After All This Time

A Waiting Game

"Liv?" Kathy called, standing up.

"What? Sorry." Olivia said softly, looking at the blonde.

"It's okay. I asked if you wanted some coffee or water." Kathy offered.

"Oh, no, thank you. I'm okay." Olivia whispered back.

"You sure?" Kathy asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

"About what?" Olivia asked, confused.

"You sure you're okay?" Kathy asked worriedly.

"Yeah, Kathy. I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Olivia said softly, trying to give the blonde a reassuring smile.

"Okay." Kathy replied, not really believing her but not wanting to make her uncomfortable. "I'll be right back."

Olivia nodded, watching Kathy walk out of the room. She took a seat in the now-vacated chair next to Elliot's bed and sighed heavily. She couldn't believe this was happening. She had come up with a thousand different scenarios of how she and Elliot would see each other again and this was definitely not one of them. She was taken from her thoughts when Kathy came back into the room with two cups of coffee.

"You didn't have to, Kathy." Olivia whispered, taking the coffee gratefully and taking a long sip.

"I think I did." Kathy joked, chuckling softly and Olivia joined her.

"Thank you." Olivia said softly. "So, um, how did Eli have my phone number?" She asked curiously.

Kathy smiled softly. "When we first gave Eli the phone, Elliot put in your number and when Eli asked whose number it was, he said it was yours. And that if for some reason Eli can't get ahold of me or him, he should call you. Elliot knew you would answer if one of the kids called you."

"I would." Olivia whispered, looking over at Elliot, watching his chest rise and fall slowly.

"And you did." Kathy smiled softly, watching Olivia smile back at her.

Olivia was about to say something when her phone started ringing. "Benson." She said, answering it. "Okay, I'm on my way back now." She hung up, looking back at Kathy. "That was Fin, I have to go." She paused for a moment, looking at Elliot again.

"I'll call you if anything changes, don't worry." Kathy said, smiling knowingly.

"Thank you." Olivia replied, smiling gratefully as she walked toward the door to leave.

"Oh, wait! I almost forgot; Eli told me that he took a picture of the license plate number of whoever attacked Elliot before they sped off. I'll have him text it to you." Kathy said, taking out her phone to text Eli.

Olivia's eyes widened. "That would be very helpful, thank you. And don't worry, I'll try not to involve Eli in this as much as possible. I'll just say he was a confidential informant, no one has to know." She assured the blonde.

"Thank you." Kathy said, relieved.

Olivia smiled and walked toward the door again and stopped, turning around to face Kathy. "You raised some amazing kids, ya know." She smiled softly at the blonde.

"Thanks, Liv. I appreciate that." Kathy replied, smiling back as she watched Olivia wave slightly and leave to go back to the station.

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"Hey, Cap. Everything okay?" Fin asked as Olivia walked into the squad room.

"Yeah, I, uh, had to do a thing. Can I see you in my office?" She asked, not waiting for him to respond as she walked into her office.