Olivia smiled and pulled away from her date on the steps of her apartment. The tall, pepper haired man grinned down at her, mesmerized to be in the presence of such a beautiful, intelligent, almost intimidating woman.

"Olivia... I had an incredible time. And, if you don't mind me being too forward I was wondering if maybe we could continue this date..." He asked her breathlessly, searching her face for a sign. She smiled but it was closer to a grimace, dancing away from his touch.

"Dan. Dinner was wonderful, I just don't know if I see anything else for us. Right now." She answered honestly, speaking gently like he was a child who might start crying. Dan sighed.

"Even just dinner was more than I ever asked for." He said, putting a little space between them. Olivia let the tension flow out of her body, grateful he had been understanding. He hailed a taxi with ease and Olivia waved as he got in and took off, watching the car retreat out of sight. Her hand hovering over her weapon she back tracked half a block, certain someone or something had been tailing her on her date.

"If you're behind there," she said, inching towards the corner of a building. "You better have a great exlpanation for-" She gasped as Elliot moved into the light of a street lamp, his face guilty like a dog who'd gotten in the trash. "Elliot?" He stood in front of her and waited for the tongue lashing that was surely coming. "Elliot, were you following me on my date?"

He sighed, trying to find words that would make sense to her. "Olivia, I'm sorry-"

"You still don't think I can watch my own back? Or are you just jealous?" He squinted as she crossed her arms, waiting for an answer.

"Olivia you were threatened in open court the other day." Silence hung between them, people making their way around them on the busy night. Olivia sighed.

"Yeah, well that kind of happens a lot. To both of us." Elliot stared through her with blue eyes. "We can't keep living our lives under the shadow of what happened." She said, starting slowly up her steps and not really protesting when Elliot followed.

"I know that." Elliot said plainly, opening the door for her. "But you would've caught on to an official detail following you." Olivia smiled in spite of herself as she remembered all the times she'd yelled at Elliot for ordering a protective detail for her without her consent.

"I noticed you too. I just didn't wanna spook my date." She answered with a playful grin, getting her keys out of her pocket and heading up the stairs to her apartment door. Elliot chuckled.

"How'd that go, anyways?" He asked as he entered her dark apartment. Olivia grimaced again.

"Great. We'll probably never do it again." Olivia looked behind her as she set her stuff down and noticed a strange expression on Elliot's face. "What is it?" He sat on her couch and waited for her to join him.

"Nothing, it's just..." He lost track of his thought, his mind plagued by hundreds of other memories. "You know after everything. Not knowing what was gonna happen..." The atmosphere became oppressive as they both took a moment to reflect on their shared ordeal. They were cleared to work together again and everything was almost normal. Almost.

Olivia sat on the other end of her couch and waited for Elliot to finish his thought. "Hasn't it made you take settling down with someone more seriously?" His voice was quiet now. In all the time he'd known her all he'd wanted for Olivia was to have someone. She had him, but it was inevitable that Kathy and all his kids would need him. But what about her? Certainly, she deserved it.

Olivia smiled to herself. "I think I'm as settled down as I need or want to be. Right now, anyways." She said, standing. Elliot watched her retreat towards the back of her apartment. "I'm gonna take a shower and go to bed," she called to him. "Get out of my house." Elliot chuckled to himself, slipping his shoes off.

"Nobody's at home." He answered, kicking his feet up. I'm fine sleeping right here."