A/N: This has taken forever to finish. I just wasn't sure where to end this. I have some ideas but also part of the reason it's taken forever is that I'm off work because of a back injury and being in pain is making it hard to focus. Hopefully though I'll be able to get this done before I go back to work at the end of the month.
Alex Cabot's Office
Friday, November 1st
Alex didn't bother to look up from her paperwork as she answered her phone. "Cabot."
She smiled as she heard the voice on the other line. "Hey Alex, what time were you thinking you'd be able to get away tonight?"
Alex looked at the pile of paperwork in front of her and tapped her glasses to her lips. "I could be persuaded to leave by six with the proper motivation."
Olivia's laugh echoed through the line, "I'm sure that I can provide that. Was there anywhere you'd want to go with me?"
Alex bit her lip. Oh where she'd like to go with Olivia. "Oh no detective, you asked me out, you're picking me up and deciding where we're going."
She heard Olivia groaning. "Don't you have any ideas about where to take a woman detective? After all it was your idea for me to go out with you in that red dress."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Fine. I'll pick you up at 6:00."
Alex grinned. She would have to make sure to get her paperwork finished before then. "See you soon Olivia. You can just pick me up at my office."
Olivia's voice was confused. "Don't you have to change?"
Alex looked up as she heard a knock on her door.
"I brought it with me. You never know how long things will run in our business and I was not going to miss this date. Goodbye Olivia."
She hung up her office phone and looked up to see Liz Donnelly standing at the entrance of her office, eyebrow raised.
"I can't say that I'm surprised by this Alexandra, but really, don't you think you should keep the flirting outside of the office?"
"Liz," Alex replied dryly, "What can I do for you?"
"The Connor case-"
"We've argued about this enough Liz, I'm not putting a kid on trial for murder just because he is 14. I don't believe that he is mature enough to have understand what he was doing." Alex stood up, resting her hands on her desk as she got ready to argue with her boss. This was not something she was prepared to do.
"I need the files. I want to look over them."
She deflated. "Oh. Right." She took them off her desk and handed them to Liz, wondering why her boss was reviewing the case. "Here."
"Have a good time with Benson." Liz tuned around, carrying the files and her briefcase out of Alex's office.
Alex smoothed the dress down, checking her makeup one last time in the courthouse bathroom. She smiled, making sure everything was perfect before heading back to her office. She added a few more files to her briefcase, hoping she would not be coming back to the DA's office until Monday.
She had just finished cleaning up her desk when there was a knock at her door and Olivia's frame was filling up the doorway.
"Hey Alex, ready to go?"
Alex glanced at Olivia, surprised she'd found time to change from this morning. The detective was sporting her ever present leather jacket over what Alex would normally refer to as her "court clothes" but this particular outfit she'd never seen, which led the lawyer to believe Olivia had bought a new black shirt for this dinner.
"Yeah, let me just grab my coat." She grabbed her coat, pleasantly surprised when Olivia took her briefcase from her.
"Thank you, Liv. You know I could carry that myself."
Olivia grinned, sliding the strap of Alex's briefcase over her shoulder. "Maybe normally counselor, but not tonight."
Alex felt Olivia's hand on her lower back and felt goosebumps rise up. "So, where are we going detective?"
"I think that's for me to know and you to find out when we get there, Alex." Olivia stopped in front of the elevator, pushing the button.
Alex pouted, looking at Olivia. The detective chuckled. "You're the one who told me to plan something. I planned for this all to be a surprise counselor."
The ride to the restaurant was thick with tension as Alex stared at Olivia in her leather jacket, watching her drive. She frowned as she realized she still didn't know where they were going.
"Liv, we're driving there. Can't you let me in on where you're taking me?" Olivia grinned at Alex, turning back to the road.
"Maybe I'm convinced you'll like being surprised more, counselor." Alex watched as the car carefully turned left and they stopped in front of Boloud Sud.
"Oh."
"What's up Alex?" Olivia looked over, concern apparent in her face.
Alex tried to speak diplomatically. "Well, I do appreciate the thought Liv, but you didn't have to go through so much trouble for a date with me."
"Go through the trouble? Of course I do Alex. I want to take you out and go somewhere I'd like to eat. Unless you don't like French?"
Alex felt herself smile as Olivia spoke. At least she hadn't chosen the restaurant because she thought it was Alex's type of restaurant.
"I mean, I'll eat French but its not one of my favorites." She tried to sound like she wasn't being picky. "I'm not trying to be picky Olivia, I swear."
Oliva smiled charmingly. "Well, what is your favorite counselor?"
"Hmm. How do you feel about sushi?" Alex looked at Olivia, eyebrow raised. "And not that I'm saying that we should go get something else. But for future reference Liv."
Olivia grinned at her. "Then I guess it's your turn next time. Take me to your favorite sushi place."
Alex quirked an eyebrow up, "so confident that you'll be getting another date Olivia?"
The brunette opened the doors to the car, handing the keys to the valet before she opened Alex's door.
"Well counselor, we're already here so you obviously like me enough to date me. If you have to pull the work card, you know I'll understand."
Alex took the offered hand, smiling at the way Olivia's olive skin looked in the lights of the restaurant. "You have a great point there detective."
They were sat quickly, and Alex noticed that they were at a table in the back of the restaurant, out of the way, but where Olivia could see everything going on. You could never take the cop out of Olivia and a feeling of safety and warmth washed over Alex.
"So detective, what had you been wanting to try on the menu here?"
Olivia's eyes blazed as Alex felt her eyes move over her frame. "Well, I've heard the coq au vin and beef bourguignon are to die for, but I was more interested in dessert."
The wink left Alex slightly flustered. Before she could respond, a waiter interrupted to take their drink order and Olivia looked to her for the opinion on wine.
Once they'd ordered, Alex couldn't help but blurt out exactly what she'd been wondering this whole week.
"So why ask me out now Liv?"
Olivia started laughing. "Honestly? I wasn't expecting you to take my seriously. I know we flirt on and off but I never thought you'd actually take me up on it."
Alex's face fell. "Oh. Well I'd thought you were finally ready to stop this dance we were doing. If you're just taking me out because you feel like you owe me, I'll just go home."
Olivia shook her head, her hands moving to cover Alex's. "No that came out wrong. I'm amazed you actually took me up on my offer, but I really am looking forward to tonight Alex."
Alex frowned, contemplating, "Liv, you're an idiot if you thought I wouldn't want to go out with you. I thought you might not be interested in me until the other night."
Olivia's eyebrows rose in confusion. "What do you mean Alex?"
Alex couldn't help her laugh. "Liv, honestly for a detective you can be so blind. I've been trying to show you I wanted something… more from you for the last two years."
She took a sip of her wine, savoring the flavor before continuing to speak. "I sit on the corner of your desk, cross my legs at you, only let you make me coffee. For gods sake I know how you like your coffee and yours alone. Christ I swear Munch's eyeballs about fall out of his face when we're together too long. Don't tell me you didn't notice how much closer I tend to stand with you compared to our colleagues."
Olivia blinked, "That was deliberate?" She looked down at the table.
"I thought that it was all my wishful thinking, y'know? Like I wanted you so much I projected that onto you."
Alex was about to answer but was interrupted by the arrival of their food. As she took her first bite she looked at Olivia, the detective's face studying her.
"Liv, trust me, I was about to believe you weren't interested in me like that. I began to think you were straight. Until the other night. I finally had you about to kiss me and you answer the damn phone."
Olivia's face bloomed red. She coughed. "Well then you might not want to know what the Captain said when he called."
"Oh? Do tell."
Olivia took a sip of her own wine, taking another bite of her food, and to Alex's eyes thinking.
"Well after I told Cragen I was still with you, he apologized for 'interrupting our sex life.'"
Alex felt her face flush. She couldn't deny that if things had continued it may well have turned into an interruption. Her lips were twitching into a smile.
"Well, I can't say that I appreciate Don having thoughts about us having sex. But if he already thinks that we're seeing each other, it might make it easier in the long run."
"The long run? Does this mean you'll be buying me sushi some other time now?" Olivia's crooked smile was back.
"Oh, I think you can call that a guarantee, detective. I wouldn't have accepted if I didn't think this was more than just one date." Alex reached over to cover Olivia's hand, rubbing her thumb over Olivia's wrist.
The waiter interrupted once again. "Dessert?"
Alex looked to Olivia, wanting to see if the brunette had a preference.
"I don't think so, just the check."