact so that he wouldn't be able to see the lie in her eyes. She loved the man that she was now hurting, and that's what scared her. They had only been dating for 4 months, and she could already see herself as his wife. She had fallen harder and faster for Elliot than she had ever fallen for any man before. Even though she could trust him with her life, she wasn't ready to trust him with her heart. She new that if the relationship continued, and he ended it, it would crush her. This way she had total control. She never could shake the feeling that she was just his rebound girl after all.

"You're right." Elliot said, interrupting her thoughts. "We had a good fling, but it's time that we get back to normal. It's not like we were gonna get married or anything." He said.

He wondered how he could be saying this to her. In reality, he would have married her at this very moment, if it was what she wanted.

Elliot's words were particularly painful for Olivia. "A 'fling'; that's all she was to him?" She thought. She had to fight back the tears. She knew that it was time for her to leave.

"It's getting late." She said. "I better go." With that she rose and headed for the door.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow… partner." Elliot said, rising as she left.

"Yeah, tomorrow." Olivia answered as she let the door close behind her.

She made it to her car before she let the tears flow. She hadn't even thought about tomorrow. How was she going to face him? She loved him so much, and all she was to him was a "fling." She had never felt so hurt before. The worst part was that the only place she could think of to find any sort of comfort was in Elliot's arms.

"Stop it Olivia." She finally said out loud. "You never needed a man before, and you don't need one now." With that she dried her eyes, and headed back to her dark, empty apartment.

Back upstairs Elliot wasn't doing much better. Was he really that bad of a guy that the women he loved just left him? First Kathy and now Olivia.

He never thought he could hurt as much as when Kathy left him, but this, this was far worse. He stared at his door, trying to will Olivia back into his life, but it was no use, she was gone.

He needed her, but she obviously didn't need him. He drank a beer, and then headed to bed. He would need all his strength in the morning to face her, and act normal.

TBC... there will be ore action in later chapter, so stayed tuned! Ans review so I know what u think!