A/N: I wanted to give you something to read, so I produced a very short chapter. It's short but sweet :). This is a very slow moving story, in case you hadn't noticed. I wanted to write something with a "slow burn", so this story was born. I hope you enjoy this chapter even though nothing exciting happens. Next up: Shed building! A nice couples activity ;)

The next morning, Olivia woke up at her usual 6 am. She lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling, reflecting on just how much her life had changed in such a short time. It had only been a couple of days, but in reality, it felt like it had been weeks since she was in New York. Even though they were in a strange town and living in a new house, it kind of felt like she had found an old part of herself now that she was around Alex again. It felt surreal to have the woman in her life again. It didn't matter where they were, where they worked, or how far away from New York they were located. As long as she was with Alex, she would be home.

Olivia shifted and linked her hands behind her head as she turned onto her back. She bit her lip, smiling to herself. Despite Alex being across the hall, she could still hear the woman shifting in her bed. It was nice to know some things hadn't changed. Where Olivia could fall asleep and wake up in the exact same position, Alex was the complete opposite. Sometimes the woman even woke up on the opposite end of the bed. The brunette chuckled to herself, remembering the fact that that had happened on a couple of occasions. Alex was an extremely restless sleeper, but that never bothered Olivia.

The brunette sat up and then rolled out of bed, making her way to the window. She could see the lake for what felt like miles, stretching out until it disappeared on the horizon. This was a small town, there wasn't much to see, but it was beautiful. She wondered if this was so bad after all. Sure she would miss the busy streets of New York City, but she couldn't deny that the country was a bit more ideal if she wanted to raise a family with Alex. Maybe this was meant to be? They had spoken about the fact that, despite both being city women, they had always envisioned a large yard and a quiet neighbourhood in which to raise their children. It was just one more thing they had agreed upon in their relationship. Eventually, they had planned on buying a house and moving out of the city. It would be worth having to commute so that their children could grow up away from the hustle and bustle of New York City.

She turned away from the window and made her way to Alex's room, looking in on the woman. She was still sleeping peacefully, so the brunette quietly made her way downstairs and started the coffee machine. When it was ready, she poured herself a cup and made her way onto the back porch, sitting down on the step and looking out onto the water. She could get used to this; it was so calming.

She sat there for a long time, watching the stillness before her, enjoying the way her mind emptied itself of all thought. Watching the way the water moved had such a calming effect on her. She had never before had the opportunity to just sit like this because her life had always been about work. This would be a nice change of pace, living a quiet life. But she couldn't help but wonder if eventually she would get bored of living in such a quiet town. She was used to the hectic streets of New York. Could she ever get used to just…this?

She remained on the steps until she heard noise in the kitchen. She turned and saw Alex pouring herself a cup of coffee, smiling when she noticed the blonde was still in her pyjamas. The woman came and joined her on the step, sitting close enough that their hips touched.

"Hi," she smiled, leaning against Olivia.

"Hey. How did you sleep?"

Alex took a sip of her coffee before answering.

"I slept alright. I dreamt you shaved my head and when it grew back, it was wild and curly. And red."

Olivia chuckled softly and kissed the top of her head.

"I wonder what you did to annoy me to the point that I shaved your hair off."

Alex scoffed, but didn't respond. She was too busy enjoying the way Olivia's lips felt against her hair. The brunette wrapped an arm around her waist, and Alex willingly leaned into the embrace.

"How long have you been out here?"

"A while. It's nice, just sitting and watching the lake. This is so different from…"

"Yes. It's kind of nice though," the blonde whispered.

Olivia hummed in agreement.

"I was thinking of going into town today to get a shed. I figured it would be something we could do together today. And besides, if you want me doing all those renovations, I'm going to need a place to keep my tools first."

Alex took another sip of her coffee before nodding.

"That sounds like a good idea."

Olivia agreed, and the two women sat there in silence until Alex spoke up again.

"Remember that time on your couch when we described our ideal home?"

Olivia chuckled. She did.

"Yes. You described how you wanted a big Victorian home with three to four bedrooms with a nice yard for the kids to play in. You wanted earthy tones for the living room and a nice, bright kitchen. You had all these details figured out and I told you the only thing I wanted a big garage. I didn't care about the rest as long as I didn't have to fix anything."

Alex laughed against her chest.

"You got screwed big time with this place. You have no garage and you have an arm's length list of renovations to do."

Olivia smiled and gave a small shrug.

"I'd have built the house myself from the ground up if it meant having you here with me."

Alex felt a warmth flood her when Olivia spoke those words. She looked up at the woman and smiled, burying her face in her neck. She inhaled deeply. God, this woman. She was so romantic, so loving. She could say things so casually but with such honesty and emotion that it brought Alex to tears.

Olivia tightened her grip on her waist, pulling her closer. This might not have been the home that she and Alex had once envisioned living in, but it seemed absurd now to have even cared what their future house would look like. What mattered now was that she was with Alex, that she was safe, and that they were together. They would make this house their home. She would make this house their home. She would spend day and night rebuilding this house until Alex was satisfied. Nothing mattered but this woman, right here, cuddled in her embrace.

"Have you thought about what kind of shed you want?" Alex asked, bringing Olivia back to the present.

"Not really. What do you want?"

"It doesn't matter to me. I'm not the one who will be using it. As long as it doesn't clash with the house, I don't care."

"Do you want to come with me to pick it out?"

"Not particularly. I know how picky you are when it comes to that sort of thing. I don't really feel like sitting there for half an hour pouring over the details of each individual shed and weighing the pros and cons of each one."

Olivia grinned.

"Now you know how I feel when you drag me clothes shopping."

Alex smiled and pulled away, finishing her coffee with a final gulp.

"I guess I do. The only difference is, I make you come anyway," she said with a wink. "Why don't you drop me off at the grocery store while you go looking for your perfect shed? We need to stock our cupboards and since it will take you three years to pick one out, I'll have plenty of time to shop."

"It will not take me three years," Olivia said with mock indignance. Alex simply raised her eyebrow in response.

"Okay, fine. It will take me a while." Olivia stood and held her hand out. "Come on, pain. Let's get ready. That will take you three years."

Alex grinned happily and took Olivia's hand. As she walked past the brunette, she placed her hand on her hip and leaned in to mumble low in her ear, "I only try to look good for you, detective."

Olivia swallowed hard.