Unrequited

Chapter 19

Author's Note: Well it's about that time to move the rating up to "M". There are going to be more adult situations happening in the story going forward. This should make a certain group of people that I love and adore very happy. They know who they are. The same ones who beat me up in my DM's every chapter for the lack of smut. So to the fam, this is for you.

Thanks to everyone for the reviews they mean the world to me and give me the motivation to keep going. Hope you enjoy.

Elliot rolls his neck side to side trying to relieve the knots that still linger from spending most of his night and part of the morning sleeping on Olivia's couch. After successfully getting Noah back to sleep, the two of them stayed up talking into the wee hours of the morning with the low volume of the television in the distance. Eventually they both drifted off and he woke up a little after 3am with Olivia asleep in his arms.

As much as it pained him, he woke her up to get in the bed so she could have a few decent hours of sleep. When she asked him to stay the night with her he almost took her up on his offer but he didn't trust himself. Somehow he'd exercised a saint level of control in his attraction to her for over a decade when they were partners, but now that he'd kissed her, held her and felt her there was no way he could lay next to her all night and keep his hands to himself. Instead he kissed her on her forehead, tucked her in, peeked in on a sleeping Noah and let himself out.

Work had kept them both occupied the day after, her with a new rape murder case on the Upper East Side and him with meetings at the Federal building. He sidestepped his boss' insistence on taking the next assignment in Denver and instead focused on catching up on case files.

Now it's the day of the party and he can't shake the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knows she's running late for the party because of the texts they've exchanged off and on all day but he's been pacing back and forth in his living room instead of getting ready.

His eyes glance over to the black suit with the silver handkerchief laid out on his bed that Maureen was kind enough to set out for him earlier. Insistent that her dad would not go to such a big affair "half stepping" she picked out everything including dress socks and shoes. But his attire is the least of his worries. He wishes he could be that guy that wasn't jealous. That didn't care about seeing the woman he loves on the arm of another man. He wishes that a part of him didn't feel somewhat self conscious about being in the room with people who know parts of his professional past specifically that his shooting of a young girl led to his retirement.

Elliot walks to the bathroom gazing at the man that stares back at him. The wrinkles are at the edges of his eyes, the hairline a little further back than it was in years past but his eyes have a different tint to them. There is a sparkle of life there that was missing for so long. But it's the furrow of his brow that grab his attention more than anything.

Splashing a bit of cold water on his face, he takes a deep breath, gripping the edge of the sink. It's going to be a long night. He hasn't been in the same room with Ed Tucker since he handed over his badge and signed his retirement papers. And since he resisted every urge to wipe the smug smile off Tucker's face with the swell of his fists.

Elliot wipes his hands on the towel, finishes buttoning up his crisp white dress shirt, tucking it firmly into his pants and fastens his belt. Before he picks up the jacket, his hand circles around the silver handkerchief. The one that matches the dress she will wear tonight but he hasn't laid eyes on. He grips it tight, sliding the satin material through his fingers as he sits on the edge of the bed.

It's a little after 6pm. The party doesn't start until 730 but no one actually gets there right at the beginning. Then the thought hits him, a wide grin spreading across his face.