This takes place about two weeks before they make love for the first time (Chapter 2 of this section). They had only begun dating and had known each other and gotten immensely close over the course of the first year of knowing each other.

This tells of the realization from both on how much they loved each other.

Enjoy.

That Magic Moment

Olivia giggled and linked arms with Alex as they exited the small Southampton grocery store. "Fish is always fresh, ma'am…" Olivia threw her head back and chortled now, not able to help it.

"Well, you never know, Olivia. I know this is a beach town and fish is abundant, but those eyes on that bass looked too cloudy, Liv. I know what I'm talking about."

They caught eyes with each other as they approached the car and the brunette couldn't help but lean in and give the blonde a quick kiss.

"You're so cute, Al." She kissed her again, smiling."So cute."

"Hmmm, I'm glad you think so, Babe. My cuteness is all for you…"

Alex went to the driver's side and they eyed each other again and Olivia smirked over the top of the open convertible of the beamer.

They got in, put their seat belts on, and then Alex pulled out of the space and let the car creep to the exit.

She stepped on the gas and the car screeched to life, the small car picking up speed immediately, the engine roaring as the wind whizzed past them, hair blowing, clothing flapping, the radio playing Superman by Five for Fighting.

The brunette smiled and clutched the armrest and console as the car continued on. "This gets pretty good pickup, Al. How long did you say you've had it?" Olivia smoothed her hands up and down along the worn leather on her left and scratched material on her right as her eyes scanned the tortoise shell dashboard, admiring the car that she had been in many times before, but had never truly appreciated until on a long road trip, wind in their hair, breezing down Highway 27 towards Southampton.

"Uh…" Alex began, "…well, my father gave it to me before my sophomore year in college and he had already had it for…" Alex narrowed her eyes and jutted her mouth out as she thought. "Well, since eighty-five when he bought it. So, I've had it for ten years?" she questioned and then began nodding. "Yeah, I've had it for ten and my father had it for about seven before then." She turned and smiled.

Olivia grinned back, wishing to see those blue eyes that were behind those large dark frames but knowing she would have to wait. "So, vintage, huh?"

"Absolutely. It's a great car and I hope to have it for many years to come."

"Not a flashy, fancy car kind of girl, huh?"

Alex smirked, her eyes on the road. "Not at all. Never have been. Even my brother still drives the same Datsun he had in college. It was used when he bought it, too."

Olivia let her eyes scan down to the blonde's milky neck, her girlfriend wearing a pale pink tank top, that silky alabaster skin exposed. And Olivia knew how very soft it was. Had been appreciating that aspect of the blonde's physique as of late.

Their intimacy had grown in prowess. They had moved from simple kisses to intense petting and heavy breathing. But still had not gotten to the point of complete clothing removal. However, this didn't stop the brunette from imagining, from fantasizing about Alex and how incredible her body must look beneath her day-to-day skirt suits, pant suits, and occasional dresses.

Olivia was not a stranger to imagining just what the beautiful attorney would look like without a stitch of clothing on and had caught herself on many an occasion of their spending time together—be it casual, professional, or personal—letting her mind fantasize and journey to the place where friendship blurred into intimacy.

The brunette's mind would conjure up just how smooth Alex's upper thighs must be. Her brain wandered to how immaculately sensual her backside must look and feel in the buff. How those pert breasts must feel against her palms, against her own breasts, how it would feel to have a nipple in her mouth, tongue swirl—

Olivia's daydream was cut short by the sound of Alex laughing. The detective strained to bring her mind back to the present and geared toward figuring out what her girlfriend had been saying.

Alex continued chuckling as she spoke, "…and he and his three guy friends got in the trunk and told me to close the door." Alex was leaning forward now, her face pink with laughter. "I told him I wasn't going to close it, that I had a bad feeling about it, but then he said, 'Close the damn trunk, Allie! Stop being a chicken!' and so I did."

Olivia smiled, piecing together that this was a story about she and her brother, at least getting that part of it. "What happened then, Babe?" Olivia reached over and let her hand linger on the back of the blonde's neck, letting her fingertips twirl around a few stray fly-aways from her pony tail.

"I said, 'There. Happy?' and then when I tried to use the key to get the trunk back open, it wouldn't budge. Diana and I tugged and pulled and banged but the trunk wouldn't open. By that point," Alex began giggling again, "…we were all pretty panicked, even Johnny and his friends. I could hear the three of them yelling and pounding to get out."

Olivia let her fingertips dance along the satin-like skin below Alex's hairline, watching as that porcelain skin raised with goosebumps. "How did they get out?" Olivia husked before clearing her throat.

"Well, Southampton police was making their nightly patrol and saw us there. I'm sure that what appeared to be two innocent women from afar looked very different close up. Diana and I were about to pee in our pants. We thought we wouldn't be able to get them out and were desperate for someone to try…but not a cop." She eyed Olivia and smirked.

"What did the cop do?" By now, the detective had figured out that it was some sort of challenge or dare that her brother and his friends had made. Dumb antics by goofy boys.

"We told him the story and he used the crowbar from his own vehicle to pry it open. My brother and his friends got out. Their faces were all red and they were sweating and when they saw the police officer, they looked like they were gonna have a heart attack." Alex shook her head and continued sniggling once more. "Stupid guys…"

"Sounds like they might have learned their lessons…" Olivia offered, her voice low.

The brunette was suddenly filled with emotions. Listening to Alex recount another memory, the way she told those stories, the love she had for the moments, watching her animation, her expression, her enthusiasm, was mesmerizing. The way the sunlight caught her blonde locks, the different golden highlights catching each individual ray of light, those long arms so smooth, that mouth that the detective had been appreciating greatly over the past couple of months—those satiny lips against her own.

Olivia realized now that her own mouth was now open, had been open since the blonde had finished her story.

There was a comfortable silence now but Olivia could hear from own heart beating inside her chest, regardless of the wind whooshing past her ears.

She had just come to a realization.

These feelings that she was experiencing, had been experiencing, were unfamiliar to her.

She wasn't sure what to do or say at that moment.

And so she said nothing. She simply let her gaze move to the road in front of them and stared ahead.

Alex peered at Olivia from the corner of her eye, noting that the brunette had just disappeared mentally. Olivia did that from time to time and the blonde knew that she was just deep in thought, thinking of a case, or a memory, or some little piece of information inside of that beautiful mind, letting it roll around and settle before letting it come out of her mouth.

The detective's mind was constantly at work, wheels always turning, brain always formulating. Just one of the many factors that drew the attorney to her.

One of many, many factors.

And so Alex had grown to let that analytical mind slip into her own thoughts, knowing that Olivia would come back to her in a short amount of time and let her know what exactly she had been thinking about.

Since they had become friends it had been that way.

And now they were dating, exclusive with each other, but still not having breached the act of unclothed sexual contact.

Alex thought about it, though. Almost constantly. How could she not?

That body on the brunette was killer. It was amazing. No amount of masculine duds could take away from the fact that Olivia Benson was all woman. Those curves. Those breasts. That grabbable ass—of which the blonde had already experienced on numerous occasions in the past couple of months.

And that face.

God that face.

Perfection in the span of less than twenty-five square inches.

How someone could be so beautiful, the blonde was still fascinated by. Those soulful almond-shaped chocolate orbs. Those perfectly arched brows. That full, damp, rosy mouth that always seemed to be calling to the blonde to have her own lips on the brunette's. And that hair. That short, silky hair that Alex loved to let her hands roam over, her fingertips slip through, her face brush up against, feel against her skin as they explored each other innocently.

Olivia Benson was the most beautiful creature that Alex had ever seen, ever experienced, ever had the pleasure of calling her girlfriend.

Alex turned the steering wheel right and entered the gravel drive, pulling the BMW up to the closed gate and rolling her window down before pressing the black button.

"Alexandra! Is that you, lass?" Katie's chipper voice beamed.

"It's me, Katie! Olivia and I are here!" Alex felt a surge of nostalgia just from hearing the older woman's voice and she looked to the brunette and smiled.

The attorney's parents were in Mallorca for their typical, yearly six month-stay and the ladies would have the house to themselves for the duration of their weekend.

"Come on in!" Katie cheered.

The loud buzz vibrated the silver box before the gates slowly began to open.

Alex turned to Olivia. "We're here, Babe. This is my childhood home, Liv."

"And I'm so happy to see it, Al. I'm excited to be here with you and spend a couple of days relaxing and spending time with each other." Olivia's gaze dipped to the blonde's mouth before returning to her eyes.

"Me, too, Liv. And I don't share this special place with just anyone, you know."

Olivia nodded and Alex watched as the detective swallowed. Was that moisture in her girlfriend's eyes? The beginnings of her emotions?

Alex didn't know. All she knew was that she was about to spend an amazing weekend with her beautiful best friend and girlfriend and that was all that mattered.

She released her foot from the brake and slowly eased her way down the gravel road, off to relish in her time with the irresistible detective.

Alex moved to the doorway of the bedroom downstairs—her childhood bedroom—and noticed that Olivia was lying diagonal, on her stomach, head near the pillows, a magazine in front of her.

They had already gone on a swim, showered, and had a tasty lunch of BLT sandwiches and freshly brewed iced tea, and Alex had just come from helping Katie take a load of laundry from the dryer and fold it, the two chatting about the blonde's love life, while Olivia showered.

Alex leaned against the door frame and folded her arms, admiring the brunette. Olivia had on a tiny pair of gray jersey shorts, the blonde able to barely make out the bottom of those perfect globes of her ass peeking out from the bottom hem. She was also wearing a magenta tank top that had ridden up to her waist, the smooth caramel skin of her back on display for the attorney to drool over.

And drooling she was.

Olivia's mouth was moving as she read, her eyes skimming over the pages. She licked her finger and turned the page before yawning and then moaning contentedly. Then, she rolled over onto her back and yawned again before she stretched, squeaking in the process, and then moaned her happiness once more. She removed the butterfly clip from her damp hair and set it next to her on the bed before the brunette closed her eyes and smiled.

The blonde could tell that Olivia was so comfortable—not only physically, but mentally, as well. And Alex felt the same. Their friendship had grown in the year and a half that they had known each other, and then had increased in strength and endurance in the six months that they had begun dating. Only a month and a half prior.

And the way she looked at that moment was driving the blonde insane with desire. Alex wanted to climb on top of her, pull her clothes off, and let the brunette know just exactly how much she turned her on.

"Al?" the brunette's lazy voice tried.

Coming back into the present, Alex blinked a few times, refocusing on her girlfriend. "Hey, Liv…relaxing?"

Olivia nodded and then patted the empty space next to her. Up until now, they had spent the night at each other's places frequently, often falling asleep in cuddles, intertwined and as close as possible, usually from talking and laughing and just enjoying the closeness.

Alex started toward the bed and then placed her knee on top of the foot, letting her other knee join it, and then crawled toward the detective. The blonde dropped herself next to Olivia and joined her in laying on her back, both now staring at the ceiling.

"You OK?" Olivia questioned.

"Yeah, Liv. I'm perfect. You?"

"Me, too, Babe. I'm so happy to be here. To be one of the special ones." Olivia began giggling.

Alex reached her right arm out and playfully swatted at the brunette, but Olivia caught her hand and they both looked at each other. The detective brought the blonde's hand to her mouth and kissed it softly, her eyes never leaving her own.

Olivia then sat up on her left elbow and moved closer to the blonde, pressing her front to Alex's side. Alex could feel her heart begin to race just from this simple movement, just from the way the brunette's chocolate orbs darkened, just from the way her bronzed complexion glowed and her dewy lips parted.

Then, Olivia leaned in, Alex anticipating the feel that she had grown to love, that she had grown to need, that she had grown to crave—Olivia's lips on her own.

It was a feeling that Alex had never experienced before—the humming, vibrating, almost electric feel of her mouth on hers, how the world slipped away and all Alex could feel was that moment. All she could smell was perfection. All she could taste was exquisiteness.

Kisses from Olivia Benson had become something that Alex was beginning to think were sent from Heaven and also something that, in the time that she had the ultimate pleasure of experiencing, felt she wouldn't be able to live without.

Alex found herself deep into the kiss now, letting her left hand cup the brunette's jaw, her thumb stroking the smooth skin of her cheek as their mouths parted, tongues slowly stroking one anothers, the blonde's eyes rolling back in her head.

Couldn't live without.

The words repeated inside Alex's mind.

Couldn't live without.

She didn't know when it happened but she was no longer kissing Olivia. She felt her jaw dropped, her mouth open, her eyes wide, a realization flooding her entire being. Slowly, her gaze went to the brunette whose expression was confused.

"Alex?"

Alex opened and closed her mouth now, words not formulating, her mind a whir of emotions, swirling around like a hurricane inside of her mind.

Couldn't live without.

The phrase repeated itself over and over inside her mind and it was at that moment that she knew what this foreign feeling was and had been all along.

She was in love with Detective Olivia Benson.

The waves ebbed and flowed against the shore at eleven o'clock that same evening. A dinner of broiled cod and baked potatoes and salad was had and Katie had retired for the evening as the ladies took a stroll on the beach, letting their bodies wind down from the evening and getting their minds ready for sleep.

Olivia looked over at Alex who was next to her in a beach lounger and listened as she regaled her with yet another story from her youth. This time, Olivia had been listening. It was a tale about a concert that Alex had gone into the city with one of her best friends from high school to see the band The Cure and how she wasn't supposed to go. She had been talking about how her parents thought she was at that same friend's house spending the night and that friend's brother was supposed to cover for them in case Alex's parents called.

"And my father came by to bring my retainer so I could wear it to sleep, that's when the proverbial shit hit the fan…" Alex giggled.

Olivia shook her head, watching her girlfriend as she laughed. The brunette loved to see her so happy. Loved to see this side of the blonde that most never got to witness. The Alex Cabot from work was night and day to the Alex Cabot that Olivia knew and with each passing day, Olivia couldn't help but be honored to be one of the ones that had been let inside. She loved the stories that Alex told. Loved the enthusiasm and love in her voice at the mention of memories, people she knew and loved, times that were so cherished.

And Olivia couldn't help but think that she cherished the blonde attorney.

Olivia narrowed her eyes now, continuing to watch as Alex spoke, watching those blue eyes, those animated hands, that unbridled enthusiasm. She could listen to Alex tell stories all night. All week. Every day.

Cherish you. I cherish you. I cherish you, Alex.

I love this woman.

Olivia furrowed her brow now and watched as those crystal blues looked deeply at her now.

"Liv? You cold? You wanna go in?" Alex placed her hand on Olivia's forearm, a buzz of electricity passing between them.

Olivia only shook her head. I cherish this woman, she repeated to herself. I love her.

"Hey…" Alex started, standing now and moving to sit in the small space on Olivia's lounger, next to her right thigh, "…what is it? What's wrong?"

Olivia's emotions were coming from a place she didn't recognize now. She felt her eyes water, but she didn't know why. Felt her heart race and swell, but she didn't know why. Felt a giddy realization, but she didn't know why.

Or did she?

Olivia put her arms around the blonde and pulled her close, the two embracing firmly, and the brunette felt Alex's soothing hand begin rubbing her back.

"Hey…it's OK, Babe…shhhh…"

After a few moments of enjoying each other's warmth, each other's scents, the sound of the waves against the sand, Alex pulled away.

Alex cocked her head to the side and smiled. "I know that my beautiful detective is always thinking and I know that you have so much going on in there. But…"

Olivia shook her head again and took Alex's hands into her lap. "I'm fine, Alex. I just—"

Alex's expression was expectant, "Yeah?"

"Thank you, Al. Thank you for everything."

"Of course, Liv. Thank you…"

They held each other again and it felt so right, so comforting, so complete. The woman in her arms was one that she did cherish, one that she never wanted to let get away. Never wanted to lose.

And she would make every effort to make sure that never happened.

Ever.