Chapter 11

John Munch would have been the first to admit that he was usually misjudged. He'd lived a full and interesting life and along with it came some peculiar quirks like conspiracy theories, fig milkshakes and an almost overwhelming fondness for his squads female detective. He wasn't in love with Olivia, but he'd be the first to admit that he loved her. He'd never met anyone with such a strong moral compass tempered so evenly with compassion. She was tough but she wasn't hard or cold the way some detectives could get.

So when Odafin Tutuola came along John had given the younger man a wary eye. Despite what Olivia thought, John was not ignorant of her brief fling with Detective Cassidy. His young partner had sighed after Liv from the time of their affair until he'd left the squad. Liv had been quieter after that, more guarded, but when Fin had arrived her eyes had begun to lighten. She'd smiled more, enjoyed his banter with his new partner and spent a lot of downtime looking at Fin's ass especially when he began wearing suits.

John had found it incredibly funny especially as Fin had a hard time keeping his eyes off Olivia. He'd argue theories of the crime with her and began a very mild form of flirting. Fin had also acted as if he was the cool cat but when it came to Liv the man was highly motivated. John had lost track of the times he and his partner had gone to back up Stabler and Benson. Fin's eyes always went to Olivia first. When she volunteered to go undercover at Sealview Fin had called in every favor he had so that he'd be the one to go in with her.

When John had asked him about it Fin had just said that Elliot would be thinking about his family more than his partner and John himself wouldn't be believed as a newly recruited guard. A black guard would be more easily believed to be corrupt, especially if he was a little violent to begin with, and John had accepted that, coming from Fin as it had. They needed someone used to undercover work, willing to do what was necessary and above all someone who would put Liv's safety first. John really hadn't been able to argue that, though he'd tried.

Liv had been jumpy when she'd gotten back from Sealview and Fin had been so grim he may as well have come off funeral duty. She hadn't clung to Fin but it had been him she'd looked to whenever she'd seemed uncertain. Fin's reaction though, hadn't been what John would have thought, instead of letting Liv cling to him, he'd remained carefully the same, pushing Liv to find her own answers. It had seemed cruel at first, to an outside view, but Olivia hadn't been weakened by her trauma. She'd learned how to deal with it without using Fin as a crutch.

John would have given quite a bit to find out exactly what had gotten Fin and Liv started dating. Something had changed before Chester had...left the squad but then everything stayed the same for months. Then they'd come in within minutes of each other, Olivia practically glowing with repressed happiness and Fin's usual frown had been lighter. When John had thrown out a few lines to test the waters Fin had practically bantered with him.

He glanced over at Olivia and down at the old fashioned train case she'd set on the seat beside her purse. "So what'll you do if it turns out your legacy is really worth something," He teased.

"What do you think Fin would want," Olivia tilted her head curiously. "I know which way I'm leaning but I'm curious as to your opinion."

"No matter what he'd want you and the baby to be taken care of," John knew that without a doubt. Teresa had changed Kenneth's first and last name so that Fin's son didn't even go by Tutuola anymore. Liv and her child would matter more than anything else to his partner.

"Yeah, I want the same for him," Liv smiled. "So I'm hoping to split the money down the middle and use part of it as a down payment on an apartment or if we're lucky some sort of house. And the other part to start a college fund for the baby."

"Sounds like a good idea," Munch nodded and eyed her stomach meaningfully. "I know its probably not my place to ask. But he is my partner and I feel like… well I should try to look out for him, much as he discourages it."

"Okay John," She was amused now, her mouth in that wry half smile of hers, "Just lay it out before we get to your jeweler friend's place."

"He doesn't talk about it much but it kills him that Teresa changed Kenneth's name," John said quietly. "I know you two are getting married."

"I'm keeping my name, if only for work, because his transfer isn't going to go through," Olivia explained in her quiet way. "It'll cut down on the confusion. But legally, I'm going to be Benson-Tutuola and our kid is going to definitely have his name. I'm not going to deny who my child is even if Fin and I split up. It'd be like lying."

"For the record I don't see you two splitting up," He wasn't lying. Fin and Olivia had taken so long to get together, to build a friendship that was stronger than any flash of passion might have been, they'd be together until they died. "But did you tell him any of this?"

"We've talked about the kids having his name, that it was important to him, when he unofficially told me he wanted me to marry him someday," Liv laughed. "The man was so worried about not pressuring me to fall in love with him he didn't notice I already was."

"Yeah that sounds like our Fin," Munch chuckled. "Well we're here." It was a fairly unassuming building in the diamond district, sturdy with the typical security measures and the added bonus of ex cops on the door. Making sure Olivia got to the door with her case wasn't hard though he found himself eyeing every pedestrian as a potential threat until they were inside the shop.

It was interesting to see Olivia in a situation outside of work or a social gathering. He'd never gone shopping with her or done anything more retail oriented than order lunch unless they were undercover. She, as he had, took in the number of clerks and the number of customers and then, as he might have thought, did not walk purposefully towards the closest clerk. She tilted her head and waited, evaluating something and then deliberately put her arm through his and walked with a deliberate pace to one of the more experienced looking clerks once he was done with a patron.

"Good afternoon," They were greeted with a cool smile. Munch guessed they didn't look like the usual patrons, less bespoke and more off the rack. "How may I serve you today?"

"Hi," Munch really hated being condescended to. "I called earlier, Anthony is expecting us."

"One moment, I'll fetch him. Would you and your…wife like some coffee, tea or sparkling water in the meantime?"

John shook his head, "Not for me, but bring her some water." He looked at Liv when her hand tightened on his arm in protest, "You know you're supposed to stay hydrated. That's easier to do when you're just sipping all day." His mouth quirked up in a half smile, "You knew this would happen when we all found out, we know how long you've wanted this Liv. Overprotective isn't the half of it."

"Fine," Olivia sighed but smiled at the clerk. "Thank you."

They were shown to a smallish table off to the side of the shop, suitable for three or four people but no more than that. Olivia's water was ceremoniously poured into a stemmed glass and they were left to wait. John lifted the case onto the table and pushed it off to the side before he offered Liv a smile, "Its okay, Anthony and I go back to when he was Tony. He might try to bargain someone else down but he'll give us an honest deal," He shrugged. "And he's the best I know for appraisals, has an eye for things that are out of the norm."

"I didn't want to ask," Liv admitted quietly, undoing her coat and shrugging it off. "The case is heavy enough but I can't be sure of what's real and what isn't."

"Well Anthony will let us know either way," Munch smiled as he saw the man coming out from the back room.

"John," Big, Spanish and good looking, Anthony was older than Munch but he carried the years well, silver hair and an aristocratic profile along with twinkling black eyes that had made more women giggle over the years than Munch had conspiracy theories. "And you bring such a beautiful woman with you," He gently captured Olivia's hand and bowed over it with a smile. "Please, no ceremony for my friends. You come into the back and we'll have some wine and talk there eh?"

"That'd be great," John smiled and picked up the case, offering Liv his hand but she was already on her feet, draping her coat over her arm. She'd also picked up the water and her glass, out of habit he guessed; Liv always had cleaned up after herself at the precinct. He was the same way though he'd caught his partner and Elliot forgetting now and then.

The back room was a hum of activity, Anthony's people working on new and old pieces, and Anthony's desk right in the middle of it all. The jeweler smiled at Liv's blink of surprise and shrugged sheepishly, "I like to see, to be inspired by activity." He explained. "And my people, if I am in an office, they grow timid, distant, they don't ask questions. I like questions. They provoke thought."

"No wonder you like John," Olivia smiled and took the chair he offered. "Cops tend to ask a lot of questions."

"Ah, you have known John a long time then," Anthony smiled happily. "Some wine, I have a lovely red, sweet with a bit of tart to it. A nice little bite, like our John."

"Thank you but no," Liv shook her head. "I'm not drinking for a while."

John knew he was in for it then as Anthony inevitably leapt to the wrong conclusion, "John Munch, you bring me this lovely woman and do not even introduce her. And now I learn she is… I hope you are looking for an engagement ring my friend or I will not be pleased."

"Relax Tony," John shook his head and sat waving off the wine. "She's Fin's fiancée, not mine."

"Detective Tutuola," Anthony always had to pronounce the name carefully. "So, a ring then for the lovely mystery lady, and he does not come with you?"

Olivia shook her head and her smile was wider as she offered her hand, "Olivia Benson." She introduced herself. "Fin was shot. He's in the hospital right now."

"Which one?" Anthony was already snapping his fingers for someone and a tiny woman with steel hair and bright eyes raced over like a giraffe in her high heels. "Jenna, we must send flowers to Detective Odafin Tutuola at," He speared John with a look until Munch supplied the hospital name, "Mercy General. No, not flowers, fruit. A nice basket of fruit to offset the terrible hospital food. John's partner must be treated well."

As quickly as she'd come over Jenna was gone again and John decided he'd better start talking before Anthony got too enthusiastic. "He'll appreciate it, thanks," He said quickly. "But the reason I brought Liv to you is that she has a lot of jewelry left to her by her mother. It was her grandmothers and in our line of work she won't be wearing it much. We don't know how much any of its worth, we don't know anything."

"John told me that if anyone would know you would," Olivia continued, a smile curving her lips. Her voice was that gentle soothing tone she used when she wanted people to calm down a bit. "Some of the things I want to keep, the pearls my mother wore, things like that. And this is the most important to me," She reached into her purse and took out the box with her grandmother's ring. "This was my grandmothers. Fin and I are going to use it as my engagement ring. It's beautiful but we're not sure why the center stone looks like that. It needs to be sized and cleaned but I wasn't sure if I needed to replace the center stone or not."

"Let's have a look," Anthony got his loupe out and began to examine the ring, scribbling things done that could have been code for all John understood it. "White gold, circa nineteen ten perhaps, lovely stones, first water, quarter carats, pretty little sixteenths…and then this garbage, bah," Finally he put the ring down and looked at Olivia. "At some point the center stone was replaced with a poor paste copy, that's why it's clouded. The size is a half carat, we can easily find you a stone to replace the fake in the same size and cut."

"I'll have to discuss it with Fin first," Olivia looked at John. "The only reason I was even going to bother with the engagement ring was because of my grandmother's ring. We're looking for a place together, having a baby, on cop's salaries we can't afford to buy diamonds."

"I'm pretty sure if it makes you happy Fin would sell his stereo system to get you a diamond," John chuckled. "But I know what you mean."

"Well before you decide," Anthony put the ring back in its box as if it were precious. "We'll look at the other pieces. It could be you will have no problems. Perhaps you've been carrying a fortune in jewels around with you today."

Olivia laughed, "I doubt it. Though if the jewelry is old enough or rare enough even costume is valuable these days right?"

"This is true," Anthony agreed with a smile. "We don't sell it here but I have a friend, jewelry antiques precious and costume, she will love you if all your pieces are the same age as that engagement ring."

It was some time later, and John feeling as if his eyes would glaze over if he heard one more exclamation of joy or fact about jewelry making. It seemed that Olivia's case full of jewelry was a pretty even split between real and costume but all of it was really old, just as old if not older than her ring and worth quite a bit. He'd cavalierly hauled at least half a million in rubies and diamonds around in a cab with Liv if he understood what Anthony was saying correctly and that was just one ugly pin.

Anthony had become very excited and Olivia had just looked confused when he'd found the brooch. John couldn't see what the fuss was about, it was an ugly yellow gold and dull red thing, but Anthony had shouted for his apprentices to come and see and he'd shown them the workmanship and clarity of the stones under years of grime as he gently cleaned the brooch so he could evaluate it.

The pearls were real too apparently, huge things the size of marbles in a double strand with a diamond clasp and matching earrings and bracelet. There were other pieces, an emerald ring, sapphire earrings and a necklace that matched, suitable for someone very young. And a huge starburst diamond brooch that was worth more than the ruby one. Munch had liked that one marginally better than the ruby pin but from the look on Liv's face she didn't care much for it.

It was funny to think that Liv's mom had kept things like dress clips from her mother, but there'd been some fancy gold clasps and some that John would have thought were silver but turned out to be platinum. Other pieces were of semi-precious gems but still so old they were valuable to a collector. There was a necklace that Liv liked, a pretty piece with matching earrings that she'd thought had topaz in it but they turned out to be three yellow diamonds.

"Well Miss Olivia I can tell you that should you wish, you certainly can afford to replace the stone in your ring," Anthony chuckled as he wrote down a figure. "This is the amount the ruby brooch alone is worth." He pushed the paper towards Olivia saying, "I will appraise everything you have brought me, I will call my friend to appraise the costume pieces. I can give you the name of an auction house that specializes in jewelry of all types. The serious collectors will pay them more attention."

John caught sight of the figure as Olivia did and whistled, "Now I'm really glad we didn't get mugged Liv."

"You and me both," Olivia was still blinking, "Oh my God."

"I think perhaps a good meal and some rest, to think on things," Anthony suggested with a smile. "Perhaps you would like to sit for a few moments? I will bring some diamonds for you to look at, to choose for your ring."

John chuckled, "How long would it take to put the stone in and have it cleaned and sized Tony?"

"For you? For Miss Olivia? The work of moments," Anthony dismissed the question.

"How many moments?" Liv smiled as she sipped her water.

"Perhaps a half hour," The Spaniard smiled smugly. "All that remains is for you to choose a stone." He brought over a tray of diamonds and placed the open ring box beside them, "I will not lecture over cut and color or carat and clarity," He told her. "I simply suggest something similar to the other stones in the ring will suit it and you well."

"I think so too," Liv nodded, "One of the round stones, nothing that will overwhelm the ring." She smiled at Munch and John couldn't help smiling back. "I'm going to be a girl now John. Be sure to report to Fin that I giggled and cooed over shiny rocks. He'll love giving me a hard time about it."

"He'll be jealous he didn't get to come and do this with us," John retorted. "So my lips are sealed."

Olivia grinned and John spent the next ten minutes observing her and surreptitiously snapping pictures with his phone which he then texted to Fin. "Liv's rich," He sent along with the first picture. "I'm hoping she'll dump your ass and take up with me."

The text he got back had a question mark along with a smile, "She looks happy, relaxed. Thanks John."

Munch grinned down at his phone and looked up as it seemed Olivia had made a decision, "Got the right one?"

"You're texting Fin, take a picture of the ring with the stone and ask him what he thinks," Liv commanded with a smile. "That way he won't feel left out."

"Are you going to do this to him with the wedding too?" John grinned as he did what she'd said. "Or am I going to be roped into that?" He sent the text off and waited. Barely two minutes later his phone sounded and he read, "Looks like nothing unless it's on Liv's hand. She'll make a hunk of charcoal look like a diamond." The phone beeped again and he chuckled, "He says 'seriously it looks good. Liv should get what she wants'."

Olivia giggled a little tearfully and smiled at Anthony, "I guess we have our diamond then."

"Half an hour," He promised and scooped the ring and the diamond up. "I will test all the settings and clean it properly."

"I need to stand," John groaned, "Let's take a little turn around the shop, get our circulation going."

"We have been at this for a while," She agreed and stood.

Author's Note: So a whole chapter from John's point of view. What do we think of that?

I really wanted to get a different perspective of Fin and Liv's relationship and John provides and excellent one. He's fairly impartial as he likes both his partner and his friend. And he's had years to watch them both. To my way of thinking John has known for years what Liv and Fin have only just figured out. To him it was only a matter of time before they found each other.

We know nothing about Olivia's family other than her mother was a drunk and a professor and about her father we know next to nothing. Old jewelry, if its of good quality, can be worth quite a lot. And Liv has had such lousy luck with her family I thought it was time something good happened.