"But why?"

"What do you mean why?"

"Why do we have to tell them?"

"Because we're looking for a place, to live, together. You don't think they're going to notice both of us suddenly moving, at the same time?" Olivia asked incredulously.

Amanda was silenced by the well-made point but not for long. "Well, if it wasn't for that psycho-stalker Amaro, no one else would even notice or care." The detective was on such a roll that she didn't notice the look her partner was sending her way.

"Really?"

"What?"

"'Psycho-stalker Amaro', come on, Amanda. Seriously, I thought we were over all of that?"

Hmph, maybe you are. "We are…"

"Ok, so how about we lay off the 'psycho' insults, huh?"

"Sheesh, alright…" The blonde mumbled the next part under her breath. "Hope you defend me like that when I'm not around."

"What was that?"

"Nothing. I just don't get why we have to tell everyone. That's all."

"Am I missing something here?" Olivia began. She really didn't know why this was an issue. "Why is this a thing? Are you embarrassed? Ashamed of me, of us or something?" The brunette couldn't help those pesky insecurities, that got the better of her every now and then.

"No! Of course not! It's just, ugh, it's hard to put into words."

"Well, I'm really going to need for you to try because I'm feeling some type of way right now…"

That was the absolute last thing that Amanda wanted. Olivia feeling less than or slighted in anyway wasn't what Amanda wanted. Her doubts and fears had nothing to do with the security she felt in their relationship. It was all of the other stuff. The way the squad would react, possible rejections and worst-case scenario, one of them would possibly have to leave the squad. That thought sickened the young detective, every time she thought of it.

"Honey, I need for you to hear me. Believe me. I've never been more sure of anything before in my life, than I am of you, of us. And I'm so sorry if it came off as if I'm ashamed or whatever because that is definitely not the case."

Olivia released a shaky breath. Knowing that they weren't regressing, just when she'd been planning for progression was definitely a relief. "Well, what is it then, babe? I'm ready for our next step and part of taking that next step, is being together 'officially', if you will."

"I know that and I want everyone to know that you're off the market and all mine." Especially Amaro… The southerner was smart enough to keep that bit to herself, before she continued. "I'm just worried that things are going to change…"

"Is that a bad thing?"

"It will be if one of us, me, has to leave the unit." Amanda was direct and straight to the point with her ultimate fear that made her trepidatious about disclosing.

Olivia thought about that for a moment before responding. "Ok, why do you assume it's automatically going to be you who is transferred?"

Amanda sighed heavily, "Your humbleness is one of the things I love most about you but can you get freakin' real here for a second. Because there's no way in hell Cragen would transfer you before me. No way."

Olivia shook her head, "If I take the Sergeant's exam and pass it, it's almost guaranteed that I will be transferred to another squad. So, you don't have to worry about that."

"Oh, so you've finally made up your mind to take the test now? That's news to me…" Amanda couldn't keep the snark out of her tone.

"Nothing's been decided yet. I'm still thinking on it."

"What's the deal with you and this test? I really don't get it. You're a natural leader and you'd be a great Sergeant."

"Because it'll mean I'm officially old and washed! Too old for the streets and I'm not ready to ride a desk yet." Olivia made her biggest insecurity known to the person she trusted more than anything but it was still hard to admit. Her eyes were sad and focused on the ground.

"Oh honey, no one in their right mind would ever think of you as 'old and washed'—"

"Dodds does. He told me and I quote, 'you're not a spring chicken anymore' end quote." Olivia shook her head in frustration, remembering her chief's words on the biggest night of her career.

"Fuck Dodds! End quote." That put a small smile on the brunette's face, which is what Amanda hoped it would do. She continued, "He doesn't know what the hell he's talking about. Don't let that asshole's words effect you. And who said when you become a Sergeant, that you have to ride a desk? You can be whatever kind of Sergeant you want to be. If you still want to hit the streets, hit the freakin' streets. If you don't want to be tied to a desk, don't be tied to a damn desk. You don't have to follow the mold, shake shit up. And if anyone could shake up the status quo, I'd put every dollar I have on you."

Olivia was so moved and uplifted by her gf's words. She didn't know why Dodds' words had affected her so much but they had. The seasoned detective had a brush with desk duty when she and Amanda had returned back to work and needless to say, she wasn't a fan. However, Amanda had given her some ideas and encouragement to forge her own path, or to put it in her words 'shake shit up'. Relief and determination washed over the brunette.

"You know what, babe? You're right."

"Duh…" Amanda responded instantaneously with expressive eyes.

"Fuck Dodds!"

"Fuck. Dodds."

"He doesn't know me or what I'm capable of, if he thinks I'm anywhere near washed."

"Nope."

"I'll show that rude, son of a bitch, that I've still got it!"

"You most certainly do…" The seductive tone, along with the visual assault, stopped her partner's self-assertions.

"Don't you start…"

Amanda threw her hands up in surrender, "What? I can't agree with the gospel truth now?"

"Oh, don't even try it. You know exactly what you're doing…" Olivia tugged Amanda's shirt pulling her flush against her body.

"Now look who's starting."

"Shut up," the brunette kissed that cocky smirk right off her gf's mouth. After the brief kiss, Olivia continued to stroke the other woman's arms before she spoke again. "Thank you. I really needed to hear that. I'm going to tell the Captain that I'll sign up to take the Sergeant's exam when it's available."

Amanda beamed at that news. She wanted Olivia happy and to have everything that she desired. Olivia's happiness meant everything to her. "You're more than welcome. You're going to be great. I just know it."

"Thanks. And in the meantime, we can keep our living arrangements to ourselves until it' absolutely necessary to disclose."

Amanda was visibly relieved and in awe at just how smoothly Olivia had segued back to the initial conversation. "You sure? Because—"

"I'm sure. We'll know when it's the right time," assured Olivia.

"Well, I'll follow your lead. I trust you." Amanda's eyes remained locked on Olivia's, letting her know she meant every word. "Come on, let's go to bed."

"Right behind you."

No matter how many times Olivia heard Amanda say it, it always moved her knowing that she'd earned her complete trust. It wasn't an easy road but it's one they stayed the course on together and are now reaping the benefits of their hard work. The future was promising and everything was falling into place as it should. The air was clear for the night and love was in the air, as the detectives enjoyed the rest of their evening in bed.

Mornings seemed to come so much earlier these days for the female detectives of the 1-6. They were burning both ends of the wick, literally. Working hard on the NY streets twelve hours a day, while also being totally consumed with each other all night proved to be hard to sustain lately. That's why Amanda was currently fixated in front of the coffee station at the 1-6. She didn't care how terrible the precinct coffee was, she needed that caffeine just as much as she needed her next breath. Fin noticed his exhausted partner clinging to the coffee pot and like any good partner, he decided to give her a hard time about it.

"You know too much precinct coffee will kill ya, right?"

"Don't care."

"Whoever's got you so tired might care. Or not, if that's the energy you're bringing…" Fin teased and knew his joke would rile his partner up.

Amanda whipped her head around in his direction, ready to let him have it. Until she saw him barely holding his laughter in. She hit him back with a quip of her own. "Ya know, old age is really kicking your sense of humor's ass."

"Ooooh, flamed!" interjected D'Antoni as he walked upon the partners' harmless teasing.

"Mind your business, rookie!" Fin scolded.

"Yes sir."

"Oooh, owned!" Amanda mimicked D'Antoni's lame rebuttal style, getting a nod of approval from her partner. They could tease each other, others not so much. Amanda shot him back a satisfied smirk of her own.

Over on the other side of the precinct, Olivia was getting ready to officially throw her hat into the Sergeant's race. She was qualified, prepared and willing to do the best job to the best of her ability. Rejuvenated with fresh determination and confidence, thanks to her girlfriend, the seasoned detective left her remaining doubts at Captain Cragen's door before she entered. When she walked into his office, the Captain stood up to speak.

"You're just the person I wanted to see. Come in and have a seat." Cragen commanded.

Oh shit. "O-ok, everything alright?" inquired a nervous Olivia.

"Yes, I'll explain everything when your partner gets in here."

What the hell is going on? "Ok."

Nick strode through Cragen's doors a few moments later. When they were all seated and situated, Cragen began to explain why they were there. The partners, who had been going through a rough patch lately, exchanged looks. They did a silent check in to see if the other knew what was going on. After neither let on about knowing anything, they refocused their attention back onto their Captain. He sensed their discomfort, so he shot straight to the point and let them know why they were there. Thirty minutes later, Cragen walked out of his office and left Benson and Amaro alone. He wanted to give them some privacy to process together. Neither detective had spoken a word since Cragen had exited, nor had they made eye contact. The silence was deafening. Olivia's mind was all over the place. So much to process, so many questions and then there was Amanda. What the hell am I going to tell Amanda? Nick couldn't take the silence any longer. He needed to know where he and his partner stood.

"Liv, I know we haven't been on the same page lately but I am your partner. And I've got your back, always."

Olivia had finally looked up from the ground to see the certainty in Nick's eyes. "I know that. I've got your back too."

"Good. Because if we're going to do this, we have to get whatever is going on with us straight. We have to be able to trust each other." Before Amaro got ahead of himself, he needed to make sure that they were indeed on the same page. "Uh, w-we are going to do this, right?"

Olivia pondered the question for a moment. Even though she and Nick had their issues, she did trust him with her life. To take a bullet for her if need be and she would do the exact same for him. Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that and hopefully her other partner would understand.

"Yes, we're doing this."

Nick was visibly relieved, "I'll go and get the Captain to let him know that we've decided."

Olivia nodded as Nick exited the office. She pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a deep sigh. When she woke up that morning wrapped in her girlfriend's arms, she didn't have a care in the world. She was sated, resolute and ready for the next step in her career. Now, hours later, everything had changed with a totally new trajectory placed upon the seasoned detective. Going back undercover wasn't anywhere on her radar but she was about to throw caution to the wind and jump deep under with her partner Nick Amaro. This was her last hurrah in her mind before becoming a Sergeant and she needed everyone in doubt to know that she still had it. Even though the person who never doubted for a second that she didn't have it, was not going to like the new change of plans. Olivia knew that Cragen was about to announce the new assignment to the unit and she really didn't want Amanda to hear it like that. She sent a quick text and awaited a response.

"Hey, I need to talk to you. Meet me in the cribs right now. I love you…"