The Plan

As she briskly makes her trek on foot uptown, Olivia grabs her phone and dials….ring….ring….ring….ring….suddenly a sleepy voice answers less than pleased "Donnelly"…. Olivia's palms are sweating as she nervously speaks: "DA Donnelly….this is Detective Benson…" she is cut off mid-sentence "I know who it is! What the hell are you doing calling me at midnight for Olivia? The on-call DA is Mayerson why aren't you waking his ass up?" Olivia swallows hard, "Um m'am it's important….I need to talk to you….please…I'm begging you". There was a long pause of silence followed up by a deep sigh "Fine….5 minutes…I'll meet you at The Carnegie". "Thank you…." There is no 'good-bye' from the recipient, just a loud click followed by the monotone buzz of dead air. Olivia grabs a booth inside the 24 hour diner and just as she sits down, she watches Liz Donnelly stride in looking less than professional wearing a jogging suit and sneakers. She plops down across from Olivia and barks "This had better be good detective, I've got a hellish day tomorrow and you are cutting into my beauty sleep…now what's so damn important!"

Olivia cups her hands around a mug of steaming coffee and locks eyes with the DA. "It's about Alex….." Donnelly now sits back in the booth and crosses her arms. Olivia being able to read people in seconds knows Liz at this point is closed minded on the subject of Alexandra Cabot and to say she will be defensive on the topic is an understatement. She brushes the behavior aside forging ahead with confidence "Liz look….." The DA is clearly agitated by Olivia's bold attempt to put this discussion on a personal level and raises an eyebrow. Without saying a word however, she allows Olivia to continue, she does like the detective afterall and knows she wouldn't drag her out of bed unless it was absolutely necessary. "What Alex did today….was not great…hell… it was wrong on a lot of levels, but Liz….she saved this case and I know she had the victim, Sam Cavanaugh's best interest at heart…." "That's just it Olivia….Alex made a mistake of the heart…not of the mind…when it's a mistake of the mind I can chalk that up to a training issue, something I can correct, but when it's a mistake of the heart, you know as well as I do detective, that can make for an ugly outcome and it forces my hand to have to do something about it". Shaking her head in agreement Olivia pleadingly looks at Donnelly "She knows there will be and that there should be consequences for her actions, I just ask of you Liz that you don't take her away from us….take her away from what she was born to do…will you…will she be disbarred?" The DA looks down at the detective who is now resting her head on an elbow and growls "What am I supposed to do Olivia? People way above me and my pay grade want answers, they wan't to see something done about this….it's not acceptable!" Olivia now desperate, pleads, while racking her brain for a solution "I know…I know….what if she gets removed for a period of time….away from here…to regroup…and some redirection from Dr. Huang?" Slightly intrigued by this offer, Liz questions back "Where should I put her? I can't have her trying cases detective, she needs to be removed per our policy for a period of no less than 30 days….what is she going to do, walk a beat with you and Elliott?" "No m'am, but I have an idea if you'll just hear me out". Liz gazes at the clock on the wall behind Olivia "Go on, I'm listening, but make it quick I'm losing patience and altitude". "I have a connection…..at the Police Academy upstate….what if….Olivia pauses as she scratches her eyebrow not so sure if what she is about to say is a good idea…..she teaches the legal section of the current academy class….it takes about 30 days to instruct. It would be good for her Liz….she may learn a lot from teaching and I know the recruits would learn a hell of a lot from her too". Donnelly sneers between gritted teeth "Yeah….maybe before she teaches, she should learn how to be a lawyer first". Ouch….that was a low blow, but Olivia knew the comment came from anger, embaressment and most likely a lack of sleep, and knew better than to take it personally. Liz drew a deep breath in and contemplated her reply before blowing it out into Olivia's face. "Ok….ok Olivia, since I have no idea what to do with Miss Cabot, I hate to admit it, but I think you're right. If I ship her upstate, she is out of my hair for a little while so I can try to mend the mess she's left behind here, plus, she is still involved, working, staying busy and hopefully learning from her detrimental mistake". Olivia brings her hands together Thank you sweet Jesus! She looks at the slight bit of relief that has come across Liz's face and caresses the DA's surprisingly soft hands "Thank you…..thank you Liz….we….I…really appreciate it". "Yeah well lets see how appreciative Alex is about it in the morning when I break the news to her. She's lucky she still has a job. I'll make sure she knows who to thank for that….you're a good friend Olivia…she owes you. As far as your academy connection goes, I respect the noble offer, but I have contacts as well, and arrangements will promptly be made before my meeting with Alex at 8:30. I'd appreciate it if you'd keep this to yourself and not blab the news to her before I get a chance to sink my teeth in." Beaming, Olivia replies "You have my word". She pays for the bill and watches as Liz disappears into the late night air. Pleased with her clever plan to save Alex's ass, Olivia slyly grins her entire walk home. She knows however, when Alex finds out it was she that went to Donnelly, a whole other battle will ensue, but it's a fight Olivia is willing forge because she knows Alex can't stay mad at her for long, hell, this is payback in a way for Alex going behind her and Elliott's backs. So as far as Olivia is concerned, they're even.

TBC….