Love and Litigation - An Alex Cabot/Law and Order SVU fanfiction

Chapter 23

The sun has set on another day in Manhattan, and Luke still sat at his desk in the squad room. He held a daily hope that Olivia would be merciful and unchain him from his desk. Sadly, today wasn't that day and he dreaded the possibilities of how long it might last.

As he finished up his last bit of paperwork, he saw a silhouette round the corner in front of him. 

Alex. 

"Heading home?" He asked with a tired smile. 

"Thankfully, yes," she answered, taking a few steps towards him. "It's been a long day." 

He looked her over, wanting to tell her how beautiful she looked but doubting she'd want to hear it. So, instead, he stood up and offered something else. 

"Let me walk you to your car." 

"Okay." She whispered, barely audible. 

He kept a healthy distance between them as they walked together. The last thing he wanted to do was make her feel pressured. 

When they reached her car, Alex tossed her briefcase into the passenger's seat and leaned against the driver's side door. Somehow, she looked even more breathtaking bathed in the light of the full moon. He fought the urge to kiss her, and foolishly hoped that she would make the first move. Instead, he made it simple. 

"Drive safe." He told her, walking a couple steps backwards before turning to walk back inside. 

"Luke?" 

He stopped and turned around. 

"Do you have a few minutes?" 
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A short while later, they sat at a diner a few blocks down the street. Luke ordered a cola, Alex a hot tea and they engaged in trivial small talk for awhile. Deciding to stop beating around the bush, she ventured into deeper waters. 

"We need to talk about last night." 

"Okay." He said, taking a sip of his soda. 

"How are you so calm about this?" 

"Why shouldn't I be calm?" 

"Maybe because we could both lose our jobs if anyone found out?" 

"So, we make sure they don't find out." 

Alex stared at him, dumbfounded, as he continued on. 

"Look, it's none of their business what we do with our personal lives. We both know it won't affect our work. We won't let it." 

"So you're wanting this to continue?" 

"You're not?"

He watched as she nervously brought her mug of tea to her lips. She thought for a moment before speaking again. 

"What's different this time? I mean, we've known each other for a long time. It's not like this is a love at first sight thing." 

Luke gave her a crooked closed-mouth smile. Thinking back to the first time he saw her, he wasn't so sure he didn't fall in love right then and there. He was dating someone else at the time and was happy in that relationship. Fast forward to today and, over ten years later, they're back in each other's lives again. Almost like fate brought them back together. 

"I remember your first day with us," he recounted. "You and Elliot were at each other's throats first thing." 

"The first of many times," she laughed. "But you were the first one to take me under your wing. You made me feel like I belonged."

"You do belong." 

She gazed at him reverently, taking in every line of his face. With her silence, he continued to talk. 

"When I thought you had died in that shooting--" 

He trailed off, recalling the pain of that horrible time. 

"I think a piece of me died with you because you were my best friend. Someone I never thought I would lose." 

She continued to watch him, her eyes growing glossy. 

"And then when we found out you were alive, I was so relieved. At least until you were put into Wit Sec and all of a sudden I felt like I'd missed my chance."

"Missed your chance?" 

He looked back up at her. Neither had to say a word for the other to know what they were thinking. Even after all this time, their unspoken dialogue was still unmatched.

"Let's get out of here. Take a drive with me." 

She hesitated, looking down at her watch. It was almost midnight. She looked back up to find him watching her, smiling as their eyes met. 

"Alright, but don't make this a long trip." She teased, and they walked outside together. 

He opened his passenger door for her before climbing in on the other side. He took a short drive, about ten minutes out of the city. They pulled up to a secluded area with nothing but sky around them. As he parked the truck, he left the heat on for warmth. 

"I come out here sometimes when I need to clear my head." He breathed. 

"It's beautiful." 

Luke glanced over at Alex. Sure, the scenery outside was beautiful but the view inside was even better. 

"Why did you bring me here?" 

"Because it has the best view of the stars...and there's no one else around." 

She arched her eyebrow and curled her mouth up into a wry smile. 

"What did you mean when you said you missed your chance?" 

He swallowed and used his fingers to slick back his hair. 

"I promised myself that if you ever came back into my life, I would let you know how I really feel." 

"And how do you feel?"

"I feel...happy that you're back in my life. And I feel like I've been waiting years for this moment, here with you. Like maybe I haven't missed my chance after all." 

She smiled softly and graced his face with her hand, rubbing the scruff of his beard. With his eyes fervently locked on hers, she leaned across the seat and kissed him. As she released him his eyelids fluttered open, his senses flooded by the intoxicating scent of her perfume.

"Let me drive you back."