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Spoilers for Fault, one of the best episodes ever! EO

"Olivia, whats up?" Cragen asked her confused. She paused for a moment before answering, this was the hardest things that she had ever done, but it needed to get done.

"I want a new partner."

Olivia's apartment, later that night

Elliot sighed before knocking on her door. Cragen had told him what Olivia had requested, but he had to hear it for himself. He didn't say they shouldn't be partners, he said if they chose each other over the job again then they couldn't be. Does this mean that she would have chosen him over the job again? Did she love him, did he love he? he had to find out. He knocked again and she answered the door wearing a bathrobe and her wet hair was brushed back.

"Hey" he said softly

"hey" she answered back just as softly. They stood there for a moment in silence. She knew that he would show up sooner or later, but she didn't want to deal with it. She really didn't want to talk to him right now, she had jeopardized everything because she cared about him, more then a partner should. And she couldn't do that again.

"So you want to come in?" she said stepping aside.

"Yeah thanks" he said coming in. Olivia shut the door behind him and then turned around and went over to the fridge

"so do you want a drink?"

"no thanks." Olivia closed the fridge before going back to the living room. They stood in awkward silence for a moment before Elliot spoke.

"So, your neck looks like it's healing" he said avoiding the subject he came to talk about. Olivia nodded

"the doctor said that there'll be a scar there but other then that it should be fine."

"So um, looks like that hit on your head is healing nicely."

"Yeah, it's doing good." Another moment of awkward silence comes before Elliot talks again.

"So, Cragen talked to me, he told me what you asked." Olivia sat down on her couch.

"yeah, Elliot look I"

"don't worry about it, just, why though?"

"because, you were right. We can't chose each other over the job, it's unfair to the people we're trying to protect." Elliot sat on the couch and put his head down. It was unfair to him also, he loved being partners with her, he loved her also.

"Olivia I-" then he paused, he couldn't think of anything to say, he wanted to tell her that he loved her and he wanted to know if he loved her too.

"What?" she asked him gently. He turned to look at her

"I don't want to lose you." Olivia begged herself not to let tears flow, she didn't want ot lose him either. She loved him, and today confirmed that.

"You won't lose me Elliot, I just, I can't do it anymore."

"Can't do what anymore? deal with me?"

"no, I can't continue hiding what I feel for you. I don't want to lose you either, and if I make a mistake again like today, I won't be able to live with myself. I'm sorry Elliot, we can't be partners."

"Olivia you don't understand" he said a little pleadingly

"I have feelings for you also, and I think this will make us better partners." Olivia wiped away a tear

"what if the sniper hadn't of shown up when he did?" He was silent, he had been thinking the same thing.

"And what if it had been Munch or Fin with a gun to his head. Would you have shot then, without any hesitation?" Olivia wiped away another tear before looking him straight in the eyes and answering him.

"Yes, I would have shot him." Elliot opened his eyes wide before looking down, that wasn't the answer he was expecting.

"Would you have gone after Ryan if it had been Munch or Fin?" Elliot thought for a moment, probably not, he probably would have just went after him.

"I thought so" Olivia said when he didn't answer. Elliot turned to look at her, she was looking away. He gently turned her head towards him. Her eyes shone brightly with tears before she whispered

"I'm sorry, you have to go." She quickly got up and went to the door and opened it. Elliot went over to her

"Olivia please, think about what your doing. I, I love you Olivia, you have to understand that." She let out a quick sob but then quickly covered it up.

"Please, don't make this harder then it all ready is" she whispered turning away. Elliot's eyes got wet but he left, giving the love of his life a second chance before leaving. She shut the door then sank down, crying. hard. Elliot heard it and he stopped for a moment and closed his eye letting a tear fall

"I'm sorry Olivia, more then you'll ever know" he thought to himself before leaving her building.

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