AN: Thanks for continuing to read this story. It takes a while to get to know a character, so thanks for being patient as we try to figure her out.

EOEOEOEO

Elliot was standing between Fin and Munch, watching the interaction between Olivia and Amy. They were speaking in hushed tones, but he could tell that Olivia was pissed by the expression on her face, and her body language. Munch and Fin were arguing about the specifics of a case they were working on, so he had no hope of hearing them, but he saw Olivia look up at him quickly and then turn her attention back to Amy.

"You're out of your damn mind." Said Fin, sliding off his stool, and Elliot turned his attention back to the two of them. They argued like this all the time, so he wasn't particularly worried about it, but Olivia had looked up at him again and given him an odd look. He couldn't keep staring at them from across the table.

"C'mon kids. Play nice." Elliot said, trying to ignore the two women.

"He'll sleep on it and realize I'm right." Munch said, drinking the last of his beer and sliding off the stool himself.

Elliot was about to ask what item they were specifically discussing, but then decided he didn't want to know.

Fin must have had the same idea. He shook his head, but let the matter drop. It was obvious had hadn't been paying attention to the intense discussion happening between Olivia and Amy, because he rounded the table, placing a hand on Olivia's shoulder.

Elliot saw her glance up at him again, and he realized that he must be the topic of their conversation. He furrowed his brow slightly and Olivia looked away, back at Fin. He heard Fin tell Amy it was nice to meet her and to have a good time in New York, and tell Olivia he would see her tomorrow.

"You staying?" Munch asked, slapping Elliot on the shoulder.

Elliot turned to look at John. "Oh. Um. No. I guess not." He nodded his head towards Olivia. "I'm just gonna make sure Liv and Amy are OK, and then I'm gonna head home."

Munch gave him a quick salute as he started around the table. "See you tomorrow."

Elliot watched as Munch said his goodbyes. Olivia gave Elliot another surreptitious glance, confirming his suspicions that they had been discussing him. He wondered what had ticked her off. He thought back to everything he had said or done since he had arrived. He'd barely spoken to Olivia. He hadn't chimed in when Munch and the others were digging for dirt…in fact, he had forced a change in the conversation by going to the bar with Amy.

Amy.

Was Olivia jealous?

He couldn't imagine that. He had never seen her display a moment of jealousy before, although there weren't many opportunities for it to come up. But knowing her, it wouldn't be a trait he attributed to her. That couldn't be it.

Still…

He had been at the bar with Amy for quite a while. It hadn't been intentional. The bartender had just been swamped…and slow. When they came back…that was when her behavior and attitude had changed.

He hadn't done anything…he hadn't even touched Amy except for the time they were squished together at the bar as they waited. That was just a result of the number of people at the bar. She had to know that he would never…ever…date a friend of hers.

He glanced over and saw Olivia staring into her beer while Amy leaned in close to talk to her.

Wait a minute…if Olivia was jealous…what did that mean?

He let that thought sink in for a moment. He knew they were closer than they should be, and that his feelings had gone way beyond the plutonic love one has for a friend. He had always thought (hoped?), that Olivia had the same feelings for him. But she was a master of masking her emotions…so he could never be sure. It's what kept him in this state of suspension. Never moving forward…never telling her how he felt.

But tonight…that mask had cracked. Unless he was reading her completely wrong.

But he didn't think he was.

His thoughts were interrupted as he saw Olivia and Amy moving off their barstools.

"We're leaving." Olivia said, trying to keep her tone neutral. She glanced only briefly at Elliot as she said it, and she saw a strange expression on his face. "What?"

Elliot shook his head slightly. "What?" He wasn't sure if she had said something and he had missed it…

Olivia furrowed her brow, and noticed the expression was gone. "Nothing. I said we're leaving."

"Yeah, I heard you." He said. "Are you going to dinner?" he asked.

"We're going back to Olivia's and order in some food." Amy offered up. "She's tired and it's been a long day for me too."

Olivia nodded. She was more than tired…and more than done talking. Well…listening. Amy had been trying to convince Olivia that her conversation at the bar with Elliot was innocent. Questions about the job and working with Olivia…but nothing personal. She wasn't sure if she believed her. She told Amy once again that she didn't care…and once again Amy had challenged her.

They had finally agreed to drop it and talk later when they noticed Fin and Munch getting ready to leave.

Olivia went through the motions as they said goodbye, but her mind was focused elsewhere.

She thought back to her reaction when Elliot and Amy seemed to linger at the bar. There had been a moment of pure jealousy…when she saw Amy snuggled up with Elliot. It had snuck up on her…that little green-eyed monster…and bit her firmly in the ass. The vehemence of her emotion surprised her…forcing her feelings for her partner to the surface...when she thought she had them firmly locked away. She wasn't ready to explore them…not tonight.

"Liv?"

Olivia looked up and saw Elliot standing in front of her. Elliot reached over and placed his hand lightly on the back of her shoulder. "You OK?"

Olivia shrugged his hand off. "I'm fine."

Elliot could still hear a little anger in her tone and he bit back a smile. If she had indeed been jealous, he imagined it was pissing her off right about now. He had to admit that he wanted to push her a little…he needed to know if his assessment of the situation was wrong. He wondered… if he pushed her hard enough, would she admit anything to him? "OK. Just wanted to know if you wanted a ride home."

"A ride would be great!" Amy said, enthusiasm in her voice.

Elliot glanced over at her, and wondered what she had told Olivia about their conversation. Was she stirring things up? Her questions had been guarded at the bar…asking him how he liked working with Olivia. Questions about how much time they spent together outside of work and what kinds of things they did together. Questions that nibbled around the edges of what they were to each other, but no direct questions about the nature of their relationship. Her questions had made him wonder if somehow, Olivia had sent her to feel him out…suss out his feelings for her. But he had quickly shut that line of thinking down. Olivia wouldn't do that. If he knew her as well as he thought she did, and if she had any feelings for him, he was pretty certain she was as much in denial as he was.

Still…what had Amy told Olivia?

Olivia had said they were good friends, and that they had been able to trust each other. He could tell by the way they talked about their college days, that they had confided in each other. For Olivia, that would have been huge. He assumed Amy knew about her past…it was very likely she knew more about Olivia than he did.

Still, Olivia didn't know her now. Time changed people. He was reserving judgment.

"We can walk Amy." Olivia said. She didn't want a ride from Elliot. She felt this tension between the three of them, and she just wanted to go home. She was tired, but was also a little buzzed. Nothing over the top, but just enough to leave her feeling a little less in control of her thoughts and emotions. "It's just a few blocks."

'I'll walk you then." Said Elliot. He could see Olivia wasn't herself, and while he didn't know Amy, he thought she was probably a little drunk too. Her eyes were a little glassy and her smile just a little too bright. These two, walking down the street, would get lots of male attention, and he wasn't going to leave anything to risk.

"For Christ's sake El." Olivia said, in her most annoyed tone. "I'm fine. She motioned towards Amy. "We're fine." She patted her purse. "And I'm armed." She glanced up at Amy, and saw she was just watching the interaction between the two of them.

"Maybe better safe than sorry." Amy said.

Olivia narrowed her eyes at her, wondering what she was up to. Or maybe she was being paranoid. She looked back at Elliot, and he was just standing there, trying to keep his expression neutral. Smart man. "Fine. Whatever. I'm too tired to keep standing here and arguing."

Olivia stepped away from the table, and the heel of her boot got tangled in the legs of the barstool. She grabbed for the table as she fell backwards, but she missed. She let out a curse, but then she felt Elliot's arm behind her lower back as he caught her.

"You OK?"

Now Olivia was really annoyed. She wasn't drunk, and now she had just given him a reason to think she was. She struggled against him as he lifted her back into a standing position. "I'm fine." She said quickly. She noticed that his hand lingered on her lower back, even though she had regained her balance.

Elliot looked down at her for a moment. She said she was fine, but now he wasn't so certain. She seemed off her game, but to be fair, it had been a long couple of days, and then the surprise visit. He decided to drop it, since she had already begrudgingly agreed to let him walk her home. He nodded towards the door. "OK. Let's go."

Olivia headed towards the door, following Amy. And she found she was a little disappointed when Elliot let his hand drop from her back.

EOEOEOEO

Olivia rushed into the squad room, looking at Cragen's office door as she dropped her things on her desk. She saw Cragen's door was closed, and she said a silent prayer of thanks. She was almost an hour late, and that didn't usually go over too well. Especially since she hadn't called.

She glanced at Elliot's empty desk chair, wondering where he was. Then it struck her that he may not be at his desk because he was in Cragen's office. Damn it.

"Morning Liv."

Olivia jumped as Elliot walked up behind her.

"Sorry." He said, as he walked past her and sat down in his chair. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's fine." She said. She was just happy that he wasn't in Cragen's office.

"You and Amy up late last night?" Elliot asked.

Olivia avoided looking at him by sorting through the message slips on her desk. "I don't know. Not really." When they had gotten back to Olivia's apartment, they had ordered in. Olivia had taken a shower, and the food was there by the time she was finished. They talked very little as they ate, and Olivia felt bad about it, but she just wasn't up to it. They had watched a movie for a while, but Olivia had finally had to call it a night…asking Amy to stay over. Amy hadn't argued, already half asleep on the couch, and Olivia had gone to bed after giving her some bedding.

Olivia had fallen into bed…but had slept fitfully. She couldn't get Amy's words out of her head. You guys seem close. Have you seen the way he looks at you? He's sexy as hell. She had finally drifted off a little after 4 and woke up at 7, realizing she hadn't set an alarm. Normally, she didn't need one. She woke up tired and cranky…and frustrated as hell.

And now she was facing her sexy as hell partner.

She just wasn't up for it.

"So, you and Amy were good friends huh?" Elliot noticed Olivia was working hard not to look at him.

"Do you mind El? I have some calls to return." Olivia picked up her phone, wishing she could just get through this day and slip into the weekend. She couldn't deal with Elliot today. She need to sleep. She needed to clear her head. She needed to talk to Amy again, and find out what Elliot had said. Or what she saw between them. Only then would she allow herself to examine her feelings for him…and ponder whether or not he had feelings for her.

And then she had to decide what to do about it.

EOEOEOEO

Olivia managed to avoid Elliot for most of the morning, but he had finally had enough by lunch. He sidled up to her desk, and perched himself on the edge of it, forcing her to lean back in her chair to look up at him. "Am I missing something?" he asked, sliding his hand across his face before he dropped it down and gripped the edge of the desk.

Olivia hesitated a second before she answered, deciding to go with denial. "No."

"Then why are you avoiding me?"

"I'm not." Olivia said, forcing herself to keep looking at him.

Elliot stared back down at her. "You're a horrible liar Olivia."

"Why do you think I'm lying?" she asked, and then kicked herself for asking. She didn't want to hear his theories.

"I don't know. But you've been acting strange since last night." He wanted to add that she'd been acting strange since he'd gone to the bar with Amy, but he wasn't going to push her right now.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "I'm tired El. It's been a long week and I've barely had any sleep. It doesn't have anything to do with you." She hoped he bought her explanation.

Elliot sucked his bottom lip beneath his teeth and considered her words. It could be true. Maybe it was all in his mind. And even though he didn't think it was, he decided to let it go. "If you say so."

His comment pissed her off, because it meant he didn't believe her. Then she reminded herself that she really couldn't get pissed off because she wasn't being truthful with him. "Can I get back to work now?" she asked, motioning towards her desk.

"Fine." Elliot said, pushing himself off her desk and walking back to his. He sat and mulled over Olivia's strange behavior for a few minutes, but then was interrupted when Cragen walked out of his office.

"Who's up?" He asked, holding out a message slip.

"We are." Elliot said, snatching the slip from his hand. He looked over at Olivia and saw her shoulders slump as she started to push herself out of her chair. He turned back to the Captain. "If you don't mind, I'm gonna take Munch with me." If Olivia wanted space, he was going to give it to her.

Olivia was dumbfounded, and she watched as Cragen looked at each of them and then settled back on Elliot. "Your call." He said, and headed back into his office. Elliot grabbed his jacket and walked over to John's desk. She was still standing there when he turned to look at her.

"Hope you get some rest." Elliot said, his tone neutral…cool. Then he walked out with John.