Olivia frowned but let it be. Elliot clearly didn't want to talk about it, so she turned her gaze out the window. Snowflakes swirled around the car, and the silence was broken only by the steady rumble of the engine.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was just a little over four in the morning when Olivia stepped in through the airport door. The temperature has dropped over the weekend, and the snowfall that had resumed the night before continued. Olivia shook most of the snow from her shoulders and looked around. She saw Elliot, walked over to him, and sat down beside him. Elliot sat on the bench with his hands in a gust and his face buried in the collar of his jacket.

"Morning sunshine," Olivia laughed. Elliot glared at her sullenly, lowered his head to her shoulder, and closed his eyes.

"This is anything but morning," he muttered. Olivia smiled and looked for other detectives.

"Have you seen Munch or Fin?" She asked.

"Fin announced he will be here in 10 minutes, nothing has been heard of Munch. He probably can't use his new phone," Elliot speculated. Then he raised his head and looked around. "Where's the boyfriend?"

Olivia snorted. "Cassidy went home for the night because all his stuff was there. He should arrive soon."

After that, they didn't speak anymore. The warmth of the airport, the low noise, and Elliot's calm breathing made Olivia feel sleepy, and she had to resist the urge to lean against her partner. Instead, she took a better posture, crossed her arms, and sighed deeply.

"Better not to fall asleep," Elliot muttered with his eyes closed. Olivia opened her eyes.

"What?" She asked.

"We have to be careful that no one puts anything illegal in our suitcases. Imagine a situation where a member of this criminal organization would slip a drug package into your suitcase. You would immediately be caught in a security check and then go to jail. Then they would start to suspect that you are the police officer who is leaking information to the organization. It would take a pretty good lawyer to get through the situation with dry feet."

Olivia stared at Elliot. She still remembered way too clearly when she was suspected of murder. All the evidence spoke against her, and Olivia had been certain for a moment that she would go to jail innocent. The thought made her pull her suitcase closer.

"And if I survived the situation, Cragen would kill me."

Elliot grinned.

"You're probably right. You couldn't win." Elliot's smiling eyes looked at Olivia penetratingly, and Olivia had to turn her gaze away. Familiar butterflies began to flutter in her stomach, but she didn't even intend to admit it to herself.

"Have you seen any cafés nearby?" She asked as her eyes raked the area.

"You'd know if I had," Elliot sighed in disappointment. At the same time, the airport doors opened and Cassidy leaped in. Elliot groaned and Olivia scowled at him as she raised her hand in greeting. Cassidy's expression brightened.

"Morning!" He smiled and pressed a kiss to Olivia's cheek. She suddenly felt embarrassed.

"Oh get a room," Elliot moaned. Cassidy turned to look at him.

"You can get a kiss too if you want," he grinned.

"Hard pass."

Cassidy turned his gaze to Olivia and handed her a steaming hot cup of coffee. Olivia groaned and took the cup gratefully.

"I thought you could be in lack of this," Cassidy looked pleased with himself. Olivia nodded.

"You're my hero," she declared, and Cassidy looked like he had won the lottery.

"I'll remember that," he lowered his voice. Olivia immediately regretted her words and could almost hear Elliot's eyebrows rising. She lowered her gaze to her coffee cup. Officer Brown then stepped in, and Cassidy turned to leave.

"Brown and I are going to find the airport staff to get more information about the flight. I'll be back soon," he exclaimed. Olivia sighed in relief. Then she heard Elliot open his mouth.

"Don't," she warned.

"Wasn't going to say anything," Elliot grinned.

"Don't even start," Olivia lifted a cup to her lips. The hot drink warmed her tired limbs, and she sighed with satisfaction.

"I would kill for that coffee," Elliot created longing gazes at the steaming drink. Olivia handed him the cup.

"Don't drink everything," she warned. He took the cup and held it like the most expensive treasure. Then he took a sip and sighed deeply.

"You are a saint," he stated. Olivia gave a laugh.

"You can rethink that when you have to offer in Ottawa." Elliot raised his eyebrows and took a long sip of coffee in response.

"Hey!" Olivia exclaimed and snatched the cup back. Elliot leaned back and looked pleased with himself. Olivia's mouth began to twitch, and she covered it by lifting the cup to her lips.

"How old are you? Six?" She shook her head. Elliot laughed. Olivia enjoyed the feeling of a warm drink in her stomach for a moment before she opened her mouth.

"What did Laura think about your trip?" She asked before she had time to stop herself. Elliot's shoulders dropped, his mouth tightened, and Olivia wanted to slap herself.

"She didn't mind," he replied shortly. "She had plans with her friends anyway."

Olivia evaluated her partner with her gaze and nodded. Although Elliot didn't want to talk about it, something was clearly happening. She changed the subject, but Elliot's good mood had disappeared, and he sat grumpily in his chair. Fin's happy voice interrupted them.

"Hey, Liv!" He smiled. "And always so happy Stabler," he added and nodded amusedly towards Elliot. Elliot snorted.

"Are you always that polite? " He asked sarcastically. Fin sneered.

"If you can trust something, it's Elliot's sarcasm."

"Alright guys, our check-in begins in 15 minutes," Cassidy was back. "After the security check, we have about half an hour before the departure." He looked around. "But where's Munch?"

At the same time, a man wearing a long black jacket and cylinder cap rushed in through the door. His suitcase clattered behind him, and a blue sock peeked out of the suitcase.

"Is someone chasing you?" Fin asked, half amused, half serious. Olivia felt Elliot tense next to her, and she glanced at the door.

"Am I…Late?" Munch panted.

"Not yet," Cassidy reassured him.

"Never… ever… rely on… your phone's … alarm," Munch tried to catch his breath. Elliot relaxed and glanced at Olivia significantly. She had to hide her smile by lowering her gaze to the ground and rubbing her nose. The sleepy mood had disappeared and the excited atmosphere surrounded the passengers.