Work Text:
Olivia noticed Garland entering her office and nodded to him acknowledging his presence. He joined her, Fin and Tamin as they all stood behind the glass window. Elliot Stabler was running an interrogation by himself, a strategy he suggested to use his organized crime angle first to rattle the suspect. Benson had let him go in, but told him he had limited time to make the perp talk.
With Garland being there, Olivia hoped that he didn’t see it as Stabler walking all over her and her authority again…not after that night he came back and she let him into the interrogation of the suspect of his wife’s murder. She hoped he trusted her judgement.
So far, Elliot hadn’t been able to get much of the perp. They needed to move in with a strategy. Rollins walked in with her notes.
“Captain, I think I’ve got something.”
They turned to her.
“I talked to his former boss. A strong woman, of a certain age, a bit hard on the edges. She told me something that maybe we can work with.”
“What is it Amanda?”
“He tends to like being submissive…she told me that Birks loved when she talked down to him, when she put him in his place. At work and in the bedroom.”
Olivia nodded.
“Okay, so that will be our strategy moving forward.” She inhaled as she looked back at the window, preparing herself. “He likes being put down by a strong woman, that’s fine with me.”
Garland seemed to agree with her plan, so she moved towards the door.
“Wait, you’re going in like that?” Garland spoke up.
Olivia stopped at the interrogation room, hand on the doorknob.
“Yeah, why?”
Garland hesitated and pointed to Stabler in the room.
“Aren’t you going to consult with him, before moving with our play?”
Olivia glanced at the window. That actually never crossed her mind. She knew she didn’t need to. Elliot would pick up on her strategy seconds after she entered the room, she was sure of it. He was her partner, after all. Ten years would never change that. But Garland didn’t know that. He didn’t understand their relationship. How could she blame him? For Olivia, working with Elliot was effortless, they were still in sync. A team. The best team she’s ever been on. So, when she thought about going in with her scenario, she never doubted that Elliot would let her lead, let her dictate the rest of the interrogation. She trusted him, completely.
She looked back at Garland and smiled calmly.
“I don’t need to.”
She entered the room. Fin spoke for the first time since Garland walked in.
“If you want to see what true partnership is like, just observe this.”
“Stabler, didn’t I tell you to wait for me before interviewing M. Birks here?” she entered with her Captain stance. She walked around the suspect and gave a look at her Detective.
Elliot looked back at her but didn’t wait long to reply.
“You weren’t there, Captain, I just wanted to do my job.” It was evasive enough to let her steer them into whatever play she wanted. He let her know he was going to follow her lead.
“You disobeyed a direct order, Detective.” She stopped at his side, looking down on him. “Get out.”
Elliot got her play. He stood up.
“Please Captain, I…I wanna stay in.” he pleaded, exercising his role. He took a step towards her, clearly entering her personal space.
Liv let him, both relishing their proximity while still being very self aware of keeping her façade.
He talked softly, but loud enough for the perp to hear him. “I’ll do whatever you want me to do.”
Olivia looked into his eyes. She knew he was playing, but seeing Elliot so openly insinuating made her hesitate for one quick second. She regrouped fast though.
“Come on Stabler, we’ve known each other for a lot of years now, and nothing ever happened. Maybe that should be your first clue.” She replied coldly.
She saw a light flick in Elliot’s eyes. Part of it was proudness, he was having fun with this. Part of it was something else, yearning maybe. She didn’t have time to analyze it.
“Get out.” She then turned to the perp. “We’ll be fine just the two of us, right Birks?”
Birks didn’t seem totally convinced but he was curious about the Captain.
“Yeah. Byeee byeeee, Stabler.” He bragged.
Elliot did, sending one last look at Olivia. She got this now.
Stabler joined the rest of the squad behind the mirror in Liv’s office.
“You got dirt on him.” He stated.
“He thrives on older, powerful women. Likes to be submissive. Can’t resist it in fact.” Officer Tamin briefed him. Elliot turned his gaze to the interrogation room.
“So, tell me what you were doing in that warehouse.” She spoke coldly as sat down.
“I just told that detective everything I did and didn’t do. I’m not in the mood to repeat myself.”
“Oh, well that’s too bad for you. You’re going to tell me everything, as many times as I want, Birks.” She smiled dangerously. “You know, I’m the Captain here, so I decide when we’re done or if I let you rot in here for the night.”
Birks faltered a little, he liked her bossy attitude.
“Yeah? What will you do with me, here all night long?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” She smiled flirtatiously.
Birks laughed nervously.
“So, tell me.” She commanded.
He then proceeded to give her some answers. After a while, Birks stopped and looked at the door behind Benson, where her partner had walked out a few minutes before.
“You ever fuck him?”
Olivia didn’t expect the turn of the conversation, but she used it to reinforce her relationship with the perp.
“Stabler? Nah, I like my men much younger than that.” She sent him a flirty eye.
Birks giggled like a little boy.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” She waited a second. “You know, when you’re in power, men are at your feet. They’re willing to do whatever to please you, to satisfy you.” She finished almost whispering, bent over the table towards Birks.
Amanda shifted awkwardly behind the window.
“Urg, I hate it when she gets close like that…”
“Liv can handle her own.” Elliot said, confident.
“Yeah, until she can’t.” he heard Amanda say softly. He turned, questions in his eyes.
“Amanda...” Fin intervened.
Rollins shot a glance at Fin and looked back at the glass window. Elliot made a mental note to ask about whatever this was later.
The interrogation continued as Benson played out her strategy. It was working, they were close to his confession. But Birks still had his guards up a bit.
“Isn’t there a young intern here?” Elliot turned to the squad.
“There’s Kyle, he’s new at the front desk.” Tamin said.
“Get him in to bring Benson some coffee. And make him say something to grease her up.” Elliot asked.
Kat went out.
Someone knocked at the door.
“What it is?” Benson called out.
She saw the young officer from the reception desk.
“Captain?” he tentatively said.
“What?” she used her authoritative voice.
“I heard you were in interrogation for a long time, I brought you some coffee. I wanted to be the one to do it, you know, just the way you like it.”
Liv had to forced herself to stay neutral. This was brilliant.
“Well thank you, officer. Such a gentleman.” She took the coffee from him and made sure to wink at him. “I’ll make sure to remember this sweet attention.”
He smiled shyly, surely that reaction wasn’t forced. He closed the door behind him. Liv turned back to Birks.
“See? At. Your. Feet.” She laughed.
He seemed to buy it completely this time.
The confession came not long after that. Birks confessed he did the murder and how he did it, confiding in Olivia who had been sitting so close to him, surely intoxicating him with her presence. Elliot felt proud of her and couldn’t blame the perp to have caved in to her, flirting like that.
Benson walked out satisfied and everyone sighed in relief. She joined the squad in her office.
“Nice job Captain.” Garland was the first to speak.
“Thanks. I need a shower now.” She hald-joked. “Who sent in the intern?”
They all turned to Elliot. She wasn’t surprised.
“It worked.” She smiled at him. Just like old time.
He shrugged, satisfied.
Fin, Amanda and Kat left the office. Elliot stayed in the back as Garland spoke again.
“Really, good job.”
“Thanks.”
“When Fin said to look for true partnership in there…I wasn’t sure what to expect.” He looked between the two officers. “I think I get it now.” He smiled and made his exit.
Olivia looked at Elliot and smiled.
“Well, that was fun.”
“It was. Nice work in there, Captain.” He said proudly.
“Thanks…and thank you for trusting me with the direction of the interrogation.”
Stabler appreciated the compliment and wanted to solidify that he trusted her completely, that nothing in that sense ever changed.
“Always.”
They looked at each other for a moment, appreciating their bond repairing itself little by little. He knew he had a lot to prove to her, since his return. That her trust in him had be shattered with he left. But the first step he felt he needed to do was to be one hundred percent behind her, trusting her in every sense, proving to her that he was there to stay by her side. That he had her back, no matter what. She gave him a slight nod, accepting his answer.
Once the moment passed, Stabler wanted to put a smile back on her face.
“So…I’m too old for you, heh?” he teased.
“Shut up, Stabler.” She laughed.
Maybe they were going to be just fine in the end, Olivia thought.