Author's Note: I tried to update a little faster than the last time. This chapter isn't very long and there isn't much MO action but I needed to write it in order to establish where I want to go. There was a very huge clue in this chapter so I'm curious if anyone picked up on it.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to write a review. I apologize I didn't get the chance to respond but I do read them and will try not to keep you waiting that long again. I promise to keep writing for as long as you all promise to keep reading. :)

Chapter 4

Olivia stirred in the king sized bed not wanting to get up. The feel of the Egyptian cotton on her aching muscles was much appreciated. After round one with Melinda, Olivia wasn't prepared for the things the other woman had in store for her.

Melinda had done things to Olivia's body that she'd never felt before. Luxurious things that Olivia wanted to experience again and again.

Groaning, Olivia reached over and grabbed her phone from the night stand to check the time.

"Fuck" she cursed as she noticed the time was 8:42 am. Olivia was due to be at work no later than 8.

She rolled over and frowned upon realizing she was the beds only occupant.

She sat up frantically looking for any signs of Melinda.

There were no sounds coming from the bathroom and Melinda's side of the bed was neatly made.

Deciding to call the doc she turned back to her nightstand. It was then that she noticed a folded up piece of paper with her name on it.

She sighed as she opened it up and read:

"Dear Liv,

Sorry I had to leave you like this but I was called in for work. Didn't have time to make you breakfast however you can feel free to help yourself to anything in the fridge. Toothbrushes and Towels are in the bathrooms linen closet. Please lock the front door behind you.

See you around,

Mel"

Olivia ran a finger through her hair not knowing what to think. Just as she got up her phone chimed indicating a message.

"Hey Liv,

How did it go with Mel? Were you able to put in a good word for me? Fin"

"Shit" Olivia grunted. Fin hadn't crossed her mind once last night as she took Melinda to bed and now she was feeling horrible about it.

"We need to sit down and talk about that. XoXo Liv"

She text back before going to the bathroom and freshening up.

Knowing that she wouldn't have time to go home and change before going to work, Olivia threw on the clothes she wore yesterday and rushing out the house making sure to lock it behind her.

Olivia Benson, what the fuck have you done? She thought to herself as she drove to work.

When Olivia walked through the station doors, she saw Fin and Amanda sitting across from each other while her and Nick's desks were both empty. She remembered Nick mentioning requesting off for a family reunion so she didn't think much of it.

Her mind was on what she would say to Fin and hoping he would take it okay. She wasn't sure how deep his feelings ran for Melinda however, if last night was any indication Olivia figured Mel's feelings may not have been the same.

Just as she got the nerve to approach Fin, Cragen came out of his office.

"Benson, we just caught a case. Details on this slip, take Fin with you," Cragen ordered.

Fin heard the orders just as Olivia did and stood up to accompany her.

Looking at the slip Olivia dreaded the fifteen minute car ride it would take to get to their location.

As they entered the sedan Fin took the driver's seat while Olivia opted for the passenger.

"You okay Liv?" Fin questioned noticing Olivia's silence.

"Uh yeah I'm good. Why you ask?"

"Because you haven't said two words since walking in the station even though you sent me a text saying we needed to talk." Fin said with concern in his voice.

"Yeah but I don't think now is a good time," Olivia said honestly. No matter what, the detectives of SVU functioned so well because they knew how to separate personal and professional.

They both stayed quiet for the duration of the ride before pulling up to the abandoned lot that was their crime scene.

Blue lights and uniformed cops were blocking off the perimeters as nosey neighbors tried to get a closer look at what was going on.

Olivia and Fin went under the police tape and walked up to the victim.

Olivia's breathe caught as she noticed Melinda's Bouncy curls from behind as she stooped down to look over the victim.

"What do we have?" Fin asked as they reached the ME.

"Female victim somewhere between 13 and 17 years of age no id was found, signs of strangulation and sexual assault based on the bruising of her thighs." She said as she looked up at the pair.

Seeing Melinda not blink an eye at Olivia left her confused.

"Any fluids," Fin asked snapping Olivia out of her train of thought.

"Yes, based on the amount of DNA the perp left behind, there is no way this was a professional job. My guess would be either date rape or rough sex gone badly," Melinda said giving her professional opinion.

"Do we have a time of death," Olivia asked looking at the battered young lady on the ground. Big brown lifeless eyes stared up at the sky and Olivia couldn't help but wondered what the young girl's last thoughts were as some bastard took her life from her.

"Based on body temperature I'd say within the past 4 hours. I'll know more once I get her to the office," Melinda responded noticing how Olivia looked at the victim. She couldn't help but wonder what was going through the detective's mind.

"That places it between three and seven o'clock this morning. Why would a young girl this age be roaming the streets that time of night?" Olivia said thinking out loud.

"Whatever she was doing, it was definitely with the wrong people," Fin said looking everywhere but at the victim.

"Call us when you have more," Olivia said to the ME as she and Fin walked back towards the sedan.

After arriving back to the station Olivia and Fin looked over their information and tried to think of scenarios for a young girl that age to have been at some abandoned lot that time of morning.

"Hey Liv, let's go grab a coffee. There's nothing else we can do here until Warner finishes her exam anyway," Fin said wanting to get out of the station.

Olivia hesitated for a moment. She knew Fin would want to talk about Melinda and Olivia wanted to avoid that at all cost. She was about to decline until she looked at Fin's eyes. She thought of Fin as a brother and the last thing she wanted to do was keep something like this from him. She knew he would respect her honesty more than if she lied.

"Sure," she said softly getting up to go with Fin.

Fifteen minutes later Olivia and Fin sat at a small table in the coffee shop across from the station. They both sat in silence until Olivia finally broke.

"We need to talk," Olivia said avoiding Fin's gaze.

"What's wrong baby girl?" Fin asked noticing something was wrong with his friend.

"I uh, I did something that could possibly hurt you and our friendship," Olivia said now looking down at her hands as she twirled her thumbs.

"Liv after everything you did for me and my son, it would take a lot to hurt our friendship," Fin said trying to sooth her fears.

"I slept with Mel" Olivia blurted out still avoiding Fin's eyes.

Silence once again filled the table as Olivia waited for Fin's reaction.

"I'm so so so sorry," Olivia began to stammer out. "If there's anything I can do to make this right please…"

Olivia was cut off by Fin's sobs as he buried his face in his hands.

"Fin please" she begged as fin continued to sob.

Threatened by her own tears Olivia stared at her friend wishing there was something she could do. Just when she was sure she couldn't hate herself even more, Fin lifted his face out of his hands.

In that moment Olivia realized that his sobs were actually laughs.

"What the fuck is so funny?" Olivia asked suddenly angry.

Fin couldn't stop laughing. "I'm sorry baby girl but damn, is there any woman in Manhattan that you haven't slept with?" Fin asked laughter still heavy in his voice.

"You're not mad?" Olivia asked.

"Nah Liv. How can I be mad at you for hooking up with someone I'm not in a relationship with." He asked honestly.

"I just know you like her," she said not looking in his eyes.

"I mean I was interested in getting to know her but the fact is I don't really know her outside of work. You should have told me you have feelings for her," Fin responded seriously.

"Feelings?" Olivia questioned. "No I don't have feelings; it was just a one-time thing. You know I don't double dip my chips," Olivia said dismissing the notion that there was more to her and Melinda.

"Yeah I know you," Fin said looking at the woman who over the years had become one of his best friends, "I also that you and I have had women in common before namely Alex Cabot and that didn't bother you".

"It doesn't bother me," she said nonchalantly.

"So why are you treating you and Melinda hooking up as if it's the end of any chance I may have with her?" he asked his friend.

"It's not," Olivia dismissed, "If you still want to than by all means".

Fin was quiet for a moment as if in deep thought.

"I love you Liv," he finally spoke again. "I love you and I want nothing but the best for you. Melinda is the best. If there is any chance that you have feelings for her, don't miss out on the best thing that could possibly happen to you all because you are afraid to let yourself love. "

Fin rarely got into Olivia's personal life but when he did, she knew it was out of love and concern for her.

"I don't know Fin, I mean she's just getting out of a marriage and I'm damaged as fuck. No relationships built under those circumstances can possibly work," Olivia responded.

"I can't tell you what to do Liv. I've known you long enough to know that I could talk until I'm blue in the face. You're still going to do whatever it is that you want. All I can ask is that you think about what I'm saying. I mean the fact that you've even thought this much about it puts her closer to your heart than any other of your women has been?" Fin said knowing that he'd said all he could. Whatever happened now was up to Melinda and Olivia.

He just hoped his friend knew that there were no ill wishes on his part and that he would support her.

Olivia was quiet as her thoughts drifted to Melinda. Until recently Melinda was just a friend. A friend that she came to whenever she needed to talk or whenever she needed someone to have her back. The ring on Melinda's finger was there as a constant reminder that the woman was not an option so Olivia never even entertained the possibility of more.

Between finding out Melinda was divorced and spending more time with her Olivia felt herself wondering things she never wondered before. Like what type of music Melinda liked and what her favorite music was and even how the doctor liked her coffee.

Those things may seem minimum to most people but to Olivia it was massive. It was the first indication to her that she was starting to care. That scared her more than anything.

Suddenly Olivia has hit with the strong urge to run away and never look back.

TBC