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In recent years, Olivia’s life had felt like a revolving door with constant entrances and exits. Elliot, Nick, Rafael, Peter… in and out, one by one, each leaving her changed for better or worse… but time healed those wounds; time apart allowed her to process each shift little by little. This was nothing compared to the uncanny ability of Alex Cabot to weave her life in and out of Olivia’s own. This wasn’t a revolving door, it was a door-slamming farce played onstage, and Olivia was the butt of the joke.
The ADA had swooped into the squad room with a confidence and swagger that endlessly fascinated Olivia. They had fallen for one another by accident, realizing they had found a mutual understanding and comfort in one another for a blissful three years. The first exit wasn’t Alex’s choice; she was forced away by circumstance and brought back years later to plead her own case. The night before the trial that they had spent together allowed them to make up for lost time, but as soon as the verdict was reached, Alex disappeared once again.
Another handful of years passed, and Alex came strutting up the street with Captain Cragen—Olivia had been dumbfounded, barely able to collect her thoughts in the moment. Alex had been back in New York for years, but Alex returned to SVU only to leave a third time less than a year later. She’d taken a position with the international criminal court—nothing tied her to the states, not when her work was the priority, but she had reassured Olivia of her safe return.
Their third act picked back up where they’d left off—Olivia had drowned her sorrows over Elliot’s departure in Alex, and Alex had finally found an anchor in a place she could call home. Their arrangement was almost domestic at this point; it was a world away from their frenzied rendezvous in their earlier years. They had fallen into a steady, easy, constant rhythm… but consistency was never either woman’s strong suit. After a particularly disastrous outcome of a case, Alex elected to resign from the D.A.’s office.
“When were you going to tell me?” Olivia asked, her voice shaking.
Alex sighed, shaking her head, “Olivia, they need me—“
Olivia scoffed, clenching her jaw to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. “What about me?”
“I—“ Alex paused, finding herself growing choked up as well. “I don’t know the answer to that, Olivia. But… my time with the law… that’s the past.”
“Not for me,” Olivia insisted, moving to stare Alex down. “Not for me.” She swallowed hard and sniffled, still searching the other woman’s face for answers. “Alex, please.”
“I can’t just let people die, Olivia,” Alex said, running a hand through her hair. “I’m going to make real, tangible change. This is… all a joke.”
“Stay, please?” Olivia asked, her tone growing desperate as she took Alex’s hand, “just for tonight?”
Alex let out another sigh. “Tonight.”
Olivia had woken up to an empty bed and a simple note on the other pillow. Her pillow. “I’m sorry. –A”