CHAPTER SIX

Confessions

Olivia was making her way through the lyrics to "Candle in the Wind." "…Never knowing who to claim to when the rain set in…I would have liked to known you, but I was just a kid…your candle burned out loooong beforrrrrre…your legend never di-id…"

"Liv," Elliot said faintly.

"…Yes?"

"Shut up."

Olivia smiled slightly. "We need to stay alert. And since you aren't going to talk, I'll treat you to my musical talents." Olivia estimated they had been in the whole for almost two hours. She had cut off her cell phone to preserve battery power and was debating whether or not to turn it back on. What if the police were trying to contact her?

"Let's talk then," Elliot said shifting painfully.

"That bad huh?" she teased. "What do you want to talk about?"

"The fact that I'm freezing and this ground is hard," was his plaintive answer.

Olivia rolled her eyes. She scooted over to Elliot's head. Lifting gently, she raised his torso and slipped behind him. He settled in between her legs, feeling oddly at home. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, resting her chin on his head. She had to admit, it felt good to have Elliot's solid body so intimately close to her.

"You're going bald Stabler," she said. Another check.

"Ha, ha you're funny."

"So…how are the kids?" Asking about his children was a sure way to get Elliot to loosen up. And Olivia's mind off her sexy partner. "And Kathy?" That would definitely do it.

"They're good, they're good, can't wait for summer, but Dickie's got a crush on one of his teacher's…" Elliot said. "And Kathy is…Kathy."

Olivia frowned. "Is everything alright?"

Elliot was silent for a minute. "She…she didn't want me to go on this assignment…"

Olivia nodded. "That's understandable. There's always the risk of danger when you go undercover. I mean, you could break an arm or something."

Elliot completely missed the joke. "No…she didn't want me to go on this assignment…with you."

Olivia frowned again. "What…what's that supposed to mean?"

Elliot sighed. "She thinks there might be more between us…more than what's considered professional."

"Oh…oh," Olivia said awkwardly. "Well, she was probably just having an insecure moment. It happens."

Elliot again went silent. "Well that's interesting," he said finally.

"What's interesting? That women have insecure moments?"

"No, that you didn't dispute it."

Olivia's heart was beating so fast she was sure Elliot could feel it in his back. She thought silence was the best answer.

Elliot turned to look at her, wincing with the effort. "Olivia? Is there something more going on here?"

"You tell me."

"I'm asking you."

"You're married," she whispered.

"I know…but I have to admit…I'm very attracted to you. I always have been."

"That's not enough…"

"For you, it is."

Olivia stared into his eyes. And made the first move.

The first kiss was chaste, platonic, a kiss between two friends. Second attempt it deepened, gently, as they reveled in the feel of each other's lips. It was Elliot that broke the spell first.

"Have you ever felt like something was just so right?" he whispered breathlessly. Olivia met his lips again with more force and they hungrily devoured each other. Elliot was lost in her soft lips, the pain of his arm momentarily forgotten.

"Benson…Stabler…Benson…"

Startled, Olivia pulled away. "Did you hear that?"

Elliot cleared the fog from his head. "Hear what? No."

"Sssh, listen!"

A moment later they heard it. "Stabler!"

"The cavalry has arrived," Elliot announced, distinctly disappointed. Olivia pulled herself away from him and stood up.

"We're here! We're here!"

Just then a shock of light blinded the two detectives as the rescue workers shone their flashlights down the hole. "We got em!" one called out behind him. "Just hold tight, you two. We'll get you out of there in no time."

XXXXXXX

The hospital was unusually quiet for a Saturday night, Olivia thought. She was sprawled on a bench in the waiting area, Munch by her side, awaiting word on Elliot. She and Elliot hadn't said one word to each other after the rescue team had pulled them out of the hole and whisked Elliot away in the ambulance. She couldn't put into words how she felt about the situation, but it suspiciously felt like guilt.

"What would they need a grave for?" Munch asked, shaking her from her reverie.

She shuddered. "It was so dark, I didn't notice what it was when we were in it," she replied.

Munch shook his head. "I wonder how many more there are? There's no telling how many bodies those freaks stashed out there."

"It's enough for a search warrant at least." Olivia and Munch looked up to find Alex strutting purposefully towards them, long blond hair bouncing. I would kill to look like that, Olivia thought. "That plus the unusual apparatus' you and Elliot stumbled on is enough for a judge to sign off on the search."

"So what's the charge exactly?" Munch asked.

Alex pursed her lips. "It's fraud at best," she said. "Those women had no idea what they were in store for when they attended that camp. Hopefully with the search warrant we can find some evidence that can shed light on what happened to those two women."

Taking a breath, Alex looked down at Olivia. "How are you holding up?" she asked tenderly. Munch cocked his eyebrow at the sudden change in tone.

Olivia gave her a lopsided smile. "I was doing better before I found out what we had fallen into. I'm creeped out. We gotta get these guys."

"Don't worry, we'll get them," Alex said confidently. If there was anything Alex was cocky about, it was the law. She knew it better than she knew herself.

"Detectives Munch and Benson?" The nurse called. "Detective Stabler is ready for visitors if you would like to see him."

Munch started off, Olivia hesitating a brief second before following him. They entered the hospital room, Elliot propped up among a mound of pillows, his left arm in a cast and sling.

"Well, that'll get you some points with the ladies," Munch said sardonically. "Anyone call the wife yet?"

"Yeah, she and the kids are on their way," Elliot said, tensing. He avoided Olivia's gaze. He fucked up. Royally. He knew it. He decided to handle it like he did every other crisis in his life: keep it inside and ignore the source.

Olivia felt a sharp pang. He won't even look at me she thought angrily. Munch and Elliot exchanged a few jabs before he slipped out of the room. Instead of turning to Olivia, Elliot laid his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes.

Outraged, Olivia smacked his cast. Elliot's eyes flew open in surprise.

"What?" he snapped, smarting from the pain.

"Somehow this is all my fault?" she asked threw clenched teeth.

"I don't want to talk about it Olivia, now is not the time," he said.

She knew it wasn't the time as well, but she was feeling uncooperative. "I'm not some chick you picked up in a bar Stabler," she snapped. "I'm your partner and your best friend. I deserve better than this."

Stabler looked at her angrily. Damn it Olivia. Can't you see? I have to hurt you. I just have to. "Not better than my wife deserves," he said cruelly. "What the hell do you want me to do? What the hell do you want me to say? The kiss was a brutal mistake and now I have to pay for it."

Hot tears flooded Olivia's eyes. It was then she realized just how deeply she felt for Elliot Stabler. Blindly she turned and fled the room, running right smack into Maureen.

"Olivia!" she said startled, assessing Olivia's demeanor. It always amazed Olivia how much she looked just like Kathy. "What's wrong? Is my dad okay? They said it was just his arm!"

Olivia put a hand on her shoulder, more to steady herself than to comfort Maureen. "He's fine Maureen," she said, smiling falsely. "He just has a broken arm. Go in there and see him. Is your mom far behind?"

"She went to park the car," she said, visibly relieved. Olivia nodded and hurried passed her. She held her breath until she got out into the parking lot. The chilly air felt good as Olivia let her tears and breath loose. She paced back and forth, sobbing.

"Olivia?" a soft voice beckoned.

Olivia whirled around. A concerned Alex was staring at her, eyes wide. Without saying a word, Alex stepped up and enveloped Olivia in a tight embrace. Olivia held on to her for dear life, letting the emotions run out until she was exhausted.

Alex was a mix of confused emotions as she stroked her friend's back. She had no idea why Olivia was so upset and what had caused it, all she wanted to do was make it stop.

Finally under control, Olivia pulled away from her. Severely embarrassed, she ducked her head. "I'm so sorry Alex…it's been a tough night…"

"Do you want to come by my place?" Alex blurted out. Olivia looked at her. "You know, watch a movie, eat some ice cream, paint our nails…whatever it is us girls do when we are fucking pissed?"

Olivia threw her head back and laughed. Thank God for Alex. "The movie and ice cream is on me," she said.