A/N: A big thanks to my beta, Liv Cassidy! This is the longest chapter for any story I've ever written to date. I just had so much to get in here! Enjoy!
The next morning, they woke up, stilled wrapped in each other's arms. Looking up at him, she smiled and kissed him softly. "You sure we have to leave?" she asked in a groan.
He chuckled. "I'm pretty sure," he said, giving a small laugh, hearing her groan. "But we have a whole day before we have to be at work; we can relax, get some sleep or… not sleep at all," he winked.
She smiled. "You have a one track mind," she said shaking her head.
"You love it," he spoke kissing her, rolling on top of her. "We should probably pack so we don't miss our plane. That would be bad."
She smiled. "We should," she whispered, running her hands over his chest. "But I can't get up with you on top of me, babe," she said, biting her lip. That was the first time she had used a pet name for him outside of the heat of passion.
Brian noticed and he smiled. She was getting comfortable with him, and he was happy with that. All he ever wanted was for her to be happy, with him or not. He gently caressed her face then kissed her lips. He broke the kiss softly. "That's true," he got off of her, kneeling beside her, helping her sit up. "Come on, let's get packed. We'll have a little lunch before we leave, and we'll have a special night tonight."
She smiled and shook her head. "Have I told you how incredible you are?" she asked with a smile, the sheet still covering her chest. "Because if I haven't, you are so incredible, more than I can even describe."
He smiled and kissed her forehead. "So are you," he looked into her eyes. "More incredible than any woman I've ever seen, met, been with," he took her hand in his. "You make me want to be a better man."
She looked down at their hands then up into his eyes. "You make me want to have a relationship, not an affair," she said, referencing a comment he made thirteen years ago about how when she got married, as long as she still had her job, her marriage would be an affair.
He smiled sadly. "I never should have said that Liv. I was angry, hurt."
Olivia nodded. "I know, but you were right. Elliot was the longest relationship I had with a man, and we weren't even romantically involved, and he still left me," she shrugged. She shook her head. "Don't apologize; I'm the one who should be apologizing. I know you were angry and hurt. But back then, I wasn't as mature as I thought I was. I was very condescending and I was kind of a bitch. I changed."
He smiled. "For the better, we've both changed."
She smiled. "I did notice that you know more when it comes to narcotics. I'm sure you're the one walking around with a rookie explaining terms they've never heard of before," she giggled a bit. "I still remember the time when Munch was teaching you about necrophilia. Then you went and did some research on your own, then told us all how a person didn't have to really be dead, only appear dead. I remember smiling. I smiled a lot when you were around. Still do."
He smiled. "I remember why I did that, to impress you. I'd kill to see you smile. Still would."
Olivia flashed him a big, genuine smile. "You don't have to kill anyone, you just have to be," she kissed him.
They got up, got dressed, packed, and headed out to have a quick lunch, before heading to the airport to return home to New York. Once they touched down at JFK they quickly disembarked from the plane, walking hand in hand through the airport to the baggage claim, getting their luggage, and hailing a taxi back to her place.
When they reached her apartment, he took her keys, unlocked the door and helped her inside. "Well, now that we're home, what should we do," he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist.
She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I say we order some take out and have a quiet night in. Just you and me," she whispered, giving him a peck on the lips and looking into his eyes. "One more night together before we go back to reality," she whispered.
Brian smiled. "Sounds perfect to me, any time with you is perfect."
She giggled. "Well, aren't you the hopeless romantic?
He kissed her lips gently. "Only for you, baby."
She rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, as they stood in the middle of her living room. "I love being in your arms. I feel safe."
He kissed the top of her head and moved his hands up her back, holding her close. "I love having you in my arms," he said, hugging her tightly, but not too tight. "You fit so perfectly."
She smiled and looked up at him and gave him another quick peck on the lips and broke the hug, unwillingly. She walked over to the drawer where she kept her takeout menus. "What are you in the mood for tonight?" She asked, looking through them.
He smiled and followed her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, feeling her lean back into him. "I'm in the mood for something spicy," he said with a smirk, his chin resting on her shoulder.
Olivia smirked and rolled her eyes. "Aren't you always," she asked with a giggle.
Brian smiled. "Hmm… some Mexican food, a few margaritas, tequila shots," he whispered in her ear, kissing behind her ear.
She smiled and closed her eyes, her hands resting over his. "Mmm. Go on."
He smirked and gently kissed her neck. "See if tequila makes your clothes fall off."
Olivia giggled and turned in his arms, kissing him. "That's something you'll have to find out for yourself, 'cause I already know the answer," she whispered against his lips, walking her fingers up his chest.
He smirked. "I suggest you order that food soon then, once we start drinking, there's no telling what'll happen when we get that knock on the door," he spoke softly as his hands trailed down her back to her ass, giving it a squeeze, then pulling her closer to him.
She gasped and smiled. "I need you to let me free so I can get my phone," she said with a smile. "Or we won't be eating tonight."
He smirked. "You won't be maybe."
She slapped his chest and giggled. "You're an ass."
He chuckled. "But I got to see that beautiful smile, and hear your amazing laugh."
She smiled. "When did you become so mushy?"
He smirked and backed her against the counter, gently kissing her neck before whispering in her ear, "When you called me babe."
Olivia felt the counter at her back, his lips and breath in her ear drove her wild, and her heart fluttered when she heard what he said.
They enjoyed their night together, laughing, eating, drinking, and fooling around. Turns out tequila really does make Olivia's clothes fall off, much to Brian's delight. The next day they went back to work, falling into a routine of hopping between their apartments, spending their days and nights off together. Sometimes just cuddling up to watch a movie, sometimes spending all night together in bed, getting no sleep but never feeling tired. The nights that Olivia had to spend alone were damn near torture. She missed being in his arms. She missed that feeling of safety. Sure, she was a forty something woman from Manhattan who had been single for most of her life. She slept with her gun next to her bed. But there was something about sleeping in Brian's arms that made her feel complete, like nothing could harm her.
After about a month, they went out to an early Valentine's Day dinner. Olivia was in her favorite red dress and a pair of nude heels. They went out to a fancy restaurant, he ordered for both of them, knowing exactly what she liked and he took her hand and looked into her eyes. "Liv, I've been wanting to tell you this for a while now."
Here it is, she thought. He's breaking up with me, keep a brave face Benson. You can survive. She smiled softly. "What is it, Bry?"
He smiled and caressed her hand. "I know we haven't been officially together for a long time, but I… I love you."
Olivia gasped silently, feeling tears stinging her eyes. "Bry… I." She smiled and felt tears spilling from her eyes. "God, I love you, too," she whispered, wiping her eyes. He got up and moved closer to her and he kissed her softly.
"I'm so glad to hear you say that, baby."
She smiled. "I wanted to tell you. When we were in the Bahamas, I just… I was scared. Every other person I've said that to left me. Scared them off," she shrugged and took a deep breath. "God, I love you so much."
He smiled. "I knew, though," he whispered. "I knew that last night, when you kissed me, I knew you loved me, and when you called me babe. It made me fall in love with you even more."
Olivia smiled and wiped her eyes again. "I'm sorry, I just… I've never actually believed a man when he said he loved me before." She whispered and made sure to get the last remaining tears from her eyes and she smiled at him. "I've never loved anyone this much before, either and… I don't want this feeling to ever go away."
He smiled and wiped his thumb under her eyes and kissed her. "You're even beautiful when you're crying," he kissed her cheeks, then her nose, and finally her lips. "As long as I live, I know I'll have this feeling. Fourteen years is a long time, that's how long I've loved you."
She smiled and rested her hand against his cheek. "I'm pretty sure I can say the same, I just didn't know it back then."
He smiled and kissed her, their kiss interrupted by her cell phone ringing. She groaned and looked at it. "Damn it." She said and rolled her eyes as she answered. "Benson," she let out a sigh. "Where? Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can." She hung up and looked at him. "I hate to do this, Bry…"
He smiled gently and kissed her. "It's okay. Go."
She let out a sigh. "I'm so sorry. I was hoping nothing would happen tonight. I wanted it to be perfect."
He smiled and held her hands. "Hey, I got to hear I love you from my beautiful girlfriend. Tonight was, and still is, perfect."
She smiled and kissed him. "I'll call you as soon as I know what's going on," she caressed his face, running her thumb over his lips. "I love you, Bry," she bit her bottom lip and smiled.
He leaned in and kissed her once more. "I love you, too, Liv."
She smiled, he got up and walked her out to her car, making sure she got in safely. He went back inside, flagged down their waitress, and took a deep breath. "Make those plates to go, and I'll take the check, please."
Olivia arrived at the crime scene to see her partner, Nick Amaro, looking shocked at her outfit. "Wow. Olivia… it's a little early for Valentine's Day."
She smiled and shook her head, "Look, he and I decided that we weren't ready for the whole Valentine's Day dinner thing so…"
"You went for the casual pre- dinner. I get it. Sorry to pull you out. This is Alexei Beluchov, boys' gymnastics coach. Stabbed with an ice pick, bled a lot. Lucky for the vic, the EMT's got here quick or we'd be calling Warner."
"And this is our case because…?" Olivia asked, not sure why she was called away from a romantic dinner for a stabbing. "He was stabbed in a bad place?"
"Uhhh, both of them."
"Ah, any chance CSU can get any prints on the weapon?"
"We'll have to wait for the coach to get out of surgery."
Olivia took a deep breath and nodded. She knew this case wasn't going to be open and shut; she just had a gut feeling. And boy was she right. She wound up sitting across a table from Bayard Ellis, sipping wine, and nearly begging him to help her get Reggie Rhodes off death row. He finally agreed, after adding salt to the wound that had he broken her relationship with David Haden, but she couldn't really be mad anymore. She had Brian now. If she were still with David, she may never have gotten together with Brian.
Once he agreed, she drove to Cleveland with Bayard, but she called Brian and she smiled, hearing his voice. "Hey, sorry I haven't called you in a while. We've been trying to figure out this case. I wish I could say I was, baby," she said gently, seeing Bayard's face as she spoke. "I'm on my way to Cleveland to question a possible witness," she nodded. "I know, I know, but I'll be home as soon as I can, and then I am taking at least one day off and you and I are just going to be. Sound good," she asked with a smile. "Good, I love you," she smiled and nodded. "Yes, I will call when we get done and update you on what's going on. Bye baby."
"Wow. I love you? Baby? Who's the lucky guy?"
She had a smile on her face; she looked out the window and bit her bottom lip. She shook her head. "You don't know him."
When they figured out they were going to have to stay over, Olivia picked up her phone and called Brian. "Hey, baby. I'm okay, I've been better. No, we're going to have to stay over. No, not Amaro. Yes, but, babe. Babe, will you listen. We're going to get separate rooms," she got a sly smile on her face. "Maybe if you behave we can work something out. Okay, love you." She hung up and shook her head. "One track mind."
"Can you blame him," Bayard asked, raising and eyebrow.
"What?"
"Oh come on, Olivia. You're a beautiful woman, I'm pretty sure I see half of the men in the DA's office staring at you. Can you blame the man?"
She shrugged. "I guess I don't notice. He's the only one who really makes me feel beautiful. I mean, David was great, but… I don't know, something about him…"
They rode to a hotel in silence, got their rooms and turned in for the night. She called Brian and she smiled. "Hey, baby." She said as she threw the phone on the bed, slipping out of her clothes, the phone on speaker.
"There's the voice I love to hear."
She smiled and took a pair of pajamas out of the bag she packed forever ago, the one she kept in the cribs for occasions like this. "Well, lucky for you, I'm in my hotel room for the rest of the night, alone," she said with a smile. "And I just slipped into some pajamas, but I'd rather be in your arms, with no pajamas on."
"And you tell me to behave?"
She let out a whiny moan. "But these pajamas don't smell like you. If I had one of your shirts, it might be easier."
Brian smirked. "I'm lucky enough that your pillow in my apartment still smells like you. I cuddle with it on the nights you aren't here."
"That is the most adorable thing I've ever heard… as long as that's all you do with it."
"Liv… really?"
She sighed. "Sorry. I have trauma worker brain. I need some time off to get my regular brain back."
He smiled. "As soon as you get home, we'll take some time off together, sound good?"
She smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I still wish you were here though. I don't know how I'm going to sleep. I'm in a strange place, and I don't have my big strong man to hold me."
Brian smiled. "Aw, my poor baby, anything I can do to make it better?"
"Short of driving to Cleveland?"
"You know I'd do it for you, Liv. If you want me there…"
Olivia smiled. "I couldn't ask you to do that, baby. I couldn't ask you to call out of work because I'm feeling lonely."
"Just say the word, and I'll be there in a heartbeat."
Olivia bit her bottom lip. "As tempting as that is… I'll let you know if something changes though."
"Okay baby. Get some rest. You have a long couple days ahead of you. Give me a call tomorrow."
She smiled. "I will. I promise. I love you."
"I love you, too, baby."
They hung up, and Olivia climbed under the covers, turning off the light, setting her alarm and drifting off to sleep. Luckily, they were able to close the case in Cleveland in a few days, and once the case in New York was closed, Olivia took a couple days off, to regroup and to take care of herself. But more importantly, she was back in Brian's arms.
Exactly where she was supposed to be.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review, here or on twitter SVUConnoisseur! Another 50 Shades update is coming soon, but next on this fic, a mini trip to Miami, a seemingly endless case, and then some Bensidy sexy time! :)