Noah talked her into one more day with Connor after the BX9 threat was officially deemed over, so Olivia found herself alone on a Saturday night. Well, at least until Elliot had shown up on her doorstep with her favorite Chinese and a bottle of Nero d'Avola. She was glad to see him, secretly she always is.

Ten years is a long time to be without your other half.

But as much as she missed him, longed for him, wished he was there for all of her successes and through her traumas, Olivia's still hesitant where her former partner is concerned. All the years of telling herself he was off limits or that he hadn't felt what she did is an ingrained part of her that won't easily be exorcised. The idea that new possibilities exist for them remains…daunting.

And, she's still hurt that he left her.

They sit on opposite ends of her small sofa after discussing the conclusion of the BX9 case, Amanda's departure, how Eli's doing in Colorado and…Tia. That's when the awkwardness began.

"I uh, apparently had a little too much Grappa and told her there's a woman I'm in love with," he explains. "I slept on the couch—put her on a plane when the case was over."

Olivia shouldn't be jealous over he and Tia's carefree night or feel relieved that his other former partner is apparently long gone but she is.

"Sounds like Tia was waiting for an invitation to stick around," Olivia points out before taking a sip of wine. "Good thing you came up with this mystery woman."

Elliot smiles at her. Genuine. Full of teeth and dimples as he shakes his head.

"What?" She asks.

"There's apparently only one person she's a mystery to."

The way he looks at Olivia makes her mouth go dry.

"Elliot I…don't know what to say."

He doesn't interrupt, just waits her out, and lets her wrap her head around it. Sits back and takes a breath as he meets her eyes, letting the realization wash over her.

"You seem surprised," he says. "That because I admitted it to you or told someone else?"

"Both."

"Who knew talking to a shrink is actually useful?" He quips. "But seriously…he helped me figure out a couple things. One of which is that my feelings aren't new."

Apparently, Olivia's ability to remain stoic begins and ends at work. A number of emotions paint her face at his words.

"We have a lot of history between us," she begins. "And you missed…so much," she reminds him. "We haven't discussed any of it so forgive me if what you're telling me seems…unrealistic."

Olivia stands and moves to the window, pushing her hands in her front jeans pockets as she waits for him to respond.

"I think 'friends for now' was unrealistic," he surprises her with, prompting her to turn abruptly. "There's always been something more between us, Liv," he reminds her. "But those barriers…they're gone now."

"Yeah, we have all new ones this time."

"Like?"

"Trust," she begins. "Do I trust you on the job? Always. But this…I've struggled to forgive you for leaving me to deal with this shit on my own."

"Liv I—

"—I know you're sorry, Elliot. I know that," she interrupts. "But your apologies don't make it hurt any less," she adds. "You look at my son and the fact that I'm a captain now and probably think 'wow, she thrived in my absence' or 'she was better off without me' and you'd be wrong on both counts."

"Why?"

"Because," she begins, her voice breaking with emotion. "Because I thrived as a survival instinct the way a cactus grows in the desert," she continues. "It was either dig deep or literally die," she asserts. "As for Noah, it's only by sheer luck or God's grace that a judge gave me an opportunity to foster then adopt him."

Elliot doesn't bother trying to hide his surprise at her son's parentage but quickly switches to worry over her life having been in danger.

"What do you mean, literally die?" He asks. "What happened, Liv?"

"Nothing I wanna get into right now," she answers. "And I want you to promise me you won't go looking or have Jet or anyone else do it for you."

"Liv—

"—Promise me, Elliot."

"I promise," he urges.

"Good," she tells him. "Now you know why it's so hard for me to believe your drunken late-night confession to your Italian partner," she goes on. "Because I can't reconcile those feelings with someone who would pretend I didn't exist for a fucking decade."

Elliot stands to approach her.

"I'll do whatever I need to do to earn your trust," he promises. "And I'll wait as long as I have to for your forgiveness."

"Could be a while."

"We don't have to figure it all out tonight, Liv," he offers. "I just wanna spend time with you," he urges. "But please don't mistake my not asking about what happened while I was gone…for not wanting to know."

Olivia relaxes against the window sill.

"How else am I supposed to take it?"

"I walked out of your life without so much as a note. Why would I think I deserve to hear anything about it?" He asks. "Or that you'd even wanna tell me?"

Elliot joins her at the window. There is silence between them for the first time tonight. It continues for moments. Moments turn into minutes. Each contemplating all they've said to one another. Olivia startles when he reaches for her hand but relaxes as he tangles their fingers together in an intimate grasp.

"You were always the first person I wanted to tell my good news to," she whispers. "And it was so hard getting used to the fact that you were actually gone," she adds. "It was like having phantom pains from a severed limb."

He raises their hands, plants kisses on her fingers before resting his lips against her palm, causing her breath to hitch.

"I wish I could've thought past my own guilt over shooting Jenna," he asserts. "And even if it didn't last, I'm glad you had love, Liv. I hope he put you first because God knows you always deserved to have somebody that does."

They both know it couldn't have been him.

"I do," she agrees. "Despite the fact that this job and having Noah prevents me from making that a priority, I'm aware," she adds. "But I'm not so sure it should be you."

Olivia stands and pulls away but doesn't get far. Elliot tugs her back towards him, drops her hand to put both palms on her face and kisses her. The synapses of her brain stop firing for a few seconds before she realizes yes this is happening, yes, it's him and despite all her fears and hesitation, no, she doesn't want to stop this.

Olivia wraps her arms around his back, pulling him firmly against her as she tastes him for the first time. There is no awkwardness. It is a slow, passionate meeting of lips, tongues and long-held fantasies coming together after nearly twenty-five years.

"I know I don't fucking deserve it but I need it to be me," he asserts after the kiss comes to its inevitable end. "Please just…let me at least try, Liv I—

It's her lips covering his, this time. Not as long but just as intense.

"I'm not Kathy," she reminds him after finally pulling away.

"I know," he rasps. "This isn't some rebound thing or—or because I'm lonely in my empty nest," he adds. "This is real, Olivia."

She stands near the bookshelf, the furthest apart they've been all night and crosses her arms against her chest.

"I know," she admits. "That's the terrifying part," she goes on. "If a relationship with you doesn't work, I lose our friendship…again."

Elliot starts toward her and she holds up both palms stopping him. As much as she wants his touch, he needs to understand what he's asking of her.

"You weren't around the first time that happened so you don't know how bad it got," she informs him, swiping at tears. "You don't wanna meet that Olivia Benson."

"If that's the one that's gonna show me her infamous right hook," he begins. "Then maybe I deserve to."

"It's not a joke, Elliot."

He steps closer.

"I'm not laughing," he says, moving towards her.

"I've still got a black eye and fractured ribs," Olivia reminds him. "And you want me to break my hand on that rock-hard head of yours?" She asks. "Obviously you're not as in love with me as you say you are."

The way his face falls, it would've been less painful just to crack him across the jaw.

"Shit, I'm sorry, El."

"It's okay," he offers. "I'm gonna go and let you get some rest," he adds. "Between being assaulted and sending Noah away, I know how rough this week was."

Olivia watches as he dons his hat and coat in preparation for the winter chill, letting it hang open until he's outside.

"Thanks for bringing my favorite Chinese," she says, meeting him at the door to walk him out. "The wine was pretty amazing too," she adds when all she gets is a polite smile.

"Only the best for my partner."

Olivia blushes.

"This from a guy who fed me out of questionable hot dog carts and the squad vending machines."

His grin is broad and genuine this time.

"You know how many kids I have," Elliot tells her. "At least I got you real coffee instead of letting Munch's motor oil from a drip ruin your intestines."

"True."

"If you let me take you to dinner, I promise it'll be inside a real restaurant with actual plates and metal utensils."

Olivia takes a deep breath, pushing her hands inside her pockets.

"Elliot," she begins. "How are you so sure?"

"Because it's you, Liv," he answers. "No matter how things go, you'll always have me," he continues. "I broke your trust…I know what I'm asking," he reveals, moving closer. "But I also know you feel our potential –- what we could be together. Don't you wanna at least be able to say you tried?"

She does. Tasting him and experiencing his body against hers has either lessened her fears or turned off her ability to give a damn. Perhaps both.

"Let's meet up for coffee," she offers as an alternative.

Elliot closes the distance between them.

"Lunch," he counters, resting his hands on her waist.

"Coffee and a bagel," she suggests sliding her palms against his chest.

"Breakfast," he whispers against her lips before kissing her so completely she never wants to let him go.

If she could spend a night in his arms with just his mouth on hers, she wouldn't count it a waste. He's passionate but tender. Skilled and unhurried. Elliot doesn't try to force his tongue down her throat or be dominant. He relishes in her taste and nips at her lips as if it's pleasurable enough to do for hours. And she senses he would if she'd only let him.

That's why Olivia has to force herself to stop. Twenty-plus years in the making and it's still too soon because she knows if she gives in now, the ferocity of it will have them climbing too far, too fast.

And what if they fall?

"Fine," she says, leaning her forehead against his. "Breakfast."

"Deal."

He pecks her one last time on the lips before reaching for the doorknob.

"El?"

"Yeah," he responds, turning.

"The only way I'll trust…that you're in love with me…is for you to show up the way you used to," Olivia offers. "I've worked very well with a few people," she admits. "But our partnership was everything, Elliot."

"That's a whole lot of neighborhood, my friend."

"I'm your partner, for better or worse."

"You put a detail on me?"

"And look how great you turned out."

"We both chose each other over the job…"

"You're the longest relationship I've ever had with a man."

"They didn't see me as prime parent material – "They're wrong."

"Maybe God remembered how cute you were as a carrot."

"Just what the world needs, another Elliot Stabler."

"Are you ready for me, Daddy?"

"This is my wife, Olivia."

"I'm so glad you're back" – "I should've come back sooner."

"And nothing like it since has come close," she informs him. "I deserve to have that back."

"No, Liv," he says, surprising her. "You deserve to have something better."

"If you can't be who I need…and eventually what my son needs," Olivia says. "Don't pursue this," she warns. "I won't have Noah getting attached only for you to break his heart the way you broke mine."

Elliot looks pained. He scrubs his hands down his face trying not to cry as he focuses everywhere but the brown eyes two feet from him.

"I fucked up," he manages. "But I swear to God, Liv," he starts, taking a breath to get himself under control. "I would die before I hurt that boy," he adds. "I know you feel like you can't trust anything I say right now and I get it, I do," he goes on. "But I'm gonna keep showing up until you can, so just…prepare to be sick of me."

A few tears slip down Olivia's cheeks as she manages a smile.

"You kind of sound like this guy I used to know," she says, wiping them away. "Your communication skills are better than his though."

"That the only difference?"

"Nah," she answers. "The kissing is a definite check for the Elliot Stabler 2.0 column though," she says smirking. "And your suits are much nicer but…he had more hair."

He closes the distance between them one last time to give her a hug.

"God, I missed you," he rasps against her neck.

Like their first kiss, it lasts for moments. Then moments turn to minutes. She relishes the feeling of his body against hers, his scent, his comforting and familiar embrace. The solidity of him against her softness hurts her fractured ribs a bit but being without him hurt a hell of a lot worse.

"I'm so tired, El," she says against his shoulder.

When he leans back and meets her eyes, he knows she doesn't mean just physically. Elliot releases her altogether, removes his hat and stuffs it into his coat pocket before returning it to the rack.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking care of you."

"El, you don't—

"—I want to," he says, taking her hand. "So, you're gonna take a hot shower 'cause climbing in and out of a tub with broken ribs sucks ass," he tells her, making her grin. "Put on some comfortable pajamas, take the pain meds you've probably been avoiding and meet me back out here for a movie."

She rolls her eyes at how well he still knows her.

"What will you be doing?"

"I'm gonna clean up and put away the leftovers," Elliot answers. "Maybe browse your book collection to see if you still hide those bodice rippers behind decent book covers."

"You asshole, I never did that."

He leans down as if he's going to kiss her again but moves to her ear at the last second.

"Gotcha, Benson," he whispers sending shivers down her spine.

All she can do is shake her head as Elliot lets her go. Olivia can feel his eyes on her until she disappears down the hall to her bedroom.

An hour later she sits comfortably against him on the sofa, a cooling mug of tea on the end table as Where the Crawdads Sing plays.

"This is a pretty good choice," he tells her.

"Yeah she," Olivia's interrupted by her third yawn. "She's really talented."

"Liv?"

"Hmm?"

"Let's get you to bed," he suggests. "You're falling asleep and you'll be more comfortable there."

Her thumb rubs at his abdomen where her hand rests.

"I'm pretty comfortable here."

Elliot laughs but takes the remote and turns off the television. He stands and she complains but allows him to help her up.

"Off you go," he says, hands lightly resting on her waist as she moves to her bedroom.

Once inside he pulls the blankets back for her as she gets situated.

"Are you tucking me in, Elliot Stabler?"

"Absolutely," he answers. "And I'll be back for that breakfast date."

After he leans over to kiss her on the forehead, he stands to leave but Olivia reaches for his hand.

"Make me breakfast."

Between her long week, her injuries and her pain meds, they both know nothing strenuous is happening tonight. She watches drowsily but appreciatively as he strips down to his boxers and climbs in. Olivia turns on her side to face him, putting her left arm beneath the pillow where her head rests.

She reaches out with her other hand, tenderly tracing the lines and features of his face before moving to his corded neck, then to his nape, pulling him in for another kiss. A simple press of her lips against his as he rests his arm over her waist.

"You didn't have to do all this for me," Olivia whispers in the dark. "But I love that you did."

"Just trying to show up for my partner," he says, running a soothing hand up and down her back.

She scoots closer to put her arm around him, tangles their legs together, and breathes him in as she rests her forehead against his.

"I don't know how this'll go, El. But you're off to a good start."