Meet me downstairs – Liv

He was somewhat surprised to get that text. Things had been strained between him and his partner since…well since she came back. A second time. This time from being undercover with the Feds. But this case had really caused tensions to rise. It wasn't like they hadn't disagreed before but this time it seemed personal. She'd made that crack about his marriage in front of everyone in the squad room. That wasn't like her. She'd done it once before right after Kathy had moved out two years ago. Olivia had some problem with a psychologist, Rebecca Hendricks, who used to be a cop and because he was open to what she had to say Olivia had made a crack about keeping it in his pants. Also unlike her. Not because Olivia was some prude and didn't make off color remarks sometimes. But she was always respectful of his marriage and encouraging about him making it work. Telling him once to stop shutting Kathy out or he'd lose her. Well that's exactly what he'd done.

He got up and made his way downstairs. He'd just recently moved into this place. Typical bachelor pad. Except he hoped his kids would visit him here. He found her on the stoop.

"Hey." He said sitting beside her

"Hey." She handed him a cup of coffee

After a beat of awkward silence she spoke again, "I couldn't sleep."

"Me neither." He admitted taking a sip of his coffee

"Valerie Sinnet wasn't raped." Olivia admitted as he gave her a quizzical look, "She was sleeping with that investigator from her attorney's law firm."

"She died twenty minutes ago." He informed her

Olivia shook her head and sighed, "She knew she was dying and she still lied right to my face. I'm not saying she deserved what Miles did but she put him through hell. And their daughter."

"When love turns to hate people do things they wouldn't normally dream of." He replied, "That's why I signed the divorce papers. I don't want Kathy to ever regret me."

"That's a step in the right direction, Elliot." She acknowledged and there was more awkward silence, "So, are we okay?"

He signed heavily, "I…I don't know, Liv."

She looked at him, "Elliot…"

"Maybe we should talk inside." He suggested

"Um, okay." She replied a little bewildered as she followed him inside the building and up to his apartment

"Nice place." She quipped noticing the bare furnishings as she entered

"I'm just getting it put together. This was a better location than the sublet I had. Not as far from Queens or the precinct."

"Hmm" She replied as she watched him pace, "Just spit it out Elliot."

"I just…I feel like I can't talk to you anymore." He admitted

"Why would you feel that way?" She asked

"Things are different now." He replied

"Is this about Dani Beck?" She asked, "Are you upset she left and that I came back?"

He gave her a surprised look, "What? No, why would you think this is about her?"

"Kathy sure doesn't like her." Olivia let slip and he again gave her a questioning look, "I saw her the other day. After our blow up she called. She was worried about you. But she made it clear she didn't like Beck."

"Kathy talked to you about our marriage?" He asked

"She just felt like you needed to feel like you were on solid ground in order to move on. I guess she felt like my being back helped. I really don't know."

"Well, this has nothing to do with Dani Beck. I had a moment of weakness with her but we never. I wouldn't. This is about you and me."

"Okay, what about you and me?" She asked

"I used to feel like we could disagree over a case but we could work it out. We'd move on. But this time, Liv, you made it personal. You don't get to make cracks about my marriage."

"Elliot, I'm…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that much less in front of everyone."

"I need to be able to disagree with you without worrying it could cost us our partnership." He explained

"You never shied away before."

"Yeah well, things aren't the same anymore."

"Why?" She asked, "What's different?"

"You're different, Liv." He finally admitted

"Because I stopped drinking soda and coffee?"

"No." He said, "Because…" he scrapes his hand over his face

"Because why, Elliot?" She pushed, "I'm still your partner."

"Yeah? For how long this time?" he said more harshly than he intended

"Elliot…" She began

"You left, without a word. You just left." He explained

"I was undercover, Elliot." She tried to explain

"Not the first time." He said

"I…"

"You just left and I'm called to a crime scene expecting to find my partner there and instead there's some guy I don't even know saying he's my partner now. The only thing Cragen would say was it was his call. You couldn't even tell me to my face. Then you come back and three months later you're gone again. How the hell am I supposed to trust you? Are you gonna be there when I come in tomorrow?"

"Do you want someone else as your partner? Is that it?

He begins pacing again, "I don't know. I just know that I have to be able to trust my partner."

"Elliot, I always have your back. You know that."

"See, that's just it. I don't know that. Not anymore. Yeah, maybe when we're in the field or in interrogation but I have to trust you to even be there and to talk to me if there's a problem and not just up and leave."

"Elliot, after that mess with Gitano you were a mess. You said yourself that we couldn't be partners if we put each other over the job."

"Then you talk to me about it instead of going behind my back." He's practically shouting now, "Tell me, Liv. Tell me how I'm supposed to trust you now."

"Dammit Elliot, because I love you!"

Dun Dun

TBC

This will probably be a two or three shot not a long multi chap