The deliveryman brought in a bouquet of flowers and sat them on Olivia's desk. Surprised and fearing they might be from Kurt she grabbed the card before Munch could get his hands on it and moved over to the coffee station to read it. Relief followed by embarrassment washed over her as she realized they were not from Kurt, but rather Alex. She felt her face flame as she recalled the dream from the night before.
Olivia-
I had a lovely time. Thank you for letting me make it up to you.
Alex
She re-read the card and slipped it into her back pocket. She ignored Elliot's questioning gaze and sat down to her paperwork. As soon as the guys left for lunch, she gave Alex a call.
"Hey."
"Olivia." She was unsure how her flowers would be met and decided to let Olivia take the lead.
"I got the flowers. Thanks."
"Good. Glad you liked them. I was a little unsure of sending them, but, well…."
"No, no! It was a nice gesture." The silence enveloped them and just as Alex was about say something, Olivia spoke up. "I broke it off with Kurt. Again."
On the other end of the line Alex Cabot smiled. Trying to keep her tone neutral she replied, "Oh? When did you do this?"
"Last night after I got home. After our talk and all…I mean, the part about not connecting with the men in our lives, well, you know."
Alone in her office Alex Cabot did a fist pump. Her assistant came into the office mid pump and gave her a strange look.
"Liv, I have to go but do you need anything?" Like me between your legs? "Or do you want to get together later?"
"That sounds nice Alex. How about we get ice cream, my treat?"
"Great. I'll drop by and pick you up around 7?"
Olivia smiled. "You don't have to pick me up, how about we just meet at that little place around from your apartment?"
Alex decided to test the waters and changed into a striped men's cut shirt, leaving the top two buttons undone. Thinking better of it she undid a third button and adjusted her shirt. She had also changed into a black lace bra and smiled as she realized you could just see the top of the lace. She also took out her trademark black glasses. Deciding to really try and send Olivia into a tizzy she took them off and replaced them with her tortoise shell glasses.
"Oh detective, you won't know what hit you."
XXXXXXXXXX
Olivia felt ridiculous. She'd gone home and changed three times until she finally found an outfit she deemed worthy of Alex. She castigated herself for going to so much trouble for an ice cream date. She stopped short when she realized she'd just called whatever she was doing with Alex a "date."
Alex arrived first and perched herself on a stool in the corner so she could observe Olivia. The damn woman looked too good for her own good. She drew in a sharp breath as she watched the sunlight play off of Olivia's hair in the fading sunlight.
She waved at Olivia and watched the other woman's reaction to her. She smiled inwardly as she noticed the other woman faltered upon seeing her. Olivia's eyes betrayed her as they darted from Alex's face to her chest and back to her face.
"Alex!"
The blonde slid off the stool and took Olivia into her arms and hugged her. "I'm sorry about Kurt."
Olivia gave a half shrug and started to pull away but not before Alex caught her looking down her shirt.
"Detective, my eyes are up here." She grinned as Olivia blushed again.
XXXXXXXXXX
They took their ice cream outside and sat at a small café table in front of the shop. Alex made a deliberate show of eating her ice cream, running her tongue around and nipping the ice cream all the while ignoring Olivia.
When she'd finished her cone she turned her attention to the brunette who had missed her mouth several times while watching Alex. She watched as a long slender finger made it's way to the corner of her mouth and swiped a glob of vanilla ice cream away. She brought the finger to her own mouth and sucked it clean.
Olivia swallowed hard and quickly jumped up, deciding it was time for them to leave. She shoved her half eaten cone into the trash and looked back at Alex who was just barely managing not to grin.
Alex had asked her up to her apartment and Olivia had willingly gone.
XXXXXXXXXX
"So Liv, what are you going to do now that you've broken the poor guys heart twice?"
"I don't know. I just…I freaked out when you kissed me Alex."
Alex arched an eyebrow and replied, "And why did you freak out Olivia? Was my kiss that bad?"
"N-No. It was a great kiss Alex. You're a great kisser I just…well, I'm just not that way."
Alex decided to let go of the topic for now and switched to her alternate plan.
"Hey Liv, you like the Yankees, right?" Seeing the woman nod she pushed ahead. "My brother is in town Saturday night and we have tickets. I usually just give them away but since he's in town I'll be expected to go with him. I'm not a big baseball fan and it'd be nice to have a friendly face go with me. Can I count on you?"
Olivia was excited. "Alex! They're playing the Red Sox. Those tickets are like gold! Hell yes I'll go!"
Alex smiled. "Thank goodness! The last time we went I was with Robert and he bored my brother to death talking about investments. Trey almost killed me."
"Wait a minute, you have a brother?"
"And a sister."
"What's the 'Trey' stand for?"
"Hamilton Alexander Cabot, the III."
"Since you're named Alexandra I'm guessing he's younger?"
Alex nodded. "Daddy told mom he was going to have a namesake and since I was a girl he took what he could get. My sister is Trey's twin and the youngest by 7 minutes."
"Twins, wow!"
"Come on Olivia, let's get you home. It's getting late and I have to baby sit one of the children in court tomorrow."
XXXXXXXXXX
As Alex was dropping her off, Olivia came to a decision. "Hey Alex, you wanna do something tomorrow night? You know, since it's not a school night?"
"I'm sorry Olivia but I have plans with Serena Southerlyn."
"The lesbian?"
Alex laughed. "Well before she was a lesbian she was just plain ol' Serena the ADA. And one of my best friends since law school."
Olivia let out a relieved sigh. "So you two aren't dating or anything?"
Alex laughed. "Heaven's no! We'd kill each other. We are however going to a gay bar for dancing and drinks."
"Oh." Olivia looked at her hands. "I thought maybe you were going to a movie or something."
Alex touched her face. "Look at me Olivia." When she had her full attention she whispered, "I'd ask you to come but considering your reaction to my kissing you, I don't think you'd be very comfortable."
"You're going to be kissing somebody?!"
"If I'm lucky." Alex cocked her head. "Actually if she's lucky."
Olivia hurriedly said her good-byes and bolted from the car.
Alex watched her go and making sure she made it into her building, she picked up her cell phone and called Serena, making plans to go to a very gay bar the next night.
XXXXXXXXXX
"Cabot."
"Hey, it's me."
"Hey you. What's up?"
"Nothing really, just wanted to call and say thanks for last night."
"That's what friends are for Olivia. I'm sure you'd do the same for me."
"So…"
"Yes?"
"I guess you're getting ready to head out, huh?"
Just then Alex's cell phone rang. Looking at the caller ID she saw that it was Serena. "Speak of the devil. Liv, I've gotta take this, ok? Why don't we grab breakfast tomorrow morning?"
XXXXXXXXX
Olivia trudged home and found herself thinking more than once about Alex and if anybody was being kissed by the blonde.
Knock it off Benson. You're straight and Cabot doesn't seem to be a one night stand kind of girl. You're mooning over her!
She settled into her couch and idly flipped through the channels, stopping on an episode of the L Word.
Meanwhile…..
Alex Cabot had hit the dance floor with no fewer than a dozen women. A few had tried to get a little too touchy feely and she'd shut them down immediately. Now she sat across from Serena discussing her 'Olivia Benson' issue.
"Alex, she's either scared or really not interested. Either way, is she worth the effort?"
Alex studied her drink before looking Serena square in the eye. "Yes, she is. Serena, I spent two years in witness protection and all it got me was the freedom to pursue the sapphic arts. Granted, that was a lovely discovery, but it also taught me to go for what I want when it comes to relationships."
"And you want her?"
Alex nodded. "And more importantly she wants me." At Serena's look she continued, "Look, before I left we had become close. Very close."
"You slept together?"
Alex shook her head. "No, but we came very close to kissing and would have if that bone head Munch hadn't walked into the crib at that very moment." She sighed. "We didn't have time to revisit it before Velez." She shrugged.
"Then why the Hell did you tell her you were shagging some claims adjuster, male claims adjuster I might add, in Wisconsin?"
"Not a topic for discussion." Seeing an old friend on the dance floor, she stood, downed her drink and shared a dance with a hulk of a woman.
Serena watched for a few minutes before finding her own dance partner.
XXXXXXXXX
1 am Denny's
Three women sat at a table laughing and discussing old times. Cindy, an incredibly androgynous woman had taught both Alex and Serena in law school and was now practicing law at one of the biggest firms in town.
Serena looked at her watch and informed them they needed to leave as she had a brunch date with a new possible romantic interest and wanted some beauty sleep.
They all piled into Alex's car and after they dropped Serena off, Alex invited Cindy back to her place. She'd always valued the older woman's opinion and she wanted her advice on Olivia.
They talked for another couple of hours before Alex told her to stay because it was too late to leave. They crashed in Alex's bed and slept until the buzzing from the intercom awoke them.
"Shit! That's Liv! Can you go let her in and tell her I'm in the shower?"
A bleary eyed Cindy opened the door to find a shocked looking Olivia standing there. The smile she'd been wearing quickly disappeared and was replaced by a frown. She peered into the apartment.
"Alex here?"
"Yeah. She's in the shower. Told me to let you in. I was just on my way out." She looked Olivia up and down and smiled at her.
Alex found her sitting on the couch, starring off into space.
"O-Liv-I-a?"
"What?"
Alex smiled at her. "I've been calling your name for a few minutes. Where'd you go?"
She shrugged. "I met your friend. I guess you got kissed last night after all, huh?"
Alex looked shocked. "Cindy? You think I hooked up with Cindy?"
"She was here and as far as I know you only have one bedroom and there aren't blankets here on the couch."
"Gave it that much thought did you?"
Realizing her mistake, Olivia tried to laugh it off. "I am a detective you know!"
Alex sat down beside her. "Liv, look at me. Cindy is an old law school professor of mine and Serena's. We met up with her last night and then after dancing, in which I did not kiss anyone, we hit Denny's. It was late." She shrugged.
Olivia nodded. "She was kinda man-ish, but not in a tranny way." They both kept silent for a moment as memories of Cheryl Avery washed over them. "Is that your type?"
Alex shook her head. "Not really. I prefer my women look like women. And Olivia when I first met you, you had a pretty butch hair style." Alex mussed Olivia's hair. "But you always managed to look like a woman."
Alex pulled her up. "Oh Liv, I do have a spare bedroom. Now let's go eat before I starve to death."
They spent the day kicking around SoHo waiting until closer to time to get ready for the ball game. As time drew near, Alex changed and then accompanied Olivia back to her place so she could get ready.
"Hey Alex? Does your family know about you? The girl thing I mean?"
"Yep." Seeing Olivia's surprised look she added, "Olivia, after thinking I was dead for two years, finding out I like to much carpet wasn't that big a deal."
Hearing Alex's almost vulgar description of lesbian sex sent an unexpected jolt to Olivia's nether regions.
Alex leaned in and whispered "If you're a good girl, I might just let you see that spare bedroom sometime."