Close Calls

Summary: See ch1

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, still not mine.

A/N: okay, so I won't repost the last chapter since you all seemed to like it! Glad to hear that though. I'm sorry that a lot of you felt the last chapter was a little short, and this is too, but I'm leaving for college in a few days! I promise, that there are longer chapters in the future!

Is it Love?

After hours of back tracking, and canvassing, the 1-6 was no closer at solving their case. They had no idea where the victim was, or even if she was still alive. Cragen convinced Anne's parents to make yet another plea on the news for the safe return of their daughter, but so far, nothing.

By nine o'clock Elliot noticed Olivia almost asleep at he desk.

"Lemme drive you home Liv. We're not getting anything more here tonight." He offered.

When there was no answer he tried again, "Come on Liv. Sitting here's not going to do anyone any good."

Where there was still no answer he began to wonder if she had fallen asleep with her eyes open. The mature thing to do would have been to get out his seat and walk over to his partner to see if she was in fact still wake. But Elliot was too tired for mature. So instead, he crumpled up a piece of paper and threw it at her head. It was a direct hit.

Elliot couldn't help but laugh when she jerked back to reality.

"Funny Elliot." She scoffed.

"Sorry." He laughed. "But I've been trying to get your attention for five minutes!"

"Oh, sorry." She apologized.

"Anything you wanna talk about Benson?" Elliot asked, genuinely concerned. "You've seemed a little preoccupied all day."

"No, I'm fine." She answered, but could tell he didn't believe her. "Really Elliot. Thanks for the offer, but I'm fine. Just frustrated over this case." She lied.

"Why don't we call it a night? I'll drive you home." He offered again.

"It's okay. I'll take the subway." Olivia answered.

"That wasn't a question Benson." Elliot smiled as he got up and put on his coat.

Olivia smiled back, knowing that she wouldn't win this one. She mimicked her partner, and got her coat to leave. It warmed her that no matter what may be going on in her life, she knew she would always have Elliot. Even when they tried to push each other away, the other always seemed to hold on for dear life.

"You sure there's nothing bothering you?" Elliot asked again when they got to the car. He knew there was something, but just had to get her to admit it.

"Elliot, I'm fine." Olivia whined.

"Well good, but that's not what I asked you." Elliot answered, eying her. Olivia just rolled her eyes. "You know I'll get it out of you eventually." He added.

Olivia just shook her head.

"Everything all right with Kevin?" He pushed.

"We're fine." Olivia answered, annoyance growing. Why did he constantly feel the need to make sure she was okay?

"Just fine?" Elliot questioned.

"Could you save the interrogation for the perps El?" Olivia asked in annoyance. "Kevin and I are fine. I am fine, now could we just drop it!"

"Okay, okay. I was just asking." Elliot said in defense. Elliot decided that he was feeling brazen tonight, so, after a few moments of silence he added, "But if there were something wrong, you know you could tell me?"

"Elliot! There is nothing wrong!" Olivia yelled, turning to face him in the car. "Kevin told me he loved me last night, and I've just been thinking about it a lot! Okay, does that answer your question!" She yelled. "Damn, he is a good interrogator!" She thought to her self after the wave of anger had passed.

Elliot's heart sank to his stomach, and his stomach sank to the floor. He knew that their relationship was good, but he never expected it to get to love!

"And… do you love him too?" He asked almost in whisper, trying to sound as normal as possible.

Olivia was silent for a moment as she thought about what to say. "That's what I've been thinking about all day." She finally decided.

"What's to think about?" Elliot pushed.

"I don't know Elliot!" Olivia said annoyed. She didn't want to have this conversation. Whenever she even thought about this whole 'I love you' thing with Kevin it gave her a knot in her stomach. "I have issues when it comes to love. I mean, I like Kevin. He's sweet, and kind, and good for me, but I don't know about love." She sighed honestly, and rubbed her eyes in exasperation. "And I don't have a clue what to do about this!"

"What do you mean?" Elliot asked as he pulled the car to a stop in front of Olivia's building.

"I just, I feel guilty that I don't feel as strongly for him as he does for me." She sighed. "But at the same time I don't want to tell him because I still want to be with him."

"She still wants to be with him, wonderful." Elliot thought to himself. "So then what's the problem? I mean, if he treats you well, and you're happy, don't worry about it." He said truthfully. He did want her to be happy. "And if he really does love you, he'll understand."

"You give good advice Stabler." Olivia smiled.

"I've got three daughters, I've had practice." He smiled back.

"Thanks." Olivia said genuinely as she got out of the car. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, tomorrow." Elliot said with a forced smile as he watched her walk away.

He turned back onto the road convinced that he had lost her forever. He figured that Olivia would eventually fall for Kevin as hard as he fell for her, and that broke his heart.

When he got to his building he shut off the car and slowly made his way to his empty apartment. He hated the nights he didn't have his children to come home to. The apartment seemed so lonely without them.

"I should have treated her better" He thought as he stepped into the shower. "I should have told her how I feel. I should have shown her that I care and not have pushed her away. Why was I such an ass?" His mind continued as he scrubbed his face under the stream of hot water. He was so lost at the moment.

After shampooing his hair, and cleaning his body, Elliot simply stood under the water. He didn't want to get out and have to face the world; have to face the inevitability of losing a woman that was never really his.

Back at Olivia's apartment, things weren't going any better. She lay awake in bed thinking about what she was going to do about the whole Kevin situation. She was still stuck on the fact that she wanted to be with Kevin, but she wasn't so sure about the whole love thing. She didn't think that she loved him yet; but there was always the possibility that she did love him, but was suppressing her feelings.

As she turned on her side for what seemed like the millionth time that night, she thought of a way to figure out her feelings. She began to imagine what her life would be like in the next five years if she remained with Kevin. Would she marry him? Maybe even start a family? She could see herself walking in Central Park, pushing a stroller. The thought made her smile. It was just recently that Olivia discovered her longing to be a mother. She never thought the day would come, yet somehow it snuck up on her.

As she pictured herself with a child of her own, she pictured Kevin walking beside her. The thought seemed nice to her, but did that mean she loved him, or just that they made a nice looking couple?

She decided on another route. She pictured herself in the same five years, only this time; there was no Kevin in her life. She imagined what it would be like if they walked away from their relationship. Olivia focused hard on the feelings and emotions running through her as she pictured it. Not much to her surprise, she discovered that it wouldn't be the end of the world.

It was settled, while Olivia really liked Kevin, and the possibility for that like growing into love was there, at that moment, she clearly didn't feel the same way about him as he felt about her.

Olivia flopped back on her stomach, closed her eyes, and after what seemed like hours, willed herself to finally sleep.

TBC... I know, it's short, but it is a transition chapter. Things will be picking up soon! I Promise!