Title: Exchange
Rated: PG
Fandom: Alex/Olivia, SVU
Words: ~760
Notes: Another in the Escape, Enthrall, Electric series/universe. Someone had suggested in a comment that I do one from the point of view of a third party observing our lovely lady heroes. This is that suggestion. ... now let me guess, now someone is going to suggest 'Erotic' as my next story - I know how you people think. ;)
Notes 2: No, really, THANK YOU everyone who has commented. It warms my heart that people are still reading this pair and I so very much appreciate you reading these short pieces.
Exchange
It had been some number of minutes since their smarmy prime suspect had sauntered out of their interrogation room with his smarmy lawyers. Yes, lawyers. Plural. A smarmy entourage of smarmy lawyers. Every one of them guilty of something. But the prime suspect, the main asshole, was the head of an international human trafficking ring. Under-age humans. Of both genders. And not just the head of the ring, but a consumer of it, as well.
They just couldn't prove it. At least not at this point. Hell, they really didn't have enough to even hold him on. Something the smarmy lawyers were happy to point out. And if they said anything publicly, they'd be sued from here to hell and back. Something else the smarmy lawyers were happy to point out.
So they had to let him walk out their door. Out of their grasp. Silently.
Cragen had retired to his office to call the Chief of D's. Elliot had stormed back to his desk.
But it was only a moment later that the male detective got a call. Never ending leads, never ending cases, another thread to go investigate. He looked around for his partner but realized Olivia wasn't at her desk or by the coffee machines or anywhere he could see. He headed back to the interrogation room in search of her.
Peeking through the one way mirror he spotted her. And he stopped short. Olivia was half standing, half-leaning against the end of the table, arms crossed, head down, jaw clenched.
But she wasn't alone.
Alex was with her. Standing in front of her. Standing perhaps a little too close to her. And speaking.
Elliot couldn't hear her, didn't know what words they were exchanging but he could guess. Though the two women were in profile, Elliot could see from Alex's posture and movements that she was determined. Typical Alex, defiant even in the face of long odds. Olivia, on the other hand, was dejected. The guilt, the disappointment, the anger – the detective internalized all of these emotions, feeling personal failure each and every time, even when it was the system that failed and not her.
But of course Alex wasn't giving up. Even as Olivia would shake her head or cast a doubtful look, Alex persisted, ticking off ideas or avenues or options or arguments or who knows exactly what her hand.
Finally the attorney stopped speaking and Elliot saw her exhale and saw her shoulders slump just slightly. She then said one final thing to Olivia. One final plea, perhaps.
The detective didn't respond.
Elliot then saw Alex dip her head, an apparent attempt to capture Olivia's gaze. He couldn't be sure but he thought Alex said, "Okay?"
Finally his partner moved, looking up into the attorney's eyes.
And that look.
That look.
The one they exchanged.
It was meaningful. It was intense.
He was sure more was said in that look than in all the words that came before it.
At first Olivia's expression was hard. Her stare was hard.
But then it softened.
It relented.
She relented.
As they continued to look into each other's eyes, Elliot could see the emotions flowing between them, emotions that were almost tangible, like he could practically reach out and touch them: Alex giving assurances and restoring confidence, Olivia accepting and being bolstered; Alex making promises, Olivia believing.
Elliot knew he should look away, but he couldn't bring himself to. For just then both of them smiled. The smiles were a little sad, a little muted, but they were also mutual and understanding.
And then Alex reached out.
She placed a hand on Olivia's upper arm. Olivia reached over and covered it with her own. And they just stayed like that for a moment or two.
Each trusting in the other. Each giving comfort to the other. Each drawing strength from the other.
It was a simple touch. Very simple. But, unlike their previous words and even their previous look, this touch wasn't exchanged. It was shared.
And to Elliot, it was also clearly intimate.
Hell, to anyone observing it, it would be clearly intimate.
But Elliot didn't have time to consider the implications further, for the interaction was coming to an end. Alex was gathering her papers. Olivia was doing likewise. Soon they'd be exiting the interrogation room.
So Elliot, not wanting to intrude or embarrass or make uncomfortable, quickly made his way back down the short hall and to the main squad room, knowing Olivia would be returning there momentarily.
He would never mention what he'd witness knowing Olivia would tell him when and if she wanted to. Until then, he'd just be happy for them both that they had each other.