AN: Its a little shorter than normal...but hey, so am I!

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Elliot studied his partner. Olivia felt his eyes on her and looked up. "What?" she defended.

He raised his eyebrows, "What's your problem, Liv?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You've been reading the same page for the past ten minutes."

Olivia sighed and gave up; putting aside the file she was staring at, "I just want to go home. It is Friday after all."

Elliot glanced at the clock, 4:35 "Almost." He offered.

Olivia rolled her eyes, "Almost isn't five o'clock."

"Don't I know it." He returned.

After a pause, "So, what are you doing this weekend?"

Her partner smiled, "Hopefully taking the kids to soccer practice tomorrow, then dumping them at their grandmother's so Kathy and I can celebrate her birthday."

"Tell her happy birthday for me. Didn't you tell me her birthday was on Sunday?"

Elliot grinned, "We're going to start celebrating on Saturday."

The brunette nodded with a sarcastic smile, "Oh. How silly of me."

Munch came out of nowhere, "Yes, Olivia, how could you!" He stood at the junction between the two desks and looked from one co-worker to another, "What are we talking about?"

"What Elliot is doing this weekend…to his wife."

Munch didn't miss a beat, "And they say SVU detectives are all perverts."

As Elliot realized this was going to follow him for a while, he changed the subject. "So, what are you doing this weekend, John?"

"Saving the world from corrupt government officials by TP-ing their houses with toilet paper I decorated with quotes from Shakespeare, Voltaire and Locke."

They both raised their eyebrows at the idea. Fin came up behind the trio, glanced to each person and did what any good detective would do. He came to the right solution, "He told you about the toilet paper, didn't he?"

Elliot and Olivia nodded their heads, "Yeah."

John ignored the comment, "Well, then what are you doing, Livia?"

Olivia froze. Her mind answered I'm taking the Assistant District Attorney out on a date and then I hope to bring her back to my apartment and have a repeat of Monday night…until Monday morning.

Instead, she managed a nonchalant answer, "Nothing much. Television and Chinese food. I should really clean my apartment too."

The boys rolled their eyes, "You're so boring."

Munch added, "At least Elliot's getting laid."

Fin broke in, "Come on, John, I'm leaving."

Munch motioned to his partner, "My car is in the shop, he's giving me a ride home."

Elliot looked at the clock, "Guys, we still have fifteen minutes. Cragen will have your asses if you leave early."

Fin smiled, "Yeah, if he didn't leave twenty minutes ago."

Elliot and Olivia met eyes open mouthed. Suddenly, they both flew out of their seats, grabbing their coats. The four friends cleared the bullpen in less than ten seconds.

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Olivia moved into the reception area for the ADA's office. She was about to just walk in when the intern stopped her.

"Hang on, you can't go in there." The young woman paused at the intruder's surprised look, "She has a client in there." She explained.

Olivia raised her eyebrows, but understood. "You're new, aren't you?"

"Kinda, I started two weeks ago. My name's Robyn."

The brunette held out a hand, "Olivia Benson."

"Nice to meet you. You work in Special Victims, don't you?"

Olivia nodded.

"I can't imagine. I can barely get through some of these case files." The intern continued.

"I won't say it gets easier, because it doesn't. But it certainly feels good to put the bad guys behind bars."

Robyn shrugged, "I suppose so. Miss. Cabot is really an amazing woman to take it all on in the court room. Are you guys really good friends?"

The detective smiled. "Yes, well, there are only so many women who are on the force, so when you find a friend, you make the most of it."

The young woman bit her lip, "Then from one woman to another, may I consider you a friend?"

"It would be my pleasure." The brunette grinned.

Robyn grinned back.

The door behind them opened and an angry man in a business suit stalked out, muttering under his breath. He rushed past without so much as a glance toward the two woman. Alex appeared in the doorway a second later, a pleasant smile graced her features.

"You're here!" she said, "Come on in, I'll just be a minute."

Olivia turned and winked at Robyn, who smiled back, an action not lost on the observant ADA. The brunette followed Alex into her office.

Alex moved behind her desk and shuffled through some papers, leaving Olivia standing in the doorway. She flung out a question, "Are you flirting with my intern?"

Olivia honesty couldn't tell if the blonde was joking or serious, "Jealous?" she shot back.

The hint of a smile gave the brunette the answer, "Maybe."

Olivia steered clear of the bait. "What was that all about?" She motioned, referring to the irate little man that flew out of the office.

Alex waved her hand, "Nothing really. He's part of the Patterson case. He tried to intimidate me with an insanity plea. I threatened murder one. He buckled. For a lawyer, he had a hell of an attitude problem."

"And you don't?" the brunette couldn't resist.

"No, actually, I don't." The ADA stated pointedly, her eyes sparkling.

Robyn poked her head in. "Miss Cabot, I'm going to get going. I'll see you tomorrow."

Alex nodded, "See you tomorrow."

Olivia watched the intern leave, "Cute kid."

"Ok, now I know you were flirting with her." Alex accused, pointing a finger at the detective.

"You're adorable when you're jealous." Olivia smiled.

The blonde couldn't keep a straight face. She grinned and shrugged, "It's a gift I guess."

"Are you almost ready?"

"Yeah, let me just clean up a little." The ADA fussed as she rummaged through her desk.

Olivia leaned on the doorframe. "I am so glad, it's Friday." she said. "I could use a weekend."

"Me too." The blonde answered as a stack of file folders slid into a new mess on her desk. "Uhh!" she cried, exasperated and ended up dumping the whole pile into the top drawer of her desk.

Olivia raised her eyebrows, "Is that how you normally clean up?"

Alex shrugged, "Most of the time."

The detective rolled her eyes, "Come on, are you almost done? I know this great little Italian place."

"You're going to make me fat, with all this going out." Alex complained as she made her way over to the brunette.

"Well, fine, then you can start coming with me on my morning runs."

A devious smile spread across pale lips. "I was thinking of another type of exercise, actually." A hand slid down the detective's leather jacket. "Maybe you could help me…it involves you, me…and a bed."

Olivia pretended to be offended, "Councilor! Never on the first date."

Alex continued playing with the leather collar, "And…what about before the first date?"

Olivia's eyes snapped to meet blue spheres.

Alex took in a silent breath through parted lips at the hungry look that sprang from the depths of dark chocolate orbs. She licked her lips slowly.

Olivia pulled the taller woman close. Gently cupping the ivory cheek, the brunette brought their lips together.

The shorter woman led and set an impossibly slow pace. On and on they kissed, until Alex couldn't remember when it had started.

Olivia moved away and Alex audibly gasped at the near painfully tangible loss. The door to her office closed and Alex allowed herself to be led to the smooth leather couch.

"Come here." Alex said huskily as she pulled Olivia into another kiss. She lowered the brunette to sit onto the couch and climbed onto her lap. As she proceeded to kiss those swollen dark lips, Olivia's hands were roaming up and down the back of her blouse.

Alex threw her head back, leaning into the touch. Warm lips caressed the exposed skin of her collarbone.

"You smell amazing." The blonde heard the murmur against her chest. Alex chuckled and pushed the detective onto her back lengthwise on the couch.

Olivia complied, but pulled at the blonde's silk shirt collar, pulling them into another kiss.

Alex carefully adjusted herself so she was braced above the brunette. She broke the kiss and looked into the deep brown eyes. They were clear, serene, so beautiful.

Olivia stared back up at the blue orbs. Something was up. "What is it, Alex?"

Alex mentally kicked herself as the words stumbled out of her mouth, "Olivia…I know this is juvenile, but I need to know, before…" she never finished the sentence and moved on. "Disregarding our first night…are we moving too fast?"

Olivia met her eyes, "Do you think we are moving too fast?"

Alex bit her lip, "When you told me that you didn't want to be alone anymore. Did you really mean that?"

"What do you mean? Of course I meant that." Olivia said, slightly confused.

The blonde closed her eyes and took a breath. "Is this just about the sex?"

"What?" Olivia was truly surprised and sat up, cupping the younger woman's face gently. "What are you talking about?"

"I need to know. I need to know if this is just about release…about pent up tension."

Olivia lowered her eyes and took both Alex's hands in hers. She looked up to see the blonde staring at the floor. "Alex…Alex, look at me." She continued when her companion met her eyes. "Alex, this is about you, and me, and us, exploring a relationship with one another. This is not about a quick release. If you are in this for the long haul…then so am I."

The blonde gave a small smile, "Handled like an attorney, tell me what I want to hear while covering your ass."

Olivia met the smile, "What is this really about?"

Alex refused to meet the brunette's eyes, "To be honest…I don't feel comfortable 'christening' my office couch."

Olivia pursed her lip and surveyed the office, "It would make for some interesting future client meetings." She sighed deep, "I suppose you're right…ok," she declared, "No christening the couch." She detangled herself from the blonde and stood, "Are you still hungry?" Olivia held out her hand to the ADA.

The blonde smiled wide as she took the hand, "For Italian? Sure. For you? Definitely."

Olivia rolled her eyes and Alex caught her in an embrace, "Though," the blonde admitted, "I guess I could wait for dessert to have you."

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AN: ready, ready! AWN! love the angst, hope you did too! I was gonna write more, but it was such a good stopping point...so there it is. Next one's coming!