Family Planning

Another stakeout, Olivia sighed as she stared out the dark window down the street, looking for any sign of movement. Elliot leaned back into his seat, fidgeting with the radio. It was a quiet routine, the two of them alone in the car, settling in for what most likely would be a long night. Olivia sat back too, but immediately felt the weight of her eyelids pulling her into sleep. She adjusted herself so she was sitting up straight. It had only been a few hours, but it already seemed like days.

She should have spent her time off sleeping, not fooling around on the couch like a kid, but it was so rare that she and Alex had time off together and she wasn't sad she had spent the time the way she had. Her mind went back to the afternoon, the two of them lying lazily together, "watching a movie," which they never actually managed to do. Olivia swore that Alex had ADD—after thirty minutes Olivia would hear a breathy, "Olivia, I'm bored," followed by roving hands that slid up her torso and teasing lips that drove her to distraction. She found it incredibly hard to resist Alex Cabot, especially when Alex had her mind made up.

Now Olivia was bored, but instead of being able to tease her girlfriend into a frenzy, she was with Elliot, who was rambling about his position in the Superbowl pool and the likelihood of the Giants/Patriots game going in his favor.

Olivia's mind wandered to how her life had changed. For the first time in her life, she felt like her job was not all she had. She had always been exceptionally dedicated, and she didn't consider herself any less so, but she had finally found her own reason to go home at night. She had always been happier to crash at the office and when everyone else stumbled home to their lives and their families, she had felt the acute loneliness that underlined the fact that she lacked one. Now, instead of being the first one in and the last one out, she had a reason to want to rush home at night: a beautiful blonde woman who was able to both challenge her mind and fulfill her fantasies.

It crossed her mind that she didn't want that to change. Alex's birthday had set her mind thinking. She had stood in the jewelry store, staring at a pair of earrings she and Alex had seen before that Alex had fawned over. Staring into the case, she waited while the clerk stood in front of a young couple who were giddy with excitement. The two of them, so young and happy, were holding each other tight, smiling at each other eyes. "We're here to look at engagement rings," the awkward young man said, while the woman with him giggled happily. "She just said yes," he said with pride. She thought how tacky it was that he hadn't gotten the ring first; when she asked Alex to marry her she would definitely have the ring and a plan.

The thought froze in her head. Her heart started to pound in her chest.

When she asked Alex?

When had that even become a possibility?

She thought back to other times that she was asked for a commitment. She had run like hell every time. Run screaming, in most cases. The longest commitment she had ever made in her personal life was caring for a plant, and hell, even that had died after two weeks. She didn't want to be needed and she definitely didn't want to be trapped. But now?

Now it wasn't just a possibility, it was an obsession.

She found herself back in that store every day for a week, staring at the diamond rings. She was embarrassed as she continued to think about nothing but commitment. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted Alex's promise to love her forever. She wanted to tell everyone they knew how in love they were. She wanted Alex to know how proud she was of them. She wanted to people to see her ring on Alex's finger and know that she had promised to love the blonde until the end of time.

With a deep breath and a signature promising to pay more money than she ever thought she could spend in one transaction, Olivia Benson walked out of the jewelry store with a sparkling diamond ring in her pocket.

"Liv?" Elliot asks, looking at Olivia with a question in his eyes. He's surprised when she doesn't immediately have an opinion the upcoming Knicks season.

"Huh?"

"The Knicks?" He says, expectantly.

"What about them?" Liv asks, curiously, as though he's the one who hasn't been paying attention.

"What do you mean what about them? Do you think they should go to all pink uniforms or stick with the plaid? What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," she said, with a shake of her head. "Sorry, El, just thinking."

"Want to talk about it?" He asks, knowing what the answer will be.

"No, thanks though," She says with a brave smile.

"Trouble in paradise?"

"Oh, no, no," Liv mumbled shaking her head.

"So?"

"I, just, thinking, you know, a lot, about, you know, Alex, and how my life has changed, and, you know."

"You okay?"

"Yeah," Olivia muttered again, "Why do you keep asking me that?"

"You're stammering, Liv. Not like you." Elliot smiled shaking his head.

Olivia sighed. He knew her too well and sometimes she hated him for it sometimes. "Elliot. When you married Kathy, how'd you know it was right?"

"She was pregnant." Elliot shrugged.

"But, you loved her, right?"

"Of course," Elliot said. "I mean, I got her pregnant," he said, with a smile.

Olivia rolled her eyes at him. "And when you guys got married, did that change?"

"The love?"

"Yeah?"

"No, I mean, in some ways, it was stronger. I don't know how to explain it. Dating her was great, but marrying her was a different level. Knowing she was mine. It was scary, Liv, I was young and I had a family on the way."

Olivia nodded at him, staring at the window. "Do you ever regret it?"

"Every day of my life. Would I change it? Absolutely not."

"I think I'm going to do it, El."

"What?"

With a deep breath, Olivia shoved her hand deep into her pocket. Elliot's eyes widened as she pulled out a little black box. "Is that?" He asked. Slowly, Olivia opened the box to reveal the diamond solitaire ring that had been her obsession. "Jesus Christ Liv," he mumbled as he took the box from her hand. "That had to cost a fortune."

She smiled a shy smile. "I know," she said, running her fingers through her hair.

"So you're gonna?" He asks.

"Her family lives just outside of Boston. It's legal there. And now it's recognized here, so we could actually conceivably do it." Liv supplied.

"Wow." He said, staring at the box. "I never thought I'd see the day." He smiles. "Congratulations."

"I haven't asked her yet."

Elliot rolled his eyes at her. "Please, Liv." He handed the ring back to her. "It's a sure thing."

"It is not," Olivia mumbled, shoving the ring back into her pocket.

"Do you have a plan?" He asked.

"I was thinking tomorrow night?" She smiled. "I have reservations at her favorite place, and I was going to take her on a carriage ride through Central Park."

"God you're sentimental."

"I am not." Olivia blushed.

"Please," Elliot laughed.

"I could actually see us, you know, having a family someday even."

"Wow, Benson, you're turning into a true romantic. She really does have you wrapped around her little finger, doesn't she?"

"Shut up, Elliot." Olivia crossed her arms, feeling her face burning.

Elliot sat back against the seat. He started at her for a long second. "I'm not going to help you plan your wedding, you know. I'm not that kind of guy. I don't do pink bows and girly crap."

"I wouldn't ask you to. You have horrible taste. Look at that shirt."

"Touché." He laughed, pausing for a second. "Oh come on, who else would you ask?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Olivia saw movement. All humor was gone and her face turned serious. "Elliot, look." She said, pointing towards the door.

"He's on the move," Elliot said quietly, speaking into the headset that he flipped on.

Munch's voice cackled back. "He's getting into a black SVU."

"We're in pursuit," Elliot told him.

To Be Continued...