I DO NOT OWN OR MAKE ANY PROFIT OFF OF LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT AND ITS CHARACTERS.

A/N: Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter! I always love reading what all of you have to say. I don't know exactly where this story will end up, but I have a rough idea of how I want things to play out.

~~~ooOOOoo~~~

Feeling the sense of warmth radiating on her back move away, Olivia flutters her eyes open. Wiping away the blur she notices that Elliot only shifted in his sleep. She reaches for her phone on the nightstand, 'He really does sleep better with someone else next to him.' Being as slow and as quiet as she can be she slips herself out from under the covers and tiptoes into the main living area.

Scrolling through her contacts, she clicks on 'Captain Don Cragen.' Within two rings she hears him answer, "Olivia, I told you to take the day off. That includes calling."

"I'm actually calling to ask if I could take the rest of the week off?" Olivia clarifies.

"Liv, you know you can talk to me, right?" Donald digs deeper.

"I'm fine-"

"You can take as much time off as you need, Olivia. Take care of yourself-"

"Captain… I'm fine…" she hopes he understands what she means.

Pausing and thinking about the inflection of her voice, he sighs audibly. He calmly says, "How's he doing?"

"You haven't heard?" Olivia is shocked that Tucker hasn't communicated Elliot's departure with Cragen. The other end of the call was quiet indicating her Captain did not know what she was talking about. She continues, "He quit."

"What?" he raises his voice.

Before he can start to ask any more questions, Olivia divulges all the information she knows, "All he told me was that he quit. I assume it had something to do with Tucker, but I don't know. He's not talking."

"I'll see what I can do to fix this; and for your time off, I don't want to see you back here until next Wednesday."

"Don-"

"I have no problem extending it, Benson."

"That's not the issue," she inhales sharply, "I don't know what it is, but when he told me he quit… he looked relieved. He looked like the weight of the world was just taken off his shoulders." Cragen stays silent as she continues, "He's done, Cap. He's not coming back."

With a heavy sigh, he speaks slowly, "I'll talk with 1PP about getting him his pension. You take care of yourself, Liv."

"I will," she takes the phone away from her ear as the call ends.

Tiptoeing back down the hall, she switches over the wet laundry into the dryer. Moving to her bedroom, she stands in the doorway and watches Elliot peacefully sleep. His chest rises and falls rhythmically. Her trance is cut off by a quiet ringing that sounds throughout the apartment. Olivia swiftly locates the source of the noise. Elliot's phone. Looking down at the contact information, she sees his family portrait with the name 'Kathy Stabler' sprawled across the screen. Olivia thinks, 'This is exactly what I needed to start my day off with.'

She has never hated or disliked Kathy. However, she has not spent enough one-on-one time with her to truly get to know her either. She accepts the call and is bombarded with yelling, "Elliot Stabler! Who do you think you are not answering my calls? I have been trying to get a hold of you since last night! A text would have been considerate! Where the hell-"

"Kathy…" Olivia interjects softly before Kathy gets carried away. The call goes silent. Olivia can hear her breathing on the other end of the line. She thinks, 'Maybe she doesn't recognize my voice.' Olivia speaks up, "Kathy, it's-"

"Olivia…" Kathy knows. She declares, "Elliot went to your apartment last night."

Olivia treads lightly not knowing what implications come with that statement, "He came over around ten."

"He must have read my text."

"I'm sorry?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"We didn't talk much, Kathy. He was pretty upset about Jenna."

"Jenna?"

Olivia pinches the bridge of her nose and shakes her head, "Yesterday night a victim's daughter came in. She- uh-" The case hadn't officially closed yet and legally she couldn't discuss what happened. Olivia thinks briefly, 'It's just Kathy, not the New York Times.' With a quick breath, she continues, "There was a shootout in the precinct. Elliot took the final shot at Jenna."

"Oh my God…" Kathy processes the information, "Is the girl okay?"

"She died in Elliot's arms," Olivia gave the last piece of the story.

"Oh my God…" she keeps repeating, "Oh my God…"

Olivia switches topics, "You said you texted him last night."

"I did," she answers directly. Olivia stays quiet as she waits for more details. Kathy continues, "I told him that if he wasn't going to come home last night, then to not come home at all."

"Wow," not meaning to talk out loud, Olivia brings her hand to cover her mouth.

Kathy asks delicately, "Is he okay?"

"He's sleeping."

"He didn't have any nightmares?"

"He did, but-" Olivia doesn't know how to explain that she slept in the same bed as him. She avoids that specific detail, "He's been knocked out since three."

Once again, silence fills the air. Kathy clears her throat and anxiously admits, "Olivia, I meant what I texted him."

She asks for clarification, "You don't want him to come home?"

"We tried to make things work for Eli. We really did."

"I believe you, Kathy. I know how much Elliot loves you and the kids."

Kathy's voice is soaked in guilt, "Can I drop some of his stuff off at your apartment?"

"I think he would be more comfortable staying at his own home, Kathy-" Olivia is cut off.

"There's a reason he went to you," Kathy states.

Trying to get caught up in her emotions, Olivia agrees, "Do you have my address?"

"I do. I have an appointment in the city around four. Can I swing by a little before then?

"I'll be here."

Before she hangs up she says, "Thank you, Olivia."

"It's no problem," Olivia responds before ending the call.

Tossing the phone on the couch, she groans quietly. Rubbing her eyes with the base of her hands, she shuffles down the hallway and goes back to watching Elliot sleep.

She recalls what Kathy said over the phone, 'There's a reason he went to you.'

~~~ooo~~~

The afternoon rolls around slowly and Elliot is still deep asleep. Olivia is tempted to wake him up and ask him if he needs anything or if he wants to talk, but she can see how peaceful he is. Spending the day at home allows Olivia to catch up on some housework she hasn't had the chance to do in quite some time. The dishes in the sink are washed and dried, and the clothes in the laundry are folded.

She hears the soft buzz of her phone. Reaching for the phone, she sees it's a text message.

KATHY: I'm about a block away.

KATHY: How is he doing?

OLIVIA: He's still asleep.

KATHY: I'm not surprised. One time after a hard case, he slept 16 hours straight.

OLIVIA: Sleep is a luxury in this profession.

KATHY: I'm sorry.

OLIVIA: Why are you apologizing? You have nothing to be sorry for.

KATHY: I'm sorry that I keep putting you in the middle of Elliot and me.

OLIVIA: There's no need to be sorry. I'd do anything to help you and your family.

There is no response. With a soft groan, Olivia falls onto her couch dramatically. The second she hits the cushions, the apartment intercom system buzzes. Olivia pulls herself off the couch and unlocks the door for Kathy. Seconds later there is a gentle knock at the door. Opening the door, Olivia sees Kathy holding a duffle bag that is bursting at the seams. Kathy takes a step into the apartment and drops the duffle bag on the ground. Unexpectedly, she wraps her arms around Olivia, "Thank you for helping him, Olivia." Taken aback, Olivia stays silent. Kathy squeezes her tightly before letting her go, "Why do you always help?"

"He's my partner…" Olivia doesn't know how to respond to such a vague question.

"You don't just help him," Kathy points out.

She thinks deeply and answers with a somber tone, "You, Elliot, and your kids are the closest thing I have to a real family."

Seemingly satisfied with Olivia's answer, Kathy points to the hallway, "Can I see him?"

"Uh-" Olivia doesn't want him to wake up from his serene slumber, but she can tell that Kathy is worried, "First door on the left."

She watches Kathy quietly roam through her apartment. After a minute, she makes her way back to the main living area. Kathy reaches her hand out to the door, but swivels her head to face Olivia, "He loves you. You know that right?"

Not expecting Kathy to say anything, Olivia's eyes widen and her mouth opens slightly, "I… uh- I…"

"Do you love him?" Kathy bluntly asks.

Olivia's brain turns to mush. She knows the answer to Kathy's question. She's known the answer for years. Olivia remembers the exact day when she decided to shove her feelings for her partner deep down. That day was when Elliot told her that Kathy was pregnant with Eli. It's not a lie when Olivia says, "I don't know."

Kathy sighs lightly and nods her head. Twisting the knob, she thanks Olivia once more, "Thank you."

Before Olivia can respond, Kathy shuts the door. Olivia feels her airway constrict for a moment as she thinks, 'What the hell was that?' She moves towards her bedroom where she sees Elliot sleeping.

~~~ooOOOoo~~~