Waves: A Cabenson Fanfiction

Chapter Fifteen: Start Over

Alex walked into a vacation shop on the boardwalk with Olivia. She picked up two shirts and tossed one to Olivia. She giggled.

            Olivia held the shirt away from her to read the print. “Drunk One”, it said.

            Alex’s shirt said “Drunk Two.” She laughed. “What perfect apparel to go back to work in. I might just wear this to court.”

            “You’d be disbarred and be held in contempt for immaturity.” Olivia rolled her eyes. “Come on, I want to play the games.”

            Alex’s eyebrows shot up. She walked towards the exit with Olivia. “Who’s the immature one now?” she remarked.

            “I guess we’ll find out when I kick your ass at this game.” Olivia took two quarters from the pocket of her shorts and slipped them into the machine. She pulled a toy rifle from the sides of the machine and Alex grabbed the other.

            Alex looked at Olivia in disbelief. “This isn’t even fair. You’re a cop.”

            “Well then I guess it’s time for me to teach you a little somethin’.” Olivia pointed her gun at the screen.

            When the game ended, Alex had barely beaten Olivia, only by six points. “Read it and weep, Benson!” She threw the gun back into the slot. “I’m the six point victor. Now come on, they have good ice cream down this way”, Alex grabbed Olivia’s hand and hurried down to Murray’s Ice Cream.

            Olivia smiled. She’d purposely missed the shot more than once, giving Alex more points. Oh well, if six points was going to make Alex’s night, she’d always give up the victory.

           

………..

            Alex poked her straw through her strawberry milkshake. Olivia had settled for the peanut butter cup shake. Alex looked over and couldn’t help but stare at her.

            “What?” Olivia said. She sipped through her straw and grinned.

            “What are we going to do when we get back?” Alex couldn’t help but ask.

            Olivia’s face fell to a more serious countenance and she shifted at the barstool. “We do anything; we could be anything. Do you want to go back?”

            Alex was soon deep in thought. “I know I still want to be an ADA. I think it’s what I was meant to do. But what about you?”

            “I still want to be in law enforcement. I know that. But I don’t know what to do about the victims. They need me.”

            Alex looked at Olivia intently. “They need help, and justice. That’s what you’ve given hundreds of them. But there are other detectives, and as for the ones you’ve helped, they will never forget the peace of mind that you’ve given them. You’ve left a legacy there, and now you can do anything.”

            Olivia’s eyes held Alex’s steady gaze. “Are you sure you want…” Olivia’s voice trailed and she shifted her feet. “Me?”

            Alex gripped Olivia’s hand. “I know I do.” She moved her head slightly forward, as if to assure Olivia. “For a long time now, I buried how I felt about you because I was so desperate to hold onto our friendship. I don’t have to do that anymore. I don’t want to go back to my old life and hope for the best. I want to start a new one, somewhere else, with you. I just want to be with you.”

            Moisture beaded on Olivia’s eyelids and she tried desperately to hold back her tears. “I love you, Alex. More than I could ever say. I want to spend my time with you. I want you to be the first thing I see in the morning. I want more nights like these. And I know that whatever we do, we will make it work.” She closed her eyes, and when she opened them, tears spilled down her cheeks. “Alexandra Claire Cabot, will you start over with me?”

            Alex’s face was wet then, and she pressed her forehead to Olivia’s. “Yes”, she barely whispered. “I’ll start over with you.”