A/N: Congo will only be 2 chapters. The next will be some conflict, followed by the transition of Elliot leaving/Alex returning, and how all that goes down. I think at this moment, after we get through some Season 13 stuff, we'll break with seasons/timeline again. Season 14 likely won't even exist and Noah will come along a lot quicker than in canon.
Also, I'm likely skipping William Lewis because, as good as those episodes were, I can't bring myself to re-watch or re-live them. If there is anything, coming up, or even flashbacks, you want to see, let me know. I want to add in some stuff from their time apart (Sealview, etc...).
Oh, and Alex WILL eventually tell Olivia she came back that night. And we WILL find out what happened to the ring. Those chapters have been planned for a while :-)
BETWEEN THE SCENES: CONGO - PART 1
Alex had been gone from New York for two months, and they had been the longest two months of her life. She was spending a lot more time in Africa, specifically, the Congo, than she anticipated. It seemed like as soon as one case was done being prosecuted, it was time to start another.
After a month of constant back and forth between the headquarters at The Hague in the Netherlands, the London office she was supposed to work out of, and Kinshasa, Congo, Alex was weary. She asked that her permanent residence be in the Congo and she would travel to The Hague only when necessary. Kinshasa was a large enough city that she could work from there as easy as London.
She looked forward to her weekly Skype dates with Olivia on Sundays. Internet was usually reliable enough when she was in Kinshasa for that. When it wasn't, they just used phones, but she still preferred to see Olivia's face. During the week, they would keep in touch via email when time allowed. All-in-all, so far, it hadn't been that difficult to be reminded of what was waiting on her when she came home.
"How's Melinda?" Alex asked Sunday when they Skyped. Melinda had been shot in the morgue earlier that week when she was taken hostage along with ADA Marlowe, Olivia, and the shooter's husband. Alex heard about the shooting and hostage situation through someone at the DA's office, as she hadn't heard from Olivia all week.
"Ah, word travels fast, even in the Congo," Olivia said. "She's lucky, but she will be okay."
"And you?" Alex asked. She wasn't exactly happy that she had to hear about Olivia being taken hostage days later from a former colleague.
"I'm fine, Alex," Olivia said. "I wasn't hurt."
"Well, I'm glad for that," Alex said. "I'd have just rather heard from you."
"I know, and I'm sorry," Olivia said. "If I had been hurt, you know that Elliot would have called you."
"I know, I just worry sometimes," Alex said.
Olivia laughed.
"What's so funny? I'm not allowed to worry about you?" Alex asked.
"No, it's just, you're literally in the rape capital of the word, and you're worried about me?" Olivia said.
"It's not that bad," Alex said. "I mean, it is that bad, but not where I am. I don't go out after dark. I always have an escort. You know, all the rules they insist us women folk follow."
"Yeah, well, there are reasons for that," Olivia said. She paused for a moment and gave Alex a sad smile. "I miss you."
Alex sighed. "I miss you, too, Liv," she said. "But don't start that because it's only been two months. We have to survive this somehow."
"Alright, alright," Olivia said.
#
The next few months were pretty uneventful, and the conversation was fairly normal. They avoided talking about "them" because they didn't want to make it any harder. But in both of their minds, they couldn't wait until Alex returned and they could be together.
In Mid-October, Alex began to notice a change. Olivia had temporary custody of Calvin Arliss while his mother was off doing God knows what. Her time for Alex was a bit more limited, and she preferred phone calls to Skyping now that Calvin was in the house.
Calvin wasn't a stranger to two women dating after all his mother had been involved with a woman, but Olivia still preferred to keep some privacy in her life. Calvin picked up on the long Sunday night phone calls, though, and questioned Olivia enough until she told him about Alex.
"How's Calvin?" Alex asked as she normally did while he was staying with Olivia.
"He's good," Olivia said. "He's adjusting well, but of course, he misses his mother." Olivia naturally smiled when she talked about Calvin, even if his situation wasn't the best. She was beginning to genuinely love him as her own.
"He's lucky he has you, Liv," Alex said. "And hey, if I'm able to get out of here for Thanksgiving, maybe I'll get a chance to meet him."
Olivia chuckled.
"What's so funny?" Alex asked.
"Do you remember Dana?" Olivia said. "Dana Lewis from the FBI."
Oh yeah, Alex remembered her, even if she didn't want to. The undercover assignment that tore them apart.
"Yeah, what about her," Alex said, trying to hide her disdain for the name. She barely knew the lady, but she didn't like her. She was also nervous as to why Olivia was bringing up Dana. Surely Liv wouldn't go undercover when she had Calvin?
"The other night, Friday it was, I fell asleep on the couch, and Calvin woke me up around midnight," Olivia said. "I was just getting him to go to bed when I heard a knock on the door. There was Dana on my doorstep."
"What did she want at that hour of the night?" Alex said, trying only a little to hide her jealous. Why the hell was Dana showing up at Olivia's apartment at that hour?
"A favor," Olivia said. It was an innocent enough answer, and truthful. Olivia just didn't think Dana would want people knowing about her being raped. Of course, a midnight visit asking for a favor sounded like something completely different to Alex.
"Anyway," Olivia continued. "When she came in and was helping herself to some bourbon, Calvin came out. He wanted to know if she was my girlfriend."
"And what did you tell him?" Alex said. She was silently fuming.
"We shared a laugh, and I explained to him that Dana was just a friend from the FBI," Olivia said. "Then I explained to him again that I didn't actually have a girlfriend, even though he's a smart kid and has picked up on the Sunday night phone call habit of mine to a certain blonde in the Congo."
Alex allowed herself to smile for a moment, but she was jealous. It took her by surprise. She knew, or at least thought, Dana was married. And even though Alex had made it clear to Olivia when she left that she should date, thinking about another woman randomly showing up at Olivia's apartment in the middle of the night, and being comfortable enough to help herself to the liquor cabinet, made Alex crazy. Even if it was just Dana.
"What kind of favor did she want?" Alex finally asked. "I mean, a middle of the night favor sounds like a booty call."
"Excuse me?" Olivia said. "Alex, are you seriously asking me if I'm sleeping with Dana?"
"No," Alex said. "Because if you were, it would be okay."
"Well, I'm not," Olivia said. "Or anyone else for that matter. But yes, it would be okay if I were according to your rules. What I don't understand is why you're getting jealous about it."
"I'm not," Alex said.
"It sounds a lot like it," Olivia said.
"Let's just drop it, Liv," Alex said. "I'm sorry. I was just surprised. That's all."
"Okay, well, I do need to get going," Olivia said. "I know it's a little earlier than normal, but Calvin needs help with his homework, and I promised him a board game before bed."
"Okay," Alex said. "I'll talk to you soon."
#
Over the next few weeks, their calls got shorter and shorter, if they even happened. Either Olivia was working or was doing something with Calvin. Other times, Alex was the busy one. They talked about spending Thanksgiving together, but a couple weeks before, Alex was informed she couldn't travel home for Thanksgiving. Maybe Christmas, she was told.
Olivia was disappointed, to say the least. She was looking forward to a nice Thanksgiving with Calvin and Alex. It was going to be like the family she never really had.
However, her Thanksgiving plans fell even farther apart when Calvin's mom showed back up one week before Thanksgiving and revoked Olivia's guardianship, giving it to Calvin's paternal grandparents instead.
Olivia was crushed and spent much of the holiday week either at the precinct working far too much or at home on the couch with a bottle of wine or bourbon. She missed her Sunday night call with Alex the week Calvin left. She didn't feel like talking to anyone and especially explaining how she was feeling. Thanksgiving came and went. Alex called, but Olivia ignored it.
It wasn't Alex she was angry with, but she was spiraling down and didn't want to let anyone in.
When she finally talked to Alex the Sunday after Thanksgiving, they fought again.
"What the hell, Liv?" Alex said. "I thought something was wrong with you."
"I'm fine, Alex," Olivia said. Rolling her eyes, and forgetting they were back to video chatting.
"Clearly," Alex said. Olivia did not look fine. She looked like she hadn't slept in a week. "I had to call Elliot to find out if you were even alive."
Alex stopped ranting for a moment to calm down. She could see Olivia was hurting and yelling at her wasn't going to fix it.
"He told me about Calvin," Alex said. "I'm sorry, Liv."
"It's fine," Olivia said. "It was only temporary anyway."
"Have you thought about adopting?" Alex asked. She knew Olivia wanted kids. They had talked about it when they were dating.
"Alex, I'm not really in the mood for this conversation," Olivia said.
"Okay, what about Christmas?" Alex said. "I only have a couple days in New York, and have to spend at least one of those with my family, but I would like to see you. Or, maybe you could spend a couple of days with me at my mom's house."
"I don't know, Alex," Olivia said. "I mean, isn't that a little ..." Olivia trailed off. It wasn't that she didn't want to, but it seemed more like something two people who were dating would do.
"Liv, my family loves you," Alex said. "My mom would love to see you."
"I'll try to get some time off, but I don't know yet," Olivia said. "I know I can swing one day. Also, I don't know how great of company I'll be."
"Olivia, I don't care about that," Alex said. "I just want to see your face, in person. I've missed you, especially the last couple of months."
"Okay, I'll try," Olivia said. She wanted to do more than try. She wanted to see Alex. She missed her like crazy, but she also wasn't herself right now. She was hurting and couldn't really focus on much else besides her pain and her work.
#
Christmas finally came. Olivia decided to pass on spending Christmas with Alex's family. Aside from the fact that she really wasn't good company for anyone, she always felt obligated to work more so that the rest of the squad could spend time with their families. However, Alex carved out a day to spend in the city with Olivia. They decided on a home cooked meal, cookie baking, and Christmas movies while curled up on the couch.
For Alex, it was the perfect plan.
They did manage to make dinner, bake cookies, and watch Christmas movies, but something was off. Alex could tell that Olivia was depressed. She was drinking a lot more wine than she normally did. She had lost weight. Her spirit had seemed to fade.
Trying to talk to Olivia about it only made it worse. Alex knew Olivia was sad over losing Calvin, but she also knew it was deeper and probably partly had to do with Liv's desire to be a mother. Something she felt was slipping away from her.
"I told you, Alex, I don't want to talk about Calvin, and I don't want to talk about adoption," Olivia said.
"I was just suggesting that when I get back, maybe we can look into some options," Alex said. She hadn't realized she used the word we. What she meant was that she would help Olivia with the legal options available.
"We?" Olivia said. "In case you forgot, Alex, we're not a we. Besides, you won't even be back until the end of next summer. A lot can change between now and then. I mean, how do I even know you'll want to come back?"
"Uh, because I told you I was coming back," Alex said. She didn't understand where all the bitterness was coming from since Olivia gave her her blessing to go to the Congo.
"Yeah, well, for how long?" Olivia said.
"Why are you doing this, Olivia?" Alex said. "I understand you're hurting over Calvin, but taking it out on me isn't going to help it. Especially when I'm only here for one night."
Olivia sighed. "I don't mean to take it out on you," she said. "I guess I'm just getting used to being alone, and figure maybe I should start planning my future that way."
"Liv, stop it," Alex said. "I love you. Did you forget that? You're not going to be alone. Ever."
"I'll be alone tomorrow, won't I?" Olivia said.
"That's not fair, Olivia," Alex said. "You know why I'm in the Congo. You said you understood. I mean, what do you want? Do you want me to come home?"
"Alex, I would never ask you to do that," Olivia said. "I'm sorry I'm like this on our only night together. And you're right, I do know why you're there. I'm just lonely."
Alex sighed and leaned her head on Olivia's shoulder. "I am, too, Liv. I am, too."
