Law & Order: SVU One-Shot Book

The Parallel

Well, it only took 23 years, but Stabler bit the bullet (not literally, considering he has more gunshot wounds than a public shooting range target,) and he confessed to Olivia he loved her, and always had. This took her by surprise, but she unboxed one of her deepest emotions and kissed him.

This news shook the department, but many were unsurprised. Everyone new and old knew about the ever-so-legendary Benson-Stabler duo. One of the first people aware was nonetheless retired Captain Donald Cragen, of SVU. He had no children, and early on his wife Marge passed too. Olivia took to SVU quickly, becoming his best detective, and surrogate daughter. He knew all along how the both of them felt, and often disciplined them for how close they were. Nevertheless, they did their jobs, and incredibly well too.

No one knows, but he saw Olivia's breakdown through the glass window when Elliot left.

Exactly 10 years later, after living in Italy for a little while, and returning to see Olivia become Captain, Kathy Stabler gets hit by a car bomb. Much more ensues, including her death.

Now, after the finished case with the Albanian Mob, he's drinking a beer with Chinese take-out on Olivia Benson's couch.

He notices when she sits down on the couch how much she's changed. She still has her soft brown eyes, olive skin, and long voluminous hair. Now, she's filled out, with smile lines, and a much wiser air to her. Nonetheless, shes still the Badass Benson he wanted oh-so-many years ago.

"Like what you're looking at, Stabler?" She asks, raising an eyebrow. Even after disappearing for 10 years, she can still read him like a billboard in the Catskills. He coughs, and draws his attention back to his mei fun and the movie playing. Olivia has her feet in his lap. The movie is finishing, with the main character admitting his love to his best friend.

".... This was something I should've done a long time ago." He says, dipping the girl he loves.

He glances through the corner of his eye, and noticed the longing look on Olivia's face. The credits roll, and Elliot clears his dishes into the sink, and grabs a blanket from the couch to fold. Olivia is watching from the kitchen, and see the man he is now. Checking his phone, Elliot grabs his keys, and turns to the door.

"It was really good to see you Elliot, just like old times, right?"

"Right." He flashes a smile, and turns around to leave.

Noah's out at a sleepover, so Olivia grabs her pajamas and decides to pour herself one glass of wine before turning in. As she's settling on the couch, her phone goes off.

'Hey, I left my jacket, mind if I come grab it?'

'Not at all.'

Elliot had already gotten home before realizing he left his jacket, so it was a while before he got to her apartment. He knocked a few times before looking under the doormat for her spare key.

Figures, he thinks, before letting himself in. He walks into the the living room to find a sleeping Olivia snuggling his jacket, her nose a bit buried in it. Olivia was always a bit of a sleep-talker, but what he heard broke his heart.

"N-n-no, Lewis. Please don't." A bit of silence.

"You're right. My partner would break your arms, break your legs, kick your teeth in, beat you to a bloody pulp."

She starts to shake. Tears are running through her closed eyes, her hands almost white from the grip on the jacket.

"No, please. No! NO!! Don't touch me!!"

Elliot realizes she's panicking, and sits down and gently shakes her shoulder.

"Liv, Liv, it's me. It's Elliot, I'm here. Wake up."

Her eyes shoot open, and sh reaches for her piece on the end table, but find her now shattered glass in her hand. It takes her a minute to realize it's just Elliot. Her left hand is scratched up and bleeding.

"Jesus Christ, El. You scared me." She says, then realizing what happened. She does a quick 180.

"Oh, uh, here's your coat. Sorry about the mess." She cleans up the glass while Elliot stands there in shock."

What happened Olivia?

She's washing her hands and Elliot puts his hand on her shoulder.

"Liv, what was that?"

"Oh, that was nothing. Just a bad dream."

She goes to walk around him, but his hand grabs her bicep. He looks at her, his eyes so crystal blue, and his face pulled into a look of pain and sheer anger.

"Liv," he says, his voice cracking just a bit. She sighs.

"A few years ago, Rollins brought in a suspect who she had an uneasy feeling about, he had flashed a group of tourists girls. His fingertips were burnt off, and he had no I.D." She takes a shaky breath in. "His name was William Lewis. He ended up raping and brutalized a woman in her sixties for testifying against him for 18 hours. We couldn't prove it was him, as she had died soon after. Cragen forced me to take a day or two off afterwards. He came to my house, and pistol whipped me. I was held for 3 days. He killed a few people, and he rapes me. A few minutes later Fin and my partner at the time found me, tied onto a wrought iron bed. They shot him, and walked me to the car. If there was one moment in time I was sure I'd have died, it was then."

She was weeping freely, but wiped her tears with the back of her hand. Elliot was dazed, just barely comprehending what had happened. Olivia goes to moves again but his grip on her arm tighten. He takes his thumb and index finger, and lifts her chin so he's looking her straight in the eye.

"Elliot?"

"You have a spot near your lip."

Oh.

How stupid am I? Thinking after I told my sob story he'd love me. He doesn't want Lewis's sloppy seconds. He didn't love you then, and he certainly doesn't love you n-

Elliot kisses her, grabbing a fistful of her hair, and cupping her jawline with the other. The kiss was everything she thought and wanted it to be. His touch is gentle but dominant, and he tugs on her lower lip begging to be let in. Olivia has her hands grabbing fistfuls of his navy blue T-Shirt. He snakes his hands to her bottom and sits her down on the edges of the sink basin. She lets him her mouth, for a few seconds before they separate to take a breath.

"... What was that?" She asks, staring into his now navy blue eyes.

"Something I should've done a long time ago."

He holds her hand as he walks towards the door, coat in hand. He meets her eyes one more time before saying.

"I love you, Olivia Benson." He gives her a kiss on her forehead.

"I love you too, Elliot Stabler."