Chapter 3

"Elliot! My favorite little cousin!" Dylan smiled taking off his helmet. Elliot forced a smile as Dylan hit him in the shoulder roughly. The two men stood near Elliot's garage, he dreaded Dylan coming into his home.

"How are things goin, Little L?" Dylan asked sliding his keys into his pocket.

"Not bad, Dylan. How about with you? I can see you haven't changed much."

"Nah. I've always been a leather jacket-jeans kinda guy! Why would I wanna change?" Dylan smiled friendly. He was a charmer alright, any one could see that- he was the bad boy, the five' o'clock shadow, the rough exterior.

"Seriously, Little L, It's been so long! Tell me, ya still married?" Dylan asked in a deep voice, followed by two nudges into his ribs. Elliot took in a deep breath, "yes."

Dylan was suspicious, he wrestled his cousin in a playful matter but Elliot always hated that. Dylan accidentally knocked Elliot's wallet out, then picked it up for him but not before noticing a picture that had fallen from it.

"Who's thissss?" Dylan asked excitedly as he unfolded a picture of Elliot with his arms around Olivia laughing while trying to hit a ball at a police baseball competition.

"She's a co-worker," Elliot tried to grab the picture but Dylan held it tight.

"She's hot. Have you done her?" he asked excited, like a little perverted teenager.

Elliot tilted his head, "I'm married, Dylan."

Dylan laughed loudly, "Don't give me that crap, L. It's me you're talking to!" he smacked Elliot on the shoulder, "I bet she's hot in bed. Hey is she inside?"

Elliot frowned at the question. He knew that look of Dylan's. He knew whenever he gave that look to a girl, she'd be his, sometimes in a matter of minutes. Elliot wanted nothing more for Olivia to be there, but at this moment he was glad she wasn't. All the women Dylan had been with were always heartbroken, he figured Olivia wouldn't fall into his games, but there was a great possibility that she could.

"She's not here. Let's get inside, I'm sure mom would love to see you," Elliot took the picture from him, took a quick glance at it, then folded it and put it away in his pocket. The two men climbed up the stairs to the home finally.

They were practically inside when Olivia pulled in front of the house. Dylan stepped down a few steps to see who it was driving on the sidewalk below, then smirked, "she's here now".

Elliot watched as Dylan made his way to Olivia who was getting out of the car. Elliot glared at his stupid cousin, then rushed toward them.

"Olivia, what are you doing here? Is everything ok?" Elliot asked, pushing Dylan out of the way.

Olivia nodded, "everything's fine. But guess what I found!"

"What?" Elliot wondered as Olivia handed him the open folder.

Elliot glanced at Dylan a few times then spoke; "this is police business, why don't you go inside?"

"I promise I won't tell anyone what I hear." Dylan smiled at Olivia. Olivia smiled back, "who are you?"

"Dylan. Elliot's cousin. And you?" He held out his gloved hand.

"Olivia. Elliot's partner," she shook his hand with a smile. Dylan pulled her a little closer and whispered, "if he ever gives you a hard time you tell me, I'll take care of it."

Olivia let out a short laugh, "Thank you, but that won't be necessary. I can take care of myself." Dylan nodded in surprise.

"So, what is this?" Elliot frowned at the file he'd been faking he was flipping through.

"Oh!" Olivia turned away from Dylan, "I was going through this file, remember I told you it always bothered me?"

"Yeah, I remember this case pretty well. We couldn't figure out what happened to the father and son."

"Exactly. Well, I know where they are," Olivia smiled confidently.

"Where?" Dylan asked enthralled with her excitement.

"Six feet under?" Elliot guessed. Olivia's smile slowly disappeared.

"See, she lied to us. She told us she was raped on June 21st, her son was twelve at that time. But she wasn't raped on June 21st. That was the day the son found out about it…"

Dylan looked confused but Elliot nodded realizing what she meant, "the rape was suppose to cover up the fact that her son murdered her husband when he found out what he had done to his mother. But the murder was premeditated because the rape happened maybe even a year or two in advance."

"Well, he could still get off with self defense; in a lot of ways I can't say I wouldn't have done the same if I found out my father rap…" Olivia became dead silent, "you know what I mean."

Elliot nodded, "great work Olivia," he reassured her by a soft touch on the shoulder, "I'll go call Casey, I'm sure she can get a Judge to sign it off by tonight."

"I'll wait here," Olivia half smiled. Elliot nodded, he couldn't help but stare into her eyes for an extra moment before jogging up the path to his house. It wasn't until he had reached the phone that he remembered he left Dylan out there with his Olivia. He couldn't go back now, so he rushed upstairs and made the phone call at Kathy's window where he could watch Dylan from above.

Dylan leaned against Olivia's car, and she couldn't help but run her eyes up and down him. He reminded her of a more rebellious version of Elliot.

"How long have you two been partners?" he asked pulling a cigarette out of his back pocket.

"Six years. He's never talked about you before."

Dylan smiled as he pulled himself up from her car, "most guys don't talk about me. They find me intimidating," he smiled as he took a step closer to Olivia.

"That's not the word I had in mind," Olivia smiled softly.

"What is?"

Olivia let out a slight laugh, and then shook her head.

"What are you doing tonight?" Dylan asked letting her regain her space, and lighting his cigarette.

"Nothing. Like usual."

"You? Doing nothing? You don't have a boyfriend or a husband?" Dylan frowned.

"No."

"Wow. I don't see how that's possible. You're so beautiful and intelligent"

Olivia blushed, "that's what I thought too."

"What do you mean?" Dylan frowned again.

"Nothing. Never mind me."

"Don't let anybody tell you that you're not beautiful and smart," he inhaled the cigarette, "You are. In fact, tonight, I don't have a date and I would love for you to accompany me to this Thanksgiving dinner at the Stabler home."

Olivia smiled nicely, "thanks but-"

"But what? You said yourself you have nothing going on tonight."

"Yes but I'm not quite welcome in Elliot's house…" Olivia explained vaguely.

"What do you mean?"

"There was incident a little while ago with his wife and I, it's better that I not even come around here at all but I needed to tell El about this case."

"Well you know what, you may not be welcomed as Elliot's partner, but you are my date Olivia. They try to throw you out, they got to get through me first. What do you say?" Dylan smiled holding out his elbow for her to attach herself to. Olivia smiled, and then took up his offer.

Elliot was jogging down the stairs of the house, the family were eating heavily- but slowing down. Elliot almost fell when he spotted Olivia talking to Kathy's father alongside Dylan.

His mouth dropped open, he scanned the room until he spotted Kathy glaring at him. She shook her head then went back to her conversation. Elliot sighed. There was nothing he could do now. She was in the house.

"Olivia!" Maureen smiled widely. She threw her arms around Olivia and both held tight in a hug. Soon enough the twins and Kathleen were around her. Olivia squatted down to the twins.

"How's school?" she asked holding both of them for balance.

"Good," both answered.

"What about you Kathleen? I haven't heard from you in awhile. Everything ok?" Olivia asked looking deeply into the young teenagers eyes.

"We'll talk later," she whispered. Olivia nodded then gave her a warm hug. Kathy finally walked over to the group, she was the host after all.

"Olivia," Kathy nodded in a forced hello.

"It's nice to see you again, Kathy."

Dylan swooped in just as it was about to become an awkward situation, "come on! I want to introduce you to some friends of the family!"

Olivia chatted with many couples and Elliot watched carefully. He noticed how Dylan's arm became tighter and lower around her waist. He couldn't bare it for much longer. He didn't want to lose Olivia to Dylan. He loved her too much to let that happen. But, for the time being he was 'married', he couldn't make a scene.

TBC