A/N: I've been MIA cat sitting. Her name is Nugget, and she wanted all my love and affection, my apologies. I wrote this in bits and pieces, hoping it all fits together wonderfully for the rest of our long journey together.

Elliot tapped the steering wheel, sitting in traffic, "I was thinking."

"Oh no." Olivia snickered. Elliot poked her in the arm, something she knew she deserved.

"I was thinking maybe we should keep some things at each other's places," he licked his lips, "You know, practicality."

"Practicality," Olivia nodded, "You mean if I cluttered your bathroom counter with lotions, body scrubs, razors, and other womanly things, you wouldn't have anything to say about it?"

"As long as the tampons stay under the sink, you won't hear a peep from me."

Besides her various pieces of makeup, Olivia was never a woman to hoard perfumes and lotion and all the other stereotypical habits of being a woman. Pampering came at the end of a very long week, and maybe then she had time to shave her legs.

"I'll bring some of my stuff by later, and I expect you to do the same, Stabler."

He groaned, "Stabler?"

"We're working," Olivia emphasized, "As long as we have guns and badges strapped to our sides, we're just partners. Olivia and Elliot happen off the clock."

"Since when?"

"Come on. Tying cherry stems? The General Lee? Italy!" Olivia huffed, "Jerry nearly canned both of us."

Elliot sat up straighter, "You didn't know he would play twenty questions with us, Liv."

He's right, she didn't know, but Olivia hated surprises.

Olivia's nerves were getting the best of her, "It was too personal," she sighed and shook her head sadly, "We got caught up in the game and nearly blew it infront of our boss."

"So?" Elliot questioned, "He was off the clock too."

Olivia squinted, "You know just as well as I do that Cragen is never off the clock."

"He's not gunning to bust us, Liv."

"But he can," she raised her voice, "We're adults now, in case you forgot. Actions have consequences."

"I understand that, but don't you think if he suspected anything, he would have said something by now?"

"I don't know."

Elliot huffed, "Look, Everybody knows too much about everybody else in that office anyway. I haven't been more than a few hours without you this past week. What does he expect? That I'm not getting to know the person that has my six?"

"I don't want you to take the fall for something I had control over."

"Like you had control seeing me again now?"

"What would I say? 'Sorry, Captain, the man I've been thinking about every day for the last nine years is a detective in your unit. I'm going to have to pass."

"Compartmentalize. That's what I had to do when I was overseas. Separate my mind from the rest of me."

Olivia breathed, "Separate work from play." It wasn't a question. It was an order to herself and maybe to Elliot. It was going to suck, but it needed to be done to save their new partnership and preserve the romantic one they scuttled together after this long. They got away from each other once, and she'll be damned to let it happen again.

"Everyone does it, Liv. And if I recall, you were the one that got me hot and bothered by the coffee maker, that had me riled up for over an hour," he chucked, watching the light change from red to green.

"To be fair, you get me the same way by just looking at me across the desk. I'm just able to hide it better."

They had pulled up to the scene, jumbled with patrol cops and a CSU team, waiting for them.

"Well, let's solve this case so I can leave Benson at work and come home to Olivia. Deal?"

"Deal. Let's roll."

They arrived on the scene a few minutes past seven. The tech team swarmed the crime scene, lifting every possible print they could find. Warner was standing over the victim's body, jotting down various notes about the condition she was left in.

Lillian O'Malley's lifeless body was sprawled in the middle of the queen-sized bed. Crimson blood-spattered and sprayed the goose feathers encompassing her naked form, contrasting heavily to her otherwise pure sheets. Lillian's eyes, once a sparkly hue of amber, were now clouded and unresponsive. The ropes holding Lillian's wrists at opposite sides of the bed were severed, but the knots tying her down wore on her like bracelets. Despite Lillian being twenty-nine, she looked like a child, and in a sick and twisted way, made her seem all the more heavenly.

"Hey, Melinda."

"Your girl's been dead approximately four to six hours, full rigor, and no fluids either. When I have her transported back to the morgue, I'll know more, sorry detectives,"

"Tied her to the bed and raped her."

Elliot snapped a glove onto his hand and ran it against the side of Lillian's head. In doing so, he picked up various lengths of hair, all of which seemed to be cut at the time of her attack, "Either Lillian is practicing to become a hairdresser, or our guy cut a good chunk of her hair off."

"Maybe this will help. Found it in the victim's hands." Melinda hands off a cracked CD case to Olivia. When she opens it, a typed white note slips out.

"A Juice Newton CD."

"It was playing when we arrived."

Olivia read the note in her hands out loud, "She was my Angel this morning. So sad to leave our Lilly, just begged and wanted more, maybe soon I'll give you three and four!"

"Angel of the Morning," Olivia spoke under her breath

"If he tied her up during the attack, why not leave her like that? Why would he cut her down?" Elliot squinted in thought.

Olivia opened the CD case again, flipping to the lyrics page, and with a gloved finger, found what she'd been looking for, "That's what I thought," Olivia continued, "First lyrics: There'll be no strings to bind your hands, Not if my love can't bind your heart." Olivia looked up to Elliot, who was hanging onto every word.

Elliot raised his brow, "Angel's can't fly if their hands are tied. Explains the feathers too. What's an angel without her wings?" his lips pulled into a smirk.

"What is this sick bastard's game?…."

"I don't like this case, not one bit."

It was after hours when the detectives pooled their money together for pizza, probably the only hot meal any of them had in days. The murders of Olejanda Novelo and Lillian O'Malley have had the team running for answers all day long. Any potential suspects had alibis for the evenings of both murders. Fin was deep into his second slice when he gruffed, "I think I'm still hungover from last night."

"You want someone to blame? Blame our apocryphal Wonder Twins." Munch jabbed a finger in Elliot and Olivia's direction, "If either one of you was wearing a wire, I wanna know where and I wanna know now," he joked.

"I wouldn't tell you even if we were," Olivia chuckled back, "Listen to your partner for a change. You could probably count the number of things you know about Fin on one hand."

"I know last night he was about four fingers deep in a pitcher of Pabst Blue Ribbon. What about you, Benson? You more of a Pauli Girl, or do you stick to the hard stuff?"

Olivia didn't like the question she was being asked, but Munch didn't know. She knew the topic of children, her parents, and alcohol would come up eventually.

"Bourbon, but I don't make it a habit. I don't have that kind of tolerance. One or two is good enough for me."

Fin swallowed the last of his slice, "What happens after three and four?"

Olivia shook her head, "I don't want to find out."

"Inhibitions are lowered; surely you've done something stupid." Munch pondered for a second, "Grafitti a billboard? Make out with a stranger in the bar? Elope to Vegas?"

"No, I've always had to be the responsible one."

"Brothers or sisters?"

"Neither, I'm an only child."

Fin gathered the empty pizza boxes and soda cans, "I'm gonna go toss these before maintenance decides to seek revenge."

The conversation halted for a moment, but Munch's curiosity persisted.

"Which parent liked the bottle?" Munch asked.

"Munch." Elliot hissed, slamming his fist down, rattling the contents of his desk.

"My mom," Olivia stated.

"Sorry to hear." Munch offered.

Olivia rolled out her neck, resisting the urge to cry, "I've lived with it for a long time. She's getting help now, and I suppose that counts for something."

"That's good."

The conversation dulled for a second. Olivia looked to Elliot, "El, can you see if Fin needs a hand?"

He knew this was her way of asking to be alone. He walked over to her desk and placed a kiss on her cheek, "I'll getcha a soda."

Olivia sighed and ran a hand through her locks, "Elliot told me that you know, I'd just like to know how much."

"He's not the most forthcoming with stories or tidbits what have you, but I know one thing…."

"What's that?"

"He's so in love with you, it would make Cupid sick."

Olivia broke Munch's gaze, staring off into space, "I'd never thought I'd see him again."

"Funny how fate works out. You two kindred spirits, but I know it goes deeper." Munch swallowed, "I found that out all on my own by just looking at you two."

Olivia chuckled darkly, taking the last sip of her soda, "That's what I'm most afraid of."

"You deal with it as it comes. In my eyes, you are Elliot's last chance, Liv."

"What does that mean?"

Munch began counting on his fingers, "This guy has been through losing his high school sweetheart, the marine corp, police academy, a loveless marriage, and a divorce, all before the age of thirty. He's been needing some good in his life for a while," Munch leaned in to whisper, "And who am I to take away any of that good?"

"You're a good soul, John."

"So I've been told otherwise," he chuckled, "I think it would be smart to let Fin in on it, though. It's only fair."

"I know you're right. But when? I haven't even told Casey."

"Whenever you feel the time is right."

Elliot waited for Fin by the trash chute before making his way over to the vending machine.

"What you didn't think I could separate the trash from the recycling by myself." Fin laughed.

"Told Liv I'd get her a soda," Elliot explained.

Fin shook his head, leaning against the ancient machine, "Which one of baby girl's parents was the alcoholic?"

Elliot was surprised by his question, seeing that he had left before they'd gotten that far in the bullpen, "Her mother." Elliot confessed it would come out sooner or later. If Munch knew, he'd know eventually. He punched a number on the machine and out rolled a can. Fin did the same.

"It's a damn shame. Kids are supposed to grow up with good role models."

Elliot nodded, "She's living proof that one can beat the odds."

Fin gave him a sly smirk, "What else do you know about her?"

Elliot stuck a hand in his pockets and thought. One thing came to mind, "She told me Casey thinks you're cute and you should ask her out."

"Ha! Like I'd have a chance with Novak."

"You don't know Fin," Elliot shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe you should take a chance."

Fin stopped him, "One condition," he grinned, "You tell Benson you like her."

"I'll do my best."

Elliot and Fin walk back through the double doors, now holding another soda can for their respected partners. Olivia offered a weak smile accepting the can of cola from Elliot.

"So what crazy conspiracy did he tell you about this time?" Elliot asked half-heartedly.

"The Lochness Monster is living in Montana," Munch laughs, opening the can. He looks at Olivia and grins.

Olivia breaks into a smile, "It was a good story."

Munch nods, "I'll tell it to your kids someday."

On the other side of town, a detective walked hurriedly into the district attorney's office on the hunt for an ADA, but not just any. He looked at the directory on the wall but walked blindly past each office to his right.

"Fin, what a nice surprise. Are you here about the case?"

"Ahh no," Fin shut the door, "It's ah…. more of a question."

Casey sat up straighter in her chair, "What can I do for you?"

"Are you seeing anybody?" Fin started, "If you—"

Casey broke a smile and chuckled, "No, I'm not."

Fin grinned, "Would you like to go out sometime? Maybe when this case is over, and we both can enjoy ourselves."

"I would like that very much, detective." Casey tore off a small piece of paper from her legal pad and jotted down her digits, "Call me when the time is right. You know where to find me."

"Sooner rather than later, I hope," he leaned in from across her desk and kissed her cheek, "Goodnight, Novak."

"Goodnight, Fin."

"You didn't have to clear out half your closet for me, El. I only brought a couple of things."

Elliot's bedroom was painted a cozy shade of gray. Everything had its place. A dresser, two matching night tables on either side of the bed, and a walk-in closet that she'd only dreamed of having in an apartment as petite as hers.

"Maybe you should bring more."

Olivia smiled and rolled her eyes. Practicality. That's what she was trying to tell herself. With one half of his closet pushed aside, she began hanging her blouses and work slacks onto the empty hangers. When she turned around, she gasped softly. There, in a clear plastic garment bag, hung his Marine dress blues. She took the bag in her hand and turned it towards her, examining its pristine condition and numerous ribbons on the lapel. On the shelf above was a white box, and with curiosity on her side, she reached for it. When she opened the box, tears sprang to her eyes. It was the cap for the uniform. It put a lump in her throat, remembering the pain of watching him step onto that bus only to see him again nine years later.

Now, they were sharing a closet at his house in Queens.

Funny how the world worked.

From outside the closet, Elliot heard the rustling of plastic and the box's cardboard being opened. He knew she found exactly what he didn't want her to see. He was about to step into the closet when she came out with the hat in her hands.

"When was the last time you wore it?" she spoke softly, running her hand over the dark rim.

He took the hat from her gently and took a hard breath, "A funeral. A Mastery Gunnery Sergeant kicked the bucket to cancer. I didn't know him personally, but it seemed like the right thing to do."

She nodded, taking in that bit of information, "Did you wear it to your wedding?"

"No, Kathy made me wear a tux." He walked into the closet to put it back in its rightful place, away from him, "I don't like looking at it."

"Why?"

"Makes me feel things I don't wanna feel." He put the lid on the box and pushed it onto the shelf.

"You should be proud though, serving your country, being a part of something—"

"It was only a viscous cycle of pulling yourself together and falling apart," Elliot spoke grimly, "Marching at ungodly hours of the night, making yourself believe that you slept eight hours, and molding yourself into a machine, Liv."

"And look how good you turned out."

"I did it because I had to, not because I wanted to."

"I know, but I'm sure you were exceptional."

"They wanted me to sign on for another four, and I thought about it too."

"So why didn't you?"

"I met Kathy." he turned away from Olivia, "I couldn't have both."

"El." Olivia whispered, "Elliot look at me," when he wouldn't turn to her, Olivia buried herself in his cold embrace until he bandaged his arms around her tightly, giving in, "You are the man you are because of what you've been through, and I love you for it." she kissed a spot on his neck, feeling his lips already pressing to her pulse point.

"Then why does it hurt so damn much."

"Because doing the right thing sometimes hurts the most."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Elliot released her so she could put away the rest of her things. He watched her smooth her shirts meticulously before hanging them up next to his, wondering how in the world he got so lucky.

A/N: My original draft of the story has basically been trashed because of how many times I've changed the plot. Predictions anyone? You know what to do! Follow, Fav, & Review! xoxo