Chapter 21
He woke up the next morning with Olivia still in his arms. He smiled and kissed her head. He needed to get going because he had to go to his apartment before work but he really didn't want to wake her.
He tried to move away carefully but of course she woke up. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. She looked so cute, he couldn't handle it.
"Good morning."
"Good morning. What time is it?" she asked, slightly confused.
"It's 5.30. I need to go to my apartment before work. Go back to sleep." he said gently while putting on some clothes.
"Okay. Cragen won't let me work today either, right?" she said. He shook his head.
"No, you stay in bed. You worked yesterday. Take at least the rest of the week off."
"Ugh.. but you said it yourself. I am a workaholic. I don't know what to do when I am not working." He smiled at her.
"Well, looks like you have to think of something because I am with Cragen on this one." he said grinning.
"Of course you are." she huffed. He moved closer and tried to kiss her.
"You really think you will get a kiss after treating me like an invalid?" she said while pushing him away. Elliot started to laugh.
"It was worth a try."
He walked into the bathroom and a few minutes later he had to leave.
"I have to go now. Still no kiss for me." he said obviously amused by their little banter. She just shook her head and he left her room laughing.
"Call me if you wanna go for lunch." he shouted. "And have a restful day."
He opened the front door.
"El, wait." Liv shouted. He stopped and turned around.
She ran towards him while wrapping a towel around her still naked body. She fell asleep yesterday before she could get dressed. She stopped in front of him and kissed him passionately. There was surprise written all over his face.
"This wasn't for you. This one was for myself, so stop grinning like a high school boy." she said grinning too.
"Well, then you're welcome." he said. She pushed him out of the door.
"Get over yourself, Stabler."
She closed the door behind him, still able to hear him laugh in the hallway.
She leaned against the closed door and smiled to herself. Elliot told her that he loved her and she said it back and it didn't scare her. All she feels right now is happiness.
Her day was eventless. She did some housework and tried to relax a bit. But she was bored soon so she decided to go shopping. She never had time to go shopping anyway.
A few hours later she fell down on her sofa. She was more than exhausted. Now she remembered why she didn't like to go shopping, it was freaking exhausting and her bruised body hurt like hell.
Suddenly her phone buzzed, it was a text from Jess, their DA and a good friend of Olivia.
"Heard what happened. Thanks for telling me that you almost died! Are you at home right now?"
Shit. She totally forgot to tell her.
"Sorry. But it wasn't that bad.
Yes, I am at home, the captain wants me to take some days off."
"Could be at yours in about ten."
"Alright. See you."
About 15 minutes later, Jess sat on Olivia's couch.
"How are you, hun?" she asked, worriedly.
"I am fine. Just a few bruises." Liv said, trying to downplay everything.
"And why are you wearing a scarf, inside your apartment?" Jess said looking at her knowingly.
"I didn't say nothing happened, I just said I am fine and that's the truth." Liv said defensively.
"Alright, Miss always fine. I'll accept it for now but just remember that I am here for you. No matter what."
"Thanks Jess."
Jess could see that Liv didn't want to talk about it anymore, so she asked, "What's with all these bags? Been shopping? Without me?"
Liv smiled, thankful for the change of topic.
"I was and I remembered why I never do it."
"Because you work 24/7?" Jess said laughing.
"No, because it's exhausting. And you aren't in the right position to talk about working too much. You're the same." Jess laughed.
"Not exactly. I go out to meet people. I date."
Suddenly Jess looked at her accusingly.
"Are you dating someone?"
Liv didn't understand where this came from.
"What?" she said, feeling slightly caught. Jess got up from the couch and picked up a bag from the floor.
"Victoria's secret. You don't buy shit like this if you don't want to impress someone."
Liv tried to grab the bag but Jess turned away from her and looked inside.
"Damn! I am 100% straight but if you would be standing in front of me with nothing on but this on, I would totally fuck you."
Liv started to laugh.
"Can I please have it back." she said begging.
"Tell me who the lucky guy is and you will get it back."
"Can't a woman just buy lingerie for herself?"
"Sure, but you don't buy provocative lingerie like that if you don't have a special someone in your mind. You don't have to tell me who it is. I get it. Keeping it a secret makes it even more hot. I just hope he deserves you." she said while giving the bag back to Liv.
"Is it weird that I am jealous of this mystery guy? I wish I had a smoking hot girlfriend who wears lingerie like this to make me happy."
Liv started to laugh and punched her slightly in the arm.
Jess' phone started to ring, she answered it while rubbing her arm. She mouthed a 'I didn't deserve that.' towards Liv.
Liv just shook her head laughing.
"I'll be there in about 30 minutes." Jess said before she hung up. "I have to go, sorry."
"Thanks for coming by I guess."
"You guess. Zss. If someone would tell me that I am smoking hot and that they would like to fuck me, I'd be more than flattered and not ungrateful like you are."
She jumped away from Liv before she could punch her again.
"Okay. I think it's safer for me to leave now." she said laughing. Liv just shook her head smiling.
She loved her friendship with Jess. Although they joke around most of the time and just love to have a good time, she knows that she can really trust her. She can count on her when things get serious.
Later Liv was sitting next to Elliot on his couch watching a movie.
"Kathy was at the precinct today."
She turned to face him.
"Really?"
"Yes, she asked me if I could come by the house tomorrow at lunchtime. There are some things we need to talk about. A divorce is so much more work than most people think." he said. "I thought about telling her about us."
She looked at him shocked.
"What? Why?"
"If she finds out that we are together and I didn't tell her anything about it then she will be furious."
Liv got up.
"Like she won't be furious anyway. She fucking hates me, Elliot. She will never be okay with it and you know it. I don't want it to affect the kids. What if she won't let you see them anymore? She can make your life hell."
She was pacing the room, unable to stay still.
"Babe, calm down! She has to let me see them. We have an agreement and she can't just change it because she doesn't like the person I am with. Take a deep breath. Everything's going to be okay."
The look on her face told him that she wasn't convinced at all.
"Come here." he said, opening his arms. She needed a few seconds but then she let him hug her. He kissed her head and whispered in her ear, "Everything's going to be okay."
Around 11pm Liv decided to drive home. At first Elliot didn't want her to go but then he realized that she needed the space right now. The fact that he was going to tell Kathy about them, overwhelmed her a bit, to say the least.
He hugged her one last time before she drove home.
"Text me when you're home safe."
She smiled at him slightly.
"I will. Good night."
She couldn't sleep, so she decided to watch TV. After a while she fell into a restless sleep.
..."What the fuck do you think you're doing? Running around fucking other womens husbands? Do you even think about how this affects us, his family?
You stole my kids father, my husband. What the heck is wrong with you?" Kathy shouted.
"Kathy, I.." Liv wasn't able to say more because Kathy interrupted her.
"I don't wanna hear your excuses! You always act like the innocent one but you are not! You are sleeping with a married man, my man! He may be your longest relationship with a man you ever had but guess what, my relationship with him is even longer. I am his longest relationship and he is mine.
We have kids together and you can be sure, no matter how good of a fuck you are, he will never put you first.
If I tell him that he can't see his kids if he continues seeing you, he will leave you without a look back.
You are a lapse of taste, a distraction but I know he will come back to us and then you are alone again because you can't make someone love you enough to marry you.
I would say, poor thing, but how could someone love a person like you? Your father is a fucking rapist! Even your mother hated you..."
Liv jumped awake.
What the heck was this?
She got up and walked over to the bathroom to splash cold water in her face. She knew it was just a dream but it felt so real. She had similar conversations with Kathy before, so it was possible that something like this would happen if Elliot told her about them.
She looked for her phone and texted El, that she needed to talk to him before he talked to Kathy.
Damn it! It was 5.30am, he will get suspicious when he reads it. She should've checked the time earlier. She sent him another text.
"I am fine, don't worry. Just need to talk to you before you talk to her."
This wouldn't make it better. Oh man. It was a fucking dream, Olivia. Get your shit together! she thought to herself.
Her phone started to ring. It was Elliot.
Damn it! He has to go to work and now his crazy girlfriend is freaking out because of a fucking dream.
"Hey." she said.
"Hey. Are you okay? Why are you even awake? And why are thinking about my meeting with Kathy so early?"
Liv took a deep breath.
"I am sorry. I didn't mean to... Well, you know what? Forget that I texted you, okay? It's too early and I should go back to bed. It's nothing, I just need more sleep." she said, trying to convince him.
"Liv, talk to me. There's a reason why you texted me."
"It's dumb and ... well it doesn't.. you can go for a run now and get ready for work I am fine. It was just a weird dream. I am sorry. I will talk to you later."
"What dream?"
"Liv? You still there?"
"I am... El, please. Move on with your morning routine and let's talk later. I am fine."
"Why don't you wanna talk to me? I don't care about my morning routine! What the heck is going on?"
"I had a bad dream and it felt way too realistic, it stressed me the fuck out but I realize now that that's my problem and it's just a dream. I just don't think you should tell Kathy about us."
"Wait, what?! I am confused. What did you dream and what has it to do with telling her?"
"El, let us talk later. You have to go to work and it's weird over the phone. I am fine. Don't worry."
"Could you please stop telling me what to do. I don't care about work right now. Give me 30 minutes." and with that he hung up.
Liv stood in her living room, confused and embarrassed. All this stress because of a fucking dream. Why couldn't she just keep it to herself?
