Hope you like chapter 2, I'll try and update soon!


A couple of days later, Olivia was at work early in the morning trying to finish up some paper work. Her head was pounding because she hadn't slept in almost two days but she wanted to finish her work before she went home. She ran a tired hand through her hair as Elliot walked over to her desk.

"Did you even go home this last night when I left?" He asked taking his jacket off and throwing it on his desk chair.

She looked up at him and couldn't hold back the yawn she was holding in any longer. "No. I was trying to get all this paper work done so I could have the rest of the weekend off."

Elliot sighed and walked over to her desk. "You've been here for three days straight Liv…go home."

He tried to pull at her papers but she put her hand over it. "I'm almost done. It's fine. I'll go home when I finish okay?"

He stared down at her for a moment and saw the bags under her eyes. He had been doing his best to keep his distance from her so she could have her space but he was seriously getting worried about her. He licked his lips and knelt down beside her desk and tried to reason with her.

"I can finish the paper work if you want." He whispered to her.

She smiled at him but shook her head. "No seriously. I'm almost done. Don't worry about it."

Elliot chuckled and shook his head. "You are something…"

She looked over at him, confused and somewhat surprised by his words. "What?"

He sighed and stood up as he walked around to his desk and sat down. "You're just extremely stubborn that's all…"

She squinted her eyes at him before responding, "And you aren't?"

He shrugged. "I guess since we're partners we've rubbed off on each other over the years."

She looked back down at her desk and tried to ignore him. "I just want to finish this all up before I go home okay? I need a few days off without working on any of this crap."

He nodded and reached for the papers in his file. "Okay. Fair enough."

She looked up at him and wondered why he wasn't pressing her on the matter anymore but decided not to question it. She was tired, irritable and still unsure where her relationship with Elliot was at the moment. She pulled her sweater closer to her body, suddenly feeling cold despite the fact that it was late May and the temperature was slowly rising.

Elliot glanced up at her again before clearing his throat. "Since you won't have any work this weekend do you have any big plans?"

She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear before shaking her head. "No. You?"

Elliot smiled. "Actually I'm going to New Hampshire with the kids and my Mom. My Aunt has a lake house up there and since it's the first week of summer vacation I'm taking the week off."

For some reason, the idea of him leaving the city made her feel lonely. They lived on opposites ends and yet she always felt comforted knowing that he was close enough to her if she needed him. She hated to admit that she truly did need him as much as she did, but she was beginning to realize she might not be able to fight it much longer. And with everything that was going on with them at the moment, she was surprised he would leave when he was so hell bent on proving to her that he wanted to be with her. She was beginning to feel more confused than ever…

"That should be fun. I bet the kids will be glad to spend sometime with you." She said shooting him a small smile again before looking down at her desk again.

He stood up and walked over to get a cup of coffee from the nearby table. "Yeah. I'm looking forward to it. We used to visit my Aunt's house all the time when I was a kid and I haven't seen her in awhile. The kids love her too and I haven't had a full week off with them in a long time."

Olivia flipped one of her papers over to the start the backside and nodded. "I bet it will be a nice break."

Elliot leaned against the table and took a sip of his coffee. "Do you want to come with us?"

At first she wasn't sure she had heard him right, she wondered if she was beginning to hallucinate. "What?"

He walked back over to his desk and sat down again before repeating himself. "I said…do you want to come with us?"

She opened her mouth to say something and yet no words seemed to formulate, her cheeks began to flush as she shook her head before whispering. "No. I don't…I think that…that's not a good idea."

He leaned his elbows on the desk and smiled, knowing it was going to be hard for her to refuse the offer. "Why wouldn't it be a good idea?"

She licked her lips and tried to remember to breath, but the idea of going on vacation with Elliot and his family made her mind begin to wander. She had images of actually being with Elliot…getting married and truly being a part of their family. Maybe even having a child of their own.

But no. That could never happen. That wasn't her life…she wasn't that lucky.

"Just…our situation at the moment Elliot," She looked back up at him feeling extremely drained. "I don't want you to think-"

"I won't think anything." Elliot said shaking his head. "I won't pretend that I wouldn't like to repeat the other night…"

She sighed and shook her head. "Elliot…"

"But I care enough about you to know that you need a friend right now. And so…I'm willing to put that part of our relationship on the back burner for the time being and just try and help you." He shrugged and smiled that beautiful smile of his. "I think getting away for a few days might make you feel better."

Her hand slid to the back of her neck and massaged it gently. "I don't know…"

"See…you really are stubborn." He said smirking at her, knowing how much his words would bother her.

She shot a look back up at him that made him realize she wanted to prove him wrong. "Okay fine. I'll go with you." She said quickly, trying to ignore the voice in her head that was warning her this was the worst idea ever. "What time are you picking me up?"

Elliot smiled and leaned back in his chair. "We're leaving tonight at six."

She nodded and pushed her chair away form her desk. "Well then it's a good thing I'm done with my paperwork. I can head home now and get a few hours of sleep and still have time to pack before you pick me up."

He watched her walk around her desk to reach for her coat. "The kids will be very excited that you are coming with us."

She felt a knot growing in her stomach but she just smiled and slid her coat on. "I'll see you at six?"

He smirked and nodded his head quickly. "See you at six."

Olivia turned away from him quickly because she was afraid her facial expression would give her away. She walked as fast as she could to the elevator, and as soon as the doors closed behind her she took out her phone and dialed Casey's number.

"Hey Olivia. What's up?" She asked.

Luckily, no one else was in the elevator so she leaned against the wall and groaned. "I think I just made a huge mistake."

"What did you sleep with Fin or Munch now?" Casey teased

"Ha! Ha!" Olivia growled into the phone. "Of course not. Elliot invited me to go to New Hampshire with him and the kids this weekend and I said yes."

"You're going away with him for the weekend?" Casey asked completely shocked by Olivia's statement. "What does this mean?"

Olivia sighed and put her hand on her head as she walked out of the elevator and went to go hail a cab outside. "I don't know! He asked and I tried to say no but he kept pressing the matter and saying I was stubborn."

"Oh so you wanted to prove him wrong? And the best way to do that was to go on vacation with him where there will be ample opportunities for you to sleep with him again?" Casey started to laugh. "Smooth move Benson…"

Olivia slid into a cab and gave him her address before continuing to talk to Casey. "First of all…his kids are going to be there so nothing is going to happen. But second of all…you know I say things without thinking all the time! I can't help it!"

"That's true. You do have word vomit a lot…" Casey said continuing to laugh.

"Casey stop laughing! This is serious! What the hell am I going to do?" Olivia asked desperately.

"Well you can cancel on him now." She said sighing. "I think you're still going to have to go…and maybe it will be a good thing."

"How could this be a good thing?" Olivia asked frantically.

"Because maybe it will make things more clear for you. Maybe you will figure out whether or not you want to be with him or not." Casey suggested.

"Or maybe it will only complicate things a million times more." Olivia said groaning and resting her head on the back of the seat.

"I think you should go and try and make the most of it. Maybe getting away will help you clear your head a bit…not about things regarding him but whatever you're trying to work on with yourself. And you love his kids…they'll keep you laughing anyway." Casey said.

Olivia sighed. "Yeah I guess…I just don't really want to give Elliot the wrong idea you know? I told him I didn't know what I wanted and then if I go away with him what if he thinks I want to be with him?"

"I think Elliot knows you're in no place to be in a relationship. But that doesn't' mean he doesn't want to be there for you. Just try and go into this with an open mind…" Casey said trying to console her.

"I think I'm going to be sick…" She whispered making the cab driver glance at her in the rear view mirror nervously.

Casey laughed again. "Look I have to go into the court room for a trial. I don't know how long it is going to take but you better keep me updated this weekend."

"Oh I'm sure I'll be calling you at all hours of the day and night this weekend." Olivia said as the cab pulled up in front of her apartment, paid the cab driver and stepped out onto the sidewalk.

"Well I hope that your nights will be present with a certain Detective Stabler…in his bed." Casey said bluntly.

"Casey I hate you so much!" Olivia yelled as she walked up the steps to her building.

"Have fun on the drive to New Hampshire!" Casey said before hanging up the phone.

Olivia laughed nervously and put her phone in her bag and took the elevator up to her floor. When she got into her apartment she went straight to her room and collapsed on the bed, hoping to get a few hours of sleep before it was time for Elliot to pick her up. But she had the feeling…sleep would be hard to come by.


Later that afternoon, Elliot swung by his apartment and picked up his bag before going to get his kids. His Mom was already at his Aunts house because she had been spending a few weeks with her. Kathy agreed to trade cars with him so he could have the suburban to fit all the kids comfortable in for the long ride.

He pulled up in front of his old house and walked up the front steps, Kathy greeted him at the door. "Hey Elliot."

"Hey. Is everyone ready?" Elliot asked her.

"Almost. They are just throwing a few last minute things in their bags I think. And I told them they had to finish cleaning their rooms before they leave. They seem really excited." She said leaning against the doorframe.

Elliot smiled. "Good. I'm excited too. It should be fun and it will be good to spend a few days with them…"

She looked at him for a moment. "You look nervous. Is everything okay?"

He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. "Can we talk for a minute before the kids come down?"

Kathy nodded and stepped out onto the porch and shut the door behind him. "Sure. What's up?"

Elliot walked over to the railing and leaned against it. "I probably should have called you and run it by you first…but I didn't really plan on this anyway." He looked over at Kathy who just stared at him expectantly. "I sort of invited Olivia to come with us…is that okay?"

Kathy stared at her ex-husband for a second and smiled. "Are you two together now?"

He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not really sure…"

Kathy laughed and leaned against the side of her house. "What did you do?"

He glared at her. "I didn't do anything…I mean not really."

Kathy cocked her head to the side. "What does that mean?"

"We had a really tough case…and it broke us both down. We both had to decide between saving each other or saving our victims and both time we chose each other." He whispered.

Kathy nodded. "Why is that surprising?"

"It's not…" He shrugged. "It's just complicated…"

Kathy sighed and walked closer to him. "Look Elliot…I won't pretend that I haven't been jealous of Olivia for a long time. But I made peace with our divorce and I'm really happy with Andrew. I want you to be happy too and I think Olivia could make you happy."

He stared at her for a moment. "I never betrayed our marriage Kathy…I want you to know that. I did love you…and in some ways I still do. I never expected to fall for Olivia…"

Kathy nodded and smiled at him. "I know."

"Well we sort of slept together after that case…" He blurted out quickly.

Kathy took a deep breath and crossed her arms across her chest. "And then what?"

"And then nothing…" Elliot said shaking his head sadly. "She left the next morning without saying anything. And when I tried to talk to her she just said that she wasn't ready for a relationship and that she was going through some things…"

Kathy nodded. "Last time I saw her she seemed kind of out of it…"

"I don't know what is going on and I feel bad. I want to help her and I'm really trying but its not really working. And then I just asked her to come with us…I'm worried it's a bad idea." He said honestly.

"I know Olivia…she wouldn't do anything stupid in front of the kids. She loves them. So maybe it will be a good thing…maybe it will make her see that she does want to be with you." Kathy said shrugging.

"Do you really believe that?" He asked her curiously.

Kathy smiled and laughed at him. "Why do you think I've been so jealous all these years Elliot? I've known from the day she became your partner that she had feelings for you…but she is pretty hard to hate. And I can't blame her…she does have good taste."

Elliot chuckled. "Thank you? I think…"

She smiled and reached a hand out to touch his arm gently. "Just take it one day at a time…let Olivia know that you do care. But don't push her…you know she is a bit fragile at the moment so you don't want to push her away."

He inhaled sharply and nodded. "I guess. But you are really okay with her coming this weekend?"

Kathy nodded and smiled. "Of course. She's always been great to the kids and they adore her…besides it sounds like she is going to be around for the long run so they might as well get used to hanging out with her."

Elliot smiled. "You think it will actually work out for me and Olivia?"

Kathy nodded. "Yeah. I do Elliot…I really do."

He was about to say something when the front door burst open and an excited Dickie came running towards them. "Mom! I finished cleaning my room!"

"Did you actually clean or did you throw everything in the closet?" Kathy asked turning towards her son.

Dickie was quiet for a moment before answering. "Does it really matter? Everything is off the floor…"

Both Kathy and Elliot started to laugh; she shook her head and pulled her son in for a hug. "I suppose I can let it slide this time. As long as you promise to actually put everything away when you get home."

Dickie sighed and pulled out of his Mom's hug, "Fine."

Elliot chuckled. "Go throw your bag in the car buddy and we'll wait for your sisters."

Dickie smiled and ran towards the car. "Bye Mom!"

"Bye buddy. Be good and have fun! Love you!" She called after him as the girls walked out the front door.

"Hey Dad." Maureen said smiling at her Dad as he pulled her in for a hug. "All ready to go?"

Elliot nodded. "Yeah. Say bye to Mom and we'll hit the road."

The girls all hugged Kathy and went to pack up the car as Elliot turned back to her. "You going to be okay?" Kathy asked him.

Elliot nodded. "You know me…I can handle anything."

She rolled her eyes and started to walk towards the door. "Okay…keep telling yourself that Elliot."

He smiled at her as she opened the front door. "Thank you Kathy…"

She nodded and smiled at him. "Like I said…I want you to be happy Elliot."

Elliot took a deep breath and walked back to the car where his kids were already arguing about who got to sit where. He laughed and took Lizzie's bag and threw it in the way back before walking to the side of the car.

"Hey! Hey! Way to loud guys. It's a long ride, we can switch seats along the way so you can all sit where you want to sit." He said pulling Dickie off of Kathleen as he tried to wrestle her for one of the window seats.

"Fine." Kathleen said sliding over to the middle and rolling her eyes. "Are we heading straight to the Lake House?"

"Actually…we have one stop to make first." He said feeling his heart begin to beat faster in his chest, wondering just what his kids were going to think of this arrangement.

"Where?" Lizzie asked her Dad as he made sure she was strapped into her seat.

"We are going to pick up Olivia because she is coming with us this weekend." He stepped back and looked at all of his kids and noticed that they were all smiling at him. "Are you guys okay with that?"

Dickie cocked his head to the side. "Is Olivia your girlfriend now?"

Elliot couldn't help but laugh. "Um…no. We're friends. Good friends…"

Kathleen rolled her eyes and looked at her brother. "That just means that Dad hasn't been able to get her to go out with him yet."

Elliot smirked at his daughter. "Alright, alright…let's get going."

"See…he's to much of a chicken to ask Olivia out." Kathleen said continuing to laugh at her father.

Elliot just shook his head and shut the car door before walking around to the drivers seat. As he pulled out of the driveway, he couldn't help but wonder just what he had gotten himself into.


At her apartment, Olivia was sitting on the couch staring at her suitcase that was on the floor in front of her. She kept wondering if she should pick up the phone and make up some lame excuse to Elliot so she wouldn't have to go. But she knew Elliot to well…he wouldn't believe any of her excuses and he would show up at her apartment regardless of what she had to say.

When she heard him knock on the door, she practically jumped off the couch. She made herself take a few deep breaths before walking to the door and opened it.

He smiled that sly little smile of his at her and her heart began to melt. "Here at six o'clock sharp."

She smiled at him. "You always have been prompt."

"Did you think I was joking about you coming with us?" He asked peeking into her apartment to see if he saw a bag.

She shook her head. "No I knew you meant it. I have my bag packed…"

He nodded and walked into the door and smiled as he went to get her bag. "Good. The kids are waiting in the car and they can't wait to see you."

Olivia watched him walking back towards her with her bag in his hand. "Elliot…are you sure this is such a good idea?"

He laughed and shook his head. "Oh no…you're not getting out of this Benson. My kids will be crushed if you back out on them."

She smiled sadly and sighed. "I just…don't want to complicate things anymore than they already are."

Elliot shrugged and put her bag down on the ground. "Well we can't exactly uncomplicate them so why don't we just enjoy each others company at the moment?"

She scrunched up her nose and looked down at the ground, "Yeah but-"

"Olivia…" He said gently as he took a step closer to her. "Look at me."

She felt the heat rising in her cheeks as she lifted her face slowly to stare at him. "What?"

"I told you I wasn't going anywhere…and I'm not." He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not going to push you…I just want you to smile again Olivia. It's killing me to know that you are going through something right now and you can't confide in me. Don't think of this as me trying to get you to be with me…I'm just trying to be here for you as a friend."

She stared at him for a moment and then took a deep breath. "I suppose there are worse things we could be doing…"

"I mean I have five minutes if you want to run to your room real quick…" Elliot said teasing her.

She groaned and nudged him. "Pig."

He laughed and picked up her bag as he followed her out the apartment door. "Just kidding…"

As she walked down the hallway she couldn't help but wonder just what was going to happen this weekend. When they got to the car, the kids were once again bickering and Olivia couldn't help but laugh at them. No matter what happened, she knew that they would make this all worthwhile.

"Hey Olivia!" Little Lizzie yelled when she saw her and her Dad.

"Hey honey." Olivia said as Elliot put her bag in the way back of the car. "Are you guys excited for this?"

"I can't wait to get to the lake!" Dickie said practically jumping up and down in his seat. "I want to go tubing!"

Olivia smiled as Elliot opened the passenger side door for her. "Sounds fun."

"Are you Dad's girlfriend now?" Dickie asked leaning between the seats to get a better look at her.

Elliot groaned as he slid into the driver seat. "Dickie…"

Olivia started to blush again and she shook her head. "Um…no Dickie. Your Dad and I are just friends."

"Good friends…" Kathleen whispered.

Olivia glanced at Elliot anxiously out of the corner of her eye and he also looked nervous. "Alright guys…That's enough. We have a long drive ahead of us so let's not start arguing before we are even on the road."

Elliot's kids all shared a knowing smile and he said a silent prayer that they wouldn't push Olivia to far. He pulled out of his parking space and took to the road wondering how this was all going to play out.


Two hours into the drive, all of Elliot's kids had their headphones in and were listening to their own music. Olivia was looking out the window at the scenery as it passed her and Elliot leaned over to turn down the radio so they could talk.

"So…" He whispered to her.

She turned back to him and smiled. "So…"

"To be honest I didn't think you were going to say yes when I asked you to come with us." He said looking over at her with a sly smile.

She glared at him. "You didn't play fair…you knew once you called me stubborn that I was going to give in because I couldn't let you be prove your point."

He shrugged. "What can I say? It's not my fault that I know you so well…"

She shot him a dirty playful look and then looked back out the window. "Whatever."

"You know we have another two hours ahead of us…anything you want to talk about?" He asked curiously.

She bit her lip and looked back at him. "Like what?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "I can take a hint."

She rolled her eyes. "No you can't…" She saw him smile again and she sighed. "I don't know El…things are just so weird for me at the moment. I've never felt this confused before."

He nodded his head and looked over at her quickly before turning back to the road. "Do you think you're going to leave SVU?"

She took a deep breath and let his words sink in. "I don't know…"

Elliot tried to imagine SVU without her but it didn't make sense. He had of course worked there without her before but that seemed like a lifetime ago. He couldn't remember his life before her…and he didn't want to think of a life without her now.

"You're going to make me break in a new partner?" He asked trying to lighten the mood.

She laughed and shook her head. "Don't start looking yet. But…if our relationship takes the road that you are hoping for then we're going to have to split up anyway right?"

He hadn't thought about that. "Yeah…I guess we would."

She turned away form him and looked back out the window again. "I can't imagine not working with you anymore…"

Elliot felt a lump growing in his throat but he tried to ignore it. "It would be weird."

She waited a few moments before turning back to him and whispering. "Do you think it would be worth it?"

Elliot pulled into a gas station to fill up the car and before he got out he smiled at her. "I think you are worth more than you realize Liv…"

She opened her mouth to say something but he just winked and got out of the car to go pay first. Her head was swarming and part of her was screaming that she should just jump out of the car and walk home if she had too.

"My Dad really loves you…" Maureen whispered from the back of the car as the rest of her siblings slept around her.

Olivia instantly knew that Elliot's oldest daughter had been listening into their conversation. "Maureen I-"

"I'm not sure what's going on with you…or what happened between you and my Dad but I do want you two to be together. You make him happy…" She whispered.

Olivia looked at her through the rear view mirror. "It's complicated Maureen…"

Maureen just laughed and leaned her head against the back of her seat. "Mom says most things in life that are important are also very complicated."

Olivia smiled. "Well your Mom is very smart."

Maureen looked out her window and saw that her Dad was walking back towards the car. "I'm just saying…you don't want to wake up one morning and realize that you missed a great opportunity."

Olivia stared at her through the mirror and couldn't help but laugh. "How old are you again?"

Maureen laughed. "Old enough…"

They shared a knowing smile before Elliot slipped back into the car and started it up again. He looked from Olivia to Maureen; surprised to see she was awake.

"What are you two talking about?" He asked curiously.

Maureen smiled at her Dad and then looked back at Olivia. "We're just catching up."

Elliot knew better then to question the two of them so he just smiled and pulled out of the gas station. Olivia took one last look at Maureen in the mirror and then rested her head against her seat to look back out the window.

She wasn't sure what was going to happen this weekend…but she knew that whatever happened it was going to be the beginning of a big change for her. She just wasn't sure if it would end with her in the relationship of a lifetime or heartbreak that she was sure to never get over.

She just hoped that her stubbornness didn't get the best of her…


You know what to do! If you want me to update sooner rather than later, send in a review! Thanks :)