Disclaimers: I don't own Alex Cabot, Olivia Benson, or Law and Order: SVU. Ownership of Melissa Strom is questionable.

Author's notes: I haven't seen the episode 'Ghost', and what I've seen of Conviction wasn't worth the time of day, no offence meant if you like that show.

What a strange dream she'd been having. She and Olivia had been driving, then gotten a flat... Two strange men had helped them... One had a mint tin of crack...

Her eyes fluttered open, and there was just enough light for her to see outlines, silhouettes of black against dark grey. Enough that she could indeed be sure that her eyes were open. Was she in a basement? The floor was cement, cracked, damp, and gritty. There was a very small window she could see, open, but with heavy metal meshing over it, probably to keep rodents out as it was far too small for her to use as an escape route. She could hear crickets in the distance. Faint, bluish moonlight came in through it, if only a little. By the absence of city noises, she knew wherever she was, it was isolated. A wolf howled, not far away, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She hadn't been that afraid of the dark or the big bad wolf since she was three. Wherever she was, it was out in the middle of nowhere. A wave of nausea overtook her and she vomited. Metallic, like blood. So she was tied up alone in a basement in the middle of nowhere and vomiting blood. Things were not looking up. Liv... Where was she...? They'd gotten separated... But how?

As she'd finally calmed down, Olivia had set the alarm clock for four in the morning, which gave them three and a half hours of sleep. They both needed a good night's rest, but now wasn't the time. It wasn't safe, they couldn't continue that night, but couldn't stay long. They'd drifted off, and all too soon, been roused by the shrill digital alarm. Not thinking, Alex reached to hit the snooze button, still nearly asleep and desperately wanting eight more minutes of slumber, but Liv had gently caught her hand. "We have to go sweetheart. Take a quick shower to wake up, then dress and we need to pay and go. I'll get some coffee started. You can sleep in the car."

"It's by turn to drive. Not fair to make you do it."

"I don't want you falling asleep at the wheel."

"M'kay," she rolled over onto her stomach and buried her face in the pillow.

"Nu'uh, you've gotta get up now. I am not carrying you. Too tired to carry more than a suitcase, understood?" the brunette mumbled as she sat up, "don't make me take the blankets," she threatened, pulling at the corner of the thicker one.

"Wouldn't dare. Sadist. Tired," she peeked up from the pillow.

Olivia rubbed her eyes, "Would too, you know it, not a sadist, tired too. Move it," she paused, "please, love."

"Fine. You're welcome," Alex sat up slowly, and gave Olivia a quick kiss, "You can shower first though. I'll go eat one of the instant coffee packets.

After stifling a chuckle, Liv replied, "Okay. You haven't changed a bit, y'know. One of these days, I am gonna have to educate you on the finer points of caffeine consumption though, Babe."

"I know what a good latte is, and how to drink espresso, we don't have the right beans for either, and I need my early morning wake up buzz."

"Yeah, yeah, sure," she said and went into the bathroom and over to the shower, setting it to just above freezing. Hot showers were nice. Cold showers were not. If she took a hot shower, she'd take a long one, and there wasn't time for that.

Alex stared at the wall for a minute, lost in thoughts she couldn't have articulated, then forced herself to release the blankets she'd wrapped herself in and stand up. She took a moment to look around the room. It was not the worst place she'd ever stayed at, not by a long shot. The raspberry carpet was far too bright for her tastes, but new and thick, the bedspread was a garish paisley, but warm, and the sheets, though an uninspired shade of off white, were at least 300 thread count. The abstract acrylic painting hanging on the wall wasn't attractive at all, but at least it was there. Standard motel, she supposed, it wasn't like they'd requested the luxury suite. She could hear the shower running in the small bathroom, "Liv, I don't want to bother to unpack, do you care what you're wearing today?"

"Huh? Can you speak up?" she called back, shaking water from her ear.

"Do you care what you're wearing today?" Alex's voice was a bit louder.

"What?"

"Nevermind," she hollered loudly enough that the people in the next room could probably hear them, "you'll wear what I pick," she finished, more to herself, then opened the baggage and pulled out the first things that came to hand. Blue jeans and a turquoise button down top, it'd have to do. She rummaged a bit and found undergarments and socks, then rezipped the suitcase after shoving in the clothes Olivia had worn the previous day and her nightwear. She went to her own bag and chose a lavender polo shirt and khaki cargo pants. Melissa's clothes, not hers. One day, she was going to have to get some decent clothing, stuff she really liked. Stuff that Alex Cabot would wear, not an imposter played by someone formerly known as Alex Cabot. Call it the tail end of an identity crisis.

Reviews are greatly appreciated. Sorry this update was so long in coming.