Come Back to Me

Chapter Three

Zebraboymom

Disclaimer: Not mine. Sigh…

Author Notes: Liv doesn't know what she's going to find when she arrives at the beach. What if anything is left of their friendship after so many months? How did Elliot deal with the trauma of the shooting and his mother's death?

When Olivia woke up her room was bathed in sunlight and the cool breezes of the night before had been replaced with warm ones. It made her room just a little too uncomfortable to stay in bed any longer. She looked at her phone and saw that it was 9:30. She had slept for seven hours straight. That was a new record for her. She might just have to stay here and sleep for several days before she started confronting Elliot. She stretched and yawned and slid back under the sheets, pushing the quilt off her body. She listened for the sounds of Elliot moving about, but the house was quiet, so she slipped out of bed and crossed barefoot into the sunroom. The smell of coffee drew her into the kitchen and she poured herself a cup.

Looking out the window at the beach, she spotted a few people out walking dogs and looking for seashells. How could Elliot stay in such a beautiful place and still seem so lost? She already found herself soothed by the scene before her. She smiled as an elderly woman in a huge straw hat walked the tiniest dog she had ever seen down the beach. She was sure it could fit in her hand. Needing a refill, she moved back into the kitchen and filled her mug. Just as she added some sugar and stirred it, she heard the door open and turned to see Elliot bare-chested, sweaty and winded from what had obviously been a run.

They stood and squared off at each other. Olivia took in his now tanned, muscled chest and arms. He took in her low-slung sleep pants that revealed a stretch of bare skin just below her tank top. Their eyes finally met and complete silence filled the room. This was not a scenario they had ever lived out in real life. Liv tried a small smile, but Elliot turned away from her and headed down the hall. She heard the door slam once again and the sound of him turning on the shower.

Liv sighed and finished her coffee before heading out to get her own shower. It was going to be a long day if he wasn't even going to talk to her. That's okay. She smirked to herself. He can just listen.

Liv stepped out of the shower and dried herself off before blowing her hair dry. She wrapped the towel back around her and opened the door to cross the hallway to her room. Just as she stepped through the door she heard Elliot's voice.

"I'm heading out to…"

He had been waiting for her as he leaned against the wall at the end of the hall into the living room, but froze in his sentence as he saw his partner for the first time ever wrapped only in a towel. She watched as he drank her in from head to toe and then cleared his throat as his eyes finally made their way up to lock with hers. He found his voice, but it came out gruff.

"Since apparently you're staying, I'm going to the market. Do you want anything special? I should be back in a couple of hours. I have some other business as well."

The staring match continued and Liv clenched the towel tighter to her body and tried to compose her thoughts. She had never experienced that kind of unguarded look from Elliot before and it made goose bumps break out all along her shoulders and arms. Was he really looking at her as a woman? She couldn't think of anything to say, so finally she just said, "Tea?"

He knew her so well.

"Already on the list. I'll be back."

He took one last predatory look at her and then she heard the front door slam as he left. The door-slamming thing was definitely becoming irritating.

She stood for a minute letting what just happened register and then she smiled to herself as she entered the bedroom. One thing was running through her mind. Elliot wasn't married anymore. For once in their lives they were sharing a space and they were both single. It also occurred to her that Elliot had looked at her differently just now. So, he liked the tank top. She pulled another one out of her bag along with some shorts. He had never seen her in shorts before either. She pulled on some sneakers and headed out for a walk on the beach. She needed some time to think. Maybe there was more than one reason why Elliot had been avoiding her. The thought that she might be right sent a warm shiver through her entire body.

Elliot's POV

Elliot pushed the cart and mindlessly tossed items into it. He forgot all about the list he held in his hand as his mind wandered back to Liv. He replayed the night once again in his mind. Never in a million years had he ever expected her to leave New York and actually try to find him. Granted it was only a couple of hours, but he never knew Liv to take time off ever and then she never left the city. He thought he was safe laying low in Jersey.

When she walked up on him at the beach he had frozen in fear: his worst nightmare unfolding before him. He panicked and he treated her badly. She was so stubborn. She never gave an inch. He loved that about her. There were so many things he loved about her. God he had missed her so much, but he had to figure out a way to get her to leave. If she stayed she would know the truth about him and he couldn't stand to have her know about his weaknesses…about his sins. He had to get away from her fast last night and he had stood like an impetuous child; trying first to intimidate her and then to ignore her. He had finally resorted to adolescent behavior: slamming doors and giving her the silent treatment. What was he? Five?

God she had looked so beautiful standing there in her bare feet on the sand in the moonlight. He had wanted to take her in his arms and hold her close, to bury his nose in her hair and to tell her once and for all how he really felt about her, but he couldn't. After everything he'd put her through she deserved to be happy and that meant cutting him out of her life so she could move on once and for all.

He really thought he could stay home with Kathy and be happy, but the years had driven them apart and his depression over the shooting was the final blow that swept the legs out from under their marriage. Adam was a good guy and he was happy Kathy found someone who really loved her just the way she was. He missed Eli, but he was better off with Adam in his life too. Elliot wasn't any good for anyone right now. He hated himself right now and that meant he couldn't be the dad Eli deserved either. He sure wasn't what Liv deserved. She had put up with his shit for almost fourteen years. Enough was enough.

He threw a bag of noodles into the cart so hard they burst open. Great. He pushed the cart to the produce department and recued as many noodles as he could; putting them into one of those bags you put the vegetables in.

He had stalled long enough. It was time to go home. He wanted to see her so much, but he was afraid his face would give away the truth. If she knew he loved her, he'd never get her to leave. Seeing her in those sleep pants and then, Lord, the towel, had just about undone him. Her hair was longer too. He loved her with long hair. He had to push those thoughts out of his mind and get her to go home quickly. The longer she stayed, the longer he would have to put on an act. She knew him better than anyone, even his own wife. He wouldn't be able to fool her for very long and he wasn't prepared to destroy himself and the woman he had secretly loved all these years because he was weak.

The drive back to the beach house made him more tense the closer he got. By the time he pulled into the driveway and carried the groceries up to the door he was wound up like a top. He shoved it open roughly and stalked into the kitchen with a couple of bags. He fully expected to see her standing with her arms crossed in the sunroom, but it was empty. A quick inspection of the rest of the house didn't turn up anything either. She was gone, but he knew she hadn't left. Her suitcases were still in the bedroom and her car was parked out front.

He stalked back out to bring in the rest of the groceries and then started putting them away. He pushed the kitchen window open to let the breeze blow through while he put away the items in the bags. That's when he heard it. Her laugh came wafting across the breeze and he just stood there soaking it in. God he had missed her laugh. When she laughed it lit up a room. He always loved to tease her along with Munch and Fin, just to get her laughing. They were all addicted to her laugh.

He stole over to the window and saw her talking to his neighbor, Mrs. Cook. They were facing each other just below the steps up to the house. Mrs. Cook was talking to her and Liv had her back to Elliot holding the woman's miniature yorkie in her arms. The dog was licking her and Liv was laughing as the woman held her wide brimmed straw hat tightly on her head to keep it from flying off in the breeze. He listened in on the conversation hoping Liv didn't turn and look up.

"I'm so glad Elliot has someone here to visit with him. The man is always alone and it isn't right for a nice young man like him to be alone. Bernie always worried about him and well, he hasn't looked very happy since he came to live here. The dear boy does all sorts of odd jobs for me around the house, but he hardly ever smiles. He has the cutest dimples, but I never see them. I hope you can make him smile again. You're such a pretty girl after all."

Elliot had to agree with her. Liv was a golden goddess in those denim shorts. They were the kind that rolled up and she had legs that went on forever. She had on another formfitting tank top and her hair was in a ponytail revealing her slender neck. He stood staring at her round bottom until Mrs. Cook looked up and caught Elliot watching them.

"Elliot, where have you been hiding this young lady? She absolutely delightful."

Liv turned and looked up at him then. Their eyes met briefly and she had a smirk on her face knowing he had been listening in on the conversation.

"Hey, Mrs. Cook, how are you today? Uh, Liv is my old partner, but she's only here for a brief visit."

"Actually I took three weeks off, so who knows? I might be here for some time."

She was daring Elliot to counter her statement. He swallowed hard. Three weeks? He hadn't thought she would ever consider being away from her job that long.

"You'll have to bring her to the bonfire tomorrow night now won't you?"

Liv was curious.

"Bonfire?"

"Oh, twice a month during the summer the neighborhood all gets together around a bonfire on the beach and cooks hot dogs. It's lots of fun. Elliot plays guitar and so do some of the other locals. We sing and eat and just enjoy the weather until summer is over. I'll look forward to seeing you again then. See you later Olivia and nice to meet you. Elliot, you be sure to show this girl around and I will see her tomorrow night, right?"

This gal had his number. Liv was quite sure she could get El to do just about anything she asked him to do. She tried to hide the smile spreading across her face.

"Sure thing, Mrs. Cook."

Elliot ducked back out of the window and finished putting away the groceries as Liv came into the house and closed the door quietly behind her. She crossed to the counter and watched him fold the bags and put them away. The silence was awkward again and then Liv spoke.

"Badass Elliot Stabler plays guitar?"