Ok kids. Thanks for all the great reviews, I REALLY appreciate them. Sorry I made you all wait so darn long for this chapter but I finally got around to it and late is always better than NEVER! I don't know how much I will get done in the next couple of days as I am interviewing for jobs and will be on the road. I will do what I can for ya though. Oh and Kelly; Scraggly fellow is back just for you!
Disclaimer: I don't own them, Dick Wolf does.
After her grandfather shut down the store, Olivia went upstairs to change into her new dress. She was still fighting within herself over buying it but when she had seen it in the store window it had called to her, as had the hat. She also wanted to impress Elliot, if he could be impressed. She hung up her work dress and stepped into the new one. Once she had it one she redid her long braid and wrapped it into a tight bun. Then she placed the hat on her head and stuck in a hat pin to keep in place. When she came down the stairs her grandfather was waiting for her dressed in his Sunday best. 'Livie, darlin' you look beautiful."
"Thank you granddad. Do you really like this new dress?"
"I think it's perfect Livie, absolutely perfect." Percy said. He knew of another gentelman who would think the dress was perfect too. He offered his arm to his granddaughter and she took it. They walked out into the bright sunshine of the boardwalk and Olivia was sure that she had never seen that many people in town before. "I think we should go down and watch the horse race first and then it will be time for me to go and judge the pie baking contest." Percy said to Olivia.
"Ok granddad. That will give me time to go back and freshen up before I have dinner with Elliot."
While Olivia and her grandfather were standing with the crowd on the boardwalk waiting for the horse race to start, Olivia spotted Elliot and waved. She was sure that he didn't see after he didn't come and visit however. Instead the creapy looking fellow with the snake like eyes and greasy hair came over and siddled up to Olivia. It made her move closer to her grandfather. "Hello Olivia." he said.
Olivia didn't want to be rude so she returned his greeting. "Hello sir."
"I wanted to buy your picnic box the other day Olivia but that damn Elliot Stabler beat me out. What does he think that we're all made of money."
"I wouldn't know sir." Olivia replied.
"Well I would like you to save me a dance tonight Olivia."
"I beg your pardon sir but I don't even know your name." Olivia said. She didn't know his name but she did remeber his scraggly hair and beard from the day of the lunch box social at church. She also remember him bidding on her box and how she had felt a chill run down her spine, just like it was now. She moved closer to her grandfather who had yet to turn and see why she was crowding him so much.
"Johnson, ma'm, Max Johnson." the dirty man replied.
"I'm sorry Mr. Johnson but I'm afraid my dance card is already full." Olivia said, trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice.
Just then her grandfather turned toward her intent on saying something else when he say the dirty, scraggly man. "Are you bothering my granddaughter, sir?"
he asked.
"No sir, just trying to make polite conversation." Johnson said and turned away. He would get Olivia Benson back for turning away his attentions. If he say her with that Elliot Stabler fellow tonight he would be sure that they both paid, dearly.
After Johnson moved away Percy turned to Olivia. "Was he bothering you dear?" he asked again, concern showing in his voice.
"No granddad. Lets watch the race."
Elliot and Ethan were on the other side of the street and they didn't see Olivia until right before the race was about to begin. It was Ethan who spotted her in the crowd. "Hey Pa." he said. "There's Olivia. Let's go say hi."
"Hold on Ethan. The race is about to begin so we can't be in the street. We'll go over after the horses go by." Elliot said. He looked though and was instantly able to pick Olivia out standing next to Percy.
The horse race began with the five riders coming up to the starting line at a trot and at the signal they all took off like a shot. The crowd began to cheer and follow the racers down the street. Elliot and Ethan were caught up in the crowd and weren't able to cross the street until after that race was over and a winner awarded. Olivia was still clapping for the victorious rider when she felt a tingle on the back of her neck. This one wasn't unpleasent however and she was suprised to see Elliot and Ethan coming up when she turned around.
"Hi, Ms. Benson. Boy, you sure look pretty today." Ethan greeted full of little boy exuberance. "Don't she Pa. Ain't Ms. Benson pretty today?"
Olivia tried to hide a smile as Elliot turned ten different shades of red at the forwardness of his son. He didn't want to offend Olivia or have her think that he didn't think she looked nice so he nodded at his son and said, "Yes, Ethan. Ms. Benson looks very pretty today." He was looking at Olivia when he said it though.
To keep an akward situation from becoming more akward Olivia quickly changed the subject, "So Ethan," she said addressing the boy first. "What did you think of the horse race?"
"Oh, boy was that great or what!" Ethan said. Then spotting a friend he said to his father, "Pa, I see Oliver and Jimmy Mills, can I go play with them until dinner?"
Elliot looked to where his son was and spotting the two boys said, "Sure, just make sure you meet us at the cafe at six o'clock."
"Yes, sir. Bye Ms. Benson, bye Pa."
"Goodbye Ethan." Olivia said, with a small wave at the boy.
Ethan ran off, leaving the two adults standing staring at each other. Elliot was just about to apologize when Olivia, said, "Don't Elliot. Don't try to apologize for Ethan's forwardness. It will just make a somewhat akward situation all the more akward."
"Yes, ma'm." Elliot said. He breathed a sigh of relief. Olivia wasn't going to take him up on his son's comments.
Percy turned around then and saw Elliot standing there. "Well Elliot, hello. I see you found Olivia."
"Yes, sir." Elliot said. He felt like he did the first time he had called on Kathy at the age of fifteen.
"Well, I have to go judge a pie baking contest, Elliot. I expect Olivia will be well taken care of if I leave her with you?"
"Yes, sir." Elliot replied.
It was Olivia's turn to blush, her granfather was treating her like a school girl on her first outing with a boy, not a mature woman.
"Ok, dear. I expect you are in good hands then. I'll see you at the dance later tonight, save a dance for me." Percy said. He kissed his granddaughter on the cheek and walked away.
Once Percy was gone, Elliot didn't know what to do, so he offered his arm to Olivia and said, "Would you like to take a walk before dinner?"
"Ok, that sounds nice." Olivia said.
She and Elliot set off and walked for almost an hour and during that time they talked about themselves and got to know one another better. It was during that time that she learned that Elliot had married at a young age and then lost his wife. She learned that Ethan was eight years old and the light of Elliot's life.
Elliot learned about Olivia's life in the city with her mother and how she had decided to move away to Rock Springs after her mothers untimely death. He also learned that she had never been married and that while she lived in the city she had speant a good deal of time taking care of her mother who had had some health problems after the death of her father. (A/N I know that Olivia is the product of rape in the show but I gave her a dad in this story--so sue me!)
At six o'clock they went to Fancies Cafe and met up with Ethan. They found him setting outside on a bench swinging his legs back and forth with Emily Munch seated next to him. When his father and Olivia walked up, Ethan stood and said to his father, "Pa, Ms. Casey has invited me to have supper with them and then to go with the fireworks. May I?"
His face was so earnest that Elliot really couldn't say no, so he said, "Ok, go ahead and go have your supper with the Munch's and I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning."
"Thanks Pa. Come on Emily, lets go." Ethan said.
"Thank you, Mr. Elliot." Emily said, as she passed by to follow Ethan.
After the children disappeared, Elliot escorted Olivia into the cafe and pulled out a chair for her. After she was seated he sat down across from her and they waited for a waitress to bring them menu's. Elliot wasn't suprised to see that their waitress was Mary Larson, but he was disappointed. Mary had been trying to get his attention for quite some time and Elliot had no intrest in her or her three young children. Mary was a widow like himself only her husband had drank excessively and then fell down a well. While Elliot felt sorry for Mary and her situation he did not like how Mary was always throwing herself at men like a saloon girl and looking for someone to take care of her and her children.
"Good evening Elliot." Mary said as she gave a cool look to Olivia.
"Good evening Mrs. Larson." Elliot said.
"Oh, it's Mrs. Larson now, hmm. Last week it was Mary." Mary said.
"Mrs. Larson, have you meet Percy Benson's granddaughter, Olivia yet?" Elliot asked, trying to keep Mary from making a scene.
"No. I see your on a first name basis with her Elliot." Mary said.
"Well this is Olivia Benson. Olivia this Mary Larson."
"It's very nice to meet you." Olivia said, placing her napkin on her lap.
"I wish I could say the same Ms. Benson." Mary said. Then changing the subject she said, "The special for today is roast beef with mashed potatoes and corn."
"That's what I'll have." Elliot said, "With a glass of iced tea. Olivia what would you like?"
"Oh, I'll have the same." Olivia said. She just wanted the unpoliet waitress to leave so that she could go back to staring at Elliot and his magnificent blue eyes.
Once Mary left their table, Elliot said. "I'm sorry about Mary. She seems to think that since she is a widow too, she has claim to me. Please don't let her offend you."
"Oh, I wasn't offended." Olivia said.
When their dinner arrived a short time later, they ate in silence and then Elliot paid the bill and Olivia noticed that he left Mary a generous tip. She didn't comment on it but she felt that much warmer towards him that he would go out of his way to try and make life a little easier for a widow and her family.
By the time they finished their dinner it was just begining to get dark so they went out on the board walk to watch the town fireworks display and then they would attend the barn dance at the livery stable.
The fireworks display lasted for almost an hour and Olivia was enthralled as she watched the blue, red and white explosions in the air. Never had she seen such a wonderful display back home. When it was over she again took Elliot's arm when he offered it to her and they walked down to the livery barn where they could here the band begining to warm up.
Once there, Elliot made it a point to introduce Olivia around to the other area ranchers and their wives. Some of them Olivia had met at the store and others she had not. She was glad when the dancing began however because she was getting a little tired of being paraded around.
Elliot asked her for the first dance which was a lively tune that kept them moving, then the second dance when the band slowed things down to a nice waltz Elliot begged off and let her grandfather take over. "Are you having a nice time dear?" he asked her.
"Yes granddad. Elliot is a fine gentelman."
"I know. I wouldn't entrust your well being to just anyone dear. Elliot is a fine, upstanding man in the community." Percy said.
At the end of the waltz, Elliot came back and this time he had a glass of punch. He offered it to Olivia and she gratefully accepted it. After taking a few sips the band started another waltz and Elliot led her to the floor. It was this time that Olivia felt like a fairy tale princess. Elliot was graceful and light on his feet and they moved together as one, as if the good Lord had made them to complient one another.
When the dance was over later that night it was late and Elliot was walking her home. They were talking quietly when a shadow moved from the alley towards the board walk. Elliot instinctively moved in front of Olivia and whisphered, "Stay behind me."
Olivia flattened herself as best as she could against the building and strained her ears to listen. Then she felt the strange prickle on her neck that she had earlier and knew that he was back again. She hoped that he wouldn't try to hurt Elliot or cause trouble for them. She heard the Mr. Johnson say something muffled and then Elliot repond. The next think Olivia knew the two men were in the street, punching, kicking and gouging at each other. Then as quickly as it started it ended when Sherrif John Much and his deputy Quinn Asper came and pulled the two men apart. It was then that Olivia came away from the building and rushed to Elliot's side. He had a cut on his cheek and his left eye was begining to swell shut. "Elliot are you ok?" she asked.
"Yes, I'm fine. Do you know this man?" Elliot asked, a scowl on his face.
"Yes, well he introduced himself today and he said that he tried to buy my lunch box at the church social." Olivia explained.
"Well he seems to think that you or I did him wrong by you turning him down about the dance this evening." Elliot said.
"Well I think he can spend the night in jail." John said, after listening to the exchange between Elliot and Olivia. "Quinn why don't you take him over and lock him up. I think he's drunk and public drunkness like this is against the law."
"Thank you John. He may have been drunk be he could still hit hard." Elliot said. "I best be going now and get Ms. Benson home."
"Ok Elliot, and stop by the office on your way back to the hotel." John said. Then he watched as Elliot and Olivia walked away.
Once they were out of John's ear range Olivia asked, "Really Elliot are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
"I can't help it. I hate to see you having to fight about me and we've only know each other a short while." Olivia said.
When they reached her door, Elliot took her hands in his and was amazed again at how small and soft they were compared to his larger, work worn ones. "I had a nice time tonight Olivia." he started.
Olivia cut him off, "I had a nice time tonight too. I really am sorry about you getting into a fight."
"It isn't your fault Olivia!" Elliot said, sternly. "Stop apologizing, it wasn't your fault. He was spoiling for a fight. Anyway enough about that. I would like to call again if you would let me."
"Oh I would like it very much if you would call again.?" Olivia said. She could hear the excitement in her voice and hoped that it wouldn't put Elliot off.
"How would next Sunday suit you? Say after church we'll go for a ride and take a picnic lunch down by the creek."
"That sounds wonderful." Olivia said. "Thank you for a wonderful time."
"Your welcome." Elliot said. He moved closer and felt Olivia turning towards the door.
Olivia was just about to open the door to the house and say good night when Elliot shocked her by asking, "Olivia may I kiss you goodnight?"
Olivia was shocked and finally said, "Would that be proper?"
"I don't know. If you don't want me to I won't but if you don't say anything, I intened to kiss you good night Olivia Benson." Elliot siad. He had removed his hat and she could see his blue eyes shining in the light of the moon.
She didn't say anything and in the next instant she felt his lips on her cheek. "Thank you for a wonderful evening. I'll see you after church next Sunday." Elliot said and walked away in the darkness.
Olivia let herself into the house and went up to her room. He had kissed her on the cheek and she had been expecting him to lay claim to her lips. She went to her room and hung up her parasol and hat and then sat to unbutton her shoes. Next she took off her new dress and hung it back up and changed into a night gown, then she let down her long hair and brushed it out, counting out the strokes until she reached one hundred.
Elliot walked away and wished that he had just went for it and kissed Olivia on the lips instead of going for the cheek, they way he would kiss his mother if she were still living. He walked towards the sheriff's office and hoped that John wouldn't lock him up to for his involvment in the fight. When he got there he found John at his desk and not Quinn. "You wanted to see me John?"
"No, I was just wondering, are you going to start courting Percy's granddaughter?" John asked.
"The thought has crossed my mind, why?" Elliot said.
"Oh no reason. Ethan seems to think that you'll be remarried soon."
"Ethan is a silly little boy." Elliot said, angry that John would put a lot of merit into the fanciful dreams of an eight year old boy who was longing for a mother.
"Ethan is a little boy that would like a mother." John replied. "Olivia is a nice girl, Elliot, be good to her and I bet she would take on the task of marrying you."
"Thanks for the advice John, I'll take heed to that." Elliot replied before walking out the door and towrds the hotel.
Once there he fell into a peaceful sleep full of dreams of Olivia.
Ok now press that damn button and Review! Weren't you just disapointed when Elliot only kissed Olivia on the cheek? (Heheheheheehehehe). More to come soon...