A month passed at a painfully slow pace. He'd called twice since their initial phone call. She knew he was trying to keep contact minimal. Ayanna told him to have no contact with anyone, since this case was based in the city.
She tried to be grateful for the minimal contact. She still received her weekly I love you, and a phone call on those two wonderful fridays. Like Sundays might be for the devout, she found that Fridays brought a sort of renewal. They proved rejuvenating, but only for so long. By the following Wednesday or Thursday she would inevitably feel tired, frustrated, and annoyed. It was getting to the point where her team started tiptoeing around her on those days. Normally, she would be annoyed, but with things as they were, their behavior suited her just fine.
On this particular Thursday she was feeling extra angst. Noah had another bad day, which was becoming a more regular thing, and she just wanted to talk to him. She wanted to scream all the frustration out at someone who would listen. Someone who felt the same frustration.
She left her office door shut. Normally she left it open, but she wasn't interested in any superfluous communication today. She just wanted to get her work done and check out. She felt immediately irritated when someone had the balls to knock on her door.
Fin's head poked in, and he approached cautiously. It would be humorous if she didn't feel like emotional shit today. "What's up?" She tried to sound upbeat but failed.
"Uh I need to touch base with the Bronx, I'm having Churlish coming with me, and Bruno and Velasco are out interviewing the victim's boyfriend…"
She resisted the urge to rush him along with a well placed and?
"Two evidence boxes need to be taken over to OCCB." Hee face fell, and Fin knew he had about thirty more seconds to explain. "They need them for their trafficking case, and because of the sensitive nature of the case, Simeon from the team has to take them. I would do it, but the Bronx had given me hell for the past week and I have to get over there to put out that dumpster fire."
The last thing she wanted to do was go to the OCCB offices. Bell was the one who sent Elliot on this idiotic UC assignment, and she wanted to scream at her for enabling his goddamn habit of avoidance. She sighed, and tried to reason with herself. It needed to be done, and she probably needed to meet with Bell anyway to go over the case hand off. "Fine." She snapped more than she intended. "Help me get the boxes into my car."
"Yeah I gotcha." Fin said as he hurried to grab the boxes off his desk. He said nothing on their walk to her car or as they loaded their boxes, but she swore she saw a hint of a smile twitching at the corners of his lips.
-000-
Halfway to the offices she wanted to turn around and make Fin do this himself. She talked herself down, reasoning she could do her damn job and deliver the boxes and meet with Bell.
She parked and pressed her forehead against the steering wheel. She needed to mentally prepare herself to enter the building. A building she strongly associated with Elliot. She knew she probably should go home after the meeting because she would be a bitch to work with throughout the rest of the day.
Her arms were full, and she kept her focus on her feet, because the last thing she needed was for all the evidence to be splattered across the hallway floor. Her eyes were still on her feet when she collided with a wall of muscle. Familiar hands grasped her forearms, steadying her. She knew who it was before he spoke. She knew those hands. She knew the smell of his cologne.
"Liv?" He said in surprise. Her eyes lifted and over the boxes, a pair of perfectly blue eyes found hers.
"El?" She breathed. Of course she knew he would check in with his team, but she always assumed he would do that on the street somewhere, not at their actual offices.
"Captain?" Ayanna's voice carried from her office. Apparently they were all surprised by this accidental meeting.
Olivia peeled her eyes away from Elliot's, and his hands dropped from her arms. She slid past him, setting the boxes down on Reyes' desk.
"Fin was going to bring these over and brief you on the cases, but he got called into the Bronx." Olivia explained.
Bell eyed her suspiciously, probably trying to figure out if this meeting was pre planned or spontaneous. "We'll come on up captain. You can bring me up to speed." Olivia glanced over her shoulder at Elliot who seemed content to camp out at his desk until her meeting finished. Bell watched him as well, and she thought she read some sort of threat in her eyes. That was enough for Olivia to want to move her higher up the shit list.
Bell opened the door, and let Olivia enter first. She shut the door behind her, taking a seat at her desk while Olivia took the chair directly across. "Did he tell you he was here?"
There were a lot of rules they'd broken at this point, but neither of them were stupid enough to meet at his office. "I had no idea. I was dreading coming in actually."
Bell didn't look offended, hopefully understanding what Olivia met by that. "Okay. It wouldn't be the biggest deal, but I want him to be safe." Ayanna's eyes held hers intensely. "I think we both want that."
Olivia suspected Bell might think more was going on with Olivia and Elliot. She probably worried about them being in contact despite orders. But Olivia knew Ayanna wouldn't ever come out and ask her straight, and Olivia planned on using that to her advantage.
"Of course…do you have those case files handy?"
-000-
Elliot leaned against Reyes' desk, shamelessly watching Olivia's interaction with Ayanna. He knew Ayanna suspected this was planned, but this was truly happenstance. Perfect happenstance.
Ayanna was obviously edgy, but Olivia kept neutral and eventually Ayanna chilled out.
After about a half hour a voice made him jump. "Are you going to sit on my desk the whole time she's here or…?" Reyes asked.
Elliot glared, and Reyes averted his eyes back to his computer screen. "You have the best view." The comment made Reyes snort.
Fifteen minutes later Olivia stood, and grabbed her jacket. Elliot stepped away from Reyes' desk, leaving him with his head shaking. Ayanna stayed at her desk, but she made eye contact with Elliot, very clearly communicating caution. Elliot resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
Liv started down the stairs, and he asked, "Walk you out?"
She tried to hide her smile, but nodded. He kept his hands in his pockets as they started down the hall. They made it a few steps around the corner when he reached for her hand. He watched a smile tease at the corners of her lips, and he couldn't help himself when he leaned into kiss her. She pulled back, "El," her voice was a breathy whisper.
The feeling of her breath against his lips was too much and like a magnetic force his lips crashed into hers. He knew this was probably a bad idea, but he couldn't help himself.
Her arm came around his neck and her other hand laid against his chest as she pulled him closer, pushing her lips harder into his. He needed more. She stepped back and he chased her movement until her back met the brick wall. His hands pressed down the curves of her body, making his heart pound furiously in his chest. He knew he should stop, but any sense of reason flew out the window when her tongue slipped into his mouth.
-000-
She was the responsible one…right. She didn't feel responsible right now, making out with Elliot in the OCCB hallway. She felt a door handle to the left, and chanced it. She opened the door and released his lips long enough to look over her shoulder. Interrogation room.
She fisted his shirt and pulled him into the room with her. She heard the door click shut and his lips were again on hers. His hands pulled her hips against his and she let out an inadvertent gasp. His tongue slipped into her mouth and she reciprocated. She missed this. She missed the feeling of his warm body pressing on hers.
The back of her thighs met the table, and his hands slid across her hips and down her back side, gripping her ass possessively. She grinned against his lips as he lifted her to the table. She spread her knees apart allowing him to press in closer.
His lips broke away and roamed her jawline. Her breathing grew ragged, and her arms wrapped around his shoulders. His mouth sucked at her collar bone, making her heart pound furiously. His rough hands pressed into the skin of her belly as he worked his hands up her shirt.
She felt every part of him pressed against her, and she became well aware this was getting out of hand. His lips worked their way down the v of her shirt while his large hands gripped her rib cage. He paused for a moment when his nose brushed against the compass laying sleepily against her chest. The sound of a door shutting down the hall broke the spell of their passionate interlude.
Olivia dropped her head into his shoulder, and they both burst into laughter. They had both been so deprived of each other's physical affection that they were going at it on an interrogation room table. The situation was absurd.
"I need to go," she admitted as she brushed a hand across his cheek.
He took her hand and kissed her palm, "I know."
She pecked his lips, but kept her mouth close. "Can you sneak away tomorrow?" She couldn't believe she said those words after they left her lips. She traced her fingers up and down his arm, awaiting his response.
He kissed her slowly, and she savored the contact. His lips brushed her ear as he whispered, "I'll be there."
His voice sent warm shudders up and down her spine, and she frowned as he reluctantly withdrew. His hand cupped her cheek and she leaned into the warmth of his palm. He said nothing, but his blue eyes communicated all the want and need she felt burning inside of herself. "Love you," he said quietly.
"I love you too."
-000-
He let Liv leave first, giving her a couple minutes head start before he left the interrogation room. He needed to pick up the stuff he needed from his desk, and get back to the shop. When he came around the corner, Ayanna sternly called him into her office. "Stabler! My office. Now."
He winced. She had that tone. The one where she was preparing to hand him his ass. He sulked to her office and sat. He noticed Jet standing behind Ayanna, her eyes wide and apologetic.
Ayanna sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "You can't make out with Captain Benson in an interrogation room." Her voice stayed low, but tense.
He tried to lighten the mood, "Who says we were making out?"
Ayanna flipped her computer screen, showing a video of Olivia pulling him into the interrogation room, kissing him senseless. He tried not to grin. "We were just talking close," he tried.
Ayanna stood, startling him. "Don't give me that shit Elliot, your hands were up her shirt." She sighed and sat back down. "How long has that been going on?"
Her tone made him tense. He became defensive. "I don't know if that's your business."
"Unfortunately for me, it is!" She snapped. "Are you trying to ruin her career or get her killed? I can't decide which one you're shooting for right now."
He stood, not wanting to listen to this. "I'm not doing either of those things. I haven't seen her in months."
She eyed him skeptically, but she seemed like she was willing to let it drop for now. "I said no contact Elliot. I'm serious. I'm not trying to be a bitch, but you know how dangerous these people are. She's got a kid. You could easily make her a target."
"I'm not stupid Ayanna."
"Are you sure? Because this," she pointed at the computer screen, "was pretty damn stupid." She flipped the screen around and shut the laptop.
"I know I'm asking a lot. I know that whatever is happening with you two has been brewing for a long time, but Elliot…I'm just asking for a little longer. Just keep your space a little longer so we can close this investigation without incident." Her large dark eyes met his. "Please."
He nodded. She was right of course, but he wasn't sure he could stay away. Not when everything he wanted stood just within his grasp. "Okay Sarge."
She didn't look like she believed him entirely, but accepted his answer. "You need to get out of here. I still expect a check in tomorrow."
He stepped to the door, but paused with his hand on the handle. "I'm not sure how much longer I can do this."
"Please Elliot. Let's just get what we need and get out. Just a little longer."
He nodded without turning. "Talk to you tomorrow," he said as he pushed the door open, and exited the office.
