Title: All or Nothing Chapter 4
Author's Note: For disclaimer, see chapter one.
.
Chapter Four
After thirty seconds of incessant knocking, Alex whips the door open, making Olivia pause mid-knock. "Liv," she says, surprised. "What are you doing here?"
Seemingly shocked, Olivia blinks. She rocks back on her heels and stares down at the floor. "Brian and I split up."
Alex sighs. "Liv—"
Olivia shakes her head quickly. "It was bound to happen."
"What do you need?" Alex asks, stepping aside to allow Olivia entrance to her apartment. Her words are clipped and efficient, but devoid of emotion, almost as if she is slipping into her courtroom persona.
"You can say no if you want, but I was wondering if—"
"You can stay here?" Alex asks. "Absolutely, Liv. You know you're always welcome here."
"Thanks, Alex. I swear I'll be out of here by the middle of the week."
"You don't have to find somewhere else to live," Alex says, her makes slipping, replaced by a vulnerable sort of guardedness. It is not an expression Olivia is used to seeing on normally put together attorney and, for that reason, she feels an incredible ache for the woman. "I meant what I said earlier, Liv; I want to marry you."
Olivia shakes her head. "You don't mean that, Alex. You can't mean that."
"I do," Alex says. "I do mean it. I want you, Olivia Benson. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want the house in the suburbs, the white picket fence, the two or three kids – all of it. I want it with you."
"Alex—"
"I know it seems soon, Liv, but is it really? We've been dancing around each other for years and, I don't know about you, but I'm tired of it." Alex sighs, running her hand through her hair. "This was our plan before everything happened. So why can't we go back to it?"
"It's not that simple, Alex."
"Why not?"
Olivia shakes her head, grasping for a reason – any reason. Alex takes Olivia's bag, dropping it to the ground, before bringing her hands up to Olivia's shoulders and running them down her arms, linking their fingers.
"I want it all with you, Liv," Alex whispers.
Olivia nods, the first glimmer of hope gleaming in her eyes. "Okay," she says.
"Okay?"
"Okay."
.