A/N: Okay, so I finally wrote another chapter. I noticed everyone seemed to want to know what Alex's reaction would be in the reviews, so here you go. I shall try to update again as soon as possible, and thanks for your patience!

Chapter 12: Naive

Casey

After our night and day together, we said our goodbyes with hesitance, with long slow kisses and a final separation of our bodies, at a similar speed to tectonic plates shifting. Gradual. Barely perceptible. And with many a backward glances over our respective shoulders.

We didn't talk about what would come next, the rules of engagement, how we'd play this.

I assumed we'd be together. I tried not to get tangled up in the specifics of it. I tried not to think of the other points in the love triangle. I let myself get carried away, and left Liv to deal with her situation whilst I rectified my own.

Of course I'm talking about Alex. My boss and regular fuck buddy. Of course that couldn't continue if Olivia and I were to be together.

I'm embarrassed even now when I think back to how naive I was.

Alex appeared taken aback in the door frame. She wasn't dressed for company, but still looked immaculately put together as usual. Her normally poker straight blonde hair fell in loose waves over her shoulders, and she was dressed in a short sleeved fitted tee-shirt and yoga pants, a pair of thick blue socks completed the comfortable lounging outfit. She stepped aside, letting Casey into the hallway, clicking the door shut behind her.

"I have to say, I wasn't expecting you, and you are breaking the rules of our little engagement, however, I will let that go as I really want you right now," Alex said, and without further ceremony she pushed Casey back against the wall, hands cupping her face, and greeting her with a customary searing kiss.

This was not on the agenda Casey had planned, but for a moment she did nothing but reciprocate, her hands wandering under Alex's shirt as she returned the kiss, it was instinctive almost, a muscle memory.

But as Alex's hands moved lower, unbuttoning Casey's shirt slowly as her mouth worked on Casey's neck, sense suddenly sprung from the sea of hormones Casey found herself swimming in and she blurted out abruptly,

"Stop Alex, we need to talk."

Alex paused, her slim fingers lingering on the remaining fastened buttons.

"About?" Alex said, her curt response strained.

Casey paused and sucked in a deep breath,

"We can't really do this anymore,"

Alex backed away a little, flashing a bemused smirk, "what's that Novak?"

Casey shrugged, "you know, 'this'."

Alex walked to the living room, gesturing Casey to follow. The other woman retrieved a bottle of red wine from a cabinet, setting down two ornate glasses.

"You mean talking? That could make working together tricky..."

Casey rolled her eyes, taking a seat on the couch, edge of the cushion, ready to get up again. She definitely wasn't planning on staying.

"You know what I mean."

Alex joined her on the couch, handing Casey a glass, "sure I do, you mean we should stop fucking. Tell me, why do you find it so hard to say that?"

"It's a little vulgar," Casey muttered.

"That never bothered you in the bedroom, just a couple of nights ago I distinctly recall you saying, and I quote, 'fuck me harder Alex..'"

Casey raised a palm, cutting her off, "Alex, can we please have an adult conversation."

"This is a very adult conversation," Alex growled.

"You know what I mean."

"You mean lets have an honest conversation. Sure. I can do that. Let's have an honest conversation about how you screwed Olivia, and you're a 'one hook up at a time' kinda gal."

Casey rubbed self-consciously at her reddening cheeks, "it's not like that. I care about her."

"So tell me, what is it like?" Alex said, setting her own glass down on the table and leaning close, "did you 'make love', did you stare into each others eyes, did she tell you you're the only girl that's ever made her feel this way?"

Casey tensed as Alex shuffled closer, her hand sneaking onto Casey upper thigh, her lips brushing against Casey's ear as she whispered in a low salacious tone,

"Here's the thing Casey, she might give you butterflies, but I can give you an orgasm."

Casey quickly bolted upright, before her senses took over, "I don't have to explain myself to you."

Alex laughed a little, "god Casey, are you really that naive?"

"What do you mean?"

"How do you think this ends? Do you think Olivia is going to leave Elliot for you?"

Casey shrugged, "we haven't really talked about that."

"Oh you will," Alex said, "we've all been there, the infamous 'straight girl crush'. Always works out the same way. She gives in to curiosity, you think you're getting everything you want. At first it's amazing, you think she feels the same way. But then come the excuses...she can't leave him until this, or that, or they have kids together, or he owns the house, but it all ends the same. She'll quench her curiosity and head straight back into hetero world, and you'll be left bereft. I've seen it happen a hundred times."

"Thanks for the advice Alex, unsolicited as it was," Casey muttered.

"So let me get my head around this," Alex said, "you can't sleep with me, because you're now sleeping with Olivia. Because that makes a whole lot of sense."

"Right, so sue me for believing in monogamy," Casey grunted.

"Hah, monogamy! Casey Novak, poster girl for monogamy...who just happens to be fucking someone else's wife..."

Casey cocked an eyebrow, "are you calling me a hypocrite?"

Alex smiled, "oh we're all hypocrites sweetheart, but some of us are honest enough to admit it. So you're shtupping Benson. Fine. What do you think she's doing right now? Elliot's been away a few days, what do you think he'll want when he gets home..."

"Shut up," Casey ground out. The image Alex was evoking was one Casey had been trying hard to push out of her mind all day. Elliot's hands all over Olivia. Her screaming out Elliot's name… it was enough to make her blood boil.

Alex tugged Casey's shoulder, bringing her around to face her, "it only smarts because it's the truth. Tell me, if she can have her fun, why can't you have yours?"

Casey gripped Alex by her upper arms, pulling her close, "you don't know anything."

Alex affected her most innocent gaze, pouting and chewing softly at her lower lip, "I know one thing...you're sexy when you're mad."

Casey released her grip, raking her hands through her hair, trying to gather her thoughts. Of course Alex was persuasive, that was one of her many talents, but it wasn't simply smooth words that had jarred her thoughts.

Alex was making sense, that and Casey didn't exactly relish the thought of going back to her empty apartment, waking up alone. Casey liked to think of herself as independent, strong, self-sufficient. But the comfort of a familiar warm body next to her was too much to resist. She wanted Alex, as much as it pained her to admit it. She needed to get out of the apartment before she gave in.

"Alex I…" Casey's words fell away as Alex locked eyes with her, slowly removing her tee-shirt and letting it fall to the floor, letting Casey drink in her partially naked form, "...stop that…" she muttered out, voice quivering ever so slightly.

"It's my apartment, I can undress if I want to," Alex said, unfastening her bra, "if you don't like it you're free to leave."

Of course she was free to leave, in a manner of speaking. But Casey found her feet rooted to the floor and her eyes locked on Alex as she slowly approached, her arms snaking around Casey's neck.

"Oh god," Casey groaned out between fast breaths as Alex's fingers slid into her again and again in a hard rhythm.

She had given in to temptation and found herself on her back in Alex's bed, and the other woman seemed intent on making her pay for her earlier resistance.

It didn't take long for the sensations to reach their apex, and Casey moaned out "I'm gonna…"

"Ah ah ah, no you're not," Alex growled, abruptly ceasing movement, flashing a wicked smile.

It took all of Casey's strength not to whimper as her body throbbed in protest, "Alex what are you doing?"

"Nothing at all, until you ask me nicely," Alex breathed in her ear, brushing her thumb lightly across Casey's most sensitive spot, causing shock waves to shoot through her body. In her aroused state, every nerve ending was on fire. This wasn't fair but Alex's self satisfied grin told Casey she knew exactly what she was doing.

"Please Alex..." Casey whimpered.

"Please what?" Alex asked, innocent as could be even though her fingers were still inside Casey, her tongue dancing over a pert pink nipple.

"Please fuck me Alex," Casey ground out, her breath coming in short bursts.

"I don't know," Alex whispered, "earlier you said you didn't want me to anymore..."

"I'm sorry," Casey said, attempting to move her hips, desperate for some sort of friction to ease the ache. Alex leaned harder on her, preventing any wayward movement and thus relief. God she was cruel.

"I was wrong, please fuck me Alex," Casey said, no longer attempting to retain any shred of dignity. She was too far gone for that. She needed Alex, and she needed her now.

"Yes you were," Alex purred, sinking her teeth into the soft flesh of Casey's neck as she finally continued, hard, tangling her other hand in Casey's hair, forcing the other woman's eyes to meet hers as she brought her to a shuddering climax.

Alex

I know what you probably think of me by now.

I'm a game player, I enjoy fucking with people for the hell of it. I pushed Casey and Olivia together just to mess with them. I'm a shit-stirrer.

But that's just not true.

I cared about Casey so very much. I've just never been very good at showing it.

In reality, I hadn't wanted Casey to sleep with Olivia. The thought of anyone else touching her… I didn't want that. Honestly I didn't.

I wanted her to get over the idea, that's why I did what I did. My plan, stupid though it seems now, was thus:

I pushed them together to bring this whole 'crush' thing to a head. Casey would realise Olivia wasn't interested, she'd stop pining over the woman, and she'd be all mine. Of course that backfired sensationally.

I should have left well enough alone.

Hindsight is always twenty-twenty...