Just One Night

Chapter 14

Episodes featured in this chapter: 7x10 'Storm' and 7x14 'Taboo'

Elliot sat at his desk grasping the newspaper trying to control the anger that was dwelling inside him. When Olivia told him the night before she wanted to go back to her place and needed time alone he didn't fight her on it. Being shut down by the Feds over the anthrax scare and not knowing where Tasha and her sister were had clearly taken a toll on her. She needed space after some cases and he respected that.

He figured she was at home nursing a glass of wine or had gone out for drinks with Casey. He never suspected she went to meet Jackson Zane, a reporter who had been giving them issues since the case had begun.

Olivia walked into the squad room a little later than normal as if nothing was wrong but he could sense that she was rattled. He wasted no time confronting her.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he hissed holding up the New York Ledger displaying the headline.

She shrugged and feigned indifference. "Nice picture."

"Why'd you give it to 'em?"

She took off her jacket and put it on the back of her chair still failing to make eye contact. "Who says I did?"

He scoffed. "Don't play games with me. Look the chief of D's is in there right now, the Feds are going nuts. They know someone from this squad leaked that photo to the Ledger."

She squared her shoulders and he knew she was lying before she even began to speak. "A lot of people had cameras in the park that day. Jackson Zane could've gotten that photo from anybody."

Cragen and the Chief finished their meeting and Olivia visibly shrank when she was summoned to Cragen's office. It was evident that he was furious with her and Elliot could relate. They were partners. She should've included him on whatever she was planning because he always backed her play. He couldn't fathom with all the progress they made in their relationship personally why she would shut him out but he decided to put that conversation on hold for now and concentrate on what was important.

She emerged from Cragen's office after a few minutes and looked visibly shaken.

"How bad?" he asked and she shrugged. "Look maybe it was worth it."

"How?"

"ACS just called," he rounded his desk and stood next to her. "Whatever you said spooked the Feds. They returned the girls."

She immediately perked up. "We gotta go talk to them."

He wasn't on board at first but it meant a lot to her and he understood the greater good. They talked to Nikki and found more information about the missing Anthrax. It led them to Michael Delpit, a lab tech from Louisiana, whom they arrested and taped the entire interrogation to turn over to Jackson. When he asked her why she was so hell bent on exposing the truth she gave him the same answer she gave Jackson.

"The Feds are going to make Michael Delpit disappear. I don't want the truth to vanish with him."

When she arrived home the next night he was at the door waiting for her.

"Why didn't you use your key?" Olivia asked cautiously approaching her door. She could feel the tension radiating from his body and he looked exhausted.

"You gave it to me for emergencies not to just let myself in."

She kissed him quickly on the lips and turned her key into the door. She stood back to let him in and removed her jacket, badge and gun. She sighed and promptly walked into the kitchen to pull out a bottle of wine and a glass.