Playing Dirty
Summary: After a difficult case, Elliot and Olivia go out for drinks and a few games of pool. Wackiness ensues!

Olivia set the file she was currently working on with the rest of her paperwork on her desk. She sighed and ran her hands through her hair. 'I really should get this cut,' she thought. She stole a glance at her partner who worked busily across from her. It had been a stressful day, and the case had obviously taken a toll on Elliot. They had spent the last three days following a man that would kidnap and rape young girls. This case wouldn't have been any different but the perp's victims had all attended the same school; namely the school that Elliot's children attended. He'd spent the time interviewing children that had probably been to his own home to play with his youngest children, Dickie and Elizabeth.

"Almost done?" she asked.

Elliot sighed and dropped his pen on the pile of papers. He rubbed his temples and looked up at his partner. It amazed him how even after working for nearly 24 hours she could still look so radiant. Her hair was tucked back behind her ears, the sleeves of her sweater scrunched to her elbows.

"What's wrong?" Olivia asked. She knew what his problem was, but she also knew that he would never admit it. He was scared, scared that he wouldn't be able to protect his family when they needed him.

"Nothing," Elliot grumbled glancing at his watch. "What d'you say we pack it up and go for a drink?"

Olivia considered his proposal. She knew he was hurting, not only from the case but from his recent divorce, and he could probably use a drink. "Sure," she answered capping her pen and closing the case files. Olivia stood up and walked over to the coast rack grabbing her coat and tossing Elliot his own. They exited the precinct together and climbed into Elliot's car.

The bar was nearly empty save for the few regulars and a handful of businessmen stopping for a drink before heading home to their wives. Elliot and Olivia chose a booth near the back of the establishment and gave the waitress their orders. She returned a moment later with a scotch on the rocks for Elliot and a fuzzy navel for Olivia.

Olivia looked around the place as she sipped at her drink. The main bar area was just in front of the door, booths lined the wall, and a few tables filled in the space. Near the back wall was a large space filled with two pool tables and a foosball table, all of which were empty. Sure it wasn't the classiest of places, but she'd been coming here for years and really loved the owner, Mr. Nelson.

"Liv?" Elliot asked attempting to get his partner's attention. "Did you hear a word I just said?"

"Huh? Sorry, not really," she apologized.

"I was just asking if you'd want to play pool?" Elliot asked.

"Oh come on, El. You know I suck at pool," Olivia sighed.

"And that's exactly why I want to play," he laughed, "besides I'm not much better." Taking the last swig of his drink, Elliot climbed out of the booth pulling Olivia with him. They made their way over to the tables and began to set up the game.

Olivia gabbed on of the cue sticks and applied a bit of blue powder to the tip. 'What exactly does this do?' she thought momentarily.

"You can break," Elliot told her.

Olivia walked to the side of the table that Elliot was standing on and lined up her shot. She really had no idea what she was doing, but at least she could make it look like she did. Carefully aiming at nothing in particular, Olivia thrust the cue forward causing the balls to collide. Surprisingly two of the balls bounced around the table and found their way into two of the corner pockets.

"Yes," Olivia shouted. "I got them in! Oh yea, go me!" she sang and danced around doing her victory dance.

Elliot smirked before breaking the news. "Um Liv? You do realize that one of those was the cue ball right?"

Olivia stopped her dance and stared at the table. "Son of a bitch," she swore under her breath.

"What d'ya say loser buys the next round?" he suggested.

"Sure," Olivia agreed. 'How much better than me can he be?' Elliot laughed loudly as he grabbed the cue ball from the pocket and placed it on the table. Lining up his shot, he banked one striped ball in and quickly followed it by another. "You set me up!" she said with mock disgust.

"I did no such thing," Elliot said lining up his next shot. Once again the ball bounced into the intended pocket.

Olivia came back from the bar carrying two drinks. She set them on one of the nearby tables and looked coyly at Elliot. "Your beer sir," she said.

"Why thanks Liv," Elliot laughed taking a rather large gulp of the drink. "You wanna break again?"

"No way, this one's all yours." Olivia had decided that she wasn't paying for anymore drinks, even if it meant she would have to play dirty. She watched as Elliot broke, scattering the balls around the table; luckily none of them went in. 'Time to go to work,' she thought.

"Your shot," Elliot mumbled taking another swig of his drink.

Olivia picked up her cue stick and walked around the table slowly. She swayed her hips just a little and glanced at her partner to see if she'd gotten his attention; Elliot's eyes were glued on her. 'Mission accomplished.' Slowly she leaned over the table, stretching her arms out as she did so.

Elliot stood amazed. 'Liv, what the hell are you trying to do to me?' he thought but couldn't bring himself to tear his eyes away from her body. The black dress pants she wore hugged her curves nicely, especially once she bent over, and her sweater had risen showing the slightest sliver of her stomach. He watched as her shot bounced wide, scattering a few of the balls.

"Your turn," she smiled.

Elliot stood and took his place at the table. As he leaned over to take his shot, Olivia also leaned over the table, presumably to get a better view of the set-up; however it was Elliot that got the view. He looked up and noticed that he could see directly down Olivia's sweater. 'How have I never noticed that before?' he thought feeling certain muscles in his body tighten. He took his shot and was fortunate to knock a striped ball in.

'How is that possible? I'm doing everything I can to break his concentration,' Olivia thought. 'Looks like we'll just have to up the stakes.'

Olivia thought.

When Elliot made his way around the table Olivia followed him closely. As he bent over to take his shot her cue stick accidently smacked him behind the knees causing them to buckled slightly.

"What was that?" he asked.

"What was what?" Olivia responded with a smile. "Looks like it's my shot."

'So that's how she wants to play it,' Elliot thought. 'Well two can play at that game.' He took a rather large gulp of his drink, feeling the liquid burn its way down his throat. As Liv bent over to line up her shot, Elliot walked behind her and let his hand 'accidentally' brush against her ass. Olivia's cue slid out of her hand causing the cue ball to fly off the table and land several feet away.

Elliot thought. He took a rather large gulp of his drink, feeling the liquid burn its way down his throat. As Liv bent over to line up her shot, Elliot walked behind her and let his hand 'accidentally' brush against her ass. Olivia's cue slid out of her hand causing the cue ball to fly off the table and land several feet away.

"What the hell is your problem?" she asked Elliot incredulously. As much as she willed it not to, her face began to turn a deep red from the contact.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he responded.

"Don't play cute with me Elliot, I invented that game!" She knew he was only trying to mess with her head, but damn it, it was working!

"Hey Marty," one of the many regular patrons called to the bar tender. "What do you think of those two?"

Marty Nelson, bartender and owner of the establishment looked in the direction that his customer had indicated. "What about 'em?"

"They're looking pretty hot and heavy back there," the man commented. "What are the odds they leave together?"

"I'm putting ten dollars on them," another man chimed in tossing a ten dollar bill on the bar.

Marty looked back toward the pool tables where Elliot and Olivia were arguing. They'd just gotten their fourth round of drinks and it was pretty clear to everyone that both of them were well past their limit. He'd been watching as the pair flirted with each other relentlessly for the last hour or so, or rather the last four years.

"I doubt they'll be doing anything tonight," Marty said with a shake of his head.

"Why not?" one of the men at the bar asked.

"They're cops. Doing anything like that would get their asses grilled," he answered.

"Yeah but people don't exactly use logic when alcohol is involved, ain't that right Chuck?" The group laughed at the expense of one of their own, but their attention was soon drawn back to the pool tables when they heard a woman shouting angrily.

"Elliot put me down," Olivia cried. "Put me down or I swear to God you'll never have kids again!"

Elliot ignored her pleas and struggled to maintain his balance. The alcohol was starting to get to him and the floor just wouldn't stop moving. Olivia was flailing about in his arms, trying to break his grip.

"What's the magic word?" Elliot asked laughing.

"Assault!" Liv screamed. Elliot considered before setting her on her own feet again. Olivia stumbled slightly but quickly regained her balance. They finished the game in relative good nature with only a few tricks here and there.

"You ready to go Liv?" Elliot asked.

"Who's driving?" she asked. "'Cause I sure the hell ain't getting in a car with you."

"We can walk, it's only two block to my place," Elliot said grabbing his jacket out of the booth and tossing Liv hers. Remarkably she caught it without too much trouble. "I'll take you home in the morning."

"Bye Marty," Olivia yelled as she and Elliot left the bar.

"Oh yeah," Marty smiled to himself. "This will be interesting."

Well…R & R! I'll try to post the next chapter as soon as possible.