This was written for the SVU Quills and Shutters Challenge on Twitter.
Prompt Quote #82: "If anyone else ever loses faith in me, it doesn't matter. But with you, it's different." — Suits 4x15
Notes: Takes place during 8x20 "Annihilated", when Elliot is checking on his kids. Mentions of 8x14 "Dependent".
"Thanks for letting me come by," Elliot said, standing in the bedroom doorway, looking at Kathy who was sitting up in bed.
"Did it help?" Kathy questioned, looking up at him from her spot in bed.
"Yeah."
"Stay," she says, scooting over in the bed, and pulling the covers back.
Elliot looks at her for a moment and takes a step forward towards her before a noise stops him in his tracks.
A small but simple notification ring echoes throughout the room.
Recognizing the sound, Elliot breaks eye contact with Kathy and pulls out his cell phone. The screen lights up, the newest notification on top, texts from Olivia. He opens the app, seeing the latest message and two previous ones he hadn't read yet.
8:26 PM: Are you okay?
9:05 PM: El, talk to me.
9:57 PM: I'm downstairs, let me in. I have dinner.
Reading the last message, he glances up at Kathy and back at his phone, wondering what the best course of action is.
Seeing the conflicted look on his face, Kathy lets out a sigh and moves the comforter back into place. She knows she is not going to win, she never does. It's always her.
"Go. Work is calling as usual."
Realizing what he was about to do, he quickly takes a step back, and nods at Kathy, saying, "Thank you for letting me see them."
He walks out of the house, and gets into his car. He sighs, opens his phone, and texts Olivia before starting the car, heading back towards the city.
10:03 PM: Not at home, I'll explain later. Be there soon.
~oOo~
30 Minutes Later
Elliot drives up to his place, finds a spot in front, and sees Olivia sitting on his stoop. He pulls the keys out of the ignition, and gets out, locking the door behind him.
Olivia sees him walking towards her, and stands up, lifting the bag of takeout to show him.
He unlocks the front door, and they walk in together, Olivia placing the bag on the island, while Elliot gets their coats to hang up.
After they have gotten washed up, they dish out the food and go to sit on his couch to begin eating.
"So, tell me what's on your mind?" Olivia asks, looking at him as she takes another bite of the noodles.
Elliot looks at her, conveying with his eyes for her to drop it.
Reading his expression, she quirks a brow, staring back at him with a look of determination. She turns on the couch, bringing her left leg under her so her knee is almost touching his thigh, bringing her closer to him.
"El…"
Realizing he is not going to get out of this, he lets out a sigh as he puts his chopsticks down, wiping his hands on the napkin, before sitting further back on the couch, letting his head drop back against the cushion.
"It's this case…the last couple of cases. After the Truex case, and them thinking I used excessive force on that Bedford kid… Now everything with Royce and his family, it just hit too close to home."
"El, you know you were not responsible for his death, and you are not responsible, nor are you anything like Royce. You have to know that. You love your kids, and would never do anything to hurt them."
"That's the thing, I already am hurting them. This whole separation thing with Kathy, not seeing them all the time, I don't know what to do anymore. After the Truex case, I asked Kathy if I could come back home," Elliot said, sitting up and turning to face Liv, her knee now leaning against his thigh.
Hearing this, Olivia looks at him, feeling hurt, her mind spinning with the revelation of what his going home would mean, not just for him, but for them.
"Oh. You hadn't told me about that. What did Kathy say?"
"We were supposed to meet up and discuss it, but with how crazy everything has been at work we haven't had the chance. Then tonight… She offered to have me stay. I was debating it but then I got your text message."
"I'm sorry, if you want to go or want me to go, just say something. I didn't mean…" Olivia spoke, feeling flustered, upon his confession.
"No," Elliot said, cutting Olivia off. "Liv, I'm glad you texted. It would have been easy to fall back in with her. When I looked at her tonight though, I realized it would have been a mistake."
Looking at him curiously, she wondered why he felt it would be a mistake. Kathy technically is his wife. Deep down, feeling selfish she unknowingly stopped it. She realized she didn't think she could stomach hearing about it, knowing what he could have been doing if she hadn't gone to his door that night.
"I realized, falling back into bed with her, would just start our cycle all over again. I don't want to hurt anyone, but we would be if we stayed together. I saw something in her eyes that made me realize I needed to leave. She lost faith in me, a long time ago," Elliot explained, reaching over, and placing his ringless left hand on Olivia's knee.
He began stroking her knee with his thumb, thinking the best way to phrase his next sentence, knowing, it could, it would , change everything.
"You never lost faith in me. You worked so hard to prove that I was innocent in the Bedford case. You've been by my side, no matter what."
Elliot reaches his other hand out, interlacing their fingers together.
"If anyone else ever loses faith in me, it doesn't matter. But with you, it's different."
"Why am I different? We're partners," she says, her head tilted to the side, her eyes wide, questioning if this is really happening.
"You don't get it, Liv. It's…different. You're…no, we're different. We aren't just partners, Liv," Elliot says, his voice turning to a whisper at that last sentence, vulnerable, hoping he did the right thing.
He sees the expression on Olivia's face change, from conflicted and confused to hopeful. Hope for them, and what they could be.
"You are the only one who listened to me, who trusted me. It's you. It has always been you," Elliot's voice trails off, his hand moving from her knee, placing it on her cheek. He leans in, her eyes fluttering as they get closer. Their lips are almost brushing, when Olivia says, "It has always been you."
At that, they close their eyes, sealing the gap between them, and kiss. Short pecks at first, but then their kisses are longer, stopping only when the other needs to breathe.
It has always been them.
They put their trust in each other, and put their faith in each other, in and out of the field.
Elliot knows this will change things, but he has always let his faith guide him. But, he knows the most important thing.
It's always been her.
