Part Thirteen: Olivia

I was out of breath from dancing and singing with Alex. Looking at Alex's face filled with happiness over took me. I guess neither of us really smile in front of each other. God, does she look beautiful tonight. I know she's tired, I know she's had a hard week, but damn, it doesn't matter right now. Nothing matters right now, except that we're right here in the middle of everything… together.

I pull us out of the bistro; the warmth leaving us at the door. The rain is falling hard and she's following my every step without even asking why. I stop when we are outside under the intense rainfall. She doesn't even look confused. She just looks at me as I turn to her. Our smiles still lingering loosely on our faces from our evening.

My hands find her waist and I pull her towards me. My pointer fingers touch the edge of her shirt, pushing it up slightly to reveal a sliver of warm skin. A hitch in her breath makes my heart swell. I'm just looking at her small smile. Her warm blue eyes are fluttering from the rainfall. I don't think past this point. My hands move up to her face and I pull her forward and capture her lips in a moment of pure emotion.

It's amazing; the way she tastes. Her hot skin pressed against mine in a kiss that means more than anything I could ever imagine. She pushes hard and my mouth fights back. She's fierce and bold. I taste traces of wine and mint chocolate as my tongue dances with hers. My breathing is heavy and our chests push and pull against each other in desperate attempts to breath faster and kiss harder. Suddenly I pull back. I need air. I need… I don't know. I can't think. Her breath is ragged as she pulls me into her embrace. I hear her ragged breath as her slick face slides over my cheek; both of us covered in cool rain.

"Oh, Olivia." She whispers sorrowfully, yet gratefully in my ear, "Thank you."

I just hold her tighter as she continues. The rain screaming at us in its loud presence. "This day… it was," she laughs with her last word, "awful." But she continues in all seriousness, leaning back to meet my gaze. "But this night… was amazing. You are… amazing. I don't know what I've done to deserve this. What I could ever do to deserve something as wonderful as you."

I realize I am holding my breath only when I let it out suddenly. My tears well up. Even with the rain, I think Alex can see it.

I had watched her for so long. The way she moved, the way she acted, the way she did everything. I knew what she sounded like when she coughed, or sneezed, or had a cold. I knew how she felt in the way she walked into the squad. I studied her with awe. I could never take my mind or my eyes off of her. Now she was here, saying words I dreamed of saying to her for a long time.

I laugh with a tear dropping from my eye, "I think I'm the one getting the better end of the deal here actually."

Alex smiled at me fully and I step back. I took her right hand and started to walk. She looks at me questionably as we walk the opposite direction of the car. I feel an energy in me I had never known. Hearing her words and seeing her here. The rain covers us and I tug on her arm and coax her to run with me.

"Where are we going?" She calls behind me. She slows and hops on one foot then the other as she tugs her shoes off her feet. She throws them on the sidewalk as we run, leaving them carelessly behind us.

"Trust me!" I called back laughing with her. I knew just the spot I wanted her to see. Thunder groaned in the sky and she shrieked inside her laughter making my heart race. We ran faster as the streets of New York met our escapade with shining bricks and shimmering asphalt. It was a beautiful sight. The signs of restaurants and stores glowing brightly to light our way. The sky seemed to open and rain harder sending chills right to my bones. I smiled so hard I was sure I would be stuck that way forever. Not that I would mind.

I pull her into a park I had loved as a teenager. I don't tell her this, but this was the neighborhood I grew up in. It was my territory and bringing her here meant so much to me.

We race past a wire fence that shields a swing set from outside intruders. We make our way down a poorly lit path until I see it.

I hold her hand tightly in mine as we ran up to the bridge over the river. It is small and fairytale like. The little wooden bridge held more memories than I can think of, but I knew this would quickly hold first place. The rain is pounding loudly on the wood and the water in the river splashes with delight.

"Ahhh!" I yell up to the sky in the need for release. I look back at Alex with a Cheshire cat grin. She laughs and mimicks me; yelling up to the sky with a smile.

"I can feel it!" She calls to me over the roar of sound.

I just smile at her and she pushes me up against the railing of the bridge and covers my mouth with hers. Her passion quickly taking over her as her hands wander over my body. All I can do is echo her movements happily. I follow her perfectly, just as she had done when I guided her over the dance floor.

We push and pull and move in perfect synchronization as the moment overtakes us. Our energy and bodies coming to life with each others longing touch. How did it take us so long to get to this place?

I pull my hands over Alex's face and moved the hair that had melted to her forehead. She pulls the collar of my shirt towards her, forcing us closer. Nothing could have come between us in that moment. Nothing else was real except for us. The rain was cold but we didn't notice. Our body temperatures were rising and the night was hurrying away from us.

I drag my hand from her face down to her neck and over her collarbones. My fingers grazing over her shoulder as she pulls out of a frantic kiss. She looks down, breathing hard, a look of lust, confusion and need crossing her face. I kiss her forehead and she smiles gratefully and falls against me; tucking her head in the crook of my neck.

Lightning cracked suddenly overhead and I felt Alex jump in my arms. She pulled away from me to turn and look at the sky.

"We should get out of here!" She calls desperately to me. I think she is scared of the storm so I pull her closer to me and wrap my arm around her shoulders.

"Liv?" She says questionably, "Can I come home with you?" She asks this as if she really just doesn't know the answer. When I just look at her she adds, "I need you tonight." She says that quieter and I almost don't even catch it but I'm watching her face so intently I don't miss a word.

"Of course! What'd you think? I woo you for nothin'!" I call back to her to make certain she hears my reassuring words. She does because she laughs at me before we both jump this time at another crack in the sky. Her worried eyes turn to me before we make a dash back to the bistro.