This chapter is linked to "Secrets Exhumed", season 14 episode 14. Dates are January 16 through 18, 2013

21.

Olivia looked at the man lying in bed with her. He was sleeping on his back and she suspected he might start snoring soon. He was completely relaxed and his broad chest was moving with every breath he took. He was beautiful. Sometimes she would think back to all those years of stealing glances across their desks, wondering what it would feel like to touch him. His muscular chest and arms, his firm butt and his strong but soft face. It seemed like a long time ago. It was a long time ago. Everything was different now.

After the new year celebration at Maureen's they had both gone back to work. They were gradually finding a new rhythm and were actually getting used to being together almost daily. They still alternated between their apartments but it was becoming normal to check in with each other, to let the other one know they would be home late or, in Olivia's case, not at all. She still spent the occasional night in the cribs but it wasn't as automatic as it used to be. She had someone to go home to now.

She slipped out of bed to get ready for work and managed not to wake her snoring beauty on his day off. She had to be on a plane to Miami with Nick early that morning to pick up a suspect in a cold case turned warm, and didn't know when she would be back.

...

The case took her away from home for several days. They continued to sweat the suspect once they got him back to New York but he just wouldn't give it up. Olivia called Elliot a few times and he was less than amused when she told him they had brought Dana Lewis back with them from Miami.

'Remind me not to go anywhere near her,' Elliot scoffed. 'I don't want to get shot or blown up again.'

Olivia laughed and promised him she would not let Dana come within a mile from him.

'From who?' Dana asked, and Olivia jumped a little. She had not heard Dana walk up to her outside the interrogation room. 'Don't tell me you were talking to detective Stabler there? He's such a wuss, says I keep putting him in mortal danger.'

Olivia glanced around quickly, hoping nobody heard Dana's comment. Dana looked around as well.

'Where is he anyway?' she asked.

'Dana, Elliot resigned some time ago. In case you haven't noticed, I have a new partner.'

'Yeah, I did notice him. He's mighty cute,' Dana drawled. 'He taken?'

Olivia laughed, relieved that the topic had changed so quickly.

'Honey, you have about fifteen years on him. I doubt he'd be interested in either of us!'

Dana turned around, thinking it over and Olivia took the opportunity to go back into the interrogation room. On the second day of the interrogation, things took an unexpected turn and Olivia ended up extracting a confession to manslaughter from a hardass, dedicated FBI agent - Dana herself. She couldn't believe Dana had covered up her crime of passion and had gone on with her life for twenty-five years as if it had never happened. She used to think Dana and she were so alike. They had known each other for ages. She just couldn't believe what people would do for love. Hell has no fury like a woman scorned. Dana turned out to be the epitome of that saying and Olivia had not seen that coming at all.

She began wondering if maybe that kind of jealousy was inside everyone. Would she respond with such rage if her man ever rejected her and chose someone else over her? Someone he had been cheating on her with? Or would she just break and never heal again? In stead of going home, she decided to go to their usual watering hole with the guys. She really needed a drink and something else to think about. There were some detectives and officers from other precincts as well and she was getting a lot of free drinks. Nick and Fin excused themselves around ten but Olivia and Amanda didn't feel like leaving yet. Amanda looked like she was enjoying all the attention and free drinks as well.

Then Olivia saw a familiar figure entering the bar and she waved at him.

'Who's he?' Amanda asked with a grin. 'Am I finally meeting your boyfriend?'

Olivia scrunched up her nose. Brian Cassidy was definitely not her boyfriend. She shook her head as Brian approached them.

'No Amanda, you're not. Remember Brian Cassidy? The Ganzel case?'

She got up to greet Brian. 'Bri, you remember detective Rollins.'

Brian grinned and shook Amanda's hand.

'Nice to meet you again, detective,' he said. He then turned to Olivia and pulled her into a hug. 'Liv. You look beautiful as ever,' he said softly.

Amanda raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Brian pulled up a barstool and sat right next to Olivia. They chatted a while and Brian ordered more drinks. Olivia was getting a little tipsy but she was having fun. She needed it after the gruelling discovery that Dana Lewis was in fact a murderer. She did not want to think about how far people would go for love - or lust, or whatever it was. Brian was uncomplicated, and she enjoyed not having to think about anything serious for a while. She didn't mind that he put his hand on her thigh or his arm around her shoulders a few times. She considered him a friend, and completely harmless. She laughed when he would not let go of her when her phone rang and she squirmed when he reached behind her to take the phone from her back pocket. She tried to snatch it from his hand quickly so he wouldn't see the caller ID, but they were both a little clumsy due to their alcohol intake and the phone dropped to the floor.

Elliot was surprised when he heard a lot of noise and scuffling. He had called Olivia to ask her how she was doing but he didn't quite understand what he was hearing. He did hear her laughing in the background and then closer to the phone.

'Brian, if it's broken you are in deep trouble!'

'Hey, don't worry Liv. I'll buy you a new one.'

'Bri, don't ... shit ... stop it ...'

He heard them laughing and then the call was disconnected. Elliot stared at his phone. What the hell?
He was trying very hard not to get angry but he felt his heart pounding in his chest. What was she up to? Why hadn't she called him that she was running late and who the hell was she with? Brian? Who was Brian? He jumped up and started pacing while he dialled her number again. She had better pick up right away ...

Olivia was fumbling with her phone, trying to see whose call she had missed when it rang again. It was Elliot. She tried to move away from their table but Brian held her in place, wanting to see who was calling her.

'Brian, let go of me!' she said sternly, hoping he would get the hint. He released her quickly, which must mean she had given him her badass glare, and she stumbled a bit while answering her phone quickly.

'Hey, I ... I'm sorry you got disconnected. It's a bit hectic here,' she stammered, putting her hand over her free ear to hear him better.

'Liv, where are you? I thought you were still working.'

'No, we finally cracked the case and went out for drinks.'

'Sounds like quite a celebration. Who are you with?'

His voice sounded tense, a little angry even, but Olivia did't register it fully. She was slurring a little, telling him that everyone was there, and he wondered how much she had been drinking. Then he heard that voice again.

'Come on Liv, you're missing all the fun!'

'Who is that!' Elliot spat out.

'It's Brian Cassidy. I told you, everybody is here,' she giggled, and it sounded like she was being dragged back into the crowd. Elliot was less than amused. From the sound of it, Brian was all over Olivia and she let him. She let him ... just like all those years ago when they had ended up in bed together. He was still pacing and felt the urge to hit something. He tried to speak calmly but didn't quite manage it when he said in a low voice,

'Liv, I want you to come home right now! Don't make me come and get you!'

Olivia could tell Elliot was a little upset but her mind was too foggy to understand why. She was just unwinding after a hard week, what was the harm in that? And who was he to tell her what to do anyway. Was overpossesive Elliot finally back? While she didn't think she was doing anything wrong, she was getting tired, so she told Elliot she would take a cab and be there soon. That was the easiest way to diffuse the situation and she was actually quite proud of herself that she had not gotten angry with Elliot. They were past that now, right? Brian had slung his arm around Amanda and they both seemed pretty content so she staggered out of the bar to hail a cab.

...

Elliot couldn't sit still and looked at his watch. What was taking her so long? It had been at least thirty minutes already. He couldn't believe she had gone out drinking with Cassidy ... again! He felt something in his gut that he had not felt in a while. The image of Kathy cheating on him flashed through his mind and he jumped up. His possesiveness took over. 'Nobody touches Olivia', he said out loud in the middle of his empty living room. 'She's mine!'

He heard something at the door and yanked the door open without checking who it was. Olivia had been fumbling with her key and was staring at him wide-eyed, startled by his actions and unsteady on her feet. Elliot grabbed her arm and pulled her inside, slamming the door shut behind her. Olivia almost fell and he quickly grabbed her again to keep her from falling. She wrapped her arms around him and smiled.

'Hey baby, did you miss me?' she asked and she pulled him in to kiss him. Elliot tasted liquor on her lips and instinctively pushed her away. He could actually use a drink right now because he was so worked up, and tasting it on her lips didn't help. Olivia frowned and approached him again.

'What's wrong?' she asked, putting her arms around him again. But Elliot stopped her and held her in place by her upper arms. He looked at her attentively, trying to contain his anger. Then he asked her if she was drunk. She tried to laugh it off and tell him she was just a little tipsy, but he didn't believe her.

'Get some sleep Liv. We'll talk in the morning!'

He sounded like a father telling his daughter what to do and it angered her. She was a grown woman and she could do whatever she wanted. She knew she was a little out of control but she was frustrated and could't help raising her voice at him.

'El, you don't know what kind of day I've had! I just needed to unwind! What is your problem!'

'My problem?' he growled and his face was only inches away from hers now. ' My problem?! You ... You just don't get it, do you? I ... I ...'

He caught himself before saying something he would regret later and turned away from her. Olivia was silent. He took a few deep breaths and turned back around to look at her.

'Please, just get some rest.'

He sounded defeated and Olivia didn't know what to say. So she retreated to Elliot's bedroom, expecting him to join her soon. But he didn't. She was asleep in minutes.

Elliot checked after ten minutes to see if she had fallen asleep. Then he quietly pulled a pillow and a blanket from the closed and went back into the living room, crashing on the couch. He tried to regulate his breathing, still upset with Olivia and with himself. He could really use a couple of beers right now and was grateful that he didn't have any in the house. He clenched his fists, thinking of Cassidy's hands on Olivia. This could not happen to him again. Not with Olivia. But she was here now, in his bed. Relax Stabler. Things will look better in the morning. She wouldn't cheat on you - would she?

...

Note: in my world, nothing happened between Olivia and Brian after that one little kiss at the hospital. Brian was still mourning the loss of his girlfriend Carissa, who he was really serious about, remember? But Elliot doesn't know all that, he remembers Olivia's more distant past with 'Bri' ...
Maybe this development will get more of you guys to review? It's so good for the writer's ego ...