The next morning as Alex and Olivia were on their way out for breakfast, the doorman stopped them. "Ms. Cabot, this arrived for you yesterday," he said, handing her a box.

"Thank you, Matthew," Alex said, eyeing the box. It didn't look suspicious, but her job had taught her to be wary of unexpected deliveries.

She sat down on a bench in the lobby and carefully opened the box. Inside was another box of chocolates. They looked pretty harmless.

"Is there a card?" Olivia asked from beside her.

Alex nodded and pulled it out. The note was typed, and it too looked fairly innocuous. Until she read it.

I thought the article in The Enquirer would show you what a bad decision you're making. I guess I was wrong. Perhaps you need a real man inside you to show you what you're missing. Happy Valentine's Day, darling.

Alex's hands trembled as she dropped the note. It wasn't signed, but she knew exactly who it was from.

"Alex, what is it?" Olivia asked.

"Robert," was all she could say.

Olivia skimmed the note over Alex's shoulder. She tried to suppress her gasp at the threat, forcing down her own concern for Alex and trying to strong. Alex needed her to be there for her.

She wrapped her arms around Alex, holding her tightly. "It's going to be okay, baby. I promise I won't let him hurt you."

"It's not me that I'm worried about."

"Alex, he's not going to hurt me, either. I can protect myself. I can protect you, too, if you let me."

"Liv, I can't put you in danger."

"Alex, you aren't. I love you. I want to be with you. I'll take care of us, of both of us."

Alex sighed. "Do you still want to go out for breakfast?"

"Only if you want to."

"We can't let him control our lives, Olivia. Let's go."

They got up and threw the chocolates in the garbage on their way out, and walked the three blocks to one of their favourite breakfast places. They sat down at a table, holding hands. The delivery had shaken Alex this morning, but Olivia was here and she would keep her safe. Alex knew that. Everything was going to be fine.

Olivia ordered orange-cinnamon French toast and Alex ordered a parfait, and when their food arrived, they ate in comfortable silence. Alex had a few bites off Olivia's plate and when Olivia noticed how Alex kept glancing uneasily around the restaurant, she got up and sat down beside Alex on her side of the booth. She took Alex into her arms and held her close. She knew Alex was trying to put on a brave front, but the package she'd received from Robert had clearly frightened her. Alex wasn't nearly as strong as she was trying to portray, and Olivia wished that Alex hadn't insisted on going out. She wished they were back in their apartment right now, curled up on the sofa. She would be holding Alex in private, soothing her, rather than forcing her to put on a brave face in public.

Alex melted into Olivia's embrace, and they sat like that for several long moments. Suddenly, Alex shifted in Olivia's arms and moved away from her. "Is there something I can help you with?" Alex asked, composing herself once again.

Olivia looked up to see a tall man with curly dark hair standing at the head of their table. "Are you Alexandra Cabot?"

Alex sat up a little straighter. "Yes, I am. What can I do for you?"

"Is this your girlfriend?"

"I don't see how that is any of your concern, but yes, she is. Who are you?"

"Colin Engel. I'm a reporter for The Post. Do you have a moment?"

"Actually, I don't." Alex slid out of the booth and helped Olivia to her feet. "Come on, Liv. We're going home."

Olivia dropped some money on the table and they started toward the exit, Colin Engel hot at their heels. "Ms. Cabot, I'd like to speak to you. I'm writing an article for The Post. It'll be published on Tuesday. Front page. I've already spoken to your ex-fiancé. I'd like to get your side of the story."

Alex tried not to show the panic coursing through her veins at his words. This was never going to end. "Stay away from us," she said, raising her hand to hail a cab.

The reporter grabbed her wrist. "Ms. Cabot, you're making a mistake –"

Within ten seconds of him laying his hands on Alex, he was being pressed up against the side of the building. "Don't you dare touch her," Olivia said, pushing him against the wall for good measure. "And if you know what's good for you, you won't publish that article."

"It's my job, Detective," Colin said through the iron grip Olivia had on him.

"Yeah, and this is mine." She shoved him against the brick again, causing the reporter to hiss in pain.

"I could have you arrested for assault."

"And we could sue you for libel. Does your reputable paper have enough money to pay us five hundred thousand in damages?"

"Let go of me, Detective."

Olivia didn't release him until she felt Alex's hand on her arm. "Don't, Liv. He's not worth it."

Olivia let go of him. "You are not to come near either of us ever again. Are we clear?"

Colin glared at her as Alex raised her hand again to hail a cab, linking her arm with Olivia's. "You'll regret this," he muttered as he started down the street in the opposite direction.

When they got back to their apartment, Alex was ready to go to bed and sleep for a hundred years. First Robert, then the reporter, and the bitter realization that Jim was going to be handling the bureau – her bureau – for the indefinite future. She just didn't know what to do.

Robert. God. Although she would never admit it, he had frightened her with his ominous note. If she had seen what lay beneath his charming exterior, she never would have moved in with him to begin with. She feared that she would be paying for her mistake for the rest of her life. And the worst part was that she had brought Olivia into it now, too.

She knew Olivia had noticed her putting on the stay alarm as soon as they entered the apartment, but her girlfriend hadn't said anything. Olivia had simply retreated to the bedroom to change into sweats and a t-shirt, and then sat down on the couch to watch television.

Alex took a few moments in the bedroom to calm herself down before she went out to the living room to join Olivia. Olivia held out her arms to Alex and Alex snuggled up against her side. Olivia pressed a kiss to the crown of Alex's head and Alex sighed, closing her eyes as she slid closer to Olivia.

Olivia threaded her fingers through Alex's hair and turned off the television. "You okay?" she said softly.

Alex nodded, then shook her head. "Liv, what if Robert . . .?" She couldn't finish the thought. It was too painful. "I don't want him to hurt you."

"Baby, he won't hurt me. Or you. Or anyone. I'll have him arrested for violating his restraining order."

"No, no. We can't definitively prove that he sent the chocolates, and you know he's got connections and he'll have the best defense money can buy. I won't waste the state's time and money on an unwinnable case."

Olivia hugged Alex tightly. "You know you don't always have to be so strong," she said quietly.

Alex sighed. She knew that if she fell apart and cried right now, Olivia would comfort her and hold her and not think any worse of her for it. But she just couldn't. She did have to be strong, for herself if not for Olivia. Her heart ached for the pain she'd caused the woman she loved.

She rested her head on Olivia's shoulder and Olivia rubbed soothing circles into her back, whispering sweet nothings into her ear, that it was okay and Olivia loved her and would protect her and take care of her always, no matter what. Alex forced herself not to cry, though she wanted more than anything to break down in Olivia's arms. She had to be strong.

After a few moments, Alex pulled out of Olivia's arms and got to her feet. "I noticed this morning that our fridge is partial biohazard," she said, mustering a smile. "I threw out almost everything, so now it's empty. You ready to go do some grocery shopping?"

Olivia made a face, recognizing Alex's attempts to change the subject. "No, Alex. It's my day off."

"All the more reason for me to appreciate your company."

Olivia rolled her eyes and patted her lap. When Alex remained standing, she grabbed Alex's arm and tried to pull her down, but Alex pushed her away.

"Sorry, Liv. We're out of bananas. This is a major problem."

"Why can't we just order a pizza?" Olivia whined.

"We just ate breakfast. And we need bananas."

"Why don't we do that online grocery shopping thing?"

Alex chuckled. "Lazy. Those bananas will be a week old and last us about a day."

"I've seen the way you eat bananas. They'll probably only last us about a day anyway."

Alex grabbed Olivia's hands and pulled her to her feet. "Sorry, Liv, but I'm out of here in thirty seconds. Are you going to join me or not?"

Olivia groaned. "Fine, fine. Let me get my shoes."

Alex put on a brave face for the rest of the day, but at night, her fears resurfaced. She woke up at three in the morning, shaking with the remnants of a nightmare.

Her quiet whimpers woke Olivia, and the detective immediately pulled Alex into her arms. "Baby, what's wrong?" she whispered, pressing a kiss to the crown of Alex's head and rubbing gentle circles into her back. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Alex nodded. She couldn't speak. She was afraid she'd begin to cry if she did.

Olivia sighed and hugged her tighter. "Oh, baby. It's okay. No one's going to hurt you. I'm here." She gave Alex another kiss. "It's all right. It was just a dream. You're safe."

"I'm sorry," Alex murmured, burying her face in Olivia's chest. "I haven't had a nightmare like this since the . . . hostage situation."

"About being shot?"

Alex nodded and tightened her grip on Olivia.

Olivia tenderly stroked Alex's hair. "I'm here, princess. He won't hurt you ever again. I promise I will keep you safe."

"I know you will. I'm sorry."

Olivia raised Alex's chin so she was looking right into those beautiful eyes. "Alex, you have nothing to be sorry for. I love you more than anything and I'm here for you no matter what." Alex sniffled, and Olivia felt her heart clench. "What can I do, baby?"

"Just – just hold me," Alex said in a small voice. "Please?"

"Of course."

Olivia held Alex close. Alex rested her head on Olivia's shoulder, and they fell asleep like that a few moments later.

The next day at work, Olivia received a visit from Robert. "Detective," he said in his superficially charming manner, "it's nice to see you again."

"What are you doing here?" Olivia snapped.

"I thought we'd ended things on a bad note, so I decided to stop by and have a talk, man to man."

Olivia crossed her arms over her chest. "I have no interest in discussing anything with you, Robert."

"Now that you have my Alexandra –"

"She is not your anything. She's her own person, Robert. You have no claim to her."

"You took her from me."

"She chose to leave you because you treated her like garbage."

"And you don't?"

"No, I don't, Robert. I love her."

"What can you give her that I can't? You're a civil servant. I know all about you, and your father –"

Olivia saw red. She wanted to hit him, was afraid she actually would. He was pressing all of her buttons, and all of her own fears were resurfacing. From the very beginning, she'd felt that she wasn't good enough for Alex. Alex was truly a princess, and Olivia felt like a lowly pauper. She knew that she carried evil genes inside her, and for the first few years of their relationship, Olivia had constantly feared that she would unleash the violence she was sure was inside her on Alex. She was afraid to touch Alex at the beginning, even though she longed to, because she was scared that her touches would be unwanted.

Alex had shown her otherwise. Alex had shown her love from the very start, although Olivia could never quite figure out what her girlfriend saw in her. She never took Alex's love for granted, unlike Robert clearly did.

"You have no business coming in here and speaking to me like this, Robert. I suggest you leave immediately before I make you leave."

Robert quirked an eyebrow. "Is that a threat, Detective?"

"Yes. Yes, it is. You have thirty seconds."

Robert glared at her for another moment before turning on his heel and stalking away.

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