AUTHOR'S Note: I am sorry it has taken me so long to update. I have just been super busy with school and work and have struggled with update ideas. Also, the only place I have internet access right now is at work and I cannot post updates from there. I will try not to go this long between updates anymore. Thank you all for being so patient with me! This one if for all of my loyal readers, without you guys I would just be writing stories to myself. You all ROCK!

- Detective Olivia Stabler -

Fearless

(Chapter Eight: Night Games)

Olivia leaned across the bar and picked up her beer bottle. At the other end of the long row of stools sat Elliot still a bit heated from their argument. Although Elliot had agreed to sign his divorce papers, he now seemed to be stalling and slowing down the process. Even worse, every time Olivia tried to talk to him about it he snapped at her or quickly changed the subject. And over the last couple of months they seemed to have become quite the on again, off again couple. Olivia was beginning to feel more than a little underappreciated and she was tired of it.

She loved him. More than anything, she loved him and only him. She had never felt like this with any other man in her life. And she didn't intend to ever again with anyone else as long as she lived. He was the one. Her one. And she had waited too long and come to far to let this all fall apart now.

"This isn't cutting it," she mumbled to herself as she slid onto a barstool an leaned across the bar once more to smile at the attractive twenty-something who was tending bar tonight.

"Hello beautiful," the man said tracing his finger over the top of her hand.

"Hello," she replied with a smile as she stared into his dark eyes.

"What can I do for you, doll?"

"I need something harder," she said studying the muscles of his chest as she pressed her lips together. "Beer just isn't cutting it tonight."

"What are you thinking, baby? Vodka? Whiskey? I have a twenty five year old scotch back here that is amazing."

"Tequila," she said tossing two twenties on the counter. "And keep them coming."

"A lady who knows what she wants."

Olivia watched as he set up the first of her shots.

"Are you even old enough to be in this place?" she asked in a flirty tone.

"I am."

"You look awfully young."

"I'm not that young. What about you? Can I see some ID?"

Olivia smiled a big smile and laughed a little.

"Sure," she replied laying her badge on the bar.

"Detective," he corrected himself as he sat a saucer with lime slices down beside the shot glass and slid the salt shaker her way.

They laughed and talked and flirted as the atmosphere began to get really steamy. All the while Olivia kept an eye on Elliot, who was more than a little jealous of the young hunk who had become the object of her flirtation.

Several shots later, Olivia stood up to make her way toward the ladies room. She stumbled a bit feeling a little woozy, then laughed it off and went on her way. When she returned she ordered another shot.

"Last call," the man said handing her the change.

"Well, you're no fun," she said making a pouty face.

"I think you have had more than enough. Is your boyfriend giving you a lift home or should I call you a cab?"

"Oh, he's not my boyfriend anymore."

"No?"

"No."

"Since when? He was when you came in here tonight?"

"Since he sat over there and I sat over here," she replied with a smile.

"I'll get the number of the taxi service."

"Or you could take me home," she said with a sexy smile as she batted her eyes at him.

"Are you serious about this?"

"Of course I am serious. We could have a lot of fun, you and I."

"Alright," he agreed looking her over once more. "Just let me get rid of these guys and lock up."

Olivia dipped her fingertip in the liquor and ran it around the rim of the glass. She looked up to see the bartender watching her closely as she slipped her fingertip into her mouth and moaned softly. Then she looked up at him with smokey eyes as she took the last shot and chased it with a slice of lime.

"Alright, alright, lights out guys! Everyone out," the bartender announced as the rushed Elliot and three other people from the bar.

"Wait," Elliot protested. "I'm with her. Or….she's with me."

"She will be very well taken care of I assure you," the bartender replied closing the door in his face.

"What the hell?" he asked pressing his face against the window to try to see inside.

He stood up as he heard their voices coming from the hack exit. Elliot rushed back to his car as the bartender pulled out from the alley. He followed the car for several blocks before it turned into the parking lot at Olivia's apartment building.

"She is really gonna go through with it," he mumbled to himself now more worried than ever.

Elliot parked his car across the street and sat there watching the light in her apartment window.

"Shit," he growled as he slumped down in the front seat of his car. "You have really screwed it up this time."

He studied the silhouettes as they embraced each other. And he felt his heart sink in his chest as one shadow appeared to kiss the other, then the lights went out.

"I lost her. I had her. And we were happy, really happy. I love her. God, I love her. I can't believe I have screwed things up this bad."

He exhaled heavily and wrote her name in the fog on the window, then wiped it away.

"Jerk," he scoffed shifting his attention to the window once more.

Inside Olivia's apartment….

"Take your pants off," Olivia demanded.

"Thanks for the offer doll, but you aren't exactly my type."

"Oh no? You into blondes?"

"No ma'am. I like them tall dark and handsome. Like that partner of yours. Are you gonna leave him sitting out there all night?" he asked peering through the blinds at Elliot in his car.

"Yup," she replied handing him a cup of coffee before dropping herself onto the sofa.

"What did he do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Obviously he is being punished for something."

"Right again."

"Olivia, this is harsh. That poor man is sitting out there in the dark thinking that you and I are…you know."

"I know."

"You are so bad."

"He has to learn a lesson."

"I get that. Just make sure that he gets the lesson."

"You think I am being too hard on him?"

"You haven't even told me what he's done."

"It's more what he hasn't done that is the problem. It's a long story."

"It looks like it's gonna be a long night."

Olivia took a drink from her coffee cup as he sat down on the sofa beside her.

"How long have you been together?" he asked.

"We have worked together for over twelve years. And been best friends the entire time. He is the one person I know I can trust no matter what."

"But how long have you been together?"

"I'm getting there," she said with a smile. "I think we had both always known there was an attraction between us. And one night, we acted on it. But he was married. Is….married."

"Whoa…."

"I know. His wife actually filed the papers a few weeks ago to start the divorce. But for some strange reason, Elliot still has not signed them. At first it was the custody agreement, but they worked that out. There is nothing left to do but sign. He says he loves me and he can't wait for the divorce to be final so we can come forward about our relationship. But if that is the case, then why hasn't he signed the papers yet? She has already let go, there is nothing left to hold onto. I have waited for ever for him and now that his divorce is right around the corner it just feels like he is stalling because, well, maybe he doesn't really want to be with me."

"Have you talked to him about it? Or asked him why he hasn't signed."

"He won't talk to me about it. The more he pulls away the worse I feel about the situation and we always end up arguing. We have a falling out and go our own ways for a few days, then we get back together. This seems to have been the cycle lately."

"I agree that man is fine as hell, honey. But are you sure he is worth all this trouble."

"I know he is. I love him. I have always loved him and I always will. I just can't be with him anymore if he isn't serious enough about me to sign those divorce papers. I wont keep being his thing on the side. I need more than that. I deserve more than that."

"Yes, you do. So where do I come in?"

Olivia laughed and took another sip of coffee.

"He doesn't realize that I have known you for so long."

"For too long."

"Since college," she added. "He doesn't know that the sexy bartender is a dear friend of mine. I just want him to realize just what he has before it really is too late."

"No better way to do that than to let him think some other man has taken his girl."

"Exactly. There is a method to my madness, I swear."

"It has been over two hours. You know he thinks the worst of this. How long are you going to let him sit out there all by himself?"

"Long enough for him to realize that I am not waiting around any longer. If he wants me, he is going to have to move forward."

Olivia walked to the window and looked out from between the blinds.

"You really love this man?"

"With all my heart."

"Then don't torture him too long. You want to scare him, not hurt him. If you wait too long to let him in on our little charade, your plan could backfire and you could chase him off forever."

"I'll tell him tomorrow," she replied walking her guest to toward the door. "Now, take off your pants."

The man rolled his eyes and laughed as he began to undress.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours," he joked as she unbuttoned her jeans and stepped out of them to stand before him in her tee shirt and bikini underwear.

"Are we ready?" she asked reaching for the door knob.

"Just a moment," he said as he reached up and roughed her hair up with his fingers.

Olivia smiled.

"You want it to be believable, don't you?"

She laughed as she opened the door and threw her arms around his neck backing him onto the stoop.

Elliot sat straight up in the car seat and watched Olivia, dressed only in her tee shirt and panties as she kissed the bartender. The man leaned into her and whispered something into her ear, then she smiled and laughed and he kissed her again. Olivia backed into the apartment once more and closed the door. As the man turned around, Elliot saw him zip up his pants. And just like that, he had lost her.

Elliot wasn't able to sleep that night, so he just drove around thinking. Thinking about Olivia's drunken hook up with another man. Thinking about the way she kissed him in front of her apartment and thinking about that creep putting his hands all over Elliot's girl. Trying not to think about anything that may have happened behind closed doors. The thought of her with another man made him feel sick inside. And as much anger as he felt right now, he knew that it was his own fault for hesitating so long to give her the only one thing she had ever asked him for.

Across town, Olivia laid restless alone in her bed guilt stricken and unable to sleep. As much as she need him to understand how badly this hurt her, she now felt really bad knowing how bad Elliot was probably feeling right about now. She almost picked up the phone to call him, but seeing as it was now after four o'clock in the morning, she felt it was better to wait until morning. She tossed and turned until daylight, then finally passed out.

It was just after nine in the morning when she heard the buzz of her phone to alert her of an awaiting text message. Olivia groaned and scratched her head as she sat up in the bed and reached for the phone.

"Meet me for brunch around eleven. We need to talk. El," she read aloud as she groaned again. "Here we go," she said laying the phone on the night stand and moving to the shower to wash away the smell of day old alcohol.

A little while later she sat at their table at a little outdoor café near the park, sipping espresso while she waited for him to arrive.

"You look like hell," Elliot said sitting down as she looked at him from under her dark glasses.

"I feel like it, too."

"Wouldn't have anything to do with the gallon of tequila you consumed last night, would it?"

Olivia blinked and stared at him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't come here to fight," Elliot said as he cleared his throat.

"Why are we here?"

"I just want to talk. About us. And about last night. About a lot of things."

"Look, El, last night…."

"Wait, please just let me talk. I have something to show you," he said laying an envelope on the table in front of her.

"You signed your divorce papers," she said as she opened the stack of pages.

"I did. And it was something I should have done a long time ago."

"Why did you wait so long, Elliot? You knew how badly I needed this. We needed this. You said yourself that this was a good thing. Then you took two months to sign them."

"It's a big thing, divorce. Bigger than the marriage, itself. It was a big decision that was going to affect a lot of people and I just needed time to think it over."

"You didn't already know that was what you wanted? I thought you said you wanted to be with me? To start a new life with me. This was our new start."

"I knew exactly what I wanted, Olivia. I have known that from the first time I touched you. But life isn't only about what I want. I just needed time to really think about this. To think about how it was going to effect my children. I couldn't just sign the papers because I wanted out so I could be with you. I wanted to know without a doubt that this was what was best for my kids. And it is. Kathy and I have been over for a long time. And we have both found people who make us happy. I think that once the divorce is final and they see that we are okay, the kids will be happy too. Only, I waited too long. And now it's too late."

"Elliot…."

"I have a confession to make," Elliot said cutting her off. "I followed you last night. From the bar. I watched you take the bartender back to your place and…. I know you were with someone else. And I know I have screwed things up pretty badly."

He paused and laid a bunch of flowers on the table in front of her.

"I'm sorry I hurt you. I love you more than anything and all I want is a chance to make this right. Olivia, watching you with him last night was a slap in the face. I'm not angry or upset, I would just like a chance to put this all behind us and start all over. A fresh new start. And a chance at a real life together. Please Liv."

"Elliot, I have a little secret of my own," she began as the man from the bar appeared behind her.

"You son of a bitch," Elliot snarled glaring at the man and standing from the table. "Liv, don't do this. Please, don't do this. I love you."

"El," she replied standing between the two men, " I love you, too. But it's my turn to explain. This is Darrin."

"It's not bad enough you spent the night with my girl, but you've gotta come here too? I can't believe this shit. What do you want, Olivia? Tell me, do I even stand a chance?"

"You are what I want."

"Then how could you just pick up some stranger in a bar?"

"He isn't a stranger. I have known Darrin since college. We were good friends and I hadn't seen him in a long time. Not until last night, when we walked into his bar."

"I could do without the details of your little reunion."

"El, it's not what you think."

Elliot groaned and smoothed his hands over his face.

"Nothing happened," Darrin injected, somehow thinking he was helping the situation.

"Nothing happened? You spent two hours in her apartment in the dark. Then appear on the doorstep half naked for a passionate kiss goodnight and nothing happened."

"It's the truth," Olivia replied.

"Listen to her. We drank coffee and talked, that's it. I swear to you, man. I didn't go anything with your girl."

"Because she shot you down?" Elliot snapped in a snide voice.

"Lets just say Olivia isn't really my type."

"Not your type? You must be blind. Look at her. The is smart and beautiful and funny and sexy as hell. What man in his right mind would say she is not his type?" Elliot asked defensively.

"A gay man," Darrin answered and Elliot suddenly understood the situation.

"You are gay?" he asked as Darrin nodded. "He's gay," he noted turning to look at Olivia.

"He is," she agreed. "And I am not his type."

"We are friends," Darrin clarified. "Nothing more. Never have been, never will be. I assure you, you have nothing to worry about with me."

"This whole thing was a set up?" Elliot asked.

"It was. I was hurt and I wanted to teach you a lesson. It was stupid and I'm sorry."

"I think I'll leave you two to talk," Darrin said excusing himself. "Olivia, it was so good to see you again. You should come in again sometime and we can all have a drink together," he suggested. "Elliot, it was nice to meet you," he said shaking Elliot's hand. "Now I understand why she was so desperate to get your attention. She is a very lucky lady," he said looking Elliot over.

"Thanks. I think."

They watched as Darrin disappeared into the crowd.

"We should talk about this," Elliot suggested.

"I just felt like you were stalling. Like maybe you were hesitating because you had changed your mind about being with me. I thought maybe if I could make you see that another man would want me, I could make you still want me too."

"That's absurd."

"I know. It was a stupid thing to do."

"It was. But I am talking about you getting this crazy thought in your head about me not wanting you anymore. Olivia, I love you. We are going to have our differences and we are gonna argue, but don't ever think that means that I don't love you and I don't want to be with you. Because it just isn't so."

"We have just been so iffy lately I wasn't sure what to think."

"Iffy?"

"We fight and we break it off. Then we're together again, then we're not. It's hard to know where we stand sometimes."

"Whoa! First of all I never though that we had broken up or that we were ever off."

"What? After our fights you left."

"We argued. We both stated our points and we had disagreements. I went home to give us both some time to thing things through. Then a day or so later when we were calm and we'd had time to think it over, I came back so we could work through our issues. That's not breaking up, Olivia. That is learning how to work things through as a couple in order to stay together. There was never even a fragment of a second that I didn't care or didn't want to be with you. That's why it was such a shock to see you leave the bar with another man last night. We argued, but I didn't realize you thought that we'd broken up."

"Oh my. Obviously we have had a lack of communication here. Elliot, I am so sorry."

"So am I, sweetheart. I never meant to make you feel unwanted or unloved. Do you want to know why I took so long to sign those papers? Come with me and I'll show you," he said tossing a tip onto the table and leading her to his car.

Across town he pulled into the parking area of new apartment building in town. He opened the car door and they took the elevator to the fourth floor. Elliot stepped off the elevator and walked down the hall.

"I have been curious about this building since they finished it a few months ago," she said looking at the décor. "This place is nice."

"This place is mine," Elliot said handing her the key to apartment 412.

Olivia tipped her head to stare into his eyes.

"I gave Kathy the house in Queens," he said as they walked into the brand new unit. "That is what took so long with the papers. I decided to move out and let her keep the house. That is the only home our kids have ever known. They have grown up there and this way they can stay in their schools with their friends. It is a small thing that could make the blow of the divorce a little easier on them. But I had to have the house appraised and new papers drawn up. It took a little time. And this way I know exactly where my kids are whenever I want to see them and I am close whenever they need me."

Olivia smiled and stepped in to hug him as Elliot kissed the top of her head.

"You could have told me," she said with a smile as he kissed her tenderly.

"I figured you were probably getting tired of hearing about my divorce."

"Sometimes I do feel that way," she confessed. "But this is a big thing in your life and it is important in the life that we plan together."

"Very true. Maybe we do need to communicate more….and more clearly."

Olivia smiled as she looked around them.

"So why don't you show me around your brand new apartment?"

"I'd love to," he said taking her by the hand and leading her through. "This condo has four bedrooms and three bathrooms."

Olivia laughed.

"It's huge!"

"I wanted something big enough the kids could come and stay. If I am buying a new place it is important to buy something that is big enough for the entire family. I figured put the boys in here," he said opening the door to the first bedroom. "And give the girls the bigger bedroom with the bathroom across the hall."

"You don't want the bedroom with the bathroom?" she asked a bit shocked that he would give up the master bedroom to the kids.

Elliot smiled and laughed a bit as he backed his way down the hall and motioned for her to follow him.

"The third bedroom….office or spare bedroom is up here," he said as they topped the staircase and entered a large den area.

Olivia followed him to a small room on the left.

"This is so nice, El."

"You haven't seen the best part, yet."

He locked his fingers in hers and lead her across the den area once more to see the fourth and final bedroom.

"This is the master bedroom. A large open area here. And the full bathroom in here," he said as her fingertips danced along the edge of the garden tub. "Wall to wall walk in closets," he pointed out as she opened the door.

"This is amazing! Your closet is bigger than my bedroom," she joked. "You don't even have enough clothes to fill one of these, let alone two."

"I don't," he agreed. "But you do," he said tilting her chin so he could stare into her eyes. "Move in with me."

She blinked and looked at him in disbelief.

"What?"

"I have put a lot of thought into this. And from the moment I stepped into this place I couldn't imagine myself living here without you. I love you. I have always loved you. And I want this new place to be our new place. The first chapter of our new life together."

"What is Kathy going to think about this?"

"She thinks it's a great idea," Elliot said with a smile.

"You told her about us?"

"Come on, Liv. I didn't tell her anything she didn't already know. We are trying this new thing where we are going to be honest to each other. There is no point in making things more difficult than they already have to be. She knows how much I care about you. She said that we make sense together."

"We do? You and I?"

"Yes."

"Your wife said that you and I make sense together?"

"My soon to be ex-wife, yes."

"Huh?" Olivia thought aloud. "I figured she would be pissed off and go crazy coming after me with a butcher knife or something like that."

Elliot smiled.

"We both cheated, Olivia. I can be pissed at her and she can be pissed at me, but there is no point at passing the blame when we are both just as guilty as the other. Kathy isn't mad and she doesn't hate you. We have chosen to be civil about this arrangement. And so far so good. We want to try to stay friends, it is healthier for the children that way."

"Yeah," she agreed. "Just most couples are not actually able to do that."

"Well, we are going to give it one hell of a try. This divorce provides a new start for the both of us. She wants to go back to work and has gotten a job at that new hospital downtown. And I have my new life with you."

"I want this, Elliot. I really do. And the condo is absolutely beautiful. But what I don't know the first thing about kids. What if they don't like me? What if I am bad for your children?"

"They know you already and they adore you."

"As your partner, not as your live in girlfriend. And the girls are old enough to put two and two together and realize that I am the harlot that broke up their parents marriage."

Elliot laughed.

"You are not a harlot and you didn't break up any marriage. Kathy and I were over. We just didn't want to admit it. And all of the kids are old enough to see that you make me happy. And I know that they will accept you. Once they see how happy you make dear old dad and what a kind and loving person you are, they will love you too."

"You really think so?"

"I know so. I love you, sweetheart. Please move in with me. This house just wouldn't be a home same without you."

Olivia smiled.

"I would love to.

Elliot hugged her and kissed her tenderly.

"I will even let you have the bigger closet," he added to sweeten the deal.

Olivia laughed.

"How on earth can you afford this place? Don't you still have a mortgage on the house?"

"We got that house right after Maureen was born. And the second mortgage I took out to pay for a new car and Kathleen's braces, will be paid off in six months. Kathy and I agreed that I would pay the house payment and child support on the youngest three kids and there would be no alimony. Her lawyer almost had a fit. But since the first mortgage was paid off a few years back the payment dropped down to just a couple hundred dollars a month, so it isn't that bad."

"That's good. There for a moment I thought maybe you were just using me for my money," she said with a smile and a wink.

"My sugar momma," Elliot joked as he kissed her.

"Now all we have to do is break the news to everyone at work," Olivia said nervously.