TEAM PLAYER

The party was plodding along nicely. A mix of young families from the local neighborhood had all come together for a Sunday afternoon barbeque to welcome the new couple to the street. The fact that it was Valentine’s Day, doubled the reason for a celebration. The men were casually knocking back beers in the back yard, the women preparing dessert in the kitchen and chatting in the living room, while keeping an eye on the various kids that were playing boisterously throughout.

Elliot glanced around the yard, only listening to the fellas’ conversation with half an ear. He made a point of keeping an eye on the pretty twelve year old girl who was helping her mother clear up after lunch. The men broke into a round of laughter and Elliot joined in, even though he had missed half the story and the punch line was particularly banal.

The chemist, the dentist, the accountant and the English professor were, in his opinion, a bunch of middle class schmucks whose sickly polite game of one-upmanship was boring him shitless. The only thing keeping him focused was the hate he carried for the sick bastard currently explaining his new company tax scheme. Just when he’d begun to think that the plastic idiocy of his company would kill him, he felt a warm arm encircle his wait, and he turned to meet Olivia’s smiling face.

"Hey honey. How’s it going out here?" she asked as he draped his arm over her shoulder.

"Great" he replied with a smile.

"You want ice-cream?" she asked coyly.

"Sure" he answered, leaning in for a kiss, fully conscious of the four pairs of eyes watching them intently. As she turned to leave he gave her a swat on the ass for good measure, winking at the group with pride.

Once she was out of earshot the dentist let out a slow whistle. "She sure is something" he said.

"Isn’t she" Elliot agreed with a shit eating grin.

**************************************************************************

Laughter broke out in a little van across the street, where another four pairs of eyes and ears were watching and listening to the interplay.

"Benson’s gonna roast him for that one." sniggered Fin.

"I thought there was some sort of unwritten law that said, ‘Whatever happens undercover, stays undercover’?" Alex Cabot questioned.

Fin and Munch just looked at each other knowingly and chorused, "Yeah, right."

"No way Liv’s gonna let him get away wit that shit" Fin asserted. "She’ll get him back, one way or another."

"Probably when he least expects it" added Munch.

Alex watched the effortless banter between the two detectives in the van. This, together with their seemingly intimate knowledge of co-workers and their uncanny ability to predict each others behavior, made her feel like a witness to something special. And, if she were honest, a little jealous. She’d never been a part of such camaraderie, and while the squad was for the most part open and co-operative with her, she didn’t feel like part of the gang. Sitting here, watching Elliot and Olivia effortlessly play husband and wife, while listening to Fin and Munch’s ongoing and astute commentary, she realized that she really wanted to be.

"This looks like a good time to make his move."

The Captain’s voice broke her reverie and she focused again on the screen before her. The professor had stepped away to resolve minor dispute among two children. The dentist and the chemist had both crossed the yard to get another beer, leaving Elliot alone with the suspect accountant. She noticed that Elliot’s eyes were again following the twelve year old as she crossed from the house to tables set up outside and back again. Dickenson, the accountant, had noticed as well.

"Cute young thing isn’t she?" he leaned over to Elliot.

"Ahh.. sure. Yeah" replied Elliot, hesitating slightly to feign discomfort.

Dickenson seemed to take this as a cue, and moved to reassure the man he now suspected was somewhat like himself.

"You know, she’s a gymnast" he smiled. "Loves getting dressed up in her little leotard and doing tricks on the trampoline.

Elliot met Dickenson’s gaze and slowly allowed himself to smile. "Really." And with that the men shared a silent moment of understanding.

"That’s it Elliot. You’ve got him" murmured the Captain.

***********************************************************************

By the end of the afternoon the team had taped Dickson making vague comments about three other neighborhood girls, and Elliot had agreed to help him watch a few kids on Saturday afternoon while their mothers went shopping.

Arriving back at the station after dark, the group discussed their next move as they made their way up the precinct stairs. Fin and Munch carried the equipment that needed to be logged back in.

"How much have we got?" asked Olivia looking to the captain.

"Not a lot just yet, but Elliot did a good job reeling him in" the captain stated.

"Yeah, well that was decidedly unpleasant" Elliot pushed open the squad room doors.

"We’ve got enough to warrant constant surveillance for the next week." Alex explained, coming up behind him. "If you can just get him to share something more… specific…" she trailed off at the sight of a dozen red roses sitting on Olivia Benson’s desk.

"What the…? Oh that’s right…" Elliot played it up. "It’s Valentine’s Day!" he grinned.

"Oh shit." Olivia laughed. She playfully punched Fin and rolled her eyes at Munch and his innocent expression.

"Watch it Benson, I don’t wanna drop this stuff." Fin mock complained, moving to store the gear away.

Alex watched the scene play out before her, once again feeling distinctly left out. She watched Olivia pluck the card from among the gorgeous arrangement and felt her chest tighten a little. Why did the vision upset her? Because it reminded her that she didn’t have a Valentine, she rationalized.

Reading the card, Olivia laughed again. Glancing up, she caught the look on the attorney’s face and instantly realized that Alex was left out of the loop. She almost looked hurt.

"Oh, it’s a running joke." she began to explain. "The guys have spent the last, what is it now? Three Valentine’s Days, with me. So…" she indicated the flowers.

Elliot had also noticed that Alex had withdrawn somewhat. Misreading the reaction he added, "Stick around Cabot, and you might just earn a bunch of your own." Alex smiled at his effort.

"I’m sure Alex already has a Valentine" said Olivia.

"Course she does" added Fin without a second thought. "Come on man." he beckoned Munch who was taking too long locking up the equipment.

"Actually, I don’t" was Alex’s reply.

"Well then" Olivia turned and pulled a single red rose from the bunch and held it out to her. "Happy Valentine’s Day counselor".

Alex smiled shyly as she reached out to accept the rose. Their eyes locked, and for a moment Alex found her self lost in the warmth of the detective’s gaze. Shyness was an expression that Olivia never expected to see on the attorney’s face. She found it enchanting.

"Night all." Munch called out, breaking the moment. Having finished up, he and Fin headed off.

Elliot closed his locker and sighed. "I just wanna forget this afternoon, go home and enjoy dinner with my wife. I’ll see you all on Monday."

"Night Elliot." "Goodnight Detective" the women replied.

"Good work today" the captain consoled him as he accompanied his detective out the door.

Alex turned back to Olivia and tried to compose herself.

"Well, I’m heading off too." she paused. "Thank you for the rose"

"My pleasure."

They shared another smile before Alex left the pen.

"It was worth it just for that look." Olivia murmured to herself.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Natalie Haig <nathaig@m...> wrote:
A/N: This is the first time that I've ever posted any fanfic (or
rather, part of a fanfic). I would appreciate any and all feedback
that anyone may have to offer. I'm *really* hoping that working on
this will help kick me into writing a separate piece as well. And
without further adieu...

Part 2: A Night to Remember

Olivia sat straight up in bed at the sound of the ringing phone.
Fumbling in the dark, she finally apprehended the cause of her
interrupted sleep and answered the phone with a muffled, "Benson."

"Olivia, it's Elliot. There's been a break in the Stevens case.
Cabot is waking up a judge right now to sign the arrest warrant. Cragen
wants us down at the precinct ASAP." Yawning, Olivia reached for
her alarm clock, and was disheartened to see the glaring red numbers.

"Mmm... ok." She shook her head to clear some of the cobwebs that
lingered from what had turned from a good night's sleep into far
too short a nap and heaved a yawn. "I should be there in twenty."

Olivia hung up the phone and sighed. Leave it to the damn Stevens
case to interrupt that dream. It had been such a wonderful dream,
working in the way that dreams always seem to by building on reality...

*********************************************************************

"Actually, I don't," Alex said.

Olivia's head rose in surprise. "Well then," she said as she pulled
a single rose from her dozen, "Happy Valentine's Day, Counselor."

Alex's shy gaze rose to meet her own as Olivia passed her the
beautiful flower. As the rose passed from one hand to another, Olivia felt
the soft touch of Alex's elegant hand brush against her own.

"Thank you, Detective. That's... very kind of you." Alex's normal
no nonsense voice came out with a soft emotion behind it. Olivia
looked deeper into the blonde's shy gaze.

"You're welcome." Olivia glanced at Elliot with a look that
expressed volumes. He immediately coughed and turned to Munch and Fin.

"Um, guys. Let's go put this stuff in conference room three."
Elliot grabbed the box on his desk and lead the way as Munch and Fin
followed slowly, hoping to hear what was happening next. Olivia waited
until they were all finally out of earshot before continuing.

"So, if you don't have a Valentine, would you do me the honor of
having dinner with me tonight?" she asked Alex. The attorney's shy gaze
turned to one of amazement as she pondered the question for what
seemed like an eternity. Finally, a slow smile spread across her face.

"I would love to," she answered, the shy undertones still creeping
into the edges of her response.

*********************************************************************

Olivia couldn't believe her luck. She was sitting in Grimaldi's
across the table from one of the most beautiful women in the city. Alex
still had that shy smile on her face, and the normally articulate orator
seemed to be having trouble stringing together a complete
sentence. Although amused by her obvious nervousness, Olivia was trying to
make Alex feel more at ease.

"That really was some amazing work you did with the Collier case
last month. I don't know how you pulled that one off."

"Wha...? Oh... yeah. I, um... just thought about the uh..." Alex
paused and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Olivia. I don't know
what has gotten into me. It's just that..." Alex's voice trailed off
as her face reddened.

"It's just what, Alex?" Olivia whispered as she leaned across the
table.

"It's just that... I'mreallygladthatyouaskedmetodinnertonight," she
managed to spit out. By now, the color of Alex's face was matched
only by the deep red roses that graced the middle of the table.

"Oh," Olivia smiled. "Is that all? Well, then I hope that you'll
appreciate this even more." She leaned in even closer, and closed
her eyes, just as her lips brushed against--

--fumbling in the dark, she finally reached the phone. "Benson."

*********************************************************************

As she pulled on her clothes and ran her fingers through her hair,
she muttered to herself. "Stabler, you're going to owe me for this one."

Part 3

By the time Olivia arrived at the precinct she had already mentally
reviewed the information from the Stevens case. Charlie Stevens was
a 32 yr old small businessman that had raped 21 yr old Natasha
Dereks, although he had tried to kill her by choking her she
regained consciousness soon after he ran of to catch up with his
wife for a flight to Europe.

Though they had the police out there looking for him, Stevens and
his wife's erratic travel schedule left them always one step behind.

The case had been on the back burner until he would return; as soon
as they were done with him the squad could concentrate on Dickson's
surveillance.
***

The first sight that greeted Olivia as she walked into the squad
room was Alex Cabot bent over her desk looking at one of her files;
apparently she too had just woken up. Her jeans fit snugly around
her thighs, and she wore a pair of old worn dark brown boots.

Taking a moment to appreciate the sight, Olivia headed towards her
desk making sure to create enough noise to attract Alex's attention.

Hearing the noise Alex glanced over her shoulder spotting Olivia.
Before she could call out a greeting Elliot called Olivia towards
the interrogation room.

When Olivia reached Elliot he informed her that Munch and Fin were
executing the warrant and would be bringing Stevens in.

Within moments Alex joined them and soon after Elliot went to check
with Cragen.

With the two of them alone in the observation room, Olivia chanced a
glance at the blonde ADA, noting the blue v-neck T, and the dark
brown suede jacket.

"So, did you ever get yourself a Valentine?" Olivia asked curious.

"Hmm, oh no, you?" Alex said.

Olivia snorted, "Nope just the guys, though I'm beginning to think
they have this strange idea that somehow I do better in that
department than they do."

"Maybe it makes them feel better thinking that."

"Probably," taking a moment to take in Alex's clothes with a
questioning glance she asked, "so if ADA's ever have a casual day,
does this choice ensemble constitute a preview of things to come?"

A light blush made it's way to Alex's face, and the shy look from
hours earlier made its reappearance.

Before Alex could say anything Fin and Munch appeared with Stevens
***

It only took a few minutes for the detectives to get a confession
from Stevens, faced with the fact that his intended victim survived
and would testify against him there was little else he could do.

As Fin and Munch took him to central booking, Elliot went to his
desk and Cragen headed into his office after a quick grin and a curt
good work, leaving Olivia with Alex in the observation room alone
again.

Olivia had during the course of the interrogation gathered up her
courage to ask Alex out to a casual dinner, she figured she might as
well start somewhere, and during the course of said dinner drop a
few subtle hints.

Wouldn't you know it, it was just her luck that Alex beat her to the
punch.

"So I was thinking maybe we could go to dinner tomorrow, a sort of
post-Valentine gripe about guys thing?"

If Olivia didn't know better she could have sworn there was a
twinkle in Alex's eye, as it was there was never any doubt as to her
answer, "Sure, sound great."

As Alex left the observation room she cast a quick glance and a wink
at Olivia.

`Man, maybe she's not so shy after all,' Olivia thought
grinning, `this just got interesting.'

Part 4: Should Have Had Takeout


A loud thunk and a pitiful groan was the only sound
that was made in the silent apartment. She really
didn't want to move. Today was the last day for about
a week that they wouldn't be undercover for the
Dickenson case. So what did they do? They ran around
the city like chickens with their heads cut off, tying
up loose ends in the few open cases they had, reassuring
witnesses for upcoming trials, and one foot chase when
a stupid thief snatched the leather jacket Olivia took
off when she and Elliot sat down on a park bench for a
breather.

Olivia groaned again at the memory. The pocket of her
jacket contained her badge so she sprinted after the
thief. She had just grabbed hold of the perp's collar
when he stopped, sending her skidding past him still
clutching his collar. The detective had landed flat
on her back bringing the thief down with her. Elliot
roughly cuffed him asking Olivia if she was alright.
A grunt was his only answer from the woman still
lying on the ground.

"Shower. A shower will help…" Olivia mumbled. A
wince as every muscle in her body protested every
movement and she was up on her feet heading to her
bathroom. It wasn't until she was rinsing the shampoo
from her hair that she remembered her `date' with
Alex. "Oh shit!" She poked her head out from behind
the shower curtain to check the clock above her
toilet. "Shit!" If she hurried she'd only be ten
minutes late meeting Alex at the restaurant.

A quick pause in front of the store next to the
restaurant to smooth her hair one more time and Olivia
walked into the Italian restaurant only seven minutes
late.

"Liv," called Alex who was in a booth at the back of
the restaurant. The blonde's heart rate increased at
the grin she received, one tugging on her own lips.
Olivia Benson was always a wonderful sight and tonight
was no different. From the looks the detective was
getting, Alex wasn't the only admirer. She was
dressed in snug blue jeans, a cream colored button up
shirt, and a three-quarter black leather jacket.
Elbow on table and chin in hand, she watched Olivia
get stopped by a waiter, who motioned to the booth
Alex was in, and continued on her way.

"Hope you weren't waiting long." The shower had
helped loosen the tight muscles in Olivia's back but
she couldn't stop the slight wince at sitting down.

"Not at all." Alex noticed the wince. "Are you
okay?"

A slight blush only noticeable at her ears graced the
brunette's features. *I am NOT telling Alex my ass
hurts.* "Yup."

Alex raised an eyebrow.

Olivia sighed. "Elliot and I chased a guy who
snatched my jacket and badge. The perp and I ended up
on the ground."

"Good evening ladies." A sumptuous red head scribbles
something down on the order pad and looked up.
"Alex?"

"Carrie? I didn't know you worked here." She placed
a hand on the waitress' arm. Hugging was something
she used to do with every friend until she was
assigned to SVU. Seeing such atrocious crimes day
after day caused the ADA to erect firm boundaries on
her personal space, which was slowly being chipped
away by a certain detective.

"My aunt owns this place. She needed another waitress
a couple of nights a week and I needed the extra
cash."

"Hellman & Cooper don't pay you enough?" Alex
smirked.

"Those old tightwads? They still believe women should
be barefoot and pregnant." Carrie turned her gaze to
the brunette. "And who is your sexy date?"

Alex turned bright red causing Olivia to grin.

"Olivia Benson," she held a hand out. "I work with
Alex."

Carrie shook her hand. "No wonder she's always busy
with work when I call." Alex's blush deepened. "What
would you ladies like tonight?"

After taking their orders Carrie walked away to take
care of other customers and place orders. *I would so
switch teams for Olivia Benson.* She envied her
friend.

Alex, still red from Carrie's comments, steered the
conversation to work. It wasn't until halfway through
dinner did the conversation shift to more entertaining
topics.

Olivia was halfway through an amusing tale that
involved an undercover operation, a drunken amorous
woman, a swimming pool, and Elliot having to buy her
all new clothes when she heard her name being called
from the front door. She turned her gaze to the front
of the restaurant. "Oh shit," seemed to be her new
favorite phrase. A fake smile plastered in place she
waved to the short brunette. "Alex that's Mrs.
Dickenson from the undercover op-" was all she could
get out before the stocky lady was there.

"Olivia, I didn't think you knew anyone in New York
yet."

"I don't really." A plastic smile. "This is my best
friend from California. She's here for a visit."

"How wonderful! How long are you staying? Dear me, I
haven't introduced myself. I'm Annie Dickenson." She
held out her hand to Olivia's friend.

Alex silently thanked her courtroom experience
teaching her to think on her feet. "Elizabeth
Herriman. I'm here for a few days."

"I didn't see you today at the house..."

"She just got in." *You nosey...*

"My husband and I would just LOVE to have you all over
for dinner this week. He was just saying yesterday
how much he enjoyed Elliot's company. Please say
you'll come over Thursday night for dinner."

"Sure," Alex nodded. *Oh boy...*

"Mrs. Dickenson?" A waiter called from the front.

"Oh there's dinner. It's so nice to meet you
Elizabeth. Take care Olivia."

"Bye Annie," Olivia waited until Mrs. Dickenson was
out the door with her hot food. "Oh god," she slumped
back into the bench, "Cragen is going to kill me."

Olivia thought about her dinner with Alex as she headed
to the station. She was trying to decide what to tell Capt.
Cragen. They could beg off and say Alex, a/k/a "Elizabeth" was not
feeling well or they could go with it. Really, it wasn't all that
bad, was it?

*********************************************************************
********

"You what?" Cragen yelled. "What were you thinking? Do
you have any idea how this could screw up hours of undercover work?
This is not going to happen. You tell the Dickson's that Alex isn't
available."

"She already told Mrs. Dickson she'd go."

"Then tell them she's changed her mind. Olivia, this is the most…"
Cragen's diatribe was interrupted by Alex who unceremoniously walked
into his office without knocking, after hearing from Eliot that
Cragen was not very happy.

"Captain. Detective. I'm assuming that you're talking about our
encounter with Mrs. Dickson last night?"

"In fact, I was just telling Detective Benson that it wasn't going
to happen."

"Look, Captain, it's not as bad as it seems. At this point, we
haven't really gotten very far with Dickson. He's always been
cryptic and never says enough for us to nail him. I think that we
can use this to push the issue."

Olivia was impressed. What is she up to?

Alex continued. "We can't watch him forever. Let's have this
dinner. Olivia, Mrs. Dickson and I can take our leave from the men
and Elliot will have free reign. Ask to see his `etchings' so to
speak. Munch and Fin will be watching and if all goes well, we'll
be able to arrest the bastard." At the very least, I'll get to see
Olivia working undercover first hand.

"I don't want this case blown because of your inexperience
undercover, Alex. We've put too much time into this."

"Captain, who knows better than I what to say and not say? I'm
aware of the entrapment laws. Believe me, I am not going to screw
up this case. It's not just your asses on the line here, ok?"

"I don't like it, but I agree to we need to get things moving.
Olivia, you've got Alex's back. Make sure she's safe. You got
it?"

"Yes, sir." Before Olivia's mind could elaborate on that idea
further, Cragen said, "That's all."

As the door was closing he added. "Make sure you've got a good
cover."

Over dinner that evening, Alex and Olivia worked out their
story. "Elizabeth" was a college friend, very close friend, who was
visiting Olivia while she was in town on business. She was an
attorney working for wealthy clients. They really left the rest up
in the air, so that Alex wouldn't be bogged down with too many
details and could make adjustments as needed.

"I have to admit that I'm pretty excited about this. Hopefully,
we'll get what we need and you guys won't have to make nice with
this sick prick anymore."

"Feel strongly about that, do you?" Olivia was wondering about
Alex's particular hatred for this guy.

Alex thought about telling Olivia, but decided not to. "Yes. I
want to make sure guys like that spend the rest of their lives in
jail."

"Any particular reason? I mean, other than the obvious?"

"No," Alex lied. "Just that they deserve to be drawn and
quartered." Alex could feel herself getting more worked up and
decided to change the subject. "So, any other tips I need before
our dinner tomorrow evening?"

Olivia made a mental note about the reason for the change of subject
and replied, "Just try to keep it simple. The more elaborate you
are, the more difficult it is to remember what you've already said.
Keep it close to home, without being too revealing. Use stuff from
your own life so you can be authentic. It's really not that
difficult. I just hope Elliot can get enough to get this guy."

Thursday evening arrived and Alex met Elliot and Olivia as their
undercover home. Elliot reassured Alex that she'd do just fine and
not to worry. Olivia put a hand on her back, without saying a word,
hoping that Alex would understand the gesture.

"Elliot! Olivia! Come in. Come in. Elizabeth is it? Welcome. I'm
glad you could make it."

She led them into the living room where introductions were made all
around. After giving their drink orders to Mark Dickson, they sat
around chatting in the few minutes before dinner.

Annie was all questions. "So, Elizabeth, what brings you to our
fine city?"

"Business. And please call me Beth. I'm an attorney representing
the interests of wealthy clients"

"Really? Mark? Did you hear that? She's works on Wall Street. My
Mark works with numbers too. He's an accountant."

"Seems we have something in common, then." Alex tried
to swallow the bile that was slowly rising in her throat. She
didn't realize how difficult it would be having to make small talk
and be nice to this asshole.

Olivia was watching Alex closely in case she had to step
in and help her. She noted the change in Alex's demeanor and sat
up, deciding to change the subject. "Annie, what is that wonderful
smell?"

"Oh, just a little something I whipped up. I love to
cook and try new recipes. This is a variation of a little Mexican
dish I loved when we were in Cancun. Mark just raves about it."

Alex tried hard not to roll her eyes. This woman was
way too solicitous for her taste. How the hell could you not know
that your husband had a thing for little girls? Trying to stay
focused Alex added, "It really does smell great."

"Thank you. So Liz, how long have you known Olivia?"

Olivia answered for her, "Longer than either one of us
cares to admit. Actually, since just after high school. We went to
the same college, and each had roommate problems so we decided we'd
switch and share a room. We've been friends ever since."

"That sounds wonderful." Turning to Alex she said, "Are you
married?"

"No, I'm not."

"That's a shame. A pretty girl like you? Why I'd think that
there'd be guys lined down the block to be with you."

"Actually, Annie, I doubt that's true."

"Are you kidding? Honey, you are a beautiful woman. In fact, I
think you'd love Mark's brother, Brian. He's single and very
attractive. I'm sure you two would hit it off. He's a doctor, you
know."

"No thank you, Annie. I don't really like blind dates." Olivia was
on guard now, ready to step in at any time, but it seemed that Alex
was handling her well.

"Well, then you can meet him here. We'll have another dinner and
invite you again. That way you can get to know each other."

Munch and Fin were listening intently. They were impressed with
Alex's calm.

"Thank you, but the answer is no."

"Oh come on, Liz. I just can't stand the thought that a beautiful
woman like you is still single. Why, it's a shame. Besides, you're
almost like family. We can't believe our good luck that Elliot and
Olivia moved into the neighborhood. Any friend of theirs, is a
friend of ours. In fact, I think that we're free on Saturday,
aren't we Mark?"

Before he had a chance to reply, Alex said, "Annie, I'd rather not."

"Nonsense, I'll call him tomorrow."

Olivia had had just about enough and was about to stop Annie's
ambush when Alex said, "Annie, I don't date men. I'm gay."

Part 5: Secrets and Lies

Here’s my installment. I notice that some refer to Alex as "Beth" and some as "Liz" in the fic. I hate LIZ, so I’m using BETH.

TallGirl: mml511@yahoo.com

Olivia broke into a coughing fit at Alex’s statement. Annie wore a shocked expression on her face before finding her voice. "Oh. I guess Brian’s out of the picture then."

Olivia, finally through coughing, looked at Alex. She was surprised to find the ADA looking as cool as a cucumber. Elliot caught Mark’s surprised gaze and smirked. "I also have a sister Alex. She’s similarly inclined." Adjusting the crotch of his pants he added, "If you’re interested." Alex fixed him with a plastic smile.

"Thank you, but I’m spoken for. So to speak." She openly admired Olivia, who held her gaze. Annie smiled.

"Ah. Now I understand." Mark again turned to Elliot who was still smirking.

Leaning in, he whispered, "You’re a lucky man Elliot." Elliot shrugged.

"We’re uh, pretty open." Mark stood and motioned for Elliot to follow him into his office.

XXXXXXXX

Annie motioned for Alex and Olivia to follow her into the kitchen. The women exchanged a glance. "Olivia, Beth. Tell me, how does this work? With Beth being in California and all. I mean, are you two mutually exclusive?" Annie was playing with the collar on Olivia’s shirt when Alex spoke.

"For the most part. We allow for the occasional dalliance. Don’t we honey?" Olivia, surprised at the boldness of Alex’s statements and wondering just how much "real life" experience Alex was incorporating, managed a nod.

"What about Elliot? Is he, "in" on this so to speak?" Olivia carefully considered her words.

"He allows me this and I allow him his….." She gestured with her hands. Annie nodded.

"So do you ever include him?" Alex and Olivia shared a look. As Alex began to speak, she moved in behind Olivia, and wrapped her arms around the detective’s waist. Pulling her against her, she ran her tongue up Olivia’s neck, eliciting a moan from the older woman.

"We have and we do on occasion allow him to join us in a little multi-love." Moving her hand up Olivia’s stomach she finished, "But usually it’s an either or type of thing."

"What about you?" As an after thought she added, "And Mark?" Annie just grinned.

XXXXXXXXXX

Out in the van, Fin and Munch were slack jawed and Cragen was chugging his water in an effort to cool down. "Cabot a lesbian?" Munch added, "It would explain a lot." Cragen was now fanning himself to visions of Alex Cabot and his detective hitting the sheets.

XXXXXXXXX

Back in the office, Mark offered Elliot a drink and lit a cigar. "Tell me, what’s the blonde like in bed?" Elliot was trying to figure out the best way to answer the question when Annie knocked on the door.

"Dinner in five minutes boys."

As soon as she was gone, Mark asked, "So?"

"You know. She’s a natural blonde." Allowing his face to take on a dreamy quality, he continued, "Her body, man. I love Olivia’s body, but she’s fairly muscular. Beth, well, she’s willowy. Doesn’t shave her legs much, and all of her hair, and I mean all of her hair, is soft. Downy. And because it’s blonde, it’s almost like it’s not there." Elliot noted with disgust that Mark’s breathing was ragged. He resisted the urge to throw-up.

"Like a girl before puberty, huh?" Elliot nodded. "Let’s go eat."

XXXXXXXXXXX

They all suffered through dinner and making small talk about inconsequential things, and a few veiled comments. As they were getting ready to leave, Mark invited Elliot to an "elite" poker game the next night, and Annie invited Alex and Olivia to join her for "girls night out" during the game.

Before Olivia could decline, Alex accepted for them. Olivia was left wondering once again just why this case meant so much to Alex.

XXXXXXXXXX

Back at the station, Cragen congratulated them on a job well done. "Alex, you were pretty creative out there, and we got further than we’ve gotten this entire time. Are you sure you’re up for continuing this?" The blonde nodded. "Good. Elliot, Olivia, Alex, you guys need to plan on spending the night at the house tomorrow night. Alex, Olivia, you don’t mind sharing a room I hope? As flaky as these people are, they’ll probably peep in through the downstairs windows, so no Elliot on the couch."

This time it was Olivia who beat Alex to the answer. "No problem Captain." Munch and Fin exchanged a look.

Olivia offered to give Alex a ride home and she accepted.

XXXXXXXXXXX

She waited while Alex unlocked the door and once inside, she accepted the glass of wine she was offered. They sat on the couch sipping wine.

"You did a great job tonight Alex. And I think we can make that lesbian thing work for us." Olivia made note of Alex’s response to her statement. She noted a subtle change in Alex’s demeanor.

"What?" Alex fixed her with a tight smile. "Have I offended you Alex?"

Avoiding eye contact she answered, "No Olivia. It’s fine." Putting down her wine glass, she moved next to Alex on the couch. Tilting her head up, she asked, "How much of your real life crept into tonight Alex?" The blonde tried to look away.

"More than I care to admit."

Olivia tugged on Alex’s hand, drawing her attention to her. "I understand Alex." She caught Alex’s eyes and an understanding passed between them. "This case, it’s very personal for you, isn’t it?"

Alex feigned ignorance. "I don’t know what you mean Olivia."

Rubbing Alex’s hand she gently asked, "Who hurt you Alex?" She shrugged.

"Does it matter? The statute of limitation’s has long since passed. I just want to make sure it never happens to anyone else."

Thinking the ADA might like to have some time alone, she started to leave.

Alex stopped her. "Would you stay with me tonight? As a friend?" Olivia nodded.

XXXXXXXXX

She slipped into the t-shirt and sweats Alex had loaned her and used the new toothbrush Alex insisted she kept on hand for unexpected guests. Olivia found herself wondering just how many "unexpected guests" the blonde had.

As soon as she crawled under the covers, Alex wrapped herself around Olivia and soon she felt the wetness from her tears through the cotton of the t-shirt. She rubbed Alex’s back until she felt her breathing even out.

If Alex was embarrassed by her emotional display the night before, she never let on. She and Olivia made their way to the station to be briefed on the coming night’s events, and then they left with Elliot for the house.

They were greeted in the driveway by Mark, who asked Elliot for help getting the den ready for the poker game.

"You girls go on, I’ll be back as soon as I finish helping Mark." Both Alex and Olivia smiled at him and waved.

XXXXXXXXX

"That man makes my skin crawl Olivia." The brunette looked at her friend with a mixture of sympathy and anger for whoever had hurt her.

"This will be over soon Alex."

"I hope so. Do you think they bought my lies last night?"

"Probably. Sick bastard. We’ll just need to be cautious."

As they continued putting away their clothes, Alex took a moment to ogle Olivia’s ass in her tight jeans and Olivia was doing the same to Alex’s rear end. They both moved to put some underwear into the top drawer of the bureau when their hands touched. Olivia smiled at the pair of undies Alex was holding.

"Hello Kitty undies? Really Counselor."

"I’ll have you know these were a gift."

Her curiosity piqued, Olivia asked, "From who? Your mother?" Before Alex could answer, they heard a female voice coming up the steps.

"Olivia, Beth? Elliot said for me……" As she pushed open the door to the bedroom, she saw Alex sprawled atop Olivia on the queen sized bed, hands in hair, mouths fused together.

"Excuse me!" Alex leisurely turned to Annie and smiled.

"It’s ok Annie. Liv and I were just….catching up. We’ll be out in a minute." Annie shut the door and Alex leaned back in and kissed Olivia again.

As the drew apart, Olivia asked, "What was that for," in a whisper.

"In case she came back?" Olivia smiled and gave Alex’s ass a squeeze.

Both women had the same thought: It was going to be a long night.

Part 7

By Jillian Jackson

Warning:  Things get a little R rated and a little dark here folks.  Read at your own risk.

A/N:  No time for a beta so please forgive any mistakes, inconsistencies and downright bad writing.  The muses spoke.  I listened.  I took a cue from my predecessor and sped things along.  There’s a lot going on here and I’ve definitely kicked it up a notch.  Can’t wait to see what happens next!

Enjoy!

Olivia’s head was swimming with thoughts of Alex and what they seemed to be embarking on.  Her mind knew the intimacy they were sharing was for the sake of the case, but as they emerged from the bedroom still flushed from the heated kiss, her body was telling her something completely different.

She gave a fleeting thought to the boys in the van across the street and what they were witnessing.  She smiled to herself and forced her thoughts back onto the case and to Annie, who was waiting patiently for them on the living room couch.  The three women pow-wowed briefly on the evening’s plan.  They decided on dinner at “Beth’s” favorite Thai restaurant, since she “hadn’t been there in forever!” and drinks at a trendy, intimate, moderately quiet jazz club in the Village.  Then it would be back to Olivia’s for coffee until “the boys” were too drunk to count their chips and Elliot stumbled home.

Annie went back home to get ready and to make sure Mark had everything he needed while Elliot, Alex and Olivia had a quick briefing with the guys outside.

“I think I can get him tonight.”  Elliot said confidently, sitting at the kitchen table.

“Just tread carefully and don’t jeopardize what we’ve already got.” Cragen warned in his ear.

“No problem, Cap.  He thinks I’m a like-minded perv so he’ll give up the goods tonight if he’s got ‘em.”

Alex breathed a sigh of relief.  She didn’t want to spend any more time with the couple next door than necessary."

“Beth” and Liv bid Elliot goodbye on the porch with a brief kiss apiece as Annie did the same with Mark across the lawn.

Olivia slid her arms around “Beth’s” waist from behind and planted a kiss on her neck as they watched Elliot and Annie exchange pleasantries between the houses.  Annie’s eyes never left them, even as she was talking to Elliot.

“These people give me the creeps, Liv.” Alex stated through a pasted on smile as she waved at Annie. 

“I know,” Olivia whispered in her ear, giving her a comforting squeeze.  “But it’ll be over soon, and I’m right here.”

Alex nodded and covered Olivia’s hands with her own.  She was thoroughly enjoying the sensation of Olivia’s breath on her ear and cheek in spite of the knot in her stomach and her severe case of the willies.

Olivia was surprised at the level of stress she detected in the normally cool attorney.  She was tense and breathing shallowly.  “Alex, you’re shaking.”  Alex turned her head to look at her.  “I’m not going to let anything happen to you, and neither is the team…right guys?”

A chorus of “rights,” “yeahs,” and “don’t worries,” echoed through the surveillance equipment as Annie climbed the steps to the porch.

“You gals ready to go?”

“You bet!”  “Beth” exclaimed confidently, “Let’s get this party started!”  She drug Olivia down the steps by her hand and gave Annie a mischievous wink.  Olivia followed, stunned at the sudden shift in Alex’s demeanor.

“She was born for this.” She mumbled to no on in particular.

The evening went as planned on both fronts.  The women were out of surveillance range within 15 minutes, but hand assured the rest of the team that Annie was not a threat.  They were fine and keeping Annie blissfully distracted.

Meanwhile…Elliot was getting exactly what he needed from his suspect…

Liv, Annie and “Beth” spent the evening eating, drinking, touching and flirting.  Annie, it seemed, was no stranger to infidelity or lesbianism.  She hooked up with a pretty and talented redheaded sax player at the club without even batting an eyelash.  This gave Alex and Olivia plenty of time to strategize about the case and explore their burgeoning attraction without the boss in their ears.

When Annie and her arm candy excused themselves to the ladies room Olivia politely removed the hand that had been planted on “Beth’s” upper thigh all night.

Alex stopped her.  “Leave it there, Liv.” She asked, a noticeable sparkle in her eye.

Olivia searched Alex’s face for answers to her questions.  Alex smiled.  “You make me feel safe.” She said honestly.  She leaned closer.  “Besides…it turns me on.”

Olivia wasn’t sure she heard right.  She opened her mouth to say something, but was stopped by Alex’s soft lips against her own.  Questions dissolved, worries melted away.  All that existed was the taste, scent and feel of Alex Cabot surrounding her.  The moment their tongues entwined it became clear to Olivia that this was no longer for the sake of the case.  This kiss was raw, passionate, and emotional and…God, was it hot!  When they broke and time resumed, Olivia found the hand on Alex’s thigh had wandered under her skirt and Alex’s hands had found their way beneath the back of Olivia’s shirt.

Liv struggled to breathe and couldn’t focus her eyes.  She swallowed and searched for her voice.  “This isn’t about undercover work anymore…is it?” she choked out.  Alex shook her head, surprised she’d had such an overwhelming effect on this woman.

“I don’t know where this came from, Olivia, but I don’t want it to stop.”

They managed to untangle themselves as Annie returned to the table, sans redhead and looking as though she’d just experienced multiple orgasms.

All three women laughed at their wanton appearances.  “Let’s get outta here.” “Beth” offered.  “Annie, you think you can keep those jelly legs working long enough to get back to the car?”

“Cute,” Annie retorted.  “You should see yourself.  Judging by those hickeys, I’d say you’ll be wearing turtlenecks for the next two weeks.” She slithered up next to Alex and rasped in her ear, “Maybe later you’ll let me give you one too.”  The statement was punctuated by a firm hand on Alex’s backside.

Alex’s stomach lurched and a chill shot down her spine.  Her suddenly clammy hand sought Olivia’s as she hurried out the door.

They could see the flashing lights from around the corner, reflecting red and blue off the streetlights and car windows.

They turned the corner and pulled in the driveway of the undercover house.

“Mark!” Annie shrieked as she noticed her husband fuming in the back of a standard NYPD patrol car.  Munch was talking to Elliot, who was nursing a swollen eye as Fin and a uniformed officer hauled cardboard boxes down the porch steps and into the van.

Don Cragen approached the car, still holding the three women.  “Mrs. Dickson, your husband has been placed under arrest for sexual misconduct with a minor, child pornography, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.  I can’t provide you with anymore information at this time, nor can I allow you to speak with him.  Detective Benson, please escort Mrs. Dickson to the precinct.  ADA Cabot, you can ride back in the surveillance van with the rest of the squad to begin reviewing evidence.”

“Cap, watch her for a minute,” Olivia said, stealing a glance at a stunned and crying Annie.  “Alex and I need to gather our things.”

Cragen nodded and the women headed inside.

In the bedroom, Olivia and Alex hastily threw their belongings back into bags and exchanged silent looks.  Before they balked back out of the house, Olivia gathered Alex into a warm embrace.

“Are you okay?” A slight nod.  “It’s over.”  Another nod.  “Let’s go get this bastard.”  They shared a brief, but melting kiss, which promised more to come and strode out of the house and their separate ways.

The interrogation of Mark Dickson was a cakewalk.  They had enough evidence, willingly (if unwittingly) provided by the suspect, to hand him for over 20 separate sex acts with a minor and hundreds of counts of child pornography.  They couldn’t book him for rape until they questioned the victims.  There was no proof of intercourse.  Mark lawyered up, but there was little anyone could do for him now.

Annie Dickson was inconsolable for the first three hours at the station.  George Huang examined her for stability and was now examining her husband.  She now sat still and strangely quiet.

Nobody saw the cold, calculating glare she had fixed on Alex Cabot.  Nobody…except John Munch.

Alex poured over the evidence, building her case and listening to the interrogation calmly, all the while trying to quell the waves of nausea threatening her equilibrium.  But when Fin took Mark to Central Booking she tore into the crib and began pacing.  Back and forth, back and forth, wringing her hands and mumbling nonsense to herself.

That’s how Olivia found her, ranting like a crazy person about photos and videotapes and fires.

“Alex, Alex, Stop!”  Olivia grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.

Alex seemed to snap out of it for a moment and then out poured more nonsense.  “It’s over!” she said again and again.  “I burned the pictures and shredded the tapes and he can’t hurt me anymore.  It’s over!  It’s over!  It’s over!”

For a moment Olivia was worried that Alex had destroyed all of their precious evidence, but it didn’t take long to realize that Alex was remembering something else…something from long ago.

“Yea, sweetheart, it’s over.  I swear it’s over.”  Olivia pulled Alex to her, only to be punched hard in the stomach.

“Don’t touch me!  You can’t touch me!  I won’t let you!  Stop!”  Alex took another swing at Olivia, which was easily deflected as the smaller blonde was wrapped in a strong restraining hold.  She tried to break free but was no match for the solid and highly trained cop.

“Alex listen to me.”  Olivia said as she hauled Alex out of the crib and to the small workout room across the hall.  “I’m going to help you, okay?  I promise.  I’m not going to let anything happen to you.  I know you’re in trouble right now, but I can help you.”  Her calm voice was doing nothing to calm the ball of rage in her arms.  “Alex look.  Do you see the punching bag over there?  See it?  I’m going to let you go and I want you to hit it.  Hit it as hard as you can, as much as you need to.  Don’t hit me and DON’T hit yourself, understand?  Hit that bag, okay?”

With that Olivia let go and backed away.

Alex made a beeline for the heavy bag and screamed.

Olivia had never seen such rage in any human in all her years on the force, and she hand never though the always-collected blonde capable of containing such raw power.  But as the watched the strength seethe from her would-be lover, she knew that when a person holds something so painful inside for so long, the pain can take over.  That is what Olivia found herself witnessing.  Overwhelming pain turned blind rage.  

Olivia raced forward as Alex teetered and fell, collapsing to her knees, cradling her now raw and bruised fists.  She cocooned Alex from behind, absorbing the shock of the sobs now wracking her body.  She gently cradled the limp hands, bestowing each and every knuckle with a reverent, healing kiss.  She felt the energy drain from Alex completely and the room was quiet.

Olivia lifted Alex and carried her back to the crib and laid her gently on a bunk.  The blonde curled into herself as her caretaker found the first aid kit and lovingly wrapped Alex’s hands.  She brushed the damp blonde strands from her face, planted a kiss on her temple and wiped her own tears as she turned to track down Dr. Huang.

 

End Part 7

 

Part 8
By: IndianaSumner

Usual disclaimers: not mine, no money here.  There's
nothing too graphic here.  This is did not see a beta,
mainly because I don’t have one.  Sorry it’s late -
and I hope it’s not too much of a let down.

*****
Munch was sitting at his desk when Olivia came down
looking for Huang. 

“Hey Liv, where’s Alex?  How’s she doing?”

Olivia sighed as she ran her hand through her short
hair.  She thought about the woman she had left in the
crib.  Alex was a wreck, but she probably didn’t want
everyone to know about her demons.  She had curled up
into a ball and whimpered while Olivia rocked her,
seeming to calm as long fingers sifted through her
blonde hair.
     
“Not so good, Munch.  This whole ordeal was pretty
hard on her.”  She leaned against the edge of his desk
before continuing.  “I just came down to see if George
had a few minutes to help her debrief.”  Detective
John Munch stood and put a hand on her shoulder before
nodding and pointing towards Cragen’s office.
     
“He’s in with the Captain.  You did good in there,
Liv.  Both of you.”

She nodded and headed off to see the psychiatrist.  As
much as she didn’t want to admit it, she was both
worried and scared of what she had witnessed in the
crib. 

Munch thought about Annie Dickson’s behavior toward
Alex and Olivia in the squad room that night.  He had
been in the van when Annie was flirting with them, and
after seeing her face that night he was a little
worried as well.  Annie had the look of a woman who
wanted revenge, and it seemed like all of her anger
was aimed at a certain blonde ADA.  From the looks of
Olivia, something had happened between Mark’s arrest
and their recent conversation.  Whatever it was, it
seemed pretty intense.  He’d get Elliot to help him
keep an eye on Annie for the time being.


Olivia waited while Huang was talking with Cragen
before motioning him over to where she was standing.

“Hey Olivia, what’s wrong?”

“It’s Alex.  This case is really getting to her.  I
found her upstairs ranting about having destroyed the
evidence that we took.  George, we were fifteen blocks
away when that whole thing went down!”

The doctor listened intently as Olivia recounted how
the DA had gotten involved in the case and what her
role had been in the take down.  He didn’t bat an eye
when Liv described the way that her feeling for the
blonde attorney had been changing, but when he heard
about Alex’s determination to help out he stopped the
detective.

“Where is she now, Liv?”

“I left her sleeping in the crib.  She was pretty
wiped after her run in with the punching bag.”  The
doctor nodded and headed to the crib.  He motioned for
Olivia to wait downstairs.


*****

George Huang sat at the small table in the crib and
made notes on a scrap of paper.  Across from him sat a
blonde woman with icy blue eyes and a very cold
demeanor.  She looked a little worse for wear; her
face was swollen from crying, and her she was having
trouble moving her arms. He looked away as those eyes
were turned on him.

“How are you feeling, counselor?”  Although she had
seen him come in, Alex still seemed startled to hear
his voice.

“I’m fine, George.  Did you need me for something?”

He studied her face before speaking again.  “Olivia
mentioned that you were upset after the bust, and I
wanted to see if there was anything I could do for
you.  She had some paperwork to start, and didn’t want
you to be up here alone.”

“That’s very nice of you, George, but I can take care
of myself.”  Alex ran her hands through her hair.
With an exaggerated sigh, she allowed her body to flop
back on the metal framed single bed. Icy blue eyes
narrowed before she spoke, “What do you really want,
doctor?”

The psychiatrist leaned back in his chair and affected
an uninterested look.  “I’m not sure what you mean,
counselor.” 

“Cut the crap, doctor.  Olivia sent you up here to
make sure I’m not crazy, is that it?”  Alex rolled
over, presenting  the doctor with her back.  “I’m not,
you know.”  Her voice which had carried sounds of
resentment, was now hushed and almost child-like.
“It’s just that…I…panicked when we got back to the
house.”  

George had leaned forward and was listening intently.
He murmured softly in her direction hoping to coax
more information out of her.  She rolled over and met
his eyes.  When he started to speak, Alex backed off,
the look in her eyes signalling that she was not
interested in whatever the doctor had to offer.

It was obvious to the psychiatrist that Alex had been
hurt at some point in her past, and that she had never
really dealt with it.  The Dickson case had stirred up
something that could no longer be ignored, and he
wanted to help her through it. 

“Alex, you don’t have to talk to me, but I think you
should talk to someone.   This case seems to have
really upset you.”  Icy eyes regarded him before
rotating right to stare at the bunk beds along the
wall.  “I’m going to leave some information for you
here,  the number for a friend of mine - outside the
precinct and not affiliated with the FBI.  Nothing
that you share with her will end up in your jacket.
Promise me you’ll at least think about it?”  The blue
eyes seemed to burn a hole through his forehead before
turning away to stare at a spot on the far wall.

Both doctor and lawyer were quiet for a few moments.
Alex looked up when she heard the sound of a pen
scratching across paper.  With a nod, he got up, but
not before pushing the paper with a name and phone
number across the table.  He walked over to the bed
and after smoothing the hair on her head he left the
room.

Blue eyes settled on the scrap of paper on the table.
After the door was closed a hesitant hand reached out
and fingered the paper.  She had just decided to pick
it up when Olivia walked back into the room.

****

Olivia unlocked the door to her apartment, grateful
that her part in this horrible ordeal was over, at
least for the time being.  She held the door so that
Alex., who had refused to go home alone, could enter
before her.  After making her comfortable in the
bedroom, she ran to the closet and grabbed a blanket
and pillow so that she could sleep on the couch, and
then she dug out a pair of pajamas for Alex to change
in to.  The detective then wandered in to the kitchen
to prepare a light snack and a pot of hot tea. 

After she had changed, Alex went to sit on the sofa
with Olivia.  She gratefully accepted the cup of tea
and took a long sip, letting her body relax as the
beverage warmed her from the inside.

Olivia picked up her mug and leaned back in her chair.
She was facing Alex, but not close enough to spook
the attorney.  They looked at each other in silence
before either one dared to speak.   “So, Alex, you
wanna talk about it?” 

RoundRobin Fic – Team Player, Part 9 by bb.

"So, Alex, you wanna talk about it?"

Alex dropped her gaze, staring into her tea for a few moments before replying.

"No, actually. I don’t."

She looked up in time to catch the disappointment flit across Olivia’s face. Or was it hurt?

She definitely felt much closer to the detective now than before the Dickson case, but how much of that was reciprocated, she wasn’t sure.

"Look. I just… Can we just have some time out?"

"Sure. Of course," Olivia replied, but her _expression conveyed her concern. Again their eyes met in silence, but the understanding that passed between them was clear: You will have to talk about it sometime.

They settled in to watch a little tv, and the evening passed with out incident. Olivia watched her houseguest carefully. If Alex noticed, she didn’t let on. Nor did she seem uncomfortable. If anything, it was the detective who was not used to the companionable silence, though she was growing to like it.

The next morning, a gentle shake awoke her. She opened her eyes to find the blonde peering down at her with an affectionate smirk.

"I guess your couch is comfortable."

Olivia gave her a nod as she stretched the sleep from her body.

"Good. Then I don’t feel so bad for taking the bed."

As she sat up, Alex thrust a mug of coffee into her hand.

They chatted over a quick breakfast and got ready for work. Alex was simply content to be around the detective, happy that something good came out of this recent ordeal. Olivia however, while enjoying their developing closeness, couldn’t dismiss the concern that Alex was showing obvious signs of denial. Her comment as they left the apartment only added to this concern.

"I’ve got a couple of motions to file this morning, and then I’ve got to spend some time going over the Dickson interview. Maybe we could meet up for lunch?"

"Whoa. Wait. Alex?" Olivia stopped the attorney with a hand on her shoulder. "Is it really necessary to start on that today? It’s enough that you’ve got the bail hearing up first."

"I always review the tape the day after the interview." She continued on down the stairs.

"And you don’t think you might want to take some time with this one?"

"Why? Because I was involved in the sting?"

Reaching out to take her hand, the detective took the plunge.

"Because you were very involved in the sting. Because you’re obviously affected by this case."

Alex tried to shrug her off.

"Alex, you can’t just ignore this. Whatever you’re bottling up, it’s dying to get out."

Now stopped, Alex bowed her head, but she said nothing.

Olivia continued, "I’ve never seen anyone attack a punching bag with such ferocity."

Blue eyes looked up, and Oliva saw a hint of uncertainty. But Alex soon pulled herself together. Finding her voice, she covered the detective’s hand with her own.

"I’m not ignoring it, Olivia. But I refuse to let it take over my life. Or to invade my time with you." Taking back her hand she continued, "Huang gave me the number of a friend of his. I’ll give her a call." And with a curt nod she ended the conversation and continued on out of the building. Somewhat appeased, Olivia followed her out.

**********************************************

While they had plenty on Dickson, there was not enough evidence indicating that his wife was either aware of or assisted his activities. Annie was at the hearing, but as soon as she heard that his bail was denied, she fled the courthouse. A man who’d been seated at the back of the room followed her discreetly.

**********************************************

Having been held up by a Motion to Suppress hearing for another case, sprung on her by Roger Kressler, Alex didn’t get around to viewing the tapes before her late lunch with Olivia. By the time they met up at the small café she was famished.

As she entered the café, a graying, bespectacled man brushed passed her in a hurry to catch Alex’s leaving cab. For an instant, he looked frighteningly familiar, and Alex shuddered a little as she shook off his brief touch.

Olivia had chosen a corner table at the back, stepping out so that Alex slid in first, leaving the cop sitting at the end of the bench.

Alex ate well and was chatty through out the meal. She was enjoying the detective’s exclusive attention. Halfway through telling an amusing story about a colleague’s recent run in with Branch, she stopped, noticing a flick of spaghetti sauce on Olivia’s chin. Casually reaching across the table she wiped the sauce away with her thumb, only realising the intimacy of the touch halfway through it. The surprised look on Olivia’s face made her think she’d overstepped a boundary.

"Sauce." She explained, pulling away somewhat embarrassed. "Sorry."

"Oh hey, that’s ok." Olivia captured her retreating hand to reassure her. "Trust me to get sauce on my face" she smirked. "Thanks."

"Gotta keep you looking beautiful" Alex replied, Olivia’s warm hand wrapped around her wrist giving her the confidence.

The endearing sight of her tough talking detective blushing slightly and speechless was enough to encourage her further. Sliding across the bench a little and leaning in, she was smiling as her lips met the detectives.

The food, the conversation and the company, not to mention the close proximity, had left Olivia feeling buzzed. And while the kiss from Alex was not only quite welcome but something she’d been hoping to do again, she was still apprehensive. She’d noticed Alex shy away from that man when she’d arrived, and couldn’t help but think back to the distraught woman who lay sobbing in her arms only the day before. As Alex lips met hers, she kissed back hesitantly, while her instincts told her to keep her hands to herself. She was almost certain that Alex was the victim of a sexual assault, whose wounds were reawakening because of the Dickson case. She was wary of aggravating those wounds.

Alex noticed that she was barely getting a response from Olivia. The smile left her face and she pulled back.

"What is it?" she asked, searching the detectives face.

Not sure what to tell her, Olivia looked around the empty café, her mind scrambling for an answer. Alex followed her gaze around the room and came to the wrong conclusion.

"You didn’t seem to have a problem with public displays the other night" she said pulling away.

"No. It’s not that." Olivia replied, reaching for Alex but then hesitating.

"Liv, if you’re not interested, that’s okay" Alex tried to maintain a collected calm that she wasn’t feeling.

"Are you kidding?" Olivia half laughed. "Alex, I’m interested. I just… I don’t want to… I mean, I’m not…"

She paused as Alex reined in feelings of confusion and rejection to give the detective a look that said ‘spit it out!’.

"I know this case has stirred up something, and I’m worried about getting into a situation that might scare you. I was just… giving you space."

It took a second for Alex to process what had been said. She shook her head and sighed.

"You really need to let me deal with things, in my own time, in my own way."

The perplexed look and serious tone coming from the attorney was clear to Olivia, and she felt chastised. Alex reached out and placed and hand on the detective’s thigh.

"I appreciate your concern" she added, "And if I needed space, I’d ask for it." Then she slid further along the seat until she was practically in Olivia’s lap, and whispered, "But I like being close to you."

Her admission brought a soft smile to Olivia’s face. Further assured by Alex’s matching smile, Olivia initiated a kiss, this time wrapping her arms around the blonde. It wasn’t the heat and passion with which they’d kissed at the club, but it was intense. When Alex finally pulled out of the slow kiss to snuggle against the detective’s body, Olivia sighed happily. And with that resolved the two enjoyed some leisurely time kissing and cuddling over coffee in the corner of the small cafe.

*********************************************

The incessant ring of his cellular woke Munch from a deep and desperately needed sleep.

"What" he snapped into the receiver.

"Hey Munch, bad news. That perv’s broad’s given me the slip."

"What!" Munch sat up and cursed. "When Charlie?"

"Oh… ah… ‘bout half an hour ago…"

"Shit. How?"

"Hey Munch, I’m doin’ this as a favour, remember? I’ve pulled surveillance five of the last seven nights. I’m really strechin’ it here."

Munch sighed in frustration. "Where was she last?"

"She aint never left her house. Well, til now. Look, I’m real sorry."

"Yeah. Get some sleep." He rolled out of his bunk in the crash room and set off to find Elliot.

**************************************************

Having indulged in a long lunch that was a late lunch to begin with, Alex was keen to get back to the office and get some work done. She wasn’t paying much attention to the few people milling around the building as she made a beeline for the lift. The doors opened and a couple of people stepped out. Rushing across the lobby, Alex managed to slip into the elevator along with another woman right before the doors closed. It wasn’t until she turned around that she realised who the woman was.

**************************************************

Olivia was making her way up the precinct steps when she met Elliot on his way out. He caught sight of her and hung up his cell.

"Where’ve you been? I was just calling you." he said, on edge. Immediately, she knew something was wrong.

"What is it?"

"Munch and I were having Annie Dickson tailed" he answered, pushing her back towards the car.

"What? Why?"

"Just a feeling Munch had. He didn’t like the way she was looking at Alex"

"What!?"

"Look, I don’t know really. But she gave our guy the slip."

Olivia just shook her head in shock and confusion.

"You think she’s dangerous?"

He shrugged.

"Jesus, why didn’t I know any of this?" she spat, slipping into the driver’s seat and slamming the door.

"Call Alex, now." She turned to see that her partner was already on it. Pulling out into the street she added, "This’d better be Munch’s overactive imagination." But she knew that her friend and colleague had been in this game long enough to know when to follow a hunch. And that frightened her.

***************************************************

"Annie!" Alex blurted, her surprise evident.

"Alex. We need to talk." Annie began. "You and me. Without the confusion and interference of all the others."

She crossed in front of the attorney to block her access to the panel of buttons.

"They don’t understand. None of them. Not like you and me. Only we know what it’s like."

She pressed the stop lift button.

TBC...

Now its over to Natalie. Have fun!