DISCLAIMER: This is a love story about two consenting female adults. Can't handle it, don't like it, don't read it. We're just borrowing Dick Wolf's characters for fun; we aren't making any money from it.
AUTHOR' NOTE: When two writing heads get together in a round robin...
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.

It's Gotta Be Love
By Katherine Quinn & Adrienne Lee

681 CONFESSION

My head rests on your shoulder; your arm drapes around my waist; our bodies press together, side by side. I move closer to you, squeezing out any space between us.

"Have I ever let you down?" You had asked again earlier.

Once more, I let my silence be your answer.

Why couldn't you just let it go?

I suppose your obsessiveness makes you the detective that you are. Your obsession with details makes you the attentive lover you can be, that you usually are. The same endearing trait, however, probably makes it harder for you to give up and stay away from alcohol.

At least it makes your cravings harder on you.

It makes it harder on you when I refuse to answer a question. You would just brood and brood and brood. Inevitably, your brooding would turn into self-chastisement.

Even without looking at you, I know you're staring into space. Probably scolding yourself.

"No, you haven't," I say, against your chest.

"Huh?"

"You haven't let me down."

"Who are you trying to kid, Alex? We both know that's not true..."

"You haven't, not since you made a commitment to yourself." I take your hand, and play with the rings on your finger. "Not since we promised each other forever. That's all that counts."

"But Alex..." You still my hand, and clasp it to yours. "I have, I did..."

"When? What are you talking about?" I can't help the panic in my voice. "Liv?"

"Last night. I wanted those beers."

I snuggle back against you, and chuckle sadly. "I wanted them, too."

"You did?"

"Yeah, Liv, it was stressful, dealing with those two."

"Yeah. But..."

"But?"

"I dreamt about them, the beers. I drank them."

"In your dream."

"Yes, in my dream. I wanted to let go of the control."

"But you didn't, not for real. That's the only thing that matters."

"No, it's not, Alex. I'm weak."

Why do you have to beat yourself up like this? "No you're not. You're the one of the strongest persons I've ever known. Certainly, the strongest person I've ever loved."

682 Trying

"You don't get it." I sigh. You can't, and I can't expect you to, but somehow, that's disappointing. You have no idea what this feels like, what it's like to want something you shouldn't have, to need something you can't want.

"That's not exactly true, Liv. I don't know what it's like, what it must be like, or how hard it must be for you to stay sober, but I do know how strong you are to stay that way."

"It's not enough to just do it. It's in my head." I try to explain. That booze, no matter how far away I stay, it's always in my head.

"But it's what you do."

"That's not true." I complain back, pulling myself away from you and sliding my knees to my chest. I wrap my arms around them, closing me off from you.

"Of course it is."

"But it's not. Remember, before, remember when I told you that I wanted to be straight, straight but love you."

"Vaguely." You say, turning away from me.

"See? It still makes you mad."

"That's because it's not…" The same. I know how you'll finish your sentence.

"But it is Alex, it's in my head. And that thought makes you angry."

"It doesn't make me angry," you snap.

"Okay Alex, whatever." I sigh, as I stare out into the ocean.

"Why does that matter? Aren't you happy with me?"

"Yes, but, you're not the point. The point is that the things in my head, they do matter."

"Of course they matter, Liv, but your actions matter too."

"I know. But, you… you just don't understand." I sigh. "You don't know what it's like to need something."

"You don't need it Liv."

"No, I don't…but sometimes, sometimes it feels like I need it. And that pisses you off too." I sigh…

683 NEED

"It doesn't piss me off."

"Yeah, whatever," you say dismissively.

"It only pisses me off that you don't believe me," I snap. "When I tell you the truth."

"How can it not piss you off? It pisses me off! I piss me off!"

"Look, Liv, I've accepted that you have a problem. While I hope that as time passes, you'll feel the craving less and less, that some day, you might actually be completely cured from the disease, that's exactly what it is. A disease. The only thing you can do, is control it by your actions. You can't help what you think."

"And that's a sign of weakness!"

"Is it? How many times have you heard me argue that people think about hurting others, that they imagine doing unspeakable things, but what separate the perps from them is that they don't carry out their fantasies."

"But that's different."

"How is it different, Liv? We're still talking about intent versus action."

"You just don't understand."

Trust me, I do understand, I understand all too well. "I understand what it's like to crave something."

"Yeah? Like what?"

"Cigarettes, for instance." And you…

"But you don't think about it everyday. I've seen you walk by smokers and totally oblivious to their existence," you argue. "But I can't walk by the bodega without thinking about the booze."

Meanwhile, despite everything I've learned, despite everything I tell myself, everything I believe in, there are times I feel like I need you to live. "Did you notice whether the restaurant we got our food served alcohol?"

"No. What does that have to do with anything?"

"But don't you see? You didn't actively seek it out. You only think about it when it's obvious, and not always. I'll bet you weren't thinking about the beers until the waitress actually brought them to our table."

You sigh. Your sigh tells me I'm right.

"Why can't you give yourself some credit? Why do you have to beat yourself up over everything?"

"Yeah, well, like you don't do the same."

"So I do." I shrug, and stare out into the sea. "But it's different…"

684 Petty

"Yeah, Alex, it's different, you're right." I say, with sarcasm dripping from my voice and I see you glare at me.

And I patently ignore you, turning more into myself.

"What's your problem all of a sudden?" You ask.

"Nothing, just drop it, okay?" I mumble back, staring out into the breaking waves.

"No, it's not okay. Jesus Liv, so you wanted a drink, you didn't take it, let it go."

"Fine."

"Fine." You respond back.

I turn away from you, holding my chin on my legs. I feel…sorry for myself. Incredibly sorry for myself, and pathetic.

I can feel your eyes on me, but I ignore them. I want to feel small, smaller than I do inside. But then I remember how shutting you out doesn't make anything better, how it just makes you angry, and hurt, and then more angry and hurt.

"I'm sorry Alex," I say, turning to you. "I'm just mad."

"I know."

"And I don't make wise choices when I'm mad."

"I know."

"And I just need a few minutes to be…"

"I know." You interrupt.

"Is there anything you don't know?" I snap at you.

"There's lots of stuff I don't know."

"I hate it when you act like that."

"Like what?" You ask defensively.

"Like you're perfect. Like you know what I'm feeling. Like you know everything."

Now it's your turn to sulk, which you do, both of us stare into the uncertain but steady ocean.

685 OCEAN

Gimme a D.

Gimme an R.

Gimme an A.

Gimme an M.

Gimme another A. What does it spell?

Drama Queen!

As much as I want to, I can't say that. It's just going to cause more problems.

Well, so much for our tropical paradise vacation.

Why can't we just have two weeks of getting along?

How come every time we take a step forward, inevitably, we stall? If not take two or more steps back? Why can't we keep advancing?

Are we just doomed to keep fucking up? Is this what human relationship is about?

God, this just sucks.

Can't we do anything right?

I sigh, and get up off my ass.

"Where are you going?" You ask, to my surprise.

I shrug, not really looking back at you. "A walk? Maybe a swim? I don't know."

You issue a non-committal grunt, and go back to shutting me out.

At times like this, I wish… I don't know what I wish.

I sigh, and walk towards the water.

The sea spray masks my tears, even from myself.

I pick up a pebble, and hurl it out into the ocean. Hard.

Again, and again.

I feel like I'm throwing pieces of my heart.

And watching them sink into the vastness of the ocean…

686 Again

I watch you walk slowly down the beach, and watch as you toss rocks into the ocean. I wish that you'd come back, not that I deserve for that to happen. I want you here. Here with me while I feel like this, but I know you're not far away. I could shout for you and you'd come back.

I wish I wasn't like this sometimes, or that you'd understand. I wish that sometimes, when I get like this, I'd learn to keep my big mouth shut. Learn to not say what's on my mind.

It's not really a fight. I know you'll come back. I know we'll talk about it, but I had to hurt you first. I couldn't just let us get back to happiness.

This is a vacation, and I'm beating myself up.

Because I'm not perfect?

No one is, right?

Secretly, deeply, I feel like I'm not good enough for you. Even with your ring on my finger, tangible proof of the promise we've made to each other, I still fear, still believe. Still believe that one day, you'll wake up and realize, wake up and see, what I see sometimes.

Sometimes, what's in my head isn't pretty.

Not like what I imagine kicks around in yours.

I sigh.

My body presses more into itself, as I focus on the sand, letting you slip from my sight.

I play with the sand next to me, letting it run through my fingers.

I watch it fall in separate grains from the air to the beach, I see your shadow approaching me on the beach.

"Liv," Your voice breaks my silence.

"I'm sorry." I mumble.

"What?" You ask gently.

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry."

"I'm being a jerk, I'm sorry. I just, I don't know what my problem is," I sigh.

687 EVERYTHING

You unwrap your arms from your knees and stare at me questioningly while I shove your feet apart with my foot. When the space looks big enough for me, I sit, and rest my head against your shoulder.

"Okay?"

I poke you playfully on the thigh, and say with a laugh, "Just hold me, jerk."

You sigh softly, and pull me close to you. "This better?"

"Yeah. Much better." Apparently, I do need you to keep me together. What am I going to do with me?

"Comfy?"

I nod. "You know, I was wrong."

"Oh?"

"Mm-hmm." I continue with my teasing voice. "I do know everything."

"Oh, really."

"Yep. You should listen to everything I say."

"What? Alex Cabot is God?"

"Well, now that you mention it..."

"I guess I'll have to build you an altar as soon as we get home. What would you like for your daily offering?"

"Oh, your undying love and devotion will do." I turn and press a kiss to your chin. "And maybe flowers now and then."

"That's all?" You ask, after I settle back into your warmth, and hug me tightly against your body. "That's easy enough."

I sigh, and begin slowly, "I wish, I wish I knew how to make things better... I hate it when we don't get along..."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. I think it's just our personality or something. I mean, let's face it, Liv, we're both bull-headed."

"Speak for yourself, Alex, I'm mule-headed at worst."

I swat you on your thigh, and chuckle lightly. "Or maybe our relationship is still just new..."

You shrug, not entirely convinced. "I guess."

"On the grand scheme of things, it is. We haven't even been together for a year yet. I think we still have a lot of growing to do."

"I suppose..."

"You know, I do try to understand how you feel, even though I don't always identify with the feelings." I wrap my arms around your arms, to make sure you can't pull away. "I thought that's what we're supposed to do. Try to be in the other person's shoes. To identify; to understand. To anticipate her wants and needs..."

688 Different

"Yeah, we're supposed to figure that stuff out," I sigh, "but sometimes what I want is so…fucked up." I sigh, leaning back. You lean into me, pulling my hands around you.

"Liv, it's not…" You try to fight back.

"It is Alex. I just feel like, I feel like sometimes I'm out of control. Or just about to be." I try to explain, but I feel the words failing me. I wish I could share it, share the feeling, but I can't, and even though I ache too, I wouldn't want you to feel this.

"We all feel like that sometimes." You sigh.

"But it's not the same, Alex," I almost whine. I want you to understand.

"Of course it is. You don't think I feel out of control sometimes?"

"Yeah, I mean, I know you, but, it's different."

"Why?" You ask.

"Because," I sigh.

"Liv?"

"Because if I let myself lose control. If I just let go, you'll leave me."

"I wouldn't…"

"Don't Alex, don't lie."

"But..."

"I know you would. I don't have to question it. It's one mistake for me, one slip, and you're gone, and so's my life."

"I can't be with you if you're…"

"I know," I cut you off. "It's not that I blame you, I'm just saying it's different for us, that's all."

"I guess it is." You say, as you push your body back into mine, holding my hands in front of you so I can't pull away.

689 CONTROL

So you do worry about what would happen to you, to your life, if I leave you.

I guess I'm not alone in having those fears.

In a way, that's comforting. Very comforting.

I'd hate to be the only paranoid needy one; I'd hate to find out that I care far more than you do…

Hm… Maybe I shouldn't be thinking this way, maybe it's not about who has the upper hand. But it's hard for me not to. It'd be different if it were just you and me, and not me and you and booze.

I wish there were some sort of miracle cure for you. Wish there were some ways we could figure out why you feel the way you do.

Maybe time will change that? I hope so.

"Have you talked to your therapist?" I ask softly, snuggling tighter into you. "About your control issues?"

"Sort of."

"Why just sort of?"

"I just don't know how to explain it, Alex. Don't know how to put into words."

Oh. "Do you feel out of control despite yourself? Or do you actually want to be out of control?"

"Both."

Oh. "Maybe we can find other ways for you to be out of control? When you do want it?"

"Like how?"

"I don't know? Roller coasters?"

"Alex, we're not kids anymore."

"We can hand-cuff you more often."

You chuckle and press a kiss to my head. "That's not the same, Sweetie."

I suppose not. "I wish there were something I could do, something I do could for you, or to help you."

"Just love me."

"I do, Liv, very much" I turn in your arms, and brush your hair out of your eyes. I add softly, "So much, sometimes it hurts."

690 Explain

"Sometimes so much it hurts." You whisper quietly into my ear. Your love for me hurts you. Great. Just great.

"I know I hurt you." I sigh. I can't help but know it. I see it in your eyes, sometimes. It flickers there, when I see you watching me. When I catch those moments where you doubt my strength.

"No, it's not…" now it's your turn to explain. "It's that I love you so much, care so much, that it hurts me to know that you're hurting."

"I don't hurt all the time. I don't even think about it all the time, a lot less than I used to. It's just that every time, every time it's going well and I start to think hey, maybe it's over, maybe I'm over it, I get reminded again. Tempted almost. And then it's just like being back there on the first day."

"It must be hard."

"It is," I sigh. "I mean, I don't want you to feel sorry for me either."

"I don't," you insist. "I admire you. I can't imagine what it would be like, to know…" You say, reaching out and touching my face. "I mean, I know what it's like to be addicted to something, quitting smoking was one of the hardest things I've ever done."

I smile a wistful smile, "Tell me about it," I say, remembering the last few weeks trying desperately to stop, so I could be free of them here.

"Yeah, yeah," I mumble, as you slide your hands over my thighs, giving me reassurance.

"You know, you could learn to accept a compliment." You say, pulling my arms around you again, tighter.

"I could, but that's unlikely."

"We'll, you'll have to learn eventually."

"Says you."

"You better watch it Benson, I could take you."

I can't help but laugh. "In your dreams."

"In your nightmares," you counter, laughing.

I smile and hold you tighter, wanting you close to me. "I love you," I whisper quietly into your ear…

691 DREAMS

I smile, and lace my fingers with yours. "So."

"Hmm?"

"You'd really follow me anywhere?"

"Why, Alex, where do you want to go?"

"Hey, I thought you said it wouldn't matter."

"It wouldn't, but I'd still like to know where we're going."

"Were you serious? About planning ahead?"

"You mean for our retirement?" You laugh lightly. "I haven't really thought about it. Why?"

"I don't know… It just seems… so far away?"

"It is."

"I could see us though, sitting on a deck somewhere facing the ocean, sipping orange juice and reading the newspaper." I smile up at you. "A nice painting, don't you think?"

"Or us, spending the day in our bedroom, which faces the ocean.

I shake my head at your wagging brows. "Is that all you think about?"

"That's all you think about."

"That's so not true!" I swat at you. "I hope by then we learn to keep our hands off of each other."

"I hope not."

"What? You want us to be horn dogs forever?"

"Why not?" You pull me close to you, your breath tickling my neck. "I can't think of anything better to do than to spend my retirement years naked with you."

I reach back and ruffle your hair. "Yeah, well, you might not feel the same way then."

"Why not? How would you like to spend your retirement?"

"I don't know. Haven't really thought about it. I just know I want it to be with you."

You laugh, not catching the wistful tone of my voice. "Good. I'm glad we have that settled."

"Sometimes I wonder…" I sigh. It seems so stupid. Why did I even start this?

"About what?"

"Will you still love me when I'm old and gray?"

692 Steady

"Prolly not." I mumble, and I can feel your body tense. Feel you respond to my words, and I smile.

"What?" You ask, as you whip around to face me. Panic in your eyes, panic that's there only until you see the smile on my face and know I'm kidding. That I fully plan to love you until the day I die…

"That's a silly question, Alex." I try to explain.

"No it's not, it's romantic" you pout, at me, as the smile slowly spreads across my face.

"Okay, fine, I'll love you when you're old and gray. All right?"

"It's too late, now, you're mean," you say, turning your back to me, and sliding back into my arms.

"I'm not mean, of course I'll love you," I say, squeezing you quickly. "Will you love me?"

"Yeah. I'll think about it."

"You'll think about it?"

"Shhh…" you sigh, as you lean back into me. "Look at how beautiful the ocean is."

We sit wrapped in each others arms, quiet, watching the sea, together.

I watch the waves roll in, staring out into the sea, as steady and sweet as it has for the last few hours. For the last million years.

My eyes flutter open, and I realize that we must have fallen asleep here. The sun is gently starting to set, how long have we been here, holding each other, being together?

It feels like only a few minutes, but when I start to move, I realize that you're asleep in my arms, and that my back feels like it hasn't moved in days.

"Alex?" I whisper, as I shake you gently.

You moan in my arms, as I press against you again.

"Alex, we have to get up."

"No." You moan, keeping your eyes closed.

"The sun's setting. We have to go back."

693 PUNCH

"No... Stop it." I try to pull you back, try to keep you away from the men.

"But Alex," you turn briefly, to argue with me, while punching one of them in the eye.

"No! Stop! All of you! Just stop!"

You turn again to tell me, "We can't, we have to..."

This time, one of them takes the opportunity to hit you back. Knocking you out.

"NOOO!"

Now they're coming at me. "Get away from me!" I yell, flailing my arms, trying to protect you, protect us.

"Ow!" I hear you say. "Alex?"

"Liv?"

"Alex, Sweetie, wake up."

"Huh?" I shake my head, and force my eyes open. "What?" Then I see you holding your face. "What's wrong?"

"You hit me."

"I did? Huh?"

"You were dreaming."

Oh. No wonder that punch felt so real. I think my hand hurt. Then I realize you must hurt too. "Oh, my god. Are you okay?" I pull your hand away from your face, and touch where I must have hit you. "I'm so sorry…"

"What were you trying to do, Alex? Knock my teeth in?"

"I'm so sorry, Liv. It wasn't directed at you…"

"Oh?"

"Don't worry about it." I shrug off the details of the nightmare, while pushing at the slightly puffy area around. "Does it hurt?"

"Yeah!" You wince, swatting my hands away. "You're dangerous."

"I'm so sorry, Liv. I really, really am."

"I take back what I said earlier."

I see the amused glint in your eyes, and I smile. "I told you I could take you."

"Yeah, maybe you just got lucky."

"We need to find some ice or something, to put it on there." I touch your face gently, soothing your injured flesh. "So you won't bruise…"

694 Ice

"It's not going to bruise," I swat your hand away. "You're not a ninja."

"Maybe not, but I got you pretty good," you say, pushing at the side of my mouth where you hit me.

I try not to wince, as you press my lip. I don't want you to feel bad, and really, you only caught me the way you did because I was leaning over you, watching you, listening to you breathe.

Watching the way sleep relaxed your features, watching the slight smile on your lips, that quickly turned to a frown as you whimpered. Just as I was about to wake you up, to tell you that it was just a dream, your fist caught the side of my lip.

You're stronger than you look.

"Are you okay?" You ask, as you push my hands away from my face again.

"Yeah, it's not a big deal." I say, trying to ignore the pain.

"Please let me get ice to put on it."

"It's not a big…"

"It'd make me feel better," you say, with a slight frown.

"Fine." I say, as you scramble out of bed and pull clothes on over your head. I hear the door to the room slide open, and you leave.

I lay back on the bed and concentrate on making the pain go away, when I hear you return.

"I got it," you say, pushing the door closed with your foot and running towards me.

"It's in a bucket."

"Yeah, silly," You say, taking your t-shirt off and putting ice cubes into it.

"But I'll get wet."

"Well I hope you don't melt," you say, rolling your eyes at me.

"You know, this isn't a pretty side of you." I mutter, as you press ice against my face.

"Stop talking," you scold, as you hold me still when I try to pull away.

"It's cold!" I whine.

"It's ice, Liv. Stop complaining, for a big tough cop you're being a baby."

"But.." You have a point.

695 BABY

"I can't believe you're acting like such a baby."

"I'm not!" You whine.

"You should've let me do something about this earlier, before we got back here."

"It didn't hurt then."

"So it does hurt now."

"No it doesn't."

"Don't lie, Liv."

"I just don't want you to feel bad." You sigh loudly as I massage your face.

"Too late for that." I sigh. "I really didn't mean to…"

"I know you didn't." You provide quickly. Then with misery in your eyes, you whine again, "Are you done yet?"

"God, if I ever want a kid, I can just think back to this moment, and I'd be cured."

"Now you're being mean."

"Come on, just let me do this for a little longer." I plead with you, pulling you into my lap, and cradling your head. "We don't want your face to puff up tomorrow."

"It's not gonna."

I drop the ice back into the bucket, and throw up my hands. "I give up. I don't know how you expect me to…"

"Just kiss it, and it'll feel better."

Why me? I press my lips lightly against your cold cheek. "Better?" I ask, incredulous.

"Yep." You smile, and pointed to the melted ice streaking down your chest. "But I'm cold here."

"Okay?" I reach for my shirt, to wipe you off. You block my movement. "What?"

"You need to kiss it off."

"I don't believe you. How can you think about sex at a time like this?"

"Who says anything about sex, Alex? A kiss doesn't have to lead to sex."

I guess you have a point…

696 Immature

You lean over and kiss the water that's dripping slowly down my breast. Yeah, this isn't about sex at all. Not even a little.

I'm whining, and I know it. Using your guilt to my advantage. I should feel bad, but I don't.

You lean into me, and put the ice back on my face. "That's really cold," I whine.

"It's ice Liv."

"I know, but it's really cold."

You sigh and roll your eyes at me. "It's supposed to be cold. You're hopeless."

"It's not that bad. You're not that strong." I say smugly.

"What did you say?" You ask.

"I said you're not that strong."

"I am so strong." You say.

"Sure you are." I say, poking your arms. "Wimpy," I giggle.

You pull back from me, "I am not." You say, flexing your arm, showing me your nicely toned muscle. It's nothing like mine though, which I show you proudly.

"That's not fair." You whine at me.

"Sure it is."

"You work out."

"So do you."

"Yeah, but you have to bust bad guys and stuff. I just have to lift their files."

"That can be hard work," I say, sticking my tongue out at you.

"You're very mature."

"I know," I say with a crooked smile, kissing you on the cheek.

"Are you done?"

"I guess," I sigh, as I lean back on the bed. You smile at me, and put the ice into the bucket, and slide it onto the floor next to the bed, while you cuddle into me and shut off the lights…

697 ROOM

"You think it's funny, don't you?" I roll onto my side, and curl my body around your pillow.

"Uh-huh." You smirk, pulling on your shirt.

"You might as well take it off, Liv, we're not going anywhere."

"We're not spending our vacation stuck in our room," you say resolutely, while zipping up your jeans. "We have to get souvenirs, and try that restaurant we wanted to go yesterday. Remember? I even found it in the guide book and copied the directions."

"What happened to being happy just being with me." I sulk, and pull the blankets up around my neck.

You climb into bed, and straddle my body, hovering. "Come on, I'll just put on foundation or something."

"People are going to think I beat you up."

"But Sweetie, you did beat me up."

"Shut up!" I reach up to touch your face, feeling bad all over again. "Does it hurt?"

"No. It's really much better than it looks." You push against the spot with your fingers. "See? Come on, Baby, let see that smile."

Great, now you're consoling me, even though you're the one with a bruise on your face. "I'm so sorry."

"Really, it's okay. Come on, lets get dressed. I'm hungry."

"Why don't we just order room service?"

'I don't know that I want hotel food. It's boring."

"Oh, suddenly you're the adventurous eater?"

"Isn't that what you want, Alex? I'm just giving you what you want."

'I want to stay in," I whine, then bat my lashes at you. "I'll let you eat me."

"Tempting, but no. I need food. We barely ate yesterday." You try to peel off the blanket. "Come on, Sweetie, aren't you hungry?"

Famished. "But your face…"

"I'll use coverup. Promise."

I sigh, and let you pull the covers off of me, and let you drag me out of bed. "People are going to think I'm some kind of wife abuser…"

698 Wife

Waitaminute. Wife abuser?

I'm not your wife. I'm you're. I'm just your. I don't know what I am, but I'm not your wife.

I run my fingers over the ring, nervously twirling it. Wait, is this a wedding ring? Am I your?

It's easy to say that, easy to tell you that I'll be with you forever, but I never really promised, never really said… Your wife? Your wife is different. Wife means white dresses and weddings and flowers and that kind of stuff. We didn't do that. You don't want that?

I smile at you, and try to ignore the twinge in my face. It doesn't hurt that badly, really, but it's a little sore. Sore enough to notice at least. I get off of you, off of the bed, and head into the bathroom.

My eyes wide in the mirror, I carefully cover the corner of my mouth with your foundation, which is way too light for my skin. It's better if I just leave it how it was, but somehow, I'm pretty sure you're not going to see it that way.

I see you coming behind me, and you wrap your arms around my waist while you watch me dab make up on my face.

"All better," I say with smile.

"I can still see it," you pout.

So can I, but I'm not telling you that. "That's only because you know where to look." I supply quickly.

You seem to think about it for a second, and then you smile skeptically. "I guess."

"It's fine, Alex, and I'm hungry. You can't expect me to keep my performance up if you starve me to death."

"Liv," You say, slapping me on the arm.

"What? I have to eat to service you."

"Liv!" You demand.

"Yes dear?"

"You make me sound…perpetually horny."

"You are."

"I am not."

"Okay Alex." I say, trying not to laugh.

699 UPSET

"I'm not! You are!"

"Yeah, right." You press your lips together, trying hard not to laugh.

I pull my arms from your waist, and wrap them around myself. "Fine."

"Fine?"

"Fine, let's see who's the perpetual horn dog."

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. We'll see who can hold out longer."

"Oh, come on, Alex," you try to pull me into your embrace. "That's silly."

"Then take it back."

"But you are horny all the time."

"Fine." I spin around, and stalk out of the bathroom.

"Come on, Sweetie," you follow quickly behind. "It was just an observation. I didn't mean…"

"Well, you observed wrong." Why am I even arguing with you? We are perpetually horny. Right now, right this moment, I just don't feel like admitting it.

"Yeah right." This time you laugh out loud.

No, I'm not going to admit it. Especially not when you're making fun of me. "Hmpf."

"I didn't say there's anything wrong…"

"Just shove it, Olivia."

"I didn't mean to make you mad, Alex. I was just teasing."

"I'm not mad."

"God, you and your technicalities." You roll your eyes and throw up your hands. "Upset then."

I hope you know you've just dug yourself a deeper hole. "I'm not upset."

"Right. Come on, Sweetie, if it makes you feel any better, I'm the same way about you."

"Then take it back… I'm not always horny." I just want to be with you, I just want to feel close to you, all the time…

700 Break Down

"I can't help that I make you want me," I say, with a goofy grin, and you can't help but smile, even though you obviously want to be mad, no, upset at me, but I'm determined to make you smile.

"You do," you say, breathing onto my neck.

"I know," I say, with a smile.

"You're so…"

"Hot?" I supply.

"I was going with full of yourself, but you're not bad."

"Not bad?" I say, feigning hurt.

"Do you need more ego?"

"Uh huh," I say, with an eager smile.

"You're hot."

"I knew it." I smile.

"And I'm hungry, so can we go?" You moan at me, pulling at the belt buckle on the front of my jeans.

"I've been trying to go for the last hour, you're the one who wanted to stay in bed."

"But that was because…"

"You're perpetually horny."

"No, smart ass, it was because of your face being hurt…and I don't want people to think that…"

"And because you want me?" I ask.

You smile at me, and sigh an overdramatic sigh. "And because I want you."

"I told you so," I laugh.

"Okay, you won now, are you going to buy me breakfast?"

"Yeah, come on," I say, pulling your hand as we run out the door.

Part 701

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