It had been three days since they had a conversation that didn't revolve around work, the case or the station. Three days since Elliot crushingly told her "there's nothing to talk about". Small talk was kept to a bare minimum and Olivia wondered if people were noticing how different things were between them. Elliot barely looked at her unless he had to and although there was no outright bitterness, there wasn't much pleasantry either.

Things were frustratingly bland.

Since he'd made it clear there was nothing left to discuss she'd managed a tolerance she didn't know she had. She wouldn't let herself look at him for longer than was required. She wouldn't allow herself to mull on the way his jaw clenched when he was frustrated with a suspect, or how the muscles in his forearms would tighten when he gripped the bench in interrogation, yelling profusely at the suspect.

She had a grip on the situation she didn't expect and the only place that held no boundaries were her dreams. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't block out the dreams, but she could erase the images the next morning as if they'd never happened. But there was always that one moment when she woke up suddenly, her breathing heavy, that she would allow herself to think of him with her, above her, inside her until her breathing became steady once more.

"You joining me for drinks tonight Liv?" Munch walked past her desk, dropping the question.

She looked up at his grinning expression and smiled, giving him a phony confused look. "What's the occasion?" She joked, knowing full well it was his birthday.

"He's turning 100." Fin called out from his desk.

Munch shrugged his shoulders, "I still think I look 99."

Olivia laughed, "Of course." She answered, her eyes moving over to his desk lined with birthday cards.

"What about you Elliot? You ready to drink the rest of my years away?" Munch asked Elliot who looked as if he'd only just come into the conversation.

His eyes flicked to Olivia, giving her a look she couldn't determine.

"Ah I can't, I've got a parent teacher conference at Dickie's school." He told Munch.

"That's alright, you can come out after." Munch offered.

He shook his head, "I can't sorry Munch." He left it at that and turned back to the papers before him.

Munch gave Olivia a questioning gaze, as if she could explain it, Olivia just bit into her lip.

"Ok, well if you change your mind you know where we'll be." Munch gave in and returned to his desk.

When Olivia made sure Munch wasn't within hearing distance she bit the bullet and started to speak across the desk, "You should go you know." She offered and he looked up at her. "He wants you there." She added.

"Like I said, I can't." He told her quietly.

She dropped the matter and got back to her work, but it was a good while later when she saw him at the coffee machine that she took this opportunity to give it one more shot.

She walked up to him with a coffee cup in hand, grabbing a tea bag and dousing it with hot water.

"If it helps," Olivia almost whispered. "I won't go."

He turned to her, eyes narrowed, "Olivia, how many times do I have to tell you I can't go?"

She gave it a moment before she said it.

"You can and you should." She told him firmly as if she wasn't buying this act.

He picked up his coffee and walked away from her and because she couldn't bare another argument she just shook her head and left it at that.


"Ok, lets hit the road." Munch announced, clearing a few items from his desk and clicking off his computer. Fin was out of his seat already doing the same.

Olivia looked over at Elliot, getting up and making her way over to his side.

"Last chance," she whispered so she was out of earshot of Munch and Fin.

Elliot didn't even look up, she just watched the top of his head for a good five seconds before she sighed and moved back to her desk, grabbing her coat.

"Ok let's go."


It was shoptalk, followed by guy talk before the conversation inevitably moved to Elliot.

"So what's going on with you and Elliot?" Munch asked the casual question that made her stomach spiral. She felt a lot more comfortable when they were discussing the job.

Olivia brought her eyebrows together in confusion, "What do you mean?" She did her best to sound oblivious.

"You barely even talk to each other." Fin interjected as if he'd been discussing this with Munch for some time.

She shrugged, "I guess we don't have much to say lately."

They didn't look like they were buying it so she continued.

"He has been a bit off lately." She tried to excuse him.

"Does he really have a parent/teacher conference tonight?" Fin asked suspiciously.

Olivia picked at the label on her beer, "Who knows? You guys know just as much as I do. He doesn't tell me anything."

She picked up her drink before throwing back the warm remnants and when it hit the table empty she changed the subject.

"Who wants another drink?" She tried with a small smile.


As she stood at the bar she was suddenly a lot more comfortable. She didn't care how long it took to be served so long as she was away from prying questions about her partner.

She kicked herself for even coming tonight but it would have looked quite off if both of them hadn't showed up so she was taking one for the team. Too bad that involved getting the brunt of their prying questions.

"Hi." A voice interrupted her thoughts and she was suddenly annoyed at the interruption. She looked over to this relatively attractive man that was for some reason talking to her.

"Hi." She repeated cautiously, giving him a questioning look, as if she was waiting for him to explain why he was talking to her.

"Can I buy you a drink?" He offered, moving closer so she could hear him over the crowd.

"No." She said bluntly and turned slightly away.

"No?" He let out a laugh, "Where are your manners? How about no thank you?"

She turned back to him, "No thank you." She repeated with a touch of sarcasm.

"Wow you're a real piece of work." He concluded and turned away gesturing the bartender. "Can I get a Corona please?" He told the bartender.

Olivia interrupted immediately.

"Excuse me, I was here first." She said with annoyance, she wouldn't ordinarily cause a fuss but this guy was being an ass.

"Well I did offer to buy you a drink." He reminded her.

She rolled her eyes and looked over to the questioning bartender, "I'll have three Budweiser's thanks."

"Four." The guy protested and pulled out a 50 dollar bill.

The bar tender quickly started to get the beers ready and Olivia turned to face him, "I thought you were getting a Corona." She said with annoyance.

"I'm flexible." He told her. "One of my many perks."

As the bartender lined up the last beer bottle this mystery man held out his 50 dollars and Olivia moved in quickly, grabbing his hand and pulling it away.

"You're not paying for mine." She told him firmly.

"Yes I am." He told her and she realized her hand was still on his arm.

She let it fall away, "Do you always get your way?" She asked annoyed.

"Not all the time." He concluded and she let him hand over the cash.

"I find that hard to believe." She noted as she picked up three of the bottles.

"Can I take you out to dinner sometime?" He asked casually.

She laughed. "No." She answered as if he were insane to ask after their unsavory interaction.

"See I don't always get my way." He replied with a small smile.

She shook her head at him, dismissing his joke.

"Thanks for the beers," she told him. "But I have to get back to my friends."

She was gone before he had a chance to stop her.


"Who was that?" Munch asked her and she was just thankful the question didn't involve Elliot.

"Some guy." She shook it off.

"He certainly had a lot to say to you." Fin smiled.

"He was an arrogant jerk." Olivia pointed out. "But this round was on him so I guess that's a win."

"Wow, we've got to get you buying the rounds more often." Munch said jovially.

She smiled sipping at the cold beer but before she got a good swig she was interrupted.

"Excuse me," came a voice and they all looked up to see the man from the bar. "Sorry to interrupt, but can I talk to you for a minute?" His attention was drawn to Olivia and she was looking shell-shocked.

"Ah no." She finally answered, her annoyance radiating.

He smiled at her, "It will only take a second."

"I'm trying to enjoy the night with my friends." She pointed out.

"Oh really, what's the occasion?" The guy enquired, seeming generally interested.

As she went to tell him to mind his own business Fin interjected, "It's John's birthday today."

"Wow, Happy Birthday." He told Munch and Munch nodded.

"Let me buy you a drink." He concluded.

Munch lifted his glass, "You already have." He pointed out.

"So I have, well if you need another one, I'll be right over there." He pointed to a crowd of businessmen he was with.

Just as he turned to leave, he hesitated leaning down to Olivia, "Have a good night." He told her quietly and then he was gone.

She rolled her eyes and the boys watched her.

"Well he isn't bad looking…" Munch informed her, "and he seems loaded."

"No, he's an arrogant prick who thinks he can get what he wants by flashing those pearly whites and his overflowing wallet." She finished off in a huff.

"Well you could do worse." Munch pointed out.

He was right. She could to a lot worse. But there was that nagging feeling inside that she couldn't shake off, that she was repelling this guy and anyone else who would dare try and approach her because Elliot.

Elliot.

Even when she wasn't thinking about him she was thinking about him. She was pissed off, she couldn't enjoy one night without him seeping into the picture. She took a large sip of her beer and got up swiftly taking her bottle with her.

"I'll be back." She declared as she left the table and headed towards the crowd of men.

She tapped the guy who had been talking to her on his back and he turned around, the circle of chatter radiating from the group of men slowly dying down at her presence.

All eyes were on her.

"You wanted to talk to me?" She asked him nonchalantly.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Ah yeah I did." He was caught off guard.

"Ok." She asked with a smile.

"Would you excuse me for a second?" He asked his friends and they all obliged enthusiastically.

He led her away from the pack and over towards a quiet area, all the while with his hand on the small of her back.

When they were out of the way of prying ears he spoke. "I thought you wanted to have a quiet night with your friends." He jogged her memory.

"I still do, so you better make this quick." She said with a neutral expression.

He couldn't help but laugh, "You're insane… you know that."

"So that's what you wanted to talk to me about, my sanity?" She cocked her head to the side.

"I didn't mean…" His words drifted off. "Hey, you came up to me." He reminded her.

"Yeah, and you came up to me twice before that." She pointed out.

"So what is this a competition now?" He laughed.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" She changed the subject.

He shook his head, "I wanted to see if maybe you'd changed your mind about dinner."

She smirked, "And why would you think I would have changed my mind?"

"Well I was hoping while I was gone, your friends would have convinced you that I was a quite the catch." He said with a smile.

She shook her head at him in disbelief, "You have some misguided arrogance there don't you?"

"I prefer to think of it as confidence, when I know what I want I go after it," he said matter-of-factly.

"And I suppose I'm what you want in this scenario?" She asked with her eyebrows still raised.

"Whose the arrogant one now?" He pushed.

"I'm far from arrogant." She told him, suddenly annoyed at his accusation.

"You're unbelievably arrogant, you just hide it well. For instance you won't even consider going out with me because obviously you think you're above me."

She laughed, "I don't think I'm above you, I just think you're a dick."

His eyes narrowed and he looked a little taken aback.

She continued, "And I don't go out with people who rely solely on their looks and their wallet."

"Right and you think that is all I have to offer?" He said with annoyance.

"That's all I've witnessed so far." She reached for her beer.

When she took a swig he stepped closer towards her, crowding her space. "You're a real bitch you know that." He whispered.

She dropped the bottle from her lips, scoffing at his blunt insult. "You're a real sweet talker too, lucky me."

"You came up to me," he reminds her again in a whisper, clearly getting frustrated with her. "You must have had a reason."

"I just wanted to make sure I hadn't missed anything," she told him through narrowed eyes. "And I can see now that I haven't."

His eyes flicked back and forth between hers until he decided he was finally done with her.

"Have a good night." He told her bitterly before he walked away.

She smiled, shaking her head. She honestly didn't care, he'd gotten what he deserved, a well needed dent in his ego. She walked towards Fin and Munch, throwing back what was left in the bottle until she realized it was just foam now.

"You want another round?" She asked hopefully.

"What happened, things looked like they were going well?" Fin pointed out.

She rolled her eyes, "I told him he was a dick."

Fin couldn't contain his laughter and Munch smiled, "You really know how to reel them in and spit them out."

She shrugged, "He had it coming." She defended herself. "So three beers?" She suggested to which they agreed.

Just as she turned to head to the bar Fin called out, "See if you can get him to shout us another round!"

She laughed, shaking her head. She stood there in the crowd of people and bit into her lip, she felt a little guilty for the way she'd spoken to that guy. She knew at the end of the day it had just been an excuse to take out her pent up anger on Elliot without the consequences at work.

She casually looked over to where he was standing and she noticed he was now talking to a blonde who looked no older than twenty. She smiled to herself just confirming her prior judgment of him.

As the person in front of her dispersed she stepped forward to the bartender just as a man to her right moved in. They almost collided, she looked over to realize it was the same guy. She was about to say something when he stepped back a little and motioned for her to go ahead, a look of pure irritation on his face.

"You know what, you go first, don't do me any favors." She told him. Clearly not wanting to get into it with him again.

"Oh no, by all means, don't let me hold you up - I'm sure some poor schmucks balls are just waiting to be crushed." He said in a rush.

His words hit home. She knew she had gone too far. It wasn't his fault she was pissed off that she could no longer communicate with Elliot.

'There's nothing to talk about.'

She sighed. "What do you want? I'll get it." She said fairly.

He narrowed his eyes at her, "How bout my balls back?" He muttered.

She nodded, "Fair enough, I was rude before, let me get you a drink to make up for it."

"It's going to take more than a drink." He pointed out.

She scoffed. "Well let's start with the drink and go from there." She told him sternly.

"Fine, I'll have a Corona and a Malibu splice." He told her straight-faced.

She bit into her lip but couldn't hide the smile, "Is the Corona for blondie over there?"

"Are you always this brutal?" He asked annoyed.

"I'm sorry, you don't make it easy."

Finally she turned to place her order, "Can I grab 3 Budweiser's, 1 Corona and … a Malibu splice."

She looked at him when she said the Malibu splice as if to rub it in that step further.

The bartender nodded and began preparing the drinks leaving them standing there in silence.

"So do you think you're in?" She asked him eyeing the blonde girl behind them.

"I'm sorry?" He asked confused. "Do I think I'm in?"

"Yeah, do you think you'll have her on her back by midnight?" She asked curiously.

"You think that is my aim?" He looked offended.

"I know that's your aim, it's every guys aim, so don't even try to deny it." She handed the bartender a 50 dollar note.

"Oh great, now you're stereotyping an entire gender. If you must know, my aim is not to get her on her back by midnight."

She raised her eyebrows at his emphasis on 'her'. She began to pick up her own drinks, motioning for him to do the same.

He didn't.

"Well," she said with the makings of a small smile, "good luck with that."

With that she walked away once more and headed back to her table, taking a seat next to Munch.

"So this is really turning into quite the state of affairs." Munch acknowledged.

"Looks like you two made up." Fin noted from across the booth.

She shrugged, "I wouldn't go that far," she said slipping into her seat.

"What's his name?" Fin asked.

She went to answer but hesitated, "I don't know…" she realized.

"That sounds promising." Munch laughed, "What does he do?"

Again, she hesitated. "No idea."

"What on earth were you two talking about?" Fin interjected.

She smiled, "God knows, so what did I miss?" She questioned.

"Absolutely nothing, we've been watching you two this whole time." Fin told her with a smile.

"Yes it's like a soap opera, we are just dying to see how it ends." Munch joked.

"I'd say it's time to change the channel." She took a sip from the beer. "Unless you want to watch him get it on with Malibu Barbie over there."

"Ooh sounds like a bit of jealousy there Liv." Munch nudged her.

Her lips curled into a smile, "Jealous?" She scoffed. "Far from it."

"Don't worry, ten to one he will come back to you any minute." Fin predicted.

She shook her head, continuing to down her beer.

"In fact, it looks like that minutes up." Munch whispered, his eyes motioning over Olivia's shoulder, suggesting he was walking over to her.

"Hilarious Munch, I'm not falling for your-"

"Hi." His voice made her jump slightly and she turned around. She went to say something but instead just gave him a confused look.

"So Karen had to go home." He informed her.

She nodded looking at her watch, "Well it is a school night."

"Funny." He noted without a smile.

"And?" She asked with annoyance.

He looked a little awkward, his eyes moving to Fin and Munch, "Well I thought I would take you up on your offer." He said slowly, all attention focused on him.

"My offer?" she laughed. "Ok, so now that Plan A is out the window, you're here for second best?" She asked in mock confusion.

He narrowed his eyes at her, "You were plan A until.." his words trailed off realizing they had company.

"Until?" She asked waiting for it.

He swallowed and then regained his composure.

"Hi I'm Adam." He introduced himself to the prying faces beside Olivia.

She mulled over his name, he didn't seem like an Adam, she had him pegged as a Steve or a Dave and now it seemed that name was ruined for her.

"Fin." "Munch." They practically said in union

He nodded, "Nice to meet you, and you are?" His attention drew to Olivia.

She smiled, "Thirsty." She told him lifting up her empty beer.

"Come on, how many more rounds do we have to go until you tell me your name?" Adam sighed.

She picked at the label on her bottle, about to say something in refusal when Munch beat her to it.

"Yeah come on Olivia, just tell him your name."

She glared at Munch, Fin couldn't help but laugh.

"Olivia… you don't look like an Olivia." He studied her.

"Yeah well you don't look like an Adam." She said standing up. "Do you guys want another beer?" She offered only to the two men sitting down.

"No Liv, you've done enough." Fin told her getting up, "We'll get this round." He indicated for Munch to join him. "You two take a seat and get to know each other." He said with a smile.

Olivia looked horrified and tried to refuse but Munch and Fin were already up.

"What can I get you?" Fin asked Adam.

"Wow, thank you, whatever you're having." He requested with a smile and then suddenly they were gone.

"You're not joining us." She told Adam flat out, once they were out of ear shot.

"I've already been invited Olivia." He told her.

She screwed up her face at the unnecessary use of her name.

"Well I'm uninviting you." She told him through gritted teeth.

He ignored her and took a seat, waiting for her to do the same. It was a circle booth so she took the liberty of sitting opposite him, as far away from him as she could.

"I don't get you, first you're an absolute bitch to me, then you're all over me, now you're back to being a bitch again?" He let out.

Her eyebrows rose, "Ah, when was I all over you?" She said with defense.

Before he could respond she continued, "And aside from that I just love how you censor yourself in front of my friends, then as soon as they are out of ear shot you open fire."

"They shouldn't have to be subjected to our arguing." Adam shrugged.

"Neither should I." She said through gritted teeth.

"Are you intending on sitting as far away from me as possible for the entire night?"

She didn't answer him, just picked at the label on the beer.

He took it upon him to slide over closing the distance between them and she glared at him as he neared.

"What?" he questioned. "I can't hear your comebacks from way over there." He gave her a small smile.

She shook her head and looked away.

"So why did Malibu Barbie leave?" She changed the subject. "Did you scare her off?"

"I think she was bored of me, we didn't have much to talk about."

"Yeah and we have too much." Olivia pointed out.

"Plus," he began. "I don't think she was too keen on me talking to you at the bar before."

She smiled, "Oh that's too bad, I'm sure you're missing out on some real stimulating conversation right now."

"You don't have to stereotype the woman, just because she's got blonde hair and big…"

He stopped himself before he went too far.

She raised her eyebrows, "Whose stereotyping now?"

"Well it's not like you'd have any complaints in that area." He told her, his eyes moving down to her chest.

She was wearing a reasonably tight top that dipped slightly, revealing the tops of her breasts.

"What are you, a C, maybe D?" He guessed, still looking at her breasts.

"You're a real charmer aren't you?" She shoved him forcibly in the side to get his eyes off her chest.

"When was the last time you had sex?" He asked her bluntly.

"Excuse me?" She asked angrily, turning to face him.

"Well I was just thinking, if you treat all the guys you are attracted to like this then it's probably been a while." He said knowingly.

She scoffed. "You're so far up yourself it's unbelievable, what makes you think I'm attracted to you?"

"I know you are, and don't even try and call me arrogant when you had your nose turned up at me the moment I spoke to you at the bar." He told her.

"It's not arrogance, I had my guard up and still do, because most guys that look like pricks and act like pricks, generally turn out to be pricks and what do you know," she laughed, "No surprise here. So if you're going to get rude and intrusive when was the last time you had sex with someone with a higher IQ than you because I can't imagine any self respecting girl would stoop so low." She finished off in a yell.

There was a brief pause, he just eyed her before he cleared his throat.

"My sex life doesn't concern you."

"Well my sex life certainly doesn't concern you," she hissed in return.

"That's because yours doesn't exist," he smiled, before taking another swig of his beer.

She shook her head turning away.

"Unbelievable." She scoffed under her breath.

She gave it a few moments before she started to stand up. She was calling it. She was done. This was ending now. But as she made her move it seemed the universe had other plans for her. It wasn't Adam that stopped her this time, it was Fin and Munch returning with the drinks and blocking her path.

Fin handed her a fresh beer.

"Listen thanks Fin, but I'm going to head home." She told him, not taking the bottle.

"Aww come on Liv, just one more," he motioned down to the cold drink in his hand. "Munch has been looking forward to this for months, he'd be gutted if you left so soon."

She sighed, she didn't know how much of this she could take but Fin was already ushering her back to her seat and she reluctantly sat back down, shaking her head at how frustrating she found this situation. If Elliot had just come tonight like he should have done she wouldn't have found herself in such an uncomfortable situation.

Adam was already making small talk with Munch so she brought the fresh bottle up to her lips and sculled close to half of it in one swig. She figured she needed some sort of a buzz to get through this and the sooner she finished this drink the sooner she could go.

When her beer bottle returned to the table she absentmindedly began to pick at the corner of the beer label again, silently working on her getaway plan.

"You know that is a sign of sexual frustration." Adam interrupted the conversation to tell her loudly.

She fumed.

Munch laughed, "You're pretty spot on there." He revealed and Olivia's eyes widened.

"John!" She glared at him and he shrugged defensively, "Well when was the last time I saw you with a man?" He commented matter-of-factly.

She could sense the smile on Adam's lips and she picked up her beer, "It's not like I parade them around the station." She pointed out angrily.

She began to skull the rest of the beer, desperate to get away from this conversation and this entire night.

Munch held up his hands. "Ok, ok, fair point."

She took the lull in the conversation as her cue and returned the empty bottle back to the table with a loud thud.

"On that note, I'm off." She announced. "Happy Birthday Munch," she said with a forced smile.

With that, she stepped backwards intent on leaving but a large body collided with hers, a hand flinging out and steadying her from falling.

"Elliot," Munch called out from the booth. "You came."

Olivia's stomach dropped when she felt her partner behind her and she looked down to see his hand still holding her stomach. She turned hurriedly around, knocking his bottle of beer in the process, foam spilling to the top and rushing to the floor.

"Jesus," she stepped out of the flow of the beer, mumbling an apology as she started reaching over the table for some napkins.

"It's ok," Elliot held his beer with his other hand as he shook off the liquid from his other. She stepped forward with some napkins and he took them off her reluctantly.

"Jesus what is with you two and drinks," Munch commented.

That's when she remembered the coffee at the precinct. Olivia sucked in a breath, suddenly unsure of where to go from here. She had been 100 percent intent on leaving, but now with Elliot here she was panicked at the thought of leaving him here with Adam.

"You heading off?" Elliot asked her.

She turned back to the group and then slowly nodded, figuring leaving would be marginally less awkward than staying.

"Yeah I am." She confirmed. "We can tag team." She forced a smile.

Elliot nodded. Not making an effort to return her smile.

He wasn't objecting and she wasn't going to backtrack now.

A part of her almost wished for Munch or Fin to object just once more to her leaving but when all she was faced with was silence she simply forced that smile wider and told her coworkers she would see them tomorrow.

With that she left the bar, hoping to God that Adam would keep his mouth shut and Elliot would keep his comments to himself.


Thank you for your reviews and your comments! Jealous Elliot is coming up next.