Striding into SVU, the look on Erin Jacobs' face could only be described as homicidal. She caught sight of Alex, resting against Olivia's desk on what had become her 'usual' corner. "Good, you're both here," she sniped, without preamble. "That'll save me from repeating myself. Do you know what your sister did? Go ahead, you'll never guess."

Alex looked at Olivia briefly before returning confused blue eyes to Erin's fiery eyes. The sarcastic remark died on her lips and her brow furrowed. "What happened?"

"She. Went. To. Caroline's," Erin enunciated through clenched teeth. "Are all of you on fucking crazy pills?" the lawyer hissed.

Alex held up her palm in a "stop" motion. "What did you just say?"

"Emma went to see Caroline."

"And did what exactly?" Alex's voice dropped and she slid off Olivia's desk, crossing her arms and facing her friend.

Sighing, Erin planted herself on Elliot desk and grumbled, "Your sister made a deal without consulting her attorney. She offered to settle out of court with Mark's estate."

"What?" Alex's head lolled back after the cry was expelled, a deep sigh lifting her chest. "Let me guess; Caroline jumped all over it. Damn it, Emma!" Alex moved her hands to her hips, shaking her head as her eyes focused on a shadowed spot on the far wall. Looking down at Olivia, she asked helplessly, "Did she tell you anything about it?"

Olivia fiddled with a pen in front of her, clearing her throat a few times. "She...might've mentioned...something...about it."

Alex's arms dropped heavily to her side. She strained her neck, eyebrows flirting with her hairline. "You knew about this?"

"She asked me what I thought, okay?" the brunette detective admitted, dropping the pen with a deep sigh. "And specifically asked me not to tell you."

"Well, that's just great," Alex retorted, rubbing her forehead. She looked helplessly at Erin. "What do we do now? Cry coercion? Extreme...tendency to be a myopic idiot?"

Chuckling despite herself, Erin shook her head. "Emma made her bed, now she's gotta lie in it, unfortunately. And as her counsel, I have to do what she asks of me, and she's asked me to hammer out a deal, so that's what I'm going to do."

Alex licked her lips and removed her glasses, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Is she admitting anything, or is it just monetary?"

"That's still on the table. Of course, Caroline wants a full admission, and I want a no-fault clause," Erin explained, albeit unnecessarily.

"It never ceases to amaze me how a woman as intelligent as she is can still be that big of an idiot. This is going to destroy her," Alex fumed. There were few things that could get her worked up on the job, but the thoughtless decisions of her sister topped the list. She looked back at Olivia, whose gaze remained steadfast on the phone in front of her, and tried to understand. "Did she say why?"

"No." Olivia tried to radiate calm with her voice. "Maybe this really is the best thing," she offered quietly. "At least it'll all be over in a few days."

"It was going to be over in a few days anyway," Alex replied, anger and frustration acting as staccato to her voice. "She had that jury eating out of the palm of her hand. They were going to find for her, and the three of us could have walked out of there, fine and fancy free. But no. She has to go behind our backs and make a deal that's going to screw it all up again." Alex leaned down, her index finger punching the pile of manila folders lining Olivia's desk. "She admits culpability, she proves you lied on the stand to protect her. She could lose her business, her house, and could get you censured." Alex shook her head. "Tell me how that's the best thing."

"Nothing's going to happen to me." Olivia dismissed the idea, leaning back and crossing her legs at the ankles. "Her business is protected by the limited liability corporation she set up with Erin's help." The detective nodded in the attorney's direction. "It's protected from any lawsuit not directly alleging business-related negligence or misconduct. So why don't you stop being her big sister for just a second," Olivia suggested gently, "and try being proud of Emma for making a decision on her own. You know, she was only trying to protect you."

"Why? Because suddenly I'm some overwrought victim whose hormones are all out of whack because of the—" Alex bit the inside of her cheek before she continued. "Fine. I never could rein her in anyway." She looked across the desk at Erin. "Just promise me Caroline won't be able to go to anyone with this. Not local, not national, not international."

Nodding, Erin replied, "You know I won't let her hurt you - any of you," she clarified, glancing between Alex and Olivia.

"And for the record," Olivia told Alex, "I didn't say you were an overwrought victim. I think you're being an overprotective sister. But this isn't your decision to make; it's Emma's. And I'd say she's made it."

"Well, then. Who am I to argue?" Alex gathered up her briefcase. "I have paperwork. I'll...see you later, I guess." She walked past Olivia's chair and into the hallway with determined steps. She jabbed at the elevator button angrily, trying to calm herself down. Of course Emma could make her own decisions. But when she did so without thinking the consequences through, without thinking about who else she could hurt...it was enough to put Alex in quite a bitch state. She sighed as her office door shut behind her. She threw her coat and briefcase on the chair in front of her desk and stopped to look at the picture of Emma on her filing cabinet, a fresh wave of anger flowing through her. A thought, unbidden, but undeniable, struck her. Was she having such a problem with it, truly because of the consequences, or was it because Emma had once again gone to Olivia instead of Alex? She sat down in her chair, immediately pushing the jealous train of thought out of her head. But it still niggled at the back of her brain. Alex and Olivia had hashed out many of the main problems plaguing them on the previous Sunday, when she had returned from Boston. The main issue, though, was still to be resolved; why was it that both of them sought out other people in dealing with their relationship? Neither woman had an answer, and it bothered Alex more than she wanted it to. She sighed again, subjecting her poor pen to a Vulcan death grip as she tried to sort out her feelings.

* * *

The knock was quiet at first, more insistent when it went unanswered.

Alex closed her eyes; she'd know those knuckles anywhere. She took a deep breath and took off her glasses, laying them on the law book she'd been pretending to read for the past twenty minutes. "Yeah?" she called, leaning back in her chair.

Olivia slid in with the practiced ease of one trying to be discreet about a lunchtime rendezvous or a post-work meeting. Shutting the door quietly behind her, the detective stood expectantly, hands stuffed into the pockets of her leather jacket.

Alex's eyes met Olivia's, and she tilted her head slightly, silently asking what the detective wanted her to say. After a moment, she shook her head halfway, pulling her lip under her teeth, a habit she picked up from her younger sister. "I just wish she had consulted me first."

"I could've been nicer about my phrasing," Olivia said, and it was the closest either of them would come to an outright apology.

Alex leaned forward, massaging the back of her neck with her palm. Theirs was a situation fraught with potential, but also hindrances, and right now, she just couldn't make herself want to deal with any of it. Instead, she sat back in her chair, allowing herself the small comfort of knowing Olivia would understand. "How's the Harvey case? Mom got temporary emergency custody today, so we'll issue a warrant for custodial interference for Dad by the end of the day."

"Doesn't seem like we're any closer to a collar," Olivia bitched, sinking into a chair. "It's hell trying to get the cops in Chicago to give enough of a shit to try and track this guy down for us. Elliot and I may have to fly out there and do some legwork ourselves." The brunette sounded ready to slit some throats. "D'you know the fuckin' social workers won't even call the NCMEC intern back? Poor kid called me twice this week to apologize for the lack of leads."

Alex shook her head. "It's a mess," she summarized. "Too many jurisdictions, not enough room to mark the territory." She leaned back again, grinning in spite of herself. "But that's why they've got us, right?"

"Yep. We're the proverbial pee-cleaners."

Alex shuddered. "That's really an image I didn't want to think about, now that it's worked its way through my head." She paused, watching Olivia's eyes wandering all over the office, rather than her normal smoldering stare. "How late are you on?" Alex asked quietly.

"I get off around six. Did you...you know, wanna do something tonight?" Olivia pinned Alex with a patented Detective-stare.

Alex's face broke into a smile. "Are you coming on to me, Detective Benson?"

No, but give me half an hour and I'll have you coming on me. Olivia shrugged, covering her desire deliberately. "Do you want me to, ADA Cabot?"

Alex tilted her head quickly, as if she were weighing her options. "That depends, Detective," Alex replied, leaning further back in her chair and crossing her legs.

"On what?" Olivia licked her lips without realizing it.

A broader, sly smile tickled Alex's cheek. She leaned forward, her voice low and husky, as if she were about to reveal a most confidential secret. Her mouth opened in preparation for her answer, and as she was about to annunciate the words, she straightened, she smile gone. Her eyes still danced, however, and she cradled her chin in her hand. "Tell you what. You meet me for drinks, and I'll whisper it in your ear."

"Do it in that voice," Olivia agreed easily, "and I'll be there."

Alex let out a throaty chuckle. "You got it. Renew. Eight o'clock. I'll be the one in the leather pants." Alex picked up her glasses and put them back on, looking back to her code books.

With that promise ringing in her ears, Olivia stood and disappeared, heading back to SVU. Once in the borrowed sedan, she pulled out her cell phone. "Emma, I need to borrow an outfit."

Emma's brow crinkled as she pulled on her oversized Boston College sweatshirt. "Wait, let me check the battery in my hearing aid. What did you just ask me?"

"I have a date tonight," Olivia grinned, "and I need an outfit."

Emma made a contented noise in the back of her throat. "That's great, Liv," she said with a smile. "I'll start doing some hunting. What time are you meeting her?"

"Eight."

"And where are we going?" Emma hoisted herself off the couch and moved into her closet, thumbing through the selection.

"Renew. I believe you've heard of it," Olivia teased.

Emma chuckled. "Hm, yeah, I think I may have at one point or another. I'm surprised she'd want to go back there," she commented, tossing a few shirts out of the closet and onto her bed. "Was she pissed when Erin told her?"

"Well...if I were you, I'd think about the Witness Protection Program."

Emma chuckled briefly again. "She hasn't killed me yet. One more thing won't push her over the edge now."

Olivia pulled out into traffic, holding the phone against her cheek with her shoulder. "You didn't see her face. She was madder than the time you brought that brochure home for the baby llama adoption program."

"Oh, come on. That was funnier than all hell." Emma threw a few more pairs of pants on the bed, and threw in a short skirt for the hell of it. She went back into her dark living room, taking another sip of the Jack Daniels she'd poured herself before Olivia had called. "At some point, she has to figure out that I'm capable of putting two and two together, and actually getting four."

Shrugging to herself, Olivia turned into a parking spot and shut the car off. "I'm not having this discussion with you right now. I have a steak an' cheese sandwich and a stack of phone calls waiting for me. Just find me an outfit, okay? I'll come by your place around seven."

"All right. See you then." Emma disconnected, chucking the phone on her couch. She walked, drink in hand, to her window and looked out over the city. She hadn't felt this down in a long time. She was sure the alcohol wasn't helping, but then, neither were the pills. She sighed, closing her eyes and resting her forehead against the sliding glass door.

* * *

Olivia eyed the outfit disparagingly. "You really think I can pull that off?" she asked Emma. "That's really more of an outfit for you, Emma Kate."

Emma gave her a pointed Cabot look. "Do you trust me?" Before Olivia could answer, Emma pushed the hangers further into the brunette's hand. "Don't answer that. You'll wear it if you love me."

"Aw, shit, don't pull a guilt trip on me, Emmy," Olivia said, tossing the clothes back on the bed. Tugging her blazer off, Olivia reached for the hem of her shirt. "You know I can't take it when you make those big eyes at me." Her voice was muffled as she pulled the shirt overhead.

Emma grinned. "That's what I planned on, Detective Benson," she purred, handing Olivia the black halter top. "I have a cardigan you can wear if you want," she reassured as Olivia's eyes widened again.

"Holy Christ." Olivia slid the top on, marveling at how breezy it was. "Am I covered?" she asked worriedly. "I feel overexposed."

"But you look amazing," Emma pointed out, handing over her prized red leather skirt. "Just try. You can wear the black pants if you want, but let's just say that if you wear that skirt, you'll be throwing women off you the entire night. Alex might not stand a chance."

"I don't want to be prying women off me, Em. I just wanted to look good for Alex," Olivia complained, holding the skirt as if it might leap at her at any moment.

"Trust me," Emma implored. "She won't know what hit her." Emma tapped her foot impatiently as Olivia continued to study the intricacies of the stitching. "Oh, for Christ's sake." Emma stepped around Olivia, unbuttoning the detective's pants and drawing the zipper down. She guided the fabric off Olivia's hips and raised her eyebrows impatiently. "Will you just put it on so I can get back to making myself pretty, please?"

Olivia couldn't help laughing as she craned to see behind her. "Why, Miss Cabot, I believe that's your hand on my ass. And what're you in such a hurry for? It's my date."

Emma chuckled, squeezing Olivia's backside. "I'll have you know I have a little date of my own, thank you very much."

"Oh, really? Shelby?" Olivia asked, finally consenting and stepping out of her pants.

A slight blush colored Emma's cheeks. "Possibly," she replied coyly, toying with the hem of her sweatshirt.

"Which means 'Olivia, you're the smartest person I know and you've cracked my verbal code. I'm so turned on right now, I could just slam you up against a wall'." The detective laughed to herself as she slid the tiny leather skirt up and over her hips.

"Oh, yeah, baby. Come quick and do me now." Emma rolled her eyes good-naturedly and peeled off her sweatshirt. She shuddered as the cool air of the apartment hit her skin, and she reached across the bed to grab her cranberry-colored tank top and lace overlay. "You guys just doing Renew, or are you grabbing a bite beforehand?"

"We were thinking about having something first. You and Shelby wanna join us?"

Emma pondered it for a moment, then shrugged. "I'll call her and find out. You don't think Allie will mind?"

"I doubt it. She's looking for an opportunity to get you and a steak knife within stabbing distance." Olivia turned and faced Emma self-consciously. "How do I look?"

Emma swallowed her reply regarding her sister and simply raised her eyebrows. "Damn, child."

Olivia's hands went to her hips. "I'm older than you, child."

"Ten bucks says you get carded tonight," Emma replied with a shake of her head. "You really look phenomenal, Olivia. We're definitely doing dinner; Alex'll be so wrapped up in you, she'll forget I'm there."

"Sounds like a plan. But, Em?"

"Hm?" Emma whipped off her shorts and pulled on stretchy black pants, putting in her small hoop earrings and letting her hair out of its ponytail.

"How'm I sposta move in this thing?" Olivia giggled, trying to bend over. "I'm shit outta luck if I drop anything tonight."

Emma laughed. "Just don't drop anything. And if you do, bend at your knees, not your waist."

Olivia nodded, mentally recording the order. "Right, bend at the knees. Are you sure I don't look too...femme in this?"

Emma turned, cupping her wavy hair around her ear. She placed her hands on Olivia's hips, imploring the older woman with her eyes. "You are strong, independent, and could kick anyone's ass, leather skirt or no leather skirt. You own everything you see and touch in this baby. You only look femme if you act demure. Other than that, you're fantastic. 'Kay?"

"Okay." Olivia was slightly comforted by the brash reassurances of the young blonde. Since when is twenty-nine 'young'? she chided herself. "Is there jewelry to go with this, or would that be overdoing it?"

Emma stepped back and tapped her finger to her chin thoughtfully. "Well, we're losing the watch, for one," she said, pointing to the decidedly detective-esque piece. She turned and fiddled in her jewelry collection, pulling out a silver arm bracelet. "Put it on your bicep," she instructed, "and then you're complete."

Olivia slid the Cleopatra-style bracelet up her arm and discarded her watch on the pile of clothes now gracing Emma's rumpled bed.

Emma offered an exuberant round of applause. "Mahvelous, dahling," she drawled. "Simply mahvelous." She moved back into the living room, finding the phone. "Am I calling Shelby?"

"I thought we already decided you were! Oh, shit," Olivia added, a thoughtful look on her face.

"What?" Emma asked, searching her kitchen table for the scrap of paper which held her date's phone number.

"I have to pee, and I'm not sure I can get back in this thing if I get out now." Olivia burst out laughing, heading for the bathroom. "The things we do for sex - I mean, love."

Emma howled with laughter as she dialed the phone. "You could just go without it. I know Alexandra would love that."

Olivia offered a parting shot as she closed the bathroom door. "Yeah, but the managers of Renew might object."

"I own a third of that club, honey. No one's gonna mess with you," Emma bellowed back, finishing dialing Shelby's number. "Hey," she said quietly, "It's Emma."

"Hi." Shelby's soft soprano was quietly wary. "Are you calling to cancel again?"

"No," Emma replied emphatically, a bit embarrassed. "Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to change the dinner venue. It's weird...but my sister and her girlfriend are going out, and I thought maybe it'd be fun if we joined them."

"Uhm...okay. They won't mind? I know my sister'd kill me if I hung around on one of her dates."

"Nah, they're cool like that. I mean, if it's uncomfortable for you, we can just go where we had planned..." Emma trailed off, forehead crinkling. "Is it always this awkward at the beginning?"

Shelby giggled softly. "Oh, absolutely. Are we still on for nine then?"

"Well, if you're ready now, I was thinking maybe eightish," Emma amended, pulling her boots on.

"I can be ready in a few minutes. Want me to pick you up? My 'Vette's itchin' for a run," Shelby offered.

"Ooh," Emma purred. "I'm at...oh, wait, Erin probably gave you my address, right?"

Shelby reached for pen and paper. "No, she said you were private about that kind of thing, and you'd tell me when you were ready."

"72nd and Broadway, apartment 707," Emma reported. "When should I meet you downstairs?"

"In about fifteen minutes," Shelby replied. "See you then."

"'Kay. Bye." Emma disconnected, turning to see Olivia, leaning against the wall with an amused expression on her face. "What?" she asked innocently, pulling out her 3/4 length leather coat from the closet.

"You're dressed to kill, and you're using your best 'How hot am I?' voice. It's just cute, seeing you back in flirt-mode, that's all." Olivia reached for her coat and the small black purse Emma had set out for her.

Emma chuckled, a sly grin replacing the nervous look on her face. "Well, how hot am I?"

Chuckling, Olivia followed Emma to the door. "NYFD, ma'am. I'm gonna have to take you in."

Emma's laughter echoed in the hallway. "It's just been so long since I've done this," she confided as they waited for the elevator. "I cancelled on her once, you know."

"Twice, to hear Erin tell it."

Emma rolled her eyes as they entered the elevator. "Well, the second time was right around the whole Allie going to Boston mess started. But I chickened out, cold as shit, the first time. I just don't know if I'm cut out for it anymore."

Olivia raised an eyebrow, appraising Emma's very obvious outfit. "Guess you'll find out tonight."

"Guess so." Emma smiled, then looked down the block as a loud, sporty engine approached. The black Corvette screeched to a stop and Emma raised an eyebrow. "That was an entrance," she murmured.

Olivia nodded silently, memorizing the license plate number. "Well, enjoy the ride. When I called Alex to change plans before, I told her I'd meet her at her place and we'd go to the restaurant together. So you guys go, get a table and relax. We'll catch up."

A long, lean brunette slid out of the car and sized up the pair of beautiful women standing on the sidewalk. "You must be Emma," she said to the blonde. Her eyes traveled unabashedly the length of Emma's lithe body.

"See you in a bit," Emma replied quietly, smiling at the raven-haired woman in front of her. "Shelby? So nice to meet you," she extended her hand, unable to keep the smile off her face.

"You, too." As Olivia walked off, unable to hide the 'Fuck-with-her-and-I'll-kill-you' expression on her face, Shelby shook Emma's hand, her strong fingers grasping the blonde's tightly. "Erin said you were cute, but wow, did she ever undersell ya."

Emma chuckled deeply, trying to understand the shiver that flowed through her body as Shelby grasped her hand. "It's all an act. I actually strike a scary resemblance to Alan Thicke on occasion."

"Really? I loved him on 'Growing Pains'." Shelby grinned at Emma's sense of humor. "She said you were funny, too." With a wicked grin, the brunette added, "It remains to be seen if the rest of her bragging was deserved, but judging from what little I've seen, I think I owe Erin a big hot fudge sundae for this one." Turning, she pulled the passenger side door open for Emma.

Emma laughed again, scrunching the bottom of her hair. She slid across the leather easily, watching the confidence flow off her date in tsunami-sized waves. It was almost intimidating. As Shelby revved the engine and they sped further downtown, Emma leaned back against the seat and ordered herself to have a good time.

They arrived at Renew faster than Emma had thought humanly possible; the fact that Shelby owned a car in New York City should have told her the woman knew how to push limits. She smiled at the valet as she climbed out, and reached for Shelby's hand. "There's a small restaurant in the back, before they open the dance floor. That okay?"

"Sounds perfect." Shelby bypassed Emma's outstretched hand, letting her palm rest instead on the bared small of the blonde's back as they walked around the building.

"Hey, Mikey," Emma greeted the maitre'd. "Think you can find me a table for four?" She looked over her shoulder at the crowded waiting room. Mike nodded with a grin, and motioned to a table. Emma ushered Shelby past, and grinned as Mike seated them in the back corner in which she had done many of her sketches. "Thank you, Mikey," she purred.

Her friend kissed the top of her head and handed Shelby the mixed drinks list. "You'll need something strong to keep up with this one," he said, motioning to the blonde.

"I found that out already," Shelby bantered, setting the list down and going behind Emma's chair to pull it out.

Emma sat down, smiling her thanks. Mike handed them the menus, and nodded after Emma told him to look out for Alex. He left the two women in the half-darkness. Emma turned and smiled at Shelby. "So, Erin tells me you're an artist."

"Well, I dabble in the visual arts," Shelby clarified, "but I'm a graphic artist for money. You know, whoring myself to pay the rent."

"Hey, we do what we have to," Emma replied, pausing to order a dry martini, and allow Shelby to get her scotch on the rocks. "Do you prefer the computer to canvas?"

Shaking her head vehemently, Shelby answered, "Absolutely not. There's nothing like the feel of canvas beneath your brush, or clay squishing between your fingers. It's almost seductive - sensual, in a way."

"I can only handle bare-bones sketching," Emma confided. "I barely made it through design school."

"Then your real talent must lie in the vision," Shelby countered, glancing around the impeccably appointed restaurant, "because this place is incredible. I can't wait to see the club."

"It gets pretty crazy," Emma said, knowing where the neon lights hid beneath sparkling chandeliers. "It's a comforting cover for when people want to let go and be whatever they want to be."

Shelby turned away from the shining marble and glass of the bar at the far end of the room and pinned Emma with green eyes the color of uncut emeralds. "And what do you want to be, Emma?"

Emma was caught off-guard and laughed breathlessly for a moment. "I want to be happy," she said, raising her glass.

"To happiness." Shelby clinked her glass against Emma's, trying to read the woman - but the blonde was not too easy to decipher.

Emma looked around at the crowded restaurant and grinned as she saw Olivia and Alex approaching them, fingers brushing against each other. Emma rose, hugging her sister and the detective. "So, what'd she think?" Emma whispered hurriedly as she embraced Olivia.

"We're late, aren't we?" Olivia teased, hugging Emma back.

"Yeah!" Emma giggled. "Shelby Mayer, may I introduce my sister, Alexandra Cabot, and my good friend Olivia Benson. Guys, this is Shelby."

Alex shook Shelby's hand with a gracious smile, even as her insides churned with the same warning Olivia had silently issued the woman earlier in the evening. She took off her coat, draping it on the knob hanging next to their table. "I'm going to grab a drink. You want a..." she said to Olivia.

Knowing that Alex knew her tastes, Olivia agreed without voicing her request. "Yeah, thanks." She turned back to the other women. "So Shelby, what do you do?"

"Like I was just telling Emma, I'm a graphic artist," Shelby answered easily, sipping her drink. She could tell both of the older women were wary of her, and she didn't blame them. From the sketchy outline Erin had given her of the Cabots' background, anyone new in Emma's life would face a Spanish Inquisition-level of curiosity from her family.

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Good money in that?" she asked, half of her waiting with bated breath for the expected ring of her cell phone.

"Yeah, not bad. I make enough to pay my rent, but my real love is sculpting."

The cell phone finally rang and Olivia snatched it out of her purse. "'Scuse me. Benson," she answered.

"Liv, it's me," Elliot replied. "I got the information you wanted."

"Go ahead."

"The license plate number you fed me is registered to a Shelby Jane Mayer, formerly of Kansas City, currently of Brooklyn Heights. The quick search didn't turn up anything, but if you bring me prints, I can run her through VICAP and AIFIS."

"Can do," Olivia replied simply.

Olivia turned to Emma's date with an eagle eye. "So, Shelby, where're you from?"

"I was born in Oklahoma, but I grew up in Kansas City."

Good answer. You know I can check you out, don't you, little girl? Olivia didn't know why she was so wary of Shelby; perhaps just because everyone else had betrayed them so badly - Peter, Mark, Caroline.

Alex returned, carefully setting Olivia's drink in front of her, and taking a sip of her Cabernet as she slid next to the detective. She narrowed her eyes at Emma's expression, who was pinning Olivia with a dagger-laden stare. Ah, Elliot must've called, she thought. "So, Shelby—" she started, until Emma's foot connected swiftly with her calf. Alex coughed, smiling to cover the wince of pain. "How did you meet Erin?"

Reaching under the table for Emma's hand, Shelby smiled at Alex. "A couple of years ago, I was sued for breach of contract. A friend of mine recommended Erin to me, she represented me at a couple of evidentiary hearings, and the rest, as they say, is history."

Emma curled her fingers around Shelby's, smiling gently. Alex leaned back in her chair, trying not to laugh at the territorial squaring of her girlfriend's shoulders. She teased Olivia's foot with her own, catching the brunette's eyes, telling her to put away the detective for one night. "Em, when did you say they turned into a club?"

Emma checked her cell phone clock. "About an hour from now. Enough time for us to get some food, if we're all ready to order."

Alex fingered the menu, flipping idly though before deciding on her standard. "Try the seafood ravioli," she recommended to Shelby, "if you're a sucker for that kind of thing. Really good."

Relieved that she had managed to pass at least the preliminary test, Shelby replied, "I'm up for anything that combines pasta and seafood."

Olivia wanted nothing more than to grill Shelby further, but under the withering twin stares of Alex and Emma, the detective gave up and grumbled to herself.

The waitress came and smiled at the group. "Hi, Emmy," she said with a grin that seemed almost shy. "Nice to see you back here."

"Hey, Amy!" Emma grinned. "How are you? I haven't seen you in ages."

"I know," Amy chided. "You don't slum it much anymore. So how've you been?" Her eyes flicked over Shelby.

"Oh, don't you start," Emma groaned. "I get enough of that from Sydney and Will. You remember my sister, Alex. This is Olivia and Shelby," Emma introduced the group.

"Hi, ladies." Amy gave them each a polite smile. "I'll allow you all at my station, even though you're obviously the ones keeping our Emma away from us," she joked, laying a hand on Emma's shoulder. "What can I get ya'll?"

The four quickly gave their orders before the kitchen closed, and they sat in silence for a minute before Emma nudged Shelby. "They've seen the inner workings of this place, but you haven't. You interested?"

Shelby nodded with a smile. "I'd love the nickel tour."

Emma slid out of the booth, hooking her finger with Shelby's. "We'll be back. Don't eat my dinner," she warned her sister.

"I'll do my best," Alex joked, and watched them leave. She turned to Olivia, and couldn't contain her laughter any longer as she saw 'the detective glare' following her sister and her date. "You might be more subtle if you had your gun to her head and a spotlight on her face."

"Then maybe I'd feel better about someday leaving her alone with Emma." Olivia had a sudden flash of herself as a parent, grilling potential baby-sitters.

Alex leaned forward, placing a hand on Olivia's bare knee. "What did you tell me earlier? She's capable of making her own decisions."

"About the case," Olivia clarified, in a tone that said Alex should've known the difference. "But she has a lousy track record with trusting people, you must admit."

Alex sighed. "I know. But maybe she needs a night out to help her judg...oh, what the hell am I saying? We should have looked her up on Lexis-Nexis before we left."

"Elliot did."

"I love that man." Alex chuckled, a sound that bordered on a giggle. She scooted her chair closer to Olivia's.  "Do we really want to worry about her all night? Or can we draw out a little pleasure of our own?"

"Can't we do both?" Olivia leaned in to kiss Alex, one eye on the door.

Alex chuckled lightly again, cupping Olivia's cheek and kissing her, the blonde's probing tongue teasing the entrance to the detective's mouth.

Responding to the kiss in full, Olivia moaned softly against Alex's tongue.

Alex wrapped her foot around Olivia's calf, pulling them together so that her knee rested between the detective's legs. She moved her mouth upwards, curling her tongue around the front of Olivia's mouth, her hand resting on Olivia's chin.

Pulling away with a wry grin, Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Someone's in a mood," she murmured appreciatively.

Alex shrugged. "You in leather...better than oysters," she murmured back, grinning.

"You like it?" Olivia scooted back a little and crossed her legs, enjoying the feeling of the tiny skirt sliding up her thighs. She'd worked hard for her tight body, and it was nice to know all her effort was appreciated.

"I didn't give you enough of an indication earlier?" Alex asked, taking another sip of her wine. "No? How about the two guys checking you out over at the bar? Or the redhead two tables away?"

"Who?" Olivia spun around, blushing a deep burgundy to match Alex's Cabernet as she spotted the aforementioned redhead, who winked at her.

Alex raised an eyebrow as she saw the red color spread across Olivia's complexion. She leaned around Olivia and stared at the redhead, the challenge obvious in her stance.

Picking up the challenge, the redhead arrived just as their dinners did. "Hi," she said, extending five slender fingers in Olivia's direction. "I'm Michelle. I haven't seen you around here before. You new in town?" Her other hand wrapped around a martini, Michelle's mouth quirked in a flirty grin.

Alex's mouth dropped open at her chutzpah. She leaned back in her chair, elbow perched on the table, allowing Olivia a free appraisal of the woman.

Olivia's appreciative eyes checked Michelle out with a smile. "Olivia," she said, shaking the woman's hand. "Nice to meet you, but no, I'm not new. My friend actually designed this place."

"Really?" Michelle purred. "Fascinating. So, Liv, if you've been here a while, where've you been hiding? Certainly, it hasn't been here, or we would've met. I make it my business to know all the interesting women in this neighborhood." Michelle's throaty tone suggested that the true meaning of 'interesting' in her lexicon was 'long-legged, brunette and stacked'.

Alex clucked her tongue. "Tread lightly, Madame Michelle. That's a cop you're talking to." And her not-so-amused ADA girlfriend to boot.

Michelle's expression changed from flirty to downright predatory. "Really?" Her purring was audible now. "You're a police officer? How incredibly brave." One taut hip eased its way closer to Olivia's shoulder. "I think it's so chivalrous, serving your fellow man that way."

Olivia coughed to cover a chuckle. "Thanks, but it's not as romantic as it seems."

"Oh, no, I'm sure it's very dangerous." Michelle drew the word 'very' over her tongue, rolling the 'r' as if she were in Spanish class.

"Mmm," Alex nodded enthusiastically. "Under normal circumstances, if you were that close to her in that outfit, you'd either have a bullet in your chest, or you'd be on your way to booking."

Olivia turned toward Alex, a shocked expression on her face. "Alexandra!" she gasped, unable to stifle the matching breathy chuckle that escaped.

Michelle's mouth fell open. "Did I miss something?" she asked, a catty tone slithering over the purr.

Alex grinned at Olivia, but turned back to Michelle. This was the funniest thing Alex had seen in a long time, and she wasn't ready to let her fun go away yet. "What?" she asked innocently. "People need to know who you are up front. I'm just telling her like it is." She looked at Michelle, an earnest look on her face. "You appreciate that, don't you, Marsha?"

"Michelle," the woman replied coldly. She turned her thousand-watt smile on Olivia again, ignoring Alex for the moment. "I'm not all that concerned with what people think of me."

Obviously, Olivia thought, or you'd never have left the house wearing that skirt. I can almost see 'your business' as my mom called it.

"Well, I salute you for that," Alex said, raising her glass. "It's not often you find a prostitute who has a good sense of herself. Now, I suggest you go and leave us to our dinners, unless you want a very pissed off ADA to have the owners escort you out into the neighborhood you love so highly. Say goodnight, Marsha."

Michelle opened her mouth to defend herself, and Olivia could tell by the expression on her face that certain unhealthy phrases were about to spew forth. She shook her head quickly. "Michelle, listen, it's been fun, but trust me on this. You don't want to tick my girlfriend off any more than you have. It's not your fault," Olivia explained with an almost-sincere smile. "She's just real jealous, and this skirt is new, and frankly, Alex doesn't want anyone else breaking it in for me. So thanks, but no thanks, and enjoy your evening."

Michelle stalked off to lick her wounds in private.

Emma and Shelby returned, and Emma's gaze pinned immediately on her sister. "Are you single-handedly making me lose money?"

Alex shook her head primly. "She needed directions out on her ass, that's all."

Emma burst out laughing, high-fiving her sister. "She said ass. This is huge," she informed Shelby, sliding into the booth and starting on her dinner.

Chuckling, Shelby shook her head. They were just as Erin had described - or more accurately, just as Erin had warned her they'd be. She settled down to her dinner, feeling Olivia's eyes boring into her from across the table.

Olivia took a break from staring at Shelby to stare at Alex for a long moment. "That was something else, Alexandra," she murmured. "You're a character."

"What?" Alex asked, her eyes teasing and aroused - Olivia knew she was the only person who made the ADA's full name sound sexy. "Did you want me to sit back and let her drool and fumble all over you? She's still here, if you want a tramp. If you want something a little better, well, I'm still your woman." Alex winked, taking a bite of her Spanish rice.

"Sweetie, you know I'd never actually go out with a woman of that...caliber," Olivia said, rolling her eyes as she nibbled at her chicken. "I was just enjoying the attention, and you scared the slut away before I was done playing with her."

"Perish the thought," Alex replied, covering her heart. "Next time, I'll let you get your money's worth. Deal?"

"Thank you. I mean, you get to have your fun every day with guys like Trevor. Munch has never once looked at me that way."

Shelby watched the interchange curiously, recognizing the tone if not the content. She glanced at Emma, who was watching her sister and the detective banter with a grin.

"We call them Lucy and Ethel behind their backs," Emma murmured as Alex commented that she'd be slightly concerned if Munch started looking at Olivia that way. "They're intellectual equals, but they've got this combination of emotion and independence that makes them way better than HBO to watch."

Giggling, Shelby nodded. She barely heard Olivia's reply - 'Everyone in the squad wants you. You're the SVU pinup girl, but I can't get hit on in a restaurant once a year?' - as she inched her hand closer to Emma's. "Is that what you want?" Shelby murmured, inclined her head toward the other couple.

"I think so," Emma replied, stretching her fingers out beside Shelby's. "I know how much they love each other, but they're so damn comfortable. They're friends above everything else. I want that security, that trust."

"And a kiss that rocks you to your core," Shelby added with a knowing nod.

Emma nodded in return. "I wouldn't argue against that."

The lights dimmed in the restaurant, and a cheer went up in the crowd. Emma grinned as the wait staff cleared the tables to the hidden storage panels located on the far walls. The strobe lights started to bounce off the reflective floor and steel beams. Vertical Horizon's 'We Are' opened the dance floor, as was customary. Emma nudged Shelby's shoulder, leaning in to ask the brunette a question. "Wanna dance?"

"I'd love to." Shelby stood and reached for the back of Emma's chair, guiding it out as the blonde stood. She smiled politely at Alex and Olivia, saying, "If you'll excuse us."

Emma grinned at her sister as she led Shelby to the dance floor. Alex watched as they passed, resting her arm on the back of Olivia's chair as the twosome started to move among the masses. "They don't look half bad," she commented.

"I don't like her."

Alex leaned back, pretending to be surprised. "You? I never would have guessed." She massaged the back of Olivia's neck, brushing her hands underneath the uneven layers of the dark hair that rested there. "Why not? She doesn't have a record, she's been very polite to us, and look at Emma. I haven't seen her smile or giggle this much in a while."

"She doesn't have a record that we know of," Olivia emphasized. "Ted Bundy was very polite to the women he raped and murdered," she added, watching the dancing couple like a hawk.

"They're talking about us," Shelby commented as she slid an arm around Emma's waist. "Whaddya think they're saying?" From the quick glance she stole at Olivia's face, the brunette didn't think the contents of the conversation were in her favor.

Emma looked back to the table, and shook her head at Olivia as she wrapped her own arm around the brunette's waist. "I...haven't dated anyone in a while, since my last relationship ended really badly. They're just protective. Insanely so."  She slung an arm around Shelby's neck, watching her partner's face. "Does it matter what they think, anyway?"

"Not if it won't influence what you think of me," Shelby replied bluntly, her eyes searching Emma's face. She wondered if the blonde felt the same spark she did between them. "I'll be honest with you, okay?" As Emma nodded, Shelby added, "My last relationship went south and it was really bad for me. I think that's why Erin set you and me up together; she knew we had at least that in common." The brunette grinned wryly. "I don't usually date straight girls, so I'm a little nervous about putting myself on the line. I just wanted you to know that."

Emma smiled. "I've never dated a woman, gay or straight," she confessed. "And I can honestly say I've never dated anyone as feisty or self-assured as you. Anyone ever tell you you're a little intimidating?"

"Everyone," Shelby admitted with a throaty chuckle. "And I know you're new at this - Erin told me. So I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page."

"I'm right there with you," Emma agreed, bursting out laughing as the DJ changed the music to a remix of Genesis' 'Land of Confusion'. "How very appropriate," she said, leaning in to make the comment closer to Shelby's ear.

At the table, Alex stood, holding her hand out to Olivia. "You can baby-sit her better if you're closer to her."

Grumbling about Alex's sense of humor, Olivia relented enough to take the blonde's hand and follow her to the dance floor.

Alex drew Olivia's arms around her waist for a minute as they walked to the dance floor. As they situated themselves among the patrons, she turned, wrapping her arms around the brunette's neck, much like her sister had done. "This a good view?"

The detective's eyes locked onto Alex's face and she grinned. "Perfect."

"Good answer," Alex commended, closing the gap between them and kissing Olivia gently.

Shelby grinned and poked Emma in the arm teasingly. "Someone oughta tell them it's not polite to make out in public."

Emma matched her grin, watching the brunette's eyes follow her sister. "They deserve it, after all the shit they've been through together, and all the shit they'll continue to go through together."

"What kind?" Shelby asked innocently, tightening her grip on Emma's waist in the slightest.

Emma shrugged momentarily. "They've just had their ups and downs. Part of it comes from the two of them being as independent as they are. That can be a volatile match. The whole mess with me and my ex didn't help either. Plus, the fact that they work together in a field that isn't kind to women, period, isn't a bonus."

"Those're a lot of obstacles," Shelby replied quietly. "Nice to see some people don't just split when things get tough."

Emma tilted her head, her blue eyes questioning. "Do I detect a hint of a story to be told at a more appropriate time?"

"Probably."

Emma chuckled again, watching her sister and Olivia deep in conversation parallel to them on the dance floor. Probably arguing about statutes...or who's going to be on top tonight, she thought.

Shelby watched the other couple for a moment more, before her attention swung back to Emma. "So how are you enjoying your first date with a woman?" she asked, her lips close to the blonde's ear.

Emma turned her head, standing almost nose-to-nose with the brunette. "I'm enjoying it very much," she replied huskily, her heart beating abnormally fast. "You?"

"It's not my first," Shelby corrected with a chuckle, "but I'm having a great time."

"Good." Emma flashed a sly grin again. "Let me know if I can improve it somehow."

Blushing, Shelby chuckled again, her voice matching Emma's husky tone. "I bet you're quite the flirt once you relax, huh?"

"If relaxation comes in the form of a few shots of tequila, then I'm your girl," Emma agreed. "Speaking of which, I could use a drink."

"Don't drink too much," Shelby warned playfully, as they separated enough to walk off the dance floor. "You'll want all your faculties in place later."

Emma quirked an eyebrow. "And why would I want that?" she bantered back, equally playfully, grabbing Shelby's hand and leading her to the bar.

Shelby rolled her eyes and gave an exaggerated sigh. "Oh, boy. Virgins."

Emma laughed, ordering them both a shot. "I'm not as dumb as I sound sometimes," she reassured.

"I don't believe you're dumb at all," Shelby countered. "Just inexperienced." As if to prove her point, she lifted the shot glass and downed the burning liquid without benefit of salt or lime.

"Well, I've only been with a couple of men. And look where that got me," Emma replied, toasting her and knocking back the shot herself. She sucked lightly on the lime, her tongue darting out and capturing the sour juices. "You want another?"

"Yeah," Shelby nodded. She leaned over and pressed her lips to Emma's; her tongue snuck out to lick the tequila off the blonde's.

Emma froze for a minute, but as her eyes slipped shut, she accepted the soft kiss fully. Alexandra had been right; there was something fundamentally different about kissing a woman. Shelby was insistent, but it was a part of her personality, not a claim of ownership. A tingle built from Emma's stomach, and she stroked Shelby's cheek.

From the dance floor, Alex's eyebrows rose sharply. "Don't look now," she warned, holding Olivia closer against her.

Olivia turned and her eyes narrowed into slits. "You better distract me," she muttered.

Alex kissed Olivia again, harder this time, teasing the brunette's lower lip with her tongue. She moved one of her hands from around Olivia's neck and drew it down the detective's back, dragging her nails lightly against the combination of material and exposed skin.

Breathing heavily, Olivia groaned against Alex's mouth. "God," she murmured, then deepened the kiss.

Alex made a soft sighing sound as she rested her hand against the small of her partner's back, taking a fistful of Olivia's shirt in her hand as Olivia's tongue teased hers. They hadn't had much physical contact since her return from Boston; the day and night she'd come back was spent going through their relationship point by point, as only they, two rational, organized minds, could. Now that that section of healing had passed, they were like two teenagers, unable to keep their hands off each other.

Not that Alex was complaining.

Shelby slid her hand onto Emma's hip, drawing the blonde closer. She paused to ask softly, "You okay?"

Emma nodded, a beatific smile coloring her face. "Great. Just...admiring the show," she motioned over to the ADA and the detective. "I've never seen them...like that. I never thought either of them would...be...like that."

"Making out in public?" Shelby teased, trying to get Emma's attention back on her.

"Yeah." Emma chuckled. "That was always my MO. Weird to see your older sister doing it." Emma rubbed her thumb against Shelby's side. "Sorry."

"For what?"

"Getting distracted. I have a notoriously short attention span," Emma explained.

"Oh, that's all right. I make sure to leave the TV on, so you'll have something to watch over my shoulder," Shelby teased flirtatiously.

"That's a good plan," Emma agreed. "ESPN's always a safe bet. Or HGTV. I have to redecorate my bathroom at some point this week." She laughed, tucking a piece of her wavy hair behind her ear. "Although, I have a good feeling you'd be able to keep me...entertained."

Shelby wiggled her eyebrows. "I'd give it my best."

"I look forward to it," Emma replied huskily, leaning in and teasing Shelby's mouth with her own again.

Shelby pulled Emma closer, ignoring the two fresh shots of tequila the bartender had lined up in front of them.

As they separated, Emma licked her lips, blue eyes tinted with gray arousal. "And you're not with anyone when you can kiss like that because..."

Shelby's eyes darkened to a gray-green, for entirely different reasons. "'Cause I'm very selective about who I kiss," she responded softly. "I've been burned, yanno."

"I'm sorry," Emma replied immediately, resting her hand on Shelby's hip. "My mouth tends to act before my brain has time to think."

"It's okay, stop apologizing. I find that refreshing, actually." Shelby grinned softly. "I'm just really careful now, and not many women are willing to wait and pass my tests, I guess."

Emma handed her another shot, and knocked her own back swiftly. "How am I doing so far?"

"Pretty good, considering." Shelby drank the tequila down, shaking her head. "God, that's vile shit."

"You want something else?" Emma asked, leaning across the bar and flagging down her buddy Will.

"No, really." Shelby laid a hand on Emma's arm. "Thanks."

"'Kay." Emma hopped down, leaning against the bar, elbows resting against the edge. She noticed Alex and Olivia had returned to the table. She turned back to Shelby, nudging the brunette's foot with the toe of her boot. "We can go somewhere else if you want."

"It's your call," Shelby said.

Emma brushed her hand against Shelby's button down shirt. "Someplace quieter might be nice."

"I know the perfect place," Shelby suggested. "D'you trust me?" she asked with a grin.

Emma grinned back. "Sure, mainly because I know you'll have the entire Manhattan DA's office, not to mention the NYPD, on your ass if you don't have me home at a decent hour."

Laughing, Shelby nodded. "Okay, I get it. We're gonna be followed," she teased. "Grab your coat."

They headed back to the table, where Olivia and Alex remained deep in conversation until Emma rested a hand on her sister's head. "We're gonna jet," she said, handing Shelby her jacket. She leaned down and kissed Alex's cheek. "I'll call you later, okay?"

"All right," Alex said, smiling at the pair and rubbing a hand on Olivia's knee. "Nice to meet you, Shelby."

"You too, Alex. Olivia." Shelby nodded politely as she followed Emma out.

Alex watched them go, and kissed Olivia's cheek as the detective watched Shelby like a hawk. "You did rather well, hon. I'm proud of you."

"It's okay," Olivia said, turning to smile at Alex. "I trust Emma, and I had Shelby checked out, so I guess she's not in any danger. Besides," the detective added, reaching for her drink, "Elliot's having them tailed."

* * *

Emma and Shelby chatted about nothing in particular as they raced downtown to their unknown destination. The idle chatter was a nice change of pace from the heavy conversations Emma had had over the past few weeks. As Shelby pulled to a stop, Emma strained to see through the tinted windows of the sports car and tried to figure out where they were. "You brought me to an art museum?"

"Not just any art museum," Shelby corrected, a wide grin crossing her face. "The Museum of Modern Art."

"That's damn cool," Emma enthused, climbing out of the car. She checked her cell phone, brow crinkling as she realized it was after midnight. "Hey, I said I was adventurous, but breaking and entering is something I only do on the second date."

Laughing, Shelby locked the car and reached for Emma's hand. "We're not breaking in. My best friend's the assistant curator and I know for a fact she's working tonight. We just can't touch anything."

"Nice. I haven't been here in a while," Emma commented as they ascended the steps.

"You're in for a treat." Shelby beamed as she told Emma, "They remodeled the Moving Exhibits section and the current show is a batch of recently-discovered Dali discards and early sketches."

"Mmm," Emma drawled. "I visited the Dali museum when I was in Spain. That was right around my obsession with color. Everything I designed looked like a Crayola box had thrown up on it."

"Spain, huh? I never made it there. I did spend a month in France, studying the Louvre top to bottom," Shelby said, taking Emma up the long flight of stairs and around to the side of the museum, to a door marked 'Employees Only'.

"Keep talkin'," Emma said huskily, pressing her stomach against Shelby's back. "I only got to spend a few weeks in Paris. I desperately want to go back; there's so much left to see."

"It's incredible," Shelby agreed, knocking on the door. "The Seine at night was just breathtaking, but I think my favorite part of Paris was just sitting on the sidewalk, in the middle of rush hour, sketching the cafes and all the people rushing by. It's such a relaxed place. Or maybe I was fooled, because it was my vacation," she giggled, as the door opened.

"Shel!" the woman exclaimed.

Shelby grinned, reaching out to hug her friend. "Cate! You said 'anytime', right?"

"I didn't necessarily mean midnight, ya jackass," Cate laughed. "But come on in. You just wanna look around?"

"Yeah, I thought I'd give my date a quick tour of the new exhibit. By the way, Catherine Hart, Emma Cabot."

"Hi," Emma said, extending her hand with a smile.

"Nice to meet you." Cate smiled warmly. "Well, take your time. I'll be here for another hour, at least. If you don't finish first, I'll find you when I wanna lock up, 'kay?"

Shelby nodded. "Sounds good, thanks." Cate disappeared with a pert wave and Shelby slid an arm around Emma. "Ready?"

Emma nodded. "Lead the way."

"'Kay." Shelby guided Emma toward the back of the museum, and they stepped through a doorway into a huge room, split into sections with floor-to-ceiling dividers. "Come on." She walked toward one wall, on their right.

Emma stopped halfway down the hall to admire one of the paintings, only partially lit from above. "This is one of the new Picassos, isn't it?" she turned, her face young and exuberant. "From the show last year."

"That it is," Shelby confirmed. Her eyes raked over the painting longingly. "It's an early version of a theme; the revision became 'Three Women'."

"That's amazing," Emma breathed. "I hate myself sometimes, for not taking the classics as seriously as I should have when I was in school. I feel like I missed out on so much."

"It's never too late." Shelby's arm slipped over Emma's shoulders. "There's always the junior college."

"I've been considering that. But it's looking like I probably won't have much money to do it." They continued down the hallway to the side room that contained the new exhibit.

"I teach a class on visual art perception and history, Tuesday and Thursday nights," Shelby smiled. "Sign up, and I'll make sure your fees are waived." She let the silence linger a moment as they walked. "The trial eating up your savings?" Shelby asked softly, after the pause.

Emma chuckled. "No. Erin's sweet enough that she's working pro bono in exchange for free dinner anytime she goes to Seascape." She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "No, I, um...settled. Most of my savings."

"I'm sorry." Shelby shook her head slowly, directing her comments to a painting. "How could a woman do that to one of her own." It was less of a question than an indictment.

"One could ask the same question of me. How could I have maintained my innocence for as long as I did when half of the NYPD and DA's offices knew I was guilty?" Emma shrugged, stepping closer to the case holding the old, rotting sketches. "It was just time to end it. I should pay for what I did, and now I am."

"Because he deserved it," Shelby said, slipping up behind Emma and wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist slowly. "I've been watching the coverage, and I think you sold yourself short. But I can see why you did it."

Emma smiled despite herself and leaned her head against Shelby's shoulder, caressing the brunette's hands as they rested on her stomach. "I felt guilty getting away unscathed, I think," she confessed quietly. "No matter what anyone around me said, I knew I was responsible." She stopped, laughing humorlessly. "What nice first date conversation."

"It's better than 'Come here often?'" Shelby asserted with a half-smile. "I like getting to know the real person - most people don't let that person out on first dates."

"I've tried to be the polite intellectual too many times. I'm not good at it. And I figure, you're going to get to know the real me sooner or later; why should I make us spend more money on future dates if you're not interested in who I really am?" Emma chuckled, shrugging. "This is me."

Shelby laughed aloud, the sound echoing in the empty, marble room. "I like you."

Emma tilted her head back, catching Shelby's eyes. "I like you, too." She straightened, still holding on to the brunette's hands. "How did the museum get all this stuff? If I were a fellow curator, I don't think I'd want to part with it."

"It's on loan," Shelby explained. "It's a touring exhibit from the Spanish Gallery. When it's done here, it's going to Chicago for a month, and then a few more cities before it goes back home."

"Cool," Emma enthused. "So, do you normally bring all your first dates here?" she teased with a mischievous smile.

"Nope, you're the first."

"Well," Emma said, smile turning from playful to almost shy, "I'm touched." She stepped regretfully out of Shelby's embrace and walked to the far wall, looking at the combination of small and large canvasses hanging there. "Van Gogh and Picasso always felt so universal to me. Beautiful, but I could understand it. Dali, on the other hand...is spicy, foreign. I lack understanding with his work, like it's an experience only a few people actually get to have in life."

"I always saw his work as something ethereal, not really to be understood, but just appreciated for the surface beauty. If you can get beyond that, great, but very few people can." Shelby laid a hand on Emma's back. "I always saw the melted clocks as a way of his stopping the progression of time, as so many of us wish we could do."

"See? I always thought his watch broke, and he was mourning it by obsessing," Emma grinned.

Shelby burst out laughing. "You're something else, you know that?"

Emma giggled. "Well, I try."

"No, you don't," Shelby replied easily. "You just are."

"God help us all," Emma replied. "So what's your favorite exhibit here? Mmm, wait, no. Let me guess. You're more in to the sculptures and the statues than you are the paintings, right?"

"Bingo." Shelby squeezed Emma's shoulder. "Very good."

"I bet you stood and stared at the Venus de Milo in the Louvre for hours," Emma said, her tongue peeking out between her teeth in teasing. "You just sat down on the steps in front of it and all the other tourists had to walk around you."

"Yes, they did. And if they yelled at me, I tripped them."

Emma laughed again, a movement becoming more and more common as the evening progressed. "I bet all the French you know is cursing. That's how you lasted a month."

"I can cuss out a pushy Frenchman in his mother tongue," Shelby agreed with a grin, "order a glass of the best wine and ask a woman to sleep with me. What else do I need to know?"

Emma shook her head, sitting on the bench in the middle of the room. "I can't think of a thing."

"Exactly. Are you getting tired?" Shelby asked quietly. "We can go."

Emma shrugged. "I just feel like I shouldn't talk too much or too loudly. I mean, we are in a museum, after all." She crossed her long legs, looking up as the brunette hovered over her. "But if you're ready to call it a night, I can call a cab."

"We're alone," the brunette pointed out in a murmur, claiming the seat beside Emma's. Her gaze shifted downward, admiring the length of her calves. "And it's after midnight."

"I know," Emma sighed. "You'd be surprised that once in a blue moon, my prudish side comes out. Got any ideas on how to fix that?"

"I have a few," Shelby laughed. "But let's save 'em for the second date, okay?"

"A second date, huh?" Emma teased as they stood and headed back towards the employee entrance. "Does this mean I passed the Shelby test?"

"At least the preliminary interview."

"Good. I was worried for a minute there." They continued to chat about their European exploits until Shelby pulled to a stop in front of Emma's apartment building. "Well," Emma said, clearing her throat. "Thanks for a great evening. I had a wonderful time."

Shelby sounded almost surprised when she admitted, "Me, too. Can - when can I see you again?" she asked softly, toying with a chunk of Emma's hair.

"Whenever you want," Emma replied, idly stroking the brunette's knee.

"Tomorrow?"

Emma grinned. "So you're a mind-reader, too, huh?" She leaned over and kissed the side of Shelby's mouth. "Eight?"

"Better make it seven," Shelby murmured breathlessly, kissing Emma quickly.

Emma smiled against her mouth, kissing her gently once more. "Seven it is. Pick me up?"

"I'll be there," Shelby promised, stealing one last kiss. "Now go, before I follow you up," she teased.

"Bye," Emma whispered, climbing out of the car. She watched Shelby speed off and smiled, turning and waving at the undercover car on the opposite side of the street.

* * *

The knocking at her door resounded in her foggy head. She groaned, pulling the covers over her head, until she heard a muffled voice call out her name. She sighed and rose out of bed, shivering as she exited her bedroom into the cooler exterior of her apartment. Careful not to trip over her Old Navy moose pajama pants, Emma called out to the person still knocking on her door. "I'm coming, I'm coming." She fixed her hair in a ponytail and checked the peephole. "Unless you have coffee, John, I officially hate you."

Munch's face was set in a grim expression - grimmer than usual, that is. "Emma, we've gotta talk."

Emma opened the door further, allowing him to enter. "What's up?" She motioned to the couch, rubbing her bare arms.

"Siddown." Munch grabbed a chair and rested his elbows on his knees. "I've got some bad news."

"Oh, God. Is Alex all right? Olivia?" Emma shook her head. "I knew I should have called them last night to check in."

"No, no, they're fine," Munch hurried to inform her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you like that. It's about Caroline."

"Caroline?" Emma's tone was uncaring. "Why're you here about her?"

Munch cleared his throat. "She's dead."

THE END