"We're here. Be up in 2 minutes." Elliot, all business now, locked eyes with Olivia. "C'mon. We've got a break in the case."

With that, Olivia and Elliot hurried in sync into the 1-6

Elliot's hand instinctively moved to the small of Olivia's back as he held the elevator door open for her. Goosebumps broke out on her skin. She moved closer to him as the elevator doors closed and waited, unconsciously testing him. The air was already thick with unsaid words when Elliot slowly moved his arm so that his hand rested on Olivia's hip. She inhaled sharply as his fingers brushed a sliver of exposed skin between her sweater and jeans and turned to face him. Their eyes locked and the air in the elevator became almost non-existent. Both detectives were frozen as their lips, seemingly magnetically drawn to one another, moved closer on their own accord.

Suddenly, the elevator door opened and in rushed the chaos and noise of the 1 6 along with a breath of cool air. Olivia was the first to jump and step back, unsure of her actions. She backed up, looked down, and shook her auburn locks slightly, sighing to herself. Coming to his senses much slower, Elliot stood stock still and watched Olivia walk away. He rubbed his hands down his face and quickly walked off the elevator.

By the time Elliot caught up with Olivia she was standing in a circle of detectives listening to Cragen explain the recent details of the duct tape rapist case.

"Bartender in Queens recognized him from the paper. Said he started coming in about a week ago and sits in a booth in the corner every night. Sent a couple unis in last night to confirm. It's him." A few heads nodded and a few people made affirmative noises under their breath. Olivia just stared straight ahead, not looking at anything or anyone in particular and totally lost in thought.

"Here's the thing." Cragen continued. "All we're going on are sketches and an MO. We have no DNA. We don't even have a name. All we know is he picks up these women in bars, says he's going to walk them home, forces his way inside their apartment, and rapes them. We need something solid. We need to catch him as close to the act as we can get him."

Olivia continued to stare straight ahead.

"Elliot and Olivia, you will be undercover tonight as bar patrons. He only seems to attack blondes so officer Hudson will be the target." A petite, young looking uniformed officer stepped forward and nodded to the team.

"We'll have a team stationed in the alley behind the bar, waiting to follow Hudson to the safe house if he decides to walk her home." Cragen continued. "Your job" he nodded towards Olivia and Elliot "is to watch her back from the inside while not tipping this guy off that you're cops. Once she's out of the bar, the guys on the outside will take over. Think you can handle that?"

"Yeah. Sure, Cap." Elliot affirmed with a nod of his head.

"Olivia, what about you? Olivia?"

"Hmm?" Olivia shook herself out of her daze. "Yeah, of course. Whatever needs to be done."

Cragen eyed her suspiciously but continued. "Okay, we'll be at the bar and in place by 8. The rapes have typically occurred around 11 so he's bound to be there by 9 p.m. Let's get this guy, people!"

Everyone shuffled back to their desks, including Elliot. Olivia made a beeline for the bathroom.

Shutting the door behind her, Olivia leaned against the sink. They had almost kissed. He had moved just as much as she had. Her chest was tightening with a swirling of unidentifiable emotions. She needed to collect herself right now and concentrate on the case but that was proving difficult when all she could see was his lips coming towards her. She slid down the wall next to the sinks and took a few deep breaths. Her chest was constricting, her line of sight was becoming narrow, and her head was spinning.

"Liv?" Elliot called from the other side of the door. "Liv, you okay?"

She did not need him coming in here, seeing her conflicted and anxious. Too bad Elliot was stubborn and she couldn't find her voice.

"Liv?" Elliot called again, this time edging the door open slightly.

"I'm fine, El." Olivia called, slightly hoarse.

"Liv, you're sitting on the floor of the precinct bathroom. " Elliot replied quietly, stepping in fully and locking the door behind him. "You're not fine."

Elliot slid down the wall and sat next to his partner. As she continued to stare at her knees, he took the opportunity to evaluate her appearance while her head was down. Olivia's hands shook slightly, her face had gone pale, and her breathing a little erratic. And still, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. He couldn't help himself and placed a hand on her forearm, squeezing slightly before rubbing her arm comfortingly.

"Talk to me, Liv. It's just me."

"El," Olivia sighed his name "I'm fine. Just anxiety. I'll be okay in a little bit."

"I know. I've watched you deal with this since you got back from Sealview. I know how gracefully you handle this stuff. You're a champ. I'm more interested in what caused this. What set your head spinning this time? Is it the case?"

He had given her an easy way out and she knew it. She knew exactly what he was doing which meant that he also knew the real reason she on the bathroom floor had nothing to do with the case. Hell, this case was easy compared to loving Elliot especially when he was apparently on the rebound. If she was honest with herself, she would have to admit that. Almost kissing him in the elevator had shown her just how far she had let her guard slip around him and that terrified her. She was putting herself at risk for the ultimate heartbreak and she just couldn't do that to herself. She needed to rebuild that wall right now and him sitting here with her, rubbing her arm was not helping.

"El, please" she was practically begging now "I'll be fine." She carefully removed her arm and stood up shakily.

She left him sitting on the bathroom floor while she grabbed a paper towel, ran it under cold water and pressed it to the back of her neck. He watched her breathe through the thoughts in her head as she collected herself. Elliot knew what she was doing and could almost see the bricks reforming around her heart but he let her compose herself and quietly pushed himself off the floor.

Olivia met his eyes through the mirror once he was on his feet and gave him a half-hearted smile. He could see the sadness behind her eyes though and made a silent promise to talk to her about it once the case was over. He knew that she was upset with what happened in the elevator but he also knew that she would never talk about that at the precinct. He wanted to get her in a better place emotionally too before he told her how he felt about her. He knew he would risk everything but he didn't have much left. After the divorce is finalized, I'll tell her. He thought. Well, maybe after I file the paperwork...I don't think I can wait that long. He smiled to himself.

And with that thought he walked to the bathroom door and held it open for her. Ignoring the awkward stares from the other detectives who witnessed him emerge from the women's bathroom.

Olivia and Elliot sat down at their desks and simultaneously pulled out the case files. Olivia poured her attention into the details of the case and by the time lunch rolled around, she had memorized a majority of the particulars of the case.

Munch and Fin offered to pick up Chinese food and Olivia nodded non-committally at the idea without looking up from her folder. Elliot gave the two detectives her usual order. Returning to his desk after handing Fin a $20 to cover his and Olivia's bill, Elliot chanced a glance at his partner. She had not so much as looked up from the case file in two or three hours now and Elliot was worried.

"Hey, Liv?" Elliot asked, quietly.

"Hmm?" Liv replied, head down and twisting a piece of hair around her fingers.

"Do you mind coming up to the roof with me?" The roof was where Elliot and Olivia could breathe. They had amazing conversations up there, sometimes even bordering on deeply personal but Olivia's guard always seemed to get in the way. Elliot figured that today, she might just need some space to breathe and to get things off her chest before they head undercover.

A small smile graced Olivia's mouth and she finally looked up at him. "El, I'm fine." She sighed. "I know you're here for me but I honestly don't want to talk about it."

"I do, Liv. We need to talk about what happened in the elevator."

"Nothing happened, El. Nothing. And I'm done with this conversation."

"Liv…"

"No, Elliot. Not today. Not right now. Not before we go undercover." She had turned steely and cold. All business, no nonsense, badass Benson and Elliot realized that she had spent the last 3 hours sealing the cracks in her wall's foundation and it was firmly back in place protecting her heart.

He sighed deeply. "Okay. Not today. But soon, Olivia."

"Soon. I promise."

She returned to staring at her files and he returned to staring, quite unabashedly at her. Neither of them prepared or what that night would bring.