Chapter 3:

Uncle Fin and the Flu

Olivia and Alex had been texting for a little over three weeks and while they made no plans to meet up, their texting was incredibly frequent. They had a lot to catch up on. Olivia spoke about Noah, how big he has gotten, how mature he is, and what he has taught her about being a mother. Alex filled her in on her career and where she is now with Major Crimes over at the 2-7. A new unit within the precinct, one she was still getting used to. They covered cases that are a little more heinous than homicide. Alex had found a kinship with the detectives that work with the squad, however, that didn't stop her from missing the old days in SVU.

Eventually, their conversations switched from 'catching up' to a blooming friendship. Olivia found herself texting Alex throughout the day, anything and everything. From funny pictures she found on the internet to venting frustrations throughout the day. She even looked for reasons to message the blonde. She adored talking with her no matter the topic. This woman had managed to become such a huge part of her day. Olivia was enjoying the company, though the thought had crossed her mind about something a little more.

Olivia had never identified as anything other than straight, though that didn't mean she didn't find women attractive… she just never considered dating one. There were times she was tempted in the past during college and even when it came to the ADA. She thought about asking Alex to a few of the precinct Christmas parties but the fear of rejection would force her to change her mind. Her mind has been congested with thoughts of Alex. Thoughts that went from a simple movie date to holding hands in Central Park. It wasn't exactly confusing but it did weigh down on Olivia… how long has she been feeling this way?

Over the decade, her mind had drifted back to the fateful evening in 2003 when Alex was shot. She could still feel the blood as it poured from her shoulder and then… she died. Olivia's heart broke into a thousand pieces and that night was the worst of her life. All she could see was the fear in Alex's eyes as she begged her to hold on just a little longer.

"How long…" Words she spoke through tears as she watched Alex become Emily. She always knew why she hurt, why she cried, and why she longed to just glimpse the ADA again. For the next eighteen months she mourned even though Alex wasn't dead. She couldn't just pick up the phone and call her, hear her voice, or listen to her day. All she could do was visit idle memories of evening drinks and long conversations at her desk while consuming cheap Chinese food. Now, Alex was in her life on a daily basis.

Now what?

Olivia pushed her breakfast around her plate, a mixture of fruit for her five-a-day. Noah sat next to her side eyeing her with a side eye that only Gary Coleman could rival. He wasn't allowed to play with his food. "It's not a toy, Noah.".

Unlike most children his age, Noah was very observant. He played close attention to situations around him, a trait he gained from his mother, despite not being related by blood.He'd noticed a change in the detective. She was no longer her seemingly motionless self going through a routine, she seemed happier but this morning there was something on her mind, this sparked curiosity in the eight year old. It wasn't often his mother talked about her feelings, however, she always encouraged him to do that very thing. Maybe it is his turn to push Olivia for answers? He clears his throat. Olivia looks up and smiles at her son.

"You're playing with your food." He said bluntly with a completely neutral expression.

"Oh well, I… I'm just not very hungry."

"And you're lying too?!" He gasped.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "I've just not got an appetite. Sometimes that happens."

"Mom, this is me you're talking to. You always eat your food even when I gave you stomach flu, you still ate so I would."

"Alright… Mr. FBI profiler. So what's wrong with me?"

"Well…" he began as he jumped off his chair and started to pace a small area by the table. "You've been attached to your phone A LOT recently and Curtis, at school, said his mom gets like that when she has a boyfriend."

Olivia froze. She cleared her throat. "Do… you think mommy has a boyfriend?"

"Well - that did cross my mind so I looked at the men in your life. There's Mr. Carisi, but he's holding hands with aunt Amanda…" He continues to pace. "Mr. Barba is gay so…" He stood still and looked at his mother. "So that just leaves one man. Uncle Fin."

Olivia practically spat out her coffee. The mere thought of Fin touching her in any way that wasn't a friendly hug made her shudder.

"Oh god…"

"Was I right?!" He asked excitedly.

Olivia sighed and took Noah's hands in her own. She adored this boy, she loved him with all of her heart - every fibre of her being was dedicated to his little boy, but he couldn't be any more wrong if he tried. She smiled awkwardly.

"Uh, son - no, I'm sorry, I'm not dating Uncle Fin."

"Then who are you dating?!"

Olivia smiled. "No one…"

"Then why are you on your phone so much?"

*Ding*

Olivia looked over at her iPhone and then back at her son. She pulled him into a loving hug and kissed his forehead. She pulled back to look at Noah. If he's noticed her constantly looking down at her phone, who else has? Maybe she needed to think more about time and place when it came to Alex. Not to mention the smile she has when they chat.

"I'm sorry, kiddo, I didn't realise I was on it more than usual. It's just work." She said with a smile. "From now on - Noah and mom time is Noah and mom time. No phones."

He beamed brightly at his mother who kissed his forehead.

"Alright, go brush your teeth and get ready for school, kay?"

Noah nodded as he ran off towards his bedroom.

Olivia sighed as she reached for her phone. She saw there was a text from Alex and there was an instant smile. This was like an addiction. She couldn't help but feel a rug towards her. She swiped down and pressed the notification.

"Good morning! This is what I'm thinking about wearing to court today. Thoughts?"

A picture followed, Olivia felt her heart skip a beat and her breath become hitched in the back of her throat. She didn't really know what to say. Alex was dressed in a beautifully fitted royal blue dress that stopped just above her knee. Her hair held its signature wave on her shoulders. She stood with her hand on her hip taking a mirror selfie, offering a cheeky smirk. Olivia couldn't help but notice the blue bringing out Alex's eyes in such a way it was almost intoxicating.

"Beautiful, breathtaking, and jaw-dropping."

She felt the blush creep over her face as she sent the message. What if Alex found it creepy? She groaned wishing she could unsend the message but it was out there in the world for only international hackers, the CIA, and Alex to see. She saw Alex typing a reply, her breath hitched again and she felt a knot in her stomach.

"Careful, Benson, you might make me swoon. ;)"

Olivia breathed out a long sigh of relief as she melted back into her chair. "Thank god…" She thought to herself. However, how the doors to flirting were very much open, at least for this moment. Olivia sat forward, leaning on the table as she typed.

"Maybe that's my intention? ;)"

"Oh wow, you have changed over the years. No more ADAs, fellow detectives or journalists?"

Olivia cringed at Alex's reply. She hasn't had the best dating history. For the longest time, Olivia always chose the worst men. From a man that took advantage of her as a teenager to a loose cannon and then there was Elliot… whatever that was… a platonic mindfuck that left her feeling the most abandoned.

"No no, I've learned from my past mistakes."

"Hopefully not from all of them… I'm still an ADA afterall. ;)"

Olivia smirked at her phone as she felt her start to race, thumping in her ears over and over again. What was this?

"Is that you asking me on a date, counsellor?"

This seemed to be the longest minute of her life as she watched the three little dots blink as Alex was typing. Had she crossed a line? Was she about to get a long paragraph about how she made Alex feel uncomfortable?

"And if I was, what would you say?"

She felt like a high schooler with a crush on the popular cheerleader that's asking her to prom. She took a deep breath.

"Obviously yes, we did match on a dating app."

Another minute passes.

"Good point, so how about it?"

Olivia smiled at her phone.

"Friday night?" Olivia suggested.

"Perfect! Dinner and then a walk?"

Olivia looked over her shoulder as she heard the sound of Noah approaching now fully dressed and with his backpack. Olivia turns on her chair to face him, tiding his collar and checking his hair.

"Go put your shoes on!" She turned back to pick up her phone.

"I gotta run and take Noah to school. Friday sounds great! Good luck in court today!"

After dropping Noah at school, Olivia stopped off at Starbucks before going to work. She wanted to thank Amanda for what she's done. Realistically - Olivia was happy, despite the nervousness and mind numbing anxiety. For the first time in years, she was excited for Friday night. She felt like a giddy high schooler awaiting prom night, it felt new and familiar at the same time. She knew Alexandra Cabot, she's even spent time with her but now… it was different. Now there could be something more. The excitement felt natural, which also took Olivia by surprise. She thought she would be consumed by self doubt, anxiety, and paranoia. She was fine, or as fine as she could be besides the nervousness. Alexandra Cabot, the most beautiful ADA in all of New York. The smartest too. This woman turned heads and minds. A gifted attorney, a pusher for justice, and with one hell of a brain. Alex was the complete package.

Olivia walked through the squadroom, head held high and a confident smile on her face. She clutched the two coffees as she strode her way through to Amanda's desk where the senior detective was filling out the last of her paperwork for court. The sound of the cup popping onto her desk made the blonde detective look at as Olivia walked past. She smiled at the coffee, she picked it up and took a sip and smiled at the taste of vanilla touching her tongue. Fin, across the way, and raised an eyebrow, a clear indication of his jealousy. He's known Liv for two decades and never once has she brought him a cup of coffee.

"What? A club where all white girls get each other vanilla coffee?" He leaned back in his chair.

Amanda rolls her eyes.

"You're just because I'm her favourite." She grinned as she stood from her desk.

To be completely honest, Amanda had no idea why Olivia brought her coffee. It wasn't unusual for Olivia to buy herself Starbucks on her way to work - but it was rare she would buy it for anyone else.

Amanda entered the office of her lieutenant, she smiled at her friend as Olivia took off her jacket and hung it on a hook by the door. She holds up the venti vanilla coffee.

"Thanks!" She nodded.

"Please, that's a thank you." Olivia points to the cup.

Amanda scrunched her nose and frowned, perplexed. Olivia moved over to her desk and started going through files. Amanda moved further into the office.

"A thank you?" She took a sip. "For what?"

Olivia looked up and smiled brightly, a smile Amanda hadn't seen in years. "I have a date on Friday!"

Amanda's eyes widened in shock as she stepped closer to Olivia clutching the coffee.

"Wait, seriously?! You stuck it out?"

"Well, the first night it was there I flicked through some of them but" She shrugged. "But then I swiped on one person who ended up matching with me."

Amanda's expression of pure shock mixed with happiness soon changes to mild confusion, the same expression she makes when Carisi decides to experiment with cooking.

"Wait, you only swiped on one person and now you're going on a date with them?"

Olivia nodded. "Yeah, took me by surprise if I'm honest. We've been speaking for about a month or so and…"

"Well… I mean, I'm happy for you, I'm just surprised."

"Well, I've known this person for the same length of time as Fin, old friends. So it was match or… well don't."

"Long as you've known Fin?" Amanda asked before she smirked. "It's not John Munch is it?"

Olivia offered a gentle warm laugh as she shook her head. The warmth and happiness radiating off of her face. Genuine excitement and wholesomeness.

"No, no, god no." She continued to shake her head. "We worked closely together for… years and years." Olivia explained picking up her coffee cup.

"Oh, so you know them… pretty well?"

"I like to think so."

Olivia felt uncomfortable as she explained her relationship with Alex in such vague detail, but she wasn't ready for Amanda to know who she was going on a date with. Amanda stepped back, she felt beads of sweat form on her forehead. She smiled awkwardly.

"Well, I'm happy for you, Lieutenant." She smiled, "I'm gonna… get back to Fin."

Olivia watched as her friend awkwardly left her office. She sat at her desk and opened her laptop and started scanning through various court documents when she heard Fin yell "WHAT?!" from the squadroom.

"God, Fin!" Amanda tried to keep Fin quiet however the NYPD Sargent's face proved fury and concern.

"She coulda picked any loser in the world and she chose Stabler?!" His voice lowered in tone.

"We don't *know* if she did."

"What did she say?" Fin stepped back and looked over Amanda's shoulder to Olivia working in her office.

"She said she worked with the guy a long time ago, for years and years. I joked that it was Sergeant Munch, but she said no." Amanda was still trying to calm Fin, while at the same time trying to give Olivia the benefit of the doubt she isn't going on a date with Elliot Stabler.

"She'd know better. Dude was a loose cannon, a real piece of work." He sat down at his desk in a huff looking at his laptop. "Did she say anything else?" Amanda had a wave of nervousness hit her. She felt like she was being interrogated by Fin, like he blamed her. In a way, it was her fault if Olivia was meeting Elliot, however, she just wanted her friend to be happy.

"Friday night, they're going on a date."

"Yeah, me and you will be right there with 'em. I ain't 'bout to sit back and watch Liv make the shittest mistake of her life."

As the day went on, Olivia engrossed herself in work. She wondered how Alex's court day was going but knew not to text her. She knew, good or bad, Alex would message her eventually even if it was just to vent frustrations. She continued to type away at her laptop, suddenly….

*Ding*

Olivia looked down and smiled seeing Alex's name and the start of a message. She picked up her iPhone, knowing full well she could take a break.

"Out of court, boy what a mess… I need coffee."

Olivia could feel the frustration through the phone. She wondered what could have happened. Sometimes justice wasn't served. Sometimes, the perp got away with it or even a mistrial, something that had happened a lot over her career, not just with Alex but various ADAs.

"What happened? Perp get away with it?"

She saw Alex typing but then suddenly she stopped. Olivia frowned slightly looking at her phone. Maybe she got stopped by the judge? Maybe the defence had some questions? She wasn't sure but soon - all answers would flood her way as the iMessage screen changes to a facetime call. Olivia's eyes widen, like a deer in headlights.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god." Olivia stood up quickly and rushed over to the door, closing it quickly before dashing back to her desk. She fixed her hair and set her phone against the bobblehead of Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Swipe. Her screen becomes small in the corner and she's greeted with Alex's… chin?

Alex is obviously walking and looks down when the call answers.

"Hi!" She says with a bright smile pulling her phone up to face her.

Olivia notices her hair tucked behind an ear holding an airpod.

"Sorry…" Alex began as she continued walking. "But walking and texting in New York is as dangerous as driving and texting." Alex said with a gentle chuckle through her voice.

It has been… years since Olivia heard that voice. Aside from the blistering sound of New York traffic and idle chatter from passing civilians, Alex's voice is like music to her ears. She felt herself staring as Alex continued to look where she was going, paying no attention to the detective obviously crushing on facetime and smiling like an idiot.

"Olivia? You there?" She glanced back at the screen jolting Olivia back into reality.

"Oh yeah! Hi - sorry, I'm here!"

Olivia heard a ding of a coffee shop door opening. She couldn't see much as Alex had set her down again so she could order, but she was captivated by the beautiful beams of the coffee shop and the hanging plants. It seemed quiet, unusual for midday in New York.

"Prettiest Starbucks I've ever seen." Olivia made an attempt to look as if she wasn't gazing at the blonde.

She heard a deep throat chuckle from Alex. "It's not a Starbucks." She smiles looking down at her phone. "Independent place, does the best coffee in Manhattan. Right by Central Park." She looks up as she's next to order. "Hi - could I get a cinnamon toast latte please with a splash of hazelnut and a vanilla iced latte with cream? Thanks!"

Olivia notes down the order on a yellow post-it note. Something for later should the situation of a coffee date ever arise, however it was the second order that caught her off guard.

"Two orders? Two coffees in one sitting? Are you going for the gold medal in courtroom anxiety attacks?"

She earned a chuckle from the blonde who set her down to pay for her coffee.

"Hilarious. No, Casey is meeting me."

Wait - who, what? "Casey Novak?!" The look of disbelief slammed her face as she looked at her phone.

"Yes, well, I kind of owe her. We go jogging every morning."

Olivia was expecting more with that sentence. "Annnnd?"

"That's it. We go jogging. She hates it, complains, and I buy her coffee."

Olivia laughs resting her elbow on her desk and her head in her hand, she has no idea why she was gazing at her phone - all she could see was the ceiling.

"Why do you make Casey Novak go jogging with you?"

"I don't! She insists on coming! She says Central Park is dangerous."

"And she would be right."

"Oh god, not you too."

"Hey - listen! I've solved alot of murders that happened in Central Park."

"Uh-huh." Alex replied as she picked up her phone and placed it on the tray. She looked down at her phone, straight at Olivia, and smiled. "Hey there." She offered a playful wink that made Olivia go weak at the knees.

"Hi…"

Olivia took a moment to gaze into those beautiful crystal blue eyes before Alex looked up to see where she was going. She watched as the blonde elegantly navigated her way through the coffee shop to the back where she usually sits with Casey. It was slightly darker, but she could see Alex perfectly. Alex propped her phone up on Casey's coffee. She picked up her own and Olivia could finally see which one was hers. The cinnamon toast latte. Alex always had a sweet tooth.

"Now I can see you perfectly and not just your chin." Olivia says with a smile.

"Hey! It's a pretty alright chin!"

"It's a beautiful chin, everything about you is perfect in every way." Olivia thought to herself.

"Any thoughts on Friday night?" Alex asked as she sipped her coffee.

"Dinner and a walk in Central Park? Like you suggested this morning. I'll keep you safe from all the murderers." She winks at Alex. She could have sworn she saw the ADA blush slightly.

"I mean… where are you taking me?" Her voice even cracked slightly.

"Oh!" Olivia thought for a moment. "Well - there's an Italian place on fifth, a black tie place on Jasper, or a jazz club I know."

"I like the sound of the jazz club!"

"Hold on… didn't you ask me on a date?" She tilts her head as her brow furrows but that bright smile never left her lips.

"I think you're mistaken." Alex sips her coffee and looks off to the side.

"I can go check."

"You matched with me first." She looks back at the phone.

"Yeah and sent the first message!" Olivia sits back in her chair, that playful smile now turning into a smirk.

"I was thinking of what to say!"

"Oh - yeah, sure! Uh-huh" Her scoff laced through her voice.

"Well, I'm right here… go ahead."

She watches as Alex puts down her coffee cup, but someone catches her attention. The ADA looks up to the person who has approached her. She looks back at her phone and smiles again.

"I gotta run, text you later!" She winks at the phone before hanging up.

Friday couldn't come quick enough, Olivia somehow managed to slug her way through the week until Thursday night. Her mind was occupied with Alex, looking forward to spending the evening with her, walking, talking, maybe even a kiss? Their messages had been non-stop and it has been truly enjoyable, if not… a little scary. She had never felt a draw like this to another person. Not Ed, Brian, or David. This was something new, something different and she liked the feeling.

Something still hung over Olivia's head. Alex was seeing someone, even if she didn't think it was going anywhere - the dating was still there. Was she talking to Olivia while out with her? Was she talking to her as much as she was to Olivia? Every time Olivia would think about the situation, she would feel her chest tighten and her heart begin to race, the wash of anxiety that would soon pass with a message from Alex. She seemed to make everything better.

Thursday night. It was late, past eleven. Olivia turned off her TV and stood from her couch with a stretch of her arms. She was tired, it had been a long week of cases, interrogations, and Fin developing a sudden Twilight fan level interest in Olivia's personal life. Questions from all angles, at the coffee station, her office, even on the way to the restroom. It got quite old. He only backed off when a threat of desk duty hit his eardrums and he sunk away still eying her. She didn't let it phase her, tomorrow was her date with Alex and that's all that mattered.

As she approached her bedroom, she heard the sound of Noah's bedroom door slowly opening. Olivia turns to her son whose face was as white as a ghost. She had never seen Noah look so pale, dark circles around his eyes, and he seemed to be shaking.

"Noah?" She approached him and placed a hand to the back of his neck. He's on fire, boiling to touch. "Oh my god, you're on fire!" She looks down at him. "Are you alright?"

"I don't feel well…" He says quietly.

As soon as the words left his mouth, his entire body shook as everything he ate that day reappeared on the ground in front of him. Olivia stepped back just in time, but the poor boy felt so ill, he simply started to cry. Noah was quite mature for his age, however, he was still an eight year old boy who was sick and very much wanted his mommy.

After spending a few hours in Urgent Care, Noah was diagnosed with the flu. He was to return home for the next week, stay in bed, drink water, pepto and eat lightly. Friday for Olivia was cancelled much to her disappointment, however, it couldn't be helped.

She cancelled her date with Alex, well, postponed it and the attorney understood. Olivia felt a twinge in her heart and a thought crossed her mind. What if Alex just calls everything off? What if she thinks dating a single mom was too much? She couldn't think about that now - Noah should be her main concern.

Olivia spent the day with Noah, curled up on the couch while watching The Simpsons. Occasionally he would nibble a cracker and sip some water, but for the most part, he had zero appetite. She enjoyed her day with Noah, wrapped up in blankets watching Homer get himself into trouble over and over again. Around seven Noah finally crashed and Olivia carried him to bed and tucked him in with his elephant.

Olivia settled back on the couch, she picked up the remote and turned the channel from CNBC to NBC. Maybe there was something mindless? She flicked through all the stations, ABC, CW, before finally settling on a rerun of The Golden Girls on CBS. Just as she was finally getting settled under her blanket, a knock to her front door sounded. Her brow furrowed as she pushed herself up from the couch and made her way to the door. She looked through the peephole and suddenly, her heart felt as if it was to burst. She stepped aside and slowly opened the door.

It was as if time had stopped, her entire body shook with anticipation and excitement. She bit her bottom lip as her eyes finally, after years of longing, settled on the beautiful Alexandra Cabot standing just outside the door. Olivia smiled and leaned against the door.

"Alex…" Her voice dances like a whisper in the air.

"I was in the neighbourhood and I thought I'd stop by…" She says with a smile.

"You live in the Upper East." Olivia wasn't buying it for a second.

"I took a long walk." She holds up a bag of Chinese food. "I take it you haven't eaten."

She hadn't. She had a few crackers that Noah didn't want, but she was so consumed by her son - it slipped her mind and now she realised just how hungry she was.

"I… have not and you are a saint." She steps aside letting Alex in.

Olivia takes the bag of food while Alex removes her coat, scarf, and shoes. Alex - in anything, is a beautiful woman. Olivia cannot help but gaze upon her while the other woman's back is turned but she is sure Alex can see her. Alex hasn't changed since Olivia first met her in 2001. Back then she was an eager young ADA who was looking to a future in politics. Now, she's just looking for a comfortable and quiet life. Olivia finally had to pull herself away from the other woman and head towards the kitchen. She's careful not to wake Noah while she gathers plates from the cupboard.

"How is the patient?" Alex asks, approaching the kitchen archway and leaning against the wooden frame.

"Better. The doctor at Urgent Care gave us something for the fever and sickness. He's sleeping right now. We were both up all night."
"Are you sick too?" Alex's face flickers with concern.
"No… no, I'm just… mom." Her laugh is warm and quiet.

Alex brushed past Olivia as she strode through the kitchen. The warmth of her body pressed up against her made her heart race as she glanced over her shoulder. Alex stopped for a moment. She could see the blonde looking around the kitchen at the various cupboards as if she was looking for something, then she started to wiggle past again. Olivia could feel the warmth of her breath against the back of her neck. She felt a blush creep over her cheeks, she looked down and continued to unpack the food. She glanced over as the blonde opened the cupboard to grab two wine glasses. Alex reached over and pulled a bottle of wine from the same bag as the food. This all felt so natural, like they had been doing this for years. Olivia couldn't help but smile to herself.

Alex unscrewed and poured the wine while Olivia took the food over to the table. Time seemed to flow by like fire, what seemed like fleeting moments was an hour and a half of laughter, chatter, and one bottle of wine between the two. After dinner, they moved from the table and over to the couch where they continued to talk. The feeling of peace was so integrated into Olivia, she didn't want the moment to end. Still, there was something off… and Olivia knew exactly what was bothering her. The other woman. Olivia didn't want to be jerked around and she didn't want her heart broken, she'd suffered enough. She wanted Alex to be honest with her.

"Alex…?" The blonde rested with one arm on the couch and her head comfortably leaning on it, one leg was up on the sofa across Olivia's lap and the other dangled over the side of the couch.

"Hmm?" She lazily replied looking up at Olivia who was sitting across from her with her legs tucked under her.

"Can I ask you something?"

Alex perked up slightly. "What's on your mind?"

Olivia took a deep breath, how was she going to word this that didn't make her sound jealous? What was this other woman like, anyway? Was she young, beautiful, successful? Was she everything Olivia feared? The detective bit her bottom lip, her gaze fell to the floor and she shook her head.

"Nothing… it's nothing… I'm just really glad you're here." She looks up and sips her wine.

Alex smiles softly. "Me too…"

The small sound of feet on the hardwood floor made Olivia look over the side of the couch towards the back hallway that leads to the bedrooms. She sighs seeing a sickly looking eight year old wandering past the kitchen area towards them wearing Spongebob pyjamas. He looked a little better from the night before, yet still somehow looked like a giant walking germ. It's been a rough twenty-four hours.

"You alright, bud?" Olivia asks as he walks over and firmly plants himself in between the two women, lifting Alex's leg off his mother's lap.

"Can't sleep, I'm too hot…" His voice is congested, filled with sinus flu and germs. He rests his head against Olivia's chest and looks over at Alex, someone who he has never seen before. "Who are you?" He bluntly asks like any eight year old,

Alex laughs softly. "I'm Alex, I'm a… friend of your mom." She smiles warmly.

"Oh…" He coughs covering his mouth. Olivia was thankful for that. She didn't want Alex going down with this - she would never forgive herself. He looks up at the TV and frowns seeing an old black and white movie playing on mute. "What's that?" He asks.

Alex looks up and frowns for a moment - she honestly forgot about it. "Casablanca." She replies. "A really old romance movie made long before you were alive."

"Older than my mom?!" He asks, sitting up slightly.
"Well…" Alex began.
Olivia shot her a glare.
She chuckles and shakes her head. "Yes, much much older than your mom" He settles back into the couch and picks up the remote that was on the cushion in front of him.

"Can I put on Star Wars?" He asks with a croke in his voice.
Just as Olivia is about to protest - Alex chimed in.
"Depends, which one?" She asked, raising her eyebrow.
Noah thinks for a moment. "Number… five!"

"Oh! Good choice! My favourite actually!"
"You like that one!?" He sits up fully.
"Of course! That fight at the end? Amazing! Cloud City is beautiful too!" Alex seems just as excited as Noah does.

Noah transferred from Olivia to Alex, the two engrossed in starfighter battles, lightsabers, Carrie Fisher, and a Wookie. The detective couldn't help but smile watching her son feel totally comfortable around another adult, which truly hasn't happened since the kidnapping incident that left both Olivia and Noah in a state of constant panic, having to always follow each other around. Noah couldn't sleep at night and was having nightmares. Olivia felt so much guilt for allowing that woman into his life she became even more protective over him than she already was. Watching this interaction with the two of them made her heart sing. There was no indication of a fake 'amuse the child' situation - it was a real, genuine, interaction between the two.

"I didn't know you liked Star Wars…?" Olivia whispered.

"I adore all movies, Liv." She smiled back at the detective.

"You don't have to stay."

"I want to." She never took her eyes off the TV.

"Are you sure? What if you get sick too?"

Alex waves her hand dismissively. "It's the flu.. What's the worst that can happen?" She smiles the beautiful colours of an exploding tie fighter dancing on her face.

Olivia nods. "Alright then." She chuckles and looks back at the TV.