Olivia's wish had unexpectedly come true. She was standing right in front of her, alive, wearing the scarf she had bought her only last month.

    "I am so sorry about all of this." Alex said. Olivia fought to keep herself from sweeping her up in her arms.

    "Your funeral is tomorrow." She said, at a loss for words. DEA Agent Hammond's following words almost broke her. She unconsciously took a step forward her voice almost breaking as she asked the question whose answer she greatly feared. It was times like this that Alex showed how strong she was though Olivia could see how much it took for Alex to not run to her and sob. Suddenly, Alex was turning away. A rush of thoughts came to Olivia with her panic. This was the last time she was going to see her. She wanted to hold her, to kiss her, to smell the soft fresh scent of her blonde hair all at once but with no time for any of them. She moved forward and stopped, bewildered by how short her wish had lasted. Then, with one final sorrowful look from Alex, they drove away and she was gone.


    "Alex!" Olivia woke with a start and reached up and hit the snooze button on her alarm clock before she breathed again. She had wished for just five more minutes with Alex and that was what she got. Her only comforts to this occasional nightmare was that Alex was out there, somewhere, alive, and Olivia had seen her again. A handful of days they both had treasured, despite Alex's revelation of having found someone to hold her the way Olivia did. It had hurt, still did, when she thought about Alex's slender frame in someone else's arms but Olivia knew Alex needed someone to reach out to in her lonely existence. She knew that Alexandra Cabot would always be hers.

    The alarm went off again and Olivia pulled herself from the bed and started getting ready for work. She grabbed her gun from the dresser when there was a knock at the door. She holstered the pistol as she walked across the living room to the door. Olivia's stomach clenched so fast and tight she almost cried out when she looked through the peephole. She was afraid to breathe as she fumbled with the chain and deadbolt to open the door. On the other side of the threshold stood an angry looking, tall, balding, man in a suit and trench coat.

    "Pack your bags."

---

Late That Previous Evening

    Alex woke up with her entire body screaming in protest. Through one half-open eyelid she saw the white walls of a hospital room and the sleeping form of her boyfriend in a chair next to her bed. Outside the open door sat a Rio Rancho uniformed Officer reading a copy of the Albuquerque Journal. Both men jumped when Alex groaned, having stubbornly tried to sit up.

    “Hey, how are you? Are you okay? Of course you’re not okay. Do you want the doctor? I’ll go get the doctor.”

    “Jeff…”

    “What?” He asked and then fell silent.

    “What happened?” Jeff frowned. He explained that he had stopped by her house to check on her after she had promised to call when she got home from dinner, never did, and didn’t answer the phone when he called. He had found the door slightly open and Alex lying beaten and unconscious on the floor of the foyer. There was more, she could tell, but Jeff couldn’t bring himself to say the word “raped”.

    As he answered her question, Alex’s own memories came flooding to her. The porch light had burnt out, or so she had thought. He had come at her from the bushes on the right of the door when she had unlocked the deadbolt, his fist sending her head into the door frame before he threw her inside. He pummeled her until she stopped fighting then pushed her skirt up, pulled her underwear aside, and penetrated her.

    Alex closed her eyes, trying to bring herself back to her hospital room. When she opened them, she saw Jeff looking at her with deep concern. She cared for him but his wasn’t the face she wanted to see when she opened her eyes.

    There was a knock at the door. ‘SVU Detectives’, Alex thought and made up her mind then and there to, request, that her case be worked by only on detective. She didn‘t feel safe here anymore anyway. “Come in Detectives.” She said before either could introduce themselves.

    “I’m Detective Rhodes; this is my partner, Detective Ortiz.” The first man said awkwardly, caught off guard by being pegged so quickly. “Ms. Sidle, we’d like to ask you some questions about what happened to you.”

    “No”

    “Excuse me?” All three men in the room looked very confused.

    “I’d be more than happy to provide a written statement but there is only one detective I want working my case. I can give you the number to set it up.”

    “Andrea?” Jeff looked at her questioningly.

    “I’ll explain later.”

---

That Afternoon

    The detectives were back again, trying to get Alex to answer their questions. ‘Probably being hounded by their ADA for info’ she thought, with less then half a smile. They were following her around the hospital hallways. Her doctor wanted her to get up and move the muscles that had been abused during her attack. The detectives’ nagging was getting on Alex’s last nerve. She finally stopped and turned to face them.

    “Look, you can’t make a case without a complaining witness and..”

    “Alex!” Alex froze and looked to see Olivia running towards her. “Liv.” She said with a sigh of relief. Olivia slowed and grasped Alex’s arm gently, taking in the bruises that swelled her face and the cut that added dark red to purple. The picture Hammond had given her of Alex with brown hair forgotten. She’d know her Alex anywhere.

    “Alex, what happened?!” Fear and anger shone in her eyes as she spoke, as well as her love.

    “I’m sorry, who the hell are you? And her name is Andrea!” Said Jeff protectively, looking perplexed.

    “We’d like to know the answer to that question as well.” Said Ortiz.

    Olivia stepped back and faced the three men, pulling her shield from her belt. “Detective Benson, Manhattan SVU.”

    “Manhattan? As in New York? This is your detective? You do know that she has no jurisdiction..” Ortiz was saying when Olivia cut him off.

    “Agent Hammond of the DEA worked out my taking over Alex’s case with your captain this morning.” She handed him the paperwork. “One of you will stay on as back up.” Ortiz indicated he would take it. Rhodes then left.

    Still standing next to Alex, confused and getting annoyed, Jeff turned the woman he though he knew towards him. “Andy, what the hell is going on?!”

    “Alex looked at Liv, who nodded that it was no longer necessary to lie to him and added if they talk , I’ll kill them myself.”

    Taking a deep breath, or as much as she could of one with two cracked ribs, Alex held Jeff’s gaze. “My name isn’t Andrea.” She began. “It’s Alexandra. I used to be an ADA for the city of New York.” She left the rest unsaid. She lived in Rio Rancho after all and she never was exactly forthcoming with her past.

    Olivia wasn’t surprised by how fast Jeff pulled away from Alex when he realized what she was saying but she wanted to hit him for it. As happy as she was to be with Alex again, this man had been the one to take her place and now put pain in her lover’s eyes.

    “Okay, Jeff, what say you and I take a walk and let Detective Benson finally start work to the case?” Ortiz piped up and led Jeff away, only for the man to call twice and never be heard from again. “I’ll be back in a few.” He nodded to Liv.

    “Come on, let’s get you some place where you can rest a little.” Olivia said and Alex led her to her room. As soon as the door was closed, she was in her arms releasing all that she had kept so guarded the past few hours and then some, soaking and stretching Liv’s shirt as she clung to the burgundy fabric for dear life. “Sshh. I’m here Sweetie.”

    After a time, Alex quieted and pulled away to sit on her bed. “Okay.” She breathed. “Now let’s get this guy.”

---

Three Days Later

    Olivia and Alex were sitting in Alex's living room, the warm early fall sun filtering in through the window behind the couch. Olivia and Ortiz wre updating Alex on the case.

    "So far we've linked your guy to two oter rapes in the area. He seem's to be targetting blue-eyed brunettes." Ortiz explained. "As soon as we can find him the DNA will hang him."

    "Wait, you're telling me that this dye job that was supposed to help keep me from being a target did just the opposite?" Alex asked incredulously, before getting up to pace the room.

    Olivia got up after her. "Alex."

    She stopped pacing." Where does it end, Liv? Where?" Alex rubbed her face with hr hands, something she did whenever she was frustrated and feeling helpless. "I'm tired of being hurt and I'm tired of being afraid." She started rambling as she resumed her pacing. "Zapata, Velez, Conners, and now this guy? Why won't it stop?" Liv stood there listening to Alex list off the names of the men who've destroyed her life, time and again, feeling helpless herself; helpless that she couldn't protect her form them. "Why won't it stop?" It was barely spoken. Alex was crying now. She held her, kissing her head as she stroked her hair.

    "I don't know baby. If I could make it stop and make it all go away I would." Liv's voice trembled despite her best efforts. Her hands moved to cup the slightly taller woman's face. Tears fell unchecked as Liv looked into Alex's deep bright blue eyes. "What I do know is that it won't stop if we don't keep fighting. Okay? We can't give up. Don't give up on me Lexi. Okay? Alex moved into Olivia and they held each other again. "Stay with me."

    "Hey Benson!" Ortiz's voice came from the kitchen.

    "What is it?" Olivia asked when she and Alex entered the room.

    "I thought that it was a good idea to get myself a drink of water when you, uh, anyway, that was next to the sink." He said, handing her a foam coffee cup. It's distinguishing logo of a comet arching over a double-bladed battle axe on its side.

    "Comaxe Coffee." Alex said. "I stopped for coffee there a couple of times last week."

    Olivia turned back to face Ortiz. "That's our connection."

---

    Hushed conversations, traffic passing by outside, and an order being made, were all that made up the sounds of Comaxe Coffee. It was a small place, only a few tables and chairs scattered about with a stage for live performances set in the far corner of the door.

    When Olivia stepped up to the counter to place her order the man at the register just stared at her. "Is everything alright?" she asked, smiling. Her now blue eyes looking at him with concern.

    "Huh? Oh, yes. Everything's great." He said smiling back. "What was your order again?" Olivia gave him the same order that Alex and the other two vics had. When he handed her the cup, she felt his fingers brush hers, almost imperceptively, as he drew away. 'Hook, line, and sinker Fucker.' Olivia thought as she thanked him before walking out the door. Ortiz's voice in her ear wasn't the only thing telling her that the man watched her as she went then followed her.

    Hours later, after having put on the appearance of a Rio Rancho resident, Olivia stood on the darkened doorstep of "her" house. It was just after sundown and with the overcast autumn night fast approahing, she was having trouble finding her keys in her purse. She'd known he was there before he charged her. That was his M.O. His plan was to run Olivia's head into the wall of the house parallel to the door. His inertia added to all the adrenaline in Olivia's system and all her anger for what had been done to Alex sent the rapist into the wall instead.

    A split second later, Ortiz and a couple of uniforms cuffed and Mirandized him. Ortiz had a pretty good idea of what was going on between Olivia and Alex and figured the blood gushing from the perp's head cutting it close on appropriate force. There was only so much that could be explained away.

---

    "Alex?" Olivia called as she came through the door. "Hey, I've got some good news. Don't tell me you haven't goten out of bed yet." She said walking into the room Olivia had left her in that morning. After that one moment in her hospital room more than two weeks ago, Alex hd been all business, not letting herself think about what happened save to answer a question regarding it. Though Olivia spent some of her nights holding her while her body was racked with sobs in her sleep. Alex looked up at her.

    She was sitting in the middle of the bed, surrounded by pictures of Olivia, the paths of tears still on her face. "They'll take me away again." Her voice was calm but quiet. "If you caught him and it's over. They'll take me away again, you'll go back to New York, and then we'll never see each other again." Olivia was silent Alex watched her as she moved to sit beside her, her arm pulling Alex into a hug.

    "Lexi, don't think like that. Even when we're apart, I'm with you everyday, if not physically then by thought. When we're apart, you're all I think about." Olivia used her thumb and forefinger to bring Alex's head up to face her. "I honestly believe that we're meant to be together." Olivia lightly kissed her. When she pulled away, a single tear made its way down her lover's cheek. Alex cupped Olivia's face in her hands and endless blue looked into bottomless brown.

    "Help me believe again." Alex pleaded.

    Olivia leanded in and kissed her again. She would be gentle, knowing Alex still had hurts, hurts caused by hands whose ghostly presence was still felt, that she would wash away. Olivia deepend the kiss, her desire for Alex conflicting with her need for caution, but the groan from the beautiful blonde reassured her.

    Their lips parted, Alex lifted her shirt over her head and followed Olivia with her glazed eyes as she collected and moved the pictures from the bed and removed her caracteristic leather jacket, setting it near the nightstand wher ethe pictures now sat. "I love you" she said. Olivia turned and looked at her.

    "I know." Olivia slid her hand along Alex's bare shoulder as she sat behind her. Her hand smoothed over the skin of her throat. She laid a caressing kiss on hte skin before breathing into her ear, "I Love you too."

    Alex turned her head to kiss Olivia, turning her body to face her as the kiss intensified. She worked the buttons of Olivia's shirt from their holes, sliding the fabric from her lover's body. The shirt was dropped to the floor followed shortly by the woman's bra.

    They took their time, exploring each other. Olivia laid Alex on the bed. Her pants and underwear pooled on the floor before she crawled back onto the bed, Alex beneath her. Her crawl ended with another passionate kiss Olivia's right hand massaging Alex's breast, her thumb stroking her nipple, sent shivers through the woman she loved. It wasn't long before Olivia's tongue and light kisses made their way down to find the other hard, erect nipple.

    Alex's breathing was getting heavier. Olivia was slow and caring, unlike Him. She was losing hersel in her touch. "Liv?" she breathed. Her right hand found Olivia's left, intertwining their fingers, as her partner's tongue left a trail of goosebumps on its way south. For just a moment, Alex felt a twinge of fear, but when Olivia reached her swollen clit, there was nothing but a rush of pleasure and a rising tension.

    Olivia moved her tongue over the hard nodule, sucking, pulling, and pushing. Her Lexi rising to meet her. Alex's breathy moans driving Olivia past her reservations on whether or not to enter her. Her two fingers slid throught he slipppery folds.

    Alex bucked beneath the brunette. Olivia's hand in hers was her only link to herself as the other hand increased its motion to match her hips. She reached the edge and when Olivia entered her again, it sent her over. Relief exploded upon Alex. Once she returned, Alex's attention turned to her lover.

    Olivia felt Alex help bring her to lay next to her. She let their hands unclasp and Alex used her now free hand to brush a strand of the dark brown hair behind an ear. She had intended to not take her eyes off the beautiful woman before her but Alex had leaned over to trap her lips ina kiss that made her feel weak. Olivia's eyes fluttered closed. She felt rather than saw Alex's hand move from holding her ehad in the kiss to caress its way over a hard nipple and down to a moist and even more sensitive nodule.

    Alex pulled away from the kiss. Half amazed she remembered Olivia's body as well as she did, Alex wanted to fill her eyes with her. Their eyes locked when Olivia managed to open her eyes again and the room disappeared. Shortly there after, Alex had Olivia on the edge and beyond.

    They both lay there, Olivia dozing in her arms. Alex traced Olivia's face as she slept. She smiled to herself. 'I honestly believe that we're meant to be together.' Olivia had said. She had believed it once herself. Then so much had conspired to keep them apart it seemed. So much had left her life in shambles. She had run out of faith tht they wouldn't lose each other in it all. Olivia renewed her faith. She believed again because noone ever had, nor could, make Alex feel the way that she did.