The Bet
Chapter Four
By Lizzie B
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Author's Note: Ha! I love how some reviewers have actually started making their own bets on the story! That's great, you people rock! I so wish I could make a bet, but then I'd blow the whole story, lol. And thanks to all the people who suggest ideas! Now, this chapter will have a more serious note, not as funny as my pervious chapters. So, just be warned, you probably won't be laughing at this one. Unless you've got one weird sense of humor.
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For once the squad room was silent. There was no buzz of work, or idle chatter from people outside the bullpen. One of their own was gone and her absence was like a vacuum, sucking out all the noise and activity. At his desk, John Munch leaned back in his chair and contemplated the death of Alex Cabot in silence. It was not easy to think that only a few nights before they had all once again gone out to celebrate with drinks. It actually hurt to think that he could never get into arguments about the Constitution with her again or have her hand him a warrant or tell him she couldn't prosecute. There wouldn't be anymore laughing over beer and pretzels.
He closed his eyes against the sting of tears as the last conversation they had ran though his mind. She'd asked if anyone else had gotten in on The Bet. "I've been spending so much time with them I can't help thinking about it. I want to laugh every time I see them together." She had whispered to him, and he had smiled, knowing exactly what she was talking about.
John looked towards the other side of the pen, where Elliot and Olivia sat with their heads bowed over paper work. It wasn't easy on any of them, but John knew Alex and Olivia had been particularly close and she was taking the loss harder than most. He actually hoped for one that Elliot would be more than just a partner for once and be exactly what Olivia needed.
"Hey, I'm going for coffee," John said, needed to get out of the silence, "Anyone want some?"
"I'll come with, man," Fin said, getting up from his desk, "I need to take a walk anyway."
"Anything for you, Liv?" John asked gently, walking over and laying a hand on her shoulder.
"No thanks, John," She smiled sadly up at him, but reached up and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. He smiled back and looked at Elliot.
"I'm fine," He said, not bothering to look up from his paperwork, "Thanks though."
Side by side in silence, Fin and John walked out of the precinct and started for the little donut shop down the street. John glanced at his partner once and figured Fin didn't want to talk about how he was feeling. Well, John did.
"You ever stop to think about what we're doing?" He asked, startling Fin out of his reverie.
"The job?" Fin answered, not feeling like talking. He wanted a way out of the office, that's it. He hadn't expected John would want to talk either, since they'd all been pretty much silent after the Captain had broken the news to them. There had been the initial burst of questions, denials and accusations and then just silence. He had to get out of that before he snap and started raving like John.
"No, The Bet."
Fin made a face, "You wanna talk about that now?"
"Yeah, I do," John snapped, "I'm actually hoping for once that Elliot will be an ass and cheat on his wife. Something's wrong with that. We shouldn't be hoping that two people are going to potentially ruin a lot of people's lives for some measly two hundred bucks. What sort of moral quagmire have we started?"
"You actually think they're that shallow?" Fin shot back, "Man, it's all a joke, John. No one thinks anything will ever happen. It's just there and we deal with it by joking about it. It's like the job, you can't laugh at that, it'll kill you."
"She asked me about it," John said softly, stopping outside the door to the donut shop and looked up to find a patch of sky between all the buildings, "The last thing we ever talked about was The Bet." He shook his head, "I just wish it had been something else. I just wish it didn't have to be the last one we ever had."
Fin reached out and put his hand on John's shoulder, "We all have regrets, John, but we can't focus on that, man. We gotta remember how many times she went to bat for us, all the good time, right?"
"It'd be easier if I didn't feel guilty." John sighed, "Come on, it's either caffeine or I'm heading to a bar and I don't think the Captain would be too happy with me then."
"I hear ya man, you're a lousy drunk." And they found they could still laugh about it.
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Author's Note: Yup, serious isn't it? But, honestly, I thought about how The Bet is funny and all, but it's also kinda morally bad. So I addressed that in a way I think works. I'm gonna get back to the funny now, lol. Please read and review.