Disclaimer: don't own it! Also, it gets a really fluffy in the middle-end of this chapter, but I think we all need that occasionally.
Alex and Olivia had kept their relationship a secret for several months now. They had not told anyone that they had been dating, and they weren't even sure if anyone knew of their sexual preferences. But now, as they walked into the squad room holding hands, they wished that they had told someone.
They walked up behind Captain Cragen. Olivia had originally planned to do the talking, but as she opened her mouth to alert her boss of their presence, she felt her throat close up. She looked at her lover with pleading eyes.
"Don," Alex said softly, "Can I talk to you in your office for a minute?"
"Sure, Alex." He said without turning around.
He led the way to his office, which was just a few feet in front of them. When he turned around, he was surprised to see Olivia with the ADA.
"Olivia!" he practically barked, "What's wrong, why are you both in my office?"
Alex looked at Olivia, who again was too shy to say anything.
"Listen, Don," Alex started very quickly—she figured it was best to get it out as fast as possible, "Olivia and I, um, have been together for a little while, and um, there's something that I—we—think you need to see."
"Together like…?" Cragen asked. He had, for some time, suspected that there was a romantic relationship between the detective and the lawyer, but in case they didn't mean that, he decided it was best to ask.
…like we fuck each other's brains out. Olivia thought.
"We've been dating." Alex said calmly, "for about three months."
"Well," Don said, unsure of how to respond, "I commend you both. But what does this have to do with me?"
Now it was Alex's turn to clam up.
"Alex and I both got sent a tape today…remember the one I sent out to the VPU?" Olivia stepped in.
"Yes…"
"Ok, well it was a tape of Alex in my apartment and we were…having sex," Olivia continued, way too embarrassed to look at her boss or her girlfriend, "there was also a voice, and it said, um, it said that the tape would be distributed if we didn't stop investigating the Aaron case."
"You know we can't do that, Olivia."
"I know, Captain, but is there any way we can track this prick down before he starts selling the 'Alex and Olivia Sex Tape vol. I'?"
Alex could barely stifle a laugh at the humorous remark that her girlfriend made subconsciously.
"I'll contact Computer Crimes, but you two have to decide who you want working this case. I'm not going to force you to tell the rest of the squad, but in case this comes out later, don't you think that it's a good idea to at least let them know that you two are an, um…item?" The captain responded firmly.
"Thanks, Don." Alex said softly.
"I'll let you two talk in here…and I walk the tape through Computer Crimes, I want to make sure we do this quickly."
The two women nodded and waited for Captain Cragen to exit the small room.
"Shit!" Alex exclaimed.
Olivia knew she was angry—she had every right to be—but she never cursed. Ever.
"I know, sweetie, I know," Olivia said understandingly, "What do you want to do?"
"Well, I don't think we have to tell the entire squad, but we should tell Elliot, Munch, and Fin at least."
"You're right. I planned on telling them soon…" Olivia suddenly stopped. She honestly hadn't thought about telling them—and Alex knew it.
"Oh yeah? When?" Alex retorted.
"Soon enough! Relax, Alex, I was going to tell them some time before we got married…er…committed…joined in a civil union…whatever!" Olivia quickly spat out, although she almost immediately regretted it. What if I totally just freaked her out? She thought. What if she never even thought of spending the rest of her life with me?
Alex had to admit she was shocked. Practically from the first time she had been introduced to the detective, she could imagine spending the rest of her life with her. Somehow, she managed to regain her composure and respond somewhat coyly.
"Was that a proposal, detective?" she managed.
Olivia gave a sheepish smile and giggled nervously.
"Relax, Olivia, I was kidding." Alex said quickly—although she hadn't really convinced herself that she was, "oh, boy! You should have seen the look on your face! Haha! That was priceless!"
"Okay, counselor," Olivia said firmly, "I think we need to get back on track here. Let's call a meeting in the back interview room, we'll show them the end of the tape and call it a day, hm?"
"If you insist," Alex quipped, putting her hands on her hips in mock frustration.
"Oh, I love it when you're pouty. It makes you so attractive." Olivia said sarcastically.
"But that's why you love me." The blonde said swiftly and hurried out the door.
They gathered their male colleagues set them in the back room. This time, Olivia told them that they had been dating for some time. Elliot said he knew already, Fin whistled, and Munch gave his usual sarcastic remark, but they all seemed to support them.
Alex explained the video situation and then Olivia rewound the tape slightly so they could see the part with the concealed man. Everyone agreed that it was for the best that they forge ahead full speed with the Aaron case, and if they hadn't found out who made the tape by Wednesday afternoon, they would deal with it then.
It was already midnight by the time they were finished at the station, but CSU still had to inspect Olivia's apartment for the cameras. In addition to the two in her living room, there was one in her shower and three in her bedroom. They also found cameras hidden all over Alex's apartment, Alex's office, and Interrogation Room 1. When the last camera was found in the station, Alex and Olivia gave each other a quick smirk, as they knew that every camera must have been put to good use.
Tuesday came and went, and by that night they had nothing on either the Aaron case or the video perv. At around 7, Alex arrived at Olivia's apartment, as she had been instructed earlier in the day. She was just a smidge early (it was just in her nature), so she let herself in with the key Olivia had given her.
She noticed the table was nicely set, and Olivia had obviously "cooked" (which, most of the time meant that she ordered from the Italian bistro down the street. It appeared as though it was going to be a routine night, even if their entire careers were most likely going to go up in smoke the next evening.
Alex figured Olivia was still getting ready in the bathroom. She stepped nearer to the bathroom door and heard soft singing coming from the other side. Olivia wasn't a terrible singer. She certainly wasn't going to win any contests any time soon, but she was decent. She obviously hadn't heard Alex come in. Alex decided not to bother her girlfriend, so she sat on the couch and poured herself a glass of wine.
After a few minutes, Olivia emerged from her bathroom. She was already dressed and jumped at the sight of Alex sitting on her couch reading the paper and drinking wine. She looks like she was meant to be there. She coughed slightly, alerting Alex that she was there.
Alex looked up from the newspaper. "Hey, Liv!" She said cutely.
"Hey, Al." Olivia responded.
As the women ate dinner, they made sure to stay as far away from the subject of tomorrow as possible. They just enjoyed the food, the company, and the music that Olivia put on in the background.
Before long, they had completely devoured the food and were in the process of cleaning up. Olivia paid close attention to the songs that were playing throughout the apartment. Then, she heard it—the song she had been waiting for—Unforgettable. Olivia knew it was corny, but she also knew that Alex absolutely loved the song, so she thought she would surprise her by putting it on the CD.
"Dance with me." Olivia practically commanded.
Alex gave her a questioning look but eventually complied. She did love the song.
After the song, Olivia kissed her girlfriend's forehead and said something she had been thinking about a lot.
"Listen to me, Alex, no matter what happens tomorrow, I want you to know that I'll always love you. So much. Nothing will ever change that, okay?"
"I know, Liv," Alex said, a little confused, "I love you too."
Olivia tried to find the words she wanted so desperately to say. "I've, um, been thinking a lot about this—us—lately and, well, I don't think that I could spend another day without you—I want to know that no one can ever take you away from me. Be mine, Alex Cabot. Forever."
She took out a small silver band from her back pocket and slipped it on a stunned Alex's finger.
And that night, they didn't worry about the tapes, or the fact that someone might be filming them. All they knew that night was each other, and that's all that mattered.
The next morning Alex and Olivia went into the squad room together. They knew that they had people working on the cases all night, and they were optimistic that there would be at least a lead waiting for them.
It turns out there was. They found the electronic store in town that had sold the man the cameras, and they cross-referenced all of the people who bought those specific cameras in the past four months with anyone that had anything to do with the Bridgette Aaron case. They had one match. Just one. Grant Ackerman. They had him. He lived in the same building has Bridgette did, but the first time he was interviewed, he didn't even present himself as a suspect. But they were going to get him now.
Olivia was the first detective on the scene. She insisted that she be the one to arrest him. The door was locked but she could hear the television. No one answered so she knocked down the door.
"Grant Ackerman! This is the police!"
The found him trying to get out his bedroom window. Olivia grabbed him and pulled him inside.
She walked him outside before cuffing him. "Grant Ackerman, you are under arrest for the rape and murder of Bridgette Aaron, breaking an entering, and for taking private videos without consent of the subject. You have the right to remain silent…"
As she said this, she spotted Alex in the crowd. She winked at her and Alex winked back.
A/N: so sorry for the fluff in the middle. I was in a sappy mood today. Well, that is officially it. Now I need I new idea…if you like the way I write, I would love for any of you to give me a challenge!