I'm not sure how much I like this chapter, but I didn't want to keep you guys waiting any longer. After some heavy editing, this is what I produced! Please let me know if you find any errors and/or confusing parts. I did my best to make everything clear, but it's hard when you have two "she"s lol. I hope you enjoy :)

"We're ready," Alex said.

Hammond frowned.

"We?" He looked momentarily confused, until it dawned on him "Alex-"

"Stop. There's no point in arguing because it's already been decided. I'm not doing this alone again, Agent Hammond. The threat against my life has now greatly intensified. Velez knows I'm alive and he will stop at nothing to find me. He will now undoubtedly become extremely angry that I have been alive all of this time and that he had no idea. He will not let me make a fool out of him a second time, and he will be searching every inch of the United States to find me. He is well connected and when they finally do find me, I will be defenseless. I am a prosecutor, not an officer of the law. I have no training in such matters. Detective Benson and I have discussed this at length and we have both agreed that I would be much safer and better protected if I had someone there with me, undercover."

"Alex, the Witness Protection Program will keep you safe. You have nothing to worry about while you are in it. However, if you felt the need to have a bodyguard, there are agents specially trained for-"

"I have chosen someone that I trust. If I'm going to have a bodyguard, I'll be forced to spend an inordinate amount of time with this person, and I will not have some stranger living in my house. I have no control over anything else you throw at me, Agent Hammond. I will at least control this. I'll comply with everything else you do, as long as you give me this."

Hammond stared at her, a million thoughts running through his mind.

"You have dealt with me before. I promise to behave if you make this happen."

Alex was a royal pain in the ass, and a demanding one at that. His life would be so much easier if she went along with what he said. He turned to detective Benson.

"Are you sure you want to do this, detective? Have you really thought about everything you're about to give up? You can't leave once you've decided you don't want to do this anymore."

Olivia nodded.

"I know what I'm doing, sir. I won't change my mind."

Hammond shook his head, defeated.

"Get in the car. This is going to be a nightmare. My superiors are not going to be happy, but I'll make it happen. I'm holding you to what you said, Alex. Not one argument."

The blonde nodded and followed him to the vehicle. They made their way inside, Hammond thrusting a pen and a pad of paper in Olivia's hand.

"Write out detailed instructions to whoever you trust about your belongings. Whatever doesn't matter to you should be given away or thrown out. The things of particular importance, well, that person can hang onto them for you. Your bank account will be frozen. Your credit cards will be cancelled. Make a list of any gym memberships, magazine subscriptions, volunteer work, anything that you participate in so that they can be looked after as well. When you're finished, give the pad to Agent Simmons, the driver, and he will give it to me. I'll make sure everything is taken care of."

Olivia nodded.

"Thank you."

"I hope you know what you're doing," he said to her. He then turned to Alex. "Good luck."

He closed the door and watched as the car took off.

Olivia looked over at Alex, trying hard not to feel overwhelmed. She knew that she was making the right decision, the only decision there was to be made, but she couldn't help feeling a little bit worried. She was leaving everything behind… But then again, when she thought about it, what was she really leaving behind? She had no family, no real friends other than the guys, no animals, no kids, no real life outside of work… She would miss the hell out of Elliot and the guys, she would even miss the crazy work hours, but she knew it wouldn't compare to how much she had missed Alex.

"Hey," the blonde said softly. "It's not too late to change your mind."

Olivia shook her head.

"I'm not considering that."

"What were you thinking about?"

"About the fact that, honestly, I'm really not leaving anything behind. Everything that mattered to me was ripped away the night you left."

Alex had been Olivia's friend and her closest confidant even before they had started dating. They spent most of their free time together going for walks, going to the beach, hanging out at home or taking short trips to nearby cities. They were together nearly every day, but for a long time, they were nothing more than friends. That is, until one afternoon, everything changed.

Suddenly, Olivia had found herself in love. The realisation had hit her like a ton of bricks while they were at the park, sitting on a blanket and having a small picnic. It was a wonderfully sunny day, and Alex had been sitting next to her in a yellow sundress. She looked so beautiful, Olivia had once again found herself thinking it, and when the detective cracked a joke about she-didn't-remember-what-now, it was the way that Alex had leaned back and laughed with her entire body that made Olivia realise that she was completely in love with her. It hadn't been a happy moment though. Frankly, it had shaken her to the core. It scared her because she wasn't sure what that would mean. She wasn't sure if she could just be friends with someone she loved so entirely. And with someone as perceptive as Alex, how long could she keep her feelings a secret?

She had spent that entire day in her own head, thinking about everything that could and would go wrong if she confessed her feelings to the blonde. Things would change between them and that was something Olivia wouldn't be able to handle. The woman had become her best friend, and Olivia couldn't lose her.

Alex, of course, had noticed her change in mood when they left the park. She had asked her later on that night why she was so quiet, but Olivia couldn't explain it. She couldn't tell her. The brunette hid her feelings and refused to open up, so Alex had been forced to drop it.

They had continued on as friends for nearly half a year, until Alex approached her one day, upset, and told her that she needed to talk to her. Olivia had spent the entire day in a blind panic, thinking that Alex had finally figured out her secret. She couldn't stop going over in her mind exactly what she would say to the woman to explain herself. She knew it would happen one day. She couldn't hide forever, but she hadn't expected it to come out so quickly. So Olivia spent the day beside herself with worry, and when she arrived at the blonde's apartment that night, her stomach was in knots. When she walked in, she was confused but relieved at Alex's obvious nervousness. At least she wasn't the only one who was feeling uneasy.

Alex sat down next to her and immediately started talking. She spoke a mile a minute, apologising and saying that she hadn't realised what was going on until it was too late, and that she hadn't meant for it to happen. She confessed that she was afraid, that she didn't want to ruin their friendship, and that she had tried to stop it. She explained that she had tried to distance herself, tried to stop the attraction, but that in the end, it had been in vain. Alex stated that was sorry that it happened because she didn't want to make her uncomfortable. She was finally confessing her secret to Olivia because she didn't know what to do anymore. She stated that she couldn't take it, and that she needed to admit everything.

Olivia sat there, confused as ever, clueless as to how it was Alex's fault that Olivia was attracted to her.

"Alex, how is this your fault? You couldn't have stopped any of it. I didn't want you to figure it out, so I did my best to hide it. I'm sorry I lied. I didn't want to ruin things between us. But how did you even realise…?"

Alex had been so upset and confused by her own emotions that she hadn't understood that Olivia had been talking about her own feelings. She thought Olivia was talking about her confession, so she answered the question as such.

"I don't know. It started out small I guess. Little butterflies when you'd text, getting excited when I knew I would see you. But I just figured it was because I was happy to finally have a friend, you know? I didn't think much of it. Maybe I was in denial. Who knows? But it's hard to deny this attraction to you. The way I feel when you're around, the things you do to me… it's overwhelming at times. I've never felt this way before, but I don't expect anything from you. I don't want to make things awkward between us, Liv. I just couldn't keep it to myself anymore. I had to tell you-"

Olivia had sat in stunned silence for several minutes before she finally interrupted.

"Wait, wait. Stop."

The blonde couldn't mean what Olivia thought she meant. Alex was attracted to her? She had to be mistaken.

"Repeat what you just said."

The brunette's heart was racing, her heartbeat was pounding in her ears, and her palms were incredibly sweaty. This couldn't be happening.

"I like you, and-"

Before she knew what was happening, she felt strong hands wrap around her upper arm and yank her forward. She looked up and was immediately pulled into a demanding kiss. Completely taken aback, it had taken her a second to recover from shock before she could respond. She quickly pulled away, shaking her head.

"No, Liv. Stop. I can't do this."

"Why not?"

"Because you don't feel the same way I do. I can't-"

"Alex, are you kidding? Do you have any idea how I feel? How attracted I am to you? How much I love you? How beautiful I think you are? I've been in love with you for so long that I can't remember a time when I wasn't. I thought I was coming here because you figured out I was head over heels for you and you no longer wanted to see me."

Alex had shaken her head, her feelings overwhelming her. This was all too much. She was so confused. Her emotions were battling deep inside of her. Olivia could see her inner struggle and gripped her shoulders tight, turning her so that she was forced to look into her eyes.

"Listen to me, honey. I am so, so attracted to you. I want you so much that it hurts. I've been aching to tell you how I feel for so long. But I couldn't do it. I was afraid to lose you. But believe me, I want you more than I've wanted anything in my life."

That was when Alex had broken down and cried. The brunette gathered her in her arms, holding her close.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm crying. I'm just overwhelmed. I never dreamed this would happen. I imagined every way this could play out, but I never thought you'd return my feelings."

"You didn't imagine this version? Me confessing my undying love for you?" Olivia asked.

"No. I couldn't. I couldn't let myself hope that it could be true. It would have hurt too much if it had gone another way."

"Well, you never had to hope because I always wanted you, Alex."

"I can't believe it. I feel like I'm dreaming."

"Believe it, love. Because it's true."

And that was when Olivia had inched away enough to pull the blonde into another kiss. This time, Alex returned the kiss with everything she had, everything she felt. She pressed her body close, wrapping her arms around Olivia's neck.

It was like nothing the blonde had ever experienced before. She could feel all the love, affection, and tenderness Olivia felt for her pouring into her from that one kiss. It had moved her to tears. It was the single best kiss she had ever experienced, and it had solidified all of her feelings for the charming detective.

And that's how it began. They started seeing each other. Nothing changed other than the fact that Olivia was now allowed to take Alex's hand, kiss her when she wanted to and cuddle her on the couch. Alex had stopped holding back the comments she had been thinking for months: how sexy the detective looked in her tight black pants, how much she liked when the woman smiled at her, how much she loved her… But everything else was the same: they still saw each other every change they got, they still got lunch together, they still went to the beach and to the movies. Things didn't get "weird" as they both had worried would happen.

They took it very slowly though, thinking they had all the time in the world. Olivia was determined to be a gentleman, to take her time with the blonde, and she had. But then Alex got shot and she was ripped away just two months later. Suddenly, Olivia's life was turned upside down. She could no longer talk to Alex, text her before bed, wish her goodnight, take her out to baseball games or have her over for a movie night. She could no longer hear the blonde's infectious laugh or see her beautiful smile. She could no longer hold the woman's hand or confide in her when she needed to talk. She had no one with whom to share her thoughts. She was alone.

Soon, grief and regret began to overwhelm her every sense. She regretted not telling the blonde more often about how much Alex meant to her. She regretted not kissing her more often, not holding her hand more. She had done these things each and every single time they were together, but it still didn't feel like enough. Looking back, she should have done it more. She should have seen Alex more. Part of her regretted taking things so slowly. She had never even gotten to make love to her…

"Liv?"

Olivia snapped out of her thoughts.

"Are you okay? Are you sure you want to do this?"

Olivia reached over and pulled her into a hug. She could still feel the regret that once consumed her, but she reminded herself that things were different now. She could do everything she felt she hadn't done before.

"I regret every moment I wasted not being with you, Alex. I lost over a year of time with you. I lost a year of dates, of affection, of love, of cuddling, of kissing, of telling you how much I love you. I won't let that happen again. I need to be with you. Without you, I'm not living. I'm just existing, going through the motions. I need to be with you. I'm making the right decision being with you now."

Alex's heart stopped. God, this woman. She could move her to tears with just her words.

"I just…" her voice caught in her throat. She cleared it and started again. "I don't want you to feel like you are rushing into this."

"I'm not. I know we're not going to pick up where we left off. I know that over a year has gone by and that you've changed. I know I have changed. But everything I felt for you is still there, Alex, and I want to see if what existed between us can develop further than it did. I want to try again with you. And most of all, I want to know that you're safe and that you're okay so that I can finally have a good night's sleep."

Alex nodded at her, ignoring the fluttering in her stomach. She tried to remain calm, neutral, and despite her worry that Olivia would regret this decision, she couldn't help the growing excitement and happiness in the pit of her stomach at the thought that Olivia would be with her this time. She had had nothing familiar, nothing from her old life… not a piece of furniture, not an article of clothing, not even a photograph the last time she had been placed in the WPP. Now, she would have the best thing of all: Olivia- the one thing she had missed and wished for the most the last time she had been in hiding.

Olivia smiled at her before she finally turned to the note pad in her hand and began writing a letter to Elliot, telling him what to do with her things. She trusted him more than anyone in this world (besides Alex), and she couldn't help tearing up at the thought of not seeing him for … well, God knew how long. She told him to get rid of her clothes, save for a couple of articles she particularly liked (like her leather jacket) and to give away her furniture. She didn't care about any of those things. She asked him to keep her watch, to save her photo albums, and the box of keepsakes she had in her closet. She listed a few more items, like her diploma from the academy and her favourite sunglasses, but most of the items in her apartment she told him to get rid of. There was no sense in keeping the CDs or the knick knacks. Those things could be replaced. Alex helped her write out a letter giving Elliot power of attorney in order to make decisions during Olivia's absence. The brunette knew that she could trust him to make important decisions for her. She also felt that she needed to talk to him, to tell him why she was doing this.

So, she began writing an apology, attempting to explain herself. She didn't know that when Elliot finally received the note, he had already understood. He read the letter, and although it killed him to know that he wouldn't see her again for what could be years, he knew that she would be better off with Alex. He had seen what it had done to her when the blonde left, and he didn't want to have to see her go through that again.

When Olivia finally finished writing, they had been travelling for nearly three hours. Alex was staring out the window, a blank expression on her face. Olivia handed the notepad to the Agent sitting in the front seat before turning to the blonde.

"Hey," she said softly.

She quickly looked over, smiling gently when she met Olivia's eyes.

"Hey. You finished writing?"

Olivia nodded.

"I hope he can forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive, Alex. None of this is your doing."

"I just don't want him to hate me for taking away his partner and his best friend."

"He isn't going to hate you, Alex. He knows this is my choice. Besides, he's going to work harder now because he's got two people to bring home."

Alex smiled weakly, but the emotion wasn't there. She was feeling very, very guilty. Olivia sensed it, so she unbuckled her seatbelt and slid over. She pulled Alex into a comforting hug.

"I'm so happy to be coming with you."

Alex snuggled into her, resting her head on her shoulder.

"I feel overwhelmed," she whispered. "I'm so happy you're with me, but I feel really guilty. And I'm worried you're going to regret it."

"You're thinking too much, Alex. I know you can't help it, but I'm an adult, and it is my decision. This is what I want. I want to be here. I know it's not going to be easy and I know it's going to be a huge adjustment. I know we won't always get along and that it's going to be a very trying time, but we are in this together and that's all that matters. This is where I want to be."

Alex squeezed her hard in response.

"I'm so happy you're with me, Liv."

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

Alex fought the tears of relief that threatened to fall. She was so relieved to know that she wasn't going to be alone and that she would be with Olivia. She felt so safe with her. She knew that there was nothing to worry about as long as the woman was with her.

They drove non-stop for an additional three hours, until they ended up at a gas station. They were forced to change vehicles, where they were assigned new drivers, and continued on for another 8 hours before repeating the process. Their first driver assured Olivia that he would give Hammond the notes and letter. Then, he told the women that they would change vehicles several times before arriving at their destination. He didn't know where they were going and none of the drivers knew who they were bringing. They had simply been told to bring the women to a certain point, where they changed vehicles and took off with their new drivers.

In total, the women travelled for nearly thirty hours before being brought to a small cottage in a remote town in Wyoming. It was nearly 3 am New York time (1 am in Wyoming) and, despite having hardly slept for the past day and a half, Olivia found herself wide awake. She gently shook Alex, who was resting against her, and told her they had arrived at their destination.

The blonde immediately sat up and looked around, momentarily confused at what was going on. Then it all came flooding back and she sighed.

"Okay."

Olivia unbuckled her seatbelt and slid out, helping Alex out and then closing the door. She followed Alex, who was walking behind the Marshals, as they made their way to the front door. As Olivia approached the house, she noticed that directly behind it was what looked like a sizable lake. If she hadn't been so overwhelmed, she probably would have noticed how beautiful it looked. They entered the house, but before she could look around, one of the men began talking.

"You're on a pretty remote stretch of land in a city with a population of about 230 residents, mostly retired seniors. The keys to your house are on the kitchen table, as are the portfolios to your new identities. I'm not going to go into details now because it's late, but tomorrow when you wake up, we will be here to inform you of what you need to know."

When he stopped talking, Olivia looked around, suddenly feeling like she had no idea what to do. Alex thanked the man and asked where the bedrooms were.

"They're upstairs. There are three to choose from. I'm going to stay here with Agent Thomas to keep watch until you wake up tomorrow. I suggest you ladies get some sleep. There are a few pieces of clothing upstairs that you can use for now until you get the chance to buy new ones."

Olivia nodded, not sure what else to do.

"Come on, Liv."

Alex led the way upstairs, looking into the first bedroom. She decided that lime green wasn't her colour and chose the next room, which had soft yellow walls. It seemed inviting enough, so she opened the door wide and walked inside.

Olivia followed her and stood by the window. It was starting to really hit her now that she was here. Her life was going to completely change tomorrow. She would no longer be Olivia Benson. Alex would no longer be Alexandra Cabot. Would she still be allowed to call her Alex when they were at home, alone? What would she do now for work? It didn't seem like there was a whole lot in this town…

"Stop thinking, Liv. We will sort it out in the morning."

Olivia scratched the back of her head.

"I know. I don't know that I'll be able to sleep though."

"I know it's overwhelming…"

Olivia nodded, a faint smile forming on her face.

"A little bit. But it'll be something new. I've always wanted a dog. Maybe we can get one here."

Alex smiled at her. Of all the things Olivia could have thought of about their new place, she mentioned a dog.

"We can get a dog if that's what you really want."

Olivia grinned.

"Okay," she said happily. After a pause, she asked Alex if she'd be able to sleep tonight.

"I think so. It'll be strange to wake up here, but I think I'll be okay."

"Okay. I'm gonna take the bedroom across the hall and I'll leave the door open, so if you need anything, just come and find me, okay?"

Alex was a little disappointed that the woman wasn't planning on sharing a bed with her, but she didn't say anything. After all, Olivia was here with her and really that was all that mattered.

"Thanks, Liv. For everything. I can't even…I can't begin to tell you what this means to me."

"There is no thanking me, Alex. This is where I should be. Sleep tight tonight."

"Thanks. You too."

With that, Olivia turned and headed for her bedroom.