This was an idea I had last Friday, and I just decided to write it out and see what happened. Olivia might be a little OOC, but aren't we all after a night out? I apologize if there's any mistakes, as I am still looking for a beta. Thanks for your support!

Look After You

Elliot lays, tossing and turning. He is not a man meant to sleep alone. He knows this. But when his girlfriend told him she was thinking of going out on a girl's night, he encouraged her. Since finding out she could never have children last month, she told him she felt like less of a woman. He thought a little fun in the city was a great idea.

Wrong. He hasn't slept more than five minutes all night. Even more disturbing is the thought that Olivia might take up Casey's offer to "sleep it off" at her apartment. He doesn't know what he'll do if she doesn't come home.

He's not worried, not really. He knows she's a cop just like him, and she can take care of herself and Casey just fine. And he trusts her implicitly.

He just needs sleep. Apparently, he can only, finally, blissfully nod off with his arms wrapped around her. He wishes he was spooning her tightly like he always does after they make love. Or that she was softly snoring with her head on his chest like she always does after closing a tough case. Or even that she was spooning him like she did that one time he had the flu. Or...

An annoying cell phone ring takes him away from his wishful thinking. He flips it open, knowing it could only be Olivia.

"Hey, Liv."

"Hey baby! Whatcha been doin'?" Olivia slurs. He grins. Now this might be interesting.

"Nothing, honey, just wishing you were here."

"OH! I am here! I just can't make the little key thingy work and I'm outside and I'm cold and I miss youuuu! Can you come get me?"

"Hang on, sweetie; I'm already walking down there. Just give me a sec," Elliot says, rushing down the stairs. He didn't have time to wait for the elevator in their new building, he just needs to see her, touch her, be near her. Now.

"Baby, you made it!" She jumps off the steps, grabs his face and plants a big wet kiss on his lips. "I took a cab. Cabs are gross, Elliot. I love you."

"Uh, yeah, baby they are gross, and I love you, too. Now let's get you upstairs."

"You called me 'baby'! I love it when you call me 'baby'!" she squealed.

Wow, and I thought she was just humoring me by letting me call her pet names. I never dreamed that she actually liked them.

He guides her gently into the elevator, because he has all the time in the world now that she's with him. From the second he laid eyes on her, something inside of him settled. But now that he was actually touching her, he was content. She really was all he needed, his partner in every sense of the word. Sure, they fight all the time, and some days they really have to work at their relationship, but she is the only one that ever made him want to try. He knows she feels the same way.

"Mmmm, you're so warm," she mumbles into his neck as she slips her arms around his waist. "The elevator was maybe not such a good idea, El." Olivia snuggles further into Elliot's embrace, and he smells her apricot shampoo. He breathes her in deeply, relishing this moment where she's completely submissive.

A ding signifies that they've reached their floor, but instead of letting her go, he sweeps her up off her feet and into his arms as he heads to their home.

"ELLIOT!" she shrieks, her eyes wide open.

"What?" he asks innocently, a smirk firmly in place. "You don't want to be swept off your feet by your knight in shining-" he pauses to look at his pajama-clad legs- "plaid?" She giggles in response, allowing herself to just be a girl for once.

"No, I do, ya just made me a little bit dizzy..."

"I'm sorry, baby," he states, genuine concern laced through his words.

"Baby," she repeats softly, removing one arm from around his neck to stroke his strong nose, his jaw line, his brow. He takes a second to commit this moment to memory, one good night in what he hopes with be a long string of nights spent with her, hopefully forever.

Once they reach the apartment, he takes her into the bathroom. He sets her on the counter, keeping one hand firmly clenched to her hip in case she should become, in every sense of the word, tipsy. Elliot loads her toothbrush and hands it over. He unbuckles the straps of her heels and lets them fall to the floor. While she brushes her teeth, sloppily, he slowly begins to unbutton her blouse. He places soft kisses along her collarbone, slipping off her bra and grazing her nipple in the process. He kisses her neck, nipping her just enough to leave his mark. Goosebumps rise on her skin.

"Cold," Olivia says, through a mouthful of foamy paste.

He hands her a cup of water and allows her to rinse while he slips off his NYPD shirt. He puts it over her head, dressing her in his warmth, his scent, his love. He unzips her jeans revealing those lacy boyshorts she confessed to only buying for him. He groans.

He knows that as much as he wants to bury himself inside her and make love to her until the sun comes up, tonight they are only going to sleep. Oh well. There's always the morning. He smirked.

He picks her up again, this time carrying her with their chests together, her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his neck. He slides his hand up from its grip on her thigh to cup her gently. After all, he's not a saint, just a guy madly in love with quite possibly the most beautiful women there ever was.

"I like this," she mumbles into his shoulder sleepily. "The being taken care of."

His heart swells, and he knows she's not drunk enough to really need to be carried. She is instead allowing him this indulgence, allowing herself to be indulged. Surprisingly, two people who have done nothing but fail at love seem to be doing well together.

"I like taking care of you, Liv," he whispers into her ear. He lays her down on their bed, slipping behind her and wrapping her up in his arms.

"Love you, Stabler."

"Love you, too, Benson."

There now, steady love, so few come and don't go
Will you won't you, be the one I always know
When I'm losing my control, the city spins around
You're the only one who knows, you slow it down
-Look After You, The Fray

tbc? My idea is to write more situation where they "look after each other." Any good? Or should it just be the oneshot?