Title: The Art of Warfare
Author: TashaR
Rating: M
Summary: Casey finally starts to fit in around our favorite detectives...does Olivia want something more?
Pairing: Olivia/Casey
Disclaimer: Not Mine. Cast belongs to Dick Wolf. Chicago, Dogma, Moulin Rouge, My Best Friend's Wedding, and The X-files movie are also not mine.
"Novak!" Casey's head shot up at the sound of her name, "Are you coming with us?"
Casey had heard Olivia and Elliot discussing their plans for a celebratory dinner, but had not expected to be included. Ever since she had joined the SVU, she had felt as though she was the outcast, simply a poor replacement that could never control the courtroom the way ADA Miss Perfect, Alexandra Cabot had.
"Casey!" Olivia's voice sounded again, "You hungry?"
Casey smiled brightly, "Actually, yes. Thanks, I would love to go with you."
"Italian okay?" Stabler questioned as Casey shut her folder and shoved it into the upper drawer of her desk.
"Italian sounds wonderful."
Casey would have agreed to eat just about any food to be part of the group. She envied the closeness Olivia and Elliot shared. She saw how easily the detectives interacted and wished she could join in. She'd tried to join in, in the beginning when she was new and fresh from white-collar crimes. That had been her first mistake.
Good intentions aside, Casey mulled as she slid into her coat, I've
managed to screw up repeatedly in front of the same people I want to impress.
No. Not impress. Belong to. She wanted to be part of the squad.
"The restaurant is just up the street. We thought we'd walk, is that okay?"
"Sounds good to me…I'm just glad it's starting to finally warm up." Casey grabbed her scarf and followed Olivia and Elliot out to the sidewalk.
"Good job today, Case," Olivia said, "You did great."
Casey blushed, cursing her fair complexion, "Thanks. Wouldn't have been much of a case without the evidence you managed to bag, Liv."
"Well, then we make a good team," Olivia smiled, pulling her coat tighter around her.
"Here we are ladies," Elliot smiled, pulling open the door to the small restaurant and motioning Olivia and Casey inside. They greeted the hostess and followed her to a booth in the back of the room.
"So," Olivia began, "A celebratory dinner requires a celebratory drink, don't you agree?"
"Do you feel like a movie?" Casey asked as they exited the restaurant, slightly bubbly from her drinks and not yet wanting to lose the feeling of belonging.
"Sorry, Case, I'd better pass. Kathy will be waiting." Elliot excused himself, "It was good to spend time with you tonight, outside of work. Have a good night, Case, Liv."
As Elliot hailed a cab, Casey raised an eyebrow at Olivia, "Liv? What about you?"
Olivia was about to decline when she saw the look of hopeful anticipation on Casey's face. She thought of her apartment, empty and meticulously organized. She didn't want to go home just yet either, she realized.
"Sure Case," she heard herself say, "I'm in."
Casey's insides twisted, "I have popcorn."
Olivia smiled, "Sounds good. Shall we?" She gestured to a cab parked against the side of the road.
"We shall."
The ride to Casey's apartment was oddly charged, neither of the two women saying anything of actual substance in the cab. Casey glanced over at Olivia, who seemed awful interested in her nails, but was afraid to speak and crumble the foundation of friendship she'd managed to erect.
As the cabbie pulled up in front of Casey's building, Casey pulled several bills from her purse and passed them forward.
"You can keep the change."
Olivia opened her door and slid out, waited for Casey and shut the door behind her.
"So." Olivia began, pulling open the door and motioning Casey inside first, "Did you have a movie in mind?"
"Hmm?" Casey turned, nearly tripping over the first stair.
Olivia laughed, "A movie. Did you have one in mind or are we flying blind Counselor?"
"Oh. I didn't even get that far, Olivia. What are you in the mood for?" Casey turned and started up the stairs, glad to have something else to focus on. Why on earth am I so damn nervous? It's Liv, Casey. Olivia. You see her every damn day at work and you've never felt like this before.
"Something funny. Enough drama at work," Olivia said, following Casey to her door and leaning against the wall as Casey opened her door.
"I agree. C'mon in, you can hang your coat right there," Casey pointed at her coat rack and she hung her own coat and scarf up and then headed into the kitchen, "Did you want something to drink? Something to munch on?"
Olivia followed Casey, then made her own way into Casey's living room, taking in the pictures and knickknacks that were carefully placed around the room, "Beer would be great, if you have it," Olivia walked over to a small bookshelf sitting next to the TV. She bit back a snort as she realized Casey had her DVD's organized alphabetically. However, the selection was not what she expected.
"Chicago, Dogma, Moulin Rouge, My Best Friend's Wedding, X-files…" Casey apparently did not even have a favorite genre. Olivia pulled the X-files movie off the shelf, filliping it over to read the back. She'd caught the show a few times, when she wasn't working, and enjoyed the camaraderie between the show's two main characters.
"Sorry, all I have is Corona," Casey apologized, holding out a bottle with a tiny slice of lime balanced on the rim. Somehow, Olivia wasn't surprised at Casey's beer of choice.
"That'll be fine, Case," she held up the movie, "Feel like a little Mulder and Scully action?"
Casey grinned, "Sounds good to me. Course, I see you and Elliot every day at work."
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that." Olivia smiled back, raising her beer and taking a drink.
Casey took the movie from Olivia, sliding it into her DVD player and joining Olivia on her couch. She sat in the corner, pulling her lithe legs almost entirely vertical to her body, and for a moment, she looked like a little girl.
Olivia tucked her own legs underneath her, and, with a final glance as Casey, turned her interest towards the movie.
She slid her legs out, pointing her toes towards Casey's side of the couch, and was surprised when she saw the corners of Casey's mouth turn up. Casey, never taking her eyes off the screen, adjusted her position to mirror Olivia's, her right arm balanced on the armrest and legs sloping toward Olivia. She let her legs brush and then rest against her friend's. She could practically feel the heat coming from Olivia and knew she was playing with fire.
I think I want to find out just how hot this fire is…
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