SVU Squadroom – June 3, 2005 8:10pm

It was Friday night. The night Olivia had been waiting nearly two weeks for because every second and fourth Friday of the month, Olivia and Casey had a 'Girls Night Out.'

During the year and a half since Casey had been assigned to Special Victims the two had become very good friends, which was only natural seeing as they're the only two women in the unit. So, to escape the horrors of their job, they decided to have a night where they could just hang out and relax. Most of the time it was just Olivia and Casey, but once in a while they would invite a friend or two to join them. On these nights, they would go to the movies, out to dinner or to a club. They have even been known to go shopping on occasion. But regardless of what they choose to do, these nights are times for fun, where no mention of work is allowed.

Olivia glanced at her watch and saw that she only had twenty minutes until Casey was supposed to meet her. She quickly grabbed her bag and headed towards the bathroom. Normally it only would have taken her about five minutes to get ready, but since they were going to a club it could take her anywhere from ten to twenty-five minutes.

About fifteen minutes later, Olivia was ready. She was now in a pair of slim-fitting black boot cut pants and a shimmery blood red spaghetti-strap tank along with her favorite pair of high-heeled black boots. Her hair was gelled and out of her face and she had even added eye shadow, mascara, lipstick and a touch of blush to finish off her new look.

She exited the bathroom as she was putting in her last earring, which was almost the exact same shade of red that her shirt was. When she got closer to her desk it became obvious that she was no longer the only one in the room. She put her bag down by her desk and put on her leather jacket that had been resting on the back of her chair.

"You're early councilor."

Casey turned the chair that she was sitting in around so that she was now facing Olivia. "Yeah well, my detectives haven't brought me and tough cases lately, so I was able to get out a little earlier that usual." She stood up and returned Elliot's chair to its normal resting place. "You ready?"

Olivia looked around before answering, just to make sure that she was. "Yeah. Lets go."

Once they got to the elevator Olivia asked the question that Casey had so far failed to answer. "So Casey, who is joining us tonight?"

"You'll see." Casey answered secretly.

"Why do I bother?" Olivia asked herself as they stepped into the elevator.

Club

About an hour later, Olivia was feeling a lot better than she had been when they first arrived, but then again five or six drinks could have that affect on some people. Casey, having had six or seven drinks was out on the dance floor dancing with who appeared to her to be the tall, dark and handsome man of her dreams. Olivia had taken a break from dancing and was now sitting at the table working on her next drink.

The song ended and Casey joined Olivia at the table. "Come on Casey give it up." Now that Casey had a few drinks in her, Olivia was more apt to get an answer. "Who are we supposed to be meeting and shouldn't this person be here by now."

Casey looked around the room and smiled when she saw whom she was looking for coming up behind Olivia, out of her line of sight. "Well I would like to, but I bet she'd like to tell you herself."

"What?" Olivia asked and then looked around. "Do I know her?"

Casey nodded.

Olivia again looked around, while the 'mystery' person still remained unseen behind her. "Casey I don't see anyone here I know besides you. So I'm either completely drunk and can't see straight, which I don't think I am because I've only had about four or five...or was it six drinks..." Olivia paused for a moment to think. "Anyway I don't think I am, so the only other option is that you're making this whole thing-"

The person behind Olivia put her hand over Olivia's mouth to stop her from rambling. "She gets this way when she's drunk." She explained. She has known Olivia for a while and knows that if given the chance, she would talk anyone's ear off who would listen if she had enough drinks in her.

"I do not." Olivia protested as she moved the hand away from her mouth. "And I am not drunk." It took a minute, but she eventually recognized the voice. "Hey." She said turning around. "Abbie!"

"Took you long enough." Abbie joked as she and Olivia hugged.

"It's been a while." Olivia said as they sat down.

"Really?" Abbie asked sarcastically. Abbie had obviously also had a few drinks.

Olivia turned to where Casey was sitting. "Casey, how..." She was going to ask Casey how she managed this, but she was already halfway to the dance floor. So she turned to Abbie ready to ask her.

Before she had a chance to ask, Abbie answered her. "It's a long story."

Olivia nodded. "So, how've you been?" She asked, taking a sip of her coffee. She wasn't drunk, but she was feeling the alcohol.

"Good." Abbie said. "Really great actually."

"What did you do with Abbie Carmichael?" Olivia asked. "That smile is way too big for her."

Abbie blushed. 'Yep' Olivia thought. 'She's definitely had a few drinks herself.'

"Life's just been really good lately."

"Spill." Olivia demanded.

-15 Minutes Later-

"Abbie that's great. I'm really happy for you." Olivia said as she examined the large rock on Abbie's left hand. "Not a bad rock either. When's the wedding?"

"We're not sure yet." Abbie admitted. "We're thinking sometime next year. Either late spring or early summer."

"Well," Olivia began, taking another sip of her second cup of coffee. "I better be the first one to get an invitation."

"Actually..." Abbie started. "I wanted to talk to you about that."

Olivia didn't miss the turn of the conversation's tone. But she wasn't in the mood to have a serious conversation. "I'm not invited?" She asked, pretending to be offended.

Abbie couldn't help but laugh. "Could you please be serious for one minute." Once Olivia stopped, she continued. "Thank-you. Now, I would completely understand if you can't do this or if you don't want to, but I would really appreciate it...We have known each other for a long time, right? You were the first person I met when I moved to New York. During the time I was here, you were pretty much my best friend and you still are. I may live in another state, but-"

"Abbie." Olivia interrupted. 'Leave it to Abbie to make the most simple request a long, drawn out process.' She thought.

Abbie paused for a moment.

"Abbie I have never known you to be nervous. What is it?"

"Will you be my maid of honor?"

To say that Olivia was shocked would have been an understatement. She was totally and completelyone hundred percentflabbergasted. She and Abbie used to be close, but once Olivia met Alex, they lost some of their closeness. Then Abbie moved to DC and their friendship suffered even more. But apparently, they were still close. 'She mustn't have met many people in DC. I mean she's been there for what, like-' She thought.

"Liv?" Abbie asked nervously, braking Olivia's train of thought.

"Hmmm?" The Olivia realized that she hadn't given Abbie an answer yet. "Oh, sorry." Abbie wasn't generally a person who let their emotions show, so the anxious/nervous look on her face was priceless. But Olivia couldn't keep her in suspense any longer. "Oh Abbie come on, you even have to ask? Of course I will."

After spending another two hours at the club, Olivia was walking back into the SVU squadroom to get the bag she had left. After she got her bag, she was heading back out the doors to her waiting cab. But just as she reached the doors, she heard the familiar ring of her desk phone and stopped mid stride. 'There's no law that says I have to answer that.' She thought. She was planning on going home, taking a long, hot bath and then falling asleep while watching her favorite movie. It would be so easy for her to just leave, pretend that she never came back and that she never heard the phone ring. But then she remembered the oath she took as a police officer and her own personal oath she made to herself and quickly jogged over to her desk and answered the ringing phone.

"Detective Benson, Special Victims Unit

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