Sorry about how long it's taken me to update. Life is just not going great right now. Thanks for the reviews for the last chapters. Please keep them coming and I promise I'll try to update much quicker.

Disclaimer: They're not mine.

Chapter 7

Olivia stepped into her apartment first, Elliot followed closely behind. He stood at the door as she walked into the middle of the apartment and silently looked around. She hated it. She didn't feel safe at all. She felt like she was being watched. She felt like her attacker was still there.

There wasn't a sound in the apartment as she continued to study it, looking for any traces of the attack that had taken place just a couple of days ago. This was the first time she'd been back in her apartment since it.

"See, its better than new." Elliot said out of the blue, and from right behind her, causing her to jump.

She quickly smiled and laughed her fear away or at least tried. However, she just didn't feel right in it. This was her home and had been for as long as she could, or wanted to remember. This small place had always been her safe place, her own quiet place where she could be who she wanted to be or how she wanted to be. After a hard case she could come back here and cry, let it all go and not feel like she was making a fool of herself in front of anyone, not feel like she was being weak.

However, the more time she spent in it now the colder the shiver up her spine got. Elliot straight away picked up on his partner and best friend's mood. "Liv, you know you can stay at my place as long as you want. You don't have to stay here. No one will think anything of you for not wanting to be here alone…" he began.

"I wanna be here. I'm fine. Really." she said, hoping she sounded as convincing as she could be.

Elliot just looked at her with a look that she had seen all too often, that she knew meant 'you expect me to believe that, come on'. He continued looking at her as she looked at him, his blue eyes sparkling like jewels at her.

"No offense El, your bed is horrible, I can't wait to sleep in my own again." she lied. His bed was far comfier than hers and she would certainly rather be there with him than be alone.

He continued looking at her for a moment then shrugged his shoulders and smiled at her. "Well if you want me to stay here…"

"No. Elliot you can't hold my hand forever. I'm a big girl. I have to take care of myself." she said.

"Say's who?" he asked.

Olivia just looked at him. Truth was she liked him looking after her. "El, please." she said. She needed him to go now before she did what she wanted to do deep down which was beg him not to go, beg him to stay. Beg him to hold her whilst she tried to sleep. But she couldn't. "Please. Detail's outside. If I need anything I'll just call them." she said sadly.

Elliot walked right up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "If you need anything, call me." he said to her.

"Okay." she said placing her hands on his hands.

"I'll ring you later." he said as he walked over to the door. Olivia followed behind him. Wishing she would stop being so stubborn and just ask him to stay.

Elliot opened the door and stepped out. He turned and looked at Olivia but she quickly looked away, admiring the door frame like it was made out of gold.

"Take care." Elliot said before walking off, very reluctantly.

Olivia watched until he was out of sight then quickly shut the door, putting on every bolt and chain that was on it. Slowly she turned around and once again studied her apartment. It felt so wrong now.

- - - - - -

Many hours later

Olivia was exhausted. She desperately wanted to sleep but her head wouldn't let her. Every time she closed her eyes she saw herself being attacked. Noises came from the apartment next to hers, making her jump almost out of her skin. She quickly tried to relax again by reminding herself that those neighbours were always noisy.

In an attempt to block out any more unwanted sounds, she turned up the sound on the TV. She was watching some boring soap that just made her want to knock herself unconscious so she didn't have to keep watching it. However, she had little choice. There was nothing better on but she knew that was probably because normal people didn't need to watch TV at 4.30 in the morning, only damaged people.

- - - - - -

Elliot also lay awake, he in his bed. He couldn't stop thinking, or worrying rather, about Olivia. He kept glancing at his phone, expecting it to ring, wishing it would. Wishing it was her and that she wanted to come back and stay at his a little longer.

No matter how hard he tried or how much he tried to convince himself he shouldn't, he found himself wishing Olivia was with him. Her scent still lingered in his room and he was becoming lost in it. He wished she was with him. Where he knew he could keep her safe.

TBC

Thanks for reading. Sorry its on the short side.

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