Picture Prompt #59: A path through a park with colorful flowers and trees

I Promise You

~oOo~

May 23rd, 2025, 4:45 PM, Apartment of Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler

"Hey, honey, I wanna go out for a while, will you come with me?" Elliot asked walking into the living room with a smile. He was wearing a nice pair of boots, blue jeans, and a short-sleeved shirt, looking ready to go.

"Uh, yeah, sure. Where are we going exactly?" Liv asked, confused as she was beginning to feel like Elliot was acting sketchy. He had insisted on sending Noah off to Kathleen's for the weekend and now he was randomly asking her to go out with him when they didn't have a date planned.

"Ohh, I just figured we could ride around for a bit with the windows down, get some fresh air, and see where the evening leads us," he said still smiling.

"Okay, sure. Why not just let me get ready," she said, stopping the Days of Our Lives episode she was watching, and standing up from the couch.

"You look great just the way you are, and I'm ready now, Liv," he said, tapping his foot slightly on the floor.

Olivia frowned. "El, what's the rush if we're just gonna ride around in the Tahoe? It'll only take me a few minutes to get dressed."

Elliot sighed internally, but knowing he couldn't argue anymore without making himself look suspicious, he relaxed his expression. "Good point. Sorry, Liv. I'm just stir-crazy today."

"I can tell," she said through a chuckle as she smiled slightly. "We're all good, I'll be quick, I promise."

"Take your time, baby," he murmured with a soft smile.

Olivia's small smile grew. "Now there's the El I know and love," she said as she gave him a quick kiss before heading off to their bedroom to dress into nicer clothes.

~oOo~

An hour passed with the couple enjoying the fresh air as they then approached an idyllic-looking park with beautiful scenery. There were paths with colorful leaves and trees. "I think this'd be a good place to walk around a bit, don't you think?" El asked with a smile.

"Definitely. And it goes to show that I need to ride around more, I've never seen this park before in my life."

Elliot chuckled. "I've only seen it twice myself but the two times I saw it, I thought it was beautiful," he said while looping their arms.

"It is beautiful. And peaceful, too. Are there any trails we can walk down?"

"I'm not sure, we can look though," he said. They found one a few minutes later and ended up walking down it.

"We should have brought a picnic blanket and sandwiches with us, El. A picnic would've been really nice," Liv said when they approached the end of the trail. The scenery looked country-like, a far cry from the hustle and bustle of the Manhattan streets that they were used to. They were surrounded by fruit trees, plants, and different kinds of colorful flowers.

"Yeah, it would've, wouldn't it? I should've thought of that, Liv, I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "Don't be sorry, El. Really, I'm glad you convinced me to come out and do this with you tonight. It's been great hiking and talking with you in the peace and quiet of this nature. With no pressure..."

"Yeah, it has," he murmured with a smile. "You see that bush over there? The one with no flowers?"

She turned her head and looked around. "I don't see any bush with no flowers on it, El, it must've been a little further up on the trail."

"No, it's here, I know it is," he said. His heart was pounding again now as he got down on one knee.

"It's not, El, not that I can see. Why don't you point out the bush that you're talking about to me?" she suggested. She then noticed him on one knee and gasped.

"Olivia," he murmured reverently then with a soft but nervous smile, "you're one of the most important people to me and you've always been good to me even when I didn't deserve it."

She teared up and he reached out and took her hand. "You know I'm not one that's good with flowery words, baby, but I love you. I love you so much and I wanna show you that love forever. I want us to be committed to each other forever."

Olivia nodded speechless and gripped his hand tightly as nerves started to get the best of Elliot.

"I—I promise you I will show you that love and commitment forever no matter what your answer is and I know you will too, but, Olivia Margaret Benson? Will you marry me?" he asked. With his free hand, he shakily pulled a gold ring with a beautiful diamond on top out of his pocket and showed it to her.

"I... I… of course, El... O—Of course, I will!" she said, going from speechless to ecstatic as she flung her arms around his neck.

Elliot almost lost his balance from his precarious position on one knee but he caught himself, hugged Olivia close and they kissed passionately through happy tears.

"I—I love you so much, baby... So so much y—you won't regret this, I promise..." he said earnestly after their mouths broke apart.

"I—I know I won't. I—I couldn't love you more if I tried. I—I always hoped this day would come..."

"Me too, baby, me too. C—can I slip your ring on you?"

"Please," she whispered happily, and after gently slipping it on for her, Elliot kissed her ring finger tenderly.

"Is the ring comfortable?" he asked.

She nodded. "More than. I—I'll never take it off."

"Neither will I, no matter what," he murmured before kissing her once again.

She nodded, trusting him. Then her expression grew puzzled as she stood off the ground. "So where's that bush with no flowers that you wanted me to see?" she asked while helping him up.

Elliot laughed loudly while standing. "There's no bush like that, baby. I was just distracting you while I got down on my knee."

"Ohh," she said, laughing loudly as well as their arms intertwined once again. "Thank you for asking El, and for picking this day to ask. Y—you know this is a dark day for me and now for the rest of my life, I'll have this moment to remember on this date instead."

"You never have to thank me for that, Liv, never. But it was my pleasure. I—I'm just glad you said yes."

"I—I would have always said yes, El, always," she whispered before kissing him tenderly. "So when are we having this wedding?" she asked.

And the remainder of their evening was spent excitedly planning and celebrating, the missed opportunity for a picnic forgotten.

The author of this SVU - Quills & Shutters story will be revealed in October