Olivia woke up the next morning with a mixture of conflicting emotions. The memory of the previous night with Elliot was still fresh in her mind, the way he had been so soft and affectionate, yet still kept a distance. He had apologized, and they had agreed to be just friends, but somehow it hurt more than she expected. She repeated in her mind, "just friends, just friends..." trying to convince herself that it was for the best.

Olivia walked into the precinct; her anger and frustration were evident in her body language. She was still stewing in her thoughts, replaying the previous night's events in her mind. The memory of Elliot's apology and his insistence on just being friends stung, and she couldn't help but feel hurt and confused by it all. She tried to put on a composed facade, but the irritation was obvious on her face.

Amanda, always observant, notices Olivia's irritated demeanor. She smirks and decides to poke fun at her friend. "Hey Olivia, how did it go with Elliot last night? You know you two were all up on each other." Amanda smirks.

Olivia's irritation flares up as Amanda presses on, pushing her buttons. She snaps back, her voice cold and authoritative. "Enough, Amanda. We're not teenagers anymore, and I'm not waiting around for 'Mr. Special'. I'm the captain here, so do your job and stop getting into things that don't concern you." Olivia says, walking into her office.

Amanda turns to Fin, her confusion growing as she hears his words. She looks at him with a mix of perplexity and disbelief. "What? Wait a minute, am I missing something? What do you mean 'stopped them from kissing'?"

Fin chuckles, unable to hold back his amusement. "Yeah, they were practically all over each other in the Uber. Trying to kiss and touch each other, not caring that I was right there in the middle of it all. It was like they were on a mission to make the ride as uncomfortable for me as possible."

Amanda can't believe that's the reason Olivia is so irritated. She looks at Fin, skeptical. "Wait, seriously? That's the reason she's so angry today? Because you stopped them from kissing in the Uber? That seems a bit...extreme, don't you think?"

Fin heads towards Olivia's office, closing the door behind him to ensure they have some privacy. He takes a deep breath, bracing himself for the conversation to come. Once inside, he turns to Olivia, his expression serious but gentle. "Hey, Liv. Are you okay today? You seemed pissed off?" Fin raises his eyebrows.

Olivia glances up at Fin, her irritation still evident on her face. She takes a deep breath before replying.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she mutters, trying to brush off the question. However, Fin's perceptive nature doesn't let her get away with it that easily.

"You sure? You seemed pretty mad earlier, and I couldn't help but notice how annoyed you were this morning when Amanda mentioned him. So... I guess it's safe to say it's about Stabler, then?"

Olivia sighs, her irritation giving way to resignation. She knows Fin isn't one to give up easily. "Ugh, fine. Yes, it's about Stabler. But I really don't want to talk about it, okay? Can we just drop it?"

Fin smiles gently and responds with a hint of protectiveness in his voice, "You got it, baby girl. I'm always here for you, too, no matter what. And if that ass Stabler needs a good kick in the pants, just say the word, and I'll be there to deliver."

Olivia feels a sense of comfort and gratitude in Fin's words. She sighs, a mix of relief and frustration. "Thanks, Fin. I appreciate it, really. But I think I just need some space to deal with this on my own, okay? I'll figure it out. And... I'll let you know if I need any help ass-kicking, alright?"

Olivia watches Fin leave the room, a small, grateful smile on her face. Even though she's still upset about the situation with Elliot, there's a sense of comfort in knowing Fin has her back. She takes a deep breath, steeling herself and trying to push the thoughts of Elliot out of her mind as she turns back to her work. The day is far from over, and she needs to stay focused.

As the next two weeks go by, Olivia avoids Elliot's text and even face-to-face, and Elliot knows it. He thinks, damn, she really is actually pissed for the way I acted the night at the bar, but that wasn't it at all. She wanted Elliot more than anything, but she couldn't stand the thought of getting close to getting friend-zoned.

"Hey, Olivia." Elliot sees her coming off the elevator as he's heading towards it.

"Hey, El! Can't talk go to go. Catch you later?" Olivia says, fast pasting to her apartment.

"Um.. yeah, sure, bye, Liv." Says Elliot.

Elliot walks into the organized crime unit, visibly frustrated and out of breath.

"Woah, there is a wrecking ball, so calm down. What's got you all worked up." Says Bell.

Elliot lets out a resigned sigh. "It's nothing Bell. I am fine."

"Alright, since you don't want to talk about what's wrong, did you end up apologizing to Olivia?" Ask Bell

Elliot looks at Bell, then sighs and nods. "Yeah, I did. I apologized to Olivia for... what happened. She agreed we're just friends so I guess I got friend zoned."

Jet looks up from her desk. "Wait, hold up. You and Liv agreed to be just friends? But... I thought there was something between you two. Something's more than friends."

"Really, Slootmaekers, what I tell you about snooping outside things that are electronics." Elliot teases having a soft spot for Jet, being like one of his daughters.

"Wow, Stabler, I thought you worked your charm last night." Jet lets out a laugh

Elliot rolls his eyes, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Please, I've been around you long enough to know that you love hearing about my pain and suffering. It's like your own personal source of entertainment."

Jet smirked, her sarcasm still evident in her voice. "Of course I am. Your suffering is my entertainment. What can I say? I lead a pretty boring life, and your love life drama is just what I need to spice things up." She laughs.

Elliot opens the door to find Maureen standing there. He raises an eyebrow in surprise. "Hey, Maureen. What brings you all the way over here?"

Elliot's expression changes from surprise to mild realization. He had completely forgotten about their plans. "Crap. I did forget, didn't I? I'm sorry, Maureen, but everything's okay. We can head to dinner." Says Elliot.

Maureen gives him a sympathetic look. "It's okay, Dad. I know you've had a lot going on lately."

Elliot and Maureen arrive at the small Italian restaurant. The warm, inviting aroma of freshly cooked pasta and pizza wafts through the air. They are led to a table by the window overlooking the bustling street.

Elliot looks at Maureen, a small smile on his face. "How are the kids and Jim holding up?"

"The kids are good. The boys are growing like weeds. And Jim? Well, he's still the same old Jim. He keeps trying to get me to play golf with him, but I swear I'll never understand that game. How about you, Dad? How are you holding up? Any new girlfriend?" Maureen ask.

Elliot lets out a weary sigh. He glances out the window for a moment before responding. "It's going well, but I'm still single."

"That's good, and good because you need to get out and get back to dating. I know you love mom, but mom wouldn't want you to sit all alone dad, and you're in luck I got you a date for tomorrow with my friend's mother, she's very pretty." Says Maureen taking a sip of her drink.

Elliot looks at Maureen, uncertainty in his voice. Elliot gulps, thinking about Olivia, but Olivia and him are just friends. He's allowed to date, right? "I don't know, Maureen."

Maureen gives him a playful nudge. "Oh, come on, Dad. Just give it a try. You need to have some fun for once. You're not getting any younger, you know. Besides, it's just one date. What's the worst that can happen?"

Elliot sighs, feeling a mixture of excitement and trepidation. He looks at Maureen with a resigned smile. "Alright, alright, just one date. I guess it won't hurt to give it a shot."

Maureen smiles, sensing Elliot's nerves. "Okay, don't worry. I got it all planned out. She agreed to meet you at your apartment. It'll be casual; less pressure that way. Just make sure you're ready and presentable, okay?"

Elliot nods, still a bit apprehensive. "I... Alright, I'll be ready. What time is she coming?"

Elliot nods, committing the time to memory. "6 o'clock, got it. I'll make sure everything's ready by then."

6 o'clock the next day Knock knock

Elliot opens the door to find Olivia standing there, looking as beautiful as ever. He's taken aback for a moment but recovers quickly. "H-hey, Liv. Uh, what are you doing here?"

"Hey, sorry, we're you are expecting someone else, and I just wanted to see if you wanted to grab dinner. Maybe talk?" Says Olivia quietly

Elliot is surprised and slightly caught off guard. He can't help but notice how pretty she looks tonight. "Uh, no, I... I'm sorry, I have a date tonight."

Olivia looks slightly taken aback by the admission. "Oh... Do you have a date? Okay, I didn't know. I guess I shouldn't have come unannounced." She can't help but feel a pang of disappointment and hurt.

As Olivia stands there, Elliot can see the hurt and disappointment in her eyes. But before they can say anything else, there's a knock on the door. Elliot opens the door and sees a beautiful blonde woman standing in the doorway. She smiles at him. "Hey, Elliot? I'm guessing you're the guy I'm supposed to meet?"

Olivia quickly composes herself, plastering a fake smile on her face. "It's okay, Elliot. We can talk later. You should go have fun. Have a nice night." With that, Olivia turns and walks away. Olivia can feel the tears in her eyes but sucks it up until she gets into her apartment.

Olivia closes the door to her apartment and leans against it, feeling a mix of hurt and sadness wash over her. She replays the scene in her mind: Elliot is with another woman, saying he is going on a date. The words "we're only friends" echo in her head, and she feels a lump forming in her throat. "Only friends..." she whispers to herself, fighting back tears.

Elliot composes himself and turns to the blonde woman, forcing a smile. "Hey, nice to meet you, Dani. I'm Elliot." He studies her for a moment. Despite his thoughts still lingering on Olivia, he can't deny that Dani is attractive.

Dani returns the smile, a bit of curiosity in her eyes. She glances past Elliot, noticing the closed door and sensing the lingering tension. "Sorry to interrupt. Is everything okay? I saw someone leaving just now..."

Elliot shakes his head, trying to downplay the situation. "Don't worry about it. It was just a friend. She, uh, she stopped by unexpectedly. But it's all good. Shall we go?"

Elliot leads them to a quiet booth near the back, and they sit down. The waiter brings menus and takes their drink orders. As they wait, Elliot studies Dani for a moment, but all his mind can focus on is Olivia.

Elliot tries to focus on Dani but finds his mind wandering back to Olivia. The memory of her hurt expression from earlier is still fresh in his mind. Despite himself, he can't seem to shake the guilt gnawing at him. He glances at Dani, feeling guilty for not being fully present in the moment.

Dani leans in a bit, trying to capture his attention. She picks up on the lingering tension and knows something is bothering him. "You seem a bit distracted. Something on your mind?" she asks gently, her eyes searching his face, trying to gauge his thoughts.

Elliot snaps out of his thoughts, realizing he's spacing out. He gives Dani a sheepish smile. "No, I'm sorry. It's just..nothing."

Dani smiles, noticing Elliot's gaze drifting, she decides to be a bit more straightforward. She poses elegantly, feigning a mock pout. "You know, a girl does like to hear compliments. Don't I look beautiful tonight?"

Elliot is taken slightly off guard by Dani's direct approach, but he composes himself quickly. He looks at her appreciatively, taking in her appearance. "You do look very beautiful tonight," he says truthfully, feeling a bit guilty for his earlier distraction. "The blue dress suits you well."

Dani's pout turns into a pleased smile, and a hint of a blush appears on her cheeks at Elliot's compliment. She pretends a bit, enjoying the attention. "Oh, I do love this dress. It's so comfortable, yet it flatters all the right places," she says, casually twirling a strand of her blonde hair around her finger.

Dani notices Elliot's nervous laugh, sensing that he didn't quite catch her flirting. She decides to be a bit more obvious, leaning forward a bit and smiling coyly. "You know," she says in a sultry tone, "I picked this dress with you in mind. Maureen showed me a picture of you. You got to quit the looks detective."

Elliot blinks in surprise, finally catching on to Dani's flirting. He blushes a bit, not used to such directness, and chuckles sheepishly. "Oh, uh, well... Thank you. You're very kind. And Maureen showed you a picture, huh? She's really playing matchmaker this time, isn't she?" Elliot laughs nervously.

Dani smiles, amused at Elliot's bashfulness. She decides to tone down the flirting, sensing that he's not quite comfortable with it. "You're quite welcome," she says with a playful wink.

Olivia is sitting at home, feeling restless and lonely. She picks up her phone and decides to text Alex. "Hey, Nick. Are you free to hang out tonight? I don't really feel like being alone right now."

Nick replies almost instantly, picking up on Olivia's loneliness. "Hey, Liv! Yep, I'm free. Should I head over?"

Olivia responds, appreciative of Nick's thoughtfulness. "Yes, please! Bring some food over. I'm starving."

Nick arrives, carrying a pizza box in his hand. He greets Olivia with a smile as he enters the room. "Hey, I brought pizza! I hope you're in the mood for pepperoni."

As Nick sets down the pizza and they settle down to eat, a comfortable familiarity between them sets in. They begin to banter and flirt with each other, as they often do, but it's all in good lighthearted fun. Nick grins as he takes a slice.

"You know, Liv, if I didn't know better, I'd think you just invited me over for my pizza-bringing services."

Olivia rolls her eyes, but she's smiling. "Oh, please, like I couldn't have ordered my own pizza. I invited you because I appreciate your company, smart ass."

Nick takes a bite of the pizza, savoring the taste for a moment before responding. "Haha, but anyways, how's things been with you and lover boy since the last time we were out?"

Olivia huffs, a bit flustered but amused at Nick's playful jab. "Oh shut up, he's not my lover boy. We're just friends, okay? "Well... Elliot and I talked, and we decided it's best to just stay friends. I mean, we get along great, but it's just... complicated. So we're..." She hesitates, the word hard for her to say. "We're just friends. Nothing more."

He puts a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Liv, I know I'm a guy, but you can talk to me like one of your girlfriends, alright? Spill the tea, sister. What's really going on with you and Elliot?"

Olivia speaks, her voice filled with frustration and lingering disappointment.

"He apologized for what happened at the bar, and I told him it's alright, that we're both consenting adults, and it wasn't a big deal. Then, he told me he didn't want to ruin our friendship, so I basically got friend-zoned. Ever since then, I've been avoiding him, afraid to confront my own feelings. And then, get this, he's now going out on a date with some hot blonde!"

Nick interjects, trying to bring some clarity. "Hang on, Liv. Did Elliot actually say he was friend-zoning you, or was it more like he didn't want to complicate things because he didn't know how you felt?"

Olivia ponders for a moment, trying to recall the exact words Elliot used. "No, I don't think he actually used the words 'friend zone'. It was more like... he didn't want to risk ruining our friendship by taking things in a romantic direction. I guess because he didn't know how I felt about him."

Nick chimes in with some gentle prodding. "Yeah, Liv, if you have feelings for him, why did you avoid him? Why not just talk to him about how you feel?"

Olivia sighs, finally ready to acknowledge her mistake. "Alright, fine. I'll talk to him as soon as he gets home from his date. It's the least I can do. And besides, it's just a first date, right? So what if they click? It's not like they're getting married or anything. I should just go ahead and talk to him."

Nick grins, teasing Olivia with playful affection. "There we go, that's the Liv I know and love. Can't keep bottling those feelings forever, can you?"

Nick laughs and dodges the pillow, feigning a wounded ego. "Hey, hey, easy there. These pillows are for resting heads, not weaponizing. Don't hurt me. I'm just trying to help, okay?"

The evening passes quickly as Nick and Olivia spend quality time together. They play some board games, engaging in friendly competition.

Elliot smiles, as they head to Elliot's door "I had a great time, too, Dani. I'm sorry about you walking me to my door. I know being a gentleman it should've been the opposite." Elliot laughs.

Dani chuckles, waving off his apology. "No, no, it's alright. It's the 21st century. I don't mind a modern spin on traditional gender roles every now and then." Dani says, looking at Elliot.

Elliot's eyes go wide as Dani pins him against the door and starts kissing him. He's caught off guard, and his conflicted feelings make him freeze for a moment. He doesn't want to hurt Dani, but he doesn't want this level of intimacy without sorting out his feelings, either.

"I had a great time, Nick. Thank you for coming-" Olivia freezes, her heart sinking as she witnesses the scene in front of her. Elliot and Dani are locked in a kiss, and she feels a pang of pain and jealousy. She stands there for a moment, frozen in place, feeling as if she's intruded on something private.

Nick, sensing the tension and Liv's discomfort, tries to ease the atmosphere with a lighthearted comment. "Alright, I'll catch you later, Liv. It was nice seeing you." He nods awkwardly to Elliot and Dani as he passes by them, feeling the unspoken tension in the air.

"Alright, I'll catch you later, Liv. It was nice seeing you." He nods awkwardly to Elliot and Dani as he passes by them, feeling the unspoken tension in the air.

Elliot's heart races as he takes in Olivia's presence. He feels a pang of guilt and surprise, knowing that she witnessed the kiss. Silence hangs in the air for a moment, the tension palpable.

Elliot stutters for a moment, his heart thumping in his chest. His voice is tinged with guilt and a hint of nervousness as he greets Liv. "H-hi, Liv..."

Olivia shuts the door abruptly, her emotions getting the better of her. Her voice trembles slightly as she speaks. "Hi El, Well, good night." Olivia says sighing heavy heading to her bedroom .

Elliot remains frozen in place, his eyes still glued to the door. His mind races with conflicting thoughts and emotions. Dani notices his turmoil and speaks up, breaking the silence.

Dani reaches out and gently touches Elliot's arm, trying to draw his attention away from the door. "Elliot...are you okay?"

Elliot looks at Dani, his mind still fuzzy with conflicting emotions. He offers her a weak smile, his voice lacking conviction. "Yeah, um, catch you later, Dani." Elliot goes inside and shuts the door slowly. Put's his face in his hands. All he can think of is what Nick was doing over Liv's. Where are they having a date? Kissing? More? Elliot, stop. You were just on a date!" Elliot says to himself, letting out a heavy sigh.