Different (14/15) Nuked Peeps
Fic: Different (14/15)
Title: Different
Author: bluebriefs and hobbes73
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Everything becomes different after an unexpected move by Alex.
Nuked Peeps
The call to her office came at a quarter past six. A case had just been handed from Homicide to SVU. The D.A. was placing priority on seeing this case through and Alex will need to go to the precinct tonight for the case's first briefing. Then Elizabeth Donnelly hung up without so much as a good night. Great… Alex turned her eyes heavenward. She could only imagine how the gang at the one-six would feel about her involvement this early in an investigation.
Exiting the station's ancient elevator she walked down the familiar corridor and mentally prepared for any resistance the squad was going put up against her presence. While the coffee and donuts had been a great hit this morning Alex wasn't naive enough to think that the Captain and his detectives were going to roll over for the District Attorney because of a couple dozen glazed rings. She hoped for predictability in their opposition, it was much easier to defend.
Olivia wouldn’t be there. Alex had talked herself into believing that her absence was a good thing, despite the fact Olivia was usually the least resistant to interference from the DA's office. From the unsolicited opinions given by her predecessor Alex had a suspicion that Olivia objected less only when she was involved.
Inside the squad room, the captain was huddled with two of his detectives by the blackboard. Fin and Munch looked up as she approached, but Cragen was the first to speak.
"Alex. Sorry to have to bring you in at this hour."
Alex cocked her head to one side. "Our bosses colluded on this one. Got to have something to feed the press tomorrow," she told him.
There's not a whole hell lot we can do about it was left unsaid. She recovered from her initial surprise quickly enough to accept Cragen's candid and unexpected overture, and was relieved that there wasn't going to be any animosity directed at her.
"You know how we work here. We're not going to stonewall you," Cragen assured the ADA again. The weary captain looked around and signaled to everyone in the room that the briefing would begin. A couple of detectives from third and several uniformed officers gathered closer.
Movement in Alex's peripheral vision caught her attention and she turned to see Olivia appearing from behind the group of cops.
A chagrined Cragen beat Alex to her lines. "Benson, what are you doing here?"
"Captain..."
"I seem to recall telling you that I didn’t want to see you until Monday morning."
Alex was glad that everyone's attention was directed at the newly arrived detective because her professional facade faltered when she saw Olivia Benson dressed up for what looked to be a very ritzy night out. She managed to snap out of it and pulled her jaw back up when Olivia spoke.
"I was the SVU liaison on that joint task force with Homicide when they started the case." Olivia jerked her thumb at the blackboard covered in pictures and a chalked timeline. "There's going to be things I can help to fill in," she said earnestly.
Cragen must have realized that arguing with Olivia would be an exercise in futility. He silently capitulated and then pointed to Munch. "In my office when we're done," he said to the veteran detective leaving no doubt that he knew who had called Olivia.
Alex listened as a weary Cragen who looked like he could use a few days off himself apprised the team about the case. She managed to pay attention to the captain while her eyes flicked over to Olivia.
The jacket Olivia had on was a little too short for the weather, Alex decided. But it cut a great silhouette on her - strong shoulders, trim waist, and what the jacket didn't hide were those long, tanned legs. All that before you could even notice the plunging neckline peeking out from behind the unbuttoned jacket. Alex frowned. She's seen Olivia in evening wear before. This outfit however was more than 'I want to look nice'. This outfit was saying, 'I want to look nice for you so you can tear this dress off me'.
A surge of jealousy rose in Alex. She hoped that Laney knew how lucky she was because Olivia didn’t go all out for just anyone. Alex was damn near positive that even the diva Julia had not seen a dress like this one.
She watched as Olivia stepped up to the board to point out something in the timeline. Alex was all too glad for an excuse to keep her eyes trained on the detective. She glanced down, admiring Olivia's well-toned calves and how... alluring they looked with those heels. Her gaze trailed to the hemline of the dress and she followed it around and to the side, where the material slit up and-- oh, god.
Alex's mind started to buzz, the case particulars became white noise and she felt her body temperature ratchet up a few notches. Was the precinct's A/C not working? Before she could stop herself she blurted out, "W- what?"
"What?" Olivia echoed. Since Alex had been looking at her when she sputtered, the detective had apparently assumed Alex was directing the question at her.
Alex realized that Olivia hadn't actually said anything because Munch had been in middle of a question when her mouth betrayed her. Her face at first flushed and then paled in horror, fearing that her innermost thoughts and her sudden and intense physical reaction to Olivia could be read by all.
The lawyer ducked her head and pinched the bridge of her nose, avoiding eye contact with Olivia in the process. This is not happening, she thought wearily. "Sorry. Please, continue," she urged the group.
The briefing went on and broke up after the captain assigned everyone their tasks. The group scattered except for Cragen, Olivia and Alex.
"You," he addressed Olivia in a stern manner, "go home, or go back to wherever you came from. I don't want to hear about you coming in this weekend to work on this case, or any case. Is that clear?"
Without waiting for an answer, he left the two women and retreated to his office with Munch trailing behind at a slower pace.
Olivia turned to Alex. "You're alright?"
"Yeah," Alex lied. She was having a difficult time coming up with something to say.
"About lunch..." Olivia started.
Their plan to meet earlier had fallen through when Olivia and Elliot went out to Alphabet City. They had been jammed up trying to interview an eighty year old woman who spoke little English and became increasingly testy during the interview about having the cops in her home.
Olivia reached up and fiddled with the onyx drop earring on her left earlobe. The earrings were simple and elegant, just like everything else about her outfit tonight.
Alex inhaled sharply as if she had forgotten to breathe. "Don't worry about it. We'll get together next week," she said with confidence she did not possess at that moment. Her voice sounded strained to her own ears and she hoped that Olivia would not notice.
"I have to go. I'll see ya," Olivia said after a moment of consideration. Her expression was unreadable to the still-flustered attorney who could only nod and watched the familiar stride as Olivia walked away.
Alex took a few minutes to regain her bearings. As she began to process the physical reactions triggered by the sight of the dark-haired detective in a little black cocktail dress she knew their talk would have to be sooner rather than later.
Olivia exited the station house into the dusky light of an early evening. For the first time in days she hadn't been on call for the night shift. There was nothing pending in her caseload that would warrant being called in so she had felt confident about an uninterrupted date with Laney tonight. A quiet and relaxing evening at a very nice restaurant. So much for optimism.
She had called Laney after hanging up on Munch. As usual, Laney had been sympathetic to the situation. But since the briefing had only taken just over fifteen minutes and with Cragen having given her the ultimatum to stay away, her plans for tonight would not be ruined after all. At least not completely.
She pulled out her cell as she looked down the street, trying to flag down a cab. Laney was delighted to hear from her and agreed that although their reservations were history they should still meet. It was just as well since every second of OT that Olivia had worked this week would have been needed to pay for dinner at that place.
As she made her way to meet the professor Olivia thought about the squad's latest hand-me-down case. It was going to be a real bitch and she was glad she wasn’t the primary. Even Alex had seemed on edge, which surprised Olivia. She wondered how bad Alex's day must have been and wished she'd stayed longer to see if the lawyer was alright.
Olivia put away her concerns, vowing to check on Alex tomorrow and focused on Laney instead. She smiled inwardly as she let her mind wander to one of her more favorite evenings with the professor. On Tuesday night, the two of them had explored the comforts of Laney's couch and it had been at the tip of Olivia's tongue to suggest moving to the bedroom when her pager went off. Olivia had wanted to throw the beeper against the wall in hopes it would shatter. Instead she called in and that was the night she found herself by a stoop in Chelsea.
A short ride later the cab pulled over and she got out, sighing at the memories of the thwarted evening. Every time they arrived at a crossroad something would inevitably interrupt. And Olivia worked hard at making it up to Laney - a dinner cut short became breakfast, a canceled lunch became Chinese take out between classes. Laney didn’t seem to mind and Olivia wanted it to stay that way.
As soon as she rounded a corner Olivia was extremely glad she had the coat on. She had never been to the beer garden Laney suggested and now that she was a stone's throw away from the place she realized that she was completely overdressed. She scanned the area around the entrance and didn't see her date so she found herself an empty spot on the sidewalk, buttoned up her jacket and waited.
She watched a group of drunken college kids stumble past, laughing and happy to be in each other's company, and it got her thinking about her days at Siena. From there her thoughts began to drift and it didn't take long for it to settle on Alex again. She shook her head in defeat. The reality was, if Olivia would admit it, that she was using Laney; like a consolation prize in a contest which Laney knew nothing about. That thought led Olivia to wonder why she was trying so hard. She looked down at her dress, specifically purchased for tonight. It clung to all the right parts certain to get the attention of the one she was wearing it for.
She had considered telling Laney, not about Alex, but of her doubts about them as a couple. Yet she chickened out of that topic every time they met. She was holding on to the sliver of possibility that she might build something with Laney after her feelings for Alex were resolved. That would require talking to Alex, a feat seemingly impossible if things kept going this way.
When she caught sight of Laney the detective smiled as she watched the other woman unaware. Laney was walking slowly, her hands in the pockets of her top coat. She was in her own little world as she strolled along the sidewalk. Olivia's smile faded as Laney moved closer. The shorter woman was almost a block away and appeared to be in no hurry. At twenty feet Olivia could see Laney managing to finally notice her. It seemed to take the professor looking directly at her before recognition set in. Laney grinned widely and Olivia gave her a tight lipped smile.
Olivia kissed the smiling woman on the cheek and followed her into the restaurant. She carefully watched for tell tale signs that the professor might trip. As if on cue, Laney missed a step and Olivia caught the woman's arm before she could fall.
Laney laughed a little too loudly at the stumble. She didn't notice the dark look that passed over Olivia's face.
"I had a couple of glass of wine after you said you have to be at work," Laney disclosed as they sat down on the same side of a booth.
They musta been some pretty substantial glasses. Olivia forced a smile and said, "I'm glad it didn’t take long."
"So am I or I might have missed you in that dress. You look delicious," Laney drawled.
Oh hello, Olivia thought as Laney leaned over and gave her a quick nip at her neck. She could hardly object since that was the look she had been going for. It was too late for regrets. "You look wonderful too," she managed to respond.
"Pshaw. I threw on the first thing I found when you called me back."
Sitting this close to Laney Olivia had already figured that bit of information out. "And it suits you," Olivia told her seriously as she noted that the shirt under Laney's light jacket was inside out.
"Thank you!" Laney said brightly.
The conversation broke as they ordered dinner. Olivia picked out a beer she had never heard of and Laney ordered a glass of wine. The older woman then hemmed and hawed for a moment before passing on food. "I'll just have a bite of yours," she told Olivia.
"So…" Laney began after they received their drinks. "Just where would you put your gun while wearing that little dress?"
Olivia was taken aback by the question. Laney didn’t seem to notice as she pressed on. "Do you have a thigh holster?"
"Uh… I think you've been watching too much TV." For her response Olivia was treated to another unduly loud chuckle.
"Maybe, but I think it would be very sexy."
"I've never understood why someone would think being armed is sexy," Olivia admitted.
"It's the big stick," Laney told her. Olivia blinked but before she could ask Laney continued, "Not a penile substitute. It's power."
"My gun doesn’t make me powerful," Olivia objected. She tamped down the bewilderment building inside of her as she watched this whole other side of Laney unfolding before her.
"No, it doesn’t. Not on you anyway. You have a… confidence and you don’t need a gun to project it." Laney polished off the rest of her wine. She signaled the waitress for another glass. Olivia declined, she was still working on her beer.
Laney turned her attention back to the brunette and Olivia noticed that her eyes were darker, her irises were highly dilated even in this dim lighting.
"That's not to say I don’t find you exciting when you're are armed," Laney said. She placed her hand on Olivia's hip, where her service weapon would usually sit. "I do. But you don’t need it to promote your authority like some cops do."
A loud siren went off in Olivia's mind. "Some cops?" She asked carefully.
"Oh, like Ralph. Without his gun and badge he was just a little weenie with an attitude problem. Or Melissa. She was just another weak willed woman when she took off the uniform."
It didn’t take Olivia long to convince Laney to tell her about Ralph and Melissa. Both were exes and both were cops. The longer Laney went on, the clearer the picture became.
For one very fleeting moment the thought occurred to Olivia to put Laney in a cab and then turn and run the other direction. But she escorted her date home and saw her safely into the apartment. The inebriated professor teetered off to the bathroom and Olivia used the opportunity to take a good hard look around.
Laney had floor-to-ceiling bookshelves running along the far wall of her living room. Olivia had never really paid attention to their contents all the other times she was in the apartment. She walked over to inspect the shelves. The first one she stopped at was filled with academic texts (with stupor inducing titles like Game Theory for Applied Economists and The Resolution of Conflict: Constructive and Destructive Processes). One of the few titles she recognized was a well read copy of A Beautiful Mind. Terribly boring movie, Olivia remembered.
She moved on to the neighboring shelves. They were lined with fictional mysteries and true crime books. Olivia leaned in to read the titles and her eyes widened when she noticed several forensic methodology books, law enforcement manuals and the most revealing discovery yet - a slew of biographies, all but one were about police and firefighter figures.
She picked up the lone title that had seemed out of place. It was a compilation of profiles from the District Attorney's office. The detective turned to check the hallway before she flipped open the book to look at the index. 'Donnelly, Elizabeth' was listed but 'Cabot, Alexandra' was not. The detective grimaced. She had hoped that Laney's dating history was sheer coincidence, but with everything Laney told her at the restaurant coupled with the professor's choice of pleasure reading has turned it all into irrefutable evidence confirming her suspicions.
Olivia put the book back hastily when she heard Laney moving around in the bathroom. It took her another ten minutes before she came back to the living room and judging from the red marks on her face Olivia would say she had passed out for a few minutes.
At Laney's insistence, they sat on the couch. "We didn't get to chat over dinner," she complained.
Dinner? Olivia thought back to Laney's meal which consisted of her picking at Olivia's side of fries.
Laney reached for the bottle of Merlot she had left on the coffee table and poured herself another glassful. Looking around earlier, Olivia had already spotted an empty bottle on the kitchen counter. It didn't take long, maybe a few slurred sentences at the most, for the professor to fall asleep on the couch. Olivia, who was starting to feel the alcohol and fatigue getting to her, went to the bedroom and pulled the comforter off the bed. She was tucking Laney in when she woke. Olivia shushed her but Laney ignored the silencing and planted a long deep kiss on Olivia's lips.
Olivia responded without thinking and the rest of her body caught up. That this might end up a drunken romp did not really bother her. It wouldn't be the first time. But ever since that lamentable tryst with Brian Cassidy the morals that had scared Julia off kept Olivia in check. Laney might regret the hangover tomorrow but after everything Olivia had just learned about the professor she was sure that Laney wasn't going to regret sleeping with her. With this thought, and the ramifications weighing heavy against the act, Olivia sobered up and pulled back from the woman's embrace to tuck her in. The professor sighed, looking a little crushed and pouted. Olivia brushed away Laney's bangs and kissed her on the forehead. This placated the sleepy woman enough for Olivia to finish pulling the comforter over her.
Olivia left as quietly as she could and walked down the building stairs with heavy steps. The mess with Alex must have put her off her game more than she realized. Because Laney Whitmore was a certified badge bunny and Olivia Benson had missed every single sign pointing to it along the way.
Title: Different
Author: bluebriefs and hobbes73
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Everything becomes different after an unexpected move by Alex.
Nuked Peeps
The call to her office came at a quarter past six. A case had just been handed from Homicide to SVU. The D.A. was placing priority on seeing this case through and Alex will need to go to the precinct tonight for the case's first briefing. Then Elizabeth Donnelly hung up without so much as a good night. Great… Alex turned her eyes heavenward. She could only imagine how the gang at the one-six would feel about her involvement this early in an investigation.
Exiting the station's ancient elevator she walked down the familiar corridor and mentally prepared for any resistance the squad was going put up against her presence. While the coffee and donuts had been a great hit this morning Alex wasn't naive enough to think that the Captain and his detectives were going to roll over for the District Attorney because of a couple dozen glazed rings. She hoped for predictability in their opposition, it was much easier to defend.
Olivia wouldn’t be there. Alex had talked herself into believing that her absence was a good thing, despite the fact Olivia was usually the least resistant to interference from the DA's office. From the unsolicited opinions given by her predecessor Alex had a suspicion that Olivia objected less only when she was involved.
Inside the squad room, the captain was huddled with two of his detectives by the blackboard. Fin and Munch looked up as she approached, but Cragen was the first to speak.
"Alex. Sorry to have to bring you in at this hour."
Alex cocked her head to one side. "Our bosses colluded on this one. Got to have something to feed the press tomorrow," she told him.
There's not a whole hell lot we can do about it was left unsaid. She recovered from her initial surprise quickly enough to accept Cragen's candid and unexpected overture, and was relieved that there wasn't going to be any animosity directed at her.
"You know how we work here. We're not going to stonewall you," Cragen assured the ADA again. The weary captain looked around and signaled to everyone in the room that the briefing would begin. A couple of detectives from third and several uniformed officers gathered closer.
Movement in Alex's peripheral vision caught her attention and she turned to see Olivia appearing from behind the group of cops.
A chagrined Cragen beat Alex to her lines. "Benson, what are you doing here?"
"Captain..."
"I seem to recall telling you that I didn’t want to see you until Monday morning."
Alex was glad that everyone's attention was directed at the newly arrived detective because her professional facade faltered when she saw Olivia Benson dressed up for what looked to be a very ritzy night out. She managed to snap out of it and pulled her jaw back up when Olivia spoke.
"I was the SVU liaison on that joint task force with Homicide when they started the case." Olivia jerked her thumb at the blackboard covered in pictures and a chalked timeline. "There's going to be things I can help to fill in," she said earnestly.
Cragen must have realized that arguing with Olivia would be an exercise in futility. He silently capitulated and then pointed to Munch. "In my office when we're done," he said to the veteran detective leaving no doubt that he knew who had called Olivia.
Alex listened as a weary Cragen who looked like he could use a few days off himself apprised the team about the case. She managed to pay attention to the captain while her eyes flicked over to Olivia.
The jacket Olivia had on was a little too short for the weather, Alex decided. But it cut a great silhouette on her - strong shoulders, trim waist, and what the jacket didn't hide were those long, tanned legs. All that before you could even notice the plunging neckline peeking out from behind the unbuttoned jacket. Alex frowned. She's seen Olivia in evening wear before. This outfit however was more than 'I want to look nice'. This outfit was saying, 'I want to look nice for you so you can tear this dress off me'.
A surge of jealousy rose in Alex. She hoped that Laney knew how lucky she was because Olivia didn’t go all out for just anyone. Alex was damn near positive that even the diva Julia had not seen a dress like this one.
She watched as Olivia stepped up to the board to point out something in the timeline. Alex was all too glad for an excuse to keep her eyes trained on the detective. She glanced down, admiring Olivia's well-toned calves and how... alluring they looked with those heels. Her gaze trailed to the hemline of the dress and she followed it around and to the side, where the material slit up and-- oh, god.
Alex's mind started to buzz, the case particulars became white noise and she felt her body temperature ratchet up a few notches. Was the precinct's A/C not working? Before she could stop herself she blurted out, "W- what?"
"What?" Olivia echoed. Since Alex had been looking at her when she sputtered, the detective had apparently assumed Alex was directing the question at her.
Alex realized that Olivia hadn't actually said anything because Munch had been in middle of a question when her mouth betrayed her. Her face at first flushed and then paled in horror, fearing that her innermost thoughts and her sudden and intense physical reaction to Olivia could be read by all.
The lawyer ducked her head and pinched the bridge of her nose, avoiding eye contact with Olivia in the process. This is not happening, she thought wearily. "Sorry. Please, continue," she urged the group.
The briefing went on and broke up after the captain assigned everyone their tasks. The group scattered except for Cragen, Olivia and Alex.
"You," he addressed Olivia in a stern manner, "go home, or go back to wherever you came from. I don't want to hear about you coming in this weekend to work on this case, or any case. Is that clear?"
Without waiting for an answer, he left the two women and retreated to his office with Munch trailing behind at a slower pace.
Olivia turned to Alex. "You're alright?"
"Yeah," Alex lied. She was having a difficult time coming up with something to say.
"About lunch..." Olivia started.
Their plan to meet earlier had fallen through when Olivia and Elliot went out to Alphabet City. They had been jammed up trying to interview an eighty year old woman who spoke little English and became increasingly testy during the interview about having the cops in her home.
Olivia reached up and fiddled with the onyx drop earring on her left earlobe. The earrings were simple and elegant, just like everything else about her outfit tonight.
Alex inhaled sharply as if she had forgotten to breathe. "Don't worry about it. We'll get together next week," she said with confidence she did not possess at that moment. Her voice sounded strained to her own ears and she hoped that Olivia would not notice.
"I have to go. I'll see ya," Olivia said after a moment of consideration. Her expression was unreadable to the still-flustered attorney who could only nod and watched the familiar stride as Olivia walked away.
Alex took a few minutes to regain her bearings. As she began to process the physical reactions triggered by the sight of the dark-haired detective in a little black cocktail dress she knew their talk would have to be sooner rather than later.
Olivia exited the station house into the dusky light of an early evening. For the first time in days she hadn't been on call for the night shift. There was nothing pending in her caseload that would warrant being called in so she had felt confident about an uninterrupted date with Laney tonight. A quiet and relaxing evening at a very nice restaurant. So much for optimism.
She had called Laney after hanging up on Munch. As usual, Laney had been sympathetic to the situation. But since the briefing had only taken just over fifteen minutes and with Cragen having given her the ultimatum to stay away, her plans for tonight would not be ruined after all. At least not completely.
She pulled out her cell as she looked down the street, trying to flag down a cab. Laney was delighted to hear from her and agreed that although their reservations were history they should still meet. It was just as well since every second of OT that Olivia had worked this week would have been needed to pay for dinner at that place.
As she made her way to meet the professor Olivia thought about the squad's latest hand-me-down case. It was going to be a real bitch and she was glad she wasn’t the primary. Even Alex had seemed on edge, which surprised Olivia. She wondered how bad Alex's day must have been and wished she'd stayed longer to see if the lawyer was alright.
Olivia put away her concerns, vowing to check on Alex tomorrow and focused on Laney instead. She smiled inwardly as she let her mind wander to one of her more favorite evenings with the professor. On Tuesday night, the two of them had explored the comforts of Laney's couch and it had been at the tip of Olivia's tongue to suggest moving to the bedroom when her pager went off. Olivia had wanted to throw the beeper against the wall in hopes it would shatter. Instead she called in and that was the night she found herself by a stoop in Chelsea.
A short ride later the cab pulled over and she got out, sighing at the memories of the thwarted evening. Every time they arrived at a crossroad something would inevitably interrupt. And Olivia worked hard at making it up to Laney - a dinner cut short became breakfast, a canceled lunch became Chinese take out between classes. Laney didn’t seem to mind and Olivia wanted it to stay that way.
As soon as she rounded a corner Olivia was extremely glad she had the coat on. She had never been to the beer garden Laney suggested and now that she was a stone's throw away from the place she realized that she was completely overdressed. She scanned the area around the entrance and didn't see her date so she found herself an empty spot on the sidewalk, buttoned up her jacket and waited.
She watched a group of drunken college kids stumble past, laughing and happy to be in each other's company, and it got her thinking about her days at Siena. From there her thoughts began to drift and it didn't take long for it to settle on Alex again. She shook her head in defeat. The reality was, if Olivia would admit it, that she was using Laney; like a consolation prize in a contest which Laney knew nothing about. That thought led Olivia to wonder why she was trying so hard. She looked down at her dress, specifically purchased for tonight. It clung to all the right parts certain to get the attention of the one she was wearing it for.
She had considered telling Laney, not about Alex, but of her doubts about them as a couple. Yet she chickened out of that topic every time they met. She was holding on to the sliver of possibility that she might build something with Laney after her feelings for Alex were resolved. That would require talking to Alex, a feat seemingly impossible if things kept going this way.
When she caught sight of Laney the detective smiled as she watched the other woman unaware. Laney was walking slowly, her hands in the pockets of her top coat. She was in her own little world as she strolled along the sidewalk. Olivia's smile faded as Laney moved closer. The shorter woman was almost a block away and appeared to be in no hurry. At twenty feet Olivia could see Laney managing to finally notice her. It seemed to take the professor looking directly at her before recognition set in. Laney grinned widely and Olivia gave her a tight lipped smile.
Olivia kissed the smiling woman on the cheek and followed her into the restaurant. She carefully watched for tell tale signs that the professor might trip. As if on cue, Laney missed a step and Olivia caught the woman's arm before she could fall.
Laney laughed a little too loudly at the stumble. She didn't notice the dark look that passed over Olivia's face.
"I had a couple of glass of wine after you said you have to be at work," Laney disclosed as they sat down on the same side of a booth.
They musta been some pretty substantial glasses. Olivia forced a smile and said, "I'm glad it didn’t take long."
"So am I or I might have missed you in that dress. You look delicious," Laney drawled.
Oh hello, Olivia thought as Laney leaned over and gave her a quick nip at her neck. She could hardly object since that was the look she had been going for. It was too late for regrets. "You look wonderful too," she managed to respond.
"Pshaw. I threw on the first thing I found when you called me back."
Sitting this close to Laney Olivia had already figured that bit of information out. "And it suits you," Olivia told her seriously as she noted that the shirt under Laney's light jacket was inside out.
"Thank you!" Laney said brightly.
The conversation broke as they ordered dinner. Olivia picked out a beer she had never heard of and Laney ordered a glass of wine. The older woman then hemmed and hawed for a moment before passing on food. "I'll just have a bite of yours," she told Olivia.
"So…" Laney began after they received their drinks. "Just where would you put your gun while wearing that little dress?"
Olivia was taken aback by the question. Laney didn’t seem to notice as she pressed on. "Do you have a thigh holster?"
"Uh… I think you've been watching too much TV." For her response Olivia was treated to another unduly loud chuckle.
"Maybe, but I think it would be very sexy."
"I've never understood why someone would think being armed is sexy," Olivia admitted.
"It's the big stick," Laney told her. Olivia blinked but before she could ask Laney continued, "Not a penile substitute. It's power."
"My gun doesn’t make me powerful," Olivia objected. She tamped down the bewilderment building inside of her as she watched this whole other side of Laney unfolding before her.
"No, it doesn’t. Not on you anyway. You have a… confidence and you don’t need a gun to project it." Laney polished off the rest of her wine. She signaled the waitress for another glass. Olivia declined, she was still working on her beer.
Laney turned her attention back to the brunette and Olivia noticed that her eyes were darker, her irises were highly dilated even in this dim lighting.
"That's not to say I don’t find you exciting when you're are armed," Laney said. She placed her hand on Olivia's hip, where her service weapon would usually sit. "I do. But you don’t need it to promote your authority like some cops do."
A loud siren went off in Olivia's mind. "Some cops?" She asked carefully.
"Oh, like Ralph. Without his gun and badge he was just a little weenie with an attitude problem. Or Melissa. She was just another weak willed woman when she took off the uniform."
It didn’t take Olivia long to convince Laney to tell her about Ralph and Melissa. Both were exes and both were cops. The longer Laney went on, the clearer the picture became.
For one very fleeting moment the thought occurred to Olivia to put Laney in a cab and then turn and run the other direction. But she escorted her date home and saw her safely into the apartment. The inebriated professor teetered off to the bathroom and Olivia used the opportunity to take a good hard look around.
Laney had floor-to-ceiling bookshelves running along the far wall of her living room. Olivia had never really paid attention to their contents all the other times she was in the apartment. She walked over to inspect the shelves. The first one she stopped at was filled with academic texts (with stupor inducing titles like Game Theory for Applied Economists and The Resolution of Conflict: Constructive and Destructive Processes). One of the few titles she recognized was a well read copy of A Beautiful Mind. Terribly boring movie, Olivia remembered.
She moved on to the neighboring shelves. They were lined with fictional mysteries and true crime books. Olivia leaned in to read the titles and her eyes widened when she noticed several forensic methodology books, law enforcement manuals and the most revealing discovery yet - a slew of biographies, all but one were about police and firefighter figures.
She picked up the lone title that had seemed out of place. It was a compilation of profiles from the District Attorney's office. The detective turned to check the hallway before she flipped open the book to look at the index. 'Donnelly, Elizabeth' was listed but 'Cabot, Alexandra' was not. The detective grimaced. She had hoped that Laney's dating history was sheer coincidence, but with everything Laney told her at the restaurant coupled with the professor's choice of pleasure reading has turned it all into irrefutable evidence confirming her suspicions.
Olivia put the book back hastily when she heard Laney moving around in the bathroom. It took her another ten minutes before she came back to the living room and judging from the red marks on her face Olivia would say she had passed out for a few minutes.
At Laney's insistence, they sat on the couch. "We didn't get to chat over dinner," she complained.
Dinner? Olivia thought back to Laney's meal which consisted of her picking at Olivia's side of fries.
Laney reached for the bottle of Merlot she had left on the coffee table and poured herself another glassful. Looking around earlier, Olivia had already spotted an empty bottle on the kitchen counter. It didn't take long, maybe a few slurred sentences at the most, for the professor to fall asleep on the couch. Olivia, who was starting to feel the alcohol and fatigue getting to her, went to the bedroom and pulled the comforter off the bed. She was tucking Laney in when she woke. Olivia shushed her but Laney ignored the silencing and planted a long deep kiss on Olivia's lips.
Olivia responded without thinking and the rest of her body caught up. That this might end up a drunken romp did not really bother her. It wouldn't be the first time. But ever since that lamentable tryst with Brian Cassidy the morals that had scared Julia off kept Olivia in check. Laney might regret the hangover tomorrow but after everything Olivia had just learned about the professor she was sure that Laney wasn't going to regret sleeping with her. With this thought, and the ramifications weighing heavy against the act, Olivia sobered up and pulled back from the woman's embrace to tuck her in. The professor sighed, looking a little crushed and pouted. Olivia brushed away Laney's bangs and kissed her on the forehead. This placated the sleepy woman enough for Olivia to finish pulling the comforter over her.
Olivia left as quietly as she could and walked down the building stairs with heavy steps. The mess with Alex must have put her off her game more than she realized. Because Laney Whitmore was a certified badge bunny and Olivia Benson had missed every single sign pointing to it along the way.