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Things became easier at the camp after their conversation. Alex, though not exactly a chatterbox, started to talk to the others. She asked Finn about his homeland and the dry sands and yellow cities he had left. She would listen as Munch would explain his most recent theory about the book of revelation as they prepared the camps meals. She and Amanda would play draughts, not talking but existing in a comfortable silence as they moved the coloured pebbles across the board. Elliot, alone, remained wary, still not trusting that Alex wasn't working against them. He sat down with her one day and quizzed her about the castle and her father, asking about the amount of guards and how often they rotated. Alex answered as best she could, not being directly involved in the running of the keep and in the end it was a pointless conversation because Alex didn't really know and Elliot didn't trust the answers she gave anyway.

She took over the running of their laundry. Every two days or so their clothes would be washed in the pool, rubbed with lavender soap that Casey brought them from the market at York.

'I did all my own washing at the castle, Olivia.' Alex had told her. 'My father didn't trust that someone wouldn't guess I was a woman from my washing so made me do it myself. I don't mind doing it.'

Olivia had complained at first but after seeing that Alex really didn't mind and that it helped make her feel like a part of the camp she was happy to throw all her clothes at the blond.

The weeks past and late June became late July and Alex became a normal part of life, even Elliot started to mellow to her. The only sign that there was any mistrust left was that she was always made to stay in the cave any time anyone left. She assumed that there was a path up the rock face by the waterfall, a handhold that wasn't visible till you were climbing and someone pointed it out to you. No one made a big deal out of this secrecy but it was there all the same.

'What's you're actual story, I mean beyond the rumours?' Alex asked one day. She and Olivia were sitting alone in the cave, Alex's head resting in Olivia's lap. They had grown closer over the weeks and though there was still a tension between them neither of them wanted to bring it up lest it shatter the delicate peace they had built.

'What do you mean my story?'

'You know, how you became the famous Olivia Benson, defender of the weak. I've told you stuff about me but I barely know anything about you.'

Olivia opened her mouth to argue that beyond the bare minimum Alex hadn't told her anything about herself but decided that was a conversation for another day. 'There's not much to tell Alex.'

Alex didn't reply just looked up into Olivia face or after sigh started.

'I was an only child. Born to quite rich parents on the other side of the forest. My father taught me to shoot almost as soon as I could stand and when I was old enough all I wanted to do was join the crusade, to fight for God. My mother didn't really want me to go but in the end my father allowed it and I joined the King's army.'

Alex was listening intently, hardly daring to breathe in case Olivia stopped.

'I was sixteen when I travelled to the Holy lands and I fought well. But after a while war become too much. It's endless killing over there, the sand is always stained red and it just didn't seem so glorious anymore. I left, didn't tell my commander I was going, just got a horse and left. I met Finn on my way home and I think he was feeling the same as me. I sold him on stories of green trees and my mother's cooking and he, for some mad reason, decided to come with me.

When I got home, I learnt my parent had died and that my home had been taken by someone else, everyone thinking I was dead, I'd been gone for so long. I was angry for a time. Angry that the home I was looking forward to, the home that had got me through the worse of my war was never going to exist again. Finn stayed with me though, I'm not sure why, maybe he had nowhere else to go.

I emerged from my grief and started travelling, not far just around the forest mainly. What I saw didn't help me get rid of the anger. Everywhere people were struggling, people were dying; it killed me that no one seemed to care.

One day, I was in a village, I forget which now, and the tax man arrived. I watched as people I knew who could barely feed their families gave almost everything they had to a man dressed in gold cloth. I followed him on the road and watched as he did the same to every village he came to and suddenly I couldn't control my anger. I killed him that night and took all the money. I expected Finn to be angry with me for bringing trouble on us, but he just listened then helped me give the money back.

After that things just kind of snowballed. Elliot joined us next, we'd known each other since we were children and his wife had just died in childbirth, the child going with her, so normal life didn't really appeal to him anymore. He found us one day and has been with us ever since.

Munch came next. His monastery had thrown him out for un-monk like behaviour. He's never told us exactly what he did and no ones that bothered to ask, but sometimes I do wonder.

Amanda showed up about a year ago. Still hasn't told us exactly why a teenager wants to live in the forest with a bunch of misfits but she fits in well and works hard so when she'd ready, if she wants to, she'll tell us why she's here.' Olivia seemed to come to and realise how long she'd been talking. She smiled down at Alex who was still looking up at her face. 'That's it. Nothing too special, just me.'

Alex wanted to tell her that there was no 'just' when it came to her but for some reason bit her tongue. She didn't know what was happening between the two of them and didn't want to explore it too deeply, happy to just lay there with Olivia's hands running through her hair.

'I'm sorry the world hurt you Olivia.' She said sincerely.

'I was a long time ago, Alex, everything's okay now.' Olivia smiled.

It was the first week of August when things changed. Amanda and Finn had left earlier that morning to go and visit Casey and Munch had gone with them to forage for herbs and roots. Alex woke to the sound of Elliot and Olivia arguing but she couldn't make out the exact word over the sound of the water. She was always one of the last to wake and often in the morning she would just lay on her mattress and listen to the sounds of the others beginning their days before rolling onto the rock and seeing if there was any breakfast left.

That morning there was no time for breakfast. Olivia came in to the cave and told her quickly to get dressed. Emerging into the sunlight, already warm although it was early, it was obvious that Olivia had won the fight from the look on Elliot's face.

'We have to leave and you can't be left alone so you're coming with us.' Alex had learnt from the start not to be offended by Elliot's tone or the accusation that she couldn't be trusted alone with their things. She didn't say anything just looked over to Olivia who was smiling and belting her quiver to her waist.

'You ready?' Alex shrugged at Olivia's question looking down at her clothes. She'd borrowed some brown breeches from Olivia and they fit rather well if in need of a belt and her own white shirt was looking remarkably less white from multiple washes but apart from that her appearance was as good as it was ever going to be.

Elliot started up the rock face first and Alex was quick to follow. She watched where he put his hands and they followed the path she had picked out with her eyes before but when they were about three quarters of the way up it was as she had imagined. The rock bulged out above them and the smooth surface gave no indication of where one could place their hands. Elliot heaved himself over the outcrop and if it wasn't for him pointing down and showing her what looked like smooth rock but actually had small grooves one could cling to, she wouldn't have been able to climb up.

'Where are we going?' Alex finally asked, as Olivia led them over to two horses. Amanda had told her before that they sometimes kept mounts tied nearby in case they needed to travel far in only a day.

'A village over near the south side of the forest.' Olivia replied, saddling a horse. 'We have some things we need to give them and it couldn't really wait. I thought you could help us.'

'Won't they recognise me?' Alex was slightly afraid. She'd never been out amongst strangers without her armour before and didn't exactly like the prospect.

'How could they,' Olivia assured her, 'they know the Black cloak and as a tall man with grey eyes who never speaks. You're going to be my friend from London, a blond haired woman, whose eyes, without the shadow of a helmet, appear almost blue. There's no connection.'

'What if my father hears about it?'

'Why would he. What cause would the villagers miles away have to tell the Sheriff about a woman who was helping his enemy? Don't worry Alex.'

Alex wasn't entirely convinced and she could tell from Elliot's face and silence that his thoughts mirrored hers but she decided to trust Olivia and mounted the horse behind her.

They entered the village around noon and the people in the fields stopped working to meet them. A small crowd gathered in front of the church and greeted Olivia and Elliot like old friends. Alex's worries were proved baseless as apart from the slight mistrust of strangers no one treated her harshly. Olivia started handing out the blankets that were tied to the back of the horses and the constant knitting at the camp suddenly made sense.

'We raided a caravan going to the castle one day,' she explained to Alex with a wink, 'and in it there were these massive balls of wool. It was supposed to be the Sheriff's bed, new linen and such but we thought we could make better use of it.'

Alex could remember that day. Her father had thrown a fit when he'd be told that the material was lost.

'We decided to make blankets for the people around. Winter can be cold if all you've got are thin cloths and wooden walls.' She pressed some of the rough wool into Alex's hands and indicated that she was to start handing them out. Alex was at a loss for a moment but hesitantly handed a blanket to a young girl. She smiled and Alex saw that her two front teeth were missing so that when she uttered an embarrassed thank you it came out as a lisp.

The day passed quickly and soon all the blankets had been given away. Alex, who was used to fear and anger didn't know what to make of the smiling faces that greeted hers or what to say when they were invited for dinner. Everyone was laughing and although there wasn't much to go around everyone got some bread and a new ale casket was opened.

Olivia watched as Alex smiled at the villagers. Her eyes were shining and often Olivia heard her laugh bringing a smile to her own lips. She wanted Alex to know what it felt like to be the good person for a change. To be the one that everyone was happy to see. She watched as Alex played with the children, so obviously out her depth but trying to be kind all the same. As they were riding home that evening she tried to ask Alex what she was feeling but the one word answers and sometimes grunts made her stop and just enjoy the feeling of Alex leaning back against her.

She started to worry however when Alex's silence didn't lift that evening. They were all back enjoying dinner, Finn telling them all about Casey's latest refusal. The poor man only lasted an hour in the house before storming out claiming he'd never met a ruder Lady. Alex laughed along with the rest of them but to Olivia it sounded hollow and empty and she worried that Alex was slipping back into bad habits.

That night she couldn't sleep. She lay still on her side but thoughts about Alex and the day wouldn't stop running through her mind and though everyone else was snoring she lay awake.

Or at least she thought everyone else was snoring. In the middle of the night, when the moon was high, she heard someone get up and leave the cave. She lay there for a moment not wanting to invade someone's privacy but curiosity got the better of her and she crept out of the cave after them.

She felt her heart drop to her stomach as she watched Alex climb the rock face. Elliot's warnings about not showing her to get out played through her head but she'd thought that after all this time her and Alex had become friends. She had trusted her and yet it seemed at the first opportunity Alex had betrayed them.

I would just like to take a moment to reiterate that there will be graphically written scenes coming up so continue at your own discretion.