In the Blink of an Eye

Chapter Twelve: Still Falling For You

I was thankful that I was able to have Olivia and Fin by my side to play nice as Hunter had his goodbye party held in the Homicide squad room. The results for my Captain's Exam were due back any time now, but the department was willing to have me take over Homicide as simply Lieutenant Holbrook—only they knew of my decision to keep my maiden name; well, the department, Olivia, and Fin; my soon-to-be ex-husband was still out of the loop, on everything. I tapped my nails upon the windowsill, peering over to Nate, Melanie, Violette, James, and many other members of the department congratulated Hunter on his promotion. I would wait for him to look over at me from time to time from where I stood with Olivia and Fin, and raise my glass to him.

"You have to tell him, Maggie," Fin says quietly among the hubbub of the party around us.

"Fin's right," Olivia tells me. "I know it's hard, but just do what Buchanan is telling you to do..."

"I still can't believe you hired that guy after what he did to you," Fin says, crossing his arms and shaking his head.

"Don told me he was the best of the best, and he is," I reply, staring down at the cheap red wine in the red solo cup. "The man plays hardball—that's exactly what I need right now."

"If you're sure," Olivia says.

"I'm sure," I say, giving her a tight smile. Sighing a little, I say softly, "I asked Don for a job at SVU."

"What?" Fin demands then.

I sigh. "I didn't know that Tucker managed to turn Hunter over to the dark side," I say quietly. "I was considering the transfer in the wake of my choice to file for the separation. I really, really wanted to work with you guys, but when the news came that I could run this department myself..."

"We understand," Fin replies.

"It'll be nice to get some young blood in the department," Olivia says with a smile then. "How old are you again?"

I make a face at her. "Twenty-six," I reply. "Twenty-six years, three months, and three weeks," I say with a smile.

"That puts your birthday in July," Fin says.

"The end of July," I correct him with a giggle. "Edythe had to go over all this with me for some family history project she's doing..."

"How's that going?" Fin wants to know.

I shrug. "Honestly, not well; I'm not much help to her. Since I'm as adopted as she is, and I still haven't tracked down my birth family, it's just not panning out. All I know is that I was born to a teenage mother, somewhere in New York, on July twenty-second, 1985. I don't know about my biological father at all, and I have yet to track down my birth mother..."

"How do you know she wants to be tracked down?!" Olivia snaps at the pair of us then, slamming down her wine glass and sloshing some down onto the tile of the windowsill.

"Liv, relax," Fin tries.

"No, Fin, I won't," Olivia says, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, I... I'm going to need to call it a night," she says, making a beeline for the double doors and not stopping to say goodbye to anyone.

"Maybe I should..." Fin says softly.

I nod at him. "Go. I'll be fine."

Fin nods back. "Okay. Let me know if Hunter tries anything. I know some guys from the 'hood who could straighten him out if..."

I smile and pat Fin on the shoulder. "Thanks. I'm glad I can call you a friend, Fin. I really am."

He smiles and pulls me into a hug before taking off after Olivia, grabbing both their coats as he leaves while I manage to slip into my office. I stand in the doorway, having a momentary moment of nostalgic as I run my hand along the wood paneling of the doorway. Turning around, I imagine the squad room, empty of all the party-goers, and remember my first day at Manhattan Homicide...