Hey all, sorry it's been so long since my last update, but I'm back (hopefully). I've finally graduated from uni, so besides working I'll happily be able to spend my time writing. I'm trying to get back into the hang of things and back into the characters and story I've got happening here. So bear with me for this chapter. Next chapter will be better. I promise! Xo, N

Dinners & Gunshots

Annabelle jumped at the sound of knocking, glancing up to see David standing at her glass entrance door. "You awake?"

She blushed at his teasing grin, before nodding that she was good. "What's up?"

"What are you doing tonight?" She began to shake her head no, only he didn't give her long enough to do so before speaking up again, "I made reservations for dinner tonight. 7 o'clock. Someone will drop something off for you a little later." Then he was gone before she could reply.

Shaking her head, she went back to work on the current project, happy to close it out two hours and forty-five minutes later. Annabelle twisted her neck in both directions, closing her eyes as it cracked and popped, bringing her almost instant relief. Glancing to her right, she noticed a long black garment bag sitting in the chair next to her door, someone had obviously snuck in while she was working on the marketing proposal for the company's newest client. Seeing as it was already 6:15, she pulled out her phone to shoot a quick text to Rafael , to let him know she had a business dinner and that she wouldn't be home until late, before pressing the button on her desk to lower the shades to her wall of windows and to darken her fully glass door, in order for her to change for the dinner. She rolled her eyes as she slipped on the 4-inch black stilettos, after zipping the tight black dress up. David always seems to think that she needed to dress a certain way when they went out to dinner or something, although he never openly admitted it to her, so she was never fully prepared for the nights out.

Shaking her hair loose from the bun it had been in all day, she opened her make up bag as she listened to the phone ring on her glass desk. "Hola cariño."

She gave a small smile at the endearing term, "Hola. I just wanted to let you know I've got a business dinner tonight."

"Again?"

She bit her lip as the sigh came through the speaker, "I know. He came by a few hours ago to let me know and then someone dropped off a dress for me. So, yeah. Do you want me to not go?"

"No. You can't miss it, love. It's just strange that he never tells you until the day of. Would it kill him to just give you a little notice?"

"I know. Honestly, if I could find something better, I'd take it. My grades are dropping. I made a D on my last paper for Jennings. I haven't made a D in anything since the seventh grade."

"You need it to graduate."

She groaned, dropping the eyeliner pencil back into the heart covered bag, "I keep trying to pretend I don't."

"Less than two months. You've got this, cariño."

"One month, 17 days. Then I have to start an actual job search. Although I have a feeling that he's going to offer me a full-time position, again. Then I'll have no reason to actually deny it."

"Just say no."

"Easy for you to say. You can find a job anywhere." She swiped a final coat of light pink lipstick on her lips and stood up. "I've gotta go. Or he'll be knocking on the door in a few minutes. Love you."

"Te amo."

Twenty minutes later, she was sitting across the table from her boss. 7:09. How much longer would she have to endure this? She nodded along as David spoke, as if she was actually paying attention or even caring about what was coming out of his mouth. Annabelle felt horrible for thinking the current thoughts she was, but she was beyond tired on his incessant flirting and fake innocent touches.

-xXx-

"Lucy, I'm home!" She heard the bark of laughter further inside the house as she gently shut the door.

"How am I the Lucy in this situation? I'm the Cuban." Sky blue painted nails caressed the side of his stubbly face as their lips met. "How was dinner?"

She rolled her eyes, slipping the long pea coat jacket off, revealing her new black dress, which received a raised eyebrow from her boyfriend. "Our completely professional business dinner ended up being a dinner for two in a darkened restaurant. Like the dress? I feel like a prostitute."

The tightened jaw loosened as his eyes roamed her body once more, lingering on the large amount of thigh and legs being revealed by the short dress. "You look lovely."

She brought her lips to his once more before patting his chest, "thanks for lying. I'm going to change." Less than ten minutes later, she returned in Winnie the Pooh flannel pajamas. "Did I tell you that I love you?" Rafael looked up from his notes as the red head plopped down beside him on the leather couch. "Cause I do."

"Why do I feel like you want something?"

"Olivia texted me about a weird squad bonding thing this weekend…involving pajamas."

"No."

"Come on! It'll be fun. I'll buy us a couple onesie and we can play with Noah. You can drink whiskey with you friends."

"Co-workers. Not my friends."

"Don't pretend that you don't love them."

"I'm not getting out of this, am I?"

"Oh no. I've already been online looking at stuff." His silence made her grin, before she slowly to the files from his hands and moved to straddle his waist, her lips finding their way onto his tanned neck. Rafael's hands came to rest loosely on her hips.

-xXx-

The following Friday came quicker than Annabelle thought it would, making her antsy to leave the office and enjoy her weekend. She still couldn't believe that SVU detectives were basically going to have a slumber party minus the actual sleep over part of the equation. She grinned imagining the tough cops she had first been introduced to dancing around to an old Spice Girls song in kid like pajamas. She knew it wasn't what would truly happen, but she was hopeful. Putting the final touches on the advertisement that was meant to be released early in the next week. Annabelle looked up as a shadow crossed the door, "Dinner tonight."

"Tanis, I have plans tonight."

The blonde's eyebrows furrowed as if she didn't get the concept of someone having plans. "It's an important business dinner. No exceptions to missing it."

She was gone before Annabelle could protest any longer. Biting her lip, she was slow to send a short text to her live-in boyfriend.

Annabelle Stevens: I've got another freaking business dinner tonight. And he better freaking hope it's really a business dinner. I'm sorry. I'll try to cut out early.

Raf: I'll let them know. Call me if you need me. Te amo.

Annabelle Stevens: I love you, too.

The senior locked her phone before shooting her finished product over to David via email. Looking at the clock, she pulled out her newest assignment, knowing that it was due before 8am on Tuesday, giving her less than five days to write a ten-page paper. At 5:00 she was walking out of the building to meet up with Rafael.

"Going home to change?" She glanced over at Tanis who was wearing a much more revealing dress than she was earlier in the day, before slowly shaking her head negatively. "Are you sure? Pants are fine for the office, but for a dinner…"

She barely glanced down at the skinny black dress pants she was wearing, before shrugging. "I'm going to meet up with my boyfriend. Seeing as I had to cancel the plans we made a week ago for this dinner."

Tanis scoffed, "You're still new. You'll learn that David gets what he wants." The doors opened, and Tanis left with her head held high, with Annabelle being left behind muttering to herself.

-xXx-

Annabelle rushed out of the office, ignoring David's call for where she was going. Rafael's phone kept going to voicemail, everything she called him. It took less time than necessary for her to get to his office, thanks to her hurried steps. Carmen was absent from her ever-present position at her wooden desk, but the light was on and the door open to Rafael's office. She let out a breath of relief when she laid eyes on the Cuban and the glass of scotch sitting upon his desk. "You're okay."

He looked up at her entrance, standing to greet her in surprise, "what are you doing here?" Wrapping her arms around his waist, her reply was muffled against his dress shirt. "Feel like repeating that, love?"

"I saw the news. They said Johnny Drake had shot three people. Didn't say who. You weren't answering your phone, Rafael!" The tears had started slipping from her eyes as her sentences completely ran together.

One of Rafael's hands rubbed up and down her back as the other held her closer. "I'm fine cariño. I must've forgotten to turn my phone back on." He continued to whisper reassurances in her ears until she calmed down enough to pull away and the tension finally leave her body. Once she was finally calm, he gave her the news that made a smile grace her light pink lips, "Noah is going to be a Benson."