Bingo and Retirement Homes

Summary: Elliot and Olivia volunteer, after a little persuasion, to help Lizzie's girl scout troop get a badge for community service.

A/N: I don't own SVU... this is the "B" story in my EO alphabetical series! Please review!

January 23, Monday

OLIVIA'S POV

"Elliot..." I whispered looking up from my desk on this deathly slow Monday, "you have company..."

His eyes lifted with the same bored expression mine held and turned toward the door. Immediately, his eyes widened as his youngest daughter Lizzie, who was now in fifth grade, came running to him.

"Hey squirt!" he smiled, a smile I only saw on rare occasions.

"Hey daddy!" she squealed, returning his smile.

I watched the two of them, while secretly pretending to do my paperwork. While Elliot sat and listened to Lizzie tell him about her day at school, I noticed Kathy walking down the hallway out of the corner of my eye. I watched her climb in the elevator, sighing as the door shut.

What did she do to deserve such a great family"? I thought to myself, focusing my attention back on my everlasting heap of paperwork. She has the sweetest kids in the world and the most amazing husband... well ex-husband... how could she let a man like Elliot get away...?

"Liv?" my head darted upward at the sound of his voice and I wondered if I had spoken my thoughts aloud.

"Hmmm?"

"Welcome back... you zoned out for quite awhile..."

"Oh... sorry..."

"Lizzie wanted to know if you would like to help her girl scout troop..."

"OK..."

"They need to do something for the community to get a... badge..."

"And..."

"They need another adult to help..."

"What are they doing exactly?"

"Helping the elderly play bingo in a retirement home..."

"Um... seriously?"

"Yes..."

"I don't know El..."

"Please 'Livia!" Lizzie begged with the same expression Elliot gave me when he wanted something.

"I'll be there too..." Elliot added.

"well in that case, I guess I'll do it..."

"Thanks 'Livia!" Lizzie squeezed me tightly before running down the hallway to meet her mother.

"Damn you Stablers and your ability to suck me into anything."

Elliot gave me a cheeky grin, "it's one of our more endearing qualities..."

"Ha ha..."

"You know you'll have fun Liv..."

"Yeah, I can laugh when one of the old ladies beats you over the head with her cane..."

"Well, not before I laugh at you when an old man hits on you..."

I stopped laughing and felt a wave of heat rising to my cheeks. I swallowed my embarrassment and decided to turn the tables by making him feel uncomfortable.

"Oh..." I sat on top of his desk and leaned down to whisper, "I think somebody's jealous," in his ear.

"Please Liv... if I wanted you, do you really think I would ask you to come along and spend the day with a bunch of older men, who probably have never and will never meet a woman as beautiful as you are?"

The moments that followed were occupied by me staring, my mouth agape, at my partner.

Did he really just call me beautiful?

"Liv? Olivia?" he waved his hand in front of m face, pulling me from my reverie.

"yeah?"

"We'll pick you up at 5:30..." he said, sliding on his jacket.

"Where are you going?"

"Shift's over Liv..."

"Oh... right..."

"Oh and by the way..." he leaned over my desk and murmured, "close your mouth... you look like a fish..."

He turned to face me, as he walked down the hallway, laughing at my failed attempt to hide the fuming red color on my cheeks.

5:30 OLIVIA'S APARTMENT

I fidgeted with my hair for the thousandth time before hearing the doorbell ring.

"It's open!" I hollered, checking my appearance in the mirror.

The anxiety I was feeling at that moment was purely unexplainable. Elliot was taking me to a retirement home and yet inside I felt like it was some sort of date. I chose to wear a sky blue v-neck sweater that contrasted perfectly with my dark hair and a pair of sleek black pants.

I walked down the hallway, adjusting my earrings as I watched Elliot and Lizzie exchange laughter over some topic that left Elliot blushing.

"It's about time you came 'Livia!" Lizzie exclaimed jumping out of her seat to smother me in a warm hug.

"Ugh... it's nice to see you too Lizzie..." I smiled, bending down to embrace her and catching Elliot's gaze for the first time that evening.

Oh... those eyes... those blue eyes...

I felt color rise to my cheeks for the third time today and realized that I was staring at him. Reaching for my jacket, thoughts raced through my mind.

Does he know what he does to me? Does he feel the same way? Oh god Olivia stop thinking about this! He's your best friend, your partner! He just got divorce last year!

"So... let's get going..."

The car ride to the home was rather entertaining. Lizzie and I made fun of Elliot because we both knew that retirement homes make Elliot act really... strange. He said they "reminded him of a morgue." The entire ride I could feel Lizzie's eyes on me, watching the way I looked at her father. I can't help it... spend everyday with a handsome man and after a few years you can't help but fall in love with him...

Did I just say...?

"Oh my God..." I didn't realize I had said anything aloud until Elliot turned to me.

"What's up?"

"Oh... um... nothing... just thinking..."

"Anything interesting..."

"No...not really..."

You know, just the fact that I'm in love with you... my partner... my best friend...I thought to myself.

"Ok then..." he fixed his gaze back unto the road and parked the car in the nearest space.

Elliot noticed everything, and eventually he would ask me what was on my mind. I always found it hard to keep anything from him... how was I supposed to hide something as big as this?

ELLIOT'S POV

To tell you the truth, I had no idea what to expect. Stepping through the door, the first thing I noticed was the immense number of people. There were at least thirty people, not counting the eight other girls in Lizzie's troop and their families.

Mrs. Wilt and Mrs. Ault were working in the kitchen with their daughters, while the other families helped set up the stuff for Bingo and chatted with the elderly folks. Lizzie spotted one of her friends and immediately took off to help her move tables.

"It's crazy in here!" I said to Olivia, who appeared to be scanning the room for something to do.

"You can say that again..." she replied absent-mindedly, hardly even acknowledging my existence.

"It's crazy in here!" I repeated, smiling devilishly at her.

She slapped me in the chest playfully, returning my smile. "Let's see what we can do to help..."

Thirty minutes and much confusion, later we were seated amongst the elderly folks, bingo cards on the table and stampers in hand. Olivia sat across from me, quietly chatting with an older lady. The way she smiled was priceless; her eyes lit up for the first time in awhile.

Cases had been bringing her down lately, and I really missed that smile.

"Hey Liv..."

"Yeah?"

"I bet I'll beat you..."

"Oh really? Well what happens if I beat you?"

"You get the honor of saying you're better than me at something..."

"Right... and if you beat me?"

"You have to do my paperwork for a month..."

"Oh that's really fair... how about loser does the winner's paperwork for two weeks..."

"And has to work with Munch on a case..."

"Ha ha... you got yourself a deal partner..."

Halfway into the game, I realized it may not have been wise to make bets on a game that was solely based on luck. Liv only needed four more numbers to completely fill up her board, and I was far from winning. She smiled innocently at me, as if she was reading my thoughts, before bursting out laughing.

"Oh it's that funny!"

"Have fun working with Munch, El..."

"Hey you haven't won yet..."

"You need ten more numbers..."

"So..."

"B5...B5..."

"Now I only nine..."

She smiled and shook her head, putting her focus back on listening to the numbers being called.

The man Wilbur seated next to me reminded me off my father. He was a good person to talk to and had an uncanny sense of humor.

"Hey Sonny..."

I looked up at him as he spoke, "You got yourself a fine young woman... don't you let her go now my boy..."

I felt my face suddenly get hot and prayed that by some miracle Liv didn't hear him. Across the table, her chestnut eyes locked unto mind and a smile spread across her face. We both began to laugh at the sudden silence that surrounded us.

Maybe she just thought it was a joke. Is the thought of us being together that funny?

Our laughter subsided when number N34 was called.

"Hey LIv..."

"Mmhmm...?"

"Bingo..."

"Oh no you... you didn't!"

"Have fun with... Munch..."

OLIVIA'S POV

An hour later, it was time to say goodbye. At the beginning of the day, I must admit that I was somewhat dreading the rest of the evening; however, we had a good time (minus the fact that I lost the bet!) and Lizzie was happy I could come along. I realized that we were headed back to Elliot's apartment and gave him a questioning glance.

"I was wondering if you wanted to talk about the case," he said, answering my unspoken question.

"Ok," I smiled watching the lights of the city dance outside my window.

In the backseat, Lizzie was playing the "Spy on the Adults" game. I loved how Elliot's kids seemed to do that when I was around... maybe that means something...

"So did you have fun Liz?" I asked, turning around in my seat.

"Yeah..." she yawned, closing her eyes and leaning against the window.

"Looks like someone's tired..." Elliot whispered.

"She's not the only one..." I replied, leaning back against the headrest.

For the next thirty minutes, I slept blissfully unaware of Elliot's eyes upon me.

"Olivia... Liv..." I stirred under the feel of his hand on my shoulder. He smiled at me and helped pull me to my feet. "If you don't want to work on this now, I'll take you home..."

"No Elliot... it's fine..."

I followed him in through the door and immediately collapsed onto the couch. The sound of his laughter filled the room, until a pillow I had thrown ended it.

"Oops..."

"You're just mad because I won..."

I threw other one at him, but he was quick enough to catch it the second time.

"Are you don acting like you're two because we should get started..."

"Ha ha..."

I opened my files and soon crime scene photos and documents flooded the table.

"Poor kid... she didn't deserve this..."

"El, no one deserves this..."

He put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close to him.

"Liv, you gotta stop blaming yourself for this... it's not your fault..."

"I know..." I replied sighing heavily into his chest, "I just... I don't know..."

"I love how you care about everyone else Liv... but I feel like you never talk to me anymore..."

"About what?"

"About you... usually you would tell me what's eating you up... I know something's on your mind... what is it?"

I pulled out of his embrace and stood up abruptly.

"Liv? Olivia? Please tell me what's wrong..."

"I can't..."
"Why... did someone hurt you, because i swear I'll kill the..."

"ELLIOT!"

"Sorry... please tell me Liv..."

I couldn't bare to look at him any longer, so I instead stared at the ground. It took all my strength to keep my composure, but I felt a tear at last roll down my cheeks.

"Olivia?" he reached his hand out to me, but I didn't move. "Olivia please?"

"Elliot stop! JUST STOP IT OK?" It never occurred to me how loud I was screaming, or that his four children were upstairs.

"What's wrong! You don't have to guard your emotions around me Liv!"

"That's just it! I never let anyone get close... but you... you've started to break down my walls and the entire time I've been working so hard to hide from you... I love you Elliot... I..." my voice faded to a dull whisper, "I... I love you..."

My accusation surprised both of us and I felt suddenly vulnerable and exposed.

"Olivia... come here..." he laid a hand gently on my arm, causing me to flinch.

"I... I... I have to go..."

"Olivia? Olivia please don't!"

I bolted out the door as fast as physically possible. I've been hurt too many times after telling others those three words; I wasn't going to get hurt again... however, this time I didn't just speak those words... I meant them... I was in love with him...

"Olivia wait!" he grabbed my wrist before I could even close the door to his house.

"Let go of me!"

"Please don't leave Liv..."

"Elliot... please I have to go..."

I tried to squirm from his grip, but he pulled me to him. I thrashed against him trying to get away, and before I knew it, I was crying into his chest.

"Ssh... it's ok Liv..."

I sighed into him, allowing myself to relax into his embrace.

"Liv... why did you try to leave...?"

"I shouldn't have..."

"Shouldn't have what?"

"Elliot... I've learned that those three words have done more to hurt me than help me..."

"Olivia... I could never hurt you... look at me Olivia..." Following his command, I raised my head and saw that there were tears falling from his eyes as well. "I love you Olivia... I would never do anything to hurt you... I know your scared, but I..."

I cut him off by kissing him gently; something inside of me still felt vulnerable... did he really love me?

His hands found their way to my face, pulling me even closer to him. I knew that this was a day of new beginnings... and a day neither of us could forget.

A/N: wahahaha! So thanks for reading... and FYI, this is not a continuation of the first story, this story is the "B" story in my collection of one shot alphabetical EO fics. So... I'll try to update with story "C" - Commitment as soon as I can! Please review!

EVELIEN