Author's Note: Ok I'm back at it again. This is a story and not a one shot. This one is set at the beginning of Season 7. There will be some mention of the episodes that were during this time but it won't be too close to canon. Elliot is legally separated and Kathy has started divorce proceedings.

Disclaimer: These characters unfortunately are not mine and belong to Dick Wolf…lucky bastard.

"Listen Phillip your alibi is falling apart. Your prints are on the knife. That's what we like to call a slam dunk," Olivia explained trying to get the young suspect to confess. It was early evening but they had been working almost nonstop for the past two days. Her patience was low and Elliot was on a warpath.

The suspect was fidgeting trying to come up with a lie. "I told you I didn't touch that girl."

"Come on. We have our guys right now scrolling through those security tapes and we know what they are going to find. You and your buddy going into Alyssa's room at the same time she claimed she was raped and stabbed," Elliot asserted. He was trying to get this confession to have this day over as soon as possible. He had already missed scheduled time with his kids and Kathy was giving him a hard time about it.

Phillip was considering his words but still not budging so he pushed a little harder. "You can tell me. What? Did you come on to her and she turned you down?"

"No bitch would turn me down not even you," he spat nudging his head towards Olivia.

She arched her eyebrow. "Oh really?"

"Yep. I'm sure if you weren't fucking loverboy here you would be all over me," he snarled at Olivia and then turned to stare at Elliot. "Tell me is she as tight as she looks."

Elliot was up out of his chair before Olivia could cross the room. His fury was immediate and Phillip was struggling for air against the wall.

"Elliot, Elliot stop," she insisted resting a hand on his arm. He was seething and Olivia was struggling to get him to stop before Cragen burst in the room. He finally let go and backed up a few paces.

"Detective Stabler why don't you step outside while Phillip and I continue our little chat."

She sat down and didn't look at him expecting him to just walk out of the room. He huffed for a second and then finally turned around. When he walked out he ran right into a pissed off Cragen. "What the hell was that?"

He put the palm of his hand in his eye willing himself to stay calm. "I'm sorry I just got—that guy was just-"

Cragen could tell he was struggling and decided to give him an out considering the personal turmoil that he was going through. "Look it's been a long few days. Why don't you get out of here and go see your kids? That's an order."

"Thanks Cap."

Elliot collected his jacket and keys and dialed Kathy on his cell.

It took another hour but Olivia was finally able to crack the suspect. He confessed and Casey arrived just in time to witness it.

"Good job Liv. He will be arraigned first thing in the morning."

Olivia yawned and thanked her.

"Yeah good job. I wish your partner would've been able to keep it together enough to help you in there," Cragen added.

His comment sparked Casey's interest. "What happened with Elliot?"

"It was nothing," she blew off and started to walk back to her desk.

"Let's try to make sure those nothings happen a little less frequently. Ok?" he said pointedly hoping she caught on to his warning.

She nodded in acknowledgment. She knew that Elliot had been a bear lately even moreso whenever he missed time with his children. Cragen had tried to talk to him a few times already and he would be ok at first but then slip back into old habits. It was common knowledge that very few could tame Elliot Stabler but if there was one person it was Olivia. It was the main reason that Cragen kept them as partners even when sometimes he saw interactions between them that could be a problem.

Casey was never one to miss anything. "What was that about?" she whispered.

She didn't respond and continued to gather her belongings to go home.

"Ok you don't have to answer. You can tell me all about it over drinks. Come on let's go to Maloney's."

Olivia groaned in response. "Raincheck please I'm exhausted."

"Aww come on Benson we never hang out anymore. I'll buy since you just got me that confession. Please. One round," she pleaded and Olivia quickly gave in.

Three rounds later, Olivia was officially tipsy and feeling a little more relaxed. They had talked about everything from Casey's string of bad dates to Olivia's lack of dates and work of course.

Casey was teetering on being closer to being drunk than tipsy. "So what the hell happened with Elliot?" she slurred taking a sip of her beer.

"Oh you know just same ole same ole. He missed another day with his kids and he was a little testy when a suspect said something to him."

Casey nodded in understanding. "Is he still taking the separation bad?"

"I guess so he never really talks about it. I do know that Kathy officially filed for divorce."

"Ouch."

"Yeah ouch," Olivia repeated. She took another swig of her beer thinking about Elliot and his mood swings over the past year. It had been so long that she actually had gotten uncomfortably used to it. She never knew what she was going to get on any given day because he never told her anything. One day she got so frustrated with the ups and downs that she considered asking for another partner but the truth is she didn't trust anyone else to watch her back like Elliot.

"Earth to Liv," Casey teased waving her hand in front of her face.

"Oh sorry I was just thinking about a case," she lied.

"Ok Benson we need to get you laid," Casey announced.

She scoffed in response. "Oh please. How the hell did we get from Elliot's temper tantrum to me getting laid?"

"You work too much and it's taking its toll on you. Only one way to cure that," Casey replied wiggling her eyebrows.

Olivia laughed in response. Casey was always the one to help her have a little fun in her life and she certainly needed the comic relief.

"I'm fine."

"Oh god not that again. I'm fine I'm fine," Casey mocked. "Ok if not laid then we need to at least get you a good kiss or a date or something. When's the last time you've been out?"

Olivia shot her a dumbfounded look.

"My point exactly. Let me look around and see who I can find in here." She whipped around in the stool and scanned the bar looking for prospects. It was a Tuesday night and not much to choose from.

"No prospects?" Olivia teased. "There's hardly anyone in here."

Casey rolled her eyes in obvious disgust. "Ok fine. The next person that comes in that door you are going to flirt with them or get their number."

"Ok whatever," she said blowing her off and ordering another beer.

Casey took a quick call on her phone before turning her attention back to Olivia. "Have you talked to Elliot since he left earlier?"

"Nope."

Casey watched her body language closely and felt like there was something more going on. "What did the suspect say that ticked him off so much?"

Olivia visibly stiffened at the question. "The same sort of thing that suspects say all the time. I think he just took it different because he's in a bad mood."

"Which is?" Casey nudged.

"He said something about I would be fucking him if I wasn't fucking Elliot and I must be really good or tight or something like that," she explained not noticing the look her friend was giving her.

Casey smirked and Olivia was confused. "What?"

"Nothing."

They both took swigs of beer and Casey eventually sputtered into her bottle laughing.

"What?" she asked in frustration.

"Liv how many people accuse you and Elliot of sleeping together? Why do you think that is?"

She blew her off and concentrated on her drink. It was true there had been rumors of her and Elliot having an affair for years. She saw the looks they got when they were on crime scenes, interrogating suspects and when in court. She found out a few months ago that word spread to other precincts and people speculated that she had something to do with why Elliot was separated.

"I have to say I'm a little surprised that nothing has happened. I mean Elliot has been separated for a year. Why haven't you guys hooked up?"

Olivia almost choked on her drink. "Are you crazy? He's my partner Casey."

"Well you don't have the whole he's married defense to fall back on anymore so you're sticking with the partner excuse hunh?" she joked shaking her head. "Look Liv, I love you. You're my friend so I'm just going to be honest with you. You both have the hots for each other. It's so damn obvious to everyone. I think you both know it too but you won't talk about it which I will never understand."

Casey spoke with such confidence about their situation that it threw her off guard. She had teased her about Elliot in the past but she seemed so matter of fact about it this time that Olivia realized she was being serious.

"There's so much sexual tension with the two of you that it's stifling. I mean have you ever thought about it?"

"No!" Olivia exclaimed turning in her seat to face her.

"You are lying through your damn teeth," she called her out.

"I-I have-ok-maybe," she stuttered.

"You totally have and there's nothing wrong with that. Stabler is hot. Everyone thinks so."

Olivia scoffed and rolled her eyes again contemplating Casey's words. She was tipsy and this was the wrong time to be having this conversation. The truth is she had thought about it late into the nights when she was home alone and she allowed herself for just a moment to think about her muscular partners big hands all over her body and the pure weight of him laying on her, pushing inside of her-

She shook her head to get rid of the errant thoughts.

"I'm done with this conversation," she declared. She pulled out some cash to pay for her drinks.

"Oh no," Casey protested. "You have to stay until I finish this last beer and we will share a cab."

Olivia reluctantly agreed.

"Plus we have to wait for your new conquest to come in the door any minute now."

She pulled out her phone to kill time while Casey sipped slowly on her beer. She had two text messages from Elliot. One apologizing for his behavior in interrogation and another saying he would pick her up in the morning and take her to breakfast as a peace offering. She smiled at the message and began to text him back telling him it was fine and she expected nothing less than a top of the line breakfast.

"So what does Elliot want?" Casey asked playing with her beer bottle.

"Just telling me that he would pick me up for work in the morning," she answered before thinking. When she caught Casey's smirk she sighed. "How did you know it was Elliot?"

"You're so obvious Benson. I knew from that smile on your face that it was him," she pointed out to Olivia's disgust. "Hear me out. Why won't you guys just hook up for one night? That's it. Just see what it's like. Take the edge off. Maybe it will cure some of the sexual tension you guys have," she tried to rationalize. "You aren't dating anyone, he's single now, he's hot, you're hot and it's not like any of these losers you normally date. It's Elliot. You trust him. And if there's nothing to it then no harm no foul."

Olivia paid her no mind and set down her jacket to head for the bathroom.

"Are you listening to me?" Casey asked annoyed.

"No. I need to use the bathroom. These beers are kicking in."

As she stood, Casey heard the jingle on the bar signaling the door was opening. She tapped Olivia's shoulder to turn around and see who was coming in.

Casey gasped and Olivia's eyes grew wide when she saw who was walking in.

It was none other than Elliot Stabler.

"Well I'll be damned," Casey grinned. "Elliot we're over here," she yelled before Olivia could stop her.

There was hardly anyone in the bar so he would've seen them anyway and she didn't know why suddenly she felt uncomfortable with him being near him but she felt like she needed time to regroup. She was tipsy, tired and the pressure on her bladder was increasing by the second.

"Hey what are you guys doing here?" Elliot asked and she noticed that he seemed a little uneasy.

"Well we can ask you the same. I thought Liv said you had your kids tonight."

He became tense at the mention of his kids and she lightly nudged Casey to back off but she was too tipsy to catch on.

He shrugged his shoulders and sat down motioning towards the bartender. "I spent a little time with them but it's a school night so not much I can do with them. I'll get them this weekend."

"Sorry El," Olivia apologized sincerely meeting his eyes. She could see the hint of sadness in his eyes and it killed her. He could be an asshole sometimes but she hated to see everything he was going through with his family. They held each other's gaze a little longer before she heard Casey clearing her throat.

"Umm Benson. Didn't you have to pee?" she asked with a knowing grin.

"Oh umm yeah," she stuttered suddenly concerned about leaving him and Casey alone. "Ill be right back."

She could hear Casey order him a beer and some light laughter from Elliot while she scurried off to the bathroom. She was determined to go as quickly as possible to not leave Casey enough time to do any real damage. She was a loose canon with her mouth when she was sober so she could only imagine when she was near drunk. She was in and out of the bathroom in five minutes, held up temporarily by two middle aged women who were too busy laughing and talking between the stalls before finally staggering out.

When she rejoined them at the bar, Elliot seemed a lot more relaxed and was genuinely laughing. She held her breath worried about what they talked about.

Casey didn't leave her in suspense for long. "So apparently Maureen is mortified because her roommate thinks Elliot is sexy and asked him out before she realized that he was Maureen's dad."

"Yeah so she's officially not talking to me," he added.

"Why you didn't do anything? Did you?" she asked teasing and cocking an eyebrow at him.

He held up his hand in objection. "Oh hell no. What the hell could I do with a girl my daughter's age?"

"Plenty," Casey retorted. "Young girls would love to—"

"Ok ok," he cut her off. "Well I'll put it this way. I wouldn't want to do anything with a girl my daughter's age. That's not my thing."

His eyes briefly met Olivia's and she found herself smiling at him and he returned it before taking another long pull of his beer.

"So what is your thing Elliot?" Casey asked and Olivia tried to kick her to get her attention but couldn't reach her leg without it being obvious.

"What do you mean what is my thing? What am I interested in?" He seemed to be actually enjoying himself and the line of questioning which threw Olivia off. She didn't know what was going on. They didn't have these types of conversations. It was always off limits or so she thought but this was the most relaxed she had seen Elliot in months. She wanted to put an end to it but decided to stop herself for that reason. She wanted him to take the edge off and let his hair down and if that meant she had to sit through an awkward conversation about what kind of women he liked then she was willing to do just that. Her curiosity was also peaked. She wanted to hear what he had to say.

"Yeah what kind of woman does Elliot Stabler find attractive?" Casey asked pivoting herself in his direction and looking overly interested.

He swirled his beer bottle around for a minute thinking over the answer. "I don't know. It's been awhile since I've had to think about it. I don't know if I have a type."

Casey wasn't taking no for an answer. "Everybody has a type. Let me help you. You clearly like blondes. You seem to like the June Cleaverish thing."

"Casey!" Olivia squealed slapping her arm.

"What?!"

Elliot was laughing at the exchange, which once again caught her off guard. She was expecting his anger or at the very least for him to remove himself from this conversation.

"Sorry she's had a few too many," she apologized reaching for the cash in Casey's hand to give to the bartender.

"Oh no please. You two have single handedly made my night. It's on me," he offered. He pulled out his wallet and threw the cash on the bar.

"Well thanks Elliot," Casey said slapping at Olivia to leave her alone. "Now where were we?"

"I think you were asking me my type," he grinned. "Ok let's see. I guess I like tall, someone who's funny—"

"Because you're not," Olivia interrupted.

"That's real funny Liv," he said emphasizing funny and catching her eye. "Anyway I don't think I have a preference on hair color. Kathy was blonde but any color works for me."

Olivia suddenly wished she had another beer but she needed to sober herself up since Casey was clearly not concerned for her own personal sobriety and it was their rule that both of them wouldn't get drunk whenever they went out.

"Are you an ass or breast man?"

"Oh my god," Olivia blurted out. "Casey really?"

"You are such a buzzkill."

Elliot smirked and joined in. "Yeah Liv stop being a buzzkill. And to answer your question I'm a big fan of both," he responded with a flirtatious edge to his voice. He was still on his first beer so she knew he wasn't drunk. "If I'm being honest I really have a thing for legs. I like long legs."

Casey sputtered into her beer and she knew she had to get her out of there before she said anything else.

"Ok El as fun as this was we are going to head out. Were you meeting someone?" she asked noticing that he came in alone and no one had joined him yet.

He dropped his eyes for a split second and she saw his demeanor change. "No actually I was just stopping by on my way home to have a beer."

"Oh."

She didn't know how to fix his mood but she was disappointed that she managed to upset him that quickly.

"Liv has long legs," Casey blurted out and he started laughing again.

"Lets go," she yelled at Casey. "There should be cabs out there waiting."

"Don't worry about it. I have my jeep outside. I'll take you both home," he offered and had his keys and jacket in hand before she could protest.

"El are you sure? You should stay longer if you want.'"

He raised his eyebrow and smiled walking to the door. "Oh trust me. I'm sure there will be no one else in here nearly as entertaining as you and our ADA. It's fine."

Casey muttered the whole ride which thankfully was only fifteen minutes from the bar. Olivia was on pins and needles the entire time hoping she wouldn't say anything else embarrassing. She talked the whole time about failed dates she had recently and asked Elliot if he had any friends she could meet. Somehow Casey managed to get sober by the time Elliot parked in front of her apartment building stopping Olivia when she got out to help her up the stairs. They watched her walk in and then they were off to Olivia's apartment.

There was a comfortable silence between them during the ride and Olivia found herself turning her head to watch him while he drove. He seemed to ebb and flow between being amused and desolate.

"I know I apologized already but I wanted to say it again. I don't know what came over me today," he admitted and his eyes left the road briefly to meet hers.

"It's ok El. I know it's a tough time. Its fine," she comforted him.

"Things are finally getting a little settled. We agreed on a custody arrangement and on days I'm a little late, Kathleen just got her license so she's going to drive them to my apartment. It will all work out." He seemed like he was trying to convince himself and she wanted nothing but to assure him everything would be fine.

"I'm glad," she replied simply.

He gazed at her again with a neutral look that she couldn't quite read and moments later they pulled up to her apartment building. He sat for a minute and she was about to open the door when it seemed like he had something on his mind.

"Pick me up at 8 tomorrow? Gives us time for you to treat me to breakfast," she quipped trying to nudge him. She was about to get out of the car but if there was something he needed to say she wanted him to get it out.

"Yep. 8 is good."

"Good night," she said touching the door handle until she heard him talk again. "So…," he began and she turned around to see him smiling. "Casey thinks we should hook up for just a night hunh?"

She stilled and closed her eyes trying to will away the murderous thoughts. She was going to kill Casey.