Chapter Four- Just About Now
Thanks to obsessedwithstabler, spacecaseofbol9694, big-smiles-all-around, ginormoussvufan, CocaCola1052, soliz, KWillows, and Maggie Dolye for all their love in their reviews!
Disclaimer: Don't own any characters.
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Olivia stood alone on the roof. She was freezing from the cold air at the high elevation, but she didn't move. Her mind kept moving back to the sight of Elliot dancing with Catherine on the dance floor. She was gorgeous. Olivia didn't know her history, but most women in law enforcement didn't look like that. She closed her brown eyes to hold back tears, but they leaked out of the corners of her eyes anyway. She couldn't believe Elliot would fall for someone else. Olivia had hoped that he wouldn't. I'm so stupid. she thought. Of course he would move on and fall for someone. His divorce to Kathy was already over. He wouldn't be upset forever.
Olivia spun when someone else walked onto the roof. It was the leader of the CSI team. Grissom. He walked over to her and sat down.
"What brings you here?" she asked softly.
His blue eyes were full of pain when he turned to her. "Have you ever loved someone so much, but they have no idea?" he asked quietly.
Olivia looked at him with understanding eyes. "Yes." She whispered softly, almost afraid to speak. She was feeling too much like that.
Grissom closed his eyes. "I love her so much, but she doesn't have eyes for me. She's my best friend. Everything I've ever needed, but she has no idea how much she means to me." He said staring at the black sky. It was so similar to Vegas but so different. New York was full of skyscrapers and business buildings. Vegas was full of lights and entertainment. He missed it and he missed the time when he still thought he had a chance with the girl he loved.
"I know what you're feeling. I'm going through the same thing." Olivia murmured. It was too similar to her own situation, but she assumed Grissom was in love with Melinda. Melinda was married. Grissom didn't stand a chance.
The two of them fell into silence. Olivia was hurting so bad. She couldn't believe she would be thrown to the side just like that. She felt worthless, like she didn't matter to Elliot anymore. She wanted to feel needed, wanted, anything of the sort. She started to cry. Grissom reached over and pulled her into a hug, trying to give her the comfort he knew he would never have.
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Catherine and Elliot finished their dance. It was a quick one. Catherine wasn't that interested in Elliot, but he was a nice guy and her mother had always taught her that it was impolite to turn down a dance when a gentleman asked politely. The two had talked about their jobs and then their children. Hearing Elliot talk about his kids made Catherine realize that he was a good person and that they would be a lasting pair of friends.
She sat down beside Sara would looked ready to smack Munch to Kansas. Catherine knew better though. When Sara started to act like that, that usually meant she was interested in the person, but just didn't want to show it. Catherine moved away again, letting her friend have some privacy. She looked around for Grissom. He was nowhere to be found. She sighed softly. She wanted to talk to him. She hadn't gotten a chance to really sit down and have a conversation with him since they got to New York. She missed their talks after work in his office. He was the first to talk her into trying chocolate covered grasshoppers and she didn't know what else. She started wandering around the bar, trying to find him.
Elliot observed Catherine from across the room. He wondered who she was looking for, but then noticed that Olivia wasn't in the room. He got worried. He hated not watching his partners back, especially since in their line of work and it being New York, anything could happen at any given second. He ran over to Cragen.
"Where's LIv?" he asked, his voice laced with a little panic.
Cragen patted his back firmly, his mood a little iffy from not being able to drink. "She's in the restroom." He said gruffly.
Elliot knew Cragen was an recovering alcoholic and didn't press the issue. She would be out soon and then they would have a drink and all would be fine in the world. He observed Catherine leave the room, heading up to the roof. He didn't follow. His feelings for her were nowhere near his feelings for Olivia. She was a nice person and obviously dedicated to her job and her child. He was glad to work with her. He took a sip of his beer. He wished he could tell Olivia what he felt for her. The drink was making him feel like a braver man, but even with its help, Elliot couldn't pluck up the courage.
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Alex and Nick were on their fifth dance. Neither wanted to stop. Alex had never met such a well-mannered and respectful man and Nick had never met such a stubborn and ambitious girl. They were smitten to say the least.
"So when you off work?" he slurred at her, his Texas accent stronger when he was nervous.
Alex smiled at his obvious nervous state. "After five cowboy. What have you got in mind?" she asked.
Nick smiled. "Well I was thinking maybe I can take you out to dinner and a movie." He suggested.
"Do you even know where anything is in New York?" she asked, teasing him slightly.
He laughed. "No ma'am, but that's what the GPS system is for ain't it?" he asked, only half joking.
Alex leaned close to him, feeling a little on the flirty side. "Fine then you can pick me up." She said.
Nick smiled and took her hand. "Of course, I'll be there at 7 tomorrow." He said softly, kissing the top of her hand.
Alex blushed, a brilliant scarlet that contrasted her light blonde hair. She lowered her blue eyes and focused on the label of her beer. Nick didn't let her turn away that easily. He put his hand under her chin and gently tilted her head upward, till their eyes met.
Alex was hurting so bad. She had spent so many lonely nights on her own. And before she had come back to New York she had spent everyday alone, missing her old life, her old job, and all the friends that she had left behind. The experience nearly destroyed her and would have if the detectives hadn't locked up her shooter. She was different now. Fiercer, stronger, and some people would say more bitchy. She didn't care what they said. Her old friends were still there for her and she was finally gaining her life back. She was just missing the fiancé she left behind and would never return to.
Nick could read her. Under her strong and independent demeanor there was a lonely woman. He had heard about the DA that was shot and put under the WPP, but he never thought he would meet her. She was hurting and he knew it. He could see it in her eyes, despite the smile on her face. He started to sing softly to her
In the twilitght glow I see her
Blue eyes crying in the rain
When we kissed goodbye ad parted
I knew we'd never meet again
Someday when we meet up yonder
We'll stroll hand and hand again
In the land that knows no parting
For blue eyes crying in the rain.
His voice was low and deep. It rang through Alex like wind chimes and she couldn't get his voice of her head. She felt something stir in her heart, something she hadn't felt in a long time. She felt tears fill her eyes, but didn't fight Nick's hold. He leaned in and he kissed her, gently and sweetly, letting her know that she was not alone.
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Casey was drunk. Plain and simple. Warrick was getting there. The redhead was a completely different person when she was intoxicated. She was a flirt with confidence and a sexy air. She leaned close to Warrick just to tease him, letting him get a slight peek into her shirt. She moved away with a wink. Warrick was officially aching and drunk. He wanted to kiss her and go upstairs and do something nasty, but held himself back with the little control he had. He did not need to get in trouble with the ADA of the Manhattan SVU team he was working with.
Casey bit her lip in that sexy way, letting the shadows in the bar, catch one side of her, giving her a mysterious aura. She could barely stand, but it didn't hinder her flirting. She ran her fingers down Warrick's chest, slowly and gently, flicking her red hair in his face. She was getting him tonight and everyone who was watching this exchange knew it.
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Melinda was watching everyone. The CSI and the SVU were getting along perfectly. Almost perfectly. She frowned when she saw Catherine running around looking for Grissom. She still felt protective over her high school friend and didn't think that Catherine was right for him. They were opposites. Opposites don't last. Melinda thought to herself. She knew Catherine's story, knew it and didn't like it. She was lucky that she had fixed her life, but what if she lost control of herself again and ended up ruining Grissom's life. Melinda wouldn't let that happen. She loved Grissom like a brother and she barely knew Catherine, so she had no problem with ruining a potentially disastrous crush. She didn't like her anywhere near Elliot either. Elliot and Olivia were meant for each other and everyone on the SVU team knew it. Grissom's team just had to figure it out.
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Catherine figured Grissom was on the roof. He was more of a roller coaster kind of guy though. He would ride them to relieve himself from the stress he felt from his job, but there were no roller coasters around. She took the stairs up two at a time, a difficult feat in a dress and stiletto heels. She opened the door slowly and softly, not wanting to startle him.
She stared at the sight before her. Grissom had someone else wrapped in his arms and he was murmuring in her ear. They were too close for comfort, close enough to suggest a relationship. Grissom wasn't the type to let someone get that close to him unless it was serious. Unless she was Catherine, whom he had known for so many years.
Catherine felt hot tears in her eyes. They blocked her view. She shut the door silently and rushed downstairs and out of the bar. Her heart plummeting with every step she took. Every moment and memory between her and Grissom, flowed through her head and she broke down in tears. Tears that wouldn't stop coming.
Just about now
Is when I hate love
Nothing can heal this pain
You used to need me
Hold me and need me before
And it's just about now that the tears start to fall
I wonder if I'm gonna make it at all
This is not about trying to go back in time
This is not about where I'll be a year down the line
It's just moment to moment
Surviving somehow
This is not about then
This is just about now
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Whoever's in tears or feels remotely sad say AYE! In the reviews that is…hint hint…lol will update soon. Hope you enjoyed it!