DISCLAIMER: Not mine. I promise I'm only borrowing them and will return them to their rightful owners whenever they ask for them back. My imagination took a flight of fancy.....my bank account stayed empty. (Seriously, the cast of SVU belong to NBC and Dick Wolf and I'm only borrowing them for some free daydreaming that I wrote down). Song lyrics and music: "That's All" by Alan Brandt and Bob Haymes (1962), sung by the likes of Ol' Blue Eyes himself (Frank Sinatra) used without permission.
SPOILERS: No spoilers. This is a fic that involves a song at the end, and, if you're not familiar with it, I suggest a copy be found as it is excellent. Otherwise, just imagine something soft and gentle, being crooned by the likes of the Rat Pack/Nat King Cole…..
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
One Dance, That's All
By ncruuk
If ever a party had a perfect moment, this was it. It had started just long enough ago that even the most fashionably late Assistant District Attorney had managed to arrive, but not so long ago that the parents and reluctant party goers had started to leave. It was the moment at which all wine tastes heavenly, all the women look gorgeous, and all the men look handsome. In five minutes, the wine will once again be cheaper than the sort you would normally buy for yourself, the shoes will be tighter and with higher heels than you would ever consider wearing any other night of the year, and the men cease to become handsome, returning once again to a motley collection of receding hairlines and paunches the result of too many doughnuts, all carefully poured into hired suits. Or am I being too cynical?
Smiling wryly to herself, Olivia flagged down a passing waiter and collected another glass of the red wine, not willing to risk the warm white wine any more than she already had. From her strategic vantage point at the side of the room, her natural height with its 2 inch extension courtesy of the soon to be despised shoes (her toes weren't numb *yet*), allowed for an almost unimpeded view of the evening's 'entertainment'. Ironically, she had come to the annual NYPD Christmas party and benefit, for the one charity all cops ardently believed in, but all prayed they never needed, (the one that supported the families of severely wounded or killed cops, and whose name consequently was the NYPD equivalent of Macbeth for an actor) decidedly alone despite being more attached than she had ever before been.
After a tempestuous early professional relationship, an uneasy truce had been brokered between the cool, sophisticated ADA and the vibrant Detective. Like the very best of ceasefires, a solid peace in the form of a well developed relationship had emerged. Professionally, they often still bickered like they always had, but privately they learnt to roll with the punches, as well as master the tricky 'work-life balance' that so many 'lifestyle gurus' seemed to spend so much time obsessing about. The make-up sex wasn't bad either, thought Olivia, trying desperately to conceal the inevitable blushing with a slurp of her wine.
"Why the rosy festive blush Detective?" came a teasing voice from her left
"What? Oh, must be the wine and the heat combining Elliot." Tried Olivia, really hoping not to have to discuss her thoughts with her partner at this moment.
"Bullshit" came the robust reply from a new voice
*Damn, busted* "How is it that I can't lie to you Kathy? I manage it to all sorts of people, but evidently not you." Offered Olivia resignedly, never shifting her gaze from whatever it was in the middle distance that was transfixing her.
"Perhaps because deep down you like the fact that you can have a girly chat occasionally and get your big tough softie of partner blushing and squirming, so your subconscious doesn't let your conscious suppress the luscious thoughts you're having about an ADA of our mutual acquaintance?" hypothesised Kathy
"Hey, if I want to be psychoanalysed, I can go knock on Huang's door!"
"Elliot, is that an admission of guilt?" enquired Kathy, not giving up on working her way to the root of Olivia's distraction this evening
"Hmm, yes, I guess." Elliot, obviously distracted replied. Before his wife could interject, he continued
"Liv, what has Trevor Langdon done to warrant you looking at him like that? You've been watching him for at least the last 5 minutes. If it was Alex….."
Before he could finish, Olivia turned sharply to focus on him
"What?"
"You've been staring at him in the same way you look at serial rapists. Do you know something the New York Bar Association doesn't?" tried Elliot lightly, slightly worried about the intense look his partner was sending him.
"No."
"So?"
"Umm." Olivia internally was shouting about why it should be obvious, but couldn't get her larynx to offer any sensible or coherent noises. Woman's intuition however, saved the day
"Because he's been stuck to Alex like a limpet all night and, whilst you would dearly love to go over there and play white knight and punch his lights out, you can't because of a fight you and Alex had earlier, about whether or not you both should be 'out' together tonight?"
"How the hell did you guess that Kathy?" came Olivia's shocked reply
"Because I met Alex in the ladies and she used me as a handy confident. He's really getting to her, as is the fight, which she is busy regretting, though I wasn't supposed to tell you that in case you thought she was using me to avoid grovelling to you directly by the way." Finished Kathy in a rush, hoping that Olivia wasn't going to explode. Before the still stunned detective could respond, Elliot intervened, unknowingly saving the tense situation
"And here I was thinking you had learnt how to be an incredible detective from your husband!"
"She really said that?" whispered Olivia
"Yes. Said she was sorry, that she didn't want to make you hurt because of petty politics and that she was going to try and make it up to you a bit, but she needed another glass of Dutch courage first…." Kathy glanced across to where the blond ADA was talking amongst a group that contained a mix of ADAs and paralegals "….which I think she's just had." Olivia turned her head just in time to see Alex drain her glass, before excusing herself and making her way over to her.
"Elliot, Kathy" said Alex casually, before locking eyes with Olivia. No spoken words were needed. Any doubts in anyone's mind about the state of Alex's feelings for Olivia were dismissed with that look.
"Dance with me?" *Please let me be able to fix my stupidity before it does any lasting harm to that wonderful heart of yours*
"There's no music" *Dance? Here? What's she talking about?*
"There will be in a minute. The band went for a drink. When they come back, the first song is one I requested." *Please Liv, I'm trying to be romantic…..I hope*
"You want me to dance with you now, here, in front of everyone you were too scared to out yourself to?" *Oh God, I really didn't mean to sound so harsh and bitchy. Forgive me, please?*
"I've reversed my position? Please Liv, I'll explain as we dance." *I'll beg if you want me to, just let me be curled up in your arms when the intro begins, please?*
"How much wine have you had?" *I'm sorry for questioning you sweetheart, but you can't expect me to believe that you want to dance in this company, do you?*
"One glass to pluck up courage to make the request, one to come over here and ask you out" *Yes! You're smirking. You're defences are crumbling…..just in time too!*
"Seeing as you asked so nicely, you sure about this?" *You can still back out now, I forgive you for the fight. It doesn't matter that you don't want everyone to know. I can cope with the fact that just the guys know, really I can.*
"As sure as I am about loving you." *With all my heart and until my last breathe if you'll have it*
Olivia put her half full glass of wine on the table by her side, her thirst forgotten as she drank in the sight of Alex in the blue silk evening dress, so classic in its cut and understatedly elegant, a complete contrast to some of the more garish numbers worn by some of the women, before silently offering her hand to Alex, making no effort to move until Alex led her. She was determined to let Alex make the decision now.
Taking up Olivia's hand, she gently led her to the edge of the dance floor, clasping the offered hand tightly, as if fearing that it would disappear from her grasp at any second. Smiling tightly but politely in response to the greeting offered from Donnelly, she reached the edge of the dance floor just as the opening notes of a classic standard began. Settling into the comfortable, familiar position nestled against Olivia's body, Alex murmured into Olivia's ear
"I think it's about time we had a song" and before Olivia could respond, the lyrics drifted out across the hall
"I can only give you love that lasts forever
And a promise to be near each time you call,
And the only heart I own
For you and you alone,
That's all, that's all."
"I love you so much, and I realised…." Alex began to explain
"Shush. I know. I love you. Just dance." Olivia's gentle acceptance ended the conversation, allowing both ladies to drift off into their own private space and time.
"I can only give you country walks in springtime
And a hand to hold when leaves begin to fall,
And a love whose burning light
Will warm the winter night,
That's all, that's all."
As the two lovers danced on the dance floor, they unsurprisingly drew attention from all quarters of the party as the dance floor became deserted, apart from the two oblivious lovers.
"Elliot, grab your wife and go and keep your partner company."
"Captain?"
"Do you want to let your partner down now? If she sees everyone staring at her, my ADA will lose all rational judgement and run like a scared rabbit. That will hurt your partner more than any bullet would." Offered Liz Donnelly who had overheard the request.
"Yes Ma'am." Was all Elliot offered as he too put his glass on the table and led his wife onto the dance floor.
"Arthur, does your wife trust you with her feet these days?"
"About as much as your husband does with yours Liz. Shall we go for some turns about the floor?"
"What a marvellous idea." And so on to the dance floor went Mr and Mrs. Branch, closely followed by Liz Donnelly and Michael "no, I'm not Mr. Donnelly" Stevenson.
"There are those, I am sure, that have told you
They would give you the world for a toy.
All I have are these arms to enfold you
And a love time can never destroy."
By now, all of the people who knew Alex and Olivia directly had taken the hint and were drawing loved ones onto the dance floor to join in the gentle shuffle, although Alex and Olivia remained oblivious to their presence, even when they were occasionally jostled by another couple.
"If you're wondering what I'm asking in return, dear,
You'll be glad to know that my demands are small.
Say it's me that you'll adore
For now and ever more,
That's all, that's all."
As the band enjoyed a long musical interlude, Olivia dipped her head to seek out Alex's wine covered lips. Tasting the red wine on her lover's lips, Olivia gently probed for permission to deepen the kiss, still giving Alex the opportunity to back out if she wasn't comfortable. That fear was allayed as Alex eagerly relaxed further into Olivia's body and met the curious tongue with an enthusiastic one of her own. What began as a rapid burst of passion soon mellowed into an affirmation of love. Who needs words to communicate when an entire conversation can be had in a kiss? As the lyrics began again, Olivia withdrew from the kiss to look into Alex's deep blue pools that were now anything but cool, as her hand cheekily slid from its resting place in the small of Alex's back, to the crest of her perfectly toned bottom. Gently easing Alex even closer to her body, the light pressure through the liquid silk and accompanying cheeky raised eyebrow was the only "I told you so" Olivia would ever need or want. So she never came through the door with Alex on her arm. In the grand scheme of things, that didn't matter. She held Alex in her heart, as Alex held her in hers, no matter where they were or in what company. But tonight she would be leaving though the door with Alex on her arm, and that was the greatest Christmas gift she could ever have. One dance at an NYPD charity event gave her more joy than any number of wrapped presents. Why? Because Alex had come to terms with what the reality of loving Olivia meant, and was happy to love her wherever she wanted
"I love you. Thank you for being so brave tonight."
"Thank you for having the patience with me. I'm sorry I was so scared."
"Don't be. It doesn't matter now, what matters is you're here, we're here, on a dance floor with our friends." Said Olivia, noticing the crowd around them for the first time.
"What did I do to deserve you?" wondered Alex, once again amazed at how loving and forgiving her lover was about her fears and worries, no matter what they were or when the occurred.
"Hmm, I don't think either of us did anything"
"Oh?"
"Nope, I think we both just needed the other one to love us." And, as the singer began the reprieve, Olivia once again decided to have an eloquent chat with her favourite lawyer, dipping her head so that those delicate lips were in reach once more.
"If you're wondering what I'm asking in return, dear,
You'll be glad to know that my demands are small.
Say it's me that you'll adore
For now and ever more,
That's all...that's all."
As the song came to a close and the dancers reluctantly drew apart, reality reasserted itself with a jolt.
"You know, I have a better bottle of wine in the kitchen at home……" began Alex
"It would be really nice to kick off these heels…….." began Olivia simultaneously
"Home?" asked Alex shyly
"Thought you'd never ask!" and with a final quick peck on the cheek, Olivia went off to locate their coats.
The wine was cheap. The shoes were tight. And lovers wanted to snuggle on a couch. The perfect moment had ended, but sometimes, that's all a party only needs to make it a perfect evening.
The End