A/N: Reviewer Ismile83 made a request from their review for another one of my stories for a Benson/Voight story with Olivia realizing she cared for Hank more than she wanted to admit and her finding out about Justin's death. For the record, I don't really think Hank actually killed the guy responsible for Justin's death. He may have just fired the shot and filled the hole making viewers think he killed and buried him. We will find out for sure in September. As always, I don't own any of the characters.
Erin didn't want to believe she heard the gunshot but she did. A part of her didn't want to believe Hank would really kill someone in cold blood for murdering his only son. Hank had been unbearable since Justin's death and the only people he seemed to tolerate were Olive and his grandson, who was now his only blood family. Erin couldn't understand why he wouldn't talk to her of all people. They had always been close and she was always just like one of the family. What happened? Why was he distancing himself from her and the rest of the Squad? There was one person she thought might be able to get through to Hank and that was Olivia Benson. She called her when she got home but got her voicemail.
"Liv, it's Erin. Call me when you get this. There's a problem with Hank."
Something told Erin she wouldn't be hearing from Olivia. She knew Olivia was seeing someone but she also knew Hank had feelings for her. Whether Olivia knew that or not, she didn't know. She was pretty sure Hank didn't know about the relationship Olivia was in and she really didn't want to be the one to tell him nor did she want to be around when he found out. The last thing she wanted was to have him get his heart broken again. She respected Olivia but she wasn't sure why she was in the relationship with that particular person and she wasn't sure if she would be able to forgive her if she ever broke Hank's heart. Erin heard a knock at the door. She looked to see who it was and it turned out to be Olivia.
"Hey."
"Hey, yourself. What brings you here? Is there another case we don't know about?"
"No. I just needed to get away for a while. We lost Dodds."
"I am so sorry."
"Thanks. He was planning to leave SVU for Joint Terrorism and on his last day, he and I went to the home of a Corrections Officer that was being accused of rape. His wife wanted help getting herself and the children out of the home. I got the kids out and into the car and was waiting for Dodds to come out with the wife. Her husband was holding her hostage and Dodds said he wasn't going to leave without her. Dodds got into a struggle with him and got shot in the stomach. It hit an artery and he developed blood clots in his brain, so he had a massive stroke. It's been rough."
"Things haven't been much better here either. Hank lost Justin."
"An Army thing?"
"No. They were in town for Daniel's 1st birthday and everything was perfect. We had this case where a single mom was found dead in the trunk of her car. It turned out that she had a connection to Justin. We went to Hank's and Olive said he left to clear his head. Mouse found where he was. We found him in the back of his vehicle barely alive with a bullet in his head. From the moment Sharon Goodwin, the Hospital Administrator at Med, told Hank Justin wasn't coming back, he started down the wrong path again. I don't know what to do. None of us do. He has become so distant with everyone except Olive and Daniel. I thought maybe you could talk to him."
"Things did not end well the last time I was here. I'm probably the last person he'd talk to."
"He's just not talking to anyone. You can get through to him more than most people. Does he know about you and that Tucker guy?"
"Yes. Hank showed up at my hotel that night after you and I left Molly's. He told me he had feelings for me. I didn't know what else to do. I've hated myself ever since. He won't return my texts, phone calls or emails. I've even tried Skyping him but he ignores that too. On top of all the guilt I feel about Dodds' death, I know Hank will probably never speak to me again."
"Never is a long time though."
"He basically told me to go to hell and if I ever stepped foot in his City again, he'd arrest me and put me in the Cage. Yet I'm still here."
"You here by yourself?"
"Lucy and Noah are at the hotel. I need to talk to Hank. I made a huge mistake."
"What sort of mistake?"
"I'm not in a relationship anymore."
"What happened?"
"I wasn't 100% in it because I'm in love with someone else and have been all along. I've been back in therapy since Dodds died. I realized that I haven't been completely honest with myself about my feelings for Hank. Things appeared to be going great between Ed and me and he invited me along with Noah to go to Paris with him this summer. I thought it was what I wanted but I realized I didn't want to leave things the way they were with Hank. I opened up to Ed about it, which for me is progress. I told him I didn't want to hurt him but I couldn't be honest with him if I wasn't being honest with myself. I told him I cared about him but I can't keep Hank off my mind. I told him what Hank told me the last time I was here and what I had said. I have felt nothing but guilt ever since. Ed told me to figure things out. I thanked him for being so understanding and I hoped we could still be friends. He said he hoped for more but being friends could work for him. I just want to be able to talk to Hank face to face and tell him how I really feel about him."
"I'll see what I can do. Honestly, I would love to see the two of you get together."
"I told Hank when he told me he had feelings for me that I didn't know if long distance could work for us. When Dodds was in the hospital, his dad, who is actually my boss, contacted Mike's fiancée in Chicago. How can Mike have a fiancée in Chicago and I can't be with Hank, who is also in Chicago? I want to make it work. I owe it to Hank to be open with him about my true feelings. I've wanted him for over a year now."
"I need to ask you this because Hank is so important to me. Do you love him?"
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't."
"Let's see if we can find him."
Erin grabbed her keys for the District and Hank's house and then she and Olivia went to see if they could track Hank down. He wasn't at his house or at the District. They checked to see if he was at Molly's but her wasn't there either. Erin called Mouse and had him locate him. He found him at one of the beaches. Erin drove there and waited in the car, while Olivia went to talk to Hank.
"We need to talk."
"I thought I told you to go to hell and if you ever stepped foot in my City again, I'd arrest you and put you in the Cage. This is what happens when I allow myself to admit to someone that I have feelings for them. I won't make that mistake ever again."
Olivia sat down in the sand next to Hank and took her shoes off.
"Just hear me out. Please."
"You really like hearing yourself talk, don't you? Does your boyfriend know you're here?"
"Actually, he's not my boyfriend anymore."
"Too much drama?"
"No. I haven't been honest with my feelings."
"What does this have to do with me?"
"I've been in love with you all along. I kind of panicked when you told me how you felt the last time I was here. I didn't think I wanted something long distance. As it turns out, I do. I want an excuse to come to Chicago more often and not just for work. Yes, I had just started my relationship with Ed when I saw you last but I needed you to know how I really felt."
"That last conversation we had really hurt me."
"I know and I am so sorry. I hope you'll be able to forgive me one day."
"I might be able to. I'm just going through a lot lately."
"Erin told me about Justin. I am so sorry. If you need to talk or just need someone, I'm here."
"He's all I had left other than Daniel. My wife died 6 years ago. Justin was supposed to be a twin. His sister was a stillborn. Maybe I just wasn't meant to be a father."
"You had 20-some years with Justin. He turned out ok, right?"
"Yeah. I wasn't sure there for a while but he really changed his life around once he was doing the Army thing, which was my idea. He was an amazing father. He'd always say that Daniel was his greatest accomplishment."
"Now you get to be the male role model in Daniel's life. Help him to grow up to be the person Justin would have wanted him to be. He and your daughter-in-law really need you right now. You still have Erin. I don't think she's going anywhere anytime soon. You have me. I'm not going anywhere except eventually back to New York."
Hank's eyes started filling with tears. He turned his head, so Olivia wouldn't see him cry.
"It's ok, you know. It doesn't make you any less of a man if you cry. Let it out. It helps. After Dodds died, I cried a lot because I blamed myself for what happened."
Hank put his face in his hands and really broke down. Olivia put her arms around him and held him. He put his head on her shoulder and she kissed his forehead. Olivia looked back at Erin and motioned for her to go.
"You feel better?"
"Yeah. I needed that."
"I need to ask you something."
"What?"
"Do you still feel the same way about me that you did a few months ago?"
"Yeah. I never stopped. You're the first woman I have had feelings for since my wife died.
"I love you, Hank Voight."
"I love you too, Olivia Benson."
Hank and Olivia started kissing passionately.
"Make love to me, Hank."
"You sure?"
"I have never been more sure of anything."
"My house or your hotel?"
"Either one. My son and his nanny are here with me in the adjoining room."
"So then you actually have a curfew."
"Not really but I should be there when he wakes up."
Hank got up and then helped Olivia up. She put her shoes on and then they went to Hank's vehicle. They ended up going to her hotel and made passionate love before falling asleep in each other's arms. This night had been something they had both wanted for a while and they both knew things had changed between them. They would no longer be just friends anymore. Is their love for each other strong enough to handle the distance? How would Noah react to finding a new man with his mother? Other than Erin, how would the two Squads take the news of their respective leaders being together?
Reviews are appreciated.
