Olivia fished for her keys in her pocket and unlocked her apartment door, "Why don't you come in so we don't freeze to death out here?"

Alex nodded and followed Olivia into her apartment. Olivia flipped on the light and looked at Alex fully. She was dressed casually in jeans, a sweater, coat, scarf, and boots. Her eyes drifted up to Alex's face. Her cheeks were slightly pink from the cold of the unheated hallway.

"How long have you been out there?" Olivia asked taking Alex's coat, careful not to touch her because the slightest touch might make her disappear.

Alex shrugged, "A few hours."

Olivia just looked at Alex. She looked just like Olivia remembered. It was just like Alex never left. Except that she did and when she got back she didn't call. Which brought Olivia back to the present. But in front of her was not someone she could ever be mad at for very long, especially when she was shivering like that and trying to make it look like she wasn't.

"Go sit on the couch and I'll make some tea," Olivia instinctively brought her hands up and rubbed Alex's upper arms.

Alex smiled slightly, "I'm fine."

Olivia dropped her hands, but on the way down one of her hands brushed against Alex's. Her hand immediately went back up to Alex's. "You're hands are freezing." She took Alex's other hand inside her own and tried to warm it up.

Alex chuckled, "Liv. I'm fine."

Olivia sighed and let out a small smile. "Okay. Have a seat and I'll be right out."

Alex nodded and obeyed while Olivia disappeared into her kitchen. Alex patiently sat, looking around at the apartment that had almost not changed at all. There was a picture on the end table, where Olivia used to throw her keys after a long day. Alex reached over and picked up the picture to look at her own face. Alex, for the life of her, couldn't remember when the picture had been taken, but she remembered that day. Olivia had taken her ice skating. Alex woke up with a lot of bruises the next morning, but she couldn't remember ever laughing that much.

Alex set the picture down as Olivia walked back in with two mugs of tea. Olivia handed one to Alex and sat down.

Alex wrapped her hands around the mug, letting the heat warm her hands. He looked Olivia up and down. For the most part, the SVU detective hadn't changed. The only thing different was her long hair, swept back in a ponytail.

"So you came because Casey called you?" Olivia asked quietly.

Alex rested the mug and her hands in her lap. She nodded, "Yeah. I also came to explain why you haven't heard from me in the six months I've been back." Alex paused looking at Olivia to make sure she was still listening. "When I got back, the first place I went was here. When you didn't answer your door, I waited until the next morning and went to the 1-6. But the only person I was greeted by was some blonde with stringy hair and a bad attitude."

"Dani Beck?" Olivia asked, her distain for the Warrant Detective growing upon hearing she was rude to Alex.

Alex nodded, "I believe that was her name. Anyway, I ask her where you are and she tells me that you're off with the Feds somewhere doing something. Then I asked her when you were coming back." Alex paused, "She told me you were never coming back. So I walked out of the precinct and never looked back. I wondered why you'd leave and not leave me something to let me know where you went, but then I realized it might have been how you felt when I left. Then I felt guilty for leaving you how I did and it hurt me to think that I might have hurt you like that. I sulked for about a month, nearly marrying a man I have no interest in before decided that I had to find you and make things right. To tell you that I was sorry for leaving and sorry for letting everything get that far. So I could tell you I loved you and know that you knew that I did." Alex took a deep breath, "I've called every FBI agent I could think of trying to find you and I've looked for any legitimate reason to subpoena anyone to get your personnel file and find out where you were."

"You've been looking for me?" Olivia asked, "All this time?"

Alex bashfully looked down at her mug, "I know it's stupid now that I know you were back at SVU…"

"No," Olivia stopped her, "That's…I can't believe you did that. Just to find me?"

Alex slowly nodded, looking up at Olivia through the veil of her hair.

"That's so sweet," Olivia breathed.

Alex raised an eyebrow, "How many hours have you been awake?"

Olivia smiled and took Alex's mug and set it on the coffee table. She tentatively picked up Alex's hands that were still cold. She tried to warm them up as best she could. "I'm fine. I just wish…I wish you would have found me sooner."

"So I just came here to make sure you know that I love you and I'm so sorry for taking the Velez case so far I had to leave you," Alex nodded and stood, "With that I'll leave you to enjoy the rest of your evening."
Olivia kept hold of Alex's hands and stood with her, "Wait. Do you have anywhere important to go?"

Alex shook her head, "I cleared out the second half of my day after Casey called me. I was actually going to go see Elliot."

"Why don't you let me drive you?" Olivia asked, "And then let me take you to dinner."

Alex beamed, "On two conditions."

"Name it," Olivia replied picked up Alex's coat off of the coat rack and helped her put it on.

"You can drive, but we take my car," Alex stated and helped Olivia put her coat on, "And you can take me to dinner, but I pay."

"I veto you paying for dinner," Olivia smiled and opened the door for Alex.

"Well, I veto your veto," Alex smirked.

Olivia was amazed at how much time had passed since she'd seen Alex, but when they were together it was like she never left.

Remember yesterday - walking hand in hand
Love letters in the sand - I remember you
Through the sleepless nights and every endless day
I'd wanna hear you say - I remember you


Words in bold are lyrics from I Remember You - Skid Row