A/N: "Divorce is what happens when two people didn't think very clearly during their marriage."
DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and Characters. TStabler© owns this story.
"This is pretty fabulous," Alex said, looking at Olivia. "Look at them, they look so...happy."
Olivia, smiling proudly and waving a celery stick at them, said, "Of course, they're happy, Al. They're in love, they just got married, it's..."
"Speaking of getting married," Alex interrupted, "I don't even know the guy, and I'm getting phone calls about dress fittings. I refuse to try on anything pink and frilly until you tell me who I'm watching you waste your life on."
Olivia rolled her eyes, chewing on her celery and gripping a glass of champagne at the same time. "You're dress has already been ordered, you just need to try it on to see if it needs to be hemmed or taken in." She looked Alex up and down and smirked. "Or let out."
"Bitch," Alex chuckled, playfully hitting Olivia in the arm. "What's up with the celery stick? You've just been picking at the veggie platter all night?"
"Diet," Olivia said, popping the last bit of her veggie into her mouth.
Alex shook her head. "You don't need to diet," she said. "You're the proud owner of the perfect body, Benson. And I'm one of your best friends. I demand that you tell me who is going to be loving that body for the rest of your life, now."
"You'll find out when your invitation comes," Olivia replied coyly, raising a glass of champagne to her lips.
At that moment, George walked over, a grin on his face. "I don't know how you do it," he said, wrapping his arms around Olivia in a grateful hug.
"What can I say," she shrugged with a smile. "I was born to plan weddings. Well, no, I was born to be a cop, with a killer fashion sense and a horrendous attitude, which bodes well for planning weddings."
George laughed, then turned to Alex. "I can't wait to see what she's done for herself," he said. "Honestly, Olivia, if you can plan something like this in only a few days, your wedding is gonna be absolutely incredible."
"I'm hoping," Olivia said, sipping her drink again.
Alex folded her arms. "If only we knew who it was that was so deserving of all of that 'incredible."
Olivia chuckled. "You guys can't just be happy for me? Trust me, the element of surprise is what's making this really special for us. I promise, waiting to find out is worth it."
"Fin knows," George said, tilting his head. "Well, at least, he claims he knows. He keeps hinting that he does and he's over by the buffet table taking bets."
Olivia scoffed and turned her head, and her eyes widened when she saw Elliot actually placing a bet. Keeping up appearances, she assumed, shaking her head. "How much do you wanna bet he's wrong?"
"Oh, I'm sure he's wrong," George said. "We would all know if it was who Fin thinks it is." He looked at Olivia for a moment, pondering, then questioned, "Wouldn't we?"
"Congratulations, George," Olivia said, winking at him and taking another sip of champagne.
George raised an eyebrow, shaking his head and chuckling. "Thank you," he said. "For everything."
Olivia gave him another hug, careful not to spill her drink, and left him alone with Alex, moving to find Elliot. She tapped him on the shoulder and smirked when he turned around. "You're betting on yourself, right?" she whispered.
He laughed. "And give away our little secret? Never!" he chuckled quietly. "I bet Fin fifty bucks you were marrying Andy."
"Eckerson? The Marshall? The guy I haven't even spoken to in six years?" she asked in rapid, annoyed, succession.
"That's the one," Elliot said, taking her champagne out of her hand and sipping it. "Tastes almost as sweet as you do."
"My fiancée will kick your ass if he sees you flirting with me like this," she said, folding her arms.
He looked around, grinned, and said, "Well, Andy isn't here, so I'm safe, right?" He winked at her, then put the champagne glass down. He let his eyes wander around the room for a moment, then leaned into her. "Meet me in the coat room in five minutes."
"Are you serious?" she asked with a laugh.
"Do I look like I'm joking?" he asked, no trace of a smile on his face. He nodded once at her, straightened his tie, and walked out of the room, heading toward the large closet.
He was waiting rather impatiently by the wall, when Ryan walked in, looking upset. "Elliot," the lab tech said, turning toward him, "I have to talk to you."
Elliot straightened up and looked toward the door, then down at his watch. "Look," he said, "I'm not telling you why I slapped Liv's..."
"Not about that," Ryan said, shutting him up. He took a deep breath and said, "About me and Casey. I know you told me, a long time ago, I didn't know what I'd be getting myself into with her, and I should have listened. I...just...I'm not..."
"Ry, buddy, calm down and talk to me," Elliot said, trying to calm his friend. "What's wrong?"
Ryan shook his head. "I don't love her anymore," he said with a shrug. "I think I was in love with the idea of being in love with her, that's why I'm letting her and this other guy..."
"You want her to leave you?" Elliot asked, narrowing his eyes.
"It would just be easier if she left, ya know?" Ryan sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know what to do, man. She thinks I'm doing it all because I understand her needs, and I love her so much, but..."
"But you just want her out of your hair," Elliot said, trying to understand. "She said...she said you like to watch?"
Ryan scoffed. "I like to watch football in the other room while she's having the time of her life in our bed with a guy from the lab I barely know. I mean, honestly, who thinks that bringing home someone else for you to sleep with is a way to save your marriage?" he asked, frustrated. "She just doesn't get it, and I need you to help me figure out how to get out of this mess."
Elliot sighed and ran a hand down his face. "Honestly, I suck at relationships. I have one failed marriage under my belt, and one...one perfect relationship that only works because she and I are two halves of the same person, if that makes sense." He shook his head and shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you, other than tell her you want a divorce."
Ryan bit his bottom lip and sighed. "How do I do that without looking like the bad guy?"
Elliot raised and lowered his eyes, and he folded his arms, discreetly checking the time. "I'll get back to you on that, but right now, I think you should go back into that party and hit on the hot waitress," he said, trying to get rid of him.
Ryan laughed. "Thanks, man. You and Olivia always know how to cheer me up."
Elliot slapped him on the shoulder and nodded. "That's what friends are for," he said. "Now, uh, go. Get laid, my friend."
Ryan laughed again, rolled his eyes, and walked out of the coat room, just barely missing Olivia walking in from the other side. "All right," she said. "I'm here, so what do you..."
He turned and grabbed her, pulling her behind a rack of coats roughly and crashing her lips into hers. "So fucking difficult," he muttered against her lips, sliding his hands up her dress, "To pretend this isn't happening."
"We've done a great job for the last two years," she said, when his lips moved to her neck.
He moaned finding her panties and grabbing them, slipping them down. "Not like this," he groaned. "When we're out, at a party, at a wedding, wherever. It kills me to stand there and pretend I'm not with you."
She moaned as she felt his fingers sliding closer to her folds, wet in anticipation. He knew exactly how to drive her crazy in mere seconds. "Hurts me, too, El," she whispered. "Almost over. We won't be hiding it for...oh, my God," she moaned softly, feeling his fingers push their way inside if her.
"Promise me," he whispered into her ear as he used his free hand to shift out of his pants. "Promise me that we won't end up like them, baby. I don't wanna fight with you, I don't wanna lose you, I don't..."
"I promise," she gasped, her eyes clenching shut when his fingers were replaced by his hard and ready shaft, in one thrust. "End up like who?" she asked, an afterthought. She would promise him the world without question.
He looked into her eyes and stilled his frantic movements. "Everybody else," he whispered. "Fin and Melinda, Ryan and Casey...me and Kathy."
She cupped his face with her hands, shifting her weight between him and the wall. "Never, baby," she whispered. She pulled his face toward hers and moaned softly, kissing him as he moved more gently now.
He held her tightly, moved slow and deep, kissing her, ensuring that this was more than a quickie in a closet. He had them close to the edge in minutes, with his need to hurry and perfected technique, and he muffled her screams with a powerfully deep kiss.
She held onto him for a few moments after he grunted and moaned, thrust hard, signaling his release. She clung to him, calming down, kissing him slowly and running her hands through his hair. "What brought that on?"
He shrugged, dropping her gently to the floor and pulling her silk panties out of his pocket. He handed them to her as he said, "It wasn't supposed to be...like that." He pulled up his pants, straightened his shirt and tie, and said, "Then I was talking to Ryan, and he made me realize...this, you and me, it's everything."
She tugged on her dress, tried to fix her hair, and said, "I know it is." She kissed him again, nuzzled his nose for a moment, and asked, "What did you talk to Ryan about? What made you so..."
"He wants a divorce," Elliot interrupted. "He doesn't wanna be with Casey anymore, and he wanted to know how to break it to her. She seems so invested in him and their new arrangement." He looked at her, pleading for something with his eyes. "I have no idea what to tell him. With me and Kathy, there was a mutual 'fuck off' and it was done."
Olivia ran a hand through her hair again. "I'll...I'll talk to Casey."
"Thank you," he said, sounding relieved that the pressure was off of him. He kissed her again, winked at her, and walked out of the coat room, knowing in five minutes she would be at his side again, acting like nothing more than his partner.
Olivia sighed, folding her arms as she walked back into the reception. "Shit," she said to herself. She had thought Ryan and Casey were perfect for each other. She hated being wrong.
She would find out, all too soon, that she was very wrong about something else.
A/N: what is she wrong about? What will she say to Casey? And more of George! Review here, or on Twitter: TMG212