With a couple more hours of sleep under her belt, Liv was the first to rouse. She awoke to a familiar scent curling her toes. It wasn't breakfast—Casey would have had to be a witch to conjure up anything substantive from her fridge—but it was something no less tempting. Spilling over her cheek and shoulder was a river than ran an unforgettable shade red. She touched it and was nearly undone again.

Olivia wasn't so romantic as to think that the softness of hair had anything to do with the softness of hearts or lips, or anything that sentimental. But the softness of Casey's slumbering expression when she'd combed through her hair with unconcealed reverence had reached down to the center of her. This was what she wanted in her life, in her bed; these were the arms she wanted to sleep in. Liv smiled, suddenly overcome. It was time to return a favor.

~!~

Casey awoke with a grumpy "Why?" and tried to burrow into the sheets per custom. Her hostess was having none of it, pulling out all the stops to coax her to the land of the living. She didn't want to go; she liked the heavenly place she'd fallen into, with her smoky-eyed detective and never-ending kisses so long they became redundant, because they never ended. The world she lived in wasn't like that, and that made it hard a place to want to come back to.

"Ms. Novak," came her friend—only her friend, she inwardly groused, "you're in contempt." She should not have gotten goose bumps when the whisper caressed her ear. She shook herself free of sleep immediately. There was no accounting for anatomy.

"I'm up," she said, throwing off the sheets and scrambling for the floor—not to retreat, but to get closer. Liv offered her hand and she took it, savoring the strength in it and the certainty. Something had changed, she'd simply yet to find out what.

Once they reached Liv's kitchen, she saw why her detective had seen fit to pull her out of bed before the intrusive chirp of an alarm clock would dare. Waiting at the table were half a dozen kinds of sweets and coffee that made her knees feel weak. Liv had gotten her breakfast. She smiled at her friend, who resembled more a shy schoolgirl than anything just now.

"It's not bacon and eggs," she shrugged.

Casey squeezed the hand she still held. "It's perfect. Thank you."

Liv beamed and Casey's heart definitely skipped a beat. She never smiled like that and the wonders it did told the story of what a shame that was. Casey decided that she'd have to see to it that Liv smiled more. So far, so good, she told herself as Liv offered her a seat at the table.

Casey began to nibble at anything she could get her hands on, to Liv's apparent delight. She seemed content with a couple of Danish and her steaming mug of coffee; that and watching Casey.

The ADA fought off the urge to flush. She'd given Liv a similar treatment more than once now; it shouldn't have been so bothersome, but there it was. The flush rose and her detective laughed. At least that was something.

"You didn't have to go pick these up for me, y'know," she said around a bite of delicious cinnamon roll.

"Well, I can't cook as well as you can, but I do know good when someone puts it in front of me. I knew the bakery was open and that you liked sweets." She hesitated for a moment before proceeding with a roll of her eyes. "There's even a bacon croissant in there somewhere."

Casey perked up, delicately picking through the pastries until she was assailed with a certain distinguished scent. "Found it!" Half it was gone as quickly as she could chew. The other half ended up in Olivia's hand. Her caretaker raised an eyebrow. Casey shrugged. "It's only fun if we both have a good time."

"I'll buy that," she said and began to munch on the treat with due enjoyment. "You know," she began once she'd finished, "Elliot said something the yesterday that really got me thinking."

"Yeah," she prompted, waiting for Liv to go on. Her breakfast companion took a deep breath and did just that.

"He was sort of saying—or not really saying, but implying—that there's a thing with us."

It was Casey's turn to raise an eyebrow. "A thing?"

"Yeah. You see, I worried about you when you were gone—a lot more than I'd worry about just anyone. I was happier to see you and know you were okay than I thought I'd be. I wouldn't have opened the door before six in the morning for anyone who wasn't you or Elliot, with a damned good excuse." She smiled and Casey was helpless not to return it. "I didn't know that about myself, but I fought against it anyway." She clutched her mug like a touchstone and Casey had to keep herself from reaching out to soothe the worry away. She wasn't sure when she'd become that person to Liv, but she still wanted to. "You're my friend, Casey, but I need to know—is that all you are?"

Clad in what was left of yesterday's power suit, Casey felt a little powerless underneath Liv's gaze. She had wanted this, did want this, yet the idea of scared her a little. She was stepping into massive shoes with regard to the one who'd gotten away—and she was afraid to fail. Most of all though, she was afraid to have regrets, and letting Olivia Benson leave her company with less than a kiss would be the worst.

"It'd be nice," she started with a courageous smile, "to have someone to share those sheets with."

"I'm up for that," said her detective with a reputation for darkness and suddenly without the disposition to match. Their hands found each other and it was easy. "I guess Elliot's right then, we are a little more than friends." She looked relieved, like a gamble had come to gold. Casey was feeling a bit golden indeed just now.

"I hope so." Eventually, Casey stood, intent on actually getting ready for work today. She also needed a chance to still her racing heart. With a look that was no longer uncertain, Liv was beginning to melt her from within. There just wasn't time today. Although, God, she wished.

"Just promise me one thing," Liv said to the woman who hoped to call her a lover soon.

Casey raised an eyebrow expectantly. "Name it."

"No more of your ex-girlfriends' leftovers." The ADA's composure cracked and she laughed. That woman of the pond eyes and corn silk hair was history, exactly where Casey wanted Serena Southerlyn to stay.

"How about this," Case offered, coming around the table to lean close to Liv's lips. "No more ex-girlfriends."

Eyes impossibly darker and voice huskier than time would permit, her detective whispered, "I'll take it."

And they kissed.