He wasn't sure exactly when in those eleven years they had worked together that it had happened, but somewhere over those years he'd fallen hopelessly in love with her; maybe it was that stakeout where they quoted Langston Hughes poetry to each other, or maybe it was one of those times she'd chewed him out or teased him. Really at first he'd just been physically attracted to her and surprised as hell that a woman had replaced his ex-boss Donnie Cragen. He hadn't said anything about it, and it really hadn't taken him too long to come to respect her as a cop. Anyway it didn't matter, it was hopeless because she was that rarest of all cops, the happily married cop. So he settled for being colleagues and friends, and for having the occasional erotic dream of her. God those were good nights.
"Lennie," Ed Green repeated with concern when his former partner didn't answer him right away.
"Oh sorry Ed, I was kind of lost in memories," Lennie finally answered.
"I bet. Good ones I hope." Ed added and led Lennie towards his old desk motioning to his new partner to give way.
"Here Lennie, sit at your old desk," Joe offered, but Lennie perched on the edge of Ed's desk.
"No that's O,"- Lennie trailed off as Anita came out of her office and Lennie stood up and started towards her, the smile on his face widening into one of those rare, Briscoe light up the room grins. Watching the smiles on their two faces made Ed Green feel like he'd been standing somewhere that was cold and dark and had suddenly come out into the warmth and brightness of the sunshine in the middle of a summer's day
"Lieu, " Lennie said and put out both of his big old hands to take hers in his. "You look like a million bucks," he added.
"You always were a great liar," she said her own smile threatening to make her face ache. She finally gave into temptation, letting go of his hands and sliding into an embrace, giving him a fierce hug, and then she totally surprised Lennie with a kiss along the side of his jaw.
"Wow, I have to come back here more often," Lennie said trying to cover his reaction to her closeness and the kiss, but then he looked down and he saw something in her expression, something he thought he had to be imagining.
"Now see, I told you there were fringe benefits to getting divorced, Lieu" Ana Cordova said as she came up from behind Lennie and Anita.
"Can I get a kiss and a hug too?" Ghia asked.
"Me too! Me too!" Ana chimed in.
"Uh, Ladies, please don't fight over me. I'm sure there's enough of me to go around," Lennie joked as he tried to absorb the news that Anita was getting divorced. His ex-boss was about to have an ex-husband, so maybe that meant he wasn't imagining things. He hoped this investigation dragged on a bit.
"I hate to break this up, but isn't there a case you're suppose to be investigating?" Joe Fontana asked
"Oh yes, I knew there was a reason I came here," Lennie joked and the 'unnecessary ladies' scattered, but Anita of course stayed. "Seems this case is taking a strange turn and we might need to go back over some of your original investigation," Lennie said professionally, getting back into the swing of things and letting the tantalizing suggestion of something between him and his ex-boss linger in the air like a sweet perfume.
After a few hours of work, Lennie found that Ed's new partner was actually a fairly likable guy, though he seemed to have a few quirks of his own.
"So, your job was to hold the line on Ed's cutting procedural corners, right?" Joe asked taking a teasing dig at his partner.
Ed laughed his big guffaw.
"Glad I wasn't drinking any coffee when you said that, Joe," Anita added.
"Joe, I taught Ed how to cut corners and the only thing I ever held around here was a few doors for the lieutenant and Ed's leash," Lennie said with a smirk.
When Ed took a playful swing at him for the leash comment, Lennie thought nothing had felt so good in months.
The necessary business all out of the way, Lennie decided to ask Anita if he could buy her lunch, she happily accepted but then somehow Ed managed to insinuate himself into the situation. Lennie suddenly felt like a teenager trying to ditch his little brother.
When they got to the restaurant Ed excused himself to the men's room.
"Do you suppose if I gave him a quarter he'd go away and leave us alone," Lennie asked.
Anita laughed. "No, but if we start making out in front of him maybe he'll think it's as gross as watching his parents, and he'll leave on his own accord" she answered.
"You, uh, kind of caught me of guard with that hug and that little kiss on my jaw," he remarked a bit shyly despite the opening she'd just given him.
Their waitress came out and dropped off menus and ice water.
"What's this, Lennie Briscoe AKA the Casanova of the NYPD being a little shy," she asked.
"Uh uh, I'm definitely no Casanova. Remember me, I'm the guy who kept losing wives to other guys," he said.
"Oh yeah, I remember you, you're the guy who got his married partner to sleep with him while he was suppose to be on duty, and years later she was still willing to stick her neck out for you, wasn't she?" Anita asked teasingly, reminding him of the very public exposure of his affair with officer Betty Abrahms of the 116. Lennie just shrugged, so Anita continued.
"And I remember you, " Anita said leaning into Lennie's personal space, "you're the guy who could quote Langston Hughes poetry so smoothly that if a kid and a drug dealer hadn't showed up when they did, a certain married boss of yours would have made a fool of herself over you," she said, and then sat back into her own space.
Lennie looked very surprised, "You would have?"
"Why'd you think I had you inside with me instead of Curtis? Either one of you could have ID'd that kid. But I wanted to be alone with you. And God you looked so damn sexy in that bullet proof vest and workman's jacket," she said in a throaty purr.
Ed had long since returned from the men's room but he realized he was a fifth wheel if there ever was one. All he could think was 'Go man go', except that he felt like the Lieu was a big sister, so he had sort of mixed feelings. Anyway, he decided to pay himself a quarter and get lost. He hailed the waitress and asked her to tell his friends that he'd decided to let them eat alone.
"Why didn't you ever say something?" Lennie asked.
"Guess I just lost my nerve," she answered quietly and then looked down.
"And what about you? Why didn't you ever make a pass at me?" she asked, a little miffed at him.
"Uh, well, a couple of reasons, you were married and my boss," Lennie said with only a slight trace of defensiveness.
"And you let a couple of minor details like that get in your way?" she asked in a teasing voice.
"Well, they're not in my way now," he stated in a voice that made her quiver.
"No, they're not," she replied, hoping he couldn't hear what he was already doing to her.
Just then the waitress came up and delivered Ed's message and asked if they'd like to order.
Lennie looked at Anita for a moment with a question in his eyes, she nodded almost imperceptible.
"No, we've changed our minds about lunch, sorry," Lenny pulled off a $5 bill to leave the waitress as a tip.
"Come on, I haven't broken any rules at my new job yet, and you'd be a great reason to start," he said with a smile.
"OK, it's been a long time since I've taken a two hour lunch," she replied with a wicked grin.
"Two hours? Well, I'll try to work fast, but I usually like to savor the first time," he said with a naughty grin and then pulled her to him for a kiss that was a promise of much more.
When Lennie released Anita it was to gently guide her to his car for a quick trip to a downtown hotel for the first of many rendezvous they would enjoy, in what would become a long and happy affair.