Author's Note: This is the end friends thanks for hanging with me through this story. I hope you all enjoyed. I don't know when I will be back with the next story but I can give you a hint. I decided to extend one of my one shots. Hmmm which one shall it be? :-) Until next time
Chapter 17
2:31am
It was only three minutes later than the last time Elliot checked his clock on the nightstand. Olivia still wasn't home and all his calls had gone to voicemail. He couldn't blame her, he had done the same to her the night before when he needed space to think and assess. He tossed and turned in the bed willing himself to fall asleep so he could get his mind off of everything. At least it was all over. Rebecca was safe and Gitano was dead.
But so was Ryan.
He huffed and threw the covers off of him exposing his chest flushed and his sweatpants. Suddenly he was too hot, too claustrophobic, too everything. The air was stifling.
He padded into the kitchen, the floor creaking under his every step to fix himself a glass of water. The silence in the apartment was deafening and every little sound echoed off the walls. He didn't want this. The emptiness, the stillness. He wanted his home to be filled with laughter, bickering, noise and life.
Their home.
His phone rang and he ran to the bedroom to answer hoping it was her and not just another case they were being called on. He saw her name flash on the screen and instantly felt relieved.
"Hey," he answered anxiously. "Is everything ok? Where are you?"
He closed his eyes frustrated with himself. He didn't mean to rattle off so many questions and bombard her.
"I'm fine."
Her voice was monotone and he couldn't make out how she was feeling.
"Where are you?" he asked again.
"My apartment."
Her apartment. She wasn't coming home.
He closed his eyes, breathing deeply trying to control his anger. Of course she needed to go somewhere else. A few hours earlier he had looked her in the eyes and asked her to indirectly cause him to die. He would never know what that did to her. If the circumstances were reversed he would've been furious that she put him in that position.
He sat on the edge of the bed trying to steady his voice before he spoke again. "Are you coming home tonight?"
"No," she told him and he squeezed his eyes closed absorbing the blow. "But can you come here? I want to show you something."
He shot up off the bed and began to start dressing before even answering her.
"Did you hear me?"
"Oh shit yeah," he muttered out of breath as he threw a tshirt over his head followed by his favorite grey hoodie they often shared. "I'll be there as soon as I can."
He could hear her smile over the phone. "Ok."
"Liv?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you stay on the phone with me while I drive over there?" He felt silly for asking but there was something about her tone that concerned him and he just didn't want to let her go.
He never wanted to let her go.
"Ok, I can do that. What do you want to talk about?" He could hear her shifting around in her apartment and wondered what she was up to. He grabbed his keys and shuffled down the stairs quickly.
"I don't know. Anything. Just talk to me."
She sighed and he heard her mattress creak so he knew she had settled in the bedroom.
"I don't want to talk about what happened tonight," she told him. His engine roared to life and he pulled out onto the road, the phone still pressed firmly against his ear.
"I know but I just have to say I'm sorry. Telling you to-I shouldn't ha—."
"Elliot," she interrupted in a more stern tone. "It happened. I wish it didn't. Let's move on. Ok?"
His fingers tapped against the steering wheel as he weaved through the traffic at the end of his street. "Can i just say one thing?"
She sighed. "You never can listen can you?"
There was a hint of amusement in her voice and he took the open opportunity. "I shouldn't have had you make that choice. I was being selfish and it will never happen again."
"You? Not being selfish? Gee I dont think i would even know how to handle that."
She was joking. She was being sarcastic. They were right back to that place that helped heal them both in times like these. "But seriously. Let's not talk about it. I'm ok I promise and you will see that when you get here."
"Ok," he said simply and turned another corner, getting closer to her place. "What have you been doing?" he changed the subject.
She giggled and he had never been so thankful to hear her husky laugh. "Well you will see that when you get here but I can tell you that Casey left not too long ago."
"Ahh shit," he cursed and they both laughed. "Are you sure I can come over there?"
"Oh come on El," he could hear her move around the apartment. "If it wasn't for her you and I wouldn't be together."
He smiled thinking back to that night in the bar. The night that changed everything. "Well I don't know about that. I was planning on making a move at some point."
"Oh really?" and he could hear the sultriness creep back into her voice. "I don't know about that Stabler. Had I not made the first move and seduced you then we would still just be on the job with you just watching my ass all day everyday."
He couldn't contain his laughter as he finally turned on another street getting stuck behind a cab that was letting off a bunch of drunk twenty somethings.
"So you seduced me hunh?" He indulged her just happy that the conversation had taken a different turn.
"Yep. I was the one who offered myself up to you remember?"
"I think you are rewriting history a bit but Ill play along." He honked at the cab in front of him.
"So what do you think happened then?" she challenged him.
"What happened is you were terrified of what your little girlfriend told me in the bar, tried to downplay it and I was the one who had to tell you that it was a good idea. Did you forget how nervous you were when we talked about it? I think I saw you breaking a sweat," he teased.
She laughed more loudly now. "A sweat, no you must be mistaking old man. I offered myself up to you and you were all nervous and wasn't sure if you wanted to."
He relaxed into his seat, turning the radio completely off. All noise eliminated except the sound of her voice and the muted noise of the city around him that he effectively tuned out.
"Wasn't sure? So we are just going to ignore my detour to your house before I went to get the kids to make sure you were still up to the challenge?"
"Well I—"
"Or you trying to hurry and leave after the first time and I had to practically beg you to stay so I could finish everything I wanted to do to you." The memory had crawled through his limbs and his body started to react at the thought of his mouth on every part of her body and her spreading her thighs for him.
"Are you still there?" he asked when he was met with silence on the other end of the line.
"Yeah," she whispered. "I'm still here." Olivia's voice was deep and husky, she was clearly turned on.
"Anything else you want to challenge me on about that night Detective?" he asked pulling on to her block. He killed the engine and took the keys out of the ignition.
"No. Are you here?" she asked obviously hearing his car turn off.
"Yes I'm here."
"Then hurry up. I'm waiting."
With that his phone faded to black and he saw her peeking out of her window. The lights were off but he saw a small flash of light beaming from inside the apartment. He crossed the street more anxious than ever to get to her.
Olivia hung up the phone and walked back to the sofa, perched on the edge awaiting his presence. She tried to quell her physical reaction to their conversation and focus on what was more important.
She looked around the room barely recognizing the place that had been her apartment for almost the last five years. Her foot tapped lightly on the floor, her heart was racing. The nerves had been building inside of her since she left the hospital to talk to Cragen and made a decision that changed everything for both of them. Now she just needed to tell him.
She took a deep breath when she heard the sound of his steady footsteps approach. She could hear him putting the key in the door and the gesture still overwhelmed her that he felt comfortable enough to do so after months of convincing. He was hesitant about invading her space then but now this was no longer her space. It was time to move on.
Elliot opened the door and before he could say a word his eyes promptly fell upon his surroundings. He took in the bare walls, the over abundance of boxes packed and taped, and Olivia in the center of it all with her arms folded and a wide smile. She had on no make up, her shoulder length hair scooped up into a messy bun with yoga pants and one of his old Marine t-shirts on.
"Wow," he said looking around and dropping his keys on the counter. "You have certainly been busy."
"I have indeed. Well actually me and Casey have been busy." She stood up, her arms still folded watching him as he assessed everything. "I'm sure you are wondering why I called you here so late and why everything is packed up."
He nodded and stalked closer to her resting his hands on her shoulders. "It crossed my mind for a split second."
"I talked to Cragen tonight," she blurted out.
His hands stilled on her shoulders and he searched her features for any sign of contention.
There wasn't any.
"I know I should've waited for you and it's something that we should've done together but-"
"But..."
"Tonight just changed everything." Her arms encircled his neck and she breathed contently into the crux of his neck. He returned the embrace bringing her body flush against his as their breathing echoed off the naked walls.
"Outside Rebecca's room, the things you said," she kissed his cheek, her lips grazing his evening stubble. "It just all felt so final. We've been putting everything off and I don't want to anymore. So I talked to him and then I came here."
He always thought they would talk to Cragen together but a part of him was relieved to not have it on his plate anymore.
"What did he say?"
She leaned back to look him in the eyes and clasped her hands tighter around his neck. "I'm going to go work in Computer Crimes while he reports everything to IAB and see what they say. He thinks they will let us just switch partners but he couldn't guarantee anything."
Elliot dropped his gaze from hers but tightened his hold around her waist.
"He asked if we were prepared if they decided that we couldn't stay in the same precinct," she began and noticed the change in his body language. "I told him yes."
His head jerked up and he read it all in her eyes.
She knew.
She knew he was ready to leave SVU.
"Liv-"
"Shh," she placed two fingers over his lips. "You don't have to explain why. Just tell me..how long have you known?"
"It's been something I toyed around with for a little while before even this", he explained gesturing between the two of them. "And then with us it just became more and more clear. As much as I want to be the one to watch your back I don't want to risk someone getting hurt because of it. This was the final straw. It's time for me to go."
He thought back to the few times that Kathy alluded to him leaving the unit and he refused because he didn't want to leave the job...and most importantly he didn't want to leave Olivia. Now with his life with her laid out before him and one too many cases that cut him to the core, it was time.
Tears pricked her eyelids and she hugged him tighter. She knew this was the inevitable. That their partnership would end but to hear him confirm that not only would he not be at her side but not a part of their unit anymore was difficult to absorb.
"Where will you go?" She whispered trying but failing to keep the emotion out of her voice.
"An old friend of mine works in homicide. I was thinking about maybe there." He ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her on the forehead. "I think it would be a good idea to not have to deal with living victims for awhile."
She nodded unable to say anything. He turned her around and he set on the edge of the sofa pulling her between his legs, his arms hugging her waist.
He surveyed the room again. "So..you ready to make the leap hunh?" He tried to lighten the mood and was rewarded with her small smile.
"Yes I am. We've told Cragen that was the last step. I don't want to wait anymore. I want to be all in. Me and you," she gave him a long peck on the lips.
"Are you sure about that?" He asked with a wide grin and she saw a hint of his dimples.
"Are you backing out on me?"
He began to kiss down her jawline to her neck. "Well I don't know. I'm moving to a new precinct and there are lots of female cops there. What if I get another hot female partner?"
The words were no sooner out of his mouth before she lightly elbowed him in the stomach. "You are such an asshole."
"So I've heard."
"But to answer your question yes. I've never been so sure of anything."
And neither had he.
She swayed in his arms, their bodies moving to their own music, reveling in the feeling of each other. They had almost lost each other. Two separate incidents within 24 hours. It was something that would never get easier to grasp.
Loss.
Something that was inevitable that they both had to endure more than the average person. They chose a career that made it inevitable, personally and professionally. But they also chose each other. Every time they went out on a case there was that chance that one of them wouldn't return. The pain of the possible loss wasn't enough to outweigh the gain.
The joy.
The possibility.
The future.
Elliot took Olivia's hand and without a word led her to what would soon no longer be her bedroom. He took off her tshirt and pants, released her hair from the rubberband watching her brown locks flair across her shoulder. She undressed him and within minutes he was on her, inside her. They whispered I love you's and moaned each other's name as their bodies melded together. He pushed inside of her and her body yielded to his as it always did. Her warm insides enveloped him and her back arched off the bed responding to their natural cadence. When she came for him her mind wandered to their journey over the past months and how they ended up in this very moment.
Waking up next to each other every morning, the banter, the lovemaking, laying down next to each other every night. Even the arguments.
It had all led up to this.
This wasn't just one night.
It would never be just one night.
This was their forever.
One year later
"Well look who finally has time to meet with me," Casey pestered Olivia who came rushing into the bar.
"You are so funny." She set down her coat and scooted into the booth across from her. "Everyone else should be here in a few minutes."
"What are you having to drink? Ill order for you," she offered.
Olivia sighed and thought it over. "Ill just take a water for now."
"Oh god," Casey rolled her eyes. "Are you that girl now? It's bad enough that we don't hang out as much as we used to but now you are ordering water when we actually do make it out for drinks."
Casey slammed the menu down in mock disgust.
"Well don't put that down. I could go for something to eat," Olivia said reaching for the menu and browsing. "Oh yeah and everything is on me tonight. No arguments."
"You won't get one." Casey downed the rest of her drink and waved at the waitress to bring her another. "How long before the rest of the squad gets here?"
Olivia glanced down at her watch. "Probably another 15 minutes. Elliot is going to stop by too."
"Well he should. This is his win just as much as mine."
Olivia took a huge gulp of her water and breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad that it all worked out. I really thought because of how everything went with that confession that your case was going to be history."
Casey huffed. It was true. SVU had reached out to homicide, the second time over the past year, when the Malcolm Royce case took on a different turn and it was evident that Royce was the culprit and his wife hadn't committed suicide, killing the kids in the process. Once Elliot had read up on the case and Olivia filled him in on the rest, she was not surprised to see how quickly he had become emotionally involved in the case.
The sight of the Royce's dead children had sent him over the edge and he used a less than tactical approach when he interrogated him alone. It was clearly excessive force and Cragen once again stepped in to stop Elliot from getting a complaint in his jacket but ultimately there was enough evidence to convict Royce of the crime and the gang was getting together to celebrate.
"Well between Elliot and your damn partner, I thought it was going to go down in flames."
"What is your deal with Lake? He's a good guy. He really does make an effort you just give him a hard time," Olivia tried to defend him but Casey groaned. Casey and Chester Lake, a transfer from the Bronx, had one small moment of flirtation when he first came to the unit shortly after Elliot transferred out but other than that they just managed to get under each other's skin.
"He's like an annoying gnat. The way he talks, the way he walks. I feel bad for you honestly. Going from Elliot to that."
Olivia chuckled and put in her food order, still amused by Casey's disdain for her new partner.
"Well for your information I still have Elliot so it's not a total loss. It took awhile but he and I are in a good groove now."
"Is Chester still scared to death of him?" she giggled.
"I'm glad you find that so funny. It's really ridiculous," she replied thinking about all the impromptu visits Elliot made to the squad room after Chester arrived and her offering her leg for Elliot to pee on so he could mark his territory. After Chester made it clear he had a thing for Casey, Elliot backed off but the damage was already done. He never overstepped any boundaries and jumped back about ten feet from her whenever Elliot was around.
In Homicide Elliot and his new partner Lucious Blaine had a tough go of it at first but had eventually settled in and most importantly she trusted him to have Elliot's back. He and his wife had already been over to their new apartment for dinner and helped them move in.
Olivia checked her phone and smiled when she saw it was a text from Elliot saying he would be there in a few minutes.
Casey noticed her smile. "So I take it lover boy is close?"
"He and Blaine are on the way. About five minutes." She picked up a handful of peanuts eating them quickly and her head turned towards the door when she heard the chime. "Lake, Munch and Fin just walked in."
"Oh here we go," Casey rolled her eyes. "I'm ordering another drink. Ill order you a beer."
She turned to walk to the bar and Olivia put her hand on her arm to stop her. "I can't have a drink."
"What do you mean?" Casey scoffed. "Of course you can." She moved to walk towards the bar again and Olivia pulled her arm back stronger.
"No I'm serious. I can't have a beer."
"Why?"
Olivia smiled and her eyes gleamed. "I can't have one for at least the next 7 1/2 months."
Thanks to the alcohol it took Casey a little longer to catch on and Olivia widened her eyes willing her to get it.
"OH MY GOD!" she finally squealed. "OH MY GOD! Is this for real? You're having a baby?"
She leaned into the booth pulling Olivia into a hug. "I'm so happy for you. How long have you known? How could you not tell me?" she shrieked.
"We wanted to get you past the trial first. Everyone was a little on edge," she explained. It was the Malcolm Royce case that had started it all ironically. Elliot came home one night of the trial after he had gone to visit his kids and it was evident the case had taken a toll on him. They found comfort in one another as they had so many times before after a difficult case and five weeks later she was staring at a positive pregnancy test.
"Well now that mess is over with we need to celebrate," Casey announced.
Olivia shushed her. "Keep it down. No one knows but Chester yet because he's my partner and of course I wanted to tell you. I'm going to drop the bomb on Cragen later this week but for right now let's keep it between us ok?"
Casey was tipsy but sober enough to keep her mouth shut. "Your secret is safe with me but you know what this means right?"
The waitress walked up with nachos, wings and curly fries that Olivia ordered and Casey looked on in amusement.
"Well since it was me that started it all-in this very establishment," she held her hands out pointing all around them. "That means you need to name the baby after me. The good thing about the name Casey is that it's unisex."
Olivia snickered and dug into the curly fries. "Ill run that by Elliot and see what he thinks," she said between bites.
"So when's the wedding?" Casey whispered. Elliot walked in the door and they both waved at him.
"I don't know it's not really on my radar. We are just focused on the baby right now."
Casey nodded and didn't respond, watching her friend scarf down her nachos with a knowing smirk on her face. What Olivia didn't realize was that her and Elliot went ring shopping a couple of weeks ago and he was planning to propose on her birthday this weekend.
"I really am happy for you Benson," Casey said reaching out for her left hand and squeezing it. "You both deserve it."
"Thanks Case. Now i may actually throw Casey in the ring for a possible baby name."
"Yessssss!"
Elliot walked to the table with Chester and Lucious close behind him. "How are you ladies this fine evening?" He kissed her cheek and she scooted into the booth to allow him to sit.
"We're good," Casey winked at Elliott to let him know she knew about the pregnancy.
"Slow down there Liv," he teased her knowing there was a good chance she may be sick later on.
"Sorry I'm just hungry."
"That's nothing. You should see her when we try to go for a quick bite at work," Chester added. "Can we sit down?" he asked Casey. She grumbled and moved over while Lucious went to the bar to order a drink.
Elliot chuckled at Casey's obvious annoyance with Chester. "What's the deal with you two?"
"Nothing," Chester shrugged. "She's always giving me a hard time."
Elliot leaned back and put his arm around Olivia with a mischievous grin plastered on his face. "You know what you guys need?"
"Whats that?" Chester asked clueless.
"There's clearly a lot of pinned up sexual tension between the two of you so there's really only one way to solve it."
Chester and Casey looked at each other and then at Elliot waiting on him to continue. "You two should hook up, you know just for one night. Take the edge off, get rid of some of that tension."
Olivia couldn't contain her laughter and she clinked her water glass with his bottle of beer. "You should listen to him," she added with a wink. "I hear it works."
The end.