Disclaimer: I'm so sorry that I haven't updated this story in so long. School is back in full swing, and stressful as ever, leaving little time for me to enjoy our favorite detectives. Just like last time, Dick still owns them, and I guess it's a good thing since I'm so irresponsible with them, and don't update. If I had to care for them on a daily basis, they'd probably be dead by now. That's depressing, anyways, on with the story.
Her stomach became twisted and queasy as she neared his room. She grasp the door handle with sweaty palms from nervousness, and pushed the door open, allowing herself enough room to wheel inside. Olivia positioned herself in the corner of the room by the door, and took in the appearance of Elliot, willing herself to keep her emotions in check. A large piece of white gauze covered his forehead, and he had an IV attached to his arm. Other than those two things, he looked perfectly healthy, and sexy as always. As she was staring, he slowly opened his eyes and looked lovingly at her.
"Hey," Olivia's voice cracked, as emotion overcame her.
"Hey there," Elliot replied, lifting a hand to give her a small wave.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm ok," he said, sitting up a little bit, "how are you doing?"
"I'm ok," she whispered, a single tear rolling down her cheek.
Seeing her uneasiness at the situation, Elliot attempted to break the ice, "Liv, you don't have to stay all the way over there. I don't bite."
She cracked a half smile, "I know, but I feel better over here. It's easier to get away when you decide to go off on me about how I've treated you."
"Liv…," he started with a sigh, as if to say, 'you know that's not true', but decided against it, "Ok, I'll just come to you then," Elliot said as he pushed back the burgundy blanket, eased out of his bed in his hospital issued gown on top and blue scrubs on bottom, and padded across the tile floor, over to where she sat, squatting down in front of her, tentatively taking her hands in his.
"El," she sighed, "you should get back in bed"
"You're the one that should be in bed! I'm ok, just a little head injury," he said, motioning to the gauze.
"Why are you being so nice to me? I just treated you like shit, when you were willing to sacrifice your life to Ryan so that I could live," not looking up.
"Liv...I...wait, how did you know that?"
"Someone left me a copy of yours and Dani's statements from my file. I'm so sorry," Olivia managed to get out before sobs overtook her body. Tears streamed down her face, as she stared at the ever blurring pattern on her hospital gown.
"Liv," Elliot said allowing his hands to caress her face, tipping it up to face him, as tears welled in his eyes, "don't be sorry. You have no reason to be sorry. It's ok. You were upset, and you had every right to be. I'm the one who should be sorry for hurting you. Dani meant nothing. I only kissed her because she was there, I was lonely, and I was trying to fill a void that you left when you went to Oregon."
"I've been your partner for 8 years, and you've never kissed me," Olivia whispered, wiping a few tears from her face
.
"Not yet anyways," Elliot said as he gave her his signature shit-eating grin, as he wiped away a few more of her tears, "no, seriously Liv, I didn't want to screw anything up between us. You're my best friend and I didn't want to put that in jeopardy."
Olivia nodded silently, taking in everything that he had just said.
He ran his fingers gently across her face, feeling her icy skin, "you're freezing, Liv, come on, lets get you back to bed." Elliot stood up, and began to walk around to the back of the wheelchair.
"El, I'd really rather stay here."
"Come on Liv, you really should get back in bed. You need your rest."
"But…I'm…" she sighed, "fine."
"Yeah, you sound fine. Nope, back to bed for you," Elliot grasped the handles of the wheelchair and guided her back down the hall to her room. He wheeled her up next to her bed. Olivia shifted in the wheelchair in order to lift herself out and back into her bed. "Here, let me help you," Elliot said, reaching his hands out to her.
"Really, I can do it myself."
"I know you can, but I want to help you. Please, let me. For me."
Olivia nodded, as Elliot gently threaded his arms behind her back, and legs, lifting her out of the wheelchair, and setting her back down in her bed.
"Thanks," Liv whispered. "Get some rest," he said, patting her hand, "I'll see you tomorrow." He turned and began to head toward the door, unsure of what to do next.
"El, stay."
"Liv, are you sure?" he said turning back toward the bed.
"Please?" she said, patting a spot next to her on the bed.
"Ok, here. Scoot over," he said sliding into bed next to her, pulling the covers over the both of them.
"Are you comfortable?"
"Yeah, are you?"
"Yeah… so you really didn't care about Dani?" she said, closing her eyes.
"No, she was just there. You're the only one that I care about. You've been the only one. For 8 years, even when you shouldn't have been, you've been the only one," he said, caressing her skin, sending her skin on fire from his touch, and chills down her spine.
"Thanks for not giving up on me, El."
"I'd never give up on you. Not now. Not ever. You're my partner. I love you," Elliot said, before a look of shock crept over his face. He did love her. He just hadn't planned on telling her how he felt about her so soon, "I'm…I… I didn't mean to…"
"It's ok, El, I love you too. I think I have for a while now."
"God, Liv, I was so scared, seeing you on the floor of that apartment. I thought I'd lost you for good that time."
"I know, I know. Me too."
With that, Elliot gently laced his fingers through hers, and turned her face to face him, brushing his lips against her forehead in one swift motion.
Electricity ran through his body from the feel of her skin on his lips. He pulled her close and gently rubbed circles on her back with his fingertips.
"So, is this...?" Olivia began to overanalyze the situation, when Elliot cut her off.
"Go to sleep, Liv. We can talk more in the morning." A small smile crept to her lips, as she snuggled closer into his shoulder, finally giving in to the overwhelming desire to fall asleep, and for the first time in her life, she felt truly safe, secure, and content.
The next morning around 6:30, one of the nurses entered Olivia's room performing her morning rounds to discover both of the patients sound asleep in one tiny bed.
"Ahheamm," the nurse made an exaggerated noise mimicking clearing her throat, and flicking on the lights, flooding the room in bright florescent lighting.
"What the...," Elliot started to sit up, but found something in the way.
Rubbing his eyes, he slowly remembered that he was not is his room, but Olivia's and that something in the way was indeed Olivia's arm, rested across his chest.
"More than one person sleeping in a hospital bed at a time is strictly prohibited, as per hospital policy," the nurse rudely stated, "and I suggest that you immediately return to your own room for morning rounds."
"I don't know who you think you are lady, but I'm not going anywhere. You can take your hospital policy and shove it up your...," Elliot went off.
"Elliot!" Olivia interrupted, now fully awake from the commotion, "someone sure woke up on the angry side of the bed."
"Morning Liv," Elliot swooned.
"As sweet as this is," her voice laced with sarcasm, " I have a job to do, and if you two are not willing to cooperate, I will be forced to get hospital administration," the nurse scowled at them, placing her hands on her hips.
"You can do your morning rounds with both of us here in one room, oh and could you let the doctor in charge of signing my discharge papers where I am. Thanks. That would save me a trip," Elliot spat back.
"El, what about your clothes? They're back in the other room," Olivia questioned.
"Shit, you're right. Fine Nurse McBitchy. You win, but only because I'm not leaving this hospital dressed in a flimsy gown. I'll be back in a little bit, Liv." He slid out of bed to return to his room when Olivia stopped him.
"McBitchy? Seriously El? I think your girls have had you watching too much Grey's Anatomy"
Elliot simply let out a laugh, and left the room, shaking his head.
A few hours later, Elliot appeared back at Olivia's door, fully dressed, wearing his coat.
"Going somewhere?" Olivia questioned with a laugh, taking in his ensemble.
"Yes, we are," he grinned.
"We?"
"Yep, the doc should be here any minute to let you sign your discharge papers. Your morning tests showed enough improvement for you to be released, into the care of another person, of course."
"So does this mean that you're responsible for my sponge baths now?" Olivia said with a mischievous grin on her face, and a wink.
"Oh yeah!" he said, flashing that shit-eating grin again, "you can just call me Nurse Staber!"
"You're so sexy Stabler. I love you!"
"You're not so bad yourself Benson," he said winking at her, "... oh, and I love you too."
A couple of hours later, Olivia had been released into Elliot's care, settled into his jeep, and was excited about getting to go home, well at least to Elliot's home. It was better than the hospital, and would give them a chance to truely talk about what was going on between them.
"Um...Liv?" Elliot questioned as they drove along, "I kinda don't have any groceries, do you mind if we make a pit stop at the grocery store?"
"Well, seeing as I like to eat and all, I guess I can make an exception for you. I think I'll wait in the car though. Its nice and warm in here compared to how cold it is outside. Heard we're supposed to get a snow storm tonight."
"Hmm...snowed in with the most beautiful woman in New York. I'll take it!"
"Stabler, go get the groceries," she said, hitting him lightly in the arm.
"Ok, ok I'm going, I'll leave the keys, and I'll try not to take too long," he said, closing his car door and jogging toward the grocery store entrance, attempting to keep out of the cold.