Tangled Webs - An SVU fic

3.Happenstance

OLIVIA'S TOWNHOUSE. UPPER WEST SIDE MANHATTAN

Olivia's POV

The month that followed was non-stop work. I couldn't allow myself one idle moment or I would have completely broken down. Between the whole mess with Elliot and not being able to stop thinking about Trevor, my mind was in one big, constant state of confusion! The time off that I'd requested had finally come through and by this time tomorrow, I'd be on my way to L.A. for some much-needed relaxation. And just maybe, I'd be able to figure things out and know what my next move should be.

"Talk to me. Are you really ok?" Alex asked as we went through my bedroom closets. I'd been particularly quiet since receiving the news about Elliot and his...her and Alex was worried.

"I um... I will be. I just... it's hard."

"I know. Hey why don't you come for dinner tonight? My mom should be landing in a couple of hours and I'm sure she would love to see you."

"I would love to see her too but I have so much to do before I leave tomorrow. Plus, you two haven't seen each other in months, I don't want to intrude."

"You wouldn't be."

"I'd feel like it. Besides, I don't think I'd be very good company." I said as I returned 2 shoe boxes to the shelf. There was another brief silence before I felt Alex wrap her arms around me from behind. I rested my head against her and sighed just before a tear escaped my eye and rolled down my cheek.

"I know he's my fiancé's best friend but, if you wanna kick his ass, I'm down." I laughed and just as quickly was overcome with tears and began to weep while my Alex held me. I couldn't wait to get away from here.

.

ELLIOT'S OFFICE. LOWER MANHATTAN

"So that's it? You're really gonna go through with this?" Brian asked as he sat on the edge of Elliot's desk, putting his lollipop back in his mouth.

"I don't really have a choice now do I?" Brian's face contorted into a disbelieving scowl and he took the candy from his mouth again.

"What do you mean you don't have a choice? You fight for your marriage; that's your choice!"

"I've tried fighting for my marriage, she doesn't want anything to do with me!"

"If you believe that, you're an even bigger idiot than you were when you cheated! Dude, you can't marry Mairym, what the hell are you doin?!" The office suddenly grew quiet. "El?"

"She served me divorce papers." Brian's heart broke for his friend.

"I'm sorry man... I didn't know... but it doesn't mean..."

"It's exactly what it means...she wants her freedom. I gotta give it to her."

"El...fight for her."

"You still think after everything that's happened, she could love me again?"

"I don't think she ever stopped." Brian said and walked out of the office. Elliot spun around in his chair, staring out the window.

I, Olivia, take you Elliot to be my husband...

He thought back to their wedding day. She was so beautiful standing there at the altar in her flowing white gown. They promised their lives to each other that day; promised their hearts, their fidelity, their trust and he threw it all away. Everything was a mess and now he was having a child with a woman that he couldn't care less for even if he tried.

He turned his chair to face his desk and took the divorce papers from his drawer, staring at them in his hand like he has every day since he was served. He's been holding on to them for weeks and he knows that it's not fair to Olivia, but he just can't bring himself to sign them because to do so would mean admitting that he's lost her for good, and he's just not ready to face that reality. Yet, thinking of life without her frightens him; not waking up to her smile, or being unable to hold her in his arms or hear her voice every day; feel her body against his while they make love... these things are more essential to him than breathing and right now, he felt as if her had no air. His eyes were now wet with tears, a single one escaping and making its way down his face and falling onto the document in his hand. he tossed the papers onto his desk and hung his head, sobbing.