DISCLAIMER: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and all characters are property of NBC and Dick Wolf.
SERIES: Second in the Defying Gravity series following Fallen.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.

Forgiven
By Les Miserables 1998

Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth overlying our hard hearts.

Great Expectations, Dickens


"Elliot, I'm glad you're here," Alex said.

"There's something that Olivia and I want to tell you…"

Elliot said nothing as he entered the room. Taking the chair that Alex had vacated, he sat down beside the two women.

Olivia was still groggy from the pain meds, but she managed a faint, "Alex are you sure?"

Alex just smiled and took a deep breath.

Yeah, she was sure. Her girlfriend was lying in a hospital bed with a bullet hole in her shoulder, and Alex had been the last to find out. Yeah, she WAS sure.

"Elliot…," Alex began again. "Remember earlier when you asked me why I was so worried about Olivia?"

Elliot didn't say a word, only nodded his head. His gut knew what Alex was going to say.

Olivia gently squeezed Alex's hand for encouragement.

"Well…the reason I freaked," Alex smiled, "is because…," Alex drew a deep breath, then let it out with a quick, "I love her…um…I'm IN LOVE with Olivia."

There, it was out in the open, she had said the words. Alex felt a surge of relief mixed with sheer horror.

She waited for Elliot's reaction…

"Oh," was all Elliot could manage at that moment.

Sensing her partner's loss for words, Olivia spoke up.

"And, I love Alex"

"How long," Elliot managed more than one word this time.

Alex felt it was better to let Elliot and Olivia continue the conversation.

"Almost six months," Olivia said with a slight grin, looking up at Alex.

"Elliot, I am so happy. Happier than I can remember. Alex does this for me, but I hope you can understand why I couldn't tell you. Alex is in a high-profile job, and her political future…"

"Olivia," Elliot began to regain his wits and to form full sentences now, "You know that you can tell me anything…always. I have to say, though, I had no idea."

Alex's gaze was fixed on Elliot trying to gauge his reaction.

"And, Alex…," Elliot continued, "There are going to be a lot of disappointed men in the city of New York." Elliot let out a slight laugh.

Alex managed a smile, "Actually, Elliot, Olivia and I don't want people to know…for now," she added with a smile and stole a glance at Olivia.

Olivia smiled back and voiced her agreement.

"Today just really scared me," Alex explained. "What if Olivia's injuries were really serious?"

"I should have been here…"

The day's events had finally taken a toll on Alex's emotions. First the interview with Tarsi, then this. Tears welled in Alex's blue eyes, and she knew she was on the verge of losing it.

"But you're here now, baby, that's what matters," Olivia softly said trying to sit up in the bed.

"Olivia, I love you, you know that," Elliot said as he took her hand.

Elliot reached out and grasped Alex's hand also. Looking back and forth between the two women, Elliot simply said," Your secret is safe with me." Giving the two a wink, he added, "I'm glad I know."


"Visiting hours are over," a nurse said as she stuck her head in Olivia's room.

Alex jumped. The nurse had caught her in bed with a sleeping Olivia.

"I…um…was just being sure she had her covers…," Alex stumbled on the words.

"Yeah, whatever," the nurse said smiling at Alex, "You can come back and check her covers tomorrow."

Alex slowly got off the bed because she didn't want to wake the detective. She leaned down and planed a soft kiss on Olivia's cheek before leaving the room.

On the elevator ride down, Alex could hardly suppress a grin.

I love that woman so much, and now, someone else knows…

The End

Reality

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