DISCLAIMER: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and its characters are the property of NBC and Dick Wolf.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Having watched the episode and cast interviews for the season 11 ep, 'PC', I couldn't resist dabbling with this story.
THANKS: To everyone on my Yahoo Group, vivalab, for their support - you guys rock!
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Vibes
By VivalaB
Olivia strode into the deserted precinct and slumped heavily into her chair, not even bothering to remove her hands from her jacket pockets.
Elliot lifted his tired eyes from the paperwork he was reading and looked across at his partner. He shifted his gaze to his watch, "Shouldn't you be home by now?" he asked casually.
Olivia shrugged in response. She removed her hands and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk. She cradled her head in her hands and closed her eyes, replaying the scene with Babs Duffy in her mind for the hundredth time.
When Babs kissed her, she was shocked.
When Babs told her she thought she was gay, she was perplexed.
Elliot glanced over again at his partner, "You okay?" he asked, closing the file in front of him. He covered a yawn with the back of his hand and began tidying his desk.
"Do you get a gay vibe from me?"
He stopped all motion and looked over at her, "What?"
Olivia kept her head cradled in her hands but moved her fingers to rub her temples, "Do I give off a gay vibe?" she asked quietly and lifted her fingers to look at him.
Elliot rubbed a hand across his jaw, adopting his favorite delay tactic. After a few seconds he replied, "Babs Duffy got anything to do with this?" He realized Olivia had returned to the precinct straight from her babysitting duties with the gay activist.
Olivia nodded her head, "Yeah...she kissed me...then told me she thought I was gay. When I told her I was straight she couldn't believe it," she blew out in one long breath.
Elliot's eyebrows shot up into his forehead as he realized his partner had just been hit by a 'clue by four' . He smiled over at her, "Hey, don't read too much into it. She kissed me and hit on Cabot, she's got a lot of control issues," he said lightly and moved over to her side of the desk. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "You're a beautiful woman Liv, any man or woman would be lucky to have you," he said quietly.
A throat was gently cleared behind him and he turned his head round.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," a familiar blonde ADA asked as she moved to the coffee maker and poured herself a cup.
Elliot snorted, "Nah, Liv just survived eight hours with Babs Duffy. She needs reminding why she chose this job," he joked and patted Olivia's shoulder again before moving back to his desk.
Alex let out a groan, "Eeurgh, that woman is insufferable, did you see her check me out earlier?" she asked Elliot disdainfully as she leaned against Munch's desk. She placed her briefcase on the empty chair and took a long sip of the mediocre coffee.
Olivia lowered her hands and turned to look at her, "She checked you out?" she asked in surprise.
Alex cocked an eyebrow at her, "Don't sound so surprised detective, flattery is flattery regardless of the source," she admonished.
Elliot hid a smile as he placed items in his drawer and locked it. He slung his overcoat over his arm and addressed them both, "I'm heading home, d'you need me for anything before I head out?" he asked.
Olivia smiled at him and shook her head, "G'night El, see you tomorrow."
He looked over at Alex who also shook her head in response, "Nope, just came down to pick up Munch's DD5's," she said as she turned and spotted the document on his desk. She smiled at the yellow post it note attached to the front, 'Counselor, a gift from me to you. J xx' and shook her head.
Elliot bid them both goodnight and left the room. As he pushed the elevator call button he glanced back in the direction of the squad room and smiled, 'Clueless,' he mused and choked back the laughter in his throat.
Olivia watched Alex put the file into her briefcase. She admired the well fitting charcoal suit that hugged the slender form perfectly. She looked at the legs on display beneath the knee length skirt and smiled appreciatively.
Without turning Alex spoke to her, "Why did it surprise you that Babs Duffy checked me out? It's no different from what you're doing right now, detective," she said evenly, glancing over her shoulder and catching the wide eyed look of surprise on Olivia's face.
Olivia's mouth fell open and she looked away in embarrassment.
Alex placed the briefcase on the desk and sat in the chair, she propelled herself across the floor to Olivia's desk and smiled at the blushing detective, "Pink suits you," she said innocently.
Olivia groaned and hid her face with both her hands. Alex laughed and adjusted her position, moving the chair against Olivia's desk so that she was sitting beside her, but facing the opposite direction. She reached out and prised the reluctant hands away, "Are you okay?" she asked gently, giving the hands she held a comforting squeeze before releasing them.
Olivia sighed wearily, "Babs kissed me," she said looking into the dark frames and the bright blue eyes.
Alex shook her head, "And?" she asked, raising her eyebrows in a familiar questioning gesture.
Olivia groaned, "Isn't that enough?" she whined.
"Did you kiss her back?" she asked tentatively.
"No!"
"Did you want to?" she asked cautiously.
She took the horror stricken look to be a 'no'. Alex frowned and tapped her chin, "So, what's the problem Liv? She kissed Elliot, checked me out and now she's kissed you...it'll be Munch next," she said lightly.
Olivia smiled at the thought. She swallowed nervously, "She thought I was gay," she said quietly.
Alex opened her mouth to speak and then closed it again. Olivia watched her and wondered what she was thinking, then it dawned on her.
"Do you think I'm gay?" she asked, holding the blonde's gaze.
Alex looked down at the hands resting in her lap, not sure how to answer. Olivia studied her face and saw the hesitation, "Alex, how long have you known me? Do I give off a gay vibe?" she asked.
Alex lifted her gaze to meet Olivia's, "I think Elliot is right, you are a beautiful woman and any man or woman would be lucky to have you," she said softly, repeating his earlier words.
Olivia smiled, "But do you?" she pushed.
"Do I think you're beautiful?"
Their eyes locked for a long moment before Olivia corrected her, shaking her head, "Do I give off a gay vibe?" she repeated.
"Would it bother you if you did?" Alex asked.
Olivia groaned, "Why can't you just give me a straight answer?"
Alex placed a hand comfortingly on her arm, "Sometimes the answers aren't always in black and white, sometimes they go off into the gray," she replied. Olivia looked at her trying to process what she was saying. Alex moved the hand on Olivia's arm to her hand and squeezed it, "What bothers you the most? Babs kissing you or a woman kissing you?" she asked.
Olivia felt the hand covering her own stroke gently along the backs of her fingers, her heart beat picked up and she answered instantly, "Babs."
Alex smiled, "Okay...have you ever kissed another woman," she asked quietly, feeling the hand underneath her own turn over and intertwine their fingers.
Olivia squeezed the warm hand, "Have you?" she replied.
Alex shifted her eyes to look at their joined hands, "I've wanted to but..." she trailed off, shaking her head.
Olivia released her hand and moved it to gently cup her face. She swallowed, "Who?" she asked, feeling her heart thumping erratically against her chest.
Heat spread across Alex' face and Olivia felt it warm her hand.
Alex closed her eyes and swallowed, "It's easier in this line of work to do nothing, rather than risk everything," she said, opening her eyes and locking them with the deep brown orbs before her.
Olivia nodded in understanding. Alex leaned into the touch at her cheek and sighed, "I'd better go," she whispered and pushed forward in the chair. The hand on her cheek moved swiftly to the armrest, holding her in place. Olivia smiled and leaned towards her.
Alex held her breath as warm lips tentatively covered her own. The kiss was shy, a gentle exploration of something unknown, yet strangely familiar. They spent a few leisurely moments savoring the sensations before easing back and smiling at each other.
Alex smoothed away the lip gloss from the bottom lip in front of her with the pad of her thumb, "Let's get out of here," she suggested softly.
Olivia parted her lips and captured the thumb between her teeth, swirling across the tip lightly with her tongue. Alex swallowed and leaned in, crushing their mouths together in a heated exploration of lips and tongues.
They both moaned at the intensity, Olivia stood up bringing Alex with her and kicked her chair away with her foot. Alex pulled back panting, "Liv...get this off," she said tugging at the sleeves of Olivia's jacket. Olivia removed it urgently and reached for her again, moving them until Alex's back connected lightly with the wall. She kissed her hungrily, hands trying to touch everything at once.
Alex grabbed her ass and pulled her closer, tearing her mouth away and blazing a fiery, wet trail down Olivia's neck to suck gently at her throat. Olivia moaned at the sensation and tipped her head back allowing Alex better access. Her hands slid inside the open suit jacket, lifting the silk blouse from her skirt.
Alex lifted her mouth from the base of Olivia's throat and gasped as warm hands caressed her bare skin. "Oh Liv..." she panted.
"Alex" Olivia breathed out, kissing Alex's waiting mouth and pushing into her.
Alex's eyes caught a flash of orange and she stopped all movement.
"Oh please...don't stop on my account!"
Olivia tore her mouth away and snapped her head in the direction of the sound.
Babs Duffy stood inside the doors to the squad room, watching.
"Babs" she said in surprise, instinctively moving to stand beside Alex.
Babs strode up to the disheveled pair and looked back and forth between them, "Don't tell me...you're straight too," she said sarcastically to Alex.
Alex smiled and reached for Olivia's hand.
Babs made a gagging sound in her throat at the gesture and looked directly at Olivia, "If you ever get tired of tall, blonde and gorgeous here...give me a call," she said and turned, heading for the doors. As she pushed them open she shouted over her shoulder, "Or if you ever fancy a three way..."
Her laughter echoed down the hallway.
Olivia and Alex looked at each other and shuddered.
"A three way?" Alex asked.
"Would you?"
Alex cringed, "With her?"
"God no," Olivia said horrified.
"With who?"
Olivia smiled, "I don't share..." she paused, "but if I had to..." she kissed Alex tenderly.
Alex kissed her back, "If we had to..." she clarified.
They pulled back and looked at each other grinning.
"Abbie!" they said in unison before laughing.
The End