Chapter 7

Olivia opened her eyes slowly. There was a dim light shining through the blinds in her room. God, her head hurt. She slowly rolled over and looked at the clock. It was 6AM; way too early. She pulled back the covers, and saw she was still wearing her dress. She tried to think back to the previous night, and tried to remember how she got home. The last thing she remembered was fighting with Elliot and going to the bathroom.

She needed water and aspirin. She pulled the covers all the way back and swung her feet out of bed. She slowly sat up, holding her head. She looked down and saw her feet were dirty. "What the hell?" she thought to herself. She went into the bathroom, unzipping her dress and letting it drop. She went to the bathroom, and washed her hands. She splashed cold water on her face and grabbed some aspirin out of the medicine cabinet. She dry swallowed the aspirin and walked out of the bathroom. She walked through her bedroom and out towards the kitchen to get some water.

"Liv." Elliot said softly.

Olivia let out a small scream, and jumped at the voice. She turned and saw Elliot sit up on the couch. "Jesus El. You scared me." She said as she turned towards him. Elliot stood up, and walked over towards her, carrying the blanket from the couch. It was then that Olivia realized she was standing there in her bra and underwear. Elliot wrapped the blanket around her, and led her over to the couch. Then he went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water, bringing it back into the living room and handing it to Olivia.

"Liv." Elliot started. "Are you OK?"

"I have a raging headache."

"No. I mean. Are you OK? How did you get home? I found you passed out at your neighbors? I was worried sick about you. You know better than to leave a bar, by yourself, when you're drunk. You.."

"Elliot. Stop. Please. I'm fine. I can take care of myself."

"Really? What happened to your shoes? How did you get here? Did you get a ride home from someone? Take a cab? How did you pay for it?"

With that, Olivia took in a sharp breath, remembering the incident with the cab driver. "OK. I get it. Please, I can't take a lecture right now. Nothing happened. I took a cab. My neighbor paid him and let me into the building. I left my shoes in the cab on accident. End of story." She looked away from Elliot as she said it, and Elliot caught it.

"Liv." Elliot reached out and took Olivia's hands in his. "Look at me."

Olivia looked up at Elliot.

"Liv. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you last night. And I don't want to fight with you now. I am just glad you're OK."

"El…" Olivia interrupted.

"Let me finish. Olivia, I was really looking forward to going to the party with you last night. You looked amazing in that dress, and I was happy with the attention you paying to me. All eyes were on you when we walked into that bar, and you were with me. I mean, I know you weren't WITH me, but we walked in together and I felt…I don't know. And then we were dancing and it was everything I wanted. But then I realized everyone was watching. And I felt like what should have been private between us was happening in front of everyone else. It's not that I didn't want you. God, I wanted you so much. I just didn't want you..us… to be the subject of more rumors. I know I get really overprotective but it's only because…because. Liv, I love you. I am in love with you."

"Elliot" Liv said softly.

"Olivia…I am in idiot. I have been in love with you for so long, and I don't know why I didn't tell you sooner. Please tell me you feel the same way. I think you do, but I need to hear it from you."

Olivia pulled her hands out of Elliot's, looking down at her hands resting in her lap. Her emotions were all over the place. She couldn't believe what Elliot had just said to her. The words she had been waiting to hear for so long. All the times she had let her imagination think about this moment, she didn't imagine it would happen like this. But the way her life went, she shouldn't have expected it to be any different.

She looked up at Elliot and saw him staring back at her with such intensity.

"El. I…" Olivia took a deep breath. "I love you too." She whispered.

Elliot let out the breath that he didn't realize he had been holding. He reached up and stroked her cheek. He pulled her towards him, and placed a soft kiss on her lips. Olivia leaned in closer, kissing him back. Elliot pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her. "Liv, I love you and I am never going to let you go. You're the best birthday present I could ever ask for."