Alex was glad that she always kept an extra suit in her office for occasions such as this when she didn't have time to go home and change. She looked at herself in the reflection of the glass window of her office, while straightening out her suit jacket.

Two sharp knocks on her door was the office secretary's way of letting her know that she had to be in court in thirty minutes. Alex took a deep breath, grabbed her attaché and walked out of her office, ready to restart her day.

"Objection," Alex said with all the energy she could muster, which wasn't much. She was completely exhausted.

"Sustained," Petrovsky leaned back in her chair, waiting for Murdock to make his point.

The attorney sitting second chair to Murdock leaned over and whispered something to him. Murdock stood and buttoned his jacket, "I move to recess until tomorrow."

After a glance at Alex who didn't seem to care either way, Petrovsky nodded, "This court is in recess until nine am Monday." Then she slammed the gavel down.

Alex was slowly gathering her things, trying to figure out how it was already Friday when the last day she remembered was Wednesday, when she heard Petrovsky call, "Ms. Cabot, approach."

The blonde internally sighed and slung her attaché over her shoulder before walking up to the oversized desk Lena Petrovsky was sitting behind.

"I expect you to be rested when you show up Monday morning," Petrovsky gently chastised Alex, "If you look like you're about to fall asleep in my courtroom again I'll declare a mistrial due to ineffective counsel."

"Yes your honor," Alex nodded. The teenager in Alex was rolling her eyes.

"Get some sleep Alex," Petrovsky gave a kind smile before sending Alex's on her way.

Alex just nodded again, keeping a yawn inside until she was out of Petrovsky's line of sight. She knew that the judge was right. After looking through her attaché while she waited for a cab, she decided that she could go home and sleep for a while before waking up in the evening to look over the cases she was working on.

Alex was almost asleep before her head hit her pillow. She was go grateful to be in bed, but was weary because the cell phone that was charging on the nightstand next to her could ring at any second.

When Alex finally woke up, her phone was shrieking at her. She glanced over at the clock and saw that it was almost midnight.

"Cabot," Alex laid back in her head.

"Did I wake you?"

Alex was immediately relieved, "Yes, but I've been asleep since four so it's a good thing. I have cases to go over."

Detective Benson chuckled, "Probably. Do you have time to grab some dinner before you go back to work?"

"Definitely," the blonde was happy to put off work for a little longer and enjoy a meal with her favorite detective. She slid out of bed and looked around in something to get dressed in.

"How about the diner two blocks from your apartment?" Olivia asked, "I can be there in…five minutes."

"Sure," Alex pulled a pair of jeans on.

"Alright. I'll see you there. Bye Alex."

"Bye Liv."

When she hear the soft snap of Olivia's phone closing, Alex continued to get ready, rushing into the bathroom trying to figure out a way to look like she hadn't just awakened from sleeping all afternoon.

After deciding on putting her hair up, she pulled on her pale blue long sleeved shirt and her glasses, sliding on her cross-trainers on the way out the door. Since it was only a few blocks, she decided to walk to the diner and when she walked in, she found Olivia already sitting on a booth in the back.

When Olivia saw the ADA she smiled and waited for Alex to walk over. When she sat down Olivia spoke, "How was your day?"

Alex sighed, "After Petrovsky reprimanded me for being tired, great. I caught up on my sleep for the week."

"She's reprimanded you?" Olivia asked shedding her leather jacket.

After scanning the menu, Alex shrugged, "She said if I showed up in the half sleep I was in today that she'd dismiss the case on the basis of ineffective counsel."

"I'm sure you weren't ineffective," Olivia smiled in assurance.

The waitress walked over and took their orders, Alex ordered coffee and an omelet while Olivia ordered water and a salad. The waitress politely smiled and walked back behind the counter while Alex leaned forward on the table.

"In any case, I'm getting too old for staying up all night," Alex smirked.

Olivia chuckled, "If you think you're old I wonder what you think of me."

"I wonder how the hell you do all the you do and still look as amazing as you do," Alex offered without thought. She looked down just as soon as she said it, before peeking up to see Olivia slightly blushing. The blonde leveled her head and smiled.

"Thanks," Olivia muttered then continued in her usual voice, "I don't usually look all that great."

The conversation flowed easily after that although they kept to small talk and the topic of work. Soon, their plates had been mostly cleared and taken away as they continued to talk. Olivia noticed that Alex steered clear of all conversations about herself and her personal life, instead turning Olivia's questions back onto her. She'd learned that fact a while ago along with the fact that Alex was deft at it.

Olivia found her opportunity to bring Alex's secrecy up when Alex finished a sentence with, "…well you know me."

"Not really," Olivia leaned back in her seat, "I don't know much about you."

"I don't know much about you either detective," Alex countered, steadily sipping her coffee.

"You know about why I was born. What happened to my mother," Olivia offered, her voice growing quieter although it wasn't a conscious decision.

"That's not why you were born Liv," Alex spoke smoothly, holding Olivia's eyes, "It's how you were born. I believe you were born to help people. Had the circumstances been different, you may not be as passionate about sex crimes and, all the cases you've closed because of that, may still be open. The world needs more people like you, Liv."

Olivia looked thoughtful for a moment, "So this friend you had as a child, who was abused…She's why you came to sex crimes?"

The blonde nodded slowly before adding, "Yes."

"And you tried to cover it up with political ambitions?"

The younger woman cracked a smile, "You caught me."

"I'm on to you Cabot," Olivia smirked, "You're not as mean as you make people think."

"Don't tell anyone. It'll ruin my reputation."

The detective laughed heartily before picked up the check that the waitress had put on the end of the table. She pulled some money out of her pocket and stood.

"What are you doing detective Benson?" Alex stood, slinging her purse over her shoulder.

"Paying for the dinner I dragged you out of bed for," Olivia handed the ticket and cash to the waitress over the counter. She smiled to the waitress and told her, "Thanks. Keep the change."

"I'm paying next time," Alex grumbled.

Olivia slid her jacket back on and looked around, "Where's your car?"

"It's only two blocks," Alex shook her head, "I walked."

"Let me drive you," the brunette offered, gesturing to her car.

A twinkle in the blue eyes appeared when she smiled, "I'm walking."

Olivia looked at the dark sky for a moment before looking at the blonde whose ponytail was whipping around in the wind, "I'm walking you home then."

"Then you're coming up for a drink," Alex started walking in the direction of her apartment.

Olivia trotted to catch up with her, "If you insist."