Chapter 5

Rollins pulled up outside Elliot and Olivia's house in the small catering van, and climbed out. She had been quite excited when Cragen told her she was to join Benson and Stabler for the night at their party. She had only seen Stabler on camera and was yet to meet him.

She had been a little shocked when she first saw him. From the description and the way people talked about him she had expected a rough looking, miserable, angry man, not what she saw, she had been pleasantly surprised.

She knocked on the door and when she waited for an answer looked around the neighbourhood. A few kids were playing in the street but other than that it seemed quiet. Getting no answer she banged on the door again.

"Yeah….. Yeah, I'm coming," she heard Stabler yell from inside and a few seconds later the door opened.

Rollins just stood and stared at an almost naked Stabler in front of her as he stood in just a towel.

"Can I help you," he smirked as he watched Rollins looking up and down his body.

"Erm….yeah, I'm here to help with your little party, Cragen sent me."

"Amanda Rollins right?"

"Yeah," she smiled taking his hand and shaking it.

"Well you best come in, Munch text me to let you know you would be helping out but I wasn't expecting you so early" he said stepping to the side and allowing her into the house and closed the door behind her. "Give me five minutes to throw some clothes on," he said as he brushed past her. "I haven't long got back in and I was just taking a shower."

"Oh I don't mind," she grinned. "I walked into the locker room and caught Munch getting changed the other day, trust me your definitely an improvement."

"Thanks….. I think," he laughed. "Make yourself comfy, I won't be long, then we will get the van unloaded," he said disappearing up the stairs.

Amanda watched him and nodded smiling to herself as she ran her tongue along her bottom lip. She could see now why there were so many rumours about Stabler and Benson flying around the precinct. How Olivia managed to keep her hands off that body for 12 years was beyond her, what the hell was she a Nun.

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"Well that's the last of it," she said as they put the final tray of food into the fridge.

"I will sort all the drink out in a bit," he said looking around the kitchen at it all. He walked over and took out two beers opening them and handing one to her. "Let's take five before we set everything up," he said walking out into the garden with Rollins following him.

They both sat down on the garden bench taking a drink of their beers.

"So I take it Olivia isn't back from her meeting with Cragen yet," she said closing her eyes and dropping her head back letting the sun warm her face.

"I didn't know that's where she was," he said leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "I thought she was getting away from me from a bit. I don't even have to open my mouth these days and I piss her off."

"So we noticed," she chuckled. "I got to say the two of you put on quite a show. Were you like this as partner's as well?"

"We had our moments," he smiled turning to look at her. "And I'm sure Munch has filled you in on some of them."

"He did mention a few things."

"So, how you enjoying the unit?"

"It's tough at times, but having a good squad helps."

"Yeah," he said looking down at the ground.

"Do you miss it?" she asked him.

"The people…. Yes, the cases not so much. After a while it becomes too much, it takes over your life. It becomes the only thing you think about. You're in the park with your kids and you look at everyone like they are a child rapist. You go to a bar and your watching guys in case they try something. I have teenage kids and they hate going anywhere with me," he said laughing.

"Is that why you left?"

Elliot turned his head slightly to look at her. "You telling me you haven't heard why I left?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I heard about the shooting, but I also heard it was a good shoot. You only done what anyone else would have done in your place."

Elliot never answered as he continued to look straight ahead.

Rollins leant forward copying his pose. "Do you miss Olivia?" she asked him glancing over to him.

Elliot lifted the bottle to his mouth and finished his beer. "Every minute of every day," he said as he stood up and started walking towards the house. "Come on, we best get set up for this party, we only have a couple of hours," he said walking into the house. Rollins finished her beer and followed him smiling. Maybe Munch's theory about the famous Benson and Stabler wasn't all just in his head.

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Olivia walked through the door to the sound of music, talking and laughter coming from the kitchen. She stood in the living room watching Elliot and Rollins in the kitchen.

"He was seriously having a pillow fight," laughed Rollins as Elliot handed her plates full of food from the fridge.

"Yup, feathers everywhere," he told her. "We are in the middle of a case and Munch is having the time of life in the middle of a huge pillow fight."

"God I wish I could have seen that," she grinned.

"Is he still full of all his conspiracy shit?" he asked her looking up to one of the hidden cameras and smirking, knowing Munch could be watching.

"Hell yeah," she laughed following Elliot's eyes to the camera. "Still talking shit about a lot of things, aren't you. You should have heard him when we were told about this job and the hidden cameras. He asked why they were bothering to hide cameras because the government have them hidden in TVs and all other electrical devices anyway."

"Good to see some things never change," he laughed.

Olivia watched them laughing and joking together. They hadn't even realised she was stood there. She turned away quickly and quietly walked up the stairs to the bedroom. The full time they had been undercover she hadn't heard Elliot laugh and joke like he was with Rollins. But then they hadn't really given each other a reason to, or at least she hadn't. Elliot had tried a few times to talk to her and she just brushed him off or left the room.

She entered the bedroom and sat on the bed as she kicked her shoes off. She thought about what Cragen had told her earlier that day and about what Elliot had said to him. God she had been such a Bitch to him, she never gave him a chance to explain, she was just so angry at him and the way he had left, not caring why or for any of the reasons.

"God you are such a bitch at times," she said to herself standing up and starting to undress for the shower completely forgetting about the cameras, which she had done a few times over the few weeks. After her conversations with Cragen she had gone shopping and got herself a new dress for the night, to make an effort. Elliot had been right they needed to make more of an effort to get to know people and try and get some leads. She pushed her trousers down to the floor and kicked them away before pulling her top over her head.

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Fin quickly clicked the computer to go to another room not wanting to invade her privacy anymore than they already were.

"Whoa what you doing?" asked Munch quickly grabbing the mouse from him and clicking it back to the bedroom.

"Dammit John, stop acting like a dirty old man," he snapped not looking at the screen. "How the hell have you lasted this long at SVU is beyond me."

"I'm not being a pervert this time," he laughed. "I just don't want to miss this," he said nodding to the screen. Fin turned his head when he heard the raised voices.

"Oh Boy," he said shaking his head at the scene on the screen in front of him.