This is it. The final chapter. Thanks to all who alerted, favourited, reviewed, and simply read this story. I had a blast writing it, and I can't wait to get another fic going. People talk about a "runner's high"; I get a writer's high. I think I might churn out some one-shots for both SVU (A/O, natch) and Rizzoli & Isles (the OTP is the name of the show!), before getting back into a multi-chapter fic, but we'll see what the future holds. Thanks again for the support, and may you have A/O dreams tonight!
Dinner was a very subdued affair. It was still early in the evening, and the final item on the day's agenda was packing everything up and getting ready to leave; a task neither woman was looking forward to. Olivia washed the dishes while Alex dried them and put them all back in their proper places. They cleared out the refrigerator and took the trash out to the bin. Cam and Josie were going to come by Sunday night and take the bedding and towels to be washed and make sure the place was closed up until the next use.
The packing of the bags was carried out silently, which matched the sombre mood that settled in. Soon there were few personal effects laying around, with the exception of the things they would need that night and in the morning.
After the business had been attended to, Alex and Olivia sat curled up on the sofa enjoying their last night in Montauk.
"Whatcha thinkin' about?" Alex asked.
"How good this feels," Olivia answered, giving Alex a squeeze for emphasis.
"I was having the same thought."
The silence returned for a while, but as Olivia thought of going home and how things would be between herself and Alex when they returned to work and their city lives, she felt the need to say something. "This week you really showed me I'm not the damaged goods I thought I was. You could easily have your pick of people to be with, and you chose me. The way you look at me makes my heart race...in a good way, of course." She smiled and looked at turned Alex's head to face her. "I can't wait to actually take you out on dates and go for long walks around the city and do boring couple things."
Alex blushed. "I would always choose you, Liv. You deserve someone to treat you like the beautiful, smart, compassionate woman you are. I'm glad you let me be the one to do it."
Olivia sighed. "I still don't want to go back, but I know we can make this work. I love you so much, Alex, and I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."
"Well, hopefully you never have to find out," Alex said before gently kissing Olivia. "What're your plans for Christmas?"
"I'm actually off this year, and I figured I'd probably just make something for dinner and watch some movies. Elliot invited me over, but I kind of need a little distance from work things, so I told him I had other plans."
Suddenly Alex wasn't so sure she should offer to include Olivia in her Christmas day plans. "Would coming along with me to my mother's house count as being too close to things from work?" she asked with a twinge of nervousness.
"Of course not! I would love to come with you. I just meant that I spend more time with Elliot than anyone else in my life and sometimes I feel like I can't miss him if we're never apart, you know? Besides, I spent Thanksgiving with them, so it's not like I'm always blowing them off," Olivia reassured the now slightly tense woman in her arms.
Alex relaxed and snuggled closer to Olivia. "I was worried you wouldn't want to come. Cam and Josie are gonna be there, and my mother, and a couple of her sisters, and possibly some other cousins. We have tons of food and just take it easy all day. My family's gonna love you. Josie and Cam think you're amazing and consider you family, so the rest of them will no doubt feel the same way."
"I don't really know what it's like to have a family. Stablers aside, of course. Thanks for offering to make me part of yours. But I hope you don't actually consider me family, because if you do, those things we do to each other are illegal in most states," Olivia joked, and Alex burst into laughter.
"I certainly don't do any of those things with people I'm related to."
Olivia's face broke into a sly grin. "Well, that's a relief." She kissed Alex in a way that left no room for interpretation; she wanted a nude blonde woman writhing with pleasure underneath her.
###
Not long after they'd left each other limp, panting, and glistening with a sheen of sweat, they decided to call it a night and got ready for bed. Alex spooned Olivia, holding her tightly in her arms with her leg resting atop the detective's. Olivia fell asleep trying to remember when she had ever felt so adored and couldn't think of a single instance. Alex breathed in Olivia's scent and closed her eyes, savouring the warmth and softness of the woman in her arms. She fell asleep promising herself she would never pass up an opportunity to show Olivia just how cherished she was.
Waking up still entwined with each other was a great way to start their morning, but when the realisation that it was their last morning together at the cabin set in, the smiles faded.
Once the last of the bags were taken to the car, Alex made a quick breakfast of toast and scrambled eggs, while Olivia made the coffee. As Olivia moved around the kitchenette, she took long looks at everything, trying to commit as much as she could to memory. The simplicity of the cabin and the outpouring of emotions that had been held in for too long combined with the forced seclusion of a freak snowstorm gave her the proverbial 'warm fuzzy' feeling. Things had started out friendly with a bit of flirting, then there were confessions and discovery, admissions of love, followed by Olivia's fear rearing its ugly head, then came understanding, forgiveness, and pure desire. As she processed the things going though her mind, she felt Alex's arm snake around her waist and pull her close.
"What's so interesting on the counter that you needed to stare at it for five minutes?" Alex teased before leaning in to place a light kiss on Olivia's cheek.
"I was just thinking about us again."
Alex kissed Olivia's neck and smiled. She took the brunette's hand and led her to the table, where two plates and two mugs of coffee waited. Neither of the women said anything during breakfast. Alex watched Olivia, who still had a faraway look in her eye, and marveled at how stunningly beautiful she was even as she was doing something as mundane as eating eggs and toast.
When Olivia broke out of her reverie, she looked at Alex, who was smiling sweetly at her. A grin spread across Olivia's face, and after a moment, they looked away and finished eating.
###
The dishes were washed and dried. The fire was had burnt out. The bags were in the car. The only evidence that Alex and Olivia had been there at all were the rumpled bed linens. They stood side by side and took one last look at the cabin.
Olivia sighed. "I guess it's time to go."
Alex nodded slowly. "Yep."
Olivia took Alex's jacket from the rack and helped her put it on. As the attorney zipped up and put her hat on, Olivia put her parka on and then took Alex's hand. "I have one request before we go."
"Oh, yeah? What's that?"
"I want a picture of us here," Olivia said as she pulled her camera from her pocket.
Smiling brightly, Alex said, "That's a wonderful idea."
The detective quickly set the timer and placed the camera on the porch railing. She was back beside Alex after two big steps and as Alex flashed her charming grin toward the camera, Olivia stood next to her, giving the blonde a sideways look with her eyes full of total adoration. The shutter clicked, and Olivia returned the camera to her pocket. Silently they locked the front door and got into the car.
###
The snow and gravel crunched beneath the tires as Alex slowly navigated the driveway. Looking both ways before turning, she pulled out onto the two lane road that would take them back toward Manhattan.
Olivia put some music on and reached for Alex's hand. The sky was dark and full of clouds which made it feel much later than the early afternoon. As Alex drove, she stole glances at Olivia, who for the most part, stared out the window.
A light snow had started to fall, which meant the temperature was dropping, so Alex reluctantly removed her hand from Olivia's. If the car suddenly began to skid, she'd need both hands to get the Mercedes back under control. And as much as Olivia didn't want to admit it, her hand had gone numb shortly after they left the cabin.
"Do you have to pee or do you need to stretch your legs at all?" Alex asked, saying the first words since they'd left Montauk.
"No, I'm OK. But if you'd like to stop, go for it."
"I think I could use a quick walk to get the blood flowing to my lower half," Alex stated as she pulled off at the next exit. She parked in front of a quaint country restaurant and turned the engine off. "This place has a great bakery. Not as good as Josie's, but great nonetheless. I usually get a piece of pie on my way back."
Olivia smiled. "I could eat pie."
They seated themselves in a corner booth and ordered a piece of blackberry lime pie from the waitress. It arrived minutes later warm with a generous scoop of ice cream melting down the sides of the slice. It didn't take long for them to finish eating, and after a trip to the restroom and a look at the pictures of the restaurant in days gone by hanging up on the wall, they were back in the car and just under an hour from home.
###
Alex pulled up in front of Olivia's building just as the sun was beginning to set. "We're here," she said sadly.
"We certainly are." Olivia was looking at her hands as they fidgeted in her lap. "Vacation's over."
Reaching over to turn the brunette's face to look at her, Alex nodded. "Yeah, vacation's over, but we," she pointed to herself and then to Olivia, "are just beginning. You're stuck with me, Liv. Come over to my place after work tomorrow and we'll have dinner and maybe watch a movie and bitch about how nobody did any work while we were gone and now we have to catch up." She leaned in and kissed Olivia, wrapping a hand around the back of the detective's head.
"Deal," Olivia breathed as Alex sat back in the driver's seat. "I guess I should get my bags and head up."
Alex unbuckled her seat belt. "I'll help you."
Olivia put a hand on Alex's shoulder. "No. Please don't. If you come upstairs I won't let you leave. I'll see you tomorrow night for sure, and maybe I'll even see you at work, OK?" Olivia leaned over and gave Alex a passionate kiss. "I love you, Alex."
"I love you too, Liv. With all my heart."
Popping the trunk as Olivia got out of the car, Alex fought back tears. She heard the trunk lid slam shut and watched as Olivia stood on the first step, turned back and blew a kiss. Alex gave a small wave and smiled as she drove away from the curb and headed to her apartment.
###
Olivia threw the door open and then kicked it shut behind her. She dropped her bags just inside and slumped on the sofa. It wasn't long before she had an idea. She went to her desk and took out the phone book. Flipping through to the section she needed, an ad caught her eye. It was early evening on a Sunday, but one of the greatest things about New York City was that no matter what service you were looking for, at least one somewhere was open at just about any time one could want. She picked up her phone and dialled the number listed.
###
Coming in to work on Monday morning was difficult enough after just a weekend off. Going back to work after having an entire week off, especially a week where the majority of the time was spent in the arms of a beautiful brunette detective, was making Alex angry. Rationally she knew that as much as she would love to spend all day every day making love to Olivia at the cabin, there was no way that either of them could leave their jobs. Putting on her confident ADA face, Alex strode purposefully to her office, unlocking the door and opening it with a dramatic flair. Atop her desk sat a vase with a dozen red roses arranged inside it. It's not even eight in the morning. When the hell did these get delivered? she thought as she stepped forward and picked up the card nestled in the flowers. Tears fell from her eyes as she read the neatly typed message.
Alex, I believe when I fall in love with you it will be forever. Love, Liv