Author's Note: Silly One Short after the episode 9x03

Her Life Jacket

"I am a big girl, I can swim," Casey Novak's words rang in Olivia Benson's ears as the over woman walked away from her. So proud and so stubborn as always.

Olivia sighed having a feeling this would all come back to bite Casey in her sweet ass. She wasn't as strong as she let on she knew. She needed someone when the going got though, like now. And Olivia was that someone. Why she didn't knew.

After all the two women drove each other up the wall at work, or could that was. They did work well together as well. At least when they were not on opposite sites that was. After all Casey was the D.A. The brunette know better than to follow her when Casey was in one of her moods. Instead she went back to her partner Elliot to continue with their case.

Casey of course didn't expect Olivia to follow her, not after how she just left her standing. She wished she could just hug her and hide her head in her shoulder, admitting she needed that life jacket, that Liv was her life jacket. The one that kept her sane. This case was getting to her more than it should. Then again some cases did. She really hated this one thought. She really did want to convict him of rape, even with the circumstances. But no one really asked her what she wanted, after all her opinion didn't matter to the case. It seldom did. The young District Attorney didn't however expect the young boy to be beaten up and raped or the rapist to use his words against here. Hearing him say it, it hit her like a hammer. She didn't even quite process the conversation after, only that she not long after left the room.

Her head felt as heavy as her body and it was more tempting to go to the bar, have a couple of drinks, then go home and sleep. Instead she went to her office, her small office and sat down with a heavy sigh, and perhaps a heavy heart.

The blonde looked at her cell phone, no texts from Olivia in the meantime. She was most likely busy, she always were. They both were. Was it crazy to think that their relationship could survive, hidden in the background from everyone?

Casey wasn't quite sure, she only knew that she had loved Olivia from the moment she laid eyes on her and that she kept her sane. She looked at the time wondering when her shift ended, if she would work overtime today. She looked at the mass of papers on her desk. Oh screw it!

For once she choose to push it aside and leave her office earlier than planned. She didn't go to the bar though, she didn't even go home, she went to Olivia's place. She slowly got undressed down to her underwear and curled up in her bed, falling fast asleep and escaping her busy mind.

Olivia hadn't heard from Casey and was worried, she had heard about that the rapist said. She had even checked her office, but they said she left hours ago. Left to go where, this wasn't like her, Olivia decided. She tried calling her, no answer on her cell. Olivia knew she should have called her sooner, she just hadn't had the time…work.

The detective decided to go home and then go home to eat and go over to Casey after. She knew that she somehow needed her. She usually felt those things, knowing it to be the other way around as well. She got in her car and drove home, stopping by a takeaway restaurant on the way, not feeling like cooking at all. She parked her car on the regular spot and made her way to her apartment. Once inside she could feel a familiar sent of perfume and knew for a fact that Casey was already there. She could recognize her perfume anywhere. Not to mention the shoes that was kicked off in the hallways. She sighed as she took of her shoes and walked further in setting the bag with takeout on the kitchen bench. Then she made her way to the bedroom. The brunette gently opened the door, looking inside at Casey.

She looked at her for a moment, so peaceful, the blonde hair sprawled around her head. So beautiful, not disturbed by anything right then, a smile on Olivia's lips as she made her way to the bed. Sitting down next to her she said, "Casey, what is going on?"

The blonde slowly retracted from the land of dreams, her grey eyes fluttering open, and she looked at the other woman. Confused at first, then remembering, saying, "I may need a life jacket after all."

"Awwwe, sweetheart," Olivia's heart melted as she pulled her into her arms and kissed her, making her feel safe. It was after all the best life jacket Casey Novak could ever ask for.

Thank you so much for reading, I would love to hear your thoughts :o)