Your Love – The Outfield
A/N: Just, so you know where my mind is going with this, this is a play on how Olivia and Brian hook up again. As far as I remember, the show never gives insight exactly when they become a couple only that it happens after they reconnect, and he is the mystery man that takes her to the Bahamas at the end of season 12. So here it is.
Olivia had been texting and calling Brian for weeks now, after he had come so close to death, she couldn't handle the thought of not keeping in touch. It was usual light banter. Sometimes they would get a cup of coffee catch up with each other, smile, and call it a day. He was seeing someone else. Josie was her name, and Olivia was happy for her friend. Olivia was happy to play catch up with him after so much time, not seeing him, there were tons of stories they could tell each other 11 years was a long time without seeing each other, but at the same time, it felt like no time had passed at all. He still had that boyish grin, that rough edge. He was still gruff but charming in his way. Olivia missed it and was happy to hear his perspective. He always seems to know what to say.
It has been 3 months since they had started talking during the middle of an interrogation, she felt her phone rumble and ignored it. It rumbled again, and she ignored it. When it went off the third time in a row, and she felt like she wasn't getting anywhere, she left the perp in the chair and walked out quickly, pulling out her phone.
Brian: Hey Liv, uh, Josie took off.
Brian: I was hoping you could talk.
Brian: Can you come over after work?
Olivia sighed not that she didn't want to comfort her friend, but that he was feeling so horrible about Josie leaving. She would do everything she could to try to make it better. Relationships were not her strong suit and Brian knew that more than anyone. She quickly texted back.
Olivia: I'll be there soon, you at home now?
Brian: Yeah I'll be waiting.
Olivia knew that the other could handle the case, and she had so much time in she would already be questioned with all the overtime she collected. She quickly said she had somewhere she needed to be and would be back tomorrow. No one said anything and just nodded, allowing her to take off without being questioned.
Olivia had been to Brian's apartment a few times before even met Josie a time or two she was young. Not grossly so, nothing that made her think Brian was a perv, but Brian was was 45, and she was 32. Olivia thought it had been working out, and Brian's eyes would light up when speaking about her. She wasn't sure what happened but would know soon enough. She rang the buzzer, and without a word, he unlocked the door.
Olivia knocked , and Brian opened the door. She could tell he had been upset. His eyes were bloodshot, and tears threatened to fall. He was upset.
"Hey, thanks for coming Liv," Brian stated.
"Of course, I am so sorry, what happened?" Olivia asked.
"She left me, wrote me a damn note, like were in middle school or some shit." Brian claimed.
"I had a case I had been working, and I was barely home." He continued.
He shoved the note into Olivia's hand, and she stared at a second deciding to read the words.
Brian, I am sorry, I have to do it like this, I just can't be here anymore. Julia and I are headed to San Deigo to stay with some friends. I really wanted this to work out. I thought we could, but with your work and my work, we were living different lives. I've taken a vacation for the next two weeks and will be searching for jobs in San Deigo and relocate there sooner rather than later. I wish I could have told you this in person. I feel like a bitch for writing a note but thought a text would be even worse. Besides, I don't even know if you would have read it. If I don't go with Julia now, I won't have another way to get there. Let's make this a clean break. I took all my stuff. You don't need to call me. I am so sorry. I hope you find someone that can make you happy.
Love,
Josie.
"Brian," Olivia said lost at what to do a breakup letter that really sucked.
"Can we just order some pizza and talk about anything, but this?" Brian asked.
Olivia smiled and shook her head.
"Your choice," Olivia stated.
"Oh you mean I get to have a say, can't remember the last time I've had Casa's Josie hated it." Brian claimed.
Olivia knew Casa's she wasn't sure how anyone could hate the place the menu was wonderfully thought out with traditional pies and some bizarre choices. They had conventional Italian foods and hot sausage or pepperoni rolls that had Olivia's mouth watering just thinking about it.
They ordered more than a fair share of food. Olivia almost fell over when she heard Brian had never had their garlic knots and quickly doubled the order from 4 to 10 of the knots.
"You'll see." Olivia laughed.
It was early evening, and Brian flipped through the TV, finding a basketball game to watch. Olivia sat by him, but not too close. Brian started talking stats of various players, and Olivia smiled and nodded. She hadn't minded watching basketball. She didn't get bord watching, but she also really wasn't up to date on who was good and what teams did well. She allowed the educational lesson knowing Brian was getting his mind off Josie.
There was a knock on the door, and the food arrived. It looked more like they were having a party than just two friends hanging out watching TV.
The large pizza box barely fit through the door, the knots were in a large bag, and a smaller box on top held a pepperoni and onion roll.
Brian grabbed plates, and Olivia grabbed a slice of pizza, ¼ of the roll, and four garlic knots. Brian piled his plate too.
Olivia waited for Brian to pop a knot in his mouth, and when he did, she could see the smile pop upon his face.
"The best right?" Olivia asked.
He nodded quickly and popped another one in his mouth. Olivia laughed and one of hers as well.
They ate in comfortable silence.
"Thanks for this Liv, I really needed someone to just hang out with. I don't have a lot of friends these days."
"Your welcome," Olivia stated.
"Hey, you up for a game of chess?" Brian asked.
"Chess?" Olivia asked.
"You know how to play, right?" Brian asked.
"Yeah, it's just..." Olivia stated.
"You didn't expect me to know how," Brian stated, deflated.
"Well, not that I didn't expect you to know how didn't think that would be something to interest you. I have to warn you I am rusty I haven't played in years." Olivia admitted.
Brian nodded his head but proceeded to find the game and set up the board.
Olivia wasn't sure she could remember how the moves work but after Brian did a move or two; she found her bearings and was making moves around the board.
The game had been pretty even back and forth. Olivia thought Brian may have one more of her pawns than she had of his but she didn't count, nor did she care. They had been talking about how he learned the game and how she had come to the game as well, leading on to talking about childhood, which quickly shut both of them down. Olivia sighed when she heard "Checkmate" but not because she lost, she didn't care about that. She knew both their minds were wandering.
It was getting rather late, but she could tell that Brian wasn't quite ready to say goodbye, and despite the trip down memory lane, she had an overall good time with him.
"How about something less mentally draining," Olivia asked.
"Yeah, do you play cards?" Brian asked.
Olivia nodded her head.
He pulled out the deck and started shuffling.
He gave each of the seven cards and put the rest of the deck in the middle. Brian picked up the card, and Olivia did the same, not sure where this was going.
"You have any 5s?" Brian asked.
Olivia looked at him and laughed.
"Go fish?" Olivia asked questionably.
He drew a card, and his hand grew larger.
Olivia had one the first time and then Brian.
"Best out of three?" Brian asked.
"Sure." Olivia allowed.
She had one again still laughing at the fact this is what they were doing. She thought by now he would be supper drunk upset that Josie left and she would be dragging him to the bed by now, but in all the time she had been there, He had only had two beers and hadn't been blubbering on about the loss.
"Liv thanks so much, I should really let you go, I'm sure you have work in the morning," Brian claimed.
"I'm sure you do too." Olivia claimed.
"No, I've gotten a few days off too much overtime," Brian stated.
Olivia nodded her head, knowing how easy it was to do.
"Well, I can play hooky for a little bit. I'm in the same boat as you," Olivia mentioned
"Yeah?" Brian asked.
"yeah," Olivia claimed.
Brian led them back to the couch Olivia sitting closer this time , bumping his arm as he tried to find something on TV. After settling on some reality tv, they looked at each other laughed at how awful it was.
"You know Liv, this whole time I thought Josie was amazing you know, she was young, she was okay with me out all hours for work, or to blow off some steam, but I don't think I had anywhere near as much fun with her as I am with you right now," Brian confessed.
"You're just saying that because you're upset right now," Olivia claimed putting her hand on his shoulder.
"No, I mean don't get me wrong we got along alright, but she took herself too seriously. Go Fish would have been above her. Chess was some nerd thing, and reality TV would have been cause for the TV to be sold." Brian claimed.
Olivia shook her head.
"So why did you stay with her?" Olivia asked.
"Because she stayed with me," Brian claimed.
"Oh, Brian." Olivia sighed.
Brian looked up at her face, her and lips. He remembers so very long ago when they were both young and had been together. Olivia made it clear that she didn't date co-workers, that relationships weren't her thing. He so badly wanted to capture her lips, to show her she wrong all those years ago, but she had made that choice, and he was too afraid to try again.
Olivia saw his eyes, his desire for her making his pupils dilate his nose flare, and when he didn't press his lips to hers, she put her lips on his.
The fire from so long ago reignited quickly, and soon she had him pinned to the couch, and they were both enjoying each other.
Brian was elated. He knew this was a quick turn around and maybe this was a rebound, but he needed it, and she was different it's always been different with Olivia.
Despite the satisfaction, he was given the couch was too small for all for all of this, hoping it wouldn't break the spell he quickly asked
"Can we move this to the bedroom?"
Olivia looked down at him, trying to get the words through her head to make sense of them. She nodded, and he grabbed her hand and pulled him into the bedroom, the bed unmade.
"Liv, are you sure?" Brian asked.
"If you are," Olivia replied.
Brian nodded his head, and Olivia kissed him again, crawling in the bed , allowing Brian on top of her, kissing touching all over. She didn't expect it to go like this tonight, but she wasn't arguing. He was familiar, and although they were a little older, it felt like she was young again touching his body, pulling off his clothes, hearing his breath hitch when she allows him to enter her. It's delightful, and she is glad to have this second chance.
When they were finished, and their minds had time to wind down, Brian finally began to talk.
"Hey, Liv, I just want you to know I don't want to lose you, I'm sorry that I used you tonight," Brian stated.
Olivia closed her eyes; in essence that is what Brian did. He used her, but she allowed it, and he was right. She loved him. She couldn't say she was in love in with him, but she did love him.
She turned over and spooned the man she's known for so long.
"I want you to know it's been a while Bri, and I know we're not in the same department but think we can keep this under wraps a while?" Olivia asked.
Brian nodded and understood.
"Please don't think I don't want this," Olivia said quickly.
"No, I understand," Brian claimed.
Olivia sat there a little longer.
"I really should be going," Olivia claimed.
"Lock the door on your way out?" Brian asked.
"Yeah, and you call me tomorrow?" Olivia asked.
"Yeah, Liv, goodnight," Brian stated.
"Goodnight, Bri," Olivia said.
She found her coat and locked the door walking back to her apartment. Wondering when or if this would happen again.