Part Four

Chapter Sixteen:

Exiting the elevator with her usual brisk stride, Olivia was surprised to run into her partner on the second floor where their desks were. It was late, and most of the lights were dimmed, but they didn't hide the detective's disappointment. Her brief trip to Vivian Arliss' house had been useless. If she had killed Burlock, she was in the wind now, and it was too late to find her.

Taking one look at her dejected expression, Elliot knew what had happened. "Lemme guess, Vivian wasn't home?"

"Did she call?"

"No, and she's not gonna." Olivia had to force herself not to snap at her partner as she matched his pace, following him around the corner to where their desks and paperwork were waiting.

"How do you know?" she demanded.

Elliot didn't answer right away. Instead, he jerked his head in the direction of Olivia's workspace. Instead of the empty area that she had expected, Olivia was surprised to see a small figure sitting in her chair, head bowed and hair hanging over his face. She recognized him instantly.

"He's been here about an hour," Elliot told her. "The only thing he'll say is that he's got something to give you."

When her partner stood aside, Olivia immediately headed over to Calvin, feeling Elliot's eyes burn into the flesh at the back of her neck as he watched her go. Calvin's eyes joined his when he heard Olivia's footsteps, and he looked up to watch her come closer.

"What's going on, Calvin?" The boy refused to answer, and Olivia sat down on her desk, a perch that Alex usually took, since Calvin was in her chair. "What happened?"

Calvin rested his elbows on the desk beside her, looking up through his bangs. "My Mom's gone."

"Do you know where she went?"

"No."

Olivia paused, groping for words. There were just too many questions. "So how did you get here?"

"My Mom drove me. She told me to run in and give this to you..." Calvin's voice trailed off, and he pulled out a white envelope from the depths of his gray hoodie. Olivia looked down. Even though he was holding the envelope sideways, the blue ink clearly read Det. Olivia Benson in neat, curly handwriting. Obviously, Vivian's hands had not shaken as she penned the words. "Then you weren't here. I went out to tell her, and she was gone... how could she leave me here?"

Despite her own tempest of emotions, Olivia's first instinct was to comfort the small, frightened boy in front of her. "I don't know, honey," she answered honestly, "but we're gonna find her. It's gonna be okay." She tried to put conviction behind the words, as much to reassure herself as to reassure Calvin.

Calvin hung his head. "No it's not."

Olivia couldn't really blame him for saying that. People were already dead, and lives were destroyed - Burlock's, Gambel's, Vivian's, her mothers, and now Calvin's, too. For a kid, he seemed awfully perceptive.

"Can I see what's in the envelope?"

Haltingly, Calvin passed it over. The flap was already open, and Olivia reached in to remove the tri-folded document inside. As she unfolded it and started to read the words, the letters began to blur together on the page. Feeling a wave of vertigo, Olivia stood up and turned away from the frightened, confused Calvin.

Instantly sensing that something was amiss, Elliot hurried over to see what was wrong. "What is it?"

"It's a notarized transfer of parental rights. Vivian made me Calvin's legal guardian."

Realizing that the poor kid was watching her intently, looking particularly pale and frightened, she hurried back over to him, trying not to appear too upset or concerned. "Listen, Calvin, your Mom is probably scared because of everything that's been going on lately. I don't know why she left, but I'm sure she had a good reason, and I promise that my friends and I at the police station are going to look for her every day until we find her, okay?"

Something in Olivia's voice seemed to reassure Calvin, and he felt the tightness in his chest loosen a little bit. "Okay," she said softly, still unsure.

"Meanwhile, your Mom signed these papers to make sure you have a place to stay while she's gone. You're going to sleep over at my house for a little while until we find her."

To her surprise, Calvin looked excited at that idea. "Can I see your gun?" he asked, eyeing the service weapon that she wore on her hip.

"Maybe later," Olivia said. Maybe unloading the weapon and showing Calvin how it worked would prevent an accident from happening later. Since Abbie Carmichael and Alex were the only ones that regularly had access to the apartment, she occasionally forgot to lock up her gun. That would have to change.

'Oh shit. Alex...'

"Listen, Calvin, I'm going to make a phone call. You can stay with Elliot."

"Please don't leave me!" the boy said in a rush, obviously not wanting to be abandoned twice in one day.

Olivia felt her heart go out to him and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I'll just be in the next room. I can't leave the station without passing back by my desk. Do you want to hold my purse for me until I get back?"

That seemed to calm the kid down, and so Olivia removed her cell phone and passed Calvin her purse. Mentally, she went through the items she kept in there, making sure there was nothing inappropriate or dangerous for him to find. Fortunately, the adult text messages from her lover were on her phone, so he wouldn't have access to them. Deciding that chapstick, her credit cards, her car keys, and her checkbook couldn't really do any damage with Elliot supervising, she patted Calvin's head and walked into the nearest vacant interrogation room, flipping open her phone and pressing speed dial.

Alex picked up on the third ring. "Olivia? Hi, how are you? I was hoping I'd hear from you this morning. Er, evening..."

"Alex..." Olivia tried to speak, but Alex interrupted her.

"Mani Japhet was found guilty of crimes against humanity. He's going to the Netherlands as we speak. We're just tying up a few loose ends here now-"

"Honey, please don't think your news isn't important, but I have something I need to tell you, and I'm already running on borrowed time..."

Noticing the fear and distress in her lover's voice for the first time, Alex paused, waiting with bated breath. Olivia never sounded this upset unless something really bad or unexpected had happened. "Uh, you know that case? Walter Burlock, the serial rapist?"

"Don't tell me Cragen suspended you," Alex muttered.

"Not quite," Olivia said, suddenly realizing that this entire case might have exploded in their faces if a defense attorney got wind of what was going on. "Burlock's dead, and Vivian Arliss, the daughter of one of this victims, has just disappeared."

"So you track her down," Alex said. "You've dealt with fugitives before."

"She left her ten year old son in my care."

Alex sighed. "Olivia, how many times have we been over this? I know foster care sucks, but there's not anything else you can do... There are some good people out there who want kids. You can keep an eye on his file, but you can't change the entire system."

"He's not going in to foster care," Olivia said, a little defensively. Alex instantly recognized the harshness in her detective's voice, which had dropped at least an octave. "Vivian signed a transfer of parental rights and dropped Calvin off at the station. I'm his legal guardian."

Alex gasped, and Olivia managed that she could see the attorney's free hand fly to her mouth in shock. "Christ," she breathed, groaning as the weight of Olivia's news settled over her shoulders. "Goddamn it, why do things have to be complicated? Look, take the kid back to the apartment. You're looking for his Mom?"

"Of course I am."

"Right. Poor kid." She was beginning to get over the shock, and her heart went out to the recently abandoned boy in her girlfriend's care. "You want to keep him, don't you?"

"What else can I do?"

Alex almost answered, but thought better of it. She knew that, in Olivia's mind, there were no other choices. "It's fine. Listen, I'm coming home. I was going to tell you, but your news kind of trumped mine."

Instantly, Olivia felt guilty for forcing her problems on Alex. "Honey, that's great... I'm sorry..."

"Don't apologize, you needed to talk. Do me a favor and purchase a one-way ticket back to New York. I'm coming home. Make sure to tell... Calvin... that his other temporary legal guardian is arriving tomorrow. Oh, and tell Carmichael, too. She can make me a proper meal."

Olivia felt her heart leap into her throat. "Do you mean that, Lex?"

"It's not official. I'm hoping we'll find his real mother before this gets too confusing, but yes, I'll help you play babysitter for a few weeks until we track her down."

"Alex..."

"It's okay, Liv. Everything will work out fine, I promise."

"I know this isn't..." Olivia stopped herself from saying 'fair' and replaced the word with "ideal..." but Alex knew what she was trying to say.

"He needs somebody. I'm not so heartless that I'd deny him a warm bed and some food and affection. God knows he needs it after his mother took off."

"Thank you," Olivia croaked, her voice breaking in her throat. "I love you, you big softie."

"Just don't tell anyone at the DA's office. Hey, do you think Elliot or Abbie would look after him for a couple of hours when I get home? I have some unfulfilled promises to keep for you, Detective..." Alex purred.

Despite the weary ache in her bones, despite the weight of responsibility, despite everything that was happening in her life, Olivia felt a familiar pulse of heat between her legs as she listened to Alex's seductive, hopeful words. "Definitely."

...

Chapter Seventeen:

'You sure you don't mind watching him for a little while?" Olivia asked. So far, Elliot had taken the new temporary addition to Olivia's household in stride, but the detective still felt guilty about leaving Calvin with him for an extended period of time.

Elliot grinned, clapping his partner on the shoulder. "It's not a problem. I know Cabot's flying in tonight. What are partners for if not to have each other's back while they're trying to get some?"

"You're such an ass," Olivia grumbled, fishing in her purse for her keys. Still, she couldn't find it in herself to be too angry with him. After all, Elliot was doing her a huge favor... and soon, the love of her life would be home, back in Olivia's arms where she belonged.

"You like asses... at least, you like Alex's, since that's what you stare at when she's in the room at least 30% of the time."

Olivia sighed. "That isn't true..."

The former marine laughed. "Yes it is, and the rest of your attention is divvied up between her legs, her boobs, and her face... and we have to leave at least 1% for other things in the room, like a suspect or the Captain..."

Olivia aimed a swat at Elliot's head, but purposely missed. "Shut it," she muttered before raising her voice. "Calvin? Could you come in here please?"

A little hesitantly, the ten year old entered the room with a small backpack on his shoulders. He smiled when he saw Elliot, but gave Olivia a nervous look. "Do I really have to go?" he asked, turning pleading eyes on his temporary guardian. She made him feel safe, and over the past two days, he had clung to her like a barnacle. Olivia couldn't blame the poor kid. His mother had abandoned him, and Olivia was probably the first solid presence he had felt in his young life, even though they had only met recently.

"Yeah, I have to pick up Alex from the airport."

Calvin shifted his weight from one foot to the other at the mention of Alex's name. Olivia had explained to him that Alex was her girlfriend and that they lived together, a concept he seemed to accept without too many questions. She was grateful for that small blessing, at least. She had also reassured him that Alex knew he was staying at the apartment, and was excited to meet him.

"Don't worry, buddy. You're coming right back here bright and early tomorrow morning, and Alex is gonna love you. Promise." When Calvin still seemed unsure, Olivia ruffled his hair. "Besides, all your stuff is still in the guest bedroom except for your toothbrush and your outfit for tomorrow, remember? It will all be waiting here for you when you get back." And so would Olivia.

Fortunately for Abbie, Serena had graciously offered her own bed as a substitute when Olivia explained that Calvin would be staying with her for a few weeks. The Federal prosecutor didn't seem to mind. In fact, she jumped at the chance to spend more time with Serena, and she had confided to Olivia that she was trying to negotiate for a new government job in New York City.

"Okay," Calvin said, brightening up a little.

"It'll be fine, kid," Elliot said. "I already have five children of my own. I sure as hel - uh, heck, don't have plans to keep you. Olivia would miss you too much."

"You swore," Calvin said, grinning up at Elliot.

"Did not," Elliot hedged. "Come on, kid. We have to pick up the pizza on the way home, and then we can choose a movie for you to watch."

Once Elliot had shepherded a calmer-looking Calvin out of the door, Olivia went to work. As she ran around the apartment, picking up discarded items of clothing and straightening the shelves, she tried to ignore the nervous butterflies threatening to burst out of her stomach. Her heart was tripping along at double speed, and she kept wondering whether she should dig through Alex's drawers to find some candles... cook something for dinner... she felt like a nervous girl preparing for her first at-home date, and this wasn't even technically her apartment.

She took a deep breath and tried to slow down, wandering in to the kitchen and filling the dishwasher. "Chill out, Benson... You've got a couple of hours." She was already mapping out the time in her head. Start the dishwasher, finish straightening the apartment, make sure the bedroom was spotless, cook dinner, shower, change, drive to the airport...

That was when she heard the familiar sound of Alex's magnetic key in the lock. "What the hell?" Checking the clock to make sure she wasn't hallucinating, Olivia was amazed and slightly relieved to see that it was still four in the afternoon. Alex's flight wasn't due in for another several hours. No one else had a key to the apartment but Olivia and the landlord.

The detective froze, dropping the silverware that she had been about to pile in the dishwasher and practically running out of the kitchen. She was hedging her bets that it wasn't the landlord paying a visit.

She arrived at the front door just in time to see Alex close the door behind her. Both of them held still, staring at each other, a little unsure. There was a pause. "You're supposed to be somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean right now," Olivia stammered, trying not to let her voice crack.

"I bribed a passenger on an earlier flight to switch tickets with me." With shaking hands, Alex removed her coat and hung it on the coat tree. She hadn't needed to wear one for the past several weeks, and the gesture felt unfamiliar to her. This entire situation seemed almost surreal.

"How much?"

"Enough," Alex said. "The extra few hours with you were worth it."

Olivia opened her arms and Alex took several quick steps forward, falling in to them and nuzzling the detective's neck. Both of them trembled and squeezed tighter, unwilling to let go. There were still a few flakes of snow caught in Alex's blonde hair, but Olivia buried her face in it anyway, kissing the slightly damp strands. "Welcome home, Lexi."

"God, I missed you." Olivia didn't think it was possible to be held any tighter than Alex was already squeezing her, but the former ADA managed it somehow. "I'm not going back. I'll make McCoy take me back or play housewife for a while, but there's no way in hell I'm leaving you again."

Alex loosened her embrace, but only enough to glance past Olivia's head and stare into the apartment. "Where's this Calvin I'm supposed to meet?" she asked.

"Already with Elliot."

A slow smile spread across Alex's face. There would be plenty of time to worry about new responsibilities tomorrow. Right now was about her and Olivia. "I guess that means I can do this..." Wrapping her arms around Olivia's neck, Alex pulled her in for a hungry, desperate kiss.

Olivia would have smiled as well, but her mouth was otherwise occupied. The fireworks were back, just as bright as the first time they had kissed in the front seat of Alex's car. It seemed like yesterday and years ago at the same time, even though it had really happened about six months previously. Her lungs burned with the need for air, but she kept kissing Alex for as long as possible before pulling away, making up for the loss by pulling Alex into her arms and twirling her around, holding her as close as possible. The attorney laughed when one of her heels went flying, her breath tickling Olivia's cheek. Her arms still fastened around Olivia's neck, she kicked off the other shoe as well. "Wow. Best kiss ever."

Olivia leaned in to rub her nose against Alex's. "You didn't like the other ones?" she asked, pretending to pout.

"All of them are the best as long as they're from you," Alex clarified. "There's no way to pick."

Of course, that meant Olivia had to give her another, and another...

Which meant that they ended up against one of the walls, kissing frantically as Alex started unzipping Olivia's jeans while eager hands tried to find the zipper on the attorney's skirt. In moments, it fell down to pool around her stockinged toes. "Is this okay?" Olivia murmured softly, stroking the flesh of Alex's bare hips. She knew that Alex wanted her as much as she wanted Alex, but after their long separation, she wasn't sure what to expect... what if her girlfriend wanted a few minutes to recover? A shower or a nap...

"We've had this conversation before, Liv," Alex purred, grabbing Olivia's hand and guiding it to her breast. She sighed and rested her forehead against Olivia's shoulder as the detective started to knead her gently. "This," she gave the hand covering her breast an extra squeeze, "and this," she dragged Olivia's fingers beneath the elastic of her underwear, "belong to you." The detective gasped as her hand was flooded with heat. "You haven't forgotten, have you? You never have to ask... You can have me however you want..." Kiss. "whenever you want..." A tug of Olivia's lower lip. "No permission needed..." Kiss. "I'm yours."

...

Chapter Eighteen:

Although she was reluctant to release the intimate grip she had on her lover, Olivia knew that if they wanted to avoid ruining the carpet, they needed to get to a bedroom - fast. Using the muscles in her shoulders and the support of the wall, she coaxed Alex's legs to wrap around her waist. "Hold on tight, sweetheart," she murmured, pressing a kiss to Alex's temple. Obediently, the prosecutor looped her arms around Olivia's neck and allowed herself to be carried. Maybe from the outside, it looked a little like a scene from a bad romance novel, but in the heat of the moment, it felt incredibly romantic. She didn't even mind that her skirt was crumpled in a pile by the wall.

As Olivia steered them to the bedroom, Alex occupied herself by kissing the column of her detective's throat, enjoying the soft gasps and low groans that her lips and teeth elicited. "Stop that. I'll drop you," Olivia warned her as she carried Alex down the hall, giving her behind a friendly squeeze.

Alex trusted her lover not to let go. "Better hurry up, then..."

Olivia wasn't about to argue. She quickened her pace and hurried through the bedroom door, gently depositing Alex on the king-sized mattress and smiling down at her. "You know, as much as I like surprising you by the door, in the kitchen, or anywhere else... my favorite place to make love to you is in our bed..." Olivia confessed, climbing on top of Alex and cradling the lawyer's face in her hands.

"It feels like home," Alex agreed, her face flushing slightly. "You're my home, Liv." Olivia gazed down into soft blue eyes and dipped her head for a kiss, but Alex surprised her, tangling her legs with the detective's and flipping them over in one smooth motion. She braced her elbows on either side of Olivia's shoulders, lips curling in a predatory smirk. "Ah ah ah... Carrying me to the bedroom like the heroine of a Harlequin was very butch of you, but right now, you're on my time."

Part of Olivia wanted to object, but the hunger and need in Alex's expression made the words evaporate in her throat. Spreading her arms out to the side in a submissive gesture, she decided to let the blonde have her way. "I'm all yours, beautiful."

Alex made quick work of Olivia's clothes, pulling her sweater up and over her head with a little help and hurrying to unfasten the clasp of her bra. When Olivia's torso expanded with a deep breath and her breasts fell free, Alex eagerly cupped them in her hands, purring with delight as the tips hardened against the center of her palms. "So gorgeous," she hummed, trailing a hot line of kisses down Olivia's clavicle and kneading the warm flesh in her hands. It took every ounce of willpower that Olivia possessed to submit to her girlfriend's touches without returning the favor, but somehow, she managed to stay still. Even when Alex's lips surrounded a puckered nipple and swirled around the red, irritated point with her tongue, Olivia forced herself to lie back and enjoy the pleasurable sensations instead of reciprocating.

Fortunately, Alex was too worked up to tease her for long. After lavishing attention on both breasts, she rushed to unbutton Olivia's pants, needing to feel and taste and claim. Olivia helped by lifting her hips, allowing Alex to pull off her jeans and underwear and toss them somewhere beside the bed, leaving her completely naked. However, she couldn't help making one request. "Lex, please let me feel your skin," she begged, plucking at Alex's blouse with shaking hands.

The lawyer sat up on her knees, straddling Olivia's hips and reaching for the hem of her shirt, only bothering to undo the minimum number of buttons as she pulled it off and threw it aside. She removed her stockings and underwear as well before settling back in to place. The detective groaned as she felt Alex's wetness paint her abdomen, sliding against her skin. Obviously, the attorney was just as excited as she was. Despite Alex's request, Olivia was unable to stop herself from reaching a hand between her lover's thighs. Alex gasped, tipping her head back and rolling her hips slightly as Olivia's fingers grazed through her folds. "You're so wet," Olivia whispered in awe, circling Alex's opening and preparing to slip inside of her lover for the first time in far too long.

Alex covered Olivia's hand with her own, giving it a reassuring squeeze before moving it away and closing her fingers around the bedsheets. "No, not yet... soon, I promise. I need to do something first..."

"Hmm?" the brunette mumbled, her head fuzzy with need. Her eyes widened and she regained some focus as Alex began kissing and nipping a trail down her stomach, pausing to nuzzle a protruding hipbone. Olivia's thighs parted automatically, making space for Alex to crawl between them as a warm tongue circled her navel.

Normally, Alex liked to draw it out, liked to make Olivia writhe and arch on the bed until she was absolutely aching for it, but she just didn't have the patience this time. "I've needed to taste you for weeks," she said, her voice breaking as she lowered her face between Olivia's trembling thighs. "This was what I imagined on lonely nights when you weren't there to satisfy me..."

"Alex," Olivia gasped, one hand still clutching the bedsheets as the fingers of the other hand threaded through Alex's soft hair. She lifted her hips, tilting them up impatiently and seeking Alex's tongue. "I need you..."

Even with Olivia begging and pleading for her, Alex couldn't resist pausing briefly to relish the moment. It wasn't too long, though, before she was consumed by her own desires. "What do you need from me, lover?" she asked, drawing Olivia's legs even further apart, spreading them as wide as they would go, revealing everything.

Olivia moaned as Alex grabbed her hipbones, holding her down, refusing to let her move closer. The prosecutor was content to take her sweet time, blowing a cool stream of air directly over Olivia's wetness. "You, just you. Your mouth on me. Please."

Finally delivering on all of the whispered promises they had shared on the phone, all of the longing e-mails and texts, all of the lonely dreams, Alex dipped her head and dragged her tongue deep through Olivia's folds. She kept it slow, wanting to make Olivia burn for her, but Alex knew that she probably wasn't going to last. They had been apart for too long.

"Yes..." Olivia grasped at stray wisps of Alex's hair and pulled her closer, almost frantic with need.

No other lover had ever been as passionate or attentive as Alex while pleasing her, and none of them had made such a show of going down on her. But the real reason that Alex was so good at what she did was her own obvious arousal - she needed to taste Olivia just as much as Olivia needed to be tasted, and that kind of enthusiasm just couldn't be faked. God, she had missed this. Her pelvis gave a sharp, unsteady twitch as Alex's hand joined her mouth, slipping inside of her with curling fingertips and scraping against the sensitive place inside of her that always made Olivia's moans a little sweeter.

Breathing raggedly, Olivia shuddered as Alex's lips wrapped around her. Kissing, flicking, sucking. All of her mouth's attention was on the hard little bud of nerves, but her fingers were coaxing a symphony of helpless sounds from her throat. A particularly violent lash of Alex's tongue made her scream, while a long, slow suckle and swirl drew a low growl of approval. The persistent pads of Alex's fingers, which were still pressing inside of her, tugged loose a soft whimper.

"Aah-lexsss," Olivia hissed when the attorney grazed gently with her teeth, shuddering as another pulse of wetness and heat covered Alex's hand. The attorney was too involved in what she was doing to pull away, but a soft squeeze of Olivia's knee with her free left hand let the detective know that everything was okay, she was really here, and it was safe to let go. Olivia was so overwhelmed by the orgasm crashing down over her poor, straining body that she didn't even notice the tears leaking from her eyes. If Alex sensed them, she didn't let it slow her down. She only glanced up for a moment, briefly locking eyes with Olivia and licking red, shining lips before diving back in. She wasn't done yet, and God help Olivia if she tried to stop her before she was finished.

Olivia was helpless to do anything but lie back and enjoy the ride. She knew better than to try and resist Alex when she was in this sort of mood. Normally, Olivia was the more aggressive one in bed - the wielder of the strap-on, the confident top, the passionate lover... but sometimes, a primitive part of Alex's brain clicked on, and Olivia found herself pinned to the nearest available surface, her legs spread and a warm tongue buried deep inside of her.

Before she had even recovered from her first release, Olivia was hurtling into a second... and a third... She couldn't tell where one orgasm ended and another began. They rushed at her in a shuddering, pulsing wave, and she couldn't make sense of anything that was happening except that she was with Alex, her Alex, and it felt absolutely magical.

Finally, when the incoherent sounds spilling from Olivia's lips started to change to soft groans of discomfort, Alex pulled away. Her jaw ached, and she knew Olivia couldn't take any more, but part of her didn't want to stop. She laughed softly to herself as she sat back on her heels and took in the sweaty, trembling mess that had once been Olivia, rubbing the detective's upper thighs in a gesture of comfort.

"I'm dead," Olivia groaned, her voice hoarse. She had apparently melted into a warm puddle and was incapable of moving, and she was sure she had blacked out for a few seconds.

"Don't worry, lover," Alex purred, stalking back up Olivia's body and pressing a kiss to her dry, parted lips. Olivia moaned softly as she tasted herself on Alex's mouth. "I know CPR."

...

Chapter Nineteen:

It took a minute or two for Olivia to recover from Alex's thorough ravishing, but once she caught her breath, the detective wasted no time in flipping her lover over and capturing her lips in a passionate kiss.

"Hi there," Alex purred once Olivia was forced to stop for air. "Welcome to the party."

"Oh, I was already here before." Olivia kissed her way along the line of Alex's jaw and sucked at a sensitive portion of her slender, pale throat. "You made sure of that." Suddenly, Alex was grateful that they were lying down. She had a feeling that if they had been standing up, both of them would have fallen onto the floor.

Alex slid her hands around the back of Olivia's neck, urging her back up for another hot, wet kiss, begging for entrance with her tongue. Olivia didn't grant it right away, making her work for it, and quickly took control. "No you don't," she whispered against Alex's lips, which still tasted like her, warm and sweet and just a little salty. "You had your turn. Now, it's mine." Olivia worked her hands in between their bodies, skimming the sides of Alex's breasts as she kissed the attorney's chin. The blonde groaned when one of Olivia's thighs pressed insistently between hers, rubbing teasingly through her heat. Olivia let out a low growl as she felt wetness paint her skin. She knew that Alex was just as excited, just as desperate for this as she was. Her lover might have had the upper hand at first, but things were about to change.

"Oh, Liv..." Alex cried out as her pelvis jerked forward, searching for more contact. Smiling with satisfaction, Olivia began a slow grind, making sure that Alex's entire body shuddered with each press of her hips, letting the pressure build. But the feel of Alex moving beneath her wasn't enough. Olivia needed to taste her, too.

When the attorney's head fell backwards onto the pillow, Olivia began a new assault on her neck, biting down sharply and relishing the hiss that escaped through Alex's gritted teeth. Part of Olivia knew that her lover was close, uncomfortably close, but she strained to make it last a little longer. Of course, she didn't have to stop at one orgasm, either... Alex certainly hadn't shown any restraint with her earlier.

"Please, baby... your hand. I need you inside me. Please. God, Olivia..."

Giving in, the detective abandoned one of Alex's breasts and caressed the attorney's pale abdomen, causing gooseflesh to break out over her skin. Olivia pulled back slightly, gazing down at the delicious sight before her, taking it all in. "God, you're beautiful, Lexi..."

"Don't tease me," she pleaded, grabbing Olivia's hand and trying to force it between her legs.

"Oh, I won't tease..." Olivia whispered, pressing her lips against Alex's in a series of quick kisses as her fingertips grazed through a neatly trimmed triangle of damp curls. "But I do intend to... thoroughly... please you..."

Alex leaned back against the pillow, her blue eyes darker than usual, swirling with lust and need, knowing that Olivia wouldn't give her what she wanted until she was absolutely dying for it. All that Alex could do to encourage her was look as irresistible as possible. Catching her bottom lip between her teeth, she spread her legs wide, revealing everything, inviting Olivia to take her. Unable to resist that lovely picture, Olivia slid two fingers home, letting her thumb settle in to place as she curled forwards, scraping Alex's inner walls. The attorney's entire body jerked and shuddered at the welcome intrusion, seizing up tight before relaxing into a warm puddle. "Love you," she gasped out with her last remaining breath.

"I love you, too, sweetie." Olivia began an insistent tempo, drawing her fingers out with swiftness and surety before driving back in. She was going to show Alex no more mercy than the attorney had shown her - none whatsoever.

"Don't think I can last," Alex panted.

"It's okay," Olivia said with another thrust and curl inside. She adored the way that Alex's tight inner walls clutched at her, unwilling to release her fingers. "I'm not gonna stop when you come."

That simple statement drew another appreciative burst of wetness from deep inside of Alex, and her eyelashes lowered to brush her cheeks, lips parting in a silent gasp of pleasure. No one but Olivia had ever been able to make her feel so much...

Wanting to drive Alex even crazier, Olivia dipped her head and took the straining tip of a breast between her lips, swirling her tongue around it as her fingers made an answering swirl around Alex's sensitized entrance. The lawyer arched her upper body off of the bed, trying to push herself further into Olivia's mouth as her hips drove down against her lover's coaxing fingers.

"Deeper..." All of her patience and restraint gone, Alex wrapped her long legs around Olivia's hips, groaning when the brunette responded by settling into a faster, rougher tempo.

"Mine." Olivia abandoned her nipple to place a strategic nip against the pulse point in Alex's throat. "All mine." Alex whimpered in agreement, desperately squeezing Olivia's shoulder with one hand and clutching at the bedsheets with the other.

When Olivia's perfectly positioned thumb scraped over her straining, sensitized tip, Alex's eyes snapped open and all of her muscles shuddered. She flew over the edge and hung, suspended, in space before falling, landing safely in Olivia's arms as tears leaked from the corners of her eyes.

"Don't cry," Olivia murmured, kissing Alex's salty cheeks before landing on her lips again, never stopping the motion of her hand. "I've got you." As soon as her first orgasm began to slow down, Alex started rising towards another, which threatened to eclipse the first and completely overwhelm her. Olivia sensed it as well. She could hear it in the short, sharp pants escaping from Alex's lips, and she could see it in the tension gathered in the blonde's forehead. Olivia dropped another kiss there as well, nuzzling the side of Alex's face. "I've got you, love," she repeated.

It was all too much. Olivia's breathy reassurances, her comforting weight, the two fingers slipping hungrily in and out of her, the teasing thumb that tortured her with its steady, harsh rolls and flicks. Alex opened her mouth to scream, but the only sound that came out was a choked sob as she released everything she had been holding back - all of her loneliness and fear and worries, all of her love and passion. She gave everything she had, all of herself, the good and the bad, and Olivia accepted it, whispering nonsense words in her ear and kissing her as she floated back down to earth.

Alex's lower body was numb. It tingled with a strange buzzing sensation that did not differentiate completely between pleasure and pain. She was grateful when Olivia's fingers stopped moving, simply allowing her aftershocks to ripple around her hand, but she was also pleased that her lover didn't pull away completely. She needed the contact for a little while longer.

"Hold me," Alex said, not a demand, but a gentle request.

Olivia did so without question, folding her free arm around Alex and pulling her as close as possible. She smiled softly as she felt Alex's face buried in her shoulder, breathing against her skin. Truthfully, she needed to hold Alex, too. Their bodies had missed this. Not just the physical release, but also the closeness, the tenderness, the intimacy.

"I missed you so much..."

"Me too. I won't leave again. I promise."

In some ways, this separation had been harder on Olivia than any of their previous ones. Alex's time in Witness Protection had been terrible, of course. During those long, gray years, Olivia hadn't been able to contact Alex at all, but they hadn't been in a relationship back then, and the detective could at least try to put the missing lawyer out of her thoughts. But when Alex had gone to Africa, Olivia was forced to deal with the knowledge that it was Alex's choice to leave - not a necessity. They had confessed their feelings, begun a relationship, made love... and Alex still chose to fly half way around the world.

But.

But she had come back again.

It seemed that no matter what tests life threw at them, no matter how often fate tried to tear them apart, Alex always came back. Back to her. And Olivia was grateful.

"I won't let you leave again."

"Promise?"

Olivia paused for a moment, deep in thought. Finally, she spoke against the soft strands of Alex's hair. "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God."

"Ruth..." The detective could feel Alex's lips curl into a smile against the place where the line of her neck ran into her shoulder. Alex wasn't the most devout Catholic in the city - she certainly didn't attend Mass regularly like Elliot Stabler or Casey Novak - but she recognized the verse. "I didn't know you could quote Scripture."

"Only the good parts. I guess I'm just full of surprises."

Alex sighed as Olivia's fingers stirred inside of her again, gently withdrawing as the detective brought them up to draw a wet circle around the point of her hip. Alex shivered, laughing softly at the strange sensation, and lifted her head to give Olivia another short kiss. "Since you're so interesting, I guess that means I have to keep you."

"Keep me?" Olivia said, nibbling on Alex's full lower lip, "you'll never be able to get rid of me now!"

The blonde laughed, but the sound trailed off into a soft whimper as the motion caused slick, sensitized tissue to slide against Olivia's stomach. Encouraged by the subtle rocking motion that Alex had begun, purposely or not, Olivia began kissing her way down Alex's upper chest, pausing to suck each of her nipples for a few moments before continuing lower.

A few months ago, Alex would have stopped her or made some excuse, protesting that Olivia didn't need to do that for her, especially after the pleasure she had already received, but she had learned not to argue. Besides, Olivia had shown her that it could feel absolutely amazing. With that in mind, she only made one soft request as Olivia's hands parted her knees. "Be gentle with your mouth, sweetheart... I'm still a little- Aah" Her voice trailed off as Olivia scattered feather-light kisses over her inner thighs.

Reassured that the third time around would be softer, Alex stretched her arms over her head luxuriously and rolled her shoulders, sinking deeper into the mattress. 'Mmhmm,' she managed to think to herself before Olivia's tongue became a distraction, relearning every inch of her, 'definitely good to be home...'

...

Chapter Twenty:

Neither of them slept for more than a few hours at a time. One always woke up wrapped in a tangle of warm limbs; bed sheets twisted about their legs or - once - on the floor, and coaxed the other out of a dreamless sleep, wanting to make love again.

The first few times had been simple, but shattering in their intensity. They let all of their emotions pour out through touch, and only after their bodies had relearned each other did they introduce props. A stretched scarf still hung from one of the bedposts, and Alex's skin smelled like warm, slightly spicy massage oil. The latest 'prop' was wearable, and Alex was currently giving it, and Olivia, her undivided attention.

"Oh God..." As Olivia's voice filtered down to where Alex's lips and fingers were hard at work, the attorney realized with smug satisfaction that even though Olivia was wearing temporary masculine parts, she could still coax high-pitched, feminine whimpers from the detective. She might have been tempted to make a quip if her mouth hadn't already been full, but Olivia was too far-gone to notice and appreciate it anyway.

It always amazed Alex just how much Olivia seemed to like this, even though she never asked for it, never admitted it, never spoke of it. It was just something that Alex knew and was more than happy to give. Besides, she would be lying if she said that she didn't derive satisfaction from it as well. She was sure that Huang would have a field day with the patriarchal and sexual connotations, but she didn't care.

She had done this for men in the past with regularity and a certain degree of skill, but she never enjoyed it. Usually, it was a way to avoid penetrative sex, which she enjoyed even less. Everything was different with Olivia. Making love was something to be enjoyed, not simply endured. And there was no doubt, Alex thought as she glanced up and fluttered her eyelashes in the way she knew drove Olivia crazy, that her lover certainly enjoyed it as well.

When Alex dipped her head, taking more of the shaft into her warm mouth, she felt Olivia's hips surge upwards even as the detective's thighs tightened, trying to control her body's reaction. Fingers wove through Alex's hair in a possessive gesture. Coming from anyone else, it would have annoyed her, but since this was Olivia, something about it felt highly erotic. The prosecutor squeezed her legs together, pushing down a wave of desire. Right now, Olivia's need was far greater.

"Honey," she panted, a plea as much as an endearment. Olivia loosened her tight grip on Alex's mussed blonde hair in an effort to be gentle.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Alex drew her lips and tongue up the length of the toy, pausing on her journey up to kiss the tip as her fingers continued gliding through as much of Olivia's wetness as she could reach. "You have a decision to make, baby," Alex purred once her jaw was free. "You're close. I can feel how close you are... so, do you want to come in my mouth, or inside me?"

Those words brought back memories of forty five minutes earlier, when Olivia had guided Alex onto her hands and knees and...

Olivia groaned, her eyes closing and her head tilting back. Then, she realized that she was missing the show and forced them open again. "Alex..."

But Alex's mouth was sliding back over her, making it impossible to finish her thought. The attorney didn't continue for long, however. She wasn't done talking. "Did you decide yet?"

"Hmm... wha'?" Olivia stammered.

"My mouth... or...?"

The possibility was enough to coat Alex's fingers with fresh warmth and heat. She knew that Olivia wouldn't last long enough for the second, unspoken option and so she went with the first, humming contentedly as she wrapped her lips around the silicone shaft and sped up the motion of her hand.

The words, visual stimulation, the vibrations, Alex's fingers - Olivia wasn't sure which of them finally pushed her over the edge, but it was powerful. She let out a deep, throaty moan of satisfaction as the contractions started. It seemed like she could feel everything. Lips, fingers, all of it. So good she almost couldn't stand it. But being with Alex in any way always made her feel like that. Being in love probably had something to do with it.

As soon as Olivia's aftershocks weakened to soft flutters, Alex climbed back onto the bed, stretching out her slightly sore knees and straddling Olivia's hips, dragging her folds along the length of the toy that had recently been in her mouth. The detective laughed at her insatiable lover and gripped Alex's hips, stroking soft, slightly damp skin with her thumb. "Good girl," she teased, reaching around behind to give two firm cheeks a friendly squeeze. "Now go make me a sandwich."

"Not funny. Go make it yourself." Her eyes glinted evilly as she adjusted the angle of her pelvis, allowing the head of the toy to swirl around her entrance and slowly lowering herself down, teasing Olivia with the pressure. "Besides, if I go make you a sandwich, I would have to stop doing this..."

"I was kidding! Kidding-"

Before Alex could make Olivia beg for mercy, the ringing of a cell phone interrupted them. "I've realized what I'm going to do with my inheritance," Alex said, refusing to move. The phone continued ringing in the other room.

"What?" Olivia asked. "Buy me a sandwich?"

Alex wisely chose to ignore that statement. "I'm going to pay someone to invent a time machine for me, go back in time, and assassinate the inventor of the cell phone."

"Are you sure you'll be able to find a Delorean and a Flux Capacitor, doc?"

"Less movie references, more sex," Alex said, gripping Olivia's shoulders as the phone went to voicemail. Unfortunately, the caller would not be put off, and the phone started ringing again. Alex rolled her eyes, blowing hair off of her forehead with an irritated puff of air. "Damn it..."

Reluctantly, she dismounted from her enjoyable perch, flinching a little at the sudden, unwelcome withdrawal, and began limping towards the door. Olivia burst out in unrestrained laughter, and Alex turned to glare at her. "What?"

"I just realized I fucked you until you couldn't walk straight," Olivia said between giggles. "It's official, I'm a stud."

"You are never getting that sandwich," Alex muttered as she walked out of the room, giving Olivia a nice parting view of her retreating form.

The caller was trying Olivia's cell a third time when Alex finally got to it. "Cabot," she snapped, not checking the caller ID. Then she remembered that this wasn't her phone. "Olivia Benson's cell," she added, hastily correcting her error.

"This is your three minute warning," Elliot Stabler said, unable to hide the laughter in his voice. "In three minutes, a ten year old and I are going to invade your apartment, and there had better not be any incriminating evidence."

Alex felt her cheeks grow hot. "Three minutes? Why didn't you call sooner?"

"I did! You didn't answer the phone."

"I meant, like, half an hour sooner..."

"Because I wanted to piss you off."

"You succeeded. We are now in a fight," Alex said. "And I'm going to hang up on you so that I don't completely scar a ten year old for life."

"And a middle-aged police detective," Elliot added.

"Oh, please. You wish we would decide to 'scar' you." Hanging up in order to have the last word, Alex hurried over to the entryway and grabbed her skirt, glancing around for any other missing items of clothing. "Olivia!" she hollered into the bedroom, "get cleaned up! You have three minutes!"

...

Six minutes later, Alex was simultaneously running a comb through her wet hair, looking for a bra, and trying to make the master bed. Unfortunately, there was no time to change the sheets. At least there was a window, which Alex wasted no time in opening. Olivia was still in the shower, leaving Alex to fend for herself.

The attorney had just raised her slipper in triumph when there was a crisp knock on the door. Realizing there was no time for the bra, Alex grabbed a tank top instead and shrugged it on. "Liv! Hurry up!" she shouted, hopping on one foot as she put on the missing slipper and jogging out of the bedroom

At least this way, Alex mused as she threw open the front door, she had no time to be nervous about meeting her new... whatever Calvin was. Temporary foster charge sounded too unpleasant. She really wanted him to like her. Aside from that, she tried not to think about what being responsible for a ten year old would be like. It was too confusing.

"Hello there, Cabot," Elliot said, smiling smugly as he peered over Alex's shoulder, trying to spot Olivia. When it became clear that she was still hiding in the back, he settled his gaze on Alex instead.

"Eyes up, Stabler," Alex warned him with a low growl, even though he hadn't been doing anything particularly objectionable.

"Forget your concealer?" he asked.

"You as- ummm..." For the first time, Alex remembered that Elliot Stabler was not their only visitor. Looking down, she gave the dark-haired boy hanging a few paces back a nervous but genuine smile. "You must be Calvin," she said, stepping back to allow both of the boys to enter the apartment.

"Hi," he said, shifting from foot to foot, a little unsure of himself.

Although most of her former colleagues at the DA's office thought of her as cold, Alex had a good deal of experience with children, especially frightened or shy ones. It came with the territory. She bent down, resting her elbow on her knee and giving Calvin a bigger smile. "Hi. I'm Alex. Olivia's already told me what an awesome kid you are, so I think we're gonna get along great."

With Alex down on his level, Calvin took the opportunity to study her face. Then, strangely, he examined the inside of her elbows. Alex was a little surprised, and then sad when she realized that he was actually checking for track marks. However, she carefully disguised her reaction, not wanting to do anything that might upset Calvin. When Calvin offered her a smile in return, she considered the initial greeting a success. "Hey, do you want to pick what we eat for lunch?"

"Can we have grilled cheese and tomato soup?"

Alex raised her eyebrows, but nodded. That was usually a sick-in-bed type of food as far as she was concerned, but if Calvin wanted grilled cheese, she would make him grilled cheese. "Sure. Elliot, you're welcome to stay for lunch as well."

"I think I will, if only to watch you and Olivia squirm," said the detective, closing the door as Alex stood up and headed for the kitchen.

"C'mon, guys. I'm starving."

"I'm sure you are..."

"Alex?" Calvin asked, testing out the name, "can I ask you a question, or will you get mad?"

"Yes, you may. Questions are good," Alex said. "I won't get mad."

"What happened to your neck?"

Elliot clapped a hand over his mouth, but was unable to hold in a sharp bark of laughter. Alex, however, kept her cool. "It's called a subdermal hematoma," she said, artfully dodging the question. "They show up when blood goes outside of your blood vessels. The bruises will fade in a few days."

"Did you get them in a freak vacuum cleaner accident?" Elliot asked as they entered the kitchen and Alex began digging in the fridge, looking for supplies.

When she came back out with the tub of margarine, she brandished it threateningly at Elliot's head. "Don't make me hurt you, Stabler," she said, sticking out her tongue to let Calvin know that she was joking. Olivia hadn't filled her in on his past, and she didn't know if he had ever been physically abused or just neglected, but she didn't want him to think that she would ever be physically violent. Setting the tub of margarine on the countertop, she ducked back into the fridge, hoping that the built-in bra of her tank top would be enough to cover any reaction she had to the cold. "Calvin, would you like American cheese or Swiss?"

"He likes American, but I want Swiss," a low, familiar feminine voice purred as hands wrapped around Alex's waist from behind and a warm nose nuzzled the crook of her neck.

"I already know what you like," Alex said, relaxing back into Olivia's arms for a moment before pulling away, coming out with one type of cheese in each hand. "Elliot?"

"American," he said, winking at Olivia as Alex tried to pry her hands off.

"Stop that. Do you want me to make you a sandwich or not?"

That did the trick, and Olivia started laughing too hard to keep hold of her lover. "I knew I'd get you to make me a sandwich!"

Alex narrowed her eyes and pointed a threatening index finger at Stabler, holding the cheese with the rest of her hand. "I blame you for this."

Elliot held up his hands. "Me? What did I do?"

"Taught Olivia how to be a jerk. As of right now, both of you are in the doghouse, so Calvin gets his grilled cheese first."

Calvin, meanwhile, was practically radiating with hero worship as he looked at Olivia. "Olivia! I missed you," he said, stepping forwards to get his own hug, which Olivia gave willingly.

"Hey, champ. I missed you, too." The sight of Olivia embracing the boy warmed Alex's heart, and she paused to watch instead of reaching for the frying pan. "Don't worry. Alex and I have decided to keep you around from now on instead of dumping you on Elliot. Were you good for him yesterday?"

"He was," Elliot said. "He only blew up the house twice."

"How can you blow up something twice?" Olivia asked.

Her partner waggled his eyebrows "Ask Cabot."

Alex sighed. She had a feeling that Elliot Stabler was only getting started.

TBC

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