Start of Something good
1.
Olivia woke; her neck was stiff from having her head laid back against the couch. Her hand was asleep. She looked down to see what was causing it. She saw the blonde head resting on the pillow that she was supporting. The last few hours came flooding back to her. Alex had stopped by to see what was going on with her. Olivia had been distant the last few weeks. Hell if Alex had been here she would have seen that Olivia had been distant a lot longer then that.
Alex started to stir. Olivia looked at the clock to see what time it was, it was 2 in the morning.
Alex opened her eyes and twisted so that she could look up at the detective. Olivia seemed lost in thought. Alex continued to look up until her eyes meet those of her headrest.
Olivia caught Alex's eyes and smiled, she looked happily sleepy.
"I should probably go." Alex yawned and sat up.
"No, its late, you can stay here, I'll even let you have the bed and I'll take the couch." Olivia looked at the blonde; her hair was messed up from Olivia's fingers.
Alex just nodded, too tired to protest. She followed Olivia into the bedroom and waited in the doorway as a pair of sweats and a T-shirt was laid on the bed.
"The bathroom is in there, I'm just going to use it really quick then its all yours."
Olivia ducked into the bathroom with her own set of pajamas and went about her nighttime ritual quicker then normal. When she exited the bathroom her eyes scanned the bedroom for Alex. Her clothes where folded on the chair and she was already sound asleep on Olivia's side of the bed, hugging her pillow. Olivia watched her sleep for a few minutes, she looked so peaceful. Sighing, she exited the room and grabbed a pillow and blanket out of the hall closet on her way to the living room. She didn't mind sleeping on the couch, it was very comfortable. It only took a few minutes for Olivia to join the land of dreams.
/Saturday Morning/
Alex woke early, unsure at first as to where she was. The night before came crashing back on her, Olivia and the kiss. They needed to talk.
She got up quietly and went into the bathroom and surveyed the area. She noticed that there was no bathroom mirror above the sink, just the outline of one that may have existed.
She located a clean towel and started the shower. The spray felt good, pounding against her back. She had slept surprisingly well for a strange bed.
After she had shut the water off she dried off with the big fluffy towel and redressed in the sweatpants. She got most of the water out of her long hair and then drew the hair back with a tie she had in her pants pocket from yesterday.
Hunger started to creep to the surface, so she quietly went to see if Olivia was up yet.
When she walked into the hall she could see the back of the couch. She crept up to it and leaned into it. Letting the site of her… her what exactly… sleeping soundly.
Sensing a presence Olivia started awake. Breathing hard and sitting straight up. She registered that it was Alex and dramatically flopped back down onto the couch.
"You scared the Shit out of me." Olivia breathed out exasperatedly.
"Sorry." Alex apologized with a smile.
Olivia looked so cute in the morning, hair all tousled, eyes still tired looking.
"What?" Olivia rubbed her face in the pillow before sitting up normally.
"Nothing, just admiring."
Olivia blushed slightly. Clearing her throat she asked, "did you sleep okay."
"Perfect, you." Alex moved to share the couch.
"Um, pretty good, no nightmares."
"That's great… listen…"
Olivia cut her off, "Lets have breakfast, I'm starving."
"Okay." Talking would have to wait, Alex just hoped it wouldn't be put off forever.
Olivia made her way to the kitchen and rummaged through the fridge to see what she had. She pulled out some eggs, juice, and bread. Luckily she had gone shopping for her weekend off earlier in the week. She set the juice at the breakfast bar with two glasses. Alex poured them while she sat, watching Olivia move around her kitchen. After a few minutes two plates with scrambled eggs and toast were placed on the bar. They both dug in, savoring in the meal; Olivia was a surprisingly good cook.
Alex took their dishes to the sink when they had finished the silent meal.
"I'm going to take a shower." Olivia broke the silence.
"Okay, I'm going to grab a bag out of my car."
"Okay, um make yourself at home. I should only be a few minutes."
Alex went down to check on her car. It was all in one piece, in this neighborhood you never knew. It wasn't bad, but it was questionable at times. She unlocked the car and grabbed a bag that had taken up residence in her backseat. It was full of a change of clothes, incase she had to work overnight on any case. It was a habit she picked up when she was with SVU before.
As she made her way back into the building a voice called out to her.
"Hey, are you the new resident for 9c?" it was a female voice.
"What? No, I'm just visiting a friend." Alex replied a caught a little off guard.
"Oh, ok, you just looked new."
"Yeah I just got back from being away for a couple years. I'm catching up with an old friend. So you live here?" Alex chatted as they made their way up the front steps of the building.
"I live up on the 9th floor. I like to get to know the new neighbors. I like to know who my kids are going to be growing up around."
"Yeah you can never be too careful." They paused in the lobby of the building.
"Your telling me. So who is your friend, no I'm sorry I'm being nosey." The woman blushed.
"No its okay, you'd make a good detective you know that. I'm a friend of Olivia on the 5th floor." Alex smiled as she spoke, the woman seemed really nice.
"Detective Benson! She is great. Tell her Bev says hi and we are all doing great."
"Alright I can do that. Have a nice day Bev."
"You too…" she paused.
"You can call me Alex." Alex smiled.
"You too Alex." They went their separate ways. Alex taking the stairs and Bev taking the elevator.
/meanwhile with Olivia/
Olivia walked into the bathroom. She was purposely avoiding a conversation that she knew was coming; they had to have it.
She wasn't ready.
She sighed as she let the water wash away the emotions that were building up. She got out and dried off. When she walked over to brush her teeth her eyes fell on the bare wall above her sink. Running a hand over the fresh scar on her hand she thought back to that afternoon when her world crashed into a brick wall. She'd just been holding it in for so long it exploded out… all those emotions.
She quickly dressed and went to find Alex, they had better talk now before she ruined something that could be good.
Alex let herself back into the apartment. She went to the bedroom to change. She pulled out of the bag a T-shirt and fresh undergarments, she put those on. She decided to keep Olivia's sweatpants on because the only other thing in the bag was a skirt and a dress shirt. She ran a comb through her hair and pulled it up neatly this time.
She went back out to the living room to wait for Olivia to be done. She had heard the water turn off as she was putting things back into her bag.
Olivia walked out into the living room. Alex was sitting on the couch flipping through a magazine that had been sitting on the coffee table.
She moved around and sat at the opposite side of the couch, facing Alex.
"We need to talk…" they spoke at the same time, smiling nervously.
Alex set aside the magazine.
"Look Alex…. I don't…. It's just…."
"Olivia," Alex placed her hand out to stop the explanation. "Liv, I kissed you first remember."
Olivia nodded looking down at her bare feet, tears starting to fall down her face.
"Liv, its okay."
"Is it? I don't understand." Olivia spoke in almost a whisper.
"What don't you understand, honey" Alex soothed.
"Me." Olivia leaned into the side of the couch her feet tucked up underneath her, still facing Alex but not making eye contact.
"Well lets look at the evidence, shall we detective." Alex started, it broke her heart to see her friend in so much turmoil.
"If you want to." Olivia sighed, closing her eyes, and listening.
"Olivia Benson, NYPD Detective in the SVU. Single. Brown Hair. Brown Eyes. Child of a single mother. Had a hard childhood, but succeeded, with great accomplishment. Is too hard on herself. Is passionate about her work. Loves her friends. Is beautiful. Not that bad of a kisser. And look she can cook too." Alex finished with a grin.
"Thanks, but that doesn't really help."
"What else do you need to know?"
"I… I… Why did you kiss me last night?" Olivia spit out before she was able to stop.
"Why did you kiss me back?"
"Because…. It felt right I guess."
"That's my answer."
"How long have you known?"
"How long what?"
"How long have you had feelings like this… for me?"
"A long time. I've had a few girlfriends in the past, but you were different. You remember that day in my office right before the Valez case?"
"Yeah, I felt it too." Olivia smiled as she rememberd.
"How about you? How long?"
"Since a few months before that day. I've been so confused, and lost about everything and this confusion didn't help at all. I only recently started to sort out stuff. I'd given up hope that you were coming home."
"I'm back now."
"I know."
"Can I ask you a question? It has been bugging me since this morning?"
"Okay." Olivia seemed confused.
"Don't you have a mirror in your bathroom?"
"Oh no." Olivia covered her face with her hands. "Yeah, about that." She might as well come clean. She held out her right had for Alex.
Alex looked at the outstretched hand questioningly. She took it in her own and turned it around examining the scar silently. She ran her finger across Olivia's knuckles.
"What happened?"
"Would you believe I got into a fight with the coffee pot."
Alex glared at the explanation.
"Okay, I… I punched the mirror."
"Why?"
"I was there. I couldn't look at myself. It was a few days before Huang put me on leave. I was so stressed out, mentally exhausted. And I ended up with the flu, you know the rest."
"That explains the bandage you had when I first got back."
"I'm surprised you didn't notice the mirror when you were here before."
"I wasn't really in the bathroom long enough to notice actually. I was worried about you. I do… I do care about you Liv."
Olivia was speechless.
"Is that okay?"
"Yes. I… I…" Olivia was having trouble speaking, she looked Alex in the eye hoping that she could convey her message that way.
"Shh, its okay, I know." Alex said with tears in her eyes. She gathered the detective up in her arms.
They sat there for some time. Just quietly enjoying each other's company.
They fell asleep it had been an emotional morning.
Just before two in the afternoon they woke up again.
"Oh, Liv, I almost forgot." Alex spoke as they flipped through the movie channels to see what was playing.
"Hmm?"
"Bev says hi and that they are doing great."
"Really? That's great! How did you meet her."
"She was asking if I was the new resident on her floor."
"Ahh yeah she has a thing about her neighbors."
"How did you meet?"
"She was actually a case. One of her neighbors, our neighbors, assaulted her. It was a tough time for her. It did a number on me too. I'm glad to hear she is doing well." Olivia smiled.
They settled on an old classic Spencer Tracy/ Katherine Hepburn movie.
They spent the rest of the afternoon on the couch. Enjoying the closeness. Watching the movie and talking about anything they could think of. It was the best Saturday afternoon off they had had in a long time.