"Cadets file in and have a seat on the mat." The drill instructor ordered "there are a few things I would like to go over before we start redman training."

All the cadets filed in and sat cross legged on the mat.

"I want all of you to take this time and think about your reason to fight with all you have to survive a combat situation. Its not just our will to survive but it's the reason why we fight so hard to come out alive. It could be your wife or husband. A boyfriend or girlfriend. If you have children that could be why. Hell it could be your dog or cat for all I care."

The instructor stopped pacing the room and faced the class.

"I know the greatest honor of any officer is to die in the line of duty. That is the last thing we ever want. That means we have lost the battle that we have been waging since law enforcement was formed."

The drill instructor stopped talking and made sure everyone was still listening and paying attention to him. When he was certain they were paying attention he continued.

"Now I'm going to give you the chance to do what you need to do before you begin your tour, not when your in the fight for your life. Clear your mind and picture your reason to survive."

Olivia took a deep breath and closed her eyes. It shocked her when Alex's angelic face came into to focus. Alex was her reason for surviving.

"All right cadets time to start." The drill instructor said "remember we fight like we train and we train to survive. Now I would like to introduce defense tactics instructor Nelson."

Everyone turned their attention to the man that was walking in fully encased in a red rubber suit.

"Cadets I am Instructor Nelson. There are a few rules we need to set before we get started. The number one rule is there is no rules to fighting. You get as low and as dirty as you need to, to survive. That stands here on this mat with me also. I will get as low and as dirty as the perps will with you on the street. I WILL NOT hold back because you are cops. Do you understand?"

"Sir yes sir."

"With that said the same goes for you cadets. I DO NOT want any of you to hold back because I am your instructor. Do you understand?"

"Sir yes sir."

"Then lets start. Who's my first victim?"

"Cadet Benson on the mat." The drill instructor ordered.

Olivia quickly jumped to her feet. She walked to her spot facing the redman. She took one last deep breath as Alex's face flashed before her quickly. Before she knew what happened she was on the floor with Nelson on top of her.

"Fight Cadet or I'm going to kill you."

Olivia laid on the floor paralyzed unable to move. The words that Nelson was yelling at her was barelying registering as he began to choke her. As everything began to fade to darkness Alex's face flashed again. This time Olivia heard her pleading not to leave her. That was all it took for Olivia to snap out of the trance she was in.

Olivia quickly delivered a knee to the groin area. She slid her arms under his and wrapped her own hands around Nelsons neck and began chocking him. He quickly let go of Olivia's neck to remove her hands from his. She took this opportunity to deliver a right jab to his face followed by a left upper cut to the chin. Neither punch was as strong as she would have liked it to be because of her limited movement but it did the job.

As soon as he leaned up Olivia used all her body strength and weight and flipped them over. Nelson delivered a full punch to Olivia's mid section that sent her flying off him.

Olivia landed on her back gasping for air when she noticed that Nelson was coming at her from the side. He was going to kick her.

Using the lighting quick reflex's that kept her from the wrath of her mother she grabbed Nelson's foot and flipped him on his back. Jumping to her feet she moved quickly and dropped an elbow to his mid section. Not giving Nelson time to recover Olivia straddled Nelson and delivered repeated blows to his face.

Nelson raised his legs and wrapped them around Olivia's neck flipping her backwards. Not allowing Olivia the chance to recover he jumped to his feet and kicked Olivia twice in the abdomen. On the third kick Olivia grabbed his foot and flipped him on her back. She began turning his ankle in the opposite direction causing Nelson to scream out in pain.

"On your stomach." Olivia was ordering as she cranked his ankle around more.

Nelson quickly flipped to his stomach. He liked this cadet. She was one of a few females that had given him a run for his money in his fifteen years of instructing.

"Hands behind your back."

"Fuck you bitch."

Olivia cranked Nelson's ankle even more causing him to scream louder.

"I will break your fucking ankle." Olivia said through clenched teeth "Now hands behind your back."

With the pressure on his ankle and the amazing strength that Olivia showed he placed his hands behind his back. He knew Olivia would have to release the hold on his ankle to handcuff him.

Olivia moving as quickly as possible scooted up to handcuff Nelson's wrists. AS soon as she did she felt him starting to raise up. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he tried to send he flying. Instead because of her grip they both sent flying backward.

Olivia groaned as she landed on her back and Nelson on top of her. She tightened her hold around Nelsons neck in a choke hold while wrapping her legs around his lower body to keep him immobilized. Within seconds she felt Nelson's body go limp. She removed her arms from his neck and pushed him off her. She cuffed his hands behind his back before checking on him.

"Cadet Benson against the wall." The drill instructor ordered as he walked over to where they were. He leaned down uncuffed Nelson and checked him over. He was slowly coming too.

"I'm good Brooks." Nelson said as he sat up. "Cadet come over here."

Olivia walked over to Instructor Nelson. "Yes sir."

"Excellent job" Nelson said as he extended his hand "Fight like that on the street and you'll go home everyday. Bruised and sore but alive."

"Yes sir." Olivia said taking his hand "Thank you."

"Cadet Benson you are dismissed for the day go shower and get the hell off my grounds." The drill instructor ordered "Be back here Monday at 0730."

Olivia snapped to attention "Yes sir."

Olivia showered as quickly as possible and grabbed the first cab to go and see Alex. When the cab pulled up in front of the café she paid the cabbie and slowly slid out of the cab. She was starting to feel the fight now. She walked in the café and looked around for Alex. She was nowhere to be seen. Seeing the cook behind the counter she walked up to him maybe he could tell her where Alex was.

"Excuse me sir I'm looking for Alex. Could you tell me where she is?"

"Just who are you?"

Olivia looked at the man. She was ready to snap at him after the day she had but something about his eyes stopped her. He had the same eyes as Alex. That was when she remembered that Alex said her family owned the café.

"My name is Olivia Benson, sir" Olivia said as she extended her hand to him "Alex has been helping me study for the academy. I was wanting to let her know my latest test score."

"Olivia Benson it is nice to meet you" The man said taking her hand and shaking it "I'm Robert Cabot, her father. She has told me about you."

Olivia swallowed hard unsure of where this would lead.

"Nice to meet you sir."

"Same here Olivia. Alex is off tonight. She may be in her apartment. If she's not then I have no clue where my daughter is."

"Thank you sir" Olivia said as she quickly darted out of the café and around the building.

"Robert who was that?" A older version of Alex asked as she came out from behind the swinging doors.

"The woman who our daughter loves but is afraid to tell us."

Alex was stretched out on the couch watching a movie when someone started pounding on her door. Getting up she wondered who it was. Everyone that knew her knew she usually worked a double shift on Saturdays. She swung the door open ready to rip the person on the other side a new one when she suddenly found herself pushed in her apartment and heard her door slam shut.

Alex opened her mouth to scream when she was pulled toward the person that just barged into her apartment. Her scream was silenced when a pair of familiar lips cam crashing down on hers. It was Olivia. She wrapped her arms around Olivia's neck and melted into her body moaning softly.

"Hey blondie" Olivia whispered as she pulled away "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Its ok" Alex answered as she ran her hands over Olivia's body stopping when Olivia hissed in pain. She pulled back and looked at Olivia.

"It's nothing" Olivia said trying her best to mask the pain.

"Bull shit" Alex said as she slowly raised Olivia's shirt and was met with a huge bruise on her side and several others forming all over her.

"What happened?" Alex asked as tears formed in her eyes.

"Defense Tactics, baby" Olivia said as she raised Alex's face so she could look into her eyes "I'm fine baby. Believe me."

For the first time since her and Olivia had started dating she realized the true dangers of Olivia's job. It made her wonder if she could handle being with a police officer.