Disclaimer: I do not own Law & Order SVU or any of the characters
Spoilers: Escape
Olivia watched as Marshall Andy Eckerson walked out of the squadroom. She had really meant what she said when she that she needed more stability in her life and that it wasn't a good idea for them to go out for a drink. She reflected back on her prior relationship with him and all the ups and downs. She looked over at Elliot's empty desk and suddenly felt very alone.
At that moment, even as she knew it was a mistake, she stood up, grabbed her coat and hurried out of the squadroom. "Andy! Wait!" She caught him right as he was getting into a cab. He turned and looked into her eyes, saw the loneliness and the need for company. He just held out his hand to her and helped her into the cab.
"So where do you want to go Olivia? Do you want that drink now? Or did you want something else?" Olivia looked up at him " A drink, just a drink." At his raised eyebrow and to wipe that all knowing look off his face she continued "That's all I want right now, ok? Just a drink, and someone to talk to. If you can't handle that, then just drop me at home."
The cabdriver just sat there wondering if he should have started the meter the moment these two had gotten into the cab, they sure were taking their time telling him where they wanted to go. "Escuse me guys, but where ya headed?" He met the woman's eyes in the mirror and saw her momentary indecision but then she responded " Take us to O'Malleys." The cabbie just smiled at her, "No problem, traffic is actually a little heavy but I should have you there in a few minutes." The car pulled out into the traffic and they were on their way.
They didn't speak again until they were seated in the bar. Olivia scanned the room to see if anyone she knew was there, this was where she, Finn, John and Elliot often came after a hard day to unwind. She wasn't sure whether she was disappointed or relieved that she didn't spot anyone. The thought ran thru her mind that she was making a big mistake. Andy was nothing but trouble. Then again, she just couldn't bear going home to that empty apartment. Not after today. The adrenaline was starting to where off, and it was starting to sink in that she was held hostage today at gunpoint and that if things had gone differently it could have been her instead of Baxter lying in that hospital room.
Andy broke into her thoughts. "So, have you let Baxter know that he is a free man yet?"
"No, the doctors said that he hasn't regained conciousness yet and probably won't be up for visitors until morning. I will be going to break the news to him tomorrow morning." She looked up at him with accusing eyes, "If he makes it til morning that is."
"Olivia! That is not fair! He had a gun on you!" Andy defended his actions in telling the sharpshooter to take the shot. "He was getting too emotional and he was waving that gun around in your face! We had the shot, and I believe that you were in danger so I told them to take it." He paused and took a deep breath. " I just wish that I had known that he was innocent, maybe I would have given him a little more credit, but then again, he was an escaped criminal……" His voice trailed off as he rubbed his hand across his forehead.
"I know that you were just doing your job. But Andy, didn't you give me any credit for being able to disarm him? He was handing me his gun." Olivia shut her eyes as the memory of the moment flashed thru her mind. Baxter had lowered the gun and she had her hands on it when the shot went thru his chest. Olivia jumped at the memory. "He was handing the gun."
Andy looked into her pleading eyes and was about to answer when they were interrupted by the waitress. "What can I get you?" Andy had a surprised look on his face when Olivia ordered a whiskey straight up. The waitress took their orders and headed out to fill them.
He took a deep breath before these words came from his mouth. "Olivia, lets not rehash what happened. We can't change any of it, so lets not get into the blame game." Andy pleaded. "Please?"
Olivia looked up at him in surprise. "Did you just say please?" A small laugh escaped her. "Did I just hear you correctly?"
"Yes. I told you that I am not always a bad guy." He sent her that devil may care grin that used to tie her stomach up in knots. "If you remember correctly, sometimes I could be quite good." Olivia just shook her head at the suggestive tone in his words and thought to herself that somethings never change. Andy, was, and still is, a flirt and was starting to turn it on for her.
"Now Andy…." She started but was interrupted by the delivery of their drinks. As the waitress set a beer down in front of Andy, Olivia had already thrown back her whiskey. Andy was surprised when she ordered another.
"Have you eaten anything today?" When she shook her head no, he also ordered some wings. "You shouldn't be drinking without something on your stomach. And I don't plan on taking you home sick, ok?"
Olivia shrugged and relaxed for a moment feeling the warmth of the alcohol start to spread thru her body. She hadn't realized that she felt so cold until now. She looked back up at Andy to see an odd look in his eye as he stared at her. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
He took a minute to answer "I am just trying to figure out how I could have been so stupid to have let you slip away from me?" A wry smile spread across his face, "And to think I always thought that I was a smart man."
"If I remember correctly, you didn't have much say in the matter. I just got tired of always worrying about whether you would come home alive or not. You just took too many chances and risked it all too many times." As she looked at him, a smile crept out. "And of course, your ego didn't help you too much either. Mister, I can never be wrong." She let out a little laugh, as her second whiskey was set in front of her. It was gone before it had left the waitress's hand.
"I'll take another." The waitress nodded and headed off.
"You really ought to slow down Olivia."
"Why? If I keep up at this pace maybe you will get lucky." At his surprised expression, she laughed. " I am just kidding you know. You aren't that lucky."
He was just happy that she was relaxing and joking around with him. He smiled and took a long drink of his beer trying to erase the images of Olivia in his bed. The way her face would glow as they ….'Whoa! Where did all that come from!?' he tried to shake those thoughts out of his head. She had already told him that nothing would come from tonight but he really did miss her. That is one of the reasons that he had jumped to work on this case. To see Olivia. God he must have been a fool to have ever let her go.
"Earth to Andy. Come in Andy." Olivia broke thru his reverie. He looked up and caught her eye.
"Sorry, I was just thinking." As Olivia opened her mouth to ask what about, her cel phone rang.
"Benson."
Andy observed the sudden smile that appeared on her face and the way her eyes lit up and suddenly felt jealous. Who could bring that sort of reaction.
"Oh hi! Yeah, I am okay." She looked up at Andy and then looked away and wouldn't meet his eyes. "I don't really want to talk about it right now." Andy listened to her one sided conversation and finally it hit him who she was talking too when he heard, "I know you would have been there with me if you hadn't had to be in court. Elliot….." It was her partner. Andy stopped listening to her conversation while he digested this information. He had noticed the not so nice welcome he received from Detective Stabler when he had originally been introduced and wondered if something else was going on here. Could he have been jealous? Hmmm. He looked up as the waitress placed the wings and Olivia's 3rd whiskey on the table. He thanked the waitress and motioned to Olivia to end her call. He raised an eyebrow and an inquisitive look when he heard "No. Elliot, spend some time with your family. They haven't gotten to see you a lot lately and I am ok. I really don't think that Kathy would appreciate it if you had to run out and take care of me." He was dying to know what was being said on the other line. "I am just getting ready to head home, I just stopped by O'Malleys for a quick drink." Andy was about to open his mouth and say something when she cut him a look that she saved for perps that all but screamed 'be quiet'. "I promise that I am fine. And I won't do anything stupid." She paused. "Of course not! Why do you think I would call him? Look, its late, you're with your family, I am fine and I will see you tomorrow. Goodbye Elliot, and thank you for calling." She disconnected the call.
"So what is going on between you and Detective Stabler?" Andy bluntly asked.
"Nothing. He is my partner and my friend. Why would you think anything is going on?" She hurriedly replied. "Plus he is married and has a family. You are too suspicious Andy." She quickly downed her whiskey and grabbed a wing. He could see that the alcohol was starting to take its effect on her.
He could tell that she was lying. "If you say so Olivia."
"I do say so! He is my bestfriend and my partner. Nothing more, nothing less." She countered as she tried to get the attention of the waitress. At that moment Andy realized that Olivia wasn't just lying to him, she was lying to herself. He sat there in shock for a moment at this revelation and just looked at Olivia. Have I really lost her?
"Olivia, honey. Don't you think you should slow down a bit on the whiskey?" Her movements were getting more exaggerated showing that she was starting to get tipsy.
"I am trying to eat some of these wings and I am not having anymore after this next one, okay?" She asked him patronizingly. "Mom." And then she laughed. Andy was really glad that he had only nursed one beer, Olivia was on her way to forgetting it all. She never really could handle her liquor. He decided to play along with her and let her relax and have a good time, for now anyway.
"At least get the sex right!" He cried out indignantly! "Dad!"
Olivia looked up at him coyly and shocked him to the core when voiced what he had been thinking earlier "We always did get the sex right didn't we? That was the one part of our relationship that was always right." Before he could say anything, the waitress dropped off Olivia's whiskey. "Could you please bring us the bill?" Olivia requested as she finished off the whiskey. As the waitress took out the bill, Olivia thru down some money and looked up at Andy and asked, "Ready to take me home?" He nodded, still at a loss for words.
Olivia leaned on Andy for support on their way out. "Maybe I did have a little too much to drink, then again, maybe I didn't have enough."
Andy looked down at the vision on his arm and asked "Why do you say that?"
"I still feel so empty and alone. But I am not alone am I?" She smiled up at him. "You are here."
"I guess I am, aren't I? Are we walking or taking a cab?" Olivia looked up into the sky and sighed. "It's a beautiful night. Lets walk and enjoy the evening. Its only a couple blocks up and then you can catch a cab from there." She then let a laugh bubble out. "And I probably need the fresh air, I am starting to feel really good!" She leaned harder on Andy. "Thank you for being here."
"Hey, no problem beautiful. No problem at all." As they walked arms linked together, Andy started to let his thoughts wander. What would happen when they got back to her place? He decides that he will be the gentleman, walk her to her door and leave. But what if she asks me to come in? What then?
Olivia's mind was wandering as well, but unfortunately for Andy it was on a different track. She was thinking about Elliot and how nice it was for him to call and check up on her and how much she wished that he was the one with her right now. She shook her head and just relaxed thinking that soon she would be home.
They walked to her apartment building in silence.
He opened the door to the lobby for her and when he saw the sign on the elevator he sighed and then offered to walk her up to her 3rd floor apartment. Olivia agreed. "I don't think that I would be able to make it up all the stairs by myself."
Andy was starting to rethink his whole being a gentleman stance so that if she offered to have him come in that he would definitely take her up on it. She was the one that he should never have let get away.
As they came up to her apartment a figure came out of the shadows. Olivia and Andy both started to go for their guns when the figure came into the light. Olivia relaxed and smiled and started forward but Andy wasn't so sure that he should have his gun ready. The look Elliot was giving him made him feel very uneasy. He figured that he had better get out of there before something happened. "Goodnight Olivia. Since you are now in good hands I will head out now." Since Olivia was in the process of hugging Elliot, he didn't try to hug her, he just wanted to get out of there. "Goodbye Andy." As Andy looked at her at tucked next to Elliot's side he realized that he has really lost her.
He wondered if Elliot even realized how lucky he was. Olivia loved him.
God he wished that he was Elliot right now.
A/N: This is my first fanfic! Please R & R!