Insights – Chapter 2
Disclaimer: Should be in the first chapter but just in case, I don't own them and I mean no harm. I'm just borrowing them for a little while.
The problem with taking a good hard look at yourself is that it's wholly depressing. Upon waking that morning, sometime around 6 (habit you know), I cleaned my apartment. Now this isn't unnatural for me because I'm almost obsessive when it comes to order and neatness. I'm a nut about these things and have been all my life, even as a child. That's not to say that I don't like to get dirty because I'll get down in the trenches with the best and the worst of them.
As I was doing my last chore – laundry, my thoughts from the night before came rolling back to me. I figured I could do both things, call Donnie and get a fish. I've always liked fish. Well I've always liked Donnie too. He's a very rare person indeed. With my last load in the dryer, I went to take a shower. It was nearing 11:30 when I got out. I figured that would be as good a time as any to call. I tried Donnie's desk first and he answered on the second ring.
"Cragen." Came his terse 'hello'.
"Hey Captain." I said stressing his title like I always had, something we used to joke about.
"Well hello Detective." He said in reply. I could hear the smile in his voice. "What's up?"
"Are you free for lunch and a little catch-up? My treat."
"Lunch with a beautiful woman or here with only my office and a vending machine…oh the choices. Of course I'll go to lunch with you, just tell me where."
"Well, where, is anywhere you want to go, and I'll pick you up in 20, if that's ok." I could tell her was pleased. I hoped he missed me as much as I missed him.
"Are you driving the truck or the Cuda?" I could tell he was teasing me. My cars were another joke between us.
"The Cuda of course." I heard him sigh enviously. "Wanna drive?" I asked.
"Hell yes. I know this great restaurant off the freeway."
"Sounds good. I'll see you soon."
"Yep." I stood looking at the phone for a full minute before I realized that I needed to finish dressing. I grabbed a clean pair of jeans, my favorite pairs to be exact. They were worn and almost white, without holes or stains and they fit m perfectly. Next I pulled on a black tank top and a red button down with a mandarin collar. I left it open and un-tucked. Next came my shoes, black sandals without heels. I checked my reflection in my full length mirror. I looked pretty good in my opinion. I put on some natural eye-shadow and mascara, skipped lip gloss and went for chap stick instead. I took a look at my hair and sighed. It was a mess as usual. I brushed it quickly and pulled it back into a pony-tail.
I checked the time. I was running late so I grabbed my necessary items and dashed out the door and down the stairs. I kept my Cuda in storage behind the apartment complex. I spun the combo on the door and slid in open. There was my baby.
I made it to the 16th precinct in record time and was mildly thankful that patrol cops weren't looking. Donnie was waiting at the bottom of the steps with a detective, a woman. I got out and went to greet him.
"Captain." I said.
"Detective," he returned with a grin before he pulled me into a hug. I savored the brief contact. His arms felt like heaven around me. "This is one of my detectives, Olivia Benson." Donnie introduced her. "Liv, this is Detective Ellen Hamilton. I was her Captain at the 27th."
"Its good to meet you. I'll let you two go to lunch." Olivia said with a knowing smile.
"You too. Shall we?" I asked holding up the keys to the Cuda. Donnie got this look of pure delight on his face; I swear he was 16 again for a second.
Lunch was just the beginning. We started going out more often, dinner, and a movie. I even got him to take me dancing. We are currently searching for a place to co-habitate, as I like to call it. My apartment isn't big enough for the two of us and his has too many memories of his wife. There aren't any plans of marriage in our future; we both think we're too old for it. I guess we'll just see where it goes. Hopefully it leads to forever.