Hey guys! Here is another chapter, as I promised to those who reviewed, wanting more [or most of you, sorry to the ones I didn't!] I appreciate all the feedback, it's been very uplifting. I hope you enjoy this chapter and if you have any suggestions of whether or not you would like this to continue and maybe what you want to see happen. I am open to all suggestions and feedback!

Thanks for reading!

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Olivia and Amanda had been interrupted for a second time by the very over anxious pit bull, and they both made the non verbal agreement to care for the restless animal, and take the night into a different direction than the passion displayed between them had suggested just minutes before. The blonde had instructed that Olivia make herself at home while she went and took Frannie on a brief walk so she could do her business, and ten minutes later she was walking back through the door still reeling from the events that had transpired.

"Hey," Amanda said sheepishly as she walked into the living room after giving the dog fresh food and water, seeing Olivia relaxed on her couch with some mindless reality program playing lowly in the background. It was apparent that the brunette's mind was miles away from the scenes playing out on the television when her eyes snapped to Amanda's when the words reached her ears. Olivia could sense the younger woman's hesitation, and that made a tiny smile make its way to her lips. She slowly got up off the sofa, her eyes never leaving Amanda's as she closed the distance between them, snaking her arms around the blonde's waist and capturing pale pink lips in her own. It was slow and affectionate, much like the kiss in the kitchen, and Olivia felt Amanda melt into her arms, fingers sliding into her hair. Something exploded in the older woman's body, making her stomach flip in ways that were completely alien to her, and that dark, delusional part of her brain that kept her from getting too close to anyone came creeping in.

The part of her mind that protected her from further hurt and pain, while also causing it, was screaming at her to stop this before things got bad, because they always did. Olivia Benson didn't deserve to be loved, and that was blatantly clear with her many trials and tribulations in the relationship department, or at least that's what it told her. On her really bad days, she caved into those dark thoughts and really began to believe that feeling safe and secure with someone special just wasn't in the cards she was dealt. The other part of her brain helped keep her balanced, because she knew deep down they were all lies and she still remained hopeful, at least for the most part. After all, she had told countless survivors that everything would be okay in the end, that their fairy tales and the dreams they dreamt were all still within reaching distance, and she liked to be one to practice what she preached.

Amanda pulled back when she felt something shift between them. She felt Olivia's body tense in her arms, and she couldn't help the concern and worry that began to etch the every curve and line of her face. Her heart was hammering loudly in her chest, and the hands that were once exploring every strand of the brunette's perfect locks automatically moved to cradle the other woman's face.

"Liv?" she questioned softly, wanting to tread lightly, uncertain of the reasons behind the sudden change. This seemed to snap Olivia out of the haze she didn't even realize had fallen upon her, and she met Amanda's eyes apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Amanda," she whispered, breaking eye contact when she felt the younger woman's hands move from her face to around her waist, mirroring her own position. She felt a sudden threat of tears that took her by surprise, and she could feel the blonde's eyes burning into her, making that pre-cry sting in her nose take over. She hadn't even realized the first tear had fallen onto her cheek until she felt a soft thumb pad wipe it away gently with more tenderness than anyone had ever displayed toward her, and that made the salty droplets increase tenfold. She felt Amanda grab her hand, interlacing their fingers, and she pulled Olivia in the direction of the couch. She tugged the brunette down onto the cushions and pulled her to her side, encircling her shoulders with one arm and placing her hand gently over Olivia's with the other, drawing soothing circles with her thumb. She didn't speak, she just held the vulnerable woman until she heard her breathing lose its shakiness and even out. Amanda peered down at Olivia when she sensed the head on her shoulder shift and look up at her, and she felt her heart shatter at how broken and defeated the older woman looked. It intensified the aging lines on her face that she had gained over all these years of being the unbreakable, badass Benson. The woman who was married to the job and thrived on the satisfaction of knowing that the sick, twisted bastards she dealt with on a daily basis lived out the rest of their miserable time on earth without ever seeing the light of day again. Amanda thought she was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, even now as she saw how utterly exhausted Olivia was and how many demons she could see that she had been hiding.

"You okay?" the blonde faintly breathed, as she tucked a stray strand of chestnut hair behind Olivia's ear, letting her thumb lazily trail lightly down the other woman's jaw line.

Amanda felt such love and care for this woman, and had for some time now. She adored her, and she had tried to show that adoration the minute she walked into that squad room for the very first time, with little avail. She heard all the rumors that flew around about Manhattan's Special Victims Unit and their star duo Detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler, but it wasn't until much later she understood why Olivia was so cold to her friendly advances. That was her best friend and partner for twelve years and he left her without so much as a goodbye, and it was the instant when Olivia found her fidgeting hands to be the most interesting thing, that Amanda realized the fear of abandonment is what had the brunette so defenseless. Slowly lifting her chin to once again meet gazes, Amanda saw more fear and terror in those chocolate eyes than she had ever seen before, or ever thought she would see.

"Hey," she whispered, gently, once again taking the tanned hands in her own, moving her thumbs in a soft, reassuring pattern. "I'm not going anywhere, okay?"

Olivia felt her heart start racing with uneasiness; nobody had ever been able to read her thoughts with just one look. It startled her on how easy it was for Amanda to infiltrate the steel walls she had around her heart, and how with one shred of vulnerability, the blonde was able to read the deepest fears Olivia kept buried down in the bottom of her soul. She prided herself on how locked down her emotions had become; it had taken a lot of work over the course of her life, with sixteen years of seeing the most horrific of crimes under her belt. And now, in the smallest amount of time, this woman had come and slid her way into her life, breaking through all the work Olivia had done to maintain her badass label. She felt the prick of tears once again, but when she looked into those baby blue orbs, she felt a sudden rush of security and trust that she had never experienced before, and something deep down in her gut told her to believe the younger woman. She had learned many years ago to follow that gut feeling; it always led her to the right answers. As the saline beads involuntarily rolled off her eyelids, she lit up with the most radiant, genuine smile she had felt line her face in quite some time, and simultaneously grabbed the other woman's face, pressing their lips together.

"Thank you," she muttered, in between compassionate kisses.

Amanda pulled Olivia away just enough to capture her eyes. They were filled with so much hesitant hope that the blonde could feel her insides start to flutter.

"You don't need to thank me, Liv," she replied. She pressed her mouth to Olivia's forehead, letting the other woman rest her head there for a few brief seconds as they both took in the moment they were sharing. They broke apart, only to blend forms again more comfortably on the couch seconds later. Olivia immediately clung to Amanda's side, with her arm possessively around her torso and her head draped over her shoulder. The blonde was unconsciously drawing circles on the older woman's back like it was the most normal thing in the world, and that was the moment they both realized that this was the thing they had both been waiting for.

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Thanks again for the read! Hope you enjoyed it, and remember reviews are love!