Chapter Six
Alex hated feeling guilty. Because of everything, she did feel guilty. She did not like that feeling. She had to do something. She had to talk to Olivia. She could not spend all of her time hiding out on the floor behind the desk. She had to make this right or, at the very least, attempt to. She saw the way Olivia and Casey were before they checked in. They were happy. She could not live with herself for being the reason they were unhappy.
She quickly checked Olivia's reservation information. Room seven hundred and three. She knew that. She walked over to the elevator and up to Olivia's room. She knocked on it gently. There was silence on the other end. Shit. Did she just interrupt a private moment?
"I thought you were by the pool," the voice called from the other side of the door. It was not Olivia's. Alex knew that right away. It was Olivia's girlfriend. And she was alone.
Well, this would be awkward.
The door opened slowly. Casey had a pair of underpants in her hand. Words could not describe the anger on her face when she saw Alex. She almost slammed the door in her face, but she decided against that. "What?" she asked bitterly. "She's not here, and I don't exactly feel like talking to you."
"I don't blame you," Alex responded. "Believe me, if I was in your situation, I would hate me too. I do hate myself. I shouldn't have let it go this far."
Casey turned around and started walking back towards her open suitcase. "Why are you telling me this?" she asked. "Do you want my sympathy?"
Alex shook her head. "I just wanted to apologize. Both to you and to Liv," she said. "This isn't fair to either one of you. I can get you reservations at another hotel. I know it'd put you at ease."
"With all due respect, but I don't want another hotel. I don't want this hotel. I want my apartment back in New York," Casey said. She folded her underwear and placed it in the suitcase.
Alex nodded slowly. "Just as well," she said. "I don't think I can be around Olivia without messing things up any more. For all of us."
"Pfft," Casey exclaimed. "Like the two of you didn't plan this," she said accusingly.
"Of course not," Alex said. "Liv didn't have any idea I worked here. If she did, she wouldn't be allowed to come here." She honestly did not care if she revealed her identity to Casey. Casey was with Olivia, which made her trustable. She was in this difficult position, caused by Alex, so she had the right to know the truth. The whole truth.
Casey's mouth dropped open. "Alex?" she whispered. She had seen the pictures around the squad room. They were not prominent, but they were there. Olivia and Elliot each had one of all the detectives plus Alex and Cragen at some event. It looked like a dinner.
She should have known this. Olivia's first girlfriend was not Miranda. She didn't even date other women until she was in the SVU. Her first girlfriend was a blonde SVU ADA. Alex. She should have known. "You are," she stated. "You're alive."
"Liv didn't tell you?" Alex asked. She instantly felt stupid. If Olivia told Casey, then Casey would not be looking at Alex as if she was a ghost.
"No," Casey finally stated as she slammed her suitcase shut. "I guess I don't know her as well as I thought. She doesn't trust me as much as I thought."
Alex shook her head. "Now I'm sure that's not true. You seem like a great girl. I want Liv to be happy. I saw the two of you together. You make her happy, and I can tell she loves you."
Casey picked up her suitcase and headed for the door. She glared slightly at Alex. "Look, just do one thing for me. Tell Olivia that I went back to New York. I'm not ready to listen to what she has to say right now. It's too confusing, so don't bother calling." She handed over her copy of the room key. "Can you manage that?" She did not wait for a reply. She had to get out of there. She'd find a bus back soon enough.