Fin pulled grumpily at his collar, "Damn it Liv, why'd I have to go to this?" He eyed her skeptically, "Why didn't you take Stabler or somethin'." He knew why. She and Stabler were still in the midst of their dance. The one where they pretend that they are just friends and their relationship is platonic, but in reality everyone knows they are more than that. That dance. And tonight he was the decoy.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Look, I know for a fact he wouldn't go with me, he hates these things, and you still owe me for covering for you the other night."

"Fine," he grumbled. "But Stabler woulda come with you. I'm pretty sure he would jump off a bridge if you asked 'em."

She shot him another look of disdain before saying, "Look, we don't have to stay long. I need to show my face to a few important people and then we can go."

"And we can hit up that Mexican food place on the way back."

"Fine," she sighed in frustration.

He opened the door for her and they walked inside.

-000-

Olivia wanted to go home as much as Fin did, but McGrath made it abundantly clear her attendance was mandatory.

She knew she could have asked Elliot, and he would have come with her happily. But, then the evening would be fraught with the undercurrent of complicated emotion that ruled their relationship. She didn't want to deal with all that while trying to play politics with the boys club of the brass.

"Wanna drink, Liv?" Fin's words broke her away from her thoughts.

"Yeah, thanks." She gave Fin a polite smile. She was really grateful he was here, and she wasn't doing a good job showing it.

Fin walked away and she found herself standing alone in the middle of the room. "Captain Benson!" A voice called. She turned to see the captain from counterterrorism coming her way. She gave a polite smile as he engaged her in a conversation about something she had no interest in, but she still tried to pay attention.

As she struggled to remain involved in the conversation, something, or rather, someone grabbed her attention from across the room. Damn it. She internally cursed. His presence was going to make things more complicated, but damn she was so glad to see him here. Walking through the door with Ayanna Bell was Elliot Stabler.

His eyes almost immediately found hers and he met her with a grin. She shot her eyes back down to her feet, and tried to focus on anything other than the man who was making her heart pound from across the room.

Luckily she felt Fin's hand on her elbow, saving her from both the dull conversation, and the man staring at her from across the ballroom. "Thanks Fin." She gave him a genuine smile this time, and the chatty captain excused himself from the conversation. Thank God.

Fin took a sip from his drink and eyed her over his glass. "I think I saw a certain detective come in with his sergeant." Suddenly, she craved the dull conversation the other captain provided.

"Yeah." She took a sip of the wine Fin provided. With how this night was going she was going to need something stronger than wine. "I didn't know Ayanna was coming," she said lamely.

She turned away, finding a nearby table to stand at. Fin followed. He seemed to get the hint that she didn't want to talk about Stabler right now. Especially since the man was standing across the room, looking perfect in his tux, and all she was thinking was how perfect his hands would feel on her skin, and how perfect his mouth would feel on hers and she suddenly felt warm and she needed to stop thinking about all of that. She took a long shaky breath and turned to Fin, attempting to make some sort of lame conversation that didn't revolve around Elliot, but she was distracted before any words left her mouth.

She felt a familiar hand at the small of her back and a breathy voice whispered in her ear, "Dance with me?" Her heart pounded and breathing seemed to become an obsolete function.

She nodded without turning, and placed her wine glass on the coaster. Breathe, she reminded herself.

His hand ran the entire length of her arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake, before taking her hand and leading her to the dance floor.

-000-

Ayanna saw Fin, now standing alone, drink in hand. She made her way over to him. They stood in silence for a moment, watching their people dancing in the distance. She took a sip of her drink, "Do you ever feel obsolete when they're together?" Everyone felt obsolete in their presence. Whenever they were together it was like they were the only ones in the room.

Fin grinned at her wryly, "For 20 damn years now."

Ayanna shook her head, "I don't know how you do it. I'm only three years into this…" she waved her hand in the direction of the dancing couple, "and I'm already frustrated by the bullshit and denials."

Fin drank his drink. "Yep. I'd hoped they'd have it figured out by now, but Liv," he shook his head, "she's stubborn and has a lot of shit she's holding on to."

"Think she'll give 'Em a chance?" Ayanna asked, eyeing the couple over her drink.

"I dunno. That dam's gotta burst sometime." The two watched the couple suddenly slip away from the dance floor. Fin finished his drink, "I may need a ride home," his smirking smile watching their exit.

Ayanna's eyes widened as she watched the couple leave, but she answered, "yeah I got your back sergeant."

They stood, drinks in hand, watching their 'dates' sneak off into a quiet hallway together.

-000-

Olivia sighed with contentment as Elliot held her, swaying gently to the music. Her arm draped around his neck, his hand started at her waist, but had now traveled further up her back, pressing her body against his. He kept their clasped hands pressed into the front of his shoulder and his head nearly resting on top of hers. She knew they were making a spectacle of themselves, but she had a hard time caring about that when in Elliot's arms. Plus, the whispers weren't a new phenomenon anyway.

"You look amazing tonight," his voice was barely a whisper, right above her ear. "You're so beautiful, Liv." She felt an involuntary shudder run through her body. His lips brushed against her ear as he whispered, "You always look perfect."

Her breathing quickened, and she was happy she was at least remembering to provide oxygen for her brain. But she was doing little else. She kept her head pressed into his neck, knowing if she looked up at him she would most definitely kiss him, and that would lead to more than whispers among their peers.

She felt his fingers running up and down her spine, slowly feeling each individual vertebrae tenderly. She inadvertently found her fingers toying with the buttons of his shirt. She felt his breath quicken against her hair, and she knew they either needed to stop dancing or leave this room because their physical responses to each other would soon become obvious.

Elliot seemed to read her mind, and his lips were again at her ear, "Need some air?"

She nodded, not trusting her voice to vocalize her assent evenly.

Thankfully he kept his arm around her waist while they walked because she wasn't sure she could walk straight at this point.

They left the ballroom in favor of the nearly abandoned hallway. He kept his arm around her waist, but his fingers lightly rubbed from her waist to her hip. The contact was definitely suggestive and she was having a hard time seeing the downside of going home with him tonight. Hell, she might not even make it home based on how high strung she felt right now.

Once they were down the hall and around a corner, both Elliot's hands found her hips and her back was pressed against the wall and his lips were on hers and it was incredible.

She didn't know how, but her tongue was in his mouth, which he willingly accepted, and his hands drifted to her ass, and she was trying to remember all the reasons this was a bad idea but she was coming up empty.

It was when he completely felt her up over her dress, that she remembered they were in a public hallway and they were at a police function. She reluctantly pulled her lips away from his, "Wait," she breathed.

He removed his hands from her body, but pressed them into the wall on either side of her. His forehead was against hers, but once he gained some physical control he took a step back,

With the removal of his intoxicating touch her mind spiraled and she suddenly remembered all the reasons why this was a bad idea and why they needed to stay just friends. Still, her body was still throbbing with desire, making her brain a muddled complicated mess.

She felt Elliot watching her. He probably could hear her internal battle. He took a tentative step forward, trying not to scare her away. "I want this Liv." He brought his blue eyes to her brown ones. "I want you." She read all the meaning in his eyes and she knew he was talking about everything, not just tonight.

She shook her head, trying to convince herself. "We can't El." She lifted her eyes to his again, "I can't. I…" her thought trailed off as she fought to explain good reasons.

He grasped both her hands in his and leaned forward again, encroaching her space. "Liv," he breathed, "We do this dance, over and over. It's like we are stuck on a dizzying carousel spinning round and round, never getting anywhere." He leaned in, and his lips brushed against hers. "I want to get off the carousel." He kissed her again, slow and affectionate. "Let's get off together."

She wanted to cry. He was right, but she was scared. This carousel ride may be dizzying, but it was safe. Getting off the ride meant going somewhere they'd never gone before. It meant trust. It meant embracing the unknown. It meant risk. She lifted her brown eyes, finding his blue ones, pleading. Her brain was a mess over the situation, but her heart knew Elliot. Her heart loved Elliot. It was time to take a breath and dive in.

She pushed her lips into his, kissing him with all the desire, passion, and affection she'd kept suppressed for so long. She broke away only long enough to say, "Let's get off this damn carousel." With that, her lips found his, with meaning and purpose. This was it. No more fear. No more holding back. She was in. She was all in.