Thirty Four: Alex
I was nervous about coming tonight. I was afraid I wouldn't exactly fit in with a mass amount of cops. I have Serena's drunken banter about our office going steady in my right ear. Olivia is laughing so hard in my left ear, at Serena that tears are coming to her eyes. The nerves are long gone and I'm enjoying the company and the atmosphere.
"PRESENTS!" I see Elliot's twin's run out of no where, towards Munch and the big red bag in his hands. He covers it, trying to protect it from their clawing little fingers. Elliot comes up behind his children and scoops them up. They thrash and giggle under his arms.
"Good idea John. We should start the swapping before the guests are so hammered they can't manage to un-wrap this stuff," Elliot laughs, letting the twins down to run back to Munch. I feel Olivia lean into me.
"Elliot's closest friends always get the twins something. We used to buy for Maureen and Kathleen when they were younger too." Olivia's breath is laced with rum and coke, and so is her tone. She turns her attention back to Serena and her dirty jokes. I notice Kathy come from the foyer with the secret Santa gifts, handing them out with Elliot. I watch her hand Fin the gift Liv and I found for him.
"Benson you're too much!" Olivia looks over at Fin and smiles.
"What'd she get you?" Munch inquires.
"She got me an iPod, so I don't have to listen to your stupid ass rambling on stake outs!" He said, laughing. All I can picture as he says this is us, in the store, scouting for it. She confessed about how hard the year had been and how Fin had really come through for her when she was afraid to talk to Elliot. I guess she didn't want to bring Elliot down. She's always concerned about the welfare of others...
"Ho, ho, ho," Munch says sarcastically with a half smile, handing Olivia a small wrapped gift.
"Thanks, secret Santa," she laughs. Looking down at the tag, her laughter transforms into a pleasantly surprised look. I looked at the package in her hands and my name was written on the tag as well. She looks at me and smiles and we both turn to look at Munch but he's already on the floor with Dickie helping him free the impossibly packaged racecar.
"It's got your name on it too," she says handing it to me.
"I see that," I say, failing to suppress a wide grin. I feel so included in the precinct group, just by this little tag. I flutter my hand at her, gesturing for her to just open it already. She starts to opens the package carefully and I'm waiting like a child to see what it is. "Oh just give it to me!" I say, taking it from her hands. I tear the package and pull the lid to the box. The front of the box advertises an elegant frame. Munch's handwriting is scribbled over it. Keep opening! We laugh and I slide the frame from the cushioned packaging. Our smiles fade rapidly and as I hold to frame with both hands I feel Olivia's hand cover mine, holding the frame with me. There, in the picture, is Liv and I laughing, side by side. It was taken at Maloney's months ago, long before we even admitted our attraction to each other. You can see it in the photo though. Liv has her hand on my shoulder and she's smiling widely. I'm pointing at her, mid-joke. I remember that night like it happened five minutes ago. It was first time Olivia invited me out with her and the guys. I was so nervous, but I was more excited to finally be going out with her. We had all squeezed into their favorite booth in the back of the bar. It was the closest we'd ever been and I was soaking it up. From the moment I sat beside her, our thighs pressed together and never parted until last call. I remember the electricity running through my veins, and the way she smelled. Every time she turned her head towards me, it was a mix of her shampoo and her subtle perfume. It made my stomach twist. It still does.
"John…" Olivia says, looking away from the photo. He just turns and winks at her. He knows how much it means to her.
"You're welcome," he says.
The night goes on and a number of gifts have accumulated around our feet. The feeling in house is warm and Maureen's Christmas CD is on its third run. A few couples have long since left and the rest are filing out slowly, wishing their Merry Christmas' and Happy Hanukkah's.
When just about everyone is gone, Olivia joins Kathy in the kitchen to help clean up. Serena hangs around with me in the living room, still going on about what she's been doing with herself since she left the office and how she really needs to get laid. I laugh and shake my head. Munch is on his way out. He says his goodbyes and comes up to me before heading out the door.
"I'm glad you came this year Alex. I hope you won't be scarred for life by hanging out with crazy people like us." He says, looking over his glasses.
"I look forward to plenty more years like it," I say smiling. He gives me a hug goodbye and one for Serena too.
"I think I've met my match Serena. For New Year's I'll have dirtier jokes than you could ever think up!"
"Oh you're on John!" She said raising her empty glass to him. Her sobriety starting to set in.
I watch John go to the kitchen and hug Liv, Kathy and Elliot. Olivia turns back to Kathy and their distant conversation goes on. I watch her scrub the dishes in her beautiful dress. Only she would do dishes in that dress. It's too bad she hates them. I swear they were made for her. My eyes travel down the length of her lean, exposed legs and I'm transfixed with the movement. Every time her arm comes down hard on the plate she's scrubbing. Wow.
"Alex… Alex, are you even listening to me?" I hear Serena's voice hitting me.
"Serena, I'm sorry, I'm just pretty tired. As soon as Liv is done in there, we need to get out of here." She nods, unaware of where my eyes can't help but linger. She leans down and starts to gather the bags around our feet.
"Let's go put these in the car. Just so it's one last thing to take care of, you know?" she offers. I agree and stand up. I pull on my coat and Olivia notices the motion in the living room immediately; like she has eyes in the back of her head.
"We're going to go put this stuff in the car while you guys finish up in there," I tell her, before she even asks. She nods and visibly relaxes, turning her attention back to Kathy's story.
Serena and I waddle out to the car, desperately trying to balance the bags to keep from toppling over. Serena is having a hell of a time walking on the ice and snow in her 3 inch heels. I, on the other hand, have already started wearing shorter heels. The back pains have started to peek their rearing little heads out already and I'm not about to make it worse in the name of fashion.
"Shit, I forgot our food," Serena curses.
"What food?" I ask absently. All I can really think about is getting Olivia home, and out of that dress…
"Hello, the potluck! We have those two platters of food. It's vital I get that because I'll be living off of mine for like a week," she says in all seriousness. I laugh and shake my head.
I unlock the doors to the unmarked cruiser. I've become accustom to riding in it. Why get a regular car when you can drive the state's and have them pay for gas? Cregan doesn't care, so we don't either. I pick up the bags that Serena left beside me and start to load the back seat. I hear Serena come up behind me.
"Gees, that was fast, did you forget-" Suddenly there is a gloved hand over my mouth and my heart feels like it stops beating in freight. I drop the bags and elbow the person in the ribs. The hand leaves my mouth to stop my arms. "OLIVIA! OLIVI-"
This time there the person holds a damp cloth over my mouth. A strong chemical on the cloth is stinging my nose. I'm gagging and thrashing as the person is dragging me into the street. I'm fighting as hard as I can but it's getting to hard. My arms are quickly becoming heavy and the cold is freezing the tears on my face, making everything hurt. I feel myself being pushed into a car and I see Olivia run out of Elliot's front door. I see her pull her shoes off and sprint across the front yard in her bare feet. My vision goes blurry and I'm straining to yell for her but nothings coming out. I hear her call andscream my name as the car jolts forward, sending me sliding off the back seat onto the floor.