Champ

"Hey, there, Champ." Elliot said, as he walked into the room. He scanned it quickly, looking for Alex, who had become a part of the room. She was here whenever she wasn't at work. Elliot was surprised she had returned to her job at all. The news of her and Olivia's relationship was a hot topic in the halls of justice. Alex had gone back at Liv's insistence. Elliot could tell she was miserable at work. She did what she was supposed to do, but her passion, her life went into thinking about and being with Olivia. So, instead, of just one Alex did two jobs. Attorney by day-- caretaker by night. She brought her case files with her to the hospital and completed the paperwork while Olivia slept. She went home only when the nursing staff threw her out, and was back first thing in the morning before court. Now that Olivia had been downgraded from the ICU, the visiting hours were far less strict, and the two of them had become constant companions.

"What's up Bronco," Olivia asked, rolling her eyes at him.

"What'd you do to Alex?" He asked, looking around the corner expecting to see her sitting in the corner.

Olivia smiled and looked at the empty chair. "I sent her home. She was starting to stink."

Elliot laughed. "It's about time someone told her. I'm surprised you could get her out of here."

"She needed a nap. She had stuff at the apartment she had to grab, and then she was going to get me some dinner that didn't have fruit suspended in it. She'll be here later." Olivia shrugged pointing to the jell-o bowl in front of her, pushing it with a spoon and shuddering as it wiggled.

Elliot shook his head. "You're spoiled, Liv." He said and she smiled.

"I'm definitely not complaining."

"I'm kind of glad I picked tonight then. I came down here because I have to talk to you."

Olivia looked at him. He had worry in his face, something that she could tell from knowing him for so many years. "What?" She asked, her mind flashing through a million things he could need to tell her, none of which she'd want to hear.

"What do you remember about the night this happened?" He asked, pointing to her.

"I don't want to hear you blame yourself, El." She said.

"I don't." he said, haltingly telling both of them that he did. "What do you remember?" He asked again.

"Not much, Elliot. Why?" She sighed. She had this talk with so many people. Internal affairs had come by, but she hadn't been able to tell them anything. Alex carefully probed around the topic, never asking outright, but making it clear she was interested in whatever memories Olivia actually had. Alex had told her the story in the first place—the accident, the drunk who hit them. She had shown Olivia pictures of the car, and Olivia had known immediately that it was a miracle that she had survived at all. She had talked it to death. It was probably lucky she didn't remember, she didn't want to start now.

She had a feeling that Elliot would blame himself. She was ready to hear his confession if she had to, and as always she was also ready to absolve him of his guilt. Accidents happen. Even if she didn't remember the precise course of events, she was sure that Elliot had not put her in immediate danger on purpose. They would never do that to each other.

"Do you remember what we were talking about before it happened?" He asked slowly.

"I don't remember anything really Elliot. Not anything substantial. It's kind of like my brain was wiped clean for the whole time before this happened. Why?" She asked, perplexed. What could they possibly have been talking about that was something he wanted to resolve now? Anything that happened then was a lifetime ago.

"Do you remember this?" He asked, pulling the black box out of his pocket.

She stared at it. A tiny black box, it looked like it would hold a ring. She tried hard to remember. She felt emotions about it—happiness. Contentment, but she couldn't figure out why. If the ring was hers, she didn't remember where it had come from. The harder she tried to place it the more of the memory slipped away and she cursed herself for not being able to remember more.

"What is it?" she asked quietly.

Elliot slowly opened the box to reveal a diamond solitaire. It was stunning. Olivia tilted her head and looked at it. "You proposing to me, El?" She asked, with a sad smile, seeing the disappointment in his eyes that she didn't remember.

"No," Elliot said, expectantly.

"Then?"

"You were proposing."

"To you? Good thing we were in that accident then, saved me from making a huge mistake." She quipped, her humor her best attempt to cover for not remembering.

"Cut it out Liv, I'm serious. You weren't proposing to me. You were proposing to Alex."

"I was…"

"You had just bought this. We were talking about it that night. You showed it to me. You told me that you were going to do it the next day, and then this happened."

"Wow." Olivia said, staring at the ring.

"Yeah." He said, holding it out to her.

She took it from him and stared at it.

"You were real excited about it, Liv." He watched her face as she stared at the ring, and he felt disappointment as he tried to read her face and decided it wasn't excitement he saw there but a mixture of confusion and fear.

"So should I, you know, do it now?"

"Only if you mean it. I mean, if you don't want to do it, you shouldn't."

"I know Elliot."

"I can hold it." He said, quickly, putting his hand out for the ring. "If you want to think about it. Or you want me to just keep it safe."

"Can I keep it?" She asked him.

"It's your ring, Olivia." He said, sighing.

"I know."

"But don't do something you'll regret."

"I don't think I'd regret it, El." She said, examining the ring closer. With a smile, she snapped the box shut and started making her plan.

To Be Continued…