THE RETURN

Chapter 56

After running home to grab a quick shower and depositing the ring in a box on the corner of his side of the closet, he made his way to the precinct. Right as he arrived, at 11:30, he received a text from Olivia saying that she was going to be a little late. He contemplated sitting in the Jeep until she came out but figured that he was going to have to do enough sitting in the waiting room, something that he was already dreading.

So, he took the elevator up to the floor that he took the elevator up to for 12 years. As the doors slid open, he took a deep breath. He had not stepped foot in the unit since the day he dropped his gun and badge off to Cragen, the day that he officially left Olivia without a word. He left as a man making the biggest mistake of his life, leaving the woman who had kept him whole for 12 years in the shadows for eight. That day he was entering as the man who was given a second chance to have everything he ever dreamed for with her and she had given him it.

His lips curved into a smile when he saw her across the room hanging a number of crime scene photos on the board. The words, "I have an appointment and was hoping to grab some lunch but I'll just do the appointment. Can everyone keep it together for an hour while I'm gone?" escaped her mouth at the same time her eyes made contact with him.

Jesus, the way the man had the ability to calm her just by looking at him now, still shocked her. The case they were currently dealing with was a multiple rape homicide. All three teenage girls were found in the same room, all brutally raped and tortured. It had rightfully rubbed everyone of her squad members the wrong way and everyone was not in a good mood. It seemed as if every word that came out of someone's mouth was counteracted by another person. It was one of those days that she had to keep a watchful eye on everyone because an argument could ensue at any moment. She gave him a slight smile and watched him as he looked around the squad room quickly.

It was so different, that he found it hard to believe that he even sat at a desk in the same room he was standing in. Their old metal desks, box computers and crappy lighting had been replaced with new desks, flat screens and lighting that made every flaw in the building visible. When his eyes made contact with hers once again, she gestured him towards a door to the left. He looked at it and back at her. "Office?" he mouthed to her.

She nodded, smiled and mouthed back, "Office."

"God, you guys are too fucking corny," Fin said as he lifted his cup of coffee to his lips. Although his mouth curved upwards slightly, the harshness of the day did not escape the tone of his voice.

Everyone around them laughed and Olivia welcomed the small break from reality. Elliot made his way to her office and looked back just in time to see Olivia wack Fin in the head with the folder she was holding. He chuckled one more before opening the door to her office.

Her office was not only bigger than Cragen's was, it was much more homey. Her desk was lined with numerous photos and when he made his way around her desk to look at them, he couldn't help the grin that lined his face. He wasn't sure when she had the time to do it, but she had printed out numerous photos of the life they had begun to build together. One photo was the photo that they had taken at the museum, with their lips connected, another was a photo Eli had snapped of them laughing in the kitchen, with his arms wrapped securely around her, another was of the boys sitting on the couch, Eli's arm wrapped around Noah's shoulder, one was of Kathleen holding Hailey in the air, and the last two were the most perfect pictures of the boys. He was holding the photo of them laughing in the kitchen, when she walked in.

"I love this photo of us," he said as he flipped it around so she could see which one he was referring too.

She smiled and made her way towards him, "Me too, it's my favorite."