Camo and Navy Blue [A Bensler Fan Fic]

Twenty-One

When Olivia said she was done with Elliot, she truly meant it. She refused to get back together with him, especially after he cheated on her and treated her like crap. All Olivia wanted was to be happy and to have a life that was worth living. She left Manhattan and finished up her officer training in DC. Olivia put herself first, and it really worked out. She ended up happier than ever before.

When the time came to become a detective, Olivia asked for a transfer and moved back to Manhattan. She wanted to investigate crimes in a place where she had seen them firsthand. 

"You are here earlier than my other detectives. I feel you are trying to kiss my ass." Captain Cragen chuckled as he led Olivia into his office after giving her a tour of the floor.

"Captain Cragen, I just wanted to make a good first impression. This was my station when I was a rookie, and I wanted to have you like me enough to keep me here." Olivia replied.

"Don't worry about that, Olivia. We need another detective, and your commanding officer back in DC said that you were one of the best."

"I try." Olivia grinned.

Cragen gave Olivia a few things to sign before handing over her gun, badge, and cuffs. The moment Olivia got her badge, she had a hard time not crying. She had worked her ass off to become a detective, and now she was one.

"Are you okay, Benson?" Cragen asked, and Olivia nodded.

"Yeah, I'm perfect... I just never thought I'd actually pass my exam and be a detective... now, who is my partner?" Olivia asked, deciding to get off the topic that was going to make her cry.

"Detective Stabler. He's on his second year and should be in shortly." Cragen replied.

"Detective Stabler? Elliot Stabler?" Olivia asked nervously.

"Yeah, he's a pain in my ass. You are his third partner, so hopefully he doesn't scare you away."

///

Elliot sighed as he walked into the squadroom. Elliot was so glad to get out of the house and away from the drama that had taken place this morning.

"Stabler, your new partner is here." Fin smiled as he greeted his fellow detective.

"There is no use, Fin. I don't get along with anyone, so that is why I'm a lone wolf." Elliot sighed. Elliot felt his phone buzz in his pocket, so he pulled it out as he wandered into the squadroom. He read a text, but didn't respond because once again he was getting pulled into something that wasn't his fault.

"Alright, I'm Detective Elliot Stabler. I will be your partner for probably only a few days, you'll leave, and then I'll do this all again with another young rookie that sucks at their job." Elliot grumbled, before looking at the detective sitting at the desk closest to the entrance.

"I already know you are a dick, Stabler. I want this job, and I won't let you ruin that." Olivia replied.

Elliot blinked a few times, as Olivia spun around in her chair.

"Liv?" Elliot asked, and Olivia smiled.

"Hello, Elliot." Olivia spoke.

"W-what are you doing here?"

"I passed my exam and got transferred back here. It is as simple as that."

"Okay." Elliot replied plainly. He was still so shocked to see Olivia sitting there that he didn't know what to say. 

Elliot continued to be quiet and shocked all morning. Eventually, Cragen sent the detectives out to a crime scene and Elliot got to question his former girlfriend.

"Where did you go? I tried to find you after our fight, but you were long gone." Elliot asked, as he kept his eyes focused on the road in front of him.

"I moved to DC." Olivia replied plainly.

"Did you get married? Did you-"

"What I did in DC isn't any of your business. Should you even be talking to me? Doesn't your girlfriend have a problem with me?" Olivia grumbled.

"Girlfriend?"

"Ashley. The blonde I caught you fucking while we were still together." Olivia replied. Elliot's face went red, and he sighed softly as he thought about one of his biggest mistakes.

"Ex-wife. We got married, then got a divorce at the beginning of this year." Elliot sighed.

Olivia swallowed hard before forcing a half-assed apology.

"I'm sorry, Elliot."

"No, you aren't. But thank you for pretending." Elliot replied.

They sat in silence for a while, before eventually arriving at the crime scene.

"Remember our first murder?" Elliot asked as he packed and looked over at Olivia.

"It was our first time working with the squad we are detectives in now..."

///

Olivia and Elliot inspected the scene and then went back and forth between the station and the ME's office all afternoon. They discussed nothing personal until Olivia's life walked right into the room.

"Olivia!" A young girl called. Olivia walked away from the coffee pots and straight to the girl.

"Leah, what are you doing here?" Olivia asked.

"I had to drop her off. I have a family emergency and I can't take her with me."

"Oh, okay. Uh, thank you. I hope everything is okay!" Olivia exclaimed, as she was quickly passed a diaper bag and carrier.

"Who was that?" Elliot yawned as he lifted his head from where they had been resting against his arms.

"That was my babysitter. I guess she had a family emergency and she had to drop my baby off." Olivia replied.

"Baby?" Elliot asked with wide eyes, and Olivia nodded.

"Yeah, I have a baby."

"C-can I meet them?" Elliot questioned nervously. He never thought that Olivia would have another baby after she lost her first one, but he had wished that he was the one to make her a mother again.

"Um, sure... this is Lillian Mae. She is ten months old."

"She's adorable, Liv." Elliot smiled, as he looked down into the carrier where the baby girl was fast asleep.

"Thanks, El." Olivia replied, as her coldness towards Elliot melted away a bit.

"Your partner is incredibly lucky to have you and this little one." Elliot breathed.

"Oh, she's a donor baby. There is no partner, and probably never will be. But, I should probably start searching for someone to watch her. I can't have her here during the investigation." Olivia spoke.

"Ashley can watch her!" Elliot blurted out.

"What?"

"Ashley and I still live together for the sake of the kids."

"The kids?"

"It's mostly because we don't want to take our son away from the girls. But Ashley would watch Lillian until you can find someone else. You can trust her, I promise." Elliot rambled.

Olivia swallowed hard, before nodding hesitantly.

"O-okay... uh, give her a call. I really don't have any other choice right now."