The Station House

Chapter 5

Liv thinks back to her and Elliot's last conversation. In the hallway of the hospital. Where he expressed his love for her and she was ready to express her own before Cragen called to interrupt. Today's a big day though. She has an early appointment with her therapist this morning and this evening shes having dinner with Elliot. So that they can talk. He's cooking her a meal at his place to try to help the side of her that's longing for that semblance of a normal life. She's unbelievably nervous and excited at the same time. She gets dressed in something casual and makes her way to her appointment with Dr Lindstrom.

When she arrives he greets her at the door as usual and walks over and takes a seat in his normal spot. As does she. He starts off by asking how things have been since their last appointment. She's exhales loudly. Eager to talk to him about what's happened.

"Well I did something I'm really not proud of." She gauges his reaction before resuming. The other night I was at the station and it was just a normal night. Nothing out of the ordinary. It was near the end of the night. The office was completely empty other than Elliot and I. We were getting ready to wrap up and call it a night I was stretching just trying to let go of the stress of the day and he asked what was wrong. He thought something was troubling me. And he was right. I was getting emotional. We had a victim that just broke my heart. It never gets any easier. I broke down and cried a little and he attempted to comfort me which I was grateful for but then it escalated to something else entirely.-she pauses and sighs-we ended up sharing a rather intimate moment, right there in the office.-Dr Lindstrom raises his eyebrows and waits for her to proceed-he told me the next day that him and Kathy have separated but I didn't know when it happened, I thought that he was still married yet I still became intimate with him. " There's a moment of silence. Liv nervously fidgets with her necklace between her fingers.

Dr Lindstrom finally responds-"Olivia I can understand why you feel guilty. You have morals and you respected Kathy. But there's a couple thing's that you need to try to remember. You have been in love with Elliot for 12 years and have managed to resist your urges for a long time. I'm not excusing it but you're also a human who makes mistakes.-Liv abruptly shifts in her chair-I know that you're a strong woman who wants to believe she's invincible and couldn't possibly have any weaknesses or moments of vulnerability but you're a human so we all make mistakes. No one gets through this life without making them. It's what you learn from them that matters. You had a moment of weakness where you were vulnerable and didn't resist someone that you've been completely in love with for years. It's okay to feel guilty because you thought he was still married but it's not okay to beat yourself up, or paint yourself with some negative brush where you're a villain."

Liv responds "How do I move forward with him and not think about how it started with what I believed to be an affair." "You remind yourself that it's not about where you started but rather where you're going." She leans back in her chair. Trying to absorb what he's saying. "And if I struggle to remind myself?" "You make an appointment with me." He says encouragingly. She half smiles. They pause. "You deserve happiness Olivia. Let yourself find it. If that's the good that comes out of your mistake don't let your one mistake in 12 years of restraint spoil it." The time runs out on the clock and he walks her to the door. "I'll see you next week Olivia. Don't be too hard on yourself."

After leaving Dr Lindstroms office she had plans to go find a dress for her dinner with stabler. She arrives at a popular outlet mall in the area and walks around stopping briefly in a variety of stores to find the perfect dress. She walks down a hallway of the mall and sees it on a mannequin in the window of a store. She goes in and asks to try it on. She slips it on and looks herself over in the mirror. The excitement creeping up on her making her blush.

The dress is a beautiful shade of navy blue, just deep enough that it's bordering dark blue. The dress stops mid thigh with a slit that runs up the side. The front cut very low with small horizontal slits of cloth running across the open cleavage. The back of the dress a thin black see through lacey material that's runs from the small of her back, just above her bottom, all the way up her back with a v cut out at the of the top of the dress, exposing her shoulders. She pays for the dress and leaves the store.

She makes her way through a few other stores. Afterall what's a beautiful dress without the perfect shoes. She finds the perfect match. Black high heels that make her legs pop. Next She makes her way to a lingerie store. She finds a black set that fits perfectly. The top cupping her breasts the bottoms seductive yet comfortable. She buys an expensive, subtle yet pleasant, perfume. She leaves the mall and makes her way home.

When she gets home she takes a shower making sure to go the extra mile with her body to ensure It's nice and smooth. She stands at the mirror in her bathroom and debates what she wants to do with her hair. Curls? Straight? Sexy bun? She ponders before settling on large droopy curls that bounce as she walks . She takes her time making sure not to miss any strands of hair. She then decides on small hoop ear rings, very light foundation, light eyeliner and mascara, and lipgloss that complements her lips and complexion.

She slips the dress on over the new set of undergarments and slides the shoes on, and sprays herself a few times with the new bottle of perfume. Making sure to hit all the key important places. Her neck, her collarbones, and her inner wrists. Lastly she collects an envelope out of her nightstand and heads towards the door, she closes and locks the door behind her and heads to the car. She references Stablers text message before typing his address into Google maps and heading to his place. The anticipation growing more and more the closer she gets.

She pulls up at his apartment and double checks the apartment number to make sure she has the right apartment. After she confirms she grabs the envelope off the car seat and walks up to steps leading to the doorway and stops just before them. She takes several drawn out deep breaths, walks up the steps to the door and knocks. The door swings open and Elliot's standing there. Roses in his hand motioning for her to come in. She comes in and he hands her the roses. She thanks him joyously and sets them down on a small table in the corridor.

They embrace each other with a warm loving hug. When they're done Elliot locks eyes with her briefly before taking a step back. His jaw drops open slightly as he looks her over. "Wow Liv. You look....-he sighs- Absolutely stunning."She smiles shyly-"I mean it Liv, you're breathtaking tonight. I mean you always are but.. wow. I'm at a loss for words." She blushes."Me? Look at you all dapper. Your dress shoes and dress pants, dress shirt, vest and tie. The whole 9 yards" He blushes and quickly looks away. "Are you blushing El. Is the big muscular mucho Elliot stabler blushing?" "Yeah, yeah-he chuckles- come on" he says as he leads her to the dining room.

A candlelit dinner table awaiting them. "Elliot...this is..beautiful. I mean it's.. breathtaking?" he interjects facetiously tilting his head and smiling. "Yes. Completely." She nods in agreement. His face lights up. "I just want to make you happy Liv. He pulls her chair out for her-and this is just the beginning."