It was a very cold and dreary day in the 16th precinct. Olivia looked over her desk at Elliot who had his head buried in a file, writing furiously. Olivia tried to concentrate but she couldn't help but stare at him. Who knew that she would fall in love with her partner of nearly 8 years? She didn't. Some part of Olivia always knew, but he had been married so she never acted on anything. Now, Elliot had been divorced for almost a year.

Sure she heard the people talking. All the rumors about their relationship but she just thought that they were jealous. She never gave it a second thought. Until now. As she watched Elliot working she noticed the little things that she loved about him. Like the way he chewed on his bottom lip when he was concentrating really hard and how he pushed the pen to his forehead when he was trying to figure something out.

"Do you need anything, Olivia?" the voice jolted her out of her thoughts. She'd realized that she had been caught staring at him.

"Oh ... um ... I was going to ask if you had a cough drop, my throat is killing me." she managed to get out, certain that her face was 6 shades too red.

"Yeah I have some in my jacket pocket. I'll go and get it." he replied as he went to stand.

"Oh no no that's ok I'll go get it. You looked like you were really into whatever you're working on." Olivia smiled gently as she stood and walked into the locker room where his jacket was.

She began to look through his pockets trying to find a cough drop even though she didnt really need one. All of a sudden she felt a wrapper and began to pull it out. It wasn't until it was completely out of the pocket that she realized what it was: a condom. She stifled a laugh as she shoved it in her pocket and shut the locker. She walked back into the squad room trying not to smile.

"Did you find it?" he asked not looking up from his paperwork.

"Well I found something" she replied trying unsuccessfully not to laugh.

"Would you care to tell me what you found or are you just going to keep laughing?" Elliot asked as he looked up from his paperwork. He wasn't sure what she could have found in his pockets. He mentally went over everything that was in his pockets when he left his house this morning. Then it dawned on him. "Oh God Liv. Come on give it back"

"Hmm ... I'm not so sure I want to do that right now" she replied as she glanced around, making sure Munch and Fin weren't in the room, and pulled it out of her pocket. She held it out in the open between two fingers. "Now what would Elliot Stabler need with this?"

Then it dawned on her. Elliot had a girlfriend. Everything inside her felt heavy. How could he have a girlfriend and not tell her? They were best friends after all or so she thought. She remained upbeat and laughing even though inside she felt like crying. She didn't know why she felt that way. Elliot wasn't hers. They worked together and that was it. By this time Olivia had gotten up from her desk and sat on the edge of his still holding it out in the open.

"So, who is she?" she asked, praying that the hurt and anger that she was feeling didn't seep into her voice.

"Who's who?" Elliot shot back. He was genuinely confused.

Who is she talking about ? He thought. Oh I get it, Liv thinks I have a girlfriend. Oh no, was that anger in her voice? Is she jealous? Wow. If only she knew that she was the one I love. I don't want to hurt her so I'm just going to tell her the truth ... well partly the truth.

"There actually isn't anyone Liv" he said trying to figure out the right way to word it. "True, that was being saved for someone very special. It's being saved for the woman I love, but the problem is this woman that I love doesn't love me."

And that someone very special is you Liv. he thought. I can't believe that you don't see that.

"OK very funny Elliot. Just tell me who she really is. It's not like im going to get mad at you or anything." she said trying hard not to sound upset.

I waited too long. She thought. I waited too long and now he loves someone else. God, I wish I was that woman. She has no idea how lucky she is. I bet that woman loves him but he just doesn't see it. The same way he doesnt see how much I love him. I know for a fact that I love him more than that woman ever can.

At this time, Munch and Fin came bustling into the squad room arguing about something Munch had said not too long ago. Olivia reacted quickly, jumped off Elliot's desk and shoved the condom down her shirt. Elliot was shocked that she threw it down her shirt and began to laugh. Munch looked and him and he looked down quickly pretending to be genuinely interested in the paperwork stacked in front of him. Olivia's mind flooded with thoughts. She knew she needed to get some air. As she was about to get up a note fell on her desk.

Liv,

If you really want to know who it is come by tonight and bring what you just stuffed in your shirt

-El

Olivia read it and made a mental note to drop by to find out and then make up some excuse to leave. She got up and walked up to the roof. She could feel the tears threatening to fall but she wouldn't allow it.