Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay has opened up about why Stabler and Benson didn’t kiss during their crossover episode in season 24 of the show. During that season, the two characters were reunited for a short time because of a case, the pair showing that their bond is still just as strong as it was before. They also nearly kiss, however don’t go through in the moment and haven’t had such a close romantic encounter since.

Speaking with Variety, Hargitay revealed why Stabler and Benson didn’t kiss in Law & Order: SVU season 24, despite how close they came to doing so. The series star explains how there was a discussion about how far they would go during production, ultimately ending with them almost kissing but not quite doing so. Check out what Hargitay had to say about the moment below:

Will Law & Order Ever See Stabler & Benson Get Together?

While both characters appear to harbor some level of romantic feelings for one another, a Benson and Stabler romance doesn’t seem like it’s going to be happening anytime in the near future. The two characters are still the leads of their own shows in their shared franchise, with Hargitay on Law & Order: SVU and Chris Meloni leading Law & Order: Organized Crime. Because both series are still running, it would be difficult for the pair to share a romance that crosses over between both series, as their appearances together could be sparse.

However, one development regarding both shows could allow for the pair to feasibly become a couple. Law & Order: Organized Crime season 5 is no longer going to be on NBC, with the series is expected to move to Peacock for the foreseeable future. Part of this deal involves reducing the episode count to 10 episodes, meaning Stabler’s time in the crime universe would be greatly reduced. However, it would also open up the possibility of him having more time to appear on SVU, opening the door for a potential romance with Benson.

While it’s unclear if the two protagonists are going to become romantically linked in the future, season 24’s near kiss shows how close they really are to each other. If Stabler does manage to appear more often on Law & Order: SVU, it would open the door for their romance to blossom into something much greater. However, with such a future currently unclear, it might be some time before a romantic spark as big as their near-kiss graces the small screen once again