Olivia only took two days off after the incident at the townhouse. She knew she could trust Dodds to keep the squad running smoothly, but she only took enough time to meet with a NYPD psychiatrist and get cleared to go back to work.
The knock on her office door pulled her attention away from her computer screen.
"Fin, what's up?"
"Nothing Liv, just didn't expect to see you in already." He said leaning into the office.
"I'm fine. Good morning by the way." She smirked at him
Fin entered the office and shut the door behind him. Coming to sit at the seat opposite Olivia, he
lowered his voice "Liv, no one would think less of you if you took more than a few days off."
Meeting his eyes Olivia replied "I know Fin, but really I'm okay."
"You sure?"
Her glare was enough of a response.
"Alright, alright. Well I'll be-" he pointed behind him as he stood up "-out there. Doing paperwork."
"Thanks Fin." She smiled.
As Fin opened the door and went back to his desk Olivia's eyes went back to her computer. However, her attention didn't. This paperwork is done and it's only 8:30. Maybe I didn't need to do this during my days off.
Just then her phone vibrated on the desk. Ugh, let's see what this is about.
Olivia's dread of catching a new case fell away once she got a look at her phone. A different sense of dread filled her immediately, one that came from years of dealing with IAB.
*TEXT MESSAGE* - Tucker, Ed
What now?
"Good morning Lieutenant. What date were you thinking of coming back to work?" - the text read.
Oh good, none of my detectives managed to ruffle feathers during my 2-day hiatus.
**KNOCK KNOCK**
"Hey Lieutenant, nice to see you back!" Carisi greeted her, hanging onto the side of the doorframe.
"Good morning Carisi. Nice to be back."
"I brought cannoli. They're at my desk if you want one."
"Thanks. I'll grab one in a bit." She smiled. He returned the smile, rapped his knuckle on the door and headed back to his desk.
Olivia chuckled to herself and then looked back at her phone. What date was I thinking of coming back to work? Ha.
"You're message is a day late Tucker. I've been at work for an hour and a half now." She sent back to him.
His reply was almost instantaneous. "2 days? Benson, really?"
She smiled. "I've been cleared. You going to send someone from your squad to double check?"
"No. Was thinking I'd do the honor myself. Lunch?"
Olivia cocked her head to the side, re-reading the text.
Uh, sure. "Sure. When?"
"Noon. I have to pick up some paperwork from homicide. I'll come by your office and get you."
Okaaaaaay. "Okay. Sounds good."
Olivia put her cell back down on the desk. Maybe we are friends now? It might be nice having a friend on IAB. She felt immediately ashamed, turning an olive branch into a link she could use to her own advantage.
"Lieutenant! Come get a cannoli before these guys eat 'em all!" Carisi shouted.
Olivia walked out and saw Fin and Dodds with a cannoli in each hand. Laughing at her officers, she reached into the box grabbing one of the remaining three.
The morning passed uneventfully, with everyone catching up with paperwork. Carisi was putting on his jacket to head over to 1 Hogan Place when Captain Tucker walked into the precinct.
"Captain, something we can do for you?" Carisi asked the older man. At his sentence Dodds and Fin both looked up from their computers. Fin immediately looked back down, while Dodds stood up and moved to where the two men were standing.
"No, Detective. I'm just here to see your Lieutenant." Tucker replied. "Dodds." he nodded at the new addition. With that, he walked the rest of the way to Olivia's office and knocked on the doorframe.
"Lieutenant, you ready?"
"Tucker, hey. Yeah, just let me save this." She typed for a few more seconds and then closed her computer. Tucker grabbed her jacket off the rack by the door and handed it to her as she walked towards him. "Thanks."
Tucker nodded in reply. The two left her office and Olivia stopped by Dodds who was leaning against his desk reading over a witness statement.
"Dodds, I'm heading out to lunch. Hold the fort?"
"Sure thing."
Turning to Fin she said "Fin, you almost done with your search paperwork."
"Yeah, should be done in less than an hour."
"Awesome. Just set it on my desk if I'm not back." She replied. Looking around for her other detective, she asked the room. "Where's Carisi?"
Fin replied, leaning back in his chair "Pre-trial prep with Barba."
"That's right. Well I'll see you guys when I get back."
After receiving non-committal 'goodbyes' from her squad, she followed Tucker out of the precinct.
Dodds walked over to Fin's desk and waited for Fin to look up. "Yes?"
"What's IAB want with Benson?"
"They probably just want to make sure she's cleared and ready to be back."
Dodds seemed appeased for a moment and then "Wouldn't they send a normal agent, or even just another Lieutenant?"
"Dodds…" Fin sighed "Who knows? Sometimes it's better not to ask questions man."
Olivia and Tucker walked in silence out of the building and out on to the street.
"So, where are we going Tucker?"
"I was thinking Italian. That work for you?"
"Of course."
As they walked to the restaurant, they made a little chit chat about the recent cold front. When they arrived at the little Italian restaurant, they were sat at a booth toward the back of the restaurant. It wasn't busy for lunch on a weekday.
"So Tucker, what do you need me to say for you to clear me. I passed my psych eval and I'm really fine with what happened."
"As far as I'm concerned, you're cleared." He said just as their server came up to the table.
"Good afternoon guys, do you know what you'd like to drink."
Olivia still a little surprised from his answer didn't immediately respond. So Tucker took the initiative and ordered "We'll have two cokes please." Turning to Olivia he said "That okay?"
"Yeah, sure." Finally looking at the server, she smiled. "Thank you."
When she walked away, Olivia turned back to him. "What's this about then Tucker? Did something happen while I was off duty?"
"I thought you were going to call me Ed?" he replied.
She gave him a half-smile and started again, "Ed. What's going on?"
The server returned with their cokes and asked if they were ready to order.
"I'll just have a Chicken Caesar Salad please" Olivia replied without looking at her menu.
"Okay, and for you Sir?" the server turned to Tucker.
"I'll have the same. Thank you." and with that the server walked away.
Olivia kept looking at him, but he kept his eyes down and took a drink.
"Look. I just wanted to make sure you were alright" he took a deep breath, "as a friend."
He finally met her eyes and she smiled at him. "Jesus Ed. Just say that next time and don't make me think that we're going to go at it over my squad."
He returned her smile and said "Sorry. I didn't think you would automatically think that. I guess I deserve that reaction."
"Maybe you did. But, like you said, we're friends now." Olivia unwrapped her straw and took a sip of her soda.
"So, as a friend, how are you?" he asked.
"I'm good." He leveled his eyes at her "Honestly! I'm good. I had two days off. I got cleared by psych and got to spend the rest of the time with Noah. It was a nice little break. Don't get me wrong, I'm still upset about the event, but no more so than any other incident."
"Good. You've been through enough." he replied. She looked at him and his eyes seemed genuinely concerned.
"Ed, you don't need to worry about me." she said seriously.
"I know that Benson. But you've been through so much and-" he paused to take a deep breath "-and I know that you probably hate that I know more than friend would about everything. But I can't help that, it's my job."
Olivia sighed, realizing that he did know about everything. I never really thought about that. He knew about the incident 3 days ago. He knew about William Lewis. He knew about Lowell Harris. He knew about Elliot. He knew everything about her professional life.
She nodded at him. They sat in silence for a minute until the server brought their salads. When she left the table, Olivia turned to Tucker and said "If you're Ed, I'm Olivia."
He looked up and said "Alright, Olivia. Eat. I don't have all day to hang around with you."
They smiled and started to eat. The rest of the meal was lighter in conversation. They talked about Noah, about the Mets, about Dodds fitting in to the squad. Before they knew it, they were both full and he was asking for the check. When it arrived he had his card ready and handed it to the server.
"Before you say anything, I asked. You can get it next time." He said to Olivia, when she started to shake her head.
"Alright, fine. Next time." She smiled.
He signed the receipt and then they were heading out of the restaurant.
Buttoning their coats once outside, she turned to him, "This was nice."
"Surprised? I'm not horrible company all the time Olivia."
"I didn't say that."
"You thought it, I'm sure." he shot back, chuckling.
"Maybe." She gave him a full blown grin.
"Well let's get back before they send out a search party." He said as they started walking back to the precinct.
"IAB can't get along without you for one lunch break?" She quipped.
"I meant the watchdogs you call your squad." He said, looking at her out of the side of his eyes.
She laughed and shoulder checked him as they fell into step.