Camo and Navy Blue [A Bensler Fan Fic]

One

Olivia was shaking as she walked into the sixteenth precinct for the first time. At only twenty-four, this was her second huge career move, but she wasn't exactly excited about it.

"Officer Benson." A man spoke, and Olivia turned around slowly to face the man.

"Yes, sir?" Olivia breathed.

"I'm your partner, Elliot Stabler. I didn't need a new partner, but they assigned us to each other, so we are stuck together." Elliot sighed. He was beyond angry about getting a new partner, especially someone so new to the force.

"I'm sorry." Olivia frowned as she kept her eyes down and focused on her shiny shoes.

"Yeah, well, next time think before you join a new job." He huffed. Olivia followed her partner outside and towards their cruiser. Elliot climbed into the driver's side as Olivia slowly climbed into the passenger side.

"So are we-"

"Just don't ask questions. I'll tell you what we are doing, and when we are doing it. So now we are going on patrol and will respond to any calls when they come up in our area."

Olivia looked out the window and fought off tears as Elliot pulled out. She thought that she'd be better at being an officer compared to a soldier, but she already felt like she had been crazy to even think that.

///

They drove around for hours without catching a case. At around noon Elliot was hungry, so they pulled over and Elliot got himself lunch as Olivia sat quietly in the cruiser. Olivia had been incredibly nervous about starting this new job, but she didn't realize that her partner would make it harder and not easier for her.

"Aren't you a little old to be a rookie?" Elliot questioned once he climbed back into the car. This was the first question that Olivia had been asked, and she wasn't really prepared to answer it. However, she knew that if she was going to get Elliot to trust her, she had to be open. Not too open, but enough for him to have a general idea of who she is.

"I'm only twenty-four, but I guess I am." Olivia breathed.

"Did you just wash out of your last job and decide to go to the academy?"

"I did basic academy training but my last job gave me a boost." Olivia replied. She finally turned to look at Elliot and saw that he was watching her.

"So I had to go through police academy training and you-"

"Went through basic training along with six years of active duty in the military." Olivia sighed.

Elliot's eyes went wide as he looked Olivia over.

"You don't seem like army material. You seem a little-"

"Stabler, I get that you don't want to be my partner. That you hate me and don't think I'll be any good at this job... but you don't have to be an ass to me. I joined the army as soon as I graduated. I worked my ass off and after six years, getting shot, and getting PTSD, I was discharged and I needed something new to do. So I went through training and now get to be your partner." Olivia spat. She quickly climbed out of the car as tears finally slipped down her cheeks.

"Benson." Elliot frowned as he followed Olivia down the road.

"If you don't want me to be your partner, then tell our boss that. Tell him that I'm a shitty officer, can't do shit, didn't have to go through the same academy as you... so I'm worthless. So I will never be good at my job." Olivia yelled.

Elliot watched her for a moment before shaking his head.

"No, I'm not going to tell him anything. You are my partner, and I guess that I have to deal with it. Now, get your ass back in the car." Elliot spoke.

"I'm not-" Olivia started, but she stopped when Elliot held his hand up and listened closely.

"You gotta get in the car because we have to respond to a call. Hustle, Benson. Before someone else gets shot just like you did."

///

Olivia's first case as an officer was a domestic violence call. When they arrived at the scene, Elliot had to quickly cuff the husband before he went back to beating the shit out of his wife.

"Are you okay?" Olivia asked weakly, as she squatted down in front of the wife. She was pale, bleeding, and incredibly bruised. Olivia had a hard time looking at her, especially since she had been in this position before.

"N-no. Do I look okay?" The woman snapped. Olivia swallowed hard before grabbing her radio and asking for an ambulance.

"Just sit put. Someone will be here soon to take you to the hospital. Is there anyone else in the house?" Olivia asked.

"Just my kids. They are sleeping upstairs..." The woman trailed off. Olivia turned and looked at Elliot.

"Go check on them, Benson. I'll stay down here with them."

Olivia quickly headed upstairs, before slowly opening a door that was painted light yellow. She opened the door and found two kids, barely older than three, sleeping soundly in their beds.

She slowly walked over to one of the toddler beds and tucked the boy in more, before moving to the little girl's bed and doing the same. She then backed out of the room, to only end up face to face with Elliot.

"Are they okay?" Elliot questioned as he looked over Olivia's shoulder and to where the two kids slept.

"Yup, completely fine. As if their father wasn't beating the shit out of their mother a few minutes ago... how do you do this, Elliot? Don't you have a family?" Olivia breathed. Elliot nodded slowly, before reaching out and taking the door handle from Olivia. He shut the door before taking his partner downstairs. Two other officers had shown up and were taking over while the partners headed back to the station house.

"I have a wife and two little girls, five and two. I do this job to help prevent these things from happening to them. So that is why I do it. That is why we are going to do this together, as partners. Now, are you wanting to following the wife to the hospital or go back to the house?" Elliot asked.

"We should probably do our paperwork. Then you can get home to your girls."