Loving You

Chapter 11

A/N: Before I was writing in both Elliot and Olivia's POV but from now on it will be in just Olivia's unless noted otherwise.

I walked across the street and into the small café, scanning for the blonde haired, blue eyed woman. I finally saw her in a booth towards the back, eating a sandwich. I moved towards the back and slid into the seat across from her. "Hi Kathy." I greeted her with small smile.

"Hi, thanks for meeting me Olivia. I just want to know for sure that we are on the same page-woman to woman. For my sake, my children's sake, and even for Elliot's." I just simply nodded before the waiter came and I ordered a cup of tea. "So, I know this is a rather personal question but, do you intend on staying in Elliot's life for the long run?"

I was shocked that she'd ask that but quickly recovered saying," Yes, actually I do. I've been staying at his apartment with him since Friday and actually just packed a bag of clothes from my apartment to take to his" I was quickly starting to get defensive and had to reign in my temper because I wanted this to go well. "In fact, we just had a conversation this morning about our relationship moving really quickly and Elliot and I both agreed that the pace we are going felt right for both of us."

Kathy took a sip of water, clearing her throat before speaking, "Let's be honest Olivia, fast doesn't always me stable," she looked at me pointedly before continuing, "Take Elliot and me for example, we moved fast getting married and having a baby at 17 and now here we are 16 years and four kids later separated and soon to be divorced." Her continuing passive-aggressiveness making it harder and harder for me to bite my tongue.

"Well then, let's just be thankful I'm not pregnant then huh?" I retorted, hiding my smirk by taking a long drink from my tea cup. I knew things were starting to go downhill but I couldn't help myself.

We sat in silence for awhile longer before she finally spoke, " Okay Olivia, I tried to be nice about this, I really did. Elliot doesn't know what he's doing, we've only been separated for a couple months and everything is still so new. Now, when I say this, I'm not trying to hurt your feelings but I've thought about it and I think that when Elliot went to the movies and you watched a movie and whatever else you did it was as a rebound. I know I've gone a few rebound dates over the past few months but it seems that Elliot let it snowball, so I think it will be easiest on all of us if he just came home. We all know that's what's best. It will minimize the people getting hurt this way, since the kids haven't gotten used to you as their dads girlfriend." Kathy said this all so causally as if this was the obvious answer to some horribly simple question. I just sat there, staring at her incredulously. 'Who the hell does she think this is?' I thought to myself, I said it over and over again in my head as if it was some new mantra.

"I came here under the impression that we were going to talk about me being in your children's lives in a new way, I expected a mature, adult conversation but instead you sat here and told me that I was a midlife crisis, a fling, I really can't believe you right now. Elliot and I are a couple now, whether you like that or not the only role you paly in our relationship is the mother of his children who he makes schedule plans with. I will not let you sit here and disrespect me and my relationship with Elliot." I stood, pulling money out of my purse and threw it on the table "It was great talking to you Kath." I said coldly before turning on my heel and walking away and out the café.

Stress was radiating through my body, I felt frazzled and frustrated with everything eve though all I was doing was standing in the middle of the sidewalk. There was only one thing or person rather that I needed. Elliot. I needed to feel his strong arms wrapped around me and his deep, soothing voice telling me everything would be okay. I made my way across the bust street for the second time that day, praying that he wasn't out in the field right now. I walked across the marble entryway and towards the elevators. I didn't expect the things Kathy had said to affect me this much but it did and I felt sick to my stomach about it. The elevator finally dinged after what felt like an eternity of waiting, I stepped in and began the ascent up.

I was the only one in the elevator so I allowed myself to try and relieve some of the stress by pacing and running my fingers through my hair repeatedly. The doors opened and I quickly got out and walked into the bullpen my eyes scanning for Elliot. I began to worry that he wasn't here until I saw him over by the coffee pot. I let out a sigh of relief before briskly walking towards him. The minute I got close enough to touch him, the tears I had been fighting to keep at bay rose to the surface. "El." I said barely above a whisper.

Elliot turned around and saw me, devastation and worry evident on his face. "Oh baby what happened?" He took me by my elbow and led me up the stairs and into the cribs closing the door behind us. Once we were completely hidden away I buried my face in his chest and cried while he wrapped his arms around me. "Liv honey, you need to calm down and tell me what's wrong, okay? I nodded my head still in his now tear stained shirt before pulling back slightly and sighing before telling him everything that happened with his soon to be ex-wife. El pulled me closer back into his chest and kissed the top of my head. "I'm so sorry that you had to go through all that Olivia. I can't believe her, I'm beyond pissed right now. Kathy had no right to say any of those things to you, your not a midlife crisis, okay? I'll talk to her but I didn't realize she was so against this, it's just going to take some time everything will be fine."

His words instantly calmed my nervous and I immediately felt like I had overreacted over the whole thing. "I'm sorry El, this isn't even a big deal and I freaked out." I pulled completely out of his embrace and sat on a bed with my head in my hands that was pounding. Elliot was by my side in an instant rubbing my back.

"No babe don't be sorry if it caused you to be this upset I'm glad that you told me. I was going to ask you all about how it went when I got home anyway so I'm glad that you came and talked to me first or else you would have been miserable all afternoon. You have every right to be upset right now, I wasn't even there and I'm just as upset as you are." I rested my head on his shoulder and took his hand that was placed on my inner thigh giving it a gentle squeeze. Everything might just be okay.