They walked outside and found that the sun was setting.
"Where to now?" Olivia asked as they walked back to Alex's car.
Alex paused at the door of her car, looking over the roof at Olivia, "Take me somewhere."
"Anywhere?" Olivia asked, opening her door.
Alex nodded, "Take me anywhere."
Olivia drove them around for a while before actually deciding where to go.
"Do you know where we're going?" Alex asked with a playful smile, "Or are you just driving in circles?"
"I'm thinking," Olivia replied, "You said anywhere. Anywhere is a lot of places."
Alex reclined her seat a little and closed her eyes, "Well take your time."'
Olivia's phone rang a few minutes later and she managed to answer it without waking Alex up. "Hey El…mm hmm…we'll be there." Olivia hung up and changed their course.
Olivia nudged Alex awake.
"Huh?" Alex asked.
"We're here," Olivia smiled.
Alex sat up and looked around. She then looked at Olivia, raising an eyebrow, "Precinct 16?"
Olivia nodded, "C'mon."
Alex straightened out her hair and followed Olivia inside.
Olivia pushed open the door of the squad room to find, Elliot, Munch, Fin, and Cragen all wearing cardboard party hats standing around a cake on Olivia's desk. There were makeshift streamers all around made out of police tape and toilet paper. There was a huge handwritten sign that said, "Alex is our Hero!"
"Surprise!" the men yelled.
"What?" Alex raises an eyebrow.
"It's a surprise party," Elliot smiled, "For our hero. You."
"How am I a hero?" Alex asked.
Munch picked up a newspaper next to him and started reading from it, "Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot dove into the choppy waters of the East River to rescue Detective Olivia Benson who had been stabbed by a unnamed assailant causing the detective's ten foot fall into the icy water below. ADA Cabot was hospitalized with hypothermia and Detective Benson was given ten stitches for her stab wound. Both women are expected to make a full recovery." Munch smiled and pretended to keep reading, "Miss Cabot's co-workers now realize that she is a valuable, overworked and unappreciated asset to the team."
Alex beamed, "Thanks. This is great."
Fin walked over and handed Alex and Olivia cardboard party hats. Olivia looked at Alex expectantly. Alex shook her head.
Olivia put her hat on, "Party pooper."
Alex rolled her eyes and put the party hat on.
Fin started lighting the candles while everyone else chatted with Alex.
"Alright," Fin looked at Alex, "Time to make a wish."
Alex walked over to the cake that said "Alex is our hero." She closed her eyes and muttered her wish to herself. Then she blew out the candles.
"What'd you wish for?" Elliot asked.
Alex smiled, "If I tell you it won't come true."
"Will you tell us after it comes true?" Olivia asked.
"Of course," Alex nodded.
Fin cut the cake and they all ate, while talking. "How's sick leave?" Elliot asked.
Olivia shrugged, "It's actually fun."
"What have you two done today?" Cragen asked.
"Shopping, fashion show and a movie," Alex replied.
"Fashion show?" Munch raised an eyebrow.
Elliot looked at Olivia, "Don't you have to dress up to go to those things?"
Olivia pretended to be offended, "I dress up."
Fin smiled at Alex, "Did you take pictures?"
"Of course," Alex smirked.
"You what?!" Olivia's eyes widened at Alex, "You took pictures of me without me knowing?"
Alex laughed, "Would you have let me if I told you?"
"No,' Olivia stated, "Where are they?"
A sly smiled crossed Alex's lips, "Wouldn't you like to know."
"You forget," Olivia smiled, "I am staying with you tonight. I'll toss your house while you sleep."
"Who says it's in my house?" Alex leaned on the desk.
The men watched the playful banter between the two women.
"I still have tomorrow right?" Fin whispered to Elliot.
Elliot nodded, "But I have tonight. They're not going to wait until tomorrow. Look at them now."
"I dunno," Munch added, "It's still in the flirting stage. Two days."
Cragen shook his head, "You better hope Olivia doesn't find out you're betting on when she gets together with Alex. She'll kick all your asses."
"Hey," Alex looked over at the men whispering to each other, "Are you done for today?"
Cragen nodded.
"You wanna go for drinks?" Alex asked, taking another bite of her cake.
They all nodded, except for Cragen.
"I have some paperwork to catch up on," Cragen stated, "But you all have fun. You deserve it."
"As long as it's not some lawyer bar," Elliot smiled.
"Even I don't like lawyer bars," Alex replied with a smile of her own, "O'Malley's is my kind of bar."
"Is it because you get to hang out with us?" Fin asked, pulling his jacket on.
"Pretty much, "Alex threw away her paper plate. She rubbed her fingers together and examined them. "I'm gonna go wash my hands. I'll be right back." Alex walked off towards the bathroom.
"So," Elliot smiled to his partner, "How are you two getting along?"
Olivia raised an eyebrow, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Just wondering," Elliot shrugged.
"It's been fun," Olivia replied. She looked at Elliot and made sure no one else was listening, "She's incredible El. It's like she when you take her out of her power suits, she's so the same person, but sweeter and fun and…I dunno. Did I say incredible?"
Elliot chuckled. He kept his promise to Olivia not to tell the guys about her rather large crush on Alex, but being detectives they sniffed it out on their own. It was Fin's idea to bet on it, saying that three days together were definitely going to be a turning point in their relationship. Elliot couldn't argue with it, especially after insinuating something to Olivia when he dropped them at Alex's apartment.
Alex beamed when she got back into the squad room, "You better not be talking about me."
Olivia blushed.
"What are you gonna do about it?" Fin smirked.
Alex raised an eyebrow, "Um. I'll have Olivia kick your ass."
Fin chuckled, "How are you going to make her do that?"
"I'd like to hear this too," Olivia put her hands on her hips, not able to hide her curiosity.
A sly smile crossed Alex's lips, "One more day and I'll have you wrapped around my finger."
"Oh really?" Olivia asked, "Must be some day you have planned tomorrow."
"You have no idea," Alex smirked and walked out of the squad room, leaving the detectivs to scramble after her.
Alex had the whole group enthralled in a story about law school at Columbia. Olivia hanging on every word as well as watching the blonde haired beauty's lips move and the way every time she smiled, it reached all the way up to her eyes. Olivia loved the way Alex's nose wrinkled when she laughed and the way she could make the most dull story sound appealing.
A bartender walked over to the table and set down a shot next to Alex. "That's from the gentlemen in the corner."
The group glanced in the corner to find a few men sitting the booth in the back corner. They all waved and Alex politely waved back. Alex picked up the shot and smelled it. She set it back down.
"You're not going to go talk to them?" Fin asked. Suddenly, his face contorted into an expression of immense pain. He looked at Olivia. She narrowed her eyes at him, while he rubbed the front of a freshly kicked shin.
"They couldn't spring for a whole drink," Alex smirked, "I don't make the effort. Not for a shot of cheap tequila."
"What are you going to do with it?" Munch asked.
Alex looked at Olivia's drink, which was ginger ale. She took out her keys and handed them to Olivia, letting her fingers linger in Olivia's a little longer than necessary.
"Who wants a real shot of tequila?" Alex asked the group.
"I could go for one," Elliot shrugged, "It's been a long day."
Munch and Fin both nodded.
Alex got up and walked to the bar.
"Why the hell did you kick my shin?" Fin hissed.
Olivia was caught. She gulped and looked at Elliot. Elliot looked at Fin and smiled. Fin couldn't contain his chuckle.
"What?" Olivia asked, looking between them.
"We all know," Munch added.
Olivia narrowed her eyes at Elliot.
"Hey," Elliot put his hands up, "I didn't say anything."
"We're detectives remember?" Fin asked, "You gotta give us more credit than that."
"Who else knows?" Olivia sighed.
"Cragen," Elliot stated, "But that's it."
Olivia nodded, "Okay."
Alex returned with three regular shots and a double. She passed out the regular shots and picked up the double, examining it.
"How come yours is bigger?" Olivia smiled.
"Because you're going to taste it," Alex replied, sliding the shot to Olivia, "But you're not going to drink it all because you're driving me home."
Olivia took a sip of the shot. "Wow." She was surprised by how smooth it went down. "That was good."
"Alright," Fin picked up his shot and Munch, Elliot, and Alex followed suit, "Three, two, one."
They all swallowed the semi-clear liquid.
"Damn," Elliot looked at the shot glass, "What kind was that?"
Alex swallowed the burning liquid. "Jose Cuervo Reserva De La Familia."
"That was great," Fin nodded.
Elliot looked at his watch, "I gotta get home."
Olivia looked at Alex, asking a question with her eyes.
"We'll take you," Alex stood picking up the jacket off of the back of her chair.
"I should go too," Fin stood up.
Munch nodded putting on his jacket.
They left in a large group, leaving on the table, empty glasses and a shot of cheap tequila.
Once outside, Fin decided to walk home and Munch hailed a cab. Olivia led Alex and Elliot to Alex's car which was down the street in front of the precinct.
Olivia unlocked the car and Alex slid into the backseat. Olivia got in the driver's seat and Elliot into the passenger's seat.
Olivia drove to Elliot's house and stopped outside. Alex got out with him and smiled, "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Elliot smiled back and walked up to his house.
Alex got in the passenger's seat next to Olivia and Olivia drove off.
After they were already halfway to Alex's apartment, Alex finally spoke. "You should let me take a look at your stitches before we go to bed tonight."
Olivia glanced over at Alex and nodded, "Okay."
"Does it hurt?" Alex asked.
Olivia shook her head, "Not anymore."
Alex nodded, "Okay."
Soon, they were at Alex's apartment. Alex went straight to her bedroom and changed. When she came out, her hair was up a loose bun and she was in a green and white baseball jersey and boy shorts.
Olivia smiled at Alex.
"Take off your shirt," Alex stated.
Olivia obeyed and could swear she saw Alex lick her lips. She threw the shirt onto the couch and Alex leaned over to examine the wound.
"Is it supposed to be green?" Alex asked looking up at Olivia.
Olivia looked down and didn't see any green so she looked back at Alex who was smiling. Olivia chuckled.
"It looks fine to me," Alex stood up straight, "And I hate to be a party pooper, but I'm exhausted."
"Me too," Olivia picked up her shirt and followed Alex down the hallway.
Alex stopped in front of Olivia's door and looked at her. "Goodnight." She leaned forward and placed a lingering kiss on Olivia's cheek. "Sweet dreams." With that, Alex walked into her room, not quite closing the door all the way.
Olivia's heart was pounding. Alex just kissed her, on the cheek, but a kiss is a kiss right? Her face now adorned a big goofy smile as she walked into her room and closed the door.