Residual effects of the night prior were dulling Olivia's focus as she tried to concentrate on the file in front of her.

Elliot was sitting opposite her, sorting through his own paperwork and he had barely said a word to her all day.

Her mind was on Adam. On Elliot. On last night. On the way in which he had abruptly turned up. And the way in which she had abruptly left. Then thoughts of Adam and Elliot sharing a booth. On Munch and Fin filling Elliot in.. On potential topics of conversation that could have been raised. The thought of just how last night ended up was literally causing an ache in her upper shoulders. Against better judgment she figured she would try to ease herself into conversation with her partner.

"How was the parent teacher conference?" Olivia asked casually taking small sips of her coffee.

"It was fine." He said quietly, not even looking up.

"Dickie doing well?" She asked after a slight pause and he didn't answer.

She narrowed her eyes at him despite the fact that he wasn't looking at her, this attitude of his was getting tiresome.

"Elliot?" She asked.

"What?" He said annoyed.

"Is he doing well?" She repeated a little louder.

"Yes Olivia, he is doing fine." He practically yelled back at her.

He'd made eye contact for the explosion but it was gone quickly after. She chewed on her lower lip and watched him pretend to get back to his busy caseload.

She could feel eyes on her around the precinct but she didn't care, she was beyond caring. Everyone in the office knew he was the one with the temper, not her. Potential comebacks milled through her mind as she watched him but she traded them all in for a sigh.

She didn't have the energy to deal with him today.


The afternoon was long and drawn out, Munch had asked Olivia what was going on between her and Elliot again but she quickly dismissed it by rolling her eyes indicating it wasn't even worth mentioning.

Elliot had hit the weight room yet again and she was almost jealous she didn't have her own system to vent her frustration.

"Liv, where's Elliot?" Cragen's voice broke through her thoughts.

She cleared her throat, "He's in the weight room." She almost said sarcastically as if Cragen would know what she was implying.

"Tell him I need him in my office in ten minutes." He insisted, turning before she could respond and heading back through his door.

Her eyebrows drew together in confusion, it would have been just as easy for him to go find him than it was for her but she stood up, tossing her pen down and making her way to the weight room.

She entered without knocking, pushing the door open hard, "Cragen wants to see you in his office in ten." She blurted out.

Just as she turned to leave again he called out, "What?" He couldn't hear her over the clinking weights.

She stood in the doorway sporting a scowl, "Cragen wants to see you in his office in ten." She repeated loudly.

He returned the weight he was using and sat up, "Why didn't he just come and tell me himself?" He asked watching her.

"God knows, maybe he thought a little communication between us wouldn't go astray." She said bitterly.

He stood up, "Yeah or maybe you jumped at the opportunity to come in here while I'm shirtless and sweat soaked to tell me yourself."

The room stilled and her eyes widened.

She had not expected that response, she slammed the door hard and walked up to him so she was close. He barely flinched.

Her first instinct was to let loose and unleash all the crap she'd taken from him. She eyed him with intensity, she moved forward until her thighs were almost bumping his knees, words of venom were on the tip of her tongue. She held his gaze, her eyes moving back and forth between his until he finally broke the silence.

"You got nothing to say to that?" he whispered.

"You're an asshole." She responded. "That's what I've got to say to that."

"Original," he mutters under his breath.

But she doesn't bite. She moves then, intentionally heading for the door.

"Ten minutes," she reitorates over her shoulder. "And who knows, maybe with some luck Cragen's got a new partner lined up for you," she raps bitterly before slamming the door shut.


Elliot had been in Cragen's office for over twenty minutes.

If Cragen's decided to move forward with the partner switch then great. If not, whatever. She was done caring. Finally his door began to open and she shifted her eyes around the papers in front of her, making no indication that she was interested in the situation.

He sat down in front of her, shuffling a few things around and she could feel his eyes on her. When she finally relented and looked up their eyes met and he stared at her with an expression she couldn't quite place.

She furrowed her eyebrows before she looked away once more, uneasy minutes passing before he sucked in a terse breath and moved over to the coffee station.

She could feel Munch's eyes on her as she poured her refill and he took the opportunity to approach her.

"Hey," he whispered across at her. "I forgot to tell you, your friend left this for you last night." She looked over to see a small rectangular piece of cardboard he was handing her.

Her eyes furrowed as she took in the words. Adam Atkinson.

Adam's business card.

She looked back up at Munch.

"You should give him a call," he prodded before turning around. "He had some nice things to say about you," he called out loudly.

She couldn't help but look over and see Elliot, their eyes colliding simultaneously.

"Didn't he Elliot," Munch smiles, knowing full well he had just heard every word.


It was 7:00pm and as the day faded into night Elliot was still sitting opposite her.

The station was quiet, and some of the lights were switched off already.

She noticed on several occasions Elliot was looking at her, she would catch his glimpses before he would casually glance away.

It was on the third glance that she snapped.

"God Elliot, what?" She yelled into the quiet office.

He didn't seem phased or caught out he just shrugged and looked back at his computer.

She rolled her eyes.

She went back to her files and felt his eyes on her again, she ignored it at first but when he made no intention of moving his eyes from her she broke.

She tossed her pen down and walked off, she was done with the day she decided - she didn't want to even look at him anymore.

She made her way over to the lockers and grabbed her hoodie, it was getting cold in the precinct which meant it would be even colder outside. She wasn't going to endure another moment of his torture. As she slid the hoodie on she shut the locker door and he was standing there, arms folded leaning against the other lockers.

She got a slight shock at the interruption but ignored him.

He gave her a chance to settle before he spoke.

"You got your wish," he tells her quietly.

Her eyes moved over to his.

"What," she responds with a half laugh, "You got a new partner?"

"A transfer." He corrects her.

She freezes, her eyebrows raise and she swallows. She wasn't expecting that. She zips up her hoodie. Her heart begins to race and her throat starts to close up. She isn't sure how to feel about this let alone how to respond to it. What part of this of this, if any, feels real. She feels a cold slap of accountability hit her chest before she tries to shrug it off. This was his own doing she thinks. He had this coming. Her eyes fall from his and she shakes her head sadly before she starts to walk past him.

She makes it to the door before he speaks.

"You got nothing to say to that either?"

She turns around and looks at him helplessly. "That was never my wish Elliot and you know it."

"Then talk to him," he whispers.

Her eyes widen at that. "And say what? That this isn't the answer? That we're not at each others throats daily? That we're putting the job first and we can handle this shit storm we've created?"

"This is my job Olivia," he steps forward. "Yes I've crossed the line, yes I've said and done things I'm not proud of, but a transfer? Olivia, my kids are here."

She sucks in a breath, her mind reeling over the implications of their actions and just how out of control things have gotten.

"Is it permanent?" She whispers, knowing that sometimes transfers can be temporary.

He looks away, before his eyes return back to hers. "Six to nine months, depending on the case loads," he tells her quietly.

She nods. A part of feeling a pang of relief that this won't be forever.

"Look.. I know this isn't ideal.. " she treads carefully, trying to figure out just how to put this. "But maybe it's.. for the best. Cragen is right, we need space from this – all of it - you have to agree-"

He scoffs cutting her off. "-Right.. then you go," he rasps. "If it's that easy, you pack up your life and leave everyone you care about. I'm sure Adam will survive without you."

Her eyes widen and she shakes her head. She can't believe he just went there - to belittle her life like that. She feels the anger, disbelief and sadness all culminating in her chest at once.

She steps forward then. "I get it," she whispers coldly. "You're upset. And this sucks for you, this isn't how you expected things were going to play out. But what do you want me to say Elliot, you made your bed."

She doesn't wait around to see how her comment lands, instead she moves past his shocked expression, through the locker room door and out of the precinct doors.

And he doesn't stop her.