A/N: Thanks again for the fic love. As always, suggestions are welcome and I have definitely taken some into consideration. This chapter is a lot longer than the others, but I just couldn't help myself. I hope you enjoy Alex and Olivia's trip to Boston. :)

"Today I finally overcame trying to fit the world inside a picture frame."

The train ride to Boston was long, but Alex had spent the whole time holding hands with Olivia and talking about anything that came to mind. Most of their conversation topics were trivial but they enjoyed themselves nonetheless.

During the last half an hour of their train ride, Alex started planning their itinerary. Their train ride ended at South Station in Boston and they were immediately going to take the commuter rail to Framingham so Olivia could see Alex's hometown. Alex had wanted to spend more time in Boston, but Olivia mostly wanted to see places that were important to Alex instead of the usual tourist attractions.

"So, this is Farmingtown," Olivia said as they got off of the commuter rail and walked to a bus that would take them to Alex's neighborhood.

"It's not much, but it's home," Alex told her. "I want you to meet Ashley and Amber. Those are my two best friends."

Alex pulled her cell phone out of her purse and decided to call Ashley first.

"Alex?"

"Hi!" Alex said excitedly. "I'm back home for awhile. What are you doing?"

"You're in Framingham?" Ashley asked. "No way! Come over. Are you with the 'rents or did you come by yourself?"

"I'm with Olivia!" Alex told her. "She surprised me this morning with two train tickets. I really want you and Amber to meet her."

"You're with Olivia? Sorry, Alex, we can't," Ashley said even though it was obvious why she couldn't meet up with her. "

"Why?"

"We're going shopping in Natick. Olivia is used to Manhattan. Our beloved Natick Collection will bore her."

"Olivia doesn't mind," Alex pointed out. "She's not here to see tourist attractions. She wants to see places that are important to me and the Natick Collection is definitely important to me."

"Yeah, but we're going with Eric and Doug and there's not enough room in Doug's car," Ashley told her. "I mean, it's a double date and you know how Eric and Doug are. They're our boyfriends and we love them just like you're our friend and we love you, but you can't bring a girl on a date, Alex. Amber and I don't care if you're gay, but don't be flaunting your...gayness...you know? You can't have a healthy relationship with a girl. It's going to end horribly and you're going to get hurt. You've never even had sex, Alex. What if you just think you like girls, but when you have sex you realize how gross it is? We're just worried that Olivia will try to kiss you or something while we're at the mall and people will start staring. They'll look at us, Alex, and what if people start thinking that Amber and I are gay, too?"

"First of all," Alex began to say, but she changed her mind when she remembered she was with Olivia. "You know what, it's not worth it. Ever since I've come out I've been ridiculed for being a lesbian. What hurts the most is when I'm being ridiculed by someone who I thought was my best friend. Your world is so small, Ashley. I can't believe I was once happy here. I live in New York now and even though Olivia and I have our problems I'm so grateful that I know her. She's opened my eyes to so many new things and we've already shared so many experiences. I've become a better person with an open mind and you're still here, Ashley. You have a Type A boyfriend who is exactly like you're father. He doesn't give a damn about you. All he cares about is your image and your upbringing. He's just the first boyfriend in a string of the many cookie-cutter guys you're going to date until you find the one you'll marry. The two of you will become just like your parents and then have children who will grow up to be just like you. It'll never end for you, Ashley, but it has ended for me. I mean, I live in New York. It's amazing there and not only that but I have Olivia. She's the most amazing girl I have ever met and I–"

"Let her go," Olivia whispered and started kissing Alex's neck. When Alex was distracted, Olivia grabbed Alex's cell phone and hung up on Ashley.

"Babe!" Alex said. "You hung up on my best friend!"

"Do you mind?" Olivia asked.

"No."

"Anyway, you're calling from a cell phone," Olivia pointed out. "If she calls back, just tell her you lost the signal and if she doesn't call back, well, then you know. I just didn't want you to say something you didn't mean."

"But I meant it," Alex told her. "Especially the part about you being the most amazing girl I've ever met."

"Let's go to your tree house," Olivia suggested.

Fortunately for the girls, Alex's childhood home was still on the market so they were able to sneak into the backyard and climb the ladder to the treehouse. It would be considered trespassing, but Alex didn't care. All she wanted was to show Olivia her treehouse. The decorations had all been taken down along with everything else that had once made that place feel like it belonged to Alex. She took a look around at the bare walls and started to cry.

"Come here," Olivia said and motioned for Alex to sit next to her.

"This doesn't feel like home anymore," Alex admitted once Olivia was holding her close.

"It'll always be your home," Olivia told her. "Even though it doesn't look the same, you still have your memories. Why don't you tell me what it used to look like?"

"No," Alex said softly. "It's not the same. I can't believe I thought everything would be the same. I'm so stupid. I packed everything up, why would it be the same?"

"You're not stupid," Olivia said and started wiping Alex's tears.

"It's just time to leave childhood behind. I'm almost 17."

"There are some good things about leaving childhood behind," Olivia pointed out.

"Like what?"

"Like this," Olivia said and started to kiss her.

"And this," Alex said and got on top of her. Olivia looked up as Alex pulled her sweater over her head and placed it next to them. She then leaned over and placed Olivia's hands on the back clasp of her bra. Olivia nervously fumbled with the clasp for a few seconds before finally unhooking it.

"You're so beautiful," Olivia said as she tried to memorize the way Alex looked in that moment.

"I'm sorry there's not much there," Alex said and averted her eyes. "I'm lacking in that department."

"Alex, you're not lacking in any department," Olivia insisted. She nervously smiled at Alex who in turn started blushing. She laid next to Olivia and Olivia started to awkwardly caress Alex's breasts.

"Can I touch you?" Alex asked. Olivia nodded, assuming Alex was going to touch her the same way she was touching Alex. Instead, Alex undid the button on Olivia's jeans and moved her hands down the front of Olivia's panties. She felt a patch of short, soft curls and then continued moving her hand lower until she felt Olivia's wetness. She had never touched another girl there; she'd never even touched herself there. This is Olivia, Alex kept telling herself. Alex tried to remain calm, but the longer she touched Olivia the more she felt overwhelmed. Her breathing became heavy and she felt her entire body start to tense.

"Maybe we should stop," Olivia suggested. "I don't want things to go too far, at least not yet."

"But you're wet," Alex pointed out. "So wet and soft and...warm."

"Alex," Olivia said and started smiling. "I don't think I'm ever dry around you. Trust me when I say I want you as much as you want me. Physically, I'm ready to make love to you every moment of every day, but emotionally we aren't ready. It'll be even better if we wait until we're both ready. It'll be so intense."

"Olivia?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Can I put my sweater back on? I'm really cold."

"That's probably a good idea," Olivia told her. "Looking at you topless is making it hard for me to hold back, especially when your hand is still down my pants."

"Sorry," Alex said and started blushing. She slowly removed her hand and licked Olivia's wetness off of her fingertips.

"Don't do that," Olivia groaned. "You're making it even worse."

"But you taste so good," Alex insisted. "I'm tasting Olivia Benson. I don't think I'll ever get over that."

"You say it like it's a privilege," Olivia told Alex as she was putting her sweater back on.

"It is," Alex responded. "I want to know everything about you, Olivia. Not just what you taste like, but what you're thinking, what you're feeling, what makes you tick."

"Lately, what I've been thinking and feeling all relates to you," Olivia admitted.

"I could say the same thing," Alex said and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Tell me about Shawn and basketball and what's on your mind right now."

"Shawn and I have similar home lives," Olivia began. "Then again, we don't. He has it worse, but if you ask him he'll say that I have it worse because neither of us like to really think about what we go home to. My mother is a saint compared to his, but that's all I should tell you. I don't want to betray his trust. He won't even tell Sarah and she's his girlfriend. The two of us protect each other in every way we can. He's not a very smart guy, but he's great at football. He was the only freshman to make varsity and this is his third year on the team. His coach says he's going to be a millionaire someday. Boston College already scouted him and offered him a full ride if he plays for their football team. That's why Shawn and I are so devoted to sports. He loves football and I love basketball, but our sports are also our ticket out of our homes and life with our moms. I have a big game coming up and there are going to be scouts there watching me play. There'll be some from Boston College, Boston University, and U Conn, just to name a few. Will you be there?"

"Of course," Alex said. "I never miss any of your games, babe."

"I won't be as nervous if I know my best girl is there."

"Your best girl?" Alex asked with a raised eyebrow.

"My only girl," Olivia corrected and kissed Alex again.

"That's better," Alex said. "What's your dream school?"

"Probably Boston University," Olivia responded. "Even though Shawn and I would be going to rival schools."

"Ahh, the Boston University Terriers," Alex said excitedly. "I have an idea."

"Do I even want to know what's going on in that brain of yours?"

"Let's go to BU," Alex responded. "I think we're done with Framingham."

The girls took the bus back to the station and took the commuter rail to South Station in Boston.

"It's easy to get there," Alex told her. "From here at South Station, we take the Red Line to Park Street and then the Green Line 'B' Train to Boston University. It literally drops us off right across the street."

"You really do know this city," Olivia said and kissed Alex in the middle of the station. While they were on the subway, Olivia held Alex as close as she could. She loved what being in Boston was doing to Alex.

"I'm hoping to go to Harvard," Alex informed her. "I'll be in Cambridge, which is right next to Boston. Even though we'll be at different schools, we'll still be close to each other, babe."

"You're getting ahead of yourself," Olivia told her. "But I love it...and you."

"And me, what?" Alex asked.

"Nothing," Olivia said. "I'll tell you later."

Alex spent the next hour giving Olivia a tour of Boston University and the surrounding locations. They stopped at a nearby store and Alex insisted on buying a BU shirt for Olivia. Olivia slipped the shirt on over her black thermal and Alex came back carrying a Boston Terriers beanie. She put it on Olivia and stepped back to admire her handiwork.

"Perfect," Alex said. "You look so hot."

She ripped the tags off of the beanie and shirt and led Olivia to the cash registers. Olivia offered to pay, but Alex insisted it was a late birthday gift.

Alex and Olivia hurried back to South Station and barely made it to their train on time. They had a long ride back to New York, but it went by faster than they had expected. The two of them spent the whole time talking to each other about college, favorite TV shows, and anything else they could think of.

That night, when Alex got home, she took down her pictures of Ashley and Amber and placed them in a drawer. Next were her pictures of Framingham and the Boston skyline. Alex was now finished living in the past and she was ready to embrace her new home and her new life.