Olivia opened the door to the auditorium and snuck in toward the back corner. Even after everything that had happened last night there was no way that Olivia would miss Alex's graduation. Even though Alex made it painfully clear what she thought of her she still loved her. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she would forever kick herself for not watching Alex graduate. She would always watch after her, even if it was from a distance.

Alex looked up from her seat. She could sense Olivia was there. Even though the room was crowded she could still spot Olivia. She was standing in a dark corner trying her best to not to be seen. She wore the charcoal pants and black turtleneck sweater she had bought her for her birthday. The black leather jacket she had really set it off. It made her seem dangerous yet safe all at the same time.

Olivia stood where she was until she heard Alex's name called. There was no way to explain how she felt watching Alex walk across the stage and receive her diploma.

"I'm proud of you Blondie" Olivia whispered as she started to walk toward the exit after Alex had taken her seat. She had reached the door when she remembered the loud creaking sound it made as she entered. Not wanting to draw attention to herself as she left she stood next to it waiting for the ceremony to end.

Alex tossed her cap into the air following the tradition of several centuries. As soon as it was out of her hands she bolted for the door. She had watched it open and Olivia slip out. Hopefully she would not be late like she was last night and could stop her love.

As she bolted through the door she was greeted with the same emptiness as before. There was no sign of Olivia anywhere's. For a woman who was in for the fight of her life the day before she sure could move fast. Feeling defeated she walked back in and joined her parents.

"Did you catch her?" Robert asked.

"No I didn't."

"I'm sorry princess." Robert said as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders "Maybe she will be at your party and you two can talk there."

"I seriously doubt it dad. I know you put a lot effort into my party but I would prefer just to go home. I want to be there when she comes back."

"I understand."

Alex stopped in her tracks and saw Olivia's leather jacket tossed across the back of the couch. Something told her she had made the right decision by coming home. What she wasn't prepared for was the surprise of her life in the bedroom.

"What the hell are you doing?" Alex asked when she saw the suitcase Olivia was packing.

Olivia stopped packing and looked up at her angel. Man she had to learn to stop thinking of her like that.

"You were suppose to be at your parents" Olivia stated as she grabbed a handful of black socks "Not here."

"So what you were just going to come in here pack and leave. Make sure I wasn't home when you did so?"

"I'm trying to make it easier on you. If you're worried that I'll take something that is yours you can relax. I'm only taking my uniforms and the few clothes I had when I moved in along with academy items. Everything else you can do with as you please."

"So that's it's. One fight and you're out." Alex whispered as tears flowed freely from her eyes.

Olivia turned and faced Alex catching sight of the ring on her hand. She never knew until that moment that her heart could feel two opposite emotions at one time. Her heart swelled with love and pride when she saw the ring on Alex's finger. On the other hand it shattered into a million pieces knowing that she would never be the one by Alex's side for all times.

"Alex I understand that you're pissed about me not calling you when I was injured. I was trying to save you some extra stress. You have more than enough going on with your life with graduation and studying for the bar. But to have the nerve to accuse me of cheating and being like everyone else you've ever dated. When I have done everything to prove to you I'm different. When I have never looked at another woman since I've been with you. That's too far."

"Liv please"

"Please what?" Olivia asked as she grabbed her bag and hustled it over her shoulder grimacing at the pain "Please stay until next time you decide to accuse me? No thank you. Alex I love you. I wanted, hell I still want, to spend the rest of my life with you. Wake up with you in my arms every morning and go to sleep like that every night. One day have a house full of little Alex's running around. Not at the cost of having to constantly remind you that I'm not everyone else. Praying that if I'm ten minutes late I won't spend the next two hours trying to convince you I wasn't with someone else. Where the hell you got that idea I'll never know."

"The red head that night in the diner." Alex asked trying to stop Olivia as she passed her in the door way. "You took and kept her number."

"See that's what I'm talking about." Olivia said as she pushed past Alex and into the living room "I threw the number away. I'm not sure how many different ways I can tell you that."

"Really" Alex said as she pulled a number from her purse and walked over to Olivia. "Then who's number is this? I found it in your uniform pocket the other day when I was doing laundry."

"Oh thank god I thought I lost that number." Olivia said reaching out to take it from Alex. "I thought I lost that number and I didn't want to have to ask for it again."

"Who's number is it?" Alex asked pulling it out of Olivia's reach.

"Let me ask you something Alex." Olivia said as she sat the bag on the ground "If I was really cheating on you do you really think I'm dumb enough to leave another's woman's number where you could find it."

"I really don't know unless you were ready to get caught. Now who's number is it?"

"Captain William Jones. He's the commander over SWAT."

"Captain Jones? SWAT?"

"Yeah I'm passed my one year probation so I'm eligible to join SWAT now. That's his number so I can schedule a testing day."

"SWAT you're joining SWAT NOW." Alex said as she stood and flung the number in Olivia's face "Its not enough that you feel the urge to prove yourself to the *guys* by throwing yourself in unnecessary danger now you want to join SWAT."

"First of all I'm doing my job. You knew coming into this relationship that days like yesterday may happen. I don't intentionally put myself in unnecessary danger but it will be a cold day in hell before a brother in blue goes down on his own. Second of all if I join SWAT I get a twenty percent pay raise."

"Money? You're doing this for money?" Alex said as closed the distance between her and Olivia, realizing she had no clue how their finances were since Olivia took care of that. She was starting to suspect that her recent shopping spree for business suits may have put them in a bind "Honey if you need money just say so. I added you to my savings account you could have taken what you needed."

"I'm not taking your money. Isn't that what everyone else did? Wouldn't that make me just like them? If I need money I'll pull some extra shifts or take a few side jobs like I have been doing."

"If it's that big of a deal I will loan it to you and you can pay me back."

"No thanks Alex. I earn everything I get. I always have and always will." Olivia grabbed her bag again and headed for the door. "There's a check on the table for your father. Please make sure he gets it. I made sure to lock your checkbook up in the safe along with the debit card."

Alex reached out to stop Olivia the ring on her left hand catching her eye. Snatching the jacket off the couch and the check off the table she quickly ran after Olivia. She managed to escape her two times already. She'd be damned if there was going to be a third.

"Olivia wait." Alex pleaded. "Please don't leave."

Olivia stopped and turned around to face Alex.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Alex said as she made her way down the stairs to Olivia "I didn't know what to think. I saw the red head all over you and then when I do laundry a few days later there's a number."

"That you trust me and know that I would never do anything to jeopardize what we have. How about asking me about the number instead of jumping to conclusions that would have been nice."

"How was I suppose to ask you about it without sounding like the insecure jackass I apparently am."

"I found this number in your pocket honey, would you mind telling me who it belongs to? Would have been a nice start. I have never lied to you or kept anything from you when it pertained to that. I have no reason to start now. If you ever need anything let your uncle know. He'll know how to contact me."

"You're really leaving aren't you?" Alex asked as tears filled her eyes again.

"What choice do I have? You obviously don't trust me and if there's no trust there's no us."

"I know" Alex whispered as she slid the ring off her finger and handed everything to Olivia before bolting back up stairs.

I know cruel