Authors Note: This story takes place before the "Cold" episode and includes ADA Casey Novak.
God Bless The Broken Road
(Chapter One: Forbidden Love)
It was a day like any other day. How was Olivia supposed to know that today would be the day her entire life changed? Elliot and Kathy had been arguing and struggling for months although they tried to make their marriage work. Now, Elliot was having a hard time adjusting to life without a wife and children.
Olivia walked in to sit at her desk looking across at Elliot as he sat in his chair with his hands neatly folded staring down at an envelope of papers.
"You okay?" She asked nervously.
Elliot shifted his eyes up to look at her. He took a deep breath. "My divorce papers," he said looking back down to the envelope. "I have had them for months now. Kathy keeps asking about them. She has actually started dating again. I thought maybe after the last time I came home everything would work out, but it just got worse. I used to worry I would lose her, Liv. Now when I look at her, I know she is already gone. I'm going to take the papers to my lawyer at lunch and sign them."
"Elliot, I'm sorry. I know this isn't what you wanted."
"Not at first, no. Truth, is that there is so much anger between us, there isn't anything left. A marriage cannot survive like that."
Olivia stood up and walked over to him placing a hand on his shoulder in support.
"Thanks Liv," he said forcing a smile.
"If there is anything I can do you let me know."
Elliot nodded. "We'd better get going, if we are late to court Casey will kill us."
"Yeah," she agreed. A soft smile surfaced.
That evening after work they stood together in front of their lockers putting their things away and getting ready to head home for the evening. Elliot took a deep breath and sighed.
Olivia turned to him. "How about some dinner, El?"
"Thanks Liv, but I'm not really hungry. I think I am just going to head home."
"You sure? I'll buy," she offered.
"I don't know."
Olivia shrugged. "We can get a few beers and just talk."
"Elliot, when ever something bad happens or I have a bad day you always drag me out and buy me dinner and a few beers. You make me sit on the barstool until I am laughing and crying so hard I cannot breathe. You are always there for me when I need someone. Now it's my turn. You shouldn't be alone."
"Maybe just for a little while," he accepted.
"Good," she replied with a smile as she handed him her car keys.
They entered to pub's smoky atmosphere and looked around the room. It was dart tournament night and the place was packed. They seated themselves at the bar to wait for a table.
"Well, I guess we are not going to get to talk much here," Olivia shouted over the noise of the crowd and the jukebox playing across the room. "Would you rather go somewhere else?"
"No, you love the food here," Elliot shouted as he leaned in toward her. "I'll see if I can catch the bartender and get us a couple of drinks."
"Why don't we just eat then we can get some beer and head back to my place and talk?"
"That is a great idea."
"I'll be right back," she said heading in the direction of the ladies room. "Get me a beer."
"Yeah," he agreed. "What do you want to eat? I'll go ahead and order."
"Umm…" Olivia stared at the sign behind the bar with the food listed on it. "A salad. Italian dressing on the side." She turned and headed down the hall to the restroom.
A few minutes later she returned and sat on the barstool beside him.
Elliot looked up at Olivia as she pressed her lips to her beer bottle. "Thank you for coming out here with me tonight. I guess I am still trying to adjust to this single life."
Olivia reached over and patted his back. "It will be okay, El. You will meet someone else and be happy again. You deserve more than this."
"Thanks, Liv. But after this she would have to be a pretty great woman to even make me think about it. I think I am just going to relax and enjoy being single for a while. Take a break from relationships. I mean I have been with the same woman for twenty years. Maybe it is time for a new Elliot."
They both laughed.
"But I like the old Elliot," she said with a smile.
"Well, he isn't completely new. Just refinished. A few things have been updated."
"Oh, okay."
"You have any hot friends you'd like to set me up with?" He inquired.
Olivia laughed again. "Well, lets see….there is Fin and there is Munch. Which one would you like me to hook you up with?"
Elliot laughed.
"I spend all of my time with you three."
"That is a good point. I was hoping somewhere you had like a hot college roommate or something."
"Hmm, let's see. Thick glasses, very studious, not much personality…. That sound like your type, El?" she asked smugly.
"And you? What were you like in college?"
"Me…I was…confused."
"Confused?"
"That is a nice word for it."
"Oh, do tell!" Elliot leaned in to her begging, for more information.
"Elliot!" She laughed.
"This confusion….did it involve other women?"
"Just when I think there is hope for you, you open your mouth and a statement like that falls out. Then I am reminded that you were born with a penis, so being a pig is in your DNA."
"Aww, come on!"
"No, I wasn't with other women. I just dated a lot. All men!"
"Ahh," he smiled a devilish smile.
"I didn't sleep with them….all," she added.
"But my roommate never dated and was convinced I was a tramp. Needless to say we didn't get along."
"Hard to imagine."
"What's that?"
"You, hard to get along with," he said with sarcasm.
"Shut up!" She laughed as she threw a French fry at him.
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"What were you like when you were younger?"
"I was married with a child by the time I was nineteen, so that kind of changed a lot for me."
"What about before that?"
"I was a typical teenage guy. That is how I got the wife and the kid."
Olivia smiled at him and took a drink of her beer.
"So what were these boyfriends like? Typical teenage guys?"
"No. I have always been into older men. I only dated seniors, grad students and guys who were already out of school. Actually one of the guys I dated was a professor at another school."
"Oh, really? Liv, you bad girl."
"Yes and another was married."
Elliot gave her a worried look.
"Didn't turn out quite how I'd expected," she said looking at Elliot. "Well, I didn't know he was married until after I was dating him. And I broke it off after I found out."
"That's good."
"It wasn't good trust me."
"How did you find out?"
"His wife showed up at my dorm and told me she knew I was sleeping with her husband."
Elliot looked shocked. "What did you do?"
"I invited her in for a beer and called him to come over to my dorm. When he arrived, well he was shocked to say the least. I think I read somewhere that she later divorced him and took all of his money. Needless to say my roommate didn't appreciate a visit from my married boyfriend and his wife at ten o'clock at night while she was trying to cram for a final."
"I guess not." Elliot smiled at her.
After dinner Elliot drove her back to her apartment. They sat outside on the stairs and talked for a little while.
"I really should get going," he said standing to try to hail a cab.
"Want to come up for a little while?" Olivia suggested.
"I don't know, it's getting late."
"It isn't even ten o'clock yet."
"I have a lot to do tomorrow. I really should get home."
"Come up for a little while. We'll take some beer up to the roof and we can talk. If it gets too late you can crash in the guest room."
"Liv, guys stop having sleepovers when they are ten."
"Not if they are with girls. Ooh! I'll let you rent dirty movies on my pay per view."
"Sold!"
They both laughed and headed inside.
Olivia grabbed a six pack of beer from the refrigerator and they headed up the stairs to the roof. Her roof access fifth floor apartment had a wonderful view of the city at night. This was Elliot and Olivia's favorite place to go to escape life for a little while and just sit together and talk. They had helped each other through a lot of problems on top this roof. Marital woes, bad break ups and broken hearts. Elliot had often found himself on this roof just providing her a shoulder to cry on after a relationship had ended badly or a date didn't work out so great.
They sat together in folding chairs near the patio table with a citronella candle glowing softly between them. They sipped on beer and talked for hours as time slipped away from them. Olivia knew he had a lot on his mind and didn't feel he needed to be alone tonight. And she really enjoyed his company. With everything going on at work and in his personal life lately they hadn't had much time for the two of them. She had missed this.
They stood and walked to look over the building's ledge out at the city.
"So why don't you have someone, Liv?"
She tilted her head to look at him. "I have you."
"You know what I mean. You are a beautiful, smart, funny, attractive woman. You should be with someone who makes you smile a lot."
She grinned a little at his complements and shrugged her shoulders. "Not really looking, I guess. Maybe I'm giving relationships a break, too."
"Why would you do that?"
"Oh, I don't know. Every one I have been in has ended so wonderfully."
Elliot looked at her. "And you really have not been on a date in months?"
"No. But I have been busy at work."
"We need to get you a man," he said with a smile.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Well, while we are looking. Lets find you a woman! Mr. I'm enjoying the single life."
"Okay, well maybe we both need someone special in our lives."
"Yeah," she sighed heavily.
"What do you look for in a guy?"
"Umm, lets see. He has to be single."
Elliot laughed. "Yes, a major plus there."
"Smart, a gentleman, I prefer someone at least a little attractive. And you have to like him."
"I do, huh?"
"Well, yes. You are my best friend. Your opinion means a lot to me. And I don't want to end up falling for a guy you don't like and have that come between us."
"I would never let anything like that come between us."
"What do you look for in a woman?"
"The basics really. Smart, confident, a pretty smile. I am a legs guy, myself. Pretty eyes. Someone who likes children, definitely. Umm. I have always had a thing for blondes. But maybe it is time I changed my MO."
Olivia smiled.
"What are your favorite features on a guy? Let me guess. You like a guy with a good butt?"
Olivia laughed. "No. I like a good smile and sexy eyes. Strong arms."
"Liv, that is a little lame."
"Maybe so, but that is what I like. Besides those are the only features you can see in the dark."
"Oh," Elliot said smiling.
"Yeah. You know, when the lights are out and things get…well, you know. I like to feel strong arms around me and see his smile and stare into his eyes. I am a sucker for a sexy pair of eyes."
"I can agree with you there. I love pretty eyes. When she looks at you just right it makes you want to melt. I can't say no to the eyes."
"Really?"
"Yeah, just ask my daughters."
Olivia smiled.
"Don't play like you have never used that trick on me."
"Me?"
"Yes, you! With your big brown puppy dog eyes. Those are the reason I cannot tell you no. They are the reason we are standing here right now. Please, Elliot?"
Olivia smiled at him. "Hey, I do what it takes."
"Yes and you are very good at it. Like I said, I cannot say no to pretty eyes."
"You are sweet."
"I'm sweet?"
"Yes, you are a sweet guy, Elliot Stabler. And any woman should feel lucky to have you."
"Well, you are pretty amazing yourself."
He said mocking her as he winked as if flirting.
Olivia smiled shyly wondering if they were crossing some kind of line.
"Do you ever think about it?"
"About what?"
Elliot took a drink from his beer trying to think how to word it.
"About us? You and me?"
Olivia stared into his eyes.
"I mean if things were different."
"Oh, if things were different. Yeah, I mean I guess so. We get along great."
"We know each other well," he added.
"We are both caring, trusting people."
"We're attractive and single!"
"We are both intelligent and compromise. We work well together."
"There could easily….I think be an attraction there. Because we know each other so well."
Olivia stared into his eyes.
"We have good chemistry together."
"Yeah, so you know the sex would be amazing." Elliot stared back into her eyes not even realizing he just said that out loud. "You know, if things were different."
"Yeah."
She blinked. Elliot couldn't take his eyes off hers. The had been haunting him, calling to him for eleven years now and here they stood full of want and wonder gazing into his. Without thinking or taking his eyes off hers Elliot sat his beer bottle on the ledge and placed his hands around her waist.
Olivia gulped in anticipation as she stared into him. In one swift move Elliot moved quickly inward and pressed his lips to hers. He pulled her body against his and kissed her passionately. He paused for a second and felt Olivia kissing him hungrily as she moved her arms to rest around his neck.
He had thought about this many times before but had always figured she would push him away. Before long they had made their way back down the stairs and into her bedroom and were making out on her bed. Their kisses became more heated as the night continued and hands began to roam into places they eyes had never before seen.
Elliot moved his arm up around her as he slid one hand down her waist and under her butt cupping it with his hand. He pulled her hips against his then moved his hand to rub his fingertips across the smooth skin of her belly. He kissed her lips and then kissed her neck and under her chin up to her ear before nibbling gently on it.
Olivia half laughed and half moaned in his ear and it was sexy as hell. Elliot moved his hands under her shirt to feel her breasts above her bra as he stared into her eyes and she leaned in to kiss him again.
Elliot watched her as she sat up beside him in the bed then crawled back off the bed and unbuttoned the fly on her jeans sliding them down and stepping out of them. Then she raised her black tee shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor. She wore black cotton boy short panties and a black lace bra. Her body was incredible. She worked out so her abs and arms were perfectly tone and her belly flat. Her skin was tan and soft and warm. It had been so long since Elliot had even looked at a naked woman, let alone one this beautiful.
She crawled back across the bed playfully as she straddled his waist and kissed his lips. Elliot put his hands on her. He wanted to touch her, everywhere at once. He couldn't get enough. But his hands seemed to focus mainly on the areas that still remained covered by the thin black fabric.
Olivia reached down, unbuttoned his pants and crawled backward, pulling them off and tossing them to the floor. As she moved back up toward his lips, she smoothed her hands up his biceps and unbuttoned his white pinstriped shirt, dropping it to the floor as well. She laid her body over his and kissed him tenderly, intimately and passionately as he moved his hands over her body.
Olivia rolled over in the bed and pulled him over her. His arms were around her and she stared up into his eyes as he smiled his sexy smile and kissed her again. Their hearts were pounding and this was real. Olivia moved her hands up and slid down the straps of her bra, she sat up just a little in the bed and reached behind her to unhook the clasp.
"Wait!" Elliot said reaching to stop her.
"Is something wrong?"
"I don't want to do this, not like this."
"Elliot, I am not drunk. If that is what you are thinking. I had two beers all night." She smiled at him and placed her palm against his chest. "It's okay."
"No Liv," he said falling beside her in the bed, "I don't want sex. I mean, I do. But I want more than that." He rolled over to face her. "Olivia, for the first time in eleven years we are both single and both interested. Look, I want to do this. But I want to date you, not just sleep with you. There is something between us, Liv. I feel it."
"I feel it, too." She joked shifting her eyes to the bulge in his boxers now pressed against her thigh.
Elliot pulled the blanket around his waist and exhaled. "Obviously the sexual attraction is there. Liv," he stared into her chocolate eyes as he caressed her cheek with his fingertip, "I want a relationship with you. All of those things I said I was looking for in a woman, I found them all in you. And to be completely honest, that is where I got the idea for most of them. I am attracted to you and obviously my body reacts very well to yours. I know this part will be great."
Olivia looked a little annoyed. But she honestly wanted more, too. She wanted the amazing sex with him and it had been what seemed like an eternity since she had sex. But Elliot was her best friend and there was too much emotion involved for it to be just sex. It had to be all or nothing.
She took a deep breath and sighed. As she laid back in the bed and pulled the blankets around her chest. "You're right. There is a lot more here than a sexual attraction. We could have something really great if we just gave it a real chance. And if we do this tonight, we could just mess it all up." She rolled over to face him and placed her palm against his chest. "So what do we do now?"
Elliot leaned in and kissed her lips. "Olivia, will you go out with me?"
"What are we in junior high?"
"I mean on a date…dinner or a movie or something. I want you to be my girlfriend."
She blinked her eyes a couple of times and smiled at him.
"Oh, well why didn't you say so?"
"Olivia, will you be my girlfriend?"
"Yes," she said with a smile as she leaned over to kiss him. She laughed for a moment and pressed her forehead to his. "So we're dating now?"
"Yes, ma'am."
She kissed him again. "So it wouldn't be completely inappropriate for me to ask my boyfriend to spend the night?"
"Liv, I really don't think we should do this just yet."
She rolled over and snuggled in against his body placing her head against his chest as her hair fell across his shoulder.
"But we can do this, right?"
Elliot pulled his arm tight around her and kissed the top of her head.
"Yeah. I like this," he said softly.
She raised her head a little to look into his eyes. "So do I," she said with a smile as she kissed his lips and put her head back against his chest.
"Elliot?"
"Yes, Olivia?"
"All of those things I was looking for in a man….I found them in you."
"It's funny isn't it?"
"What's that?" She whispered with a yawn.
"How you search forever for something, only to find it was right in front of you the entire time."
She smiled against his chest. "I know exactly what you mean."
Elliot held her tightly in his arms as they fell asleep together.
Two weeks later after fourteen wonderful dates and fourteen nights of holding back they found themselves in the exact same place, Elliot looked at her laying against him in her underwear. He kissed her passionately as his fingers trailed softly up and down her back.
"Maybe I should go," he said not sure if it was too soon.
Olivia kissed around his neck and put her mouth against his as she kissed him like he had never been kissed before.
"No," she whispered, "you should stay."
Elliot looked into her eyes. "Are you sure? It's only been two weeks."
"It's been eleven years."
Elliot took a deep breath as she kissed his collarbone. He felt his heart pounding as she smoothed her hands over his bare chest and stared into his eyes. She smiled.
"El? If you are not ready, we can wait."
"I'm ready. I want to. I just… I don't want to rush into sex and take a chance on messing this up. I'm crazy about you Olivia."
"I'm crazy about you, too."
Elliot cupped his hand on the side of her face. "Okay," he said.
Olivia sat up and unhooked her bra, laying back in the bed and dropping it into the floor. Elliot just stared into her eyes fro a moment then shifted his attention to her bare chest. She was so beautiful and her body was flawless.
He leaned in and kissed her as she closed her eyes and moaned. He moved his hands gently over her breasts and kissed under her chin. Elliot could feel her heart pounding in her chest as her hands reached down and slid his boxers off. She looked at him then slid her underwear off and dropped them out of the bed.
They kissed and touched and explored each other for a while in the dark. Elliot moved his hands up her back and rolled her over until he was on top of her again. By now he had kissed every inch of her silky skin. He kissed across her chest and back up to her lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Are you ready?" She whispered placing her forehead against his.
"Yes," he answered softly kissing her lips.
A few minutes later they were making love.
Olivia held tight to his back and stared into his eyes. Their lips barely parted long enough to gasp and pant and release little sighs of passion. Elliot slid his arms under her back and held her tight, his hands on both sides of her face gently caressing her cheek bone and combing through the dark locks her hair as he stared into her eyes.
Neither of them had ever experienced anything like this before. They made love until they were both exhausted and could go no longer, then curled up tight in each others arms and rested until morning.
Elliot felt the suns rays against his face as something tickled his nose. He opened his eyes as she stirred in his arms, not quite awake yet. He took a deep breath and moved a strand of her hair from his face tucking it neatly back into place. He smoothed his hand down her back and across the sheet to pull it up over her shoulders. He placed a kiss on the top of her forehead. Her hair smelled like honey and jasmine on a summer day.
Elliot moved his fingers slowly through it. He loved her hair, so soft and shiny and wavy. He tucked it behind her ear and kissed her cheek. The thought of fixing her breakfast in bed had crossed his mind, but he would have to save that for another day. This being their first time together he wanted to just lay here and hold on tight to her until she woke in his arms.
Elliot looked down at her sleeping so peacefully in his arms and tried to imagine how wonderful it would be to fall asleep with her every night and wake with her in his arms every morning. It would be incredible. For a moment he wished the world would just forget them and leave them alone, together here forever.
Olivia stirred a little and moaned softly as she opened her eyes.
"Good morning angel," he whispered kissing her lips gently.
"Umm, good morning," she said stretching and yawning.
"How did you sleep?"
She smiled a warm smile and kissed his lips. "Wonderfully! And you?"
"Better than I have in years."
Olivia smoothed her hand over his chest and kissed it softly.
Elliot groaned softly, "you'd better watch doing that."
"Why?" She said looking into his eyes. He pulled her tighter against him and she could feel he was ready to go again. "Oh," she laughed softly.
She moved slowly over the top of him and began kissing him passionately.
"Oh, God. Liv…"
"Yeah?"
Elliot couldn't speak. Instead he just blinked his eyes surrendering to her command.
Olivia maneuvered her body carefully into position then moved down on to him. She moaned as Elliot kneaded her back in his fingers and pulled her into his thrusts. Olivia placed her hands against his chest and he watched her as her hair fell around her face. She felt so good, almost as if she were made to fit him perfectly. Elliot had never felt it this way with anyone else.
She moaned softly as she continued to grind against him. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
Olivia leaned over to kiss him then leaned back tipping her head backward as Elliot moved his hands over her breasts and up her neck caressing the underside of her chin.
Soft moans continues effortlessly between them. While she lay over his chest to kiss him tenderly on the lips. Elliot moved his hands up her waist and traced his fingertips across her bare back sending a shiver of pleasure through her body. Olivia moaned softly against his lips as her mouth crashed against his again and she fell against his chest, both of them trying to catch their breath.
"That…was….umm….so……incredible," Elliot mumbled between her sweet kisses.
She stared into his eyes. "Morning sex is always the best." She settled in against his chest again to recover. Before long they had both fallen asleep again.
