Ok so here is the first chapter of the new story I mentioned in Gluing Glass if you've been reading. So this is an EO story. I will not be updating it until I finish gluing glass but I thought I'd be nice and give you a taste of it seeing as the first chapter has been written for a while!

ENJOY!

Steff oxo

The SVU gang win a cruise. Thirty one days of sun, sea and more. How do they cope being just them for an entire month with no getaway other than opposite ends of the ship?

Chapter one - Awards

"Olivia you look fine!" Casey groaned as her friend smoothed her hand down her dress for the third time.

Olivia, Casey and Melinda were all at Olivia's apartment getting ready for the annual NYPD officers ball. Olivia normally took a date with her but this time she decided not to bother as her girlfriends were as single as she was and instead they decided to go in together and see if there were any men worth looking at there.

The three ladies had been shopping for their dresses a week before. They'd enjoyed their time in the small and expensive boutiques of Manhattan together trying on a multitude of dresses, some just for a laugh.

Casey and Melinda had chosen their dresses pretty quickly but they had spent hours with Olivia trying to find the right one for her. She hated being all feminine around her co-workers, she knew they saw her as just one of the guys and a part of her wished that she could just turn up in a nice suit, nicer than she wore to work but just not a dress but her friends wouldn't hear the end of it.

At past balls Olivia had worn the same simple little black dress that fitted her snuggly but wasn't much to draw the eye, that had been the whole point of wearing it so that the only eye that was on her was her current date but this year Casey and Melinda had talked her into wearing something more like the other female cops wore, long, colourful and God-Damned sexy.

The dress Olivia had gone for screamed for men to look at her. She hadn't chosen it though, Melinda and Casey had persuaded her to buy it and she had to admit it was a nice dress and looked good on her. It was bluish purple with one strap, covered in blue, purple and silver jewels. It had a slit coming from her upper thigh which allowed her to show a little leg without being too much. The slight sweep train of the chiffon fabric finished the figure hugging dress that embraced Olivia's curves in all the right places.

"It's too much!" Olivia complained looking at her friends. "I mean your dresses are gorgeous but they're short and simple!"

Casey smirked and shrugged. She was wearing a simple green halter neck dress that fell to her thighs. It had one row of tiny diamante's that lined the sweetheart neckline.

Melinda wore a yellow silk dress that fell to just above the knees. It hugged her tiny waist and had a diamante choker around the neck from which the dress began.

"Olivia all eyes are going to be on you tonight, you're guaranteed to be winning one award!" Casey explained.

"Exactly, how hot are you going to look on Stabler's arm when you go and get your award for highest duo case closure rate in the NYPD for the fifth year running?" Melinda teased and Olivia had to smile on that, just the thought of being on Elliot's arm alone brought a smile to her face.

"Now come on neck down your champers let's get going!" Casey said enthusiastically.

Olivia grabbed the champagne flute and swallowed what was left in the glass before grabbing her matching purse and slipping her feet into her simple jewel encrusted two inch heel sandals and following her friends out.

The three walked in to the hotel arm in arm. They went straight over to the seating board to find SVU's table and once they found it they made their way over finding Don Cragen, Munch, Fin and Elliot already sitting there.

Elliot stood up when Olivia arrived by his side. She smiled at him as he pulled out her chair to let her sit.

"May I say you look beautiful tonight?" He whispered into her ears making a blush appear on her cheeks.

"Thanks… uh no Kathy tonight?" She asked her partner of six years.

"No, she finally handed me the divorce papers and I signed them then and there, it's finally over." He told her with a sad smile.

"Oh I'm sorry El." Olivia said giving her arm a gentle squeeze.

"I'm not." He shrugged before necking down what was left of his beer. "You wanna drink?" He asked.

"I'll come with you." She smiled. "Guys who wants a drink?" She asked looking around the table brining everyone out of their conversations.

Olivia took everyone's order then made her way with Elliot to the bar.

"Two martini's extra olives, one club soda, one jack and coke, one vodka tonic and one sex on the beach and El?" Olivia told the bar man before turning to her partner.

"One larger on tap." He said. "You remembered all that?" He asked turning to his partner.

"I go drinking with Casey and Mel often enough to know what they drink, Don always orders club soda and so it was only Munch and Fin's orders I had to actually think about because when we go out it's just pitchers all round." Olivia explained and Elliot smiled, he learned something new about her every day and today he learned she went on girls' nights out with her friends.

"So uh no date?" He asked.

"Nope, Mel, Case' and I agreed to come together this year." Olivia explained and Elliot nodded in reply, he didn't know what to say to her, he was very distracted by the shape of her body that was very obvious with the fitted dress.

"So uh we already know we're getting one award tonight." Elliot said.

"Only because Don told us." Olivia smiled as a tray with the drinks was placed in front of her.

"You think we'll get anything as a unit?" He asked just trying to make conversation.

"Doubt it, unless they throw in highest stressed unit into the awards this year." She replied with a cheeky smile and Elliot smiled back, he found her smile heart-warming.

They walked back to the table together and passed the drinks out before sitting down just as the whole of the Morris Commission took to the stage. The Commissioner himself took to the podium while the rest stood off to the side ready to hand out medals and trophies and shake a lot of sweaty hands.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen and New York's finest." The Commissioner began bringing the entire room to silence. "Once again we've come together to witness some of the finest officers receive awards that commendations just don't cover. Tonight you will see members of our police force be accredited for their hard work, resilience and brilliance in their work. All of whom expect nothing but justice in return for the endless hours they put in to protect their city. We will begin then by introducing Mayor Robert Hope to begin the ceremony."

Everyone clapped their hands together and Olivia felt Elliot lean in to her ear.

"Wanna bet on how long this damn ceremony is going to take before we can get very drunk and dance the night away?" He asked her.

"What's your guess?" She asked him teasingly.

"Twenty bucks on it being an hour and a half." He told her.

"Two hours." She replied and he nodded before pulling away.

The closeness of the duo didn't go unnoticed by Munch or Fin. They had looked like they were flirting and not placing down a bet and both of them needed to make sure they weren't dreaming.

"Did you see that?" Munch asked as the room broke out in applause as the first award winners were called.

"Yeah, man he has it bad for her." Fin replied making it out he was listening to the thank you speech that was being made.

About half a dozen awards later Olivia and Elliot's award came up.

"For the last four years this award has gone to the same dynamic duo, year number five and that's not going to change. Detective second grade Olivia Benson and Detective first grade Elliot Stabler from Manhattan's Special Victims for the highest case closure rate in the five boroughs at ninety seven percent." The Mayor called from the pre-written script.

Everyone clapped and the members of SVU cheered while Olivia and Elliot made their way to the stage. He took her arm and walked with her almost displayed proudly.

"Speech!" Munch, Fin, Melinda and Casey called making the two chuckle and Olivia blushed scarlet, she hated public speaking.

"Say something!" She whispered to Elliot.

"Uh … five years in a row huh?" He chuckled nervously into the mic as he looked at Olivia. "Wow… uh well I guess we just work well together so uh thanks to Don Cragen for partnering us together." Elliot said and Olivia nodded and they both stepped forward and shook each member of the Morris Commissioner's hand before being handed a memorabilia trophy each.

An hour and a half later there was only the one award left to go. Most tables were involved in their own light chatter but what the Commissioner said next caught everyone's attention.

"The last award this year is sponsored by American Cruises limited. They have donated first class accommodation to the unit winning this next award on a thirty one day cruise." He said proudly. "This award goes to the unit with the overall highest case closure rate in the entire NYPD for the last year. This award goes to Manhattan's Special Victims Unit!"

Everyone around the table's mouths fell wide open in shock. Their unit had not only had the highest case closure rate for the year which alone was a surprise but also they had just won a cruise.

"For the next month Manhattan SVU's highest priority cases will go to the other four boroughs while Captain Donald Cragen and his over worked lead Detectives take a month holiday curtsey of American Cruises Limited. Get packing SVU you leave in two days time."

After Don had been up to graciously accept the award he came back to the table with the details of their trip.

"So uh we've got a room in first class each and tickets to take a loved one if you so wish, Melinda, Casey can you clear your schedules?"

"Yes!" They both replied excitedly.

"Anyone else got anyone they'd like to bring?" Don asked and everyone shook their heads. "Then enjoy your free day tomorrow and I'll see you Sunday for thirty one days… God help me." He laughed before leaving knowing that his Detectives would now celebrate with alcohol and he didn't want to be a part of that.