Protégé Chapter 2
Disclaimer: I wish I owned NBC or SVU but alas I do not, don't sue, I'm just playing with them.
Olivia took a cab into work Monday morning since she had to be there so much earlier than Nick to interview the new kid. She was thankful she lived so close to the precinct but so did most of her colleagues. Fin lived in the same building as her but on polar opposite sides and many floors in between them. Unless they made plans they had never run into each other. Rollins and Carisi were just a block away in buildings beside one another. Now as Captain she swore she would turn a blind eye to whatever was going on between those partners, until she couldn't that is. Nick of course was just across the street, after his divorce, they hung out all the time, he was constantly at her place, stopping by whenever he wanted. He knocked most of the time but she had given him a key years ago which he finally started using when he moved so close to her. They often shared meals and movies. He hadn't dated since his divorce and they flirted shamelessly. She often wondered, if they hadn't been partners, if she was someone he would have pursued, but alas she was his partner and now his boss, and she didn't think he would risk their friendship or working relationship for something more.
That left her oldest colleague Munch, who lived the closest to the precinct. Just a five minute drive. He had his many reasons and theories for why. She had to give it to Fin for surviving all these years with him. Overall her squad was like her family. Cragen had been like a father to her, Munch was like her uncle, Fin her older brother. Nick was like her work-boyfriend, while Rollins and Carisi were like her younger cousins. All these relationships left her with even more anxiety about bringing an unreliable, unprepared, undeserving rookie into the fold.
He wouldn't be a part of the family. He wouldn't belong and if it was up to her she'd kick him back to the streets where he still belonged.
The clock changed to 7:00am on her computer monitor when a man knocked on her door.
Sitting up straight Olivia smiled at her surprise guest, "Tucker, what do I owe-"
Ed Tucker cut her off, "The pleasures all mine Captain," he said tipping his head, "Congratulations, you've more than earned that title Olivia."
Olivia blushed, "Thanks Ed." She knew a lot of people didn't like IAB but she got along with them well enough, especially Tucker. They had gone out a few times over the years. He appeared angry and gruff on the outside, but once she got to know him better at a charity function, she found they got along quite well and continued a friendship and more casually over the years.
Seeing her blush and not wanting to embarrass her Tucker continued, "I suppose you're wondering why I'm here, well to give you these to give to your new detective." Tucker proceeded to drop some items on her desk, a new badge, gun, cuffs and other miscellaneous things a new detective needed, as well as some papers to be signed.
Olivia sighed, "So that's it, I don't even get a say with this kid?"
Tucker sat on the edge of her desk facing her, "I know it's not fair, but Joe is one of my best friends, I've known Elliot since the day he was born, he'll be a good cop Liv, he's a solid responsible young man."
Olivia rolled her eyes, placing a hand on Tucker's thigh, "He's a child Ed-"
"Uncle Eddy?" Olivia was interrupted by a deep voice.
They both sprung up and faced the newcomer.
"Ah right on time, and uh you might not want to call me-" Tucker started before being interrupted again.
"Oh right, sorry, uh Captain Tucker, I just didn't expect you to be here," Elliot replied, before finally moving his eyes to the other person in the room.
Tucker glanced between the two before introducing them, "Well Elliot I'd like you to meet an amazing woman and officer, Captain of the 16th precinct SV unit, Olivia Benson."
Olivia reached out an arm to shake the rookie's hand at the same time he did, "Nice to meet you." "Yeah we've met." They said at the same time, while they grasped each other's hand.
Olivia raised an eyebrow, "I'm sorry, we've met?" she inquired, as she felt an odd warmth run up her arm. His hand was rough in hers, and calloused, which she found surprising for someone so young.
She noticed a slight red hue colour the young man's face and neck.
"No well, no, I mean yes we did but not really, I mean, you-you wouldn't remember, it was a couple years ago, at one of those police galas, you-uh were accepting some award, my mother couldn't go that year and my father was still trying to dissuade me from joining the force, he thought a boring night might do the trick, he was talking to you at one point during the night and briefly introduced us, but I'm sure you met many people that night…" Elliot trailed off.
Olivia furrowed her eyebrows, "I'm sorry I don't recall."
Elliot nodded, "Why would you, you were wearing a red floor length gown, it had thin straps over your shoulders, showed off your back," he responded but stopped suddenly when Tucker cleared his throat.
Olivia noticed he was now redder than her dress probably was that evening. She only now realized they were just holding hands across her desk. Dropping his hand suddenly she was happy Tucker was there.
"See what did I tell you, good solid instincts on this one, he notices things," Tucker chuckled.
"Right," Olivia gave the men a closed lip smile.
"I've got to get going, you have everything you need, I'll talk to you later Captain," Tucker said before turning to a Elliot.
"I know he doesn't say it, but I and your dad are proud of you kid," Tucker spoke in a softer voice patting Elliot on the shoulder before exiting the office and closing the door behind him.
There was an awkward silence once Tucker had left. Olivia wasn't sure where to begin, she held out a hand, indicating the chair in front of her desk, "Have a seat officer," she offered as she sat down behind her desk.
"How do you know Eddy?" Elliot blurted our before sitting.
Olivia raised an eyebrow, not expecting this kind of question or directness. "That's really none of your business is it? But we work together obviously."
"You looked awfully cozy for someone you work with when I walked in, or are you like that with all your colleagues?" Elliot inquired.
Olivia let out an indignant laugh, "I beg your pardon? Who the hell do you think you are?"
Elliot finally sat down across from her, pulling his chair up as close he could to her desk, "I'm just calling it like I see it, I know my uncle pretty well but he's never mentioned you before-"
This time it was Olivia interrupting him, "Let me make something perfectly clear to you , my personal life is none of your business what so ever. You are here despite my objections. As far as I'm concerned the only reason you got this job is because of your last name, that's it. You have not earned a spot in this squad or in my confidence. It is with extreme reluctance that I have to give you this gun and badge. You will be partnered with an amazing detective, who I sincerely hope you learn from because from the ten minutes I've had to endure your presence for I can already tell you've got a hell of a lot to learn kid!"
What irked her even more was the sly smirk on the guy's face.
"So I got the job? And partner, from what I've heard you're the best teacher to learn from, I was hoping to learn under you Captain," he finished with a wink.
"Cut that shit out right now, this isn't the academy anymore. You're not the big man on campus. You're literally the bottom of the totem pole in this unit do you understand that?" Olivia snapped.
"All the more reason for you to take me under your supervision, don't you think? If I have so much to learn, who better to mold me?" Elliot proposed.
Olivia shook her head, not fifteen minutes together and he was already getting under her skin. She dropped his contract in front of him, "Read it, sign it if you agree."
Elliot grabbed the small stack of papers, maintaining eye contact with her until he reluctantly began reading.
Olivia took this time to really do a proper physical assessment of him, which she was hoping was better than the personality he brought to the table. The first thing she noticed when he entered her office was his piercing blue eyes. She couldn't believe she had met him before because she was sure she would remember eyes as deep and clear as the ocean. He was chewing on his bottom lip as he read his contract, brow slightly furrowed in concentration. At least it seemed he could read, couldn't be a complete beefcake. His hair was too shaggy and long, he'd have to trim it, and although she personally liked it the goatee and scruff would have to go as well. He was older than she expected, mid twenties at least, he must have done a degree or something before going into the academy. Her eyes scanned lower, he was wearing a simple t-shirt that fitted him in all the right places. It pulled tightly across his broad chest, his biceps were bulging from the short sleeves leading to strong, thick forearms. Olivia licked her lips, she couldn't help noticing how thick his fingers were. Her gaze travelled down the torso of his fitted shirt. She was almost certain if she squinted she could probably see his pecs and abs through the thin material, his legs were blocked from her view by her desk, and his papers were covering his lap, but she remembered he'd been wearing jeans when he came in. Not exactly dressed the most appropriately for a job interview she sighed, biting her upper lip, she slowly brought her eyes up the length of his body. Solid. Ed was right about one thing at least.
Olivia had just come across a wide grin, before looking into those sparkling blue eyes again, she gulped surprised. "You done?" Elliot asked her.
Olivia couldn't prevent the blush or stutter, "I wasn't-I was just- I-I was um trying to think, how you'd compare to your new partner, if you'd be able to handle him, you know, help him, physically, out in the field, if something went wrong, physical fitness is a part of our job after all."
Elliot smirked, "Oh right of course Captain." Elliot shocked her further by raising the hem of his shirt revealing just what she expected, the bottom of a series of rock hard indentations and the start of a very prominent 'V' shape that was dipping into his jeans. "I think, just like you, I'm good in that department, do you have a pen?"
Olivia was so stunned by his blatant display that she didn't respond.
Elliot smiled, "Liv, Olivia? Pen?"
Olivia snapped out of her trance, and grabbed a pen from the holder on her desk, "Don't call me that!"
She held out the pen, noticing again the weird warmth that spread through her fingers when his hand made contact with hers.
"Uncle Ed called you that," Elliot responded while signing his name on the papers.
"Tucker and I are friends," Olivia replied while crossing her arms.
Elliot handed the pen back to her, making sure to stroke one of her fingers, "We could be friends."
Olivia shook her head, "No I'm your boss, that's all for now."
"Hmmm guess that's something I could teach you then," he smiled.
"Look your new partner will be in any minute now. He'll give you the rundown of what you need to know today. As for my notes, you need a cut and shave, you're not on the street anymore, and I hope like hell you have a suit, this isn't vice kid," Olivia groused.
"Hey I'm not a kid, I'm only a few years younger than you!" Elliot exclaimed.
Olivia actually laughed. "A few years? Try a couple decades."
Elliot scrunched his eyebrows, "Just how old are you?"
Olivia smiled, "And that right there just proved your age to me, a real man knows not to ever ask a woman her age El."
"What did you just call me?" Elliot asked, crossing his arms and purposely flexing his muscles.
"Uh, I actually don't know, it just came out…" Olivia trailed off, trying not to stare at his arms again.
"Hmmm, well I liked it."
"Where are we on that suit Stabler?" Olivia sighed, she didn't understand where this playful banter came from, she had never had this immediate connection with anyone, maybe it was because she had worked with his dad?
"You got something I can change into, truthfully I didn't expect to start today, drove over here on my bike, left my helmet on the desk out front."
"Of course you did, here," Olivia said before coming around her desk and handing him his new gun and badge.
"Wow," Elliot said with some reverence, rubbing his thumb over the numbers, his hand touching hers again. "I uh saw this on my father everyday growing up…"
Olivia realized they were both holding onto his badge, "And it was all you ever wanted too?" she assumed she was finishing his sentence.
Olivia looked up into his eyes, he was quick but not quick enough to hide the fleetingly dark look that appeared in them, "Yeah," he smiled grimly, "Something like that, every kid wants to grow up to be like their parents right?"
Olivia let go of his hand and badge, but not before swiping her thumb across his fingers, she nodded and smiled, "Why of course."
Olivia could hear voices now beyond her closed door, "Sounds like the squad is pouring in, so why don't you go meet your new colleagues and uh maybe Nick can help you out, I uh think you guys are the same uh build," she gulped.
"Sure," Elliot nodded.
"And if not, I don't expect you to actually go out on any calls today, you have a lot to learn here first, so your attire for today can be excused."
Olivia turned to go back to her desk, "Am I really just here because of my last name?"
Olivia paused, "I assumed you knew."
Elliot nodded, "Figures," he spat. "I'm not, I mean fine maybe that's why you're stuck with me," he continued, walking closer to her. "But I'm gonna be a great cop no matter what my last name is. I'll prove it to you, I do belong here."
Olivia crossed her arms and leaned her butt back on her desk. She paused for a moment, sweeping her eyes up and down his body before settling on his eyes. She had never seen blue eyes on fire before but that was the only way to describe them, they were blazing with conviction, that he truly did believe the words he was saying.
"Make me eat my words Elliot," she said.
Elliot gave her a slick smile, before opening his mouth.
Olivia held up her hand, his emotional immaturity about to shine through she was sure, "Don't even think about it, remind me to sign you up for a workplace sexual relations seminar."
Elliot's eyebrows shot up, "Oh so we're allowed relations?"
Olivia had her head down, she had texted Nick asking him if he was ready. "I'm not going to answer that, there are rules and protocols, Nick will give you a handbook, learn them."
"And what about your personal rules and protocols Captain?" Elliot asked grinning as Olivia moved to put the desk between them.
She laughed at him, "I'd say firstly I'm your Captain, and secondly I'm way too old for you kiddo."
Elliot frowned, he seemed to take offence anytime she referred to his age or called him a kid.
"I'm not a kid, something else I'll be glad to prove to you Captain," Elliot growled.
There was a knock on the door, "That's your partner, Nick Amaro. Come in Nick," she called.
She needed to get this rookie out of her office. She introduced the men, directing Nick to show him the ropes like she did for him his first day. Nick saluted before exiting, Elliot moved to follow before giving one last look back, "I look forward to working closely beside and under you Olivia."
Olivia sighed, collapsing on her chair, she hung her head in her hands. Who the hell was this new guy? And what fresh hell was he going to bring to her life? He was just a kid, but he had balls she had to give him that. He was outspoken, clearly had no filter, and no idea how to address authorities. Something she learned through years on the beat.
Yes he definitely had a lot to learn, she just wasn't sure she was the person that should be teaching him. She couldn't pinpoint it, but his physical appearance was causing an odd sensation in her. She had always dated men older than her. She had never even dipped her toe in the younger pool, she had never met a younger man that interested her. But something about his personality and natural good looks, not to mention those baby blues, had her in some kind of weird trance for a moment.
She laughed out loud, God, what was she worried about. He was probably some manwhore, who only picked up blonde badge bunnies at cheap clubs and bars. Olivia shook her head he probably flirted with anything that moved and she was sure that was how he had excelled so far in life, using his name and natural charms.
Not giving the interaction another thought, she logged on to her computer, getting a start on her day.
A/N: Thoughts? Suggestions? All mistakes mine. No beta.
