Chapter 7 – My gurl

Wednesday afternoon

"4 hours! It's been 4 hours now and the fuckin' prick still doesn't want to confess" says Fin, leaving the interrogation room exceeded.

"You want me to shake him up?" Elliot offers.

"Uh, thanks man but if I don't scare him, you won't." Fin scoffs and sits.

"Are you telling me that I could not hold a candle to you?" Elliot raises an eyebrow.

"Well… Yeah" Fin says indolent.

"Well I have a few complaints for police harassment in my record that say otherwise" states Elliot.

"And you're proud of that?" Munch asks.

"If it can convince a pedophile to speak I don't know why I should be ashamed" Elliot answers indolent.

"Of course if you beat a suspect he'll be scared of you. But I don't need that to break them down".

"Yeah, I'm sure he agrees with you" Elliot scoffs gesturing at the interrogation room.

Olivia steps by and asks "What's up?"

"Guys chat." Munch answers. "They're arguing about who has the biggest-"

"Alright" Olivia cuts off. "I got it".

"Liv, what do you think?" Eliot asks.

"Uh, I think that I really don't wanna be part of it" Olivia says uncomfortable. "So take that ruler and go to the bathroom. And please, don't give it back to me."

"What? No! Just tell us, who's the most frightening with perps? Fin or me?" Elliot gives Olivia a look that she supposes means 'better be by my side'.

"No man you can't ask her, she's your partner. She's partial" Fin objects.

"I'm not 5 years old Fin. I can be impartial" Olivia answers back.

"So do I, but no one asked me for my opinion" Munch sighs.

"So what do you say Liv?" Elliot asks again.

"Well… No offense El but… you look like a catholic boy scout and Fin looks like a gang leader."

"Yeah! That's my gurl! High five" Fin says raising his hand.

Olivia shakes her head. "Uh huh, I'm no one's girl, Fin. Not even yours. But you're still my favorite." She winks at him.

"Sorry but I have to put an objection here" Elliot says, offended.

"Overruled." Olivia scoffs. "I'm your partner El, not your girl. What's up with you guys? Is it full moon or something?"

"If I had to guess, I would say that they're both single and desperate" Munch answers.

"Thanks John. You know how to talk to a woman. And you wonder why all your marriages failed?" Olivia teases.

"That's a cheap shot Liv! But still… it hurts" Munch fakes. "You broke my heart."

"Then the three of us are in the same boat" Elliot states sadly.

"Speak for yourself dude." Fin scoffs. "My ego ain't bruised. I'm bullet proof." Then he walks back to the interrogation room.

"Easy for you to say that. She just chose you" mumbles Elliot, grumpy.

"I didn't" Olivia rolls her eyes.

"You said he was your favorite" Elliot crosses his arms.

"Yeah poor you. Stop pouting" Olivia teases.

"You should give him a hug. It would cheer him up for sure" says Munch winking at Elliot and giving him two thumbs up.

"I saw that Munch!" Olivia warns.

"How did you do that? I was behind your back!"

"I'm a detective, I got eyes everywhere."

"Women shouldn't be detectives. They're too heartless with their male coworkers" Munch provokes.

"Say that again and I can tell you I'll break more than your heart" Olivia threatens, smiling.

"You wouldn't beat an old man" states Munch.

"Ask Elliot. I beat the shit out of him every week" Olivia smiles provocative.

"I'm not old" Elliot objects.

"Uh, is that a BDSM thing?" Munch asks interested.

"She wishes" Elliot says playfully. "But I'm a choir boy. No, what did you call me? I'm a 'catholic boy scout'" he quotes.

Olivia rolls her eyes. "Ok El, I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to bruise your oversized ego. How can I make it up to you?" she asks.

"Hey! How about my bruised ego?" Munch asks.

Olivia smiles, walks to him and kisses him on the cheek.

"That works for me" Munch says flushing. "You're forgiven."

Elliot crosses his arms firmly. "Well that won't work for me. It's far from enough."

Olivia's phone rings, she smiles at Elliot, tells him "well it's too sad because it's all that I have to give you" and winks at him before she picks up the phone. "Benson" she says biting her pen.

"…"

"Oh, hi… Mike". Elliot raises his head and looks at Olivia. She gives him a mind-your-own-business look and goes back to her conversation. She looks uncomfortable like the other day, but she also looks quite happy to hear him.

"…"

"Oh really? That's great then!" she smiles. "He's okay?"

"…"

"Yeah, I see… teenagers" she laughs.

"…"

Suddenly, her smile disappears and she lowers her voice but Elliot still can hear her. "Uh… No, I… Mike I don't think it's a good idea". She pauses while Mike says something and speaks again "I just think… we should leave the past where it belongs" she sighs.

"…"

"Yeah, I remember" she flushes, uncomfortable, massaging her neck.

Elliot raises an eyebrow. How he wishes he could hear what Mike said that embarrassed her so much! Olivia must read his mind because without warning, she throws her pen to him – her paper ball ammunitions box being empty. She misses him and the pen falls right into Elliot's trash can. "Ten points to Benson!" Elliot laughs.

"Shhhh" Olivia orders.

"…"

"No, not you Mike. Well… actually I have to go back to work now. And uh, I think it's better if you don't call me again" she says sadly. She sighs again and adds nearly whispering "and Mike?... It was nice to see you again".

"…"

"Me too… bye" she hangs up.

"Me too?" Elliot asks.

Olivia doesn't answer 'I often think about you' Mike told her. And she lied to him. Actually she often thought about him but it stopped when she joined SVU. She wonders why…

"What did he want?" Elliot asks.

"He wanted to let me know that his son was home and safe" Olivia answers.

"Or he used that as an excuse to call you. What did he want?" Elliot asks again.

"He invited me for a drink." Olivia admits. Elliot knows her too well anyway, no need to try to lie. "To talk about the good old days. But I declined the invitation."

"Well if he needs more persuasive arguments, I can talk to him. Unless you'd rather send Fin" Elliot says bitterly.

Olivia rolls her eyes, irritated "When will you stop with that, Elliot?"

Elliot shrugs.

"What about me inviting you for a drink tonight? So that we could talk about good old days. Days when you weren't upset with me".

Elliot pretends not listening to her but after a few seconds he just can't help but smile and finally gives up. "… Sounds like a plan".

"Ok then". And Olivia goes back to work. After a few minutes working in silence, she adds "El… I trust you with my life. If I had to ask someone's help, I'd call you" she claims.

Elliot smiles, feeling the heat growing in his chest. 'I may be her favorite after all' he thinks.