Olivia smiled widely as she and George toasted to their night on the town, the man chuckled as he watched her take a deep drink from her beer.

"So I know we got a little time to catch up at the precinct... But how's the love life been Liv?"

Her grinned widened despite her dislike of the topic, she had expected he would jump on it the first chance he got. She played with the edge of the label on her bottle, her eyes remaining lowered as she responded. "It's been alright, had someone recently but it was short lived."

"It wasn't your partner, was it? He is cute but it didn't take long to notice the wedding band."

She shot him a look, one brow arched. "No, not Amaro."

"Who then? Someone outside of the job?"

"You could say that... Either way, you don't know him. What about you? Any new flames in Oklahoma?"

She said, trying to switch the spot light away from her rather embarrassment love life or lack there of.

George laughed, "A few but none worth mentioning... They're nothing to write home about."

"So flings, oh. I didn't take you as that type!" She mocked, her cheeks tinged a slight rouge from the alcohol she'd consumed.

He laughed with a shake of his head, he then looked up towards the many drinks lining the bar. His eyes grew distant and unfocused for a moment before he turned back to the brunette.

"So what do you think of the newbie?" He asked, his eyes dancing mischievously.

"Nick is straight as an arrow, no chance there." She said, patting his shoulder with a cheeky grin.

The man furrowed his brows before taking another sip of his drink, "I figured as much... You're diverting the question Olivia."

"He's fine, really. He's a good guy, in many ways... He reminds me of Elliot, a younger version of him. He's got a lot to learn and I'm hoping his skin get's thick fast enough for him to stick around." She said honestly, her eyes dampening a bit as sadness creeped into them.

George was shocked she had mentioned her old partner, especially by name. Although it was evident she was still sad about the abrupt departure of her long time friend, it was a sign that she was beginning to move on.

"What about Amanda?" He asked, his eyes moving forward again briefly before flicking back to her own.

"She's good. She's a lot more intune with the job than Nick is. She still has some to learn... And I doubt she'll get a guy anytime soon based off of her disgust for the pigs we've been dealing with but other than that... She's adjusting quickly." After she finished, she took a deep drink from her beer.

"I don't think that's her problem with men." George replied in a quiet voice, his eyes closely watched the reaction on the brunette's face.

"What? You think she's gay?" Olivia scoffed, a small chuckle escaping her. "Just because a woman's dating life is slow and she isn't having luck with men doesn't make her a lesbian."

She sounded almost offended by the idea, Huang had to mentally check himself. Remembering that it was a sensitive subject for Olivia with the combination of her dating history and her being accused on more than one occasion of being gay herself.

"I just got the vibe from her when I was talking to her earlier, my gaydar is usually pretty spot on."

"Gaydar? Is that really a thing?" The woman wrinkled her nose in amusement, the alcohol definitely had her in quite a mood.

"Regardless of whether or not she's gay, she seems like she's running into a lot of friction here. I feel stressed just looking at the poor woman."

"Aren't you breaking the rules by telling me this?" Olivia said, her tone much more serious before.

George shook his head with a smile, "This has nothing to do with my evaluation Olivia, this is my viewing her outside of a small room. Absent a clip board."

Olivia chewed on the inside of her cheek, "I've been meaning to try to hang out with her outside of work... But things have been kind of crazy lately, all of these bizarre new attacks... And Fin told me she's been in therapy, I never know when she's available. And I don't want to bring up that subject if she hasn't mentioned it..." Her thoughts drifted back to the day she and Amaro had walked into the emotional conversation between Amanda and Cragen.

"Just try it, believe me. Even a little bit goes a long way, I can relate to how she and Amaro feel. A transfer after that long was painful, especially when it was that far away." He could see the wheels turning as Olivia considered what he was saying, he'd planted the seed. It was her turn to do something with it. He hoped that with any luck a friendship between the two of them would not only help Olivia fill the void left by Elliot's departure... But also make the younger woman feel more at home in her new surroundings.

He changed the subject, a smile covering his features as he told her more about his new life.

xxx

"You aren't driving home, are you?" George chuckled, a more serious expression clouding his inebriated features as he supported Olivia out of the bar.

"Of course not! I wouldn't risk my 'Stang." She pulled her wallet out of her coat pocket, double checking her cash before looking to her friend. "If you want a ride, I can take you to your hotel."

She offered, toning her own voice down a bit as she stood on the street with him. He shook his head with a smile.

"No thanks, I missed the city. I'm only about two blocks away so I'll walk and enjoy the view since this is the last night I'll be here for a while."

Olivia smiled as a Taxi pulled up to the curb, she pulled George into a tight embrace, "Don't stay away for too long, I missed you." She said, her voice trailing off as she squeezed him slightly.

"I missed you too Olivia, get home and get some rest. I'll give you a call tomorrow before I head out, if I don't have time to stop by the precinct."

She smiled as she ducked into the Taxi, "I'll hold you to that."

He waved as he watched the car pull away from the curb, his smile lingering as a chuckle escaped him. Some things never changed.

xxx

Amanda sat up, her body heavy and groggy. She squinted at the darkness that surrounded her, she was dreaming again.

So far everything seemed to be the same as before, the only light source was still the moon. She was back on the abandoned highway and although she didn't want to go towards the scene she knew would play out... But she knew she had no other choice.

After a few minutes of walking, Amanda heard the muffled sounds that reminded her she was drawing close to her destination. Instead of talking like she had the first time, the blonde remained quiet.

Amanda moved forward toward the sound, crouching silently behind the same car she had during the first dream.

Although at first glance everything seemed the same, the woman quickly realized there was a slight difference this time around.

There was no gun, instead there was a long stick laying next to the infected woman who was tearing at the corpse.

The infected still appeared the same and Amanda guessed it would still resemble herself when it turned around. Not wanting to linger in the dream longer than necessary, she moved forward and wrapped her fingers around the branch.

She rolled back onto her heels before standing, her knuckles going white as she held the branch firmly in her hand. "Get off of her." She spat out coldly, she sick woman paused as she heard the words her head twisting around eerily as she looked for the source.

Amanda glanced passed the familiar features to make sure that the next part of the dream was still the same and quickly found that it was. She could feel bile rising in the back of her throat as her eyes fell over the grotesque features of Olivia Benson.

The blonde waited silently for the creature to stumble forward, she pulled the branch back before swinging forward forcibly with a grunt.

Her eyes widened as the branch splintered upon contact, it had felt so much sturdier in her hands.

The pale face loomed closer, the blow had barely even caused the creature to stumble. Moving backwards Amanda almost forgot about the body that was on the ground behind her, she swore as her foot connected and she fell backwards.

Her eyes widened as the previously blurred features came into view, the painfully contorted face of George Huang lay just inches away. His eyes blankly staring forward, mouth gaping in a silent scream.

She was torn from the distorted features as she felt a sudden pain blossom across her shoulder and a weight tipping against her lower body. She tried to fight off the sickly and infected form of herself but it was useless. Although the decaying flesh stripped easily from the bone with the help of her nails, the blonde couldn't out muscle the mindless creature. She cried out as it bit deeply into her left bicep, she grit her teeth and slammed her right hand down towards its head. There was a sickening squish as the branch sunk deep into the eye socket of her attacker but the pain it would have felt she felt instead.

Amanda cried out again before everything went black, a searing pain flashing across her eye and forehead as she felt herself once again slip into darkness. She waited quietly, knowing that consciousness would soon come.

She was jolted from sleep suddenly, her heart racing. Sweat made her hair cling to her face and neck, she breathed in deeply. Taking in as much of the cool air from her apartment as she could.

She jumped again as knocking sounded on her door, glancing towards her kitchen she frowned as she read the time. 1 a.m.

Swearing under her breath as she crawled out of her warm little nest, the blonde made her way quickly to the door. She double checked that her gun was hidden and within reach before lining her eye up briefly with the peep hole.

Her eyes widened and she instantly moved to slide the chain lock free before moving onto the deadbolt and finally, the lock on the door knob.

"Olivia?" She asked as she peered around the door, the brunette flashed her a wide smile.

"Sorry, I know it's late." The older woman replied, walking passed Amanda and into the blonde's apartment once she'd pulled the door open wider.

As Olivia passed, Amanda noted the strong smell of alcohol that accompanied her.

A blush tinted the shorter woman's cheeks as she noticed the brunette's expression, none of her coworkers other than her partner had seen her apartment before.

"This is a nice place you've got." Olivia said, taking in the quaint but homey rustic feel of the exposed brick and stained wood.

"Thanks... It's a work in progress, as I'm sure you can tell." Amanda replied, rubbing gently at the back of her neck.

"Yeah but it's coming along well, are you doing it all yourself?" The woman asked, a hint of surprise in her voice. She stared at where the older wood met the freshly stained wood panels before they were swallowed up by the shadows leading back into the kitchen and the hallway beside it.

"Yeah, slowly but surely... Kind of my project outside of the job, I usually get up early and do a little before work and leave the windows open."

"Ah, that's why it's so cold in here." Olivia said, another smile catching her lips as she turned to face the younger woman. She couldn't help but notice the lack of clothing the other woman was wearing, she guessed she'd caught her sleeping. Her eyes swept over the athletic form quickly, worried she might be caught if she lingered. She traced up the long, well muscled legs. Her pulse quickened as her eyes moved passed the small boy short panties and up, along what she could see of the toned stomach.

Amanda caught the tail end of the brunette's staring, she suddenly became very aware of not only the temperature but also her lack of pants and bra.

Goose bumps immediately began to spread over the exposed portions of her body, "Make yourself at home! I was just getting ready to start some tea, would you like some?" She lied, fumbling over her words as she turned to deadbolt the door while they talked.

"Water, please?" Olivia asked as she took a seat on the smaller of the two couches, her eyes took in the crumbled blanket on the other.

Amanda nodded, mentally smacking her forehead for not offering that first. She hurriedly filled her tea kettle before placing it on the stove, she then turned and fetched one of her nicer glasses. She filled it from the small water dispenser on the front of her refrigerator.

"I'll be right back."

Olivia nodded her thanks for the water, sitting back again and watching as the younger woman disappeared back the hallway.

She emerged several minutes later, now sporting a pair of running shorts and a pull over hoodie. Olivia took another sip of her water as Amanda's attention was quickly diverted back into the kitchen as the tea kettle began to whistle.

"Sorry... I'll be out in a sec." The blonde mumbled, blushing slightly and tucking a stray piece of hair back behind her ear.

Olivia chuckled, "It's okay really, I should be the one apologizing again for how late it is." She reassured, pointedly averting her eyes as the younger woman headed back to the kitchen. She knew she'd been caught a bit the last time, she didn't want to risk it again.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, slamming her eyes shut. What was going on?

Her mind drifted back to the conversation not so long ago with George, "I just got the vibe from her when I was talking to her earlier, my gaydar is usually pretty spot on."

'Well, if she is gay... Blatantly staring at her whether you're drunk or not is definitely not going to send the signal you're intending to.' Olivia thought, trying to shake herself out of the odd mood.

"Are you okay?"

Olivia looked up, Amanda was just taking a seat on the larger couch. She was careful to not spill any of the hot tea from her mug as she did.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired." She chewed on her lip for a moment, carefully selecting the words she was about to say. "I wanted to apologize." She began, her eyes staying planted to the clear liquid moving gently in her glass.

Amanda's brows furrowed, "For what?" She asked, taking advantage of the brunette's pause.

"For my behavior... Towards you." Olivia said, mentally cursing as everything she'd intended to say came out in pieces.

Amanda sat back, steam gently moving passed her face. The smell of the peppermint helping to calm her own nerves as she waited for the other woman to continue.

"It was wrong for me to treat you so coldly, especially since you treated me with nothing but kindness and respect..."

Amanda smiled, warmth was budding in her chest at the apology. Although she hadn't been expecting it at all.

"You have nothing to apologize for, I know what was going on... You were upset-"

"That's no excuse. I was unprofessional, I had no reason to treat you or Amaro the way that I did."

They sat in silence for a few seconds before Amanda's soft voice answered, "Apology accepted."

Olivia raised her brown eyes to meet the blue ones watching her intently, she wanted to argue and apologize more. But she realized that it was probably a combination of the lingering alcohol in her system and her stubborn nature. She really had wanted a better relationship with the younger woman and she'd been flattered when Amanda had complimented her past cases on her first day.

She wondered, how things would have been if she hadn't acted like such a bitch. She took another sip of her water, trying to calm and rid her body of the effects of the alcohol that still lingered.

She could feel that Amanda's eyes were still watching her, a warmth began to spread up the back of her neck. She glanced towards her watch, "I should go, sorry again for stopping by so late..."

"Olivia, it's okay." Amanda said, placing her mug down on a coaster on the coffee table in front of her. She caught the older woman's arm as she moved to rush towards the door, "Hey, wait."

Olivia looked at her sheepishly, the behavior was odd for the brunette. Definitely not something the younger woman was used to, "You should stay here tonight, it's late. You can have my bed, I'll stay out on the couch. I'll take you to your place in the morning so you can shower and grab a fresh pair of clothes." The blonde offered, her voice soft.

Olivia chewed on her lip, fighting down the urge to blush as best she could. "It's okay, I can make it home alright."

Amanda frowned slightly, "Olivia, please. With all of these attacks that have been going on... I'd feel a lot better if you didn't go out again tonight, plus you shouldn't be driving..."

The brunette chuckled suddenly, "I didn't drive. I promise."

She watched as Amanda crossed her arms, obviously she wasn't going to take no for an answer. "Okay, I'll stay."

Amanda smiled, her features brightening considerably once the brunette gave in.

"But you're sleeping in your own bed." Olivia said, her voice hinting that she wouldn't change her mind this time.

"Really, I don't mind... The couch is really comfy." The brunette held back a chuckle, she guessed that the blonde had been intending on sleeping on the couch anyway.

"You need your rest, take the bed."

xxx

"Do you need anything else?" Amanda asked, rubbing at her neck as she looked over the couch. She'd gotten a pillow, fixed the comforter and refilled the other woman's water.

"No, I can't think of anything" Olivia responded, placing her neatly folded clothing on the shorter couch.

Amanda couldn't help but take a moment to admire how Olivia looked in her sweat pants and tee shirt. The baggy pants were a little too long for her but they fit the brunette perfectly. The shirt however was a little small, accenting the other woman's bigger bust.

"Well, just let me know if you do need anything." She said, a faint blush tinting her cheeks as she flashed a smile Olivia's way before heading back to her bedroom.

xxx

Amanda groaned, her eyes fluttering open as she tossed and turned. She was tired but she couldn't seem to get comfortable. She's set the bed up as soon as she'd moved in, but the piece of furniture was right next to the window. It had been the only practical place to put it with the closet door and bedroom door being located where they were. She could see the shadow of the fire escape on the blinds, her mind beginning to go over all of the possible scenarios of someone breaking in.

Her thoughts however were cut short, as a sound in the opposite direction caught her attention. She watched her door, which was open just a crack. After several minutes of silence she laid back down.

Her mind was finally getting ready to give into sleep when she heard another creak of the floor boards. She moved to open her left eye but the heavy and stubborn lid refused to lift. Snuggling deeper into the covers the woman shook it off before she again became alert.

She felt the bed shift slightly, finding this hard to ignore the blonde propped herself up on her forearms.

"Olivia?" She asked, not even attempting to hide the surprise in her voice.

"I couldn't sleep and I could hear you tossing and turning in here... Thought maybe you couldn't either." The brunette responded, still seated towards the lower end of the bed.

Amanda gulped, grateful for the darkness that surrounded them. She could feel her cheeks burn as her mind began to race, this time playing out a bunch of completely different scenarios.

"Amanda?" Olivia asked, leaning in towards the younger woman. The small stream of light coming in from the window catching her face as she did. "Are you tired?"

Amanda remained silent for a moment, her throat dry. "No." Not anymore.

Her pulse began to speed up as she saw the brunette's cheek turn up into a smile, the woman began a slow approach.

Without a word Olivia pushed her back down onto the bed, her warm lips brushing against Amanda's. The blonde's eyes fluttered shut, her hands made their way to the other woman's sides as she positioned her body above her.

They broke the kiss, breathing a little harder than before. Amanda blinked, taking in what little she could see of the scene that was unfolding. Olivia was straddling her now, the smile still covered the lower half of her face.

She lowered her body again, her nose brushing against Amanda's jaw line. Coaxing the blonde into turning her head, as soon as it was turned Olivia's mouth began moving against it expertly.

Amanda watched the window through half lidded eyes, a small moan escaping her as Olivia nipped at her ear lobe.

She arched slightly her mouth falling open again as she felt a warm hand moving down her tensed abdomen, "Relax..." A husky whisper breathed against her neck and ear, she shivered in response.

She blinked trying to catch her breath as the other woman's hand slowly continued it's descent until fingers brushed gently against the waist band of her shorts. The younger woman's mind was buzzing, electricity sparking across her skin in a trail following the gentle finger strokes.

Olivia slid her body down a little, her hand retracting briefly as she did. As she moved she brought her lips along the exposed expanse of neck before it, she smiled into the kisses as Amanda began to respond again. Her breath hitching and body squirming slightly beneath the brunette.

Amanda was blushing furiously, her eyes were rolled back behind fluttering lids. She moaned again, louder as Olivia's sucked gently on her collar bone. She then continued her mouth's descent across the exposed and flushed skin of Amanda's chest.

Her hand had returned to the blonde's hips, sliding beneath the fabric of the shorts. Her thumb teased the sensitive flesh there, moving painfully slow back and forth.

The younger woman let out a shuddering gasp as the brunette's teeth teased her nipple through the thin fabric of her tank top.

"'Liv..." Amanda whimpered, her eyes catching Olivia's as the woman looked up. She had smelled the scent of alcohol still clinging to the older woman's breath, the coherent part of her mind was focused on that. Was it the alcohol that was making this happen? Was she still drunk?

Olivia's eyes remained locked with the blonde's, her fingers slipping a little further into the shorts. Amanda's back arched, her head falling back further into her pillow. And all thoughts of why it was happening disappeared.

xxx

Olivia's eyes snapped open, she sat up. Her ears straining to hear the sound that had woken her up. She could hear groaning and the rustling of covers coming from down the hallway, 'Amanda...'

The brunette threw back the comforter, she got up quickly and made her way back to the blonde's bedroom.

"Amanda, wake up. You're having a nightmare." She said in a soft voice, placing a firm hand on the girl's shoulder before shaking her gently.

The blonde's eyes fluttered open slowly, a slow smile following. "'Livia?" She asked, her voice rough from sleep.

"Yes, you were having a bad dream." The brunette repeated, retracting her hand and putting it on her lap. "Are you okay?"

Amanda's brows furrowed, she pushed herself up on her forearms. "Yeah, I'm fine." She realized now that she'd been dreaming and that this was the first time the other woman had entered her room.

"I just wanted to make sure... When I was outside your apartment earlier, when I first got here... I heard you cry out, I figured you'd been sleeping once I got inside and saw the blanket on the couch."

"Yeah... I've been having some pretty intense dreams the last couple of nights... Sorry about that." She said, a blush coloring her cheeks. 'Good, at least she thinks it was a nightmare this time too.'

Olivia reached her hand back over to grasp the younger detective's, her thumb moving gently across the back of Amanda's. "You'll probably have them for a while... But you're a strong woman, it will pass with time. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, sleep well."

Amanda smiled, trying to ignore the electricity that shot through her hand at the affectionate but simple touch. "Thanks, you too. Night, Olivia."