Detective Badass

New Job?

*Garcia's POV*
I woke up on the couch the next morning. I got up and went to brush my teeth when I remembered what happened last night. Sonny. I checked my phone to call him when I saw the text he left last night.
Sonny: you fell asleep I didn't want to wake you so I let myself out.
I texted him back.
Me: what a gentleman
He sent me a smiley face.

It was our day off so I was surprised to get a call from Liv asking to meet her at her apartment to speak with me. She didn't say why so I took it to mean that I was gonna get canned. I walked to her apartment door, sulking and I'll admit I was crying in the car before I gathered my nerves. When I knocked however she opened it with a smile. Before she could say anything I rushed out a speech I had prepared to beg her to let me keep my job.
"Please, Lieutenant Benson, I really like my job and wouldn't want to have any other. Except being an art teacher but that's something I've already talked to Barba about."
"Garcia, wait-," she tried to cut in but my adrenaline was at a high that showed no signs of stopping.
"Please, Lieutenant. If you think me getting hit with a gun, choked out by some kid, and stabbed by some psycho has made you rethink my job at SVU... It hasn't for me. If anything it's made me think what the hell is it about me that they see? Am I just some easy target to spot or something. Finn says it's my height but I wear heels-."
"Garcia!," Liv shushed me and grabbed me by the shoulders. "Stop. Take a breath."
I took in some air, hesitantly.
"Good. You are not getting fired. Please have a seat," she led me over to the couch.
"I'm sorry, I was just worried," I said quietly.
"Understandable, I didn't give you too much information because of the severity of this case."
I nodded and placed my shaking hands inside of my pockets. "So what's going on?"
"I have been informed of an undercover opportunity and I want you to take it because you fit the criteria of what they're looking for."
"Sounds great," I was really excited for this. This is probably why she asked to work the Yara case with me and for Fin to keep an eye on me.
"It does but you haven't heard the entire deal you are being handed. There's a club miles from here that's hiding a huge drug ring and possibly abusing their dancers. We need you to go in, earn their trust, and get some evidence to help our case."
I nodded. "When do I start?"
"I want you to also know that this job could take months maybe years. Are you sure that you'll be ok with that?"
"I would need to let my family know and someone would have to take care of my bills and Zen while I'm gone."
She nodded. "Your bills will be covered, I can take in your dog, and you can tell your family but not about the case. Say that you'll be away, we don't want to risk them coming in and doing something rash."
"Thanks, Lieutenant, please keep my phone on you and if my mom calls or something. Answer it and tell her something, lie if you have to, she'll understand."
"So you're in?"
I smiled and nodded. "I'm in."
"One more thing, it's at a strip club."
Shit.

"What did you mean that you talked to Barba about being a teacher?," Liv asked me while pouring me a cup of coffee.
"We talked about the risks of this job both emotional and physical. Also that I was either gonna be a detective or a teacher," I was sitting with Noah on the floor playing with plastic dinosaurs. He had woken up from a nap.
"I like my teacher, she's very nice, she gives me stickers," Noah said this with a smile.
"Really! I love stickers, especially the ones that smell really nice when you scratch them," I nodded.
"I've never seen those ones!"

Later that day before I packed for the job I stopped by a crafts store and bought Noah the stickers I told him about. I dropped them off at Liv's place before heading over to the Narcotics unit to get briefed on the case.