TITLE: Shift

PAIRING: O/?

RATING: PG for now

SUMMARY: Olivia wants love and a family. Can she find it in the unlikliest of places?

Olivia was sitting at the same bar she'd been with the night she'd broken up with Kurt. She was drinking tonic water with lime and contemplating the last few months of her life. It was true, she did want kids and a solid relationship seemed to be the only way she was going to be able to achieve that in the eyes of an adoption agency; however Kurt just wasn't the right one.

Something about him had bothered her from the beginning and the relationship had just never felt right. The sex was more than ok if not earth shattering, and he treated her well, but still, she just couldn't commit to him. In fact, she was beginning to wonder if she could ever commit to anybody.

She was pulled from her reverie by a familiar voice ordering tequila, straight up. Looking to her right she saw the profile of Alex Cabot.

"Alex?"

Downing her shot the blonde turned to see the face of Olivia Benson. She felt her heart skip a beat.

"Olivia?" Signaling for another she got up and moved down the three stools so that she was sitting next to the brunette. "How are you?" Her eyes scanned the detective's face and she felt a return of the feelings she used to get when they were working together.

And just as suddenly she finally realized that what she felt when she looked at Olivia was 'that feeling' she had told Jim about. She was so lost in the realization that everything she thought she was supposed to feel for Robert was what she felt when she looked at Olivia, that she nearly missed what the detective was saying.

"…so I broke up with him."

Him? Olivia had been dating a man? She was straight? Alex was sure there'd been something between them all those years ago. Before her stubborn refusal to drop a case had sent her into hiding. Before her ill advised engagement to man several years older than her. Before she'd gotten a second chance at her old life and fucked it all up.

"Him?" She couldn't keep the surprise out of her voice.

Looking annoyed Olivia snapped, "Yes, 'him.' What other gender would it be?" She knew she sounded like a shrew and that the Lincoln Haver case had hit a bit too close to home, but she couldn't help her reaction.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to imply anything. I just…" She sighed and ordered another shot. She ignored Olivia's raised eyebrow. "Olivia, I'm sorry." The way she said it caught Olivia's attention.

"For what?"

"For not getting in touch when I came back. For ignoring you and the guys. For fucking up my life yet once again." The last part was said so low Olivia almost missed it.

"It's ok Alex. You've been…busy." She glanced at Alex's ring finger and not seeing the huge rock she'd heard Cabot was sporting, she raised her eye brow.

"I broke it off with Robert yesterday."

Olivia raised her glass to Alex and offered a salute. "To the broken hearted."

Alex clinked her glass to Olivia's but couldn't say she felt too broken up about splitting from Robert. He was a mistake and while she regretted hurting him, she did not regret breaking up with him. Political aspirations be damned.

"How about we blow this joint and get some food detective? Do you still frequent Hello Dahli's?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Two hours later the women had fallen right back into their routine pre-Valez. They had caught each other up on their lives since before and after Alex's return and neither had laughed so hard in a long time.

Afterwards Alex insisted on seeing her home citing Olivia's break-up was much more recent than hers by about 24 hours. Alex had come in for a cup of coffee and they'd talked for another hour before Alex noted the time and called it a night. She did however get Olivia to agree to lunch the next day.

Olivia ignored the way her body relaxed into Alex as the blonde hugged her good-bye and Alex tried to quell the thumping of her heart at Olivia's close proximity. After she was back in the safety of her car, she let out a long breath and smiled at the way Olivia had seemingly clung to her.

"Oh Miss Benson this is the start of something beautiful."

XXXXXXXXX

Olivia was surprised but also pleased when Alex called her both before and after their lunch the next day. She was unsure why, but she didn't tell Elliot about seeing Alex or having lunch with her or that they were having dinner the following night.

They began spending all of their free time together over the next few weeks and Alex had finally decided she was up to seeing the guys again. She confessed to Olivia that she was hesitant to see them. Olivia assured her it would be fine.

And it was. Elliot, Munch, Fin and Cragen had all greeted her warmly and Fin and had asked none to gently when the hell she was coming back to SVU . He liked Casey as a person, but as an ADA she pretty much sucked.

"That's very kind of you Fin, but Casey does a good job."

"No she don't. Girl tries hard, but damn, she just screws up the easiest cases sometimes!"

Alex felt the need to try and defend her fellow ADA . "That's not true!"

In unison everyone, even Olivia said, "Yes it is."

Hovering just outside the squad room was Casey Novak. She watched the scene before her play out and cringed at the way she saw Alex looking at Olivia. Whatever doubts she had about her decision, they were gone as she saw Alex perched on Olivia's desk. Shoring up her courage, she pasted a smile on her face and walked into the squad room.

"Hi guys!"

Chatter stopped immediately and Alex, feeling sorry for her co-worker, stood and greeted the other woman.

"Casey, it's good to see you again!"

She looked around, nodded and decided to jump right into her announcement.

"Alex, Olivia, guys. I wanted you to hear this from me first. I've given my resignation to Jack. I'm taking a job with a firm here in town that specializes in child advocacy."

All eyes glanced in Alex's direction before darting back to Casey. After a moment of complete silence Olivia was the first to congratulate Casey.

XXXXXXXXXX

Alex joined Olivia as she sat on the ADA 's couch. Alex had had the detective over for dinner and they were discussing the latest development with Casey.

"I just feel so sorry for her Alex. She's a competent attorney but damn, she just has no courtroom presence." She placed her hand on top of Alex's and smiled. "Unlike some blonde ADA 's I know."

Alex turned her hand so that their fingers were linked. "That's very kind of you to say." She began to stroke the back of Olivia's hand with her thumb and both women grew silent.

"Liv."

"Alex."

They both giggled.

"Go ahead Liv."

"I just wanted to say that it's been so much fun spending time with you these last couple of weeks. I'm glad to have a friend again."

Alex felt her heart drop a little at the use of the word 'friend' but decided to press on with her plan. "Friend? Is that how you see me Olivia? As a friend?"

Confused the brunette cocked her head. "Yeah. My…my best friend, I guess." She thought about what she'd just said and realized it was true. Alex Cabot was her best friend. The person she wanted to share everything with. "Why, what do you…."

She was cut off by Alex's lips on hers as the blonde had moved into Olivia's personal space and was now kissing her. More importantly, Olivia was kissing her back. Her mind was reeling. She was kissing another woman. She was kissing Alex Cabot. She was getting turned on by kissing Alex Cabot. Her mind was confused but her body certainly was not. Her nipples had hardened and there was a distinct wetness between her legs.

Ignoring all of this, she pulled away from Alex and mumbling an apology she headed out the door.

Alex sighed and settled back into her couch. Replaying the last few weeks and particularly tonight she smiled. Olivia Benson had definitely returned the kiss and with fervor. Alex decided this was a marathon, not a sprint, and that good things come to those who wait.

XXXXXXXX

Across town

"Olivia…"

The brunette threw herself at her former lover and pushed him toward his bedroom. Alex's kiss had stoked a fire in her that she hoped Kurt Moss could extinguish.

Afterwards she slipped out of his grasp and quickly dressed. The sex had been the best they'd ever had, but it was still lacking for Olivia. She refused to think about who had led her to that state of arousal.