Okay, guys, here is the next chapter. Just know that I'm already working on the next one. It should be up within a day or two. Promise!

Amanda stood outside the door to her new home, finding herself unable to move. It had taken a few weeks, but they had finally been able to move into their new home, with help from the guys of course. Finding her courage, she opened the door and entered the warm brownstone. She was greeted by the smell of what had been Emily and Ryan's dinner hours earlier. Had her night been a different one she would have wanted nothing more than to find herself engulfed in the arms of her lover, sharing stories about work and planning their future. It wasn't another night, however, and the last thing she wanted was to be around anyone, even Ryan.

Moving out of the foyer she caught sight of the brunette, still in her slacks and her untucked, white button up, standing at the sink washing dishes. Sensing someone behind her, Ryan turned and smiled at her tired looking lover. She dried her hands and greeted the blonde with a sweet kiss that was barely reciprocated. Ryan pulled back and narrowed her eyes at Amanda.

"How did it go tonight?" She asked.

"It was fine." The blonde replied dismissively. Ryan's eyebrows rose, causing Amanda to glare. "Stop looking at me like that." She said, her gaze fleeing to the wall to her left.

"Like what?" Ryan asked.

"Like you think I'm lying!" Amanda yelled. "I'm not some criminal you can interrogate in my own home!" Ryan's eyes widened at the raised voice and braced herself for the fight she knew was coming.

"You are lying." Ryan returned. "And lower your voice, Emily is sleeping." Amanda scoffed.

"Emily will be fine!" She fired back. "And I'm not lying. Everything was fine."

"Then why have you been drinking?" Ryan asked her. Amanda stepped closer, her rounded stomach now touching Ryan's stomach as she raised herself to whisper in the brunette's ear.

"Why? Am I tempting you?" She asked. Ryan's body went rigid as she stepped back.

"You should go to bed." Ryan said, her voice painfully even. "We'll talk about this tomorrow." Amanda stepped back from her lover.

"No, no we won't." She said as she turned for the bedroom.

Ryan slept on the couch that night.

In the tense days that followed Amanda seemed to spiral more and more out of control. No matter how hard she tried to stop it she would end up saying something cruel to Ryan or a member of her team. After finding out about her former chief, Ryan had been trying to help her but all it seemed to do was prove to Amanda that she was damaged. She knew the doctor was trying to help, but she wasn't a patient, she was her girlfriend, and a horrible girlfriend at that. Every time Ryan tried to help her she would find herself saying things to the brunette that she knew she could never take back. She couldn't help it. The words would be out before she could stop them. And she hated herself for it.

Emily had been staying with Liv and Alex, thank God. The last thing she wanted was her daughter to witness her losing her control.

Finally the day came for the man who had tormented her dreams these last few years to admit what he did. Time for him to be punished. It wasn't nearly what he deserved, but it was more than they expected.

After a long walk Amanda founder herself, yet again, before the door to her home yet unable to enter. It didn't feel like her home anymore. She felt like a different person than what she had been before all of this began. She had hurt the people she loved. What kind of person did that? How could she face Ryan and Emily now? She couldn't even have Ryan in court when he was sentenced.

The place that she saw when she entered the brownstone was not her home. The pictures on the walls showed a different blonde looking back at her. She had made Ryan happy, you could see it. How could she do that now?

She knew what she had to do. Swallowing against the lump in her throat, she made her way to their-Ryan's bedroom and packed a bag. It killed her, but she had to do this.

In a different apartment Olivia was walking in to see her girlfriend and son playing on the floor with some of his toys. Her heart warmed at the sight. After the week she had, this was exactly what she needed.

"Look Noah," Came Alex's voice "there's Mommy." Olivia watched as the blonde scooped up her excited son and walked over. The two shared a heavy, but still chaste kiss, while Noah played with her brown locks.

"Hey, baby." Liv said as the pulled apart. "And hello to you, my sweet boy." She said, dropping a kiss to the little boy's hair.

They stood like that, just soaking in each other's presence, until Noah began to squirm. Alex set him in his playpen to play while she took care of his mother. She rounded up to the sergeant again, taking the older woman in her arms, allowing Olivia to drown herself in Alex's smell. Heaven.

"How was it?" Alex asked as she threaded her fingers through the brunette's hair.

"I can't say justice was served, but it was something." Olivia said into Alex's shoulder.

"Is Amanda okay?" Asked the lawyer, causing Olivia to pull away and sigh.

"I have no idea." She answered. "She seemed alright, but this is Amanda we're talking about. She carries the weight of the world." Alex nodded in agreement. The younger detective was too stubborn for her own good.

"Are you okay?" Alex asked, bringing her hands to cup her lover's face.

"It's been a long week." Liv answered.

A knock on their door brought the two women back to the present. Alex squeezed Olivia's should as she passed to check the door. Outside stood a frazzled looking Ryan with Emily squirming on her hip.

Once inside, Ryan placed her down on the floor by Noah's playpen where the girl began playing with his toys. Wordlessly, the younger brunette grabbed Olivia's wrist and nodded for her mother to follow as she dragged the sergeant to the dining room. Where just a few weeks earlier they had all been happy.

Ryan then came to a halt and looked to her superior. "Do you know where she is?" She asked without preamble.

"Who?" Olivia asked, her eyes immediately darting to the little girl in the living room.

"Amanda!" Ryan hissed, picking at her thumb nervously with her mouth.

"She isn't at home?" Alex asked calmly.

"Would I be here is she was?!" Ryan answered harshly.

"Okay, Ryan, you need to calm down." Olivia said, her head tilting toward where Emily was now looking at them. Ryan threw an apologetic look to the women.

"Tell us what happened." Alex instructed her.

"I picked Emily up after work and went home." Ryan began. "When I got there I saw that her suitcase and most of her clothes were gone."

"No note, nothing." Ryan continued. "She was just gone, fucking gone!" Alex had just placed a hand on her daughter's arm to calm her when Olivia's phone notified her of an email.

"It's Amanda." She said. "Shit."

"What is it?" Alex asked, worriedly. Olivia's eyes darted between the women.

"Olivia." Ryan said, her voice breaking at the end.

"She says that she's taking the next couple of weeks off." Olivia tells them. "She said she would email the details when she gets there but to not share them with anyone else."

Olivia watched as all of the air seemed to leave Ryan in an instant. Then, just like the first time they met, she saw the young doctor square her shoulders and neutralize her face. She had seen Alex do the same thing many times, just another thing they had in common. Ryan took her emotions and placed them in a box and shoved that box far, far away.

"Never let it be said that I can't take a hint." Ryan said, moving past the two women. Alex reached and caught her wrist.

"Ryan-"

"I really should get Emmy home." Ryan cut her off.

Olivia and Alex watched as she picked up her daughter and left without another word.

"Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water." Alex said, her eyes never leaving the door.

"We're gonna need a bigger boat."

Sorry for the cliffhanger...sort of...sorry/not sorry. Like I said, I'm already working on the follow-up. Love you guys and feedback is welcome, always!