Operation Heart

Dinner Dates & Broken Knuckles

By the time Monday morning arrived Olivia was actually looking forward to being back in the office with Fin and Amanda again, assuming the two hadn't killed each other over the weekend. When she entered the precinct, she found them arguing over something in hushed voices. "What's going on?" She questioned, looking from her Sergeant to her Detective, waiting for one of them to answer her.

"We're just having a friendly disagreement on whether or not Cabot is going to go through with her threat on Stabler's life," Fin said, which made the brunette roll her eyes at the two of them.

"She better not. Now, do we have any cases this morning?" She asked.

"No, we were just going to catch up on some paperwork. How was your weekend, Liv?" Amanda asked with a smile.

"It was good, I went to the beach." Olivia offered no further explanation before she went to her office, closing the door behind her. There was an envelope on her desk with a confidential label, meaning whoever sent it didn't want other people reading it. She opened it, finding another letter from Elliot. That was when she realized they didn't have each other's phone numbers, but the letter still added something personal to all of it in her opinion. The opening of the letter made her actually laugh.

Captain Benson,

I apologize for the misuse of NYPD office supplies, but I wanted you to get this letter BEFORE dinner tonight. Kathleen called me last night and told me that you know about Kathy, and the load of shit there. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I wanted to. God, I wanted to. First I had to learn how to cope with losing a child that my children would still be around, and I had to figure out how to be there for my kids without being near Kathy. (Olivia understood the feeling.) I had even figured out how and when to tell you that Eli wasn't mine. I was going to tell you on May 17th after work, but we both know how that ended. (That goddamn shooting.) And then when I came back I still really wanted to tell you the truth, but you were so pissed at me, and you still are pissed at me. You can roll your eyes, and make some sarcastic comment that has clearly rubbed off on my children, but I know you, Olivia.

You put up a good front for the sake of my kids, Kathleen especially, but I know you haven't forgiven me, nor do I expect you to. I was an asshole who made a complete ass out of himself where Kathy and Eli were concerned, which I will regret until the day I die. But Olivia, you've gotta believe me when I say that hurting you was the last thing I ever wanted to do. (She hated herself for it, but she believed him.) I don't expect us to ever have the relationship we once had, but I want us to be friends, or at least co-exist.

Your friend?

Elliot

She groaned, knowing she didn't have the strength to risk her trust again, but with him, she wanted to. For twelve years he had meant the world to her, and to pretend like there wasn't a small part of her that wanted all of that back was insane.

Noah's dance class rehearsal usually ended at five, but today it was ending a bit earlier, so Olivia had asked Kathleen to pick him up and just meet her and Elliot at either the precinct, or the Italian restaurant. Olivia was still at her desk, doing paperwork when there was a knock on the door. She looked up, surprised to see one of her exes standing in the doorway. "What can I do for you, Ed?" She had a kind smile on her face as she looked up at him. They hadn't ended on bad terms, but they also hadn't talked in years.

"Do you have a minute to talk, Liv? It's pretty imperative that I talk to you sooner rather than later," he admitted. She gestured to the seat across from her, letting him know he could sit down, so he did after he closed the door.

"This sounds serious, Ed. What's wrong?" Her eyebrow raised slightly as she waited for an answer, an explanation to his random appearance.

"Elliot Stabler is alive," he stated. She got ready to tell him that she already knew, but was interrupted by her cell phone ringing, it was Kathleen. She held up one finger, silencing Ed as she answered the phone.