SVULadies

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"Olivia?" The brunette stood looking down at her shoes, hands in pockets.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course. What's wrong? You look like Hell." Sandy took her jacket and led Olivia to the couch. "Do you want anything to eat or drink? Coffee? Whiskey? Warm milk?" The last one drew a smile out of Olivia.

Thinking about her conversation with Alex, she said, "Coffee would be nice."

They sat on the couch talking about anything and everything and nothing.

"Are you going to tell me what's got you so upset Olivia?"

"I saw Alex today. A colleague suggested that maybe everything wasn't as it seemed. I guess maybe I was wrong. Maybe something else was going on. I even hoped she'd had some sort of mental breakdown." Olivia shook her head.

"No to be, huh?"

"No." Olivia choked back tears before continuing. "It's my fault she can't….can't have a baby. If I hadn't been drunk…."

Sandy shushed her and placed a finger to her lips. Getting up off the couch, she held her hand out to Olivia, who took it. She led the Detective down the hall and into the bedroom. Olivia hesitated, but Sandy smiled at her and whispered, "It's ok. Let me do this."

Olivia was about to protest when Sandy began unbuttoning her shirt. She watched as the blonde removed layer by layer of clothing. She untied Olivia's shoes and eased her feet out of each one. Still on her knees, she reached up and pulled Olivia's pants down and off. Olivia was standing before her in nothing but her bra and panties.

She felt her breath hitch and her heart rate quicken as Sandy began easing her panties down. Freeing them from Olivia's legs, she stood up and wrapped her arms around Olivia's back, releasing the clasp on her bra. Olivia reached for Sandy's shirt, but had her hands brushed away. At Olivia's confused look, she touched her face.

"What?"

"This is for you. Let me." She gently turned Olivia around and pushed her back, onto the bed. With Olivia watching, she removed her shirt and slacks. Going to her bureau, she found a satin nightshirt. Facing Olivia, she removed her bra and slipped the nightshirt on.

Crawling up on the bed, she began a slow exploration of Olivia's body. She gingerly touched Olivia's nipples and took one between her lips, drawing a moan from Olivia. Smiling at Olivia, she took the Detective's lips and snaked her tongue between them.

Continuing her exploration of Olivia's body, she ran her tongue over the bronze skin of Olivia's stomach. Getting to Olivia's bellybutton, she rimmed it with her tongue and smiled when Olivia's hips raised up off the bed.

Traveling further south, she inhaled Olivia's scent. Nudging Olivia's hair out of the way with her nose, she tugged on Olivia's clit with her tongue. She eased two fingers into the brunette and hummed on her clit, bringing Olivia's hips once again off the bed.

Olivia had her eyes closed and her mind went to Alex. To making love with Alex. Looking through her eye lashes, she saw the blonde head bobbing up and down between her legs. She saw Alex. The harder Sandy pushed into her, the more Olivia moaned.

A few more thrusts, and Olivia's orgasm hit her. She gasped and Alex's name died on her lips as she remembered it was Sandy, not Alex, who'd just made her come.

Spent, she felt, rather than saw Sandy crawling up the bed next to her. Sandy pulled the covers around them and spooned Olivia from behind. Feeling Olivia tense, she leaned in to her ear and whispered, "It's ok Olivia. It doesn't have to mean anything beyond comfort sex. Just go to sleep."

Olivia was suspended between sleep and wakefulness. She felt Sandy's breathing even out and knew the other woman was asleep. She considered leaving, but couldn't bring herself to get out of bed. One thought ran through her head; she'd just betrayed Alex. I'm sorry Alex. I'm so sorry. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks before she finally fell into a fitful sleep.

XXXXXXX

Olivia awoke around 4 am the next morning and after laying there for a while, decided it was time to get up and face the day. Searching for her panties and bra, she found them near the foot of the bed. She quickly dressed and was about to leave without writing a note, but decided that Sandy deserved that much. Remembering they had lunch plans for later in the day, she left her work number on the note.

On the drive home, she once again felt tears spilling down her face. As soon as she made it through the door, she began to strip and turned the shower on as hot as she could. She scrubbed and scrubbed her body, especially where Sandy had touched her. Finally dressed, she sat in the early morning darkness of the living room sipping black coffee.

Deciding to head into work early, she downed the rest of her coffee and headed for the door. By the time she arrived at the precinct, she was wide awake from her morning coffee fix. Making her way to her desk, she found a package wrapped in brown paper waiting for her.

She inspected the package and tentatively unwrapped it, revealing a video tape and a note. Unfolding the piece of paper, she read the note. "Stay away from my wife." She didn't recognize the handwriting. Sitting down at her desk, she thought about the previous night and wondered if Sandy was involved with someone she hadn't told her about. She was still pondering what all of this meant when Elliot arrived.

"Liv, what's with the video?" Startled, she grabbed the tape and shoved it into her desk drawer. She wasn't quite ready to discuss her love life with Elliot. She felt ashamed that she'd jumped into bed with someone so soon after Alex.

"Nothing. Just….nothing." He eyed her and went to pour himself a cup of coffee.

Olivia's phone rang and she answered it. "What? We're on our way." Elliot caught the last of her conversation and turned to her. "We've caught a case. Rape homicide. Let's go."

When they arrived, Dr. Warner was already there and Olivia noticed the woman looked shaken. "Melinda?"

She stood and motioned Olivia and Elliot over. "Rape, bruising, no fluids. Must have used a condom. Face is beaten to a pulp. She suffered." She fixed Olivia with a look. "See this charm bracelet? It's Lisa, from the benefits office." Olivia took a step back.

"What?"

Elliot looked between the two women. "You two know her?" They both nodded. "And?" Warner and Olivia exchanged glances, but said nothing. Warner turned and walked back toward the victim and Olivia turned her back and rubbed her forehead. Elliot came up behind her. "What's going on here?"

"I need to get back to the station. I'll fill you in later." He watched as Olivia ran back to the car and disappeared down the street.

She hurried into the station and went straight to her desk and found the video tape from earlier. She took the video and went to the crib. Popping the tape in, she watched as a black and white image flickered to life on the TV screen. She saw two people having sex under the covers, one with their legs hanging out from in under the covers, and the other with their legs bent. The legs that were hanging out from under the sheets appeared to be female. She turned the audio up, hoping to hear something useful. All she could hear were sighs and rustling sheets. She was confused until she saw the woman who'd had her legs bent get up and walk into the bathroom.

It was Alex. She'd recognize that silhouette anywhere. Stunned, she fell back onto the couch. She felt sick. Picking up her cell phone, she dialed Elliot. "Get back to the station. Now. I may have a lead on our latest case."

XXXXXXXXXX

Hillary picked Alex up and they headed in the direction of NYU Medical Center.

"What's the latest on Olivia? There wasn't any trouble because she saw me, was there?'

Hillary made a production of changing lanes, stalling to buy herself some time. "She didn't come home again last night. She stayed at the other woman's house. She arrived around 9pm and left at 4:30 this morning. The lights went off shortly after Olivia arrived and they never went back on. I'm sorry."

Alex gave a shaky nod. She's sleeping with her. Looking at Hillary, she saw the other woman's face was set in a frown. "What? What else is there?"

"A body was discovered this morning. Raped, brutalized. It's the body of Lisa Sikes. She works in the benefits office. She gave Olivia the benefits forms with our address yesterday."

"Oh my God. Did….did this have anything to with that?" Hillary simply looked at her. Alex wrapped her arms more tightly around herself.

"Now do you see how serious this is Alex? Do you?"

Agitated, Alex spat, "I know how fucking serious this is! I knew that going in. I don't care what happens to me Hillary. Hell I've already been dead once, but I don't want anything to happen to Olivia! Can you talk to Don? Have him send her somewhere?"

"Where would you like me to have him send her without raising suspicion? If you really want to keep her safe, just keep doing what you're doing. As long as she stays away from you, she'll be fine. Remember what we talked about? Stick to our story," Alex grudgingly nodded.

XXXXXXXXX

"Benson. Oh. Hi Sandy." Olivia was at a loss as to what to say to the blonde. The silence stretched until Olivia finally came up with something to say to Sandy. "About…lunch, I don't think I can make it. We caught a case this morning and it's proving to be more than meets the eye."

"Olivia…."

"Sandy, if you're going to have your head between my legs, I think you can call me Liv." The other woman laughed. "Seriously, thank you for last night. Uhm, I want to be upfront with you. I'm not ready to dive into another relationship. Even sexually."

"I understand O…Liv. Just know I'm here for you and any time you want to talk, just call or stop by."

Sandy started to hang-up, but Olivia stopped her. "Sandy, wait. Uh, let's go out tonight. Get a coffee."

Elliot had reached the top of the stairs and heard the last of her conversation. He watched her as she hung-up and approached her.

"You're already in bed with somebody else? Gotta give it to you Benson, you're fast."

Olivia glared at him. "Remember that videotape from this morning? Come here." She showed him the note and then showed him the video. Elliot squirmed when he realized the other woman was Alex.

"Liv? Where'd you get this?"

"It showed up on my desk this morning. Along with the note."

Elliot nodded. "Ok. But how does this play in our investigation into Lisa Sikes death?"

Without looking at Elliot, she answered, "I saw Alex yesterday. I snooped around at the benefits office and got their address. I waited until Alex left the apartment, and followed her to the park. Today, this tape of Alex and Hillary….having….sex shows up. Lisa was killed after giving me the information on where they were living. Hillary Caputo is involved. I can feel it." Elliot looked at her doubtfully. "What?"

"Liv, I know Alex leaving you has hurt you and sent you spiraling, but it's a far leap from stealing your girlfriend to murdering someone." He shook his head. "We can, we can look into this, but I'm telling you, it's a stretch."

"She's involved Elliot. I know it."

"Liv, Lisa Sikes was raped. Unless there's something you're not telling me." Elliot shrugged.

"She's involved. I can feel it. I think we should go interview her. Get her story locked in." Elliot was still looking at her like she was crazy.

"Do you really think she's involved, or do you just want her to be involved?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Miss Cabot, Dr. Caputo, please come in." Hillary allowed Alex to enter before her and they were seated on a couch in Dr. Mangels office. Alex glanced around the office and her eyes fell on a black and white photo hanging next to a similar, color photo of Jose. Seeing what Alex was looking at, he answered, "That is my grandfather, Josef." Alex nodded as a chill ran up her spine.

They sat talking and Alex handed over her medical records to the doctor. "Your wife, she is a Reproductive Endocrinologist, no?" Alex smiled at Hillary and nodded. "With your expertise, you can find no help for her?"

"No. Not any help the AMA will allow." Mangels nodded.

He glanced between Hillary and Alex before continuing. "In Brazil, we have many experiments that are yielding some promising results. It is too bad your American political system stands in the way of medical progress with all of their rules. Tell me Dr. Caputo, how might your work progress if not for these rules and regulations?"

"Quickly." He smiled.

"Come, let's examine you Miss Cabot. Perhaps we can help you have a child of our own." Alex stood and held her hand out for Hillary, who followed her into the exam room. Hillary helped her into her gown and held her hand as she lie on the table. Alex flinched when Mangels touched her and passed it off as an aversion to his cold hands.

After what felt like an eternity, he finished and asked them to join him in his office after Alex finished dressing. He met them in the office and made a point of reviewing Alex's chart. "Miss Cabot, there was some damage to your uterus." Alex's face fell. "However, I have some alternative therapies that may help you." He glanced down at her chart and back up. "Miss Cabot, how badly do you want a child?"

Alex teared up as she spoke. "I would do anything to have a baby. Anything."

"Perhaps we can work something out." He looked over at Hillary. "I read your thesis on alternative therapies for the infertile. Very provocative. How would you like to put them to practical use?"

Hillary looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"Come work for me, for my group. We could use someone with your expertise, and perhaps we can help your wife." Hillary nodded.

"Let me talk it over with Alex and we'll talk in the next two days, ok?" Mangels nodded.

"We will then discuss options for your wife. Go, take her home and make love to her." Alex blushed.

XXXXXXXXXXX

They drove back to the apartment in eerie silence, neither woman even glancing at the other. Hillary pulled into the garage and shut the engine off. "What are you thinking?"

Alex looked at her. "About a lot of things. About Liv and how best to keep her safe, about you and how this must be effecting you, and about me. I could gain the one thing I want more than anything, but I have lost the one thing that I can't live without."

"She may not…." Alex shut her up with a look.

"I know her and when she's hurting, she's at her most destructive. She only drinks when something hurts her so badly she can barely breath and that's rare and it usually involves me. If she's chosen to be with this other woman….that's better than having her drink herself to death."

"Alex, why did you agree to do this?"

She wiped at her eyes. "I've prosecuted people who prey on women like me. I've seen medical rape by scrupulous doctors, adoption bait and switches, stolen baby rings, but Hillary, I've never heard of anything like this. To do what this man does or claims he can do, it's just….wrong. Somebody has to stop him, and who's in a better place to do that than me?"

Hillary nodded and motioned for her to get out. Walking up behind Alex she nuzzled her neck. "When we get in there, we need to…you know." Alex nodded.

XXXXXXXXX

Alex pasted on a smile as did Hillary and they breezed through the door, discussing the wonderful work of Dr. Mangels. Alex started down the hall, and was grabbed from behind by Hillary. The brunette pulled her into a deep kiss and caressed her backside.

They made their way into the bedroom and Hillary steered her into the bathroom. She turned her back as Alex began to undress and handed her the silk robe. Hillary threw her t-shirt and boxers on and slipped out the door.

Propped up on one arm, she watched as Alex made her way to the bed and slipped beneath the covers. Soon, they were divested of their clothing. Hillary kneaded Alex's flesh and bent down to kiss her. Alex wrapped her legs around Hillary's waist. At Hillary's surprised look, Alex pulled her down for another kiss. She ran her left hand down Hillary's body and moved it between their bodies, finding Hillary's center.

Hillary gasped in surprise and began kissing along Alex's jaw, working her way to the blonde's ear. "What are you doing?" She whispered.

Alex moved her fingers lower and pressed into the brunette, using her other hand to pull her head down for a kiss. Capturing Hillary's earlobe, she whispered, "Don't stop. Please."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Cap'n, I'm telling you, she's involved. I know it."

Cragen looked from Olivia to Elliot and raised his eyebrows.

"It's circumstantial, but why not?"

"Olivia, are you sure this isn't personal?" Olivia nodded. "Tread lightly and just ask some questions."

He watched as his two detectives walked out of his office. He rubbed his head and picked up his phone.

"It's Cragen. We've got a problem." Silently he cursed one of his best detectives for being, well, one of his best detectives.

XXXXXXXXXX

Hillary hesitated for a moment until Alex slid a finger into her. "Jesus Alex!"

Hillary began kissing Alex wildly and she had her hands all over Alex. Bending her head, she nipped Alex's nipple and grunted when the ADA added another finger.

Hillary managed to work a finger into Alex and smiled as the blonde jerked forward. Hillary leaned in and whispered, "I love you." Alex closed her eyes and imagined it was Olivia who was on top of her and inside her. Hillary saw her close her eyes, but the sensations Alex was causing in her overrode everything else.

XXXXXXXXX

Olivia and Elliot rode the elevator up to the fifth floor and made their way down the hall. He looked at Olivia and asked, "You sure about this partner?" She nodded. "Ok. Let's do it."

Olivia banged on the door to the apartment and waited. She stood rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet, as Elliot stood with his hands on his hips.

After several minutes with no answer, Olivia banged again. "Liv, are we even sure they're here?"

"Yes Elliot, they are. I just know it and if this woman is a cold blooded murderer, Alex needs to get away from her as fast as she can." Elliot raised an eyebrow.

XXXXXXXXX

"What was that?"

Looking dazed, Hillary grunted, "What?"

"I think somebody's knocking on the door. Listen."

Reluctantly Hillary stopped and they both lay perfectly still as they heard, "Open up, it's the police!"

"What the fuck?" Reaching for her t-shirt and boxers, she pulled them on, ignoring the fact that she was nude in front of probable video cameras. "I'll be right back." Leaning in, she kissed Alex and said, "Don't go anywhere."

XXXXXXXX

Once again, Olivia began pounding on the door. "Kick it in Elliot."

"What? Are you crazy?" Olivia glared at him.

Just as she was about to start knocking again, the door flew open, revealing a flushed, disheveled Hillary Caputo. Elliot's eyes widened and Olivia frowned.

"Fucking beautiful. What do you want Detective Benson?"

"We'd like to have a few words with you regarding a rape homicide. May we come in?"

Hillary stood looking from Olivia to Elliot and back again. "Sure." She threw the door open and stepped back, allowing the detectives entrance to the apartment.

"Where were you around 5am this morning?"

"Here, in my bed with my wife." Olivia bristled at the use of the word wife. "5am you said? I believe we may have been making love right about then, Alex is a morning sex person you know."

Olivia's icy glare did nothing to make Hillary flinch. Alex is NOT a morning sex person. But as she thought about it, she remembered all of the early morning "meetings" Alex had gone to in the last two months. Ones that had her up and out of their apartment before sunrise.

As the two women stood staring at each other, Alex came walking into the room.

"Hil, what's going ……." She stopped in her tracks as she saw the two women sizing each other up.

Olivia looked at her and took in her appearance; flushed face, mussed hair, swollen lips and the fact that she was wearing only a silk robe you could see her nipples through. Under Olivia's scrutiny, Alex took a step back and felt herself blush furiously from embarrassment and shame.

"Olivia, Elliot what are you doing here?"

Olivia stood stunned as she took in the sight before her. They'd obviously been in the middle of sex. Idly she wondered if Alex had ever looked that way when they made love. Looking away she spouted, "We'd like to question your…..wife…..on her whereabouts this morning. Around 5am."

"She was here, with me. We were in bed."

Elliot spoke up, "Alex, how can you be sure she was here if you were asleep?"

"I never said we were asleep Elliot. I said we were in bed." She emphasized the last part, hating herself every step of the way.

Elliot nodded and turned to leave, but Olivia continued, "How can you be sure of the time?"

"Hillary takes an early morning run around Central Park every morning. The alarm goes off a few minutes before 5 and we….." She gestured with her hands.

"Let's go Liv."

"Wait. Elliot, Olivia, why would you suspect Hillary? What evidence do you have? Or think you have?"

Olivia glared once again at Hillary. "Nothing. I was mistaken. I apologize for interrupting your afternoon….activities."

XXXXXXXXX

Before Elliot and Olivia had left the apartment, Alex had returned to the bedroom. Hillary found her sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Hey, you ok?"

Mindful of the audio and video surveillance, Alex reached for her. "Who does she think she is Hillary? Barging in here and accusing you of some murder. She needs to accept the fact that I love you, not her."

Hillary kissed her and looking into Alex's eyes, she could see it was a lie and that there would be no resuming their earlier activities. "The mood is shot counselor, so why don't we get dressed and head to the park? Feed some birds?" Alex gave her a grateful smile.

XXXXXXXX

Olivia was quiet on the ride back to the station and Elliot felt sorry for her.

"Liv, really, what did you expect? Do you really think she had anything to do with Lisa Sikes murder?"

Olivia rubbed her forehead. "I don't know. I thought I knew her Elliot. I planned my entire life around her and I get left for that?"

Elliot smiled. "Liv, she could be your sister." Olivia puckered her lips at that thought.

"Careful Elliot, given my unknown gene pool, she may just be."

"Seriously Liv, maybe you should take some more time off?"

"No. I'm fine, or I will be. What else do we have on this? Anything?"

"Let's go check with Warner and see what she came up with."

XXXXXXXXXX

Hillary and Alex walked to the park holding hands, and ended up in what was becoming their usual place, on the bridge. Hillary had bought a bag of bread crumbs and stood casually tossing them to the ducks below.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Hillary turned to look at Alex.

"For earlier. I…I know how you feel about me and I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry." Hillary shrugged.

"It's ok. I'll take you, any part of you, I can get for however long I can get it."

"I was….."

"Thinking about her. I know." Hillary poured some bread crumbs into the blonde's hands. "If you weren't with her or in love with her, would I have a shot?" Alex took her time answering.

"Hillary, I love you. You are my oldest friend, my first love and first lover. I will always love you and if I told you that I'd never wondered about you in all these years, I'd be lying. I love you. Could I ever go back to being in love with you? I don't know, but I love Olivia." She studied the crumbs intently. "I wish I could tell you what you want to hear, but I can't. Not right now and probably never. All I could ever give you, would be sex."

"What if she doesn't want you back? Do I stand a chance then?"

"Hil, you deserve to be with someone who loves you the way I love her and the way she loves….loved? Me." Throwing the rest of the crumbs to the ducks below, she turned to the other woman. Wrapping her arms around Hillary she hugged her fiercely and kissed her. "Hasn't there been anybody you've had a sustained relationship with?"

Hillary snorted. "There have been a lot of somebody's, but no one anybody. I work crazy hours, my job is dangerous, and I won't let anybody get close." She shrugged.

Alex hugged her again. "Let's go eat."

They stopped at a pizzeria and Alex watched as Hillary devoured a large pizza almost single handedly. She leaned in and wiped sauce off the brunette's chin and pulling back, she took in the face of her old flame.

"What?"

"Let's go home Hillary."

As they were walking home, Alex pulled her into an ice cream parlor and they had cones of ice cream. Pulling on Hillary's arm, she took a lick of the brunette's chocolate ice cream cone.

"Hey!"

Alex laughed and raced ahead of her, beating her to the elevator and taking it up to the fifth floor. By the time Hillary came through the door, Alex was waiting for her on the couch. They cuddled and watched TV. Cradled in Hillary's arms she could feel the heat radiating from Hillary's body and found it oddly comforting. Alex felt content, safe and secure in a way she'd only ever felt with Olivia. She pushed thoughts of Olivia and the blonde from her mind. She sent up a silent prayer for her lover and asked that God keep her safe.

Finally standing up, she held her hand out to Hillary and led her to the bedroom. They went into the bathroom to change and when Hillary tried to turn around to give Alex some privacy, she stopped her. "You've seen it all before." Hillary smiled as Alex put on her robe without putting on her nightgown. At Hillary's confused look, she shook her head, and handed the other woman her robe.

Leaving the bathroom, Alex flicked the light switch, sending the bedroom into total darkness. Unceremoniously, Alex dropped her robe before sliding into bed and watched as Hillary did the same. Alex waited until the other woman was comfortably situated before pouncing. She covered the brunette's body with her own and captured her lips. Sneaking her tongue into the warmth of Hillary's mouth, she smiled against her lips. Hillary squirmed beneath her and tried to flip Alex over, but the blonde refused.

Alex began slowly working her way down Hillary's body, kissing and teasing as she went. Hillary tensed as Alex got closer to her center. Alex rubbed the inside of her thigh and placed light kisses there, working her way back to Hillary's sex.

Inhaling the brunette's scent, memories came flooding back.

A first kiss on a rainy day in the stables. A tentative lover’s touch at 16. The salty taste of Hillary’s skin after a game of field hockey. The first tangy taste of sex in those same stables at 17. Making love with Hillary on Saturday morning’s and Sunday’s before Mass during college. Hillary’s smell right before she came. Hillary’s thighs on either side of her head as she plunged her tongue into the brunette. The smell of sex and Cassie Bennett that oozed from Hillary as she stumbled home after a night of drinking. Olivia’s face as she caught Alex in what she believed was a compromising situation. Olivia’s face twisted in disgust as she ran her fingers under Alex’s nose, the scent of Hillary lingering. Olivia.

Alex hesitated as the image of Olivia’s face fluttered away and the reality of where she was and what she was about to do settled in. Sliding back up Hillary’s body, she pulled the other woman to her, burying her face in the crook of the brunette’s neck. Pushing thoughts of Olivia away, she plunged two fingers into Hillary. The agent’s hips bucked off the bed and Alex held onto her tightly, plunging deeper and deeper, twisting her fingers on each retreat. Hillary caught her rhythm and met her thrust for thrust, finally abandoning all inhibitions, video cameras be damned.

Her moans grew louder and her movements more erratic as she neared her release. She opened her eyes in a desperate attempt to make contact with Alex, only to find the blonde’s eyes tightly shut, a grimace on her face. Before she could process what any of it meant, Alex curled her fingers, causing her knuckle to hit the fleshy spot just inside Hillary, bringing her to a roaring completion.

Hillary gasped for breath as Alex continued to hold her tightly, yet never looking at her. In the quiet of the aftermath, Alex raised up and kissed Hillary as a lover would. Sliding off of the brunette, she made her way from the bed to the bathroom, without covering herself. Hillary gave her a few minutes alone, and finally finding strength, made her own way into the bathroom.

She found Alex washing her hands methodically and stopped her. “I don’t have cooties you know.”

Alex tried to smile at her, but failed miserably. Instead, she pulled Hillary to her and whispered, “Hold me. Just hold me.” She allowed Hillary to lead her back to the bed and they snuggled. Hillary tried to initiate conversation, but Alex silenced her with a finger to her lips and a shake of her head.