DISCLAIMER: Not mine. I promise I'm only borrowing them and will return them to their rightful owners whenever they ask for them back.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Fire
By ncruuk
"I can't believe this..." grumbled Alex Cabot, not in the least bit good naturedly.
"What, exactly?" asked Olivia, standing a couple of steps above Alex in front of the Courthouse.
"That there was a fire alarm in the MIDDLE of crucial testimony? That they made us evacuate court? That I wasn't even allowed to get my coat from my table?" It was unfortunate, but the fire alarm had genuinely rung for a real fire (albeit a small one in an abandoned roof space) right in the middle of a particularly difficult and complex testimony which Alex had been conducting. As was her want when dealing with such witnesses, Alex was right over by the witness stand meaning, in the general hustle as security guards and random police officers, including Olivia tried to keep all involved parties separate and evidence secure, that Alex had been hustled out of court with nothing but her suit coat for warmth. In general, in late October, if she was going to be standing around outside for ages, Alex Cabot preferred to be a little more warmly dressed.
"Ah...would you like my jacket?" offered Olivia, already slipping off her leather jacket which she'd fortunately been wearing when the alarm had sounded.
"No need for you to get cold too..." observed Alex grumpily, deciding she'd reached that level of bone numbing coldness where she no longer thought she needed a coat in the short term.
"I'm actually warm..." admitted Olivia, reluctant to bring it up but unable to lie.
"You are?" Alex rounded on her friend and, discovering how hard it was to glare at someone standing two steps above you, quickly stepped up so she was standing next to Olivia, far closer than she'd intended.
"Sure...it's after October 1st..." explained Olivia, shrugging out of her jacket and draping it around Alex's shoulders.
"And that's significant how?" questioned Alex, gratefully accepting the coat which, as well as radiating warmth from Olivia's body, also smelt of the heady intoxicating combination of scents which seemed to drift around with Olivia, rapidly warming Alex in some surprising and rather hard to reach places....like the presumed 'ice-queen's' heart.
"Old habit from my days in uniform....thermals from October under your uniform stops vital bits of your anatomy turning interesting shades of blue...."
"Ah...that was my mistake..." agreed Alex, attempting not to try to picture the devastatingly sexy Detective in something as unsexy as thermal underwear. Unfortunately, her brain could neither stop the mental images or come up with something unsexy...Olivia Benson was officially too good looking....she'd passed the thermal underwear test.....
"Silk camisoles arn't the warmest...."
"It's satin..." Alex had corrected her friend even before realising what the Detective had admitted to.
"My apologies...but I don't think satin's much warmer than silk, though the lace trim may help..." corrected Olivia, grinning at the ADA's blushes.
"How did you know?"
"The view from my step was rather nice until a few seconds ago...." admitted Olivia quietly, flicking her eyes in the direction of Alex's open shirt neck which, when viewed from a couple of steps above, had been affording a delectable view of creamy skin, gently swelling breast and lacy camisole of the same pale pink as the professional shirt that Alex was now self consciously fiddling with in every way except holding it tightly closed at her neck. Something for which Olivia was eternally grateful.
"What happened a few seconds ago?" asked Alex, equally quietly and surprisingly huskily, her eyes locked with Olivia's.
"It got better..." whispered Olivia sincerely, searching Alex's gaze for a hint that her feelings may be reciprocated. They were and there was.
"I..." Uncharacteristically fumbling for words, Olivia gently cut into Alex's stumble.
"I know...but there's no need to say any more...there's a testimony to unscramble first...." she gently reminded, knowing that they'd either have to be called back in or dismissed for the day in the next few minutes.
"Of course..." agreed Alex mournfully but obediently, taking up a new position a step or two up from Olivia.
"Where are you going?" asked Olivia curious at Alex's mountain goat impression. It really wasn't easy walking backwards up a couple of big stone steps wearing heels.
"To get a better view..." teased Alex, grinning when she saw Olivia instinctively glance down to check her own top for inadvertent displays of cleavage - especially comical since the detective was wearing her favoured look of layered sweaters, "...of Petrovsky talking to the fire chief..."
"Ah, what's happening?" asked Olivia, unable to see what was going on by the fire engine due to the people standing around her.
"You're taking me to dinner..." decided Alex, seconds before a court bailiff who'd previously been a drill sergeant announced that court was no longer in session for everyone within three blocks to hear, and could those that were able to leave the area please do so and come back tomorrow.
"I am?" asked Olivia, guiding Alex through the crowds as they headed away from the court house.
"Yes, and letting me spend the night on your couch..."
"Rather forward of you Counselor..."
"Hardly...my wallet and keys are in Courtroom 23..." observed Alex, reminding Olivia how they'd got into this predicament.
"Ah...you got a suit at your office?"
"Yes...but I'm borrowing some pajamas...." continued Alex, enjoying the sudden lightness of spirit she was now feeling since their rather low key and unexpected 'moment' on the steps a few minutes earlier.
"That could be a problem..." admitted Olivia, wondering how far her friend would let this flirtatious banter go.
"It could?"
"It's only October 12..."
"Let me guess, pajamas only come out on November 1?"
"Actually, I was going to say the heat only comes on really properly on November 1 - my couch could be a little cold unless you borrow some sweats instead...."
"What do you sleep in Detective?"
"I...ah...don't....at least....not right now...." It was Olivia's turn to blush and stumble.
"Sounds like you have a nice thick comforter...mind if I share it?"
It wasn't often Detective Olivia Benson of the NYPD was left flat footed on a Manhattan street...but then again, it wasn't often that she had Alexandra Cabot inviting herself into her bed...
"Depends..." Finally, Olivia recovered her verbal footing, even if her feet were still stuck.
"On?"
"Will you still respect me in the morning?" It was a cliche, but somehow fitted their slightly surreal, playful flirtation.
"God I hope not...you really think I was wearing this Camisole for Petrovsky's benefit?"
The End