Elliot quietly fit the key into the door. The slight jingle felt excessively loud in the dark, silent apartment. He shut the door softly, making sure the deadbolt was firmly in place before venturing further down the hall.

He toed his shoes off and set them inside the hall closet, leaving the door slightly ajar as he approached a safe discreetly tucked between the shelves of a bookcase.

He silently removed his badge from his belt and his sidearm from its holster. The safe chirped as he punched the code.

6313. A number that represented the entirety of his adult life.

He set the items inside, pausing briefly to run his fingers over the surface of a different badge.

Her badge.

He clicked the safe shut and activated the lock. He navigated through the darkened apartment easily enough. He shrugged his jacket off and placed it on a chair back as he passed through the kitchen. Noah's soft snore floated out his slightly opened door.

He smiled at the thought of Olivia's little boy, who was becoming less little with every passing day.

A few steps further down the hall, he found her door half open, but the room completely darkened inside. He stepped through the door, pulling his shirt off as he passed her laundry basket. Before venturing further, he leaned down and scooped up a discarded bra that didn't quite make it in the basket. He shucked off his jeans, folding them on a corner armchair before reaching for a pair of his joggers carefully folded on the top of Olivia's dresser.

He started in the direction of the bathroom, but paused briefly when he passed her sleeping body on the bed. Her brow furrowed when he leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead, but her breathing remained slow and even as she remained in sleep.

He left the bathroom light off, not wanting to wake her. A small nightlight provided enough light for him to find his toothbrush in the cup near the sink.

As he finished brushing his teeth, he felt his limbs begin to feel heavy. Nights like these, he felt the strain of getting older. His muscles ached as they began the now slow process of recovering after a strenuous day.

Olivia hadn't moved an inch by the time he slid beneath the comforter. He scooted himself towards the middle of the bed and reached for the now familiar curve of her hip. Her eyes remained closed, but she scooted herself back so he could more easily spoon his body around hers. His head dropped to his pillow, but her head was so close that her brown hair tickled his nose with every inhale.

He felt her chest rise and fall with a deliberate sort of sigh before her fingers wove between his, pulling his arm more tightly around her. "Did you get your guy?" She mumbled with her eyes still closed.

He squeezed her hand and lifted his head enough to kiss her cheek. "We got 'em."

She let out another light, contented sigh. "Good."

He nodded, and his eyes dropped shut, exhaustion finally catching up with him. Before he could completely succumb, he felt her rolling over so her head was tucked beneath his chin, her breath sending warm tingles to his chest. He felt her press a lingering kiss to the base of his throat as she snuggled into the warmth of his bare chest.

"Missed you," she mumbled, still half asleep.

One of his hands draped over her hip and the other brushed lightly through her hair. He blinked his eyes open so he could savor the sight of the most beautiful woman he had ever known tucked tightly against him. He kissed her forehead again while his fingers brushed through her sleep tossed hair.

"Missed you too." And he did. Every single day.

"You gonna be here in the morning?" She asked with a yawn.

"I'm planning on it. If it's okay."

Her eyes drifted open as she woke a little more. Her hand lay on his cheek. "More than okay."

The perfect affection in her eyes made his heart skip, and he couldn't help but kiss her lips softly. "Go back to sleep," he whispered. "I'll be here in the morning," he promised.

"Okay," she mumbled with closed eyes. From the sound of her voice, he knew she was drifting off once again.

He closed his eyes and felt himself drifting off, but before he could completely succumb to sleep, a hushed whisper slipped through his consciousness. "Love you."

He wasn't sure if was asleep or not, but someone in the place between wakefulness and sleep he hoped she heard him when he said, "I love you too."