So, this takes place now. And yes, they've been partners 15 years. I found that out today when I was watching USA's SVU man-a-thon earlier and an episode from the 7th season said that they were partners for eleven years. Long time, huh?

Well you know the drill. SVU doesn't belong to me; it belongs to Dick Wolf, Neal Baer, and NBC, yada, yada, yada. I'm not sure who the show NCIS belongs to, but I made a quick reference to it, so yeah, it's not mine either. Speaking of which, does anyone know of any good NCIS fanfics? If so, mind giving me a title or two. Thanks!

Have fun, love!

Olivia Benson was sitting on her couch watching TV when her cell phone rang.

"Benson."

"Liv," it was Elliot. "Can you come get me?"

"Yeah, El, where are you?" She asked getting up.

"Kathy's…"

"Home?"

"Kathy's."

"Oh, uh, ok. I'm on my way."

She always waited for him to hang up first just in case, and before they did she heard Kathy yell, "Yeah, go ahead and call your girlfriend!" and something being thrown, hit its target, and Elliot swearing in anger and pain.

Olivia rolled her eyes, smirked, and grabbed the keys off the counter as she walked out the door. Kathy was so dramatic and annoying.

Fifteen minutes later, Olivia's black Mustang pulled up to the curb where Elliot was standing in front of his house. She popped the trunk; he put his stuff in, and climbed into the front seat.

"What'd you do?" Liv asked pulling back onto the street.

"Called her Olivia."

She couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry; I shouldn't laugh."

"No, you shouldn't. She left me for it."

Olivia took her eyes off the road to look at him.

"El…." She said dropping all humor and replacing it with sympathy.

"It's fine. Third time she abandoned our marriage. Guess we just weren't meant to work out." He said without remorse, but finalization.

Olivia put her eyes back on the road and gave his hand a firm squeeze. He looked out the window and didn't let go. He just needed something to hold on to.

"Liv, I know this is a little weird, but can I ask a favor?"

"El, we're best friends; what do you need?"

"Can I sleep on your couch? It'll only be for a little bit, until I can find a place, and we work most of the time anyway."

"Of course."

"Really?"
"Yeah, Elliot. It's fine."

They pulled into the garage of her apartment building. They were walking towards the elevator to go up to the actual building when he pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you, Olivia," he said in her ear. She gave him a tight squeeze.

"Anytime, El."

They walked upstairs as if it was an everyday thing.

The dynamic duo was sitting on the couch, eating pizza, and going over a case file. It was late and they were both bored.

"I'm sick of working. Want a beer?" Liv asked, standing up and heading for the fridge.

"Yeah, thanks," Elliot said, putting the papers back in the manila folder and putting it back on the coffee table.

Olivia handed him a Bud Light and grabbed the remote. He was watching her flip through the channels, unsatisfied with everything that was on, and chewing on the inside of her bottom lip, not even realizing that she was doing the old habit. He leaned back into the right side of the couch, spread his left arm onto the back of it, and took a big swig of his beer, relaxing. He was so sick of staying with Kathy when he didn't want to be with her. Yes, they have kids together, but the twins, Kathleen, and Maureen were all old enough to understand, and Eli was so young that maybe it'd be easier for him this way. He wouldn't remember the divorce when he was older and he wouldn't grow up in a loveless house, always hearing his parents fighting, and being around the tension all the time. Elliot worked for the Special Victims Unit; he knew it could mess up a kid.

Olivia settled on NCIS. Ziva and Tony still aren't together?! Olivia thought to herself, slouching down into the couch. She could feel Elliot's eyes on her but she was used to it. After 15 years, you don't mind his eyes boring into your skull. It actually feels strange when he goes too long without doing so.

Two episodes of NCIS and four beers later, Liv stood up, and announced she was going to bed. She grabbed a pillow and two blankets from a closet and put them on the couch, bid Elliot goodnight, and walked into her room. She shut the door and slid down it onto the floor, hugging herself around the middle. The whole time they were watching that show she was thinking about what happened at Sealview. She very rarely thought about it anymore, but some nights she couldn't help it. She couldn't get the image of Lowell Harris sexually assaulting her in the basement of the prison when she was undercover out of her mind. It seemed to be burned into her retinas. It was poison to her stomach and she wanted to scrub herself clean, throw up, and cry all at the same time. What if something happened again? No, it wouldn't. Elliot rarely left her side any more. He would never let anything happen to her. She knew that. He wasn't there then, but Fin showed up. A little late, but he stopped anything too bad from happening, didn't he?

An hour later Elliot awoke with a start. He heard Olivia screaming and crying in her room. He jumped off the couch, and threw open the bedroom door, running in.

"Please don't," she cried in her sleep.

Elliot shook her, trying to wake her.

"Liv, Liv, honey, it's just a dream. Wake up," he said shaking her harder. She woke up, trembling, tears running down her face. She looked up at him and broke down, sobbing. He pulled her into his arms, lifting her off the bed and holding her bridal style. He'd known her for over a decade, they knew each other inside and out, and yet he'd never seen her so vulnerable-looking.

"What was it about?" He asked, pushing the hair out of her face.

"Sealview," she answered into his shoulder, trying to stop crying and making a fool of herself.

He shifted himself to where he was more comfortable on the bed, putting his back against the firm headboard. He was going to be here for a while.

"Shhh, you're alright now," he said, rubbing his thumbs in circles on her back, doing what he used to do to his kids when they were crying and upset.

An hour later he felt her breathing slow, and eventually fall into the steady pattern of sleep. Not long after he was asleep too, still holding his partner like a baby.