Elliot watched his wife disappear through the revolving doors, still unable to fully process the fight they'd just had. She'd accused him of being in love with Olivia … for years, and he'd been unable to deny the allegation. Guilty. He was guilty, and the associated stomach churning discomfort that accompanied that culpability took his breath away.

"Hey, you okay Elliot?" John Munch made his presence known. He approached Elliot and put a steadying hand on his shoulder. "That was rough. Maybe you ought to sit." John led him to a small couch in the lobby and gently pushed his friend onto it. "Deep breaths, my friend. Deep breaths."

Elliot allowed himself to be led, his brain unable to formulate any new information. Kathy's voice resonated in his head. He looked up at Munch and said, "She left me."

"I heard. Sorry, but I was helping you look for her and couldn't help but overhear your fight." John shook his head and patted Elliot on the shoulder. "I think there might be somebody in Timbuktu who didn't hear her."

"Oh gawd." Elliot slumped down and hid his face in his hands. "I hope Liv didn't hear any of that."

"Come on, I was just making a little joke. She was checking the ladies' restroom for Kathy. I'm sure she didn't hear anything."

Elliot felt as though the oxygen in the room had suddenly become thin. He gasped for breath and gulped guiltily. He couldn't face John and looked away from him. "What the hell do I do now?"

"Look, Stabler, you're in shock. You just experienced the death knell of your marriage. Trust me, I know what that's like. It's happened to me four times."

"The death knell of my marriage? Fuck, John, is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"No. I'm giving you a dose of reality."

"Kathy just gave me a dose of reality."

"Yeah. Look, this couldn't have been such a huge surprise. It must have been a long time coming, no?" John peered at Elliot over his darkened lenses, and compassion emanated from his eyes.

Elliot stood up, unable to bear the scrutiny. He paced the marble floor in circles, a maelstrom of memories flooding his brain. Things with Kathy had been going badly for a long time, indeed. They never confided in each other anymore, and they didn't seem particularly happy to spend time together. They co-existed like roommates raising children together. Sure, he loved her but he wasn't in love with her. He wondered if he'd ever been in love with her at all. Getting married because they'd had to, right out of high school, he hadn't had the luxury to consider his feelings toward her. He'd done the right thing. And now, after twenty years, and four children, the cracks in his marriage's weak foundations had shattered and he was left staring at the rubble left behind.

"It's over?" Elliot turned to Munch.

"Come on buddy, you're going to survive this."

"Maybe I can still work it out with her. She needs some space and time, and after that I'll go home and we'll talk and work it out."

John barely restrained himself from scoffing. "Is what she said true? About you and Liv?" He already knew the answer; hell the entire precinct did. And after Liv's emotional serenade of Elliot tonight, all of Manhattan's cops knew it too. "I mean, you didn't deny it."

Elliot furrowed his brows. "I need some space," he declared. He pushed past John and through the revolving doors. The cold December air sliced through his tuxedo, enveloping him in its solid embrace. He exhaled sharply and took a deep breath of freezing air. Like a slap in the face, it revived him from his shock. He stood in front of the hotel, staring at nothing in particular. John's question now joined the tumult of Kathy's words. Did he love Liv? Of course he loved Liv. She was his partner, his best friend, and they depended on each other for their lives. It was them against the evil they confronted. Him and Liv against the world. Every. Single. Fucking. Day. Liv. God, she was amazing, so strong, smart, and brave and independent. But was he in love with her? True, he hadn't denied it.

He could still see her on that fateful September day, covered in white dust when he'd found her leading survivors to safety. They'd lost each other for a time, and the fear that she'd been killed when the second tower came down had propelled him into the danger zone and mayhem that was Ground Zero. He'd never prayed so hard in his life during that hour when he didn't know her fate. Reunited in the rubble, they'd clung to each other for dear life, their tears making a path through the caked on debris they were wearing. Liv. He'd never kissed Liv, but that day he'd come too damned close when his lips had pressed into her gritty, dusty short hair. As such, he always kept a professional distance from her, never touching her unless absolutely necessary. But tonight, he'd grasped her arm after losing himself in her song. The song she'd sung to him. Had his love for Liv just cost him his marriage? Elliot blinked back tears and the cold air stung his eyes. He shivered and his teeth began to chatter.

"Hey Stabler, you coming inside?" John Munch joined him outside. "You've been standing there long enough; it's freezing."

"I'm thinking."

"Yeah, well, maybe you could think indoors. You're gonna catch pneumonia out here. Even though conventional wisdom says that you need a virus to get sick, the cold air depresses your immune system and makes one more susceptible to all the viruses that surround us. I once caught pneumonia after a particularly cold stake out and …"

"Alright John! I'm coming in. Don't know where I'm going after that though."

John pushed through the revolving door after Elliot. Once back in the lobby, he turned to his friend. "You could take advantage of the special hotel rate they're giving our party's guests tonight. Only $99 to stay at the Four Seasons. You should probably give Kathy some space before you head back home."

El considered his words. "I don't even know if I have a home to go back to," he said. "I'm probably going to have to get a place in the city. Shit. Do you have any idea how expensive this city is?"

"I've got some idea. Come on, book a room and stop thinking so much. The party's still going on and the band just arrived. People are dancing, and there's cake," John said.

"Just like that, huh? You want me to return to the party? Now? After the 'death knell' of my marriage?"

John chuckled softly. "Heed my wisdom, o young one. After four divorces, one thing I can tell you is that life continues. You might as well drink the free champagne. In this case, literally."

Olivia was about to head out of the party room and begin a search when Munch and Elliot returned. She saw John push a glass of champagne into El's hands and whisper something in his ear. Elliot responded with a wry smile and a shake of his head. He downed the champagne in three gulps and grabbed another one from the waiter's tray. Olivia's eyes widened and she approached the pair.

"Did you find Kathy?" she asked, surprised yet again when Elliot drained his second flute of champagne.

"Yup."

Olivia scanned the area behind her friends. "Where is she?"

"Driving home. She left."

Olivia cocked her head and raised one eyebrow. "She left you here?"

"Very observant, Detective," he told her. "She went home, so yes, she left me here."

"But … but … did you two have a fight or something?" Olivia realized that she wasn't in the know and she could sense that Elliot was withholding information from her. She scrutinized him now, peering into his face, seeking answers.

"Drop it, Olivia," Munch said. "Elliot needs to enjoy the rest of this party and relax right now. Why don't you two dance?"

"Wow, you're letting me dance with your date?" Elliot asked.

"I don't need his permission. Come on El." She plucked his empty champagne flute out of his hand and handed it to John. Then she took Elliot's hand and led him to the dance floor. "What's going on with you?" she said as they approached the couples dancing.

"As Munch told you, drop it, Olivia. I'm not going there. Do you want to dance or do you want to interrogate me?"

"You don't have to be so cranky. Let's dance."

"Fine! Let's dance." Elliot strode purposefully toward the dance floor and pulled Olivia close. The song was semi-slow, and couples were holding each other, moving their feet in rhythm to the live band's music.

Olivia gasped when Elliot's hands circled her waist. She shivered from the contact against his cold tuxedo and goosebumps broke out on her arms. "Were you outside? You're freezing."

"Sorry 'bout that. Just need to warm up," he replied, luxuriating in the soft warmth of her body against his. He couldn't believe that she was in his arms, her hands on his shoulders and her face so close. He looked into her dark almond eyes, losing himself there for a moment. She blinked rapidly a few times, then looked down at their feet.

Olivia tried to dispel the iciness of him. She reached around the nape of his neck and placed her warm fingers there, letting their heat sink into his skin. Then, she smoothed her hands down his arms and rubbed gently. "Warming up?" she asked.

"You have no idea," he said.

"Excuse me?" Olivia took one step back and held him at arm's length.

"I was really cold and you're warming me up. Thanks," he said, with a small upturn of his lips.

"Why were you out there anyway?" she asked, and moved back into his arms. The next song had a slower tempo, with melodious piano notes floating through the room. She began to relax against him and circled her arms around his neck once again, feeling the short hair at his nape. Unconsciously, she stroked it and sighed.

Elliot closed his eyes and pressed his cheek against her soft hair. He inhaled deeply and detected notes of jasmine and something floral. He rested one hand on her hip, feeling its sensuous curve every time she moved. His other hand was splayed against her back, and he gently crushed his fingertips against the silvery velvet of her dress.

"El?"

"Hmmm?"

"Why were you outside?" Olivia's voice was breathless.

"Needed to think."

"What about?"

"9/11," he said. "And the way you looked when I found you, all covered in that white dust, helping people. God, Liv, I thought I'd lost you."

"It was the song. That song brought it back for me too," she admitted. They were still dancing, or rather swaying to the music, side to side, wrapped up in each other. Their existence now consisted of this: rocking gently to piano notes, her soft pliable body against his firm one, and the scent of jasmine hanging in the air. He buried his nose in her hair and didn't speak for a moment. When he did, she startled at the sudden timbre of his voice against her ear.

"When you sang to me, er, to the crowd, I remembered that day. It'll always be part of me."

"Um, of us," she whispered. "I thought I'd lost you too." She squeezed him more tightly, the guise of dancing giving her free reign to hold him. She felt his arms trembling against her.

"You're trembling. Are you still cold?" she asked him. She pulled her head away from his face so she could look into his eyes.

"No. That's not why I'm trembling." His deep blue eyes bore into hers. This time, she didn't look down; she held his gaze. Drowning. She was drowning in the deep Mediterranean blue of his eyes, losing herself like a swimmer caught in the undertow.

"Oh?" she whispered.

They held each other fast with their eyes, and naturally their lips followed. The spontaneous kiss lasted only a few seconds, a light meeting of mouths. Liv's eyes popped open and she jumped back as though her lips had touched fire. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry," she gasped, and pulled away from him sharply.

"It's okay Liv … it's okay," he told her. His heart was ramming into his chest, threatening to burst through his cummerbund.

She stared at him with huge eyes, a look of abject guilt on her face, and ran out of the room.

"Olivia, wait!" he cried, unheeding of their colleagues' curious stares. He ran through the large double doors out to the hallway but she was nowhere to be seen. Elliot turned in a circle, scanning every possible angle of the corridor. Nothing. Olivia had simply vanished into thin air.

A/N: Whenever I think I'm going to wrap up this story, it keeps getting longer. So much for it being a one-shot. How are you guys liking it so far?