DISCLAIMER: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and its characters are the property of NBC and Dick Wolf.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Third in the trilogy of, 'Vibes' tales, this is a standalone. It's also not a continuation on the last one, Bensonesque so don't be expecting threesomes!
THANKS: To everyone on my Yahoo Group, vivalab, for their support - you guys rock!
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.

Vibes III – Denial
By VivalaB

 

Olivia exited Babs Duffy's apartment building and headed for her car, she had just opened the door when her phone rang. "Benson," she answered, slipping the keys into the ignition.

"Liv, I need to speak with you, can you come to my office" Alex Cabot asked in her typically authoritative tone.

Olivia looked at her watch and closed her eyes briefly before replying, "Sure, be right there," and turned the key.


Olivia didn't bother knocking when she reached Alex's office, she entered and smiled at the blonde sitting behind her desk.

"Hey," she greeted, simultaneously waving a hand..

Alex returned the smile and stood up.

Olivia frowned at the movement, usually Alex remained in her seat and she would sit in the visitor's chair opposite. She moved towards it but the ADA's voice halted her.

"D'you mind if we sit on the couch? I've been sitting here most of the day," Alex asked quietly.

Olivia shrugged, "Sure," she answered, removing her jacket as she made her way over to the leather sofa.

Alex smiled and followed her, watching as she carefully placed it neatly over the arm rest, before sitting down.

Alex brushed past her, their legs touching due to the proximity between the couch and the table in front. Alex smoothed out her skirt and sat down beside her.

Olivia turned to her, "You okay?" she asked, unable to ignore the nervousness radiating from the younger woman's body.

Alex nodded her head, "I don't know...I want to ask you something and I would appreciate your honesty," she answered cryptically.

Olivia's frown returned, "O-kaaay," she said, stretching the word out, trying to work out what could possibly have the confident, brilliant and occasionally arrogant attorney so perplexed.

Alex nodded in response, she cleared her throat, turned to Olivia and swallowed.

Olivia waited, patiently for her to speak.

"D'you get a vibe from me?" she asked eventually, folding her arms.

Olivia looked at her blankly, "What kind of vibe?" she asked, shaking her head to show her lack of understanding.

Alex raised her eyebrows and gently bobbed her head, "You know....a vibe vibe"

Olivia blinked, then blinked again and opened her mouth as realization dawned, "A gay vibe?" she asked.

Alex nodded again, "Yes...do you?"

Olivia shook her head, "No...I don't, not even a hint," she answered regretfully.

Alex said nothing, nodding her head once more before looking down at her folded arms.

Olivia looked at her friend and took in her defensive posture, she reached over and placed a hand on her arm, "What made you ask that?" she asked quietly.

Alex bit her lip, "Babs Duffy kissed me today, in Cragen's office, told me she got a vibe," she said and shuddered at the memory.

Olivia's eyes widened in disbelief, "You're kidding?" she asked.

Alex lifted her head, opened her mouth, closed it again and shook her head in a classic Cabot move, "Do I look like I'm kidding?" she asked disdainfully.

Olivia smiled and moved her hand to Alex's back, she rubbed soothingly across the gray cardigan covered shoulders, "Alex, I just came from her apartment..."she paused and blew out a breath, "she kissed me too, then told me she thought I was gay," she said.

Alex whipped her head up and looked into Olivia's deep, brown eyes, "Really?" she questioned.

Olivia nodded, "Yep, told me I was Ellen, Joan Crawford and Calamity Jane all rolled into one."

Alex shook her head, "I was going over her testimony and she asked if I wanted to take her somewhere private and de-brief her," she said and shuddered again at the awkward memory.

Olivia groaned, "Oh God, that's the worst pick up line I've ever heard," she answered.

"It gets worse, she asked if you and I were involved...then pulled my head down and kissed me."

Olivia felt the color rise in her cheeks, "Really? You and me?" she asked, deliberately glossing over the fact that the forceful woman had kissed Alex.

Alex nodded, "Yes, she implied it for a while then just came right out and asked me," she paused, "can you believe that?"

"Me and you as a couple...or that she said it?" Olivia quipped to cover her true feelings.

Alex groaned, "Liv, doesn't it bother you that people might think we're...together?"

Olivia smiled weakly, "No...it wouldn't bother me at all. In fact I'd probably show you off at every opportunity I could get," she answered honestly.

"I'm not some trophy for you to parade on your arm detective," she said harshly.

Olivia was confused by her reaction, "I didn't mean it like that, I just meant that if I were with you, I wouldn't hide my feelings," she said and smiled nervously.

Her mind was reeling, she had denied her sexuality to Babs because she didn't want to hurt the small woman's feelings, but truthfully she was so far back in the closet she could almost see Narnia and there was only one woman she would consider coming out for....and that woman was straight.

Alex smiled back at her, "You would huh?"

Olivia nodded but said nothing, deciding to look at her watch instead. She rubbed her hands over her trousers, picking off imaginary pieces of lint, "I need to go, you gonna be okay?" she asked, avoiding eye contact.

"No," Alex replied quietly.

Olivia looked at her, "What's wrong?"

Alex sighed and reached for her hand, "I always thought it would be you that would make the first move," she said so quietly that Olivia thought she had misheard her.

Her eyes widened in surprise, she couldn't do this right now, she didn't trust her emotions. "Um, I really need to go," she said nervously, squeezing the hand holding hers affectionately before releasing it and standing up. She lifted her jacket and moved to the door, without looking back.

"Liv," Alex said quietly as she rose form her seat and moved towards her.

Olivia swallowed and turned, "What?" she choked out.

Alex stopped in front of her, "Would you kiss me?" she asked quietly.

Olivia frowned, "Why?" she answered, panic setting in.

Alex moved closer and placed her hands lightly on Olivia's shoulders, "Because the next time someone asks me if I'm with you, I want to be able to say yes," she whispered.

Olivia blinked a few times to make sure she wasn't dreaming and removed Alex's hands from her shoulders.

The puzzled look on Alex's face vanished instantly when she realized she was removing her heavy jacket. Olivia let the jacket drop to the floor beside her and reached for the blonde in front of her.

Alex went willingly into her embrace and they smiled shyly at each other.

"I always thought you were straight," Olivia whispered after a long minute of contented silence.

Alex snorted, "Have you ever seen me with a date? And don't say Lanagan, that was business," she said defensively.

Olivia grinned, "Now that you mention it..." her voice trailed off as Alex leaned forward.

"Shut up and kiss me," Alex breathed out, moving her hands to cup the detective's flushed face.

Olivia smiled and parted her lips, their mouths met gently at first and grew in passion as years of denial and pent up frustration came to a head.

Olivia moved her hands to Alex's hips and pulled the younger woman into her body. She swallowed a moan as Alex ran her hands teasingly through her brown hair, causing her scalp to tingle in the most delicious way.

Alex held the back of her head and fused their lips together.

Olivia stumbled backwards and connected with the door. They broke apart, trying to control their ragged breathing and heaving chests.

"Where did you learn to kiss like that?" Olivia asked, grinning as she placed a feather light kiss on the lips in front of her.

Alex smiled into the tender kiss, she waited until Olivia pulled back slightly and gazed into glassy eyes, with a hint of mischief.

"Abbie Carmichael," she whispered as she leaned in for another searing kiss.

The End

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