Before they knew it, Christmastime had rolled around again. It was never a happy season for Olivia, one she spent alone. Elliot had sometimes invited her to join the Stablers for the festivities, but she hadn't accepted since the first year of their partnership, and last year had been the first year without such an offer. Her relationship with Fin was in its earliest stages, not enough for her to commit to spending Christmas together yet. They'd spent the day apart, her working. They shared an apartment now, though, and she wasn't sure what to expect.
It was a slow day in early December, and the squad was catching up on paperwork.
"Ya'll ever decorate for Christmas around here?" Amanda asked, glancing between the other detectives.
"It's been a while, but we had a tree and some stuff around here at some point," Cragen said, walking back to his office with a mug of coffee.
"We're not big on Christmas," Fin added.
Amanda nodded, knowing the entire squad, including herself, had failed and strained family relationships and worked in a spirit-draining environment. It didn't make for a festive holiday season. "I get that."
It was quiet for a long time.
Olivia straightened. "We should decorate."
Everyone looked up at her, and Fin nodded, already gazing at her lovingly. "We should."
Amanda looked excited. "Can we do it now? You know, since it's q-"
"Rollins!" they interrupted.
"Sorry, sorry. I thought I learned my lesson."
"I'll find the tree," Olivia offered.
"I'll help," Fin said, jumping up to follow her to storage.
"Are there more decorations? I could help them," Nick volunteered, but Cragen grabbed his arm. "What?"
"You're going to follow those two into a dark room?"
Nick nodded. "Yeah, why?"
John just laughed. "So young, so naive."
Nick scowled. "Oh, c'mon. They're over forty years old, not horny teenagers. They've also been dating for about a year now, not in their honeymoon period anymore. Besides, you told them no funny business."
Cragen held up his hands. "Hey, I try my best. They keep the PDA out of the squad room. I think that storage closet is beyond my jurisdiction."
"Stop. Don't do that. I don't need to picture that."
"There's no way," Amanda chimed in. "They wouldn't get down like that."
"I feel like they would," John said, a smile on his face. "You know-"
Cragen cut him off. "All right, I'm not hearing any more of this."
The time dragged by with the couple nowhere in sight.
Amanda shook her head. "You've got to be kidding me."
John just laughed. "I told you."
Finally, twenty minutes later, Olivia and Fin came back to the squad room, a beat-up cardboard box carried between them.
"Found it!" Fin called out.
But he was wearing a grin, and Olivia's hair was a little messed up in the back.
"Oh my God," Amanda said. "You guys really did it," she groaned.
"Did what?" Fin asked, dropping the tree box by the desks.
YOU ARE READING
Better Together
FanfictionOlivia hasn't been the same since Elliot left. He put in his papers without warning, and he never even told her goodbye. Given the chance, Fin would kick the guy's ass, but seeing as that isn't an option, he settles for making sure Liv's okay, makin...
