Part five of my Inevitable series. You can read this one on it's own, but it's set in the same universe. This particular chapter is a reimagining that follows season 1 canon a little. I have changed things quite a lot.

Next chapter will be more explicit. I wasn't planning on two chapters but got a bit too long.

The moment they had left the building where Richard White's office was located he knew something was bothering her. Elliot Stabler stood outside the coffee shop and burrowed deeper into his coat as a cool breeze permeated the air. He was waiting for Olivia to come out with their much-needed coffee fix.

A month had passed since the last time they had been together and he had felt the shift. Much like the current weather, Olivia was transitioning. Still uncertain on her path forward, but unlike the weather that was surely, confidently moving from a templated autumn into a clear cold winter, she had no clear path ahead.

He had felt it the morning after their encounter in the cribs, the way she had reacted when his wife had called. The way she had pushed him away, the way she continued to do so, shutting him out in a direct juxtaposition to the way she still let him touch her, kisses her. The goddamn walls she had built between them were shorter, though still upright. It was like was a scale they were precariously trying to keep balanced, soon it was going to tip over. One way or another.

All he was sure of was that he couldn't lose her.

Impulsive had never been a word he would have used to describe her work, now it was exactly the way she was behaving, one might say even a little reckless. She had gone hard at White. A suspect of the rape and murder of some she knew, Karen Fitzgerald.

Olivia came out of the coffee shop already drinking her coffee, or more like gulping it. "We should check Krim Properties, corroborate his alibi and all business they might have had with White," Olivia said in a rush, handing him his coffee. "He's lying. I know he is."

She didn't allow him to reply, already heading towards the car, leaving him standing on the sidewalk with his 12 fl. oz. cup of coffee and no time to drink it. He recognized her behavior as a way to regain control. It wasn't that he was worried, he wasn't, still, she was too invested in the case, which could make anyone act first and think later. Truth be told, it was him that was too close. He couldn't think straight when it came to her.

'We are not a couple.' She answered a little too quickly when Kimberly Phillips had mistaken them for one, offering to show them the lousy money pit where they had tracked her at. No, they weren't a couple. Not per the vast definition of the word. It didn't make her answer sting any less though.

He thought of Olivia as his, even when he had no claim to her. He had no right to think like that. Not when he was still married, not until he left Kathy.

Until he left Kathy. It sounded so cold.

Feeling like shit just thinking about it, it was something he would have to deal with. Soon. He had fallen hard, and it wasn't fair to Kathy for him to be fucking Olivia regularly, arrive home smelling like her, and retreat to his little room down the hall, shutting her out. Because that's what he always did. He went back to his wife, each time, with the smell of his partner still lingering on his clothes, his skin. Her taste was still in his mouth. He showered at home, regretting having to wash her off of him so quickly. He took his clothes and underwear to the laundry near the station house, same as Olivia's, in a poor attempt to hide the evidence of his infidelity from his wife.

It wasn't fair to Olivia either. Even to him. He wanted to be with her, all the time. Wanted her in his bed, every night. And once he did...

"I understand this guy, Don. He hates women who take control." They were sitting in the Captain's office discussing Richard White. Out of suspects, except for just one that checked all their boxes, both Olivia and Elliot had zeroed in on him.

They were both sure he was the sick bastard they were looking for, Donald Cragen listened. A lot of certainties, a few too many loose ends. Elliot heard the conviction in Olivia's voice, the assertiveness while she presented the facts to Cragen. He hoped he noticed the quietness in his voice, the slight concern. They had no real, hard, evidence they could prove, yet they could make him crack, she could. She would.

"Bring him in, talk to him. It sounds to me like he would enjoy taking you on." Cragen said, making a decision that Elliot hoped wouldn't come back to bite them in the ass.

In the end, it did. The guy was good, a true honest-to-God psychopath, who had an answer for everything. White roamed around Olivia during interrogation, never stopping his movement, his prowling. Around and around as a hunter contemplating his next prey. Giving as hard as he took. Olivia was good too, hardly showing any reaction when he revealed he had investigated her as well, just as they had done with him. He prided himself on knowing her full name, where she went to school, how long she had been on the force, her position.

What more did he know?

Elliot seethed when attempted to caress her hair, wanting to tear the door down, have a go at him. He had a problem himself, he was even more possessive of Olivia now, it was an issue during cases as this. He considered that Cragen might have been able to tell how wired he was as he watched the interview or seen his fists clenching and unclenching, full of pent-up hatred for their suspect.

"You're baiting him, you know?" Elliot told her when she left the interrogation room after Cragen called the whole thing off, releasing Richard White back to the streets. It was just the two of them in the anteroom. Olivia just stared at him, standing tall, alert. Her body was tense, wired, still reeling from the encounter.

"You waited out here to tell me that?" She asked, not kindly. "We need to find a way to nail the bastard."

"He's dangerous." His eyes never left hers, trying to make her understand. "Knows exactly what he's doing."

"Are you questioning my abilities?" She stood in front of him, her arms crossed, defiantly.

"No, I'm not Olivia. I wish you could see this front my point of view." The frustration made his voice rise. She was pressing for a fight, trying to deal with her own frustration. He wasn't going to give her one.

"I think you're too invested in this." She sighed, moving towards the door.

"You're goddamn right, I am!" He replied with conviction. She stopped, somewhat surprised at his outburst. He wanted to say more, she wanted him to say more. Yes, he was invested. Much more than she thought, probably. "I care about you."

She turned around, her hand still on the doorknob. "You shouldn't." She said simply, sadly, opening the door and leaving without another word.

"I care about you."

"I care about you."

The words played inside her head over and over, as a broken record stuck playing the same part. She truly wished he didn't care, she wished she didn't either. It made it all even much more too complicated.

Later in the night, as Olivia waited for Elliot's return from Forensics, Munch offered a lift home. She politely refused. So far, she thought, White hadn't threatened her. Just the push and pull she usually got into with hundreds of male perps during interrogation. The teasing, taunting, leering. She wasn't going to let him get under her skin, even if he was already creeping in.

A moment after Munch left, Elliot came back. "Electrostatic detection apparatus report", he announced, sitting at his desk. "The techs were able to pull up all the writing off the pad they had found at White's during the search warrant."

"What's it got?" She asked excitedly

"A list of places." He announced. The tone of his voice was measured, calculated. "A gym, laundry, pharmacy, grocery store. I called them all to see if Fitzgerald used any of them." He paused. "She didn't."

Her skin prickled with goosebumps again, she knew what's was coming before he continued. Elliot sighed, handing her the folder.

"This is your gym, your laundry, your grocery store." He watched her closely as he spoke. Her eyes were big and round with shock, bright as they damped. Not due to sadness but uncertainty, apprehension. She was strong, independent however the situation was now beyond her control, it made her quiet life teeter. White had followed her, watched her daily routine, made notes obsessing with all things about her. All in a couple of days, she hadn't even noticed. What did it say about her?

"Olivia..." Her head snapped back up, leaving the file. "You okay?" She hated the way he asked her. Made her feel... weak.

"I'm fine." Of course, she was fine, she always was, he thought. It's not like she was ever going to tell him differently.

"He's obsessing, probably escalating."

Why couldn't she see that? He mulled over.

"I can handle it. You knew what these places were without me telling you. Does that mean I should be wary of you too?" She said laughing without mirth. It was a cheap shot, she knew, and she was snapping at him for no real reason, misplacing her anger.

He only looked at her, which prompted her to keep talking.

"I'm sorry." She apologized a second later. "If anything, it makes me more determined to catch him."

He nodded.

"I'm taking you home," Elliot announced a few seconds later when he saw her lost in thought, obsessing over the file again.

"El, I said I'm fine. It's okay." She closed the file and grabbed her bag, slipping it inside. "I'll just take a cab. White is not gonna snatch me off the street. Go home"

What if he did? He didn't ask.

"I take you home almost every day. Tonight is not up for debate, Liv." He told her sternly. "As you said, I'm too invested in this."

She peered up at him and stood up, gathering her belonging and walking out the door without another word. Elliot walked right behind her, his hand settling on the small of her back as he guided her out of the elevator when they reached the ground floor. It was then that she realized how badly she had needed his touch.

The ride was silent, quiet as the city streets were at that late hour. She was afraid to say the wrong thing again which might prompt him to say or confess things she wasn't ready to hear, but most of all, she didn't want him to know that she did need him. Badly. She had never hated to be alone as much as she did then. The small, stolen moments they had shared always left her wanting more and more of him, still, she denied herself. She was a grown, capable woman, a trained officer on top of that, she hated how much she longed for his support, his touch. All of him, but was afraid to take it. How could she take that which didn't belong to her? She hated to have developed feelings for a married man.

He could never know that.

They found a parking spot right in front of her building, which was a first, she was thankful for that. She felt exposed and wanted to get inside fast. His hand on her neck caught her by surprise, interrupting her musings. She didn't resist as his lips descended onto hers.

'Just a goodnight kiss, as we often do', was what he had intended.

It turned out to be much more. It was what they both needed. He gently took her bottom lip between his and sucked on it, she sighed ran her tongue over his lips, asking for entrance. He gladly obliged, groaning as the kiss deepened. Her fingers wrapped around the lapels of his coat, yanking him closer to her. The kiss was more intense than the ones they used to share each time he brought her home, she pulled away before it spiraled out of control.

"I have wanted to do that all day," Elliot murmured against her lips, catching his breath while he placed small kisses over and over again on her lips, unable to stop. "I'll walk you in." He said finally, releasing her.

She wanted him to, but still refused. "Not tonight." Her body was betraying her and for a second she thought she was going to change her mind. "I- I know how to protect myself, El." She said instead. Olivia had decided to put some distance between them yet it was proving to be more difficult than she had imagined and kept failing. The pull was too strong.

"Humor me, please." He asked, respecting her decision and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "At least blink your lights when you get inside." She chuckled at his request.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow morning." He stated.

"Elliot... You don't have-"

"I will pick you up tomorrow morning." He interrupted, leaving no room for discussion. His left hand wrapped around hers, squeezing softly. She smiled and opened the car door, holding onto his hand until the last possible second as she left the vehicle.

Olivia couldn't negate, after the day they'd had, that she felt wary walking across the deserted lobby to the elevator, glancing behind her before going inside and releasing a breath she had been unconsciously holding when she arrived at her floor. All the while she had been thinking of Elliot. They had already fucked up both of their lives too much, she couldn't depend on him too. She never had depended on anyone, not even her mother. Early on in her life, Olivia had had to make decisions, sometimes bad ones, she had had to fend for herself. Why change now? She figured.

If their situation had been different... No, no, no. She would not go there.

Arriving at her door, she quickly unlocked it and with one last look behind her, she went inside. A quick perusal informed her that everything was in order, instantly she felt stupid, even paranoid, after all the shit she had given Elliot throughout the day. Her hand reached for the light switch turning it on and off several times, signaling to him as he had asked, then walked quickly to the window to watch him drive away.

She smiled as his car started and drove away, leaving the window to go take a shower. She never noticed the shadow lurking behind a tree across the street staring directly at her window.

All of her life. Her whole simple, little life was reduced to one sheet of A4 paper. Olivia sat cross-legged on her couch and read the file for the hundredth time. They were so close, they just had to dig further. There was no way he hadn't left evidence somewhere. Otherwise, they would have to wait until he screwed up, however that implied the chance of getting someone else hurt. Or worse, killed. Maybe she could use his fixation on her to her advantage. Taunting him further, make him slip. She would submit the idea to Cragen in the morning.

She glanced at the clock, 2:15 am it read. Might as well try to get some sleep, she concluded, she knew Richard White wasn't and shuddered at the thought of what he might be planning.

Rest hadn't come easily. Olivia woke up several times when loud noises from cars, or cats fighting, came from outside. It was what he wanted, to have her unsettled, afraid and the worse part, that which she wouldn't admit out loud, was that it was working.

Sun was streaming through the blinds on her bedroom's window when her alarm woke her up the next day. Or technically, later that same day. Her night had been restless and she felt as if she had only slept for only two whole hours straight, and that was being generous. A shower and a huge ass cup of black coffee, in that order, would help her wake up.

A knock on her door interrupted her after getting ready, while she poured herself a glass of fresh orange juice that she had recently bought from her grocery store. Did White know what she purchased too? She wondered for a second making her way to her front door.

"Who is it?" She called out.

"Elliot." Even though he had told her last night he would give her a ride, she hadn't thought he would. It wasn't a priority, moreover she certainly didn't think he would come up and knock on her door directly.

"One of your neighbors let me in." He said as a way of greeting. "I was in the neighborhood. I'd promised I'd give you a lift last night." He grinned.

"'In the neighborhood'? She frowned. "You have a sedan with you?" He nodded. "Which means that you drove all the way uptown from the Queensboro Bridge, dropped off the car, picked up the sedan, turned around, all the way back downtown to get here. That's a lot of neighborhood, my friend." She concluded, amused.

"Stop acting like a cop." He replied, smiling again and entering her apartment.

"That's what Richard White would like me to do." She answered, walking back to her kitchen and taking a drink of her juice. "Besides, I've already told you before it isn't necessary to go through all that trouble. I can always take a cab. Or the subway."

"Okay." He simply replied, following her to the kitchen. His hands tenderly held her face as he leaned in to kiss her. "Good morning." He said, his lips brushing softly over hers, his hand travelling down to her hips, pinning her between his body and her counter.

"Good morning." She murmured, holding onto his shoulders, feeling dizzy with want and longing for him. Her resolve seemed to vanish when he came near her.

She would have this, she thought. For now. She would let him kiss him, touch her because the thought of walking completely away of whatever they had was agonizing.

"I've never kissed you good morning before." His teeth bit on her bottom lip, then soothed it with his tongue. She whimpered and could feel him growing hard against her hip. "You taste good in the mornings too. I might get used to this. I should come pick you up every day, come save your ass more often." He said playfully, brushing her nose with his.

She smirked at his words, playing along but ignoring the implications there. "I sure as hell wouldn't drive to Queens to save your ass." She whispered against his lips.

"Yeah, you would." He asserted, stealing another kiss before releasing her.

Yeah, she would.

Louise Billings was dead. The woman that had accused Richard White of date rape. It was cold. Ugly. Shot with a .44, but didn't appear she had been assaulted.

"White had a picture of her in the freezer. He was fixed on her." Olivia said, consternated, leaving the crime scene. "We could have offered her protection. Isn't that our job, protecting? Serving?"

"If there were eight million of us, we could protect everyone in the city. Then everyone would be able to sleep." Elliot replied softly, trying to stop her beratement on herself.

"Are you going to sleep tonight, Elliot? Or are you going to think about her?" She asked before walking away.

The issue wasn't brought up again as they drove back to the station. The air was thick, their skins still stung from the lashing out their words had provoked. Each had retreated to their side of the car and licked their wounds in silence. He decided to look for her, later, finding her hiding in the locker room.

"What are you doing?" He asked, breaking the ice.

She considered for a moment. "Spring cleaning."

"Funny... In November?" She ignored the question. "You okay?" He asked then, tentatively. The tension in her posture was evident even from a distance, as she stood in front of her locker.

"Would you stop asking me that, please?" She said, raising her voice, looking at him momentarily over her shoulder.

No reply came and the next thing she felt were his arms wrapping around her waist. The solid wall of his chest acting as support against her back. He instantly felt her melt into his embrace.

"No, I won't. I can see what this case is doing to you, Liv." He told her, placing a kiss on her cheek and resting his head on her shoulder. "I hate it." His arms tightened around her while he slowly rocked them back and forth, soothing her. "It wasn't our fault. It wasn't your fault. I hope you know that. And I hope you know by now, that I won't let anything happen to you. I don't care how much you deny it, I know you are... upset." He said, choosing his words carefully.

"Elliot..." She sighed, leaving the safety of his arms as she turned to face him.

"Don't push me away. Talk to me." His hand cupped her cheek, slowly caressing it with his thumb. "I'm here. Let me be here for you."

Her arms wrapped around his neck at the same time his lips connected with hers. It was a soft, open-mouthed kiss. That of couples who had been together for years, who knew each other's needs. Who loved each other and expressed it physically, without restains or doubts. His arms encircled her waist again as the kiss grew and he momentarily lifted her up, wanting her closer, pressed up against him.

"You're safe with me, baby." He mumbled between kisses. "You'll be okay. We'll be okay."

Her stomach tingled as she listened to him. It was all she ever wanted, but couldn't truly have. Her fingernails raked over his scalp as his right hand possessively cupped her ass, squeezing lightly, making her moan.

"Oh! Um, sorry..." Came a voice from behind them.

They startled and he lowered her to the ground. Both instantly pushed away from each other. Elliot followed the sound of the voice, catching sight of Ken Briscoe leaving just as fast as he had entered the room. Glancing at her, he hastily left the room in search of their impromptu visitor.

"Shit." Whispered Olivia as she watched him, running a hand over her face. So much for restrain.

"Hey, Briscoe!" Elliot called out when he spotted him. "Briscoe!" He caught up with him before he reached the stairs leading down to the squad room.

"Look man, it's not my problem..." He started.

"No, you're right. I just..." Elliot hesitated. "If you could not say anything, keep it to yourself, we'd appreciate it."

The man just looked at Elliot and he could feel the contempt coming off in waves.

"Forget I was even there, alright?" He finally replied. "Your secret is safe with me."

With that, Ken Briscoe walked down the stairs to the squad room.

Elliot stood in place, thinking if he should follow the man. He wasn't entirely sure he would keep his mouth shut. He barely noticed Olivia walking past him, heading for the stairs too.

"Hey, Liv. It's okay." He said softly, touching her arm.

"Let's just... Let's go get this bastard, okay?" She said, leaving him standing there with a million thoughts running through his mind.

Two dozen roses. White had sent her two dozen red roses to the precinct. 'No hard feelings.' Read the card attached to it. Another scare tactic.

Elliot insisted on driving her home again, particularly after White's special delivery. They had tracked down the flower arrangement to White's mother's credit card, who all but confirmed Olivia was next on her son's list. He had told her he was going back to Manhattan to see his lady-friend. A policewoman.

"I'll walk you in," Elliot said, turning off the car and moving to open his door. Olivia frowned, giving him a wry smile. "What?"

"I think I'm having a déjà-vu." She said and Elliot sighed.

After Briscoe had walked in on them, they had kept their distance. Only touching when necessary, lest they brought any attention to themselves, now they were alone in his car now and Olivia reached across the console and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. "I heard you. I know you care, it's hard for me to respond to that, El. I'm not a civilian. And I'm not going to let him win." She whispered, resting her forehead against his.

"Blink your lights when you get inside." He answered, deterred.

"Yup, déjà vu." She smiled. "You're just going to sit here all night until I do, aren't you?" He nodded, smiling back. "You stubborn son of a bitch." Olivia chuckled, leaving the car.

Just as the night before, she walked across her lobby and took the elevator up to her floor. Feeling slightly more confident than the day before, she chose not to look around or behind her as she made her way to her door. White wasn't going to change her life. It wasn't until she reached her apartment door that she saw it. A single red rose, on the floor, propped up against the juncture of her door and door frame.

Elliot fidgeted in his seat. It was taking her a long time to get inside and he wondered if maybe her elevator was broken. Or maybe she had forgotten. Or ignored his request. Or maybe...

After less than 10 minutes had passed, he decided to call her. One hand punching his speed dial, and the other near the door handle, just in case.

The ringing of her cellphone startled her, making her jump. Gun in hand, she had backed herself up against the wall so she had a clear view of the hallway, the stairs, and the elevator. If he was hiding there she could catch him before he struck. If he was already inside... She needed a game plan before she tackled that possibility.

"Benson." She talked into the phone, her breath coming in short pants.

"Liv, what's going on? Did you forget-" said Elliot from the other side of the line.

"He's here." Her panicked voice cut him off. I think he's inside, Elliot."

TBC

Sorry for the cliffhanger haha. Are you enjoying the story?

Would love to hear your comments and opinions, please. And if I should go ahead with this series :)