Sweet Relief

Eleven

About an hour into his call out, Elliot realized he wasn't going to make it home for the family's breakfast plans, and although Olivia had been unsurprised when he called, he still felt immense amounts of guilt as this was the first time he'd be breaking a promise to Emma. He knew it wouldn't be the last and that killed him. Olivia was reluctant to reschedule for lunch and he had to promise several times over that he would make it work as he begged her to meet him in Central Park with the kids.

He knows that both things come at a cost, and he would much rather be on Sergeant Bell's list than damage his relationship with Olivia and stall out the progress they've been making lately, especially since she just agreed to break the news to Emma.

As he pulls his suit jacket off the back of his chair to leave Ayanna asks him where he thinks he's going and he grimaces. He was hoping to slip out before her meeting ended and avoid her questions. She's about reached her limit with his frequent disappearances this week.

"I uhh.. Got something to take care of." He says, grabbing his keys.

"And that would be?" She asks, an eyebrow raised.

"Let you know if it pans out." He says, leaving before she can ask anymore questions. He knows he'll have that to deal with when he gets back but he would rather deal with an irritated Ayanna than break his promise to Olivia and his daughter.

It takes him awhile to spot the family in the park but when he does a tired smile spreads across his face. He stands still for a moment on the sidewalk, watching them. Emma's practicing drills by herself, a determined look on her face as she runs up and down the field, and Olivia sits with the baby on a blanket, tickling his belly as he shrieks with laughter. All of the frustrations he's had with Olivia about her unwillingness to commit, or label their relationship fall away as he watches her in the sunlight, her bright smile bringing a soft smile to his own face. He's only known Olivia like this for a short amount of time but he's sure this is his favorite version of her. She sits on the blanket in a t-shirt and jeans, her hair loosely French braided, a carefree grin on her face as she tends to the baby. Elliot decides in this moment that even if Olivia can never give him a title in her life, he'd be happy to spend the rest of his living with that uncertainty if it means he gets to watch her like this.

Olivia grins at her shrieking baby and it brings her back nearly a decade to all the time she spent here with Emma. She has fond memories of their frequent strolls through the park now, but also a vague recollection of just how tired she was. When Emma wouldn't sleep a walk through the park always did the trick, and she often found herself walking through the park for hours in an attempt to hold on to her sanity. Being here now with kids feel different and she's grateful for it.

She scans the park looking for Elliot and she smiles when she sees him making his way towards them. As he gets closer she's able to see the exhaustion on his face and she realizes he's still wearing the clothes he left in last night. He fights back a yawn as he bends down to give her a kiss before, dropping onto the blanket next to her. She eyes him as she passes him a sandwich and a cup of coffee, which he takes gratefully, drinking the coffee in it's entirety before even looking at the food.

"Rough night?" She asks, already knowing the answer.

"We raided a warehouse we thought for sure was full of drugs Wheatley was moving," He sighs, "It was a trap, Washburn got shot. We've been chasing ghosts, Liv, it's a wreck. And we're burning at both ends, half of us chasing Wheatley and half of us trying to get a handle on the Albanians..."

"I'm sorry, Love..." She says, stroking his cheek lovingly, her hand lingering when he turns into it, exhausted and missing the comfort of her arms. "What can I do?"