"When you're done with work come over my place, I have a surprise for you. ;)"

This was the text message Olivia Benson received at 7:19 p.m. still very much engulfed in her work. Olivia looked at her partner whose brow was furrowed as he passed her a piece of paper.

"Liv, take a look at this."

She grabbed the document and as she tried to read it, the words immediately jumbled across the page, her tired eyes reminding her just how many hours she had been working.

"El, I can barely read this. Let's call it a night, huh?"

Elliot gave her a small smirk as he started to organize his papers and slip them into a manila folder, "Sure wouldn't want to keep her waiting." He says slightly shaking his head.

"How did you even know…"

"I know that text message you just got was from her because of that goofy smile."

Olivia blushed, "Well…"

"Go ahead and go. I'll pack up your paper work."

"Thanks, El." She said with a smile and gathered her things, pulling out her cell phone to text Alex back.

"I'm on my way."

Olivia arrived at Alex's apartment and unlocked the door with her key that was given to her on their ten month anniversary four months ago. She smiled at the thought and opened the door to see the lamp in the far corner as the only source of light throughout the apartment.

"Alex?" She yelled out, instinctively putting her hand on the holster of her issued gun.

"In the bedroom." She heard Alex yell back.

Olivia let go of the breath she didn't even know she was holding and headed back to the bedroom disposing of her shoes and socks on the way. She opened the bedroom door and spotted Alex in bed watching TV above the cover….completely dressed.

"You know, when I got your text about a surprise waiting for me I kinda expected you to be…"

Alex raised her eyebrow inquisitively and it made Olivia stop her suggestion.

"Expect me to be what?"

"….naked…" Olivia gave her a wag of her brow as she crossed the bed to Alex, wrapping her arms around her legs and resting her head on her stomach.

Alex giggled a bit immediately letting her fingers run through Olivia's hair. She loved the silkiness of it. The feel of the very tips running through her fingers.

"Why does every surprise have to be about sex or one of us naked?"

"Mmm, because I love it that way." Olivia said closing her eyes with a content smile until Alex pinched her arm rather hard.

"OWWW, Alex!"

"That's what you get!" Alex said giving her one more pop to her arm.

"Oh yeah?" Olivia quickly grabbed Alex's body and flips her so that she can be on top and immediately starts to tickle her rib cage.

"Oh God, I can't breathe! Stop!" she giggled trying to pry Olivia's hands off of her stomach.

"Nope! That's what you get!" Olivia said mocking her, continuing to tickle Alex across her ribs until Alex finally got the strength and flipped them over straddling Olivia's hips and holding her hands over her head at the bottom of the bed.

"Wow…" Olivia was still trying to figure out how she got in this position. She knew the counselor could hold her own, but…

"Mhm." Alex smirked as she bent down to give Olivia a deep, searching kiss but, pulled back when she felt Olivia's tongue asking permission to enter. Olivia gave a disapproving moan, but smiled nonetheless, just loving the feeling of Alex on top of her.

"Don't you want to know what my surprise is?" Alex asked beaming down at Olivia whose face looked like she was in pure heaven.

"Hmmm." Was all Olivia could muster through her love drunk smile.

"Well, I've been thinking about something and I think right now would be the perfect time to do it so…" Alex trailed off, feeling a little less confident. Olivia placed her fingers on Alex's hips making tiny hearts on them, trying to restore Alex's confidence.

"I want us to move in with each other."

Olivia snapped out of her love induced daze and stared at Alex, so sure she didn't hear her correctly. Her heart began to pound as she waited, feeling that if she didn't say anything Alex would repeat herself, but she waited in vain.

"What? What did you say?"

"I said I think that me and you," she punctuated the word with a soft kiss to Olivia's nose, "should move in together." Alex gave her a soft smile, anticipating Olivia's reaction, knowing for sure the detective would be over the moon about the idea.

"I, umm, I uh… have to go…" Alex's face became confused as Olivia started lifting her off of her lap. Olivia looked anywhere she could except Alex's eyes as she stood up beside the bed starting for the door.

"Liv?"

"Yeah, I have to go back to the precinct. I forgot to uhh…finish some DD5's. The caps gonna kill me if I don't have those done…" She goes into the hall where she dropped her socks and shoes and starts putting them back on.

Alex leans against the bedroom threshold with her arms crossed watching her. "Liv, is something wrong?"

"No, I just have to get it done Alex, ok?" Olivia's tone was just a little agitated which made Alex have an attitude of her own.

"Sure. Whatever. Just lock the door behind you." Alex went back into the bedroom slamming the door.

Olivia sat there for a second staring at the sand colored carpet. She wants me to move in? I don't know if I…

She stopped the thought and tied her shoelace, standing to head for the door. She locked it behind her as instructed and put her forehead to the solid wood. Her heart refused to regulate its beating as she thought about the idea once more.

Oh God, she wants me to move in…

"So, how was your night partner?" Elliot greeted her the next morning with a sly grin which slowly morphed itself into a concerned smile. "You look like you haven't slept at all."

"I haven't." Olivia ran a hand through her growing locks and blew out a breath. "Alex umm… Alex wants me to move in with her."

"And this is bad because…"

"I don't think I'm ready for that." Olivia started tapping her pen nervously on her desk.

"Well Liv, you two have been together for more than a year. When exactly do you expect to be ready?"

The conversation was cut short as the unmistakable sound of Alex's heels came clicking down the hall of the precinct. Alex appeared with a couple folders in hand, her facial expression looking determined.

"Hey, Elliot. I just wanted to drop these by while I was in the neighborhood and to remind you that we have a testimony appointment at 11 o' clock today."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Counselor." Elliot said sarcastically grabbing the files.

She gave Olivia a faint glance as she muttered out, "Good morning detective."

"Alex, I-."

"Is Cragen in?" Alex said, completely cutting Olivia off.

"He's in his office. Alex, I want to say that-."

"Thank you detective." Alex said, turning her heel in the direction of the Captains office.

Olivia watched her enter the room and ran her hand though her hair again, knowing that she was in it, and deep.

Elliot looked from the office door to Olivia with a look. "Good luck, Liv."

Olivia arrived at Alex's apartment later on that night trying to make amends with her. This subject obviously made Alex angrier than she may have realized initially, given her display in the bull pin earlier that day.

She gave the door three knocks signaling that she was coming in before she inserted her key to the door.

"Alex?"

She entered to the sound of a faint voice talking. Olivia rounded the corner to find Alex sitting on the couch…with someone else. A woman she didn't recognize, and who Alex was sitting just a little too close to in her opinion.

"Alex?"

She looked back to find Olivia rooted to the spot with a facial expression she couldn't quite place. She touched the arm of her guest excusing herself from the conversation. She walked into the foyer to grab Olivia, bringing her into the kitchen where they could have some privacy.

"Yes, Olivia. What do you need?"

"Umm… can we start off with who is that in your living room?"

"A guest. Any other questions?" Alex folded her arms and showed mock anticipation for Olivia's response.

"What is she doing here so late? It's almost 11:30?"

"Why are you so concerned about what goes on in my house?" Alex asked with a snotty attitude.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"Alex, come on. That's not fair." Olivia said, trying to reach for Alex's arm to pull her closer, but recoiled when she moved it away.

"You know what's not fair, Liv? You running out on me the other night. You know what else isn't fair? Me never getting an apology for it."

"Alex, you know I'm sorry, I just…"

"You what, Liv?"

Olivia couldn't find a way to express how she felt about the proposal for them to move in together and the longer she tried to figure out something to say, the quicker Alex's patience wore thin.

"You know what, Liv? Like I said before, I have a guest. So if you don't mind?" Alex said brushing past her and throwing over her shoulder, "You can let yourself out."

Olivia looked at her join the woman on the couch once again and could make out her saying the word 'sorry' and giving her a faint smile. Olivia slowly made her way to the door taking one more glance back to the couch where the two women were sitting. It's like she wanted to be mad but knew that she couldn't be. She knew she was wrong for running out on Alex last night. If the tables were reversed she would feel and be acting the same way. I'm not sure I would carry it to this extent. She thought, making one more glance towards the couple before opening the door.

It was going to be hard, but she had to make things right.

R&R Please? :)