They walk up into Elliot's apartment. Olivia leans up against the counter and Elliot sits in a kitchen chair. He rubs his eyes wearily.
"Everything okay with you?" he asks when the silence becomes unbearable.
"Yeah. And you?" she questions.
"Yeah, sure."
"You and Kathy still getting along?" she asks gently.
He flinches at Kathy's name. "When the kids are around."
They sit quietly again. She is feeling uncomfortable and trying to figure herself out. He wants to know how to tell her that her loves her without making a fool of himself. He isn't coming up with any ideas yet.
"Liv?" he says as he sits up in the chair. "I want to...tell you...something."
"It's okay, El," she answers and takes his larger hand in hers. "I'm here."
He turns to look at her. "Really?" She nods.
"Oh, Liv," he sighs, and takes her in his arms. She rests her head against his chest just as he always wished she would do. He wraps his arms around her just as she always wished he would do. They sit like that for what seems like hours.
Finally, Olivia turns her face up to Elliot's. He looks down at her and smiles and infinitely knowing smile.
"El? I love you," she says without hesitation. His grin grows wider.
"I love you too, Liv," he says, with his whole heart.
She puts her hands on both sides of his face and pulls his mouth down to hers. One of his hands drops to the small of her back and the other to the back of her head as he kisses her gently at first, then with growing intensity.
Her right hand crawls down his neck to his tie. She slowly removes it and unbuttons his shirt, still kissing him. Her hand slides down his chest. She can feel each powerful muscle under his skin. Her other hand traces the creases of his ear.
The hand that's on her back goes under shirt and plays his fingers over her skin. He curls his other fingers in her hair and holds her head. His lips travel down her neck and onto her shoulder. Her arms wrap around his neck and pulls him closer. She rests her head on his shoulder and sighs. He cradles her gently against him, as if she is fragile.
They sit in their beautiful silence again. They are one, no words need be spoken now; all that would have been said is flowing from one heart to the other.
"I can't believe I didn't tell you sooner," he whispers into her shoulder. His breath pleasantly burns her skin.
"Me, neither," is all she can say.
He laughs gently, and she can feel the deep rumble in his chest.
"I love you so much, Liv," he says with all his earnestness.
"I love you more than I can say, El," she smiles.
They sit quietly talking for a few hours; they didn't know they had so much to catch up on. They are perfectly content to sit there forever, each only an extension of the other. They must not acknowledge that here is a real, outside world, for their state of being in only there, in each other's arms. Only things that can't be expressed in words are revealed in this connection.
Soon they begin to grow tired. Olivia's eyelids droop, and she yawns every once in a while. Elliot feels so comfortable, so right, so perfect with her curled up in his arms with her head against his chest that he almost drifts off the sleep a few times. Olivia's fingers on his heavy eyelids wakes him up.
"Hey, Liv, you wanna go to bed now?" Elliot whispers in her ear. She nods, yawning.
He shuffles into his bedroom and lays her gently on the sheets. He yawns widely as he crawls in next to her. Olivia laughs and he cocks and eyebrow. She tries to pull him closer to her, but she can't because he's so much bigger. He grins a little and draws her to him. She curls herself against his muscular chest and sighs.Elliot cradles her in his arms. All is well with them. As they both turn themselves over to sleep, they whisper a little something that was before only murmured to loneliness.
"Goodnight, El. I love you."
"Goodnight, Liv. I love you."
I can see world where there is no fear
Where envy and hatred has long disappeared
I can see a day to look forward to
But I can't see a world without you
I can see a world where war has no use
A time that is kind and knows no abuse
Where children are safe to do what children do
But I can't see a world without you
I can see that you're the one who brings out in me
All the things I thought were gone and all I can be
Now I can see a world where dreams do come true
But I can't see a world without you
I can see a world with justice for all
There will be room for those great and small
With enough for everyone not just the fortunate few
But I can't see a world without you
I can see the greatest gift I got from you
Finding out there's not a thing that love cannot do
I can see a world that may never come true
But I can't see a world without you