A/N: this is not in the "universe" of my other writing. I decided it was time to tell a different story. I'm easing back into writing. Lets see how I do. I hope for the story to pick up momentum as the story progresses. Enjoy. Lish

A New Beginning

Olivia Benson stood on stage and looked down at the sea of faces. Her mother was not there. She stood straighter, raised her right hand with the rest of the graduating cadets and pledged to serve the city of New York as an officer of the law.

This was it. The moment she'd been waiting for since high school. She was a police officer.

2 weeks later

"HEY! Watch it!" an irritated cabbie shouted as Olivia slammed the door of the cab.

She stalked off toward her building. Her uniform shirt was un-tucked and partially unbutton revealing the white t-shirt below. All she wanted to do after the particularly bad shift was go take a long hot shower, change and order pizza. The weekend was hers, she hoped, after working for 14 straight days. The day after graduation she began her first shift. Her partner was alright but the rest of the squad had been putting her through her paces.

As she rounded the corner to the entrance of her building she hit something. A someone who was falling forward. The mysterious tall person regained balance but lost the groceries.

Olivia gapped in horror as she watched the grey hooded figure in front of her drop a full bag of fruit, milk, bread and a box of Lucky Charms onto the sidewalk. She stooped to help the victim of her bad day clean up. Blue eyes caught her brown ones and she attempted a half smile.

"Here let me help you," she finally broke the embarrassing silence between them. Her voice sounded weak against the bustling city around them.

"No, really that's okay," the blonde spoke calmly but with a slight edge.

Olivia stood and offered the woman her hand, the woman took it and stood. "Thank you"

"Please don't thank me."

They walked into the building together and rode the elevator both exiting on the 3rd floor. They walked to opposite ends of the hall. Olivia watched as the mysterious blonde road block disappeared behind door number 3.

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After taking a steaming shower, Olivia pulled on a pair of police academy sweatpants and an old Siena zip-up hoodie over a tank. She fished around for some money and waited mostly impatiently for her pizza to arrive.

Her mind drifted to the mysterious blonde that she literally ran into over an hour ago. Who was she? Why hadn't she noticed her before. Olivia had just moved into the apartment 2 weeks ago. Previously she had been living on campuses, at Siena and then at the academy. She massaged the back of her neck with her left hand as she thought.

There was a knock at the door indicating the arrival of dinner. She paid the young man and took the box from him. She stood in the doorway and her gaze drifted down the hall to Apartment 3. She shut the door behind her and her feet just carried her without any prompting from her brain right in front of door number 3.

Olivia knocked twice in rapid succession. After the day she put in, she had to restrain her self from shouting police.

The blonde opened the door after a couple of seconds and peered at Olivia over a pair of black frames. She lifted a finger to push them further up her nose and cocked her head to the side.

"Can I help you," she said after a minute.

"Well, I just thought that I would offer a peace offering for earlier." Olivia said as she lifted the box higher to indicate the pizza.

"What kind?"

"Just cheese."

The blonde pursed her lips for a second, then smiled. Olivia decided right then that the smiling blonde was something she could see every day and never grow tired of.

"My favorite and I'm starved. This crazy cop ran into me and made me drop my dinner all over the sidewalk earlier."

"How rude." Olivia smiled.

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"I suppose I should introduce myself now that I've almost flattened you and have now invited myself over for dinner."

"That would be nice, mysterious stranger."

"Olivia Benson, but my friends call me Liv," Liv held out her hand.

"Alexandra Cabot," Alex took Liv's hand and squeezed it lightly.

Olivia looked at their joined hand and smiled. For some reason it felt right.

The two women settled on the couch with the pizza box between them. Alex brought in some soda from the kitchen and they munched on their dinner as they made small talk.

Olivia looked around the room and noticed stacks of books and journals in various piles. They all had some kind of law themed name.

"Student?" Olivia asked.

"Just finished Law school, preparing for the bar," Alex answered as she pulled a second piece from the box.

"Ahh working for the other side then?"

"What? No… Prosecution. I'm working grunt work in the DA's office. I have a spot once I pass the bar."

"Oh nice, one of the good guys then," Olivia smiled.

"Most of the time."

Olivia stood and streached.

"Its been great but I really have to get to bed, its been a long day. At least I have tomorrow off."

"You interested in brunch at that place on the corner?"

"Brian's Café?"

"Yeah."

"Sure," Olivia smiled and picked up the pizza box to take to the dumpster in the morning.

"I'll see ya then."

Olivia smiled and waved as she went through the door.

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What happens at the diner? How do things progress? Stay tuned.

I know this chapter is short, but after such a long absence I'm finding it difficult to get momentum.