Repairs

For the next few days, Elliot and Olivia's relationship continued to change. However, it was not in the way that Elliot would have liked. The news of his break-up with Kathy had not helped to mend the rift between the two; it seemed to have deepened it. Once again lost, Elliot turned to John for help.

"What don't you understand about her now?" John asked, getting sick of being the interpreter for Elliot.

"Kathy and I broke up. I'm trying to rebuild our friendship before moving onto something more, and she keeps backing away from me. I don't understand why!" he stated, exasperatedly.

"Elliot, this is the last time that I help you because you really need to just talk to her, about everything. Okay, she runs away because you hurt her, then you kiss her and make her believe that you return her feelings, and then a few minutes after that you throw it back in her face and tell her that it was just because you wanted her to come back. She comes back, in order to move on with her life, and you throw your rejection of her in her face by getting back with Kathy. Then, you take that awful temper of yours out on her when she has done nothing wrong, and now you want to be friends again and then move onto something more. She keeps backing away from you because she has no idea what is going on with you. Have you even told her that you and Kathy are not together any longer?"

"I thought she would gather that from the fact that I'm working normal times and that I live in an apartment."

"She knows you live in an apartment?"

"Well, I asked if she knew of any good apartment buildings that I could rent in. She gave me a couple of names, and a phone number of a real estate guy, who sold me my apartment."

"Elliot, you moron. She probably thinks that you are just working more, and that you and Kathy are still together and the apartment was for Maureen or Kathleen or something like that. She's backing away from you because she doesn't want to get hurt further and doesn't understand what the hell the matter with you is."

Elliot looked astonished. He had no idea that Olivia wouldn't know about his separation, as she was the first to know about his revival of their relationship earlier. Nodding a quick thanks to Munch for his help, Elliot left to piece together the next puzzle of how to get Olivia to talk to him.

Meanwhile, frustrated with Elliot, Olivia had gone to Casey's office, in order to either talk about everything or talk about nothing. Either way, she would feel better, and that was the main point.

"Liv, what's wrong?" Casey asked the moment Olivia stepped foot in her office. She and Olivia had been quite close for some time, but recently, with the debacle with Elliot, they had become a lot closer. They were closer then Elliot and Olivia ever were, because with them there was no sexual tension and no jealous partners to involve.

"Elliot, who else," Olivia stated, as she closed the door behind her.

"What did he do now? I talked to Munch a while ago, and he said that you two might be sorting some things out."

"Well, whatever he was sorting out better get sorted out soon, or I am really leaving this time. I can't continue like this, I just can't, Case."

"What happened?"

"You know that he went back to Kathy a few months ago, right?" Casey nodded and Olivia continued, "Well, I don't know what happened, but he's now working as much as he used to before he went back to her, and the other day he asked for information about apartments in New York, and then when I gave it to him, he wanted to know why I wasn't interested in what was going on in his life. I mean, what was I meant to say?"

"Liv, did it ever occur to you that maybe he moved out?"

"Why would he? The last time I heard things were marvelous between the happy couple, so why would it change so fast?"

"Liv, I swear you are just as blind as he is," At Olivia's incredulous look, she amended, "Maybe not as blind, but nearly. Go and talk to him, and make him explain it to you. I know you said that you are over him, but listen to yourself. You're just as in love with him as you were three years ago, not to mention three months ago."

Olivia seemed to ponder this but before she could say anything, her cell phone interrupted.

"Benson,"

"Olivia, this is Kathy."

"Oh, how did you get my number?"

"I got it off of Elliot."

"Oh, of course you did," Olivia stated sourly.

"Look, I know you most likely hate me, but I can honestly just say I want to help."

"You want to help with what?"

"I know you have feelings for Elliot, and I want to help you."

"I don't need your help."

"Olivia, please. I know you're not coping well, and yes Elliot told me, but I do care about you. I just want to make sure you are alright."

"Look, I'm fine, and I would appreciate it if you didn't call me again," Olivia made to close the phone but stopped when she heard the voice on the other end plead.

"Olivia, please. Just meet with me. You don't have to say anything, just listen."

"I don't think -"

"Please, it will only take ten minutes."

Reluctantly, Olivia agreed to meet her in ten minutes at the Café round the block. Snapping the phone shut, she turned to Casey who was watching her interestedly, wondering who could have caused her best friend to suddenly become both vulnerable and angry.

"Kathy," she emphasized the name, "wants to meet with me."

"What about?"

"No idea, but I better go. I'll talk to you later."

Casey nodded and Olivia departed still wondering why she was meeting with the woman who had stolen the heart of the man that held hers.