Olivia runs from the bathroom as fast as the train of her dress will allow her in search of Ed. She didn't need time to snap herself out of her lust filled haze, the unexpected presence of her ex-romantic interest took care of that.

Leaving Elliot in the bathroom to take care of the hard on she triggered, she heads back into the main ballroom gazing around for any sign of Ed.

"He's over there talking to a few of the guys from IAB," Barba whispers from behind her. She hadn't even heard him walk up. "He seems a bit more perturbed than usual. Anything you care to share?" he asks, his trademark smirk visible.

Olivia sighs, torn between wanting to smack him for enjoying this ludicrous situation and wanting to hug him for easing some of her anxiety. "Hmm, where is Rita? I thought she would've had you pinned to a wall taking the best you had to offer by now." That does the trick. His smile instantly fades.

"Ok fine you win."

"Thought so."

"Ok but seriously," he looks around to make sure no one is listening. "What happened back there? Elliot's gone, Ed comes stomping back in here mad like he can't find a good detective's career to end and you are running around like little bo peep who has lost her sheep. What's the deal?"

Olivia sees Ed walking away from the conversation that he was in and figures this is her time to pounce. "Look I'll tell you later," she promises giving him a little pat on the elbow before walking off.

Ed is already tense when she walks up. "What do you want Olivia?"

"We need to talk," she says breathless from her sprint to get over to him.

"Talk about what? How I just witnessed you feeling up your boyfriend in the bathroom? No thanks. Now if you will excuse me."

"Wait," she grabs him by the elbow. "Come dance with me."

His jaw locks as his gaze shifts to the almost empty dance floor and back to her.

"We can talk while we are out there."

Ed doesn't speak, just nods and allows her to lead the way out to the dance floor. They join in next to another couple that was a part of the group that he was talking in earlier. Briefly she wonders if this is a colleague of his but instead turns her thoughts to what she wants to say. Defeated, she realizes she was naive in believing she would be able to maneuver this situation without hurting someone. Everywhere she turns there is a grenade she's dodging that is someone's feelings. There's only so much she can do before she just let's nature take it's course.

Olivia places her hand in his and they begin to move slowly to the soft music. Their bodies are a bit awkward, both avoiding making the dance too intimate. He's stiff in the beginning but after a few beats, he relaxes into the rhythm.

"So you wanted to talk?" he says, his cold voice breaking through the reality of the situation.

"Yeah. Look I'm sorry you witnessed what happened in the bathroom. I didn't know you were in there and I'm really not trying to make this any harder for you."

Ed rolls his eyes but his hand tightens around hers contradicting his demeanor. "It's fine," he gruffs.

"No it's not," she pleads moving just an inch closer to him so their conversation is not overheard. "I know that you and Elliot have never seen eye to eye and I know that we have our differing opinions on how you handled situations with us but we're not trying to flaunt our relationship in front of you."

Ed scoffs and tightens his hold on her waist. "Maybe you're not but Stabler has made it clear that he wants to stick it to me."

"I think that's less about me and more about how he feels you treated him. Either way that's between the two of you. I just wanted to apologize and I hope that we can at least keep things civil."

He nods and continues to dance not acknowledging her request. She's firm on one thing, not apologizing for what happened in the bathroom just that he witnessed it. Moving on with Elliot and building a future with him is not something she will apologize to anyone for, especially not Ed Tucker.

"Y'know I don't think I ever told you why I started working in IAB."

Olivia furrows her eyebrows, taken aback by the sudden change in topic. He hadn't opened up about much when they were seeing each other but she chalked that up to his usual reserved manner.

"No you didn't."

They dance a bit longer before he begins to talk again. "My ex, Linda. It was forever ago but we got engaged. We were happy or so I thought," he began. "It was when I first became a cop. I was working in Vice at the time. I was working all kinds of hours trying to prove myself," he avoids eye contact with her suddenly focusing on anything around him while he finishes the story. "Well anyway I found out that she was cheating with one of the guys in my department. A few people knew and didn't say anything. Just sat there while I looked like a fool going on and on about planning a wedding."

Olivia stops dancing abruptly before he picks up his step, moving her again with the rhythm. His confession floors her. She had no idea and is almost embarrassed that she never took the time to think about what could've been the catalyst for his actions over the years.

"After that I stopped trusting everybody and that's why I took the job in IAB. I guess I just needed to believe that no one was really trustworthy and found something that reaffirmed that."

After his confession he stops speaking and she chimes in. "We all have our reasons for why we do the job. You know why I'm here. Why I haven't been able to walk away from SVU because of my mom and what happened to her. So don't feel bad about that," she comforts him.

"Yeah," he huffs. It's void of any negativity and his hand squeezes hers. It's a peace offering. She'll take it.

"Anyway thank you for telling me. It helps me understand you a little bit more."

A part of her wishes that he would've told her this story while they were dating but every part of her knows it wouldn't have made a difference. Her heart would still end up right where it was. With Elliot.

Elliot anxiously fidgets with his tie as he takes his seat next to Pippa at the table. It took him a few minutes to calm himself down in the bathroom after Olivia made her exit.

Damn Ed Tucker.

If he wasn't there things would have gone in a completely different direction. He wasn't quite sure what Olivia had planned but he's pretty sure it was more entertaining than sitting at a table full of people he didn't know. Although it was all worth it to see the look on his face when he caught Olivia's hands down his pants. Thinking about her with another man intimately especially Tucker was enough to make him purely enraged. But he can only imagine if he were to witness it up close. It's not something he would've wished on his worst enemy...until it happened to his worst enemy.

The shit eating grin is still plastered on his face when he glances towards the dance floor and spots the red dress that he's sure will be in his dreams for many nights to come. Olivia is moving in a fluent motion along the floor, her straight chestnut hair covering her bare back and in the arms of Ed Tucker.

His reaction is visceral. The hand that was just in his pants was now clasped in Tucker's as they danced. It was evident they were talking but Tucker's stoic expression didn't give much away. Gripping the tablecloth, his jaw began to clench and his breathing became shallow. It shouldn't have bothered him. Olivia had made herself clear about it being over between the two of them but seeing Tucker's hands around her waist and in hers while they danced plucked at the strings of his insecurity.

"Would you like to dance?" Pippa whispers in his ear.

Elliot startles for a moment before regaining his composure. Pippa follows his eyesight to the dance floor at Ed and Olivia. "Sometimes a dance is just a dance Elliot. Doesn't mean anything," she says playfully.

"I know," he pushes his seat back from the table. "C'mon let's dance."

"I didn't mean me and you," she explains standing up and taking his hand. "I meant the two of them. Don't get upset at her for dancing with her date."

Sighing, he walks with her to the floor. She's right and he's grateful for her ability to always be levelheaded. Purposely, he leads them to the other side of the floor so they can have their own space and not make the situation even more awkward.

"Well," she wraps her arm halfway around his neck and places her hand in his. "We certainly have a good view of them from here," she jokes.

It works. He laughs gently at her attempt at humor. "I didn't bring you over here so we can spy on them."

"Well lucky for you I'm going to do it anyway. Just keep moving, I'll keep an eye out," she smiles playfully. Elliot almost stops for a moment taken aback at her, but his feet continue to move in time with the music that has changed from a slow instrumental to a slow pop song he's sure he's heard one of his daughters playing on the car radio. Things really could've been different. He probably could've loved her if his heart wasn't already spoken for.

"I know I sound like a broken record but thank you." His hand squeezed her waist just a little to emphasize his sentiment.

Pippa's eyes glisten, her mouth pressing tightly together as she tries to withhold any emotion. "You're welcome," she rasps, the emotion getting caught in her throat.

There won't be any romance between them but he knows they will continue to be friends. She's Olivia's colleague and a friend of his daughter's friend. She will still be around and he's happy about that.

"So what's up with the guy you were all chatty with at the table?" he asks breaking the tension.

Pipps instantly blushes.

"Ahh, so there it is," he teases her. "Why don't you ask him out?"

"Oh please," she rolls her eyes. "You're trying to give me love advice? The same guy that has me spying on the love of his life on a dance floor?"

"Ouch," he spins her around and they share a laugh. "I'm giving you some advice because you always feel the need to give me some."

"Okay fine," she rolls her eyes again. "I don't want to ask him out because I feel like he needs to work for it a little y'know? I don't always want to be the one chasing. Sometimes it's nice to be chased."

"You deserve to be chased. You're absolutely right," he says seriously. "I think he's going to ask though. I wouldn't be surprised if he asks for your number by the end of the night."

Pippa huffs. "I'm not holding my breath. Especially not with you here. He's tried to ask me in a roundabout way if we are dating I think and I've made it clear that we are just friends."

"Let me guess he doesn't believe you," he smirks.

"I don't know he probably think it's all complicated."

Elliot leans in and whispers in her ear. "Newsflash. It kind of is. Everything about tonight is a little complicated."

Giggling, she pulls him back into her. "It's not complicated at all. You and Olivia love each other. I have a crush on a guy who thinks I'm dating the guy that loves the girl sitting across the table."

Elliot lifts his eyebrow, giving her an incredulous look.

"Ok maybe you're right."

They dance a little longer in comfortable silence, enjoying the music.

"Ok so what's happening now?" he asks and she giggles again in response.

"I knew it was killing you to know what they were doing," she slaps him playfully on the shoulder. He waits patiently while she spies for him. "They are talking, looks very innocent. If it makes you feel better they aren't having nearly as good of a time as we are." They share a laugh. It does make him feel better. Rational or not, it does.

"Ok since they are a little boring let's shift our focus," Elliot suggests and turns her around a little to get a better view to people watch.

"The ADA that works with you and Liv, I think his name is Barba?"

"Yeah," Pippa coaxes him along. "What about him?"

"Well I'm almost certain this lady is about to pounce on him. He looks scared to death," he chuckles as he finishes the sentence.

Pippa turns around, not even attempting to be subtle to get a look at the dancing pair. "Oh my god he better be careful. Rita is a barracuda in the courtroom I can only imagine what she's like in the sack. I'm scared for him."

Elliot throws his head back laughing, partly at Pippa's comments and partly at the deer in headlights look on Barba's face.

"Excuse me," a voice behind them interrupts. It's the lawyer from the table and Pippa's green eyes immediately light up. "Do you mind if I cut in?"

"Wellllll," Elliot teases, holding her tight as if he doesn't want to let her go.

"Elliot," she slaps his arm.

"Just joking. Don't mind at all. Take good care of her," he shakes the man's hands and walks away. He turns around briefly before he heads back to the table to glance at them. Pippa's smile is bright and the man looks just nervous enough to convey that he is legitimately interested in her.

Good. She deserves that. He smiles to himself, his hands in his pocket as he walks back to their table.

"Hey," the sexy, deep voice he knows all too well calls from behind him. "I was wondering where you were."

Turning around, he sees the angst that filled her features when she sprinted from the bathroom completely gone.

"You seemed pretty busy," he quips. Thankfully she brushes off the jab.

"I needed to fix that and I did. I told you it's over and I meant that," she says, grabbing his hand from his pocket and intertwining their fingers. Her smile is carefree and he smiles back at her in return.

Elliot looks back to the table to see if Tucker is there. The table is animated, the rest of the people talking but Tucker is nowhere to be found.

"He decided to call it a night."

He bites his lip trying to quell his delight at the news. "Well that's too bad. I thought he would at least hang around for more speeches."

"Don't look so sad El," she moves closer to him. "Besides I'm pretty sure that Dodds is this close to getting shitfaced so any speech he makes may not be worth hearing."

"Are you kidding? That makes it even better," he jokes.

Olivia laughs and her smile makes his heart stop. He's only been blessed with it in such large doses lately and it's been one of the parts about their new found relationship that he cherishes the most.

"Dance with me," he whispers in her ear, pulling her close to him.

Her face drops into the crux of his neck, placing a quick kiss there. "I thought you would never ask."

The song changes as they settle into a spot on the dance floor. Elliot's hand caresses her lower back, his other hand firmly intertwining with hers. Wordlessly their bodies begin to move to the music. All humor and pretense gone. This is where she has wanted to be all night. In his arms. In front of everyone, she doesn't care who sees, until a thought pops in her head. "Oh my god Pippa!"

Elliot snickers and nods his head in the direction of Pippa and her "friend" who have retired back to their table and sitting much closer than they were before.

"Oh," Olivia says with a slight curl of her lip. "She looks pretty happy i guess."

"Yes she is and I'm happy for her." He pulls her back into his body and continues to dance. Breathing a sigh of relief, she relaxes into him focusing on nothing but the music and the feeling of him against her. They dance, nothing but the sounds of their breathing and the steady pace of their heartbeats guiding their movements.

"I've been thinking," Elliot begins. "About the whole thing with you and Tucker."

Groaning inwardly, her body immediately tenses. "El I-"

"No just let me explain." He pulls back to look her in the eyes. Thankfully she sees no hint of jealousy or anger. Just understanding. "When you left and went to Oregon without a word I was just...lost. I had just lost my marriage and you were literally the only thing I had left." His forehead wrinkles while he talks, the pain etched in his features as he relives one of the most agonizing times of their turbulent partnership.

"I was just trying to cling to anything or anyone that was familiar just searching for...something that made me feel somewhat human again. Does that make sense?"

Olivia nods. It made perfect sense. It was why she had gotten involved with Ed in the first place. Not because she was lost without Elliot in her life but because her revolving door of people had changed so much in her life that she needed something that was routine. "Yes it does," she answers simply.

"So when Dani came along…." he begins and Olivia instantly freezes. Oh God. Dani Beck. She had forgotten all about her. She always wondered back then if something happened between them but let it go as she did with so many other issues because she didn't think she could handle the answer to that question.

"I just clung to her because I needed to feel….something."

"Did you sleep with her?" The question pops off her tongue before she can reel it back in but the truth is she wants to know.

Elliot gives her a bemused look. "No. Of course not."

"You say that like it's so hard to believe."

"It is actually," he says without explanation. Pulling her close again, his lips are near her ear. "I didn't have sex with anyone during my separation Olivia. Losing my marriage was hard but losing you was even harder. I kissed her. That's it. Anything else more intimate than that I couldn't even consider unless….unless it was you."

Olivia shuts her eyes, the twinge of relief mixed with agony completely staggering. Things could've been so different but then they wouldn't be right here where they are. Vaguely the lyrics of the song that plays in the background registers in her head.

Jason Mraz is singing about not giving up, having a lot to learn and love being worth it. She chuckles at the irony. How fitting. After all this time they are definitely worth it.

"However long it takes Liv. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere ever again," he whispers in her ear and the tears that have teased her eyelids finally fall. She's at a loss for words. There's nothing more she can say at this moment. This absolutely perfect moment with the perfect song playing in the background and the man she loves in her arms.

Olivia takes her hand out of his, wrapping it around his neck instead. The words. Those words are on the tip of her tongue. Right there. But the reality of where they are holds her back despite the idealistic circumstances.

Elliot's arm wrap firmly around her waist closing the final centimeters between them as the song ends and segues into another one.

Mingled voices fill the room.

Glasses clink together.

Laughter, chatter mixed with polite conversation.

It all exists in what seems like a parallel universe.

Right now there is nothing but them, his hands around her, his voice humming soothingly in her ear, her pulse racing and her tears of happiness and relief drying on her face.

A speaker takes the podium. "Everyone can I have your attention please?"

Elliot snaps back, looking in the direction of the speaker and she realizes they were the only ones still left on the dance floor.

"Looks like they are about to start the speeches," he whispers in her ear. "Let's go back to the table."

"No," she halts his step. "Check and see if Pippa still needs a ride home." Olivia glances back at Pippa and her friend and is pretty certain she won't but she wants to be polite.

"Ok, but why?" Elliot asks confused.

She brings his hand to her lips and kisses his knuckles softly. "Because I want you to take me home."

Author's Note: I'm going to answer the question that I'm sure was bound to come up in the reviews. Yes, That was the last of Ed Tucker in this story.