A/N: So my muse yelled at me for not working on my novels. I been neglecting them for all my fanfic and the fact that my fanfic muse has been speaking louder. So, I was told that I had to work on my novels more and get one ready for publication before the end of the season. I have a LOT of writing to do...lol. But, it is okay. My fanfic wasn't as amused as I'd hoped. She still tells me that I should write my fanfic first. But, we all came to an agreement. I will do the bulk of my work on my novels, but I will try to update everything at least once a week. We'll see how well this works, but hey, gotta keep them happy or no writing. Anyway, be kind and review. It boosts their little egos and generally helps me get things posted faster. Anyway, enjoy and thanks for reading. ~JET

Chapter 10

They were out in the pasture riding horses. Liv had to admit that she hadn't seen Alex so relaxed in days. She actually looked like she was enjoying herself, but she knew that they couldn't stay there. It wasn't fair to Cole and certainly wasn't fair to Alex. They needed to get on the road. The supped up Camry was ready and Liv was itching to go. She felt like they had been there long enough in Cole's good graces. It was time to move on. It was time to find a place to hide out in the open and keep Alex safe.

She looked at Alex and knew that she wasn't going to be happy for long. The move would require her to actually become Emily. Cole had been helping with the transition and would only address her as such. It wasn't that Liv was going to have a problem calling her Emily; it was the fact that she knew Alex's type. She'd read her file. She was headstrong, antagonistic, and liked to challenge authority. She was going to be a handful, but it was the fact that Cole kept giving Liv this looks that almost set her off. It was like they had become friends and knew something that they weren't going to share with Liv. It made her angry.

"We need to be heading back," Liv said.

"You sure? It's a nice day. Can't we stay out a little longer?"

"I would love to, but we need to pack. We are going to leave in the morning. We're going to need rest," Liv told her.

"Where we going?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"No, I don't. I was thinking that we could head up to Chicago, but I don't think that is a good idea anymore. Big cities are too hard to calculate in, too hard to protect you in, and too difficult to work with if something does happen. No, we need some place smaller. And, don't worry, Princess, I am not going to take you to Po Dunk. I need more civilization than that," Liv stated.

"Princess? Po Dunk? What the Hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing."

"No, it isn't nothing. What is it? Fine, you want to be difficult, then I'll be difficult right back. I am not going back until you tell me what is wrong with you. How about that? Do YOU like that? I am going to stay riding, until you tell me what I want to know," Alex told her.

"Fine, stay out here, unprotected. See if I care. I really don't. I'll get paid either way."

"But, it is your job to keep me alive and deliver me to the courthouse on time."

"It is."

"And, yet, you would leave me out here, all alone and unprotected?" Alex questioned, knowing that she had struck a nerve, but not caring enough as she keep picking at it.

"I could."

"You mean that you would."

"I would save us all a lot of trouble."

"You don't mean to say that I am trouble, do you?" Alex asked teasingly.

"Lady, you have been nothing but trouble for me since before we met. Yes, I have to protect you. Yes, I am going to do that, but I can only do so much. You have to help in that situation. If you want to stupid and stay out here with no guard or other protection, then the fault will lie with you. I could care less about it. I will do my best to do it. But, I can't do that alone. You have decided to fight me at every turn. You test me when you don't realize that I know you are. You push back when things don't go your way. Well, I am sorry, Princess, but this isn't a trip to Mom and Dad's place up in the Hamptons. This is some wild and crazy adventure vacation. This is a shit storm of real life for people like me. And, you want to stir the pot, then stir it, Princess. I am not going to be one you have to worry about. I am going to be the one calling your parents and telling them that you are dead because you couldn't follow directions and keep your mouth shut. I am going to have to write a report to let the Alphabets know that you couldn't keep your cover, because you were too busy trying to be you that you failed to notice the cartel following you. It was only a matter of time before they caught you and disposed of you. What you are failing to see, PRINCESS, is that you are target. YOU ARE A TARGET. There are thousands of people in the cartels just waiting to kill you. One shot, Alex, one well-placed shot and that's it. There would be going home, no going back, you would be dead. Is that what you want? Because if it is, I can arrange it for you. I'll call the Alphabets and let them know what you want out, you don't care. You can go commit harry carry on you own. I want nothing to do with that," Liv told her as she spun her horse around and headed back to the house without really waiting for an answer.

She stopped after a few feet, her anger still boiling and looked back at the stunned Alex. She wanted to apologize but she couldn't find the words. It was better for them both if they didn't become friends. It would make the assignment easier. She saw the wounded look in Alex's sapphire blue eyes and almost broke. She raised her chin in defiance of the blonde's influence and shouted back at her, "And, next time you want to know about my life and what I say in my sleep, ask me about, Princess! Leave everyone else out of it! Got it?!"

Alex watched her gallop off towards the barn. She couldn't believe the nerve of the woman. She had the audacity to question whether or not Alex wanted to live. And, she got mad because Cole sort of gave her answer to a question that she had asked Liv several times about. Oh, Hell no, she wasn't going to put this on me, Alex thought. Before she knew what she was doing, she was galloping after Liv. She wasn't going to let this woman get to her.

She was trying very much not to let Liv get to her, but she was. She couldn't deny that. She wouldn't try it. There was something soft about it, that no one else saw. She kept it hidden behind her eyes, but Alex saw it. Whatever it was, it was wounded and wounded so badly that Liv would rather be angry all the time than let it out. Alex didn't care what she wanted anymore. She'd made it clear that she didn't care what Alex wanted, so why should she? But, there was more to it than that. There was more to the story of Olivia Benson, master assassin, and mercenary for the Alphabets, as she called them. There was something dark in her past and Alex knew that it had to do with the Russian speaking assignment. She wondered, as she slowed up her horse. Then, it hit her like a ton of bricks, Liv was scared of her.

She had to be. Whatever happened in Russia or wherever, it made Liv scared of her. Maybe she reminded Liv of someone she knew on the case. Maybe it was the way she acted. She sure as hell knew it wasn't the way she dressed or spoke. There was more to the story and she knew that Cole wasn't going to tell her any more than he already had. And, now due to her situation she wasn't going to be able to use her contacts to the information. She was going to have to deal with Liv blindly and she didn't like it. She would have to wait for Liv to tell her about it or pull it out of her little by little.

She dismounted and slowly entered the barn, pulling the horse behind her by the reins. She found his stall easily and eased him in it. She would come back and rub him down after putting the saddle up, but right now, she needed to find Liv. She was calming herself and trying not to be angry with her because of her outburst. Alex found it hard, but she knew that it wouldn't help anything if she was angry with Liv.

She finally found her four stalls down, rubbing down the horse. She was whispering to it in another language. It wasn't Russian, but Alex couldn't place it. She watched the horse more than she was watching Liv. She couldn't believe how good she was with the horse. If Alex has spooked it, Liv had already calmed it before she realized that Alex was standing in the stall door.

"Can I help you with something, Princess?"

"You could stop calling me that, for one," Alex replied.

"Then stop acting like one."

"If you want to see a princess, I can play the part."

Liv turned sharply to regard the woman in the doorway. She was sure that Alex could play the part and have everyone eating out of her hands, if she so chose, but there was something else about her. There was something in the way she was standing. Alex was an enigma. She was from privilege but she didn't flaunt it except when she needed it. She was grounded.

"I am sure that you could."

"You have no idea."

"What do you want, Emily?"

"I would like you to realize that I am grateful for what you are doing. I am glad that you are the one taking care of me and not some normal suit. You may not have a good social grace, but at least you aren't afraid to tell me like it is. That is rare for people in my family," Alex told her.

"I don't kiss ass."

"So, I've gathered."

"Don't intend to start now," Liv told her, coming out of the stall.

"Good, because I don't want you to," Alex said, backing out of the door way.

She slid the stall door closed and latched it. She threw the curry comb into a bucket across the way. It clanged against the metal and Alex shook a little visibly. Liv took a step away from her and was about to head to the house, when Alex spoke up, again.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being you."

"Now, there is a first."

Alex just smiled at her. They had their peace for now. She knew that they would blow up at each other again. They wouldn't be able to help it, but for now, there was peace. Liv returned her smile and turned to leave again. Alex's hand on her arm stopped her.

"I mean it."

"You mean what?"

"Thank you."

"You can stop saying that, now. I get it. You're grateful."

"Thank you."

"We're leaving in the morning."

"Thank you."

"You should get some sleep. I'll figure it out as we go. I want to be out of here before nine."

"Thank you," Alex said, yet again.

Her hand was still on Liv's arms. The emotions in her dark brown eyes were swimming and Alex couldn't read a thing in them. Liv made to pull away again, but Alex didn't let go.

"Thank you."

Liv scrunched up her face in question. Alex just smiled at her. She didn't want to move but knew that she should. Cole's words were still echoing in her ears. She looked at Alex in a new light every time she saw her. She was beautiful. She would never deny that. And, Liv had to admit that she had a thing for blonde, especially those with piercing blue eyes like Alex's.

"Emily…"

"Thank you."

"We can't."

"We can't, what?" Alex asked her, finally moving her hand.

"We just can't. It wouldn't work. I'm sorry. I'll see you in the morning."

And, with that the moment was over and Liv was gone. Alex stood in the barn staring after her, not sure what the hell just happened. She followed Liv's movements as she got closer to the house, but she didn't follow her. Instead, she went back to her horse to take care of him. The entire time she was rubbing him down, she wondered what Liv meant by the fact they couldn't.