"We all kiss our girlfriends in college Amanda"

Amanda had replayed the words in her head more times than she cared to admit. Just the thought of younger Olivia kissing women sent her insides into a spin. She'd seen some old pictures of Olivia too, ones of her early days in SVU that Cragen found while packing up his things. Cropped hair, eyes shining with attitude and determination… slightly butcher outfits. God, who could possibly say no to that.

Amanda was intrigued. She felt a strange energy in their exchanges ever since that night that Liv had caught her out. Although she occasionally second guessed herself - was it just her own attraction blinding her? - she felt that if given the opportunity to dig a bit more she might find some surprising truths about one Lieutenant Olivia Benson.

But opportunity was the problem. Sure their work put them in close proximity… but that proximity was rarely alone, and as a single mum Olivia didn't socialise with the team as much as she had in the old days.

Lying on her couch with Frannie on a Sunday afternoon Amanda mulled things over. What was it they said? If Mohammed won't come to the mountain, then bring the Mountain to Mohammed? It was unlikely that fate would throw her another moment alone with Olivia anytime soon, so she'd just have to create one herself.

She rubbed Frannie's ears thoughtfully. On what pretext could she coax Olivia to a bar. Whose birthday was coming up?

Frannie nuzzled her, panting and a stringy wet pool of drool landed on Amanda's chest.

'Ewww, Frannie! You're worse than a kid sometimes!' She lovingly admonished her dog.

At that thought her mind started rolling and she suddenly thought of the perfect plan. She tousled Frannies ears lovingly. 'hey girl, you wanna make some new friends?'

...

Amanda loitered at her desk, slowly packing up her things and flicking through her emails, one eye on Olivia's office door. She needed her timing to be perfect. As soon as Liv headed for the door, Amanda would be ready to join her, and grab a few minutes to talk in the lift. It was Wednesday and every day that week something had got in the way of her pulling it off. Today Liv hadn't budged though, and Amanda was starting to wonder how she would be able to justify putting in overtime, when finally she sensed some movement in her periphery.

Olivia slid into her coat and grabbed her bag, happy to be heading out reasonably on time today. She was trying to remember what was left in her fridge and think of what she could conjure together for dinner for her and Noah when she looked up and saw that Rollins was just leaving too.

"And what are the single ladies of New York up to tonight?"

The arrived by the lift at the same time and Olivia spoke first followed by the immediate afterthought that perhaps her phrasing was a tad more playful than she intended. Ughhhh, why was she always second guessing every conversation with Rollins now?

"I could say the same for you Lieutenant… unless there is someone you've been keeping from us?"

"What are the single and childless women of New York up to tonight." she emphasised the 'childless', then paused "You know my plans involve an aeroplane spoon, a rubber ducky and if I'm lucky a Dora the Explorer book I've only read 15 times before.."

Amanda laughed. "not sure I can compete with that. I'll take Frannie for a jog, try and pick a takeout menu from somewhere that doesn't already know me by my phone number. The usual. "

They were in the lift now. Olivia pressed the button. She smiled and nodded, but didn't say anything back. Within a moment though Amanda continued talking.

"Frannie's really been enjoying the spring weather we've been having. We had such a nice afternoon in the park last Sunday. I was thinking if its nice again this Sunday perhaps you want to bring Noah down. Have him see something green and meet some animals…"

She trailed off, if Liv didn't know better she'd say almost nervously. Olivia was surprised, especially after recent events she'd pegged Rollins more for Sangria and shots on some slightly grungy terrace bar on a Sunday afternoon than for family friendly picnics.

"Is Frannie ok with kids?"

Olivia blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. The lift had taken them down to the ground floor now, and they and instinctively paused in the entranceway.

"yeah we had a few little ones come over to say hi last week and she was really comfortable. Gave them a gentle lick."

Something about Rollins optimistic smile caught at Liv. She didn't really have a reason not to… and she had been wanting to increase Noah's time outdoors now the weather was better.

"You know, that sounds good. As long as the mercury hits 70 and the sun at least pretends its going to poke its head out from behind a cloud - lets pencil it in"

"Ok boss, its a date."

Both women paused.

"ok then." Olivia paused again "Well, see you tomorrow"

Olivia cursed her clunky tone as she walked away. God. Here she was a 40 something professional woman, a mother, a fucking NYPD lieutenant and for some reason her young bisexual colleague was throwing her off her game. And she was straight. it came to her more as an afterthought and she clung to it. She was straight. What did it matter if Rollins liked women? She knew she was straight, Rollins knew she was straight. There was absolutely no reason under the sun for her knowledge of Amanda's sexuality to change anything between them.