"What are you wearing?!"

Olivia looked up from her laptop, giving Fin a dangerous smirk; one he's seen a thousand times when he's pressed her with his signature brand of brotherly annoyance. Fin simply grinned in response; there was no way he was letting her off the hook. This exciting development in the form of a beacon on her chest was too juicy not to tease her about. He stood in her doorway, arms crossed, waiting patiently for her retort.

"Good morning to you too, Sergeant," Olivia replied warily, pretending to be nonchalant and doing a pisspoor job.

That's okay, Fin mused. When it came to Olivia Benson and a friendship spanning over two decades, he knew how to play the long game. She had buttons that everyone was afraid to push, except him. (Well, and maybe a certain detective that he was about to put on blast. That dumbass was great at pushing her buttons.)

"You gonna answer my question?"

"Nope."

Liv continued clicking her laptop keys, seemingly impervious to Fin's mischievous eyes dancing between her collarbones. After a sixty-second impasse, she sighed heavily, removed her glasses, and looked at her persistent friend.

"It's a necklace."

"I can see that. I think the people on the top deck of the Empire State Building can see that."

"Fin," she admonished, her upturned lips giving away her lackluster attempt at frustration. "It's noth-"

"Don't you dare say that's nothing. That's some serious bling, Liv."

"It's just a necklace. I wear necklaces all the time."

"Not like this. This is a statement, not some cute splurge you'd get with Phoebe at the mall." He eyed her, drumming his fingers along his bicep in amused reverie. "This was a gift."

Liv pursed her lips and scrunched her nose, knowing that he would be relentless if she dared to lie. "Yes, it was."

Fin smiled victoriously before relaxing into the warmth of her vulnerable confession. "You're worth it, Liv. You deserve to have men give you small boxes worth thousands of dollars."

"Thousands?" She gasped, her fingers absentmindedly stroking the pendant. "No, he wouldn't have…," she trails off, knowing that he not only would have, he did.

He laughed as the realization dawned on her, before launching into his familial lecture. "Stabler did good, but he owes you more. The diamond from that damn Titanic movie should be hanging around your neck after all he's put you through."

He's thrilled that she isn't denying it— the confirmation hovering thickly between them that it's Elliot she's wearing close to her heart. But instead of smiling at his joke, he watched as panic etched her features, her defensive posture knocking her ramrod straight.

"He doesn't owe me anything. I didn't… we weren't…"

"He left. It doesn't matter what you were or weren't. You were partners."

They're quiet for a beat, and for a second Fin worried he overstepped until Olivia sighed, and it felt like acquiescence.

"I'm trying, Fin. I'm trying to move forward. To keep the past in the past. But…"

"It's hard," Fin supplied, sympathetically.

Olivia nodded. "It's hard."

"Liv, if you want my honest take on this, I know he's still a mess and ducking into these undercover gigs like he's got some penance with God to account for, but I think he's trying. With you, I mean. He just needed a push. He didn't know where to start."

"Uh-huh, and what was the push with this?" She noted, twirling the compass between her fingers for emphasis. "Since you're giving me your honest take and all?"

"I think watching you take a round of buckshot to the hip was enough to sober him up. Knock his head loose. Remind him that you're standing right here, always have been, and time's running out."

"Well, that's morbid. Thank you, Odafin, for reminding me that I'm old."

"We're all old! Why waste time on old bullshit?"

"I wish it were that simple."

Fin hummed, not quite disagreeing, always her stalwart supporter. "It's a nice gesture, is all I'm saying. I'm glad you're wearing it, not hiding it in some jewelry box to collect dust."

"Me too." She finally smiled, genuine and wistful.

"Happiness looks good on you."

Fin caught a wave of something washing over her- a realization or a memory blooming her cheeks, but a knock at the door interrupted his curiosity. Bruno appeared with a carrier of bougie coffees in hand.

"Morning, Cap- wow!" Bruno clocked the necklace and immediately shut up after catching that glare from Liv that stopped hardened criminals dead in their tracks. Fin snickered, watching her falter, watching him backpedal.

"Good morning, Bruno." Olivia snapped, her voice seemingly more mirthful than annoyed. As she took the coffee from Bruno's offered hand, she regained her composure and transformed into her captaincy, reminding them about the witness coming in to be interviewed any minute. Olivia reviewed logistics and their morning responsibilities before dismissing them to their tasks.

As they left, Bruno leaned over to Fin, exaggerating a whisper. "Are we not talking about that giant necklace?"

"Both of you, out!"