A/N: Short chapter but this scene needs to stand on its own.
This 1PP ass-kissing fest was literally the last place Olivia wanted to be tonight. But Ed was bucking for Captain so he had to bring along his second set of lips for all the ass kissing he was going to have to do tonight. And the fact that she may someday want to rise through the ranks too, this networking event could be good for her as well.
But right now, it was a boring snooze fest with a bunch of pompous old coots laughing at their own jokes.
Olivia quickly glanced around the room looking for any excuse to get away from this horrid conversation. That's when she spotted the bar and a white wine was calling her name. She didn't realize until she got a little closer that she actually recognized one of the men at the bar. She ordered her wine and then approached "Just call me El."
"Oh, hello," she said, trying to be casual. "Remember me, from the bookstore?"
"Of course I remember you," El said, his voice flat.
"How are your children?" she asked.
"Good. They're good," he said as the bartender handed him a drink. "I've got to get this to my date. She's very thirsty. Might be part camel."
Then he disappeared into the crowd, which Olivia found extremely weird. He'd been so nice at the bookstore. And what the heck was he doing at a 1PP event? Was he a cop? A lawyer?
Olivia hadn't noticed Alex Cabot, her DA and one of her good friends, sidling up to the bar.
"I can't believe you were talking to Elliot Stabler," Alex said. "Isn't he the one trying to get you ticked off the task force?"
"That was…" Olivia trailed off and Alex nodded.
Oh hell no. Olivia didn't get played like that. Never.
"You're a cop?" Olivia said, sneaking up on him at the cheese tray.
"C-O-P," Elliot said with an attitude.
"God, I didn't realize," she said. "I didn't know who you were…"
"Were with," He said. "I didn't know who you were with."
"Excuse me?" she said, following him around the table as he grabbed too much food for his plate.
"It's from the Godfather," Elliot said.
"Were you spying on me?" Olivia asked. "You rent the children out for some undercover operation?"
"Why would I spy on you?" Elliot asked, looking at her like she was ridiculous.
"I don't know," Olivia said. "Trying to see if I could handle things since you want me kicked off your precious task force so badly. Well I've got news for you pal, Bagdonas is my collar and putty in my hands, and there's no way you're getting to him without me."
"Look, the reason I came in there is because I was spending the day with my children and Kathleen is a reluctant reader," Elliot said. "She was the one who suggested it and I wasn't going to tell her no. So we came in and she bought some books, and I'll tell you what, I have ways of making Bagdonas talk that don't require a heart to heart conversation or a top that shows a little too much cleavage to make it happen."
Olivia should have been less stunned than she was. Men in the department had been saying stuff like that, making comments like that about her for years. But it hit differently. She already hated Stabler and knew he was a jerk, but she was having a hard time reconciling the man she met on Saturday with the one standing here in front of her now.
She's suddenly aware of someone reaching her side and she turns to find Ed coming over and protectively wrapping his hand around her waist.
"Stabler," Ed said. "Doing something stupid this evening?"
"Sure you'd frame me even if I wasn't," Elliot said as his date approached.
"What are we all chatting about over here?" she said, stepping into the conversation. "Dani Beck."
She thrust her hands out to shake.
"You're Ed Tucker, aren't you?" Dani asked. "Primed to be the next head of IAB?"
"If I play my cards right," Ed said.
"Your report on the Zanista case was fascinating," Dani said. "I learned so much about why us officers do what we do."
"This is Olivia Benson," Elliot said, gesturing between Dani and Olivia, but Olivia shot daggers at him and Dani ignored him completely.
"Didn't know anybody outside IAB ever read that," Ed said. "Sometimes you get a little lost up there wading through all the dirty cops you forget there's more to it than that."
"Well, I am hoping to maybe get into IAB someday," Dani said.
"Keep me in mind if you'd ever like to learn more about the roles," Ed said.
"C'mon Dani, I think I see Chester Lake walking in," Elliot said. "Wasn't he one of your old partners? We should go say hi,"
"Yeah, Ed, I think I need a breath of air," Olivia said. "Mind coming to the balcony with me?"
The two couples parted ways and Olivia felt like she couldn't breathe. There was no way she was going to be able to work with Elliot Stabler long term, but she absolutely would not give him the satisfaction of her backing out of the task force. She would rather die trying.
A/N: Now it couldn't be all sunshine and rainbows, could it? Review if you hate me, or just 'cause you feel like it.