Disclaimer: I don't own SVU or its characters. They belong to Dick Wolf, the producers and NBC. I only borrow the characters to write my stories.
The time line of this story is set at the beginning of the 13th season. But that's the only thing that's equal along with Alex and Casey being the squads ADA's. There are a few adjustments, Liz Donnelly is the EADA and Nick Amaro didn't join SVU. The Detectives are Olivia Benson, Amanda Rollins, John Munch and Fin Tutuola. Of course Cragen is their Captain.
A/N I know, I know. I already have 3 other stories running. Blame my muse she kept badgering me for the last week, demanding that I started this story. Said to me that I started with the first chapter ages ago and that is was rotten on the shelf. So here we are... A/O as always.
R+R as always, please.
Dining with the enemy
Chapter 1
Alex slams her front door behind her.
"Could this day go any worse?" Alex says to the empty apartment.
This morning Liz came to her office. Said to her that she needed to go dining with Trevor Langen, that creepy weasel of a defense attorney. Said that she needed to keep her friends close and her enemies closer. So she was ordered to have diner with him this evening. Then they got this awful child molester case. And on top of it when she was waiting at the restaurant for Langen, Olivia and Amanda, the Detective that started about a month ago at SVU, came by for a warrant. Of course when they were arguing about that it got worse with Trevor showing up at that exact moment. How was she going to explain it to Olivia that Liz made her go? If, and that was a big IF, the strong Detective would listen to her in the first place. The look of hurt and betrayal in her eyes. The pain in her voice when she said 'looks like Alex is dining with the enemy'. Of course Langen couldn't just hold back and shut up and put in his 2 cents. When Olivia and Amanda left Olivia didn't even look at her. She didn't say anything, she just walked away. It was then she that knew her best friend was really hurt.
It broke her own heart. Not only was Olivia her best friend, she fell in love with the brunette the first time she came into the squad room and was introduced to the beautiful Detective by her Captain Donald Cragen 12 years ago. It was love at first sight for Alex. Something Alex didn't believe in. She was a hard ass ADA and only believed in things that she could explain with logic. That was until she met Detective Olivia "Badass" Benson. The moment she looked into the brown eyes she just knew she was lost. Not that Olivia knows about it. And she made sure back then that nobody noticed it.
"How are you gonna fix this? How are you gonna fix the heart that you have shattered into a thousand peaces this night? How are you gonna fix your own heart?" Alex says to herself.
Walking to her liquor cabinet Alex pulls out a bottle of tequila and a glass. She fills the glass with a shot and downs it and refill it with a double shot. Puts the bottle and glass on her coffee table next to the couch and walks upstairs to her bedroom and turns the light on.
Alex walks to her walk in closet and takes of her dress and puts it on a hanger. She takes her favorite jeans, a formfitting T-shirt and her Harvard hoodie and puts it on. Then walks to her drawer and takes out a pair of sports socks, puts them on and turns out the light of her bedroom and walks downstairs to her couch. All Alex wants to do is get drunk and forget this day happened. But her guts tells her that this night isn't over yet. Something she developed in the years she's been working with SVU and the Detectives. She knows that she has to stay sober a bit at least. If Olivia comes to her apartment she needs to be able to think.
'Oh who are you kidding Cabot? It's not that I'm sober now. But at least I can try not to get drunk. Getting completely drunk won't help fixing this mess... I need to find a way to fix this and not lose the one person that means the most to me.' Alex thinks.
She looks at her glass with tequila.
"Last one for now Cabot. Cheers." Alex says sarcastically to herself.
She takes a sip and puts the glass back at the coffee table.
Olivia is pacing in front of Alex apartment. Trying to get herself together. She knows she screwed up tonight. That she owed the blonde an apology. Alex is her best friend. She is more to Olivia then her best friend. She was attracted to the blonde attorney the moment that the ADA walked into the squad room for the first time. All those years ago. She ignored her feelings since she knew Alex was straight. Hell she was straight herself too. That's why she got so confused and buried her feelings. And could keep it that way until recently. She noticed she looked at the blonde ADA differently lately and it confused the hell out of the Detective. Which had let her to snap against Alex and her current situation.
'I hope I didn't screw it up so badly that I destroyed our friendship. I don't know what to do without her in my life.' Olivia thinks. She shakes her head and then knocks on the door.
Alex hears the knock on her door and knows it's Olivia. She knows that knock and her doorman wouldn't let anyone else up without announcing it to her first, not even her mother. Alex walks to the front door and takes a deep breath.
"Time to face firing squad." Alex whispers before she opens the door.
"Hi Olivia." Alex says.
"Hi Alex. May I come in? I know it's kinda late." Olivia softly asks.
"Yes of course. Please, come in." Alex answers.
She takes a step aside to let Olivia get in her apartment. Olivia walks inside and turns around to close the door. They walk into the living room. Olivia takes of her leather jacket and drapes it around a chair at the dinner table. Alex points to the couch.
"Take a seat. Can I get you something to drink? Coffee, tea, perhaps a beer?" Alex asks.
"Yes. How about an other glass? I think I might need that." Olivia answers pointing at the bottle tequila on the coffee table.
"Ok, let me get a glass." Alex says and walks to the liquor cabinet.
Taking out a glass she whispers to herself. "You're screwed, Cabot."
She walks back to the couch and holds out the glass to Olivia.
"Help yourself, Liv." Alex says.
Olivia fills her glass with tequila as much as Alex has. She downs half the glass and puts it on the table.
"Alex, about tonight." Olivia starts talking.
Alex interrupts Olivia before she can say anything else.
"Liv, I'm sorry." Alex says.
"Alex, let me say what I have to say before I lose my nerve, please?" Olivia asks Alex.
"Yes, of course. Sorry." Alex answers.
"I'm sorry for the way I behaved tonight. I was acting like a jerk. I shouldn't have make that comment. I felt horrible already. Then that creepy weasel showed up, and I took it out on you, I shouldn't have done that. I know you must have a good reason for getting dinner with him. I really am sorry. Will you forgive me, please?" Olivia asks.
Olivia looks at Alex, the look of guilt in her eyes, and turns her head away and let it hang down.
'You should have known. That she blames herself and not you.' Alex thinks.
"There is nothing to forgive you for Liv, but I do forgive you. I know I don't have to explain to you why I had dinner with that creepy weasel, I just want you to know that it wasn't my idea and I didn't have a choice." Alex answers.
Olivia looks at Alex and burst out in laughter.
"That creepy weasel huh? Glad to know I'm not the only one that thinks he is a creepy weasel, Counselor." Olivia winked at Alex.
"Who forced you into that then? Just curious. Wait, don't say it, let me guess. Liz made you go didn't she?" Olivia asks.
"I'm glad you think that's funny Detective. Seriously, yes it was Liz and it was an order. She said keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Then she ordered me to have dinner with him tonight. Short dinner I can tell you that. After you two left he made a comment. Something about you and not doing your job otherwise you would have had the warrant. I ordered dinner and gave him a piece of my mind. After I chewed his ass off I left him with the bill and walked out the restaurant. Which probable will get me a lecture from about an hour from Liz. It's totally worth it though." Alex laughs.
"Boy do I wish I was there to see that. I would pay big money to see the look on his face after you chewed his ass off and then left the restaurant. I bet it was priceless." Olivia smirks.
"Oh it was. Really, you should have seen his face when I said it was a shame that it was wasted, the food I ordered. He asked me why it was wasted. I told him that it was wasted because it would be served but no one would be there to eat it. And then I left." Alex smiles.
Alex and Olivia looks at each other and then they both burst out in laughter. They laughed until their cheeks starts hurting. Olivia was the first one that could get herself together.
"I can't remember the last time I've laughed so long that my cheeks start hurting." Olivia smiles.
"Me neither. But I'm glad we did." Alex says.
"So are we good, Alex?" Olivia asks softly.
"Yeah, we're good." Alex answers.
"That's very good news, Counselor. I thought I screwed it up too bad this time that I maybe would lose you because of my own stupidness. I hate myself for hurting you even though I didn't do it on purpose. That's something I would never do to you." Olivia says.
"I know that you will never do that. I should have told you that Liz ordered me to have dinner with him tonight. I knew I was on the call and that it would be possible that you needed me. I also know that we think the same about slimy defense attorneys. I'm sorry for hurting you too tonight, I know I did." Alex apologizes.
"Lets just say we didn't have our best day today, shall we?" Olivia asks.
"That's the understatement of at least the month for me. But alright lets keep it on that." Alex laughs.
"How about I take you to dinner tomorrow evening? To make it up for the ass chewing you're gonna get from Liz tomorrow. At least we know she won't chew your ass of for that." Olivia asks smirking.
"That's not necessary Liv it wasn't you who chew his ass off. But I do accept your offer, I would be stupid if I turned down a nice evening with you." Alex answers.
"It's a deal. How about I pick you up at 7 pm, if the perps in this city allow us to have a free evening?" Olivia asks.
"Works for me, Detective." Alex answers.
"Alright, I'll get out of your hair now. See you tomorrow morning, Counselor." Olivia says as she stands up and walks to the dinner table.
"Let me walk you to the door." Alex says as Olivia puts on her leather jacket.
They walked to the door and shortly hugged each other. Olivia opens the door and walks outside.
"Lock the door behind me, Alex. This may be a better part of Manhattan but that doesn't mean that it's always safe." Olivia says.
"I will. Let me know it when you get home, Detective." Alex says.
"I will. See you tomorrow, Lex." Olivia says as she walks away.
"See you tomorrow, Liv." Alex says before she closes the door and locks it just like Olivia asked her.