A/N: This picks up after my one shot "Tornado". It would be best if you read that first. Also, it picks up after the finale "A Final Call At Forlini's Bar". Enjoy!


Beautiful Friendship?

By

18lzytwner

Chapter 1

Wheatley was dead. Or at least, they figured he was. They had only found Angela's body in the car after she'd driven it off the cliff. Her former husband had killed their son, Richie, and this was not the first time he'd murdered one of her children. Rafiq had also ended up in Richard's crosshairs.

The overall threat was gone. Olivia had been glad for that. Things did not slow down after that though, as she figured they wouldn't. Elliot had jumped into another undercover operation, first with the Albanians, then inside the NYPD busting up the Brotherhood.

The two former partners had worked together but hadn't had much time to talk. Of course, she'd been busy herself. She'd been involved in another officer-involved shooting. She'd had no choice of course. Robert Paul Byers had been a racist, had ordered others to kill, and claimed to have a bomb in his backpack, which he was more than willing to detonate. He wasn't afraid to take out police and civilians alike.

There was the loss of Kat Tamin, the entire Burton Lowe affair, Noah getting bullied by a classmate, and the multi-state investigation into a tractor trailer driving serial rapist. The wheels would just get back on the wagon before falling off again, or at least that's how she felt. Now she sat at her desk, staring at the DD-fives that the team had submitted on their latest case. Chief McGrath had been all over her to make sure the reports were in as fast as humanly possible. Olivia was now beginning to understand why Munch never wanted to be more than a Sergeant. The upper-level politics were a pain and she wasn't sure what was worse, that or the paperwork.

"You know you'll get frown lines if you keep doing that," the distinct, now slight southern drawl, made Olivia look up.

"I thought you went home to the girls and Carisi," the Captain raised an eyebrow at the detective in her doorway.

"Yeah, he called and said he was going to be later than he wanted to be. Just wanted to check in before I grab some takeout for everyone," Amanda smiled.

"No home cooking tonight. I'm honestly not sure what Noah and I will be doing," Olivia half-smiled.

"Well just make sure you don't stay too much longer…" the blonde stopped and turned her head when she heard footsteps coming from the elevator.

"Should have run while you still could have," Olivia shook her head.

"I don't think Stabler is looking for me. Good luck," with that Amanda withdrew from the doorway and took her leave, giving Elliot a nod as she went.

"All alone, I see," he poked his head into her office.

"Well, I was. What brings you to my neck of the woods? No bad guys to chase down?" She wondered.

"No more undercover as Elliot Stabler, just Elliot Stabler right now," he said as he moved into her office.

"Oh yeah? What did you find out about Elliot Stabler?" Olivia knew that he was digging into his dad's past. She knew how complicated that could be and how emotional as well.

"You know how I said that I was beginning to understand that people are complicated?" He asked.

"That I do," Olivia nodded.

"Turns out, I am one of those complicated people," Elliot heaved a sigh, not something that he often did.

"Well, I would love to chat about it, but I do need to get home to Noah," she closed the files she was looking at and standing from her seat.

"I know. I figured I'd just stop by and ask if we could get some drinks soon," he gave her a small smile. He could have called her, instead he was here in her office.

"That sounds like a good idea. Noah has a sleepover tomorrow night. So can I call you after my shift?" Olivia wanted to know, grabbing her purse.

"Sounds like a plan, Friend Olivia," Elliot smiled.

"Now how about you walk me to my car?" She offered.

To Be Continued…