Olivia walked into Elliot's hospital room the next morning looking like death. Her hair looked messed up, she had no make-up on and she was wearing a pair of old sweatpants and a zip-up hoodie. Elliot's eyes opened at the sound of the door opening.

"Hey!," he greeted groggily, "Looks like someone didn't get much sleep last night."

"You don't look so hot yourself," Olivia quipped back, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got shot in the shoulder," he said matter-of-factly, "I spoke to the doc this morning, he told me the deal. Looks like you'll need to go shopping fo a new partner."

Olivia took a seat next to him, her eyes welling up.

"Elliot, please, we don't know anything yet. Give it a few months for your shoulder to heal. You might just get lucky."

He shook his head and picked at the threads on his blanket.

"I think I've lucked out once too many times. Maybe this is God's way of telling me it's time to call it quits."

A suspicious-sounding sniffle caught Elliot's attention and he looked up to find Olivia wildly wiping away tears that were streaming down her face.

"Hey, hey. Why the tears?" He asked, reaching for her with his good arm. Unusually she leant into his chest and began to sob.

"I'm so sorry, El, if I hadn't lost sight of you, if I had gotten to you sooner-"

"...it wouldn't have made any difference. You did all you could, sometimes things just aren't meant to be."

Olivia pulled back and wiped her face with the back of her hand.

"Please, just give the rehab a chance to work. I'll have the Captain assign me a temporary partner until then. Lake is transferring out next week and Fin hasn't had a new partner assigned yet."

Elliot considered it for a few moments.

"Ok, ok, fine. I'll give it a couple of months."

A nurse entered the room with an IV.

"Excuse me, who are you?"

"Ah, Detective Benson, Detective Stabler's partner."

"Well, Detective, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave. Mr Stabler needs to rest."

Elliot was about to protest but Olivia placed a hand on his arm to silence him.

"It's ok, El. I should get back to the station. Update Cragen. I need to have a word with him about Fin." Olivia stood up and grasped his hand. "Feel better soon."

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September 21st 2010

Elliot's Leaving Party

Casey's Bar

Downtown Manhattan

"Elliot, my man, good to see ya!" Fin slapped Elliot on his good shoulder.

"Hey Fin, likewise. How's it going?"

"Same old, same old." He leaned over and spoke quietly so that only Elliot could hear him. "She ain't gonna say anything to ya so I will. She misses you, man."

Elliot bowed his head.

"I miss her too."

"Speak of the Devil!" Fin called over Elliot's shoulder, "Hey, baby girl, over here!" Elliot turned to see Olivia dressed in a blue button-down shirt and a just above the knee skirt. Elliot was speechless. Olivia smiled coyly.

"Can I buy you gentlemen a drink?" She asked.

"Sure thing, sweetheart!" Fin replied, Elliot just nodded.

"Hey, Liv. Need a hand?"

"Sure."

Elliot followed her to the bar, leaving a smirking Fin in his wake. Suddenly Munch walked in.

"Hey, Fin! What did I miss?"

Fin nodded over his shoulder towards the bar.

"Oh, the show's only just begun."

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The bar was emptying and almost everyone had said their goodbyes with the exception of Munch, Fin and Olivia. Someone had decided it would be fun to put the jukebox on and it was playing some lively country song. Olivia and Fin were dancing away with only the bartender there to give them the occasional questioning glance.

"So, Elliot, what's your plan now?"

"I was thinking I could start my own business. Private investigation maybe."

"P.I. Stabler, huh? Sounds interesting."

"Hey, you two! Why don't you get your asses up here and join us!" Fin called from across the bar.

"I don't dance," came Elliot's reply.

"Now, I know that ain't true!," Fin continued pointing to Munch, "And he can't tell me he ain't been to enough Barmitzvahs to know how to shake his booty. Get over here."

They both looked at each other and shrugged.

"I guess one dance wouldn't hurt. Besides, there's no one else here."

Munch stood and was followed reluctantly by Elliot.

"Alright, already, we're here. Now what do you want us to do?"

"It's called the 'Cha-Cha Slide'" said Olivia smugly, "Come on, it's not hard, Fin showed me how to do it."

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The bartender paused in the middle of cleaning glasses and rang the bell over the bar.

"Drink up, please."

"Looks like our night's up," Fin sulked and moved over to where his beer had been sitting. Munch and Olivia were about to follow him when Elliot reached out and grabbed Olivia's arm. She looked back, puzzled. He leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"One last dance? For old times' sake?"

Olivia didn't know what made her do it but she suddenly found herself face to face with Elliot and the song changed and the first strains of a piano would be heard over the clinking of glasses and scraping of chairs on the linoleum floor. Elliot put his injured arm around her waist and took Olivia's hand in his, bringing it to his chest and began to sway.

You're in my arms
And all the world is calm
The music playing on for only two
So close together
And when I'm with you
So close to feeling alive

Elliot pulled her a little closer into his chest like that day in the hospital so long ago. He realised that was the day that had changed everything. He finally woke up and realised what he had been trying to deny for so many years; he was in love with Olivia. How could he not have known? It was so obvious to everybody, Fin, Munch, Kathy, hell, even Cragen had commented on it! He closed his eyes as he moved gently to the music.


A life goes by
Romantic dreams will stop
So I bid mine goodbye and never knew
So close was waiting, waiting here with you
And now forever I know
All that I wanted to hold you

Olivia, softened a little by the alcohol, allowed herself to lean into him just a little, turning her head to the side and resting it in the crook of his neck.


So close to reaching that famous happy end
Almost believing this was not pretend
And now you're beside me and look how far we've come
So far we are so close

How could I face the faceless days
If I should lose you now?
We're so close
To reaching that famous happy end
Almost believing this was not pretend
Let's go on dreaming for we know we are

Olivia pulled back just enough to look up at Elliot. Sensing her movement, Elliot opened his eyes and looked down at her. She smiled up at him and squeezed his hand in reassurance, allowing herself one final moment of happiness before reality surely set in.


So close
So close
And still so far

They pulled apart reluctantly and turned to where Munch and Fin had been standing but they were no longer there. Olivia turned to the bartender and released Elliot's hand.

"Excuse me, did you see where those two guys went?"

The bartender looked up and smiled.

"Yeah they said they had to get up early in the morning and to call them when you need a best man and a flowergirl." He went back to his ministrations.

In the dim light, Elliot could barely make out Olivia's blush.

"Well, it's getting kinda late, I'd bette-"

Elliot reached out a hand to stop her from moving away.

"Liv. We need to talk about a few things. Can I give you a ride home?"

Olivia nodded apprehensively. She had a pretty good idea what he wanted to talk about, she just wasn't sure she'd ever see the day when it came down to this. Them. They both grabbed their jackets and Elliot guided her out of the bar with a gentle hand on the small of Olivia's back.

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A/N: The song, 'So Close', and lyrics belong to Mr John McLaughlin.