Charlotte Cafe

Upper West Side

Wednesday June 11th

The late afternoon light slanted through the café windows, casting golden streaks across the worn wooden table between them. The place was quiet, just the soft hum of conversation and the hiss of milk steaming behind the counter.

Liv sat tucked into the corner booth, her fingers curled around a ceramic posture was relaxed, but her eyes, not so much.

Amanda sat across from her, elbow propped on the table, chin in her hand. She was watching Liv like she was trying to decode a language only she could hear.

"I can't figure out this look on your face" Amanda said.

Liv's gaze flicked up. "What look?"

"I dunno, it's not part of the usual Olivia Benson repertoire."

Liv exhaledsharply. "Just spit it out, Amanda, you know you want to…"

Amanda raised an eyebrow, her tone dry. "Liv, it's just…Okay, the yacht, carnival, the farmers' market. He told you that he helps support a mom-and-pop restaurant out of the goodness of his heart, that didn't do something to you?"

Liv rolled her eyes. "Seriously, you think I'm...that I'm…what, a sucker, pathetic?"

Amanda just watched her, quiet for a moment. Then, more softly, "Liv, I'm not saying you're not allowed to feel something, but something is off, with you. And no, I don't think you're any of those things."

Liv's jaw clenched, she glanced away, fingers tightening around the mug.

"I know who Ed is, or… who he could be. But what if it's not that simple? What if there's more to him than a file full of bad decisions."

Amanda didn't know how to answer Liv's question, she just nodded slightly, letting Liv have the space.

"You ever thinksomeone's bad, but not because they wanted to be? Like,the world twisted them into something they never meant to become?"

Amanda was quiet for a beat, then nodded. "Yeah. But that's what makes them so dangerous.

Because you start rewriting reality to match the hope you feelthat they're not actually a bad person."

Liv's voice cracked. "I don't want to rewrite anything, I just want to understand him."

Amanda's response was quiet. "I'm not sure if that's possible, and you could drive yourself crazy trying."

Liv's voice dipped, just above a whisper. "It's just, helooks at me like I'm not broken…"

Amanda reached across the table, her fingers brushing lightly over Liv's hand.

"You're not wrong for wanting something real. But wanting it doesn't make him real, and you're not broken, Liv."

Liv's lips parted, but nothing came out at first. She looked down at their hands, Amanda's fingers just barely touching hers.

"It's not just that," she said finally, her voice shaky. "I fell like he sees me, all the tangled, messy parts, and it doesn't scare him."

Amanda's eyes softened. "Maybe he does."

Liv blinked. "What?"

Amanda pushed her concern down, she knew if she pushed harder Liv would shut down.

"Look, I'm not saying he's safe, or good, or that you should throw caution out the window. But maybe… you see something real in each other, and that's what makesit complicated."

Liv gave a tiny, broken laugh. "When is it not complicated?"

Amanda leaned back, pulling her hand away gently. "You're human, Liv. Just don't let your heart override your 've survived worse than this, you don't have to pretend you're bulletproof."

Liv blinked hard, looking away toward the window, her reflection blurry in the glass.

"I don't want everyone to thinkI've lost my mind."

"No one's saying that…"

"Only because you're the only one I'm telling this too... I can only imagine what Elliot would say if I told him this."

Amanda leaned forward a little. "You know what I'm thinking? You've been walking around in the dark a long time, and when someone shines a little light your way, it's easy to mistake that for warmth."

Liv sighed and took a sip of her coffee. "It still sounds like you're calling me pathetic…"

Amanda's voice softened again. "C'mon, I would never say that about you."

"Thank's for listening…"

"You never have to thank me for listening, Liv."

Amanda finished the last gulp of her coffee and shot Liv a grin, wanting to change the subject and lighten the mood.

"Now, more importantly, you need to give me a tour of this apartment."

Amanda swung open the door to Liv's apartment, her eyes widened, and her jaw fell.

"Wow. Stabler wasn't lying."she wandered further inside, shaking her head in disbelief.

Liv shut the door, her amusement dimming slightly as a small wave of concern crept in.

"I'm not sure you should be here?" she called after her, folding her arms.

Amanda shot her a grin over her shoulder. "Elliot's been here, so fairs fair, and I won't tell if you don't!"

Liv chuckled, shaking her head. Amanda had always been able to talk her into bending the rules, even when she knew better. There was just something about the way Amanda pushed—half mischief, half genuine belief—that made it hard to say no.

A sudden shriek from the bedroom snapped her out of her thoughts.

"What the… Amanda?"

Liv rushed inside to find Amanda rifling through the luxurious dresses hanging in her wardrobe, her fingers brushing over silk and designer tags.

"Versace? Dolce? Didn't think DEA's budget stretched that far!"

Liv plopped onto the bed, watching with amusement as Amanda held up a dress against her own frame, studying herself in the mirror.

"Nope. They're from him…"

Amanda froze mid-motion, turning to face her, one eyebrow arching."He's buying you designer dressesafter two dates?"

Liv hesitated. "Err, he bought them to wear on the dates."

Amanda slowly lowered the dress, her expression shifting into something between skepticism and concern.

"Wait, he's not expecting…"

Liv cut her off with a smirk. "He's actually been a perfect gentleman. So far."

Amanda chuckled, "Except for spanking unsuspecting melons?"

Liv's phone buzzed in her , ever observant, caught the way her friend's lips curved into a soft, almost involuntary grin.

"It's him, isn't it…" she teased, tilting her head with a knowing smirk.

Liv didn't bother denying it. Instead, she nodded and pressedplay on the video message.

The screen lit up with a shot of Ed, lounging by a pool in nothing but a pair of board shorts. His tanned skin glistened under the sun, and as he adjusted the angle, he purposefully panned the camera—starting with his face, then trailing slowly down his defined abs before settling on the crystal-clear water behind him.

"Hi, beautiful," he said, his voice smooth and teasing. "Just taking a quick sun break before I start an afternoon of meetings."

Amanda let out a low whistle, nudging Liv's shoulder. "Damn. He knows exactly what he's doing."

Liv rolled her eyes, but the warmth in her cheeks betrayed her.

Amanda grinned. "So… does he have a brother?"

Liv laughed. "I'll ask…"

Later that night, Liv lay in bed, one arm tucked behind her head, the other resting on her stomach as her phone sat forgotten on the pillow beside her. The room was dark, save for the faint glow of the streetlight creeping through the blinds, casting long shadows across the walls. She stared at the ceiling, it was quiet—too quiet, the kind of quiet that used to feel like safety, but lately just felt like a reminder of how alone she really was.

Her phone buzzed, as if it could feel the tension in her chest and decided to throw her a lifeline.

Ed: How was your day, Beautiful? Do anything interesting?

She stared at it for a second. Her lips twitched, trying not to form a smile. Then her fingers started moving.

Liv: Not really, but spanking a watermelon in front of strangersis hard to top.

Ed: Just you wait till the next market…

There was a pause, then another text came in—quieter, more real.

Ed:That was a good morning, wasn't it?It felt… normal. Like the rest of the world didn't exist for a second.

Liv let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been fingers hovered over the keyboard.

Liv: Yeah, it was.

She stared at the screen for a moment, then added:

Liv: Normal's rare these days, nice to know someone else feels the same way.

She paused, she didn't want to big deal out of it—at least that's what she told herself. She just needed confirmation. For the job.

Liv: So… earlier. When you called me your girlfriend.

She paused, re-read it, then hit send before she could second-guess herself.

It didn't take long for his reply to come through.

Ed: You noticed that, huh?

Liv: Hard not to. Thought maybe I imagined it.

Ed: You didn't. It just… slipped out.

Liv:Freudian slip or planned PR?

Ed: It wasn't just for show. It came out because… it felt right in the moment. Still does.

She stared at his words for a long beat, her heart knocking a little harder in her chest.

Ed:Did it freak you out?

Liv:I've been called worse.

Ed:Haha, seriously, though, I don't want to be just "some guy" to you, Livvy.

That one made her pause,Amanda's words echoed in her head, soft but insistent. Still, she had a job to do. The rest- her doubts, her feelings, had to wait.

Liv: You're not just some guy...

Her stomach flipped—annoying, uncontrollable. She quickly sent another message.

Liv: But d on't get ahead of yourself.

His reply was instant.

Ed: Too late. I'm already imagining you stealing all the covers.

Liv: I do steal the covers. It's a survival instinct.

Ed: It's fine, I'll freeze for the cause.

She smirked, pulling the blanket tighter around herself despite being completely alone.

Liv: So… we're really doing this?

Ed: We already are.

She stared at his words for a long second before typing back.

Liv: Okay then. Goodnight, Ed.

Ed: Sweet Dreams, girlfriend.

She rolled her eyes, but she didn't stop smiling.

A persistent knocking at her door dragged Liv from sleep. She groggily reached for her phone—8:55 a.m. With a sigh, she threw back the covers and shuffled toward the door. The knocking grew louder, more insistent. She already knew who it was before she even looked through the peephole. When she opened the door, Elliot was standing there, hands buried in his jacket pockets, jaw clenched with concern.

"Really?It's not even nine am." she said, leaning against the doorframe.

"The Liv I know is up at six every morning."

She gave a half smile, tired and unamused. "You know as well as I do, I'm not that Liv right now…"

Elliot droped his gaze, his voice low. "Yeah, I noticed…"

Liv stepped aside with a reluctant sigh, letting him in. He moved past her, his eyes doing a quick sweep of the place like he half-expected to find blood on the walls or some hidden clue she hadn't told him about.

"I had to see you with my own eyes," he said simply.

"What? I'm fine, everything is fine."

"Doesn't feel like it."

She shook her head becoming irritated by his presence.

"Nothing's burning, no broken bones," she muttered. "Feel better now?"

He turned to face her, his voice gentler than his expression. "Liv, I'm not trying to be overbearing. I just…"

She raised a brow. "You just,what?"

"I'm trying to do my job, but I alsocare about you," he said. "Is that really so hard to believe? We've been through enough. Partners. For better or worse, remember? And I don't understand why you can't see that."

She folded her arms across her chest, defensive walls going up fast. "Don't make this into something it's not."

"I'm not," Elliot said. "But you shut me out every time I try to be there for you. Why?"

There was a pause. A long one. Her gaze faltered just slightly, something flickering in it—something vulnerable. But she didn't let it stay.

Instead, she blew out a breath and tried to steer things in another direction.

"So, he called me his girlfriendthe other day…" she said suddenly, not even sure why she blurted it out—maybe to change the subject, maybe to make a point, maybe because it felt easier than answering Elliot's question.

Elliot blinked. "Ed?"

"Mm-hmm," she said, walking over to the couch and flopping down like it meant nothing. "Dropped it like it was casual."

He stayed standing, hands still in his pockets, tension radiating off him now for entirely different reasons. "And… what? You're okay with that?"

"I thought you'd be pleased, you know, means I'm making progress."

Elliot studied her,he could normally read her like a book, but not tonight. "Well, good…"

Liv gave him a tight smile. "So, we're good?"

He let out a slow breath, looking down at the floor, then back up at her.

"I'm not going to stop caring, Liv," he said, voice low. "Even if it pisses you off."

"I know," she murmured.

And for the first time in the whole conversation, she didn't sound angry.

Elliot gave her hand a squeeze as he exited the apartment, "Remember, I'm the longest relationship you've ever had with a man…"

She gave him a feint smile and leaned on the door as she closed it letting out a deep sigh.

She knew Elliot was just looking out for her—the same way Amanda had earlier when she warned her to be careful—but something about Elliot always made her walls go up. Maybe it was the history, maybe it was the way he saw too much without saying a word. Whatever it was, his concern never sat easy. It pressed on old wounds she thought she'd buried, stirred defenses she didn't even realize were still there.

Liv trudged back to her bed and collapsed face-first onto the mattress, muffling a scream into her pillow.

A moment later, the sharp ding of her phone snapped her back to reality. She took a breath, pulling herself together as she reached for it.

Ed: Morning, girlfriend…

Liv smirked, sinking deeper into her pillows.

Liv: Morning, boyfriend. Big, thrilling day ahead?

Ed: Work. Meetings. Endless excitement, you?

Liv: Still in bed…

Ed: Cruel. Now I'm picturing you all tangled up in sheets.

Liv: Easy, Romeo. Don't get yourself too riled up before your big day of spreadsheets.

Ed: I wouldn't have to rely on imagination if you told me what you're wearing…

A laugh escaped her lips, quiet and unexpected. Typical. For a split second, she considered playing along, giving him some x rated reply just to see what he'd do. But she didn't need this to become just another game, another story, another notch on Ed's belt. She needed this, whatever it was becoming, to be real, to matter, to him anyway.

With a smirk, Liv threw back the covers, revealing her feet wrapped in bright yellow socks decorated with ridiculous cartoon ducks. She snapped a quick photo and sent it off.

The reply came fast. Faster than she expected.A photo of Ed's feet, surprisingly clean, wearing socks patterned with lounging capybaras.

Ed: Feet pics, huh? How forward of you, Livvy… are you trying to tell me something?

She cringed, groaning softly as her cheeks heated. The thought hadn't even crossed her mind. She started typing, then erased it. Tried again. Deleted again. She didn't want to make it weird, but if this was him trying to tell her something… she didn't want to shame him either.

Backspace. Type. Delete. Repeat.

Her phone buzzed again before she could hit send.

Ed: I can hear you overthinking…

Liv: I was trying to think of something clever to say, but didn't want to shame you at the same time…

Ed: So considerate of you. But alas, I do not have a foot fetish, if that's what you're thinking.

She chuckled and waited for his next message seeing the three dots appear on her screen.

Ed: But I did find out you've been keeping something from me…

Her heart stuttered. One short sentence and her entire body went cold. She sat up straighter in bed, the air suddenly feeling too forced herself to breathe.

Liv: And what's that?

A beat passedand another.

Ed: We can talk about it Sunday night. You free?

Her fingers hovered for a second before typing.

Liv:Ah… yeah. Pretty sure I am.

Ed:Good. I'll pick you up at 6. Oh, and wear that other dress I sent you. Don't want it to go to waste. Sweet dreams, Livvy.

She stared at the screen, blinking. That was it? No clue? No teasing hint?

Liv:You're not even going to give me a clue?

three silence.

Liv set her phone down slowly, plugging it in, then leaned back against her pillow. The ceiling stared back at her like it had answers she'd never find.

Her thoughts started racing.

"He can't know…"

Her voice barely registered above a whisper. She sat up abruptly, flicked on the lamp, and opened her bedside drawer. The cool metal of her gun met her fingertips as she pulled it out, checked the magazine, and placed it back in the lay back down, eyes wide open in the dark.

"He's just messing with you…" she murmured.

But the doubt had already burrowed in.

She turned onto her side, staring at the faint outline of her phone on the nightstand, as if it might light up again, give her something more to hold onto.

Nothing.

Just the hum of the city beyond her window and the sound of her own pulse in her ears.

He knew something. Or he wanted her to think he did. Either way, he'd gotten under her skin—again. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to silence the thoughts. But they wouldn't stop. She wasn't just afraid of being exposed—she was afraid of what came next if she wasn't.