Prologue

A/O

October 2001

The ADA stood with her arms folded over her chest. She was already taller than her detective and the blonde's Jimmy Choo heels only exacerbated the difference. "You don't have enough for a warrant; you can bicker with me until you are blue in the face, but the law is what it is!"

Olivia heard blue and all she could think about were Alex's cerulean eyes. "Why can't you trust me? I know he did this!"

Alex's face softened. "I do trust you, Liv. I know he did this. You know he did this, but we need more before you can search his house." Alex could tell the brunette was at her breaking point. She had been working nonstop for almost 72 hours. "You need to rest Olivia, get some good food, sleep. Once you're better rested, you'll find a way, a legal way."

Olivia groaned. Everyone had been telling her to sleep, but she couldn't rest until she caught this bastard. "I know but …"

"No buts," Alex insisted. "I'm taking you to dinner, and then you're going to bed."

Before Olivia knew it, she and Alex were at a little bistro in midtown. The detective was expecting insane prices. Who wouldn't when dining with a Cabot, but the place was actually affordable.

Alex surprised Olivia when she got the fried chicken. "What? I love fried chicken."

"I do too, it's just …"

"You thought I'd eat caviar and lobster."

Olivia thought it felt silly then. "You caught me."

"I do love lobster, but sometimes it's the simple food that really hits the spot."

Olivia had gotten the steak frites. She couldn't remember the last proper meal she had eaten.

Without work to divide them, Alex and Olivia found out they had gotten along quite well. Alex told Olivia about her days as a theater geek. "My best role was Sandy in Grease. It was so much fun."

Right away, Olivia imagined her in a black leather outfit and blushed. "I bet you looked amazing."

"I have the pictures to prove it," Alex teased.

Olivia told Alex about her athletic days. She had been on the basketball and the softball teams. Alex could picture it easily. Liv was in great shape.

"Do you still play?"

"I used to play in the NYPD softball league, but once I became a detective, I realized I'd miss too many games."

"That's too bad. I'd totally come and be your fan girl."

"Well in that case …" The detective still couldn't believe this was happening. She tried to picture Alex in the stands cheering her on, but it felt too unreal.

When the waiter came to get their dessert orders, Alex picked the chocolate torte and Olivia got the raspberry cheesecake.

"Their cheesecake is excellent," Alex told her.

"Then why didn't you get it?"

"I wanted chocolate, and I figured, I could mooch off of you."

"I'm not sharing," Olivia retorted.

"Are you sure?" Alex bit her lip flirtatiously. Olivia was fucking on fire.

Olivia thought she was going home at the end of the night, but Alex managed to get her back to her place.

"I know you. You'll say you're going home and then go back to work."

"You said you trusted me," Olivia retorted.

"I trust you to fight for justice for the victims. I don't trust you to take care of yourself."

"It's not your job to take care of me," Olivia immediately got defensive.

Alex saw right through the act. She cupped Olivia's face and pecked her on the lips. "I think it is. Good night, Detective."

All it took was just one peck, and Olivia knew she was hopelessly in love with Alex Cabot.

C/O

April 2005

It had been about six months since the Connor's trial. Alex broke up with Olivia before getting her new identity. It was unfair to the detective to have Alex appear and disappear from her life without any warning.

The former ADA saw how heartbroken Olivia was when she drove away in the SUV the first time. She couldn't keep doing it to her.

Olivia, I love you, and I want to be with you forever, but I can't promise you that right now. I don't know if I'll ever be able to promise it to you. There's only one thing I want more than you and it's for you to be happy. If you can find it with someone else, then do it.

"What are you saying?" Olivia started to cry.

"I'm saying I love you enough to let you go; I have to, even though it's killing me inside. I can't break your heart again," Alex told her. "I won't."

Olivia never thought she'd be able to find someone else. How could she? Alex Cabot was fucking irreplaceable.

Yet, there was one woman who managed to put a smile on her face, despite all of the sadness.

Casey Novak made it her mission to help Olivia feel better. The detective was too kind to be burdened with so much pain. Many of her attempts were goofy: jokes with bad punch lines or these ridiculous sock puppets Casey made of the squad, but Olivia couldn't help but be touched that Casey cared so much.

When Casey asked if Olivia wanted to get dinner on Friday, the detective said "sure."

"I'll pick you up at seven," Casey told her.

"It's a date," Olivia said before walking away.

Casey flushed. I have a date with OLIVIA BENSON. Oh my fucking GOD!

Olivia didn't even realize what she had said until afterwards. She was ready to date. She felt strong enough to move on, and it was all because of Casey.