There was a buzz coming from the door, ripping their eyes off of each other. Alex got up and walked over to the intercom, "Hello?"
"There's a detective here to see you Miss Cabot," a man's voice replied, "Elliot Stabler."
"Send him up," Alex replied.
When she turned around, Olivia pulled her year book out from under the couch cushion she was sitting on.
"You better put that up before Elliot gets up here," Alex warned her.
"Or what?" Olivia smirked.
"I'll think of something while I go change," Alex stated with a twinkle in her eyes, "But it better be gone." With that, Alex disappeared down the hallway.
Olivia complied with Alex's demands and put the year book back where she found it. Just as she closed the cabinet, there was a knock on the door.
Olivia opened the door without looking through the peephole. Elliot stood on the other side with a very large bouquet of purple flowers.
"Hey El," Olivia smiled.
Elliot handed over the flowers, "The doorman was on his way up with these and I thought I'd save him the trip."
Olivia set them on the coffee table, "Who are they from?"
"I don't know. The card is sealed." Elliot smiled, "Why? Are we jealous already?"
Olivia rolled her eyes.
Alex strolled out, smiling cheerfully. "Hi Elliot."
"Hey Alex," he smiled back, "How ya feeling?"
"Better," Alex nodded. Then she noticed the flowers, "My favorite."
"What are they?" Elliot asked.
Alex picked up the card, "Purple irises." Alex opened the card. She read it and smiled.
"Who are they from?" An ever curious Elliot asked.
"Serena Southerlyn," Alex put the card back and grabbed her purse, "She's trying to make up for not coming to see me in the hospital."
"You two are friends?" Olivia asked, raising an eyebrow.
Alex smirked, noticing Olivia's hint of jealousy, "She's my best friend." She looked around, "Do you remember where I put my phone?"
Olivia shook her head, "Last I saw it was in you room."
Alex nodded, "I'll be right back." She walked down the hallway.
"You've been in Cabot's room?" Elliot smirked.
Olivia nodded, "Her nieces and nephews came over last night and fell asleep in the guest bed so I had to stay in Alex's bed."
"Had to?" Elliot chuckled.
Olivia crossed her arms, "Yeah had too. The guest bed and the couch were taken."
"So have you," Elliot paused checking if Alex was coming. When he saw she wasn't he continued, "Made a move?"
"Again none of your business," Olivia smirked.
Alex walked down the hallway, saving Olivia from any more interrogation. "Shall we?"
Elliot opened the door for the two women. Olivia walked out and Alex followed Elliot after locking the door.
"Hey," Fin smiled as the three approached the table that he and Munch were sitting at, "Long time no see. How do you feel?"
"I feel fine," Olivia smiled and slid in next to Alex.
"What about you counselor?" Munch asked.
Alex smiled, "I feel great. You guys may be able to stand working with me and not want to gag me and throw me into a cell. At least for the next few weeks."
"Then maybe we should throw Liv into the river a few times a year," Elliot joked.
The whole table laughed.
Alex saw that Munch and Fin had already gotten their sandwiches, so she rose from the table. She looked at Elliot and Olivia, "What do you two want?"
"I can get it," Olivia started to stand, but Alex kept her seated with a hand on her shoulder.
"I got it," Alex kept her hand on Olivia's shoulder, "What do you want?"
"C'mon," Elliot stood with Alex, "Liv gets the same thing every time. I'll help you carry it."
Alex and Elliot walked off toward the counter, leaving Olivia alone with Munch and Fin.
"What the hell are you looking at?" Olivia asked the two detectives.
They both shook their heads. "Nothing."
Olivia looked past them to where Alex was standing next to Elliot. She was laughing at something Elliot said. She noticed Elliot's shoulders bouncing in a chuckle as well.
Alex looked over and caught Olivia watching her. Alex gave Olivia a sweet smile and winked.
Elliot took her attention again and Olivia looked back at the two detectives who were still staring at her.
"What's going on with you two?" Fin asked bluntly.
"Who?" Olivia asked, only half-listening.
"You and Cabot," Fin stated.
"We're not blind," Munch added.
Fin looked at him, "Yes you are. If I take your glasses away, we might at well drop you off at the farm with the other blind mice. You couldn't tell your ass from a hole in the wall."
"I was metaphorically speaking," Munch stated.
Fin smiled, "I know. I'm just messin' with you." He turned to Olivia, "It's been hard to get a rise out of him since you two have been gone."
"You missed us that much John?" Alex smiled, setting Olivia's food in front of her.
Olivia chuckled, "I'm flattered."
"Yeah, since you two have been gone, there hasn't been anyone to have an intellectual argument with," Munch retorted.
"Which reminds me," Alex added, "A clerk at my office is dropping off my files for tomorrow. Anything I should know about?"
"Nope," Elliot took a bite of his sandwich, "Three perps, cut, dried, and wrapped with a bow. Everything was by the book."
Alex nodded, impressed, "Are you serious?"
The men nodded.
"Thank you," Alex nodded.
"So what did you two do yesterday?" Fin asked.
Olivia smiled, "We went to Coney Island."
"Did you go on the Cyclone?" Munch looked at Olivia.
She nodded, "It was fun."
"Were you scared?" Elliot poked fun at her.
"No," Olivia lied.
Alex nearly spit out her drink. She raised an eyebrow at Olivia.
"Okay, so I was a little scared," Olivia admitted.
"How much is a little?" Elliot chuckled.
Olivia threw a pickle at him, "I seem to remember one Kathy Stabler telling me about someone else's first time on the Cyclone."
Elliot froze.
"And she has pictures," Olivia smirked.
Alex was opening her mouth to speak, but decided to keep the picture she had of Olivia on the Cyclone to herself.
Fin's phone rang to interrupt the discussion. "Tutuola…we'll be right there." He looked over at Munch, "Cap wants us."
Munch nodded and rose out of his chair. "It was nice to see you ladies. I'll see you tomorrow." He followed his partner to the door.
The remaining three were finishing up their lunches.
"Are you two ready?" Elliot asked.
The women nodded and stood with Elliot. Elliot watched the two women walking side by side. They looked more at ease around each other than he'd seen either one around anyone else.
Elliot opened the door for Alex, who smiled at him, "Thanks El."
Elliot politely nodded.
Olivia smiled at him across the top of that car, "Show off."
Laughing, Elliot got into his seat and drove the women back to Alex's apartment.
Once the door was closes, Alex kicked off her shoes and shrugged off her jacket. "What do you want to do now?"
"I believe I was promised a movie," Olivia replied with a grin.
"You were the one who was supposed to pick it out," Alex replied, "I was waiting for you."
Olivia walked back over to the cabinet and finally picked out a movie.
"Casablanca?" Alex asked sitting on the couch. She grabbed a remote off of the end table.
"Do you have a problem with classic romance movies?" Olivia asked sitting next to Alex.
Alex shook her head, "Apparently not. It's my movie."
Olivia pretended to yawn and stretch. She slid her arm around Alex's shoulders.
"You're smooth," Alex giggled. She snuggled into Olivia and pulled her feet up under her.
Olivia smiled and kissed the top of Alex's head.
At the end of the movie, Olivia looked down at Alex who was asleep on her chest. "You are so beautiful," she whispered to the sleeping Alex.
Olivia turned off the TV and laid her head back, listening to Alex breathe.
"Liv?" Alex called softly.
"Yeah?" Olivia looked down at Alex.
Alex slowly sat up, "Sorry I fell asleep."
Olivia smiled, "There's no need to be sorry."
"What do you want to do for dinner?" Alex asked, looking at the clock.
"You can't possibly be hungry already," Olivia pushed some stray hair out of Alex's face, "It's only three."
Alex smiled, "I'm not. I just like to plan ahead."
"Well are you doing anything Friday night?" Olivia asked.
Alex shrugged, "Well, I had a date with some paperwork, but I think I can blow it off."
"Good," Olivia replied, "I'll pick you up at your office."
"Okay," Alex snuggled back into Olivia, "Are you going home tonight?"
"Do you want me to go home?" Olivia asked, stroking Alex's hair.
"What I want is irrelevant, Detective," Alex added.
Olivia took a deep breath, thinking it over, "I guess I should. I want to do this right."
"Right?" Alex asked, shifting into a laying position with her head in Olivia's lap.
Olivia gazed into Alex's eyes and nodded. She leaned down and kissed Alex.
Alex beamed.
They sat in a comfortable silence for a minute before Alex spoke, "Are you going to tell Elliot?"
"Do you want me to?" Olivia asked.
Alex chuckled, "Again, it's up to you. You're the one that's stuck with him all day."
Olivia ran her hand down Alex's arm and threaded her fingers through Alex's. "Can I think about it?"
Alex nodded, "You can do whatever you want."
The buzzer went off and Alex groaned.
"Do you want me to get it?" Olivia offered.
Alex shook her head and rolled off of the couch, landing on her feet and walked over, "Yes?"
"Cheryl Martin is here for you Miss Cabot," the man downstairs told her.
"Send her up," Alex said into the intercom. She turned back to Olivia who was getting out another movie.
"What are we watching?" Alex asked, opening her door a little.
"Legally Blonde," Olivia smiled.
"In my defense that movie was a gift," Alex replied.
The clicking of heals coming down the hallway caused Alex to open the door wider until Cheryl appeared in the door with a few files in her hand.
Alex smiled, "Thank you so much."
Cheryl handed Alex the folders and smiled back, "No problem."
Alex stepped back letting Cheryl in.
Cheryl laughed, "Are you watching that movie again? It seems like every time I come over you're watching that."
"I'm not watching it," Alex replied.
Cheryl looked at the couch and saw the brown-haired detective.
"Cheryl, you remember Detective Olivia Benson?" Alex tapped the folders to her palm.
Olivia turned around and smiled, "Hi."
"Hi," Cheryl said back.
"Do you want something to drink?" Alex asked Cheryl.
"Do you have any Oolong Tea?" Cheryl asked as she followed Alex into the kitchen.
Alex opened the cabinet, "Yes." She took it down and started some water to boiling.
Cheryl was giving Alex a knowing smile when she turned around.
"What?" Alex asked, opening one of the files.
"Is she why you haven't called the office every five minutes for the past three days?" Cheryl asked, leaning back on the table and crossing her arms.
Alex could never lie to her. Cheryl could always see through her feeble attempts. "Yeah."
"She's hot," Cheryl smirked.
Alex felt so giddy talking about it with someone. "Definitely." Alex poured the hot water into a mug and set the tea bag in it.
"Good for you," Cheryl replied, "Someone as pretty as you doesn't need to spend all her time working."
Alex handed Cheryl the tea. "Thank you."
Alex took a stool next to Cheryl who started explaining everything inside the files. Once Cheryl was done with her tea and finished explaining things to Alex, she got up to leave.
Alex followed her to the door, "Bye Cheryl. Thanks."
"Bye," Olivia called from the couch.
"You two have fun," Cheryl smiled and winked at Alex before walking back down the hallway.
Alex closed the door. She walked over to the couch and sat on the arm next to Olivia. Olivia looked up at Alex and smiled.
Alex couldn't help, but smile back. She leaned down and gently kissed Olivia. She ran a hand through Olivia's hair and moved to sit next to her.
When the movie was over, they ordered in and quietly ate. As it grew dark, Olivia packed up her things.
"I'm driving you home," Alex stated from the doorway of the guest room.
Olivia laid on the floor and reached for something under the bed, "I can take a cab."
"I'm driving you home," Alex repeated.
Olivia threw a rogue sock into her bag and zipped it up. Olivia let out a breath and walked over to Alex. She slid her hands around Alex's waist and pulled her close. "Okay. You can drive me home."
Alex smiled triumphantly. She wrapped her arms around Olivia's neck and leaned forward. There was no shortage of energy radiating from the kiss. A kiss of discovery and blissfulness.
When Alex pulled up to the curb outside Olivia's apartment building, Olivia turned to her, smiling. "This is me."
"So it is," Alex smiled back.
They met for a short and sweet kiss before Olivia got out with her bag. Alex watched her walk inside before driving off into the night.