"I have to go." Elliot stood up abruptly. "I have so much to do." He turned and walked away, leaving the two of them there consumed by all the things he needed to do by tomorrow. 

"Eli," Skoll called, running up behind him. 

"Can't talk I have to . . ."

"I'm sorry." Skoll said, words he never said. Words he was sure he could go his whole life without saying. 

Elliot cut his eyes at him. He didn't have time to be mad. "We need to talk but not tonight or right now. So, I'll see you when we leave." 

"Eli." Skoll grabbed his arm this time. "What can I do to help?" He felt useless at the moment. He knew what leaving for a few days let alone weeks would do to Elliot. He was a man with a routine. He liked his routine. He functioned best in that routine. 

Elliot rubbed his temples, "Skoll . . ." 

"What can I do?" 

"Get Emily a gift. Something that says sorry for the sudden uptake in the workload and also happy early maternity leave sorry I can't pay you for a while. Also, go to the store for me. Star is going to need a bag of food and litter. Throw in some treats too. I'll text you what she likes. Fuck I gotta find someone to watch her for me. I can't just leave her home alone." Elliot was starting to spin out. 

Skoll's hands came over him, cupping the sides of his face, causing him to still the squirreliness. "Take a breath." 

Elliot breathed in. 

"Go home, make a list, complete the list. Drink a glass of wine and go to bed." Skoll was doing his best not to show that he was hurt by already being dismissed by Elliot. Another sleepover wasn't going to be happening. Though if they were both honest, Skoll had been at Elliot's most nights for a while now. "A gift and Star. Anything else?" 

Elliot sighed, leaned his head to the side, "That's all I can think of for now. I'll text you." 

"Okay." Skoll let him go. 

* * * * * 

Star was easy to cross off his 'honey do list' once Elliot texted what she needed. Emily on the other hand. He didn't have a fucking clue as to what to get her. He was also annoyed he had to get her anything at all. He would have galdy taken something else off of Elliot's list of things. 

Skoll went ahead and ordered Elliot's usual lunch from the diner to be delivered to his office. He was sure that Elliot wasn't going to leave. He also threw in a club sandwich and fries for Emily. Lunch got delivered the same time her gift did. 

It was still sitting on her desk when Skoll pulled up at the end of the day. Emily was tapping her pen against her desk when he walked in. 

"Pregnant women can't eat lunch meat." 

"Did you pick it off?" 

"Yes." She rolled her eyes. "Thanks and thanks for the gift." She tapped the generic baby basket he had ordered. "I have a question though?" She grabbed the bottle of bourbon that sat smashed in the middle of it all. 

"That's for after the baby." He laughed. 

"Cute." She put the bottle back. "Ben will have it drunk before then." The baby was still a work and progress with him. 

"Oh, good you're here." Exclaimed Elliot as he walked out of his office. "I got most of my appointments shifted around for like two weeks. I'm working on sending a few of my patients to my old partner . . ." 

"Old partner?" Cut in Skoll. Elliot told him that there had only been him. 

"Work partner." Chimed Emily, clearly listening. 

"There were two of us before I broke off. By doing that though I'll probably lose them for good, but that's besides the point. I have a handful that I have to still keep seeing. So far they have agreed to zoom calls for the time being while I'm away." 

"It's going to be fine, Elliot." Emily smiled, "I'll hold down the fort here while you're away." 

Emily was being a total angel about everything. Elliot wasn't sure what he would do without her. 

"And don't worry about Star. Ben will get over it. She'll be fine." 

Skoll looked at her, "Ben won't get over it." He still hadn't. Not that he liked the thought of comparing himself to dogs but wolves didn't like cats either. 

And there it was. She knew. She knew about Ben and she knew about him. He didn't know how but she did. Her look said it all. Skoll had to check himself before his jaw dropped. 

"What?" She asked teasingly.