There were fragile butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Alex placed a hand on her hipbone and breathed out. Guilt clawed away at her insides as she pulled up to the crime scene and slammed the door of the town car. She was going to see Olivia again. She spotted the detective shoulder to shoulder with Elliot and Cragen, discussing something in low tones. Alex heard Olivia raise her voice over something (she heard the name Greyleck and decided it couldn't be good). Cragen furrowed his brow and frowned; Alex continued walking towards them, wondering when she would be noticed.

Elliot raised his head first, his mouth slack with shock. Olivia looked up a second later, her eyes running over Alex as if she couldn't believe she was actually there.

"Alex," she breathed softly. Alex smiled back and lowered her eyes slightly. She wanted to rush forward and hug Olivia, but her professional instinct held her to the ground. Cragen looked slightly awkward as they exchanged glances, but Alex didn't care. She was glad to be back.

"What the FUCK, Alex?!" Olivia yelled. Alex could see the hurt behind her eyes but chose to stay cross legged on the couch. They were at her new apartment; Olivia had seemed like she was barely keeping herself together at work; between her sudden appearance and the legal jumble that had become her case, she was not in a good mood.

"I'm sorry," Alex mumbled.

Olivia paused and sat next to Alex, running her hands through her hair; Alex could barely stand to see the look of defeat on Olivia's face.

"I was afraid," Alex started. "I… I stayed away for so long because I was afraid. It's always fear that keeps you rooted to one spot, Liv." Alex paused and offered her slim hand to Olivia, who grabbed it and gave it a squeeze. "I almost married a fucking man because I wanted to start over so badly. I changed everything about myself. I left the career I loved to be buried in paperwork. I wanted to start over."

"Then start over now," Olivia's sudden soft tone shatters the glass butterflies in Alex's stomach. "Start over now. Five years is a long time to lose someone, Alex. But I told you forever, didn't it?" Olivia's voice is still raw with hurt, but she smiles softly and bumps Alex's shoulder.

Something about the moment, illuminated with the growing darkness outside and the lights of the city slowly blinking on to welcome the night, calmed Alex and Olivia.

It would be okay.

"I clawed my way out of Appeals to be here, so show me what I ruined my nails for," Alex smirks as she sat next to Olivia on a bench in the courthouse corridor, waiting for the trial to be called back into session. Olivia laughs.

Alex crosses her arms and stares out into space. She's not entirely sure why she has returned; after McCoy asked her to interim after Greyleck requested her transfer, her original plan was to go into Appeals. It was all set up; even as she left for training she was having doubts; she enjoyed working with SVU, like she did before. She enjoyed being around Olivia every day. Now she had returned for good, to replace Paxton.

Of course, she had considered staying in Appeals. She could see Olivia on the weekends, go out for drinks. But it seemed once she was actually away for the second time after working with SVU, the guilt and loss clawed deeper at her. When she was notified about the pedophile rights case, she had to go back. No question.

"Well, I'm very glad you sacrificed your beauty," Olivia interrupts Alex's thoughts and stands, offering her a hand. Alex takes it and squeezes.

"You people are like magnets, I swear to God," Alex huffs and smoothes her skirt. What she means is: you're like a magnet, but she keeps her mouth shut. "I came back to this fucked up cluster case, Liv; everything's gotten crazier."

"We've kept each other sane," Alex smiles and grabs her briefcase. "I've got to get back in there." Olivia nods and reaches for her phone as it chimes.

"Benson," She pauses and holds up a finger to Alex. "What? No, El, I can't understand you… slow down…" Olivia's smile fell. "No, no, I'm at the trial with Alex, I…" her brow furrows and she shoots and glance at Alex. A pit falls into her stomach.

"I'll be right there. 10 minutes," Liv snaps her phone shut and throws on her jacket. "A kid just got shot. I need to go," she runs out of the Courthouse without saying goodbye. Alex takes in a breath and runs her fingers through her soft blonde hair.

The butterflies rise back up in her stomach as she re-enters the courtroom. She can feel a calm anger boiling in her stomach as she calls up her first witness.

She was back.

The fog that had clouded Alex's mind was slowly beginning to recede; her years in Witness Protection had done nothing but paralyze her with fear and paranoia. Appeals dulled her anger and kept her in a methodic, repetitive rut. She glances over at Olivia who is sipping her drink next to her, glancing out the bar's window.

"What happened to the kid?"

"He died," Olivia's voice is soft and slow; Alex hates it when she gets like this.

"Did you catch the perp?"

"Case got turfed to Homicide," Olivia stirs her drink and sneezes a few times. Alex thinks she really, really needs a break.

"You feeling sick?"

"No," Olivia sneezes again. Alex knows she's lying.

"Let's go away."

"I have to work… you have to work…" Liv lays her head down on the bar. Alex reaches over and gently strokes her hair. She could take her stacked up vacation days. Olivia could too.

"We both need to get away. You know, I haven't been out of the state since I got out of Witness Protection. Let's go somewhere. Two friends, somewhere warm…"

Olivia sneezes in response.

The two women are standing at the terminal at the airport, both holding tickets to Hawaii. Olivia is sniffling.

"I'm sick," she mumbles. Alex sighs and smiles slightly. She picks up her bag and helps Olivia with hers as they enter the terminal. Olivia shivers slightly next to her and coughs; the silver tunnel closes over their heads and a metallic smell enters Alex's nose and they enter the plane and take their seats.

Up in the air to Hawaii; away.

Author's Note: Hello everyone! I'm so sorry for the break between fics; January contains both Finals and Hell Week for me at school, so it's hard to sit down and write.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy this one. It'll be slightly AU, but hopefully I'll keep A&O nicely in their characters. I use Fanfiction to warm up before my serious school/novel writing, so there might be some breaks, but I promise I'll finish. Enjoy everyone!

--Wallie (Raine)