A/N: Well geez. The stinkin' reviews are finally working again. So if you read the last 2 chaps and didn't have a chance to do the second "R" of the whole R&R equation, puh-lease do so. I'll be your best friend. #smiles# This chap is going to be the first one that's in a couple different POVs – makes sense since it's a big fat double date with Mel and Henry and Elliot and Olivia!!! You know what happens when E and O get home from a date, don't you? Yeah ya do. By the way, if you are wondering at all what led up to the events of this story, make sure to read "One Promise Too Late" and "I Don't Have to Wonder." I promise this will all make sense after those 2.
Dedication: My girls as always!
Disclaimer: Only my overactive imagination belongs to me!
"HENRY! THE DEAD MOVE FASTER THAN YOU!" Melinda Warner sighed. Waiting on her husband was like waiting on the second coming of Christ. She knew it would happen eventually, she just wasn't one hundred percent sure WHEN.
"I'll be down in a sec, Mel. I don't like this tie!" Henry shouted back down the stairs at her. She sighed heavily and picked up her phone to text message Olivia.
Running late. Waiting on the man. And they say WE take forever.
Her phone vibrated a second later, alerting her that Olivia had texted her back.
Don't worry. I'm sitting in the living room at Elliot's. He hates every tie in his closet apparently.
Melinda laughed and texted her friend back quickly.
Welcome to the club, sista. We'll see you in a few minutes, I hope. Good thing we decided to meet at O'Malley's for drinks first…
"HENRY. DAVID. WARNER. I am leaving your black ass in about FIVE SECONDS!" Melinda shouted back up the stairs. She was nearly silenced by the sound of her husband running down the stairs at top speed. She sighed. After over twenty years of marriage, her husband in a coat and tie still managed to take her breath away. "Okay. I guess you're worth the wait," she teased.
"That's my girl. You look gorgeous, Doc," he greeted her with a sweet kiss. His bride always made him feel like the luckiest man in the room. Tonight was no different with her in a black cotton jersey dress that hugged every curve and sassy gold strappy heels that buckled at her ankle.
"Let's go. Olivia and Elliot are probably already there," she lied to hurry her husband along.
--
"Honey, we're going to be late!" Olivia shouted to Elliot for the thirty-billionth time.
"I know, I know. I'll be right there," he paused, appearing in the living room. "I promise," he finished.
Olivia wolf-whistled. "Very nice. Worth the wait," she said. Once they were married she was making Elliot wear blue shirts every day. Every single day.
"You look beautiful, Liv."
"Thank you," she answered, blushing. She really enjoyed dressing up for Elliot. Tonight she had chosen a red halter dress and strappy black sandals. And nary a scrap underneath. That was to be Elliot's treat to find later. "Let's go," she said. "Melinda and Henry are probably already there."
--
Melinda had never seen Olivia look so beautiful. George Strait popped into her head again. Mmm, mmmm, Liv. she thought. You look so good in love. She went to her friend and hugged her tightly. "You look beautiful," Melinda said. "Telling the truth suits you," she teased.
Olivia laughed. "Thanks, Mel. You look great too! But you always do," she said.
"Thanks. It feels good to get out of those scrubs sometimes," she replied.
"Ladies, shall we?" Elliot asked, holding the door for Olivia and Melinda.
"Thank you, Elliot," Melinda said.
"Thanks," Olivia whispered, a look of puppy love in her brown eyes.
Oh Lord. It was going to be a long night.
--
Olivia laughed raucously at the joke Elliot made. She'd had a couple drinks and was feeling a little buzzed, but mostly she was feeling great. She was on a date with the man of her dreams. Cloud 9 was a pretty comfortable place to be. She smiled as Elliot made another sarcastic comment that had Henry wiping at his eyes.
"I'm really glad we decided to do this, you guys," Henry said.
"Me too. Anyone else getting hungry?" Elliot looked at his watch.
Olivia stepped closer to him to see the display on the timepiece. That and it was a good excuse to breathe him in.
"Oh, guys, our reservations are in fifteen minutes. We better get going," Olivia said. Elliot wrapped his arm around her waist and stroked her hip. She leaned into him and he gave her a quick squeeze.
"Lead the way, dear," he said easily.
She loved it. She felt like they'd been together as long as Henry and Melinda. It was like they had left the kids at home and were just four grown-ups out on date night. She walked in front of Elliot and started down the street to the Italian bistro they had chosen for dinner. He fell in step beside her and took her hand in his, rubbing over her engagement ring. "I love you," he whispered.
She could feel a blush creeping up her back and neck. "I love you too," she whispered back, resting her head on his shoulder for a second.
"Hey! No funny business up there!" Melinda called from behind them.
Olivia glanced quickly behind her in time to see Henry's hand drop from the M.E.'s backside. "Same goes," she teased.
"I'm a married woman, Detective," Melinda dished the teasing right back.
Olivia held up her left hand and pointed to her ring finger. "I'm an engaged one!"
"That you are, my dear. That you are," Melinda smiled softly at her friend.
"Here we are," Henry interrupted the girls' teasing. He took his turn at being chivalrous and holding the door for everyone.
Elliot smiled at the young girl at the hostess station. He recognized her as one of Maureen's friends. "Hey Maggie. Stabler for four?" he asked.
"Hi, Elliot! Ree told me you had a hot date tonight," she teased.
Olivia blushed. "You must be Liv," Maggie greeted her. Olivia nodded.
"I'm sorry," Elliot said. "Maggie, this is my fiancée, Olivia, and these are our friends, Melinda and Henry Warner. Guys, this is Maureen's best friend Maggie Sullivan."
"Eh, she's only my best friend because she's using me to get to my cousin, Brett," Maggie joked. "But it's very nice to meet you all, let me take you to your table." Elliot laughed, pretending like he had the foggiest idea what Maggie was talking about.
"So who's Brett?" Olivia asked, once they were seated.
"Not really sure," Elliot said, a puzzled look on his face. "Remind me to use my 'Detective Dad' skills later for that one," he said, smiling.
"Oh lord. I'm so glad my dad was a pharmacist," Melinda said, rolling her eyes.
"Me too," Henry joked. "I wouldn't want to be this Brett kid in a few days," he said.
Elliot laughed and opened his menu. "Whatcha gonna have?" he asked Olivia.
"I'm not really sure what I'm going to have for dinner," she replied. Elliot caught on to her joke and smiled.
"Got dessert figured out?" he asked.
She raised an eyebrow at him and leaned in. "I know what you're having for dessert," she whispered.
"Hey hey hey. What'd I say about funny business?" Melinda chastised.
"Sorry," Olivia said, a shit-eating grin on her face.
"Yeah, you look real sorry, Liv," Henry teased.
--
She was such a great girl. Henry was glad his wife had found such a great friend in Olivia. Olivia deserved the best, and judging by the looks he kept giving her, the whispered words they kept sharing, and the blush that kept creeping up Olivia's cheeks, Elliot was the best for her.
--
Elliot finished the last of his lasagna and pushed his plate back. "That was great," he announced.
"I can't believe you had lasagna," Olivia said. "You make the greatest lasagna in the world," she said, smiling softly at him.
"And this was almost as good as mine," he grinned back at her.
Melinda sighed. "Seriously you two. You're giving me a cavity with all this sweetness," she said, a grin tugging at the corners of her lips.
Elliot laughed. He knew Melinda was happy for them. Hell, who wouldn't be? Half the NYPD had probably made money off of this date. The other half had lost because they'd either bet it would happen sooner or wouldn't happen at all. He smiled to himself as he felt Olivia's foot sneak up the leg of his black dress pants. He reached under the table and snuck his hand up the hem of her dress and traced lazy circles on the inside of her thigh. She coughed, nearly inhaling a tortellini.
"You okay, honey?" he asked, concern on his face.
"Fine," she smiled, giving him what he figured he'd come to think of as the "you're-a-dead-man-Stabler" look.
"Funny business?" Melinda asked.
Olivia nodded. "Yeah. He's pretty funny all right," she said sarcastically. She scooped a few more pieces of pasta into her mouth and put her fork down. "I couldn't eat another bite," she sighed. "That was delicious."
"Anyone up for dessert?" Henry asked.
"Honey, I think these two have another kind of dessert in mind," Melinda said gently.
Henry laughed. "You're probably right," he agreed.
Their waitress, Kinsey, according to her nametag, came over and dropped their check off. "Anything else I can get you guys?" she asked.
Elliot grabbed the check before Henry could. "No, thanks Kinsey. This was phenomenal," he said, laying on the famous Stabler charm.
The young waitress smiled. "I'm glad. You guys were the easiest table I've had all night," she said. "I'll be your cashier at the table whenever you're ready," she finished, smiling.
Elliot stuck a hundred dollar bill and a fifty in the black leather folder. Olivia raised an eyebrow at him. "What? She was good," he said.
"And cute," Henry amended.
Elliot laughed. "I plead the fifth, Mr. Warner. I still plan to get my dessert," he teased.
Olivia smacked him lightly. "Shut up, Stabler," she said.
--
"Thank you so much for suggesting this, Mel. I had a great time," Olivia hugged her friend again once they were outside.
"Oh, me too! We have to do it again," Melinda agreed.
"Are you ready, honey?" Elliot asked, coming over from where he and Henry had been deep in conversation.
"Yeah, I'm ready," she said. Elliot hugged Melinda quickly.
"Enjoy your dessert," she whispered.
"Oh, I will," he said. He hailed a cab for Melinda and Henry, waving as the cabbie headed back uptown to their apartment.
Hailing the next available cab for Olivia and himself, he held the door while she scooted across the seat.
"Ready to go home?" he asked.
She nodded. Home. It had a nice ring to it.
--
A/N: Notice who sort of made a cameo (besides me – being charmed by El?)? If you've read the first couple chaps of "The Big Day," I'm sure you did!! Hope you guys liked this chapter! Let me know! XO, Kinsey