Chapter 11
Olivia woke to the feeling of soft, warm fingers drawing circles across her stomach. The touch gently lured her out of her peaceful sleep. It was dark outside and her eyes were instinctively drawn to the alarm clock on the bedside table. It was 7.44 pm. Olivia slowly looked beside her and found Amanda looking back up at her. The soft feeling of the blonde's skin against her own almost immediately put her flesh back on fire.
Their clothes lay scattered across the floor. After promising Amanda that everything was going to be ok, they had fallen into the despair of the thought of losing each other. A single kiss turned into another, followed by many more. Lips that left bruises, teeth that left bite marks and nails that left scratches. Two bodies that fitted so perfectly together, sensed each other's needs and desires. They crossed the last remaining line and found themselves on the other side.
"Hey," Amanda said with a weak smile.
Olivia covered Amanda's hand with her own. The ministrations across her stomach stopped and she smiled too. "Hi."
A hint of worry flashed behind Amanda's eyes now that Olivia took her hand. "You ok?"
"I'm fine," Olivia whispered back. "I just… I just don't want this moment to end."
The sound of knocking startled both women and Olivia sat up with a jolt. The knocking stopped but then started again, more persistent this time. She turned to look at Amanda. She also sat up, the sheets falling away from her body.
"Nobody knows you're here, right?" Olivia asked.
Amanda shook her head. She looked nervous. There was a hint of gear in her eyes. "I haven't spoken to anyone but you." She swallowed as a third round of knocking started. "Maybe they're Jehovah's Witnesses."
Olivia slipped out of bed, grabbed her underwear and shirt of the floor and put them on. She struggled to get into her jeans and neglected to do them up before making her way down the stairs, grabbing her gun along the way. Her index finger hooked itself across the trigger as she approached the front door. The knocking hadn't let up this time and Olivia's heart hammered in her throat as she approached the door.
"Who is it?" she called. Her voice didn't show her nerves.
"Olivia, it's me!"
She recognised the voice and frustration as well as fear kicked in. She yanked the door open and stared into the face of Alexandra Eames. The smaller woman was casually dressed in a pair of jeans and a zip up hooded top. She didn't look like a cop and Olivia suspected that was exactly what Eames wanted. She stepped aside and let her in, then proceeded to lock and secure the door.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Olivia hissed and she spun around. Eames had walked into the hallway. Her eyes were blazing with anger. "How did you know…"
"Where you were?" Alex finished her sentence and arched an eyebrow as she let her eyes trail over Olivia's dishevelled looking appearance, lingering a moment too long on the unbuttoned jeans. Olivia could see the pictures form inside Eames' head. "You really need to switch off your phone, Benson. I tracked you." She cocked her head. "If I did, who's to say nobody else has?"
"Liv?"
Amanda came down the stairs, still pulling her shirt over her head. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Olivia and Alex walk into the living room together and her eyes widened. The colour drained from her face as she stared from one woman to the other. The sight of Alex Eames after everything she had been through, made the anger wake up inside of her.
"What are you doin' here?" There was venom in Amanda's voice and Olivia had never seen her blue eyes so cold. "I'm in this position because of you. What the hell are you doin' here?!"
"I need to talk to you," Alex said and heaved a sigh. She looked from Amanda to Olivia and back. If there had been any doubt in her mind about their relationship, it was now gone. "And I want to apologise."
"Apologise?" Amanda snapped. She descended down the stairs further. The only reason she didn't come closer to Alex was because Olivia stepped in between them. "You want to apologise for ruinin' my life? I was tryin' to help you and this is how you repay me? By condemning me to be a prisoner inside this house?"
"Amanda, I know things didn't go the way they should have but please, will you listen to me?" Alex asked.
Olivia looked at Amanda. "I think you should hear her out, Amanda."
The blonde detective crossed her arms in front of her chest. Defiance was etched across her face. "I'm listenin'."
Alex took a deep breath and slowly walked into the living room. She sat down in one of the chairs and waited for the two detectives to sit down on the couch. Amanda put a hand on Olivia's knee, silently signalling to Alex that whatever they'd shared was long behind them. Olivia could sense the distance between them. Amanda's anger was undeniable and although Olivia shared her anger, she knew Alex Eames would never have come here if she didn't have something important to say.
"There's been a change of plan," Alex explained. She fumbled with the ring she wore around her index finger. "I spoke to the Police Commissioner this afternoon and he has given me permission to make the arrest. My team will move in at dawn tomorrow morning." She swallowed. "I wanted to wait but in light of recent events…" She slowly looked up at Amanda and their gazes locked. "The Commissioner has had a change of heart."
"You mean that the whole operation is comin' to an end?" Amanda asked. "You're makin' the arrests?"
"The ones we can arrest based on the evidence we've gathered, yes. Anyone who we can't tie in just yet will be arrested anyway. We can find the evidence later or hope one of their buddies will drop them in it. This goes all the way to the top. Tomorrow's papers are going to have a field day." Alex shrugged. "Either way, it's over."
"So this means I can go back to work?" Amanda glanced at Olivia. The weight of the world suddenly fell off her shoulders. "This means it's all done, finished, right? No men looking for me out there, tryin' to put a bullet in my head?"
"Yes," Alex answered and looked down into her lap. "By tomorrow night, you should be safe."
Amanda slowly leant back into the couch and released the breath she'd been holding. "Wow."
"Thank you," Olivia said slowly. "I know this isn't what you wanted, Eames. I know you wanted your investigation to carry on longer but you did the right thing. You've got your guys. I know this goes bigger than you thought but if you can take out these guys you know their operation will fall apart. This is the right choice." She looked from Amanda back to Alex. "I'll leave you two to talk."
Once Olivia had left the living room, Alex slowly looked up. "She's right," she said. "It is the right thing to do. And Amanda, I am so sorry about everything that happened. You deserved better than that. I shouldn't have pushed you as far as I did and as for what happened between us…"
"It's ok," Amanda interrupted her and their gazes locked. She picked at her fingernails and chewed the inside of her cheek as she remembered the first time she and Alex crossed the line. "That part I wanted too."
Alex sighed. "I should have thought about what all of this was doing to you and to your life. All I could think about was bringing this case to a close and getting the credit I thought I deserved. I think I've gotten in SVU's ways more than enough now." She paused, waiting to see if Amanda would look up at her again. When she did and their eyes connected, she continued. "I'm sorry, Amanda. I'm sorry I put you through all of this. I hope that one day you can forgive me."
"I already have," Amanda admitted and she couldn't help but smile. "Because despite all of the shit, somethin' good came out of this." She looked over her shoulder into the direction Olivia had disappeared in and Alex followed her gaze. She didn't miss the tone of Amanda's voice. It carried the echo of hope. "There are a few things to sort out but we're on the right track."
"I'm glad," Alex answered and she smiled too. "Amanda, I truly am sorry about all of this."
The blonde tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I know."
Alex slowly stood up and started for the front door. She only noticed Amanda had followed her when she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to find her standing behind her. The blonde detective slowly stepped closer and carefully wrapped her arms around Alex's neck. She felt the older woman relax as she hugged Amanda back. Alex buried her face in Amanda's hair.
"Thank you," Amanda whispered softly as she brushed Alex's hair aside. She kissed her on the cheek when they parted and their gazes locked. "I'll see you around, yeah?"
"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Alex answered and smiled. It was a sad smile. She cupped Amanda's cheek. "We've done some great things, Amanda. You're an amazing detective and I know you'll get far." She tenderly kissed Amanda just next to her lips. "Maybe one day we'll see each other but I think for now it's best if we don't."
She turned around and unlocked the front door. She stepped outside and without turning back she walked down the path and got into the car she had parked just down the road. Amanda watched her drive away before slowly closing the door. She rested against it with her back and let out a deep sigh before walking back into the living room. Olivia had appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
"Hey, you ok?" she said when she saw the somewhat desolate look in Amanda's eyes.
"Yeah," Amanda answered as she crossed the room and let herself be enveloped in Olivia's arms. She relaxed against the taller woman's frame and listened to Olivia's calm, steady heartbeat. Amanda's eyes fluttered shut as she felt Olivia's fingers across her lower back. "I guess I just can't believe it's over. Last night it looked like I had lost my life. Now I find out I've got it back. It feels surreal."
"We can make a brand new start now," Olivia said. She kissed Amanda on top of her head. "I spoke to Brian."
Amanda's eyes snapped up. "What? When?"
"Just now," Olivia answered. "Upstairs."
"What did he say? What did you say?"
"I said that I need some time to work things out but I told him that I won't be coming home." She sighed and inhaled the by now familiar scent of Amanda's body. She had gotten so used to it that even being apart for one day would feel like a torment. "I don't think he was too surprised. It's been coming for some time."
"So what do we do now?" Amanda asked softly.
"We wait," Olivia answered and she let go of Amanda. "We only have to get through tomorrow. But before we know it, we can both go back to work."
"We can order pizza," Amanda suggested.
"Or…" A hungry, almost predatory look filled Olivia's eyes as she took the blonde's hand and began leading her back to the stairs. "We can go back to bed."
