a/n: Sorry for the late update...exams are kicking my ass!

Chapter 8

When Elliot woke up the next day he smiled thinking about Olivia lying next to him, only when he went to squeeze his arms around her, she wasn't there, "Liv?" He called out softly as he quickly got out of bed.

"Liv?" He called out again, this time a little bit louder. He walked through the hallway and out into the living room. When she wasn't there, or in the kitchen, or even in the bathroom his heart began to pace. Fear crept into his lungs and he couldn't breathe. Visions of Olivia lying on Whites porch covered in blood ran through his mind, "Liv?"

He ran towards her bedroom, blood pulsing through his veins. He opened up the door to her bedroom and took a deep breath when he saw her sitting up in bed reading a book, "Jesus, Olivia." He said when he saw her, "You scared the hell out of me," He said sitting on the bed and pulling her into a hug.

Feeling his heart pound against her chest she knew that Elliot must have thought the worst, "I'm sorry, Eliot. I didn't realize…" She said as she rubbed her hands on his back.

"You're going to send me to an early grave, Olivia." He said with a smirk and released her body.

She smiled back at him and placed her hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry I scared you. I just sort of…when I was lying there…with you…I---"

"You freaked out and you ran…well hobbled is probably more like it," He said with a grin.

She laughed a little, "Yeah, I mean…what is going on with us? Is there something between us? Are we even an us?" She ran her hand through her hair, clearly frustrated and now a little embarrassed, "What is this?"

"Olivia, take a breath." He said as he ran his hands up and down her arms, "I'm not sure what this is, Liv; but I know it's something. I mean all these years we have played this game, and Liv, I don't want to play anymore. I don't want to fight this anymore." He said motioning between them. "Too much has happened, too much has changed," He looked deep into her eyes searching for something he knew was there, and when he saw it, he fused his lips together with hers. His hand went straight to her jaw and she opened his mouth to his allowing his tongue to navigate around her mouth.

When she pulled back for air she placed her hand to his chest and pushed him back gently, "No," she said softly when he went to crash his lips back on hers, "You're married. I won't be the other--"

But he stopped her before she could say anymore, "I'm not married anymore, Olivia," He said with a smile, "My divorce was finalized and we are not getting back together. And Liv, you could never be the otherwoman."

"Huh?" Olivia said in a daze, she couldn't have heard him right.

"I told her after Elliot was born that I couldn't do it. I couldn't make that mistake again, Liv." He placed his hands on the back of her neck and she tilted her head into them. He hovered his lips over hers, asking her for permission to kiss her again. She grabbed his shirt with her fist and forced his lips to come crashing down hers.

When they pulled back for oxygen Olivia smiled at him, "We have to take this slow, Elliot. See where it goes, because I can't lose you. You mean too much to me to throw away for some crazy, hot, sex."

"Crazy, hot, sex, huh?" He teased.

"I mean it Elliot," She said seriously, "It would kill me if this changed us and we couldn't be friends anymore."

"I know, Liv. I know." He said and placed a kiss on her forehead, "Come on, I'll make you pancakes." he said helping her out of the bed, before his body could react any further.

EOEOEOEOEOEO

After lunch Olivia fell asleep on the couch. Elliot was doing a crossword puzzle when he heard her toss and turn. Elliot could tell she was having a nightmare. She had a scared look on her face and kept mumbling things like, "No…get off…stop…White."

Elliot felt his stomach lurch into his throat. Was she reliving the day with White? She still had no memory of the attack; well that was what she told Elliot anyways. He got up and knelt down beside her, "Liv," he said softly, and again a little bit louder when she didn't stir.

"Huh?" She said when she woke to see Elliot kneeling there.

"You were having a bad dream," Elliot said as he placed a piece of hair behind her ear, "Are you okay? Did you remember something?" He asked hoping that something had jogged her memory.

Olivia looked at him blankly, "I don't know. I don't remember what I was dreaming about."

"Oh," He said and got up from his knees and sat down on the couch with her, "Liv?" He asked gently placing her legs carefully onto his lap, "You would tell me if you remembered something, right?"

Olivia hesitated before she spoke, "Yeah, yes. Of course I would."

Not really believing her but willing to drop the subject for now, "How is your leg feeling? You need a pain pill?"

She smiled at him, "Nah, I'm alright for now, thanks."

EOEOEOEO

"And you checked all Hospitals with in a 4 hour radius?" Cragen was saying into the phone when Agent Porter walked into his office. Cragen motioned for him to sit down, "Uh huh, ok." He said and hung up his phone, "How can I help you?" He asked Dean.

"I'm leaving in an hour," He said checking his phone, "You want me to tell them anything?"

"Just that we'll get him soon." Don said sighing, he felt like that was all he said anymore, "What you Olivia's personal Fed are now, or something?" Don asked curious as to why he was involved in her business.

"Just lucky I guess," He answered nonchalantly wanting nothing more then to end the conversation immediately.

"You like her don't you?" Don said finally understanding why Dean always came around now.

Dean immediately blushed, "Uh…"

Don smiled, "You do, don't you?"

"I'm sort of in love with her." He admitted, and wasn't sure why.

"Wow. Does she know?" Don asked surprised by his confession.

Dean laughed, "Yeah she knows."

"Oh wow, so are you guys together?"

"Uh…we were…but not anymore." Dean said and his smile faded, "But I'm working on changing that." He said looking at his phone again, "Ok well I gotta run." He said getting up.

"Give them my best, would ya?"

"Will do."

EOEOEOEOEO

Elliot was making dinner when he heard a knock on the door. He put down the spatula reached for his gun that was attached to his hip and walked to the door. Porter.

He quickly opened the door, "Tell me you got him?"

"Sorry." Dean said and Elliot opened the door up to him disappointedly, "Came to give you your new identities." He said holding up a manila folder.

"So we are going to be staying here longer then planned, huh?"

"We just want to make sure we have our bases covered. For all we know we could have him in custody tonight."

Elliot snorted, "Yeah right. You guys aren't even close, are you?"

"Where's Liv?" Dean asked choosing to ignore the question.

"Taking a nap," Elliot said pointing to the bedroom, "She should be getting up soon," Elliot said and he started to walk towards the bedroom, but felt Deans hand on his shoulder pulling him back.

"I got it," He said with a wink and walked towards the bedroom, "Trust me, its fine." He said a little too cocky for Elliot.

Elliot's fists clenched, and his face became red with anger, "oh hell no," he whispered and walked over towards the door. He placed his ear against it needed to know exactly what was going on.

"Liv, baby. Wake up." Dean said as he sat on the bed and gently stirred Olivia.

"Elliot?" She asked groggily. Outside Elliot couldn't help but smile, 'damn straight' he thought.

"No, Liv. It's Dean."

She quickly shot up, "Dean?"

"Yeah, it's me. How are you feeling?"

She shifted uncomfortably underneath the covers, "I'm okay, considering."

"How's Stabler treating you? I'm surprised you haven't two haven't killed each other yet," He said jokingly.

"We're---"

"Best friends," He finished the sentence for her, "yeah I know. You tell me all the time." He took a deep breath and ran his hand through her hair, "I miss you. He doesn't deserve to have you. You're too good to him, Olivia." He said looking into her eyes.

"Dean," She said warningly. She didn't want to fight with him about Elliot, again. That is why she ultimately broke up with him, well that and the fact that she was desperately in love with her partner.

"Olivia, I'm in love with you. I want to marry you; I want to have babies with you,"

On the other side of the door Elliot's heart collapsed into his chest. HE wanted to marry her; HE wanted to have babies with her. He then felt his heart sink even further when he realized that Dean and Olivia had been dating, and he didn't have the slightest clue. Why didn't she tell him? He couldn't take anymore of this, he went back to the kitchen, tossed out the grill cheese that was burnt to a crisp and tried again.

"Don't say anything. Just think about it, please?" Dean said placing his hand on her shoulder. He looked into her eyes and placed his lips softly to hers, "Just give us another try, Liv."

EOEOEOEOEO

An hour later Elliot and Olivia were now Joshua and Christina Murphy. Brother and sister…not husband and wife as Elliot was hoping. He glared at Dean when he told him that info, Dean must have insisted on it. Prick.

"And we don't have to get jobs?" Olivia asked shocked.

"Nope. Like I said we are going to get him soon, Liv. We are." He said and glared at her a little bit longer then Elliot liked, "The identities are more for your medical issues." He said looking at the stitches in her forehead.

"So we are just supposed to hide out here and do nothing?" Olivia asked a tint of anger in her voice ignoring the longing stares that Porter was giving her and the death glares Elliot was giving Porter.

"It's for your---"

"Protection, yeah I know."

Dean looked at his phone, "Damn. I gotta go. Remember no phone calls to New York. It's the easiest way for him to track you. No letters either. I'll be your only contact, got that?"

Olivia and Elliot shook there heads, "Got it," They said in unison, and Dean gave them a funny look.

Dean stood up to walk out, but paused first, "Think about what I said Olivia." And then he was gone.

"Care to fill me in there, Liv?" Elliot asked anger evident in his tone.

Olivia rolled her eyes, "Nothing," She sighed, and looked up at his puppy dog eyes, shit, she couldn't lie to him, "Ok, fine," She said running her hands through her hair, "We used to date."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked softly.

"I don't know," She said honestly.

"Are you in love with him?"

Olivia nearly burst out laughing, and Elliot hoped that was a good sign, "No, Elliot, I'm not."

"You guys aren't together anymore?" He asked his heart now beating again after hearing that she wasn't in love with him.

"No, we are not together anymore. I ended it like four months ago."

"He's in love with you," He said quietly.

"Yeah," She said not able to look him in the eyes.

'But I'm in love with you'

'I'm in love with you, too.'

"Liv?"

"Yeah?"

"Nothing." He said and got up from the couch and walked to the kitchen, "You want a beer?" He called out to her.

"Definitely." She called back.

EOEOEOEOEO

"I miss him," She said snuggling up to Elliot on the couch.

He draped his arm around her, "I know,"

She fought back the tears that were coming, but she knew it was an unfair fight, "It's like I'm not supposed to have a family. Like I'm supposed to be alone for the rest of my life,"

He quickly pulled her fragile body into his arms, "You're not alone, Liv. And as long as I'm alive I will make sure that you are never alone." He said as he inhaled the scent of her hair.

"Why'd he have to kill my only family, Elliot?" She sobbed into his chest uncontrollably for at least ten minutes. She sniffled and looked up at him. His blue eyes were bright, and she couldn't help but notice the tears threatening to spill.

If Elliot ever, ever got his hands on White he would do things that not even White himself could dream up. He squeezed Olivia warmly, as she released her tears onto his shirt. She hadn't cried about Simon since they got to Arizona, and Elliot was beginning to worry. Knowing Olivia and how she bottles up her emotions Elliot wasn't sure if she would ever open up to him.

Crying had taken all the energy she had out of her and she shifted on Elliot's lap, "I'm tired. I think I'm going to head to bed." She said carefully getting up. She felt just a little bit embarrassed for letting herself completely crumble in Elliot's arms.

"What are you doing?" She asked when she noticed he was following her.

"I'm going with you." He said as matter of factly.

"I'm fine, really Elliot." She said.

He stood there and stared at her for awhile, "I'm not." He said honestly, "Olivia, when I woke up this morning, and you weren't there---I…It scared the hell out of me…"

"Ok...but no funny business," She warned with a sexy smile that was going to eventually kill him one of these days, "I meant what I said before, Elliot. I want to take this slow…whatever this is."

He held up his hands in defense, "No funny business. I just---"

...Freak out when you're not next to me

...want to make love to you all the time

...want to hold you forever

…am completely in love with you

"…we can still cuddle though, right?" He asked as he stripped into just his boxers, and Olivia had to turn away so he didn't see the heat in her face.

"Yeah, we can cuddle."