Chapter 13

The cases mentioned in this chapter are 7x07 'Name' and 7x08 'Starved'

Olivia worked her next case with the help of Fin and Munch while Elliot was out due to his elbow injury. She was primarily partnered with a CSU Technician Millie Vizcarrondo while they searched for the killers of four young Puerto Rican boys.

She tiptoed around Fin ,who helped on the case as well, looking for any signs that he would treat her differently but Fin was Fin. A usual poker face. She worked the case during the day and came home to a recovering Elliot at night.

He was staying at her place as they discussed and although he wouldn't admit it she knew he was bored to death while she was at work and he was there alone. He sent her random texts during the day. Some of them made her laugh. Some of them turned her on.

All of them made her miss him.

On her first night returning home from work Elliot decided to test his boundaries by insisting on the sponge bath he joked with her about at the hospital.

"I prefer my water at room temperature. It's good for the skin," he teased and she rolled her eyes splashing him with water. When he splashed her back effectively soaking her entire outfit, she did an impromptu striptease ending up in only her bra and panties. He was clearly pleased with what he saw, his arousal evident in the water.

"Oh no. You're hurt remember. Don't touch," she told him playfully slapping his hand away.

She leaned over the edge of the tub and began to bathe him again, slowly moving the wet washcloth across his taut chest and stomach.

He liked the idea of her taking care of him and more than anything he just enjoyed spending the time with her free of any distractions.

The mood quickly shifted, him opting to listen about her day and the case. She helped him out of the tub and dried him off catching a glimpse of their reflection in her vanity mirror. They were laughing about some silly comment he made and her thoughts drifted to how they looked like two different people now. The worry lines that shrouded them little by little over the years were smoothed over by a cloak of contentment.

She wondered if this is was what their life would be like long term if they decided to be together romantically and end their partnership, having lazy evenings at home talking about work and enjoying each other's company. She had worked with different people throughout the years on a case or two but coming back to Elliot was always like coming back home.

"Hey, where did you go?" he asked getting her attention.

"Nothing. Sorry," she lied and continued to dry off his back. He watched her through the mirror but decided not to pry when it was clear she wasn't ready to talk. A plus of knowing her now both inside and out.

She was able to pull herself together for the rest of the evening and the evenings after. By the fifth night when her case was over she found herself looking forward to getting off work and the promise of what was at home waiting for her. She saw Fin give her the side eye and smirk when she waltzed out of the precinct at 5pm sharp opting to do her paperwork at home. She walked into her apartment to the smell of Thai food takeout and him bumbling around the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" she giggled. She sat her gun and badge down on the hall table and greeted him with a kiss to the cheek and lips.

His hand was out of the sling and he was maneuvering well with just the cast on his arm. "What does it look like I'm doing? I was attempting to surprise you. I didn't expect you to be home so early."

She helped him hold one of the plates that he was in the process of bringing to the living room. "I told you I would try to be home at a decent time."

"A decent time for you is 7," he looked at his watch, "not 5:30."

She pulled him down on the sofa and laid in his lap. "I just felt like being home."

Elliot couldn't quite place her mood and neither could she. She suddenly longed for still and silence when she once craved noise and movement. "You have candles too?" she laughed picking them up off the floor where they rolled off her small wooden coffee table.

"I do. They were under the sink. If you have a power outage soon you will be out of luck."

"Elliot Stabler a closet romantic," she sat up and rested her head on his shoulder. "Wait until the ladies at the precinct hear about this."

He was embarrassed for a fraction of a second but quickly bounced back. "You are only harming yourself Olivia. If you think they wanted me before just imagine how it will be after you tell them that I am a romantic stud."

She laughed loud and cathartically, the sound a joyful melody that Elliot never understood until recently how much he needed. Her apartment buzzer sounded and he hopped off the couch to answer it. Within a few minutes, dessert had been delivered and Elliot was in the kitchen grabbing plates for their dinner and putting the cheesecake in the fridge.

"What made you decide to do all this?" she asked stepping out of his way to let him move around in her kitchen that was a little tight for two people.

"Because I want to thank you for taking care of me. I know I've been giving you a hard time but I really do appreciate it." He was being as sincere as she'd ever seen him but the truth was it wasn't hard for her at all.

Elliot being at her place was something she didn't realize she wanted and craved as much as she did. "You don't have to thank me. I like having you here."

They settled in the living room, opening containers and she helped him put the food on to the plates. He lit the candles and she poured the wine. "So are you ready to get back to work?"

"I think you already know the answer to that," he replied and took a sip of wine. "I'm starting to get burned out on soap operas and daytime talk shows."

She took off her shoes, pulling her feet underneath her and got more comfortable. "So when do you get that off?" she gestured towards the cast.

"First thing Monday morning on the way back to the office," he announced proudly.

"Good. I get my partner back."

"But for how long?" he murmured. "We are going to have to talk to Cragen."

It had been on his mind all week during his moments alone. All of the important relationships in his life were shifting. His wife was now his ex-wife, his partner was now his girlfriend and his children were somewhere in the middle.

"I thought you wanted to wait until you were healthy."

He held up his arm in the cast and waved it back and forth. "Monday Liv. The cast will be off Monday. So we need to talk about this."

She placed her food back on the table and rubbed her knees anxiously. "We've been partners for so long. I-it changes everything. It's not like if this doesn't work out we can go back to being partners."

"I know," he put his food on the table and turned to face her. "Do you think it's worth it?"

She exhaled and thought carefully about her words. It was worth it. Being with him was worth everything but her partnership with Elliot was the longest relationship she'd ever had with a man. He was solid and consistent when no one else was.

"Of course it is." She caresssed his leg and leaned in kissing him tenderly. She lay on his shoulder and they didn't speak for a few minutes, each thinking about their decision.

"I almost forgot," he stood up and walked to her bookcase. He placed the needle on the record player and the soft jazz music filled the room. "One of my dad's records I told you about."

Olivia smiled, the tension leaving her body and she began to eat again. "It sounds wonderful. It's so soothing."

"Yeah Maureen and Kathleen brought some of the records by earlier."

And the tension was back.

Her fork stilled on her plate and her breath caught in her throat.

"Liv you ok?"

She quickly reached for her wine glass and drained the rest of the red liquid. "Yeah I'm fine."

"I can tell," he smirked expecting her reaction. "The girls came by earlier today because I told them I got shot and they wanted to make sure I was alright. They brought me some more clothes and stuff from my apartment."

Her mind was reeling. She knew the kids were aware they were dating but to see him shacked up at her place seemed a bit much. She cleared her throat and straightened up amidst his stares.

He blew out a breath. "They are fine with this Liv. I told you that."

"I know," she nodded unconvincingly.

"So much so in fact they invited us both out for pizza Sunday. It's a quiet little parlor in Queens that we go to all the time."

She scoffed once again ignoring her food. "We. We as in you and Kathy? I don't think it's a good idea to take me to a place that you and your ex-wife went to eat wkith your children as a family," she said not waiting for him to answer. "That's a little awkward don't you think?"

"Are you done?" He tried to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

"Yeah."

"Kathy had the kids all the time during the week and there were rare times when I had time with them alone even when we were married," he explained. "One time a few years ago before we were separated I missed one Kathleen's recital and she was pissed and wouldn't talked to me. It was late and I gathered up all the kids and took them to the first pizza parlor I found. Thankfully it was a good one. I have been going there with them ever since. It's been our thing. Me and the kids. Not Kathy."

Shit. She closed her eyes silently cursing herself for jumping to conclusions. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize."

He smirked at her and lifted his eyebrow. "Luckily for you I am used to your assumptions. Your wrong assumptions."

"Don't get beside yourself," she countered. She was out of her league with this and she was thankful that the son of a bitch she had for a partner seemed to be taking a vacation while they were navigating through this new found romantic relationship.

He sat back down next to her on her left side so he could use his good hand to wrap around her. She leaned into his shoulder. "I told you I'm no good at this."

"I'm the one that just got divorced remember? I'm not the best at relationships either," he reminded her.

"Oh yeah that's right. You do suck," she teased.

He smiled and continued. "I know it's a lot. All of this," he gestured between the two of them, "but I'm really trying to make sure things stay good with my kids so I don't want to keep anything from them. If it's too much-"

"No no," she interrupted him. "Hanging out with your kids is not too much I'm just nervous I guess."

"Ok how about this? I've got a compromise." She looked up at him intrigued. "We spend some time with the kids and them getting used to us as a couple but we hold off longer on telling Cragen. That way it's not too much at once. How does that sound?"

She sat up really considering his idea. It made sense. It was a way to make sure that not too much was changing too fast and it kept him as her partner for longer, which she wanted more than anything. They would just have to be really careful and other than the Fin situation they kept everything under wraps so far.

"I like that idea," she kissed him. "Of course you know this means no more shower sex, no more file room kisses, no seductive glances across the desk or smart comments."

He pressed his forehead against hers. "You know I'm not the only guilty one of all that. I see you checking out my ass all the time."

She laughed softly and kissed him again. "Well we don't want to change things up too much. What do you think Cragen will do if he found out? We're always in trouble as it is."

He chuckled at the accuracy of the statement. "This is true. But we can hide our feelings, look how long we've done it before."

"You have a good point."

He leaned in whispering in her ear. "That's not all I have that's good."

She broke out in a fit of laughter and slapped his arm. "Are you finally willing to give in and admit that you don't need me as your nurse maid anymore?"

"Nope," he pulled back from her ear and drank some more of his wine. He listened to the music while she laid back on his shoulder. "So do we have a deal?"

"Deal."

They were taking a chance not telling Cragen and there could be severe consequences but Elliot was convinced that if there was anyone worth taking a chance on, it was Olivia Benson.

The pizza date with the kids went well and although Liz and Dick were a little quiet in the beginning by the time the food arrived they opened up and were talking normally. It was a fresh start they all needed and he could sense her relief that everything went well. The next day, Elliot was as good as new and back to work. It had only been a couple of days since his return when they were woken up in the middle of the night at Elliot's place with a rape downtown.

They arrived to the scene as paramedics were wheeling Janice Clay out of her apartment building. They were firing off questions as quick as they could before she was taken to the hospital.

"What about a scent? Like Aftershave or cologne?" Olivia asked while she was being lifted into the back of the ambulance.

"I thought I smelled baby powder."

"Did he say anything to you Janice?" Elliot asked.

"Obey me or die."

They exchanged knowing glances. This perp had struck before. Olivia rolled her eyes and turned towards Elliot. "Third attack this month."

"So far."

Along with Munch and Fin they spent the next few hours interviewing all of the victims and trying to find a link between them. They finally determined it was speed dating, a topic that Munch surprisingly knew a lot about.

"You meet ten women for three minutes each, first names only. You write down the ones you like if the feeling is mutual the organizer emails you both." Munch went on to explain that there were separate types of events to appeal to specific audiences which Cragen noted allowed the perp to zero in on his target of successful women over thirty. They needed someone who fit that profile to go undercover at one of the events and try to lure the perp.

"Let's check with Vice and see if they have any undercover officers we can use," Elliot offered walking to his desk to pick up the phone.

"No need," Cragen interrupted. "We can just use Olivia."

Her eyes shot up from the paperwork she was reading and Elliot set the phone back down on the receiver.

"Yeah we can just use Olivia," Fin repeated with a smirk and Elliot gave him a brief but furious glance.

"Of course," he shrugged and turned towards her. "That ok with you?"

She smiled nervously and stood up from her desk. "Sure why not. When is it?"

"The guy from Speed Encounters just called a few minutes ago. Romeo signed up for tonight's event."

She rolled her eyes. "He's looking for a new Juliet."

Elliot scratched his head trying to fend off any obvious signs of discomfort. "Ok where is it?"

"It's at Nick's Martini Bar and Lounge on Bowery Avenue," Cragen handed Olivia the address. Elliot avoided the topic for the rest of the day even though he caught her sideways glances at him. They kept quiet and talked around it, a skill they perfected over their partnership. She went to the speed-dating event while Elliot stayed outside in the car listening intently through a wire. She met someone who fit the profile and she figured may be their perp. Now she had to just wait and hope they were a match so she could get a one on one date.

"Any word?" he asked trying to sound nonchalant.

"Not yet."

"Maybe you're not his type," he tried to convince himself. He knew there were very few men that Olivia wouldn't be their type.

"Oh no he was interested," she turned toward him giving him a flirtatious look. "I could feel it..you know?"

Damn.

He nodded and walked back to his desk. They had gone undercover plenty of times before and Elliot tried not to let it bother him but he couldn't help the lump in his throat at the thought of dangling her as bait for a serial rapist. Olivia could handle herself. That wasn't the issue. It never was. But he couldn't handle the thought of something happening to her.

Not now.

Not ever.

A part of him hoped Romeo wouldn't pick her as a match even though it meant he could hurt someone else. It was irrational, emotional and illogical but he's never professed to be anything but when it came to her. Now that they were together that feeling of possession and fierce protectiveness was almost destructive.

"You think he's our perp?"

She folded her arms and thought it over. "I couldn't get a read on him. Normally I need two minutes in the box with a guy to know if he's guilty but—"

Olivia's email dinged.

"Email?"

He was hoping he was lucky enough that she wouldn't be a match and they would have to send in someone else.

"I've got a match," she announced. "He wants to buy Rachel a drink."

Then again luck was never really on his side.

Olivia was in the shower preparing for the "date" but she could hear Elliot wearing a hole in her floor pacing back and forth down her small hallway discussing the details of tonights operation with Cragen and Fin. She was out of the shower only a few minutes and beginning to fix her hair when she heard a soft knock. "You can come in Elliot."

He opened the door and leaned against the frame watching her continue to get ready with a timid smirk on his face. She still had her towel wrapped around her, leaving her panties, bra and dress she intended to wear draped across her bed. After a few moments of watching her put on her makeup, he walked over and sat on the closed toilet seat.

She noticed his hands brushing back and forth on his knees nervously and decided to break the silence. "What's on your mind Stabler?"

"Nothing."

She turned on her flat iron and leaned against the sink with her arms folded. "Let me guess. You don't want me to go on the date."

"Why does it have to be you?" he asked irritated.

"Why not me? It's always been me when we do missions like this."

He lifted his eyes to hers hoping she could read the reason on his face and he wouldn't have to say it. It went against everything they discussed and agreed to and he was prayed this wouldn't lead to an argument. The last thing he wanted was for her to be off her game while she was about to go undercover.

She sighed and clasped her hands in front of her trying to show a less defensive posture. "I know that things are different now but we agreed at work that we wouldn't change anything or we can't be partners anymore."

"I know," he put his hands up to stop her from continuing. "I know I'm going to reign it in I promise. I don't want to give up our partnership….yet." He gave her a seductive smile and his eyes fell upon her towel where it bunched near her breasts before meeting her gaze again. "But I am looking forward to the day it does end because it means—"

"I know what it means," she smiled moving back towards the door feeling his stare become more and more predatory. He reached for her towel and she shuffled into the bedroom holding her hands up. "No El. I have to be at the lounge in 45 minutes and you are just going to make me late."

He pulled her into his arms, inhaling the scent of vanilla and jasmine from her body wash and peppering kisses along her bare shoulder.

"I still have to do my hair," she weakly protested.

She felt him smile into her neck. "It looks just fine to me. Wear it like this."

"Oh yeah. Bunched up in a plastic clip," she slapped his back to get him off of her. "That will go great with my—," She stopped mid sentence to see her dress and underwear she previously picked out were no longer on the bed.

"What is this?"

Elliot shrugged his shoulders naively while she looked over the neon pink sports bra, the one pair of granny panties she owned and a dress that could be described as nothing short of a ballgown that draped the floor. He was kind enough to pull one of her brown leather jackets from the closet to go over it and she held it up in disbelief.

"See that goes with the gown," he tried to explain holding the dress up for her and managed to hold a straight face.

She took a deep breath and tried to be upset but all she could do was smile at the harmless innocent face he was giving her topped off with those baby blue eyes.

"So I take it you never dressed your daughters," she walked back over to her dresser and tried to find the original strapless black bra and panties she set out before.

He watched her in satisfaction knowing she wouldn't find them because they were hidden under her pillow.

"I don't have time for this Elliot," she sighed in frustration pulling out each of her drawers. "Where are my clothes?" She stomped towards her closet and he grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"I'm just worried about you Liv. That's all."

She wrapped her arms around his waist, her right hand gently caressing his back. "I'm going to be fine. You will be right there watching my back as always," she tried to rationalize. "This guy sneaks into apartments to rape, he's not going to try anything in the middle of a crowded lounge. It's fine. Ok?"

"Ok." He agreed reluctantly. "Please don't be mad at me for caring Liv. I can't help it."

"I wouldn't want you to."

This was who he was. This was why despite years of putting up walls and denying something that was always there, she fell in love with him. Deeply and completely.

She kissed him quickly on the lips. "Now where are my clothes?"

"I will give them to you on one condition."

She lifted her eyebrow. "And what's that?"

He didn't speak but his eyes said everything she needed to know. Her gaze never left his as she dropped the towel to the floor. He drank in her naked form and the moment before her lips touched his he thought maybe he did have luck on his side sometimes after all.