Title: Help
Disclaimer: I do not own SVU or these characters (darn it!) nor am I making any money off them (darn it!). No infringement intended.
Fandom: Law and Order: SVU
Pairing: Alex/Olivia
Rating: M
Summary: Alex is stressed out. Olivia helps relax her.
Notes: Triumphantly or no, at least it's a return. :-P It's been a struggle lately. Oh, and fluff warning for the ending, I tried to edit it, but sometimes it is what it is. (:-P again, lol)

Also - thank you all SO SO much for those who have left comments on other stories. It was always my intention of replying individually but time has gotten away from me. I read and appreciate them all so much. Knowing people are reading and are liking what they read...well, that's what keeps authors writing. :-) So thank you all, once again!

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Help

Alex, clad in nothing more than a tank top and soft loose shorts on the warm summer evening, sat sideways on the couch, her legs resting over Olivia's thighs, her head buried in a stack of case law and briefs and summaries, a legal pad on which she jotted frequent notes lay close at hand. She had a big day tomorrow: her first appearance in front of the judges of the New York State Supreme Court. Who knew what the judges would ask? Who knew what case law the defense attorney would cite? And who knew what arguments they'd collectively come up with?

So she was pouring over case after case after case after case, her paralegal having pulled anything and everything that might be remotely or even tangentially related, reading and re-reading it all, absorbing the material, making sure she knew it backwards and forwards and backwards again. It was a task she had started that afternoon at work and which had continued deep into this evening at home after dinner.

And so they'd been like this, pretty much exactly like this, hardly moving at all, for nearly two hours, Alex working, Olivia reading a book. And while Olivia, of course, would have preferred that Alex wasn't working, while she was positive that Alex already knew this material, these cases and precedents, like the back of her hand, she also knew that this, this intense and extra prep work, was just how Alex operated. And she respected that. In fact, it was one of the things she admired most about the attorney; and, well, it was also something she'd come to adore about her, as well.

So Olivia just sat silently reading her book, allowing Alex to do what Alex felt she needed to, the detective occasionally running the fingers of one hand absently up or down the smooth bare legs draped over her lap, contenting herself with their mere proximity and closeness.

And they might have stayed that way for another hour, or perhaps even longer. Except... except for the movement Olivia saw out of the corner of her eye. It wasn't much, wasn't much at all, just Alex running her hand through her hair and pushing her glasses higher on her nose, but it was enough. It wasn't the substance of the movement that got Olivia's attention, so much; it was more the way Alex was moving. Furtive, jittery.

Olivia chanced a short look over before moving her eyes back to her book. But the quick glance was again enough. Enough to see that the attorney's jaw was set, that her eyes were darting about, that her brow was furrowed in something more than just concentration, that she was starting to chew on her lip, and that her breathing was just a little more rapid and shallower than normal.

In short, it was clear that Alex was getting a little stressed out. Maybe even more than a little.

And Olivia's heart ached just a bit in her chest over that realization. For though everyone knew Alex had a reputation for being extremely intelligent, extremely competent, and extremely well prepared in everything she did, and though everyone knew that reputation was well deserved, not every one realized just how much work had gone in to building that reputation and, just as importantly if not more so, just how much work went in to keeping it, in to earning it every single day.

And practically no one knew just how nervous and worked up and stressed out Alex could get sometimes.

But Olivia was one of those few that knew. So as the detective continued to watch Alex out of the corner of her eye, she wished – as she often did – that there was something, just something, she could do to help Alex. If not help her prepare then at least help her in some other way. Help to reassure her, or calm her, or at least relax her, or put her more at ease. Something. Anything.

Wait...Anything? To... to help calm or relax her? Hmmmm... Olivia had to fight to keep the devious little smirk from her face as the idea struck her. Because, well, because perhaps there was something she could do to help, after all...

Without changing or doing anything outwardly different from moments before, without shifting her body, without lifting her head from her book, Olivia lightly ran her fingers up and down Alex's legs again, just has she had been doing all evening. Only this time, this time she let her hand wander marginally higher than she had before, not much higher, not high enough to garner any real attention, just past the knee really, before bringing it back down. She paused, then, and lifted her hand to turn the page on her book, keeping up the charade, keep up pretenses, before placing her hand once again on Alex's leg. And waiting.

Just for a bit, just a few moments, biding her time, until finally repeating her previous action. Again going just a tad bit higher, and also this time just a tad bit further to the inside before once again bringing her hand back down the smooth cool expanse of Alex's leg. At which time she paused yet again. For if this was going to work, she had to take it slow. She had to be subtle.

So she was careful, so careful, to keep it soft, keep it gentle, with no sudden movements or sudden changes in her touch, nothing that would draw attention to her actions, nothing that would prematurely alert Alex to what she was doing.

And so it went like that for long drawn out minutes. Olivia, slowly, silently, patiently, little by little, and pausing when needed, worked her hand further and further up and further and further in on the soft silky skin of Alex's thigh, getting closer and closer to her ultimate destination with each pass and with each passing minute.

And she was rewarded for her patience and her efforts mere minutes later when she felt more than saw Alex unconsciously shift, the movement small but definite; the attorney opening her legs ever so slightly.

And Olivia knew, she knew, Alex wasn't even aware that she'd done it. Knew it by the fact that the attorney's head remained down, knew it by the fact that she had continued to flip through and study her notes, knew it by the fact that nothing else about Alex had change. Just the unconscious repositioning, the willing and inviting but completely unaware parting of her legs.

Which, of course, just made it all the better.

And Olivia smiled.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

But she indulged herself and her smile for only a second or two. For it was time to take it up a notch.

So with adrenaline and excitement starting to work their way through her own veins, Olivia gladly took advantage of the slightly better access. Her nose was still buried in her book, still, still pretending to read, but at the same time she let her hand, still slowly, still lightly, but ever more sensuously, move even further up Alex's thigh, up, up, just under the bottom of Alex's shorts. And then, after just a moment's hesitation, she dipped her fingers to the inside, down across Alex's ever more sensitive skin, drawing a small circle on the slight swell of flesh below the junction of leg and body before trailing a single finger back down the inside of Alex's thigh to her knee, where she drew another small, light, sensuous circle.

And, yeah. That finally got Alex's attention.

Without lifting her head, without really moving any part of her body save her eyes, Alex looked up, peering over the tops of her glasses which had fallen again slightly down her nose, to gaze over at the person she was sharing the couch with. And when she did she saw Olivia seemingly engrossed in her book, saw and felt the detective pull her hand away in order to turn the page of that book, continuing her rapt reading of it as she returned her hand to gently and again seemingly innocently rest once again on Alex's knee.

Alex's eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. But try as she may, she could discern nothing amiss or awry in Olivia's expression or demeanor. So after another moment of studying the detective's unwavering profile, Alex dismissed her suspicions and once more turned her eyes and her attention back to the mound of papers that was her case files and notes.

And thank God she did because oh how Olivia struggled not to smile or otherwise break during Alex's brief but close inspection! So surprised but nevertheless pleased she was able to hold it together, Olivia felt even more emboldened as she started up once again on her previous mission. Still slowly, so slowly at first, only lightly rubbing Alex's knee and the skin around it, continuing to ease Alex's suspicions, trying to lull her...

But not wanting to lull her too much. So it wasn't long, just a minute or two, before Olivia's hand began to wander. Just as she had earlier, she drew her fingers up and down Alex's leg, pushing them higher and higher up with each pass. Only this time, this time, she could tell Alex was more aware of her actions, at least on some level. Could tell by the goosebumps that just started to rise on Alex's skin, by the way the attorney's lean muscles seemed to twitch just minutely under her touch, and definitely by the way Alex only semi-unconsciously this time moved to accommodate when Olivia's fingers played under the bottom of the attorney's loose shorts again.

Now, Alex, for her part, had tried to go back to her notes, to her cases, to her studies and had, in fact, succeeded, at least for the most part. But just when she'd managed to get herself refocused on them, just when she'd started delving into the finer points of Canton v. Harris, she found herself slightly distracted again, found herself unknowingly tilting a knee outward, opening herself ever so slightly, and realized she was doing so to the ever wandering hand of her lover. Again.

She stopped reading and peered up over her glasses just as she had before. And just as she had before found Olivia concentrating on nothing but her book. Or so Olivia would have her believe. But while Olivia may have fooled her the first time, she wasn't fooling her any more.

Alex cleared her throat.

Olivia looked up at the noise, well aware that Alex was now on to her little game but still feigning innocence, or at least trying to, "Yes?"

Alex just set her lips and cocked an eyebrow at the detective.

And Olivia couldn't hold out any longer. A mischievous and impish smile found its way to her lips as she closed her book and set it down beside her, flicking her own eyebrow at the attorney. "Yeeeessss?" she asked again, though this time far less innocently and far more playfully and suggestively.

"What do you think you're doing?" Alex asked, trying very hard to not return Olivia's playful expression or tone, to be stern and un-amused. After all she did still have work to do.

In response, Olivia broke eye contact in order to look down at her own hand as she trailed it even further up Alex's leg, under the attorney's shorts and then even further, higher, not at all surprised when she didn't encounter any underwear and was able to briefly touch and tease the soft, delicate skin at the front of Alex's hip, delighting in the quick inhale Alex tried to cover, the slight tightening of Alex's ass, and the unconscious drooping of Alex's eyelids.

Olivia then pulled her hand back out and back down towards Alex's knee, trailing the tips of her fingers more suggestively and most certainly more seductively across the ever more sensitized flesh of Alex's inner thigh, no longer needing to disguise what she was doing, no longer needing to hold back, before looking up to meet Alex's eyes again and, still smiling that impish smile, finally verbally answering the blonde's previous question, "I'm helping."

Alex quirked an eyebrow again, struggling not to respond or react to Olivia's touch, to her words, to her smile, her eyes, her tone; struggling not to respond or react to those things the way her body always responded and reacted to them. But it was a loosing battle, and she knew it. Hell, they both knew it. Still, she wished her voice wasn't quite so husky, that she wasn't quite so transparent, still wanting to appear less than amused or swayed by Olivia's antics, "Helping with what, exactly?"

Olivia smiled again more at the quality of Alex's voice than her words. And off that quality and off the knowledge of what it meant, she shifted. Up until this point, she had been using the hand closest to Alex to slowly tease and excite the attorney, but Olivia now placed that hand down on the sofa cushion, down between Alex's body and the back of the couch, allowing the detective to turn her own body more towards the attorney, not much, just a little given their location and positions, but enough. Enough to give her a slightly better angle, slightly better access, slightly more options.

And she took advantage of all of those things.

Maintaining eye contact this time, Olivia allowed the fingers of her left hand to take up where the fingers of her right had left off, spreading them out and pushing them up the inside of Alex's leg, starting at the inside of the attorney's knee, then higher past the swell of her thigh, up underneath her shorts once more, then pausing ever so briefly, ever so enticingly, before going a bit further, just a bit further, not far enough to provide any real contact or relief, but far enough to get Alex holding her breath, far enough for Olivia to feel warmth, and far enough for both of them to ache for Olivia to go even further.

But not giving in to that ache, not yet, not until she was sure Alex was truly okay with it, Olivia retreated once again, and with that crooked smile and that cocked eyebrow, answered the question Alex had almost forgotten she'd asked, "Why, I'm helping you prepare for your appearance tomorrow, of course."

Alex swallowed hard against the subtle yet very effective assault on her senses. God, the detective was so irresistible sometimes. Okay, all times. But, god, she really did still have work to do. She inhaled deeply at the feeling of Olivia's hand once again beginning its upward journey, though this time to both Alex's dismay and relief, it did not go quite as high, this time it stopped short, waiting, Alex knew, waiting for her to make the next move. She swallowed hard once more. "This," Alex's voice cracked and she cleared her throat before trying again, "This is helping me prepare for my appearance tomorrow?"

Olivia's smile bloomed. "Uh-huh," she answered playfully. For Alex had indeed made the next move; the attorney was going to continue to fight her a little bit, to put up a good front. She was going to try to resist, but really not much, just a little. And probably only a very little considering the heat Olivia had felt coming from Alex's center during her hand's last trip up Alex's leg. So knowing Alex just needed a little more convincing, just a little more of a push, Olivia once again moved that hand upwards, once again going under Alex's clothing but this time not stopping short of her goal. This time with a quick turn of her wrist, Olivia's fingers encountered more heat, and also moisture, slick, hot, moisture.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Olivia smiled again as Alex couldn't hide or cover her sharp, ragged inhale this time. Alex knew she should resist but yet... "Olivia..." Alex warned, but her tone, her resistance, was only half-hearted. Because, come on, who could resist?

"Yeeeeeees?" Olivia once again asked, the playfulness, suggestiveness, seductiveness, full force in her voice now, knowing she had Alex just where she wanted her. Knowing Alex was that close to fully giving in to her and knowing, truly knowing that doing so would, in fact, be what was best for the attorney. That it would, in fact, be just what Alex needed. That it would, in fact, prove most helpful. Unorthodoxed, perhaps, but nevertheless helpful.

So knowing these things and in order to help Alex past that last ounce of her resistance, Olivia's fingers did not idle, but instead gathered some of that moisture they had encountered. Then still holding Alex's eyes, boring into them now, Olivia moved her fingers higher, and a little higher still and also up, up to Alex's apex. The angle wasn't the best, but it would do.

"I..." Alex's breath caught and her eyes drifted closed when Olivia found what she had been looking for, lightly rubbing two fingers over Alex's clit. But still Alex tried again, "I still have work."

But despite Alex's words, Olivia knew by the way they came out, a pant, a whimper, a quiet plea, and by the way Alex's body was moving, that while part of Alex perhaps really did want to resist, the part of her that definitely really didn't want to resist was winning. And would win.

So the detective responded quietly, encouragingly, "Shhhhhhhh," leaning towards Alex as best she could and bringing her free hand up now to run it through golden strands of hair, while at the same time, carefully maneuvering the index and second finger of the hand still buried under Alex's shorts, placing them expertly on either side of Alex's clit. "Just a short break," she murmured before gently pressing and massaging back and forth, pinching and rolling the small bundle of nerves lightly between her two fingers, "You need just a short little break, sweetie. Trust me."

And that was the last straw. Alex knew she was done resisting. Yes, she still had work to do that needed to be done, still had any number of cases yet to review. But... but it could wait. In fact, it would have to wait. For when it came to Olivia, she really had very little resistance. And when it came to Olivia touching her the way the detective was touching her, speaking to her the way the detective was speaking to her, promising her the things the detective was promising her, she had less then very little resistance.

So it was only seconds later that Olivia saw and felt Alex's body relent. She watched as Alex's head fell further back, her back arching ever so slightly, one or two sheets of paper falling off her lap to the floor as her pelvis rose minutely and her legs opened even further.

Olivia exhaled quietly and smiled at the action as she continued to verbally encourage the attorney, "Yeah, that's right, sweetie. That's right. Just a little break," and also as she continued to physically encourage her, tantalizingly moving her buried fingers, continuing their slight pinch and roll, drawing a quiet moan from Alex and a small shudder. And while doing that, Olivia also brought her free hand down from Alex's hair to grab the remaining stack of papers and notes from Alex's lap and from Alex's now limp grip, tossing them haphazardly to the floor, not caring where or how they fell, intent only on removing any last reminders of work, on eliminating any last impediments.

And all the while Alex herself was doing a pretty good job of removing any last impediments, as well, as she adjusted her body, slouching down a bit, raising her hips a bit, tilting her knee out a bit. Conscious or not, intentionally or not, finally, fully, completely giving herself to Olivia, opening herself to the sensations, smoothing the way and preparing for the pleasure that she knew was to come.

And pleasure which Olivia had every intention of delivering.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The detective pulled her fingers away from their position against Alex's clit, eliciting a quiet, displeased groan from the attorney. "Shhhhh, sweetie, don't worry," Olivia half-whispered, half-spoke, voice low, seductive, still intent on delivering on that promise of pleasure, just needing to readjust herself a little in order to do so, turning her hand over, palm facing up now, so her two fingers could search for, feel for, seek out, Alex's opening. And when they found it and found the attorney just as Olivia knew she would be, already so wet, already so hot, already so fucking ready, Olivia did as expected, as both she and Alex wanted, wasting no more time before inserting both fingers as far as they would go.

At the first feel of being penetrated, the first feel of those long warm fingers finally entering her, Alex's head tipped back, and yet further back as Olivia continued to fill her completely, the attorney's neck and back arching, her chest jutting out, heels digging into the couch, trying to keep herself open, trying to keep herself available. And then causing Alex's legs to twitch and a gasp to be drawn from her throat when at the end of the thrust Olivia's thumb this time found Alex's clit and passed softly over it once, twice, again, pulling from the attorney another, stronger, twitch and crying gasp.

Olivia had to steady her own breathing, Alex's display and obvious enjoyment having an equally obvious effect on the detective. But she needed to remain focused on Alex, completely on Alex. "That's right, sweetie, that's right. Don't worry about anything. Just let yourself relax..."

Olivia's quiet words floated through Alex's mind, washing away the worries and stress of minutes before as the attorney felt Olivia's fingers pull out marginally then go back in, filling and fulfilling her again, quiet words continuing to be spoken, "...Just let yourself *feel* for a few minutes, baby. Just let yourself *be* for a few minutes." The detective's thumb passed over her clit again, so sensitive, so hot, her body spasming at the fleeting but powerful sensation and causing her to cry out again.

Now if she'd had any brain cells to spare, any that weren't completely focused on the actions and attentions of Olivia's fingers and thumb, Alex might have been surprised at just how revved up her body already seemed to be, just how on edge it already was, just how close to the brink she had already gotten. But Olivia wasn't surprised. After all, whether Alex knew it or not, whether she'd been aware of it or not, the detective had been working at it for the better part of 30 minutes.

And that time and that effort and the attorney's lack of awareness of them just made the responsiveness of Alex and the barely restrained reactions of Alex's body all the more sweet and delicious. "Mmmmm, yeah," Olivia hummed, giving voice to her own pleasure as well as Alex's. "That feels good, doesn't it?"

Alex's only response was a small roll of her hips, several hitched breaths and a quiet moan.

But that was more than enough for Olivia who hummed again and further readjusted herself and her hand as best she could. Their positions on the couch weren't too conducive to much in the way of movement or thrusting, something Olivia knew Alex liked, so the detective made due with what she could do, curling her fingers within the attorney, scissoring them, spreading them, and curling them again, all the while continuing to talk, continuing to encourage, continuing to soothe and stoke, "That's right, sweetie, don't think about anything but having my fingers inside you, moving inside you, so deep inside you, and how good it makes you feels."

Olivia curled her fingers again, driving home her words, and then drew them out as best she could, rubbing them heavily along the length of the top wall of Alex's passage as she pulled out, hitting that certain spot within Alex along the way, causing the attorney to buck and gasp and kick.

"Oh yeah, it feels so damn good, doesn't it?" Olivia once again asked, once again giving voice to both of their pleasure, "For me, too, baby, for me, too. I love having my fingers in you. I love how you feel around them, how you grip them and twitch for them. I love how you respond to them," Olivia's voice was a raspy whisper as she continued, "I love how you respond to me." The detective then straightened her fingers and spread them as much as she could before pushing in again as deeply as possible, burying them inside of Alex and then burying her thumb in Alex's clit, rubbing firm circles now, extracting another buck and gasp and responding in kind, "God, you're so hot, you're so amazing, so amazing, baby."

Knowing Alex got off on the verbal as well as physical stimulation, Olivia continued to quietly talk to her while at the same time continuing to gently but more and more insistently manipulate the attorney's body, moving her thumb, moving her fingers, taking pleasure and satisfaction in the corresponding sounds and movements of Alex's body; the attorney's back pressed against the arm of the couch, head tipped back, glasses still perched precariously and oh so fucking sexily, throat exposed, mouth open, nipples hard and visible through her tank top, one of the attorney's arms stretched out and gripping the back of the sofa, the other ramrod straight and pressed down into the sofa cushion below her, helping to lift her pelvis and straighten her body, allowing her hips to gently rotate and swivel in time with Olivia's movements, giving Olivia better access, giving Olivia a better angle, giving her everything, everything, god everything.

And Olivia gladly took it all and gave back equally. For she adored seeing Alex like this: in the moment, her body primed, focused on nothing but how Olivia was making her feel, on the pleasure the detective was bringing to her, forgetting about everything and everyone else.

And so Olivia continued to drive her lover higher and higher. No pausing, no hesitation. There'd been enough of that this night. No more. Because now wasn't about teasing or tormenting. Right wow, this moment, was about giving pleasure and giving respite; a few minutes to forget about the case, about tomorrow, about duty, about consequences, about stress. A few minutes to just get lost; to be aware of little else except being awash in good feelings and in Olivia.

So Olivia drove on. Knowing all those spots within Alex and the preferred rhythm and motion over Alex, she alternated between the two. Pressure, curling, and heavy rubbing along Alex's inner walls, ever quickening flicks, presses, and slick passes over her straining and needy clit; taking her cues from Alex's gasps and pleas and movements, doing whatever was asked for, whatever allowed the attorney to derive the most pleasure, giving her more, giving it faster, driving her higher.

Then, when she could tell Alex was close, so close, when her breathing became shallower, when the movement of her hips became jerky and less coordinated, when her face began scrunching as her body built towards her final release, Olivia reach over with her free hand once again and took hold of the hair at the nape of Alex's neck, caressing the skin behind Alex's ear with her thumb and whispering reassuringly to her, "It's okay. Let go, sweetie. I've got you. Let yourself let go."

And it was that, her lover's caring touch and the sound of her lover's caring voice and caring words in her ears as much as the extra pressure on her clit from Olivia's thumb, that sent Alex cresting and peaking, releasing her tension on whispered strangled gasps and groans, Olivia feeling the attorney contract around her and shudder on top of her, her breasts heaving with her breath, her arms and hands tightening their grips, her feet and toes fluttering and her thighs pressed together, squeezing Olivia's hand which continued to work, continued to move, continued to pressure and rub and smooth and curl and give.

Then, just as Alex was over that peak, just as she was heading down the other side, muscles still firing, body still sensitive, Olivia pulled the attorney to her using her grip on the back of Alex's head and neck, forcing her buried fingers and thumb even deeper and more snuggly into and against Alex, the sensations spiking, god, spiking again, and extracting one final spasm and one final outcry from the attorney before Olivia brought their lips together, accepting and swallowing Alex's last plea, slipping her tongue into Alex's open mouth, gently stroking it against Alex's as she eased and slowed her strokes, bringing the attorney down once again, gently, lovingly.

Then as Alex's body was truly, fully calming, as the last few twitches were leaving it, Olivia pulled out of the kiss, not far, just enough, just enough to be able to look at Alex, look directly into her hooded eyes, the detective's hand still intimately connecting them, her breath warm on Alex's chin and lips. "You are going to do fantastic tomorrow," she rasped, "You're going to *be* fantastic tomorrow." She leaned in and captured Alex's lips briefly one more time before finishing on a quiet, breathy whisper, her own eyes closing, her forehead resting against Alex's, "You are fantastic."

Their lips met again in a more sensuous, and this time more lingering kiss, tongues sliding against one another, Alex's hand threading through Olivia's hair as Olivia continued to hold the attorney tight. Both basking in each other and in the moment, neither wanting it to end just yet.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

However, a little regretfully, but needing a breath, Olivia finally pulled back and again briefly rested her forehead against Alex's before, without a word, went about slowly, gently, removing her hand from Alex, drawing a slight flinch and twitch from the attorney as well as a quiet groan, and straightening Alex's shorts a bit as the attorney settled back into her previous position on the sofa, her back once again resting against the arm of the couch, her legs going limp on Olivia's thighs; spent, yes, but also far, far more relaxed than she had been 15 minutes earlier, and filled with far, far more pleasant thoughts and feelings.

So as she settled back, Alex let her eyes drift closed and let her mind and body linger on those thoughts and feelings of wellbeing and of love, thoughts and feelings even further helped along as she felt the detective resume the action that had started this all: the innocent light play of Olivia's fingers over her knee and calf. And a most languid, content, satisfied, and even relaxed expression made its way to the attorney's face as she allowed her body and mind to rest comfortably in the ensuing silence.

Alex let her eyes remain shut for long lingering seconds before inhaling a deep breath and then letting it out slowly, giving herself just a few more moments under her lover's gentle and caring touch. Then with another deep inhale she finally re-opened her eyes. And when she did she saw Olivia. And saw Olivia's expression: the detective was obviously quite content herself, a small self-satisfied and perhaps a little smug smile playing across her lips. And on a different occasion, Alex might have given her a hard time about it, but on this occasion Alex didn't begrudge the detective that smile. She deserved it, after all.

Taking one more deep breath, Alex reached up and straightened her slightly askew and drooping glasses, blushing just a little that she hadn't even taken them off in the first place, and then cleared her throat, getting Olivia's attention, getting Olivia to look up and getting their eyes to meet. After a moment of just looking at each other silently, Alex finally spoke, her words quiet but conciliatory, "Okay. So you were right."

Olivia raised an eyebrow at the use of the past tense, "Were right? About what?"

Alex couldn't keep the small smirk from her lips, nor could she mask the continued contentment and satisfaction, "That did help," Alex's smirk got bigger as she tacked on, "A lot."

Olivia grinned back at her. "I told you."

Alex chuckled, too relaxed and happy to argue or tease back, and pushed herself up straighter again so they could both lean in and bring their lips together once more, letting them meet in a sweet chaste kiss of mutual and shared feelings. When Alex pulled back, Olivia tucked one last errant strand of hair behind Alex's ear with one hand and rested her other on Alex's knee, before speaking, her request simple and quiet, "Come to bed with me?"

Alex tilted her head slightly to the side, looking apologetic, not wanting to ruin the good mood, the good will, the good feelings, but yet... "Liv, I..." Because she wanted to take Olivia up on her offer, she did, but what had been true many minutes earlier was still true now, "I really do have some reading left to do."

Olivia immediately realized Alex had misinterpreted her request. The detective shook her head, "No, I... I know you do. And I actually need to get some sleep, but..." Olivia looked away before continuing, "But I just want..." Olivia's voice trailed off, unable to quite finish the sentence out loud, for showing her physical needs wasn't something the detective had problems with. Showing of her emotional needs, on the other hand, that was something she still found a little difficult.

But it didn't matter, she needn't have worried. Alex knew the end of the sentence: 'I just want you to be there next to me.' And so Alex smiled tenderly, asking quietly, "The light won't bother you?"

Olivia swallowed hard, thankful that Alex understood, and shook her head in answer to Alex's question.

"Okay," Alex continued quietly, "Why don't you go get ready and I'll," the attorney looked down at the somewhat messy pile of paper that had been tossed to the floor earlier, "Gather what I need," she looked back up with an amused smile and another slight blush, the strewn papers a reminder to both of them of how they had gotten in that strewn state, "And then join you."

Olivia returned her smile, still grateful and full of emotion but also filled with some of that same amusement, as well. "Okay." The detective helped swing Alex's legs off of her lap so she could stand. She was just heading away from the couch and to the bedroom when Alex caught her hand.

"Olivia."

Olivia turned to look at the attorney, only to find Alex just sort of staring up at her, seemingly looking for, searching for, trying to find the words.

And there were words and expressions she could use, of course there were. But they all seemed woefully inadequate to even sum up her gratitude for this evening much less sum up everything she was feeling and everything she felt for the detective.

But again it didn't matter. This time it was Alex who needn't have worried. And this time it was Olivia who smiled tenderly at the silent attorney, seeing everything written on her face even if it wasn't said out loud.

She gave Alex's hand a squeeze then let go, and headed to the bedroom.