Undercover

Chapter 35

"Listen Liv, he grabs her hand and spins her to face him- we can't go back. We can't go back and change things. We'll never know what could have happened if Kathy hadn't taken the letter, and God, trust me do I want to know, but we just can't. What I do know though is that we're here, right now, just the two of us and despite everything we get another chance to explore all of the things that got taken away from us back then. Starting now we can make the future whatever we want it to be."

Her heart rate was thumping and her blood was boiling- she had been outraged at the entire situation and all that they missed but standing there hearing Elliot who is so confident that they can make up for lost time and still live the life they want makes her feel a little more convinced that she should take a leap of faith.

"What exactly do you want Elliot. I'm not like you I have no idea how to have a relationship. I don't know if I can give you everything that Kathy gave you."

"Olivia. You don't have to explain yourself to me. You're not some dangerous thing that needs to come with a warning label. I'm a big boy I can handle myself. I know your heart and how deep my feelings for you are. I know that the connection between us is real. I truly believe that an authentic genuine connection as deep as ours is not something that happens everyday. I know you better than I know anyone so I don't need you to explain to me that it's going to take a lot of time for you to find your footing in a relationship, I don't need you to explain to me what you want or what you need, I don't need you to explain to me how you operate. I know your mind and your heart and I'm all in. I know that this-he uses a finger to motion between them-you and me spending our lives together, it's definitely what I want. -he glances down at her lips for a moment before fixating back on her eyes-the only question here is if it's what you want."

Olivia carefully slips her hand from Elliot's grasp and turns away from him.. "Liv." He mutters as she paces around the room. "Do you want to be with me? The tone in his voice has changed. "I don't know how to do a normal relationship." She responds reluctantly "That's not what I asked you-he moves closer to her and turns her body to face his when she remains silent. "It's simple Liv. Do you want to be with me. Yes or no?" His voice is an octave lower now- deep and firm. She swallows hard. Her mind and heart are both racing and she tries to collect her words but it feels like they're caught in her throat.

He tethers his voice so that it's soft and tender "If you want this, if you want me we can figure everything else out, and we will."
Her eyes fixated on his and she takes a deep breath. "I do want you El-she sighs and takes a step closer to him-I do. I always have."

His face lights up with joy. "That's all I need to know." He leans in stopping when his lips are only inches away from hers. He rests his head against hers and waits for her to close the rest of the distance between them. She slowly raises her face to meet his and he parts his lips to wrap around hers. His hand finds its way to the back of her head and gently caresses her scalp as he takes the kiss deeper slipping his tongue into her mouth.

She welcomes his embrace with the brush of her own tongue before gently pulling away. "I have to finish getting ready. We can't keep Amanda and Carisi waiting forever" She blurts out. He inhales sharply and releases her from his grasp. "I'll be in the living room with Noah whenever you're ready." He kisses her softly on the forehead before pivoting and exiting the room.

Elliot makes his way to the living room and takes a seat beside Noah on the couch. "Elliot, Noah mutters faintly "Yeah buddy?" How long have you and my mom been friends?" Elliot exhales loudly. "For a very very long time." Elliot replies. "Do you love her?" Elliot feels like the wind is knocked out of him at the weight of the question and scratches his head as he tries to collect his thoughts.