I don't own the SVU characters. I simply write fiction.
"Don't stay here too long you guys" Cragen said as he shut the door to his office. His two detectives had had an extraordinarily difficult case and had caught the perp a few hours ago.
The pair looked up but didn't say anything. Neither would admit that the case had bothered them. Neither felt the need to. Their understanding of each other ran deeper than other partners would understand, deeper than the captain would know.
They waved their goodbyes and after the captain left, they returned to their respective paper work. Neither of them noticed the time fly by and when Olivia glanced up at the clock, she silently hoped it was late enough for her eagerness to leave not to appear premature.
"Hey, let's leave this for tomorrow and go for a drink." she suggested.
Without looking up from the file in front of him, Elliot huffed, "I don't know, Liv…"
"Come on, El. We've both had a rough day, but we got the guy that did this. The paperwork can wait 'til tomorrow…let's go. First one's on me." she countered.
Knowing she was right and that she wouldn't give up until he agreed, he sighed, rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hand and closed the file on his desk.
"Yeah…ok." Elliot got up from his chair, turned off the light on his desktop and ushered a waiting Olivia out the door.
"She reminded me so much of Kathleen. If anything like that ever happened to her, I'm afraid of what I'd do to the perp when I caught him."
Since Elliot's divorce, this had become a habit. It was a good one, one that kept them both sane in their line of work. They would go for a drink or for coffee, just sit around at a park or simply take a walk. They would vent any and all feelings bothering them about cases. Solved or unsolved. They would share anecdotes and relive memories of past events or of cases they remembered. It was their time. Presently, they were seated at the bar of one of the local pubs, each with a drink in hand.
Olivia didn't answer his statement immediately. It was silently acknowledged in the look of understanding she gave him.
"I'm scared that I wouldn't stop you." she admitted, almost inaudibly. They both stared at each other, oblivious to the chatter around them, him looking into her chocolate brown eyes, and her looking into his clear blue ones. They both felt the semi-sadness of their admission, after all they were cops…they were supposed to protect the public, not take revenge on them. However the hypothetical situation that had brought on Elliot and Olivia's shared fear made them human again, even if only to each other.
"You should go see your kids Elliot. You need to see them." Olivia said after a while. Elliot considered this but shook his head.
"They're with Kathy tonight and it's almost 1 a.m. There's no chance of me seeing them now…I have a better idea. Let's talk about something else."
"Ok. Like what?" she queried.
"I don't know…something more fun…more optimistic…more…hopeful." he suggested.
"Sounds good. Like what?" she asked again.
"Like uh….like your love life. When was the last time you went on a date Liv?" he teased.
Olivia's eyes went wide momentarily but her surprise at his boldness dissipated when she reminded herself that it was Elliot and not some relative stranger asking the question. She decided to avoid the question since she couldn't even remember the last time she'd been on an actual date. Instead she countered, "You find my love life optimistic and hopeful?" She almost laughed.
Elliot grinned as he looked at her, then his expression turned pensive and one of complete seriousness.
"Yes, Liv, I do. For one simple reason: because it is a daily reminder…concrete proof that there are still beautiful, intelligent, sincere, down to earth women out there who have morals enough not to cheat on their husbands or kill their own kid."
Olivia knew he was referring to Kathy cheating on him and in the same sentence, their last case, where the mother had killed her 14 year old daughter. She didn't know what to say. She sat in her chair, at a loss for words, her mouth slightly agape. Had he just complimented her? He had indeed and it was the greatest compliment she'd ever received. All she could do was smile and blush rapidly. Elliot offered her a sincere corner smile and looked away.
"Ok let's find you a man." he said enthusiastically as he regained his composure and looked around the bar inspectively, simultaneously changing the subject.
"You've got to be kidding me." Olivia rolled her eyes.
"Not at all! Hmm…how about the lonely guy at the table in the corner?"
She looked over and as her glance settled on the man in question, her head whipped back toward her partner to scold him with a simple look.
"Never." She retorted quickly. At Elliot's questioning eyes, she continued, "For many reasons: One, he's drunk at a bar, drinking alone, which is a) unhealthy and b) indicative of some deeper issues or baggage if you will. Two, he looks like too many of the perps we face daily and three, he's in desperate need of a shower. Indication that he doesn't really care for his appearance, he's not looking to 'score' tonight or that his total lack of hygienic skills are slowly becoming his demise."
Elliot chuckled at her explanation and said, "Ok, ok. I'll be nice. What about the tall guy by the pool table? Seems fit and I can't smell him from here so he should be good on the hygiene scale…" he continued to laugh.
"I'm glad my situation amuses you, Elliot. And also that you entertain the fact that you think you know what's best for me."
"I do." He winked at her. "But you have to work with me here…"
Sighing, she decided to humor him for the time being. "Ok. Fine." She looked around the bar, subtly assessing the men's potential. Then an idea hit her.
"Ok, I think I've got one. How about the man sitting at the bar? He's fit, attractive…there's a woman with him but I'm not sure if they're together." Elliot's head snapped around so quickly to scan the bar that Olivia had to muffle a laugh. I guess he didn't really think I'd play along…or is that a tinge of jealousy? she thought.
"Liv there are about a dozen guys sitting at the bar. Do you think you can be a little more specific?" He asked, his eyes still skimming his competition around the semi-circle. Elliot didn't even hear Olivia stand from her stool behind him. She decided to find out which theory of hers was in fact the truth: simple surprise at her willingness to participate or sizing up the competition?
"Specifics…" she said to the back of his head. "Yeah…he's the 9th seat from the far wall." She waited until she saw him start counting to continue, "he's sitting in front of the Guinness beer tap." She noticed him shoot a glance at the beer taps lined along the inside of the bar. "He's wearing a blue pin-striped shirt…" She continued quickly rattling off the specifics Elliot had asked for, not letting him complete one thought before adding her next point. It was when she mentioned his blue pin-striped shirt that Elliot looked at the beer taps in front of him and his eyes caught sight of the big identifiable Guinness symbol. Slowly his eyes drifted her way and came to rest on hers. Noticing how close she now stood to him, it took no time for his hands to find their way to her waist.
Sub-consciously, he saw her breath catch. Nothing around them existed anymore. He pulled her toward him to close the remaining distance between them and pressed his lips against hers. She responded immediately, her hands finding his shoulders and the back of his head. Elliot released the passion he'd been harboring for the past six years and heard her moan her agreement. He licked at her bottom lip and she granted him access to her mouth, entwining her tongue with his. His hands slipped up her back and one hand tangled in her hair, demanding…everything. Olivia had to fight the urge to let go. She reluctantly pulled away, pressing her hands on his chest to emphasize her point. As he looked longingly at her, she glanced quickly around the room. Her silent message instantly registered in his mind – they were still at the bar.
Elliot pulled out his wallet and when she did the same, he grabbed her hand and cocked his head to the side. The pleading look was enough for her to allow him to treat her. Once their drinks were paid for, they exited the pub. Three taxis lined the sidewalk and they made their way toward one of them. Ever so silently, Elliot opened the cab's back door for her.
Olivia watched Elliot open her door for her. She looked into the empty cab and turned back toward her partner, who still had his arm around her waist. All she could do was smile at him, not having an inkling of thought of what to say at that moment. What did that kiss mean? Was this the start of something? Did she want it to be the start of something? Her mind was racing and at that moment he leaned in to kiss her again. This time it lacked the ferocity and passion the kiss held earlier but when they finally parted, it was replaced by love. It was unmistakable. How had they never seen it before now in each other's eyes?
"Goodnight Liv." he whispered.
"Goodnight, El." She responded and climbed in the backseat of the waiting taxi.
Elliot got into the second cab and saw Olivia's slowly leave the curb. What a night he thought. The day had started off at one extreme of the emotional scale and ended up in the total opposite extreme. Elliot was all smiles as he was still coming to terms with what had just transpired when, all of a sudden, the brake lights lit up on the cab in front of him. They hadn't gotten 15 feet from the pub's front doors…did she forget something inside? He saw her exit her cab quickly and he asked the driver to wait as he got out of his own cab. Still standing with the door open, he asked, "Everything ok Liv?"
She didn't head back to the bar. She ran over to him and when she got to within 6 inches of him she stopped abruptly. He placed his hands on her upper arms, a questioning look in his eyes. She didn't answer his question. She simply took a step sideways and sat down in the backseat of his cab. She looked up at him expectantly and with a small smile, he took his place next to her on the back seat and gave the driver his address in Queens.
Please review! Let me know where you think I should take the next chapter...I'll need ideas to continue.