The characters are the property of Dick Wolf and NBC.
It's not always so Bad
Alex and Olivia were curled up together on the couch in their apartment, relaxing after a long day's work. Alex couldn't really remember ever being as comfortable as she was right then. She had officially been back from the Witness Protection Program for almost six months. When she returned, the first thing Alex wanted to do was tell Olivia how much she really meant to her. True, they had been involved briefly before Alex went into the program, but neither had expressed what they were doing or what they wanted from the relationship. Now they couldn't say it enough. They had both learned the hard way that life was too short to hold things like "I love you" back.
As far as Alex was concerned it was the best decision she had ever made. Not only did she have someone to come home to, or welcome home in most cases, but Olivia was also someone who understood her dedication to her job. This made her feel less guilty about the long hours she put in most nights.
While Alex was thinking about the benefits of their relationship, Olivia was thinking about a subject that they had never really had time to discuss. They had both been so busy, the time to actually sit down and talk about certain things was very limited and time was one thing Olivia knew they would need for this discussion, or story as Alex would be doing most of the talking. Olivia wanted to know where Alex had gone and what she did after she had been taken away again after the Connors trial. She knew Alex had been in Michigan, but other than that, Olivia was at a loss. "Alex?"
Alex raised her head from her pillow of Olivia's shoulder so she could look at her girlfriend. The look of hesitance in Olivia's eyes concerned Alex. "What is it, Liv?"
Olivia turned her head so she was facing Alex. "Tell me about where you went after the Connor's trial?"
Alex knew that they would have to talk about the time she spent in the program and she had to give Olivia credit for waiting six months before her curiosity got the better of her. "Are you sure you want to hear about this?" Alex asked. "It really wasn't anything special."
"Alex, it has to do with you and your life. Of course it's special," Olivia told her.
Looking into Olivia's eyes, Alex could see the sincerity of her words. She leaned forward and bestowed a soft kiss on her lover's lips, trying to convey just how much she cared for this woman. When they broke apart, they were both smiling. "If I get kissed like that just for asking a question, remind me to clean the kitchen when you're done," Olivia laughed. This earned her a soft slap on the shoulder from an also laughing blonde.
"Ok," Alex said through her laughter. After settling down, she began to talk about the last place she stayed while in the program. "You already know that I was in Michigan, and that I was a teacher."
"And that Jaime was one of your students," Olivia supplied.
"Yes, Jaime was one of my students, and if I actually picked favorites she would have been it," Alex smiled. "I have to warn you though, Liv. Small towns do things differently than in the city."
Olivia nodded her understanding and tried to get even more comfortable on the couch, preparing for what she was sure would be a long story.