All recognizable SVU Characters belong to Dick Wolf

~Uneasy~

Alex was a bit taken aback, but more relieved than anything, to see Olivia rushing over, after a good 15 minutes of uneasy waiting.

"Olivia! What took you so long?" Alex's concern vented itself in frustration as she pushed the door open to let Olivia into back seat.

"Nothing. Sorry." Olivia was in no mood, and though a wave of relief passed over her as soon as she shut herself in the warm black limo, and the dreary cold outside, she immediately felt her guard go up. She was in an alien world now, leaving the only home she had ever known. She hardly expected Princess Alexandra to understand, nor did she want her to. She was more grateful to Alex than she could express, and that was something she had never felt before. It made her feel uneasy and vulnerable. She didn't like it.

After a minute of the two girls sitting in silence Alex told asked Paul to drive them home and gave Olivia another try.

" Are you okay?" She looked over at her apprehensively

" I'm fine thanks." Olivia said shortly, crossing her arms over her chest. She didn't want to sound rude (and she knew she did) but she had to keep Alex at bay.

"I was only asking…" Alex's short supply of patience was already running out

"Well don't." Alex's impatient tone only bristled Olivia further.

"Fine." The now petulant blond turned away and focused intently on the window. What had she ever done to Olivia besides try to befriend her, and this was the thanks she got? It was beyond Alex's comprehension. "What have I gotten myself into!" She murmured to herself.

At the other end of the seat Olivia turned to the window and cringed, hearing what Alex had said. She curled up against the door and peered out of the window. What was going to happen now? She was on her way to a strange place, where she already knew she would feel no more at home than she had with her Mother. Olivia shut her eyes and focused on keeping her breath steady. She had never been the crying type, she couldn't even remember the lat time she wanted to, but today was different, all she wanted to do was cry. Afraid and feeling just as alone as ever, tough Olivia, pushed it all away. She opened her eyes again to find them dry and immediately distracted by what they saw.

The beautiful houses that went by outside the window were the biggest and most beautiful ones Olivia had ever seen first hand. Some where newer, some were older, but all of them where well kept. Each home had a lush, well landscaped, and perfectly mowed lawn. Each house seemed to be untouched by weather or hardship, with porch light's and bright windows gleaning through the dark September afternoon with such cheeriness that Olivia found herself enchanted by the view.

Before long the limo passed though a let of open gates and around a small cul-de-sac.

"This is it." Alex said, suddenly feeling contented, as Paul stopped the car in front of the beautiful lavender brick Mansion. Light poured out of several windows welcomingly, and Alex couldn't have been happier to at least be home.

Olivia slung her bag over her shoulder and got out of the back seat. Paul shut the door behind her and she slowly followed Alex up the wide front steps, taking in the grandeur before her.

"This is where you live?"

"This is home" Alex nodded, opening the unlocked front door.

"It's…" Olivia paused inside the front door and looked around her. Everything was bright and airy. From the gleaming marble floor to the rich decor, and the grand winding staircase just ahead and to the right, with it's white plush carpet runner and polished banister. She felt overwhelmed. She didn't belong here, it was all to good to be real. " It's beautiful." Olivia finished quietly.

"Thank you. Come on." Alex led the way upstairs.

"Should I take of my boots?" Olivia hesitated

"Not down here, the floor's cold. Just wipe them for now."

Olivia did as she was told and briskly followed Alex up the staircase, down the hall to the left, and into her bedroom. Upon entering it, Olivia immediately noted that the suite was about the same size as her mother's house.

"Wow, you really are a princess."

Alex clenched her jaw as she set her homework on her desk." My father is an attorney and my mother works with him. So no I'm not a princess, thank you."

"Sure" Olivia rolled her eyes as if Alex's words had proved her point exactly.

Alex simply turned back to face Olivia and crossed her arms "What's your problem?"

"My problem?" She had no idea how she was supposed to answer that, so she blue Alex off "… look, I'm soaked. Is there somewhere I can go and change?"

"Answer me, Olivia." Alex persisted in her signature no-nonsense tone. But at the moment that tone and those very words only reminded Olivia of someone else.

"You're not my mother, Alex. If I wanted this shit I'd have just stayed at home." Olivia glared making a frustrated gesture with her free hand. The other one holding the strap of her knapsack away from her well hidden cut.

"Of course I'm not your Mother! What do you mean by that anyways?" Alex truly didn't know if she could stand Olivia's attitude for much longer, but she persisted.

"Nice try." Olivia retorted dryly.

"The only thing I'm trying to do is get you to talk to me!"

"And why would I do that?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because that's what normal people do, or because I invited you into my home even though we've only met today? Or maybe, just maybe, because you might want someone to talk to?"

"Well obviously, I don't." Olivia ran a hand though her hair and shifted her weight. That was a lie, but she certainly wasn't about to let Alex know. Who did she think she was, anyways? "… What I do want is a bathroom."

"You can use the on-suite" Alex said defetedly and pointed to the right.

"Thanks." Olivia sighed, as flounced off to the bathroom and locked herself in.

In the bathroom Olivia took a moment to steady her breath again, then took off her tops to inspect her gash. When she untied the makeshift bandage from around her it stuck to the wound a little, but as she lifted it gingerly away, wincing a bit, Olivia was please to see that the thin gash, however painful, wasn't bleeding anymore.

"I'm going downstairs to use the phone." Alex called through the door, out of courtesy, she had a feeling Olivia wouldn't mind being left alone one bit.

"Yep." Olivia called back, and listened to the bedroom door close behind Alex as she put on the small white t-shirt she had packed. Then she turned and looked at herself in the large framed mirror above the sink. She liked the feeling of not being completely coved up, the air on her skin, but she didn't like what she saw. How she would have loved to be invisible… I might as well be. Olivia thought. No one ever really saw her anyways.

Alex was still downstairs evidently, and Olivia was glad to have the big room to herself, though it was a bit too grand for her taste, she had to admit that she liked it. Everything was so pretty and clean, the whole room smelled lightly of vanilla, not a hint of vodka or cigarette smoke anywhere. And it was so warm, almost too warm. The more Olivia took in her surroundings the more out of place she felt. She clasped her arms over her waist almost protectively. She wished she felt happy here, she wanted to feel safe. But she didn't, she couldn't, she was just as alone here as anywhere else. Except that here and now Olivia felt more conscious of everything she didn't have, than ever before. She had no money, or nice things, nothing she had ever had was pretty, she wasn't pretty, or smart, or rich. She was nothing… Olivia noticed a pair of French doors to her right, at the back of the room. She went right for them and pulled them open. A gust of cool evening air billowed into the room and Olivia quickly stepped onto the balcony and shut the doors behind her, so as not to let more of the cold inside. She walked slowly to the low thick alabaster railing and leaned over it, shutting her eyes and breathing in deep. The cold air filled her lungs and she let out a quivering breath. She opened her eyes and wanted to take in the shimmering lights of the neighborhood, but she saw nothing through the blur. This time she knew she couldn't fight them back, so Olivia blinked slowly and let the hot tears spill silently from her dark lashes.

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