AN: Hey there! I'm not sure what this story is. I tried to write a fun and flirty story, but I never seem to be able to keep it from getting just a little bit serious. So I hope you find a bit of both. Thanks as always, for reading. And another thanks for leaving a review!
EOEOEO
"You need to slow down." Olivia said, gripping the dash with both hands as the car slid slightly sideways on an icy patch of road.
"I'm only going 30 miles per hour as it is." Elliot said, never taking his eyes off the road ahead.
"Well, slow down." Olivia looked out the window trying to gauge if the snow showed any sign of tapering off, but the heavy flakes were as thick as ever. "I think we need to find a place to pull off."
"No way." Fin said from his spot in the backseat. "I'm not spending the night in some shitty little town upstate. We can make it back to the city."
Olivia twisted in her seat to face him. "We're still at least two hours away, and that would be if the roads were in good shape. Which they're not." She said pointedly. "And you don't get a say because you're the one that invited yourself along on this little trip to Mohawk." Cragen had objected to the three of them making the trip, but Fin had been adamant. This was her and Elliot's case, but the inmate they were visiting was someone that Fin had put away and he was certain he could get him to talk. In addition, he had a vested interest in making sure Olivia and Elliot didn't make some deal in exchange for information and that McNichols stayed where he was.
Fin shook his head but didn't say another word, knowing Olivia was right.
Elliot stabbed at the defrost button again. "I swear, this isn't even working."
"Look for the next information sign. See if there's a hotel in the next town."
"We can make it." Elliot said, gritting his teeth. He was with Fin. Any hotel they would find on this minor, backwoods highway would be reminiscent of the Bates Motel, and he wasn't interested. He wishes now that he'd gone the other way taken the freeway and paid the damn tolls, but he wasn't about to say that out loud and hear Olivia say I told you so.
"I wish you would have listened to me and taken I-90."
Elliot glanced over at her, wondering how in the hell she did that. "Do you want to hear me say you were right?"
"I want you to keep your eyes on the road." Olivia said, annoyed that they were in this situation. She knew it was snowing heavily everywhere, but I-90 would have had plows at the very least. "There!" She pointed to a blue information sign on the side of the road. It was hard to make out, but she saw the word motel and diner. Both generated a less than appealing image in her mind, but her attitude was any port in a storm right now.
Olivia heard a hell no muttered from the backseat and Elliot passed the sign and the exit without comment. Olivia let out a sound of exasperation and looked over at Elliot, ready to complain, but when she saw Elliot's white knuckles and the slight bend of his body as he peered through the windshield, she held her comment. The defroster and the windshield wipers weren't doing much to keep up with the rate of accumulation and she wondered if he'd even heard what she'd said. She looked out at the road ahead. If it weren't for the banks of snow on the side of the road, it would be hard to know where the pavement ended, and the shoulder began. The two tracks from cars that had made this trip ahead of them were still visible but were starting to get covered. It made her realize they hadn't seen another car in a while. Those people had probably been smart and had already pulled off, but she wasn't going to comment on that right now. Elliot needed to focus. She reached over and placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed lightly.
Elliot looked in his rearview mirror to make sure no one was behind him and slowed down a little more. He muttered under his breath, wishing once again that he'd taken the interstate. Or better yet, that they'd actually checked the weather forecast and had stayed put. He heard a cellphone ring, the sound loud in the quiet car, and then Olivia's standard greeting. Benson. There was a few seconds of silence before she spoke again. "Hello? Hello?" She groaned and ended the call. She hit redial, trying to reconnect but with no luck.
"Cragen?" Fin asked.
"Yeah." Olivia answered.
"Could you hear him at all?"
"No. It was basically dead air."
"Great." Fin said derisively. "So, were stuck in this shit weather with no phone reception?"
"Looks that way."
"That's just great." Fin said with a heavy sigh.
Elliot was sick of listening to Fin's bitching. "Hey! I didn't hear you offer up a weather report before we left." Elliot snapped back at him.
"Yeah? Well, I also didn't tell you to take this dumbass road either. If you would have listened to…"
"Elliot!" Olivia yelled out his name. "Watch out." She grabbed the dash as Elliot tapped the brakes, recognizing the blur in the road as a deer. But before it could even fully register, the car was spinning and skittering towards the side of the road. Olivia let out a full scream as they flew into the snow. Her seatbelt cut into her chest as they slammed into the snowbank, their bodies still in motion as the vehicle came to an abrupt stop against the deep bank.
The next few moments were marked in silene as they all fought to catch their breath. Elliot felt like his heart was beating out of his chest and he glanced over at Olivia and saw her clutching her hand to her chest as well. "Are you okay?" He asked, reaching out towards her.
"I think so." Olivia said, taking a silent assessment.
"You?" Elliot looked back at Fin and saw him struggling to get his seatbelt off.
"What the hell was that?" Fin asked.
"A deer ran out on the road." Elliot couldn't believe that such a small tap of the brakes caused such a violent skid on the road. "There must have been a patch of ice."
"Ya think?" Fin muttered.
"That's not helping." Olivia said as she struggled to get her seatbelt undone. "Turn on the hazard lights." She instructed Elliot but instead of doing that, he pushed her hands away and started fiddling with the release on her seatbelt. She clutched at the belt, as in the locked position it was tight against her and quite painful. She could tell she was going to be bruised from the sudden stop. Olivia heard a click, and the pressure was relieved immediately as the seatbelt retracted. "Thanks." She turned in her seat and saw Fin was unbelted and was rubbing his chest with the plan of his hand. "Are you okay?"
"I'll live."
Olivia turned to Elliot. "And you?"
"Yeah." Elliot could hear the shakiness in his voice, undoubtedly caused by the adrenaline coursing through his system. "Jesus." He glanced over at Olivia and saw that she was holding a hand to her chest. "Gonna have a bruise. Anything else hurt?" He was happy to see Olivia shake her head. He glanced back at Fin, and Fin confirmed what he had told Olivia with a shake of his head. He nodded, to no one in particular. "OK. Let's get out of here then."
Elliot looked in the rearview mirror, but the back window was already covered in snow. He stabbed at the rear defrost again but rolled down his window and stuck his head out to see if anyone was coming. He wasn't happy that the sun was setting behind the trees. Driving in the dark would be that much more treacherous. He was angry with himself for always thinking he was right. He put the car in reverse and stepped lightly on the gas. The tires spun and he stopped immediately, not wanting to dig them in any deeper. He put the car in park and slammed his hands on the steering wheel.
"I don't suppose there's a shovel in the trunk." Fin said, knowing it wasn't part of the standard gear stored in the precinct sedan. He slid across the seat and reached for the handle. "But I'm gonna check. Pop the trunk." He opened the door and a blast of cold air and snowflakes swept into the backseat. He hopped out as quickly as possible and slammed the door behind him, and Elliot pulled the lever that opened the trunk.
Elliot could hear things being tossed around but not even a full minute had passed before Fin was knocking on the driver's side window. "No shovel."
Elliot glanced over at Olivia. "You get in the driver's seat, and Fin and I will try to push us out of here." He slipped out of his seat and held out his hand as Olivia inelegantly climbed over the center console and slid into the driver's seat. Once she was in place, he slammed the door shut and walked to the rear of the car where Fin was looking at him with skepticism.
"I don't think we're pushing out of here without a shovel." Fin said, pointing to the car, and Elliot thought that perhaps this once, Fin was right. He could see where Fin had stepped into the snowbank to check out the trunk, and how his dark jeans were caked with snow but they were really wedged in there. Suddenly, he trotted back to the driver's door and knocked on the window. Olivia powered it down and looked up at him questioningly.
"Turn it off!" He said urgently.
"But…" Olivia started but Elliot reached into the car across her body and turned the key in the ignition.
"What are you doing?" She asked sharply.
"The tailpipe is buried in the snow. You want to die of carbon monoxide poisoning?"
Olivia was getting pretty annoyed by Elliot's and Fin's attitudes and snide comments, since she wasn't the one that had put them in this situation, but she let it slide once again. "Of course not." She said, trying not to snap. She reached for the gear shift and put the car in neutral. "Will this work?" She peered back up at him, giving him a saccharine smile. The moment she did, she couldn't suppress a small laugh. "You're already covered in snow!" The flakes were falling thickly, and his hair and sweatshirt were both coated.
Elliot brushed the front of his chest and snow showered down. He clapped his hands together and smiled back. "Yeah, so let's get going." He walked back towards the rear of the car and saw Fin looking slightly like a snowman himself. "Let me get in there." He clambered through the snow around Fin's back, struggling in the deeper now near the right bumper. "Jeez." He complained as his bare hands hit the metal trunk. "What a mess." He didn't hold out much hope that they'd have much leverage back here, especially with the car sitting in neutral and no help from the engine, but they didn't really have much of a choice. "Steer left Liv!" He yelled out and he heard the tires fight as she tried to turn the wheel. He looked over at Fin, who was lifting one hand off the cold metal and then the other as he waited. "Ready?"
Fin nodded and counted off. At the count of 3, they both put everything they had into it. The car didn't move. They made several more attempts, each of them slipping and falling in the snow more than once, the air filled with the sounds of their grunts and swear words. Fin and Elliot were both standing at the back of the car, taking a break and breathing heavily, when Olivia exited the car.
"Get back in the car." Elliot directed. Even though they hadn't seen a car pass the entire time they'd been stuck there, he knew situations like this were dangerous. They didn't need anyone else out of the car than necessary.
In her usual stubborn fashion, Elliot saw her shake her head as she donned a pair of black gloves and came back around the car.
"It's gonna take all of us." Olivia didn't hesitate as she stepped into the snow between Fin and Elliot. They didn't have a choice but to get the car out of this snowbank. Then she was going to demand that Elliot turn around and go back to whatever small town they'd just passed.
Twenty minutes later, they were all wet and cold and frustrated. They had tried pushing from the back and then from the front and the car was firmly wedged. They turned the car back on, with windows wide open and the wheels just spun. Elliot even tried to trump into the woods to find something to give them some leverage, but the snow proved too deep and now he was even more miserable than before.
"We have to get back to that town." Olivia said, visibly shivering as she climbed back in the car. Elliot and Fin piled in behind her, but any remaining heat had dissipated, and even though they had cleared around the tailpipe, Elliot still didn't feel comfortable running the car for any length of time that would warm them.
There were a few minutes of tense discussion, and Olivia was getting frustrated. "What options do we have?" She narrowed her eyes as Fin and Elliot tried their cell phones again and debated someone coming by. "We've been here for at least 30 minutes, and we haven't seen another car. It's still snowing heavily, and it's gonna start to get dark very soon." She wasn't exactly sure how far back the exit had been, or how far off the road it was, but it had to be a good 45-minute walk, if they were lucky. "We have to go now."
"OK." Fin and Elliot begrudgingly agreed.
"Hold on." Elliot said. He got out of the car and went back to the trunk, pulling out a gym bag he had tossed in the back and a police-issued emergency blanket that was stowed as part of the standard emergency kit. He considered any other items and added the first aid kit to his gym back before lifting the strap over his head and slamming the trunk lid closed. Fin and Olivia had exited the car and were watching him. He held out the blanket, hoping Olivia would take it, but she insisted Fin take it. He had a lighter coat and was wetter and colder, even if it was by mere degrees. Elliot could tell he wasn't happy about it, or maybe Fin was worried that Elliot wasn't happy about it, but he wrapped it around himself regardless and they headed out.
Elliot took the lead, his head down, his arms crossed his body and his ungloved hands tucked deep in his pockets. They were walking right into the snow, and he tried to be a shield, with Olivia directly behind him and Fin taking up the rear. The walk was tough, the road icy beneath their feet, the wind working its way into their wet clothing and a new layer of snow landing on their heads and shoulders. The exertion was making him sweat, and he knew they had to make it to town soon or this was going to end badly. He found himself cursing his own bad decision-making and stubbornness that put Olivia in this situation. Fin was at risk as well, but it was Olivia that had tried to talk him into what would now have been the safer route, and he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if she was hurt in some way. He wondered if the town had a hospital, or even a doctor, and he was so lost in his thoughts that it took him a moment to realize that Fin was yelling out to him. When he turned, he saw that Olivia had fallen. Fin was helping her up but they had fallen behind him and he realized in his haste that he must have been walking really fast. By the time he headed back, she was back on her feet and waving him off, and they both started trudging back towards him.
"You okay?" Elliot knew it was a ridiculous question. He could see the bite of the wind on her face and her hair was soaking wet, hanging limply around her shoulders. Her dark coat was white with snow, as was his and Fin's. She was clearly soaked through. Fin took the blanket off his shoulders and wrapped it around hers as Elliot took her gloved hands in his.
"I can't feel my toes." Olivia said, her teeth chattering. Her black boots weren't made for the snow and ice. She couldn't remember ever being this cold. At that moment, she saw a flicker behind Elliot. "Is that a car?"
Elliot turned, trying to see through the thick snow. And then he saw it. The only thing that was running through his head was thank God. He wrapped an arm around Olivia and snugged her up against his body. "Looks like we're saved."
EOEOEO
"Saved huh?" Fin looked around the lobby of the small motel, perched out in the edge of what had been the old highway. "I think I've seen this movie."
"Hey, we're out of the snow." Olivia said, nudging him with her elbow. The motel was a blast from the past, with a small office that held an old counter and a couple of aging chairs. The sign outside, with the unlikely name of The Paradise Motel, looked like it was from the 1950's. The only things that could be considered modern were a soda machine and an ATM. Surprisingly, even though the parking lot, a square with rooms situated around the perimeter, seemed full, the lobby was empty. Olivia imagined everyone holed up in their rooms or crowded into the equally nostalgic diner that was situated on the opposite corner from the motel's small office.
Olivia was nervous that they wouldn't have any rooms available, but she heard Elliot negotiate for the last two rooms available. She was still shivering unbelievably, and couldn't wait to get into her room, take a long hot shower and wrapping herself in blankets as she cranked up the thermostat to an uncomfortably high level.
Elliot turned back to Olivia and Fin and hoisted the duffle bag over his shoulder again. "Rooms are almost next to each other." He pointed out the window, almost in the direction of the diner. "Just over there. Right next to the diner and then two down."
Olivia really didn't want to go back outside but it would be a quick dash. And there really wasn't much of a choice. Fin pushed out the door, the extra blanket tucked beneath his arm and Elliot and Olivia followed him out. The parking lot was just as treacherous as it had been, with the snow still falling, and they picked their way carefully across. The smell of comfort food wafted in the air and her stomach grumbled, but they rushed past in their haste to get warm and dry. They hit the first door and Elliot took out the key, sliding it in the lock. He flipped on the light as the door swung open, and Olivia felt like she had stepped back in time. The walls were painted some shade of gold, there was a built-in desk and two nightstands that had seen better days. There was a single bed in the room, what appeared to be a Queen, but she wasn't quite sure.
"This is grim." Fin said.
"Looks like this is your room." Elliot said, motioning to Olivia. He watched as she spun around, taking in the surroundings. "You going to be okay in here?" Fin sighed and grabbed the other key out of his hand, apparently not wanting to wait around for her answer.
"Yeah." Olivia really didn't consider herself very high maintenance, but she couldn't get the image of dirt and roaches out of her mind. Of course, it was probably too damn cold for the roaches. She realized it was chilly in the room and she walked over and fiddled with the thermostat while Elliot pushed in the bathroom door to check it out.
"Any murderers in there?" Olivia called, thankful that the thermostat was adjustable. Or at least, appeared to be.
Elliot poked his head out, bracing his arms against the doorframe. "Just a huge rat but I think that'll be okay."
Olivia shuddered involuntarily, even though she knew Elliot was joking. She hoped. "I've got my gun." She patted her hip where her gun was still firmly nestled beneath her oat.
As Elliot walked out of the bathroom, the main door opened and Fin walked in, a rush of snow and wind accompanying him. "Hey Stabler, just wanted to tell you that you don't need to bother coming down to the other room." He had closed the door behind him but jerked his thumb in the general direction of the other rental.
Olivia narrowed her brows as she looked at him but didn't hear any innuendo in his voice or see it in his expression.
"Very funny." Elliot said. "I need a hot shower and some hot food. Not necessarily in that order." He headed towards the door, but Fin put up a hand.
"I'm serious man." Fin said. "There's only one bed down there. And I ain't sharing with you Stabler." He opened the door, another rush of wind and snow sneaking into the room. "Work it out with your own damn partner." Then he was gone.
Elliot looked at Olivia and she just stared back at him, both of them trying to process what Fin had said. After a few seconds, Elliot spoke up. "I'll go talk to him."
Olivia raised a brow, knowing that talking to Fin would be futile. She was fairly certain he wasn't going to negotiate. "El, honestly, I don't care. I just want to get out of these wet clothes, take a hot shower and get something to eat." She smiled as she started shrugging off her coat. "I'm exhausted and we'll just crash. It'll be fine."
Elliot didn't know how on Earth she could be so casual about it. She obviously wasn't aware of how hard he had to work to stop thinking about sleeping with his partner. He was a little disappointed because he'd hoped she struggled with the same, but obviously it wasn't an issue for her.
"Maybe even a little fun." Olivia said.
Once again, Elliot wondered how she read his mind like that. "I like fun."
Olivia heard a little mischief in his voice, and it made her laugh. "Good." She started to undo the buckle of her holster. "I call the shower first." She said as she lay her gun and badge on the nightstand. "You want to grab us some food and bring it back here while I'm in the shower?"
Elliot knew by the way she asked that it was already decided, so he nodded. He tossed his duffle bag on the bed. "I've got some workout clothes in here. You should be able to find something dry to wear."
Olivia nodded. "Sounds good." She said as Elliot headed towards the door. "And El?" She asked, starting to unbuckle the belt on her jeans. "See if you can find something to drink too. As in…" She gave him a knowing look. "Something to drink."
Elliot laughed. "Something to warm the blood. Got it."
"And don't forget to get something for Fin."
Elliot opened the door and swore as the cold air rushed in again. "Fin wanted to be on his own, he's on his own." But as he closed the door behind him, he knew he might owe Fin after tonight.
EOEOEO
The moment the door closed, Olivia walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower, letting it run as she stripped off her wet clothes. Her legs were red, and it stung as she peeled off her jeans. She couldn't believe how thoroughly she was soaked. She shivered as she wrapped herself in one of the thin towels and walked back into the bedroom, swinging Elliot's duffle bag on to the bed. She unzipped it and looked inside, digging out a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. She had hoped for a sweatshirt, or at least a couple of pairs of clothes, but the only other thing in the bag was some medical tape and a stick of deodorant. Olivia held the t-shirt in one hand and the sweatpants in the other.
Elliot was undoubtedly going to have to take a shower as well, and his clothes were likely to be in worse shape than her own. AN image popped into her head. Elliot stripping off his wet clothes, Elliot in the shower, Elliot wearing these sweatpants slung low on his hips and felt her thighs clench together involuntarily. This was no time to be having those thoughts. Elliot was her friend, her partner. Even though this was the first time she'd had those kinds of unprofessional thoughts about him, not even close to the first time, this was not the time or place. She had to sleep next to the man and if she kept it up, there would be no way she'd be able to keep her hands to herself.
Still…
She held up the t-shirt, wondering just how Elliot would react if the came out of the bathroom wearing only this. His t-shirt. It would certainly be interesting to see how he handled it because at the end of the day, she thought that just maybe there had been moments when he had let his mind wander in the same direction as hers.
Olivia couldn't keep the smile off her face as she dropped the sweatpants into the bag, t-shirt in hand, and headed towards the steaming shower.
EOEOEOEO
The diner had been packed and even though it had been warm in there, the cold from his wet clothes had chilled him to the bone. His hands were full with bags of food from the diner and a bottle of vodka and Scotch from the adjoining bar and he struggled with getting the key in the lock. The door swing open suddenly, almost upsetting the delicate balance and he almost let out a string of curse words until the sight of his partner struck him dumb.
The cold air and snow had swirled into the room, and Olivia had moved back quickly, giving him a full view of a semi-clad Olivia Benson standing near the bed. She was wearing only his t-shirt and he almost choked as his eyes took her in. The t-shirt pulled across her breasts, accentuating what was hidden beneath, and the hem of the material sat dangerously high on her thighs, exposing her long, toned legs. He saw a flash of red toenail polish, another surprise he hadn't expected, before he lifted his head to look her in the eye. He saw a small smile there and he was pretty sure she was enjoying his reaction.
"I borrowed your shirt." She said, pointing behind her to the duffel bag on the bed. "I left you the sweatpants."
It was on the tip of his tongue to ask if she was cold, and to tell her to go ahead and take the sweatpants too, but the devilish side of him pushed the chivalrous part aside and clamped his mouth shut. "Yeah." He said. He could feel the flush creeping across his chest and neck and here the waver in his voice and he chastised himself to stop acting like a hormonal teenage boy. "OK." He groaned inwardly because that wasn't any better. He stepped into the room and kicked the door closed behind him. "A little help here?"
Olivia closed the gap between them and grabbed the two bottles of liquor and a six pack of beer he had tucked under his arm. "Wow. Planning a party?"
"Nothing else to do here." Elliot said, working his way over to the small table and unloading the bags of food. The second he had dropped the last bag, there was a knock on the door. The door opened before they could respond, and Fin walked in.
"I'm here for the party." He joked, shrugging off his wet jacket and hanging it on the doorknob. He rubbed his hands together. "Let's open that Scotch."
EOEOEOEO
Elliot took a few minutes in the shower, trying not to think about Olivia in that t-shirt. He had seen the outline of a bra so the only way he was going to stay sane was to believe that she was still wearing her underwear beneath it. Still…the thought of walking up to her and sliding his hands beneath the hem of that t-shirt and finding her bare skin got to him, and before he could stop himself, his hands had found his erection. He was going to hell for sure, or Olivia would certainly send him there if she ever found out, but he just couldn't seem to help himself.
Twenty minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom, his resolve in place to keep his more lascivious thoughts of his partner stuffed down deep inside and hoping his guilt was there along with it. He stopped short though when he saw her again, perched on the end of the bed, a plastic glass of Scotch in her hand and color in her cheeks, knowing it was going to be an uphill battle.
"I see the party started without me." Elliot said draped his wet clothes over hangars in the closet.
"I didn't know this was going to be some strip tease version of dinner." Fin said. Even though his jeans were still wet, a hot shower had warmed him up and the t-shirt he'd been wearing beneath his jacket and sweater was still dry.
Elliot saw Olivia glance in his direction, her eyes dancing over his arms and chest before turning back to Fin.
"Hey, what happens in…" Olivia furrowed her brow. "What's the name of this town?"
"The name on the diner says Eden." Elliot said. "As in Eden's diner. But I have no idea of that's the name of the town or just the name of the diner."
Olivia poured some Scotch into a third plastic glass and handed it to Elliot. "What happens in Eden, stays in Eden." She lifted her glass in a toast and Fin and Elliot both met her glass with theirs, even though the plastic made no sound.
"I'm not sure I like the sound of that." Fin said. "We're not going to do some weird shit, are we?"
Olivia laughed. "Definitely not." She glanced over at Elliot. "Just a few friends, hanging out in a snowstorm, making the best of it." She winked at Elliot as Fin took a drink. "And no fodder for precinct gossip."
"Here, here." Elliot said, draining the glass.
EOEOEOEOEO
Elliot had switched to beer after two glasses of Scotch and was relaxed in his chair. Fin sat in the other chair, nursing his third and Olivia sat on the end of the bed still with her legs crisscrossed in front of her. The table sat between them all, the empty wrappers and containers from the food crumpled in the middle of the table. They had all agreed the food was pretty good and had been exactly what they needed. The alcohol, a welcome companion.
They had talked about a wide variety of topics, from their early days at the police academy to the challenges in police work now. They'd talked about what they'd do if they weren't cops and what they'd do if they didn't have to work at all. It made Olivia realize just how little she knew about Fin, and she was surprised by some of the answers from Elliot as well. She still held things pretty close to the vest, but she played along as well. She was just happy that the discussion had turned to things that alcohol usually unleashed, like talking about sex or gossiping about others in the precinct.
The room was getting warm, or maybe the Scotch was helping, but she carefully unwrapped herself from the bedspread she'd been using to cover her bare arms and legs to keep the chill away. No need to give the guys a free show. She gave an awkward laugh at the thought and saw Elliot furrow his brow a little. She ignored him. "So…" She uncrossed her legs and leaned across the table and nabbed a beer. "What do you think you'll be doing in five years?" She directed her question at Fin. "Do you think you'll still be at SVU?" She knew there wasn't a lot of longevity in the unit. The job was tough. So far, the four of them, including Munch, were the anomaly.
Fin laughed. "Hell, I don't even know if I'll still be a cop five years from now."
"Really?" Olivia asked. That hadn't been the answer she'd expected. Fin seemed like a lifer, like he was right where he was supposed to be. She couldn't imagine him doing anything else, but then again, she'd never really thought about it.
"You're not gonna quit the force." Elliot said, taking another long pull from his beer.
Fin shrugged. "Never say never. But…I don't know. I don't ever see me going back to Narcotics or doing Homicide so, yeah, I'll probably be at SVU."
"I feel the same way." Olivia said, nodding her head.
"Nah." Fin shook his head.
"What d'ya mean nah?" Olivia asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.
"You'll never leave SVU." Elliot chimed in, agreeing with Fin. He didn't see himself doing anything else either, but Olivia was the heart of the unit, and he couldn't imagine it without her. "It would be a completely different place without you."
"100%." Fin said. "But Stabler, you're gonna have to figure out someplace else to land man."
"What d'ya mean?" Elliot challenged. "You saying I'm getting burned out?"
Fin shook his head. "No. But sooner or later, the two of you will get busted and then you'll have to do something else."
"Busted?" Elliot didn't know what the hell Fin was talking about, but he bristled at the insinuation that either one of them would do anything illegal.
Olivia rolled her eyes at Elliot's obliviousness and then gave him a pointed look before turning her attention back to Fin. "Certainly, you don't believe all the rumors you hear circling the precinct." It was nearly impossible to ignore all the scuttlebutt that worked its way through the halls, and she and Elliot had certainly been a favorite topic for many. And if she wasn't sleeping with Elliot, it seemed she was sleeping with just about everyone else in the precinct at one point or the other. She hated it, but largely just ignored it. Fighting it would give it more life and she didn't want to do that.
Fin shrugged non-commitally and Olivia glanced over at Elliot to make sure he'd caught up. She could see by the expression on his face that he had.
"We're not sleeping together." Elliot said firmly. "We have not slept together. Not even once." He hated the rumors, more for Olivia's sake than his own. The expression on Fin's face told him that he wasn't convinced.
"Hey, it happens." Fin smirked. "I slept with my partner."
"You slept with Munch?" Olivia asked, trying to lighten things up a bit. She could tell that Elliot was getting annoyed and she didn't want to ruin the fun they were having.
Now it was Fin's turn to roll his eyes. "My first partner. In Narcotics. Phoebe. We had a good thing going for awhile."
"And then?" Olivia asked, curious about the relationship and what happened.
"And then, we didn't." Fin said.
Fin's comment alarmed her a little. She couldn't say that she'd never seriously considered sleeping with Elliot. She had even considered throwing caution to the wind for just one night. But she'd been so worried that it would ruin what they had now that she'd ruled it out as an option. "Are you still friends now?" She asked, knowing she hadn't done a good job of keeping the desperation out of her voice.
Fin shrugged. "Yeah. I mean, we ended things on good terms and were partners for a while after that but then I got transferred and…" He shrugged one shoulder. "We haven't talked in a while but…we're good."
Olivia knew he'd seen right through her and she cursed the alcohol for reducing her ability to keep a poker face and to keep emotion out of her voice. She took a swig of her beer and set the can back on the table, sitting up straight. "Yeah, well…" She glanced over at Elliot. "Like Elliot said, we're not sleeping together."
Fin spread out his hands. "Yeah, well, you asked me about the next five years. Just sayin'…you're not foolin' anyone. So, like I said, sooner or later…"
Olivia could feel a flush in her cheeks, and she didn't dare look over at Elliot. He'd been oddly silent for the last couple of minutes, and it surprised her. She would expect he would have been the first one to push back…to tell Fin he was crazy…but he wasn't doing either and it was making her heart race and her body warm.
Or maybe that was the Scotch and the beer.
Fin finished off the last of his Scotch. "And with that, I'm outta here." Fin stood up and snagged the bottle of amber liquid in his hand. "Care if I take this with me?"
Suddenly, Olivia she felt nervous about being alone with Elliot. His comment hit a little too close to the truth, or to what had been on her mind just a little earlier. "It's only…" She glanced around the room, looking for a clock. She spotted one on the beat-up wooden nightstand. "9:30."
"Yeah, well it's been a shit day and I'm wiped." He headed towards the door and grabbed his jacket. He turned to face them as he shrugged it on. "I'm sure the two of you will be just fine without me." He gave them a mischievous smile and then left, leaving another swirl of wind and snowflakes behind him.
"Huhn." Elliot drained the last of his beer, crumpled the can and shot at the wastebasket. And missed.
"Good thing NBA player wasn't on your list of things you wanted to be when you grew up." Olivia tried to laugh but it came out awkwardly.
"Ha ha." Elliot said, pushing himself out of his chair.
"Where are you going?" Olivia asked, glancing up at him and trying to keep her eyes focused on his face and not the way his sweatpants hung low on his hips.
"Bathroom." Elliot said, raising a brow. "That okay?"
"Uh. Yeah. Of course."
"Thanks princess."
Olivia watched as he disappeared behind the bathroom door, jarred by the use of a pet name. He never called her anything besides Olivia or Liv. Or Detective Benson in front of others or when he thought he was being funny. So where in the hell had that come from? She tried not to overthink it, but her mind was racing now, wondering if he was on the same page as her. If he'd been thinking about the two of them together in that way. It seemed nearly impossible that he hadn't because c'mon, there was definitely something there. Mutual attraction, a chemistry that no one could deny. The rumors came from somewhere.
Olivia pushed herself off the bed and reached out, nabbing another beer. She glanced anxiously at the door, hoping Elliot took a few extra minutes because she was feeling a small panic attack at the thoughts running through her mind. And incredibly turned on. The anxiety was due to the fact that she knew that Elliot would never make the first move. He was too chivalrous and would be too concerned about their partnership, their reputations, her reputation.
But honestly, they were holed up in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, with Fin safely tucked in a few doors down, so who would ever know?
Olivia sat in the chair that Fin had recently vacated, her mind swirling. She glanced back at the door, knowing she only had moments to make a decision. She could pretend like Fin never said a word, like she hadn't been contemplating what it would be like to sleep with Elliot. She could spend a sleepless night lying next to him, pretending she wasn't going crazy with want.
Or…she could make the first move. Let him know exactly what she wanted…let him know that it was okay to want her. To kiss her. To…
The bathroom door opened, and Olivia jerked back, jolted out of her reverie.
"Well, that's a look of guilt if I ever saw one." Elliot said, stopping just outside the door, staring right at her.
Olivia's defense mechanism almost kicked in, making her second guess her choices, but she bit down on her lip, having made her decision. She gave him a mischievous smile, uncrossed and recrossed her legs with deliberate slowness, and let the beer bottle dangle from her fingers. "Nothing to feel guilty about."
Elliot stopped in his spot, narrowing his eyes slightly. There was something in her tone and demeanor that had changed, but before he reacted, he wanted to make sure it wasn't just wishful thinking on his part. He'd been standing in the bathroom longer than necessary, thinking about the things that Fin had said and wondering how in the hell he was going to sleep next to his half naked partner. He had even contemplated how Olivia would react if he dared to kiss her. So, he was taking a moment.
He watched as she twirled the beer bottle with her fingers, watching the almost flirty pout of her lips and the way she ran her free hand through her hair, mussing it up. He let his eyes run down her frame, noticing the way she shifted in the chair, one leg rubbing slightly against the other.
"Should I feel guilty about something?" Olivia asked, raising one eyebrow as her eyes connected with his.
Elliot was slightly taken aback, the question loaded with innuendo. Olivia was definitely flirting with him, and it was blowing his mind. He was so caught off-guard by the shift that he didn't have a retort. In fact, he was damned near speechless.
He had to get a hold of himself.
Elliot cleared his throat and took a step closer, getting his head in the game. He wasn't exactly sure where this was going, so he had to move carefully, letting her lead. He hoped to God she knew that he would follow her off whatever direction she took them.
"Not as far as I'm concerned." He closed the gap between them and sat in the chair across from her. "But if there's something you want to confess…" He raised a brow as he plucked the beer from her hand and took a drink. "I promise, there'll be no penance."
Olivia pressed her lips together. "Hmmm." Her eyes wandered over his face and then down to his bare chest and back up again. "But how can you promise that, when you don't know what my sins are?"
Elliot was mesmerized. By her words, the innuendo in her tone, the look in her eye and the way her mouth moved. He realized in that moment that when Olivia wanted to turn on the sex appeal, no mortal man stood a chance.
He would gladly surrender.
"Are you telling me that you're ready to confess?"
Olivia laughed. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
Elliot shrugged. "Something tells me that I would."
Olivia gave him another small smile. She leaned in, reaching across the table, and wrapped her hand around her beer, pulling it out of Elliot's hand. She sat back again, recrossing her legs and took a long drink, draining the last of the bottle, her eyes trained on his the entire time. "What did you think about what Fin said?"
"Fin said a lot of things." Olivia looked disappointed in his answer, and he corrected himself almost immediately. "I think Fin can be pretty smart sometimes."
"You think that sooner or later…" Olivia lost some of her bravado, and she let her voice trail off.
Elliot could sense her hesitancy, and he knew he had to meet her at least halfway. "I think that we both know there's something there and up to now, we've managed it, mostly by denying it."
"Up to now." Olivia's comment was part statement and part question as she focused on those three words. She watched as Elliot shrugged his shoulders in just the slightest way, his blue eyes never leaving hers. She could see the final decision about what happened was hers to make. "Are you saying that you're willing to be led into temptation?" She raised one brow, the tiniest of smiles on her face as she referenced a prayer the good Catholic man surely held dearly.
"I would follow you wherever you led." Elliot said. He could feel his heart rate increasing at the thought that this could really be happening.
"And if this ruins us? What we are…who we are?" Olivia asked the question, the one that had certainly played a key part in keeping things as is between them for so many years.
"What if it doesn't?" Elliot could see a future for them. Something that looked quite different from the present.
The promise in that statement made Olivia's mouth run dry. It had been fun loosening up a bit and flirting with Elliot. The circumstances of where they were, the ridiculous nature of their current state of dress and the forced proximity had allowed for it. But now, things had gone way beyond that and the butterflies in Olivia's stomach had taken flight. Casual sex was nothing new to her, but this was anything but casual. Elliot was the most important person in her life. A week ago, if you would have asked her if she would gamble everything for a night with him, her answer would have been an adamant no. But now, with him standing right in front of her, the possibility in the air, his seeming willingness to take that chance with her, the word yes was the only thing on her mind.
Elliot could almost see her mind at work, processing all of the possible implications and he almost wanted to scream at her to just go with her heart for once and leave all rational thought behind. It felt like they would never been in this place again, that if they let this chance pass them by, kept denying their feelings, there would never be another one. He couldn't help but feel like the impact of that could potentially be almost more devastating to them. That they may not be able to get past the opportunity to explore this thing between them, and that might actually drive them apart for good. "Olivia."
Olivia realized her eyes had wandered from his, but the raw emotion in his voice and the use of her full name drew her back to him. What had been fun and flirty had turned more serious, and she supposed that was only appropriate, considering.
Elliot could sense her hesitation, could see the smallest bit of uncertainty in her eyes and it made him feel like maybe he was pressuring her. His thoughts and feelings hadn't changed but he never wanted to push her further than she was ready to go. He relaxed his stance a little and let out a small sigh. "Maybe we should just call it a night." He chastised himself for not being able to keep the disappointment out of his voice.
"No." Olivia said, and her voice was louder than she'd intended. She shook her head and repeated it, her voice smaller and just a little unsteady. "You're right." She took in a deep breath, set the beer bottle on the table and pushed herself out of her chair. She saw Elliot's eyes dip to her breasts and then down to her legs and back up again, the heat of his stare making her entire body flush. "This…" She waved her hand between the two of them. She swallowed hard. "I need to know."
Elliot nodded, understanding all the meanings held in that single word. He took a small step forward, suddenly unsure of just how to move forward. He'd had dreams of this very moment, of pulling her into a passionate embrace and kissing her senseless. Images of lifting her into his arms and carrying her off to bed. But standing here in front of the woman he was pretty sure he loved almost more than anything in his life, that seemed like a badly written romance novel or some rom-com script. He didn't want things to be fast and out of control. He wanted slow. To taste her, to explore her luscious body, to make his mark on her body, her soul, her heart. "I want to know…" He repeated her words, but what he really wanted to tell her was that he loved her, and that he had for a really long time.
Olivia heard the reverence in his voice and finally understood how people felt weak in the knees. The emotions coursing through her entire body in that moment was a confusing jumble but it made her feel euphoric. "I want you to kiss me Elliot." She said, her voice almost a whisper. "And I don't want you to stop."
Elliot didn't hesitate for another second. He closed the gap between them, framing her face with his hands. His eyes looked back and forth between hers, giving her one last chance to deny him.
"I'm not drunk." Olivia said, as he seemed to be searching her eyes for any reason to not go forward.
Elliot chuckled lightly. "I didn't think you were." He said, even though that had crossed his mind momentarily.
"Okay. I just wanted to make sure that you knew that and that you wouldn't have any second thoughts or…"
"Liv." Elliot interrupted her. "Stop talking." He said with a small laugh. She laughed as well, but stopped almost immediately as he leaned in and captured her lips with his. It was a soft kiss, almost tentative as the momentous of this moment washed over him. He let one hand slide to the back of her head, his fingers tangling with her hair as he kissed her with more intent this time. He felt her hands fall to his waist, gripping the fabric there, and she tilted her head as he deepened the kiss. He lost himself in her then as they came together, their hunger for each other apparent with each second that passed. He let one hand wander down her back and was encourage by the soft moans that were emanating from her. He didn't hesitate as his hand smoothed over the curve of her ass, and when he reached skin, he smoothed his hand up beneath the hem of the t-shirt, his t-shirt, until he felt satin. He cupped her ass in his hand and pulled her tightly against him, wanting her to feel how much he wanted her.
She writhed against him, and in that moment, he knew he'd been a fool to think he'd be able to take things slowly. Slow could come later…he wanted her now.
Olivia broke the kiss, feeling breathless and so incredibly turned on. Her body was aching for him, something she hadn't felt in a long time. The length of him was pressed against her thigh, hard and hot and she couldn't wait to have him buried deeply inside of her. She tugged at the waistband of his sweatpants and they offered no resistance.
The next few minutes were a blur, with clothing hitting the floor, roaming hands and deep kisses, the lust of two people that had been denied for too long. The old bed put up a protest as they landed there, Elliot careful not to crush her with the weight of him. Olivia's legs fell to the side of his and he braced his arms by her head as his erection pressed against her intimately.
Olivia arched up into him, her hands on his hips, as she urged him on, but she looked up at his eyes and saw the dark eyes staring deeply into hers.
"Liv."
His voice was deep with that reverent tone he seemed to have adopted and she wasn't sure what he was about to say, but whatever it was, she was certain she wasn't ready to hear it. "I know."
Elliot swallowed hard and nodded and then, he leaned in and captured her lips, slipping inside her for the first time.
EOEOEOEO
The bright morning sun shone through the flimsy curtains, and Olivia moaned. It couldn't possibly be morning already. She could feel Elliot's body wrapped around hers, with one of his hands resting low on her stomach and the other cupping one breast. She would love to have another round with him, could feel his arousal nestled against her ass, but it was highly likely that it wouldn't be too much longer before Fin was knocking on their door. She didn't want to be caught in this compromising position or hear I told you so.
On top of that, she wasn't certain her body could take much more. Elliot's body was amazing. She understood his swagger much more now, and his strength and endurance had driven her to places she'd never been before. They'd been unable to keep their hands and mouths off each other and he'd made her come more times than she could even count. But she'd be lying if she said she wasn't sore. She needed a long, hot soak in the tub, but that was probably going to have to wait. She placed her hand over his, pushing her ass back against his erection. "El."
"Hmm." Elliot roused from sleep and pressed his lips against her shoulder, pushing his hips more firmly against her. His hand on her stomach started wandering down and he felt Olivia's body tense slightly so he stopped. "You okay?" He was a thoughtful lover and had stopped to check in on her multiple times over the course of the night, but now he was worried by her reaction.
Olivia laughed lightly. "I'm fine. I'm just a little…" She wanted to be careful with her words because she didn't want to make him feel badly. The way that man had loved her was insane and she didn't want to give him any reason to think otherwise. "I think Fin will be knocking on our door any minute, and I need a shower."
Elliot buried his face in her hair. "Are you sure we can't just stay here forever?"
"We'd shrivel up and die of starvation." Olivia said with a laugh, imagining them intertwined in this bed, never leaving the room.
"But what a way to die." Elliot said. He'd been a little nervous as he'd carried Olivia to bed. He hadn't made love to any woman besides Kathy since he was 17 years old, and the two of them were nothing alike. But there had been no awkwardness, even in those few seconds when he'd had to admit he didn't have a condom. She had assured him it was fine, that she trusted him implicitly and it seemed as if they'd been making love for years. In some ways, in all ways but physical, they had been. He squeezed her in a slightly awkward hug. "Just a few more minutes."
Olivia nestled into him, happy to oblige. "You know, I might owe you an apology."
"Apology?" Elliot couldn't imagine why.
"Well, if you hadn't been so bull-headed and stubborn about taking the back way, we wouldn't have ended up crashing the car into a snowbank, walking for miles in a blizzard and wouldn't have ended up in this small murder-like motel."
"That's an apology? Calling me bull-headed and stubborn and irresponsible?" He chuckled.
"You're missing the point." Olivia said, unable to keep the smile off her face. "I said I'm apologizing for saying and possibly even hating those traits as I was trudging through the snow yesterday." She turned her head slightly until Elliot was nuzzling her cheek. "But now…"
"You love me for it?" Elliot's heart stopped as he realized what he'd said. He hadn't meant to bring up the love part, at least not yet. There was time for that.
Olivia brought her arm up and rested her hand on Elliot's cheek. "Yes, that's just one of the things I love about you."
"You love me?" Elliot felt emboldened by her words.
Olivia lifted his arm from her body and turned around to face him, letting his arm fall back on her waist. "Do you love me?"
"Jesus Liv, what do you think we're doing here?" He hated it if she thought he'd just tumble into bed with her without any real feelings behind it.
"So…that's a yes?" She stared into his eyes, believing what she saw there. But she needed to hear it, needed to know that when they left this room, things would be different. Something she never thought she'd want.
"Olivia Benson. I love everything about you. I love how your nose crinkles slightly when you laugh. I love the freckles on your cheeks and nose that you like to cover up with makeup but that I see after hours working the job. I love how you look at me like I've lost my damned mind sometimes. I love your empathy and the way you give all of yourself to the job. I love your sense of humor and the way your laugh makes me feel. I love how stubborn you can be when you know you're right, and how incredibly smart you are. I love that despite everything that's happened to you in your life, you have chosen to trust me with your life. And now, your body and your heart. Does that answer your question?"
Olivia felt a huge lump in her throat and tears threatened her lower lashes. To be loved like this was all she ever wanted, and she finally let herself believe that this could be her life. "Yes." She whispered, swallowing hard. "A million times, yes." She leaned in and kissed him lightly, settling in, happy in his arms. "Well, luckily, I love you too." She wasn't afraid to say it any longer and instead, she was excited to see what the future held for them.
They lay like that for a few moments, letting the emotion and this new reality settle in their bones. Just being.
"We probably have to get going." Olivia said, hating to be the one to break the silence.
"Yeah." Elliot couldn't disagree. "But before we go…promise me that this isn't the end of this."
Olivia smiled, a slow, lazy smile. "No way you're getting out of this Stabler." She started to disentangle her body from his, scooting out of bed. She stood be the side of the bed, completely naked, watching as his eyes traveled over her body. "The only thing that's on my mind is, where are we spending the night tonight?" With that, she winked and headed off to the bathroom and a hot shower.
