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Chapter 3
Alex and Olivia awoke the next morning to the oh-so-melodic tones of the phone beside the bed ringing with their wake up call. Which was, in itself, quite impressive because to have gotten to the hotel's wake-up call meant that they'd managed to either turn off or ignore two cell phones and the travel alarm that Alex had set up on the nightstand.
"Fuck is it?" Olivia grumbled as she reflexively shied away from the ear-splitting sound.
Alex, not much more coherent than her lover, searched blindly for her glasses. A victorious "aha" accompanied their placement upon her face and a loud "shit!" echoed through the room as she spotted the time. Knowing that the annoying ringing would continue until somebody answered the damned phone, she climbed on top of Olivia – who had hidden her head under a pillow – to answer the phone.
"Hello?"
"Ms. Cabot, good morning," an annoyingly perky voice answered. "This is Lindy at the front desk with your requested wake-up call."
"Mmm, thank you," Alex mumbled as she slammed the phone back down in its cradle.
"Whosit?" came Olivia's muffled query.
"Front desk," Alex sighed as she maneuvered herself so she was laying completely on top of Olivia. "Wake up call," she extrapolated as she assumed, quite correctly, that the brunette wasn't functioning at full speed yet.
"Don' wanna wake up," Olivia mumbled. "Comfy," she explained as she wiggled her ass up into Alex's crotch.
"Mmm," Alex moaned as she pushed up enough to run her tongue across the width of Olivia's shoulders. "Then I guess I'll just have to get in that big shower all by myself," she sighed dramatically before delivering a playful nip to the brunette's scapula.
Olivia's response of, "Have fun," was, to say the least, not what Alex was expecting or desiring; so, in hopes of changing her lover's mind, she began placing slow sensual kisses down the detective's back until her mouth hovered above a perfect globe of flesh.
"Please?" she murmured against the cheek, adding a light circular lick for emphasis.
"Nuh-uh," Olivia wiggled under her.
"Then you leave me no choice," Alex replied as she bit down on what she considered to be the most luscious ass on the planet.
"Hiyeeeeee!" Olivia yelped, her body bucking hard enough to lift Alex off of her for a second – which was all the time she needed to flip over and wrap the blonde in a strong embrace. "What was that for?" she demanded.
Alex, who was laughing hysterically, fought to control her breathing enough to choke out, "Motivation," before succumbing to another round of giggles.
"To do what?"
"Let me eat you?" Alex purred, a playful smile tweaking her lips as she slipped a hand between their bodies to run an exploratory finger through Olivia's slit . She tilted her head to the side, her smile growing – if possible – even larger as she heard Olivia's breath catch and felt her heartbeat pounding double time under her breast.
"We gotta get in the shower," Olivia finally husked as she released the blonde and moved to climb out of bed.
"That's what I was sayin'!" Alex laughed loudly. "Uh oh," she muttered as Olivia stood up beside the bed.
"What?"
"Nothing," Alex replied quickly, a little too quickly. "Nothing at all."
"Damn Alex," Olivia grumbled as she walked across the room towards the bath, her left hand dropping to massage her wounded glutei. "My ass really hurts where you bit me."
"I bet it does," Alex murmured to herself, wincing slightly at the bruise that was already growing.
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Alex stood in front of the floor length mirror, already rushed and mildly frantic about being late for court due to their incredibly erotic extended shower, and frowned as she tugged at the collar of her shirt. "Dammit Liv, couldn't you have marked me in a less conspicuous place?"
Olivia poked her head out of the bathroom and grinned. "Po'ly," she mumbled around a mouth full of toothpaste. "Ho on," she waved her toothbrush at the completely flustered blonde as she ducked back into the bathroom from which the clear sounds of spitting and running water spewed forth before the brunette reappeared wiping her mouth on a towel. "Sorry," she apologized.
"Liv," Alex whined as she turned an waved at her throat. "Really? I look like I got into a fight with a Hoover and lost."
"Nah," Olivia shook her head as she leaned in close to examine her handiwork. Damn, I really got her good. "Definitely not a Hoover. The one down by your collarbone is more of a Hoover mark, that one," she gently touched the darker bruise just under Alex's jaw that the blonde seemed most upset about, "is too dark. That's more of a Dyson," she offered with what she hoped was an adorable enough smile to get her out of trouble. "Better suction."
Alex scowled and turned back to the mirror as she began to once again attempt to readjust her collar to hide the mark. "I will get you back for this," she mumbled petulantly.
"Alex," Olivia laughed. "Did you not notice the scratches down my back when we were in the shower earlier? Or the rather impressive bruise growing on my ass that just so happens to be a perfect match to a certain ADA's dental pattern?"
"But nobody else can see those!" Alex argued. "This," she waved at her throat once more, "this is insane!"
Olivia had to fight to keep from laughing because, really, Alex was right. It was a damned impressive hickey. Abbie was definitely going to have a field day with this one. "Do you want to try and swing by a store on the way to court to buy a turtleneck? You could change in a bathroom at the courthouse," she offered by way of a peace offering.
Alex checked her watch. "Don't have time. And," she glanced at her reflection, "a turtleneck would so not go with this suit."
"Well, you know what the guys always say …," Olivia sighed.
"Game face?" Alex groaned, knowing that she didn't have any other options.
"Game face," Olivia nodded encouragingly. "And, I mean, hey! At least you don't work with these people every day. You're just some New York City hotshot coming down to steal their prisoner away."
"Not helping Liv," Alex pursed her lips as she, yet again, tried – and failed – to adjust her shirt to cover the mark.
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Alex rolled her eyes as she caught the smirk the security guard at the door flashed their way as she and Olivia shuffled through the metal detector and she quickly retrieved her satchel from the x-ray machine and set a furious pace to Courtroom B – which the smirking guard had informed her was at the end of the hall on the left. She wanted to think that his interest in them was due to the protective hand Olivia had placed in the small of her back, but her better judgment theorized that it was most likely due to the gigantic hickey on her neck.
"Everybody's staring at this ginormous mark on my neck," she grumbled under her breath at Olivia who was keeping pace right behind her.
"No they're not," Olivia assured her.
"Hey! Aren't you the woman from that YouTube video?" the guard positioned outside the courtroom asked loudly, too damned loudly judging by the number of heads that whipped around to focus on them.
Olivia smiled politely as she leaned in to whisper into Alex's ear, "Told you it wasn't the hickey they were staring at."
Alex turned to stare at Olivia. "Really? You think nobody noticed…"
"Wow!" the guard cried out. "That hickey is HUGE!"
"Told you," Alex muttered.
"Oh, hey! You are the women from that video," he continued loudly as he pointed a beefy finger at Olivia. "You're the one who started the song!"
"Yes," Olivia rolled her eyes. "Detective Olivia Benson," she flashed her shield. "I'm here to escort ADA Cabot to the extradition hearing that is to be held inside this courtroom, do you think you could let us by?"
The guard's eyes flicked back and forth from Olivia's shield to her face and then back again before he asked, almost breathlessly, as he dug a notebook from his pocket, "Can I have your autograph?"
"Fine," Olivia snapped as she grabbed the pad from his pudgy hand and took the pen that Alex offered. She quickly scribbled her name and handed the notebook back to him. "There, now can we go?"
"Can I get her autograph too?" he asked, indicating Alex with an almost reverent nod of his head.
"Charlie?" Olivia turned to smile at Alex. "Would you care to sign Officer," she turned to read his nametag, "Peabody's makeshift autograph book?"
"Of course," Alex smiled regally as she took the book and signed with a flourish, To Officer Peabody, Lots of hugs and hickeys, Charlie.
"Oh thank you," Peabody beamed as Alex handed him his book back. "Good luck with your hearing!"
"Uh huh, yeah," Olivia grumbled as she ushered Alex into the courtroom before her.
"He was certainly friendly," Alex leaned back and whispered to Olivia as the brunette guided her down the narrow corridor bisecting the courtroom. Just as they reached the dividing banister the bailiff bellowed court into session.
"Good luck," Olivia smiled as she took a seat in the first row behind Alex.
Alex smirked her usual Like I really need luck smirk before she turned to set her satchel onto the table and stand at attention as the presiding judge entered and took her seat at the bench.
Olivia let her attention wander as the judge walked the counselors through the expected protocol for the hearing that morning, focusing instead on the quiet chatter from the other people sitting in the gallery.
"No, dude, I'm telling you! The smokin' hot blonde that just walked in is the girl from the video!"
"Isn't that the woman who was serenaded in the bar in that YouTube video?"
"Wow, did you see the size of the hickey on her neck? She looks like she got up close and personal with Mister Dyson."
"The handsome Detective over there sure looks like that Butchy McFabulous cop who serenaded the blonde – do you think the blonde she walked in with is the one from the video?"
"Oh dear lord," Olivia muttered under her breath.
"Excuse me," a quiet voice to Olivia's left whispered.
"Yes?" Olivia turned to face a woman who was looking rather excited about something.
"I just had to tell you that I absolutely love you in your YouTube video," the woman gushed. "And I would be so much better for you than that skinny blonde. Can I have your autograph?"
Judge Preston, from her position high above the court had a clear line of sight to Detective Benson who she saw was being accosted by an energetic woman with a notebook, banged her gavel sharply three times. "Ladies and Gentlemen," she called out authoritatively. "This is a court of law. I strongly suggest you remember that and conduct yourselves accordingly."
Alex, who had been feigning interest in the yada-yadas and the whosits-whatsits, turned to find Olivia trying to evade a strange woman's advances. "Your Honor," she turned back to address the bench, "May I approach?"
Judge Preston tented her hands in front of her face and nodded so Alex and the State of Pennsylvania's representative counsel made their way up to the bench. Alex had to fight to ignore the leering smirk on the other attorney's face and she silently vowed to herself that she would kill Abbie Carmichael.
"Ms. Cabot," Judge Preston nodded at Alex. "Wow, that is quite a hickey."
"Ummm, thank you?" Alex frowned before trying to steer the conversation back onto topic. "Your Honor, It would appear that the Detective who's escorted me to court today is drawing an undue amount of attention from the other persons in the gallery and I was wondering if, perhaps, a slight breach of protocol might be warranted in this instance by allowing Detective Benson to sit second chair?"
"Is she a member of the bar?"
"No, Your Honor," Alex replied. "But by the gaggle of women queuing up behind that rather forward redhead I am thinking it would be more expedient to the proceedings we are here to discuss today if we could separate Detective Benson from her admiring throng."
"Why does she have such a following?" Judge Preston inquired looking genuinely interested.
Game Face Cabot. "A … friend of ours posted a video of Detective Benson and the rest of her squad serenading me in a bar on YouTube. Apparently the video is quite popular."
"So you are the blonde from that video!" the state of Pennsylvania's counsel shouted, his words echoing through the courtroom and igniting a firestorm of 'see I told you's and started another rush of women, and men, toward Olivia asking for autographs.
"This is a fucking circus," Alex muttered under her breath.
"Language, Ms. Cabot," Judge Preston chastised.
"Sorry, Your Honor."
"Although I do agree with you," Judge Preston nodded. "I shall allow Detective Benson to sit at your table, don't make me regret it."
"We won't, Your Honor," Alex nodded. "Thank you."
"Oh, and Ms. Cabot?"
"Yes, Your Honor?"
Judge Preston winked. "Next time pack a turtleneck."
Alex nodded quickly, an embarrassed blush tinting her cheeks, before turning to face the gallery. She motioned Olivia closer and muttered, "You can come sit by me."
A look of pure relief crossed Olivia's face and she eagerly stood and walked through the swinging doors to take the empty chair beside Alex's. "Jealous?" she leaned in and murmured.
"I can send you back to the wolves," Alex threatened with a smile.
"Dear god no," Olivia groaned.
"Alright," Judge Preston's voice rang out. "Now, in order to keep these proceedings moving, in what I hope will be an appropriate manner, I have allowed Detective Benson to sit by Ms. Cabot who is here representing the state of New York. In return for this favor…"
"What?" Alex's eyebrows shot up.
"…in return for this favor they will both stay after this matter is settled and court is adjourned to sign autographs. Now, Mister Randall," she nodded at the dark haired schmuck who was still leering at Alex, "what say you in the matter of the State of New York's petition for the extradition of Mister Stevens?"
Randall made a strong case, but in the end Alex's argument that Stevens was charged with four Class B felonies –including an illegal firearm possession charge – in New York which, in the matter of public safety, should trump the single Class D felony he was arraigned on in Philadelphia was enough to win her the extradition motion. Olivia stood and followed Stevens and the court security through the doors leading to the corridor behind the courtroom and supervised the transfer of the prisoner from custody of the State of Pennsylvania to the US Marshalls who were to make sure that he made it up to Rikers by the end of the day.
"You guys are going to run him straight up there?" she inquired as she flipped through the paperwork on the clipboard containing Stevens' transfer authorization.
"Yup," the younger Marshall nodded. "He'll be making new friends by dinner."
"Lovely," Olivia nodded as she signed off on the paperwork and handed it over to the older looking Marshall.
"That's quite a hickey your ADA has on her neck," the man smiled as he tore the sheets he needed off the clipboard and slipped them into a file he was holding.
"It is, isn't it?" Olivia answered noncommittally with a smile. "Thanks boys."
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Alex followed Olivia, who was following the maître d', through the crowded restaurant to a secluded table in the back, doing her damndest to ignore the excited whispers and pointing fingers that their presence seemed to beget. She smiled her thanks to the tuxedoed woman, who thankfully treated her with the appropriate level of pompous disregard that the menu prices in this particular establishment warranted, and daintily lowered herself into her chair as she took the proffered wine list from the woman and set it down on the table.
"Oh my god," she groaned when the maître d' had left them alone with the promise of 'your server will be right with you'. "Seriously? Almost an hour signing autographs?"
"My hand hurts," Olivia grumbled as she flexed her fingers. "Can I shoot Abbie?"
"No," Alex shook her head as she picked up the wine list. "That would be too fast of a death for her. We need to come up with something that is more … tortuous."
Olivia was about to respond when a twenty-something blue blood in a black Armani suit and a predictable red power tie came up to their table. "I'm sorry, but my friends and I were wondering if you are the women from the YouTube video? With the Top Gun song?"
Alex turned to look at the young man and nodded. "Indeed we are. Is there something we can help you with? We are trying to enjoy a relaxed lunch here."
"Wow," the young man gaped. "Nice hickey!"
Alex rolled her eyes and Olivia jumped in, "Look, bud. Do you need something?"
The young man fumbled in his pockets for a moment before presenting a pen and a wrinkled up receipt. "Can I have your autograph?"
"Oh fuck me," Alex grumbled as Olivia took the pen and prepared to sign.
"I could do that," the young man perked up.
"Alright," Olivia dropped the pen onto the table as she stood and flashed her gun at the young man. "You know what, you need to go back to your table buckaroo."
"But you have my pen," he whined.
"It's an imitation Montblanc," Alex told him. "Go away before I have the good Detective here arrest you for assaulting an officer of the court."
"Fine, sorry," he grumbled as he quickly reached in to snatch his pen off of the white tablecloth before beating a hasty retreat to his table where three identically clad young men were laughing and pointing at him.
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Seventy two minutes, fifteen autographs, and a handful comments about the 'size of that hickey' later Alex and Olivia left the restaurant and headed directly to the nearest Saks. Alex practically bought the department store out of their entire stock of turtlenecks and could only offer a tight smile that resembled more of a grimace to the fiftyish woman who rang up their purchases when the older woman commented about turtlenecks being a great way to hide 'love bites'.
"Don't you think this is going a little overboard?" Olivia laughed as she hefted the two heavy bags of clothes into the trunk of Alex's car.
"I bought some for you too," Alex informed her as she slid behind the wheel. "And we needed clothes for tomorrow night with Abbie too since neither of us packed for that."
"I stand corrected," Olivia surrendered.
Alex was about to respond when her phone beeped with an incoming email. She slid the key into the ignition and started the car as she glanced at the screen to see that the email was a hotel confirmation for the following night in Washington. "Have you ever heard of the Scenic Vistas hotel in DC?" she asked with a frown.
"Nope," Olivia shook her head. "But, it's not like I'm making a lot of trips down that way."
"Hmm," Alex murmured as she tossed her phone back into her bag. "Whatever," she shrugged as she made to exit the parking structure and head back to their hotel.