TITLE: We Went For Coffee

ATHOUR: RaeAnne

RATING: G

DISCLAIMER:

The characters of Law and Order SVU are not mine, please don't sue

A/N: Hey all :-) Me again, my second SVU story, I wrote this because, well I had a dreary Wednesday (rainy too) and wanted to find something to brighten my day so I thought I would post this and hope it might brighten your day too, what ever day it is! :-) Thanks so much RaeAnne ---(-@

We Went For Coffee....

By RaAnne

            It was rainy, cold and dreary, the case was cold and my head throbbed. I glance over my desk at my partner knee deep in paper work but his eyes seem to wonder more then focus on the words in front him.

            I sigh and lean back in my chair and listen to the steady pinging of the rain my thoughts drifting to anywhere but here. My sigh has brought my partner back to reality it seems for now his eyes are on me, questioning me silently. I answer his question with a slight nod which brings a grin to his face and we eagerly tear into our paper work.

            For years we have been partners, for years we have hit this mid week slump and always the same unvoiced question is asked and is always answered the same way, it's a tradition you might say. A tradition between partners between friends, no one knows but us, or at least we believe it to be that way. I am not that naïve really; I know that smile the Captain always gives when he sees us leave work that twenty minutes early, but he has never said anything I think he knows too that this something we need.

            Minutes tick by slowly except for that moment ever so often when I glance up and his eyes find mine and then for a second time seems to fly by as we both remember what we are working for and we dig back in working towards our escape, our salvation. 

            The last i is dotted and t crossed we stand stretch, reach for coats and with a silent nod and goodbye to Munch and Fin we exit the building. It's amazing to me sometimes how long we, my partner and I, can go in silence, I think it may be because in our work and in our personal lives we hear enough empty, meaningless words that when we are together like we are now in the silence it fits, it's what we know is real. You can't fake comfort, you can't pretend trust and that seems to be what we find when we say nothing at all.

            We leave the cars and just walk, walk in the spring rain, he walks on the street side, always the gentleman, shielding me from the car's splashes there isn't the normal crowded street today, because of the rain no doubt, for which I am grateful. I look up at him and smile he grins back ducking his head slightly as he opens the door to our destination letting me pass.

            This is our place, our little nook in the middle of a vast city, a crazy world. Where we can go and enjoy the company of each other, Olivia and Elliot, not Detectives Stabler and Benson. They know us by sight, though not by name.

            We go for coffee every Wednesday afternoon, and each time I fall in love with him a little more, though I doubt he'll ever know.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ---(-@ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

            It's Wednesday again, we've hit the hump. I can't keep my attention on my work, it's either the lack of caffeine or perhaps the more logical answer is I can't keep my mind off the woman across from me. She has just as much paper work as I do but as she twirls her pen between her fingers and looks far away as she stares at the rain spattered window she takes hold of my thoughts.

            I glance up for just a second and she meets my gaze, her brown eyes locking onto mine, I ask the question she knows is coming and she answers the answer I all ready know. This tradition we have brings new life to my bones and I dig back into my work.

            Form after form moves from my never ending pile the only break coming when I meet her eyes for the briefest of seconds and like a challenge they flash the encouragement needed for me to keep going.

            Finally! We are finished, oh can she move much slower… I inwardly groan as we don our coats and prepare to leave. The rain is nasty thing, it has always meant mud puddles and sloppy kids coming in and making Kathy angry because of the mud on the floor and soaked clothes… before I always like it and for those same reasons, 8 or 30 somehow the rain brings hope… or used to anyway, and may bring again because as I walk next to my partner and I watch her start to relax and her ever calming presence setting over both of us I feel the sun break through.

            Our spot is nearing and I feel my pulse start to quicken because of it. I open the door and she smiles at me, our lives are complicated by so many things but on this day, in these stolen moments they are untwisted, unfettered by the things in which a normal day hands us, they are our moments, mine and hers. I wonder what Kathy would say if she knew how I felt about Olivia… about how I fall in love with her every time we go for coffee…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ---(-@ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

            Two people enter a small corner coffee shop, unnoticed by those around them, they enter and take a small corner table where two coffees and brought and while in the first minutes not much happens but as time wears on laughter is exchanged along with intimate looks and seductive glances.

            One would wonder if these were long childhood sweethearts…or maybe secret lovers. No one would guess these were just two partners who went for coffee…and fell in love.