"What?" she asked, teasing him.

"Come on, Liv, stay. It's practically a blizzard out there. Just stay," he pleaded.

How could she say no to the man behind those glasses? There was just something about them, she melted when he looked up at her with a little pout on his face and sad, puppy dog eyes.

"You're like a little kid," she said, shrugging her coat back off.

He flipped the television on and she managed to get him to swallow a dose of NyQuil.

Olivia woke to the sound of the telephone ringing. It wasn't hers, but she glanced at the clock and saw that it was half past nine, and they had been out for almost two hours. Slowly getting up from the recliner, she crossed the living room to the desk where Elliot's phone was ringing.

"El," she said, shoving the phone at him. "El, wake up, it's Kathy."

Elliot took the phone without even opening his eyes and he let out a deep breath.

"Hello?" he said groggily.

Olivia curled back up on the recliner, pulling Kathleen's down comforter tight around her chin.

"Hey buddy, what's up?" Elliot said, coming to life. "What…well aren't you lucky…I don't know, lemme talk to mom."

Olivia tried not to listen, but the house was otherwise silent and Elliot was making no effort at keeping the conversation private.

"Kathy, how are you?...actually not so well…just the flu or something…yeah, but it's not that high…well, yeah…come on, Kathy, I only get to see them every two weeks as it is," Elliot began rubbing his forehead. "Tell Lizzie and Dickie I'm sorry, I'll call them Saturday afternoon…yeah, okay, bye."

"Kids' school is cancelled because of the snow, they wanted to know if they could come over early," he said, setting the phone on the coffee table. "Kathy said she wouldn't bring them if I was sick…"

"Maybe it's for the best. Do you really think they'd have a good time throwing away your snotty Kleenex's? Maybe you'll get to see them two weekends in row, then," Olivia said, trying to comfort Elliot. She knew his kids meant the world to him, and only seeing them every other weekend and when he could get away from the station early enough to grab a bite of dinner with them on the weeknights or catch one of their basketball games was killing him. It was eating him up inside, he knew he was a good father, but he always wanted to try harder. As long as he was at this job, he knew he couldn't. Hard as though he tried to hide it, Olivia knew better. She could tell this situation angered him. She just always hoped he would deal with it before it got the best of him.

"You don't have to sleep on that chair all night," Elliot said.

"Always the gentleman, Stabler," she smiled. "I'm fine, honest. I think you forget how young I am – one night in this chair doesn't have the same effect on my youthful body as it does on yours."

He wished Olivia goodnight as he switched the lamp off behind his head. Olivia didn't immediately catch sleep. She let her mind wander carelessly, farther than she usually let it. Then again, most nights she was asleep before her head even hit the pillow. Keeping the blanket pulled tight around her, Olivia tiptoed over to the window. She leaned her head against the cold glass, watching as every breath left the window foggy. She watched the snow fall down, and a single car creep along the road. The night was so quiet. It was easy to think. She had always wanted a family. A real family, like Elliot's. She'd immediately been envious of the relationship he had with his kids and his wife at the beginning of their partnership. As the years wore on, and Kathy eventually left Elliot, she still found herself wishing she had loved and lost, rather than never loving anyone as much as Elliot loved Kathy. She had wished she had a dad like Elliot, someone to hold her in his arms and soothe her in the middle of the night when she woke up from a bad dream. Someone to teach her how to ride a bike and throw like a boy. Someone who wasn't on NYC's most wanted list.

Another car crept past, snow swirling in its headlights, and Olivia yawned. She gently lifted Elliot's glasses off his face and laid them on the table. As she stood there, looking at him sleeping so peacefully, she wanted nothing more than to lie next to him and feel his strong, warm body next to hers. But Olivia respected Elliot more than anyone else in her life, and she would never want to jeopardize what they had going on. She knew the feeling would pass as soon as he traded in those glasses for his contacts. Silently, Olivia curled back up on her chair and let the exhaustion sweep over her.

"Hey, what are you doing up?" Olivia asked as she saw Elliot tip-toeing into the kitchen. "What time is it, anyway?"

"Quarter after four. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you, I think I just needed more of this," he said, fighting with the childproof lid on the Ny-Quil.

"Here," Olivia said, extending her arm. "How you feeling? Any better?" she asked.

Elliot shrugged his shoulders.

"It's okay to be sick, El. It happens," she said, handing him back the open bottle.

"Doesn't make it any easier," he grumbled. Olivia could hear him moving around in the kitchen. After a few moments, Elliot broke the tense silence.

"Want a push-up?" he asked.

"No thanks," Olivia replied.

She heard Elliot unwrap his frozen treat and pad back to the couch. Sleep came only moments later for Olivia.

Olivia's phone startled her awake from a dream. She squinted at the caller ID. Cragen. She had no concept of what time it was, all she knew was she was probably late for work.

"Benson," she said, her voice still scratchy.

"Olivia, where are you?" he asked, his voice not as stern as she had expected.

After hesitating for a moment too long, she answered, "On my way in?" It came out more as a question than an affirmative statement.

"Hmm, really?" his voice trailed off. "Where are you really?"

Olivia took a deep breath and exhaled loudly, knowing she was stalling with the captain. "Elliot's."

There was a quiet pause on the other end. "Do I want to know why?"

"Cap, he feels awful about what happened. You know him." She lowered her voice, "He's pretty sick. He's got a really high fever, but it'd be like pulling teeth to get him to a doctor," she continued.

"Do your best. And if that doesn't work, tell him Warner analyzed his...deposit...and found an infection. See if that works," he said. "He's still not coming in until he's one hundred percent."

"Fine. I'll be in as soon as I can," she said.

"Actually, I was calling to tell you just stay home. We're not going to get anywhere on the Cooper case today, if I need you, I'll call. It's still nasty outside," Cragen said, his voice softening somewhat. He's always had a soft spot in his heart for Olivia. He admired her strength and determination in her work, especially surrounded by a squadroom full of men. He's always been a little overprotective of her, and he didn't want her putting herself in unnecessary danger.

"Promise you'll call?" Olivia responded.

"Yeah, keep your eye on Elliot. And nothing else. I mean it. I don't need him spreading this bug through the unit," he said, his stern demeanor returning.

"What else do you think I'd put on him, Cap? What kind of order is that?"

"Oh, come on Olivia, it's obvious. Just keep your hands off him, at least until you find out he isn't contagious."

"This conversation is so over."

"I mean it, Olivia," he said.

She slammed her phone shut, not sure what to make of Cragen's statement. She had always thought she'd done a decent job of hiding her feelings for Elliot around the station house. A few comments here and there to Casey, but that was it. She could feel her cheeks grow hot. Oh God, if it was that obvious to Cragen, surely Munch and Fin had picked up on it. What if were talking about it behind her back? The 1-6 was notorious for setting bets, they had to have one going on this. Olivia moaned to herself.

"You okay?" Elliot asked from the couch.

"Yeah, did I wake you?" her voice apologetic.

"No, your phone did," he said, smiling. Smiles are a good sign, she thought to herself. Unless he was listening to what she said. Oh shit, she thought to herself. "Cragen knows you're here?" he asked, his eyes still shut. His voice sounded so weak, Olivia almost couldn't bear it. She should have been glad that Elliot was comfortable enough to be himself and not pretend like he wasn't sick. But she wanted her old partner back. The tough guy. With contacts. She didn't like that she was more attracted to Elliot right now than she had ever been. Maybe it was because he looked so vulnerable, and Olivia knew how to deal with that. She always knew the right thing to say. She dealt with victims everyday who were at their most vulnerable. She didn't like that it would be almost too easy to take advantage of him right now.

"Yeah, he knows," she said, snapping out of it.

"Is he pissed?"

"Of course," Olivia hesitated a moment. "Take your temp one more time."

She expected an argument from him, but he obediently reached for the thermometer from the table and stuck it in his mouth. He closed his eyes again and they sat quietly until it beeped. He tossed the thermometer in her direction.

"Don't have my glasses on."

"Like I want to touch it after it's been in your mouth!" Olivia said, laughing. She glanced down at the readout and her heart sank a little. "One oh four."

"Can I be honest?" Elliot asked Olivia, avoiding eye contact. She nodded, and he continued. "I don't think I've ever felt this horrible before. Ever. And I've been shot," he cracked a smile.