Title: Sometime Around Midnight

Pairing: Alex Cabot/Olivia Benson

Rating: K+

Author's Note: These characters aren't mine. If they were, things would be different, and I wouldn't have to worry about paying for college. They belong to Dick Wolf and NBC. Do I have that right? Anyways, the only things I own are almost a dozen textbooks, a box of old candy canes, and a laptop I got for my birthday.

Author's Note 2: This is a one-shot based on the song "Sometime Around Midnight" by The Airborne Toxic Event. I don't own them or this song.

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And it starts sometime around midnight or at least that's when you lose yourself for a minute or two as you stand under the bar lights. And the band plays some song about forgetting yourself for a while. And the piano's this melancholy soundtrack to her smile. And that white dress she's wearing, you haven't seen her for a while. But you know that she's watching. She's laughing, she's turning, she's holding her tonic like a crux.

It was just supposed to be a normal night out with the unit. Casey had won the most recent case and it was time to celebrate. Everyone was congratulating you because, ultimately, it was you that cracked the case and found the evidence Casey needed to lock away the most recent monster.

As it nears midnight, you and Elliot are the only ones remaining at the booth. Everyone else has gone home for the night. Elliot mumbles something about needing to use the bathroom and leaves you at the table.

That's when you see her. She's at the far end of the bar; wearing that little white summer dress you're so fond of, and those adorable black glasses that frame her glowing blue eyes and get your blood boiling. You can see her watching you out of the corner of her eye even as she turns away. You feel a pang of jealousy when she laughs at something the man standing next to her says and he pushes a strand of her blond hair back behind her ear. She's holding her drink like a shield, making it obvious to you that she doesn't want to be anywhere near him.

The room's suddenly spinning; she walks up and asks how you are. So you can smell her perfume, you can see her lying naked in your arms. And so there's a change in your emotions. And all of these memories come rushing like feral waves to your mind. Of the curl of your bodies like two perfect circles entwined.

You down the rest of your drink and close your eyes against the onslaught of memories that come rushing back. Not that it works because you can smell her perfume; you can see her lying naked in your arms.

Her voice brings you back to the present; her hand on your shoulder reawakening feelings you have long since locked away. Before you can answer, the man comes up and pulls her away from you.

And you feel hopeless and homeless and lost in the haze of the wine. And she leaves with someone you don't know. But she makes sure you saw her, she looks right at you and bolts. As she walks out the door, your blood boiling, your stomach in ropes. And your friends say "What is it? You look like you've seen a ghost." And you walk under the streetlights. And you're too drunk to notice that everyone's staring at you. You don't care what you look like; the world is falling around you.

She makes eye contact with you before she walks out the door. You can see the apprehension etched all over her face, but there's a look in her eyes you can't completely define. You're sure it's the same look she sees in your eyes.

Elliot returns to the table. He notices your changed demeanor and tells you that you look like you've seen a ghost. She might as well be a ghost, you think. You lie to him easily, telling him that you've had too much to drink and you think you'll head home. He offers to get you a cab, but you decline, claiming the walk isn't too far and the cool air will do you some good. He lets you go, but not without a fight and he makes you promise to call him as soon as you get in your apartment.

You stumble your way down the street, not noticing the pitying glances cast at you. All you can focus on is the feeling of your neat little world falling apart around you.

You just have to see her to know that she'll break you in two.