Alex took to setting the table because Olivia wouldn't let her help cook. She subtly watched as Olivia glided around the kitchen, mixing and stirring. It was odd to see the domestic side of Olivia, but endearing none the less.

"Go have a seat," Olivia told Alex when she caught her trying to help.

"But," Alex stated.

"Go." A faux stern look came from the detective causing Alex to laugh as she walked out of the kitchen. Olivia smiled and shook her head, "I'm glad my serious look is amusing to you."

"That's because I'm not scared of you," Alex called back, as she took a seat at the table. She picked up the lighter she had gotten out and lit the three candles in the middle of the table. She hoped it wasn't too much and her hint was semi-subtle.

When Olivia walked in with two plates of chicken tetrazzini, she stopped at the door and smiled at the candles. She set the plates on the table and went back to the kitchen for the bottle of wine. While she was gone, Alex got up and dimmed the overhead light so that the majority of the dining room's light came from the candles.

When Olivia came back, she looked at Alex with a smile before taking her seat.

They started eating in silence with Alex sporadically complimenting Olivia's cooking. As Alex was taking a long sip of her wine, Olivia mentioned, "So, what do you think about Abbie and Serena?"

Alex grinned, "I think that's one of those, it's just crazy enough to work, things."

"Serena doesn't strike me as the type to settle down, or settle at all," Olivia mentioned, "I've known Abbie for a long time and she's really into the idea of a serious long term relationship."

After a pause, Alex spoke, "I think Serena wants that too, she just doesn't know how to go about it. She's known for womanizing and playing around. I think she's perpetuating a front that she no longer believes. I think if Abbie will give it a chance, she'd be good for Serena."

"But Abbie lives in DC," Olivia pointed out.

Alex nodded, "But you heard her at lunch. She misses New York and with Serena baiting her like that I don't see her staying away for very much longer."

The brunette raised a skeptical eyebrow, "I hope they make it."

"But you don't think they will," Alex smirked.

"How did you gather that?"

The blonde finished chewing her food, "I know when you don't believe something."

"Am I that easy to read?" the detective asked with a slow smile.

"I've worked with you for a long time."

Olivia set her fork down, "You say that like you're tired of me."

"I'm not tired of you," Alex assured her, "I'm just saying that when you work with someone for so long, you pick up on things other people wouldn't."

"Fair enough."

After a few more minutes, Alex added, "This is really sweet of you, making dinner and everything."

"It's no problem," Olivia smiled, "I'd gladly do it more often if you'd let me."

"You're welcome to come over whenever you like, but you're not always going to cook," Alex answered, "I'll cook for you also."

"Deal," the detective stated.

After dinner, Alex had to threaten Olivia so that the detective would let her clear the table. After she was done, she found Olivia sitting on the couch staring at the blank TV.

"I can change it unless you like this channel," Alex said as she took a seat next to Olivia.

Olivia chuckled, "I was just thinking."

"I didn't meant to interrupt," Alex leaned back on the couch, "Please continue."

The brunette was preparing to return a witty comeback when a cell phone rang. She knew it wasn't her phone so she wasn't surprised when Alex walked to the kitchen. Olivia heard the short, sharp, "Cabot." and then lost herself in thought.

"Alex, I need your help," a slightly panicked voice said.

"Serena?" Alex asked.

Serena took a deep breath and Alex could hear her the other ADA's heels click as she paced. "Abbie asked me to have dinner with her before she went back to DC and she's been kind of flirty. I don't know if this is a date or not."

"What were her exact words?" Alex asked, walking back to the living room.

"She said, 'since I'm going back to Washington tomorrow, I was thinking maybe we could have dinner tonight, just the two of us," Serena quoted, then asked, "Is it a date?"

"If she said 'just the two of us'," Alex smiled, "I think it's leaning toward date."

Olivia raised an eyebrow to Alex's phone call.

"It's Serena," Alex told Olivia, "Abbie asked her to dinner and she wanted to know if it's a date."

"Who are you talking to?" Serena asked.

"Olivia," Alex answered.

"Ah, Olivia, huh?" Serena said, lightly. Alex could see the other blonde smirking into her phone in her mind, "Are you having another sleepover? An adult sleep over?"

"Hey we're focusing on your problems," Alex stated.

Serena sighed, "Well ask Olivia what she thinks."

Alex relayed Abbie's quote to Olivia, who sat in thought for a moment. Then she added, "I really shouldn't tell you this, but Abbie is…attracted to Serena."

Alex's eyes lit up. She grinned at Olivia and said into the phone, "It's definitely a date."

"Are you serious?!" Serena nearly squealed. Then her voice came down an octave, "Oh my god, what am I going to wear? Thanks Alex. I have to make a quick run to 5th avenue."

Alex laughed and hung up her phone, explaining to Olivia, "She's going shopping for something to wear on her date."

"Good for her," Olivia answered and punctuated her sentence with a yawn.

"You need to get to bed," Alex replied, playing with her phone.

The detective nodded and stood, "I should really get going."

As much as she didn't want Olivia to go, Alex knew that they had spent a lot of time together over the past few days and she didn't want Olivia to get sick of her so fast. She stood with the detective, "You're welcome back anytime, Liv."

"Thanks Alex," Olivia stated as they got to the door.

The ADA nodded, "I meant it. Anytime." She looked at Olivia who she knew was looking for a reason to stay.

"Okay," the brunette stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Alex's thin frame. "You can call me anytime."

Alex smiled in the embrace, "You may regret that. I don't sleep much."

"Neither do I," Olivia gently squeezed Alex before pulling away and gazing at the blonde for a long while, "Sleep well Alex."

"You too," Alex leaned on the door as Olivia walked down the hallway.

"Jesus Christ," Alex complained as the power went off in her office the next morning in the DA's office. She needed to draft motions and she was sure she was going to get called to get warrants which she was going to have to hand write everything and see a judge in person for any type of warrant.

Luckily, she had a window that would let in enough light so that she could fill out all the proper form before she took off for the courthouse.

"So the killer was after the girl and Kurt tried to help and he got killed to," Olivia took a deep breath in the glow of the emergency lights.

Elliot held up a folder, "We got a set of prints off of the gun that was thrown into the woods. They came back to a felon."

"They're not allowed to carry guns," Olivia picked up her jacket knowing that their next step was to track the guy down.

"You should get a warrant while you're on the way. It could save you some time when he tells you to get the hell away from him and slams the door in your face," Cragen called after them.

Elliot pulled out his phone before Olivia could get to hers. She knew who he was calling and she wanted to be the one to call her.

"Cabot," Alex huffed.

"We need a warrant," Elliot told her.

The blonde was definitely not happy, "For what?"

"A felons prints were on the gun used to kill Kurt Hanna." Elliot answered, matter-of-factly trying not to let the ADA's tone aggravate him.

"It'll take me a while to get it," Alex answered, "If you haven't noticed the power is out and there's a mob of ADA's trying to get to Judge Bradley to sign off on a warrant."

"Look, we need this warrant or this guy could get away with killing a couple of kids if we don't get that warrant," Elliot said, irritated into the phone.

"And you yelling at me isn't going to help detective," Alex snapped back. She had been in the courthouse for a grand total of thirty minutes and she was already pissed off. The courtroom was beginning to look like the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

"You talk to her," Elliot handed the phone off to Olivia.

"Is there anything we can do to help you get the warrant quicker?" Olivia asked Alex.

At the sound of Olivia's voice Alex calmed a bit, "I'll try my best to get it as fast as I can, but if you want it before four, you'll need to come pick it up yourself and corroborate what I'm writing on the form."

"Fine," Olivia nodded, "We can do that."

"Courtroom 104," Alex stated, "And tell Elliot that if he speaks to Judge Bradley like he spoke to me that he won't get any sort of warrant anytime soon." With that she hung up the phone and got started on the warrant form.

"This is ridiculous," Connie said and set her briefcase next to Alex's on one of the benches near the back of the courtroom.

"I know," Alex said and looked up at Connie, "I've been here half an hour and I've seen four warrants signed."

Connie waved a piece of paper in the air, "I'm going in. If I'm not back in ten minutes, come in after me."

Alex stopped writing, "Wait a minute. I think have another way." She stood and grabbed her bag, "Make sure no one sees us leave. They'll try to follow us and Donnelly will hate me for months."

"Got it," Connie stealthily grabbed her briefcase and followed Alex out.

Once they were sure they were not followed, Alex lead the way to the door of Judge Liz Donnelly's office. She lightly knocked before stepping in. Donnelly's secretary was at her desk, diligently typing away at her computer. She smiled when she saw Alex.

"Is she here?" Alex asked.

The secretary shook her head, "She just stepped out."

"Did she say where she was going?" Alex asked, urgently.

The secretary shook her head, "No, but she went that way." The secretary pointed to the left.

Alex nodded and she and Connie took off down the hall.

"This is stupid," Connie mumbled, "The whole DA's office of Manhattan has lost all structure."

"I know," Alex said as they turned the corner. She spotted Donnelly getting into an elevator. "Liz!"

Donnelly looked up and held the elevator.

"I need a favor," Alex said respectfully as she walked to the elevator.

"Get in," Donnelly told her.

"I know you're not on duty, but-" the blonde started but Donnelly stopped her.

"What are the circumstances of the warrant?" Donnelly asked as she pushed the number to the top floor.

"A felon's fingerprints were on a gun that was used in the shooting of two law students in Central Park," Alex stated.

"Scope?"

"The female victim's purse and the male victim's wallet," Alex offered the paper and a pen to Donnelly.

The judge sighed the warrant and handed it back. Alex sighed a sigh of relief, "Thanks Liz."

Donnelly looked expectantly at Connie, "Circumstances and scope?"

"The suspect was caught on tape fleeing the crime scene. His brother and a police officer had witnessed an altercation between the suspect and the victim right before he was killed. The scope is just the knife used to slit the victim's throat," Connie explained in one breath.

"I don't believe we've met," Donnelly told Connie.

"Connie Rubirosa," the ADA extended her hand.

"Liz Donnelly," Donnelly shook her hand. Then she gestured for the warrant. After she signed it, she handed it back. "Don't either one of you tell anyone that I'm in this building or next time you need a favor Miss Cabot you better look somewhere else."

"Thank you so much Liz," Alex said as the elevator doors opened, "Maybe I can take you to lunch next week."

Donnelly smiled, "Wednesday at two. I'll meet you there."

Alex smiled back and nodded before Donnelly got out and the elevator doors closed again. As she was putting her new appointment into her phone, Connie looked at her, "You come in handy."

"Don't I know it," Alex smirked, "Are you ready for lunch?"

"Very," Connie nodded.

As Olivia and Elliot were walking up the courthouse steps, Alex and Connie were talking down. Alex presented the warrant, "We hunted Donnelly down."

Olivia glared at Elliot before he cleared his throat, rubbed the back of his neck, and said, "Thank you."

Connie crossed her arms and bowed her head to hide her smile. Alex raised an eyebrow at Olivia and answered Elliot, "You're welcome."

Elliot took the warrant and started down the stairs. Olivia shot a smile to Alex before following her partner.

"What's going on there?" Connie asked, linking her arm with Alex's.

"It's a long story," the blonde replied.

Connie smirked, "Well it's a good thing I'm taking you to a long lunch."