Bensler Oneshots

It's Not Fair

"Why does everyone keep trying to put this blanket on me?"

"You're in shock, Liv," Elliot said, tucking it back over her shoulders.

"That doesn't mean I need a blanket. I need a drink," she argued, pushing it off to the ground.

He rolled his eyes, then, lunged forward to steady her as she stood and stumbled.

"Yeah, alcohol seems like a good idea," Elliot said sarcastically. "You already can't stand." His hands were still planted firmly on Olivia's waist.

"I'm fine. Get your hands off'a me," she said, angrily pushing him away.

He lifted his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright."

She gave him one more shove as she pushed past him, heading to the sedan. As she reached the door, she spun around, glaring at him. "Someone else giving you a ride home?"

Elliot rolled his eyes, holding up his pointer finger as a signal to give him a minute. She just climbed into the sedan, but she didn't immediately drive away, so he found Cragen and hurried over.

"Are we okay to leave?" Elliot asked the captain.

Cragen sighed, nodding. "I would've liked her to give her statement, but it's late. It can wait."

"She's anxious to leave."

"Is she doing alright? Be honest, Elliot. I won't hold it against her. This was a close call. No one could've been prepared for something like this."

The detective scratched the back of his neck. "I, uh, I don't know. To be honest."

"Keep an eye on her." Cragen patted Elliot on the back and gestured to where she waited in the sedan.

"Will do, cap."

"Take tomorrow, and tell Olivia the same," Cragen called after him.

Elliot raised a hand in acknowledgement before rounding the vehicle to the driver's side. He was surprised that Olivia had switched to the passenger seat, but he didn't let it show as he turned the key and buckled his seat belt.

"You hungry?" he asked, glancing over at her.

Olivia shook her head, her eyes fixed straight ahead. That in itself was concerning; she had fallen silent and was likely already headed down a rabbit hole. Elliot watched her for a moment before pulling the sedan into the street. He stopped at a bodega anyway, knowing that she hadn't eaten all day and also that she had no food in her apartment. She didn't go in with him.

They reached Olivia's apartment, and Elliot had opened the door and climbed out of the sedan when he noticed that his companion still hadn't moved. He went around to the passenger side, opening the door, and saying, "We're at your apartment. Come on." She didn't move, eyes glassy and staring straight ahead. "Liv, Olivia, are you getting out of the car?"

Her head snapped up. "Yeah, sorry." She waited until Elliot backed away before she swung her legs out of sedan, dropping her feet onto the pavement.

Elliot waited and closed the door as Olivia stepped away, absentmindedly walking away from the sedan and toward the building door.

Olivia used her key to open the building, and Elliot followed her to the elevator, holding onto the bag with their mediocre bodega sandwiches. She unlocked her apartment and stopped, dropping her keys, cuffs, gun, and badge on the counter.

Elliot closed the door for her, placing both sandwiches on the counter. "Liv, you should eat something."

"'M not hungry," she mumbled, tracing her finger in a pointless pattern over the countertop.

"Olivia, you haven't eaten all day."

She shook her head, brushing past him to the living room. He watched her drop onto the couch and bringing her legs up, pressing her knees to her chest and curling her arms around her legs.

Olivia was very private, had been since the moment he met her, and showing weakness wasn't something she liked to do at all. This was bad, though; she was shutting down, and she needed help.

Elliot just walked over and sat beside her, wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her when she fell against him, crying.

He couldn't protect her from everything, especially when they worked such a dark job, but he would help her through the dark times. He would do anything for her.