Title: Heartbeats Chapter 25

Author's Note: For disclaimer, see chapter one.

Author's Note 2: This chapter marks the half-way point for this story. To all my readers, thanks for sticking with me this far. I can only hope that you'll stay with me through the next 25 (or is it 24) chapters. And I already have a sequel planned (it's not really planned).

Chapter 25: What are you doing?

"Alex, wha- Wait. Have you been crying? Alex, what's wrong? Why aren't you dressed for dinner?"

"Will you just come in?"

"Only if you tell me what's wrong."

"Fine. Just come in the apartment."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Do you want anything to drink?"

"No, thanks. I want to know why you've been crying."

"Are you sure you don't want anything to drink? I made coffee."

"How many cups have you had?"

"Do you want one?"

"If I say yes, will you sit down and talk to me?"

"I also have tea, hot chocolate, soda, water, milk-"

"Alex!"

"What?"

"Sit down and talk to me."

"About what?"

"Alex."

"Liv, no. I don't want to talk about that. Don't give me that look."

"What look?"

"You know exactly what look!"

"Can you just tell me what look, Alex? I don't want to play this game tonight."

"It's the same look – well, it's not really a look, it's more like a glare – that you give the perps you interrogate when they aren't giving you the answers you want."

"It obviously didn't work because you're still not giving me answers."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Then go get dressed so we can go to dinner."

"Do we have to? Can't we just order Chinese and stay here?"

"Is that what you want to do?"

"No, but I don't want to go out either."

"What's wrong, Alex? Talk to me."

"I'm not going to my parents' for Christmas."

"What? Why not?"

"They found out about us and they don't accept it."

"How?"

"I don't know, Liv, but my mother called me today and told me not to bother showing up. Apparently I'm a 'disgrace to the Cabot name,' an 'embarrassment to the DA's office,' and I'll never succeed."

"Alex, honey, if they don't accept that you're a lesbian-"

"No, Liv, you don't understand. Appearances are everything. They don't care that I'm a lesbian so long as no one else knows. Once it gets out, it's a problem."

"What can I do, Alex?"

"There's nothing to do but wait and see what happens."

"Are you sure, Alex? Because I don't want to stand in the way of your political aspirations."

"Olivia, listen to me. You are not standing in the way of anything. You know me well enough to know I would tell you if you were. So stop worrying, shut up, and kiss me."

But Alex-"

"Shut up and kiss me, Liv."

"Spend Christmas with me."

"What?"

"You shouldn't spend it alone. You can spend the day with me. I don't really have anywhere else to be."

"Aren't you going over to Elliot's house?"

"I was going to, but I don't want you to be alone. And I'd much rather spend the day with you eating pancakes in the morning, watching classic Christmas movies all day, and having a nice Christmas ham for dinner."

"Do you even have a 'nice Christmas ham'?"

"I'll buy one."

"How? It's after seven and all the stores are closed."

"We'll have something delivered then. Just spend Christmas with me."

"If I say yes, will you stop looking at me with those puppy-like eyes?"

"Maybe, but probably not. Ow! Hey! That's assaulting a police officer, Counselor. I could arrest you."

"But you won't."

"Correct. Why'd you punch me though?"

"Payback."

"Payback? Payback for what?"

"Inappropriately touching me in my office."

"What?"

"You smacked my butt, Liv!"

"I did not!"

"Don't you lie to me, Olivia Benson."

"It's not my fault you have a nice butt, Alex."

"You're-"

"Incorrigible. I know, Alex. Will you spend Christmas with me?"

"Will you let me choose what we have for dinner?"

"Will it be something we both like?"

"Yes."

"I guess I can let you choose then."

"I guess I can spend Christmas with you then."

"Your place or mine?"

"Yours."

"Why mine?"

"Because I've only been to your apartment once and you hardly let me in the door."

"It was a mess and I was only grabbing my jacket. Are you sure you want to spend Christmas at my apartment?"

"Yes."

"Alex?"

"Yes?"

"Will you spend the night with me tonight?"

"At your apartment?"

"Yes."

"Of course I will, Liv."