"Then maybe you shouldn't have left!" She knew she was yelling. Luckily her office door was tightly closed.
"Olivia," he said in exasperation, "We've gone over this a thousand times! I didn't have a choice."
"There's always a choice," she said bitterly.
"Maybe there was, but the cost was high no matter who or what I chose."
She dropped her eyes to her feet, feeling herself calming. She knew he was in an impossible situation. She knew he had a family. She knew he was all messed up from shooting a teenage girl. She knew all of that, but he left, and when he did, he left her to deal with a mess of complicated emotions.
Her voice softened, "I understand why you left. I do, but it still hurts. And it's complicated further by our "closeness" that superseded every other relationship we tried to have." Some of the anger returned, "Do you have any idea how complicated all of it was for me?" Her voice elevated a pitch, "You were married!" She turned away from her, trying to hide the tears she knew were forming in her eyes. "You were someone else's, not mine. You owed me nothing. Not really, but it hurt. It hurt that you were my entire world- my family- my everything, and then you were gone."
-000-
Muncy took a swig of her coffee. "And we are just supposed to ignore this," she gestured towards the Captain's office where Elliot Stabler seemed to be having a particularly intense emotional conversation.
"Yep." Fin and Velasco said at the same time.
"Ever think she wants to talk about all that drama?"
"Muncy, do you like your job?" Fin asked seriously.
"Yes?"
"Then leave it alone." Fin didn't even look away from his computer screen during this entire interaction. He must be well practiced at ignoring all this nonsense.
Regardless, she couldn't seem to peel her eyes away from whatever the hell was going on in the Captain's office. She walked back to her desk, still keeping her eyes on the window. She shook her head at the absurdity of it all. He obviously thought she walked on water, and she could deny all she wanted, but that woman loved him.
-000-
He watched her pace. "Liv," he tried to distract her from her current spiral, but he wasn't very successful. "Liv," he tried again, "I'm sorry. Leaving will be the biggest regret of my life."
She returned her attention towards him, but continued to nervously shift her weight. "I know I just," she started pacing again, and he wondered if maybe they were on the edge of something. "Why can't it just be simple? I hate how damn complicated it all is."
"Maybe it's more simple than you think it is," he suggested.
She stopped the pacing again, "What do you mean?" Her voice had a defensive edge to it, but he cautiously continued.
He stood up and grabbed her elbows so her forearms naturally fell against his. He could see her kind racing behind those perfect brown eyes and he needed her to slow down.
He cupped her cheek and said, "Olivia," that grabbed her attention. "Do you love me?" He kept his gaze firm on hers, forcing a conversation they should have had years ago.
She pulled away from him and started the pacing again. "It's complicated."
He stopped her again, "It's not. You do or you don't. It's pretty black and white."
He felt a little bad when she started tearing up, but he knew if anything was going to progress between them he had to push the issue. She would try to ignore it until the end of time.
"I..I..I…" she stammered and now he felt really bad.
He gathered her into his arms and pressed her tightly against him. One hand wrapped around her waist and the other tangled into her hair.
-000-
"Okay come on now! There is no way we can ignore that!"
This time she caught Velasco's attention and he finally glanced in the direction of the Captain's office. He shut his laptop and hurried over to where Muncy sat. He leaned on the edge of her desk before asking, "What's happening? Because that," he pointed to the couple engaging in a tight embrace, "does not look platonic in the least."
"Well I can't hear much except for the times they were really yelling," she began. "All I heard was something about him leaving and him saying he didn't have a choice."
"Oh yeah. Stabler ghosted her for like 10 years or something. Didn't even let her know he was quitting."
"That's harsh."
"Yeah they had been partners for over a decade so it was really harsh." Velasco confirmed.
-000-
"I shouldn't push so hard," he began. "I just don't want you to give up on this because you are afraid."
She pulled back slightly to see his face. The perfect affection was staggering, and honestly she wished she wasn't scared. It's simple. Do you love me? She suddenly felt nervous.
"Yes." She said simply, and he looked confused.
"What?"
"You are going to make me say it aren't you." She asked incredulously.
He seemed to realize what she was getting at, and he tried to hold back a smile. He pulled her into him, pressing his forehead against hers. "I'm not sure I'll believe you otherwise."
"You make me crazy. You are a literal pain in my ass," she smiled at him sweetly, "and I love you."
He brushed his lips against hers before saying, "This pain in the ass is completely in love with you too." He kissed her softly, "We have that. It's simple. Everything else can be figured out." He kissed her again, and she kissed him back, communicating all the pain and desire she held onto for 20 years.
-000-
"Ohhhhhhhh!" Both Velasco and Muncy called at the same time.
Fin, Churlish, and Bruno's heads popped up at the exclamation from the other side of the room. Their eyes followed Velasco and Muncy's to see their Captain engaging in a very passionate kiss.
"How the hell am I supposed to ignore that!?" Muncy asked Fin.
"Um…" Fin shrugged his shoulders, "not sure how to deal with this one." He shewed everyone back to their desks. "Just continue what you all have been doin, and stop watching the Benson and Stabler show."
They all scattered to their respective desks, and Fin snuck a glance over his shoulder to see them still going at it in her office. He shook his head, and said under his breath, "About damn time."