"I'd give you a kidney," Elliot says.

"Not if I give you one first," Olivia throws out as the elevator doors close.

He looks at her, surprised and with a slight smirk.

"It's not a competition you know," he tells her, eying her sideways.

"I know," she acknowledges with a smile and a shrug of her shoulders as she continues to face forward.

The ride the rest of the way down to the lobby is silent, both thinking about all they've yet to talk about.

Clearly they've both changed in the short amount of time she's been gone. Elliot and his propensity to wear jeans, Olivia and her cessation of soda drinking and taking to wearing a ponytail.

But no change has been more profound than the tiptoeing they're doing around one another.

He was touchy when she pointed out that he'd called the victim Danny instead of Danielle, when she said he was glowing with fatherly pride about Dickie's school fight and when Olivia said she was just glad that he and Kathy were speaking.

She was actually more relieved than glad. Maybe he'll be less of an asshole to her if he gets his family back. He's yet to call her by her nickname. Come to think of it, he's yet to call her by her name at all.

Weird that she's just realized that.

"Do you uh…have anywhere you're rushing off to?" He asks, disturbing her silent rumination.

"Only getting home to catch up on my laundry and dusting," she answers as they step off the elevator. "What's up?"

"My appetite," he tells her. "Just wanted to know if you'd like to share a pizza or…are you one of those gluten-free, non-dairy, vegan people now?"

Olivia smiles at his dig.

"No, I'm not," she says. "Italian sausage, green peppers and onions right?"

It's his turn to grin.

"You remembered."

"Haven't been gone that long," she replies, approaching the passenger side of their squad car.

"Felt like it," he mumbles.

"What's that?"

"Nothing," Elliot tells her. "You mind having it delivered to my place?"

His place. Olivia can count on one hand the number of times she's been there. Beside there not being a reason to just casually drop by, she's actively avoided it since telling him she went to computer crimes because of their complications.

"That's fine," she answers.

Half an hour later they're walking into the front door of Elliot's apartment. It looks lived in and Olivia doesn't know why she expected it not to be. He's been there for nearly two years now.

"You seem to be settled in," she comments as he takes her jacket.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asks.

"Nothing…I…just meant that you look comfortable here," she explains. "Like you've figured out-

"How to be alone?"

"You're not alone El," Olivia points out. "I just meant you seemed to have adjusted to single life again," she adds. "It's a nice place."

He watches her for a moment, as if to make sure she's not being sarcastic. Seeing the sincerity in her eyes, he slowly nods.

"Thanks," he tells her. "And I'm sorry for…jumping down your throat."

Olivia raises her eyebrows in surprise.

"An apology, wow."

Elliot walks further into his apartment and into the small kitchen where he opens the refrigerator and pulls out a beer.

"You want one or would you prefer bottled water or tea?"

"A beer is fine," she says. "I haven't changed that much."

He hands her the beer and she follows as he relaxes on a worn but comfortable looking cognac colored leather sofa.

"As for the apology," he begins. "I realize I've been kind of an ass to you more than once today."

"I noticed," she informs him. "My reappearance seems to have annoyed you or pissed you off somehow," she points out. "Did you ask me here to tell me you'll be requesting a change in partner?"

He laughs dryly at her response.

"Well you didn't give me that courtesy did you?"

Olivia turns away from his accusing stare and takes a sip from her beer. She had that coming.

"But no," he continues. "I'm not requesting a change."

"You're just gonna keep treating me like sh*t instead?"

"No."

It's quiet between them for a few moments, each of them seemingly trying to reach for what they want to say to each other without reopening old wounds.

"Why didn't you call me? Let me know you were back?"

"I haven't been back that long."

"Then I guess Sgt. Seton was seeing things when he told me you were at the squad three weeks ago," Elliot surprises her with.

That damn gossiping desk sergeant. It was one thing to ask Cragen not to say he saw her, she didn't think she had to ask anyone else.

"Uh no but I honestly didn't think you'd care," Olivia responds. "You seemed…comfortable with your new partner and Cragen said he didn't have a spot for me so…"

"I had to get comfortable with a new partner because you left without so much as a voicemail message," he says, raising his voice.

"I didn't have time to," she excuses. "From the moment they put me into the back of that patty wagon I was Persephone James," she adds. "And when I did try to call, you weren't there."

"You tried once," he tells her. "Once in three weeks."

Elliot stands abruptly, snatching his beer from the coffee table as he continues.

"Do you know how worried I was? And that asshole Dean wouldn't tell me a f*cking thing," he goes on. "Not even Huang would help!"

Now she understands why he's been so salty upon seeing her.

"I was undercover Elliot," she reminds him. "They couldn't risk you trying to contact me and blowing the case!"

"I heard you blew your own cover so it didn't matter now did it?"

He was right about SVU being in her blood because that's the kind of case that got her outed by that small town sheriff.

Olivia puts her beer down and stands before him.

"I'm sorry that you were worried," she tries in a lower voice. "I'm sorry you had to get used to another partner," she adds. "And I'm sorry that I left when things were just getting back to normal between us."

She watches as he visibly calms. It appears he's about to say something else when the conversation is interrupted by a knock at the door.

"That must be the pizza."

Forty-five minutes later the pie is mostly gone, they've watched the last of a Rangers hockey game, he's caught her up on his kids and they've finished off the six pack he had in his fridge.

"So how was Danny before she realized she couldn't handle the cases?"

"Hardheaded, stubborn and intent on doing things her own way," he answers.

"Wow," Olivia says. "So a female you?"

"She actually reminded me of you," he responds, surprising her. "But you're stronger with these cases, with these victims," he adds. "You care but you're able to keep your distance without letting it break your heart."

"I've had my heart broken plenty," she tells him.

Elliot catches her eyes and holds them.

"I've just," she begins, facing the television again after a beat. "Learned to hold onto it until I get home or gotten better at hiding it," she concludes, sipping the last of her beer.

"I don't think either of us is as good at hiding it as we used to be," he points out. "There are times that I think it's just us," he adds. "I mean…you don't see Fin and Munch with our issues and they've been partnered nearly just as long."

Olivia rolls her eyes, shakes her head and manages a smile.

"What?" He asks.

The alcohol seems to be helping to loosen her lips this evening.

"You can't be this blind El," she says. "Fin doesn't look at Munch the way I see you looking at me sometimes," she reminds him. "Fin doesn't drop Munch off and tell him to flash his lights to let him know he made it in okay," she continues. "And Fin doesn't tell Munch that aside from the job, he's all he has left in the world."

To say that Elliot is surprised that she's pointed all of that out is an understatement.

"And you were wrong," Olivia goes on. "You may not live in the same house as your family but they're still your family."

"I know," he says quietly. "I've realized that."

She can tell he's still not ready to discuss what's between them and who knows if he ever will be.

"Look, thanks for the pizza and beer," Olivia tells him as she stands. "I'm gonna go."

Elliot retrieves her jacket from the closet. His fingers brush hers as he hands it to her when they meet at his front door.

"Thanks," she rasps.

As she turns to leave, he stops her.

"Liv."

"First time you've called me that all day," she says. "I think I missed it."

Elliot surprises her by pulling her into a hug. He's wanted to before, God knows he has but he's held back. Now seems as good a time as any.

"I missed you partner," he whispers in her ear. "I'm glad you're back."

"Me too," she tells him, her voice relaying how affected she is by the embrace and his tender words.

They hold onto one another until just shy of the moment before it would have become awkward.

"See you tomorrow?"

"You will," she promises. "Tomorrow."

The End.