Olivia walked through Central Park around noon on Saturday afternoon. The warm spring sun shined warmly on her dark wash demin jeans and light brown jacket covering her white collared shirt. She spotted the playground set over by the shade and cut across the hilly grass toward the children's screams and voices. She spotted Elliot and Kathy sitting on the park bench under a large tree.
"Liv," Elliot said as she walked over to him.
"Hey," she said with a light smile. "Kathy," she added, nodding as Kathy replied with a smile. "Uh, can I talk to you for a minute. I know its your day off but I couldn't do this over the phone."
"Yeah," Elliot said as he rubbed Kathy's shoulder before standing up and following Olivia toward a tree a couple of feet away. "What's up?"
"We got a call from untraceable cell phone a couple of hours ago and he told Munch that there was a man living across the street from him who was bringing multiple kids into his home a day. He thought that there might be something suspicious going on so he called us," Olivia said softly.
"Seems like a pretty easy thing to track down, why does this involve me?" Elliot asked. Olivia handed Elliot the folder that was in her hand.
"Our caller gave us the name of the guy living across the street," she said softly. Elliot raised his brow and opened the folder to find a sheet of paper with his oldest brother's headshot and information. He glanced up at Olivia before looking back to the folder. "We didn't want to talk to him being that the only reason he has a rap sheet is because he got in a bar fight twenty years ago." Elliot nodded before closing the file and handing the folder back to Olivia.
"How much does Cragen know about this?" he asked.
"He knows about the phone call but that's it. I wanted to tell you first," she said.
"Alright, after we get Eli home I will head over and see what's up and then I will call you," Elliot said. Olivia nodded as she pulled her sunglasses up off of her eyes and onto her head. Elliot turned to head back to Kathy who was now holding Eli in her lap.
"Elliot," Olivia said grabbing his bicep lightly. "Promise me you won't do anything." Elliot nodded as he rubbed her forearm lightly before walking back towards Kathy and Eli. Olivia followed Elliot the few yards back toward his family as she pulled her glasses back in front of her eyes.
"Everything okay?" Kathy asked. Elliot and Olivia both nodded as he lifted Eli off of Kathy's lap and ticking him in his arms.
"Alright guys, I'm out of here," Olivia said as she smiled lightly.
"Thanks Liv. I'll call you." Olivia smiled as she walked away to Eli still giggling in Elliot's arms. Olivia walked along the pathway of the park back toward the entrance when a young boy, collided with her leg. "Woah there little guy," she said putting her hand on his back to prevent him from falling over. The little boy was no older than five, with curly light brown hair.
"Tyler!" a man called from a couple of yards away. Olivia looked up as a man jogged toward them.
"Sorry," he said with a light smile as he picked up the soccer ball that was on the ground next to Olivia. He was taller than she with a relatively tanned complexion and dark brown hair which was spiked up slightly with gell. He was in jeans and a t-shirt and tennis shoes but still was extremely good looking in Olivia's eyes. "I guess soccer isn't his sport."
"Well he's a mean track star," Olivia said with a light smile.
"What's track?" the little boy asked looking up at his dad. They both laughed as the little boy jumped up and took the ball from his father's hands and threw it on the ground to then kick it around.
"I'm David Miller by the way," he said extending his hand.
"Olivia. Benson," she said shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"What is a beautiful woman like you doing alone in central park in the middle of the day?" he asked as he glanced over to make sure that Tyler was still close by. "Not meeting some other guy are you?"
"No, I actually had to meet a colleague of mine," she replied with a light smile. "You're son is adorable."
"Thanks. I have never seen a kid with so much energy before in my life," he said with a light laugh.
"Well my partner has five kids so I have seen some crazy things but he is full of energy."
"Partner?" he asked curiously.
"Oh yeah. Long story. Actually not really. I'm a detective," she said as he glanced down at the gun on her hip.
"I don't believe it," he said with a light smile shaking his head.
"Believe it," she said with a light nod.
"Well I won't keep you from saving the world detective," he said with a light smile. Olivia smiled lightly realizing that this was usually where the interest of finding out more about her fell.
"It was nice meeting you," she said softly as she began to walk around David.
"Uh, not to be forward or anything but would you be interested in maybe dinner or drinks tonight?" he asked, almost nervous. Olivia smile lightly as she turned back to face him.
"Really?" she asked lightly taking a few steps closer to him.
"Big mistake?" he asked.
"No, not at all its just when most men hear detective they get intimidated," she said.
"I'm not most men," he said plainly. Olivia smiled as she pulled out her business card and wrote her cell phone number on the back before handing it to him.
"Thank you. I'll give you a call later," he said, as Tyler walked back up to them.
"Alright great. Talk you later," she said as she turned to leave. "Bye Tyler," she added with a large smile as she waved to the little boy who waved back. Olivia turned to walk out of Central Park and back to the precinct.
Later that night Olivia sat at her desk and finished the paperwork from the case that was just closed earlier in the day. She looked up as Elliot walked through the side doors and towards his desk. "What are you doing here?" she asked confused.
"Well I forgot the file on the Linden case first of all, and secondly I went to see my brother," he said plainly, stopping behind his chair.
"And," Olivia prodded curiously as she signed the report and closed the file.
"He is tutoring kids in math from K-8. I guess he just got his teaching certificate and is doing it until he can get a permanent teaching job. He is doing it through the local elementary and middle school." Elliot explained as Olivia stood up and turned off her desk lamp.
"I see," Olivia said as she put her arms through the sleeves of her jacket.
"But thanks for giving me the heads up," he said as she grabbed her bag and walked around the desks. He opened his side drawer and pulled out a folder before following Olivia out of the squad room.
"It was nice to see Central Park again. I haven't been there other than going to a crime scene," she said with a light smile. She pressed the down button on the elevator as Elliot stepped up beside her.
"Yeah and you even made a new friend," Elliot said with a light smile as they stepped onto the elevator. Olivia smiled lightly as she leaned against the back wall.
"He wants to have drinks tonight," she said plainly.
"You don't seem too excited," Elliot said looking over to her.
"I don't know. He seems like a great guy but it just seems like I'm a lost cause you know," she said with a light smile as they stepped off of the elevator.
"Liv, come on," Elliot said stopping after getting off of the elevator. Olivia turned around after noticing Elliot was no longer beside her. "You're not a lost cause. Go out with the guy. Who knows? Maybe sparks will fly," he added with a light brow before walking toward the front doors of the building.
Olivia smiled lightly as she shook her head. "Alright! I'll go out with him," she said as he opened the glass door for her as she approached him.
"Just call me cupid," he said sarcastically causing her to hit his bicep jokingly as she walked through the door.
Olivia walked into her bathroom later that night, her black pointed toe heels clicking on the ceramic floor. She set her wristlet on the counter as she stepped back and pulled down her white v-neck which hugged her figure tightly and popped against the dark fitted denim jacket which sat over top and long flared black pants, which hugged her hips and thighs. She clipped her silver hoops into place before walking out of the bathroom and out of the apartment. Thirty minutes later Olivia walked into the bar and lounge where she was meeting David. She slowed her pace as she looked around the rather crowded room until she spotted him walking toward her from the bar. He smiled lightly as he approached her causing her to return the gesture.
"Hi," she said softly as he stepped in front of her.
"You look wonderful," he said before lightly touching her arm and kissing her lightly on the cheek.
"Thank you," she said as they parted. "So do you."
"Yeah it's a far cry from my jeans and T-shirt get up from the park," he said as they walked toward the bar. Olivia smiled as he pulled out the high bar chair and held out his hand, allowing her to help her climb for her allowing her to sit down. The bartender walked over to them as David climbed into the other chair.
"What can I get you folks?" the bartender asked as he set two napkins in front of them.
"Uh can I get a long island iced tea please?" Olivia asked before looking toward David.
"I'll take whatever's on tap," he orders before realizing that Olivia was filing through cash I her wristlet.
"Oh no you don't" he said quickly pulling a twenty dollar bill out his wallet. "A lady never pays, especially one as beautiful as you." Olivia smiled as she set her wristlet back on the counter as the bartender came back with their drinks.
"Thank you," Olivia said as she turned to David, taking her drink in her hand.
"So is there a reason why you aren't at home right now with a husband?" he asked as he took a sip of his beer.
"Uh, I try to date but its hard with work and usually when men hear detective they lose interest," Olivia explained.
"Well I don't know what they are thinking," he said as he swiveled in his chair to semi-face her. "How long have you been a detective?"
"Just over ten years," she said nervously knowing what his next question would probably be.
"So what are you, Homicide? Narcotics?" he asked before taking another sip.
"Special Victims," she replied plainly sipping her drink through the small black straw. She glanced up noticing David's expression surprise on his face.
"Wow, you're tougher than I thought," he said with a light smile. "You okay?" he asked after a short pause, noticing Olivia's glance down at her drink.
"I can't believe that you are okay with it," she replied looking back to him.
"Why wouldn't I be? I think the fact that you are a detective is incredible. It shows that you are strong and dedicated. I respect it actually," he answered.
"Well I am truly amazed being that every other person I seem to meet hears detective and Special Victims Unit in the same sentence and runs for the door," she said as she took another sip of her drink.
"And I told you today at the park that I'm not most men," he said quickly and with a soft smile. She smiled back lightly as she crossed her legs under the bar.
"Ok so enough with my autobiography," she said as she turned to almost face him. "What about you? What do I need to know about you?" He smiled lightly before taking a drink and setting it on the counter.
"Well you met my son. He'll be five in July. I am the VP of Communications for HTG Marketing Management. Uh born and raised in Chicago but I moved here with six years ago with Tyler's mother," he said. Olivia nodded as she took another sip of her drink through the straw.
"Where is Tyler's mother?" she asked. "Unless its something you don't want to tell me, being that we did just meet."
"Oh its fine," he said as he glanced down at his lap. "Tyler's mother and I were dating for about eight months when she got pregnant. She wanted to give the baby up for adoption but I sort of felt that it was like not taking responsibility for what happened. So I chose my son over her and I haven't heard from her since,"
"Oh my gosh," she said reaching out and touch his forearm.
"After about four years a started dating again but I guess I found myself in sort of the same position that you were in with your job. Everyone I met I think were scared about the fact that I had a son," he said as he picked up his glass.
An hour later Olivia sipped on her glass of wine as she and David stood outside the bar in the warm spring air, at a high table by the window. "So your job," David began causing Olivia to get nervous again. "I want to know how you do it?"
"What do you mean?" she asked raising her brow.
"Like the whole blood and guts and the cases. Doesn't it get to you?"
"More than you know," she said plainly. "It's hard but I just look at it as someone has to do it. Plus I got really lucky with my partner and the people in my unit so whenever a tough case does come along, we are able to like get through together, as cliché as that sounds," she replied.
"It doesn't sound cliché. It sounds like you work with some pretty great people," he replied taking a drink. "Olivia, I don't care what any other guys that you have dated say. What you do is incredible and whoever thinks otherwise doesn't deserve to be with you." Olivia smiled lightly as she glanced down at the table and then back up to him.
"Thanks," she said lightly. "That might be the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."
"Well if so, you need to get out more," he said taking a sip of his drink. He and Olivia laughed as Olivia finished the last of her glass of wine. She clicked the button on her cell phone to check the time-10:54.
"Alright, I am going to have to get going," she said as she pushed her glass toward the center of the round table. "I have to be at the office early tomorrow."
"Yeah good idea," he said walking around the table. "I should relieve the babysitter." They began to walk down the sidewalk slowly toward the curb so that they could flag down a cab.
"David thanks so much for everything tonight. What you said and the drinks. I haven't been on a date like this for a long time," she said with a light smiled as her heels clicked lightly on the sidewalk.
"You're most certainly welcome," he said as they reached the curb and Olivia raised her arm to flag down an oncoming cab. "I had a great time tonight. Hopefully we can do this again?" he added nervously as the cab stopped at the curb. Olivia smiled lightly and nodded, which caused David to return the gesture before stepping around her and opening the door to the cab for her. Olivia turned to face David who was standing by the door of the cab.
"Good night David," she said softly.
"Night Olivia," he said as he leaned forward and kissed her cheek lightly. She smiled before getting into the cab and allowing David to close the door behind her.