Just a Job

Dani

I can't stay here, even though part of me wants to stay. He won't say he wants me to stay, and I can't blame him for that. Yet inside I know he wants me to be there, the same way that I want to be there. I can't stay in this job, it won't work. I can't stay because of an emotional attachment. He's married, I shouldn't be attracted to him. Not that marriage has stopped many in this profession from stepping over the line with their partner.

I've heard stories, and seen it happen, a man and woman work together for years, dealing with one case after another. They grow away from their families and non-work friends. Then, they become close to their co-workers and obsessed with their cases. Until one day, something happens at home or at work, and sometimes at both, that drives them into one another's arms. I've seen marriages end because of affairs between co-workers.

It's a high stress, emotionally draining job that takes everything a person has and won't give back. So a man and a woman who work together for years, or even a short time, as detectives become close—as any two colleagues would—but the job is taxing emotionally and both become withdrawn from the ones they love…and grow closer to one another. That's the danger of this job, withdrawing from some and growing close to others, until something happens to push you over the line with that someone, whomever it may be, in a working relationship. And that is probably why she left, Olivia, she and Elliot were becoming too close. So he is hurting emotionally from his separations—first his wife, and then his friend—and someone he can relate to comes along…

I can't believe I didn't see it before. We needed to be close to someone, anyone, and the first person we find is in the same state as we are. Not a good combination.

I can't handle the victims, so I can't handle the job. I can't handle my own baggage, so I can't have a healthy relationship with my partner. I need to find stability before I can have a job like this.

The little girl…I still want to help her. Yet I don't know if she can be helped. Just like I don't know if I can be helped…or if Elliot can be helped.

He never said goodbye…I never gave him the chance.

Elliot

It may be a good thing that she is leaving, but she'll always stay with me. Goodbye Dani.

THE END

Thank you for your reviews, I liked them a lot.
Thank you to the 106 people who made it to chapter 2.
This was a very interesting story to write, because I've never written like this before. I hope you liked this perspective on how some relationships develop. I also hope that you realize the difference between a shippy fic and a rationalization story (this was the latter).

Eventually I'm writting a story that will ship Dani/Elliot (but it's a cross-over with a CSI fic I'm writing so it'll stay in that story). If the mood ever strikes me I may write Elliot/Olivia, but I never can say what I'll write and when.

Again, thank you to everyone who has read this story (even if you didn't review). As I said, I accept all reviews, as long as they make sense.