Semper Fi

Second in Command

"I'm not one to kiss and tell," she started off and they all rolled their eyes and groaned, "but I will say this..... all of the passion and intensity that Elliot brings to the job..... he brings it to the bedroom as well," she added giving them a wink as she took a sip from her cocktail.

"I knew it!" Alex exclaimed.

"Finally!" Casey added. "I swear Benson you and him had been doing that pathetic dance for years. It was hard to work around all of that sexual tension. Glad to see you relieved that tension."

"Here here," Melinda agreed.

"Yeah it was on 6 out of 10 when I worked with you guys the first time but by the time I got back from witness protection it was suffocating."

"Well what did you guys expect me to do? He was married!"

"Yeah but when he was separated I thought that was going to be your time to get in there and make it happen," Casey added as the food made it to the table.

"Now you sound like Kathy," Olivia said shoving a forkful of spaghetti in her mouth.

"Kathy? As in Kathy Stabler?" Melinda asked surprised.

"One in the same."

The ladies sat expectantly waiting on Olivia to elaborate but she was focused so much on her food that she didn't notice them watching her.

"Whoa whoa slow down Liv. When's the last time you ate?"

"Sorry, I've been going so much lately I just kind of sneak food in when I can. This is the first full meal I've eaten in days." She wiped her mouth and regrouped. "So where were we?"

"You said something about Kathy. You talked with her?" Alex asked surprised.

"Yep. I did."

"Wow," Melinda said and they all shifted back in their seats and took another sip of their drinks.

"Hey, we are going to need another round," Casey said to the waitress and swallowed the last drop from her glass preparing to hear more. "How did that go?"

"As good as can be expected. She got off her chest what she needed to say and so did I," she said swallowing more food. "I told her Elliot and I didn't get together while they were separated because he never made a move so I took that to mean he wasn't interested in me that way. Either way, I didn't think he was finished with her and I didn't want that hanging over our relationship. I much prefer how things are now and I think the timing was perfect."

Melinda, Casey and Alex all exchanged glances as Olivia continued to eat and check her phone undoubtedly checking on Noah. She looked more exhausted than usual but she seemed more calm and happy than they had ever seen her. She had a different glow about her now and in spite of the hell she went through when Elliot disappeared a few years ago, she was in a better place now.

"So Noah seems to have taken to him pretty well. Calling him daddy and all," Alex said smiling.

"They get along very well. They have their own little relationship now that doesn't always include me... and that's ok. Elliot took him over to Dickie's to do some renovations on his apartment and Eli was there too. They had their own little boy's day and when he brought him home later that night Noah wouldn't let go of him," Olivia said starting to feel tears in her eyes. "Sorry I don't know why I'm crying."

"It's ok Olivia. We get it," Melinda said handing her a napkin so she could wipe her tears.

"I just felt happy for him. I always wondered as a single mom if I would be enough for Noah and I was concerned that he wouldn't have a father...but he does. He does."