Elliot heard Amy's comment and saw the blush in Olivia's cheeks, and there was an awkward pause as he fumbled with what to say. If he said he liked it, then he would be admitting that he had been thinking about how that slinky black dress would fit like a second skin, accentuating every curve. That there was barely anything to it, and that there would be a lot of bronze skin showing… so much bare leg and cleavage. If he said he didn't like it, he was pretty sure one would believe him. He hadn't exactly hidden his reaction.

"Wouldn't let one of my daughters wear that." He said, keeping true to a character everyone could relate to. Overbearing father and general asshole. Before anyone could say anything else, he turned and headed for the locker room. He couldn't stand there for another minute. He was consumed with the thought of seeing Olivia in that dress.

Olivia pulled the dress away from her body and gathered up the material in her hands. She scooped up the other items of clothing on her desk, walked around her desk and over to Elliot's, and started stuffing them into the bags. She had been angry with Elliot before, when he left with John, but for reasons she couldn't even identify, she was even more pissed now.

She hadn't exactly expected him to admit that he liked the dress. But with the way his eyes had trailed down her body and the way his skin flushed, she hadn't expected him to pull out a comment that basically let her know he thought it was too risqué. Hypocrite.

It almost made her want to wear the damn thing.

"Where did Elliot go?" Amy asked, taking the dress from Olivia's hands after her third attempt to stuff it into the paper bag.

Olivia looked up at her and stared at her. All this mess had started with her. Amy Maddox, stirring the pot. She and Elliot had been just fine…

Maybe that's why she didn't have any girlfriends.

"You need to go. Now." She picked up the bags and thrust them at Amy. "I'm working."

"Olivia…" Amy seemed genuinely confused by Olivia's anger.

Olivia sighed, trying to soften her tone. She shouldn't really be mad at her. Amy had stumbled into a situation she knew nothing about, and as usual, had no filter and held nothing back. "I'm working." She said more quietly. "I'll meet up with you later."

Amy hesitated for a second, and then took the bags from Olivia. "I didn't…"

Olivia wasn't sure what she was going to say, but she didn't let her finish. "I know." She glanced over at Munch and Fin, and saw they were watching the entire thing. They had the good grace to look away when her eyes connected with theirs.

"You're going to show up, right?" Amy asked.

Olivia nodded. "I'll be there." Amy gave her a quick hug and left quickly and quietly. As soon as she was gone, Olivia let out a sigh. The last two days had been an emotional roller coaster. It wasn't as if no one else had stirred the pot a little. Casey had grilled her now and then. The difference between Casey and Amy was that Casey understood the situation a little better. She knew the history. And she never said anything in public…or to Elliot.

Olivia walked back to her chair and sank down. She was tired. It had always been difficult to navigate her relationship with Elliot. Even more so in the last six months. She didn't know how long they go on like this. Maybe Amy's meddling was only pushing them to the inevitable.

She sighed again, and then pushed herself out of her chair. She was going to go home, take a deep breath, and have a few hours to herself. Then she was going to go out with her friends. And she wasn't going to think about Elliot.

She walked into the locker room to get her things, but stopped when she saw Elliot's locker ajar. When he had walked out of the squad room, she had assumed he had gone home. Maybe he had, and just hadn't closed his locker. She walked up and slammed it closed, but it bounced back open, stopping about halfway open as it had before. She looked to see what might be blocking it, and saw one of his shoes jutting out from the bottom. She peered inside his locker and saw his clothes hanging inside, and she knew he must have gone into the small gym next to the locker room. She kicked his shoe inside and slammed the door shut, determined to get her things and get out of there.

She had just opened her locker when she heard movement to her left. She willed herself not to turn; her instinct telling her it was Elliot. He must have paused just inside the doorway, and she was glad that he recognized the tension between them. She still couldn't get over the fact that he'd taken Munch out on the call with him.

She heard him shuffle up behind her, and then climb over the bench, until he was standing in front of his locker. Olivia pulled out her gym bag, intending to take everything home for the weekend. It took all her concentration not to look over at him. It took every bit of control not to yell at him for pulling that shit on her today.

"I wish you would have been with me today on this case." Elliot said quietly. He meant what he said. Even though he had been the one to shut her out, he had wished she was by his side.

Olivia froze as she was sliding her workout clothes into the bag in her hand. His statement made it sound like she was the one that had decided not to accompany him today, and she was about to lay into him when he continued.

"This girl. Zoe. She was young. And scared. We got her out of there but…" Elliot let out a big sigh. "I kept thinking that if you were there…she may have felt…" He stopped again. He and Munch had done what they could for her. They had taken her to a group home, gotten her set up and into the hands of people that could help her. But the girl had been quiet and scared. It was two more men determining her fate. Olivia would have gotten through to the girl; made her feel safe. Maybe open up. "She would have talked to you."

Olivia sat down on the bench, and dropped the bag on the floor. She didn't look at Elliot, and she could tell by his stance that he was looking into his locker. He hadn't moved as he told her this, and he hadn't apologized for leaving her behind. But maybe he was, in his own way, telling her he needed her at his side. Maybe it was his way of apologizing.

She felt as if she should say something, but then he was moving. She looked up and saw him pull a sweatshirt out of his locker and put it on. He grabbed his clothes and stuffed them in a bag very similar to her own. He didn't look at her, and he didn't say another word. When he slammed his locker door closed, she was broken from her reverie.

"El…"

Elliot couldn't look at her. The tension was palpable. He knew he had fucked up this morning…last night…this afternoon. She was angry and hurt, and he was…frustrated. He would like to say he didn't know how they got here but he did. He heard her say his name, but he shut her down.

"Have fun with Amy this weekend." He didn't look at her as he walked out of the room.

For the first time in a long time, Olivia felt like she could cry. She didn't want to be angry anymore. She wanted to run after him and tell him that the needed to put all this bullshit behind them and finally be honest with each other. But instead, she stayed rooted in place.

Because that's what they did.

EOEOEOEOEO

Olivia had gone home and taken a long, hot shower, trying to wash off the stress of the day. Now, two hours later, she was dressed. Make-up on, hair done, bags packed. She was wearing a simple black dress. It was sleeveless, with a slightly scoop-necked. Form-fitting without clinging. It showed off just enough cleavage, and fell to a respectable length, just above her knees. It was a little sexy, but not over the top, and was a lot better option for her than what Amy had bought. Her one concession was a pair of killer heels in a leopard print…something Casey had found on clearance and somehow convinced her to buy. She had never worn them.

An available taxi just happened to drive by as she stepped outside of her apartment, and she hoped that was a good omen for the night. It only took about twenty minutes to get to the Hilton Midtown, and Olivia took that as another good sign. This evening was an improvement over the day.

She had texted Amy when she hit the lobby, so she had the door of her room already propped open when Olivia got to the tenth floor of the hotel. She pushed open the door and called out Amy's name, ready to admonish her about propping her door open. Amy came out of the bathroom when she heard Olivia's voice, and she had a huge smile on her face.

"I'm so happy you're here." She said, a huge smile on her face that went right to her eyes. She was definitely being sincere.

"Did you think I wouldn't show up?" Olivia asked.

Amy walked around the couch in the small seating area of the suite, and she walked up to Olivia and gave her a hug. She pulled back, with that same smile on her face. "Honestly? I thought you might bail."

Olivia cocked her head, as if in disbelief. But then she realized that Amy was probably right to think that might happen. She hadn't exactly been in the best mood since Amy showed up. "Yeah. Well, I'm glad I didn't." She settled herself into one of the oversized chairs, kicking off her heels, and curling both legs to the side.

Amy sat on the couch, and leaned over, opening a bottle of wine that was sitting on the coffee table. "Really?" She filled a glass half full of the dark red wine, and handed it to Olivia. She poured herself a glass, and settled back on the couch.

"I really am glad you're here Amy." Olivia said. "You just caught me on a rough day, and I was so surprised to see you. And I know that maybe I haven't been in the best mood since you've been here…" She took a sip of wine.

Amy took that opportunity to jump in. "You were OK when just you and I were out grabbing dinner." She pointed out. "It was when the rest of your friends showed up that things started going south."

Olivia wanted to object. It had been fine until Elliot started flirting with Amy. Or what she thought had been flirting. But she didn't want to bring that up now. "I was just tired."

Amy smiled…a knowing smile. "You know that I know you Olivia. Right? I lived with you for four years. I know when you're lying and when you're telling the truth. When you're going to hook up and leave some guy with his heart in pieces…and I know when you think you're in love."

"That was years ago. We've both changed." Olivia said, taking a long drink of her wine. She knew where this conversation was going, and frankly, she didn't want to go there.

Amy took a drink of her wine, and held the glass in her hand, swirling the contents. A half minute later, she leaned forward and set it down on the table. "The Olivia Benson I knew wasn't afraid of anything." She said.

Olivia lifted her head and looked directly at Amy. "I'm not afraid of anything." She said with conviction.

"Bullshit." Said Amy, a challenge in her voice.

Olivia shook her head and looked back down at her wine. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"I didn't. But we were at dinner and I made one comment about your partner, and I knew. It was written all over your face." She let out a small chuckle. "And you shut that conversation down pretty quickly. And then when we were at the bar, and we came back, you were jealous. You thought I was flirting with him and you were furious."

"You're reaching Ame. Really." Olivia said, trying to keep her face neutral.

"That must get really tiring." Amy said, and Olivia looked up at her sharply again. "For both of you." She refilled her wine glass and picked it up again. She looked at Olivia, but when she didn't say anything, she kept going. "I'm your friend. You used to tell me everything. We used to be able to talk. You know you can trust me to keep your secrets, just like you keep mine. Don't you think you might feel better if you had someone to talk to about this…thing?"

Olivia drained her glass. "There's nothing to tell."

Amy looked at her for a second. and then sighed as she pushed herself up from the couch. "Fine." She walked by Olivia as she headed for the bedroom, but as she passed the chair, Olivia grasped her around the wrist. Amy stopped and waited.

"I'm not good at talking about things."

"You never were." Amy said, still standing in place.

"I don't know where to begin." Olivia said quietly.

Amy turned as Olivia's hand dropped, and she headed back to the couch, curling her legs beneath her and tucking her robe around her legs. "How about you start at the beginning?"

"We don't have that much time." Olivia said, and she couldn't help but smile a little.

"We have two hours and two bottles of wine. Vodka as a backup." Amy said.

Olivia took a deep breath and she started talking.

EOEOEOEOEO

Two hours later, Olivia was tucked into the back of a taxi with Amy, headed towards a club called Chaos. Olivia thought the name was appropriate, considering the last two hours. She had poured out everything to Amy, and as usual, Amy was a good listener. She didn't interrupt. She didn't try to give advice. She asked questions or suggested another viewpoint, with far less skepticism and judgment than Olivia expected. And in the end, when Olivia confessed that she as in love with Elliot, Amy only asked one question. What are you going to do about it? Not what are you going to wait for Elliot to do. What are you going to do?

And then she made another comment that stuck with her. And if you're not willing to do anything, then you can't expect him to, and you have to accept the status quo.

There had been a few tears on her part, but the conversation had pretty much ended there. They had agreed not to talk about it anymore that night. They had rushed to get Amy dressed, touched up their make-up and here they were…speeding off to Chaos.

When they arrived, Chloe and Jamie were already there, and they had snagged some seats on some low couches. The music was loud…the heavy bass setting a rhythm for those on the dancefloor. A bar was off to the right of the dance floor, and there were tables and chairs on the other two sides. Up a few steps, was another level on the opposite side of the bar, and that's where they were perched. The couches were comfortable, and they had a small table in front of them.

The women all hugged and spent the next fifteen minutes just saying hi and exchanging the usual banter…on how everyone looked the same or looked great. Then the waitress arrived and took drink orders and the night began in earnest.

Olivia was happy that she'd been so busy talking at the hotel, she hadn't had more than two glasses of wine. Amy had finished off a bottle by herself, so on the cab ride over, Olivia had already designated herself as the sober one for the evening.

Olivia was surprised when she looked at her watch and saw it was after midnight. The last couple of hours had been a blur as the talked and laughed, drank and danced. Sometimes with each other, sometimes with the various guys that asked them. But for the most part, each one of them had declined any invitations for a drink or another dance; they were having a great time with each other.

Amy was currently sitting next to Olivia, an arm draped over her shoulder, telling Olivia how much she loved her in a drunken slur. And Jamie and Chloe were digging up stories about similar situations in their college days. Olivia knew she was going to have to leave soon, before Amy passed out on her, but she wanted the evening to last. This was just what she needed, and she vowed to make this happen again. Soon.

Not necessarily the club and the music. Just time away from work…a night out with someone she didn't work with. A chance to talk about something other than the horrible things they saw.

Another hour had passed, and while Amy hadn't had anything else to drink, they all agreed it was time to go. Olivia wanted to take this chance to get back to the hotel before Amy had another drink. They gathered their things and walked out of the bar, and the relative silence outside was almost deafening.

There was a line of people waiting for a cab, and Chloe suggested they walk a block down and catch a cab on the cross street. Jamie and Olivia begrudgingly agreed, and she dragged Amy along with her. Olivia was worried that Chloe and Jamie were sober enough to get home.

"Maybe we should all pile in one cab." She suggested. But they shot her down, and Chloe insisted she was nearly sober, so Olivia let it slide. They took the first cab, and after they said their goodbyes, they were gone.

Olivia had her arm draped around Amy's waist, and although she was standing, Amy's eyes were closed and her head drooped a little. She was leaning heavily on Olivia, and she shifted to try to get a better grip on her friend.

"What's wrong with her?"

Olivia jumped as she heard a man's voice behind her. She turned, and Amy stumbled slightly at her quick move. The man reached out to steady her, grasping Amy's shoulders. The next thing she knew, he had pulled Amy away from her, and had his arm wrapped around her, holding her up.

"Hey!" said Olivia. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What did you do to her? Is she drunk?" he asked, completely ignoring her question.

Olivia was momentarily confused. She wasn't drunk, but she wasn't clear-headed either, and she stared at him for a moment. This man seemed to know Amy…but Amy didn't live in New York City anymore.

"Amy." He said in a loud voice, shaking her gently. "Amy!" He put his hand underneath her chin, and lifted her head.

"Get your hands off her." Olivia said, taking a step towards them. She cursed her heels…and her dress…and the fact that she didn't have her gun. But she was experienced in self-defense, and this asshole was going to get a knee in his crotch. "Step away from her." He continued to ignore her, and luckily, he was focused on Amy as she closed the distance between them.

"Jason?"

Olivia froze when she heard his name fall from Amy's lips…and she registered the sound of confusion in Amy's voice. Then Olivia saw panic register on Amy's face as she struggled against him.

"NYPD! Let her go!" Olivia said, charging at him. She saw Jason release Amy and Amy fell to the ground. But she was so intent on Amy that she didn't see his fist coming until it was too late.

And then the world went black.