Disclaimer: I own nothing
Hey all, sorry it has been so long, night shift was a killer and the Mrs likes to spend time considering we have a rare weekend off together. Hope you enjoy this, next exciting chapter. Alex and Tate. Next one will be Olivia and Tyler I promise.
After lunch Olivia was assigned to work with Beau while Alex stayed to help Tate. Judy went back to the main house but was told to keep the doors locked. Olivia and Beau were to go out in the truck to check on some paddocks. There were some natural soaks around that when it rained became bogs and the cattle got stuck. Olivia was a bit puzzled, but went with the flow.
Alex excused herself from Tate to go use the bathroom after finishing the dishes, leaving Tate sitting with her feet up enjoying the coffee Alex had made for her.
Tate startled when Alex's phone started ringing, as she had left it on the table next to her. She eyed it but decided to let it go through to message bank. It stopped ringing and she sat back only to sigh when it started right up again. Maybe... no it wasn't her phone.
By the time it was ringing for the fourth time she was getting seriously pissed. Some idiot wasn't getting the message. Growling she reached for it and answered
"Alex's phone" she answered
"Where's Alex?" came a haughty male voice without preamble. Tate gritted her teeth, rude prick
"Obviously not here right now. Can I take a message and get her to call you back?" she asked
"Who are you?" the voice asked next and Tate's eyebrow shot up
"A friend. Who are you?" she asked
"Alex's fiancé" came the reply that had the blood draining from her face.
Alex smiled as she opened the door to re enter the kitchen. Why was it being in Tate's presence always made her feel lighter?
"Hey handsome, how about you take a break and show me around the sheds" she looked up and froze on seeing Tate sitting still in her seat staring out at nothing, her phone in her white knuckled grasp. "Tate?" she rushed forward to where her girlfriend was sitting "Tate what is it? Do you have a headache? You feeling sick?" she asked as she sunk to her knees beside her unresponsive partner.
She watched as Tate loosened her grip on her phone and gently put it back on the table. Then she turned to face her and Alex became slightly alarmed as she looked into eyes ablaze with anger. What had happened?
"Tate?"
"Who is Jonathon Wentworth IV and why is he telling me you're his fiancé?" Tate growled
Alex sat back on her heels, a little surprised and startled at the force of Tate's anger. Was Tate pissed off because some random guy was claiming to be her fiancé or was she actually believing Jonathon and thinking she was down here cheating on her fiancé?
Either way she was getting pissed. Most of it was directed at Jonathon but if Tate for a second thought she was a user she was going to cop it. She turned to her phone and reached for it while standing.
Without saying a word to Tate she dialled a number she knew by heart. Leaning back against the table next to where Tate was sitting she made eye contact with Tate and returned her stare. She had to admit she was impressed when Tate returned the glare and didn't back down. Maybe not a wallflower after all. She kept forgetting Tate had grown up tough and on the streets.
"Hello?" the phone was finally answered and Alex turned her attention to the person on the other end
"Rachel, It's Alex. I need that restraining order served now, he just rang up and told a friend of mine he was my fiancé". She watched something flicker in Tate's eyes, maybe surprise, but it didn't cool her anger. Tate was one pissed off woman, she figured now it possibly had turned from towards her to Jonathon. She'd wait to see if the prediction was right.
"You're kidding!" Rachel Summers, a petite red head with freckles, groaned on the other end "Sure I'll get right on it"
"You may want to call up Detective's Elliott Stabler and Fin Tutuola at the 16th precinct SVU. They would be happy to serve it for you"
"I'm sure they would. I'll give them a call. I'll let you know when it's served" Rachel told her and Alex nodded
"Good, I'll let you know when he breaches it, he is bound to within minutes of getting it." She gave a smile when contemplating it. It was not a pleasant smile
"Now, tell me about this friend you have. Friend or friend friend" Rachel laughed
"The latter, although that may depend on whether she's pissed at Jonathon for daring to call himself my fiancé or whether she had the audacity to believe the ass" she shot Tate a pointed look, Tate didn't so much as flinch. She did however cross her arms and lean back in her seat. Alex didn't know how to take that. For some strange reason she thought the tables had just turned in Tate's favour and that now she was definitely pissed at her.
"Oh Ok. She?"
"Yes Rachel she, it's the 21st Century, get used to it" Alex snapped
"Oh, no I just meant you've always dated guys for as long as I have known you" Rachel hastened to add on and Alex sighed trying to calm down
"No, I'm sorry I snapped. The ice Queen got loose for a second. I'll send you a photo, in the mean time I gotta go. I have a feeling Tate and I are about to go toe to toe"
"Oh, Ok, look forward to the picture. I'll get right onto calling Elliott"
"Thank you Rachel, talk to you soon" Alex replied coolly
"Bye Alex" Rachel stammered, still slightly intimidated by the Ice Queen side of Alex after knowing her nearly 20 years and quickly hung up. While she was busy catching her breath and searching for Alex's paperwork before calling Elliott her phone beeped and she hurried to it to have a look.
Her jaw dropped in shock at the tall, young lean cowgirl grinning back at her from the phone. She couldn't help a little chuckle that escaped. Yeeha, ride 'em Alex.
Meanwhile Alex and Tate were still having their staring showdown. Tate was determined not to give an inch. Yes she would admit for half a second she had blanched thinking Alex had to be engaged. She had quickly realised the guy on the other end of the line was a lying ass though, especially when she realised he sounded like he didn't know Alex wasn't even in New York.
She also knew enough about Alex that she wouldn't do that. Alex had principals, maybe not as Ms Carsen but they were dark times for Alex. Olivia had never mentioned a fiancé for Alex either, she was sure Olivia would have said something if Alex had one. Finally Tate had had enough of the silence, and the evil stare.
Pushing to her feet in one quick motion that had the breath catching in Alex's throat she suddenly stood towering over the smaller woman. Alex was forced to tip her head back slightly to keep eye contact.
Tate leant in close so they were nearly nose to nose, never once breaking the gaze
"I may have had a split second of discomfort when he initially said fiancé but I knew instinctively that you wouldn't do that Alex, you're too honest. What I am Alex is fucking pissed off at the prick who thought he was better than me, I could hear it in his voice. I wanted nothing more than to call him on it, tell him I was your girlfriend but I couldn't Alex, I don't know what we are, I don't know who he is. Hell I don't even know this Rachel or the Detectives who are going to jump to your rescue except you worked with them before" she growled and watched the icy blue gaze slowly soften.
Tate gently raised a hand to cup Alex's face " I appreciate you telling Rachel about me, I never expected that. I just want a chance to know you without being blindsided Al, I've been an open book about my life, you need to reciprocate"
With that telling comment she straightened and went to move away, figuring they both needed space to cool down before something was said that couldn't be undone, when Alex caught her wrist and stayed her.
She paused and turned to meet Alex's gaze, gone was this so called Ice Queen look and in its place was earnest sincerity.
"Jonathon Wentworth, the fourth, has been a thorn in my side for 18 months. Spoilt rich son of a high society family that knows my Uncle who introduced us. At first he was charming, then he became slightly clingy talking like it was a foregone conclusion we would marry and make a dynasty. Not over my dead body and I let him know it. He has become slightly controlling and obsessive. I have warned him numerous times to leave me alone, played nice for the families sake but no more" Alex sighed "I should have done it earlier, I am sorry, but he will soon have a restraining order on him. I can only hope that stops him"
"It better" Tate growled "Or I will."
Alex had to smile, the idea of Tate being protective was quite, well not funny exactly but Alex could picture her, knees shaking and stuttering her words while holding her hands up like a boxer. She had no doubt Tate would try and she also had no doubt she'd get the shit kicked out of her for it. Although she had looked spectacularly fierce a few minutes ago, the memory of an angry Tate excited her a little. That Tate could take on anyone, she was sure.
Standing she wrapped her arms around Tate's waist, feeling the tension in her body as she pressed close. She felt Tate's hesitation before long strong arms came around her and pulled her closer. Alex sighed, resting her head against a firm shoulder, hearing Tate's erratic heartbeat. They stood that way for a long time before she felt Tate relax fully.
"I'm sorry" she told Tate "You looked so angry when I came in and when you mentioned Jonathon said I was his fiancé I had a small moment where I thought you may have believed him"
"No, you wouldn't do it to me and I don't believe Olivia would let you either" Tate pulled back and sighed "Lets just be more open with each other Al, it will save misunderstandings in the future"
Alex nodded and cupped Tate's face while saying earnestly
"Then understand this, you said earlier you didn't know what we are and I can plainly tell you Ms Chandler that we are exclusive. Girlfriends, partners, soon to be lovers, call it what you will but it's exclusive"
Alex bit her lip to prevent an ill timed chuckle as that seemed to take all the wind out of Tate and a blush spread across her face. Aw, cute Tate was back. With a smile she cupped the back of Tate's head and pulled her down for a deep kiss that left them both slightly breathless
"How about you check on our dinner then take me for a tour of the sheds" she whispered breathlessly and looked up into slightly glazed eyes of Tate. She watched amused as Tate opened her mouth to say something, closed it, shook herself and still slightly dazed walked over to look at the stew.
Alex took those few moments to compose herself, Tate's kisses were lethal and her mind was slightly mush at the moment. As much as Tate's look had amused her she doubted she looked any more with it.
Once Tate had checked the stew, turned the heat down so it would simmer, they wrapped themselves in layers of clothes and ventured outside. Tate had found an old umbrella in the storeroom barely big enough for one let alone two. Between that, their hats and their coats they made it to the sheds relatively dry.
Alex turned and looked at Tate as she realised her destination, one eyebrow raised. Tate looked slightly confused as she explained about the hay shed and how they fed the cattle. She noticed a predatory gleam in Alex's eyes and came to a halt with a gulp.
"Tate have you ever heard of that saying?" Alex asked
"What saying?" Tate asked confused, all the blood had drained from her face to somewhere south of the border at the look Alex was giving her
"About a roll in the hay" Alex grinned and grabbing the front of Tate's jacket pulled her down into the pile of straw.