Betterthanbefore: Yeah, Serena needed to sock it to her (in a way) haha. I'm glad you liked the AO date. There's just something adorable about Olivia Benson being in love. litafan82: There's a long, crazy road ahead to Abbie and Serena getting back. CherryCorday: Feel free to write yourself in. Abbie could definitely use a hug :) lachach: So, I hope you don't mind, but your review gave me an idea for an upcoming chapter. You're so good at doing that. :) And I plan on having SOMETHING good happen to Abbie soon. Stacey: Liv still has one year of college left and then I'm going to write about her in the academy. She's doing the traditional four year plan instead of cramming it into three years like Alex and Abbie did, but the next school year isn't going to drag out too much even though this is going to be a VERY long story. haha. :) Sidle13: Abbie will have some good things happen to her eventually. I promise. :)

"You got in rather late last night," Mrs. Cabot told her daughter as they were sitting down at a café.

"And who was that beautiful young woman you were with?" Aunt Susan asked.

"There was someone with you, Alex?" Mrs. Cabot asked in a tone that made Alex a little unnerved.

"Yes, I was with someone," Alex began. "She's a lovely woman that I met at the beach yesterday and we went to dinner together. I kissed her on the cheek and that's all there is to it."

"What about Olivia?" Mrs. Cabot asked. "As much as I gave you a hard time about being with her, I honestly can't imagine you with anyone else."

Alex was shocked to hear her mother's comment. She knew her mom accepted her being in love with Olivia, but she had no idea she thought of Olivia as the only one for her. Or, maybe she is just saying that because she knows Olivia and I aren't together right now. Alex tried to shake the thought from her mind, but it still lingered. Was her mom really that accepting? Was it a sign that they should get back together? No, it's too soon, Alex thought.

As they were eating, Alex kept thinking about what Olivia had planned for their second date. She knew she should dress comfortably for an afternoon filled with junk food and riding the rides on the pier, but those weren't the thoughts that were worrying Alex. What worried her was the more physical aspect of their date. They had already held hands and kissed on the cheek, but Alex wanted more than just innocent kisses on the cheek. She wanted to taste Olivia's lips and kiss every inch of her. There was something about the 'new' Olivia that brought out a different side of Alex. She had never gone on a dinner date at a nice restaurant with a woman and the fact that Olivia was the woman she went on the date with made it even more exciting.

Alex started taking in her surroundings. There were plenty of married couples in the café and one lesbian couple that Alex couldn't take her eyes off of. They appeared to be in their late-30s and they had two children sitting next to them. One woman was blonde and the other was a brunette; the same went for their children. They look so happy and in love with each other, Alex thought. I hope that's us in the future.

"Alex, sweetheart, what are you looking at?" Aunt Susan asked. "Is your mysterious beach woman here somewhere?"

"No," Alex said, snapping out of her trance. "But I'm supposed to meet her in a few minutes. Do you mind if I go back to the house so I could get ready?"

"She must really be something special," Mrs. Cabot pointed out. "I haven't seen you this excited about anyone other than Olivia."

Alex began laughing nervously at the sound of Olivia's name.

"Alex? Are you feeling okay?" Mrs. Cabot asked.

"Yeah, I just—I should leave now."

"Wait a second," Mrs. Cabot told her. "We'll pay the check right now and head over there with you. I want to see this girl."

"She's not a girl, Mom," Alex corrected. "She's a woman now."

"Now?" Mrs. Cabot asked with a confused look on her face. "Alexandra, what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing," Alex said, flustered. "I have to go."

Alex knew it was rude to leave her mom and her aunt, but it was almost time to meet Olivia and she didn't want to get caught because getting caught meant the end of their affair. She could already imagine the lectures that the two of them would receive from Deborah and Serena and the bickering that would occur between the two if they met each other on the beach. At first Alex was thrilled that her mother was taking an interest in her love life, but now she wished she would go back to being the same woman who cared about nothing other than Alex getting into Harvard Law School.

With her mother and her aunt nowhere in sight, Alex ran up the steps to the porch and saw a small bouquet of daisies lying on the table outside. Knowing they were for her, she picked up the daisies and read the note attached. "I can't wait to see you again, Buttercup. Love, Pookie."

Alex couldn't stop smiling after she read that note. It was the first time Olivia had given her flowers and she wanted to cherish that moment for as long as she could. She lifted the daisies to her nose and took in the scent. The flowers smelled and looked beautiful, but Alex was overwhelmed with the fact that Olivia had touched them. After their date last night, Alex felt herself starting to obsess over Olivia like a girl with her first crush. She wanted to write their names in the sand, call herself Alexandra Benson, and write diary entries about her.

"I love you so much, Olivia," Alex whispered. Once she realized her mother and her aunt should be arriving any time soon, she ran inside the house, grabbed a vase, and put the flowers on display in her room. She knew a bouquet of daisies from Olivia deserved to be displayed for everyone to see, but she didn't want to deal with the questions she'd be asked so she took the safe way out.

Alex's hair was in a ponytail, which was unusual for her, but she didn't want the breeze to be blowing her hair everywhere and annoying her when she was on her date. Instead of the shorts and a t-shirt she was wearing, Alex put on a baby blue sundress and some flip flops. It wasn't the most flattering outfit she owned, but she knew it was perfect for a day at the pier.

During the ten-minute walk, she thought about Olivia and what Olivia might be wearing. Her mind raced with all of the possibilities. She imagined her in a bikini top and shorts, but then she realized she wouldn't want everyone checking out Olivia's abs. Those abs are only mine to look at. She started imagining her in a dress, but then she changed her mind because she didn't want anyone checking out Olivia's legs. Face it, Alex. You just want her alone, naked, and in your bed.

Alex nearly gasped when she saw what Olivia was really wearing. Jeans and a tank were nothing exciting for Alex unless they were on Olivia. The hem of her red tank top stopped just above her bellybutton and her skin-tight jeans hugged all of her curves. Oh, no. Now they're going to be checking out everything about her: her hips, her butt, her abs, her strong arms. I'm doomed.

"Buttercup," Olivia said as she wrapped her arms around Alex. "I missed you."

Nevermind, those arms are mine.

"I missed you, too, Pookie."

"What do you want to do first?" Olivia asked as she started walking with her hand in Alex's.

"Anything you want," Alex responded.

"Really?" Olivia asked. "I was just about to say I'd do anything you wanted to do."

There were plenty of activities Alex had in mind for Olivia, but she knew those would have to wait for a later date. For now, there was a pier, rides, games, and plenty of junk food awaiting them.

"Pookie, win me a stuffed animal?"

"Anything for my little Buttercup," Olivia said and kissed Alex's hand.

Olivia found a game with bottles stacked as a pyramid. Knocking them all down once would win her a small teddy bear, but knocking them down three times would win her a fuzzy pink bear that was nearly three-feet tall. I'm going to win her that one, Olivia thought. What better way to impress my girl.

"You can do it, Pookie," Alex said and kissed her on the cheek. That kiss was all the encouragement that Olivia needed. She channeled everything she learned from high school softball and knocked all the bottles down with one throw. The same thing happened with the second and third balls that Olivia threw.

"I'll take that big pink bear for my girl," Olivia said proudly. The guy handed Alex the bear and she could barely get both of her arms around it.

"I knew you could do it," Alex said and kissed her on the cheek again. The guy operating the game gave them a dirty look, but Alex didn't care. She had her bear and her woman.

"What are you going to name her?" Olivia asked. "She should have a beautiful name like Alexandra."

"Or Olivia," Alex added. "Olivia is my favorite name and Olivia Benson is my favorite person."

Olivia couldn't stop smiling. She had tried not to get too caught up in their secret affair, but after hearing that, she no longer cared. She was going to allow herself to get as carried away as she could.

"I think it's time we ride the ferris wheel," Olivia suggested. The line for the ferris wheel was long, but the time flew by when they started talking to each other about whatever was on their minds.

Nearly half an hour had passed before they were finally seated on the ferris wheel. The ride operator had to hold Alex's bear because she couldn't fit on the seat. Alex kissed her bear on the nose and handed her over, hoping that she'd stay safe.

"This is our first time on a ride together," Alex pointed out as the ferris wheel started. "We've been having a lot of firsts the past couple of days."

"There's still so many firsts for us to experience together," Olivia told her. "I want to show you so many things, Alex, and there are so many things I want you to show me. I want to show you my world and I want you to show me yours. I want us to have a world together, too—something that's just ours, like a safe haven for our love."

"You still love me?" Alex asked even though she knew the answer was obvious.

"With all my heart, forever and for always."

As their ride ended, Alex and Olivia were stopped at the top of the ferris wheel as the ride operater was unloading people one cart at a time. Alex looked at the view of the ocean from several feet in the air. It looked endless from where she was sitting and she started to feel insignificant in comparison to the vastness of the ocean.

"The water is as blue as your eyes," Olivia told her, breaking Alex out of her trance-like state.

"It's such a beautiful view from here," Alex pointed out.

"Yeah," Olivia agreed. "But I'd much rather look at you. Nothing in this world—no ocean view, no flower, no waterfall—is as beautiful as you are, Alex."

Alex wanted to cry. Her words were so beautiful and she knew they were coming from her heart. This is the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.

"Olivia?"

"Yes, babe?"

"What do you think is on the other side of this ocean?" Alex asked.

"I'm not sure," Olivia answered. "But I imagine a pier not too different from this one and there's someone waiting at the top of a ferris wheel with the woman she loves. That's what I'm hoping is at the other side of this ocean because I don't want to be the only person who is feeling this. I'm hoping she's holding on to her like I'm holding on to you and I hope they're happy. I know they're happy."

"Are they kissing?" Alex asked as she looked into Olivia's eyes.

"Only the sweetest kisses," Olivia responded. Alex wasn't sure if her words were an invitation to kiss her, but Alex placed a delicate kiss on Olivia's cheek before working up the nerve to give her a kiss on the lips. It wasn't their most passionate kiss or even that great of a kiss, but it was enough to make Alex and Olivia feel the excitement of falling in love all over again.