For disclaimer please see chapter 1

Seventeen year old Olivia Benson sat on her bed, still in a small state of shock. Why? Why did she have to use the main bathroom? Why couldn't she wait the twenty seconds until she got to her own? Hell, why couldn't Alex have locked the door? She shook her head, trying to dispel the images that now seemed to be ingrained in her memory.

Olivia rushed down the hallway towards the bathroom. She could have just as easily used her own, but the main bathroom was closer. She wasn't really paying attention and listening for any sounds from the inside, as she thought she was the only one in the house. Opening the door she froze as she took in the view. Alex was in the shower. The curtain wasn't closed all the way and Olivia got an eyeful. Olivia promptly shut the door, thankful Alex hadn't noticed the interruption.

Olivia groaned as she put her palms to her eyes and leaned back so she was lying on her bed. She tried to use her hands to squeeze the images out, but it didn't work. It only seemed to make them clearer. The swell of her breasts, the way the muscles moved beneath what Olivia imagined was soft skin, the taunt stomach, the fact Alex is actually a natural blonde. As this image flashed to the front of her mind, Olivia shot up off the bed and started to pace, desperate to think of anything besides what she just saw. But her thoughts didn't seem to stray far.

She thought of how her body reacted to the sight before her. Olivia had always wondered why she never got that sweaty palm, heart racing, weak in the knees feeling all of the other girls she knew got when they were talking with a cute boy. With the way Olivia's heart was racing after what she just saw, she now had a pretty good idea why she never had that feeling with a boy. Olivia couldn't be more grateful that she was going over to Amy's house for the night. This was definitely something you talked to your best friend about.

Olivia didn't have a problem that she might be gay. In fact she had actually suspected it for a while. The thing she did have an issue with was the sudden object of her lust. How could you physically respond to someone who you couldn't stand? Although that was entirely true. Olivia really didn't mind Alex. She had seen and heard the young blonde interact with her friends and it was like Alex was an entirely different person. She smiled more, and laughed a lot, a sound that Olivia didn't mind hearing. She even defended things she believed in with conviction. Olivia smiled to herself as she still thought Alex would make a hell of a lawyer. No, Olivia didn't mind Alex, just the attitude the blonde had towards her, something she still didn't fully understand.

If Olivia were honest with herself, she had felt this way for a long time. Ever since the first time she had seen Alex interact with someone other than herself, or Sophie and Nathan. The adults knew nothing of the tension between Alex and Olivia. They were always polite and courteous in front of the elder Cabots, but would barely look at each other when they were on their own. That was another thing that threw Olivia. If Alex hated her so much, why didn't she try to cause problems, get her moved to another home? Maybe she hadn't thought of it before, and now it was pointless as Olivia would be going off to college next year.

Olivia finished packing her bag and walked out of her room. She stopped at the side table in the leaving room. Sophie knew Olivia was going to Amy's house tonight, but she just wanted to be sure so she left a note. Placing the note next to the picture frame on the table, Olivia grabbed her keys off the hook and walked out to her car. She was actually very proud of her car. It wasn't anything special, but she had worked hard to save the money for it and was surprised on her 16th birthday when Sophie and Nathan said they would match whatever she had saved and add a thousand dollars.

What shocked her even more was that they threw her a birthday party. It was the first real party she had received in the eight years she had been in the foster care system. Sure the Cabots' had made sure to celebrate it in some way, but this year they actually planned a surprise birthday party for her, inviting all her friends from school, Amy, Amy's brothers Vincent and Peter, Maxine, and even Liz. Alex stayed for as long as was polite and then took off. They didn't really have the same friends. At school they avoided each other as much as was feasibly possible. It was always easy though, with Alex being on the pep squad and Olivia being a very active athlete. But they did manage. In fact they were so good at ignoring each other, very few people knew they even lived in the same house.

Olivia started the car, pulled it out of the drive, and pointed it in the direction of Amy's house. Maxine hadn't been lying when she said Olivia lived closer. Amy was actually just one school district over, so they saw each other when their schools played in sports. It made basketball for the both of them more fun as they each played the same position and always ended up having to defend the other.

Amy knew Olivia was having issues with Alex, it was something they talked about regularly. Olivia briefly wondered what Amy would think of this latest bit of news. She didn't have long to think about that as Amy's house came into view. She pulled into what had become her spot, right behind Amy's car.

Olivia had been here so often, knocking was only a formality that she rarely observed. She walked into the house, but saw no one in the living room. "Hello?" she called out.

"In the kitchen, Liv," she heard Maxine call out.

Olivia made her way into the kitchen and saw Maxine and Amy making dinner. "Where's Vincent?" she asked. Peter had gone off to school last year, so it was understandable why he wasn't helping.

"He had a meeting with the school paper, and said he would be a little late," Maxine explained.

Olivia nodded and jumped in helping out. Usually when she came over, she set the table, as Amy and Maxine already had all the food made. Tonight was no different. After everything was on the table and ready to go, the three women sat down and began to catch up on what had happened since the last time Olivia had been there. Maxine noticed that Olivia was being quieter than usual, but didn't say anything, knowing she was far more likely to open up to Amy and if it was really important Amy would let her know.

Dinner past with a lot of laughing on everyone's part and a little bit of fidgeting on Olivia's part. As soon as they were done, Maxine excused the two girls from kitchen clean up, knowing Amy would want to find out what was bothering her friend.

The two girls went up to Amy's room. The door was barely closed before Amy turned on her friend. "Ok, spill it, Liv. What's been bothering you all night?"

Olivia sighed and flopped down on Amy's bed. "What you say if I told you I was gay?" she asked, raising her head to look at her best friend.

For a moment it looked as though Amy was shocked. When she didn't respond, Olivia began to get a little worried. Her fear gave way to relief as she saw Amy start to smile. "I'd say why the hell didn't you tell me sooner?"

"You knew?" Liv asked incredulously.

"You didn't?" Amy smirked.

Olivia returned the gesture. "Ok, so I had a feeling, but it wasn't really confirmed until something that happened this afternoon."

"Oooh, did you kiss someone? Who was it? I bet it was that point guard. You know I always thought the only reason she passed you the ball all the time was because she liked you. Or maybe it was…"

Olivia had to laugh at her friend's excitement. "Amy, Amy calm down," Olivia said. After the red head had calmed some, she continued. "I didn't kiss anyone."

"Well then what happened?" a confused Amy asked.

Olivia took a deep breath and told Amy everything that happened that afternoon, from walking in on Alex, to her body's reaction. When she finished, she looked up, hoping her friend could offer some advice.

"Wow, Liv," Amy breathed. "You sure know how to pick 'em."

"Tell me about it," Olivia groaned.

"I mean its one thing for you to notice your preferences around a foster sibling, it's another to notice around one that doesn't like you."

"I know," Olivia groaned again. "Tell me what I should do."

"Well first, you have to ask yourself if you want anything to come from this," Amy said. She watched as Olivia thought it over.

"I really think I do," Olivia told her. "I know we don't really get along, but we never even gave each other a chance. I just don't know what I'm gonna do." Olivia put her elbows on her knees and leaned her head into her palms so that her hands were covering her eyes.

Amy sat down on the bed and put her arm around her friend. "Don't worry, Liv. We'll think of something."