A/N: A Little something I started in honor of Elliot's return. It's AU because he was in witness protection, she knew about it and they've stayed in touch like they should have on the show. Enjoy!
"Me? I'm fine." She sets the phone down for a second to pour a glass of wine and smiles at the response from the other line. "Really I am. Just tired you know? I gotta hand it to Cragen, being a Captain is a whole different world." She takes a sip and leans back on her couch. "Noah's good. He sure is a handful though. He's at a sleepover. I can't tell you what it took to get him to do his homework before he left." A warm chuckle is heard and she smiles. "Gosh has it been that long? I'm sorry I haven't been in touch time just got away from me. I know you know how the job is but still. It's good to hear your voice. I miss you." Her smile widens at the response but her heart aches a little. Before she can say anything else there's a knock at the door. "Hey someone's here, I gotta go." She rolls her eyes when she hears "Be safe." "I will. Don't worry about me. I'll call again when I get the chance." She sets the glass of wine down and picks up her service revolver that ever since Lewis she keeps with her at all times. "I love you too." She replies into the phone before hanging up.
She opens the door to two men she doesn't recognize, and her grip on her gun behind her back tightens reflexively.
"Uh hi, can I help you?"
"Captain Benson?"
"Yes?" Her mama bear instincts kick in worried something happened to Noah.
"We're with the witness protection program."
"Oh, which case is this about?" And why did you come here instead of my office.
"This is a personal visit ma'am."
"Personal? Is it my son? Noah? Did something-"
"Relax Captain-"
"Olivia. What is this about?"
"You used to work with a man named Elliot Stabler correct?" Oh god, she thinks, someone traced the call and now he's gonna be killed because of me.
"Yes, what-" Then she realizes something, why are they using his actual name and not the identity he's had to live for 9 years.
She hears footsteps and suddenly he's there, leaning against her doorway casually with that smile and those blue eyes she had missed so much.
"I'm home Liv."
"Oh god." She tears up as she stares at him in disbelief. He was really here. Her Elliot was home at last. "How?"
"The men responsible for the bomb threat against your partner and his family were taken out by a sniper 3 days ago." One of the agents responded with a smile of his own. This was the part of his job he liked, reuniting people with their loved ones. "We asked Mr. Stabler if he wanted us to take him to his family home in Queens, but he gave us this address."
"It's over." Elliot's voice broke and his smile widened as he looked into her eyes for the first time since they took him away. Hearing her voice on the phone every couple of months or so had never been enough. He missed her so damn much.
"We'll let you two catch up."
"Thank you." She's glad when they walk away because the urge to throw her arms around her former partner, hold him tight, and just release all the heartbreak she's felt in the last decade was overwhelming. She didn't want to share that moment with anyone else.
"Ok I have 3 questions. One, we were just on the phone and you never mentioned this even once, why? Two, how did you get back to New York so fast? and 3, not that I'm not glad you're here but why not go see your kids first?"
"Livia." He chuckled at her ongoing stream of questions. "I haven't seen you in person in 9 years. Can't a guy get a hug first?"
"Honestly, I need a minute to make sure this is real, that I'm not hallucinating or something after the day I've had." His smile widened and he leaned in to kiss her deeply with a passion she hadn't felt since their first and last night together 9 years ago. The night they finally gave in to the feelings they'd had for so long only to be interrupted by agents like the ones that just left; telling them there had been a bomb in a package delivered to the Stabler home in Queens and that he'd need to go with them to stay safe. They had been devastated, but she wanted him safe so with a shattered heart she let him go. But, she didn't wash her sheets for 2 weeks. Some strings were pulled so they could stay in touch by phone, the calls were monitored but it was better than no contact at all. She moaned softly and sank into the kiss; feeling a sense of warmth and calm she hadn't felt in years. She was whole. He was home, and so was she.
"Did that feel real?" She wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled against him; inhaling the scent she had missed so much. She hummed contentedly as they swayed together for a minute. Then, she looked up at him again and leaned her forehead against his.
"hmm." She pretends to think about his question. "Well, maybe one more just to be certain." He grinned and kissed her again. She placed a hand on his slightly bearded cheek; a contrast from the clean shaven look he had when they were partners. She pulled back just so she could look at him for a minute. He was older, but still looked good. He looked a little thinner but still muscular. He had on a light blue t-shirt and jeans, a much more casual look then the suits from when they were on the job together. She had always loved that color on him since it matched his eyes. He wore glasses and what was left of his hair had a little more grey than when they saw each other last. "Man I missed you." They both had tears in their eyes.
"I missed you more." He leaned in to kiss her again but she stopped him.
"I still want my questions answered Stabler." He chuckled and rested his forehead against hers, nuzzling her nose.
"I got back yesterday, I didn't tell you on the phone because I wanted to surprise you, and I have friends that have been keeping tabs on Kathy and the kids for me. Kathy remarried and moved to floridia. She took Eli with her. This was the only place that would feel like home."
"What if I had kicked you out?"
"I'd just camp out outside your door." He teased and she raised an eyebrow at him when she noticed his suitcase.
"Bold of you to assume I would let you stay." She teased him back.
"Oh I-I mean I can get a hotel if you-" She cut him off with a kiss.
"You're a pain in the ass El, but you're my pain in the ass."
"Ditto." He smirked.
"Hey!" She slapped his chest lightly.
"You seeing anyone?" She laughs.
"That ship sailed a long time ago. It's just me and Noah."
"Guess that's good for me then."
"Enough with the sweet talk El. You're already in. Have been for years." She placed a hand on his chest. "What about you? Still a bachelor?" He kissed her hungrily.
"Oh baby, I'm no bachelor. There's only room for you."
"Guess that's good for me then." She mocked him and he chuckled. "Have you had dinner yet?"
"I could eat. You thinking Chinese and beer like old times?"
"I'd like that." She smiled and pulled out her phone and reading glasses to look up a takeout menu.
"What happened to the paper menus?"
"My son colored all over them when he was a toddler."
"Ah." She ordered and looked up at him to see him grinning at her.
"What?"
"Being a mother suits you. I always knew it would."
"Some days I'm not so sure. But, I wouldn't trade Noah for the world."
"I'm proud of you Olivia. I know I've said it on the phone, but still. I can't wait to meet him."
"About that, El are you sure you're safe now? You're in the clear? Do you think you should lay low for awhile just in case?"
"It's over, they said I didn't have to worry anymore."
"I just don't want you to get hurt."
"Now who's the overprotective partner?"
"Well...consider it payback." She teased and moved to the door to get the food that had arrived. His smile drops as he watches her lock and relock the door 3 times. Likely a habit picked up after her abduction 6 years ago and fueled even more by the fact that she now had a son to protect as well. Not to mention her concern for Elliot's safety.
"Liv-"
"I can't lose you El, not again. I couldn't take it if-" Her voice cracked.
"I know." He soothed. "You won't, I promise." He pulls her into his arms and kisses her temple. "You won't lose me, or Noah, and I will do anything to keep you safe."
"You know it's been 6 years, and I still sleep with my gun under my pillow because the one thing I can't get over is why I froze and didn't pull my gun on him when I saw William Lewis in my apartment. It's been 2 years since Noah was kidnapped and I can't get over the fact that I didn't see the red flags, that I didn't see Shelia Porter for who she was, that I let her around my son. It's been 9 years since you went into WITSEC, and I still wonder if I could have tried harder to find the people who sent the bomb."
"It was outside your jurisdiction."
"But I was your partner! I should've known-"
"What like I should've known William Lewis was gonna take you?"
"If that bomb had gone off with you or your family in the house-"
"But it didn't."
"Elliot-"
"Come on Captain. Don't do this to yourself." She smiles when he uses her title.
"I'm really glad you're home."
"I wish I could've come home sooner."
"Well you're here now, and if anyone tries to mess with you again they'll have to deal with me."
"Noted." He kissed her forehead when she came back and brought him a beer from the fridge.
X
They had eaten their dinner, and bites of each other's, then relaxed on the couch together. Their conversation was comfortable and easy like they hadn't spent 9 years apart. Even the moments of silence were spent just enjoying the other one's company. 'Just like old times'. Man had they missed this. Elliot had his arm casually wrapped around her shoulders and she leaned into his side as they laughed at some stupid comedy on the television together. Eventually she had turned it off and snuggled closer to him. He broke the silence.
"So...Noah's at a sleepover? That means we're the only ones here right?" He grins and she laughs at his boldness.
"Elliot!"
"What?"
"You know what." She smirked.
"Hey it was an innocent question on my part, your mind was the one in the gutter."
"Uh huh." She gives him a knowing look. "El you should know I'm not...I don't look the same as I did the last time we….my body has changed a lot in the past decade."
"Liv-"
"I know I told you what he did to me over the phone after it happened, but you haven't actually seen the scars yet and-"
"Olivia-"
She hides her face in the crook of his neck to avoid looking in his eyes. "Even without the scars I'm older. I have sags where curves used to be-"
"First of all that's not true. You are breathtakingly beautiful. Just as you were 10 years ago."
"El-"
"Second no scars will ever change the way I look at you. I hate him for what he did to you, but it doesn't make me love you any less. Ever."
"I just...I like that our last memory of us together was before everything happened. I like that the last time we made love was when I was a lot more confident than I am now."
"Livia don't cheapen yourself like that. You think if for some reason it's not as 'good' as it was then I'll run off and find someone else? Because there's not a chance of that happening. I'm not going anywhere unless you tell me to."
She trusts him. She does. But no matter how many years had passed since her abduction, some intimacy issues still lingered.
"We don't have to do anything until you're ready, I don't want to push you into anything. We'll go at your pace. I just need you to know that nothing that happened to you will change the way I look at you or how I feel about you. I'm not Brian Liv."
"I know you're not." She knows because a few days after her ordeal she had a particularly horrific nightmare and Brian was at work. She woke up alone and tried calling him to ask him to come home but he told her he was too busy. She ended up calling Elliot, and told him everything that happened. Even though he couldn't be there physically, he comforted her with his words, soothed her with his voice. He stayed on the line with her until she was able to go back to sleep. She told him the things Brian couldn't handle hearing and he just listened. He knew her better than anyone else, he'd spent 12 years by her side after all. "I want us to be able to connect like that again El. I just...give me a few days to assure myself that you're really here."
"Ok." He kissed her head. Before either of them could say anything else her phone rang and she groaned.
"Captain Benson. What happened? No...no that's ok I'll come pick him up. Thank you." She sighed and turned back to Elliot. "Noah threw up at the sleepover. I'm hoping he just had too much sugar but I'm gonna go get him just in case."
"Want me to run to the pharmacy and get some medicine?"
"No, I want you to stay here where I know you're safe." She gave him a quick kiss before getting up to get her purse. "I'll stop by the store on my way home, and I've got a thermometer here. I'll check his temperature and call his doctor tommorrow if he has a fever. Stay away from windows and don't answer the door while I'm gone."
"Ok mom!" She rolled her eyes.
"Hey mister 'just in the neighborhood' and 'blink your lights when you get inside'...yeah don't think I've forgotten those lines over the years." She replied and headed towards the door but stopped. "Service revolver's on the dresser if you need it, I've got my personal one in my purse."
"Liv, I'll be fine. Go get your boy." He chuckled.
"Sorry. I guess I'm just feeling a bit protective." He just smiled and turned on the tv.
X
He had dozed off, but looked up when he heard the door open and saw Olivia carrying a sleeping Noah and a couple grocery bags.
"How is he?"
"Stomach bug. It's been going around at school. His friend's mom gave him some Tylenol. I'm gonna put him to bed and probably keep him home from school tomorrow. I got some Gatorade at the store, and I wasn't sure what you'd want for breakfast in the morning, but I got some more cereal."
"That's fine." She leaves the room for a few minutes to tuck Noah in and then joins Elliot on the couch.
"I've still got a couple of your t-shirts and sweatpants for you to sleep in." He raised an eyebrow.
"Tucker, Brian, David, none of them had a problem with you owning another man's clothes?" She rolled her eyes.
"It's not like I had your underwear. Besides I didn't wear them when they were around. Brian only found out because we lived together, and everyone but me thought you were dead El. He just assumed it was my way of grieving and holding on to your memory."
"So you didn't wear them when they were around...but you do wear them?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
"I would." She groaned.
"Fine. Yes. They're comfortable." His grin grew wider. "Don't get too cocky, I wore one of Brian's old t-shirts the other night."
"But it was less comfortable than mine right?"
"You're a child. Ok, stop bugging me about the clothes or you're sleeping on the couch in what you have on."
"What's the alternative to the couch?"
"If you want to find out go change while I put away the groceries. I laid the clothes I have of yours on my bed."
"Well which are your favorite to wear? I wanna save them for you."
"Elliot." She warned.
"Got it Cap." She shook her head and smiled. Man it felt good to have her best friend back.
A/N: Only a few days left in the semester and we're still under quarantine so chapter 2 will hopefully be written soon. Special thanks to Pat on twitter and Alicia for helping me proofread. Stay healthy y'all!