A/N - Sorry this has been such a long time coming. I finally figured out how I wanted to end this short little story and I hope you enjoy :) xo

-Chapter 4-

After getting their luggage and renting a car, a modest charcoal-grey Toyota Yaris, Alex and Olivia headed for the Four Seasons San Francisco. The drive was quiet and peaceful, the melody of the radio turned low was just enough noise to accompany them through the empty streets. The dim lights lining the highway casted a serene glow on the road ahead, and their fingers remained entwined, Olivia's right in Alex's left.

When Olivia heard shuffling in the hallway beyond their hotel room, she finally forced her body into motion. She was tired, exhausted, and as she padded quietly across the room to peek through the curtains, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Hell, at least she didn't look as bad as she felt. She opened the soft burgundy curtains just slightly, now wanting to wake Alex, and took in the view. They were on the 10th floor and could see all the way to the San Francisco Bay. It was a beautiful morning with vibrant green palm trees and blue skies, not a cloud in sight. Olivia already felt the tension in her body start to dissipate and decided to take advantage of this beautiful day. She tiptoed to the bathroom and washed her face, brushed her teeth, and threw on the cardigan she had discarded in the early morning hours. After grabbing a pair of faded jeans from her suitcase and slipping on a well-worn pair of Alex's Minnetonka moccasins, she went to the nightstand and wrote a note on the Four Seasons stationary.

A-

Good morning, beautiful. I hope you don't mind but I wanted to let you sleep in. I'll be down by the pool having a cup of coffee. Come down when you're ready.

-O

An hour later, Alex moseyed through the lobby and made her way to the pool deck. It was still a little chilly in San Francisco, so she decided on a pair of black leggings and her favorite Harvard hoodie with white Chuck Taylors. She soon found Olivia sitting in a lounge chair on the far edge of the pool, her lips instantly crooking up into a small smile when brown eyes locked on blue.

"Morning, sleepy head."

"I left my watch up in the room, but I'm pretty sure it's now afternoon," Alex chuckled.

"You didn't get a lot of sleep on the plane so I didn't want to wake you," Olivia said as Alex sat on the edge of the pool chair.

"I definitely appreciate that," Alex smiled as she placed a tender kiss to Olivia's lips. "Hi."

"Hi," Olivia smiled lazily.

"Now where the hell did you get that coffee, Benson?"

Olivia let out a small laugh. "The bar has more than just liquor, Cabot."

"Noted."

Alex returned a couple minutes later with two fresh cups of steaming coffee in hand, one for herself and a second for Olivia. "Here ya go, babe."

"Thanks."

"So, anything special you want to do today?"

"Nothing actually sounds pretty nice. I just need to decompress, ya know?"

"Sounds good to me."

They sat like this for a while, sharing the long lounge chair, legs entwined. It was nice to be out of the hustle and bustle of New York and just enjoy the cool breeze and each other.

xx

The calm didn't last long. Neither Alex nor Olivia were used to taking it easy and relaxing, and the next two weeks were filled with fun little excursions. Lunches at the fisherman's wharf, dinners overlooking the bay. Kayaking under the Golden Gate Bridge, hiking at Glen Canyon, shopping and sightseeing in the Castro. The pace was steady and busy, but it was what both of them needed. It was fun, spontaneous, a real adventure. On what they decided would be their last night in the Bay Area, they decided to take it slow and have a picnic in Golden Gate Park. Alex picked out the wine, and Olivia picked out the hors d'oeuvres. They laid out a red plaid blanket that Alex had brought on the plane, always remaining in physical contact, a small reminder that each woman was no longer alone in the world. As they gazed out into the Pacific, both women wondered what they had done to deserve this happiness at a time when it seemed like happiness would never come again.

xx

Instead of leaving out of San Francisco, the attorney and detective decided to take a drive down the Pacific Coast Highway and fly out from LAX. The Yaris was ditched in favor of a sleek black Corvette convertible. The top was down and the music was loud and the smell of the ocean was intoxicating. Spring was beginning to transition into summer and the only thing either woman needed on this breezy morning was a light sweater and each other.

As they sat on the airplane, flying somewhere over the drab plains of the Midwest, Olivia had to ask the tough question but masked it as indifferent nonchalance.

"So... when we get back to the city, are you going to take the train into Boston or just drive?"

"I'll probably just take the train. It's cheaper than renting a car," Alex said as she closed her book and moved her black-rimmed glasses to the top of her head.

Olivia knew their domestic bliss couldn't last forever. They couldn't just stay on a permanent vacation. But still, her heart started to break at the certainty in Alex's voice.

"Right."

"Liv... you know I can't just quit my job. Officially, I only took a leave of absence. I can start back as soon as I get home. And Boston isn't that far from New York, so I can come down on the weekends or you can come up. It'll be fine." She gave Olivia's hand a firm squeeze, even as she doubted it would all be so easy.

Olivia finally looked up at Alex, her eyes immediately landing on deep blue pools looking back at her. She smiled that brave smile and squeezed back. "I know, babe. I know."

xx

It had only been a week and Alex was already hating Boston. The people, the roads, the sights, the smells, the fact that Olivia was so far away. What she felt was crazy, right? They had been together only a month and were already in a long-distance relationship. It would make so much sense to just cut her losses, end it now before it would hurt even more. But something about her beautiful detective, her silky brown hair and deep mahogany eyes and smooth skin. Her brave disposition and intelligence and compassion. Olivia was everything she had ever wanted. What the hell was she doing?

Alex picked up the phone in her office and dialed the number she had always known by heart.

"Al! I miss you! How was San Francisco?" After 20 years of friendship, Natalia had officially stopped using normal greetings when answering Alex's phone calls. She smiled at the familiarity of it.

"Good, Nat. Really good. But I was calling to see how your honeymoon was. Tuscany must have been amazing."

"Oh god, Al, it was so gorgeous. We were in bed for most of Tuscany, but somehow we had time to make it to Rome and Venice. You have to go sometime. Maybe take Olivia?" Natalia knew her best friend wasn't one to rush into a relationship on a whim, and to Natalia, the fact that Alex did exactly that meant that this was the real deal.

"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that actually. So we had decided to just do long-distance for a while, try to figure out all the details as we go. But..." she sighed into the phone.

"But you're in love with her."

"I'm afraid that is correct, Mrs. Grey."

"Look, Cabot. I know you don't like the tough love, but I'm gonna give it to you straight. Or, gay, I guess," Natalia chuckled at her own stupid joke.

"Ha-ha, very funny, Nat. Just get it over with, ok?"

"Ok. I've known you for a long time, Alex. I mean, jesus, 20 fucking years, right? You've been looking for Princess Charming or whatever for a long ass time. And you finally found her. I know I haven't met Olivia yet, but when you called me two weeks ago, I don't think I've ever heard you sound so happy. So what the fuck are you doing in Boston?"

Alex mulled this over for a moment, but no longer than necessary. "I have no earthly idea," she said calmly as she hung up the phone.

xx

Olivia walked out of D'Agostino, back onto Greenwich Street, and headed for the subway, a plastic bag with cheap merlot and a block of cheddar cheese hanging from her arm. It was officially summer in the city and the heat bouncing off the concrete was unrelenting. It had been the week from hell. Getting back into her routine had not been as easy as she hoped. She missed the sea breeze from the Pacific and waking up next to beautiful blonde hair every morning. And the switch to Computer Crimes, while a much less stressful option than Special Victims, hadn't been easy either.

She bounded the stairs of the station, finally back in the light of day, and made her way to Thompson and Prince. She was halfway up the block, the bag weighing on her arm and a drop of sweat sliding down her collarbone, when she turned the corner onto Thompson and saw a familiar head of hair. Blonde with light waves, silky and gorgeous. She could only see the back of the woman, but she was wearing a white oxford and khaki shorts, perfectly sculpted calves leading down to simple black flip flops. The ache in Olivia's stomach grew stronger at how much this woman, just the back of her, looked like Alex.

She neared Prince Street in just a few more steps, fumbling in her purse for the key that would unlock the door to her brand-new apartment. Eyes down and attention elsewhere, she bumped into a body on the sidewalk as she was about to ascend the steps to the door.

"Oh, sorry..." she finally looked up. It was the blonde in the oxford, but the blue eyes staring back at her and the smile tugging at her lips were the most familiar and welcome sight Olivia could ever have imagined.

"Alex! What the hell are you doing here?" Olivia threw her arms around Alex and embraced the slightly taller woman, running her hands through the soft waves and inhaling lingering perfume.

"I was asking myself that very question when I was in Boston," Alex said as she nuzzled her face in Olivia's long brown hair and took in the comforting scent of vanilla and lavender. "I love you, Olivia."

Olivia tightened her grasp around Alex's shoulders and whispered into her ear, "I love you, too. So much."

As the two women broke apart, Olivia noticed there was not just one suitcase on the ground by Alex's feet, but three.

"Why did you bring so much luggage, babe?" Olivia laughed.

"Because I'm not leaving," Alex responded seriously. She shot Olivia that sexy smirk, placed a searing kiss on the brunette's lips, and made her way to the door. "Help me with my bags?"

Finally, they were both home.

-La Fin-