A/N I apologise in advance. This probably reads like hate but, believe me, it's just frustration. It really is. And if that isn't enough of a warning to stop you from reading on then I should say that I bashed this out in an hour and was ever so slightly hungover at the time. Enjoy. Hate. Discuss.
Sunsets and Happy Endings
Walking along with her son and lover, Olivia Benson felt very happy. It had been a tough season… er, year for her, with one thing and another, but this was her light at the end of a very dark tunnel. That thought was interrupted by Noah, shouting out for a passing dog, probably thinking that it would make better company than the two adults he was stuck with, and she played along with him for a moment or two but kept a tight hold of his hand. After that incident in the playground she'd been tempted to use her handcuffs on the boy so he couldn't wander off when she got chatting to some stranger but the metal rings were too big.
"I've switched jobs," Ed Tucker offered, once the fuss over the dog had died down and his yearning to be holding the dog's leash rather than a two year old's hand had passed. He used to be reviled as a bad ass IAB Captain who'd haul any cop over the coals, regardless of their spotless record or closure rates or even their rank. Not anymore. "It's hard for the writers to keep incorporating bent coppers into story lines that involve sexual crimes just to justify my presence so I have to move on."
Benson slowed to a stop and, naturally, Tucker followed; he'd follow her anywhere and everywhere but obviously not to question her methods or actions like he used to. "Ok. Cool," she nodded. "Make a big career change without discussing it with me first. But the viewers still think you're a rat bastard so you better tell them… I mean, me, why you're moving."
"Well, it's like this. I have an ex-wife that they've… er, you've never heard of before and she treated me badly. So badly that I channelled all my hate for her into disbelieving every other officer in NYPD, including you and your partner and pretty much everyone on your team. But you've changed me. You. And now I'm going to randomly use your full name, rather than the 'Liv' that I've been so quick to acquire, Olivia Margaret Benson, even though it sort of sounds like I'm about to arrest you."
"Of course I've changed you," Benson agreed, wondering why the hell he'd bring 'Margaret' up - no one had ever mentioned it before. Ever. "I knew I could change you, that's why I started dating you even though you once arrested me for, and thought me capable of, murder. It makes me so happy that you now see, after a decade of thinking otherwise and with some evidence to the contrary, how wonderful I am."
Tucker smiled at the amazing woman in front of him. "I do. I see it all now. You and this kid are great. I might even stop smoking because I've heard that it's bad for kids who have asthma, even the second hand stuff like leaning out of a window or walking a few feet away to light up."
"That'd be great," Benson encouraged, thinking how much nicer it would be not to have to kiss an ashtray; she'd been putting off actual mouth to mouth contact for long enough because of it. "I mean, I barely see Noah anyway because I'd much rather be at the station or out in the field. I could delegate, I even had a half decent Sergeant to take some of the pressure off, but I never bother because no one wants to see the other members of SVU solving crime, kicking ass and putting the world to rights."
"That's settled then," Tucker agreed. "We're all happy. All three of us. You know, we should go away somewhere really romantic and leave everyone in no doubt how we both feel about this abrupt, out of the blue, out of character relationship."
Benson smiled. She'd always wanted to go somewhere really romantic, she'd mentioned Paris in an episode… er, to someone years ago so that would prove to everyone who had known her for years and had expressed doubts about her relationship with Tucker that they really are close and meant for each other and all that kind of stuff. "That sounds wonderful. I could certainly ditch all responsibility at work, even though I never do and I've currently got no Sergeant, to go to Paris with you. Lucy would probably look after Noah, too. I suppose I'd better kiss you as well because, you know, up to now we've only had that weird hand kiss thing when it seemed like I was turning into an alcoholic. Thank God you put me straight with just a few words and a stern look."
"That's what I'm here for, Liv: I've been recast as the romantic hero." Tucker smiled nervously as Benson finally kissed him; he wondered if it looked as odd as it felt. "Hmm, this seems like a happy ending. Er… is it the end?"
"I have no idea what's happening any more. I was really cut up about Dodds Jr minutes ago but now I'm so happy I could burst. I finally have a man in my life and it's, as a dedicated professional woman and mother, all I really need."
Tucker nodded, wondering what to do next. It was probably best to consult with Benson. "Shall we just walk away into the sunset, then?"
"Sure," Benson agreed, her sweet boy still hanging on to both her and Tucker's hands. It was just as well, she might have lost him otherwise.