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Detective Jamie Whelan looked up at his new office building. It looked like an old abandoned warehouse, not the typical police precincts he was used to working in. But this wasn’t a typical assignment.
This particular organized crime task force was a fairly new unit, and Jamie was excited to take on a new challenge. He was familiar with the work of the task force, from taking down the Wheatley empire, to dismantling the Albanians, and most recently, uncovering a corrupt gang of officers within the NYPD. They were bold, unafraid, and he was ready to flex new muscles as he took on this new challenge.
Today was his first day, and he was ready.
A few minutes later, Jamie was settled at his new desk, feeling good, confident about where he was headed. He was one of two new members of the task force, and he could tell the others were a tight-knit unit. He already had a deep respect for his new commanding officer. Sergeant Bell was friendly, welcoming, but he could tell she could easily command a room. Then there was Detective Sloot…something? He couldn’t remember what she said her name actually was. She barely acknowledged him, barely looked at him, but he could sense she was very protective of the other detective.
Detective Stabler.
Jamie had heard about Stabler’s wife’s death, his battle against the Wheatleys, and the way he’d put his life on the line for two undercover assignments. He was an NYPD veteran, someone who’d spent nearly his entire career as a detective, and Jamie was eager to learn from the older man.
The morning was spent diving into a new assignment, learning the ins and outs of their task force’s new target. It would be difficult, unlike anything he’d ever done before, and he had a lot to learn, but Jamie was ready.
Early in the afternoon, the entire mood of the office changed. The air felt different, and after just a few moments, Jamie could hear the rhythmic clacking of a woman’s heels getting closer and closer.
Then, he saw her.
Captain Olivia Benson.
So far, he’d never had the privilege of meeting her, but he’d heard of her; everyone in the NYPD had heard of her. Captain Benson had been at SVU since the late 90s, rising through the ranks and was now captain of the unit, one of the most elite in the entire department. She fought for victims fiercely, and anyone who went up against her was doing it at their own risk.
What Jamie didn’t realize was how incredibly beautiful she was. He’d seen pictures and press conferences, but now that he was seeing her in person, he almost couldn’t believe his eyes. She was stunning.
Captain Benson greeted him and Reyes, the other new detective, with a nod, gave a wave and a small “Hey Jet” to Detective Sloot, and then motioned for Detective Stabler to accompany her to Sergeant Bell’s office.
Jamie couldn’t help but watch her through the window. There was something about her that captivated him, leaving him completely unable to take his eyes off of her. It was more than just her outward beauty; there was something else he couldn’t name, but it made him want to know more about her.
Something else he noticed was the way Detective Stabler couldn’t take his eyes off of her either. He stood close to her, almost too close, but Jamie imagined he’d do the same if he was next to her.
When they were finished with their meeting, Jamie watched as they walked down together from Sergeant Bell’s office. Captain Benson followed Bell over and smiled as the sergeant introduced her to him and Reyes.
He immediately extended his hand to her. “Captain Benson, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said as he shook her hand. “I’ve heard incredible things about you, and I admire the work your unit does.
Captain Benson smiled at him, and he found himself getting lost in her gorgeous brown eyes.
“Thank you, Detective. Nice to meet you as well.”
He couldn’t stop his smile as he said, “You’re even more beautiful in person, and I hope to see you around again soon.”
All of a sudden, Stabler coughed loudly, breaking Jamie from his trance, and he realized he was still holding the captain’s hand. He quickly released it, gave her a smile, and took a step back.
“Liv, I’ll walk you out,” Stabler said gruffly, glaring as he stepped between Jamie and Captain Benson.
“Just let me tell Ayanna one more thing,” she replied, and Stabler stood a few steps behind her, awkwardly hovering while Captain Benson and Sergeant Bell talked.
While he watched, he suddenly heard, “Listen, new guy, we need to talk.”
Jamie turned around to find Jet had finally moved out from behind her computer and was now standing at his desk.
“New guy?” he questioned.
Jet sighed, her eyes rolling so dramatically that he was certain they were lost somewhere in her head. “Aside from the three of us, it’s been a bit of a revolving door around here, so until I know you’re going to be here for longer than a few months, I’m not going to bother learning your name. Sorry.”
“Understood,” he said with a chuckle.
“Ok, well, it’s your first day, and at this rate, you won’t last the week, so here’s some advice. Unless you want Detective Stabler to cut off your balls and feed them to the subway rats, you’ll keep your hands to yourself and your eyes in your head when Captain Benson is around. Got it?”
“Oh, are they together?”
She quickly glanced over at them as they began walking side by side down the hallway toward the exit. “They were partners for like fifty years, and shared a brain and finished each other’s sentences, and now they do this weird ‘my friend Olivia’ and ‘my friend Elliot’ thing while making heart eyes at each other.”
Jamie, smiled, nodding as he processed her answer. “Just friends? If they’re just friends, then I could have a shot, right?”
Jet shook her head. “Do what you want, but I’ll be honest with you, if Stabler finds out, I’ll help him hide your body after he kills you. Captain Benson is off limits, and he’s really protective of her, and now you can’t say no one told you.”
“Thanks for the warning, Jet.”
As she walked away, Jamie’s gaze drifted toward the hall where Benson and Stabler disappeared, and his curiosity was getting the better of him, so he quietly followed behind them.
What Jamie heard when he caught up with them affirmed the things Jet told him.
“Can you please tone down the jealous energy, El?” Captain Benson asked. “It’s taking up all of the air in the building.”
Stabler’s shoulders dropped as he sighed. “Come on, Liv.”
“Seriously, Elliot,” she continued. “You have to stop acting like you’re going to rip the head off of every guy that so much as looks at me.”
“I don’t do it with every guy that looks at you,” Stabler insisted. “I just…didn’t like the way he was looking at you. It is disrespectful for a subordinate to look at a captain that way.”
“As opposed to the way you look at me?” she countered.
Jamie couldn’t see his face, but he heard the smirk in Stabler’s voice. “Yeah, but I was your partner for thirteen years, and now I’m your friend Elliot.”
Benson took a step toward him, challenging him. “So that excuses your inappropriateness?”
Stabler leaned close, and Jamie could tell his lips were just millimeters away from the captain’s. “Exactly.”
Benson rolled her eyes and playfully shoved him back before Stabler reached for her hand.
“You’re still able to pick Noah up from dance and take him to my place?” she asked as Stabler’s hand pulled her back closer to him.
Intertwining their fingers, he answered, “I’ll get him, and we’ll have dinner waiting on the table when you get home, maybe a glass of wine.”
“That sounds perfect,” she replied, a small, contented smile on her face. “Thanks Elliot.”
“You know I love spending time with Noah. You too.” They held each other’s gazes for a few moments until Stabler glanced down at his watch. “You probably better get back before Fin sends out a search party.”
She grabbed his wrist, ignoring her own watch to check the time on his. “You’re probably right. I need to go.” She looked back up at him, and Jamie could see the sparkles in her eyes. There was definitely something more than just friendship between them. “See you tonight, El.”
“See you tonight, Captain.”
Jamie slipped back to his desk, narrowly avoiding being caught by Stabler returning to the office. His eyes followed Stabler as he settled back at his own desk. The older man seemed lighter, calmer, with a small smile on his face as he dove into his paperwork.
The rest of the day was fairly uneventful, and Jamie felt proud of the day’s accomplishments. When the work day came to a close, Sergeant Bell came down the stairs with her arms loaded down with a couple of bags of files, which Stabler immediately took from her and placed on his own shoulders. She insisted they all go home, that the work would still be there for them tomorrow.
As they walked to their cars, Sergeant Bell nudged Stabler with her shoulder and asked, “You seeing the captain this evening?”
Stabler grinned at her, nodding his head. “I’m picking up Noah from dance, and we’re picking up dinner so Liv doesn’t have to.”
Bell put her hand on his shoulder. “She’s good for you, Stabler. Just make sure you’re being good for her too.”
“We’re working through…everything,” he said with a nod. “It’s good. We’re…friends.”
As she opened her car door, allowing Stabler to deposit her bags in the back seat, she said, “Just make sure it stays good. She deserves the world, you know?”
Jamie watched Stabler’s face grow serious. “I know. I’m doing my best.”
“Get out of here,” she said as she patted his shoulder before turning her attention to the rest of them. “All of you. Goodnight everyone!”
As Jamie drove home, he reflected on his day, his first day. Even though he and Reyes were new to the team, they fell into a comfortable working relationship with everyone, and he could see the potential for himself to be a part of this unit for a really long time.
As long as he kept his hands to himself and his eyes in his head when Captain Benson was around.