Catalyst

Chapter 1

Mr & Mrs. Jonathan Carmichael

Cordially invite you to attend the

wedding of their daughter

Abigail Marie Carmichael

To

Douglas James Montgomery

At St Michael's Cathedral

At 325 Alamo Street in Houston, Texas

On June 20, 2008

Detective Olivia Benson held the invitation in her hand, not truly believing what she was reading. Abbie Carmichael, who in charitable moments Olivia would think of as her ex girlfriend (even though they really only lasted for three months and it was really more a sexual arrangement than a true relationship), was getting married. It was almost too surreal to be true. Olivia had never thought that Abbie would ever get married, in Olivia's mind, Abbie was too much of an independent spirit.

But the evidence was in her hand, an invitation to Abbie's wedding. Olivia leaned against the counter in the kitchen she shared with her live-in girlfriend Casey Novak and thought about the invitation she held in her hands. It had arrived two days ago and she still hadn't told Casey about it.

When they'd begun to get serious about each other, they'd agreed to disclose their past sexual experiences, mostly because they hadn't wanted to have any secrets. Which of course, meant that Casey knew about Abbie. When Olivia had told Casey about Abbie, there'd been a definite look of jealousy on the red head's face. Olivia had never been able to figure out why Casey had been jealous of her past with Abbie when she hadn't even batted an eyelash at the mention of Olivia's other exes.

Olivia tapped the corner of the invitation against her lower lip as she tried to think of a way to tell Casey about the invitation without causing World War 3.

"Hey babe, what's that?"Casey's curious voice broke into Olivia's thoughts and caused the normally unflappable detective to jump in surprise.

"Hey sweetie, you startled me! What?"Olivia tried to play dumb but Casey wasn't buying it.

"That paper in your hand, what is it?"Casey asked, pointedly glancing at the rectangular, expensive-looking paper in her girlfriend's hand as she walked closer to Olivia to try to see what it said.

"What, this? It's nothing. Ready to go?"Olivia and Casey were going to go to Elliot's for a family barbeque and Olivia tried to slip the invitation into her back jeans pocket, hoping Casey would just let it go.

Casey smiled, whenever Olivia went into her 'avoidance mode' she knew her girlfriend was up to something. Casey, as usual, was too fast for Olivia though and she whipped her hand out and quickly snatched the paper from her fingers before it could reach Olivia's pocket. Casey scampered away from Olivia a few paces as she read the words on the paper.

Olivia sighed and didn't fight Casey when she grabbed the invitation, she'd known she'd have to tell Casey sooner or later and this way she didn't have to find a way to open the conversation.

Casey's triumphant smile slowly vanished as she read what she soon realized was a wedding invitation...to Abbie Carmichael's wedding. Casey couldn't explain it but for some reason she couldn't stand that this woman had known Olivia's touch. All the others in Olivia's past she could handle, just barely but still...yet Abbie Carmichael had her seeing red (through green eyes).

"So...when were you going to tell me about this?"Casey asked, calmly.

Olivia took a moment and just looked at Casey then, "I don't know. I was trying to find a way to bring it up without causing a fight actually."Olivia decided the honesty route was the best way to go.

"You wanna avoid a fight?" Olivia nodded."Then turn down the invitation and don't go. Simple as that."

"I can't."

"Can't? Or won't?"

"Ok, I won't. I...don't wanna turn it down Case."

"You don't wanna turn it down? Why not?"

Casey's temper was slowly bubbling up to the surface. She didn't even truly know why but there it was just coming to the surface.

"Because I'm the only one from SVU that got an invitation. Because she's my friend and she asked me to be there. Why can't you understand why I wanna go see for myself that Abbie's getting married?"Olivia really didn't know why Casey had such a problem with Abbie.

Deep down, Casey realized that she was worried that Olivia's true motivation for going to Abbie's wedding was to somehow have one last fling with her ex and Casey would be damned if she allowed that to happen. "Why do you need to see it happen? Unless...you're still not over her?"

"Ok that's ridiculous, sweetie. What happened with me and Abbie happened almost ten years ago and it only lasted three months! There's nothing to 'get over' ok? I just want to be a friend and attend her wedding...with you."

"With me? Olivia, the wedding is in two weeks! I can't arrange to take off from work on such short notice. You obviously know that so your desire to take me with you is superficial. Not to mention that I don't want to go. If you go Olivia, I might not be here when you get back."

Olivia couldn't believe her ears. "You're not serious."

"Try me. I mean it Olivia, you go, I walk."

Casey wasn't backing down.

"You would seriously throw away what we have just because I attend a friend's wedding?"

Casey didn't say anything, she simply stared at Olivia for a few moments before she threw the invitation on the counter then turned on her heel and walked out of the kitchen, leaving Olivia standing there in stunned silence.

Casey walked to the front hall closet and retrieved her coat, keys and cell phone and left the apartment. She knew now that a barbecue at the Stablers' wasn't what she wanted or needed. What she really needed was a drink and a sympathetic ear. Unfortunately, it was still too early in the day for a drink and her first choice for a sympathetic ear was currently out of town on a case for her company.

Back in the apartment, Olivia had called Elliot and made up some excuse to get out of the barbecue. Elliot didn't ask questions he just said 'no problem, another time' and that was all.

Now, Olivia sat on the couch, the invitation in one hand and her cell phone in the other. She thought about the situation and she realized there was no right choice here. If she stayed, then Casey would think she could boss her around and Abbie would be hurt by Olivia's absence from the wedding. But if she went, then she'd lose Casey and there might not be a way to win her back.

Olivia decided that if she didn't attend the wedding she'd always regret it so she made her decision and opened her cell phone and dialed a familiar number. By the time Olivia finally closed her cell phone for good, she had her flight booked for later that night, and Cragen had approved her request to use some of her vacation time to attend the wedding. Olivia quickly packed her bags and left a long note for Casey explaining why she felt the need to fly to Texas for a wedding that she somehow felt compelled to attend.

Later that night, Casey still hadn't stopped by their apartment. She'd planted herself first in the park and then, when it started getting dark, she headed to a local bar. After her third drink, Casey finally allowed herself to remember what she had fought so hard to forget.

Shortly after Casey had been hired to work the White Collar Crimes bureau of the DA's office, she'd had occasion to meet the current Homicide ADA, Abbie Carmichael. It was an amicable meeting, nothing too outstanding about it. A week later, Casey was walking down the hall of the courthouse on her way to an arraignment when she saw the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen. The woman was obviously a detective from the way she stood and also the badge that Casey had caught a glimpse of under her gray suit jacket. She had dark brown almost black hair that fell to just above her shoulders. She was laughing with another detective, a man who from that distance almost reminded Casey of Bert from Sesame Street. In that moment, Casey was beyond smitten. She was determined to find out who the woman was and where she worked and how to win her over.

Two weeks after that moment, Casey saw the woman again, only this time in a bar. Casey was thrilled, here was her chance to approach the woman and at least find out her name. Casey took two steps towards her and then her world shattered. The woman was joined by none other than Abbie Carmichael who kissed her right on the lips in an unmistakable claim. It was obvious to Casey that the woman was Abbie's girlfriend. Casey's heart broke in a manner that she didn't think was possible. She never even knew the woman's name all she knew was that she didn't stand a chance. Casey left the bar and ran home, determined to forget what she'd seen and not think about the woman again.

Four years later, when Casey had been transferred to the Special Victims Unit, she'd come face to face with the woman she'd seen with Abbie so long ago. Detective Olivia Benson, and Casey had to face the realization that she was still smitten with her. To all outward appearances though, Olivia seemed straight. Casey felt her heart break all over again as she thought that Abbie was Olivia's experiment in lesbianism and now Casey had no shot at all. It hadn't helped that she'd seen how close Olivia was with her partner, Elliot Stabler. From then on, Casey had hated Abbie Carmichael and her intimate knowledge of Olivia Benson. Not even learning about Alex Cabot had diminished her anger at Abbie. It was irrational and Casey knew that but that's how it was. And now Olivia was going to see Abbie again and it was killing Casey to know that she'd probably given Olivia the perfect excuse to have one last fling with Abbie before the wedding.

Casey ordered another drink when she heard a familiar voice say, "don't you think you've had enough there slugger?"

As the plane for Houston took off from Kennedy Airport, Olivia sat back and thought about what would happen when she showed up for wedding...alone.