Disclaimer: I own nothing
Of course Tate couldn't have been more wrong. Once they returned home they had spent the afternoon hooking up the contraption. Tate had to pull herself away to cook dinner. The guys had requested her Turkish lamb kebabs. It's amazing what a little experimentation would do. She had Turkish bread to go with it and would make a salad. Not exactly as unhealthy as they thought but she was not going to tell them that.
While she was busy preparing and cooking the lamb she kept an eye on Alex and Olivia as they fussed over the machine. Once the meat was cooking she turned her attention to slicing the salads for the kebabs and making the accompanying garden salad.
By the time she was finished at 5 Judy had joined the two women stating she had seen them offloading the box earlier and could smell a good brew a mile away so had come to investigate. Alex had ceremoniously poured her the first cup, which she spent minutes raving over before Alex made everyone else one as well.
Tate was very tentative but took a cautious sip before her eyes flew open wide in wonder and she took another sip. She stared at Alex in awe and Alex smiled back before turning to Judy who was telling her she had moved her to a room in their wing since it was unlikely she would get much sleep listening to Olivia and Tyler half the night.
Olivia had flushed crimson and Alex had been most thankful. Judy also complimented Alex on her new look but told her she needed a hat. Alex just sighed and Tate grinned, pretending not to listen.
By the end of dinner Alex was floating on cloud nine after receiving several compliments on her new attire and her coffee making ability. She was practically humming as she did the dishes with Tate.
"Who knew the guys would love Kebabs so much" she grinned as she handed Tate the last plate.
"Who knew they'd love fancy coffee" Tate chuckled, drying the last plate and then taking the pile of plates and stacking them in a cupboard under the work bench where they belonged.
Turning she found Alex watching where her backside would have been when bent over. Her eyebrows rose in surprise. Had Alex Cabot been checking out her ass?
"So" Tate took a deep breath and leant back against the counter. Alex leant back against the sink and waited, this was going to be good, Tate was blushing ten shades of red.
"I haven't shown you my place yet" Tate started and when Alex arched one delicate brow she groaned "Alex give me a break here OK. I'm just asking if you want to see the cabin I built, maybe sit on the porch swing with a coffee, play with Buster. I'm not asking for a night of wild sex"
"Pity" Alex murmured then clamped her hand over her mouth, she had not meant to say that. Tate just stared at her, mouth open in shock and Alex held up a hand "I'm sorry, that slipped out"
"Oh. I...Alex...I um need to tell you something" Tate looked down and started playing with a loose thread on her shirt, she frowned, she'd have to remember to cut it off before it caught. Shaking her head she looked back at Alex only to find the blonde had moved closer "Um" she straightened as Alex stopped inches in front of her.
"Tate, I know. Not that I'm proud of it but I am vastly experienced, experienced enough to know when someone isn't"
'Oh" Tate's heart sank. What was she saying? "So you don't want to..."
"Shush" Alex placed her fingertips to her mouth "Do not ask stupid questions, you're too smart for that, of course I do"
Tate felt a mixture of relief and panic at that, she wasn't ready, Oh God what did she do?
"Would you stop" Alex growled "Tonight I want to go sit on your porch swing, cuddle a bit and play with Buster. We have plenty of time"
"We do?" Tate croaked around the fingers that were pressed to her lips
"Yes, now come on, show me your porch swing" Alex smiled and Tate breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe Tyler's advice wasn't so bad after all.
They left the mess hall, turning out the lights as they went.
15 minutes later after Tate had given the grand tour of her humble home and Alex had declared she liked it they were sitting together on the porch swing. Alex was thinking how for the first time in a long time she felt settled. She was a little surprised it was from sitting snuggled under a blanket in the arms of a 23 year old cowgal while a Border Collie sat gnawing on a bone at their feet.
She was sitting on a porch swing legs tucked up under her to keep them warm, Tate's long, strong arms around her as she leant back against her side, Tate's booted toe pushing against the porch floor so they rocked back and forth gently.
Honestly when Tate had shown her the simplistic cabin Alex had loved it at first sight. There was nothing gaudy about it. Just a simple home to meet Tate's needs. A small kitchen with a few mod cons for her days off and she only had to cook for herself. A 4 seater wooden table was nearby but Tate admitted it didn't get much use as she usually sat on her small two seater couch in front of her 32inch TV when home alone.
She loved the large open stone fireplace, the stone floors, Tate's choice of rugs and runners. Her bathroom was a bit simple, it could use a bath but she doubted Tate got too much time to relax. Alex loved the loft bedroom, the views were incredible out the floor to ceiling windows. The room was minimalistic, just a large queen bed, bedside table and dresser with mirror. Alex loved the colour scheme Tate used throughout her house, just simple earth colours of rich browns, dark reds and a dark blue bathroom.
"Can you smell that?" Tate asked taking a deep breath and Alex took a whiff, she smelt nothing.
"I can smell your cologne" she teased and Tate chuckled
"Other than that, take a deep breath Al, tell me what you can smell" Tate encouraged and sighing Alex took a deep breath and became a little heady of the smell of Tate. She couldn't smell anything else. She shook her head. "Rain Alex, I can smell rain". Oh.
"Well no wonder, rain just makes the sewers smell worse in New York" she chuckled and Tate pulled her closer when a gentle breeze stirred and Alex shivered.
"You can smell it on the wind here Al, and when it does rain the earth smells richer" she paused "I know it sounds ridiculous but you wait, you'll see" she sighed "There must be a cold front coming in, I haven't seen the weather in the last couple of days. I should get you back to the main house before you get stuck here"
"I don't mind" Alex snuggled in closer "We can have a sleep over"
"Alex" Tate sighed and Alex tipped her head back to look at Tate with a smile
"Olivia and I used to have sleep over's all the time." She said "We'd meet up on weekends, or after a bad case, have dinner, drink, and crash at each other's place. We'd take weekend trips away when she didn't have to work and stay at my cabin upstate. We were best friends, and we enjoyed each other's company"
"You shared a bed?" Tate enquired and Alex nodded
"At the cabin, at Olivia's as she had no spare room, sometimes at mine if a case was particularly hard and we wanted comfort"
"But you never...?" Tate was slightly uncomfortable in asking
"No, never, it never crossed my mind. I don't know about Liv." Alex shrugged and Tate was relieved "You never had a sleep over? Never shared a bed before?" Alex asked next.
"No" Tate shook her head "I was an only unwanted child of two alcoholics and drug addicts. I was in and out of the system all my life. When I was 18 the system no longer cared, my parents kicked me out and I lived on the streets." Tate shrugged "I slept in doorways or shelters if I could but soon got in with the wrong crowd. Turned to drugs, stayed in drug houses, jail you name it."
"And you never...for a hit you never..." Alex couldn't force the words out.
"No" Tate shook her head "I had a pimp attempt to make me his once but I had bought a knife years prior and managed to get it out of my pocket while he was getting his dick out. I sliced him, doubt he's raped a girl since" Tate forced a chuckle but her body shuddered at the memory, it had been so close.
Alex turned in Tate's arms so that she was sitting facing her and looked up into slightly haunted eyes.
"I'm sorry" she whispered "I'm sorry you had to go through that"
"I'm fine" Tate shrugged "He didn't rape me, no big deal"
"Stop" Alex growled "It is a big deal, Tate you forget this but I used to work SVU for 5 years. Olivia's worked it for 12. We've both been victims ourselves" Alex raised a gentle hand and cupped Tate's face "You don't have to hide from me or think I am going to judge you, ever. OK"
Tate looked at Alex in awe for such a long time. What had she done right to deserve this? To have this woman in her life? Maybe it was from turning her life around all those years ago.
"OK" she croaked and hugged Alex tight to her side "Thankyou". Alex laughed and shook her head.
"I don't know why but for some reason I think I should be thanking you" she grinned and lay her head on Tate's shoulder.
Tate sighed and just held Alex for a long time, she just felt so comfortable having the blonde in her arms.
Neither realised the passing of time until the first spattering of rain hit the roof and they realised the rain had come. One second there was a few drops and the next second it was pouring.
Alex took a deep breath and was hit with a bombardment of smell, the soil, the trees, fresh rain and she realised this was what Tate meant. They never got this in New York.
"I can smell it" she told Tate
"Can you just?" Tate chuckled "I don't suppose you want to go out in it and get wet"
"Suppose I don't" Alex grinned "Guess I'm spending the night with you"
Tate felt her heart beat double time and nodded. In a swift manoeuvre that had Alex squeaking in surprise she pulled the blonde against her chest and stood. Alex had to admit she liked the new position.
"It's late, I have to be up early so we should get some sleep" Tate told her as she carried her inside, pausing to let Alex turn the handle then kicking it open before walking through. She waited for Buster who trotted in after them before kicking it shut "You can have the bed, I'll sleep in front of the fire" she offered and Alex sighed and had to fight the urge to roll her eyes.
"Tate as much as I love the chivalry you're getting that ass in bed with me" she told the younger woman and shot her a look when she dared open her mouth to argue "Now put me down so I can use the bathroom and you can organise me something to wear"
Tate blinked but didn't argue as she put Alex down who turned momentarily to give her a hug then with a wicked smile sauntered off to the bathroom. Tate groaned and could barely stop her hands from shaking as she headed up to the loft to find something for Alex to wear for the night.
She eventually found a worn flannel long sleeve shirt that she bought the first year here and a pair of her boxers. She groaned when she realised she would have to wear a shirt as well and located a white singlet to wear with her boxers.
She heard Alex step out of the bathroom and grabbing her clothes hurried downstairs. She smiled upon catching Alex patting Buster goodnight and her dog was lapping it up. Alex looked up and grinned
"He's so friendly, I never had a pet when I was young, my parent disapproved, all that hair"
"They're so loving and loyal. Give them somewhere warm to sleep, food in their bellies, some loving attention and they're yours for life"
Alex stood and walked towards her slowly, Tate felt on edge, never sure what the blonde was up to next. Alex paused in front of her
"You want me to lock up for you?" she asked and Tate had to smile and shake her head
"Why? This aint New York. Besides Buster will let me know if anyone is fool enough to come close" Tate chuckled then nodded towards the loft "I left a shirt and some boxers out for you. I'll be up in a minute"
"Sure" Alex grinned and brushing past Tate made her way upstairs. Tate bit back a groan, hands clenching around her clothes as she hurried into the bathroom. She had a feeling Alex was going to stir her crazy tonight.
Happy Valentine's Day all.