1. Chapter 1

After the credits rolled Elliot took the bowl of popcorn and sodas into the kitchen. He poured out the remaining contents of soda, rinsed out the cans and put them in Liv's recycle bin. That stint in Oregon made her a real friend of Mother Earth.

Once finished cleaning up in the kitchen he returned to his partner's bedroom. She was still sleeping, curled up on her side like a child. He imagined her as a kid in her little nightgown sucking her thumb in that same position.

"She must've been adorable." He whispered to himself before sitting on the opposite side of the bed from her.

He tried to resist putting her hair behind her ear as she habitually did. In the end he reached over and placed the soft brown tresses out of her face. After nearly losing her today he felt such a strong need not let her out of his sight. The doctor said her brachial artery was punctured. She could have bled out if the bus hadn't come so quickly.

Now he was just content to watch her sleeping so peacefully. If he had lost her, he would've been lost as well. End of story. So he stayed to make sure he didn't take that fact for granted.

Thankfully she hadn't kicked him out after suggesting the movie marathon. He toed his shoes off on from his side of the bed and lay down next to Liv keeping a respectable distance between them and staying above the covers. Just because she hadn't asked him to leave didn't mean she wouldn't feel weird about him being in her bed.

Before Elliot realized it, the early morning sun was warming his face through her sheer curtains. He began to panic not being able to explain himself when he realized their positioning.

During the night they had gravitated towards each other like the moon to the earth. Olivia was nestled into Elliot's side with her head laying on his shoulder. Her good arm was beneath her while the injured one lay over his chest. One of his arms encircled her waist while the other lay atop the one she had across him.

He felt her stirring and had absolutely no clue what to do so he froze and waited for her to realize he was still there. Hopefully she wouldn't be angry or annoyed with him.

When she awoke and noticed she was snuggled up next to her partner she looked up at him with questioning eyes.

"El?" She said to him in a voice raspy from newly waking. "You stayed all night?" She continued extracting herself from him and sitting up.

"Yeah sorry." He responded following suit. "Guess I fell asleep watching y…um…the movie marathon." He added trying to clean his near response up.

She may think it a bit weird if he confessed to dozing off after watching her sleeping but he couldn't just leave her. Olivia allowed him to hold her hand in the E.R. which was a feat in and of itself from Ms. "I'm Fine." And when she leaned against him on the ride home, he simply wanted more of that closeness with her.

"Well, thanks for taking such good care of me El." She said giving him a small smile. "I'm just sorry I didn't get to watch the marathon with you, those painkillers really put me out."

"It's okay." He told her swinging his legs over the bed to put his shoes on. "You didn't miss much." He added giving her a crooked smile of his own. "How's the arm?"

"Still hurts like a bitch." She responded resting her back against her headboard. "I think it's time for another dose of pain meds." She advised him scooting out of bed. "Shouldn't take 'em on an empty stomach though. I need to find some breakfast."

"I'll take care of that." He said standing up. "Why don't you take a shower and I'll get things started." He continued trying not to smile. "Blueberry pancakes sound good?"

Olivia broke into a wide grin. He knew of course that those were her favorite pancakes.

"I'd love some but I don't want you to go through any trouble." She told him. "You've done enough already, I can just eat toast."

"It's no trouble at all." He said heading to the kitchen. "I talked Cragen into giving me a rec day since it's Friday and we're caught up on paperwork."

The truth was he told their boss he was taking the day off to take care of his partner and that he'd see him on Monday. Cragen decided not to argue since he was well aware of how tight the two were and things weren't that busy. For Elliot it was like a switch had been flipped and anything that kept him from showing his partner just how much he _really_ cared for her went right out the window. He only hoped she felt the same.

"Um, okay then." She responded. "I shouldn't be long."

Olivia managed to get her clothes off but didn't know how she was going to keep her bandage dry and shower at the same time. She would need some help so she grabbed a large bath towel and wrapped herself in it. Then she called for Elliot.

He knew she couldn't possibly be done that quickly but he rushed back to her bedroom forgetting he had the spatula in his hand. When he saw her standing in just a bath towel his mouth dropped open and the kitchen utensil hit the floor. She blushed a bit at his reaction but kept a small laugh from escaping her lips. Apparently he was a lot more appreciative of the curves she developed over the years than she was.

"I was wondering if you could tie a bag around this so it won't get wet." She asked him using her good hand to keep the towel wrapped around her. "There should be some in the drawer next to the refrigerator.

Elliot recovered quickly picking up the spatula in the process.

"Uh, yeah sure." He said trying to keep his eyes above her neck. "I'll be right back."

He returned quickly and Olivia held out her bicep so Elliot could help her. He gently wrapped the bag around her arm before making tighter knots above and below her injury. When he finished he had to resist the urge to kiss it as he did when fixing his children's boo boos.

The tender way he treated her wasn't lost on Olivia. She was beginning to wonder why he was being so sweet. They were standing only inches apart and he was seemingly staring right into her.

"El." She said waking him from his reverie. "Everything okay?"

Elliot shook his head and smiled. "Yeah, yeah. Everything's fine." He said backing away and heading out of her bedroom. "Pancakes will be ready by the time you're done."

He was out and back into the kitchen before she had a chance to so much as give him an okay. So, she continued getting showered and changed. It was a bit of a challenge but she managed. Who knew it was so difficult shampooing and blow drying your hair with one hand?

She wasn't going anywhere today so she opted for a t-shirt and some jeans. More than likely she'd end up sleeping half the day away anyway with those pain meds in her system. If Elliot wasn't still there she would've opted for another set of pajamas.

Olivia entered the kitchen to find a list of menu items that rivaled IHOP. Her eyes widened in shock as her mouth watered immediately.

"Hmmm. What smells so good?" She said eying all the food. "I know I didn't have all this in my kitchen."

"You had the stuff for pancakes but I went to the corner store for the rest." He informed her. "I've never cooked for you so I thought why not."

Olivia's small kitchen table was filled with pancakes, eggs, turkey bacon, fresh fruit and orange juice.

"Why not indeed." She said smiling. "I don't know who you are or what you've done with my partner but I'm gonna have to keep you around for awhile." She added sitting down.

"I hope so." He mumbled under his breath. "You want me to make you some tea?"

"No, no. I'm good thank you." She said putting butter on her short stack. "You've done enough why don't you sit down and help me eat all this."

"Okay." He told her and sat down to enjoy the fruits of his labor.

They chatted happily as they filled their stomachs. He told her about Eli's latest new words and she shared with him Simon's upcoming nuptials and how she was roped into being a bridesmaid. The two didn't once discuss a victim, a perp, a motive, an M.O, autopsy or DNA results. They just sat and enjoyed each other's company.

Once they were done Elliot cleaned off the table and loaded the dishwasher. Olivia almost forgot the pain in her arm until she tried to help causing her to wince.

"Liv no." He said taking the last of the dishes from her. "Let me."

"You've already done plenty El." Olivia tried to tell him. But the look on her face told him how much pain she was in. "I just wanted to help."

When he turned from putting the last dish in the machine he noticed that her bandage was seeping.

"You're bleeding." He told her gingerly taking her the hand of her good arm and leading her into the living room. "I'll get your meds and change your bandage."

After he gave her the medication and changed her bandage he laid her back onto the sofa, put the remote within her reach and covered her with a throw. It didn't take long for the effects of the drugs to kick in taking her pain away but making her drowsy.

"El." She began with a yawn while he propped pillows up behind her. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

He frowned a bit before asking his own question. "I'm not always nice to you?"

"Well…no you aren't." She informed him getting comfortable. "But it's okay." She added with a crooked grin. "I'm not always nice to you either."

"Okay so why do you ask?" He says sweeping the hair out of her face again.

"You just seem to be taking extra special care of me and I just wondered." She continued with her eyes getting heavier.

"I almost lost you yesterday Liv." He said leaning closer to her. "I couldn't take that."

"So it's the almost dying that does it for you Stabler?" She said smiling. "You are one sick man."

He laughed and shook his head. The drugs apparently had no effect on her morbid sense of humor.

"That's not the only reason." He mumbled thinking she hadn't heard because she closed her eyes.

"Well what's the other reason?" She asked behind closed lids.

He leaned in and whispered into her ear. "Don't you know I love you Olivia Benson."

She nodded and turned onto her good side to curl up. Elliot thought it was safe to say so since she probably wouldn't remember. He placed a warm moist kiss on her cheek then got his suit jacket and left a note saying he'd be back later for lunch. He hailed a cab and smiled to himself all the way home.

As soon as the door was closed Olivia realized what her partner had just said and her eyes popped open.

"Wait, what?" She said to her empty apartment.


	2. Chapter 2

Olivia sits up on the sofa momentarily dumbfounded. She doesn't know what to do. Would simply pretending she hadn't heard be the right thing? Or, should she confront him? It's not like she hasn't wanted him tell her what he feels for her. But she knows just as he does how _complicated_ that would make things.

Calling up the feds to see if they had some _essential _undercover assignment that only _she_ can do for a couple of months wasn't an option. She was in no shape. Problem solved. Decision made. Ignoring him it is.

Olivia no longer has the option of thinking about the problem. The medicine kicks in and she can't fight it any longer. She dozes off within minutes.

Several hours later she awakens to the sound of someone coming through her front door. She grabs her gun off a nearby table.

When she sees it's Elliot she puts it down but not before he spots the movement.

"Whoa Liv, it's just me." He says with a bag of food in his hand.

"Sorry, " She tells him putting the gun away. "I guess I've just lived alone for so long I'm not used to anyone coming in without knocking first." She adds laying back on the sofa and shaking her head over her nervousness.

"I figured with those pills that you'd still be knocked out." He tells her taking food containers out and putting them on her breakfast bar. "I just didn't wanna wake you."

"It's okay." She tells him sitting up. "So…what's for lunch?"

He just smiles and begins grabbing plates from a cabinet.

"Chicken salad on baby greens for you and turkey waldorf salad for me." He informs her. "Or we can switch if you want."

"No, it sounds really good." She says getting up to join him in the kitchen. "I'm hungry."

"Don't Liv." He says stopping her. "You're comfortable in there, I'll just bring the food to you."

Once he transfers the salads to the plates, gets some napkins and pours some iced tea, he sits down next to her on the sofa. She can't move any further away from him having chosen the end spot near the arm of the couch. They eat to the sounds of a Will Smith movie until Elliot decides to broach the subject she was content on ignoring.

"Liv." He begins. "When I was here earlier…" He pauses removing their plates and putting them in the dishwasher before returning to his spot next to her on the sofa.

"Yeah." She says trying to sound nonchalant while hoping, wishing and praying he wants to discuss anything else but his affections.

"I asked you something and you nodded…" He says nervously. "But I don't know if you heard me." He turns to her wanting her full attention but getting the side of her head instead as she watches the images on her television.

She was half out of it when he said it out loud to her the first time, but he doesn't know if he has the stones to tell her while she's fully conscious. If he hadn't almost lost her the day prior, the answer would definitely be no.

Olivia on the other hand is just as chicken as she's always been regarding the feelings she has for her partner. There is no way she's going to repeat what he said to her. Also, she's going to give him the opportunity to join in her feigned ignorance and lie to her about his profession of love.

The question is, will he?

"Um…" She says trying to pretend she's so into the movie though she's seen it several times before. "I don't know El, I was pretty out of it."

Elliot not one to back down from the challenge that he knows she's going to be, reaches for the remote and turns off the distraction.

Then, he scoots closer to his partner.

"So you don't remember what I asked you?" He questons looking intently into her eyes.

She doesn't want to lie to him so she deflects. "What do you think I missed that was so important?" She asks turning to him and folding her leg beneath her.

He pulls the hand from her uninjured arm to hold between both of his. Elliot looks down at their hands, takes a deep breath and looks back up into the waiting eyes of his best friend.

"I asked if you knew I loved you." He informs her. "That's what you nodded about."

He doesn't think he'd ever heard her do it before. But Olivia actually gasps, her mouth hangs open and her eyebrows are knit together.

She gets herself together after a moment and shuts her mouth. But she's still speechless. She didn't think he'd say it. Again.

"Liv." He says after about thirty seconds of silence. "Say something." He tells her losing some of his confidence.

"I…um…when…how do you know?" She asks pulling from his grasp to put her hand through her hair as is a nervous habit of hers.

Her response was a definite surprise to him. Elliot truly believes she knows how he's felt and in fact feels the same way. He thought maybe she'd be angry for risking the delicate balance that was their friendship and partnership. Or maybe she'd simply say it back and they would _expound_ on it. But dumbfounded…that was totally unexpected.

"When?" He mimics. "I can't pinpoint _when_ it happened." He says getting up to take their glasses into the kitchen suddenly needing something to do. "It's not like I can say it was a Thursday at 9 o'clock." He teases before sitting back down in her personal space. "But I do know that I love you…that I'm _in love _with you."

DAMN! was the first word that came to her mind. He went from plain old "I love you." to "I'm in love with you." which was a whole different ballgame in a whole other stadium. You could push her over with a feather.

"El…I don't know." She responds honestly. Olivia truly doesn't know what to tell him to make the last five minutes go away. She just wants to go back to her lonely but sane world where they avoided feelings and all talk of them.

"Ok." He says eerily calm. "Since you don't know how you feel, I think we should experiment."

She looks at him with a raised eyebrow before asking in a voice at least an octave higher. "What kind of experiment?"

"We kiss…" He begins.

"Excuse me?" She asks with wide eyes.

"Wait just hear me out Liv." He pleads. "We kiss. And if it feels the least bit weird or like you're kissing your brother…" He tells her inching closer. "You pull away and we forget this whole conversation ever happened."

"Wait." She says stopping him as he leans in. "How do you know _you_ won't pull away first?"

Elliot just gives Olivia a look like she's asked him if the sun still rose in the east and set in the west.

"You're a beautiful, sexy woman and I'm a man." He says incredulously resulting in a smile from her. "Why would I do that?"

"Silly question." She says nodding in agreement.

"Okay, you ready then?" He says leaning in again.

"No El." Olivia says getting up and retreating into her kitchen for another glass of iced tea. She was suddenly very thirsty and nervous around him.

"No." He repeats dejectedly.

"What if neither of us pulls back." She asks leaning against her breakfast bar. "What'll happen to our partnership?"

"Don't know." He admits. "Haven't thought that far ahead."

"Wow." She tells him shaking her head. "You are a man aren't you."

"Well you didn't think we'd be partners forever did you?" He asks sincerely going to stand in front of her.

"No." She tells him almost inaudibly. "Just until I retired or one of us died." She adds worrying her bottom lip.

He takes her hand and leads her back over to the sofa and sits her next to him. Elliot holds her hand and begins in a voice usually reserved for victims and his children. "We've already been partnered longer than most in this unit…hell longer than most in the department."

"There's nothing wrong with that." She tells him feeling and sounding emotional all of a sudden. "We're a good team."

Seeing how he's affecting her in a way he didn't want to, he decides to let her off the hook. "You're right." He says picking up the remote. "And here I am trying to ruin that…just forget I said anything." He adds before releasing her hand and grabbing the remote leaving his hands in his lap.

It's Olivia's turn to look at him like he's grown wings or a second head. She reaches over to grab the remote that he left between them and turns the t.v. off again.

"You told me you're in love with me." She says with a hurt look in her eyes. "You can really just turn it off like that?"

"No Olivia." He begins turning towards her. "I can't just turn it off but I'll deal with it." He adds closing his eyes and resting his head against the back of her sofa. "If you're not comfortable with the idea of us merely kissing…then it's okay because I'm the one who sprung this on you."

"We're attracted to one another Elliot." She admits. "You know we wouldn't just stop at kissing."

He grins widely then lifts his head off her sofa to smile at her seductively.

"Really?" He asks edging closer to his partner. "No self control huh?"

She feels the blush spread across her cheeks knowing he can see it too.

"Elliot you're the father of five kids." She says regaining her composure. "I don't think I'm the one with self control issues." She adds raising a triumphant eyebrow.

"So what's it about then?" He asks sincerely, giving her some space.

"It's about messing with a good thing." She reveals turning to face the television again. "So let's just sit here like the two good _friends_ we are and find a game to watch." She finishes reaching for the remote again.

Elliot reaches for it at the same time and the simple contact with her hand is electric. He lets his hand linger on hers before they both pull away never letting their eyes meet.

Just twenty minutes into a long slow inning and the two detectives have fallen asleep. Olivia's good arm rests up against Elliot's side and her head rests on his shoulder. His arm is draped gingerly over her shoulders careful to avoid her injured bicep.

A sudden crack of the bat simultaneously awakens them both. Olivia turns and looks at him then. She eyes his lips before Elliot slowly leans in. There is no move made to stop him this time as his lips descend upon hers.

Olivia turns into him leaning deeper into the kiss. She reaches up with her good hand and lays it against his cheek. Elliot instinctively puts his hands on her waist and furthers the kiss, circling her lips with his tongue before she acquiesces and lets him in. Olivia is the one to end the kiss nibbling on his lower lip before pulling away soliciting a grunt from him.

"That was…" She begins breathlessly touching her lips.

"…not weird." He finishes, releasing her and turning back towards the t.v.

"It didn't feel at all…" She tries, placing her hand in her lap.

"…like you were kissing your brother?" He rasps staring blankly at the screen. "But I knew it wouldn't be."

They both sit flush faced like a couple of teenagers that just finished necking on her parent's couch.

"Damn." She says suddenly. "What the hell are we gonna do now?"

He turns to her fully with a wide mouthed grin. "We could do it again."

She shakes her head and stands up needing to distance herself. Olivia's head had suddenly grown clouded sitting next to him. She needed space to think.

"Seriously Elliot, why'd you have to do that?" She asks, nervously running a hand through her hair.

"I'm sorry it just sort of happened, I…" He says scooting to the edge of her sofa preparing to explain before something dawns on him. "Wait a minute." He continues sitting back resting both arms behind himself on the couch. "As I recall you kissed me back." He tells her with raised eyebrows.

"That's beside the point." She says making a poor attempt at an argument. "Why Elliot?" She begins. "Why would you want to screw up a twelve year partnership?" She adds beginning to pace.

"Haven't we been getting along?" She continues, basically talking to herself as Elliot just nods and watches her pace.

"Don't you like working cases with me?" She goes on not letting him speak as he continues to nod in response.

"Aren't we good as friends?" She asks emphasizing the last word. Again he nods.

"Then why?" She asks one final time before she stops pacing.

Elliot studies her for a brief moment and then gets up. He walks slowly to stand in front of Olivia. He takes her face in both hands, leans in languidly enough to give her time to halt the advancement or pull away. But years of attraction, chemistry and the strength taken to ignore it went out the window during their first kiss.

When she doesn't stop him he knowingly smiles before kissing her tenderly and deeply as she raises her hand to place in the middle of his back. When he breaks the kiss she still has her eyes closed for a moment before looking into his.

"I already told you why Liv." He says reaching up to put a stray hair behind her ear before they release one another. "I'm in love with you." He adds stuffing his hands into his front pockets. "Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't feel the same."

She can't do it. Olivia can't lie to him. She pinches the bridge of her nose, closes her eyes and looks at the floor taking a deep breath.

"That's what I thought." He tells her stepping away. "Then why is it you're kissing me back one minute and telling me we shouldn't ruin our partnership the next?" He asks going to a nearby closet to get his jacket.

"Where are you going?" She says suddenly worried.

"If you're gonna push me away…" He begins scrubbing his hand over his face. "I don't have any choice but to go." He adds walking towards the door. "You're due for your meds they're in your bedroom on the nightstand." He continues, opening the door. "I'll be back later to check on you but I can't be here right now."

He closes the door quietly behind him and Olivia is left alone with her thoughts. She knows she hurt him and she hates herself for it. Tears pool in her eyes and she doesn't bother trying to wipe them away.


	3. Chapter 3

Elliot usually returns just after her meds wear off. Two hours after that and he still hasn't come back. Olivia really can't blame him. She rejected him after he put his heart on his sleeve.

She knows he isn't the type of man to openly talk about his feelings. Who knows how long it'll be before he feels comfortable doing it again, if ever. Truly being able to talk to him is one of things she's loved about him…loves about him.

Olivia has just been too scared of losing the safety and familiarity of their partnership to risk telling him. Maybe if she says it aloud she can get it out of her system.

"I love Elliot." She says to no one but the surrounding walls. "I'm in love with my partner." She whispers as if she's telling herself a secret.

To great surprise her lips turn up into a broad smile. She puts her hand to her mouth in disbelief. Maybe she should tell him she's changed her mind.

Meanwhile Elliot has been walking the Manhattan streets for hours trying to figure out how to fall out of love with Olivia.

He can't get the feel of her lips out of his mind nor can he stop his thoughts from wondering to the way she smells, how soft her skin is or how good her hair feels between his fingers.

Elliot knows it's going to be hell whenever she returns to work. He tells himself when he sees her in a sexy outfit going out with another man he won't embarrass her by slugging the guy.

He feels that in order to be able to go back to the status quo, he's going to have to distance himself emotionally from her. He can't share with her anymore.

There will be no more going out for drinks after work. He won't ask about her love life, her vacation plans or her weekend activities.

Elliot resolves to treat her as only his partner and nothing else. To him, she'll just be one of the guys.

These are the lies he has to tell himself in order to get his game face on. He's hurt but he can't allow it to affect his working relationship with Olivia.

"What the hell am I doing." He says stopping suddenly in the middle of a busy sidewalk causing on lookers to think he's lost his mind.

Elliot knew she'd be a challenge. He _knew_ she'd throw up walls and that she'd run from her feelings. He expected nothing less yet he had folded so quickly. His wheels began to turn and the game face he was going to put on turns into the face of a man who's in love and now has one mission: Get Olivia to give them a chance.

Just as Olivia is about to give up the idea that he'll return to check on her, she hears his signature knock at her door.

When she opens it he's all business walking right past her and into the kitchen with an arm full of groceries.

"How's the arm?" He says sitting down ingredients for some type of pasta dish she isn't sure she's seen before.

"It's okay." She responds watching him from a chair at her bar. "What's all this?"

If he wants to ignore their previous conversation she can respect that. She is the one who pushed him away.

"I'm gonna make seafood cannelloni with tomato coulis and besciamilla." He informs her. "I took an Italian cooking class to distract myself from the divorce and never get to use the skills." He adds grinning at her over the groceries.

"I didn't know you cooked at all El." She says watching him. "But really, you don't have to go through so much trouble."

"It's okay." He tells her. "It's good to do something with my hands other than put them through walls."

"Right." She responds simply, knowing she was the reason he wanted to put his fists through some plaster. "It looks complicated though."

"It's worth it." He says pausing to eye her intently. "You'll see when it's done." He adds winking at her and preheating the oven. She just shakes her head and continues to watch.

He takes out prepared crepe-like pasta sheets and places them in her refrigerator. Then she watches in awe as he slices and dices fresh tomatoes, basil, oregano and garlic.

After putting all those ingredients in a food processor he simmers them as a sauce on the stove creating the type of mouth watering aroma she's sure she's only smelled in her favorite Italian Trattoria.

She inhales deeply and smiles broadly. Seeing her reaction he walks over to her with a wooden spoon of the sauce for her to savor. "That tastes so good El." She says licking her lips.

He definitely feels he's on the right track. "I'm glad you like it." He says putting a lid on the pot and putting the coulis in the refrigerator until he finishes the seafood filling.

Watching him move around in her kitchen knowing exactly what he's doing is strangely appealing to her. She can't take her eyes off of him.

Shrimp, crabmeat, parmesan cheese, mushrooms and green onions are sautéed in butter creating yet another enticing aroma. Again he approaches her with the spoon watching her eyes close in pleasure.

"So, so good." She says to him opening her eyes. If she didn't know better she'd think the man was seducing her with food.

Elliot just smiles knowingly and continues cooking. With his back to her stirring the filling, Olivia takes the time to admire his well formed posterior. He turns just in time to notice.

She quickly tries to cover. "Anything I can do to help?" She asks him. "Maybe make the salad or something?"

Elliot smirks and shakes his head. He knows where her eyes were seconds ago. "Nope. I got it." He tells her, setting the filling aside to start on the second sauce.

Butter, flour, milk, nutmeg and more parmesan cheese goes into yet another pan to make the besciamella.

After that's done he puts the coulis in a baking dish, stuffs the crepes with seafood filling and besciamella then spoons more of the coulis atop before putting it into the oven.

She watches as he tosses a fresh green salad and puts it in the refrigerator. When he turns around she's staring at him again. Yep, it is definitely working.

"It'll take about 30 minutes to bake so what do you want to do to kill time my friend?" He asks standing in front of her with his arms crossed over his chest.

Olivia's eyes go immediately to his arms and how his t-shirt fits tightly over the well formed chest that matches his well formed ass.

She shakes her head, closing her eyes trying to get her thoughts together. He added that "friend" comment to reiterate _her_ decision to keep their relationship platonic.

"We could listen to some music there's a CD I just bought I haven't had the chance to hear yet." She tells him getting up to put some distance between her and temptation.

Olivia walks over to her stereo, puts in Miles Davis' Kind of Blue and takes a seat on her sofa. Elliot joins her and they sit side by side enjoying the music and waiting on the food. He keeps a respectable distance from Olivia and she tries not to stare as he closes his eyes to the music. When it gets to the third track she begins to regret her CD choice. It's a slow, melodious tune that you only listen to when you want to relax with a glass of wine…or the one you loved.

Elliot hears opportunity knocking with the first notes of the song. He stands up without saying a word and reaches out for Olivia's hand.

She smiles to herself, takes his hand allows him to help her up. Friends dance together she tells herself. She puts the hand from her good arm on his shoulder while he carefully put his arms around her waist avoiding the other arm in a sling.

Because she isn't wearing her signature boots he's at least three inches taller. He looks down at her and smiles as they sway together. Olivia blushes in spite of herself and rests her cheek against his chest. Yeah I'm sure Munch and Fin have danced like this before.

It feels unimaginably sexy, unbelievably natural and comforting being in his arms. Not to mention dangerously like she doesn't want to let him go. He's holding her so tenderly and their moving so much in sync it's as if they've danced this way together a million times before. She steps closer to him moving her hand to the nape of his neck and breathing him in.

A few minutes later the buzzer goes off in the kitchen, she acts as if she doesn't hear it and continues swaying with him.

"Um Liv." He begins, grinning at how well his plans are going. "I should get the food before it burns."

"Ok." She says letting him go into the kitchen, chastising herself as he walks away. "What's wrong with me?" She whispers to herself. "He's right. I am giving him mixed messages."

After dinner she plans on just thanking him and telling him he doesn't have to take care of her tomorrow. She's fine alone. Olivia can take care of herself with one arm while she's loopy on painkillers. Feeding and bathing herself is something she's done by herself for quite sometime. It's okay.

"So do you wanna eat in here or in there?" He asks removing the pasta from the oven. He sprinkles parmesan cheese and fresh parsley on the pasta as a final touch.

"In here is good." She tells him thinking that staying away from her sofa was a safe way to keep things platonic between them.

Elliot sit's the plates of cannelloni, French bread, salad and white wine on the small dining table. She takes a look at the spread and looks down at her clothes.

"I feel very underdressed with all the trouble you've gone through." She tells him looking down at her clothes self consciously.

"You're gorgeous." He says instantly, pulling out her chair for her. "Friend."

"Thanks but you're lying." She responds. "And I don't think Munch tells Fin the same thing."

"Of course he does." He informs her not being able to keep a straight face at the obvious lie. "You're just never around." He adds sitting across from her.

She smirks at him in disbelief before digging into the appetizing food that he's made for her. In one bite she tastes the combination of flavors come together making her taste buds very happy.

If he is in fact trying to seduce her with food, it's unquestionably working. And if kissing like a soap star and cooking like Emeril Lagasse _aren't_ the best things she could be looking forward to in being with him, she is seriously regretting her decision to just be friends.

"So was it worth the wait or what?" He asks her expectantly, looking like a kid waiting on high praise for a job well done on his finger paints.

"It was so worth the wait El." She says taking another bite. "You could open a restaurant after you retire."

"Thank you." He says smiling. "I'll keep that in mind."

They eat the wonderfully tasty dish that he's prepared and talk about everything from why she loves jazz to how she ended up with a classic mustang. It was like getting to know her all over again without the job as a backdrop. There was a newness to it but a hint of familiarity all at the same time.

Elliot listens to her intently, happy she's sharing so much about herself. For Olivia it's been awhile since she's felt comfortable enough with someone to open up.

"I've been talking about myself all this time." She says putting down her fork. "You've gotta be bored listening to me ramble on."

"No." He says beginning to clear the dishes and adding them to the dishwasher. "I thought I knew everything about you and it turns out I've been missing out."

"Apparently I have too." She says helping him bring in a dish or two. "I could've saved a lot of money by having you bring in lunch." She adds smiling.

"Well you'll have enough left over for lunch tomorrow." He informs her putting the extra food in the refrigerator. "I'm just sorry there's no dessert."

"I'm not." She tells him taking the wine and glasses into the living room. "I couldn't possibly eat anything else."

"You wouldn't say that if you could taste my tiramisu." He advises her taking a seat next to her on the sofa.

"Really?" She says curling her leg beneath her. "Well feel free to bring a sample to work with you anytime."

"I couldn't do that." He tells her grinning. "We can't have the guys thinking I made you dessert." He adds taking a sip of wine. "That's something I'd do for a lover…not a friend."

Olivia thinks this the perfect opportunity to express to her partner how she's changed her mind. She unfolds her leg, edges right up to Elliot taking the glass of wine out of his hand setting it on her coffee table.

She leans and takes in his bottom lip between hers suckling the last bits of wine off them before kissing him fully. Olivia feels him smiling against her lips as she releases him.

"I won't lie to you Olivia." He says with a hand on her thigh. "Munch does _not_ kiss Fin like that." He adds smiling, knowing his planned has worked. "What are you doing?"

"I'm thanking you for taking such good care of me for the last two days…for cooking me such a delicious meal…and…." She says covering the hand he has on her thigh. "For loving me." She adds in a voice becoming a bit emotional.

He takes his other hand and lifts her face to his for another passionate kiss. "You never have to thank me for that." He says after releasing her and getting up.

"Where are you going?" She says following him to the door.

"I should go. No self control remember?" He says grabbing his jacket. "I don't want to hurt your arm."

She pulls the jacket from his grasp and takes his hand.

"We can be careful." Olivia tells him leading him away from the door.

Elliot stops her. "What are you doing now?" He asks in a low voice that encourages her decision.

"Earning my tiramisu." She answers, guiding him to her bedroom. "Don't you know I love you Elliot Stabler?"

He just nods and follows. Mission accomplished.


End file.
