1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own SVU or any of its characters. I just like to borrow them and use them to act out my own fantasies.

Note: I just wanted to put a big ole warning on this for future female/female loving, cursing, graphicness, and torture scenes. Especially this first chapter. It starts off with torture and rape so if you can't stomach that kind of stuff you might wanna wait until I post the next part. Also just pointing out that the next part will go back in time so we can see what led up to this chapter. I swear it'll all make sense soon.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Amanda woke yet again to darkness and pain. She was naked, freezing, starving, wounded, bleeding, broken. She'd lost track of how much time she'd spent in this Hell. Every day, day after day after day, the same torture, the same agony. She'd lost hope by now that her love- that anyone would be coming to save her. She'd thought it would be worth it. She'd been brought here in the place of her lover voluntarily. She'd thought that the knowledge that her soulmate was out there, alive and going on with her life, would help her get through this, that she could live knowing her mate was safe. Amanda had heard the promise her love had screamed as she'd been taken away that she'd come for her but, in the beginning, had prayed that she wouldn't. But soon, as the torture grew to be too much, she prayed that her love would keep her vow. She wasn't sure how much more she could handle. Now, after weeks maybe months of this Hell of a prison, she had lost that hope and simply prayed for death. She prayed that somehow the Goddess who had given her kind life would find a way to rid her of her immortal gift and allow her to die. The longer the torture went on, the more Amanda began to wonder how her Goddess could allow her child to suffer in this way, how she could turn the other way. Amanda hated that her faith was dying, but really who could blame her? She'd been given so many wonderful gifts- a home, plentiful food and water, time in which she had not been discovered by the humans or her wild brothers and sisters, and, most importantly, she'd been given love. She'd found complete happiness and completion with her soulmate, and then, suddenly, it was gone, taken from her, and nothing was left but pain and despair. And memories. She still had the memories. When she first awoke in the morning or right before she fell asleep at night, she allowed the memories to completely overwhelm her, playing before her eyes as if she was back in those moments and experiencing them for the first time. It was both a comfort, to lose herself and forget for the moment as she relived those times, and even more painful than the torture; when she came back to reality and realized she wasn't with her love anymore, she would sob silently, her heart breaking all over again. At least with the memories, came the affirmation that her lover wasn't there with her and didn't have to suffer the way she had and still would in the future.

The memory that decided to bless/curse her today was of Amanda's first kiss with her love. It replayed over and over; all the perfectness she had felt in the moment coming over her again. She could feel the warmth of the summer sun on her cool, wet body. She could feel the heat of her love's body next to hers. She felt the electricity as their eyes connected and they simultaneously came together. She could feel the tingling in her lips as they met her love's, the wild beating of her heart, the shuttering in her wings. She lifted her hand, the chains clanking, to touch her lips as she tried to savor the ghost of the kiss. And then suddenly, she heard a loud bang- the warning that someone was coming. Amanda began to shake as she realized the day's torture was beginning. She forced her memories from her mind, not wanting anything to soil them, and prayed, as usual, for death to come sometime during the day.

The footsteps grew louder until the voice of her tormenter called, "Good morning my pet!"

Amanda growled at the term even as she huddled farther in the corner, as if that would protect her. The voice just laughed as it came closer but said nothing. Amanda flinched as she heard the jingling of keys, her body quivering. She began to whimper as she heard her cell door unlock. At one point, she had tried not to show any weakness, any sign of pain. But she had been broken and could no longer control what her body did as fear overpowered her; her tormenter would inflict the same amount of torture either way. The door creaked and whined as it opened. Amanda's captor purred, "Ready to begin? I have quite the activities planned for us today."

Amanda simply continued whimpering and shaking curled up in a ball. Then the footsteps rushed forward, and she cried out as her chains were yanked hard, forcing her to uncurl as she was lifted by her chained wrists. She knew struggling was futile, but she couldn't stop her instinct to fight. She snarled and thrashed her body and wings, but with her ankles, wrists, and wings chained together, she could do no damage. Her captor dragged her out of her cage and down the hall a bit until they reached the torture chamber. In the past, Amanda had been chained to a table, to the walls, from the ceiling, bent over a bench, in a small pool of freezing/boiling water, upside down, on her back, on her front, spread eagle, and the list goes on. She had been beaten, burned, branded, whipped, cut, stretched, stabbed, raped, and a number of other things that Amanda had never imagined any living being could do to another. Today, it seemed they would start with Amanda chained to the ceiling, her arms above her head while her legs dangled unable to touch the ground. Only once she was hanging, did she stop fighting and she was left to stare into the face of the recently crowned King, William Lewis.

Her captor spoke again, voice dripping with sick pleasure, "I _love _that you still have fight left in you, pet. It makes this all the more enjoyable to know that I still have time to break you completely. Not to mention the added effect of mystery. Will she break today or will she manage to continue on? If she does, what will be the activity that does it? My imagination is endless pet; I still have many things I want to try as well as the things I want to try again, so you better not die on me before I've had all my fun."

Amanda trembled as his soulless, hazel eyes danced and his spine shivered in pleasure with the prospect. As he turned to hang up his red, satin cloak, Amanda tried to steel herself for the day's torture. Amanda whimpered as the first blade of the day sliced her lower back open. King Lewis liked to start small on some days, as if warming up for the bigger stuff. The slashing moved upwards, covering her whole back before he moved to her torn, broken wings. She sobbed and cried out as the blade cut through the skin, tearing her wings to even smaller shreds. Several times in the past, he had promised that, one day, he would saw them off completely, but it seemed that, while they still had skin left on them, he would leave them on for further torture. Her wings were one of the most sensitive places on her body, and he knew it and took full advantage. Sometime during the cutting of her wings, she'd passed out. Only to return a short time later to the King pouring hot oil down her chest and stomach; he liked to continue torturing her even after she'd blacked out. She screamed as he pressed his hand to the bubbled, burned area harshly and curled his fingers so his nails dug in. He squeezed so hard, she was sure his fingers would puncture her skin and his hand would begin squeezing her insides. When he finally pulled away, she panted as she tried to push through the pain. She only had a few seconds however before he was pouring the oil down her arms. She shouted as it flowed down her arms and dripped on to her head. He continued pouring the oil over her wings. She screamed loud enough to wake the dead before passing out once again. This continued throughout the first half of the day until King Lewis stopped for lunch. Amanda was left dangling from the ceiling, panting and shaking in pain.

Before her time in the dungeon, Amanda might have been able to heal much of the damage done and for the first days she had. Each time King Lewis would leave for lunch or for the night, her body would heal and she'd be almost as good as new for a new day of torment. But now, her body and mind was too exhausted, too hungry, too damaged, and too weak, and now she had to suffer her moments alone with never ending pain. When the King finally return, he quickly returned to business, unchaining her from the ceiling uncaringly and allowing her to drop in a heap to the floor. She groaned as he dragged her across the room and chained her so she was bent over a bench. She knew what he most liked to do to her when she was in this position and began whimpering.

He chuckled. "Maybe I'm becoming too predictable," he mused, "If you already know what's coming, then you'll be able to steel yourself." He paused as he ran a hand down her back, starting from the nape of her neck and sliding down between the shafts of her wings and down until he could scrape his nails across her ass. "But then again. I do so love seeing you like this. I can see why your lover was so enchanted by you; you are such a good little slut." Amanda flinched at the reminder of her love, but thankfully he continued, "Well it _has_ been a few days. And I have been getting ever so worked up. What the hell?" Amanda closed her eyes as she heard him begin to remove his clothes. This was perhaps the worst torture of all after waking from her memories. Every time she and her soulmate had made love, it had been gentle and loving and oh-so-pleasurable; Amanda had never known a feeling like it. But with King Lewis it was nothing but pain. He soiled her, making her feel unclean beyond repair, with his touch. His hands and penis seemed to erase the tingling sensation left by her love only to replace it with rot that festered on her skin. And no matter what she did, she couldn't get it off. He entered her roughly, clearly eager to get himself off. His hands gripped the shafts of her wings, threatening to rip them out, as he pounded relentlessly into her. She knew it only encouraged him but she couldn't help the whimpers and sobs of pain. He moaned joyfully. After a moment, he pulled out only to force himself up her ass hole. She screamed; it had been weeks since he'd last done that so she was tight and unprepared. He pounded into her with a force that rocked her back and forth. She could feel her skin ripping and blood beginning to drip down her thighs. He let go of her wings so he could dig his fingers into the wounds on her back, opening them up again and causing them to ooze blood. She screamed and sobbed and begged him to stop even though she knew he wouldn't. A small puddle of blood formed underneath her by the time he stiffened and came inside her. His seed felt like it was branding her insides. Numbly, and not for the first time, she prayed that she would die down there, because even if she were to be rescued and reunited with her soulmate, she'd be too damaged, too afraid, and too ruined. King Lewis claimed her now in a way that was sickening and irreversible. How would her love ever be able or even want to look at her now?

King Lewis climaxed twice more before he was finally done. As he pulled out, he sighed, "Yah. You are definitely the best little slut I've ever been with. I don't care if it's predictable of not. I will fuck you whenever I damn well please." He patted her backside before gliding his fingers up her inner thigh and over her holes. Amanda could tell by the wet sounds and moans that he was licking the mixture of blood and his seed from his fingertips. Her stomach roiled in disgust and, had she had any food in her, she would've thrown up. He moaned again before continuing with his torture. Today it seemed he was in favor of the small yet agonizing stuff. At least for now. He branded her with his numerous wires and metal prods. He drove several nails into her lower back, leaving them there so that every time she flinched or moved she howled in pain. He used a bamboo cane on her ass and legs. Held a torch under her wings to watch them burn and shrivel. Finally, he unchained her from the bench and moved her to the table, forcing her on her back, her wings dangling between a hole in the center created just for her, her arms and legs spread apart. She watched to see what he planned next. Her body was throbbing, shaking violently, and uncontrollable whimpers left her mouth every few breaths. She watched as his eyes looked her over. Then they lit with an idea.

"As much as I love hearing you scream, my pet. I have an urge to hear what it would be like if you can't." Amanda shuddered with fear as he walked to his table full of his tools of torture. When he turned around, Amanda saw he held two long nails and a hammer in his hands. She flinched as he went to stand above her head and placed one nail down next to one ear. He held it still in one hand while he began to hammer it down with the other, making Amanda flinch with every bang on the nail's head. Then he took the other one and did the same thing. Amanda felt a new wave of terror when she realized she couldn't move her head. He chuckled darkly as she tried to squirm against her bonds. He went back to the table. Amanda heard the hammer get put down but couldn't move her head to see what he was grabbing next. Before she knew it, he was climbing on top of the table to straddle her chest. He sat down on her, making breathing difficult, and showed her the items in his hands. She struggled with all her might when she saw the thread and needle, but he just simply smiled. She watched with wide eyes as he leaned down, bringing the needle closer to her lips. She tried to scream and move away but he grabbed her chin and slammed her mouth shut before quickly piercing her bottom lip. She cried as he punctured her lips over and over, going from bottom to top and pulling the thread tight. He made sure it was thick enough not to be ripped open before pulling away. Amanda was having trouble breathing through her flared nostrils. The King smiled and said evilly, "Bet you won't be able to scream now."

With that, he was unchaining her yet again and pulling her towards the tub that he would fill with either freezing or boiling water. Her feet were shackled to the bottom while her hands were forced behind her back and clipped to the wall of the bowl. Today, the King picked freezing water. She shivered with cold as her feet, fingers, and lips turned blue and her teeth chattered. At first the cold was slightly welcome against her cuts and burn wounds on her arms, stomach, and wings, but the wounds began to ache as she constantly shivered. Amanda could hear him shuffling behind her until finally he crouched next to her. "This is something of my own design," he began, causing her to look over at what he was talking about. It was a shiny box with a wire coming out of it. "Turns out this thing doesn't react well with water. See?" He took one end of the wire and dipped it into the water. Immediately Amanda felt a shock and she flinched. He pulled it out and grinned, "I made it so that it harnesses electricity. I had initially planned to use this a prototype for a bigger generator, one that could power the castle and maybe the city. The small amount of electricity we have now is not very useful. But imagine the possibilities that ran through my mind when I discovered how it reacts with water! Oh, I bet it will be delicious discovering just what kinds of things I can do with this. It'll be a whole new form of torture by water." With that, he dropped the wire back into the water. Amanda's back arched as shock after shock caused her body to convulse. King Lewis' eyes widened with pleasure as he moved the box closer to the water. The shocks increased in pain and Amanda began to twitch violently. Finally, he pushed the box to the edge and over into the water. Amanda screamed, but, because her mouth was sown shut, it came out muffled, and somehow not being able to scream properly made the pain so much worse. She thrashed and convulsed as though having a seizure. Her eyes were wide open and she tried to breathe through her nose but could only get a few small gasps in between convulsions. This pain was the worst she had ever felt. It penetrated deep into her body making her insides squeeze painfully.

Faintly, she heard the door to the dungeon open and a voice called down, "My King! You are needed up here!"

The King groaned in displeasure, but stood up and made his way to his clothes. He dressed and called, "Let's see how long you can survive this, my pet!" With that, he left Amanda alone to be shocked repeatedly. She screamed and screamed and tried to break free. But her body was no longer able to do anything but twitch violently. She wasn't sure how long she'd been like that, but finally she began to feel her body numbing. The convulsing continued but seemed slower and more difficult as her body grew heavier. Her head fell back against the wall and her eyes began to close. She could feel it coming. Death. Her senses were failing, her body weakening; blackness swam around her mind and before her eyes. She was sinking into it. Welcoming it. Thanking the Goddess that She had finally come to her child's aid. She was ready and eager to die so she could escape the Hell she'd been in for the last few months. Suddenly, she felt like she was flying. She was lifted out of the water and into warmth. She sighed as she realized Death had decided to start taking away some of her pain. She heard a voice through the fuzziness in her head. 'Goddess?' Amanda thought, 'Is that you? Have you come to welcome me to the next stage of life?' The voice was still calling to her, and she tried to focus on it. Soon, it became clearer. It was her name being called. Over and over in a frantic yet loving tone. It sounded familiar and filled Amanda with comfort. And then the voice became louder and demanded her full attention.

"Amanda! Come on baby. Please! Please wake up! You can't leave me! Please! I can't live without you. I love you. I need you. Please come back to me."

Amanda pushed open her eyes. Through her blurry vision, she could see someone leaning over her. She blinked once, twice, and the figure grew clear. Amanda felt joy when she recognized the sight of her lover. Her beautiful tanned skin, her shaggy brown hair, her gorgeous brown eyes. She anchored herself onto those eyes, feeling a warmth spread through her. She felt like smiling though she wasn't sure if it was showing on her face; she couldn't feel any part of her body.

"Amanda?" her soulmate gasped.

Amanda opened her mouth, vaguely realizing it was no longer sown shut, to speak but it only came out in a whisper, "Olivia." Amanda smiled as she said the name for the last time. She let all the love she felt for her mate show in her eyes before she finally allowed them to close. The soft arms of Death were open for her, ready to catch her when she fell. And with one last gasp, "I love you", Amanda felt her body sag, her breath leave her, and she fell into Death's arms.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything but this story

Note: wow, so I am so please that people are actually interested. Thank you so much to everyone who commented, favorited, and/or followed this story. I know that first chapter was kind rough lol. This chapter like I said goes back in time. The next couple chapters are going to be mostly set up. This chapter explains Liv's life, the next will explain Amanda's, and probably the chapter after that will be when Liv and Amanda finally meet. At least, that's the plan right now. It may change when I actually write it lol. Anyway, like I said this chapter is about Liv's life so I hope, since there's no Amanda yet, it won't be too boring. I had fun writing it if that helps lol

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

A Year Earlier:

Olivia Benson was a creature of habit. Almost every day was the same process. At dawn, she awoke to cook herself a hardy breakfast of scrambled eggs, a few slices of bread, a couple slices of bacon or ham depending on her mood, a piece of fruit, and a tall glass of water. After that, she tended to the chores around her cottage; she tended to be quite a messy person, leaving clothing thrown all over the place and dirty dishes in the sink. Most days, she would just toss the dirty clothes into one pile by her bedroom door so she could wash it all at the same time. Today would be one of those days. Then she dressed in a simple pair of boxers and an undershirt before she went outside to wake up, feed, water, and brush or bathe her beloved horse Coffee, even though a stablehand could easily do it. Then she went back inside to dress in her training clothes. Olivia was a solider, a member of the Kingdom Guard, and the only female currently- a fact Olivia was very proud of and would remind people of when they treated her like she was any other dainty woman. She wasn't the first, but she was certainly one of few to ever join. Before her there had been Jo Marlowe and a few years before that was Anita Van Buren. Both had served admirably and were now retired, but Olivia showed not only them up but most of the male soldiers as well.

Olivia was an Assassin, a title bestowed upon the few soldiers who managed to rip the heart out of the city's most deadly enemy: dragons. For centuries now, the Airian Kingdom had been at war with a scaled, winged, bloodthirsty group of creatures. They lived in the woods surrounding Olivia's city, Airia, and all the nearby cities in the Kingdom and would attack at any and every chance they got. The creatures were the main reason why the Kingdom had an army to begin with since it was at peace with all their neighbors. Since beginning her career, Olivia had five dragon hearts to her name. It doesn't seem like a big number but considering not only the difficulty of completing such a feat but Olivia's young age of only 23, Olivia's accomplishment was astounding. Her best friend Elliot Stabler was an Assassin too with six hearts to his name. The two of them held the record for the youngest soldiers with the most number of hearts. As was tradition, after an Assassin's second heart (so they could be sure the first wasn't just dumb luck or faked), he- or she!- was made a Sergeant, in charge of their own unit in the Guard. At the moment, Olivia, Elliot, John Munch, Odafin "Fin" Tutuola, and Nick Amaro were the Sergeants. Today, they were expected to get together later along with their Chief of the Guard, Donald "Don" Cragen, to make their plans for the nearing warm seasons. It was time for the six cities of the Airian Kingdom to begin trading again now that the cold winds, snows, and too-short days were past. Each Sergeant would lead their own party of soldiers and traders to the other cities where they would stay for a week or two to allow the traders to do their business and to meet with other soldiers and people from those cities. It was during this time that the soldiers and their people were in the most danger from the dragons, the time when each Sergeant had made their kills, but Olivia couldn't wait to get out of the city and into the wild for a while. She loved the thrill of it all. Even those times when they'd been attacked and they had lost people, Olivia loved it; she loved protecting people and killing the dragons who were foolish enough to try to feast from her people. She wasn't bloodthirsty; she just believed in killing them before they killed her people. And the only solid way to kill one of those things was to carve out its heart; any other wound they could heal from, no matter how badly injured they were.

Since the weather was starting to get warmer, Olivia dressed in a simple training outfit of loose pants, a loose shirt, and her leather vest specially made for her since she had become an Assassin; it was brown and tied in the front but the thing that made it special was the patch on the left side of the chest. It was of a fallen dragon with a hole in its chest where its heart should be and, above that hole, the heart was stuck through with a sword that a human shape was holding up proudly. She then secured her sword and one of her knives on her belt while she stashed her other knifes in the sheaths at the legs of her boots and in the small of her back. Even if she was only going to training, she wanted to always be ready in case she had to jump into action. It was a rare occurrence but, once in a blue moon, the dragons tried attacking the city directly instead of waiting for the people to leave the gates. The gates themselves were always protected by watchmen, archers, and other soldiers assigned to pace the walls and keep watch so usually it was the job of the soldiers inside to get people inside their homes or to the town shelters and to attack any dragons that made it past the others.

She was heading for the door of her cottage when she heard a loud knock and a voice call, "Liv! You ready?"

She grinned as she opened the door to see her best friend standing there. "Hey El," she said as she stepped out, closing the door behind her.

As she turned to lock it, Elliot said, "Kathy wanted me to tell you hi."

She turned back around with a smile, "Well you can tell her when you get home that I said hi back. How is she doing?"

"She's good. I'm more nervous than she is to be honest," he said with a sheepish blush.

Liv chuckled and nudged his shoulder with hers. "She and the baby will be just fine. And you'll make a wonderful father." He smiled wider and straightened more at his best friend's confidence. This was to be his and Kathy's first child. They had married last summer and found out they were pregnant a few months later. Kathy was currently six and a half months in. She was excited and couldn't wait to meet their child. Elliot was excited too but it was dampened by his worry. When he wasn't training, he was constantly by Kathy's side, with one eye always on her so he could be there if she needed anything. It was actually pretty adorable in Liv's mind. She was excited for them too and for herself; Kathy and Elliot had asked her to be their child's godmother, and she had immediately said yes. She loved kids, but was unlikely to ever have any of her own, and she loved El and Kathy so she would love their child like it was her own.

Comforted for now, Elliot changed the subject, "So do you have a preference and when and where you'll wanna go this summer?"

Liv shrugged as they neared the training ground, "I don't care that much but I'd like to go to Sundaria at least once. They have the best donuts there."

They both chuckled then Elliot gave her a smirk, "That wasn't all the city had that was the best if I remember correctly."

She pretended to glare at him while punching his arm. But she couldn't hold it for long and laughed with him. "Alright. So maybe I was also hoping to see Alex again. She's good company."

His eyes widened as he scoffed, "The hell she is! She's only slightly better company then the dragons!" He ignored Liv's gasp of protest and dodged her arm as she swung at him again, "You just think she's a panther in the sheets."

Olivia rolled her eyes but couldn't help but say, "More like a lioness." She grinned as she remembered the take-charge blonde. "She was way too dominate and way too loud to be anything else… But that's not the only reason why I wanna go there!"

"Uh huh. Sure," he teased.

It wasn't exactly a secret that Olivia preferred the company of women. She was a little bit more on the slutty-side than she should be proud of and had bedded many women in her time. As a result she had also broken the hearts of many women as well, women who had expected more of a relationship from her rather than the loving and leaving Liv gave them. Many of her former lovers were not exactly quiet about their anger unless they had anything to lose if anyone knew they had slept with another woman and so Olivia's lifestyle was pretty well-known. Most people believed it was wrong for a woman to love another, but because Olivia had done so much for the city and because she was an Assassin, they for the most part left her alone to her own devices.

Alex had known Olivia's reputation before they had met; the Assassin had slept with several woman in Sundaria before her and heard of what a good lover she was. The blonde had sought her out because she was in an unfulfilling relationship with a man named Trevor Langen, the current governor of Sundaria. Her status however made it so that they had to meet in secret. Olivia didn't mind. As far as lovers went, Alex was the best. She had never been with another woman before Liv, but that didn't stop her from taking charge. Olivia had not expected to have her world rocked so roughly and passionately. And yet there were also other times where Alex wanted Liv to take charge or when she was gentle, almost loving. Those times were great too. Neither was in love with the other, but they had grown to know each other quite well both in and out of the bedroom. Olivia could understand why Elliot thought she was a bitch; in most ways she was. She was icy, cold, and harsh on the surface but that was mostly for show. She was the wife of the governor after all; she had to look tough for her city. But Olivia had gotten to know a different side of the blonde. She could still remember how Alex had held her and kissed her after Liv had told her about her mother soon after she had died. Alex hadn't cared that Olivia was the product of rape, that Serena Benson was an abusive drunk, and that Olivia was both devastated and relieved by her death. The blonde had simply comforted her and then loved her slowly and in her almost-loving way. Olivia hadn't even gone to Elliot with her mother's death. Beside him and the other Assassins, Alex was her closet friend; it was only a bonus that they had sex whenever Liv went to Sundaria.

Elliot and Olivia walked to where several of their soldiers were already gathered and warming up for training. The way they did things was, first thing in the morning, Elliot and Olivia's ranks would train. Then, after lunch, Munch and Fin would train their groups. At sunset, they would stop and Nick's group would train as well as those from the other groups who wanted the extra practice. But since today was Meeting Day between the Sergeants and Chief, all the Assassins had told their ranks that training was optional- that they would be there to practice but didn't expect anyone else to show up. Of course, those dedicated enough would show up just like their Sergeants. Elliot and Liv spotted Nick already there but it seemed that Munch and Fin weren't. The newest Assassin was only 19, but he already had a wife and daughter, Maria and Zara. He was young and had a temper at times but he was a good leader who cared more about his men than himself. Nick and Elliot didn't get along very well outside the Guard, but when it mattered they worked well together. Liv never understood why they didn't like each other as they were pretty similar personality wise; she assumed it was a stupid, male-brain driven competition. Both Olivia and Elliot had been made Sergeant at 18, a year younger than Nick, but the young Assassin was fully capable of catching up to or even surpassing their record of five and six at 23. She was proud of her record of course, but she would congratulate anyone who managed to beat it. She smiled and lifted an arm in greeting to Nick, who returned the gesture, before she began to stretch. Since today was a more relaxed day, there was no one in charge, just soldiers practicing the moves they already knew and getting back in shape. The Guard practiced through the winter of course, but not for as long and, if it snowed, sometimes not at all. It was good not to push too hard before the travelling and actual training started; they didn't want anyone risking getting hurt and having to sit out before they even faced the dragons.

After warming up, Olivia and Elliot sparred together, first battling with their swords then with hand-to-hand combat. Fighting a human was nothing like fighting a dragon obviously. But after a few years of battling them, they had realized some weak spots or certain moves that would give the humans the upper hand so, when they battled each other, they went for those spots or did those moves against the other to get the practice. And of course, the fighting just kept their senses and reactions sharp and their muscles strong and ready. The dragons had the benefit of strength, speed, flight, and fire breathing. But the humans had the upper hand of intelligence, weaponry, and agility. They were not equally matched but sometimes that didn't matter. After battling together, they opened the invitation for others to battle them. Fin and Munch had arrived but, besides giving some tips to the younger members, had chosen to supervise. Fin and Munch were both older than Liv, El, and Nick. Fin was 30 while Munch was nearly 50. They both had an impressive record, though they had lost count of the dragon hearts they'd claimed. It was rare that any soldier would live to even reach Munch's age and even if they did, their body would slow and they would have to retire. Munch however was still going strong. He was the best there was. He was the Chief's go-to man though he respected the input of all the Assassins. They had served together when Cragen was just a Sergeant. They had killed many dragons side-by-side and been the best of friends. They had even gotten married to their wives on the same day they were so close. When the previous Chief had gotten gravelly injured by a dragon, the clear choice was between Munch and Cragen. With his dying breath, he had chosen Cragen to succeed him and Munch had warmly congratulated him and supported him. When asked why he hadn't been chosen, he would simply say the right decision had been made. Finally, the sun was directly in the center of the sky and the Sergeants called it a day as they had to get ready for their meeting. They gathered those who had come to train and insisted they go home, rest up, and eat well. There was no telling who would be leaving to make the first trip so everyone should be prepared. Many of the men took the opportunity to head to the city's tavern for lunch and beer. Fin, Munch, Nick, Elliot, and Olivia all headed to their homes to shower and look their best for their Chief.

~~~~SVU~~~~

Olivia both looked forward to and hated going to these meetings. She looked forward to it because she enjoyed talking with the other Assassins about the plans for the trading months, but she hated it because it meant going inside the castle. Airia was the center of the Airian Kingdom and so was the location of the Royals. The King and Queen often stopped by to the Assassins' meeting so that they would have a good understand of what was happening in their city and Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth was nice enough in her own way; she would welcome each Sergeant individually, ask them how they were doing, and invite them to tell the servants should they need anything. She had been born Elizabeth Donnelly, the daughter of the previous governor and governess of another city in the Kingdom called Moondor. She had been chosen to be the King's wife when he came of age- as was the tradition. King Ed Tucker on the other hand was, well, a complete asshole. He thought himself better than everyone and barely looked the Assassins in the eye except when he was criticizing their methods and threatening to force them to retire. Nothing ever came of the threat; he mostly did it because he had expected to be made Chief of the Guard instead of Cragen (or Munch) solely because he was royalty. Later, he'd been made King which sated him, but he was still frustrating as hell. They had had one child, a daughter named Casey. The princess was the nicest of them, always making the Assassins feel welcome. And she was gorgeous. Beautiful green eyes with red hair. She was 20 years of age, soon to be 21, and they would soon be picking her husband for her. Olivia had always had a crush on Princess Casey but would never ruin her by making a move on her even if she thought she'd have a chance.

Another reason Olivia hated going into the castle was that it was so pristine, filled with valuable trinkets and whatnot. Olivia was just a lowly soldier, dirty, sweaty, and smelly most of the time and clumsy when she wasn't in her element that was training and battle. She didn't belong in a castle. It made her feel inferior and small and like she was trespassing even if it wasn't completely unwelcoming. But they were obligated to inform the King and Queen about their plans and so had to meet in the castle so the Royals wouldn't have to leave to be around common people. Before King Tucker, the Chief worked closely with the King as equals for the moment so they could work out how best to protect their city and its people. They looked at problems with two different sets of eyes, shared two opinions, so that every option was weighed and the best one settled upon. But because Tucker was such an ass, Cragen decided everything himself while the King just simply sat by and listened. Sometimes he wouldn't even show up. Cragen relied more on his Sergeants' opinions and suggestions more than Chiefs before him because of that. It seemed to work well enough for them; deaths and injuries were no less or higher than in previous years. But you could tell it weighed heavily on Cragen's mind that the King was so uncaring.

"Welcome Olivia," Chief Cragen greeted the female Assassin warmly as she entered the Meeting Room. "How are you today?"

Olivia smiled, seeing she was the first Assassin to arrive (the six Trade Leaders were already there), and dipped her head respectfully, "Hello Chief. I'm doing pretty well. Eager to get out there though."

Cragen chuckled, "I knew you would be. Hoping to add another heart to your name?"

"Hoping is the wrong word; that would require hoping we get attacked, and I don't want anyone to get unnecessarily hurt or killed. More like open to it," she answered honestly.

He set a hand on her shoulder, "Excellent response. Keep that attitude up and you might be a good Chief one day."

He moved passed her to greet Fin and Munch as they entered the room, leaving her to ponder over his last statement. She was proud of what she had already accomplished and was eager to prove herself even farther, but she had never considered becoming Chief one day. It wasn't that she wasn't sure she'd live long enough to. It was just that it had never crossed her mind. She pushed that train of thought away to be revisited at a later date if necessary and went to take a seat at the round table they used to look at reports and maps of the Kingdom. Fin, Munch, Cragen, and Olivia made small talk while they waited for Elliot and Nick. Elliot arrived not too long after Fin and Munch. Cragen was just about to send someone to see what was taking Nick so long when the dark-haired man rushed in. "Sorry I'm late Chief. Zara fell while playing and scraped her knees up. She wanted me to be the one to give her kisses."

Cragen smiled fondly, "It's alright Nick. Kids don't wait for it to be convenient to cause trouble." Cragen's wife had been killed by a dragon gate-attack before they had been able to have to kids, but Liv always thought he would've made a really good father. He had certainly been a father figure for Olivia. "Now that we are all here, let's begin by reviewing last year's reports. If I recall correctly, the most attacks occurred along the trail between Airia and Moondor?"

For the next few hours, they discussed the profits of last year, where and when the most dragon attacks had occurred, which trails they should take this year, methods to avoid the dragons, and who would be going where and when. For the most part, the six Assassins were in agreement about most things; they all cared more about protecting their people from being attacked in the first place then they did about adding to their number of hearts, so they agreed that they would continue to use the methods already in place. For the most part, unless there was danger or a certain clear path, they would travel through the daytime (when the dragons were too busy sunbathing and sleeping to attack) as quietly as they could. At night, they wouldn't light any fires and they would cover their group with a large canvas that camouflaged them. They would also send two soldiers to mask their scent trail by dumping a circle of bile around them. It was an awful smell, but it seemed to help keep the dragons, whose noses were much more sensitive, away. When it came to which trails they should take, they lightly argued over which ones would be best. They tried to stick with the same path if attacks were low, but they had at least three trails to each city that they could rotate if need be. Eventually, each Assassin had their plan. Olivia was pleased that she would be getting the first journey to Sundaria. Last summer, there had only been one attack during her trips there so it was decided that she would take the same path. Elliot would also be the first to leave, heading towards Moondor. Both of them were given two weeks to get there, complete the trade, and come back. When they returned, Nick and Munch would head for their cities, Telemete and Sarim respectively. After their two weeks, Fin and Liv would leave, Fin for the final city Abba and Liv for Sundaria again. And so they would rotate like that until summer's end. Each city had something unique to offer and each trade would make it so that each city got something from all the other cities.

It was towards the end of their meeting when the King, Queen, and Princess stopped by. They all behaved as was expected and, once pleasantries were exchanged, the Queen left to attend to other issues while the King got filled in by Cragen. This time, however, Olivia was pleasantly surprised to get some extra attention from Princess Casey. The red head smiled warmly as she came to greet the Assassins but her eyes kept returning to Liv. "So Olivia. When and where will you be heading this summer?" she asked curiously.

"Oh. Uh," Liv stammered, unused to having Casey's focus solely on her, "I'm taking the first leave the day after tomorrow to Sundaria… P-princess."

"Please. There's no need for that," she said about the formality of adding her title. "And oh! Is that where we get those delicious pastries?" Casey asked excitedly.

Olivia couldn't help but smile, "Donuts! Yes!"

"Good. Make sure you bring back some extra for me. But don't tell anyone. Mother and father only allow me a couple throughout the whole season! Can you believe that?"

If Olivia didn't know better, she would think Casey was flirting with her as she slid to stand close to Olivia as she whispered for her not to tell anyone. "No I can't Princess," Liv tried to keep it professional.

Casey rolled her eyes with a smile as she stroked Liv's arm, "Olivia please. Call me Casey. Or at least just don't call me Princess."

'Yah. She's almost definitely flirting,' Liv thought to herself. "So-sorry. Habit and all that," she explained.

Casey grinned before changing the subject, "Actually I was also wondering if you could pass along a message to the governess."

"Alex?" Liv asked interested.

Casey nodded, "Yah. Last time she and her husband visited she was lovely to me and we got to talking. I'd like to think we became friends. I have this letter for her that I was wondering if you could give to her. I know I could just send it with the rest of the city's mail, but we both know it could take weeks to get to her if it even gets there at all."

Olivia nodded, "I would be honored to do that for you… Casey."

The red head seemed to glow as Olivia used her name. She pulled her letter out from her dress and handed it to her, "Thank you so much Olivia. You're very kind." She took Liv into a hug that shocked the brunette so much she didn't have time to make herself hug back before the Princess pulled away. "Well, good luck on your travelling. I will pray that you will arrive there and back safely." With that, she made a quick exit.

"What the hell was that about?" Elliot whispered in her ear a moment later.

Olivia shrugged, "I have no idea."

Once the King was fully up-to-date, he left without so much as a goodbye and the meeting drew to a close. The Traders all thanked the Assassins for their protection and leadership and confirmed that they would all get their own men ready for travel before they headed out. Cragen warmly wished Liv and Elliot a good journey and told them to rest up before they left. The five Sergeants left while Cragen organized his papers. They knew that it was highly likely most of their men would still be at the Tavern and they headed there. They could hear the ruckus from around the corner and, as soon as they entered, were greeted with welcome cheers and toasts. They called for quiet, and Liv and Elliot informed them that their groups would be the first to leave the day after tomorrow, that they should rest, gather all their supplies, and be prepared to leave at first light for Sundaria and Moondor. Their men cheered again as they shouted that they'd be ready. Then several soldiers jumped to buy their Sergeants drinks and soon they were all laughing and drinking hardily. They were all both nervous and excited for their journeys so it was fun to just drink, goof around, and forget the importance of their jobs for a while.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: lather rinse repeat

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Out in the forest, life was awakening with the light of the sun. Birds were chirping as they searched for worms and seed. Rodents were scurrying to their holes. All the nighttime animals were burrowing deeper in their nests as they welcomed their time to sleep. Which was a very good thing as the oddest thing in the forest began to awaken in her cottage. Amanda's nose and eyes twitched as a ray of sunlight moved across her face. She groaned quietly as she opened her eyes, uncurled from the balled-up shape she slept in, and began to stretch. She could've sworn she'd only just closed her eyes; she felt like she only slept for a few minutes. But she knew that to be false as she had checked the position of the moon when she'd checked her property one last time before she curled up in her nest. It had been a little after moonhigh, and had she not been so tired from taking advantage of the warm weather, she probably would've stayed up for another hour or so. Despite living in a cottage and the precautions she took to make sure she was as safe and hidden as possible, she still hated to leave herself vulnerable. And who was more vulnerable than a sleeping creature? Amanda only stood up after she felt all the bones in her body pop. She stumbled sleepily over to the other corner of the cottage where she kept her clothes. She didn't have a lot, only a few shirts and pants, but she didn't need a lot; it was just her after all. She dressed before setting about her usual routine. She went outside and stood in the sun for a minute. Closing her eyes, she smiled and sighed contently. The winter had been long and cold. She hated the winter; the closest bodies of water froze, prey was harder to find, and the neighbors got… antsy. But now that the earth had thawed and was warming and blossoming again, life in the forest would once again reach its peak. Amanda opened her eyes and gave the muscles at her back a silent command that was immediately answered. Uncurling from the skin of her back came her wings. Seven feet long from shaft to wingtip, her wings were dark blue in color with thin flaps of skin, sharp claws at the middle joints, and scaled skin covering the bones of the shafts. Amanda rumbled happily as the warmth of the sun warmed them as she extended them to their full lengths. They didn't look like much, but they were powerful and could make her speed through the air at incredible speeds. As if to prove to anyone wondering about that statement, she gave one strong flap and shot into the air. She zoomed up into the clouds before shifting so she was horizontal to the ground now way below her. She loved the feeling of the clouds, the air, everything whizzing by her. She loved the exhilaration. She knew it was stupid, unsafe, reckless; anyone or anything could see her. But she couldn't help herself. She needed to fly just as much as she needed to eat and breathe if not more. It was as much a part of her as her wings or limbs were; it was in her heart.

First thing in the morning was the only safe (well the safest) time to fly. It was when most people were either just waking up or still sleeping. Though she lived far enough away where they probably couldn't see her anyway. The dangerous creatures who shared the woods with her would be taking advantage of the warm morning sun, thawing their own bodies which had probably gotten cold overnight. The dragons after all were cold blooded and needed to warm up before they could cause any chaos. Amanda had lost track of how long it had been like that. Centuries at least. But she could remember the days when it hadn't been like this, when the dragons had been peaceful creatures. She had been born during those days and could remember playing with her mother and father and sister and all the others. They were a family, all of them. But it hadn't always been that way nor would it stay that way.

_See, a long time ago, dragons were much different. They were huge, flying, firebreathing creatures. They lived in caves, in the mountains, in the lakes and oceans, in the forests. They weren't the most nonviolent creatures- they had big appetites and sometimes the game in their habitats wasn't enough. They hunted the people's herds and sometimes the people themselves. But only if the people were threatening them or their young or it seemed there were too many of them. They also raided their cities and towns for their riches. The dragons needed anything made of metal, gold, silver, bronze, or any other natural elements; they ate those things because it made their scales stronger, thicker, and shinier. Dragons and humans were enemies and neither would let the dragons forget it. Any chance the humans got, they would kill a dragon. Sometimes, they would go out of their way to kill them; they'd ban together to corner them in their own homes. They would follow a dame dragon back to her nest and kill her young while they were unprotected. Even when the dragons backed off and stopped stealing their herds and treasure, the humans still hunted them. It became a sport for them, a way to show off for other humans and earn them fame. It got so bad that the dragons' numbers began to die; they surely would've gone extinct. But one day, a young dragon dame whose hatchlings had just been killed stumbled upon a group of humans in the process of beating a young wizard to death. Legend tells that she had planned to keep going; humans had just murdered her children so why should she bother to save one? But then she saw how young he was. Barely a teenager. He reminded her of her own children, killed before they had properly seen the world, had gotten to learn how to hunt or fly. She couldn't bear to see another young life snuffed out, so she intervened. She fought the humans and chased them away. When she turned back to the boy, he looked up at her with both fear and relief. She held out her tail like human would his hand to help him stand and he slowly took it. He was bloody and sore, but nothing seemed broken. The dragon was about to turn away when the boy spoke in rocky Drakkane (the language of the winged creatures). "Thank you," he said._

_The dragon looked at him in shock, "You… you can speak our language?"_

_The boy nodded, "I studied many language."_

_She chuckled slightly at his poor tone but appreciated it. She dipped her head to address his first statement, "You are welcome. What did you do to deserve such treatment?"_

_He shrugged, "I have no knowledge of why. They told me I was an… oddity for my magic."_

"_Well if it helps, this dragon thinks your magic is a gift that you should use with pride." The boy grinned happily with the praise. After a moment's pause, the dragon spoke again, "Well. I best be on my way. Be careful on your way home."_

_As she turned, the boy cried, "Wait!" When she turned back, he spoke, "I wish to… give you thanks for saving me."_

_She looked at him in confusion, "How?"_

_He tilted his head, "Well, what do you want?"_

_The dragon immediately thought of her children, of bringing them back to life, of bringing them back to her. But then logic kicked in. Humans were more dangerous than ever. Even if they were brought back to life, there was no telling how long they'd live, if they'd even make it to adulthood. She couldn't bear to lose them all over again. What she really wanted was the old life of peace they use to live. The life without fear of humans killing them to extinction. But how could they get that back? Speaking out her idea, she said slowly, "The humans are hunting us to extinction. I wish for my kind to be able to live without being afraid anymore."_

_The boy smiled, "I think I have an idea." Without further explanation, the boy began to twirl his hands and a sparkling light that was full of color began to swirl around them. The light grew and grew until he flung it at her. She watched in awe as it illuminated her whole body and made it tingle. Then she began to shrink, and her colors changed. Her green scales paled until they matched the pinkish color of the boy. Her claws shrank into her fingers and toes, her fangs into her gums. Her tail and ridges followed. Slowly, painlessly, the dragon dame became a beautiful human woman. Her hair was golden blonde and flowing behind her. The boy had even been kind enough to cloth her so she wouldn't reveal her curvy body and full breasts. She looked down at her new body with wide eyes, eyes that had stayed green with slitted pupils, before looking back to the boy. Quickly, before she could snap at him, he explained, "I created it so that you can have the form of a human OR a dragon anytime you want. It help you to blend in but also give you chance to be your true self."_

_She stared at him as the words sunk in. "What about the others?"_

_He began to twirl his hands once again with that colorful light. He stepped forward to grasp one of the dragon's hands. The light transferred from his hand to hers then he stepped away. She held the hand in front of her face until the light died. Once again, the boy explained, "Now any dragon you touch will possess this power too."_

"_This is remarkable," she breathed, "Thank you."_

_They parted and the young wizard never told another soul of the gift he had given the dragons. The dragon dame touched as many dragons as she could until every possible dragon was saved. Some dragons went to live among humans while others went back to their old homes. Many however decided to form their own villages, living together, protecting each other, and teaching their young how to go between forms. The humans thought they'd killed all the dragons and celebrated. The dragons learned the humans' language and set up trades with their villages- learned their ways (like how each one had a name for example) and adopted the humans' ways as their own. For years, the humans had no idea that the new villages were anything but human. It was one of these dragon villages that Amanda was born into. It was during a time of peace. Amanda knew nothing other than the love of her family and the rest of the dragons, eating well, and living without fear. But that all changed during Amanda's teenage years._

_She was out exploring, flexing her wings and legs by hunting and flying low, when she heard a strange cry coming from nearby. Changing into human form, she went to investigate. She moved silently through the trees until the noise got louder. Cautiously, she crawled behind a bush and peeked out. Crawling along the ground towards the river with what was clearly a broken leg and a large, bleeding head wound was a human man. Amanda looked closer; she had never seen a real human before. She knew the only physical difference between true humans and the dragons' human form was that the dragons had slitted pupils rather than round. But still, she was curious. She also wondered how the man came to be this far into the forest wounded as he was. She could neither see nor smell a horse or other humans and from the trail of blood and drag marks behind the man he'd been crawling along for a while at least. Finally as Amanda watched, the man collapsed, running out of energy a few yards away from the water's edge. He panted heavily and groaned in pain. Amanda bit her lip in indecision. Dragons were always told to be careful; they were in hiding for a reason. The humans could not be trusted. But Amanda hated seeing another being in such pain. Even when she hunted, she killed her prey swiftly and painlessly, thanking the Goddess for their life and the meal they would provide. She wanted to help. And really, what could be the harm? If she stayed in human form, she could bandage him up and send him on his way and he would be none the wiser. One more long, pained groan convinced her and she jumped forward._

_Hearing the rustle, he looked to her, trying to pull out his weapon, but he was too weak. Amanda held up her hands. "Easy," she said softly, "I just want to help."_

_He looked at her warily, clearly trying to make a decision. "There's no need. I'm fine," he said unconvincingly._

_Amanda lifted one eyebrow, "You're clearly exhausted. And dehydrated. Your head is bleeding, and your leg is severely broken. I don't see any horse or people with you so, no matter why you're out here, you're clearly alone with no one else to help you. So if you won't allow me to help you, what is it you think you'll do?"_

_He stared at her in silence for a moment before relaxing. "Fine," he conceded._

_Quickly she moved forward to begin helping him. She gently pulled him to the water and cupped the water in her hands. She allowed him to drink his fill before she washed his head wound. Ripping a strip from his shirt, she wrapped that around his head and tied it. She looked down at the leg which was slightly bent in an unnatural way at the knee and cringed. She would have to rebreak it and set it so it would have its best chances at healing. She looked around and spotted a few branches that would be good supports. She went to them before ripping a few more strips from both their shirts. She looked to his face and said, "This is going to hurt, but it is necessary. I need to set your leg straight before I can bind it."_

_He flinched but nodded bravely, "Do what you must. I need my leg."_

_She nodded and guided him to sit a little straighter against a boulder. She gripped his leg with one hand just above the knee and one just below. "Take a deep breath," she told him a she braced to rebreak his leg. She heard him inhaled and quickly counted, "3, 2, 1!" On 1 she pulled her hands in opposite directions causing a loud snap in the man's bones. He gripped the ground, arched his back, and screamed his pain to the forest. Amanda hoped none of her family was close enough to hear as she wrapped his leg with the splints and cloth strips. When his screams died as the pain lessened, she offered him more water which he gratefully accepted as he sagged against the boulder. He closed his eyes and she thought he'd fall asleep._

_But after a few moments, he opened his mouth and said, "Thank you for helping me."_

_Amanda smiled, "You're welcome. Where were you heading when this happened?"_

"_I was heading to the Airian Kingdom."_

"_Alone?"_

"_Well, I had my horse. But he bolted when a snake fell onto the path in front of him. The idiot is terrified of them," he chuckled and Amanda smiled, "He went crazy. I fell off, broke my leg, hit my head on a rock, passed out, woke up, tried to get to the river, and now here I am." He and Amanda chuckled before he asked, "So why are you out here? Are you one of those crazy people who live out here in the woods?"_

_Amanda laughed, "Actually yes I am. But I can assure you, I'm just as sane as you are."_

"_Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't-"_

_Amanda shrugged, "It's fine. I know you didn't mean it in a bad way."_

_He gave her a crooked grin which Amanda found herself enchanted by. Then his brow furrowed, "How come your eyes look like that?"_

_Amanda felt a flash of terror. He was about her age so there was no way he knew anything other than whatever stories he'd heard in his city, but was that enough to figure her out? She refused to let her fear show as she lied, "When I was an infant, I got a bad eye infection. My dad says, when I healed, my eyes looked like this because God wanted me to have my sight and so He changed them."_

_The man shrugged, "The Lord works in mysterious ways sometimes. So what's your name?"_

"_Amanda. Yours?"_

"_Dean Porter," he grinned._

"_Well it's nice to meet you. So how's about we try to get you home?"_

_He grimaced, "Well alright. I guess I can't stay out here with a broken leg for long huh?"_

"_Well, it would be best to see an actual doctor, but that should be good enough for now." She motioned to the splints. "Which way did your horse run?" Amanda looked around hoping to see the four legged creature or smell it._

"_He's probably long gone. Do you have a horse?"_

_Amanda frowned. Could she go to her village, get a horse unseen or make a believable enough excuse, and get back here without incident? She didn't think so. She lied again, "My father took the horse hunting with him."_

"_Hope the horse knows how to use a bow," Dean joked making Amanda laugh and roll her eyes. Then he sobered, "Alright. I'll walk. I may need help though."_

"_Oh right," Amanda quickly leaned down and helped him to his feet. He draped one arm around her shoulders and leaned against her so he could hop on one leg. She wrapped an arm around his waist and tried not to purr at the hard muscles she felt there. Being a dragon, she had no problem supporting most of his weight. "Ready?" He nodded, his face looking like he was reining in his courage to face the coming pain. She start forward slowly at first so he could get used to the awkwardness. When he seemed okay, she increased the pace. When he looked at her confused she explained, "The Airian Kingdom is still a couple hours away, but in this state it'll take longer and I want us to get there before dark."_

"_Good idea." They travelled in companionable silence for a while before Dean said, "Alright. I think talking helped distract me from the pain, so let's talk."_

_Amanda smiled, "What about?"_

_And so they talked about everything, both about their lives (though Amanda lied about a lot of her story) and simple meaningless things. And finally, the city gates were in sight. Amanda led him to the path before stopping and handing him a long, thick stick he could use to help him walk, "You good from here?"_

_He took the stick but looked at her in confusion, "You're not coming in?"_

_Amanda shook her head, "No. I have to get back home before my family worries."_

"_Oh. Right," he sounded disappointed, making Amanda's heart twitch. Then he said, "Well can I see you again?"_

_She knew it wasn't a good idea; in fact, it was incredibly stupid. The more time she spent with a human, the more the risk of her being discovered. But the way he was looking at her, so hopeful and excited yet with a fear of being rejected, she knew she couldn't say no. "Sure," she smiled. "But first you gotta get that leg properly looked at and started healing. How 'bout I meet you out here in a fortnight?"_

_He grinned brightly, "Okay! Great! I'll see you then! And thank you again for everything Amanda."_

"_You're welcome Dean." She watched as he hobbled to the city's entrance. Then he turned around and waved. She waved back with a smile. He walked inside and Amanda turned and began to run. As she sped through the trees, she shifted into dragon form and flew the rest of the way home. She stopped by the river and bathed quickly so her family wouldn't smell human on her. When she walked into her town, everything seemed normal and no one asked her about her smell. She was pleased she'd gotten away with her activities and hoped that the luck would last._

_Amanda and Dean met a fortnight later and spent the day together, sitting around and talking. They met every week after that, doing the same thing because Amanda didn't want Dean to hurt his leg again. When it healed a few months later, they would walk around the forest, go swimming in the river, and hunting together. Their feelings blossomed and it wasn't long after that when they shared their first kiss. Amanda knew she was in love but it felt wrong to keep lying to him. She remembered the story of the dragon dame and wizard. He hadn't reacted badly, and maybe Dean wouldn't either; maybe some humans could be trusted. Amanda hoped he was one of them. One day, when Amanda and Dean were getting ready to make love, Amanda stopped him._

"_What?" he questioned worriedly, "What's wrong?"_

"_Nothing is wrong. It's just… I have to tell you something… I really love you, you know that right?"_

_He nodded but still looked concerned, "Of course. I love you too."_

_She stood up, "I hope you still feel that way when I tell you this… Look Dean. I've been lying to you. Well not lying exactly just… omitting the truth- the truth about the real me."_

"_What do you mean?" he questioned as he stood up too._

_She took a deep breath and said, "Dean, I'm… I'm not human. I'm a dragon."_

_For a moment he looked at her. Then he burst out laughing, bending over to hold his stomach as he laughed so hard he started to cry. When he could breathe enough he gasped, "Yah. Okay. And I'm a fairy."_

_Amanda glared, "I'm serious Dean!"_

_He laughed again, "Amanda. Not only do you not look like a dragon, but all the dragons are dead. They were killed. Years ago."_

"_No. They weren't. We just found a way to hide."_

_A flicker of doubt lit in his eyes the longer she stayed serious, but he still looked mostly unconvinced. "You're crazy," he said._

_In answer, Amanda stepped back and shed her clothes. She called upon the power she'd been born with and changed within a few seconds into her dragon form. None of them were as large as they once were, but they were still bigger than the humans, at least three times so. Amanda's skin turned into true blue scales, darker than her eyes but not as dark as her wings which she spread out to stretch before settling them against her back. Her four legs were ended with long, sharp, black claws and her tail was long- longer than most dragons. Her head was crowned with two short, sharp, black horns. By dragon standards, she was beautiful, but to Dean, she was horrifying. His eyes were wide with terror, and he looked like he wanted to run but was just too scared to. Quickly, she changed back, hoping to ease him. He just stared. She gave him a moment until she couldn't take it anymore. She took one step forward as she said quietly, "Dean."_

"_No!" he shouted as he backed away. "NO! Don't come near me! You're a freak! What the hell Amanda?"_

_She flinched and looked down, "I'm sorry. My people, they just didn't know what else to do and so we hid so we could survive."_

"_You deserved to die!" he spat, "All of you! You're monsters! Oh my God, I was about to fuck a monster."_

_She winced again at that, "Dean."_

"_No! You're a monster Amanda!"_

"_No I'm not!" she protested, looking him in the eye, "I've never killed a human, my family have never killed any humans, most of my people have never killed a human- only the old ones who were alive during that time. I saved you that day you fell off your horse. You would never have made it far or survived the night. The wolves would've picked you off or you would've starved to death. But I saved you! And now I love you."_

_His lip curled in disgust. "If I had known what you are, I would've preferred death rather than to have a monster save me."_

"_Don't say that."_

"_I hate you!" he growled. He grabbed his shirt and put it on before reaching for his weapon belt. He didn't pull his weapon but he wanted to. He growled again, "The fact is, you did save me. I'm indebted to you. So I won't kill you." She felt a flicker of relief. But then he said, "But I will take you to town where you'll be punished." Before she could respond, he surged forward and swung his fist at her. She felt pain at the side of her head before she blacked out._

_When she woke, she was chained in a cell and she could hear voices. She felt weak and pained. Her body felt odd and her head felt fuzzy. She groaned and the voices stopped. Then she heard a voice by her ear, one she recognized. Dean said low and dangerous, "I want you to suffer for what you did to me. You made me fall in love with a monster, and so I want you to die. But instead, I've chosen to protect my people by killing yours. You've been infected with a specially made disease; it only affects your kind. We've found your village and plan to drop you off there. It shouldn't take too long for the disease to spread and kill every last one of you. You'll live, but who knows how long. I guess in a way I should be grateful, without you, we would've continued living with monsters as our neighbors. But now we can kill them without risking ourselves. So thanks."_

_She felt pain and was out again. She woke up back home. She felt better than before, stronger and healthier, but still her skin felt itchy and irritated, different somehow. She immediately tried to leave, but it was too late. She'd been home for nearly a week and already many were sick. She discovered that her family all believed she'd been kidnapped and infected randomly, and she was too cowardly to tell them otherwise. Instead, she watched in guilty silence as the sick fell sicker and the healthy fell ill. None of them could shift anymore; they were stuck in human form so they knew they were all infected. They didn't know what would happen but what had was definitely not what they thought. One day, some of the sick's skin turned scaly and their wings shot out of their back. Their slitted eyes turned completely black. Their fingers and hands turned into half-dragon, half-human looking hands with long blacks claws. The same with their legs. Their faces half changed so they had slightly longer jaws and long, sharp fangs that stuck out of their mouths. Their tails shot out. They looked like a sick combination of dragon and human but mentally they were neither. Both humans and dragons had thoughts and control. These new creatures didn't. They snarled and attacked anything in sight, including those who had been taking care of them, those they considered family. They were suddenly angry, bloodthirsty, unthinking beasts. Those who were injured turned into these creatures as well and fought loudly and viciously though it seemed that no matter how badly wounded they were, they would not die. The still healthy-enough dragons attacked as well without getting too close for fear of changing themselves. They turned to bows and arrows, catapults, and other long-range weapons. Still nothing would kill them. They were bleeding heavily, burned, maimed, but nothing worked. Eventually, the beasts flew away into the woods, spreading the infection._

_Amanda had to watch in horror as more and more turned into these beasts. She watched as the infection took first her mother, then her father, then her sister. Finally she couldn't take it anymore. She ran. The beasts that were once her family surrounded her, hunted her. She fought them off and kept going until she found a cabin- her cabin. It was empty and in good enough condition. She hid inside and waited for the day where she would become one of them. Days passed then weeks then months. She wanted the emotional pain, the guilt to stop, to join her family in their darkness. But it never happened. Months became years and years became decades. She fended for herself, adjusted to her new life, the guilt and grief never leaving. Eventually, her own wings popped out of her back, and she thought that meant it was her time. But nothing else happened. And nothing else would happen. It seemed Amanda was cursed, left to slowly lose herself to the illness she had been the one to infect her people with. She was left to live in solitary loneliness with her never-ending, well-deserved guilt with her beastly family constantly around, threatening and reminding her of her sins._


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: meow meow meow

~~~~SVU~~~~

Eventually Amanda had gotten used to the loneliness and the guilt. It was like a parasite living on her shoulder and never letting her forget. Every time she saw them or heard them, her guilt would flare even after all this time, but she accepted it. It was her punishment for being so stupid, for falling in love with a human and revealing herself to him. She had known it was a risk but she had done it anyway. She deserved what happened to her even if her family didn't. She just hoped that there wasn't a small part of them existing inside those beasts, seeing the carnage they cause and wishing they could stop themselves. Her family didn't deserve to suffer for her mistakes. Amanda turned around and flew back towards her home. She landed gracefully in front of her home and started her "chores". She walked around the perimeter of her property and checked on the fence. She had built it herself not to keep out the dragons but to mark her territory to them. They could burst through or over it but for the most part didn't. She marked it with her scent by dumping her chamber pots around it. The dragons may be unthinking, but they did run on instinct. And instinct told them to mark their territory as well as stay out of others'. Few things could kill the beasts, but they could still get wounded and none of them particularly wanted that. Amanda was enough of a beast herself that they obeyed her scent markers. Usually. She had just marked it the night before so she wouldn't need to mark it again until the scent faded. Next, she went to the small barn that she used as a shed and retrieved her bow and arrow. She had a cellar that she sometimes used to store food, but she normally used that over winter. She preferred fresh prey.

She ran through the forest, flapping her wings behind her to give her extra speed. She almost loved this feelings as much as flying. She really didn't have to travel so far since there was prey everywhere, but she wanted the extra workout, the extra time and feeling of warm weather. She ran until she reached her favorite clearing. She was feeling rabbit today so she went to a nearby tree and climbed up it. She settled along the branch and crouched, unmoving, listening for the sound of the right heartbeat. She could hear plenty of mice and other rodents as well as birds and deer. And then she heard it. It was coming her way. She looked down into the tall grass, waiting to spot the light brown coat. She didn't have to wait long. Moving slowly and silently, she raised her bow and loaded an arrow into it. She pulled it back and aimed expertly. She let the arrow fly and watched as it hit its mark. The rabbit didn't even feel it as it pierced right through its heart. Quickly, she swooped down and scooped up her kill. It was a nice big one, not quite fat but definitely with enough meat on its bone for her to be full until dinner. Another thing she would've done in winter was make a second kill so she wouldn't have to go out again later. But in the summer, she was outside all day and would look forward to going hunting again.

She went back home slower than before, running without the added effect of her wings. Always she was listening for the sound of her family. She was always prepared for an attack. She didn't stand much of a chance against them but she was highly skilled with defensive actions. She always had a machete with her and she could also use her bow and arrow if she needed. But mostly she would choose to outrun them, lead them away from her home and head towards the river where she could stop them from following her scent. The smell of the water for some reason distracted them and messed up their senses. She passed over her own scent markers without incident and set about making a fire in her pit. Her beast side called for raw, bloody meat, but Amanda refused to give in to that craving. She cooked her meat and ate it sitting on a chair in front of her house. She even ate some fruits and vegetables that she either grew herself or picked from nearby trees. When she was full, she tended to her garden and her house, repairing some of the damage the tough winter had caused. She had a hole in her roof that needed patching first and foremost. Luckily that had happened late in the winter so she hadn't had to deal with snow coming in, but she couldn't risk any rain coming in. After so many years of living alone and repairing her home by herself, she was pretty handy. There had been tools in the barn when she'd found it and anything else she needed she had found (stolen but she didn't like to think of it like that) from traveling humans. She still had a few planks of wood that she had made herself last year since she always liked to be prepared in case something happened during the winter. She would probably need more but for now, she'd just use those. She set about her work, laying down the planks and hammering them down. The hole hadn't been too big so it didn't take too long, perhaps an hour or a little longer. Next she fixed her door which had fallen off one of the hinges and then several more things. It was when she was sweeping the rotting hay from the barn floor when she had an epiphany.

She was bored. Really, REALLY bored. She had done the same things over and over for years. Her summers were the same; her winters were the same; the activities she'd done between summer and winter and winter and summer were the same. Just over and over and over again, and Amanda was suddenly aware of that. She needed something new to do or see. Something exciting without the risk of being discovered or getting hurt. But what? She looked up at the late afternoon sun and thought. Suddenly, she thought of something. She remembered this one beverage she had shared with Dean all those years ago. What had he called it…? It was delicious. It made her throat burn at first, her body feel warm, and her head spin. What the hell was it? Rum! That was it! Rum. She wanted some rum. But how could she get some? She flew up to her roof and looked out of the trees. If she remembered correctly, the Airian Kingdom was about a five day trip to the south. Since it was warm now, the trade would be starting back up. If she played it right, she could find a trade group, wait for them to sleep, and raid their stuff for that delicious liquid. Amanda smiled. It was just the kind of stupid, reckless thing she would do. It would definitely be exciting, and if she was lucky she'd get rum out of it. Yes, she liked this idea. She looked to the sky again. It was too late to head out now. She'd leave first thing in the morning. Excitedly, she jumped from the roof and quickly set about getting ready to leave. She renewed her scent markers, packed a change of clothes, and readied her weapons. She watched as the sun set changed the color of the sky from shades of orange and pink to the blueish-black of night before curling up in her nest so she could have a good night's rest.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Olivia had hardly slept last night. She was too eager to get going. She had probably gotten only a couple hours of sleep, but as she woke up that morning she hardly noticed. She quickly got dressed in her traveling clothes, which weren't much different from her training clothes though a little more suited for the journey in that they were a little thicker. She put on her Assassin vest and draped her leather jacket over her arm before sliding and lacing up her shin-length boots. She completed her outfit with her belt of weapons and all her knives. She locked up her home (though she knew Nick would be in to check on things while she was gone; he had a key as did all her fellow Assassins) and quickly went to the barn. Coffee clearly had sensed all the excitement in addition to the change in season and was awake and dancing anxiously in her stall. "Hey baby," Liv cooed. "You look like you're ready to go. That's my girl."

She had spent much of her time the day before getting Coffee and her things ready to go; she had stretched the muscles in all of Coffee's legs by lifting them up and pulling them gently while she massaged them. Then she had saddled her up and took her to the ring. She let Coffee walk around the outside at a walk for a while before bringing her to a trot and then to a canter. She set up some jumps to jump over and when she felt Coffee was all stretched out and good to go, she got off, took off her saddle and bridle, and hopped back up. While she rode bareback, Liv let her horse gallop as fast as her heart desired around the ring. She knew how much Coffee loved to run, loved the speed and exhilaration of it, even while her human was on her back maybe more because of that. Liv enjoyed it too; she loved just griping onto the soft mane, closing her eyes, and putting trust in her horse while she felt the wind wiz by her. She let Coffee run until she slowed herself to a walk. Horse and rider sluggishly moved along as they cooled down. Then Liv hopped off and picked up her things. Coffee, ever the loyal being, followed Liv without needing to be told. She dropped off the saddle and bridle before leading Coffee down to the wash stall. She used the hose to fill a bucket with water so her horse could drink while she went for the horse soap and grooming supplies. She had lovingly, thoroughly washed her horse and fed her a meal of the usual grain as well as several apples. Then had brushed her beloved mare's coffee-brown coat, mane, and tail. She had braided her tail into a short length so it wouldn't snag on anything during her travels. She had washed the saddle, bridle, and flank bags. By the time she was done, the sun was setting. "Alright love. Tomorrow's the big day so rest up. I'll be back in the morning." Coffee moved her head in almost a nod, like she understood. And maybe she did. Liv smiled, patted her forehead, and kissed her nose before heading to her own bed.

Now, she took her time making sure Coffee was comfortably saddled and bridled. Once she was satisfied, she smiled, "Lookin' good girl. You're gonna turn heads in Sundaria's barns." She chuckled as her horse seemed to stand up a little straighter. "Alright. Don't go gettin' a big head. I need that head to stay in the game." Coffee dipped her head as if in apology and Liv nuzzled her nose with her own. "Come on. Let's go see if everyone else is ready." Coffee followed as Liv led the way towards the front gates. She was pleased to see many of her men as well as Elliot's either already waiting there for her or heading that way. As she approached many smiled and dipped their heads respectfully as they greeted her. She greeted them back before looking for Elliot. She spotted him leading his own horse towards the gathering group. When he looked to her, they smiled. When he reached her, she asked, "So you ready?"

He nodded, "I am. It's hard to leave Kathy though."

"She'll be fine. She's got lots of people looking out for her. You know Fin, Munch, and Nick will check in on her so much she'll probably get sick of them."

He chuckled, "Yah. She'll probably try to ban them within the first few days. She's been pretty mood-swingy lately."

Liv laughed, "Well yah. What did you expect?"

He rolled his eyes with a smile before he said, "Alright alright. Enough about me and my getting sick of my heavily pregnant wife in a totally loving sort of way." They shared another laugh. They waited a little longer so they could give all their men enough time to get there. The traders were all there and ready. Finally, she and Elliot had decided they'd waited long enough and they climbed atop their horses. Seeing their leaders do this, their men followed suit. Liv and Elliot walked to the entrance and Elliot called up, "Cassidy! Open the gates!"

Liv watched as Brian Cassidy, the man in charge of the gate's guard, saluted them before moving to the wheel that would lift the door. As he started turning it and the door began to move upwards, Olivia and Elliot looked at each other with a smile that silently wished the other luck for a good journey and to come home safe. Then they looked to their men and Liv called, "Is everyone ready?"

A loud, excited call of "Hoorah!" answered her.

She and El grinned proudly before she ordered, "Form your ranks!"

Everyone who was not in their assigned position quickly moved to do so. The traders were in the center, two carriages and three carts for each group, while the soldiers surrounded them protectively. Liv and Elliot were in the front to lead with two of their men flanking them on either side. Four men walked on either side of the traders while four more were behind them. Once the gate was fully lifted, both El and Liv turned to look behind them to their runners- the men who ran ahead to make sure the path was clear. At a nod from their leaders, the two runners slapped their horses' rears and took off. They both followed the path until Liv's runner followed the path that went east towards Sundaria while Elliot's continued north towards Moondor. Airia was in the center of the Kingdom. Telemete was to the west, close to the coast, Sarim was to the south east, and Abba was to the south west. The guards atop the gate would've warned them if they spotted any dragons nearby; the runners were for the forest passed where the guards could see. All ready to go, Elliot and Liv both urged their horses forward. They waved to Cassidy and the other guards as they went passed the gate's walls and out to the trail. Instantly, Liv's senses were tight and aware. The soldiers and traders behind them were also silent, their nervousness overwhelming them as they took their first steps out of the city. Liv knew that, eventually during their three day trip, they would relax a bit. But she would not relax until she was safely in Sundaria. When they finally got to the break in the road, Elliot and Liv shared one last loaded, silent look and Liv lead her group away.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

"Olivia!" she heard an excited voice call to her.

Olivia, her men, and the traders had arrived safely and on-time to Sundaria only a short while ago. There had been absolutely no trouble from the dragons though they had heard them prowling around out there. She hoped that didn't mean they were gathering to cause chaos on their way home. Once they'd arrived, the guards had opened the gates and showed them to the barns and the hotel specifically built and in business for the visiting soldiers. Though Olivia was sure most of them hardly used it; they preferred to go wild in the local bars and find some women to go home with. The traders however took the opportunity to get some rest before they started the trading the next day. After untying the horses from the carriages and making sure all the things they were going to trade were safe, the traders went to find their beds. Olivia had led Coffee to her temporary stall and made sure she was fed, watered, and comfortable. Then she'd watched all her men excitedly go off with Sundaria's soldiers to the bars which was when she'd heard the voice. She smiled before she turned around, instantly recognizing the voice of her lover. "Hello Alex," she said both sounding warm and official.

"How were your travels? It seems as if everything went okay," the blonde looked the part on the outside, but Olivia could see the excited sparkle in her eyes.

"Yes they did. No problems whatsoever. Just glad to be here in your city."

Alex smiled pleased, "So what are your plans for the evening?"

"Well, at the moment nothing."

"Would you like to assist me home now that I've seen you and your men got here okay?"

"I would." Gentlemanly, Olivia held out her arm so Alex could hold on to it before they walked towards the Governor and Governess' mansion. Everyone they passed greeted them with respectful smiles and bows. Upon arrival, servants opened the door for them and asked if they needed anything. Alex told them to bring a bottle of brandy to Alex's room before sending the rest away and leading Olivia upstairs. After the brandy arrived, Olivia and Alex sat around talking, drinking, and laughing. They caught each other up on their winters before talking about random things and making jokes. Then Olivia remembered, "Oh! I almost forgot. Princess Casey sent a letter for you with me."

Alex immediately perked up before trying to cover it up and saying nonchalantly, "She did, did she?"

Liv smartly covered her smirk and she nodded and reached inside her vest. She held out the letter and watched as Alex looked at it hungrily but took it slowly. Olivia also noticed the slightly shaking of her hand. She couldn't hold it back anymore; she smirked and said, "Okay. What's going on?"

Alex blushed, "What? I don't know what you're talking about.

"Uh huh. Sure you don't. Come on Al. You can tell me. You should know by now that I won't judge you."

Alex sighed, "Alright. So maybe I do know what you're talking about."

Liv smiled and slid closer to her on the sofa. Gently, she pushed, "Tell me."

Alex was silent for a moment before finally whispering, "I think… I think I'm in love with her."

Liv's eyes widened, "What? With Casey?" When Alex nodded, Liv fell back against the back of the sofa, "Wow Al. That's… When did this happen?"

"When Trevor and I visited. I… I didn't expect it to happen Liv; I didn't flirt or anything at first even though I thought she was beautiful. But then Trevor left me alone and she came over and we started talking and I don't know… it just sort of happened. She's so smart and witty and God can she make me laugh. And it's like we both just forgot who we were, that we're supposed to keep up appearances. She made me feel special; she made me feel things I've never felt before."

Liv exhaled heavily in shock. Then she asked, "Does she feel the same about you?"

"She didn't say specifically… but yes, I believe she does," she looked down at the letter with a far-off look.

Olivia had never seen her friend like this. She knew Alex didn't love or even really like Trevor. And though she and Liv were good friends who had sex, she was not in love with Olivia. Nor was Liv with her. But she couldn't help but feel a little sad. If Alex had feelings for Casey, that meant their time together was over and Alex had been the best lover she'd ever had. But as long as they stayed friends, she would easily back off. She wanted Alex to be happy. She quickly stood up and cleared her throat before saying, "Well. I'll just leave you alone to your letter. I will gladly take back your response. Just flag me down before I leave, okay? Thanks for the brandy."

"Olivia wait! You don't have to leave," Alex said looking at her guiltily.

"It's okay. I could use the rest anyway."

"Can I see you tomorrow?"

"Of course. Whatever you want or don't want to happen, I'll always be here for you."

Alex relaxed and smiled happily, "Thank you Olivia. I'll always be here for you too. You're the best friend I've ever had and I don't want to lose you."

"You won't. I promise. Enjoy your letter. See you tomorrow."

~~~~SVU~~~~

Amanda had arrived safely in the Airian Kingdom. She had to admit it was weird to be so near her old home and the home of Dean. It brought up some hard memories and thoughts. She thought of her family, remembered her family. She wondered, not for the first time what happened to Dean. He would've passed away many years ago but she wondered how. Despite what he'd done, despite breaking her heart and using her to infect her people, she hoped he had lived and died peacefully. She remembered him telling her that the city she had helped him to was the main one, Airia, and that he had travelled there from another city called Sundaria. She had a general idea of the layout of the land based on what he had told her plus what she remembered from living there. Her family's old village was long gone, nothing left but a few tiny ruins. She had made it undiscovered to Airia but judging by the semi-fresh smell, she had missed the current trade groups. One group went towards where she knew Sundaria was and another went towards another city she couldn't remember the name of. From the smell, she could tell both groups were about the same size. She decided to head the familiar way, towards Sundaria. She was a few days behind the group, but she knew they had to come back out soon. When she reached Sundaria, she hid, making herself a temporary nest in a tree with a clear view of the city gates.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Over the stay, Alex and Olivia met up several times. They didn't do anything sexual- just talked, Liv asking Alex more about her relationship with Casey but respecting their privacy by not asking about the letter. Olivia gave Alex her blessing and encouraged her to act on her feelings. She wasn't sure if she had convinced Alex to do so, but she hoped. Alex had written a response and given it to Liv who had safely tucked it into her vest. Finally, the day came when her and her men had to head back home. The previous day, she had made sure they all knew they were leaving so they would be rested, not hungover, and prepared for the journey. Now, it was early morning and her men were nearly ready to get going. Olivia had dressed and packed and was atop Coffee, waiting at the entrance for everyone to get there. "Olivia!" Olivia looked to see Alex waving at her as he came her way. Liv hopped off as she reached her.

"You didn't have to come see me off Alex."

"I wanted to. I just wanted to thank you for all you've done for me one last time. I know I said it before but it meant a lot to me. And what you're doing now means a lot to me. And to show you, I have something for you." Before Liv could protest, Alex held a necklace up to her. Liv's eyes widened. It was simple but beautiful. Its chain was gold and in the pendant was a yin and yang symbol only instead of its usual black and white, one side was ice blue with a black dot and the other was brown with a white dot. "I had it made special," Alex explained softly, "The colors match our eyes and I picked the symbol so you know that you are the yin to my yang. We are complete opposites and yet we fit together so well. Even though we've agreed to stop seeing each other that way, you are still the most special person to me. You're my best friend. You've shown me what real loving making feels like. You came into my life when I needed you most and you've given me courage to embrace what I feel for Casey. I told her in my letter for her how I feel about her and I can only hope she returns my feelings. I don't know what'll happen, but at least she'll know how I feel. I most likely would not have done that without you. So please just accept my gift because it's the only thing I can give you even though it's nowhere near the gifts you've given me."

Liv's eyes moved from the necklace to Alex's eyes and back again. She was not used to receiving gifts; she hated to accept things that she had not earned. But Alex was special to her. And she clearly just wanted to give thanks even though Liv didn't know what she was being thanked for. When Alex could see her inner battle, she gently took her hand and placed the necklace into her palm before closing her fingers around it. Liv looked at the necklace in her hand for another moment before looking at Alex. "Thank you Alex. It's beautiful." She quickly undid the clasp, draped it around her neck, and clipped it behind her. She had to admit, it looked stunning on her. Alex seemed to think so too for she smiled brilliantly as she eyed it.

Her eyes moved upwards and she said, "Travel safely Liv. I'll see you in a few weeks' time."

Liv hugged the blonde, "Be safe Alex. See you soon."

Then she quickly hopped back on her horse. She saw her men and the traders were ready so she called, "Everyone ready! Form your ranks! Open the gate!"

Alex walked a few steps away but turned to watch them leave. Liv sent her runner out and waved to her one last time before heading out. Unaware of the winged figure watching them. In the trees, Amanda watched excitedly as the group began to leave. She stayed unmoving as the leader soldier led the way. Amanda was struck by the woman's beauty. She looked over the men following her and the blonde woman waving behind them, but none of them held a candle to the lead soldier. She was absolutely stunning, and Amanda found herself feeling something, something that was both familiar and completely different than anything she'd felt before. When she realized that however, she shoved it away and focused on her mission. She would follow them, steal their drinks, and leave. That was it. But as her eyes followed the brunette soldier, she had the feeling it wouldn't be that simple.

~~~~SVU~~~~

It was their second morning out; they were a little more than a day away from home. Liv was anxious to give Alex's letter to Casey, to see what the Princess' actions would be. Her actions from before Liv left made things much clearer now. She must've known that Liv and Alex were close and had used her charming personality to get Liv to deliver the letter. Though she would have done so without all the flirting. That still confused her. Maybe that was just Casey's personality. Hearing what Alex had said about her and how they had interacted, that was plausible. Liv had decided that she would talk with the Princess. She had to make sure that Alex didn't get hurt, that Casey wouldn't hurt her. She just didn't know how she was going to do that; she didn't want to piss the Royal off and have her throw her in jail. She would have to put it delicately, respectfully, and Liv had no idea how. When she'd had that talk with Kathy, she hadn't been delicate or respectful. Sure, she had made sure Kathy wouldn't hate her afterwards, but she was stern enough so Kathy would know her place and not hurt Elliot or she would have to answer to Olivia. Kathy had been a little scared of her after that. And to be honest, Liv wasn't completely warm. But the longer she and El stayed together, the more Liv eased and the less afraid Kathy was. Liv just had to make sure Casey got the same idea about Alex. Somehow. She was pondering how that discussion would go when Olivia heard a shout.

"Sergeant! Sergeant! They're coming!" It was her runner.

She heard the screams of the dragons and knew she and her men would have only seconds before the attack. Quickly, she yelled over her back, "Dragons! Everyone to battle stations! Get the traders to safety!" All her men pulled their swords and the side ranked men started guiding the traders away and began to hide them under the tarp and the bile. Liv pulled out her sword as well just as the dragons came at them. She slashed at the nearest dragon with her weapon, feeling it slice through the dragon's soft underbelly. As the dragon cried in pain and fell to the ground, she jumped from Coffee's back on top of it. The dragon tried clawing and biting at her but she dodged it, using her sword to block the blows she couldn't easily move out of the way from. She pulled her knife and used it to tear the dragon's throat once, twice, and then she held it inside, cutting of its air. The creature's screams turned into gurgling, choking sounds and it seemed stunned by pain. She kicked at its wings and limbs, leaving its underside more open. Like lightning, she drove her sword through the skin over its heart and ripped it open. Through the long gash, she could see its beating heart. The dragon was now aware of its vulnerability and started clawing again. Liv felt the claws sink into her shoulder and side and slice open her back. She howled but recovered quickly before the dragon could buck her off. With a roar, she stabbed the heart with her sword. The dragon screamed again as Liv pulled the heart and sword out before it fell dead to the ground.

Liv didn't have time to revel in her victory before another dragon slammed into her. She was thrown against a tree and the breath was knocked out of her. She crumbled up in a heap on the ground as she tried to gasp in breath. She could hear the battle going on around her and wanted to get back out there; she had men to defend. She forced away the pain and got onto her hands and knees. She was shocked to see Coffee defending her, rearing up and kicking out until the dragon flew away. She turned back to her human and leaned down. "Thanks," Liv gasped as she gripped Coffee's bridle and let her pull her up. She pushed Coffee away, "Get out of her Coff." She didn't wait to see if her horse ran to safety. She saw one of her men in the clutches of a dragon nearby. He was screaming as it sunk its teeth into his shoulder and throat. "NO!" Liv yelled as she attacked. The dragon let her man go so it could better fight her. But Liv was feeling the loss of breath and blood and was a little slower wielding her weapon. The dragon pinned her down and reared back, roaring as if to claim his prey. She braced for the death bite, hoping that at least some of her men and the traders got away. But suddenly the dragon was forced away from her. She tried to watch but her vision was beginning to fade. Maybe Coffee had come to her aid again. She heard the struggles continuing and tried to get up. But her wounds were gushing and she was weakening. She collapsed. She groaned for Coffee, but was sure it wasn't understandable as she fell into darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: blah blah blah blah blah blah

Note: thank you to all those who have favorited/followed/commented. Each one makes me very happy. Sorry for the wait; I try to post at least one a week but last week was pretty busy. To make up for it, this chapter is longer than the rest. Hope you enjoy it and keep favoriting, following, and commenting!

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Amanda watched as the group of travelers made their way through the woods back home. Specifically, she watched the leader, the muscular, beautiful brunette. After only a few hours of following them, she had come to realize that she had never seen a more beautiful creature in all her life. The brunette led her men with grace and dignity. When she gave them orders, she gave them in a way that was both full of authority as well as kindness. She was not the kind of leader who led through fear and harshness, and as a result it seemed that her men didn't just respect her but adored her for it. They followed her lead without question, and Amanda couldn't help but wonder why- because of her gender. But it didn't take a genius to see that she had worked hard to get where she was. And she was clearly good at it. Amanda also noticed that, as much as she looked out for them, they looked out for her as well. Sometime around midday, Amanda watched as one of the soldiers came to her side to bring some food; the brunette had not eaten yet that day and the soldier had obviously noticed and worried for his leader's health. Amanda watched as the brunette smiled gratefully and spoke to the man as she accepted the food. The man said something back and the brunette threw her head back with laughter before clapping his shoulder in a friendly gesture. Amanda had smiled at the scene, thinking how melodic that laugh was.

When it came time to settle down for the night, the brunette supervised and gave quick, quiet orders as the men shielded themselves from the dragons. Amanda knew this was it, her chance to rifle through their things before heading back home. But, as she continued to watch as the brunette jumped off her horse, tended to her needs, and selflessly took part in the first watch, she couldn't bring herself to move. So instead, she sat in a tree, shielded from sight by its leaves, and took part in her own watch. She would know if the dragons were coming, though it occurred to her that she had no idea what she would do if there actually was an attack. She couldn't reveal herself of course because they'd just attack her. She knew she should just stay away, even if the dragons did attack; it wasn't her problem, her duty to try to save humans who would be just as quick to try to kill her. But as she watched the brunette walk along the outside of the group silently, Amanda knew she wouldn't be able to stop herself from jumping in. And, despite all of Amanda's hoping that the group would make it back home safely, that's exactly what happened.

Amanda had been following the humans at a safe distance as she'd done the day before when she heard them. The wind was a little stronger then yesterday, carrying the scent of the humans beyond. The dragons had smelt them and were now bearing down on them. At least a dozen of them from what Amanda could hear. She began to panic. They were flying in at a rapid pace. The winter and sudden, enticing smell of humans made them more ravenous than usual so they were fast to descend upon the group. Amanda worried her bottom lip with her teeth as she quickly tried to come up with a plan. She listened ahead. The runner! He was the closest. If she could get him to be aware, he could warn the rest. Amanda uncurled her wings and shot away. She whizzed through the trees until she came upon the runner. He was looking out into the forest with a spyglass, but in the opposite direction of which the dragons were coming. Risking her own safety, Amanda flew as she roared. Her roar was nothing like the dragons', but she was still a dragon after all and could roar just enough to get the man's attention. Instantly, he was sitting straighter on his horse and looking her and the dragons' way. Amanda made sure he saw her wings as she roared again. Immediately he took off. The dragons were closer now and she knew he could hear them. He started shouting and Amanda watched as the soldiers instantly reached for their weapons and began to protect the traders as the dragons attacked.

She crouched behind a shrub as she watched the battle. Just as she had predicted, a dozen dragons had showed up to feast. Amanda watched in horror as some of the soldiers were instantly slaughtered while others were battling with all their might. Her eyes flicked around until she found the brunette. She watched as the brunette pulled out the heart of one attacker only to be slammed into by another. Amanda gasped as she saw the leader collapse only to have her horse jump into to save her. And still the human would not give up. She was bloody and out of breath but still she jumped into to try to save her fellow soldier. Amanda could see she wouldn't be able to fight long. She looked to the horse, hoping it would jump in again, but it was kicking and stomping on another dragon, unaware that its human was about to die. Amanda didn't think. She launched herself from the bushes and slammed into the dragon's side. It recovered quickly though and was launching itself back at her before she could prepare. Their bodies collided once again and rolled across the grass. The dragon ended up on top, but Amanda had pulled out her knife and was ready. She stabbed at the dragon, holding onto its throat so it couldn't bite her. She whined in pain as the dragon clawed her sides and legs. But it was screaming in pain as Amanda's knife ripped open its chest and belly. Amanda finally got the area she wanted and stabbed with all her strength. She pulled the knife downward to create a gaping wound in it chest. Before the dragon could pull away, she jammed her hand inside and gripped tightly onto the heart. The dragon let out a panicked scream and tried to fly away. But the added movement, just gave Amanda more room to force her arm back and rip the heart out. The dragon fell on top of her, dead. Amanda quickly pushed it off her and looked around. Two men were still battling, but Amanda could see they were only just barely managing to do so. Five dragons surrounded them, ready to either wait for them to die or for them to lower their weapons just enough to move in for the kill. Four dragons were dead, one of which the brunette had killed and another that Amanda had. The other three dragons were feasting upon the human and horse corpses. Amanda looked to see the brunette was exactly where she had fallen. She was in a pool of blood. Amanda realized with relief that she could just see the small rise and fall of her chest. At least she was still breathing. Amanda frowned; once again another decision needed to be made. To leave the brunette here or not. Could Amanda risk the human discovering her? Amanda looked around, using her all senses to observe the area. The men that had been sent away with the traders were long gone. Amanda was pretty certain they would not come back. The dragons that were alive were quickly eating their way through the dead; she knew it was only a short matter of time before they found the brunette. Alive or not, they would eat her anyway. If she didn't bleed out by then. No. She couldn't just walk away. Not while there was still life in that strong, beautiful body. She at least had to try.

Quickly, she moved forward to assess just how badly the brunette was wounded. Her shoulder and back had been clawed and were bleeding heavily but the wounds didn't look too deep. She had a huge bump already forming on the back of her head from being slammed into the tree. She had other smaller cuts and bruises. But what worried Amanda the most was the claw wounds in her side. They were deep and where the pool of blood was coming from. Amanda began to panic again as she wished she had brought her first-aid stuff with her. Suddenly, without knowing why the idea came to her, Amanda cut open her palm and spread her blood over the wounds, letting it get deep inside the slashes on the human's side. Then using the torn remnants of the brunette's shirt, she wrapped the wounds up as best she could nice and tight to help stop the blood flow. When she saw how quickly the fabric soaked, she knew she couldn't waste any more time; she had to get the woman back to her home. Amanda quickly gathered the human into her arms, forcing herself to ignore the small gasp of pain from the human. Almost immediately, as if sensing the need for her, the brunette's horse was at her side. Amanda quickly lifted them both into the air and onto the horse's back. She held the human tight to her chest with one hand and gripped the horse's bridle with the other. At a slight kick to her sides, the horse was off, cantering with everything she had. Amanda spread her wings out behind them and began to flap. The horse made a sound at the extra speed but pushed herself even faster with the help of Amanda.

They ran for hours, hours that Amanda hardly noticed because she was too focused on the human in her lap, until finally Amanda's home came into view. She pulled the horse to a stop before jumping off with the human still in her arms. She quickly flew her inside and laid her gently onto her nest. The human was unnaturally pale, but she was still breathing and that gave Amanda all the hope she needed. Quickly she rushed to the corner of her home where she kept her first aid kits. She wasn't sure which items were in which box so she just grabbed all four of them. She whirled back to the human and kneeled beside her. Without thought, she decided to start with the still bleeding wounds on her side. Luckily the shirt bandage she had made earlier did a fair job of slowing the bleeding enough where the human wasn't gushing. Amanda untied the shirt and tossed it away; she would do her best to clean it later but it was most likely ruined. She quickly went to the backroom where she kept water basins where she also grabbed an old cloth. When she crouched back by the human she reached for one box and opened it looking for the needle and thread to sew her up. She knew hot water would be better to clean the wound but right now she was more concerned with stopping the flow of blood. She wiped away as much of the blood as she could as well as dumped the basin over her to wash the inside of the wounds. When they were as clean as possible, she threaded the needle and quickly began to stitch the wounds closed. In her haste, the stitches weren't exactly neat, but they did the trick. The wounds closed and stopped bleeding. Next, she moved to the wounds on the woman's shoulder and back. They didn't need as many stitches so for the most part, she just cleansed the wounds and bandaged them. She even tended to the little cuts and the bump on the back of her head. When she was done, she noticed that the, though the human seemed uncomfortable in her unconsciousness, her color didn't seem as pale as it had been. Amanda sighed in slight relief. The human wasn't out of the woods yet, but she was in better shape than before. All that could be done now was to watch and wait.

Realizing there was nothing left for her to do for the brunette at the moment, the blonde quickly shed her own bloody clothes, tossing them with the brunette's torn and bloody shirt, and tended to her own wounds. Fortunately none of them were bad and she knew they would close within a few days. Before the illness, dragons had been rapid healers; A deep, fatal-to-anyone-else wound could heal in a day or less and even their limbs could grow back- though that took longer and was incredibly painful. After the illness, they didn't heal as fast; severe wounds could take days or even weeks nor would their limbs grow back. She had seen wild dragons with missing limbs, presumably having had them cut off in fights with humans. It wasn't convenient but it was better than healing like a human. After she wrapped her own wounds, she got dressed in clean clothes before grabbing another kit and going outside. Standing anxiously by the house was the brunette's ever-loyal horse. She looked at Amanda nervously; Amanda could see the only reason she didn't bolt was that she didn't want to leave her human. Amanda made sure her wings were tucked as close to her body as she could get them as she held up her hands. "Easy girl," she said softly, "I'm not going to hurt you."

The horse didn't relax but she allowed Amanda to come closer. She held out one hand towards the horse to let her smell it before lifting the kit as well. The horse relaxed slightly but still watched warily. Amanda moved slowly as she went to undo and remove her saddle and bridle then crouched to clean and bandage the animal's injuries. She didn't have any bad ones, mostly just cuts and some small claw and bite marks on her legs, but Amanda didn't want the brunette to be angry at her for not tending to her companion. When she was done, Amanda couldn't help but think the animal looked shocked that she had helped her. Amanda chuckled before heading back inside. She still had some good fruits and vegetables and she willingly gave them to the horse along with a pail of water. Using the temptation of food and water, Amanda guided the horse inside the barn. It wasn't in the best shape, but it would give the horse a decent place to rest. After the long, fast journey, the horse gulped down all the water and devoured the food. When she was done, she nuzzled Amanda with her nose as if to say thank you before laying down on a soft patch of ground. Amanda smiled amusedly before heading back inside. A quick look at the brunette told Amanda she was still out. She debated whether she should go hunting at that moment or wait until morning. Of course, morning would be safer, but what if the human woke before then. She would need to eat and drink in order to regain strength. Healing would take a lot out of her, Amanda knew. Amanda needed to eat too, she realized as she was hit with a sudden wave of exhaustion. Her wings in particular suddenly felt very heavy, and she let them droop, dragging on the floor behind her. Amanda decided it would be better to wait for morning; she was too tired to head out into a dangerous, dragon-infested forest at night.

She stumbled over to the pile of clothes in one corner of the room. She arranged them into a make-shift nest before crawling on top of them and burying herself with some. She curled up much like a cat, her limbs tucked close to her and her wings draped over her like a blanket. She peeked out towards the human. She shifted one wing back slightly so she would clearly hear if the human woke up and/or needed something. She would be up at first light to check on her before hunting. She had a million worries, but thankfully they didn't take too long to settle as her mind numbed into sleep.

~~~~SVU~~~~

The first thing Olivia was aware of upon climbing out of unconsciousness was the pain. Her whole body was sore but pain seemed to be radiating from her shoulder, back, and side. Especially her side. It felt like it was on fire as it throbbed. And her head. Her head felt like it was being used as a percussion instrument. She groaned as she tried to open her eyes and was met with a blinding ray of sunshine. She immediately shut her eyes again. 'What had happened?' she wondered. She tried to rifle through the pounding in her head to remember. She remembered leaving Airia and then later Sundaria. She and her men and the traders had stopped for a night. Her heart rate increased as it came flooding back to her. The shouting of her runner, the pulling of her weapon, the dragons descending. She did not know how many had attacked; she had just called for everyone to get into position and they all fought the beasts. She remembered jumping off Coffee onto a dragon whose heart she ripped out only seconds before another attacked. She remembered the pain of slamming into the tree and the shock, pride, and love at seeing Coffee defending her. She remembered the panic for and dedication to her men that forced her back into battle. The man she had tried to save was surely dead, but she had tried anyway. She remembered losing blood, losing the fight. She remembered the dragon about to kill her when it was forced away. And she blacked out. Guilt instantly swelled through her for her weakness. It had been her duty to protect her men. Of course, she had done the best she could; she had gone down fighting like a good soldier should. But that wasn't enough to assuage her guilt. How many of her men had died? How many had fought with all their might only to be slain and eaten? Had the traders and their assigned guardians gotten away? Or were their bones being digested in the dragons' gullets right at that moment? And then suddenly, perhaps the most important question swirled around Liv's brain. How had she survived?

Suddenly a few more things became clear to Olivia. She was no longer on the forest floor; she could feel the softness of furs under her body. She could feel bandages wrapped around her injuries. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to open her eyes, moaning again at the unpleasantness of the sun. She blinked slowly as her eyes adjusted. Slowly, her sight cleared and she could see she was not outside, but inside a small cabin. It was just one room; she was in the corner of it, in a pile of furs, feathers, and ratty clothes. In the corner opposite her, was another pile of clothes and some other miscellaneous items like a weapon sash, sword and knives holstered in it. There was a corner that looked like it was meant to be a kitchen. It had a sink and old, rusty oven and some cabinets. There was a table in the remaining corner that had two chairs sitting by it; it was covered completely in a mess of things. There were two doors on either side of the cabin and one window. The window was open, letting in the summer breeze. It didn't look threatening in anyway, but still Olivia grew even more uneasy. She obviously didn't end up here on her own so how? And who? And why? And where was Coffee? She prayed her beloved horse had not been made part of the feast. She had to find her; she had to get back home. She attempted to sit up, but two things instantly happened. The wound in her side protested while her head's drum beat became even louder and a wave of nausea washed over her. She groaned loudly in pain as she fell back down.

"You're going to want to take it easy," a sudden voice said.

It was soft, nonthreatening, and clearly feminine, but the surprise of it caused Olivia to jump and turn her head towards it, her legs bending slightly and her hands raising defensively. Her eyes landed at one of the doors, the one to her right, where a beautiful blonde was standing. She was small and skinny-looking though Liv could not see most of her body; it was covered by a long, blue, hooded cape that was not only tied at the bottom of her throat but wrapped tightly around most of her form. Even still, Olivia had never seen a more beautiful woman. Upon looking closer, she even grew enchanted by the blonde's sky blue eyes. Olivia's eyes widened as the blonde held up her hands.

"Easy," she said softly, "I do not wish to harm you. You are safe here."

Olivia let the voice seep into her, relax her. She dropped her legs and arms and sagged back against the furs, panting slightly through the pain and nausea. Through the throbbing, she heard footsteps walking across the room and then towards her. She opened her eyes to watch with both wariness and fascination as the woman walked gracefully across to her table. She picked up a bottle and brought it to Liv.

"Drink," she ordered gently. "You have been unconscious for over 24 hours. You must be thirsty."

It was then that Olivia grew aware of the dryness of her throat. She eagerly accepted the bottle and gulped down the water. It was slightly cold and tasted fresh and crisp. She could feel it soothing her dehydrated insides. It even helped to ease her nausea and headache slightly. The woman watched but crouched a respectful distance away and Liv found she could not look away from those blue orbs. When she had her fill, she handed the now-empty bottle back with a shy smile. "Thank you," she croaked.

The woman smiled slightly, "You are welcome. Do you wish to eat or are you still too nauseous?"

"Eat?" Liv asked confused.

One of the blonde's eyebrows lifted as if she wasn't sure why her guest was so confused, "Yes. I have prepared a meal for you."

Amanda had awoken earlier with a groan with the first sign of light. She had not slept all that well; she had constantly woken up to check on the injured female in her bed and when she did sleep, it was a light sleep with her senses extra aware, ready to alert her to any noise or slight movement from her guest. She woke to not only the noises the brunette made but every other sound as well. When dawn finally came, Amanda was ready to get up and prepare for the day. She had checked on the sleeping female one last time before grabbing her weapon belt and bow and arrow. She had stepped outside before pausing. It occurred to her that, should she come back to find the human awake, she would scare at Amanda's appearance. Her wings were every bit as similar to the wild dragons' so it would be no mystery what she was. She had to cover herself up somehow so that she could still be around the human to care for her. She suddenly remembered an item of clothing she had taken from a travelling group many years ago; she hardly wore it because it was such a beautiful piece that she didn't want to ruin it. It was a hooded cape that flowed down her body and dragged behind her by about two feet. It was a thin, soft, slightly shiny material. Amanda had thought it perfect in this situation, so she went back inside to grab it, folded it up, and left it just outside on a patch of grass so she could put it on after hunting. She had flown to the nearest herd of deer, not wanting to be too far away from the human, and killed a fairly large doe. She had carried it back, skinned it expertly, butchered it, roasted some of it over a fire so she could eat, saving some for the human in case she woke up, and saved the rest to be cooked later. If it turned out the human slept through another day, she would just do the same thing tomorrow so she would have plenty of fresh meat for her guest. She had even picked some apples from her apple tree to feed to the horse, who seemed to warm up to her slightly as she was presented with the fruit. She had considered flying back to the scene of the battle to gather the items left behind, but again she didn't want to be too far from the injured woman in her bed. When she finally heard the first groans, she had waited patiently just outside. When she heard the human stirring, she wrapped herself in the cape and quietly opened the door. She watched, unmoving, as the human adjusted to the pain and sunlight but when she tried to move and hurt herself, Amanda took one step forward and spoke to stop her.

Now, the woman was looking at her with both gratefulness and suspicion. Soon, the brunette asked, "Who are you?"

"My name is Amanda," she answered easily. "I'm the one who rescued you from the dragons."

Olivia thought of the dragon being forced away from her again. At an awed whisper, she asked, "That was you?"

Amanda nodded, trying not to blush.

Liv cleared her throat and asked her next question, "Where am I?"

"You are in my home. It is within the Airian Kingdom I believe; it has been many years since I last looked at a map, but I believe I'm about a three-day journey from Sundaria."

Olivia nodded. "And you did… this?" she motioned to her bandages.

Again, Amanda nodded before explaining, "You probably have a concussion; there was a rather large bump on the back of your head. The wounds on your shoulder and back were not that deep, only a few of the slashes needed stitches. The wounds on your side however were very deep and bled a lot, but I sewed them and stopped the bleeding. You have a lot of minor cuts and bruises as well that I also treated. If you do not mind, after you've eaten, I would like to reassess the stitches. I was in a hurry to stop the bleeding so I may not have done the best job though it was affective enough."

Olivia mind spun with shock. This stranger had not only saved her, but apparently she had done her best to patch her up. Olivia was not sure what to think, but she forced herself to nod in agreement.

The blonde- Amanda- smiled kindly at her before asking again, "Are you ready to eat?"

Olivia nodded. The last thing she had eaten had been yesterday morning; she was starving. Amanda stood and walked back to the table. She had a few items of kitchen-ware thankfully. She picked up a plate and fork and stacked a few pieces of the cooked deer meat on it before going back to the human. Once the human took the plate, she moved away again. Olivia took a cautious bite. When the savory meat reached her tongue she hummed in pleasure and ate ravenously. After she had devoured the plate, Amanda handed her another one which she took with a grateful smile. It was only on her third plate that she slowed down. Through a full mouth, she asked, "So Amanda was it?" The blonde nodded. "Do you live out here by yourself?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Why do I live alone? Or why am I out in the forest?"

"Both."

Amanda thought for a moment. She obviously couldn't tell the woman the whole truth, but Amanda had always hated to lie. She had never been very good at it to begin with but it also gave her this almost-unbearable, bad feeling. So she decided on the simplest form of the truth. She answered, "I live out here because my family lived out here. I live alone because I'm the last remaining member of my family."

Olivia paused in her eating to give her a sympathetic look, "I'm sorry to hear that… So then how did you come to where the fight was?"

Again, Amanda took a moment of silence to think. Honestly, she answered, "I was low on supplies and in need of a change after the long winter. I know about the summer trades and set out to find a group I could acquire items from."

Once again, Olivia paused. This time to give her a narrow-eyed look, "You were gonna steal from us?"

Amanda had the decency to blush as she looked away, "Well… yes."

"Why not just go into one of the cities?" the brunette demanded.

Amanda twirled her hair nervously and stammered, "I- I have no money or, as you can see, much to trade with. And- well, I don't fare well around people."

Olivia's eyes narrowed further and Amanda got ready to bolt. Then Olivia thought, 'Well. I can't blame her. If she has no money or items to trade, then she was only doing what she had to. I can't say I wouldn't do the same thing.' She sighed, "Well, it's not good to steal. But I guess I understand. Besides, if you weren't there, I'd be dead. Thank you for that by the way."

Amanda relaxed slightly and looked at her quickly before looking away again, "You're welcome."

Olivia finished her food before saying in a friendlier tone, "This was good. Fresher than what I usually get in Airia. We store food as best we can over the winter but the soldiers often get whatever is about to go bad. Sometimes, it's barely edible."

Amanda accepted the compliment with a "thank you" before gathering the plate and dumping it in the sink. Olivia watched her. She pursed her lips; the blonde still avoided eye contact. Olivia felt kind of bad. She didn't trust this woman despite her hospitality, but that was just it- she DID take her in, saved her and provided for her. Olivia didn't exactly like it, but she owed this woman a debt now. She could at least start by being nice to her. In a soft tone, she spoke, "My name is Olivia by the way. Olivia Benson. And I just want to thank you again. You have the gratitude of an Airian soldier and, I'm sure once I get back, the gratitude of the whole army and kingdom as well."

Finally, the small blonde looked into her eyes again and Olivia found herself smiling. Amanda blinked a few times before relaxing and smiling back. "It's an honor to meet you Olivia Benson. And I accept your gratitude. You're welcome again." After a moment of them looking into each other's eyes, each finding themselves getting lost in the other's, Amanda asked, "May I look over your wounds now?"

Olivia nodded. Amanda went to kneel by her side before quickly and efficiently looking over her wounds. Olivia hissed a few times in pain as the bandages peeled back. Amanda first looked at her shoulder. Then her side. Then she gently helped Olivia roll onto her side so she could see her back. She was pleased at what she saw at her shoulder and back. The wounds on the side were still angry-looking and some blood was still trying to force its way between her skin, but other than that, it seemed as okay as to be expected for now. She didn't smell any signs of infection which was definitely a good thing. She rewrapped each one as gently as she could before helping the human to settle down once more. "They look fine. Your side still worries me, but not too much. Maybe tomorrow you'll have enough strength and the pain will have lessened enough for me to better wash them."

Olivia nodded, "How'd you know how and what to do?"

This time, Amanda didn't wait to answer, "I used to have a younger sister who was quite rambunctious. It seemed every time I or my parents turned around she was getting herself into some kind of trouble. Skinning her knees, stubbing her toes, falling out of trees, tripping over roots while running, slipping down ravines. She was always getting hurt and needing to be bandaged up. After so many times of that, you learn these things." Amanda smiled at the memory but it died when Olivia asked her next question.

"'Had?' What happened to her?"

Amanda was silent as she looked into the soldier's brown eyes. She didn't want to answer; it could lead to too many questions and brought up too many memories. The guilt and grief still got to her. But, besides her hatred of lying, there was just something about the woman that caused Amanda to say, "She, along with the rest of my family, fell ill and died."

Olivia's eyes widened and she said quietly, "I'm so sorry. I know how hard it is to lose family." At Amanda's lifted eyebrow, she continued, "I lost my mother a few years ago. She was the only blood family I had."

This time Amanda gave Liv her sympathies just before Liv yawned. She hadn't realized how exhausted she was until just then. Amanda gave her a soft smile and said, "Sleep. It'll be good for your healing." Liv nodded and shimmed down deeper into the furs as Amanda asked, "Do you need more to cover you? Are you comfortable?"

"Well as comfortable as one can be with all these injuries," Liv chuckled.

"Okay. Just- umm- shout if you need anything."

Olivia mumbled a response as sleep quickly overcame her.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: if I owned SVU, why would I be writing fanfiction?

Note: continued thanks to everyone who has commented/favorited/followed this story. You are all awesome! So wrote this last week and then didn't post it because I had a feeling I should wait. Turns out, this week my mother is home from work (because she only works every other week this summer fml) and, long story short, my mother and I do not get along; we basically hate each other, and due to this, I may or may not be able to write this week. I mean, it's only been a day and I already am filled with so much rage, I may just explode. But low and behold, I had a chapter to post! Woo! Lol so enjoy it! Because the next chapter I post may be on the run from the cops after I murder my mother

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Three days passed much in the same manner as the first. Liv woke up to find Amanda had hunted and cooked for her. She would check over her injuries and redo the bandages. Olivia's concussion and side wound kept her in the nest so Amanda would have to help her to go to the bathroom. It was incredibly embarrassing for Liv, but Amanda made it less so by looking at the ceiling whenever it had to happen. Liv was getting more and more frustrated and restless the more time she spent in the nest; she snapped at Amanda a few times, but would apologize a few moments later. Amanda never once expressed hurt or annoyance because she understood. She'd be the same way she was sure. They would talk, get to know each other a little better. Olivia told her mostly about her life as a soldier and Assassin and about her fellow Sergeants. Amanda flinched slightly the first time Olivia mentioned killing dragons, but she did a good job of covering it up. She didn't want to have to explain to the human why she flinched- that despite what they'd become those dragons were still her family. She couldn't help but wonder about her immediate family, her sister especially. Had she been one of those dragons killed? Did one of the hearts Olivia had taken belong to her sister or parents or someone else she knew? She didn't want to think too deeply about it. And despite the inner disgust and grief for her family, she couldn't help but be entranced by the way Olivia spoke of her battles. She spoke with pride in her voice and shinning in her eyes. It wasn't full of bloodlust or fascination of the kill either which made Amanda feel better. She knew that her family had become nothing more than mindless, killing machines who had and would kill as many people as they could. Olivia and her fellow soldiers were just doing what they had to to survive and protect their people. The topic also confirmed what Amanda believed, that the human she was caring for would kill her if she knew what she was. The human had already asked several times why she wore the cloak. It hadn't escaped Liv that the flowy material covered what looked like a slight humpback, and she told Amanda that, if she wanted to take it off, she wouldn't care what physical deformity she had. That had caused Amanda to freeze for a second before letting out a snort of laughter as she thought, 'Oh if only that were the physical deformity I was hiding.'

Finally, on the fifth day there, Olivia knew she needed to get out of the nest and get outside. She wouldn't admit it, but she had had a horrible nightmare the previous night, one that made her relive the last battle only this time, she was frozen in place as she watched her men get torn to shreds and eaten. She heard them screaming to her to help; they looked at her with pleading eyes and their arms reaching towards her as they begged her to save them. And she cried and thrashed in place as she tried to get to them, but some kind of invisible force was holding her back. Perhaps the worst part was when she heard the cries of Coffee and she'd had to watch as two dragons pulled her apart. Olivia had heaved as she watched her beloved companion's guts fall all over the place before the dragons began to scoop them up and devour them. When every last man and horse had died and been eaten, the dragons all turned to look at her with their hungry, soulless eyes before descending on her all at once. She woke with a gasp, covered in sweat and tears and shaking like a leaf. She panted as she looked around the cabin. Though she still did not completely trust where she was and the woman caring for her, seeing the cabin and sleeping form of her caretaker in front of her calmed her. She panted as she lay back. She'd spent most of the night awake after that, only falling into a light sleep maybe an hour before she heard Amanda get up. Pushing herself up slightly, she said, "Morning Amanda."

Amanda jumped but quickly recovered and smiled, "Good morning Olivia. Do you need assistance with anything before I go hunting?"

"Actually, I was wondering- if it wouldn't be too much trouble- I need to get outside. Just for a little while at least. I can't lay here anymore."

Amanda cocked her head. There was something off about the human, but she couldn't tell what. She didn't know if it was a great idea, but the way the human's brown eyes were looking at her with such an obvious plea, she found she couldn't say no. She nodded, "Alright. But just for a little while. I don't want you exhausting yourself too much, okay?"

Olivia grinned and nodded vehemently. Amanda moved to help Olivia stand. She was still a little shaky on her feet and she cringed when her side protested. But her concussion no longer caused her to feel nauseous when she moved. Slowly, the two made their way to the door and outside. Amanda helped her to sit in a rocking chair that had been there for who knows how long but was still strong enough to hold up a body. Olivia sighed in relief and took a deep breath of the fresh, outdoor air. She looked to the sky to see a flock of birds flying over them. The sun was just over the horizon now and it was slightly cloudy. It was still a little cool from the night but warmth filled Olivia as a beam of light moved over her as the clouds slid away from the sun. She closed her eyes and let it soak in with a smile as she breathed deeply. Amanda watched, enthralled, at the joy on the woman's face. It was such a simple thing and yet it seemed to melt all the tension from the human's body. Suddenly, Amanda was very glad she had been convinced to bring her out here; she enjoyed seeing such happiness on her ward's face. It also gave Amanda the urge to make the woman happy whenever she could, and she instantly got another idea. "Wait here. Don't open your eyes until I tell you to," she said softly, trying not to startle the human.

Olivia chuckled, "Like I could go anywhere."

Amanda ran around the side of the house to the barn. She quietly opened the door and peeked in. The horse was already awake, waiting to be let out to graze in the yard as Amanda had been doing every day. Amanda slowly moved inside and gently said, "I have a surprise for you girl." The horse had warmed up to Amanda over the last few days, coming to realize she was not a threat, and easily let her walk at her side to guide her outside. As if sensing Amanda's excitement, the horse continued to follow her back around to the front of the house. Right before they rounded the corner, Amanda called, "You can open your eyes now!"

Olivia did and turned to look towards where Amanda's voice was coming from. As soon as the horse came into view, both human and horse made a happily surprised sound. "Coffee!" Olivia cried in shock and joy as the horse whinnied loudly and took off towards her human. Olivia knew better than to stand but she opened her arms to eagerly welcome her horse. The animal went right up to her and bent down slightly to nuzzle her human's nose. She spent a few moments sniffing over Olivia, as if checking to see that she was okay, while Olivia spoke to her lovingly. Then the horse moved as close as she could and leaned her head down over the human's back while Olivia's arms hugged the animal tight. With a smile, Amanda stood a respectful distance away as she watched human and horse get reacquainted. Finally, Olivia looked to her caretaker and said with as much feeling as she could muster, "Thank you." She had tears sliding down her face but her eyes were filled with joy, relief, gratefulness, and many other emotions.

Amanda smiled warmly at her, "You're welcome." She was overjoyed that she could help bring such happiness to the human. A part of Amanda that had previously been cold and numb thawed and warmed. The human closed her eyes and buried her face deeper into her horse's chest. Amanda turned and went back inside to get her bow and arrow. When she returned, the two beings were still hugging so, softly so as not to ruin the moment, Amanda said, "I'm going hunting. I'll be back soon. Try not to move."

Her voice muffled slightly, the human responded, "I won't."

Amanda walked into the forest, her senses searching for the closest prey. When she pinpointed their location, Amanda looked back to make sure she was out of sight before removing the cape, hiding it in a tree, and taking flight. She hunted quickly and expertly, gathering the deer into her arms as she thanked the Goddess for its life and gifts, and flew back towards her home. She quickly covered herself in the cloak before walking back into the human's sight. Amanda smiled as she saw the human was where she'd left her. Her horse had moved her attention to grazing but was still standing close to her human. Olivia was watching her with awe, relief, and happiness until she heard Amanda coming. "That was fast. You must have only been gone like twenty minutes," the human observed.

Amanda nodded but stayed silent as she moved to the area she'd designated for skinning, hanging, and cooking meat. Olivia's eyes moved between Coffee and Amanda as she watched the blonde start a fire before skinning the deer. She did it quickly and efficiently, making Olivia wonder just how long she's been living out here, fending off the land. And how much of that time had she been alone? Obviously it was long enough that she could do this stuff so easily and well. Olivia herself had only hunted a handful of times and she'd never skinned her own meal. She watched as Amanda draped the complete deer skin over a line before grabbing a different knife to carve the animal up. It reminded Olivia of carving a Thanksgiving turkey except Amanda used all the parts. Olivia watched with both disgust and fascination as Amanda tossed some of the innards into a bucket before skewering the meat and setting it above the fire. She alternated between rotating it as she shuffled through the innards. She pulled out what looked to be the liver, stomach, and heart. She placed the stomach into a skillet and placed that over some hot coals and rotated the meat again. Then she chopped up the liver and heart. It was then she looked up at the human. Their eyes met. Amanda had felt the brunette watching her, and when she looked up she saw it was with curiosity and slight awe. If she remembered correctly, humans didn't often eat every part of the animal. Usually it was just the meat. So for the sake of Olivia's stomach, she warned, "You um. You might want to look away. I'm about to eat the liver and heart."

Olivia couldn't help but crinkle her nose and ask, "Raw?"

Amanda shrugged and nodded, "Their full of nutrition and are actually quite tasty uncooked."

Olivia nodded but didn't look away. Amanda shrugged again and began to pick up the bite-sized, bloody pieces of heart and liver. There was another reason Amanda ate these two parts raw; they were the first things a dragon went for when eating their prey. The liver went first because it was nestled in the softest flesh. Normally the stomach and intestines would go next and then the heart before the rest of the body. But Amanda refused to give in to her more wild cravings; she would fight them off as long as she could. So she chopped up the liver and heart and cooked the stomach in a more human fashion and avoided the intestines all together because she couldn't stomach what was in them and the taste. Any other body part (like the intestines, the legs, hooves, horns, bones, etc.) she did not eat would go out into the forest. It was another one of her ways to keep the dragons off her property if she kept the entertained with food. But still the bloody meat got her mouth watering and her wild-side demanding to be released. It was how she knew the illness Dean had forced upon her and her kind was still inside her, how she kept track of how badly the illness was affecting her. Every year, her wild-side got worse; she didn't know how much time she would have until she snapped completely like the rest, but she was determined to stave it off as long as possible. Finally, she had eaten the liver and heart and drank up all the leftover blood and the stomach was ready. She ate it as she turned the cooking meat. Every once in a while, she would pick off a piece of the meat to taste it until she was satisfied she had cooked all of it thoroughly enough. She plopped several chunks on a plate before bring it over to Olivia who took it gratefully. Amanda then walked to garden and picked out some apples, carrots, and berries which she gave to Olivia to give to Coffee. The horse ate the apples and carrots while Liv ate an apple and some berries. Amanda also gave her some water before walking away to eat as well. Olivia noticed this and called, "You know, you CAN eat by me. I promise I won't steal your food."

Amanda chuckled and obliged, moving closer but still sitting a few yards away. It puzzled Olivia how shy and private the other woman could be, but she supposed that it was mostly due to being used to being alone. She had said once that she didn't do well around people; she just lacked social skills. They ate in silence until Olivia was finally done. With a smile, she said, "You know you're a really good cook all things considering. Maybe I'm just not used to eating such fresh meat, but I still think what you've given me is the best I've ever had."

Amanda smiled widely at the compliment, "Thank you."

After another moment of silence, Olivia asked, "So are you gonna make me go back inside?"

Amanda gave her an odd look and said defensively, "I would never make you do anything Olivia. You are not a prisoner."

Olivia eyes widened, instantly feeling like she had offended her caretaker, "I know! I know! That's not how I meant it."

Amanda relaxed, "Sorry. I know. No. You do not have to go back inside until you get tired if you would like. But only if you promise to tell me when you start to feel it. I don't want you over doing it."

Olivia nodded, "I promise Amanda. Thank you."

Amanda said nothing and after a while went off to attend to her property. After a while, Olivia asked to be helped to the bathroom. Then Amanda took her right back to the chair outside. Eventually, Amanda went to sit back by her and they started talking again. After a while Amanda went off to hunt again for dinner; this time she brought back rabbit. It was during this meal that Olivia began to grow tired so Amanda let her finish eating before helping her back inside to the nest. Olivia said good night to Coffee. Once inside, the blonde checked on the brunette's slowly healing wounds and then the human fell right to sleep. Amanda watched her affectionately for a moment before shaking the feeling away and going outside to guide the horse inside for the night. Now that she had seen her human was alive, the horse seemed to completely trust the winged-being. She nuzzled Amanda with her nose for a moment before going inside and easily allowing Amanda to close the door. Then Amanda routinely checked over everything before heading inside. The next day was a repeat of the previous day and so was the day after that. On this day, Olivia suggested to Amanda that she ride Coffee around for a while to give her some exercise. "She'll go soft with all this food and grass to snack on and no exercise," Olivia joked as she patted her horse's belly. Knowing she was being teased, the horse huffed air noisily out of her nose.

Amanda shook her head, "No. I couldn't."

"Why not?" Olivia looked at her curiously.

Amanda stayed silent. She didn't really have an answer expect that the wind could blow her cape and reveal her true form. But obviously she couldn't tell the human that. So she sighed, letting those pleading brown eyes get to her. "Should I ride with the saddle or without?"

Olivia smiled widely as Amanda gave in and answered, "Ride bareback. She loves it." So Amanda held the cape tightly around her midsection and used the chair to get on top. Olivia looked up at her, "Why don't you ride her for like an hour or so? Let her run and jump over stuff and whatnot. I trust you'll keep her safe?"

Amanda's eyes widened at that. She hadn't realized until just now the trust Olivia was putting in her. She was letting her ride off on her companion into a monster infested woods. Amanda quickly nodded, "Yes, of course I'll keep her safe. We won't be gone long and, if there's any sign of trouble, I'll charge back here."

Olivia smiled, "Off you go then." With that she slapped Coffee's rear, with just enough force to signal that she could take off. And take off the horse did. Amanda almost fell backwards as Coffee ran towards the trees. She jumped over Amanda's fence and continued out of Olivia's sight. Amanda could feel the horse's excitement and eagerness to run. Suddenly, she realized that the poor creature must have been getting bored with just grazing and standing around with her human and caretaker. So she gripped tightly onto Coffee's mane and leaned down closer so the animal could run to her heart's desire. She weaved through the trees and jumped over roots, bushes, and stumps. After a few minutes, the horse's excitement and carefree joy seeped into Amanda and she found herself smiling and laughing as she enjoyed the ride. After a while, the horse slowed and Amanda took the opportunity to shed and fold up her cape. Slowly, so as not to startle the horse, she unfolded her wings and spread them out. Coffee perked up, as if remembering the day she and Amanda raced through the woods to save Olivia. In silent agreement, the horse allowed Amanda to stretch and get ready to flap. Then, when the winged-being was ready, the horse took off again. Amanda flapped and the two creatures bolted forward even faster. Coffee nickered enthusiastically and went faster, encouraging Amanda to flap harder and faster. The two beings zoomed through the trees; together, their combined efforts made them impossibly fast. Now that the dire need to save Olivia wasn't distracting them both, they were able to wonder in awe of their speed. Neither being had ever gone this fast before; everything passed by them in a blur. The exhilaration of it was incredible.

Finally, the horse slowed and Amanda let her wings act as a brake. They came to a stream and Amanda let Coffee drink. She jumped off and shook out all her muscles before folding her wings against her back. She too crouched to drink. The last few days of barely using her wings left them already feeling the burn of their run. Her own wounds had healed completely by the previous day though so the only thing weakening her was her lack of exercise. She chuckled through her drink. "Guess we both needed to prevent growing soft, huh girl?" The horse flicked her ears as if in agreement. When Amanda had had her fill she got up and leaned back to crack her back. She was just about to jump back on Coffee's back when, she heard a rustling behind her. She and Coffee both froze as they looked toward the sound. Amanda strained her eyes and ears. Usually, the dragons just came bearing down on their target but, when they came upon Amanda, every once in a while, they would stalk and surprise her since they knew she was a more formidable opponent than anything else in the forest. After a moment, there was a growl and the rustling grew louder. Amanda knew the dragon knew it lacked the element of surprise now and decided to just come at her. She didn't wait. She launched into the air and on to Coffee's back. The horse didn't need to be told; she bolted. Amanda heard it behind them and she flapped her wings. Amanda could hear the dragon's snarls of anger as it tried to catch up. Coffee ran faster; Amanda flapped harder. Amanda the dragon falling behind but it was still trying to follow. She guided Coffee through the trees and towards home. She heard the dragon roaring in frustration and could tell it was falling even farther behind and giving up. Amanda felt a small amount of relief but wouldn't allow herself to celebrate getting away until they were home and inside. Finally, Amanda's property came into view. Coffee jumped over the fence before running towards Olivia, who was resting in the sun. When she heard them coming however, she sat up in confusion and alarm. Amanda jumped off Coffee, unsheathing her weapon, spreading her wings as far as they would go, and turned to face the direction the dragon had been coming in. She could still hear it out there, roaring and growling its anger, but it was farther away, as if it had turned around. She listened harder to see if other dragons had been attracted to the noises. When she deemed it safe, she relaxed, letting her wings drop and fold against her, her weapon lowering back into its holster. She turned around to face Olivia and Coffee but froze when she saw the human's face. It was then Amanda realized she had not covered herself with her cape. She had displayed her wings widely, arching them in a protective manner. She had allowed Olivia to see her true form. She paled as she waited for the human's reaction.

Olivia was frozen. She had stood when she saw Coffee and Amanda coming. Her horse had come to stand close behind her protectively, but Olivia's eyes were watching with shock and fear as Amanda lifted into the air with a flap of her wings. Her WINGS! She watched as the blonde pulled out her sword and turned her back to her and Coffee giving Olivia a better-than-she-was-ready-for view of her blue limbs. Her eyes roamed over the blue flaps of skin, the blue-scaled shafts, and the parts of her back where the wings were connected. Her muscles were tight, ready to fight, to defend. Ready to defend Olivia. But all Olivia could see when she looked at Amanda were the wild dragons out in the forest. The savage beasts who had killed and eaten many of her men, many of the cities men. The ravenous creatures who she had fought with and ripped out the hearts of. The beings she hated and feared. And she had been under the care of one! She had slept in its den and eaten its food! She had let it ride her horse and bind her wounds! Olivia felt sick. She quickly reached out to use Coffee as a support so she wouldn't fall from her suddenly very-unsteady legs. "What are you?" she gasped.

Amanda swallowed and held up her hands, "Olivia. It's not what you think. I mean you no harm."

"The fuck you don't!" Olivia unexpectedly snapped, anger welling inside her. "Look at you! Everything about you tells me you mean me harm!"

The winged-being flinched and stepped back. Softly, she said, "Why- Why don't you g-go inside? I'll leave you alone. I'll stay out here. And-"

"I'm not staying here with you!" Olivia yelled, beginning to walk off with Coffee, not even feeling the protest of her side wound and the sudden bursting of a few stitches.

Amanda went after her, "No! Wait! Please! You'll hurt yourself. Your wounds aren't healed enough yet. Just take it easy."

"Take it easy! Take it easy?" she snarled in disbelief.

"Yes! Look, I swear, I'll leave you alone. Just go inside. I'll leave food and water." It was then that Amanda saw the bandage on the woman's side reddening. "You're bleeding."

Olivia paused and looked down. Seeing the blood, she was instantly aware of the pain. She hissed. "I don't care," she snarled. Amanda wanted to help and took a step forward but Olivia looked at her with a fierce glare and ordered, "Stay away from me."

Amanda flinched and backed away, ignoring the flash of hurt. "Okay. Easy. Look, just go back inside and fix it okay?"

Olivia continued to glare as she thought. The creature had a point. Obviously she couldn't get far without reopening her wounds and, if that happened, she'd probably bleed to death before she could get home. She growled. She felt trapped, but at least she was trapped somewhere with medical supplies. Using Coffee as a crutch, she walked back to the house. Once she was through the threshold, she tried to pull Coffee in with her, but the door wasn't big enough. She growled again; she didn't want to leave her horse outside with the monsters. Amanda called, "I'm not going to hurt her either."

Olivia just huffed. She supposed she didn't have a choice anyway. So she gently told Coffee to go away before she glared a warning at Amanda one last time before she slammed the door. Amanda winced. She wanted to scream and cry and fly away, but she just stood there. She listened to the human as she hissed in pain as she redid her stitches and wrappings. She wanted to help, but she forced herself to respect the human's boundaries and stay outside. She retracted her senses and walked to the far side of her property. She sat down heavily, let her wings sag in defeat on the ground, and put her head in her hands as she mentally berated herself. She felt a presence and looked up momentarily to see Coffee standing over her with a curious look. She patted the horse's nose and it went back to grazing while Amanda went back to holding her head.

Inside the cabin, Olivia was fuming. She was angry with Amanda for being a monster and hiding it from her. She was mad at herself for starting to trust Amanda. She was mad at her injuries for keeping her here when she just wanted to get away. She flinched as she attended her wounds a little too hard. The one on her side had reopened but she wouldn't be able to sew it with her shaky hands right then. She tried to calm down, but she was filled with anger and fear. She knew she had to get away. She couldn't stay here. With a dragon. Logic be damned. She didn't care if she bled out before she got far; it was better than staying here. She knew she had to make a break for it. She looked out the window and saw Amanda sitting on the ground with Coffee nearby. She quickly gathered her things, forcing herself not to feel the pain. She looked around and spotted the skillet Amanda used to cook. She grabbed it. Slowly, she made her way outside. She had one shot at this. Logically, she knew that the dragon should hear her coming. But she was too determined to escape that she just kept creeping closer. Despite what she expected, the blonde never heard her coming until it was too late. The blonde had begun to turn around when Olivia swung the pan with all her might. It gonged as it slammed into the side of Amanda's head, and the dragon fell onto her side.

Olivia sighed in relief and dropped the pan before moving to get on Coffee. "Come on girl. We're getting out of here."


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: still the same

Note: I hope I don't sound annoying when I say thank you again to all who have commented/favorited/followed this. My gratitude is never ending and I will continue to thank you for your awesomeness. To those of you who expressed concern over the situation with my mother, it can't be helped; we just can't coexist. We're like oil and water. Actually, we're worse than that. Though I don't know exactly what that would be lol. Like literally, a piece of me dies when she talks to me, and she blocks my creative flow. AND she wouldn't let me sleep! So all that combines to mean that I literally could not write while she was around. So I've decided that, if this summer is gonna be a repeat of this last week, then the weeks where my mother is at work I'm going to write at least two chapters. So I'll have something to post each week. I don't like it. But it'll do. Anyway. Here's the next part. Hope you enjoy!

~~~~SVU~~~~

When Amanda awoke, the sun was beginning to set and the side of her head throbbed. She groaned as she sat up. She reached up to gently touch her head and gasped in pain. She pulled her head away and found her fingertips stained with mostly-congealed blood. At least it wasn't fresh and didn't seem to still be bleeding. She wondered what had happened for a moment before it all came slamming back to her. The dragon chasing her and Coffee back to her property. Revealing her true self to Olivia and Olivia's shocked, fearful, angry reaction. She had sat in the grass while she gave Olivia time to calm down, hoping she could explain once the brunette didn't want to kill her anymore. She had been too deep in thought to hear the footsteps until it was too late. She'd begun to turn around when a force slammed into her head, knocking her out. She quickly stood, thankful when she didn't feel dizzy- only a little slow. She staggered a few steps before steadying as she walked back to her house and looked inside. "Olivia?" she called, hoping she'd find the human even though she knew she wouldn't. "Olivia?" she called again. She rushed to the barn and shouted, "Olivia? Coffee?" She roamed her eyes around the property, beginning to panic. She looked out into the woods. Had Olivia really been stupid enough to go out into the woods- the dragon-infested woods- alone and wounded? Had she really been that desperate to get away? Well, of course she was. She had just found out Amanda wasn't human. Amanda knew how it looked it. Her wings, the scales on the shafts that arose from her back. It didn't take a genius to compare Amanda to the dragons. A part of Amanda truly understood and forgave Olivia for her fear, rage, and need to escape. But there was another part of Amanda that screamed, "I AM NOT LIKE THEM! I'M DIFFERENT!" After all, she had risked her life to help Olivia, despite knowing that it would end this way. She had only wanted to help. And it offended Amanda that Olivia was so blinded by her hatred and horror that she had done what she did instead of allowing Amanda to explain. The crueler part of her, the part that was still hurt by what Dean had done to her and her people, the part of her that didn't want to care about anyone but herself especially not the humans, was saying, "Let her go. She wants to face the dragon-infested woods at night alone and wounded? Let her. You tried to help, and look what she did. Some gratitude for saving her life, huh? Just let her get killed." And Amanda seriously considered it. For about a minute. And then she was growling at herself for caring as she whisked back into her home to grab her weapons (which she would've thought Olivia would've taken) and bow and arrow.

She could still smell the trail left behind by the human and her horse. Olivia either didn't know that Amanda could smell that well or didn't care for one reason or another. If Amanda remembered the territory correctly, Olivia was heading for Sundaria. It was closer, Amanda thought, and the human's wounds would be hurting. Amanda flew through the trees, on the trail of Olivia's scent. Eventually, she realized she was going in a wide circle, and she paused in shocked. Maybe Olivia had thought about it more and prepared for Amanda to follow her. Amanda growled again in frustration; Olivia wasn't going to make this easy was she? So Amanda back tracked slightly, widening her search area, and eventually picked up on another trail. Until that one stopped dead. Amanda wanted to lash out, but forced the fury away as she, once again, turned around and scented again. The sun was disappearing fast and the dragons were getting loud. They loved the summer nights; it was warm and full of nighttime prey that they could easily stalk with the cover of darkness. She prayed that they wouldn't find Olivia before she did. Amanda grew even more concerned when she smelled blood. It wasn't overwhelming like it would be if it accompanied a body, but it was strong enough. Amanda inhaled deeper; it was definitely Olivia's. The wounds in her side must've been torn open again. Sure enough, a few feet down the trail, Amanda noticed the bandage that she had wrapped around the soldier. She picked it up and discovered it soaked in blood. She looked closer and saw that Olivia had left some of her blood behind. That was definitely not good. It would only attract the dragons even more so than before.

It was night now and Amanda was beginning to grow more and more afraid. Olivia's trail seemed all over the place and there was a lot of blood. The dragons were noisier than usual, probably having scented the blood. The blonde knew she had to find the human quick. Just then, she heard it. The roars of the dragons and loud neighs of a horse. She flew as fast as she could towards the sounds. She came to the bottom of a cliff. With their backs turned to her, three dragons were snarling, roaring, and lashing out as they grew closer and closer to the side of the cliff. Beyond them, their backs getting pressed closer to the rocks were Olivia and Coffee. Coffee was guarding her human as best she could, kicking at the dragons when they got too close. Olivia was on her knees, looking like she just barely had enough energy to be upright; her shirt was soaked and dripping with blood. She was holding her sword and slicing at the dragons if they got beyond Coffee, but her movements were weak. Amanda, knowing she couldn't stand a chance against three dragons at once, launched upwards above the scene before dropping to the ground between the dragons and Olivia and Coffee. Ignoring the gasp of surprise behind her, she spread her wings out as far as they would go, held herself as straight and tall as possible, opened her arms wide to each side, and, with her eyes glowing with fury, let out as loud a roar as she could muster. Surprised by her interruption, the three dragons took a few steps back, crouching closer to the ground slightly at the loud thunder that was her roar. It vaguely occurred to Amanda that she had never roared so loud in her life- not even when she'd been able to fully transform into a dragon when she was younger. Then, as if remembering their prey, the creatures stood tall again and roared back in challenge. Amanda snarled and gave one powerful flap of her wings, pushing the dragons back even further with her wind. The dragons looked uneasy but continued to try to challenge her. Amanda roared again, hovering off the ground slightly. She gave another couple flaps of her wings, jerking the dragons back even when they dug their claws into the ground; one even almost fell backwards. She let her blue eyes glow even brighter as she fought for dominance. In a show of submission, two dragons immediately cowered, lowering their wings to the ground, bowing their heads, and running away whimpering. One dragon foolishly stayed. Amanda could hear the gurgling in its throat that she knew all too well. She braced her wings. The dragon opened its mouth and fire erupted out towards Amanda. But she was ready; she gave another powerful blast of her wings. Whatever fire wasn't immediately extinguished turned its direction back towards the dragon. It singed its face and it howled in surprise and pain as it ran blindly back into the woods.

Amanda dropped to the ground once again with a snort of finality; she watched the tree line for a moment before feeling satisfied that she'd scared the dragons off. Then, not relaxing any part of her body in preparation for another fight, she turned to face Olivia. Olivia was still on her knees, both stunned and afraid by what she'd just witnessed. But as the seconds ticked by, she realized she was also completely and utterly fascinated. For the moment, as the last few minutes took their time sinking in, her mind was simply blank as she stared at her three-time rescuer. When Amanda realized Olivia wasn't going to attack her just yet, she snarled, "What the hell is wrong with you?" Her wings were still erect, her body still stiff and tall, her hands clenched in fists at her sides, that furious, bright, blue light still emanating from her eyes, and there was a thick path of dried blood on the side of her head from earlier. Amanda, despite her small size and skinny body, looked like an absolutely terrifying and powerful being. Olivia knew the blonde was furious with her and could easily tear her to pieces. And yet, all the fear and fury she'd felt towards Amanda earlier, was gone. In its place was only awe. She could not yet speak. So Amanda continued harshly, "Are you satisfied? You were so quick to label me a threat that you almost got yourself killed. Again! I only wanted to help you, and if you had just given me some time to explain you would've realized that I truly meant you no harm."

Olivia's mind caught up then. It all registered. That show of power- it had all been for her. Somehow, despite what she had done, despite her quick, hurtful judgment and lashing out, Amanda had come after her, to protect her, to save her once again. Only this time it was Olivia's own fault. Amanda was right; if she had given the blonde a chance, they could've come to an understanding and Olivia might not have almost been killed. Again. And not only did her rash actions put herself in danger but Coffee and Amanda too. She instantly felt very, very ashamed. She dropped her weapon and dropped her head in guilt. In a small voice, she responded, "I'm sorry."

Amanda, still feeling furious with the human, scoffed, "Whatever." She allowed the light glowing in her eyes die and her wings fold anyway. She was about to say something sarcastic about Olivia letting her near enough to fix her bandage when she heard noises behind her. She whirled around as she listened. It seemed that the faceoff had attracted attention. Several dragons were making their way towards them. Amanda thought quickly as she looked around. She looked back up at the rock-face and was relieved to spy a small cave. Quickly, she spoke, "Olivia. We have to hide. There are more coming. Now, there's a cave that should fit the two of us if you are willing, but-"

"Yes," Olivia interrupted, her newfound trust in Amanda making her willing to do whatever the blonde thought best. "Whatever it is, yes."

Amanda gave her an incredulous look. "I will have to fly you up to it," she warned.

Olivia nodded, "I understand. Do it."

Amanda didn't waste any more time. She surged forward, unfolding her wings, and, once she had a good grip on Olivia, lifted them into the air. She placed Olivia on the ledge and ordered, "Make sure it's clear. I'll send Coffee away." She flew back down without waiting for a response. She grabbed Coffee's bridle and pulled her away from the cliff before saying, "Run and hide Coffee." She gave the horse a harsh slap on the rear and she took off. Amanda hoped she'd be okay as she flew back up to the cave. She landed on the edge and hurried, "Gimme your shirt." Thankfully, Olivia didn't protest and quickly did as told, peeling the soaked, bloody shirt from her body and handing it over. Amanda tossed it back down to the ground, hoping it would both distract the dragons and lessen the scent of blood coming from them. Then she asked, "Is it clear?"

From the darkness, she heard, "It's clear."

"Alright," she explained, "Get as far back as you can." She followed Olivia deeper into the darkness. It was shallow, and it shrank quickly; both woman had to crawl on hands and knees only a few yards from the entrance. But once there was nowhere left to go, Amanda turned around to face the opening. She readied her bow and arrow expertly even without sight and kept it trained on the entrance with Olivia a few feet behind her. She could hear the dragons bursting into the clearing below the cliff. She could tell they were searching for clues as to where the bleeding human went. When one flew passed the opening, Amanda spread herself out, hoping that her scent would cover and block Olivia's. As if sensing the need to hide her scent, Olivia moved closer to Amanda. Gently, she reached out a hand to touch Amanda's back to let her know she was there before sliding within inches of the winged being. She trembled in both fear and pain on the floor of the small cave. A few moments went by. Another shadow passed over the entrance. A few minutes more and there went another. Amanda stiffened when it returned, pausing at the opening and sniffing. The dragon tried looking into the darkness. Amanda could tell by the flaring nostrils and look in its eyes that it could smell them, but it was hesitant to come inside, almost afraid. Interesting. Finally, the dragon snarled and huffed in disappointment and frustration before flying away. Amanda listening further and could hear the rest dispersing one by one back into the forest too. Amanda waited until she was sure they were gone before relaxing and lowering her bow. She asked in a whisper, "Still with me Olivia?"

Olivia nodded through the pain, "Yah."

Amanda quickly turned her eyes back on and used the small amount of light to look at the human's wound. It was still bleeding and Amanda's stomach lurched at the scent of a slight infection. Like back when she had first saved Olivia, Amanda instinctively knew she had to bleed into the wound again. But since Olivia was awake this time around, she warned, "This may feel odd but it helps." She quickly bit into her wrist and used her sharp canines to cut herself open. She held it over Olivia's wounds as a stream of blood oozed out.

Olivia gasped slightly in surprised as the warm liquid flowed over and into her, "It tingles."

After a moment, Amanda explained, "My blood heals faster than humans'. It will help fight off the infection and heal the wounds." When she was satisfied enough of her blood had been given, she licked her bite marks closed and then ripped off a strip of her shirt. This time around, she wasn't so gentle as she wrapped Olivia as best she could. The human knew she deserved the rough treatment so she held back her gasps of pain. After checking over her work, Amanda turned off her eyes and moved away. Coldly, she said, "We'll have to stay here 'til morning. The dragons in the area will still be looking for you. We'll leave in the morning around sunbathing time. Try to rest."

Olivia frowned as she wondered how she could possibly sleep in a place like this, with her heart still hammering in fear and her side throbbing with pain and cold, hard rocks not making that any easier. She could hear Amanda moving even farther away from her, probably with keeping a lookout in mind, and she frowned even deeper. She felt her heart thump painfully at the thought of being left alone and she gasped, "Wait!" When Amanda paused, Olivia tried to explain awkwardly, "Don't… I want… Can you…?"

Somehow knowing what the soldier wanted from her, Amanda sighed and slid back to her. Olivia reached out and, with demanding hands, pulled Amanda closer. Despite her shock, unease, and lingering anger, Amanda went pliantly as Olivia pulled her against her side. Amanda sat with her back against the wall of the cave and Olivia used her lap like a pillow. Instinct caused Amanda to cover Olivia with her wings to create an effective blanket. Almost instantly, Olivia began to feel warmer in the cocoon. She relaxed as she grew more comfortable- well as much as anyone could laying on the cold, hard ground. Amanda stayed a still as possible, looking out the cave entrance, ready for anything. For a while, there was silence. And then finally, Olivia murmured, "I'm sorry. For the way I treated you, for hitting you, for making you come rescue me again, for putting us both in danger because I was too stupid. For everything. I'm really sorry."

There was a pause as Amanda thought those words over. She both did and didn't want to believe the human. But she couldn't deny the sound of truth in the woman's voice. She felt the weight of her hurt and anger leave her and she murmured, "I forgive you."

Olivia breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed a little deeper into Amanda, who continued to hold her in her wings and keep watch through the night.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Olivia didn't sleep. Not really. She might have gotten an hour or so. But mostly she just sat by Amanda's side, shivering in pain and cold. Amanda held the human helplessly, wishing she could take away her pain and make her warmer but knowing she'd have to wait for morning. Amanda waited until the sun was high enough in the sky for her to know that the dragons would sunbathing before rising the human out of her light sleep. Olivia groaned as she followed Amanda to the opening. On the ledge, she stood upright and stretched her sore, cold, stiff body. Several bones cracked making Amanda cringe. She waited until the human gave her the ready signal to be lowered to the ground. Amanda carefully set her down. "Wait here. I'll go find Coffee." She followed the horse's scent. She was impressed when she found the four-legged animal lying hidden in a thick patch of bushes. She led her back to her human where they greeted each other warmly then Amanda helped Olivia on to Coffee's back.

"Aren't you getting on?" Olivia asked as she breathed through the pain.

Amanda gave her confused look. When Olivia continued to look openly at her, she shook away her confusion over the human's sudden trust of her. She lifted herself to sit behind the human, ignoring the warmth she felt when she wrapped her arms around the soldier's waist. Olivia too ignored the flip in her stomach at Amanda's closeness and set Coffee forward and a walk. She wasn't sure if she could handle a canter at the moment. They walked in silence for a while before Olivia's curiosity could no longer be contained. "Okay. So tell me. What are you exactly?" she asked without accusation, "Because I saw your wings and scales but you're obviously not like the rest of the dragons."

"I am a dragon shapeshifter," Amanda said, bluntly honest. "As the rest of the dragons used to be."

Olivia looked over her shoulder in confusion, "Wait. Shapeshifter? Used to be? What do you mean?"

"A long time ago, dragons were large, winged, fire-breathing creatures," Amanda explained her people's history from the very beginning. The never-ending war between humans and dragons, the dragons being hunted to extinction, the dragon-dame being gifted by the young wizard with the power to transform into both human and dragon form, how she spread her gift and giving the dragons a way to survive and thrive, how Amanda was born into this world of shape-shifting dragons. She even told Olivia her biggest secret; how she had found, helped, and fell in love with a human named Dean, how, when she had revealed herself to him, he betrayed her by kidnapping her, imprisoning her, infecting her with some kind of disease she didn't know, and making her unwillingly spread it to her people. She spoke of how she watched her family get sick while she healed sort of, how they eventually snapped, changing into the half-dragon, half-human creatures they were today, how they lost their humanity one by one around her. She told Olivia of the day her mother snapped, the despair and horror she had felt at seeing her mother freeze in her movements of tending the garden as her body began to vibrate, how she had collapsed to her knees as her body began to change, the snarl that burst from her mouth as Amanda's father had tried to help her. She had sliced at him as the last of her humanity disappeared and she flew into the trees. A few days later, her father snapped and was gone too. Amanda did her best to care for her sister. By that time, there were only few left in the village and they were only just barely hanging on by a thread. Amanda recalled how she had heard those left saying they could feel the disease seeping deeper and deeper, how they could literally feel their skin as if it had a life of its own. There was a numbness around their minds in the final days. Amanda shuddered as she told of how her sister had cried for her, had begged Amanda to help her, how much it hurt. Amanda was there when her sister's eyes clouded over and her body began to change. It was then that Amanda ran, ran from the village, from her past, from her grief. Or tried to anyway. Her guilt and pain followed her. Amanda couldn't save her baby sister and now she was gone. She couldn't save any of them. She was the reason it happened in the first place. And finally, she told Olivia of the years she spent alone in her cabin, wallowing in grief. By the time she was done, she had silent tears cascading down her face that she did not bother to hide or stop.

Olivia felt even worse than she did before. She felt incredibly guilty at her actions now. It struck her how history had repeated itself for the dragon-woman. Amanda had helped a human and later risked everything when she told him about herself, and he had betrayed her. Just as Olivia had done. Olivia could only imagine what had been going through Amanda's mind when she'd revealed herself. To both humans. It had to be even worse now though considering that there had to have been a part of Amanda's mind that knew what was going to happen, that Olivia would react badly. And Olivia had done everything that the blonde expected. Her opinions of humans must be extremely low. How could the blonde ever trust anyone- trust her ever again? In an effort to comfort Amanda while on top her horse, she held Amanda's arms closer to her stomach and said quietly over her shoulder, "I'm sorry that happened to you. That all of this has happened to you. You don't deserve it. Not back then and certainly not now. I wish I could do something to... I don't know, take it back or help you in some way."

Amanda shrugged but didn't say anything. She appreciated the woman's attempt to comfort her and apologize, but she didn't believe that she didn't deserve what had happened. And somehow Olivia knew it. She vowed that, not only would she earn back and exceed whatever trust she had had before, but she would somehow find a way to improve Amanda's life and mindset. After a moment, Amanda spoke, "We should probably try to go a little faster. It's getting later in the day."

Olivia nodded and bravely braced herself for a rougher ride. She pressed her feet into Coffee's sides and urged her to go faster. She hissed at the first trot-like steps, but focused on breathing. When she was ready for more, she pushed Coffee into a lazy canter. Olivia grimaced again but willed herself to get used to it. Amanda kept one hand gently pressed to Olivia's side wound in hopes of keeping it closed. It didn't quite work, but it would have bled more otherwise. She hoped Olivia could hold on until they made it back to her home. Finally, the house came into view. They went right up to the door before Amanda helped Olivia down and inside. She guided the human to the nest and when she was laid down, began working on her wound. She peeled off the shirt bandage, let more of her blood into the wound, washed the access blood away, and bandaged it up once again. Olivia sighed in relief when she realized Amanda's blood helped numb the pain. "Thank you."

Amanda smiled slightly and dipped her head. "Why don't you sleep for a while? I'll go hunt and wake you when your food is ready."

Olivia shook her head, "No. You didn't sleep at all last night. You should sleep too."

"You need to eat Olivia."

"And I will. Later. After we've both rested."

Amanda sighed. She could tell the soldier wasn't going to let this go. And it was true that Amanda was exhausted. She was ready to give in as those brown eyes gaped up at her. Hesitantly, she asked, "Will you wake me if you awaken before me? Or when you get hungry?"

Olivia nodded, "Of course."

"Alright." Amanda went over to the make-shift nest she'd made and fell down into it. She circled as she gathered the furs and clothes closer before she laid down. Olivia chuckled and Amanda looked back at her with a confused expression.

"You look like a cat," the brunette laughed.

Amanda snorted with a smile and curled up tighter, draping her wings over her. Olivia watched with an amused, fascinated smile as the blue wings covered most of the blonde's body like a blanket. When she stopped moving, all Liv could see was the blue, egg-like shape among the furs and clothing. She waited until the slight up-and-down movement of the wings slowed and signaled that the dragon-woman was asleep before getting more comfortable herself. She draped one fur blanket over her and leaned back. As exhausted as she was, she could sleep yet. Her mind kept going over what Amanda had told her earlier. Olivia's heart broke for the woman. In the week that she had known Amanda, Amanda had been nothing but kind and helpful. She had proven to be a good caretaker for the injured human. There didn't seem to be a mean bone in Amanda's body. And yet, she was perfectly capable of tearing Olivia apart. The blonde was certainly brave and powerful as well. The scene from last night replayed in Liv's mind. She remembered feeling certain that she was going to die, whether from blood loss or from the dragons. And then Amanda was there, literally dropping from the sky to place herself between the dragons and Liv and Coffee. She hadn't realized that a show of dominance with the dragons was possible when Amanda spread herself wide and tall and roared, demanding the dragons back off. It had been a loud roar too, one that echoed around them and into the forest. And that light that had glowed in her eyes? She couldn't recall ever seeing a wild dragon do that. Was that something they'd been able to do back when they were able to transform back and forth? Or was that unique for Amanda? And how had she known how to do any of that in the first place? Had that happened before? Certainly, Amanda had seemed to know what she was doing. Liv had a lot of questions about Amanda. And she was determined to ask them. But there were other priorities at the moment. First they needed to sleep. Then they needed to eat. And probably rest and eat again. But once they had recovered from the previous night, Olivia would try to sate her curiosity.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: this part is annoying but I feel it necessary

Note: Wow. Okay. I know I say it before every chapter, but thank you for all the comments/favorites/follows or just simply stopping by to read. It gives me such a good feeling. And you guys are so encouraging! You know, you can say something not-so-nice if you want; I promise I wont take it badly. But if you truly don't have anything negative to say than I'm glad too lol. Just wanted to put it out there since several of you have expressed concerns over it, I promise that there will be a happy ending. I don't think I have it in me to write a tragedy because I like happy endings too much lol. Also, not to give too much away I hope, but there is some foreshadowing in this chapter. If you care to take a guess, feel free. Enjoy!

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Amanda and Olivia spent the entire next day sleeping, only waking up just before sunset by their hungry stomachs. Amanda hunted and cooked as quickly (and lazily) as possible, despite Olivia's protests that fruits and vegetables from the garden would be sufficient, and together they devoured the meal. Amanda checked on Liv's wounds before they once again returned to sleep. When they next awoke, it was midday the next day. They both felt much better after their rest. Olivia's side was still painful, but she was shocked to see, the next time Amanda redid the wrappings, that the wounds looked less red and even more closed-up than she expected. According to Amanda, her dragon-blood had chased away the infection and was now working to heal and sew the wound quicker than Liv's would on its own. With the human's permission, she let more of her blood flow into it, earning a sigh of relief from Liv. "It numbs the pain," she explained when Amanda gave her a questioning look. Amanda was pleased she was able to help in such a way. She hunted and cooked again. They were eating in silence when Olivia declared it time to ask her questions. "So now that I know what you are, am I allowed to ask you questions? 'Cause I gotta tell ya, I'm really curious."

Amanda chuckled, "I supposed there is no harm in that; I expected you would be. Ask away."

Olivia grinned before asking one of her questions at random, "What did you look like when you could transform into a dragon?"

"We were all generally smaller than what the dragons had been before we could transform, and females are smaller than males, but by human standards I was big and tall enough that I would probably just barely fit in this room. My scales were blue, darker than my eyes but not as dark as my wings are. I had two horns on the crest of my head, black claws, long teeth. I looked as most of my kind looked, but my father and several of the other males in the villages used to tell me my dragon form was beautiful- that I would be quite desirable when I reached full maturity."

"Could you breathe fire?"

Amanda shook her head, "No. Only mature dragons can. I was only teenaged when everything happened."

"How come only mature dragons can do it? Is that why not every dragon who attacks us breaths fire on us?"

"We have an organ we call our fire bladder that isn't fully developed until maturity. It's somewhere close to our lungs," she pointed to the center of her chest to demonstrate where it was, "It's basically this sac that's full of a combustible gas. When a dragon wants to breathe fire, it opens the sac so air gets in and ignites the gas. Then we just expel the fire, like a human would a belch. And yes. That is why only some of the dragons you've come across breathe fire. When the change happened, it stopped their aging."

This made Olivia pause as a thought occurred to her, "But what about the children of your village? Or infants? Did they change?"

Amanda looked down in sadness, "The disease killed may children and infants. Some, if they were on the cusp of teenagehood, were able to make it to their teenage years before they changed. Any pregnant female lost her child before she snapped."

They fell into a moment of silence as Liv allowed Amanda to grieve. Then she cleared her throat and changed the subject, "What other abilities did you have?"

Glad for the subject change, Amanda looked back up, "Well, young dragons, since they could not breathe fire, were able to expel a thick, acidic fluid while in dragon form. Before the fire bladder fully develops and is able to produce gas, it produces this fluid that a younger dragon can use. It would corrode basically anything, and it stank incredibly bad. Just the smell could disorient a foe. We were taught at a young age to fight though the instinct was inside all of us at birth. We have incredible night vision and senses in general. Flight is a given. Um… Oh, we used to eat metal and gold with our meals because it would make our scales stronger and brighter in color… I think that's basically it. Every dragon had those abilities; some even had more. Our leader, for example, had the power of telekinesis, which had been passed down through his family for generations. I had a childhood friend who could control plants. Dragons were always very close with magic though, after the gift was spread, that was watered down a bit; human bodies aren't the best hosts for magic even if it is possible."

Olivia was fascinated to being learning so much. "What about that eye-glowing thing you can do?"

Amanda's face suddenly took on a sheepish look, "Actually I had no idea I could do that. Supposedly, that is supposed to be a purely Alpha-dragon ability." At Olivia's look of confusion, she explained, "Alpha dragons are the leaders. They're special from birth. Our leader was an Alpha. They're usually born into a family where at least one of their parents was an Alpha. They have more abilities than average dragons, are bigger, stronger, faster, and are able to speak telepathically with those under their status as well as with their mate. They're natural-born leaders and usually seek out leadership. I had never seen this but I used to be told that, when an Alpha wants to let others know he or she is an Alpha or when he or she wants to challenge another Alpha, their eyes and maybe other parts of their body glow and they…" Amanda trailed off, getting a faraway look in her eyes.

"What?" Olivia pressed, "They what?"

Amanda's eyes blankly locked back onto Olivia's, "They behave exactly as I did at the cliff."

They both paused in shock. Then Olivia asked, "So are you an Alpha?"

Amanda seemed to think that over before she got this horrified look on her face, "No! No. I- I can't be. Neither of my parents were. Or anyone else in my family as far as I know."

"But you said they're only usually born into it," Liv pointed out.

Amanda gaped like a fish, her mouth opening and closing wordlessly. Then she finally said, "I'm not bigger or stronger or faster! I can't communicate telepathically with anyone or have other abilities! I'm not a leader nor would I want to be!"

"I don't know," Liv said slowly, "You certainly possess the qualities of a good leader to me. You're kind; you protect; you have taken good care of my wounds. And when the disease took hold, you weren't full grown yet. So maybe you just never came into your abilities."

Amanda was silent as she thought that over. She wasn't sure she liked the idea of possibly being an Alpha-dragon. She shook herself visibly, "Whether I am, it does not matter. I am the only one left still in human form anyway. And the wild dragons cannot be controlled or ruled."

Olivia wasn't convinced. Her gut was telling her there was something there, something meaningful. But she could tell the idea was making Amanda uncomfortable, so she let it drop and asked another question, "So when you told me you eat the heart and liver of an animal raw, you said that they were tasty and high in protein. That true?"

"Well yes, but not completely," she admitted. "I do find them tasty and they are high in protein. But they also help me to control the grasp on my humanity."

Liv looked cautious, "I didn't realize that was a problem."

"Well it's not a huge problem. I mean, I don't feel like I'm going to snap at any minute. It's just… ever since I was infected, I have felt… clogged. We have- well, had a wildness in us that was released and tampered when we changed forms. Since I've been stuck like this, however, my wildness has been building up. Maybe that is what the disease did to the others, made those instincts too hard to control until they snapped. But I haven't changed like the rest; it's been slow for me. I was stuck in human form for years until my wings popped out and wouldn't go back in. That made it worse. It's like, while it happened all at once for everyone else, it's literally a step-by-incredibly-slow-step process for me. Who knows what I'll lose control of next."

Liv relaxed as Amanda trailed off, "Well you seem to have pretty good control over it all things considered."

"Practice I guess," Amanda shrugged before a sheepish look overcame her face, "I understand if that makes you nervous, if you want me to stay away."

"No," Liv responded instantly, reaching out to touch Amanda's hand; she was so focused on ridding that look from the blonde's face that she didn't recognize the bolt of electricity that went up her arm. "I don't completely understand what you're feeling but I understand enough. I've seen with my own eyes that you aren't like them, some kind of monster. So no, I don't want you to stay away. At all."

"But you would tell me if you did?" Amanda looked at her with pleading eyes.

Liv smiled kindly, "I promise."

Amanda relaxed and smiled back. It was then that they both realized Liv's hand was still resting on and gently squeezing Amanda's. They both looked down at it, but it took Liv a moment to snatch her hand away. When she did, the skin that had previously been touching the other's was tingling, and they both longed for more. Then Liv cleared her throat and forced herself to move on to another topic, "So how high can you fly?"

Amanda smiled widely, "As high as I can go before the air gets too thin."

"What's it like?"

"It's incredible," Amanda sighed dreamily, "Those years that I didn't have my wings were the worst of my life. I love to fly, to feel the air whizzing by me, the clouds passing in a blur, my wings pumping to carry me higher or faster or lying flat to divide the wind perfectly as I glide. I feel like I get as close to the heavens as anyone can get in this life. I can be up there with the clouds and the sun or the moon and the stars as my companions, and I can forget all that has happened down here. If only for a small while. It's my haven up there. I wish I could show you; words just don't do the feeling justice."

Olivia felt warm inside at the tone of Amanda's words, the lust and dreaminess. The words themselves sounded like the most beautiful poetry to Liv's ears, and she found herself wishing she could somehow go up there with Amanda just to feel what she described. She wanted to ask if it were possible, if Amanda could somehow take her flying with her, but she didn't want to come off the wrong way. So she settled with a more neutral statement, "Maybe one day I'll be able to get up there with you."

Amanda liked the idea. She wanted to offer the experience; she was pretty sure if they found the right position, Amanda could hold the human as she flew. But she wasn't sure their relationship was ready for that. Maybe one day, like Liv had said. She smiled and nodded, "Maybe."

They fell into an easy silence as they both fantasized about flying together. Then a thought occurred to Olivia, "Wait. How did you get me back here that first night? After the attack."

"I umm held you as we rode atop Coffee's back. We both worked together to get you here." At Liv's confused look, Amanda explained simply, "She ran, I flapped my wings to give us more speed."

"Like you were doing when you took her out the other day."

It wasn't a question but Amanda nodded. "Coffee loved it. I think she enjoys the speed."

Olivia chuckled, "That sounds about right. I swear that horse is just the animal version of me. When I would practice with her back home, sometimes we would just run as fast as she could go around the ring. I would close my eyes and just let her let loose." She paused as a thought occurred to her, "Ya know, you could take her out with you in the mornings or before nightfall? Make sure she gets her adrenaline fix for the day and keeps you company while you hunt for us?"

Amanda looked at the human with an indecipherable look as she asked, "You would be okay with that?"

"Well yah," Liv shrugged, "Why not? You've already done it."

Amanda looked away. She couldn't tell Liv that she didn't know how to handle this new level of trust. Sure, she had been trusted to ride Coffee before. But that had been before, before she found out what Amanda was. And that had ended very badly. Did Olivia really trust her now? Or did she just feel guilty and in-debited to Amanda? Amanda was just waiting for the moment when the human changed her mind again, when she realized she had been right back when she hated and mistrusted the dragon-woman.

"Hey," Liv said softly, refraining from touching Amanda again this time around. When Amanda looked back at her, she said softly, "I'm sorry. I don't mind saying it again. I was wrong before, to misjudge you like that. I trust you now more than ever. Truly, I do. And I'll prove it to you, no matter how long it takes."

Amanda was pleasantly shocked by that declaration. After letting the words seep in, she found herself trusting that the human would do just that. Despite her fear of being rejected again, she found herself opening to the idea of letting the human earn her trust and visa versa. She smiled, "Okay."

Liv smiled back before launching into more questions. She asked a lot of pointless things, about the forest and Amanda's village and family and whatever else she could think of, just to keep Amanda talking with her. She also told Amanda to ask about her too, though Liv had told her most of her life story already. The conversation was easy and comfortable; the two beings sitting close, talking, laughing, taking interest in everything the other had to say. Amanda slowly felt a weight being lifted off of her as the human opened herself. She found she didn't want to keep any secrets from the human and told her everything she thought of about her past. Liv responded in kind by telling her about her mother and all her exploits. Neither felt like the other judged them and it was wonderful. It was like they'd been friends for a long time rather than just a few days. Eventually, the conversation was stopped by the loud growling of Liv's hungry stomach. Amanda laughed at Liv's blush and sheepish apology and hunted and cooked as usual, noticing it was nearly night; they'd spent the whole day talking. When she brought the meal to the human, Liv smiled widely up at her and said, "I'll be fat by the time I leave here."

Amanda chuckled before the statement really sank in. She had somewhat forgotten that the human would leave. Not that Amanda expected her to stay because she didn't. She knew Liv had a life to get back to, friends and a commitment to her duty as Sergeant Assassin. But she realized she would be extremely sad to see the human go. She had grown accustomed to her being there and the ritual they had fallen into. She had grown used to not feeling alone. She wanted to ask if the human would visit again sometime when she didn't have obligations to the trade. But she couldn't ask Liv to take such a risk so she continued eating in silence, watching with amusement as the human devoured her meal like she was starving.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Almost three weeks had passed since Liv first left home for the first trade of the season. After a couple more times of sharing Amanda's blood, Liv's side wounds had almost completely healed. They would leave a nasty scar but at least they weren't infected and had closed nicely. She would be ready for travel within a few days. Liv had started light training to regain some of the strength she had lost. With Amanda's approval, she started with a half hour of exercise. She would stretch, go for a slow jog around Amanda's property, and box and/or practice with her sword before Amanda would put a firm end to things before Liv could overexert herself. Liv would pout and Amanda would have to hide her affectionate smile. Thankfully for Liv, it was only a few days when Amanda allowed her to bump it up to an hour or two. Olivia was glad to get out of the nest and back on her feet again. She begged Amanda to workout with her, to fly alongside her as she ran and give her a moving target to attack. At first, the blonde protested, content to watch the soldier and unwilling to hurt her. But the human insisted and Amanda couldn't say no to that pout for too long. So during the morning sunbathing hours, human and dragon-woman raced through the woods together. Sometimes, Liv would run while Amanda flew close by her side while other times Olivia would dare Amanda to a race. The human would run as fast as she could, taunting the dragon lightheartedly and sing-songing, "You can't catch me!" Amanda would laugh and chase after her. She could easily overtake the human while flying. But she rather enjoyed the victorious smile that would light Liv's face when she made it back to the house first. When she allowed Liv to use her for fighting practice, she gave Liv about 75 percent effort; she really didn't want to hurt the human but she knew Liv would be able to tell if she went too easy on her. At first, it was enough since Liv was only just gaining strength back. But soon, Liv was demanding that Amanda give her more. And then even more. Amanda gave in, but still made sure to hold back any moves that would harm or fell the human. She would dodge out of the way of blows, rolling across the ground, jumping out of the way, or zipping into the air. She would block punches. But anything offensive was always weaker than she was capable of. She didn't mind when, each time, Liv would eventually force her to the ground on her back or stomach and hold her sword to her neck. She would smile victoriously before helping the blonde up. They spent much of their time laughing and feeling happy and carefree. Both women could only imagine what the sight of them must look like. Two beings from different sides of an on-going war mock-fighting, racing, laughing, eating, and sleeping together in the same space.

As time went on however and Liv's wounds healed and strength came back, both women could feel Liv's departure arriving in the back of their minds, and neither was exactly happy about it. Liv was torn being missing Elliot, the other Assassins, and the life she had back in Airia and not wanting to leave Amanda. If she didn't feel like she had to go back, she would seriously consider staying with Amanda forever. But that was just it; she HAD to go back. She couldn't just abandon the job she had sworn herself to. She couldn't leave her friends, especially Elliot. She certainly couldn't let them go on thinking she was dead, which she knew they would be. It was the only logical explanation after an attack like that. After Liv didn't come home after a few days, they would've declared her dead and given an empty casket a funeral in her name. She hated to think about how her friends had taken it, how El had taken it. She wondered if Alex knew. Word of the attack had probably spread through each city in the Kingdom as usual, but even then sometimes people missed the news. However, she was fairly certain that Elliot would probably have felt it necessary to get word to Alex specifically, given that he knew their history. She wondered how Alex had handled it as she touched the necklace that was still incredibly around her neck. She felt sick at the thought of her two best friends breaking down at the news of her death. She needed to return so she could chase away their unnecessary grief. But it would be so hard to leave the blonde behind.

She wondered if she could ask Amanda to come back with her. Would that seem too forward, too weird? How would she react? She wasn't afraid that Amanda would reject her; she expected it. After all, there was no way Amanda could walk into the city with those wings of hers. Hell, she would probably not even make it beyond the edge of the woods. And even if she covered them like she had the first days Liv was with her, she would get too much attention. People would look at her oddly because of her "deformity" or even mock her. Those who didn't would want to ask about her, her life, how she knew Liv, what she was doing in the city. The more attention the higher chance of someone finding out. And Olivia was not willing to risk that. But it was obvious that Amanda wasn't happy with her life. She was lonely and constantly on the edge. She was, pardon the term, a freak to both humans and dragons alike, a being with one leg in each world. Liv wanted to give her something better. After such a short time, they were the best of friends, but Liv couldn't deny it was also something else. Liv cared about Amanda and Amanda cared about Liv. She wanted to take care of Amanda like she had done for her. She wanted to make her happy, but she didn't know how to do it. Maybe it simply wasn't possible. Maybe it would just be better to accept things as they were like Amanda had done. Yes, that's what she had to do, Liv told herself, forcing her thoughts of bring the blonde home with her from her mind. Liv belonged in her world and Amanda belonged in hers… Right?

Finally, one night as Amanda and Liv were sitting outside, finishing dinner while watching the sunset, their shoulders leaning together, Amanda reluctantly breached the subject they'd been trying so hard to avoid. "Since you're wounds are healed, if you are ready, we can leave for Airia tomorrow morning?"

Liv stayed silent for a moment, thinking that over. She wasn't ready to leave, but she knew it was time. Putting on a fake smile, she looked over at the blonde, and lied, "That sounds good." Amanda did her best to faux-smile back before they both turned to finished watching the sunset in silence though their thoughts were on the day ahead.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Por favor repita. I took a couple years of Spanish classes but I forget most of it lol.

Note: You guys really are just too kind! Seeing all your comments and favorites and follows just make my day(s). Thank you all again so much.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

When the sun rose the next morning, the two woman silently, grimly, gathered Liv's things and Amanda's weapons and set out for Liv's home. Liv rode atop Coffee while Amanda walked and flew alongside. Every so often she would fly ahead and in a wide circle around Liv to make sure they wouldn't run into any dragons before returning to her. They travelled mostly in sad silence only really talking to create a believable story about how Liv had survived the attack and recovery. They settled on Liv having been taken away from the scene by a dragon who was protective of its meal; she managed to kill it and get away but she was severely injured and took shelter in a small cave. The territory was fraught with different kinds of caverns so it wasn't too incredible a concept. Once inside said cave, Liv bandaged herself and lived off the rations she had left from the journey until she was well enough to at least scavenge for food. They worked out a few details so that Liv's story was vague but believable and agreed that Liv could just make up any other answers she needed, but she was pretty sure no one would question her too much. When they had to stop for the night, Amanda took first watch though neither of them really slept. It took them four days as expected to reach Airia. When the gates came into view midday of the final day, Olivia's heart began pounding painfully hard in her chest and her hands grew active as if she didn't know what to do with them. Amanda seemed stoic on the outside, but her wings were twitching subtly, a sign Liv had come to recognize as one of discomfort. They stopped before they got too close to the walls and turned to face one another. For a moment, they just stared into one another's eyes, their minds whirling with a thousand thoughts centered around one single thing- the desire to stay together. Finally, Amanda cleared her throat and looked beyond Liv's shoulders to the city, "Welcome home Olivia."

With that, Liv's eyes filled with tears, and she threw her arms around Amanda's shoulders, hugging her tightly and being sure not to touch her wings. She buried her nose in the crook of the blonde's neck. She felt Amanda's body tense against hers for a moment before she slowly relaxed and returned the hug just as fiercely, pushing her nose into Liv's shoulder. "I'll miss you," Liv whispered.

Amanda smiled slightly, "I'll miss you too."

They reluctantly pulled away from one another, but didn't step away. Brown eyes refused to look away from blue, as if trying to memorize the exact shape of her pupils, shade of the blue around them, and emotions shining in them at that moment. "I'll come visit you," Liv spoke suddenly.

"You don't have to do that Liv. It's too dangerous for you to be out here more than you need to be," Amanda protested weakly. She only half meant it.

Liv lifted an eyebrow, "It's even more dangerous for you. I'm going to come visit you."

Amanda knew by the tone of her voice that she'd never convince her otherwise. So she just simply nodded, "Okay."

"If the Chief will allow it, I'll be leaving for the next trade again in four days," Liv offered, "Meet up with me some time during the trip?"

There were a million good reasons why Amanda shouldn't do that. But she didn't care. The idea of never seeing Liv again was too much. She smiled, "Okay."

Liv smiled widely, happily, and Amanda felt warm inside, knowing she had made the right decision for them both. Once more, the soldier hugged Amanda. "Be safe," she whispered before pulling away again. Amanda nodded and watched as she climbed back atop Coffee. The blonde patted the horse's dark brown nose and got a loving nuzzle in return. Then Amanda stepped back. Liv looked down at her one last time. "Four days," she sternly reminded.

Amanda chuckled. "Four days," she agreed.

Liv grinned again before pushing Coffee ahead. Liv did her damnedest not to look back, but she only lasted several steps before she failed and turned around. Amanda was still watching her. Liv lifted a hand and waved. Amanda waved back, resisting the urge to chase after the human. Finally, Liv looked back around and pushed Coffee into a canter because she knew that, if they continued at that pace, she may not be able to stop from turning around. Finally, she emerged from the trees and on to the path. She could still feel Amanda's eyes following her which made her feel safe even if it also made the commitment to keep going harder. Finally, she heard the shouting of a voice she recognized. In his usual post atop the gate, was Brain Cassidy. In one hand he held his telescope while the other pointed and waved as he shouted, "The Assassin has returned! Olivia Benson has returned! Open the gates damn it! Quickly, snap to! Olivia Benson is returned!" Despite the sadness over leaving Amanda, she felt a flare of joy as the gates began to open and her home was opened to her. She could hear others shouting both from the top of the gates and inside the walls. She knew word was spreading, and she could already see people gathering just inside. She slowed Coffee and walked inside when the gates were open enough. The crowd parted to let her in as they shouted excitedly. She smiled and waved albeit awkwardly. She wasn't used to all the attention. She could see people's mouths moving but through the noise she could only make out a few things. "Where have you been?" "How did you survive?" "We thought you were dead!" "We're so relieved that you've returned alive Assassin!" She could see some familiar faces, those of her fellow soldiers, but her eyes searched for a select few specific faces. Thankfully, she heard a loud whistle and the crowd quieted. She looked to see Brian approaching. "Give her some room!" he shouted, "Go on! Off with you!" Grumbling unhappily, the crowd slowly began to back off. Olivia jumped off Coffee and reached out to accept the extended hand Brian was holding out to her. Their hands clasped each other's forearms as they pulled each other into a hug. When they stepped away, he smiled widely at her, "Damn Liv. It's good to see you."

She smiled warmly back, "It's good to be back."

"I gotta say, I'm really curious about how you've managed to survive, but I know you're dying to see Elliot and you're probably feeling overwhelmed so I'll hold my questions."

She laughed, "Thanks. You'll hear all about it once I've settled I promise. Where is El? And Fin? Nick and John are out, right?"

He nodded, "Yup! But they should be back in a few days. They'll be glad to see you. Fin is with Cragen assisting with the newest Assassin." At the confused look, Brian smiled, "Don't worry. You'll be caught up soon. A lot has happened while you were gone…" He trailed off with a faraway look that concerned Liv. But before she could ask, he focused back on her and said kindly, "Here let me take Coffee, and I'll assist you to the castle. Elliot is there too."

Liv handed him the reigns and walked alongside him towards the barn. They left Coffee with the stablehand before continuing on their way. Olivia could feel people watching her; she could hear their whispers. She could feel their curiosity and eagerness to approach her. It made her uncomfortable and she kept her eyes fixed forward. When they reached the castle, Brian sent for Cragen, Fin, Elliot, and the King-and-Queen-to-be, a term which confused Liv but she waited patiently. They were lead to the Meeting Room since it was the only place in the castle that they knew and were welcome in without further invitation. She and Brian waited in silence before she finally she heard rushed footsteps and turned to face the door. Cragen and Fin rushed into the room, their eyes widely and wildly looking around the room. When they landed on Liv, they widened even further and they both froze. Liv smiled slightly and joked, "Surprise!"

Fin choked out a laugh as he surged forward to take his favorite girl in a tight hug. Olivia hugged him back just as tightly. When he pulled away, his eyes looked around her face and he said quietly, "My God Liv. Only you could pull a feat like coming back from the dead."

She laughed. Fin moved aside so Cragen could hug her next. He murmured, "It's great to see you Liv. We're so glad you're back and okay."

"Me too. I missed you guys."

Before anybody could say anything else, they heard a shout coming from what sounded like down the hallway, "Olivia? Liv?"

Olivia's heart jerked as she recognized the voice instantly and quickly moved to the door. Walking briskly down the hall, was her best friend. Elliot jerked to a stop when he saw her. But then a few seconds later, he was running. Liv walked forward to meet him and when they reached each other, they took each other into the tightest hug either had ever experienced. Liv couldn't breathe in the slightly taller, bigger man's grip but she didn't care. She buried her face in his shoulder and felt him press his face into her shaggy hair. He was shaking violently and Liv could hear his breathing was stuttered as he tried not to cry. She rubbed his back and whispered, "It's okay El. I'm okay. I'm home."

That opened the flood gates and, despite his efforts, he was instantly sobbing into her. She squeezed him tighter, tears rushing down her own cheeks as her heart broke at his sobs. As she held him, she realized that he had lost a lot of weight. He wasn't as toned anymore and felt like he hadn't eaten much recently. She could've sworn that, as he was rushing to her, she had seen that his eyes were blood-shot and sunken in as if he also hadn't slept much. His hair, which was usually kept cut short, was unkempt, and his skin was pale. She could hear his heart pounding loudly in his chest as he continued to shake. She partially hoped that his state wasn't because of her "death", but the closeness of the hug told her otherwise. She hated that she had done this to him. Finally, his sobs slowed and his shaking died. She held him until he decided it was time to pull away. When he did, he slid his hands around to cup her face as he wildly looked over her, as if still not believing she was right there in front of him. Then his hands were gripping her shoulders and he looked as if he was searching for wounds. She allowed him to do whatever he needed. That is until he poked her side, just under her ribs, and she giggled. He paused; he knew that was one of her ticklish spots. He did it again. Liv giggled and her body cringed slightly. Then his eyes were looking back at hers and he was smiling widely. "It really is you," he breathed. "God Liv." She smiled gently as he gripped her face gently again. His blue eyes seemed to brighten, and she hadn't realized that they were so pale and lifeless until then. After a moment of them smiling at one another, his face twisted into a not-so-stern frown. "Never do that again!" he said loudly, his voice not sounding as strong as he'd hoped but he continued, "I swear to God Liv. If you ever do that again… I will-"

She smiled and hugged him again. "Never," she promised. "I'm sorry El."

He squeezed her and kissed her temple in a silent show of forgiveness before pulling away again. It was then they both remembered they weren't alone and turned back to the Meeting Room. Thankfully, knowingly, Cragen, Fin, and Brian had stayed in the room to give the two their moments alone. When they both walked in, the other three turned back to give them a smile. Liv also noticed the presence of two other people. One she recognized as Princess Casey; the other man, she had never seen before. She was curious and wary of how close he was standing to Casey's side. They too were looking at Olivia, Casey with shock and the man with curiosity, wonder, and interest. There was something about the look in those hazel eyes that made Liv's stomach twist uncomfortably but she couldn't pinpoint why. That thought was broken when Casey finally gasped, "Olivia! I can hardly believe my eyes!" and, suddenly, Casey was hugging the brunette. Olivia awkwardly hugged her back, careful not to hug too tightly. When the red-head pulled away, she was smiling warmly and happily at Liv but there was also something dark in her eyes. Sadness maybe? Liv wasn't sure; she didn't know Casey well enough. "We're all very glad you've returned! It's quite amazing."

Olivia smiled and dipped her head, "Thank you Princess."

There was a gasp and change in the room that told Liv instantly that something was wrong. Casey smiled sadly at her. "I am technically no longer the Princess," she explained, "Unfortunately, both my parents are dead."

Olivia's eyes widened, "What?" She looked around the room for answers. Why had no one told her about this?

Before anyone could explain anything, Casey smiled again and spoke professionally, "You will receive all the answers you seek and be updated on everything else that's happened while you've been gone Liv but first you must rest and clean-up. You look positively exhausted. I understand you must be homesick but please accept my invitation to stay here in the castle. We can have the cooks prepare a meal for you if you wish to eat before you go to rest?"

Olivia stuttered as she tried to keep up, "Umm okay…"

Casey chuckled. "I'll even make sure you get a room close to Elliot and Kathy's," she didn't wait for a response before she was turning to tell her servants her requests. Olivia looked to her best friend in confusion. Why were her best friend and his wife staying in the castle? Was Kathy okay? Was the baby? He nodded a bit to silently tell her that he would answer her once they were alone. Oddly, the hazel-eyed man was still watching her so she didn't press for more. She avoided his eyes and shifted closer to Elliot's side. Fin and Cragen weren't too far away either which made her feel better. Finally, Casey returned with a servant just behind her. "We have a room ready for you a couple doors down from Elliot and Kathy. Frank here with escort you both there. Dinner will be served to you in your room so you can rest as much as possible. And feel free to make any requests you have known. I will personally come and check on you tomorrow morning. Do you require anything for the evening?" Olivia, feeling as though she'd been swept up in a whirlwind, just shook her head. Casey smiled kindly and knowingly, "Good night then Olivia. Welcome home."

Casey and the hazel-eyed man left along with a few servants. The one Casey had assigned to Liv waited patiently as Olivia glared at her fellow soldiers. "You could've at least warned me that the King and Queen were dead!" she reprimanded them. "What happened?"

Elliot was the one to explain, "They were killed about a week ago by what appeared to be some kind of wild animal- dragon being the best guess since the window to the balcony was wide open and, even if we had other animals capable of such destruction, a dragon is the only thing capable of getting in like that undetected. But the police and the coroner ruled their deaths suspicious because all the servants are positive that they locked the window as they do every night and there was no sign of forced entry. Or that the King and Queen even fought back."

"Any suspects or perps?" she asked.

They all shook their heads. She could just tell that they agreed with the police that the deaths were suspicious. And Olivia was inclined to agree as well. If it had been a dragon, surely someone would've spotted it. Plus, dragons usually ate the people they killed. The Queen and King were always protected, if not by a guard of soldiers during the day then by the precautions taken at night by both the soldiers and servants. Olivia believed that none of them had anything to do with it. King Tucker may have been an asshole but nobody had reason to want him dead; he had done a lot of good for his Kingdom. And Queen Donnelly was well-loved for her wit and quirkiness; she too had personally seen that things in the Kingdom changed for the better. So either the pair had opened and left the window themselves and were actually attacked by a rogue dragon. Or something deeper and darker had happened. Liv looked at all their faces, "What do you think?"

Confirming her thoughts, Cragen answered, "Oh it's suspicious alright. What's more is that the police have been ordered not to investigate further."

"By whom?"

"I'll give you one guess," Fin replied.

Somehow, Liv just _knew_. "That man with Casey. Who was he?"

"William Lewis," Brian answered. "He's the new King-to-be. He arrived the day after you two left," he motioned to her and El, "and completely wrapped the King and Queen around his finger. Within days, he'd enchanted them so deeply that they promised the Princess to him. The engagement was announced and the next day, the Queen and King were found dead."

Olivia gaped in silence for a moment. Then in a near whisper, she asked, "He's her fiancé?"

They nodded. Liv instantly remembered the letter- Alex's letter for Casey. The one that Alex had confessed her love for Casey in. The letter Liv just remembered she still had. Had Alex heard of the engagement? Most likely. Word of something like that would spread quickly even if a formal word had not been sent. Not to mention that she was sure that, had the King and Queen not died, there probably would've been a party of some kind. Oh Alex… She had lost her best friend and the woman she loved at the same time. Liv could only imagine what that must feel like. Amanda's face flashed through her mind but was gone before she could analyze it. She wondered if she should still give Casey the letter when he was engaged to be married. She continued, "What do you think of him?"

Cragen, Fin, and Brian merely shrugged while Elliot growled and said quietly, leaning in closer so no one would overhear him, "I got a bad feeling about the guy."

Liv felt relieved. At least it wasn't just her. She nodded, "I feel that way too."

There was a moment of silence as Liv absorbed all that she had learned so far. She suddenly felt very tired and she rubbed a hand down her face. Elliot smiled affectionately, "Come on Liv. You should get some rest."

"Yes," Cragen agreed, "Take as much time as you need Liv. I would give you an order not to go on the upcoming trade so you can fully recover, but I think I know what you would say to that. So all I'll say is that if you think you aren't well enough for the journey, don't risk your life and others' by going, got it?"

Liv chuckled and nodded as she brightened at her Chief's lack of banning her from leaving for the next trade. "I'll get checked out by a doctor and everything," she appeased, "But I would rather not miss out on the trade."

Cragen just smiled proudly and understandingly. Then he stepped to hug her again. "It really is so good that you're alive Olivia," he said quietly.

Fin and Brian both hugged her and told her how glad they were that she was back as well before following Cragen out. Then Elliot draped an arm over her shoulders and said to the servant, Frank, from earlier, "Can you show us to her room please?"

The servant blushed at Elliot's kind manners before bowing and leading the way back down the hallway Elliot had come rushing down before. The two best friends walked behind in silence, El's arm around her shoulders and Liv's around his waist so that they walked close together, finding comfort in the closeness. Liv had known she'd missed him, just not how much. She had told Amanda a lot about him and how they'd grown up together. She found wishing she could tell Elliot about her too. Finally, they'd reached a door. Frank stopped and said politely, "This is to be your room Assassin. Food should be brought to you shortly. Do you require anything else for the evening?"

Liv smiled kindly, "No, thank you."

He bowed again before leaving. Elliot pointed to a door that was two doors down, "That's where me and Kath are staying." He paused he got a thoughtful look on his face. Then he was smiling at her, "Wait here. I'll be right back." With that he was whizzing into the room, closing it quietly behind him. She waited patiently, trying not to let her mind run wild with reasons as to why her best friend and his wife were staying here again. Finally, he poked his head out and called her over. As she got closer, he opened the door all the way and, there in his arms, was the tiniest baby Olivia had ever seen, sleeping quietly at her daddy's chest. It was wrapped in a soft-looking blanket and had a light dusting of blonde hair on the top of its little head.

Liv gasped, coming to a stop a few feet away, "El. Is… is that…?"

Elliot smiled widely and proudly. In a soft voice, he said, "She came earlier than expected, but she's healthy Thank God. The birth itself was difficult and Kathy is still recovering which is why we're here because the best Doctor stays in the castle. Olivia, I'd like for you to meet my daughter, your Goddaughter, Kathleen Olivia Stabler."

Olivia exhaled loudly as she flicked her eyes from the baby to El, "You… gave her my name?"

He nodded, "Kathy suggested it. She thought it would be a good way to honor you and help me. I agreed right away. Of course, she's technically not your Goddaughter yet, because we weren't allowed to give that title to someone who was… gone." He swallowed heavily. "But we can fix that as soon as possible." He paused as his eyes filled again and his voice got thicker when he said, "They… they wanted me to name a Godparent. Tried to convince me that it was best for her, that you were gone… But I just couldn't Liv. It wasn't like I thought you would come back, I mean I know what goes on out there, but I just couldn't accept that you were gone either."

Liv put a hand on his shoulder to stop him going on, "Hey. It's okay. I'm home now so there's no need to dwell on that. I still would be honored to be Kathleen's Godmother so we'll go tomorrow or the day after. Okay?"

He nodded, seeming soothed. Then he asked in a normal voice, "You wanna hold her?"

Liv smiled and nodded emphatically. Carefully, El passed the baby over to his best friend. The child didn't wake up, but she made a few unhappy noises at all the movement before settling again as Liv held her close to her chest. Liv marveled at how light the baby felt. It was a miracle that she was here seeing as she had been born about a month and a half early. Most babies born that early were either lost after birth or stillborn. Births in general were clutchy as it was. She was so pleased that El and Kathy hadn't had to suffer the loss of their child, especially with Liv's "death" on top of that. And she was happy that she was here to hold her Goddaughter. Thanks to Amanda. Liv stroked the babe's soft cheek and smiled at Elliot, "She's perfect El. I'm so happy for you."

Olivia passed the baby back to her father, who took her with loving gentleness. Liv would've thought it funny to see him so gentle if she had not already predicted it. She knew he'd be a good father. They said good night and that they'd catch each other up on everything else the next day. Liv hugged him awkwardly, mindful of the baby, before heading back to her room. Once inside, she found a meal already laid out for her. Amanda had taken such good care of her that she wasn't as hungry as she knew most would expect; she only managed to eat a third of the food brought to her before growing full. She called the servants to clear it away. She debated asking them to draw her a bath but decided that that could wait until the morning, so she removed most of her clothing, leaving herself in only her undershirt and underwear, and climbed in the bed. It was soft in a way Liv wasn't used too- cushy like a cloud. Before, Liv may have found it heavenly, but suddenly she found herself missing Amanda's bed of furs. Sure, it hadn't been luxurious or special or the most comfortable, but Liv hadn't realized that she had grown so used to smelling Amanda's scent on said furs and the comfort that came with it. As she lay in bed, she thought of what the blonde was doing now, if she was safe. She wouldn't be back home yet even if she had flown. Knowing Amanda had taken care of herself for centuries now well enough wasn't enough to squelch Liv's worry for her friend. Suddenly, the time she would leave again couldn't come soon enough.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: babble babble bitch bitch rebel rebel party party sex sex sex and don't forget the violence. Lol sorry, I have Marilyn Manson stuck in my head.

Note: I seriously wish that I could give y'all something in return for your amazing comments. I'm mentally sending you guys a plate of cookies/brownies/pie/whatever desserts you enjoy and balloons lol. And thank you to those who favorite and followed as well. I seriously get these huge smiles when I see them and I heart you all for it! I'm also glad to see all the comments about Lewis entering things and I think you'll like all that I've got planned for why he's here and whatnot and of course for the rest of the story. Sometimes I write a story without knowing where I want it to go, but this I've got all planned. Muahaha! Yah, idk why the evil laugh lol. Just go with it.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Thankfully for Olivia, the next couple of days passed by quickly. By midday the next day, the whole city knew she was home safe. Everyone was asking after how she'd managed such a feat. Olivia was surprised to feel grateful for the privacy awarded to her by staying in the castle. She was also surprised to find that she slept for so long in the foreign environment. After laying awake thinking about Amanda, she crashed so deeply that when she woke up, lunch was nearly cold on the table in her room. She stumbled sleepily over to it and ate her fill before she noticed that a pile of new clothes and a note were sitting on one of the nearby chairs. Curious, she went to it, reaching for the note first. She opened it to see impressively beautiful calligraphy that practically oozed with class. She knew instantly who had written it.

_Dearest Olivia,_

_It truly is a remarkable miracle that you have returned to your city and its people. You may not realize it but most, if not all, of the city have missed you greatly. Even those who, let's just say, may not have thought too well of you. Now now, no need to feel embarrassed that I know of your history. I knew it when we met and it has never changed my opinion of you. Anyway, it was easy to see how your supposed death affected those closest to you most of all. Assassins Munch and Fin were completely stunned, lost even. Dear Nick went from depression to anger fairly quickly; I know it was a worry for everyone to allow him to leave for his trade since it was clear he wanted revenge. Chief Cragen, always so proud and stoic yet kind, had to excuse himself for a day so no one would see him cry. But poor Elliot… Oh Olivia. When you died, so did he. It was truly heartbreaking to see. When he came home, he was so hopeful that you just had to be running late. And the next day, he went up to the Gates himself to look out for you. When he saw the survivors from your group returning, he was so excited. He went down to greet you. But you're weren't there. And when they told him of the attack, the scream from his mouth… Dear God it was horrible. Words cannot describe. I heard it all the way in my chambers here in the castle; the whole city heard it. And we never want to hear a sound like it again. My point in all this Olivia is that, to both this city and your friends, you are very precious, and we are all very glad you are home. As a Welcome-Home gift of sorts, please accept these clothes that I bought and had personalized for you. I noticed yours had seen better days as to be expected living out in the woods for so long. I also wish to offer to have your weapons sharpened and new boots made and anything else you may need done. It will all be paid for. And before you say no, if I have to, I will personally steal your items when you're not looking and take them in myself as well as have myself a shopping spree, all of what I buy being for you. So which is the less of two evils here?_

_-Casey_

_PS: I would've told you all this in person, but when I came to check on you this morning you were still very much asleep. I did not have the heart to wake you considering all you've been through, and you must not have slept much or well. Anyway, I shall come check on you again sometime around lunch. If you are awake by then, I will receive my answer then._

Olivia chuckled as she wiped away the few tears that had slipped out when she read about how Elliot and the rest had reacted. She placed the note down and picked up the clothes before turning back to the door. She poked her head out and saw that Frank was back in his post outside her door to be nearby if she needed assistance. She politely asked if he could get a bath drawn for her. In no time, she was soaking in warm water, using some kind of soft sponge thing to scrub away the dirt and sweat that had built up, mostly, while she and Amanda were heading back to Airia. Amanda had done a fairly good job keeping Liv clean while she was under her care because she hadn't wanted her wounds to get infected. Olivia was used to being dirty, but even she had to admit, it was nice to start over. After she had had enough, she pulled the plug from the drain and got dressed in the new clothes. Casey had done a good job of choosing them. They were a combination of richer and durable fabrics so that Liv could wear them in her normal day life or out on the trade. Lastly, she slipped on her vest. It was a little torn up in places from the attack and dirty, but it was hers and she wasn't going to give it up until it was in shreds. Falling back into her habits from before staying with Amanda, she was sliding one of her knives into her lower back when there was a knock on the door. "Come in," she called as she finished adjusting.

The door opened and in came Casey, closing the door behind her. The red-head smiled welcomingly at the Assassin, "Good day Olivia. Did you sleep well?"

"I did actually. Thank you."

"And the food? Was it to your liking? How 'bout the clothes?"

Olivia smiled comfortingly, "Everything was great. Thank you for your hospitality. And I will accept the other gifts as well, if they are still being offered."

"Oh yes! Of course! I'll make sure everything is ready for you when you leave again. You are still leaving yes?"

Liv nodded and then the two fell into silence. Finally, Olivia couldn't hold it in anymore. "Casey," she started hesitantly, "I… I have something for you. I'm just not sure if I should give it to you."

Casey looked confused, "Why not?"

"Well because you're engaged and… and because it's from Alex."

Casey jerked as though slapped, her face contorting in pain before she quickly covered it up with an empty look. "What… what did she want to say to me?" Casey asked in as flat a voice as she could manage, but Liv could hear the shake.

Olivia went to her stuff and pulled out the letter. It was dirty and worn and slightly bloodstained in the corner after it's time with Olivia. She stood a few feet in front of Casey and said quietly, "Alex is one of my closest friends so I don't want to betray her confidence. But I do know what is written in there and I do know it's pretty big. When you read it you'll understand why I wasn't sure whether to give it to you or not. But I feel that, out of my connection to Alex, I owe it to her to give you that so you know what she wants you to know."

Casey nodded, "I understand Olivia, thank you. I will read it. Though I don't know what it'll change. My parents are dead. This Kingdom needs a ruling pair, and I'm their only child so it's my responsibility."

Olivia frowned, "But you don't love him."

It wasn't a question but Casey shook her head, "No."

"You love Alex."

This time a nod, "Yes."

"Does she know? About the engagement?"

"She should. I was too much of a coward to send her a personal note, but I believe word was sent."

Liv expected that. Despite her wanting Casey to read it herself, Liv confessed, "She loves you too, you know?" Casey gave her a look that resembled an abused puppy, her wide green eyes filling with tears. Liv could practically feel the pain the red-head felt roiling against her skin. She knew Alex was feeling the same pain. Liv wanted her second best friend to be happy, and she found that she wanted the same for Casey despite not knowing her all that well. "Can't you… I don't know, figure something out? Some way to be with Alex?"

"Don't you think I've thought about it? If there was a way, I'd gladly take it. But like I said Olivia. I have a responsibility to marry Lewis and take over as Queen. I mean, I can live with it; he's been nothing but wonderful to me. He's charming and has a lot of ideas to improve us. Mother and Father loved him. So it isn't as if I'm about to enter into an abusive marriage or anything." Liv held her tongue even though she wasn't so sure about that. "I can live with being unhappy. I just wish I wouldn't have to hurt Alex in the process."

"But you shouldn't have to just live with it," Liv protested. Casey fell into silence with a look that was a cross between sadness, anger, and thoughtfulness. Olivia quickly remembered her manners, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to overstep my boundaries, future-Queen."

She gave Liv a tiny smile, "You didn't. I enjoy talking with you like this. I've never really had a true friend before. It's nice."

Liv smiled slightly back. After a moment, she asked, "So when's the big day?"

"The day you leave actually."

"Oh, I'm sorry I'll miss it."

"It's fine Olivia. I would demand that you not stay either way. It's going to be such a big event…"

"You don't sound pleased."

Casey shrugged, "I may be a future Queen, but I don't want it to be so flaunted, you know? Sometimes I wish I were born to a normal life, like you. I would joyfully serve under your command if you'd have me. I mean, imagine me dressed in a soldier's garb, ready with a sword or crossbow, following you atop a horse on your assigned trade route, and fighting dragons when they attack."

Olivia chuckled at that, "You've certainly painted an interesting picture."

Casey smiled wider, her eyes lighting a bit, "You don't think I could do it."

Liv held up her hands in a sign of surrender as she laughed, "I never said that. I'd delightedly train you to be a soldier. You'd make the outfit look good too I'm sure. You could get anyone."

At that, Casey's smiled died slightly, "I could have Alex." Liv cursed herself as she sobered too. Then Casey seemed to rebuild the walls she'd installed and said, "Right. I've told Frank to gather your weapons and get them sharpened and to buy anything else you may need. I also had the idea to touch up your saddle, bridle, and replace the items you lost in the attack. Does that cover everything?" Liv nodded. "Good. Everything should be delivered to your house on time for you to leave. You're welcome to stay in the castle as long as you want; it may do you some good. I also believe Elliot would benefit from having you so close. And Liv?" She paused as Liv waited expectantly, "Please… tell Alex that I'm sorry. Make sure she knows that I love her and that nothing can be done to change this." When Liv nodded with a sad and guilty look, Casey, seemingly able to read her train of thought, added, "Even if you had returned home on time, it would've been too late; you are not to blame here." Casey walked to the door. She turned around and smiled, "Thank you for the talk Olivia. Good luck on your next trip."

"Goodbye. Thank you."

Not long after Casey left, Liv went down to Elliot's door and knocked softly. It wasn't long before it opened and Elliot smiled excitedly at her before surging forward to hug her. They talked for a while and Liv held baby Kathleen. They had dinner and then talked with Cragen and Fin. Liv spent a second night in the castle. On the third day, Munch and Nick were due to return home and as soon as Liv heard that they were home, she rushed to greet them. John was beyond happy to see her and hugged her tightly. Nick on the other hand hugged her so tightly he almost broke her ribs as he sobbed joyfully. She allowed him to do whatever he needed. A few hours later, the Assassins gathered together to drink at the local bar, celebrating Liv's return. A lot of people tried to get Liv's story, but she simply told them a watered-down version of the story she and Amanda had concocted and then asked for them to back off. Some men tried to give her trouble, but Elliot and Nick were quick to defend her. Though she had a lot of fun with her closest friends, she found herself overwhelmed by the loudness of the bar, of the craziness of the city in general. She had never noticed it before, but now she found it uncomfortable and annoying. She supposed that she had just gotten used to the quietness, the simpleness of living with Amanda. She missed that. She missed Amanda. But she was leaving the next day, she told herself. She was close to seeing her blonde-haired dragon again, and she was incredibly excited about it. She thought of all she would tell Amanda, about baby Kathleen and the wedding. She didn't have a definite plan yet, but she was going to try her hardest to spend as much time with Amanda as possible.

Finally, it was time. Liv quickly went to say goodbye to Elliot, Kathleen, Cragen, Munch, and Nick before leaving with Fin to saddle up. She could tell they were nervous to let her go again, especially Elliot. But she didn't have to comfort them; they understood because they were the same. They understood that Liv was a soldier. Her duty and heart told her to get back on her horse and lead her men on the trade. She herself wasn't nervous at all. She knew in her very soul that Amanda would be there. And sure enough, as she bid farewell to her fellow Assassins and stepped out beyond the gates, she could feel it; someone was watching her, and it made her feel protected. She grinned out into the forest, hoping Amanda would see it and know that Olivia was happy she was there. Coffee too seemed to sense their friend and gave an excited nicker. Her men just chuckled in amusement, assuming she was simply excited to not have been kept home. They travelled until nightfall. After seeing over the typical precautions, Liv volunteered for first watch. She and two other soldiers spread out, weapons at the ready and senses heightened. Liv senses however were also trying to hone in on the feeling she knew was coming from Amanda's eyes on her. She walked a bit farther away before calling softly, "You here Amanda?"

In response, a blue light moved toward her. Amanda's eyes. The blonde zoomed to the human and, as soon as she was on her feet, was attacked with a vicious hug. This time, she was quicker to hug the human back. She smiled widely and whispered, "Hello Olivia."

They hugged for a moment more before pulling away. Olivia did her best to look over Amanda in the dark. She didn't seem any different from the last time they saw each other. "How are you?" she asked just to be sure.

Amanda chuckled, her glowing blue eyes rolling good-naturedly, "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that? I'm fine. How are you?"

"I'm much better now that I'm with you," Liv said, realizing she meant every word. Amanda was glad for the darkness; it meant Liv couldn't see her blushing. Liv continued on without giving Amanda time to respond, "Did you go back home after we parted?"

"No. I made myself a makeshift nest close by. No one even suspected I was there."

"Good. So is it safe for us to talk a while?"

Amanda nodded, "The nearest dragon is too far away to even know you're here. I'll always keep a lookout and let you know if they're coming."

"I appreciate that." She took Amanda's hand and guided her to a nearby boulder. She pulled Amanda down with her as she sat on the ground so she could rest her back against it. Instinctively, as she sank down next to the human, Amanda's wing unfolded and was ready to catch Liv as she leaned back. Olivia gasped in surprise.

"Sorry," Amanda mumbled, blushing again and moving to take her wing back.

But Olivia quickly, gently, relaxed against the soft skin, avoiding the boney parts so as not to hurt them, before she could, even going so far as to grab the edge of it and lightly pull it so it covered her more before letting it go. Amanda's heart jerked at the touch and the sentiment behind it. It was the first time Liv really touched her wings. And it was only a quick touch at that to a small area. She wanted Liv to do it again only more. She wanted to feel Liv's hands roam across the expanse of skin and bones, and she didn't understand why. Amanda suddenly recalled her mother saying that it was an intimate act to allow someone to touch your wings who wasn't family. Amanda pushed the thought away before it had time to root, refocusing her attention on the brunette next to her. Liv too realized she had never properly touched the blonde's extra extremities- not that she hadn't wanted to; she definitely did, but something told her she should wait. So beyond her back resting against it, she didn't touch the wing again, launching into her story of what had happened since she and Amanda parted. The wing around her tightened slightly in comfort when she got emotional over her and Elliot's reunion and the tale of his reaction to the news. Amanda smiled and laughed with her as she told her about Kathleen and how the priest had kept messing up the process to make her the baby's Godmother because he was so shocked to see the back-from-the-dead woman. Eventually, it was time for Olivia to return to the group. She promised a repeat the next night though, and so, when Liv went on first watch again, she called for her blonde dragon and they spent some more time together. This time, Liv shared some of her human delicacies with the isolated woman like donuts and coffee, laughing with joy and pride as Amanda hummed in pleasure and praised them with a full mouth. When Amanda reported that she felt jittery in an excited, hyper voice, Liv laughed so hard, she had to cover herself with her vest so she wouldn't be heard. Amanda found she didn't care that the soldier was laughing at her expense; she loved to hear the human laugh. When Liv had to leave again, she told Amanda to stay close and keep an eye out, that she might need a few days to make sure the trade went according to plan and to comfort Alex, but she would find a way to sneak away to be with the blonde once more. Amanda agreed and took to the trees where she would have a clear view.

Olivia was slightly nervous as she led her men into the city and to their usual hotel, mostly because she was worried to find what state Alex was in. Thankfully, she didn't have to wait long. She went to Alex's home and rang the bell. A servant led her to where Alex had apparently shut herself in. With a frown, she knocked before entering without a response. She was greeted with a dimly lit room. The shades were covering the windows. Clothes and items littered the floor including a turned over desk, one of the chairs where she and Alex used to sit and drink brandy, papers, and other things. It was as if a tornado had swept through but Liv knew that it had to be Alex herself that had torn the room apart. She was about to call out for her blonde friend when she heard a gasp and a croak, "Olivia?"

Suddenly, the curtains were swept aside, blanketing the room in bright light, making Liv blink to adjust. When she could see again, she saw a disheveled, wild-eyed Alex standing by the windows. Liv swallowed her concern for her and smiled warmly, "Hey Alex."

For a moment, Alex just stood there with her mouth agape. Then she was frowning. "You know, I've already had this dream before," she said angrily.

Liv was confused, "Uh sorry. What?"

Alex glared at her as she crossed her arms, looking much more like the ice-cold Alex she knew most people saw than the warm, lovable Alex Liv knew. "I've already had this dream!" she spat, "Where you come to tell me everything is okay, that you're alive and you'll help me find a way to be with Casey despite the fact that she's getting married. And every time I have believed you and allowed you to comfort me. And then you die in my arms. You turn into a cold, stiff corpse with cloudy eyes and yellow skin and you say, 'Sorry. I lied.' And I will NOT go through that again! I can't keep losing my best friend, especially not after I've lost the woman I love! I won't! So just go away and stop tormenting me whoever you are!" As she finished yelling, she sank to the floor, curled up in a ball, and chanted softly to herself, "Liv would never do this to me. It's only a nightmare. A self-destroying figment of my mind. Go away. Just go away."

Liv wasn't sure anything could break her heart like when she had held a sobbing Elliot in her arms. But this did. It hurt just as much and Liv had to choke back sobs. Quickly, she went to her best friend and crouched next to her. She tried to touch Alex's arm but she flinched and whimpered. Instead, she just said softly, "Al. Hey. This isn't a dream. I'm real. I'm here."

"No. No you're not. Please stop," Alex whined.

"Alex please," she whispered as tears slid down her cheeks, "Look at me." Alex hesitated for a moment before she relented. Liv did her best to smile. "I promise. It's me. What do I have to do or say to get you to believe me?"

Alex pouted as she thought. "You've never asked me that before," she whispered. Then she slowly pushed herself up. Hesitantly, she reached out to touch Liv's face. Then her fingers slid down to her neck where the necklace she'd given the soldier still lay. She pulled it out of Liv's clothes. She stared at it in her palm as she explained monotonously, "In the dream, you weren't wearing it. Because deep down I believed you would take it off because you felt guilty for accepting such a gift or because it wasn't your style or because you didn't want to ruin it. Or maybe because you simply didn't like it."

Olivia shook her head vehemently, "I would never take this necklace off. It's special to me because it's from you." Alex's eyes moved to hers. "When I realized it was still around my neck after the attack, I was so happy Alex. I would've been really upset if I had lost it. I love this necklace like I love you. Please Alex. Believe I'm real."

Alex was frozen for a moment. Liv could see that there was a war going on inside her. Her blue eyes were brightening with hope even as they stayed dark with grief and disbelief. Finally, something inside Alex snapped, and she was sobbing as she clutched at her best friend. "Oh Olivia!" she cried.

Olivia simply held the blonde as tight and close as she could manage as she whispered comforting things in her ear. Alex's hands were touching and squeezing her everywhere, but Liv didn't mind. As with Elliot and Nick, she let Alex do what she needed to ease herself. Finally, Alex's gross-sobbing died to whimpers and hiccups, so Liv gently lifted her into her arms and took her to the bed. She cuddled Alex close, the blonde with half her body on top of Liv's, her head on Liv's chest, her arms tightly around her waist, until the blonde exhausted herself to sleep. Olivia stayed awake, petting Alex's hair when she would stir in her sleep. The blonde only once woke up with a gasp of Olivia's name, only to find instant comfort when the brunette was still there. After that, Alex had no more signs of a nightmare, but Liv continued to stay. She cried silently for a while for the pain she had inadvertently caused in her friends and she suddenly wished Amanda were there to comfort her. Selfishly, she hoped that Alex would be okay to let her leave in at most a few days so Liv could receive her own soothing hug from her blonde dragon.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: blarg blarg blarg

Note: press rewind and play! Thank everyone for their comments, favorites, and follows. They make me smile. Lol sorry this one is a few days late (I usually post earlier in the week) but one of my managers at work went on vacation and I got a lot of hours to pick up the slack. I have a lot of hours next week as well so I may post later in the week again, if I can at all. But either way don't worry; I'm not bored of this story so I won't stop writing it. We're starting to see these two realizing their feelings so it won't be much longer now. I hope you enjoy!

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

It took two days for Alex to allow Liv out of her sight even though she stayed close. Four for her to calm enough to allow Liv to even think about leaving. Liv began to worry that she wouldn't get to see Amanda after all, but she knew she couldn't leave until Alex was okay. Or at least better than she was. She had nightmares every night though some seemed worse than others. But at least Alex would calm upon waking and seeing that Liv was right there next to her. Finally, Alex seemed to have sensed her inner anxiousness. She knew she was exhibiting signs of restlessness- she could hardly sit still, her leg jumped, she kept looking out the window- but she couldn't help it. Time was shrinking and she wanted to see Amanda. She and Alex were drinking some tea on the fifth day when Alex finally placed a hand on her jumping knee. When Liv gave her an expectant look, Alex smiled softly, "I can tell you want to get away from me Liv."

Liv shook her head, immediately protesting, "No of course not Al. I-"

Alex squeezed her knee to stop her. "Go," she said gently, "I'll be fine."

Liv gave her an unsure look, "Are you sure? I really don't mind staying. I want you to feel better."

"I do Liv. You've done wonders for my mental state."

"But your nightmares…"

Alex shrugged, "They aren't so bad anymore. I promise you. I'll be fine. I'll get freshened up and go outside and get some things I've fallen behind on done. Trevor will be glad that I'll be out of this room and that people will know I haven't withered away in here."

Liv was still worried but she could tell Alex would throw her out if she had to; she could see in Alex's eyes that, though she didn't want Liv to go, she had to let her go. Liv felt her selfishness begging to take control. Hesitantly, she nodded, "Alright Al. If you say so. But I'll stay close so that if you need me I'll know, okay?"

Alex smiled, "Deal. Thank you." She and Liv stood and hugged. She walked Liv to the door and watched her leave. It wasn't until she was around the corner that she allowed a huge smile to overwhelm her as excitement and joy flooded through her. She ran to the hotel to pack a small bag of clothes and things she would need for the next few days. If it all went okay, if Alex wouldn't need her to come back, Liv could spend a whole five days with her blonde dragon before she needed to be back to lead her men home. As she was leaving, she passed two of her men and told them she'd be gone for a few days but that she'd keep an ear out if she was needed; she didn't want anyone worrying about her. Then quickly, she was gone. If she remembered correctly, there should be a small hole in the city walls somewhere behind the hotel. She remembered stumbling upon it one day a couple years ago when she spotted teenage boys daring each other to climb through and out into the forest. She had reprimanded them for being reckless and stupid and sent them home, threatening to tell their parents. She knew it was here somewhere… Ah hah! There it was! It was well-hidden and well out of sight so she didn't think she'd have to worry about anyone seeing her. Just in case, she looked around before slipping through. It was a tight fit, but she managed to slide through. Then she was off into the trees before the guards could see her. When she was far enough, she stopped and called, "Amanda?" When she didn't get a response, she walked towards the front gate, thinking that maybe Amanda thought she would come out there. She called again, "Amanda? … Amanda?"

"Hello Liv," the sudden voice behind her caused Olivia to flinch and whirl around. Amanda was standing there with a sly, proud smirk on her face.

Liv instantly relaxed and stepped forward to hug the blonde, pleased when Amanda didn't hesitate to hug her back. When she pulled away, she punched the blonde's arm with a teasing grin on her face, "That's for scaring me you jerk." Amanda just laughed. "So where are you taking me?"

"Taking you?" Amanda's smile dimmed a bit in her confusion.

Liv chuckled, "Well yah. You didn't think we'd just sitting around in the open waiting for some human or dragon to stumble upon us did you?"

Amanda shrugged, "Guess I didn't think about it much. Where do you want to go? It would take too long to get back to my cabin." Then Amanda had an idea, "There's this one spot I like to go; it's really beautiful Liv. It shouldn't take us too long to get there- a few hours maybe."

"Sounds perfect. Lead the way."

"No Coffee?"

Liv shook her head, "The only way I can get her out is through the gate and that would bring too much attention."

Amanda nodded before turning to lead the way. They walked in companionable silence for a while side-by-side. After a few minutes, Liv had to hold back a gasp as she felt the skin of the back of her hand brush along Amanda's. It was like lightning struck her there and suddenly her whole body was tingling. She had the sudden, nearly uncontrollable urge to complete the contact and grip Amanda's hand in hers. Without giving it any more thought, she shoved the feeling away, though she couldn't bring herself to move away. Focused as she was on reining her urges, she failed to notice that Amanda's wings were twitching with each brush of skin as the blonde fought the same battle. As she forced her mind to think about other things, Liv realized that she had never noticed how beautiful and peaceful and clean the forest was before. It wasn't like she got much of a chance to admire her surroundings when she was too busy trying to keep herself and her men from being dragon food. This was the first time she was walking through the woods without reason or care. It was remarkable that she could feel so safe when all her life she had been taught of the dangers lurking outside and how to fight them. Now, she was even without her sword and couldn't bring herself to care even though she knew she should. She had one of her knives so she wasn't completely weaponless, but still, for a soldier to go out without their sword… She could picture Elliot reprimanding her for forgetting their training. But she knew that she was safe with Amanda. Liv wondered why she was so okay with that, but didn't have time to think of an answer. She was suddenly gently shoved to the side. When she caught her balance, she turned to see Amanda grinning playfully at her, her wings slightly arched as they returned to her body. Liv laughed and went to shove her back but Amanda darted forward and to Liv's other side. Using her other wing, Amanda shoved her again.

"Hey!" Olivia laughed.

Amanda giggled. She couldn't explain it, but being with Olivia at that moment filled her with a childlike joy. Amanda's wings flapped in excited giddiness as Olivia tried to come at her again. She jumped back, turned around, and started running away. Olivia's laugh was hardy as she gave chase, determined to get the blonde. A few times, Amanda felt Liv's fingers brush the tips of her wings so she would go faster. Liv chuckled through her panting, "Tease!" Amanda smirked and jumped up, using her wings to push her even higher, out of the human's reach. "Cheater!" Liv called. Amanda glided from tree to tree while Liv cursed her jokingly as she tried to keep up. Finally, Liv had no choice but so surrender. She slowed to a stop, bent over slightly, and panted, "All right. All right. I give up."

Amanda landed back at her side and chuckled, "Slow poke."

This time when Liv surged to shove the dragon-woman, she succeeded. Amanda squeaked in surprise as her wings flapped to help her rebalance. Liv smirked proudly.

"Now who's the cheater?" Amanda grinned teasingly.

"Still you! Ms. I'm-Gonna-Fly-Through-The-Trees!"

Amanda laughed. When Liv caught her breath, Amanda informed, "We're almost there. Can you keep up this time?" Liv stuck out her tongue, making Amanda laugh again. Liv found that she really enjoyed the sound of Amanda's laughter. They continued walking for a few minutes when Amanda announced, "Here we are."

The two pushed out of the trees and Liv gasped at the sight that greeted her. Directly ahead of them was a stream, not too wide across, with a small beach on its shore and a trail of stepping rocks connecting one side to the other. But the thing that enchanted Liv the most was the waterfall cascading down over the side of a wall of rocks. It had to be at least ten feet tall and at its bottom was a deep pool. It was midday by now, and the rays of the sun were hitting the scene just right, making it look like a piece of heaven. Liv let out a heavy breath. "It's beautiful Amanda," she sighed.

Amanda smiled. She had been watching Liv's face for her reaction; she hadn't been sure that the human would appreciate the sight of one of her favorite spots in the forest. But the moment they stepped out from the trees, Liv's eyes had widened and her jaw was slack with awe. Amanda knew that she saw all the beauty that Amanda did. "It's one of my favorite places," she explained, "I like to come here when the cabin feels too claustrophobic." She paused before continuing with a touch of sadness in her voice, "My parents used to bring me and my sister here. Sometimes there would be others here, but most of them preferred the lake that used to be closer to where we lived. A lot of the times we would have it all to ourselves. Just our family. My sister and I would splash around and swim while our parents watched. Sometimes our father would come in with us. He used to throw us around and teach us how to do handstands and use our wings to swim faster and spray our mom from in the water while she sunbathed. She would get so mad but we'd be laughing so hard we'd start crying, and she wouldn't be able to stay mad for more than a few minutes before she'd be laughing too."

Liv looked at her, her face filled with sympathy. Quietly she asked, "What were their names? You don't tell me much about your immediate family. Not that I blame you."

"It's too hard most of the time," Amanda agreed. She hesitated as she waited for her grief to overwhelm her, but Liv stepped closer and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Just that small touch was even enough to soothe and act like a balm on her old wounds. She spoke easier than she expected when she answered, "My sister's name was Kimberly, but most called her Kim. I was the only one allowed to call her Kimmy. She looked a lot like me- blonde, though her eyes were more blue-green. My mother and father both had parents who alive before the Gift and so were given more dragon-traditional names. Seraphina, which means 'fiery-winged', was my mother; she was blonde as well but with green eyes but in dragon form she was the color of fire, hence her name. And Auron, which means 'mountain of strength' was my father; he had brown hair, blue eyes, and always kept his facial hair slightly scruffy and in dragon form he was brown. I also had aunt, Wistala, on my mother's side, but we weren't close with her."

"How come you and your sister weren't given dragon names?"

Amanda shrugged, "It was necessarily required, though human names helped us blend in more. I don't know how my parents felt about naming us what they did, if they would've preferred dragon names, but I'm quite fond of my name as well as my sister's." Olivia opened her mouth to ask another question but Amanda beat her to it. "No, I don't know what either means or if they even chose our names based on meaning as dragons in previous generations had done. Do you know what your name means?"

"Olive Tree," Liv rolled her eyes, "But I don't think my mother chose my name based on meaning. I think she just picked the first name that came to her so she wouldn't have to think about it much."

Amanda exchanged the sympathizing look before smiling, "Ready to swim?"

Olivia blushed, suddenly taking on a shy look, "Actually, I don't know how to swim. Airia is landlocked and I've only visited Telemete, the city by the sea, once or twice. I've never learned."

Amanda's head tilted to the side, "Do you want me to teach you?"

Olivia's eyes widened. There were only a handful of times in Liv's life when she had been truly nervous and fearful. The first was when her mother got shitfaced drunk for the first time and attacked her when she was about 10 years old. Another had been when she developed her first crush and later shared her first kiss with a girl named Ziva. Another was when she first joined the Guard and again later when she left for her first trade as a mere soldier. Most recently, it was during the dragon attack, again when she discovered Amanda's true form, and again when she'd been cornered by those three dragons before Amanda came to her rescue. There were smaller instances Liv was sure but not many. But now she could add the idea of learning to swim to that. Illogical thoughts began to run through her head. What if she sunk? What if she got stuck in mud, the kind that pulls you down the more you struggle? What if she slipped on a rock, hit her head, and drowned? What if she got attacked by some kind of water monster? But she shook those impossible thoughts away as she told herself, 'Amanda won't let anything happen to me.' Besides, Liv was a soldier, an Assassin. She had faced every other fear she'd ever come across and, for the most part, had come out okay afterwards, came out stronger than before. Determined to face and get over this fear as well, Liv nodded, "Okay."

Amanda grinned happily, making Olivia feel better about her decision. She led Liv to the small beach where she instantly began to remove some of her clothing. Not expecting this, Liv could only watch in fascination, her body frozen. She stared as Amanda carefully pulled off her shirt, over her wings and then over her head. Her eyes roamed over the smooth, bare skin of Amanda's back starting at the bottom and working her way up. She took in the two small back dimples just above the fabric of her pants, the bumps of her spine which were noticeable in a healthy way though the blonde was on the skinnier side, the bones of her shoulder blades as they moved fluidly as she moved, and finally the place where Amanda's wings came from. The two shaft bones were between her shoulder blades and clearly moved of their own accord, Liv noted as Amanda shook out her wings before folding them against her back once more. She could see where the blonde's dark blue scales of her wings slowly melted into pale, perfect skin. It was like newly mixed melted chocolate and caramel the way the blue and pinkish colors blended together. Liv had to resist the temptation to step closer so she could study where skin met scales with not only her eyes but her fingers as well. Amanda fingers had just untied her pants and were pushing them down when Liv realized she was practically drooling over the sight in front of her. Modestly, she quickly looked away before she could ogle more of Amanda's body as she croaked, "Um Amanda? What are you doing?"

Amanda paused to look over her shoulder. "I'm getting ready to swim," she said it like it was the simplest thing in the world.

"No no," Liv said awkwardly, "I get that but… Just… why do you have to be naked?" 'And why is it turning me on?' Liv asked herself silently.

"Well there's several reasons. One, the clothes will get wet and heavy and make it harder to swim. Two, wet clothes chafe the skin of my wings. Three, I didn't bring a change of clothes with me. Four, I don't want to ruin them. Five-"

"Okay, I get it," Liv interrupted. She could feel the blush still raging on her cheeks.

Amanda lifted an eyebrow as she turned to face the human, making Liv only blush harder as she forced herself not to look. "This bothers you," Amanda stated. She wasn't offended; she had never been self-conscious about her body, and dragons were definitely not known for their modesty- they often walked around naked because human clothes were annoying and confining. But she didn't understand why Liv was acting as she was. "Does my appearance offend you in some way?" she asked innocently.

"No!" Liv practically shouted it, so she cleared her throat and tried again, "No. It doesn't offend me. Or scare me. Or whatever. I just wasn't expecting you to just get naked." 'Why exactly was this a problem again?'

Amanda still didn't understand, but for the sake of the human she twisted her wings around her to cover herself up. "Is this better?"

Liv's eyes flicked up and when she saw that Amanda's wings were blocking the view, she felt an odd mix of relief and regret. Still she nodded, "Yes. Sorry."

Amanda smiled kindly, "No need. I should have asked if it was okay first. I forget that dragons are less prudish than humans." Liv chuckled before Amanda added, "You do not have to get naked as well if you don't want, but it would help make you more buoyant."

Liv swallowed nervously. She wasn't nervous showing off her body by any means. Sure, she wouldn't walk around naked except for in the comfort of her own home, but she was comfortable with her body and knew it to be attractive. But there were two reasons she didn't feel comfortable getting naked here. One, she hardly knew Amanda, despite how close they'd become and how completely she trusted the dragon-woman; it would simply be too weird. Two, she was sure that, if she were to get naked, Amanda would be able to smell her arousal and that would be the end of their friendship. Neither is something Liv wanted to think about right then. She figured she would be conquering one fear today; two would just be pushing it. So she shook her head, "I'll just say in my under layers."

Amanda felt a flash of disappointment but shrugged and turned to head into the water. It wasn't quite the peak of summer yet so the air wasn't too hot, but after their chase, the cool water felt refreshing. Amanda sighed, spreading her wings again when she was deep enough the water covered her lower half. She felt the water sooth her hot muscles of her wings and hummed in pleasure. She was aware of Liv still watching her from the shore and, to show her that the water wasn't dangerous, she continued to walk until she could dive into the deep parts. Pressing her arms to her sides and her legs together, she pumped her wings to zoom through the water. Finally, when she came up for air she was by the waterfall. She folded her wings and used her arms and legs to swim the rest of the way. She let it flow over her head, closing her eyes and tilting her head back. Liv watched from the shore, once again fascinated by Amanda and the way she moved through the water. The water was crystal clear so she could see her until she resurfaced by the waterfall. The dragon-woman was so graceful and beautiful, and she made swimming look easy and fun. Liv took the opportunity to remove her vest and outermost clothing until she was in a loose, sleeveless undershirt and boy shorts. She tossed her clothing away from the water along with Amanda's before walking into the water. It was a little chilly, but after their game of chase earlier and standing in the sun, it felt nice. Liv understood why Amanda had hummed. She walked until the water reached her hips and then she stopped. She scooped up the water and dumped it over her head, smiling as it further cooled her. Her shaggy hair pressed against her head so Liv smoothed it back as she waited for Amanda to return.

Remembering Liv's modesty, Amanda stayed far enough away so the water covered her body, but she smiled and asked, "Are you ready?"

Taking a deep breath, Liv nodded and started walking closer. She started to get more nervous the higher the water got. Amanda said soothingly, "It's okay Liv. You can still stand where I am. That's it." Finally, Liv was close enough that Amanda could reach out and offer her hand.

Liv gave her a panicked look, "Wait! Aren't you gonna show me what to do first?"

"It's better to learn as you go. Don't worry Liv. I won't let you sink."

She said it so relaxingly that Liv instantly decided to put all her faith in Amanda. She put her hand in Amanda's and let her pulled her out further.

"Just start kicking your feet and moving your arms back and forth," she explained softly as Liv felt the bottom starting to get just out of reach. She did as Amanda said and was shocked when she stayed on the surface. "There," Amanda smiled, "You don't have to kick so hard or fast though. You'll tire out. Just do what I do." Amanda still held Liv's hand as she moved her arms and legs back and forth at a slow enough pace that kept her floating but didn't tire her out too fast. Liv slowly matched her movements. Amanda let her do that for a few minutes to build her confidence before saying, "Good. Now we're gonna move forward. Just keep moving your arms and legs like that but pull yourself forward instead of just treading. Like this." Amanda slowly moved forward, gently pulling Liv along with her. Then she moved a little faster, causing Liv to do the same. "It helps if you angle yourself so your head moves ahead of your feet." When they did this, they moved faster. Liv's confidence seemed to grew the longer she did it. Amanda kept smiling at her as her reward and guiding her. She taught Liv how to breast stroke and then how to back stroke. Liv was proud of herself for keeping up and Amanda was pleased that she learned quickly. Finally, Liv grew tired so Amanda taught her to float. With Liv's muscle mass, it wasn't easy, but she figured it out. They stayed like that for a while with Liv floating peacefully and relaxed while Amanda swam around her. Then they swam to shore to start preparing for nightfall.

Thankfully, Amanda dressed once she was dried before she went hunting, leaving Liv the task of setting up the lean-to she had stored there during her last visit. It was a few animal hides sewn together that would provide a roof and walls held up with several thick, sturdy sticks. In front of it, Amanda had dug a firepit and set up a meat rack like she had at her home. It was simple and rugged, but Liv loved it and found it ingenious. She was certain that, if left stranded in the woods, she would never be able to figure out how to survive like Amanda had. She had just finished setting up the tent when Amanda came back a short time later with a small doe. Liv grinned happily and said, "Good thing too! I'm starving, and I've been craving your cooking since I left."

Amanda laughed and responded, "Well better hurry up and start a fire so you won't starve to death then."

Liv devoured her meal as Amanda watched with amusement. When they were finally full, the sun had set and the light was limited but already they could see the stars. Content to just relax and be for a while, Liv and Amanda lay out one of the fur blankets and lay back on it to watch the stars. Amanda explained all the constellations she knew as Liv listened intently. Amanda would never cease to amaze her, she was sure of it. When Amanda ran out of stories, Liv asked through her yawn, "Do we have to worry about the dragons here?"

Amanda shook her head but then remember Liv probably couldn't see her. "No," she answered, "For some reason, they hardly come here. We can both sleep at the same time."

"Good. 'Cause I am way too tired to keep watch."

Amanda smiled, "Wanna head to bed?"

Liv rolled on to her side, facing Amanda, and sighed, "Can't we just stay here? It's so peaceful to be under the stars like this. I've never slept outside like this before."

The blonde chuckled, "Sure Liv. We can stay."

The night was a tad chilly, but Liv had redressed in all her layers and was comfortable and at ease. She felt herself losing the battle to sleep. Sleepily, she said, "Night 'Manda."

"Good night Olivia."

Liv was asleep almost instantly after that. Amanda stayed awake a while longer to continue to watch the sky. She was just feeling sleepy enough to close her eyes when Liv mumbled in her sleep. Amanda opened one eye to watch as the brunette slid closer and draped an arm over her stomach, trying to pull Amanda closer. Amanda held her breath. Liv grumbled again before sliding the rest of the way over, pressing tight against Amanda's side. The blonde instinctively moved her arm out of the way and Liv's head came to rest on her shoulder just above her right breast. She sighed and smiled in her sleep before stilling again. Amanda slowly exhaled as she carefully lowered her arm. It came to rest a top Liv's upper arm. She tried to still her rapidly beating heart and cool the burning blush that she felt heating her throat and face. It had been a long time since she was like this with another being. She often cuddled with her sister and with Dean. But with him it had never affected her like this. She felt heat and emotion swelling through her. She was hyperaware of the human next to her in a way she had never been with another being. She could feel the arm around her waist, the weight of the head on her chest, the soft, steady breathing against her side, and the exhale of air against the skin of her neck. It was doing things to Amanda that she both understood and didn't. She remembered what it feels like to be aroused and this was definitely accomplishing that. But in addition to that arousal, she could feel something else, some kind of warmth that spread outwards from her chest. It was confusing but nice. And the longer she let it happen, the more she relaxed and enjoyed it. Soon, the heat of Liv's body melted her until she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything

Note: thank you all for your comments and whatnot! And thanks for understanding that I'd be late to posting. I still have been getting a lot of hours so I might not be able to post every week like I have been for maybe about another month or so depending on when things finally slow down. But like I said, I have not and probably will not lose interest in this story and intend to finish it. Please keep letting me know what you think; comments are definitely a luxury- you can live without them but it feels nice not to have to (: Enjoy!

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Liv awoke the next morning feeling more warm and rested than she could remember. There was a pocket of heat surrounding her, filling her. She hummed contentedly, burrowing deeper as her mind fought against the pull of consciousness. Hearing was the first sense to come to her. She could hear the chirping of morning birds as they searched for breakfast and the rustling of the wind through the trees. Then she could feel her body, could feel the physical presence of a body against hers. Though, Liv noted with confusion, it felt more like two bodies considering that she could feel it on every side of her. The side of her head was resting against an arm. Every time she exhaled, she felt her breath rebound off a surface and back into her own face. She could just barely feel skin against the tip of her nose every time she inhaled. One of her arms was trapped between her own body and the other while the other was tightly draped across a rib cage. Her fingers were wrapped protectively around something hard and cylindrical though warm. Her legs were entwined with two more. She could feel the light pressure of a chin on top of her head. What threw her off the most, however, was the light touch of something folded around her back. It was like a blanket but it didn't conform to her figure and didn't move when she moved. It was foreign, but it definitely wasn't uncomfortable. In fact, besides the confusion, Liv didn't feel anything other than peace and contentment. For some reason, her still-sleepy mind wanted nothing more than to keep her eyes closed and enjoy this. But Liv's curiosity quickly got the best of her. Slowly, she blinked open her eyes.

Even after the sleep-fog had cleared, Liv couldn't see much. The light surrounding her was dim and directly in front of her nose was an expanse of pinkish color. Carefully, she pulled back, being sure not to disturb the head by hers. Finally, she could look up and was greeted by the sight of Amanda's sleeping face. Liv's breath caught in her throat as she suddenly remembered falling asleep at the blonde's side. Somehow during the night, one or both of them had moved close enough to the other to initiate this cuddling. Liv was adamant it wasn't her; she had never been one to cuddle, not even after sex. Alex was the exception but even then, she would usually roll away from Alex's body heat in the middle of the night to avoid feeling suffocated and trapped. It just wasn't her thing. Surely, Amanda had to have been the one, right? The way Liv was tightly gripping the blonde hinted otherwise though. Now that she was awake, she realized that, the thing her hand was gripping, was one of Amanda's wing shafts, and she was using it like an anchor. Whether it was to root her in the warmth and peace she felt or to keep Amanda from moving away, Liv didn't know. Maybe it was both. Either way, she reluctantly let the wing go and slid her arm back towards Amanda's hip, which in Liv's mind was safer territory. She let her eyes move down and gasped quietly when she realized why the light was dimmed, why she was surrounded by heat. Amanda's wing was wrapped protectively around her, encasing her nearly from head to toe. She stared in wonder up at the blanket of blue skin. The bones at the top were wrapped over her head and curled down around her side and over Amanda's. She could feel the joint where the talon was against her shoulder blade, pressing slightly against her though not enough to pierce her skin or even cause any sort of discomfort. The tip of the wing, she knew, ended somewhere down by their knees. Everything between there and the joint at Amanda's back were covered by the thinner skin. As close to it as she was, Liv could see that it was covered by short, tiny hairs; she could just make out the veins underneath. It was lighter in color than the scales and looked even lighter with the light of the morning sun shining down on it. Unable to help herself, she cautiously moved the arm that was between them and dragged her fingertips along the skin. Liv didn't know what to expect, but she definitely didn't expect it to be so soft. She touched the skin again, a little harder. She breathed out in awe. How was it possible that she could find the wing, both wings, so beautiful? And how had she never noticed that she felt that way before?

There was a part of Liv that knew this was crazy. She had woken up in the arms and wings of a dragon. Their bodies were close. Her own arm had wrapped around her and held on tightly to her wing. Their legs were entwined. Lovers- real, actual, loving, committed lovers woke up this way. And here Liv was doing it with a woman that she hadn't known long, a woman that was her friend, a woman that was not even of the same species as Liv though much of her looked like it. She knew she SHOULD be freaking out. She should be moving away, forcing it from her memory, and never mentioning it or even thinking about it ever again. This was wrong on so many levels. And Liv was pretty certain that, later, she WOULD freak out about this. But right now, none of that mattered. She felt safe and warm and peaceful and content in a way she had never before. Even if she truly wanted to pull away, she couldn't bring herself to. With a small smile on her face, she closed her eyes again and melted back closer to the blonde, returning her hand to its original place around part of Amanda's wing. She didn't go back to sleep; it was just a light dose, waiting until Amanda woke up to move.

Truth was, Amanda woke only a few moment after Liv did, having felt her pull away slightly and let go of her wing. She fought to keep her breathing slow and steady. She waited to see what Liv would do, if she would run away. A part of her had been just as shocked as she was sure Liv was to wake up and realize they were completely wrapped in each other. She hadn't remembered moving slightly to circle her wing around Liv; her other one was folded slightly awkwardly behind her but it wasn't painful. She supposed it had been a purely instinctual movement on her part. It wasn't like she had any memories to compare it to. But upon waking and realizing their position, aside from the shock, she felt joy. Liv's body against hers was warm and completely relaxed and in turn it made her feel warm and relaxed. When she felt the fingers on the skin of her wing, she was sure Liv would notice the twitch and the complete stopping of her breath. But the human only repeated the motion. Amanda felt static emanating from the place where Liv's fingers had been. No one had ever touched her wings like that. It was so soft and gentle that it was almost worshipful. Amanda wanted to tell Liv to touch her again, to put her whole hand against the skin and feel across the expanse of it. But she was frozen. She only started to breathe again when she felt Liv relaxing back into the embrace. She herself melted too now that she realized Liv wasn't going to panic, and they stayed like that for at least another hour before Amanda's bladder screamed for relief. She faked just-waking-up noises and carefully moved. Liv stiffened slightly, waiting for Amanda's reaction to their cuddling. They both moved just enough to be able to look into each other's eyes. After a moment, Amanda smiled warmly, "Good morning Olivia."

Liv sighed and relaxed in relief and smiled back, "Morning."

"I hate to be the one to break this moment," Amanda said, meaning every word, "But I really have to pee."

Liv grinned, "I actually do too. I was just waiting for you to wake up."

After they both relieved themselves, Amanda announced that she would go hunt for breakfast. Olivia's stomach growled in agreement and both women shared a chuckle. "Can I come with you?" Liv asked, not wanting to leave the blonde's company.

"Do you know how to hunt?"

Liv shook her head, "Nope! But I'm sure if you can teach me how to swim you can teach me to hunt."

The human gave her a hopeful smile that Amanda found she couldn't say no to. Rolling her eyes with a smile, she agreed, "Alright."

Olivia grinned happily and followed Amanda as she began to walk away. As they walked, Amanda explained how to move without making a sound when sneaking up on prey, to move slowly yet deliberately, and to always be downwind so the prey animal wouldn't smell them. She also suggested that Liv not kill any bucks, no matter the age because there were always more females than males, and that she try to be sure she wasn't killing a mother doe so her fawns wouldn't be left to fend for themselves and likely fail. When the human asked how she would possibly know that, Amanda explained that, this time of year, if a doe is alone or in a small group, it most likely means she is a mother seeing as does become more solitary while they care for their young. Picking a target out of a larger group would be best. Liv was fascinated by Amanda's knowledge of the workings of nature. She also told Liv to aim for a vital body part, the chest being the most preferable, so that the animal would die as quickly and painlessly as possible. When she saw the way Amanda's eyes practically begged her as she told her this, a part of Olivia melted at Amanda's care and respect for other creatures, and she vowed to the blonde that she would do her best to do so. She let Liv take a few practice shots with the bow and arrow, after the brunette confessed it had been a while since she used one, by carving an X in a tree and telling her to get as close as possible to it. It took nearly all the arrows in Amanda's quiver for the human to finally hit the target but once she got it, she was pretty consistent in hitting it over and over. When she felt the human was ready, she led Liv to the nearby clearing where she knew the deer would be feasting. She dropped to a crouch, letting the tall grass be their cover, and Liv copied her. The dragon-woman let the human take the lead, motioning with her fingers for her to go ahead. Olivia checked the wind and moved accordingly, earning a proud smile from Amanda. She was neither as graceful nor quiet as the dragon-woman, and Amanda had to hold in a chuckle as she saw Liv trip slightly. Soon, even she lost visual on Olivia as she practically crawled through the grass, though she could still smell her since she was downwind. When Liv believed she was close enough, she paused and slowly aimed. She held her breath as she pulled the string back, aiming on the closest doe. She prayed to any omnipotent being that was listening that she would quickly and effectively take down the deer or even miss it all together, knowing it would upset both of them if she caused the creature pain. She let go of the string and watch the arrow fly through the air until it embedded in the center of the doe. The doe made a small noise but collapsed immediately, causing the other deer to freeze and look around for the threat. Liv jumped up to go to her kill, causing the deer to scatter.

Amanda flew over as well and crouched alongside the human as she made sure the deer was dead. Amanda breathed in relief when she saw it was, had probably been since the arrow hit it. The blonde smiled pleased at the brunette, "Well done Olivia." Olivia smiled widely and seemed to glow at the praise. Then she watched as Amanda placed one hand over the deer's head, closed her eyes, and tilted her head down. Quietly, reverently, the blonde said, "Thank you sister for all you have done in this life and for the meal you will provide for me and my friend. And thank you Mother for the life of this deer, its quick death, and also the delicious meal." She gently closed the doe's eyes and moved to remove the arrow.

Liv's brow furrowed. She had never been a spiritual person, but she wondered if it would insult Amanda if she didn't add her own thanks. Carefully she asked, "Should I say thank you?"

Amanda shrugged, "If you wish." She put her arrow back in her quiver before lifting the carcass over her shoulder and standing up.

"Will it offend you or your… Mother if I don't?"

Amanda shook her head, "No. She is not your Goddess so you are under no obligation to thank her. If you wish, you can thank your God."

"Oh. I'm not much of a believer actually," she said hesitantly, not knowing how Amanda would react to her lack of faith; some people took that quite seriously and personally. "I mean, I guess I don't completely deny the existence of a God or Goddess or whatever. But at the same time, I can't quite believe it either."

"Hey, it's okay," Amanda smiled at her, "Every being has a right to believe or not believe whatever it wants. I believe my Goddess watches over me, so I make sure she knows I'm grateful. You don't believe, so why waste your time with speaking empty words?"

Olivia didn't have anything to say to that so she fell silent as Amanda began to walk back towards their camp. As they cooked and ate, Olivia asked about Amanda's Goddess and religion. Amanda told her that, though dragons weren't worshipful in the way humans were, they did believe that life as they knew it was created, eased along, and cared for by the Goddess of the Earth, a single spirit that represented the natural world. They had no place of worship like humans did with their churches, but they did pray in their own time and show their respect in many different ways, including saying thank you to both the Goddess herself and her creation(s) killed/used for a meal (including edible plants). They also did not have specific days or rituals dedicated for religious purposes. But that was because, Amanda explained, though their Goddess was important, their loyalty to her did not dictate their lives. They loved their Mother, knew she loved them back, showed it in their everyday lives, and knew that their Mother believed that was enough. It had been that way since long before the Gift, long before any living dragon's parents or grandparents or even great-grandparents. And it had seemed to work for them. Olivia smartly kept her doubt about that, considering what had happened to them with the war and then the illness that turned them into monsters, to herself. Instead, she asked about Amanda's thoughts about the argument that every living being was living under one all-seeing, all-powerful being as well as the argument that there was no God/Goddess and natural evolution was behind it all. It was interesting to hear Amanda's opinions and to see how open-minded yet loyal to her own beliefs she was. When Amanda turned the tables and asked for her thoughts, she easily spoke honestly and was met with nothing but Amanda's complete attention. Even after they had finished eating, they continued talking, moving on to topics like the afterlife, heaven versus hell, angels versus demons, spirits/ghosts, and souls. Eventually, they had moved to the water. Amanda had learned her lesson from yesterday and kept her under layers on even though it caused her discomfort, and the two women went into the water. Liv chose to stay in the shallow waters where she could sit in the water and talk to the blonde while she swam in the deeper parts. While on the topic of souls, somehow a discussion about soulmates started. Amanda believed wholeheartedly that it was possible that one soul could be perfectly matched with another, that two souls had been created as one and then split into two creatures left to find each other. She said that her parents had believed they were soulmates and that many mated dragons were pulled together by some soul-deep bond. Olivia admitted that she wasn't sure she believed such a thing but, as she said it, she felt some weird twist in her gut that made the whole conversation slightly uncomfortable. She quickly changed the conversation.

They talked all the way through the day, never once running out of things to talk about. It was something Amanda had never had before, and she found that she really enjoyed it. The longer they talked, the more she said. For Olivia, who was used to a quieter Amanda, it was nice to see her opening up more and more; it made Liv happy. When they grew hungry, they went hunting together again before they cooked and ate together. Liv liked that she and Amanda could talk for hours and then fall into silence and be comfortable with both. They both found that it was easy to get to know one another through words as well as through their movements and habits. They were hyperaware of everything the other did in a way neither woman had been with anyone else before. When it came time for them to sleep, as if on some silent agreement, they laid out the blanket and lay down on it as they did the night before. It was Amanda, however, to quietly ask for more. "Hey Liv?"

"Yah?"

"Could you umm- Would you maybe want to… move closer? … Like we were last night?"

Liv smiled to herself before she rolled closer. She reached out for the blonde and pulled her gently. Amanda got the idea and shifted so that she could reverse their first position from last night; she draped one arm over Liv's stomach, pressed her front to Liv's side, and rested her head on the brunette's chest. She also allowed her wings to spread out and relax, one covered the ground behind her while the other draped over the rest of Olivia's body. Liv curled her arms around Amanda to hold her close and hummed to show her contentment. Amanda smiled at the sound and melted completely.

"Night 'Manda," Liv said, suddenly feeling very sleepy now that she was comfortable, safe, and warm.

"Goodnight Liv."

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Their next few days together passed much like that first one, with easy conversation, hunting, relaxing, and soaking up the others presence. Amanda convinced Olivia to practice her swimming and by their last day together, she was a master at it. They chased each other around the water and started splash fights, which Amanda would win of course by using her wings to completely drench the human. Olivia would call her a cheater through her laughter. Amanda showed Liv how to climb up to the top of the waterfall and jump down into the pool underneath. Liv was hesitant at first, but Amanda promised to wait at the bottom to save her from drowning. When Liv finally jumped, she felt exhilarated and, once she resurfaced, demanded to do it again. They sunbathed, often in comfortable silence, and went on walks. Amanda would explain all the things she knew about whatever animal or tree or flower they saw along the way, fascinating Olivia as always. And every night, they would fall asleep in each other's arms. And wings in Amanda's case. It was easy and fun spending time together like this. They both found themselves opening up to the other without even thinking about it. They could act like children and just be themselves in the other's carefree, nonjudgmental company, and they knew it was cementing their friendship. When the sun began to set on their last day together, both women could feel the sadness and regret. It was Amanda to ask as they cuddled on the blanket that night, "When will I get to see you next?"

Liv frowned. "I'm not sure," she said honestly yet regretfully, "Definitely during my next visit to Sundaria if we can?" Amanda nodded to show Liv that she wouldn't be able to stay away. "And you'll stick around on the way home?" Again, Amanda nodded. "Then I guess we'll see each other a fortnight from the day I get back to Airia." They both fell silent as their displeasure filled the air around them. Liv was suddenly overwhelmed by how much she didn't want to leave the blonde. She pulled her closer and whispered thickly, "I wish I could take you back with me."

Amanda smiled sadly and hugged the human back as she whispered, "Me too."

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

When they woke the next morning, the sky was grey as if reflecting the moods of the women. After they had hunted and eaten, they cleaned up their camp, stored it where Amanda had left it before, and gathered Liv's things. They walked slowly and silently back towards Sundaria close- if not closer- than they had on their way from it; their sides brushed constantly and the skin of the backs of their hands were pressed together. There was no playing around or chasing one another. No Liv calling Amanda a cheater or riotous laughter. Just a melancholy atmosphere between them. It didn't matter that they would see each other again soon when Liv led her men home, that it wouldn't be long after Liv got back for them to meet once again, because it would be different. They would no longer be in their safe place where they could be carefree and open. Not for more than two weeks. Which, right now, seemed way too far away. So yes, they walked slowly and stole as much time as they could. It was all too soon when the walls of the city came into view. This time it was Amanda who initiated the hug, wrapping her arms tightly around the human and burying her face in her shoulder. Olivia hugged back just as tightly and whispered, "I'll see you tomorrow night." Though she wasn't sure if it was to comfort Amanda or herself.

Amanda nodded and reluctantly they pulled away. She watched as the human went back to the wall and squeezed through the same hole she'd left from. Liv turned and waved one last time before disappearing from view. Amanda sighed sadly before turning away to hide deeper in the forest and wait for her human to leave again.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: still nada!

Note: oh my god, you guys really are the best. Your comments truly make me smile.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

"Liv, are you okay?" Elliot asked as he looked at his best friend as she held his child. Liv had gotten back to Airia a few hours ago and now she was accompanying him and baby Kathleen for dinner. He had been there to greet her, child in arm, when she returned not only for the sake of his worry that something would have happened to her again but to ask her if she would watch over the baby for a few days. Kathy was still recovering from the birth but she would be fine; she was simply resting, regaining her strength, and would be back home in a few days. Liv had immediately agreed of course. After she had seen to Coffee and briefed the Chief, he had showed her where everything was being kept for the infant. Liv and Elliot had both winced when he had explained that Kathy had milked a few bottles worth of breast milk and more would be sent. It was when the three were gathered at the table that El noticed something off about his best friend. She had listened intently to his instructions but had been quieter in conversation than usual, and now she was staring down at the child in her arms with a gloomy air.

She smiled at him but it didn't reach her eyes as she responded automatically, "I'm fine El."

"The Hell you are Liv," he argued, "What's wrong?"

Liv cursed herself; she should've tried harder not to let her missing Amanda show. She should've known that her best friend, who knew her better anyone- even herself most times-, would see it. She and the blonde had met up every night until Liv's group arrived back home, and each time it was harder to leave her companion to return to her men. On their final night, both women had tried not to let their sadness and regret get to them, but Liv had seen it in Amanda's glowing, blue eyes and knew it was in her brown ones as well. Liv didn't feel better until the blonde promised she'd be there waiting when Liv left for the next trade. Liv, despite knowing she should know better, believed her, but it still wasn't enough. Now, she was wishing she had some way, any way of seeing the blonde again. Logically, Liv knew it was impossible and silly seeing as they had just spent so much time together and would again soon. But it still made her bitter and sad.

Something must've made her look even sadder because El frowned deeply, looking both worried and a little shocked, as he said quietly, "Damn Liv. Something's got you bad. Is it Alex? Because she ended things?"

Liv's eyes widened as she shook her head, "No. Alex and I have always been just friends despite what went on in her bedroom, and we still are."

His eyes narrowed, "Okay. Well then it has to be someone else. Did you finally meet a girl in Sundaria who didn't fall for your charms?"

Olivia glared at him, "No."

"So then she has another lover? Or dumped you even though you really like her? Clearly, someone's messing you up."

She stared at him carefully for a moment before asking, "Why do you insist that I've met someone?"

He rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Please Liv." When he didn't seem like he was going to explain, she gave him a hard look and he sighed. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table, and gave her that look of his that made her feel like her thoughts were written in obvious words for him to read. "It's been a long time since you've actually LIKED someone and didn't just want to sleep with them. Actually, since Ziva, to be specific. Ever since you have been focused on simply sleeping with women- loving and leaving them because you were hurt by Ziva's father taking her away. But I still remember how you were with Ziva, how you were when you first realized your feelings for her and didn't think she'd like you back and were afraid of what people would say. You look a lot like you did then. So don't try to play stupid with me okay Liv? 'Cause I was there then and I'm here now. Do I have to give you the same talk I did then so you'll get your head out of your ass?"

Liv couldn't answer because she was too consumed with what Elliot had said, that she was like this because she had feelings. It wasn't the first time that that thought had passed through her head- that seed had probably been planted when Liv felt herself becoming aroused by seeing part of Amanda's naked body- but having Elliot say something made it all the more real and possible. Could it be true? Did she have feelings for Amanda? 'No. No, of course not. That was preposterous. No,' Liv thought in denial. But the way Liv's stomach twisted and heart squeezed as she thought that, she wasn't as sure as she wanted to be. It certainly would explain a lot, if she was being honest. The need to be with the blonde, to hold her hand and touch her wings, sleep curled against her and wrapped in her wings, make her laugh, and bring her home with her so the blonde would no longer be alone with the demons that were both in her mind and surrounding her in the form of the dragons. And again, that arousal she had felt when seeing Amanda stripping off her clothes. Undoubtedly, no one had ever captured Liv in the way that Amanda had. Was it simply friendship that she felt for the dragon-woman? Or was El right? Was it more? Liv wasn't sure if she wanted to know for sure. She refocused on the man across from her and found him still waiting for an answer. But she didn't have one for him. She couldn't possibly tell him about Amanda, her dragon friend that she may or may not have romantic feelings for. He'd either laugh in disbelief or have her put in the insane asylum for fear that she was crazy to have such a friend and possible feelings for said friend. And then he'd go after Amanda. Not for any other reason other than to protect his best friend, of course, which Liv respected and appreciated, but she couldn't let that happen. Amanda's safety was her priority; no matter how confused she felt. "Can we not talk about this right now El?" she asked quietly, looking back down at the baby.

She could feel him frowning in displeasure but she was grateful when he said, "Sure Liv. But when you DO wanna talk about it, I'll listen."

Liv nodded silently. Elliot really was a good friend. She just couldn't tell him. Maybe not ever. So she changed the subject by asking more about being a father.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

The sun had risen and set eight times since Amanda and Liv parted. 'Just four more to go,' Amanda told herself, trying to lighten her own mood. She would leave the next day to be able to be there waiting for Liv when she emerged from her city's gates. In the meantime however, the days were long and boring and empty for the blonde even once she returned back home to her little cabin. She went back to her usual routine and found it even more unsatisfying than ever. Though her cabin was still home, it was also as if something were missing. She missed the human's presence. She missed when she had been injured and would talk to Amanda from the nest, or sit outside with her and Coffee as they ate and watched the clouds, or when they explored and played around her property. She missed Liv complimenting her cooking or telling her what she should do to fix the hole in her roof. Every corner of the place she had called home since she'd found it felt both familiar and foreign now. She hated how oppressive the quiet was now, and she couldn't wait to get back to her human. Maybe somehow she could convince Liv to sneak out to spend time with her when she wasn't out on her trades. She recalled the human saying that most days were spent with practicing with her men to keep them all sharp and fit. But she wouldn't mind building a makeshift nest somewhere by Airia just so she would have somewhere to stay while she waited for Liv. Maybe Liv could sneak out during the night. Yah, that was a good suggestion. But then Amanda shook her head at her own foolishness. Liv wouldn't want to do that. She had better things to do, better people to spend her time with. Like her best friend. Elliot. She talked often of him. And his new child. Amanda got the sense that he and his family were Liv's family now. She wouldn't want to spend time with Amanda if it meant less time with them. Right?

This was silly, Amanda told herself. Why was she feeling so clingy? Towards a human? A human she'd known for only a short while? She'd been alone for years and, though she missed her family, the silence never got to her like this. She had grown used to being alone. She should be able to get used to it again. She should find comfort in it like she used to. How had the lack of the human's company made that so impossible? Deep down, Amanda knew the answer. Olivia had become a fixture in her life, had buried deep into Amanda's rituals and thoughts without her even realizing it until now. Maybe Amanda should leave now. Who cared if she was waiting for an extra day? At least she would be close to Olivia. She intensely considered it for a few moments. But again, she shook the idea away. 'No,' she thought stubbornly, 'You're going to have to get used to not always being close to her. It's dangerous to hang around the city, and you'll see her soon. Just a few more days. That's it. You can do this.' She straightened her back with resolve and continued her daily routine, forcing herself not to think of the beautiful brunette.

Amanda was hunting the morning she was due to leave to wait for Olivia when it happened. She was so focused on forcing herself to concentrate on hunting rather than on Olivia that she didn't realize the scent of dragon until it was too late. At the same time she smelled it, she heard a low growl and whirled around to face it, ready for a fight though it had been a long time- other than the times she had saved Olivia- since she'd had to fight off one of her kin. On instinct, her eyes began to glow as she arched her wings and growled. Unlike the last dragons she'd faced, this one did not seem bothered by her show of dominance. She didn't even have time to wonder why before its eyes began to glow as well and he matched her posture; he was on all fours because clearly his body had been permanently contorted like that but he flared his wings open wide, arched his back, lashed his tail, and roared at her. For a moment they stared at each other's glowing eyes, daring the other to make the first move or run away. And in that second, she remembered the scent of him and knew who he was. The son of her clan's Alpha. She couldn't quite remember his name but she remembered that there had been talk about his father retiring and him claiming leadership before the virus. And just like his father, he was covered in pitch black scales with black wings. His eyes were more of a green color, and he was littered with scars, assumedly from battles with humans. He was big, much bigger than Amanda, and had frightening-looking teeth and claws. She knew this would most likely not end well for her and debated flying away; she was confident she could outfly every dragon in the forest. But there was a part of her that wouldn't let her run away, considered it an insult, and demanded that she fight back. So as an answer to his challenge, she ripped her knives from the sheath at her lower back and roared back.

He snarled as he leapt at her. She jumped into the air just before he could reach her, landing on his back and stabbing her knives into his back. He screamed and thrashed and bucked. He reached back with his claws and hit her with his wings, but Amanda held on until she felt him fling his hindlegs forward to launch into a roll. She jumped away and spun around as he was coming out of his roll. He was up and facing her before she could blink. He launched at her again. Just as Amanda was thinking he'd fall for the same trick again, he reared up as she jumped and brought his claws down on her, slamming her to the ground. She let out an oof and a hiss but was ready when he came down on top of her. She kicked up with both feet, aiming towards his belly. She connected hard and heard the sound of air rushing out of him as she shoved him away. She followed through with a slash of her knife, cutting right through his nose. He let out a cry of pain, his wings lashing through the air. Amanda waited for his next move, and when he charged her yet again, she curled her fist tight around her knife and punched the side of his jaw. Hard. She heard the snap of his bones right before he screamed. She was certain that he would learn his lesson and turn away; she was even feeling a little cocky that this was so easy. But apparently the punch had made him angry, and his anger now fueled his more Alpha-like abilities that had possibly been lying dormant until now. This time when he came at her, he was moving so fast that he was just a blur through the air. He crashed into her before she even realized he was close and sent her careening backwards into a tree. She cried in agony as her wing was caught at an awkward angle and snapped. She had barely hit the ground again before he was slicing at her with his claws, catching her collarbone just under her throat as well as her side. Again, she let out a sob of pain as she tried to shield herself. His clawed hands picked her up and tossed her away. She crashed to the ground and rolled a few times. A thought flashed through her mind that she was going to die here, that she would never get to see Olivia again, and that her human would worry when she didn't show up to their meeting. She suddenly felt angry and full of purpose and electricity seemed to surge through her, numbing the pain and returning her strength. This time, when he charged, she was the one who zipped away as barely a blur. She had moved so fast that he came skidding to a halt, his head moving quickly back and forth as he tried to figure out where she'd gone. She flashed from the cover of the tree she'd hid behind and smashed into his side, rolling with him when he fell. She managed to land with her on top and, before he could get his bearings, brought her knife down through his chest. He roared and thrashed. Wincing with the pain of it, she curled both her wings around to shield herself and to keep his claws and teeth from reaching her body, though they tore through her wings, as she carved towards his heart. She could feel a rumbling in his belly that she knew would accompany a breath of fire. She carved faster. She could feel the rumbling move up, and she quickly grasped as his heart. Some of the flame erupted from his mouth, hitting part of her wing, as she ripped the beating organ out. The flame died and the body sagged.

Amanda stepped off him. On shaky legs, she looked down him sadly. "I'm sorry I had to do that," she told him. She moved her face upwards and spoke, "Forgive me Mother. I did not want to kill him, but I had to." She fell into a moment of silence before the pain swelled through her and she gasped, almost falling to her knees. Her shoulder and side were oozing blood, her back was definitely scraped and bruised, her fist felt broken, but the pain in her wings was the worst. The one that had been broken from her collision with the tree was throbbing with pain and was curled awkwardly against her hip. The one that had shielded most of the flames was burnt slightly. Both of them had been clawed and torn. Luckily not too bad, but it still hurt. She winced as she realized she would have to sew them back together. She would have to walk home too. Amanda nearly cried at that when she thought of how late she would be too seeing Olivia. She just hoped the human wouldn't do anything stupid and stay with her men. But no matter what, Amanda was determined to get to see her human injured or not.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

_Olivia arched into the feeling of hands slowly gliding down her naked body. She gasped as the tips of fingers dragged over her nipples, bringing them to attention. As if liking her reaction to that, the hands moved back up, sliding over her nipples again. Liv whined and this time fingers were softly pinching and rolling them. "Yes!" Liv breathed as the hands splayed over her breasts to squeeze them. She almost protested when the hands continued on their way, but she held her tongue. The hands came to a stop at her thighs and quickly pulled them open, exposing her glisteningly wet sex. She arched even farther, silently begging for the touch she needed. She heard a chuckle and a voice told her softly, "Patience Liv. I want to take my time." But her body was on fire, tingling as it begged to be touched, and she didn't want to have to wait. As if to placate her, a mouth latched onto her throat and began to suck and bite and lick. She moaned. Her own hands tightly gripped the body above her. When the mouth, sucked a particularly sensitive spot behind Liv's ear, she gasped and, uncontrollably, her hips thrust upwards. She felt a delicious yet quick pressure against her sex and groaned even louder. When she tried to do it again the body moved away. "Not yet Liv," the other voice said softly against her skin. The sucking, biting, and licking moved down over her neck and collarbone and shoulder. Liv knew she was being marked heavily and that only turned her on more. Finally, the mouth moved to her breasts and one of her nipples was sucked in to a warm mouth and lavished with a tongue. She groaned, pushing up into the touch. Soon the mouth moved to the other one and Liv was going insane. Without her permission, pleas for more fell from her mouth. She almost cried in relief and anticipation when the mouth moved down over the muscles of her stomach and the mound of her center. When she finally felt the tongue glide through her folds, her hips jerked as she cried out. The hands held on to her hips before the mouth began feasting from her sex. The tongue seemed to be everywhere and Liv knew she wouldn't last long. "Please! Please!" she begged; it was the only thing she could say. The pressure died for only a second as the voice told her, "Look at me when you come Liv." Liv quickly obeyed, lifting her head and looking down to the face between her legs. The blue eyes of Amanda were looking up at her, darker than usual with arousal and desire, while her wings were arched above them and twitching. Feelings swelled in Liv too fast for her to identify them. That, combined with the sight in front of her, was more than Olivia could handle._

She came with an unbelievable, unprecedented force as she cried Amanda's name. Her eyes snapped open as she gasped heavily. Her hands were gripped tightly in her sheets, her body covered in a fine layer of sweat and shaking from the intensity of her orgasm. "God damn," she breathed as she tried to force her body to stop tingling with pleasure. She was shocked to say the least; she had just had a very erotic, very effective wet-dream about Amanda, her dragon friend. And it was safe to say that Liv had never come so hard in her life. Not even with Alex, who was very talented with her tongue and who held the previous record for making Liv come the hardest. Liv was also sure she'd never had such a vivid wet-dream before. She had sex often enough that her sexual desires were usually sated enough that she didn't need to have them. Well, at least she did before she had met Amanda that is. And now that she was coming down from her high, the feelings she'd felt in the dream before she had come made themselves known. Affection, joy, pleasure, and a severe liking that Liv wasn't ready to call love yet, but that didn't mean it wasn't there. Liv was pretty sure there was no more denying it now. She most definitely had feelings for Amanda and definitely wanted her. "Fuuuuck!" Liv groaned. This would make things so much more difficult.

As she forced herself to let go of the sheets, get up, and start going about her routine to leave for the trade, she pondered over what she was going to do. She might not be able to hide her feelings from herself anymore, but she might still with Amanda. They had a good thing going. Sure, it was difficult, them sneaking around and only being able to spend time together when Liv could get away from Sundaria. But they were friends. They enjoyed their time together and found it easy. Liv didn't want to do anything to screw with that. One possibility, of course, was that they could stop seeing one another. That would take away the possibility that Liv would fuck this up entirely. But Liv's heart gave a painful squeeze at that thought as panic filled her. No, Liv refused to do that nor did she think she'd be physically able to. She would just have to keep acting like she normally did around Amanda. Except maybe minus the nighttime cuddling. She didn't want to risk having another wet-dream about Amanda with Amanda right there next to her. That would be majorly embarrassing.

Despite her worries however, Liv was looking forward to seeing the blonde again. She had missed her dearly over the last two weeks. Even Baby Kathleen could only distract her for so long. She couldn't wait to tell Amanda about taking care of the adorable infant went and how happy she was to see Kathy recovering nicely. She had gone by everyday while El was gone to help care for the baby and thankfully the new mother did not notice her "problem" like Elliot had. When he had returned, after he had greeted them, he had pulled her aside one more time to remind her that she could tell him anything. She had declined again though she knew it hurt him. They were there to bid her a good trip when she got there with Coffee so Kathy could get some sun and exercise to help her regain some energy and strength. She hugged them all before climbing atop her horse and leading her men out of the gates. She remembered how last time she had immediately felt Amanda's eyes on her and grinned out into the trees as a result. This time however, she didn't and she frowned. Concern filled her but she tried to shake it off. Maybe Amanda was there but Liv had just grown accustomed to her watchful gaze. Or she was waiting out deeper in the woods. She continued on for the hours until nightfall. But still she did not feel Amanda. Her concern was quickly turning to worry and, when the men finally were buckled down for the night and she was able to leave for watch, she practically ran out into the forest.

"Amanda?" she called softly, trying not to let her voice shake. Her eyes zipped back and forth as she tried to make out the blue glow of Amanda's eyes. When nothing happened, she called again a little louder, "Amanda?" When nothing happened again, she began to panic. She walked out a little farther, calling for the blonde and receiving no answer. She sat on the ground and forced herself to wait instead of letting her panic take over. She couldn't just run out into the forest; it wasn't safe. Maybe Amanda was just late. Maybe the hole in her roof collapsed again and she was taking the time to fix it. She tried to convince herself it was something simple like that instead of the idea that something bad had happened to her. But she couldn't stop herself from picturing Amanda being attacked by other dragons, torn apart, and eaten. She was afraid for the blonde and desperately wished she could go find her. But she had to return to her men.

The next night it was the same. And the night after that. By the time, Liv and her men arrived in Sundaria, she was a wreck inside. She hadn't slept and barely ate. She was jittery and snappish. She knew her men felt that something was off with her but none said anything. She forced herself to go about her usual routine but when Alex came Liv was quick to get away. She muttered an apology and something about hearing her lady-friend was sick and ran before Alex could say more. She took all her weapons, clothes, and first aid stuff with her this time as she snuck to the hole and out into the forest. She waited until she was out of sight before calling for Amanda again. She knew that their place was somewhat between Amanda's house and Sundaria and prayed that the blonde was waiting for her there. She ran as fast as she could, burst into the clearing that lead to the beach, and shouted, "Amanda!" She received no answer. Liv paused, turning in place as she looked around everywhere for the blonde. When she didn't see her, Liv let out a whine of fear, unsheathing her sword, ready to head back into the woods to track the blonde down, and face any threat that stood in her way.

But in that moment, a groan from behind her caused her to whirl around, "Liv."

"Amanda!" she gasped in relief at the sight of the blonde standing there, about to go in for the tightest hug Liv would have ever given anyone. But that relief was short-lived as Amanda's appearance sunk in, and she froze. The dragon-woman was panting as if from running, her wings were stitched messily and one was folded awkwardly to her back, definitely not looking right even to Olivia, while the other had wrappings covering a section of the skin flap, her right fist was swollen and bruised, the clothing on her left side was nearly soaked in blood, and her eyes were clouded with pain and panic and appeared to be looking through Olivia instead of at her.

Before Liv could ask what had happened, Amanda's shaky, weak voice was saying, "I could s-smell your trail of w-worry and fear and had- had to find you 'fore you ran out l-looking for me. Cou- Couldn't let you-" Suddenly, her body gave out and her consciousness failed.

"Amanda!" Liv shouted, dropping her sword and rushing forward to grab the blonde before she hit the ground. She succeeded. Quickly, she scooped the blonde into her arms, held her close, and said through her fear, "Don't worry. I gotchya. I'll fix ya up. Just like you did for me." Without wasting any time, she quickly went to their makeshift shelter and pulled out the fur blankets with her foot. She kicked it open before placing Amanda down on it, being sure not to bunch her wings up underneath her. She grabbed the first aid stuff out of her bag before peeling off the blood-soaked shirt and tossing it towards the water. Amanda had sown and bandaged her wounds before coming this way but had clearly ripped them open in her haste to get to Olivia. Gently, Liv pulled the old wraps off to put new ones on. With a grimace she realized she would have to re-sew a few stitches. Luckily, all soldiers were trained in first aid. She took a cloth and quickly went to dip it in the creek before rushing back to clean the blood away. On instinct, as she reached for the needle and thread, she also grabbed her knife and quickly cut open her palm as she prayed that Amanda would make it. She let her blood drip down into the wounds until she was satisfied then quickly sowed her up. She wrapped her own hand and redid Amanda's bandages. There was nothing she could do about the obviously broken knuckle. And Amanda's wings clearly needed further attention but she wasn't sure what she should do. She wondered if maybe she should wrap the one wing closer to Amanda so it wouldn't hang so awkwardly or re-sew the torn parts, but she would wait to see what Amanda said when she woke, not willing to move her and risk ruining the work she'd done. Then she sat back slightly and watched the injured blonde, waiting impatiently and nervously for her to wake up.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: ma ma oo ma ma want your bad romance

Note: I know what you're thinking. "OMG two chapters in a week? What the scallop? Am I dreaming?" Lol no beloved reader; you are not dreaming. This is in fact another chapter. "But why?" I had two days off in a row and was feeling very write-y (yes, that is a feeling). I also wanted to reward y'all for being patient during my slow posting and for writing lovely comments. "Oh you didn't need to do that." I know, but I wanted to. I think you'll really like this chapter too, so I was eager for y'all to read it. Please let me know if you do, because comments make me happy and a happy writer means quicker updates. By the way, my s key is either sticky or has a crumb stuck in it or something so it doesn't work so well. I have to like smash it to get it to work. So if you see any words that are missing an s, I apologize. I thought I got them all but I'm only human right? Anyway, read on and ignore the crazy person (aka me) behind the screen!

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Liv stayed awake, watching over her dragon, all through the night and into the next morning. She hardly even moved her eyes away except to look out into the dark woods every so often when she thought she heard something. She suspected that, even if there were lucifugous dragons lurking out there, she wouldn't see them until they were coming at them. So she left Amanda only for the time it took to get her sword from where she had dropped it earlier before she crouched over her protectively, sword at the ready whether it was silent or not. Luckily, no threats presented themselves. Time passed agonizingly slow for Liv and when the sun finally began to rise, she hoped it meant that Amanda would be waking soon. Still, she did not move, did not take her eyes away from Amanda's face, so when the blonde did finally stir, Liv's eyes widened and she held a hopeful breath. The blonde's face scrunched up in pain and she groaned as she blinked open her blue eyes. Brown latched onto blue and, after the momentary confusion over waking up in pain, realization and relief filled those crystal-like depths. Liv smiled gently and said quietly, her voice cracking from nonuse, "Hey."

Amanda smiled back up at her. "Hi," she said. Then she was trying to sit up and groaning for her efforts.

Liv quickly leaned forward to help support her. "Take it easy," she reprimanded. Then, when the blonde was sitting up, she pulled back a bit to ask worriedly, "Tell me what still hurts. What can I fix? I re-sowed those," she motioned to Amanda's side and chest, "But I wasn't sure what else I should do. Your wings still look pretty banged up but I've never worked on wings before and I didn't want to hurt you any further."

Amanda gripped her arm to stop her, "It's okay Liv. You did great. The wounds you closed feel fine- almost good actually. What did you do to them?"

It took Liv a moment to remember; she'd been so focused on patching the dragon-woman up, she had run on autopilot and almost didn't remember everything she'd done exactly. But then she remembered the instinct that took over her and told her to bleed into Amanda's wounds like Amanda had once done for her. She blushed, unsure what to make of that, as she answered, "I bled into them."

Amanda's eyes widened. "You what?"

"I cut open my hand and bled into you. Like you did when I was wounded."

"Well Liv. I'm a dragon; my blood heals faster than yours and I wanted your wounds to close faster. Why would you bleed into me?"

Liv shrugged, "I don't know. I didn't even really think about it. I just did it."

Amanda stared at her in silence for a moment as she thought that over. She too had no idea what it meant. But maybe it didn't matter. She smiled again, "Well, no matter why, it worked. They really do feel better than I expected."

Liv sighed in relief that Amanda wasn't mad about what she'd done. Then she asked again, "What else can I do? Do you want me to re-stitch your wings? Or wrap the broken one so that it doesn't hang so awkwardly?"

Amanda looked over her shoulder at her wings. She gingerly reached behind to touch the broken one and winced at both the pain caused in her wing at the action as well as the stiffness in her torso. She had had her wings torn before- though granted not this badly. She knew that the rips would heal somewhat slowly; it was easier to heal her body then her more sensitive, more fragile wings. It might take two weeks, maybe a little more, to heal them. The break, however, to her wing's radius was definitely a clean, through-and-through break and would take much longer. Perhaps at least a month. And though dragons healed faster and better than humans, it was possible for really bad wounds, such as a break to a wing, to heal messily; a broken wing, if not set properly, could heal crooked and be permanently sore, affecting a dragon's flying for the rest of his/her life. Wings were the toughest to heal for many reasons; one is that they moved so much. So yes, she would need to do a better job at wrapping and setting it then the hasty attempt she'd done before running out of patience for seeing Liv. And it would also speed the healing to have the stitches he'd torn replaced as well. She didn't like the thought of being forced to be grounded while she healed. The faster she healed, the sooner she'd be able to fly again. She put on a brave face and turned back to Liv. "I need you to sew up the rips as well as set the brake," she said grimly, "If you don't mind, that is?"

"Of course not sweetie," Liv said soothingly. "Just tell me what you need me to do and I'll do it."

Amanda took a deep breath, "Start with the slashes. Those will be easier."

Liv nodded and quickly reached over for the first aid kit. She pulled out a clean needle and thread and shuffled forward to it behind Amanda. Amanda gritted her teeth as she spread her wings out for Liv to have better access. Liv gently gripped the left one first, pulled it into her lap, and quickly yet tenderly began to sew the torn wing back together. He forced herself to complete her task and ignore all of Amanda's winces and gasps of pain. She hated that the blonde was in pain. Amanda began shaking with the effort to hold still and not rip her wings away, knowing it would just make things worse. Liv wanted to cry from causing Amanda such pain, but kept going. When Liv had stitched the last slash, she paused to let them both have a minute to steady themselves. When Amanda turned to give her a nod, Liv slid over a bit and took her right wing into her lap. As gently as she had the other one, she stitched the slashes in the wing, though this one wasn't as bad as its twin. When she was done, he placed the needle and thread aside and asked, "How should I do this?"

Amanda assessed the break again for a moment before answering with a dreadful expression, "You'll have to force the break together and we have to figure the best way to keep it straight."

Liv flinched at the idea of forcing the break together, but determinedly looked around. She placed the wing on the ground and got up to search under the trees. Finally she found two solid sticks that she thought would work well at keeping the wing straight. Then she tried to think of the best way to keep them in place. She looked down at the wing and thought aloud, "What if we sort of folded your wing so that it's easier to wrap around the break?"

Amanda nodded thoughtfully, "That could work."

Together, they curled up Amanda's wing as best they could. It wasn't as difficult as Liv thought it would be; the finger-like bones in the wing rather flexible and bendy. She was sure not to roll it too tight though. Then, while Amanda held the rolled-up skin together, Liv sat back down so she could pull the limb back into her lap. She took one side of the break in each of her hands and looked at Amanda. "You ready?" she asked shakily, not caring that her own fear and hesitation was revealed.

Amanda swallowed roughly and braced herself before she nodded silently.

Liv looked down and took a deep breath. Then she closed her eyes, gripped the bone tighter, and pulled the break together. Amanda whimpered once then fell silent, braving the agony. Liv quickly reopened her eyes so she could reach for the sticks and placed one on each side of the bone. With one hand, she held the sticks and break together and reached for the nearby rope with the other. Carefully, she lifted the wing so she could wrap the wing several times. Then she placed it down and tied a knot, tugging it tight enough to stay knotted but not too tight to cut off circulation. When it was done, they both sighed in relief, though Amanda's face still held the pain she felt. Liv didn't hesitate to crawl around the damaged wing and throw her arms around Amanda. Amanda instantly hugged her tight, finding comfort in the brunette's embrace. It was several minutes before they finally pulled away. Liv uncontrollably cupped Amanda's face and glared at her half-heartedly, "Don't ever do that again! You nearly scared me to death."

Amanda blushed, feeling warm from the human's concern and closeness, "Sorry."

Liv's glare melted. Then she was moving to stand up and grab Amanda's bow as she explained, "I'm gonna go get us something to eat. You stay here; do NOT move unless you have to," she glared at the blonde again, "And when I come back, you're gonna tell me what happened."

The human wasn't gone long, and when she returned she was carrying a medium-sized doe. Amanda offered to be the one to cook it as usual, but Liv sternly told her to stay on the blanket. After all the times she had watched the blonde prepare a meal, she was certain she could replicate it. Amanda observed proudly and a bit shocked as Olivia went through the motions she usually did correctly and without flinching squeamishly. The human even properly prepared the heart and liver for Amanda just the way she liked it. Eventually, Amanda laid back down and let the human do her thing without eyes on her. When Liv brought her her share and sat down next to her to eat her own, Amanda eagerly took a bite, realizing how hungry she was. Somehow, it tasted even better than Amanda was used to. She groaned at the flavor and asked, "Did you do something to this to get it to taste so good?"

Liv finished chewing and swallowed before she nodded, "Yup! I poured a little ale over it."

Amanda hummed in approval as she took another massive mouthful. Liv chuckled at her enthusiasm, blushing a little from the praise. The two women ate until they were full in comfortable silence. Then they simply laid back on the blanket and stared up at the clouds. Then Liv rolled on to her side and rested her head on her arm so she could look at the blonde and asked, "Okay. What happened?"

Amanda let her head fall to the side so she could return the gaze. She only paused for a few seconds when she saw how close those beautiful brown eyes were to her. Blue connected with brown and Amanda told her about her run-in with the other Alpha dragon. When Amanda got to the part about breaking her wing, Liv's eyes filled with anger and, uncontrollably, she reached out to touch said limb gently with her fingertips. Amanda's eyes followed the movement but she didn't let herself stop talking. If she did, she was sure she would ask- no beg for the human to touch her wings more. When Amanda finished, Liv scooted closer, draping her arm over Amanda's waist, being careful not to roll on top of the injured wing, and snuggled close. She didn't care about her decision not to allow them to cuddle anymore; in fact, it didn't even cross her mind. She just needed to be close to Amanda right now. There were no words to express how glad she was that the blonde was okay and had found her way to her. Amanda somehow seemed to understand though as she hugged the brunette closer. She sighed when she felt Olivia wrap her hand around the base of one of her wings, the light grip lessening the pain. Carefully, she draped the not-broken wing over them, feeling Olivia relax even deeper into her. She remembered that the human had not slept and whispered, "Go to sleep Liv."

Liv wanted to protest, wanted to properly take care of the blonde she so care for. But curled against Amanda's body and covered with one of her wings, feeling full and warm, she realized how exhausted she was. Groggily, needing to be reassured before she rested, she asked, "You'll wake me if you need something?"

"Sure, but I'll probably sleep too."

"'Kay good." Finally, she let her eyes close and was asleep within moments.

Amanda was awake a while longer, content not to move as she held the human. Her wounds felt better both from having been patched up properly and from the closeness of her soldier. The warmth coming from Liv's body was relaxing and soothing, the grip around her wing shaft distracting in a good way, her caring presence comforting. Amanda knew then how precious this human was to her. She felt blessed and silently looked to the sky and thanked the Goddess for bringing them together. Amanda smiled to herself and closed her eyes. She fell asleep with that smile still on her face.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

They had slept all through the rest of that day and night. When they woke, blinking at the bright sunlight, it was Liv's turn to play doctor as she checked over Amanda's wounds. Amanda tried to tell her that she was feeling better but Olivia had to be sure for herself so she gently peeled the bandages from the wounds on her torso to assess the damage, pleased when she found them all almost closed. Amanda noted that it would only take until tomorrow or the next day for them to be gone completely and the only reason they hadn't healed already was because they had been so deep. She grinned at Amanda as she told her how jealous she was that she could heal so quickly. Amanda laughed and agreed that it was definitely a nice perk to being a dragon. When Liv checked over the wings, she worriedly noticed that those wings had not seemed to have healed at all yet though they didn't look worse. Amanda comforted her by reminding her that they would heal much slower but told her that they definitely felt better. Still, all through the day, Liv kept looking at the injured wings and frowning in concern. It deeply bothered her to see Amanda's wings so badly hurt, stitched and bandaged, one rolled up unnaturally. She wished she could instantly heal them herself so she could see them in all their glory as she was used to, as she preferred.

The first couple of days, she barely let Amanda move, hoping that less movement of her wings would mean they would repair faster. And though Amanda admitted she had a point with that, she was getting antsy and annoyed. She both liked and hated Olivia caring for her so thoroughly. She liked that Olivia was concerned about her and that she cooked for them (she quite enjoyed the flavor that came from the addition of the ale), but the no-moving thing and insisting on helping Amanda to the woods so she could relieve herself was frustrating and embarrassing. Not to mention, that she hadn't had anyone to take care of her when she was injured since her parents and found it slightly overwhelming now. She now knew exactly how Olivia had felt when she had had to be taken care of when she was injured, and she couldn't help growling grumpily every time the human told her not to leave the blanket or came to support her as she walked to relieve herself. Olivia, for her part, was not fazed by the growling, just as stubborn to help Amanda as Amanda was to not need help. Finally, Amanda couldn't take it anymore. Snapping, she hit Olivia over the head with her less injured wing as the human came to take her to the bathroom again and growled, "Olivia, I swear to the Goddess, if you don't give me at least a little bit of privacy, I'm running home and leaving your ass here!"

Liv arched an eyebrow challengingly, "What makes you think I won't just follow you?"

"Even if you did, I run faster than you; I'd make it there days before you and get a few days to myself anyway! Even more if I use my apparent Alpha speed!" Amanda took a deep breath to calm herself before continuing a little softer, "Look. It'll be weeks before my wings heal. You can't follow me around until they're back to normal. Besides, they're doing fine. I don't need you following me everywhere and keeping me on lockdown. See, look!" she held the less injured wing in front of the human's face, "The slashes are closing nicely. The stitches can come out tomorrow if not today. They won't reopen if I walk around or go into the stream to wash. I'm fine." She pulled the wing back and softened her voice even more. "I appreciate your concern and care, but I'm really fine. Okay?"

Olivia still looked hesitant, but sighed, knowing she had to back off for Amanda's sake no matter her own. She nodded. Amanda gave her a grateful smile that almost made it worth it. Liv smiled back and went to clean up the remnants of their meal. When Amanda returned, she pretended she wasn't secretly watching her out of the corner of her eye as the blonde walked to the water's edge. When Amanda looked her way, she continued pretending not to look back. Satisfied that the human wasn't watching her, she stripped off all her clothes, forgoing the usual underwear rule so she could clean her whole body. Careful not to soak the bandages too much, she waded out until the water was at hip level and used her less injured wing to scoop up some water and pour it over her. She did this several times, running her fingers through her hair and over her body. Liv wasn't even pretending not to watch anymore. She was crouching, as if that would provide her more cover or something, but staring blatantly at the dragon-woman's bare back. When Amanda would turn around, however, she would quickly look away, blushing, only to look back when Amanda would face away again. At first, Amanda had no idea that the human was staring. But on her latest turn, she realized that the brunette was too slow to look away. Amanda froze, unsure of what to make of Liv's watching. She turned away slightly again, watching Liv from the corner of her eye. This time, she saw as Liv looked back up to stare at her.

Amanda's brow furrowed in confusion. Why was Liv watching her? Was it simply because she was still worried about her wellbeing? Was she keeping her eye on Amanda so she would know if she needed help? And looking away because she didn't want to make Amanda angry again? Or was there another reason? She suddenly remembered a moment from when she was young with her parents. _Her mother was heavily pregnant with her sister and was stuffing her face with jam-covered carrots because "that's what the baby was craving". Her father was sitting at his usual spot at their table, watching her with a soft smile and dreamy eyes. When her mother finally noticed, she paused from eating and said, "What are you staring at me for?"_

_Her father just shrugged, that look never leaving his face, as he answered, "Because I love you and I love looking at you."_

_While her mother got emotionally hormonal and allowed her husband to kiss her deeply, young Amanda had made gagging noises at the sweetness of it. A few years later, many of those moments later, Amanda had asked her mother why father kept watching her. Her mother had smiled and answered, "Because he loves me. That's what you do when you're in love with someone; you find yourself staring at them because you just like to watch them do things and the expressions on their face as they do it. That's how you learn their mannerisms and commit them to your heart."_ Amanda shook the memory from her head. There were plenty of other reasons to watch someone. Surely, Liv was staring at her for one of those and not out of love. Amanda felt cold and incredibly sad at that thought, and it was then that Amanda realized her feelings for the human. Amanda's back went ramrod straight as she froze. She had feelings for another human! Again. And a female human at that. She wasn't sure which part was more upsetting to her. She had never had feelings for another female before, but she supposed it didn't really matter in the scheme of things. Besides, Liv liked females exclusively and had experience; she'd know what to do. So it was definitely the previous issue. Amanda trusted the human certainly, but was it enough? She trusted Liv not to hurt or kill her or end other soldiers after her. She trusted Liv to take care of her and sleep around/next to her. She trusted that they were friends. But there was still a part of her that believed that Liv would realize she was spending a lot of time with a monster, leave, and never come back. For that reason, even if she acted on her feelings, would she be able to trust the human with her heart? After Dean's gross betrayal, she had vowed that she would never give someone else her heart again, human or dragon or any other species. But she had also vowed that she would never save another human or befriend one and she'd already broken those. Maybe she should force herself to stick to that one final promise and cut off all contact with Olivia- tell her to never return to this place or to her cabin, that they had to go their separate ways. But as she imagined doing just that, her chest squeezed painfully and she almost fell to her knees. No, she couldn't do that. But she wasn't sure she could do more either.

Amanda snorted to herself. Why did this have to change anything? Just because she had feelings for the brunette didn't mean they couldn't keep going as they were. Amanda liked the way they were now. It was easy and fun. Liv was the best friend she'd never had. That would be enough. Amanda dumped water over herself one final time before turning back to the shore to redress. She only put on her underlayer before crouching down to lay back on the warm ground. She spread her wings out to sunbathe as she folded her arms behind her head and closed her eyes as she relaxed. After a few minutes, she heard footsteps approaching. Then a shadow fell over her and she opened her eyes. Liv's face was upside-down and above hers as she stood looking down at Amanda with a soft smile. "You okay?" she asked.

Amanda grinned, "Yup. Just sunbathing. Wanna join me?"

"Sure." Amanda sat up so she could move her wing behind her as Liv sat down in its spot. Their sides were so close they were almost touching. Amanda's wing spread back out behind her, twitching with the need to fold around the human's shoulders. Liv leaned back on her hands slightly while Amanda sat crossed-legged. They fell into silence as they watched the water move slowly by. It wasn't exactly uncomfortable silence, but both woman could sense a certain change, a certain heaviness to the air as each fought an internal battle with themselves.

Finally, Liv couldn't hold back anymore. Quietly, she told the blonde, "I'm sorry if I was overbearing before."

"No, I'm sorry. I know you were only trying to help."

Liv flashed her a small smile, "Guess we're both sucky patients huh?"

Amanda chuckled, "Yah. Guess we are."

Another moment of silence. Amanda's eyes lost the battle not to look at the human and slid over to take in her face. The brunette really was beautiful. In every sense of the word. And with the sunlight reflecting off the water onto her face, she looked even more so. Amanda couldn't help but stare. Liv chewed her bottle lip as she tried (and failed) not to blush under the blue-eyed gaze. Words were trying to force their way out of her. Finally, she caved. "I would've been really… upset if you hadn't have found me, ya know? If you hadn't managed to run here before I stormed off into the forest- if you hadn't been here at all."

She paused again. Amanda had a pretty good idea of what the human was trying to say, but she needed to hear it. "What do you mean?" she pressed gently.

Liv gulped, trying to find the words to say what she truly felt. "Well you know. If you had been…" she couldn't speak of Amanda dying- just thinking it was awful enough, "In that fight with the other dragon. I would've run to your cabin and then all through the forest looking for you. And, I don't know if the other dragons really would eat you, but whether I found your… you or not, I would still come to the same conclusion. And I… well, I just want you to know that I would… It would affect me greatly because I…" She turned to look at Amanda as she trailed off again. Her brown eyes were wide and shinning with unshed tears.

Amanda leaned in closer to place a hand on Olivia's face, ready to wipe the first tear before it even fell. "You what Liv?" she whispered.

Overwhelmed with what she wanted to say and yet still unable to say it, Olivia did the next best thing. She reached up to gently hold Amanda's head as she leaned in slowly. Amanda's mind had blanked. She simply watched as those brown eyes moved closer and closer. Liv looked down at Amanda's lips and back up again, as if silently asking for permission. She seemed to get it when Amanda's mouth parted slightly, and she pressed their lips together.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I still own nothing

Note: okay, you guys are the best. I'm glad I could surprise you with that double-post. It made me very happy to hear your responses to that. Sorry it took a while for me to update again. Work died down a lot but I finally started sleeping better (as in like 6 or 7 hours instead of 3 or 4 if I was lucky) so I took my almost free week to milk that and just stay in my warm bed and sleep as much as I could or just cuddle with my cat Jethro or read. I hope to go back to posting every week but I won't make any promises. NCIS, SVU, and my other fall shows start next week and then Thursday-Sunday I'm going to LBI with my parents and mom's side of the family. Work will most likely not pick up again until November, so hopefully I'll be able to catch up on writing. So if I don't post next week, I'll do my best to post the week after. Anyway, I'll shut up now lol. Enjoy!

~~~~~Previously~~~~~

_Overwhelmed with what she wanted to say and yet still unable to say it, Olivia did the next best thing. She reached up to gently hold Amanda's head as she leaned in slowly. Amanda's mind had blanked. She simply watched as those brown eyes moved closer and closer. Liv looked down at Amanda's lips and back up again, as if silently asking for permission. She seemed to get it when Amanda's mouth parted slightly, and she pressed their lips together._

~~~~SVU~~~~

This kiss was gentle and innocent but still sent lightning through Olivia's veins. Liv forced herself not to give in to her desire to take more as she didn't want to scare the dragon-woman away. Amanda had yet to move. Her blue eyes still open in shock, her body stiff as she didn't even breathe, her lips still pressed in a slight pucker against Liv's. Olivia waited for a few more erratic heartbeats before pulling away, feeling rejected. Amanda however suddenly snapped out of her shock, grabbed the human's face before she could move too far, and pulled her back in for more. Liv smiled against her lips as Amanda kissed her harder and more passionately. She allowed the dragon-woman to set the pace so, when Amanda opened her mouth just barely and gasped against her own, Liv matched the movement. The hand that had fallen slightly from the back of Amanda's head slid back up, burying her fingers deep in the blonde hair and gripping it slightly. Her other hand moved from its place on the ground to Amanda's side. Slowly, she coasted up and around until she could wrap her hand around the base of a wing. Amanda gasped and shuddered. Her wings were twitching. Liv felt the blonde's grip on her face move just enough so Amanda could clutch at her shaggy hair as she kissed her more heatedly. Liv hummed in pleasure as she responded in kind, and Amanda smiled against her mouth. Olivia knew then that she wanted all of Amanda; she wanted to kiss and touch all of her body, all of her wings, and have Amanda do the same. She'd never felt anything like this with anyone. But she also knew of Amanda's past with Dean- how the first time they were going to be intimate, he'd betrayed her in the most disgusting way possible, how hesitant Amanda probably felt about giving herself to someone like that again. She had worked hard to earn what trust the dragon-woman gave her, and she wasn't fool enough to believe that Amanda was ready to trust Liv 100 percent yet. She was okay with that; she would wait. She would never take from Amanda what she wasn't willing to give. So she let Amanda decide what happened and would happen between them from then on. No matter what it was or how long it would take.

The moment Liv's lips touched hers, Amanda knew she was lost. She could no longer convince herself that this wasn't a good idea; all her thoughts simply flew out of her head and all she could feel was the human's lips and closeness and warmth. She hadn't expected the kiss, but when Olivia had begun to pull away all Amanda felt was panic and the need to pull her back for more so she could respond in kind. Her mind and body felt fuzzy like static was building inside her. She felt the human pull her closer as one hand gripped her hair and the other slid along her body until it wrapped around her wing shaft. A bolt of lightning zapped through her at that and she gasped, gripping the human tighter in response. The hum that came from the human sent another flash through her, and she couldn't help but smile to show her pleasure. As if by its own decision, the next time she went to open her mouth, her tongue slid passed her own lips and glided against Liv's bottom one. Olivia whined and opened her mouth further, allowing Amanda in. Amanda shivered with need and tasted the human's mouth. Liv's tongue met hers to tangle in a sensual dance, and both women gasped. Finally, Amanda retreated so she could refocus her attention on the human's lips. She wanted more but was unsure just how much; she could remember how she and Dean had kissed passionately as their hands roamed around the other's body. Sometimes above the clothes and sometimes below. Amanda knew she wanted to feel Liv's body, but it felt too soon. She could smell Liv's desire for more, but could also tell that she was giving Amanda all the control. Olivia, she knew, would most likely have no problem going as far as they could possibly go right in that moment, but she was letting Amanda decide just how far she wanted them to go. Amanda felt honored and delighted by that; Dean had always been the one who led to the next step, and she had pulled away many times because of it. But kissing Olivia was nicer, gentler, and better in every way possible and sent warm emotions that she couldn't even identify through her. Amanda could definitely get addicted to it, to this feeling of being tingly and high.

Their make-out continued for a few more minutes before Amanda pulled away so they could breathe. She rested her head against the human's as they caught their breath. Brown eyes opened to look into blue. Olivia's pupils were blown so wide that the black nearly chased away all the brown while the blue of Amanda's had somehow brightened. Neither of them could wipe the smile from their faces. Finally, Amanda breathed, "That was nice."

Liv chuckled softly and grinned, "It was."

Reluctantly, their hands fell away and they leaned away from one another. Neither had a clue of what to say, but it wasn't like they needed words anyway. As if mentally connected, they both lay down on the grass and stared at the sky. Liv closed her eyes as she relived the kiss in her mind. Her lips were tingling from the ghost of the touch. She sighed, realizing she'd never felt this happy, this blissful after a kiss before. Or ever really. Amanda let her head fall to the side so she could look at the human again. She felt a warmth fill her as she saw the dreamy smile on Olivia's face. Needing to have the physical connection she felt during the kiss again, she let her wing relax until it was spread out above Liv's head and moved it so that the tip of it softly petted Liv's head. Olivia smile grew and her hand slid over until it found Amanda's. She entwined their fingers and squeezed gently, filling Amanda with joy. The blonde let her eyes close as she relaxed into the peace and joy she felt. Cocooned by the warmth and harmony each felt, they lay together in silence, each trying to think of what they had done in life to possibly earn this.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

The rest of their time together was spent with much laughter, frolicking, kissing, and innocent touching. For the first few days, Olivia let Amanda initiate everything and was always happily surprised when the blonde would reach for her hand or kiss her or fold her less injured wing over her shoulders to pull her closer. Then one afternoon, during a make-out session that Amanda had started, she pulled away and whispered, "I may not be ready for a lot Liv, but I won't startle if you are the one to start these moments." After that, Liv reached for the blonde whenever she felt like it, which was often, and was never met with hesitation from Amanda. Touching of Amanda's wings even increased a little. Liv was still hesitant; they were still pretty banged up, though most of the tears were nearly healed, and Olivia didn't want to hurt them as well as overstep any boundaries. But every day she checked to make sure they were healing and was overjoyed to see them get better by the day. It wasn't just when she checked the wounds that she touched them however. Every once in a while, instead of reaching for a hand, she would gently grab a wing instead and began exploring small areas at a time. It was never for too long and never as much as either woman wanted, but each found their own fascination and pleasure in having Liv touch Amanda's wings. They always trembled and twitched under Liv's hands, moving toward her as if by their own free will, begging for more. Amanda wanted to vocalize that plea but knew it wasn't the right time. Both of them were so high on their cloud of happiness that not even Liv's having to leave again could completely damper it.

As they walked back to Sundaria, they held hands, wanting to have a physical connection for as long as possible. And when the walls came into view, they stopped to share a passionate goodbye kiss. Both clutched on to the other not wanting to let go. But as usual, they made an agreement that Amanda would follow them back to Airia, and they would meet at night. Olivia also, worried about Amanda's safety because she could not fly, insisted that Amanda take one of her weapons. She called it a machete and promised that it could cause a lot of damage to a dragon. Amanda protested, saying she had her bow, her fists, and wits, but Olivia wasn't going to take no for an answer. When Amanda finally agreed, Olivia kissed her deeply, making Amanda's head spin and think that she would do anything to earn those kinds of kisses. Finally, Olivia kissed her one last time before pulling away. Amanda watched her go, waving every time the human looked back at her. Liv went slowly, hesitantly, until she reached the wall. She waved one last time before squeezing through and heading quickly to her room. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice where she came from and paid her no mind. She waved to her soldiers she passed before making it to her room and tossing her bags on the bed. She flopped down on it with a heavy sigh, not expecting a voice to come from the chair in the corner of her room, "Hello Olivia."

She gasped, bolting upright and reaching for her sword. She stopped when she saw who it was. "Alex?" she asked, her brow knitting in confusion as her heart began to slow, "What the hell? You scared the shit out of me! What are you doing here?"

Alex just simply stayed in the chair, looking unaffected, as she responded somewhat coldly, "I think you know Liv. You can drop the act."

Olivia only felt more confused, "I'm sorry Al. But I really have no idea what you're talking about."

"I saw you," she said quietly, "I saw you sneak out through that hole in the wall. I even peaked through myself and watched you race off into the woods."

Liv's stomach dropped in dread, "Oh."

Alex glared, "'Oh'? Is that all you have to say? 'Oh'?" She paused, waiting for an explanation but Olivia couldn't give her one. She flew to her feet, "What the hell Olivia? First you come through the gates looking like a madwoman! Then you give me some bullshit about your new lover being sick! Then you sneak out, only to run off into the trees with your sword at the ready like you were looking for some kind of battle! I was worried sick you know? You running away like that and not coming back for nearly two weeks! I mean… have you lost your mind? Have you forgotten the dangers that are out there? I gave you the benefit of the doubt; I know you can handle yourself for the most part. So I told myself that I would wait. If you weren't back by tomorrow morning, I'd send the soldiers out to look for you. You better be grateful something didn't happen to you Olivia, because otherwise it might've been too late by the time they got to you."

Olivia sighed and stood so she was eyelevel with Alex, "I'm sorry I worried you Alex. But no, I have no gone mad or forgotten about the dragons."

"So what happened then?" Alex was still fuming.

"Well," Liv said slowly, "What I said, about my new lover… It wasn't entirely untrue. Something was wrong, and she needed me."

Alex's anger died slightly as it was replaced with surprise, "So you are seeing someone?" Liv nodded. Alex glared again, "That doesn't explain why you ran into the woods."

"I never said she lived here."

She could see Alex trying to piece together all the clues, but she couldn't. She crossed her arms, "Will you stop being so cryptic Olivia and just tell me what happened?"

Liv shook her head, "Even if I could tell you, you wouldn't believe me." Alex opened her mouth to protest but Liv kept going, "All I can say is that I am seeing someone, she lives in the woods, and on the way here I sensed something was wrong when she didn't come to meet me during the night like she usually does. When I finally found her, she'd been attacked by a dragon and needed to be taken care of." It wasn't a lie, so Liv didn't need to feel as guilty as she did.

Alex's anger seemed to die at the explanation, no matter how vague it was. When she spoke again, her voice had lost its hard edge, "How long have you been seeing her?"

Olivia decided to answer with the truth, "During the attack on my men about two months ago, I was on death's doorstep, but she saved me. She brought me to her home and saw to my wounds and took really good care of me until I could go home again. We got really close and wanted to keep seeing one another. So I told her to meet me during the nights while my men and I travelled and then I would sneak out so we could spend more time together. But of course, I had to make sure you were okay so I told her it might be a few days. When you told me to go, I snuck out to meet her then and came back in time to leave again. It was sometime during the last time we were together that I realized my feelings for her, but it wasn't until this time that I did anything about it and found out she returned my feelings." Liv paused as her throat suddenly got thick with emotion, "When she didn't show up during my journey here, at first I thought that she may have just been late but… but then she didn't show up the next night or the night after that and I just KNEW something was wrong… And when I finally found her, she was…" She didn't want to remember the fear she had felt when she saw Amanda covered in blood, her wings torn and broken, her skin pale, and her eyes wild, cloudy as she fought to stay on her feet. But she couldn't force the memory away, and she felt tears fill her eyes. She looked into Alex's eyes, as if begging her to understand, "I thought I lost her Al, and it would've destroyed me."

Alex's eyes widened and all the anger, worry, and hurt left her body as she stepped forward to comfort her best friend. She hugged Olivia tight and rubbed her back as the soldier shook and tried to control herself. She had never seen such terror or emotion in Liv before. It shook her to her core. The brunette was usually so stoic; even when she had told Alex about her mother, she hadn't been this upset. Suddenly, it clicked. Alex knew what this was. She felt it herself every time she thought about Casey. "You love her." It wasn't a question, but Olivia nodded anyway. She might not have put those words to her emotions before, but she knew in her soul that it was true. She loved Amanda. Alex didn't say anything. She didn't need to. She just kept hugging Olivia until she pulled away. They both sat on the bed with a heavy sigh. They were silent for a moment before Alex asked, "What are you gonna do?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, are you going to keep doing this? The sneaking out and meeting in the forest? Because I don't like it Liv. It's dangerous and you could be hurt again. Or worse. You both could."

Liv shook her head, "I'm safe when I'm with her. She's even more capable then I am. And when we meet for the days I'm here, we go to a place that not even the dragons go."

It helped, but it didn't make Alex happy. "I still don't like it," she grumbled, "But I guess I can't stop you even if I wanted to try."

Liv smiled, draping an arm around her shoulders, "Thanks Al." She didn't need to ask if Alex would tell anyone; she knew she wouldn't unless Olivia didn't come back. But that's what made her a good friend.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Nearly two months had passed since Amanda and Olivia shared their first kiss. Nothing had happened except heated make-out sessions and innocent touches, though they were approaching non-innocent territory during their most recent visit. Amanda's hands had begun to explore under Liv's clothes, gliding along her hips and stomach, setting Liv's body aflame. Olivia returned the touches, wanting Amanda to feel the heat she felt. Judging by the dragon-woman's gasps and growls, she succeeded. By the end of the first visit after their kiss, Amanda's wings were just about back to normal, much to both women's joy. Every time they kissed after that, Amanda's wings would fold around Olivia, encasing both of them in what felt like their own world. It was easy to get lost in that world and to forget that anything outside of each other existed. Olivia knew that everyone could see a change in her; she was happier and always smiling. Not only Elliot but Nick, Fin, Munch, and Cragen had all asked several times why. Of course, she couldn't tell them details, but she implied that she had met someone and they were very happy in their relationship. They all just seemed glad that she had found someone who could tame her wild sexual desires. Amanda noticed too that Liv seemed different from when they first met or even from before they began this new chapter to their relationship, lighter somehow. It made Amanda feel warm to know that she changed the human in such a way. She had been changed too. She trusted Olivia with everything she had, more than she'd trusted anyone ever before including her family. She knew she was ready for them to make love. She was just waiting for the proper time; she wanted to make it special for the human, wanted to go all out and make it as romantic as possible. Even though she had no idea how. But she was sure she'd have it figured out by the next time she and Liv saw each other.

At the end of their current visit, when it came time for them to head back to Sundaria, Amanda's mind was whirling with ideas that she hadn't even noticed the weather until they were halfway through their walk back and a fat drop of rain plopped onto her nose. She flinched in surprise before they both looked up at the sky. It was dark gray, the wind had picked up and was causing the trees the swinging back and forth and the clouds to move quickly by. Olivia too seemed to only just notice as she crinkled her face in disgust and remarked, "Looks like it's gonna storm."

Amanda took a deep breath. Yup, that was definitely a storm she smelled coming. She shivered with dread. Aloud, she informed, "It'll rain off and on for the next few days. Then there'll be a severe thunderstorm."

Liv looked at her in awe, "You can tell that just by smelling the wind?"

Amanda nodded, not looking away from the sky.

Suddenly, Liv knew something was wrong, "What is it?"

Blue eyes that were wide with apprehension looked back at her. "I don't like thunderstorms," Amanda admitted.

Olivia cocked her head. Amanda- the dragon-woman who lived outside in a small cabin and who had faced wild dragons an uncountable number of times and came out alive- was scared of thunderstorms? She probably wouldn't believe it if she didn't see that look in Amanda's eyes. She swelled with concern for and a need to protect her gorgeous winged girlfriend, "Do you want me to stay with you until it passes?"

Honestly, Amanda wanted nothing more, but she couldn't ask for that. Olivia had to get back or her people would miss her; she remembered what Liv had told her about her friend Alex in Sundaria and how she would send the soldiers out to look for her if she didn't return on time. Amanda had had to bare through many thunderstorms during her time alone. Though she had lived through them all the other times before, it didn't make it any easier. Just like every other storm before, she would curl up in a ball under her pelts in her cellar, cringing whenever a clap of thunder sounded overhead, as she forced herself not to panic and that it would be over soon. She shook her head, "I'll be fine Liv."

Olivia didn't look convinced but nodded and followed as Amanda continued walking towards Sundaria. By the time they reached the gates, the rain was coming down hard and they were both soaked, but Olivia took the extra time to say goodbye to Amanda properly by shoving her gently against a nearby tree, being careful of her wings of course, and kissing her passionately. Amanda momentarily forgot her anxiety as the usual heat swelled through her at Olivia's kiss. She returned everything that Liv gave, earning a moan from the human. It was Olivia who pulled away reluctantly. She stroked some of Amanda's wet hair from her face and said sternly, "Go home now, okay? That way you'll be nice and bunkered in before the storm hits."

Amanda, despite knowing that was a good idea, protested, "No. I want to make sure you get home okay."

"I'll be fine. The dragons are always less active in the rain and we'll probably travel almost nonstop so we can beat the storm, so who knows if I'll even have time to stop and see you. Please? For me? I'll feel better knowing you're ready and safe."

Amanda sighed. She couldn't say no to those big brown puppy-dog eyes. Olivia smiled at her and kissed her again before heading back inside. Amanda looked up at the sky once more, willing it to change its mind about the storm, before taking a steading breath and turning to head for home.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Something was wrong. Olivia could feel it. Just as she had felt it when Amanda had been attacked. She could feel it like a heavy rock in her stomach. Her skin was itching with restlessness; she felt a need to go to Amanda. She needed to protect her from the storm, to hold her and comfort her through it. She tried telling herself it was just because she cared so much for the dragon-woman that she wanted to go to her, that Amanda would fine, and that, before Liv knew it, it would be time for them to reunite when she left for the next trade as usual. Amanda had been alone for decades- centuries; she had had to face who knows how many thunderstorms by now and, though that didn't make it easier, it was proof that she could do it again. She would be fine. Amanda would be fine. But no matter how many time Liv told herself that, she couldn't bring herself to believe it. She and her men and had arrived back home by midmorning after only stopping to rest the horses once. They returned soaked, cold, wind-whipped, and grumpy. The rain hadn't let up since those first drops that fell on Liv and Amanda's heads as they walked back to Sundaria. It would slow down a bit at times but for the most part it just poured. The wind continued to pick up until it was fierce enough to break branches from trees. Even Liv's human ears could hear the distant rumble of thunder that was quickly approaching. Everyone in Airia was holed up in their homes with enough food to last them a few days if necessary and enough wood to keep their fires going. As soon as Liv, Elliot (who had returned only about ten minutes before Liv), and their men had seen to their horses and helped the traders to quickly unload their goods before they got too wet, they joined the rest of the city in their homes. Elliot invited Liv to come stay with him, Kathy, and Kathleen, but Liv declined. She had been antsy even then and didn't want Elliot trying to pry the reason from her. She returned to her own house, lit a fire to dry her clothes and body, and soon began pacing back and forth, trying to get rid of the restlessness. Hours had passed since then. It was hard to tell because of the already-dark sky, but Liv guessed it was late afternoon. Outside, the storm was building and so was the storm inside Olivia herself.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. To Hell with the fact that Amanda had been alone through numerous storms before they met! That was just it; it was before they met. But now Amanda wasn't alone. She had Olivia. And there was no way Olivia was going to miss out on an opportunity, any opportunity to be with her, to help her, to comfort her in any way she could. Hurriedly, she raced to gather a few things before dousing the fire, locking up her place, and heading to the stable. Coffee immediately perked up when she smelled her human coming and looked at Liv in surprise. Olivia grimaced at her and said, "Sorry to pull you back out into the storm girl, but I need you." She could swear her horse shrugged in acceptance as she saddled her back up. She mounted Coffee and rode to the gates. When a bad storm like this came, only one or two guards were needed to watch the walls. Olivia quickly climbed the ladder and peeked into the guard house. She sighed in relief when she saw Brian Cassidy sitting in the chair. He was drawing but when he heard Liv coming in, he looked up in surprise.

"Liv? What are you doing here? You should be inside."

Bracing herself, she said, "I need out of the city, and I need for you not to ask why or tell anyone that I left." He gave her a look that said, 'And why the Hell would I do that?' She put on her best pleading face and begged, "Please Bri."


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Do you ever think about Warren Leight or Julie Martin or any of the SVU writers or actors writing fanfic? Cauz I do sometimes. Like what if they wanted to post a script that got vetoed or shipped some of their characters? That would be great! I mean, I know theyre probably too busy, but still it would be awesome lol

Note: once again, y'all are awesome! Thank you for your comments/favorites/follows. Glad you were all okay with me not posting while I was at the beach. I got sunburnt on my face (again) but I had fun. Anyway, I just wanna put a nice fat **WARNING** on this chapter for girl-on-[winged]girl action lol. If that's not you're thing (though idk why it wouldn't be lol; not to mention this is rated M and I said there'd be sex in the beginning), kindly read until the part where Liv shows up and then wait for the next chapter.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

_BOOM CRASH BOOM_

Amanda shivered violently as she buried her head in her arms under the furs. The storm had finally hit. Amanda had been fine when it was just the pouring rain, whipping wind, and snapping branches. That had gone on all through the previous day and night, and Amanda had been okay in her cabin with the windows and door locked shut. She had lit some candles and sat down to eat some of the meat she'd prepared; if she blocked out the noises and growing fear, it was just like a regular rainstorm. Then, as the sun began to set again, the first flash of lightning caused her to flinch as she waited several long moments for the thunder. As it rumbled overhead, she quickly gathered the furs, the meat, and went to the back of her home where the latch in the floor lifted to reveal the cellar and stowed herself in there. It made her feel better to be sheltered in the Earth, the dirt surrounding her softening some of the noise. But even it couldn't block out the loudest of it.

Another deafening crack sounded above and Amanda whimpered. She tried to force her mind to focus on other things. Like how the Hell she'd developed a fear of thunderstorms to begin with. She thought of this every time there was a storm. She couldn't remember when she had started being afraid; she just knew she was since as far back as she could remember. She remembered when she was a child and had changed uncontrollably into her dragon form because of the terror. She remembered hiding deeper in her nest and, sometimes, running to her parents. They let her for the first several years until they told her that she was too old to be afraid of thunderstorms and to find a way to cope. Her sister helped a lot once she got old enough, hugging her through the noise and telling her that she would never let her suffer alone. But after losing her, Amanda reverted back to her terror. If anything, it got worse. Maybe because she was facing them completely alone without her family close by. In that moment, she couldn't help but wish she wasn't alone, that her parents and sister were back with her, that Olivia was here. Suddenly, she heard a slam, but it was a different kind of slam from the thunder. She froze as she listened. Had a dragon decided to break in and use her cabin as shelter from the storm? She didn't hear any loud footsteps. Should she go investigate? She didn't bring any weapons down with her. A crack of thunder sounded again followed by a different sound. Was that a voice? She listened harder. She heard it again, swearing she recognized it. Quickly, she crawled out of the mass of furs she'd buried herself in, unfolded her wings from the bubble they were in around her, and climbed up the nearby ladder. She unlatched the door and pushed it open slightly, just in case there really was danger out there. She peeked through. She couldn't see or hear movement. But then the voice called again, sounding slightly panicked, "Amanda?"

Amanda gasped, "Olivia?" She threw back the door and called louder, "Olivia?"

Suddenly, the human appeared at the doorway. Amanda gave one powerful wave of her wings and launched herself into Liv's arms, who quickly opened them to enfold her just as thunder roared. The shorter woman whimpered and buried herself into the brunette's chest. Amanda's hands clutched at her and her wings folded tightly around them. Olivia hugged Amanda as close as she could, wrapped both her hands around both wing shafts, and immediately began whispering comforts. "Shh! It's okay. You're okay. You're safe. I'm here. I'm right here."

Amanda already felt safer. When the thunder dissipated, Amanda pulled back just enough to look at Liv's face. Breathlessly, she asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I had to be here with you," she said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Why?" Amanda still couldn't believe it.

"Because I love you Amanda, and I couldn't let you face your fear alone when you have me." She moved one hand up to cup Amanda's cheek, "You'll never have to be alone as long as I'm here."

Amanda felt all the air in her body leave in a rush and she would've collapsed to her knees if not for Liv instantly catching her. Adjusting her grip on the dragon-woman, the human lifted her from the ground and into her arms bridal style. Amanda wrapped her arms around Liv's neck and held on as the human wordlessly pressed her lips to Amanda's. Amanda, despite the lightheaded feeling, immediately kissed back. When she believed she could speak again, she pulled away just enough to look into those brown eyes. "I love you too Olivia," she whispered.

Olivia grinned widely, pressing their lips together again. The kiss cut off when thunder clapped, causing Amanda to flinch violently in surprise, having forgotten about the storm with Olivia's confession. Olivia quickly jumped into action, "Let's get you back downstairs." She carried the blonde back to the door, refusing to let the blonde go even to climb down. "Hold on," she told her, and Amanda did as told. Liv carefully moved down the ladder, closing and locking the door above them, and lowering down into the mountain of furs. She sat down with Amanda in her lap and pulled some of the blankets over them both. Amanda wrapped her wings around both of them as well, encasing them in their own little bubble of the world. Liv smiled affectionately at the beautiful limbs and reached up to pet them soothingly. Amanda melted into Olivia and allowed herself to be comforted by this human she so loved. Olivia stroked her hair, her back, her arms, her wings, lovingly and reassuringly. The thunderstorm outside continued, but Amanda was so distracted by Olivia that she almost forgot, only flinching for the really loud booms.

When Olivia's lips begun kissing a trail up her arm- starting from her palm, moving over her wrist, her forearm, her elbow, her bicep, her shoulder- and up her neck and jaw, the last of Amanda's attention that was focused on the storm was redirected as she watched the human's lips kiss her over and over. By the time she reached Amanda's lips, the blonde was a quivering mess of need, love, and arousal. Her lips devoured Olivia's. One hand gripped Liv's hair and the other was fisted in her still wet shirt, which she hadn't even noticed was wet until now. She would've felt bad if the little space they were holed up in wasn't being kept warm by their shared body heat. She moaned as Liv's hand slid under her shirt and glided along her stomach. Amanda arched into the touch, silently begging for more, and Liv slowly moved her hand up until she could ghost a finger over the underside of Amanda's breast. Amanda gasped into her mouth. Liv skimmed over her nipple, which instantly hardened at the touch, and flattened her hand so she could cup the whole breast. Amanda whined, ripping her mouth from Liv's so she could pant, "Liv!"

Olivia gently squeezed and massaged the hardened nub with her palm. Amanda moaned again. She had never known a touch like this. It was so gentle, so arousing. Dean had always been too rough, too focused on what he enjoyed than what she did. But Liv was watching her face closely; she could feel that brown eyed gaze on her, watching for signs that she should pull away. And Amanda knew she would if she saw even the slightest sign of discomfort. But she didn't want the human to stop. In her mind, there wasn't a more perfect moment for this than right now. Not because she wanted to be distracted from the thunderstorm but because the human had, somehow, gotten herself here to be able to comfort Amanda. It was completely selfless and proved to Amanda just how much the human would do for her. Amanda loved this human, and she wanted her to know it. Quickly, she looked up at the human's face and practically begged, "Make love to me Olivia."

Liv's eyes widened. "Really? Right now?" she asked. "Are you sure?"

Amanda nodded jerkily, "Yes, I'm sure. Please?"

Olivia smiled softly, "Well how can I say no to that?"

Amanda grinned and pulled her face back towards her own so they could kiss again. It was a heated kiss, full of promise of what was to come. Olivia's hands moved down to her hips and gently lifted her. Amanda went with the movement until she was straddling the human's lap. When she felt the brunette's hands splayed over her skin and begin to slide upwards to remove her shirt, her core flashed with excitement. Willingly, she lifted her arms and broke away from Liv's lips so her shirt could be pulled off and tossed into the corner. Olivia's eyes roamed over Amanda's skin for the first time without shame. Up until now, she had forced herself to be respectful of the blonde even when she shed all her clothes to swim in their creek. Now that she could look at the expanse of pale, nearly perfect skin, she made sure to really look and take it all in. Amanda blushed under the intense stare and forced herself not to fold her arms or wings around herself. She had never been shy before, but then, Liv had never looked at her like that before, with such hunger and love. Slowly, Liv's hands slid up her hips and stomach until she cupped both breasts and gently squeezed. Amanda moaned before kissing the brunette again in appreciation. After a few more moments, Amanda wanted to see and feel Liv's body too and went to remove her shirt. Olivia's breath held in her throat as Amanda ripped her shirt off in one quick movement, finding it a huge turn on as Amanda's eyes took their turn to take in her skin hungrily. Without blinking, the blonde copied Liv by sliding her hands up her defined, toned stomach and over her breasts. Liv gasped, arching her back slightly, silently begging for more. Amanda's hands moved over her mounds again harder. Liv whined. Her nipples were taunt and begging to be touched. She didn't expect that touch to come from Amanda's lips as she bent down slightly and kissed both pert nubs. Olivia groaned, "God, Amanda!"

Amanda smiled at her, "Does that feel good Olivia?"

Olivia could only nod jerkily as she fought to breathe, but Amanda kissed them again defeating her efforts. When Amanda leaned back again, the human could swear she saw a smirk on those lips before they were pressed back to her own. Amanda had her so distracted with the kiss, she gasped again in surprise and pleasure when the blonde's hands squeezed her now-very-sensitive breasts. She returned the gentle squeeze and earned herself a gasp from Amanda. After a few more moments, Liv wanted to taste more of her love's skin. She slid her lips down Amanda's jaw and neck and chest. She moved her hands around to gently grip the dragon-woman's wings again before running her tongue across one breast. Amanda moaned and gripped tightly onto her hair. Olivia lazily lapped around the tender mound until she reached the nipple and closed her mouth around it. She alternated between sucking gently and flicking it with her tongue. Amanda's wings began to quiver as she clutched her hair tighter and groaned loudly. When Liv was satisfied with that one, she licked her way over to the other and gave it the same treatment. Amanda's whole body was shivering now with want. Her wings unwrapped from their protective bubble in exchange for flapping and jerking uncontrollably behind her. When Olivia was done with the nipple, she released it and looked up at the blonde. "You doin' okay?" she asked softly.

"Yes!" Amanda gasped. "I want more."

Liv grinned but answered, "Patience. I want to take my time." When Amanda groaned in protest, Liv chuckled and cupped her cheek, "Shh my beauty. It'll be worth it. I promise."

Amanda fell silent aside from her pants, allowing the human to take the lead. Olivia's mouth returned to her skin to taste all that she could before moving to her neck. She suckled gently on the bottom of Amanda's throat, pleased when Amanda groaned and let her head fall back to give her more room. At the first contact of teeth, Amanda's wings flared and she cried, "Yes Liv! Mark me!"

Gladly, giving in to her more possessive side, the human bit down on the dragon-woman's flesh and sucked, marking her with a dark mark that would show for days. Then she soothed the mark with her tongue and a gentle kiss before she made her mark on another spot at the back of Amanda's jaw. Amanda shivered with pleasure. She may be an alpha dragon (something she still wasn't sure she believed completely despite all the evidence piling up to support that theory), but she would willingly submit to Olivia in any and every possible way. Instinctively, her body went almost limp and her wings fell to the ground as Olivia's mouth continued to mark her in several more places down her neck and chest. Olivia seemed to recognize the admittance of dominance and whined as a part of her thrilled at the prospect of lording over the dragon-woman. But she was determined to use that power to give Amanda all the love and pleasure she deserved. When Liv finally kissed her again, Amanda was starting to feel desperate and pulled at Liv's pants to show she wanted her naked. Olivia maneuvered them so Amanda was sitting and Liv was half-crouched over her. Without disconnecting their lips, the brunette shed her own pants, releasing the scent of her arousal. Amanda inhaled deeply and subconsciously licked her lips. Her eyes ate up the sight of Olivia's naked body. The human was perfect in Amanda's opinion and absolutely gorgeous. She felt the need to tell her so, and when she did, the human blushed and looked away shyly for a moment. When she looked back up, her brown eyes were slightly wet but they were shinning with love and joy. Amanda smiled at her before leaning back to give Liv more room. Olivia took the cue, gripping Amanda's pants. Amanda happily let her remove them. Though Liv's sense of smell was not as acute as Amanda's, she could swear she too could smell Amanda's excitement and, sure enough, when her hungry eyes looked down between Amanda's legs, she could see the glistening of the blonde's wetness. The sight delighted her enough that Olivia had to keep herself from devouring the blonde right then and there, devoted to her need to do this right.

Olivia wanted the blonde to be comfortable for what was to come next but knew she couldn't lay Amanda down on her wings. Normally, Olivia would never consider putting herself in this position; she was always the top, not the bottom. But that usual instinct never even crossed her mind as she laid down, pulling Amanda's hand to show her to climb on top. The blonde straddled her hips and looked down at Olivia with both desire and anticipation, waiting for the brunette to make the first move. Because even though she was the one on top, she had released all power to the human and would follow her lead. Olivia's eyes roamed over Amanda's body at this new angle and she found she rather enjoyed being the one on the bottom. Lightly, she reached up and began massaging Amanda's breasts. The blonde moaned. When Olivia gently pinched her nipples between her thumbs and forefingers, Amanda gasped and, uncontrollably, ground down on Olivia's stomach. They both moaned at that. Olivia couldn't help but copy the movement to duplicate the result. Amanda rocked, this time, causing both their centers to grind together and they both made a sound of appreciation. Olivia sat up and quickly brought their mouths together for a wild, messy kiss. Amanda's hands buried in her hair. Her wings were twitching in a constant throbbing motion, showing how aroused she was. Olivia slowly moved one hand down Amanda's torso. Amanda's heart began to thump even more erratically as Liv got closer to her core. As if sensing this, Liv pulled away just enough to ask, "Are you okay? Should I stop?"

Amanda gasped, "If you stop, I shall go insane and never speak to you again."

Liv chuckled before kissing Amanda again. She couldn't have asked for a clearer message than that. Again, she pulled away so she could watch Amanda's face and eyes before cautiously curling a finger through Amanda's folds. The blonde was already open and soaking wet for her, and Liv couldn't stop the hungry groan that nearly covered Amanda's whimper of pleasure. Amanda had never felt anything so enjoyable in her life. She knew she would never again be able to withstand Liv's touch without becoming aroused. When Olivia repeated the motion only to press down harder and circle around her little bud, Amanda gasped and threw her head back. Olivia took this as a good sign and slowly continued to circle Amanda's clit. The blonde quickly became a shivering, whimpering mess. She lay back down so she could watch as Amanda came undone. Amanda moved her grip to Olivia's waist as she struggled to hold still. After a moment, Olivia lightened her touch but didn't remove it and rasped with a voice thick from desire, "Amanda. I want to be inside you when you come. Is that okay?" Amanda wasn't sure what Liv meant by "come", but she didn't need to be. Liv asked to be inside her, and Amanda wanted nothing more. She nodded rapidly and moaned, words failing her. Liv smiled as the message was received. Gently she explained, "It'll probably hurt a little at first, and I'm sorry for that. But it won't hurt for long. I promise."

Amanda forced herself to focus her brain enough to look down into Liv's eyes as she gasped, "I trust you Liv."

Olivia was frozen in awe for a minute by the sheer amount of trust she saw in the dragon-woman's eyes. She was filled with a new wave of love and warmth for Amanda and gazed adoringly up at her. Determined now more than ever to make this as gentle and pleasurable for the blonde, Olivia slowly moved her middle finger to Amanda's opening. Holding her breath, she gradually began to push against her. Amanda let her head fall back again as she bit her tongue, trying to focus on breathing as she felt the pressure of Liv's finger increase. Finally, she felt a small flash of pain followed by pleasure as Liv's finger slid inside her and she gasped. Her wings flared as high as they could, pushing against the ceiling as they tried to get more room, and her head whipped down to stare at the human beneath her. Olivia gasped when she saw that her eyes had begun to glow with a brighter, bluer light than she'd seen when Amanda had saved her from the dragons. She half-expected it to mean that Amanda's Alpha-ness was about to come out and she was about to take charge somehow. But she didn't. The blonde simply stared, shook, panted, and gasped in delight as Liv's finger was met with a little bit of resistance but continued to push inside until she was all the way in. She watched, barely blinking in return, as Amanda's body reacted, the sight heating her own core even more. It convinced her to keep going despite the glowing. She paused to let Amanda adjust. When she felt Amanda's inner muscles relax slightly as they got used to the intrusion, she curled her finger rapidly a few times inside Amanda's soft warmth. Amanda gasped again, her hips jerking, as she felt another flash but this time it was all pleasure. Olivia then began to pull her finger out before pushing it back in. Amanda hummed as she decided she really enjoyed feeling Liv moving inside her. After she felt satisfied that Amanda was comfortable and enjoying this, Olivia carefully pushed another finger inside. Amanda gasped as she felt herself stretch a little more for Liv. The human lovingly stretched Amanda, being sure to lace as much pleasure as she could into it by curling her fingers inside the dragon-woman and pumping in and out. When Amanda started panting and her hips began twitching in time with her wings, Liv knew she was getting closer and increased pressure and speed. She also moved her other hand down so she could play with Amanda's clit.

Amanda moaned and whimpered and growled. She could feel pressure building inside her, causing her inner muscles to clench and unclench around Liv's fingers. The light of her eyes was getting brighter and seemed to come from her mouth as well though she had yet to notice. Uncontrollably, she began thrusting against Liv's hand, taking her fingers deeper inside her. She cried out for more, and Liv gave it to her. She alternated between fucking Amanda with her fingers and stimulating the pleasure spot inside her. Amanda could feel it coming, but instinctively fought against it. Olivia gave Amanda everything she had, earning a near-scream from the blonde as light shone from Amanda's eyes, mouth, and ears. But still she did not come despite how much Liv knew she wanted and needed to. Olivia pulled herself up so her face was only a few inches from Amanda's, unfazed and even turned on even more now by the glowing. Amanda's arms flew up to wrap around her and press their bodies even closer together. Olivia was sure to watch the blonde's face as she practically begged, "Release for me Amanda. Just let it go."

Suddenly, the orgasm ripped through Amanda, causing her whole body to stiffen and the light to explode from Amanda's face as well as her wings. She clutched Olivia almost painfully, her back arched, her wings pressed almost flat against the ceiling as her juices flowed from her, soaking Liv's hand. Liv continued to pet her clit to draw out the pleasure and was pleased when Amanda's muscles squeezed through another wave of orgasm. Amanda whined and bit down on Liv's shoulder hard at the unexpected second orgasm, but she wasn't complaining. Not wanting to overload Amanda too much, Liv moved her hand that wasn't inside Amanda up and around so she should could hold the blonde closer and on to one still-glowing wing-shaft. She stroked what she could reach of the shaft soothingly as Amanda's body slowly came down from its high. She watched as the light in the wings slowly faded as the blonde regained herself until it was gone and Amanda had mostly caught her breath. And she felt Amanda's body sag in exhaustion when it was over. Carefully, she pulled out of Amanda, earning a small noise of protest, wrapped that hand around the other wing-shaft, and lowered them down to the furs. Olivia cradled the blonde on top of her, still petting her wings, and whispered, "Sleep for a bit my love. It'll help you rejuvenate."

Amanda grumbled a protest, "What about you?"

Liv smiled and kissed her forehead, "I can wait. Just sleep."

Amanda's response was to wrap her arms and wings around as much as Liv as she could and nuzzle her face deeper into the soft bosom underneath her. When Liv kissed her once more, Amanda returned the action to the skin over Liv's heart before instinctively biting down softly into the brunette's breast and staying there as she instantly slept. It felt odd to have someone suckling her skin even in sleep, but Liv also found it incredibly endearing and allowed her to stay. If that as well as the glowing during orgasm were considered Amanda's more "dragonistic" traits, then she could easily accept them.


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: this really is a waste of space lol

Note: okay, I lied. This chapter has more lesbi-onic love making since I decide to break up what would've been a ridiculously long chapter. So if you don't like that sorta thing (but seriously if you don't, what's wrong with you? What else do you expect in an M rated story? Lol it's okay. I still love you.), then read until when Liv wakes up the second time. You guys are still awesome. Keep telling me what you think! Reviews make me happy (:

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Olivia was not sure when exactly she had fallen asleep aside Amanda; she only remembered that she had been cuddling the winged-woman, stroking different parts of her naked body with her fingertips and memorizing the feel of it, as she waited for the blonde to awaken so they could continue where they left off. Now, her sex-cloudy brain was slowly registering a tickling touch wandering around her own body. She moaned as said touch ghosted over her lower stomach and hip bones. Sometime during her nap, she had dried up a bit between her legs. But as she woke up now, she felt her core start to heat and wet once again, her arousal and want swelling quickly through her. She opened her eyes to see the woman she had fallen in love with hovering over, watching her with bright, hungry eyes as her body reacted to the blonde's touch. Amanda had awoken not long ago feeling rested and sated as well as happier and more relaxed than she'd ever been in her entire life. Her love's arms had been holding her close and lovingly as she slept until Amanda slowly pulled away. Almost as soon as she had woken, she had smelled the residual arousal coming from between Liv's legs. Even in sleep, she had not completely stopped being wet, and Amanda shivered as her own excitement restarted as she saw that her human was still mostly open and glistening from their earlier activities. Amanda had enjoyed what they had done more than she could say, but now she wanted nothing more than to have her turn to give the human pleasure. But first, Liv had to wake up, so Amanda started touching. By the time Liv began to stir and moan and opened her eyes, Amanda was wet and eager to make love again. When those brown eyes blinked away the last of unconsciousness, they lit with joy, love, and need and Olivia smiled widely. Amanda smiled back before leaning down quickly to sear their mouths together. Olivia immediately responded by kissing back with as much heat as Amanda was giving her and wrapping her arms around the blonde's shoulders and waist. Amanda held herself over the brunette to kiss for a few moments before pulling back just enough to grin down at her and say, "Hello Olivia."

"Hi," Liv hummed before lifting her lips back to the blonde's.

Amanda could practically taste Liv's eagerness and was all too happy to get on with it. She feasted from the human's mouth until she was satisfied and then moved down her jaw and neck, stopping to bite and suck in a few places to mark Liv like she had done to Amanda, before moving to her breasts. Liv moaned and dug her nails into the pale skin of the blonde's back. She hissed as Amanda kissed a nipple before lapping at it with tongue, "Amanda!" Amanda took the pert nipple into her mouth and suckled it softly at first. When the human arched her back with a strangled moan, the blonde suckled harder and bit down slightly. Liv cried out as she fought to breathe. Her breasts had always been extra sensitive, a fact that Amanda easily realized as she worked the nipple in her mouth until the brunette was squirming under her. She released Liv's nub with a pop and was about to move to the other one when the brunette gasped, "Amanda! I- I need you!"

The blonde looked down at her with love written all over her face, "You have me Liv."

Olivia shook her head, trying to clear the fog of arousal from her brain long enough to tell her love what she really wanted, "No. No. I… I need you… inside me. Please."

Amanda felt a flash of heat and, as she blinked, her eyes began to softly glow again. She growled in agreement before moving herself down until her head was above Liv's soaked core. Amanda's head swam as the smell of Liv's arousal surrounded her and she licked her lips in anticipation. Suddenly, she wanted to know what the human tasted like. Liv shivered as she saw this desire written on Amanda's face. She would willingly let the dragon-woman taste any part of her. The human eagerly spread her legs so Amanda would have more room, offering herself to the winged-being. Amanda growled again, her quickly-becoming-more-apparent dominant side taking the action as a sign of submission and loving it. The glow in her eyes brightened. She looked back up to Liv's eyes just to be sure that Liv wanted this. Liv smiled lovingly at her and nodded her head once as she breathed, "Please?"

It was then that Amanda realized that they belonged to one another; Amanda belonged to Olivia and Olivia belonged to Amanda. Despite their difference in species, despite the fact that Amanda could snap Liv in half if she wanted to and the fact that Liv knew that and _should_ be afraid because of it, despite everything working against them and telling them that they shouldn't be together, human and dragon loved and belonged to one another. Liv seemed to realize this too, because she sat up slightly and reached for one of Amanda's hands. She entwined their fingers and kissed Amanda's knuckles, her eyes filled with tears. Amanda had to swallow her own tears for a few moments before she placed on hand on Liv's thigh and bent over. There were no words that could or even needed to be said, each knowing how the other felt, so Amanda continued. She kissed the skin just above Liv's opening before moving the hand on Liv's thigh up to part the soaked lips even further. She looked up one last time to see Liv watching her with need and love. Amanda inhaled the scent, her tongue soaked with saliva, and she opened her mouth. Liv held her breath, unable look away, until she gasped at the first touch of Amanda's tongue. Amanda slowly gathered her juices on the surface of her tongue before closing her eyes blissfully and savoring the taste in her mouth. The human tasted a little bit sweet and a little bit salty, but wholly of Olivia, completely delicious. She purred in pleasure and, when she opened her eyes again, they were glowing brighter and hungrier. Liv only had a second before Amanda was feasting from her. She moaned as she quickly came undone. She threw her head back, squeezed her eyes shut, and fought to breathe as she shook and writhed under the blonde's mouth and squeezed her hand tightly, using it as an anchor. Her orgasm was already close, building fast. When Amanda's finger suddenly entered her, Liv practically screamed in ecstasy, coming hard. With wings flared and eyes glowing, Amanda watched proudly as Liv lost it and growled as she drank the human's juices. But she wasn't done with her love yet; she paused only for a few seconds before she added another finger and began to pump her hand like Liv had done. Liv whined and moaned, "Amanda!"

Amanda pumped harder and faster and then stopped to rapidly curl her fingers inside the soft, hot, wet tunnel as she forcefully swirled her tongue around the nub of Liv's clit. Olivia roared in pleasure, orgasming again. Olivia's inner muscles squeezed Amanda's hand so tightly that she could barely move her fingers so she settled for curling the first joint of her fingers and lazily licking at her clit as she extended the human's orgasm as long as possible. Olivia shook almost violently as she chanted, "Fuck! Amanda! Fuck!" Slowly, Amanda felt Olivia's inner muscles release her so she gently pulled out, earning a whimper of protest from the brunette. Uncontrollably, she sucked Liv's juices from her fingers before licking Liv clean- which Liv had looked towards her just in time to see. The sight made her groan and become aroused again. Despite being not yet recovered from her previous two orgasms, she growled and reached for the blonde, determined to get more, "Come here." She pulled the blonde's mouth to hers and devoured it, humming as she tasted herself on Amanda's tongue. The dragon-woman's wings fluttered in surprise but she was quick to follow the brunette's lead. Since her other hand was tightly being gripped by Liv's, she held herself up with her free hand. After a few minutes, Liv gripped Amanda's hair, ripped the blonde head away, and demanded, "Put your fingers back inside me."

Amanda shivered at the order, loving when Liv was dominant just as much as she loved being the more dominant one, and quickly slid her hand down to Liv's core. It was wet and open again and Amanda's fingers met no resistance. She sank in deeply before pausing to await more orders. Liv pulled Amanda's head back down for more kisses before she slid her hand down the back of Amanda's head, down to one wing shaft, and up a wing. Olivia stroked her hand up and down the bone as Amanda moaned into Liv's mouth and the wing shook. Liv took her other hand back so she could give the other wing the same treatment. Amanda whimpered; she had never realized that her wings would be so sensitive during sex, just like Liv's breasts. She wanted Olivia to feel what she felt, so she put all her weight on her knees and gripped one of Liv's breasts. Liv groaned into her mouth and panted, "Harder." Amanda squeezed the luscious mound harder, earning a loud gasp and a squeeze from Liv's hands around her wings. Amanda shook and gasped. Olivia wondered if stroking Amanda's wings would bring the dragon-woman to orgasm. She smirked to herself as she decided to find out.

She stroked harder and faster and Amanda whined, "Liv. If you keep doing that, I won't last very long."

Liv grinned ferally, "That's the idea." Amanda growled. "Fuck me with your fingers Amanda," Liv ordered, giving a thrust of her hips and a squeeze of her hands for emphasis, "First to the finish loses."

Amanda choked out a laugh but found her heart kick up at the human's words. She gave Liv her own evil grin and taunted, "You're going to lose."

"We'll see about that." With that, Liv surged to kiss the blonde as she began to manhandle the wings wherever she could reach with fast, purposeful, yet gentle, loving touches. Amanda gasped but caught up quickly, pumping her fingers in and out of the brunette at a quick pace, being sure that her fingers were curled to always reach that spot in Liv that made her jerk and cry out. It wasn't long before both women were on the edge, fighting against the inevitable to win this little game. They gave up kissing in order to breathe, panting on to each other's skin. Amanda's light had begun to shine again, signaling to Liv that she was close. She was biting her bottom lip as she held back her orgasm best she could. She gripped the soft leathery skin of one wing while the other wrapped around the hand-looking part of another as she tried to make Amanda come first. Amanda's fingers were working her hard and fast, alternating between quick pumps, slower yet harder pumps, rapid curls, and deliberate curls against her sweet spot. Amanda knew by the twitching of those inner muscles and the unevenness of Liv's breathing that she was close. After a while of playing with Liv's breasts, Amanda moved her hand down to play with the nub of Liv's clit like she had done with her tongue. Olivia practically screamed but still she did not come. In response, the human squeezed hard on the wings and dug her nails into the scales. Amanda moaned loudly, just barely managing not to come. They were both shaking and thrusting their hips uncontrollably into the other. Olivia bit down on Amanda's shoulder. Amanda's glow was nearly blinding. Truthfully, by this point, it was no longer about winning or losing, just trying to hold on to the incredible pleasure that neither had felt before and didn't want to go away just yet. Olivia's mouth let go of Amanda's shoulder so she could inhale but ended up with a mouthful of wing. Instinctively, she sucked it hard into her mouth, biting down and lapping at it with her tongue. Amanda turned to look, unleashed a nearly ear-splitting dragon roar, and came simultaneously as it was all she could handle, that bluish light exploding from her once again. Olivia was only a second behind her, coming harder than she'd ever had in her life with a silent (as all energy left in her body was given to the orgasm) scream as she arched into Amanda's body. They both jerked uncontrollably as they came down until they collapsed, Liv into the furs and Amanda on top of her, hands still buried in or wrapped around the other, unconscious.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Olivia had never passed out because of an orgasm before. And she had had some pretty good lovers in the past. But none of them could compare to Amanda. In fact, all her past lovers put together could not compare, didn't even come close. When she came to, her body felt both heavy as a rock and light as a cloud. It felt both sated and desiring of more. But as she grew more aware of her surroundings, she realized that Amanda was no longer on top of her or even next to her. She opened her eyes to look around the underground space. Besides her, it was empty. She pouted sadly. She stretched, her bones cracking in several places, before she crawled around, looking for her clothes. Luckily, due to the heat in the underground room as well as the length of the time spent off, they were dry. She hoped her bag she'd brought had dried out too. And that Coffee was okay. Olivia had pushed her to her limits getting here, then haphazardly undid the girth so her saddle would just fall to the ground before rushing into the cabin. She hoped her beloved horse would forgive her for the mistreatment. As Liv made her way to and up the ladder, she listed her priorities: pee, find Amanda, check Coffee, eat, then head home. She wished she could stay longer, but she had promised Brian that she would be back as soon as the storm was done. Any longer and it would be hard for him to hide the fact that she wasn't there. She pushed open the door and climbed out. "Amanda?" she called.

"Out here Olivia!" she heard a voice call back.

She walked outside and looked towards the meat rack where Amanda was roasting a deer with Coffee eating a pile of apples, carrots, seed head grasses, and regular grass. She looked very content down on the ground by the dragon-woman and, as Liv got closer, she realized that Amanda was telling her a story about a horse she and her sister used to have. The scene made her smile affectionately at both of them. Since Amanda was closer, Liv interrupted the story long enough to greet her first with a kiss before moving to hug her horse's head. She was glad when the horse nickered softly at her and accepted the hug. Then she quickly went to relieve herself. When she returned, the deer was ready and Liv practically devoured it. Amanda sat down next to her, their sides pressed together, as she ate almost as ravenously. "Guess good sex makes both of us ravenous huh?" Liv smiled at her love when she had finished.

Amanda grinned at her. "It was good for you then?" she asked.

"Of course it was! It was incredible!" she was quick to say. She lowered her voice and leaned closer to the blonde, "I love you Amanda, and I love what we did. Making love with you was the best thing I've ever felt. Thank you."

"I love you too Liv. And thank you. You really showed me true love making, and it felt amazing." She kissed the human soundly for a few moments before Coffee nickered loudly, as if demanding some decency. The women pulled apart with huge smiles.

"Oh hush you big oaf!" Liv said jokingly to her horse. They laughed as Coffee huffed indignantly.

"So I guess you have to head back today right?" Amanda asked reluctantly.

Liv pouted, "Yah. When I left, part of my deal with Brian- one of the gate guards- was that I would head home as soon as the storm ended."

"How did you manage to get here by the way? We never fully talked about it."

"Well as the storm got worse, I just got this bad feeling in my gut that got worse the closer the storm got. And I just knew that I had to find a way to get to you. Luckily when I got to the guard tower, Brian was the one on duty. He and I have been friends for a long time; when we were teens fresh into the army, he told me he had a crush on me. I obviously told him I didn't return his feelings because I like women but we stayed friends. He's a good guy. He could see that something was wrong but I made him promise not to ask where I was going. In return for him opening the gates to let me out and then help me sneak back in, I agreed that I would get him a date with this girl I know, Carrissa. He's had it bad for her for a long time. Anyway, so he agreed that he would help me, and I made Coffee run as fast as she could for practically an entire day."

Amanda looked from the human to the horse and back again. Softly, she said, "You really didn't have to do that. I would've been fine."

Liv shrugged, "That's what I told myself too. But I had to be here Amanda. Like I said, you'll never have to be alone now that you have me. I don't want you to have to be. Not anymore."

Amanda smiled at her softly, "You're amazing."

Liv blushed but accepted the kiss Amanda leaned forward to give her. They sat together in silence for a little while longer, dragging out their time together for as long as possible. Then they stood and cleaned up their food mess before Liv helped Amanda pull the furs out of the cellar and remake her nest. Amanda stood by Coffee's head and petted her nose as Liv saddled her again. "Don't worry girl. Liv won't push you as hard this time. Got it Olivia?" she turned to give her human a smirk. Coffee turned to give her a stare of her own.

Liv laughed, "Alright alright. If you two are gonna gang up on me like that."

Amanda grinned as the horse looked back at her. When Liv was done, she shared one last heated kiss with Amanda before climbing up. She smiled down at Amanda. "See you for my next trade?"

"Of course! Bring donuts?" Amanda smiled childishly back up at her.

Liv chuckled, "Sure babe. See you."

With that, she turn Coffee towards home and set her in a slow canter. True to her word, she didn't push Coffee too hard though that meant it would take a little longer to get home. Two days later, she could see Airia's gates ahead of her. The plan that she and Brian had come up with was that she would wait until night time to signal him to let her back in and then he would send the guardsmen he was in charge of to the pub to get food and ale, make sure the coast was clear, light the lantern in the guard tower window to let her know to come to the gates, and open the gates just enough to quickly let her in. She guided Coffee into a thick patch of trees and brush and stayed out of sight until dark. Then quietly, she pulled out her scope to look at the gates. She was relieved to see Brian alone and pacing the wall, looking into the forest. She walked closer to the gate and quickly lit a match before lighting the whole match book. She waved it above her head and looked through the scope to see when she got his attention. Thankfully, he must have been anxious to see the signal and quickly spotted her. He held up his hand, and Liv quickly threw the small flame to the ground and stomped it out. Then she went back to Coffee and waited to see the lantern. It was only a few minutes later when she did and she quickly led her horse towards the gate. Just as she reached them, they opened just enough for them to hurry in and then they were quickly shut behind her. She rushed off to the side and went the long but dark way around to the stables. She peeked around the corner and was relieved when she saw it empty and most horses sleeping in their stalls. Quickly and quietly, she led Coffee into her stall, unequipped her, made sure she had food and water, and then left. She headed back to the tower and climbed the ladder. Some of the guards had come back and were happily snacking on their food and ale. "Jesus Olivia. I was worried that wouldn't work," Brian's voice said quietly as he approached her. "I don't know what you were up to, but I've decided that you are completely mad." Liv grinned because he was clearly joking as he pretended to glare at her. Then all pretense of being mad was gone and he gripped her shoulder as he asked in a concerned voice, "You okay?"

She nodded, "Yes. Everything is fine now. Thank you so much for covering me. I owe you so much more than a date with Carrissa."

He grinned, "Yes. You do. But I'll be grateful for just the date. Now, it's late. Why don't you head home and rest from your secret adventure?"

"Thanks again Bri. You have an easy night. Next time you go to the pub, put whatever you order on my tab, okay?"

His smile was wide and bright, "Thanks Liv. Night."

She waved before turning to climb back down and head home. She didn't fully relax until she was safely in her home. She closed her door, locked it, then sighed in relief as she leaned back against it. She couldn't believe she and Brian had pulled that off. Despite how much she might want to, she hoped that she would never have to do that again. It was way too risky and nerve-wracking. Suddenly, Liv felt very tired. She shed her clothes as she headed towards her bedroom. She was naked by the time she reached her closet and quickly dressed in nighttime clothes. She tripped over a dirty shirt but managed to catch herself as she let out a curse.

"Olivia?" a voice suddenly croaked, making Olivia freeze in an automatic defensive stance.

It was then she noticed a shape moving in her bed. A shape that was sitting up and reaching for the oil lamp on her bedside table. Olivia gasped when the light of the flame lit up the face on the person, "Casey?"

The red-head blinked sleepily at her, "What are you doing?"

Olivia stared at her for a minute incredulously. Then demanded, "_What am I doing_? What the hell are _you_ doing? This is _my_ house!"

Casey seemed to remember where she was as her eyes widened and she held up her hands, "Please don't hurt me. I'm sorry to have invaded. But you weren't here and I needed somewhere to hide."

"Hide? Hide from what?"

Casey looked down at her lap. "My husband," came the answer in a whisper.


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I still don't own it

Note: you keep commenting, favoriting, and following, and I'll keep telling you how grateful I am. In my opinion, this chapter is not my best. I probably shouldn't have written it today because I'm so exhausted, but the voice in my head kept yelling at me to get it out and push through and the next chapter would be better. Sometimes, it's better to listen to the voices in your head, kids lol. Anyway. I hope that you don't find it complete crap. Or that, even if you do, you'll be kind and keep reading.

~~~~SVU~~~~

Olivia gaped at Casey for a minute as her mind tried to make sense of Casey's words. She was tired and her mind was slower than it should be. But then the red-head looked back up at Liv, and the soldier gasped. The left side of Casey's face was swollen and bruised, her nose looked crooked, and both her eyes were blackened. "Oh my God Casey," she breathed as she went to the injured woman, "What happened?"

Casey looked at Olivia sadly and answered quietly, "Lewis."

Olivia carefully took her sort-of friend's chin in her hand and tilted her head so she could better see the damage. Now that she was closer, she also noticed a thick bruise around the pale-woman's neck. Liv looked over the rest of her and noticed that Casey's right wrist was swollen and she was holding it close to her chest; both wrists were bruised as if she had been shackled. The rest of her arms were littered with bruises that Liv expertly realized were made by fists as well as hands gripping her too tightly. Olivia couldn't be sure because the rest of the woman was covered by blankets or clothes but Casey also seemed to be sitting awkwardly off to one side as if she couldn't sit properly. Olivia swallowed roughly, "What did he do to you?"

Suddenly, Casey burst into sobs and was throwing her arms around the brunette. Through her cries, she tried to get out an explanation but it came out brokenly and Liv had to pay close attention to make out some of the words. "Oh Liv. I didn't mean to anger him; I really didn't. It's just that I noticed that he was missing quite often. Even at night. We don't sleep in the same room. Neither of us like that. And he only touched me the night of the wedding. Which I was glad for but also concerned. And then I followed him one night. He was going down to the dungeon and we- we don't have anyone that's supposed to be down there Liv. Crime is very much controlled. But I heard screams- terrible screams coming from down there. Of a woman. And I tried to go down there but the door was locked from the inside. So I waited. I was going to see what was going on down there. And I waited for a few hours but then the screaming stopped. Just like that. And I was very afraid. I hid and watched the door. He came out, looked around, and, when he saw no one was there, he emerged, locked the door behind him, and went back to his room. He was covered in blood Liv. Blood that wasn't his; he didn't have any wounds. And I tried Liv. I tried to see what was down there and what he'd done. And then I noticed that people were missing. Women that no one would miss. Prostitutes or shut-ins or the insane. He's taking them Liv! And he's torturing them and killing them! But I couldn't prove it. So I tried to get into the dungeon; I picked the lock- a skill my father taught me. But when I got down there, it was clean. Nothing was out of place; there was no blood, no sign that anything had happened or that anyone had even been down there. I didn't know what to do; I was just about to leave when I heard a voice behind me. 'So you know,' he said. And I tried to convince that I didn't know anything but he didn't believe me. And he went mad and came at me. He shackled me and hung me from the ceiling. He was going to torture and kill me too Liv. He started hitting me and yelling at me, telling me that I wouldn't stop him- that he hadn't killed my parents and gotten this far only to have me get in the way of his plans. And I was just so scared Liv. I didn't even fight back. And he got bored with me. He told me himself that he likes it when they fight, that I wasn't deserving of his work because I was too weak to fight back. But he said he wasn't going to let me go unless I promised not to turn him in. After all, just because I'm Queen doesn't mean I can just accuse him when I have no evidence. And most people don't bat an eye to a beaten woman so even the state I'm in would be of no use. So he left me down there, hanging, until the morning. He asked if I would tell and I said no. He said if he found out I did, he'd kill me. But he let me down and out of the dungeon. Once he was gone, I ran. I planned to steal a horse and flee, but it was storming and I have no idea where I'm going on a good day. So I came here, hoping you'd help me. But you weren't here, so I broke in. I'm sorry Olivia. Please forgive me. I had nowhere else to go and I needed to hide."

Casey's words stopped as her sobbing became too much for her to handle. Olivia simply held her gently and said softly, "It's okay Casey. I'm not mad. You're okay. You're safe now." She let the red-head hug and cry onto her until she passed out in exhaustion. Then she helped Casey settle back in the bed and watched over her as she slept non-peacefully. Liv dozed for a few hours before sunrise. Then she was up and sleepily scrounging together something to feed her guest. Were she not so tired, Liv might have laughed at the fact that her guest was the Queen of the Airian Kingdom and Liv had barely anything fresh and worthy to give her. She'd have to go to the market later. She also pondered what exactly she was going to do with Casey. Surely, if he hadn't noticed already, Lewis would soon realize that his wife was missing. Would he panic that she'd run off to tell someone about his actions despite her promise not to? What would he be willing do to retrieve her in order to protect his secret? If he found her Liv had no doubt that he'd kill her for being a flight risk, whether she fought back or not. Olivia had known something was off with that guy! She could tell from his eyes. Now she knew exactly what it was that set her off. Those dead hazel eyes were the eyes of a predator, of a soulless killer, one who killed for sport and pleasure rather than for survival. And he was Airia's King. Liv's stomach sank in dread as she worried about what that could mean for the Kingdom.

She sat down heavily at her table and rubbed her temples. She'd have to worry about that later. Right now, she had to deal with Casey. She couldn't just expect the red-head to deal with this herself- her conscious wouldn't let her even if she wanted to. So. What to do with her? She obviously couldn't stay here. At least not for long. If Lewis did announce that she was missing, he'd send people into every house and business looking for her. Casey was well-liked and everyone would pitch in to find her. Liv had to get Casey out of the city. Would it be safe for her in another city in the Kingdom? Sundaria for example? Surely, Alex would hide the woman she was in love with despite the heart break. But would that be enough? Not many people in the other cities had met Casey, but they knew what she looked like and, once word spread that she was no longer in Airia, it wouldn't be hard to put two and two together. Alex's husband Trevor had met her as well. So even if Alex was willing to hide Casey, it would be extremely difficult to hide her from Trevor for long. Olivia stared at her table as she thought, 'Okay. So Casey can't go back home. She can't stay here. She can't go to another city in the Kingdom. Maybe an outside city, one of our allies or at least one who accepts foreigners and refugees, would be a good option.' It was the best Liv could come up with. She decided to run it by Casey and see what she thought. They could discuss other options if she thought of more.

As if the thought summoned her, Casey appeared in the kitchen. She looked sleepy, scared, and bruised- more bruised than Liv had realized now that she could see the red-head in the daylight. With a forced-smile that was more of a painful grimace, Casey said, "Good morning Olivia."

Liv gave her a tense but gentle smile, "Morning. How do you feel?"

"A little better than yesterday, but not good," she admitted.

Liv nodded then said, "Come sit with me. We have to talk about what we're going to do."

"We?"

"I'm not gonna just let you handle this alone Case," Liv smiled comfortingly. "I'll help you."

"You don't need to do that Liv," Casey protested as she came to sit down across from the brunette. "You've already helped by letting me stay the night in your home- after I broke in no less."

Liv shrugged to show that that didn't matter then said, "You can stay here as long as you want. But I want to run something by you."

"Okay."

"You can't stay here, in Airia. At least not for long. Once he realizes you're gone, he'll probably start a manhunt for you. I'll hide you here if that happens but I don't know how well that'll work or how long that would last. And with me gone on trades, I won't be here to protect you or provide for you. You aren't safe here. You realize that right?" Casey nodded, knowing that to be the truth though she was still saddened by it. Liv understood. This was Casey's home. But now it wasn't safe, and getting her somewhere that was was more important. Liv went on, "I also don't think it would be safe in another city in the Kingdom."

Casey looked at her wide-eyed, "Then where will I go?"

"I was thinking maybe an outside city. One of our allies- one of the ones who signed the treaty but never met you- or a nearby city that would accept someone in need of a place to settle down."

"Even if I agreed to that Liv, you and I both know that I can't take care of myself outside of these walls. There's no way I could travel alone to another territory. Hell, I probably couldn't even get to one of our cities in one piece. And if you take me, your absence would look suspicious."

It was then that an idea came to Olivia. She brightened as she asked, "What if I could have someone else take you?"

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Olivia prayed that this would work. So far, things had been going in their favor. Lewis had announced that Casey was missing and arranged for a group of soldiers to practically raid the city looking for her. Soldiers had entered Liv's house and tore it apart looking for the Queen. But Liv had hid Casey in the secret storage cupboard in the back of her closet; it was easily missed unless you were looking for it. Olivia herself hadn't even known it was there until a few years after she'd moved in, so, luckily, the soldiers didn't notice it. Lewis sent word to the other cities that Casey was missing and even announced that there was a pretty impressive money reward for anyone who returned her to him. She and Casey had come to a sort of routine during the little-over-a-week they lived together. When Olivia had to leave for training or to go to the market, Casey would lock herself in Liv's bedroom which didn't have any windows and, if she heard anyone come in, she was too hide. Even when it was Liv. Who would personally call for Casey along with give her the word they'd designated for the all-clear. The two women decided that, the night before Liv's group would leave for the trade, the two would sneak into the building where they stashed the carts that were full of fresh items and Casey would hide in a sac on one of the carts. It all went off without a hitch; no one even realized that there was an extra package onboard one of the carts. It was now nightfall on the first day they'd left, and it was time for phase two. This is the part Liv was most worried about.

Liv called her men to a stop and to begin the nightly preparations. As usual, she took first watch and waited until she could safely get to Casey. Almost silently, she helped the red-head out of the sac and into the woods. The morning Liv had told Casey of this plan, she had left out a key detail, one that she was sure, that if Casey knew, would be a deal breaker. She had simply asked whether the red-head trusted her, to which Casey replied that yes, she did. Now she could only hope that that trust would hold out as she turned to Casey and whispered, "Sit here and wait for me to come get you." Casey nodded and did as told. Then Liv turned around and went towards where she could feel Amanda's eyes watching her. Despite the situation, as soon as the blonde glided down from the trees, the brunette wrapped her in a fierce hug and gave her a passionate kiss. Amanda had seen Liv pull another woman out into the forest with her and was confused, but she easily hugged and kissed her human back as she waited for an explanation. After a few moments, Liv pulled with a smile and said quietly, "I missed you."

Amanda smiled back, "I miss you too. I couldn't wait to hold you and kiss you and touch you again. I was almost convinced our last time together was a dream."

Liv held her love's face, "It most definitely was not a dream. I am the luckiest woman alive."

"No. I am." They fell silent in order to stare lovingly at one another for a moment. Then Amanda couldn't help but ask, "Who was that with you?"

Liv's dreamy look fell to be replaced with a nervous one. She took a deep breath, "I have a favor to ask you."

"Anything Liv. Just name it."

Olivia quickly explained the situation, Amanda frowning deeper as Liv went on. When Liv got to the end, she said, "I was hoping that you would be willing to help her get to a nearby city. I have it picked out and circled on a map; it's maybe about six days south-east of here, and I'm almost certain that they'll accept Casey easily and that Lewis won't go looking for her there. I know this is a lot to ask, and you can decline and we'll just find a plan B. And I gotta be honest, I didn't tell her exactly who or what you are, so she might not take this well. But I couldn't just leave her and-"

"Olivia," Amanda softly cut her off. "It's okay. I'd do anything for you, and I will do this."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Liv surged forward to give Amanda a powerful kiss that had Amanda bending slightly backwards. When the human pulled away, Amanda was weak-kneed and foggy-headed. "Thank you so much."

Amanda gave herself a shake, "You're welcome. Bring her over. She doesn't have any weapons on her does she?"

Liv could tell it was only a half-joke, so she answered, "No, but I doubt she even knows how to use one. But I'll stay close so I can stop her if she starts screaming."

Amanda swallowed her nervousness as Liv went to go get her friend. Just a few months ago, she made sure no human ever saw her. Now here she was about to have TWO humans know of her existence. How much things had changed because of the first human, her Olivia. Olivia went back to find Casey just where she'd left her. "Come with me," the brunette said. As Casey stood and began to follow, Liv asked one last time, "Are you sure you trust me Casey?"

"Yes," Casey didn't hesitate though her voice sounded uneasy.

"Do you trust that I would never put you in a situation that I thought was dangerous?"

Casey gave her a long look but eventually said, "Yes."

"Be sure to remember that trust. You may not like what is about to be shown to you, but know that she is not a danger to you."

"She?"

Instead of answering Casey, Liv called softly, "Amanda?" The blonde stepped out from behind a tree. Liv noticed that the dragon-woman had flattened her wings as close to her as possible and dulled the glowing of her eyes. Amanda had made herself look as small and unthreatening as possible. Still, even with just the light of the moon, Casey could see the new woman for what she was and gasped. She stepped back defensively. Quickly, Liv grabbed her wrist before she could run and said slowly, "Casey. This is Amanda. She's the one I told you about- the one who saved me after the attack, the one I fell in love with."

Casey's eyes didn't leave Amanda as she gasped, "I don't… I don't understand. She has dragon wings."

Liv and Amanda shared a look and Amanda nodded grimly, silently giving Liv permission to tell Casey everything. Liv was silent for a moment longer before looking back to Casey and answering, "That's because Amanda is a dragon. She's what the dragons are supposed to look and be like. Well, minus the wings." Casey opened her mouth but before she could say anything Liv quickly continued, "A long time ago, the dragons were given a gift to help them survive; they were given the ability to change into the form of humans because they were being hunted to extinction. They kept to themselves for a long time but, one day when Amanda was young, a man discovered her village and somehow created a virus that would target them." Liv ignored the shocked look Amanda gave her when she told Casey the half-truth. "It was meant to kill them but instead it caused them to lose their humanity, and they changed into what we know them as today. Amanda was the only one who didn't fully change. You have no reason to fear her."

Casey still looked frightened and unsure, but her eyes moved from Liv to Amanda as if she was trying to wrap her mind around this. When it seemed that Casey wasn't going to run, Olivia dropped her hand and took a few steps closer to Amanda, reaching out her arm. Amanda quickly slid close to Liv's side and wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist. She knew what Liv was doing; she wanted Casey to see that Amanda wasn't dangerous. If not for the seriousness of the situation, Amanda might have laughed at the irony of that, but she stayed silent, waiting for the new human to make her decision. Thankfully, she seemed to relax slightly at the embrace, looking at them instead with more curiosity than anything. Slowly, the redhead asked the blonde, "You are the reason Olivia is alive?"

Amanda nodded, "Yes." Now was no time to be modest.

Casey relaxed a little more and smiled slightly, "Then I guess Airia and I are both in your debt. Thank you." She held out her hand towards the winged-woman.

Amanda flashed Liv a quick look before she took the offered hand and shook it. Olivia smiled and, as the other two women dropped their handshake, she said, "Casey, Amanda is going to help you get away. She knows the forest and will protect you. Or at least, if you are okay with this?"

"If you trust her Olivia, than so do I."

"I trust her with my life."

Amanda blushed and her eyes glowed brighter again under the praise. Casey smiled, finding the sight of the dragon-woman's sheepishness endearing, "Okay then."

Liv took Amanda's hand in her own and continued, "I need to complete the trip to Sundaria with the rest of my men, but I wish hoping that, Amanda, you could take her to your cabin and then I could come there afterward just to make sure you are both ready for the trip." She didn't mention that she also had another motive for this plan.

"I am okay with this plan if Amanda is."

Amanda nodded.

"Great," Liv smiled. The three woman talked quietly about the journey and what Casey should expect until the sun began to rise and Liv had to get back to her men. When she had to leave the two women, she was hesitant to do so. Was Casey really so accepting of Amanda? Would she try to hurt her dragon once they were alone?

Oddly enough, Casey seemed to pick up on Liv's unease and said, "It's okay Liv. Amanda is safe with me as I am with her."

The thought that Casey wasn't safe hadn't even crossed Liv's mind, she realized guiltily. Amanda reached up to run her fingers through Liv's shaggy hair then used her grip on the back of her head to pull her closer for a kiss. Liv could feel the reassurance on Amanda's lips as well as a promise. When the blonde pulled away, she looked into Liv's brown eyes and whispered, "I'll take care of her."

Uncontrollably, Liv whispered, "It's not her I'm worried about."

Casey chuckled to herself.

Amanda scoffed with a smile, "I can handle her. She's puny."

"Hey! I am right here you two know?" They both laughed before sharing another kiss and hug. Then Liv, quickly rushed to her men as they started waking up. "She really loves you," Casey noted softly to the blonde as the brunette walked away.

Amanda nodded, "And I love her."

"It's why I can trust you," Casey confessed honestly, "You two clearly have something special. You would do anything for one another and trust each other completely. I know you won't let anything happen to me because of her." When Amanda turned and looked about to protest, Casey quickly added, "Not that you wouldn't anyway! I'm just saying."

Amanda shrugged, "You have a point. I am not a monster, despite my appearance, but yes Olivia does give me extra incentive." They were silent for a moment then Amanda said, "You ready?"

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

"Hey Liv!" the voice called a greeting as she exited the stable.

Liv smiled and waved, "Hey Alex!"

The blonde hugged her quickly before pulling away, "How have you been? How was your journey?"

"I've been good, and travel was easy."

"Good. I just wanted to say hi before you went off gallivanting with your secret lover."

"Actually, I'm not going. Not just yet."

"Why? Is something wrong?"

Liv nodded, "It's Casey." At Alex's panicked look, Liv quickly continued, explaining everything that had happened since finding Casey in her house. The more she explained, the more murderous Alex looked. Liv wondered if she would have to stop the blonde from stomping to Airia and killing Lewis herself. She had never seen Alex so furious, and if that look were aimed at her, Liv would be hightailing it out of the Kingdom just to get away from her. Even when Liv told Alex that Casey was safe with Amanda, the blonde hardly calmed down.

Sure enough when Liv was done, Alex's voice was hard and cold and sent chills up Liv's spine, "He's dead. I'll kill him myself if I have to." And then Liv lost the blonde as she began ranting about all the things she would do Lewis. She used a lot of big words and what sounded like both medical and legal knowledge that Liv couldn't comprehend even if Alex were talking slow enough for Liv to hear her clearly.

Finally, Liv grabbed Alex's arm and said, "Come with me Alex. I'll take you to her, and you two can start over together."

That shut Alex up quicker than a slap to the face would have. "What?" she gasped.

"She needs you Alex. She loves you, and I know you still love her. She's being forced out of her home in fear of her life; she's going to be alone and scared. She'll need someone to help her and be there for her."

"Why me? Can't she just stay with your lover? Can't you send a soldier with her?"

Liv shook her head and answered the questions in order, "Because you need her just as much as she needs you. Because what if Lewis decides to comb through the whole territory? And because Casey wouldn't be comfortable with a person she doesn't know and also because my other soldiers would notice if one of their own was missing." She paused as she looked deeper into the blonde's eyes. Finally she asked, "What are you afraid of? I know it's not of leaving. You hate it here."

"I don't hate it here," Alex protested unconvincingly. She sighed, her body sagging in defeat, "What if she doesn't want me?"

"Alex. Of course Casey wants you. Sure this wasn't her idea, but that's probably because it didn't occur to her that you would be willing to leave with her. I can see it on her face and hear it in her voice when she speaks of you; she longs for you greatly. You can do this Alex, and so can Casey."

Alex thought deeply for a few moments. Then she asked, "What about Trevor? The rest of Sundaria?"

Liv shrugged, "Are they more important to you than Casey?"

"What about you?" Alex's voice broke at that question and her eyes grew shiny with oncoming tears.

Olivia stepped closer to her best friend, cupping her face gently, "I will miss you. Of course I will miss you Alex. But I want you to be happy. I want both of you to be happy and I know that that won't ever really happen unless you're together. If it means that I have to lose you- most likely forever- I'll take comfort in the fact that I'll know you're with Casey and have the life you deserve."

"Oh Liv," Alex gasped before throwing her arms around the brunette. They hugged each other tightly for a long time before Liv kissed the blonde's temple and pulled away. Then Alex said softly, "You're right. Casey is the most important thing in this world to me, and we need each other. Should I pack?"

"Bring only what you can't live without and a few changes of clothes both for you and Casey. She left in a hurry and doesn't have anything of her own. I'm gonna pack a few bags of food, and we'll meet back here."

Alex nodded, "What about horses?"

"Got that covered. I sent two of them away last night while no one was looking. But they're well-trained; they'll come when I whistle."

Again, Alex nodded, looking determined before rushing off towards her home. It wasn't long before both had gathered what they deemed enough, and met back at the soldier's hotel. Then Liv took Alex's hand and lead her to the hole in the wall. When she was sure the coast was clear, she hustled them to and through the hole and off into the trees before anyone could see them. She whistled loudly and was satisfied when, only a few moments later, the horses came to them. Liv helped Alex tied her bags down and get up in the saddle. Then she hopped up herself and started them at a quick pace to Amanda's cabin.


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Note: so you guys are still awesome! Your comments, faves, and follows make my day! Sorry it took me a bit to get this next part out. Work decided to give me a buttload of hours last week. I worked every day, which is weird for this time of year cauz it's usually pretty slow but my manager was on vacation and the other sale associate got sick, so I didn't have time to write. I'm probably going to have a weird schedule from now until Black Friday so I can't say for sure that I'll be able to post every week, but I just want you to know that I have still not lost interest in writing this and am still dedicated to seeing it through to the end. So don't lose faith. I even have it all planned out; I just need to write it out and give it meat. So I hope you keep coming back. And I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please send me your thoughts. I love hearing from you guys!

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

"Do you always travel this far to see your lover?" Alex asked curiously as she adjusted, yet again, atop her saddle. Liv knew her ass was probably sore since the blonde had only ridden a horse maybe twice in her life before now and wasn't used to it. Luckily they were almost there, so Liv wouldn't have to see her friend in discomfort for much longer.

"No," she answered, "We have a spot that is only a couple-hours walk away from Sundaria."

"Well I can definitely see how no one knew she was out here. This is very secluded."

Liv perked up as she saw the cabin through the trees. Quickly, she turned to Alex. She knew the blonde wouldn't like what she was about to tell her, but she didn't want to surprise her either. "Listen Alex. There's one more thing I have to tell you. About Amanda."

As Olivia paused in hesitation, Alex demanded, "What?"

Before Liv could explain further, she heard a voice calling her, "Hey Olivia!" Casey greeted cheerfully as she came out of the cabin. "Amanda told me you'd probably be here sometime today. She just went out hunting, but she'll be back so-" She froze as she saw Olivia emerge from the forest with Alex behind her. "Alex?" she gasped.

Instantly, Alex was trying to get off the horse so she could go to Casey. Liv quickly leaned over to grab the other horse's reins with one hand and tried to help Alex's foot out of the stirrup with the other. The blonde gracelessly fell to the ground on unsteady feet and scrambled towards Casey, who was still watching her with a look of shock. Alex threw her arms around the redhead and hugged her tightly. From where she sat on her horse a few feet away, Liv could hear quiet sobs coming from the blonde. It only took a few moments before Casey's body came back to her and she was sobbing into Alex as she hugged her back. Olivia decided to give the two some privacy and went to put the horses in Amanda's barn. She took off their saddles and set them aside before guiding them to the water bucket and hay that Coffee usually used. She closed them in and was heading back when she heard a shout, "Get away from us beast! Olivia!"

"Shit!" Liv gasped, instantly running back to where she'd left the pair. As she rounded the corner, she saw Alex standing protectively in front of Casey with one arm keeping the redhead behind her and one holding a dagger out threateningly towards Amanda. Alex was yelling at her and calling for Olivia as she pushed Casey backwards toward the cabin with her body, as Amanda stood there in shock with a deer still slung over her shoulders. Casey was trying to calm Alex down, but Alex wasn't listening. When Amanda took a step closer and opened her mouth to speak, Alex flailed her dagger at her, causing Amanda to step back once again. Liv knew that, unlike Casey, Alex was very capable with certain weapons, especially the dagger she had. Trevor had wanted her to be prepared in case of a dragon attack and gotten her a weapon training instructor. Liv knew that Alex had learned quickly and developed a talent for the same dagger she was holding. And Alex looked very much ready to express that talent, appearing to get ready to launch at the dragon-woman. Olivia quickly threw herself between Alex and Amanda, dodging the blade before slapping it from Alex's hands. Then she copied Alex and used her own body as a shield and pressed her back to Amanda's front. "Enough Alex!" she roared furiously.

Alex looked astonished, "OIivia! What are you doing?"

"Protecting my mate- same as you." She growled as Alex's eyes flicked to her weapon a few feet away, "Don't make me hurt you Alex. Because I will if you come near her."

Alex's eyes widened further. She looked about to argue when Casey placed a gentle hand on Alex's shoulder, "Easy Al. Amanda is our friend and Liv's lover."

"Amanda?" Alex's face flicked to the blonde behind Liv in recognition. "This is Amanda? Love of your life, sneak-out-to-meet-in-secret lover Amanda?"

"Yes."

Guilt flashed across Alex's face. Her eyes moved from Liv to Amanda as she stuttered, "I'm sorry. I- I didn't… I just-"

Liv snarled at Casey, "Take her inside!" Alex flinched but Casey was quick to grab Alex's hand and pull her into the cabin, closing the door behind them. Liv instantly whirled around, grabbing Amanda's face as she looked her over, "I'm so sorry that happened! Are you okay? Did she hurt you?"

Amanda was still trying to recover from the moment as she shook her head and said softly, "I'm fine Liv."

Olivia hugged her and reached around to touch Amanda's wings, comforting both of them instantly. Amanda's arms wrapped around Liv as her wings surrounded them. She buried her nose in the crook of Liv's neck. The human continued speaking, her voice full of guilt, "I'm so sorry. I was only gone for a few minutes. I should've expected that Alex would react like that. I didn't get to warn either of you. I'm sorry."

Amanda kissed her human's neck, "It's okay Olivia. Calm down."

"She said such horrible things about you."

Amanda pulled back just enough to look into the brown eyes she loved in the dim light of their little bubble. "So did you once. And I forgave you."

"Oh sure. Bring that up. As if I don't feel bad enough," Liv grumbled.

Amanda smiled, "Sorry. Just making a point. Casey warmed up to me; we actually get along pretty well. Alex will warm up to me too. Once she sees I'm not a threat to her or to her mate."

"I still have half a mind to go in there and yell at her about her behavior."

Amanda chuckled, "I think she was sorry. Just let it go Liv. She acted on instinct to protect Casey. Certainly you can understand that?"

Olivia took a deep breath to calm herself. Amanda was right. She wasn't happy about it, but she was right. So she pushed aside her residual fear and anger and grinned lovingly at her dragon, "Have I kissed you hello yet?"

Amanda's smile widened, "You have not."

"Well that's just not right," Liv pressed her lips to Amanda's, who immediately and enthusiastically responded. Liv held firmly onto one wing base as her other hand moved into Amanda's hair as she deepened the kiss. Amanda's hands slid down Liv's side and back up under her shirt. Liv hummed in pleasure into her love's mouth. Amanda's hands were just about to enfold over Liv's breasts when the clearing of someone's throat interrupted them. Amanda quickly unfolded her wings so they could both glare at Casey, who held up her hands as a sign she wasn't a threat and grinned.

"Woah. Easy you two. Sorry. Just came back out to see if I should help with the meal again."

Liv looked back to Amanda in surprise, "You let her cook with you?"

Amanda shrugged, "She wasn't bothered by it when I warned her. She even asked to try a bite of the heart since her parents had animal hearts as a luxury sometimes. She has a stronger stomach than you do." She teased her love.

Liv stuck her tongue out at her mate at that and reluctantly stepped out of their embrace. "Is Alex going to join us?" she asked tensely.

"I thought it best for her to stay inside until you had calmed down. She is sorry though."

Liv just nodded. She wasn't sure if she was ready to forgive her best friend for the treatment of her mate just yet. Maybe once they were done cooking. So the three woman prepared the meal. Liv was surprised when Casey began skinning the deer with barely any hesitation. When she asked, Casey said that she asked Amanda to teach her so that she could have at least one skill under her belt. The redhead only needed guidance from Amanda twice, and Liv was pleased to see Amanda smile at Casey with pride. Amanda also told Liv that she planned on teaching Casey how to hunt on their journey. She watched as the other two woman talked and joked around with one another, both glad and surprised that they got along so well. When the meat was cooked to satisfaction, Casey asked Liv, "Should I fetch Alex?"

Liv nodded, "But tell her I expect an apology."

Amanda went to say that that wasn't necessary, but Liv glared at her and Amanda stayed silent. She knew her human wouldn't be able to forgive her friend if she didn't say she was sorry for what had happened, even if Amanda had already let it go. Casey agreed and went back inside the cabin. Liv watched until she saw them reemerge. Then she stepped closer to Amanda and took her hand, staring harshly at Alex as if daring her to make a move. Alex though still looked guilty and sad. As soon as they were gathered by the meat rack, Alex blurted, "I'm sorry Amanda. I overreacted and shouldn't have tried to attack you without finding out who you were first. You're being amazingly kind to help Casey and for that I am in your debt. Liv, I'm sorry I almost hurt your lover. I promise it won't happen again and I'm ready to listen."

"Listen to what?" Liv asked.

"Her story of course. I asked Casey but she said that I should hear it from you. If you wouldn't mind." Alex looked back to Liv, "Do you forgive me?"

Amanda nodded while Olivia was silent for a minute. Then she relented, "Yah. I forgive you."

Alex smiled gratefully at her, and they quickly served out the meal. Alex commented on how delicious it was and thanked Amanda. "You're welcome. Thank Casey as well. She did most of the work. Maybe if you're extra nice to her, she'll be able to prepare you more meals like this once you've gotten to your new home."

Casey blushed under the praise but shared a smile with Amanda as they all chuckled. It was obvious as they continued to eat how easily Casey and Amanda got along. They were already sharing private jokes and stories of what had happened in the few days that they'd been alone together. Olivia couldn't help but keep an eye on Alex while she listened to the other two, just in case. But seeing Casey laughing and comfortable seemed to clear whatever doubt had been left in the blonde. Soon, Olivia's protectiveness was gone, and she included herself in the conversation, telling Casey and Alex more about her secret time with Amanda. They didn't stop talking until well after the sun went down and they all started yawning. Amanda insisted that Casey and Alex retire to her nest in the cabin while she cleaned up and locked everything down for the night. Alex protested at first, but she was too exhausted to argue for long. Olivia watched the two walk hand-in-hand back into the cabin before turning to her own lover, "Not that I'm complaining, but where will we sleep?"

Amanda smiled slyly, "I thought we might sleep down in the cellar." Like in the storm.

Olivia grinned and moved closer until she could wrap her arms around the dragon-woman's stomach, "I think that is a marvelous idea." Amanda smiled widely and leaned up to kiss her human. Once again, that fire was lit inside both of them, demanding more- more touching, more tasting, more feeling, more loving. And when Liv pulled away, they were both breathing more heavily and shaking with excitement. "Let's clean up quickly," she whispered.

Amanda nodded, pecking Liv's lips once more before zooming away to douse the fire and check that everything was in order while Liv tossed the remains of their meal out beyond the fence. When she was done, in her eagerness, Amanda flew over to the human while her back was still turned and scooped her into her arms. Liv squeaked in joyful surprise and laughed as Amanda held her like a babe cradled in her arms. The dragon-woman whooshed them over to the door, which Liv reached out to open, and then inside. They shared a knowing, affectionate smile after looking over to see the other pair fast asleep and wrapped around one another in Amanda's nest. Amanda gently put Liv down and then she silently walked over to Casey and Alex. Liv watched, her heart swelling with more love than she thought she could possibly feel, as the blonde crouched down and covered the pair with a blanket. She reached out and smoothed Casey hair, earning a soft sigh from the redhead. She hesitated for a moment, unsure, before petting the other blonde as well. Alex nuzzled deeper into Casey but otherwise didn't react. Then Amanda stood back up and walked back over to Liv, who was looking at her with soft, loving eyes. Amanda blushed but didn't feel the need to explain herself. She couldn't explain it anyway, why she was already protective of Casey. The redhead just seemed so innocent and kind and vulnerable; she needed someone to look out for her and Amanda couldn't help but fill that role- though she would willingly hand it over to Alex when the time came. Liv seemed to understand though, and grabbed Amanda's hand. "I love you," she whispered.

"Love you too." Amanda wanted to show Liv how much she loved her in return. She quickly led the way down the cellar and into the nest she had already made. She lit a couple candles before turning to her mate. Liv was standing patiently but completely naked. Amanda's core instantly reacted, swelling and soaking. Amanda growled in appreciation before practically ripping off her own clothes. They came together as if on cue with clashing mouths and demanding hands. Hair was pulled, lips were bit, possession marks were made all over both pale and tanned skin, loud gasps and soft moans filled the small space. Bodies that were soaked in sweat slid against one another as they moved down to the bed of furs. Olivia looked up into the glowing eyes of the woman she loved, reaching up to grab her wings and give them a firm tug. Amanda groaned as she leaned down to hungrily kiss her mate once again. She moved one hand down between their bodies and Liv's legs and cupped Liv's weeping center. Liv bit Amanda's lip and pulled so her teeth would scrape against it in encouragement. Amanda growled and pushed two fingers inside the soft, wet heat, earning a loud gasp from the brunette and a tighter grip on her wings. Liv knew she wouldn't last long; there was something about being with Amanda that sent her stamina out the window. Wanting to be inside her lover when she came, she slid her right hand down the wing and Amanda's back. She was sure to drag her nails down that cute, little ass, causing Amanda to moan, before coming around to tease Amanda's opening and clit. Amanda quivered and panted above her, "Please Liv."

Olivia didn't hesitate. She thrust two fingers inside. Amanda's wings flared and her body began to glow. Liv knew she was close. Like their minds were connected, they started moving at the same time. Fingers began pumping and curling, hips began jerking, and inner muscles began twitching. Amanda brought her other hand into play and circled around Liv's hardened clit. Liv worked the hand that was gripping Amanda's wings faster, clawing with her nails in some places and squeezing others. Both were moaning messes and on the brink, chanting the other's name. Olivia was the first to break, coming hard with her body arched against the blonde's and her mouth open in a silent scream, but only by a few seconds. Amanda flew over the edge just as hard as the human under her, light exploding from her as her wings opened as wide as they could. When they were spent, they both melted with Amanda laying mostly on top her human and her wings covering them. Neither wanted to remove their fingers from inside the other just yet. They lay together in silence for a while, stroking one another until long after their panting had died. Finally, Liv gently pulled out of her mate, knowing that she'd be sore if she stayed inside much longer. Despite the sad whimper, Amanda copied the movement and settled deeper against her love. "You should get some rest," Liv whispered.

Amanda shook her head. "Don't want to. Want to stay awake with you," she protested like a child.

Liv giggled and didn't protest. She wanted that too. It would be a little more than three weeks before they saw each other again. It was a longer break from each other than either was used to, even if it was only just a week longer. And Liv didn't like it. So she hugged her love tighter and buried her nose in her hair and inhaled her scent. Amanda purred, latching onto Liv's shoulder with her teeth as she began to feel sleep's claws grabbing her.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

The morning brought gray clouds and dim light, but Amanda was confident that it wouldn't rain. While Amanda and Casey packed a few bags, Olivia went outside with Alex to ready the horses. The sadness between the longtime friends was nearly palpable. No words needed to be said though, so they were content just to be near each other. Finally, there was nothing left to prepare. Amanda went out for a quick hunt and brought back a couple of rabbits and quail. Alex and Liv sat with their sides pressed together. Neither of their lovers minded; they knew this was a hard goodbye for them both. When they were finished, reluctantly, Amanda noted that they should get going. She and Casey gave the two friends a few more moments together as they hugged fiercely and tried- and failed- not to cry. With hands fisted in the other's shirt, hesitant to let go, Alex choked, "What am I going to do without you?"

Olivia buried her face in Alex's neck and hair. "I don't know," she answered brokenly. "Probably the same as I'll do without you."

"Which is?"

"Miss you a helluva lot."

Alex sobbed, "I'm going to miss you too Liv. I'm gonna think about you all the time and wonder how you're doing and hope that you haven't gotten hurt. Please try not to get hurt Liv. Please try to stay safe."

"I will Al. I'll stay as safe as I possibly can. You stay safe too. And take care of Casey. And make her be good to you. You deserve all the happiness in the world."

"Thanks Liv. You do too. I like Amanda; she's good for you. But if I do find out she hurt you, I'm burning this forest to the ground and her along with it."

Liv chuckled through her tears, "I would expect nothing less."

They held each other tightly until they heard footsteps approaching. They turned their heads to see Casey and Amanda looking at them sadly. "We really should be going," Amanda said regretfully.

Liv nodded and squeezed Alex tighter for a few more seconds. Then she pulled away just enough to brush Alex's hair away from her face and press a kiss to her forehead. "Love you Al," she whispered.

Alex tried to smile bravely as she gave Liv a kiss on the cheek. "Love you too Liv," she repeated in Liv's ear. Then slowly, they were pulling away and wiping their tears from their faces. Casey and Amanda both gave their respective lovers a comforting smile, knowing that the love and bond between Liv and Alex was purely platonic. Then Casey went to hug Olivia.

"Thanks for everything Olivia. I will never forget what you have done for me."

Liv hugged the redhead back, "You don't have to thank me. I was just doing right by you."

"Still. You risked a lot. And I am grateful." Casey paused. "I'm also sorry for taking Alex away from you. I know how much you mean to each other."

"No, she needs to go with you. For both her sake and yours. I'm going to miss her, but I'll take comfort knowing she's happy with you." Liv pulled away to give Casey a stern look. "You better take care of her and treat her right. But also don't put up with any of her crap. She'll probably give you the cold shoulder or silent treatment during a fight instead of talking about her feelings. Don't let her do that. It'll just eat her up inside nor do you deserve that. Got it?"

Casey nodded, "Don't worry Liv. I love her. I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep her and make her feel loved."

Liv smiled and pulled away just as Alex and Amanda were unwrapping from their own hug, making Liv smile even more. Alex had taken the moments that Casey and Liv had used to say goodbye to give Amanda her own private warning while her emotions were still raw and at the surface. Harshly, her blue eyes hard and cold despite the tears still shinning in them, Alex pointed at Amanda as soon as Liv was distracted. "Listen here," she practically snarled to make up for her quiet tone at the other blonde, "If you ever hurt Olivia, so help you God because right here, right now I'm praying to him that, because I cannot personally find out and do anything about it myself, He will find a way to destroy you Himself. That woman is my best friend; she deserves so much love and happiness and, though I do see how much you love her, I don't believe you will be good enough for her. However, you can, in my opinion, come close so long as you do your absolute best to love her as completely as you can. Do we understand one another?"

Amanda nodded quickly. She liked the blonde and was warmed to see how protective and caring she was towards Liv, but she was also terrified by her as well. "I understand. I love Olivia with everything I have and everything I am. She is everything to me- my best friend, my protector, my home- and I will fight with tooth, claw, wing, and heart until my dying breath to do right by her. I know I'm not good enough for her, but she has given me so much- her friendship, her trust, her care, and her heart among that list- and I intend to give her all that back and more."

Something about those words or the way she said it or the look in her eyes as she said it got through to Alex and she threw her arms around the winged-woman. Amanda was stunned for a moment, never expecting that Alex would trust her this much to touch her, before she hugged her back. And when she pulled away, Liv was looking at them with joy shinning in her eyes. Quickly, Amanda launched herself at her human and wrapped her whole body around her. Olivia laughed as she folded her arms tightly around her dragon and gripped the shafts of her wings. She kissed Amanda's neck, feeling her tears welling up again. "Come back to me, okay?" she whispered in her love's ear.

"Of course I will," Amanda whispered back, folding her wings around Liv tighter. "As long as you're there waiting for me, I'll always come back."

Olivia squeezed Amanda almost painfully as those words sank in deeply, touching her very heart and soul. She pulled her face away from Amanda's neck, dragging her nose along that pale skin, until her lips could seal against Amanda's. The kiss was burning with all the love and emotion she felt but could not put words too, but Amanda understood and soaked up the message as she returned it. They didn't pull away until they were weak-kneed and breathless. Gasping, Liv spoke, "I'll always wait for you." She pecked Amanda's slightly reddened lips again. "I love you." Another kiss. "So much." Kiss. "Be safe." Kiss.

"I will," Amanda said against her mouth. "I love you too." Kiss. "More than I thought possible." Kiss. "You stay safe as well." Liv nodded through the kiss. Then Amanda's wings were unwrapping from around her. Her legs moving back to the ground. Her embrace loosening. And Liv's heart was aching. She wasn't sure it would hold out. But she knew they had to leave. She too slowly let go and took a few steps back, giving herself some distance in order to keep herself from launching back at her dragon and never letting go. Amanda gave her one last sad, longing, loving look before turning away to where Casey and Alex had already climbed on the horses.

"Take care of each other," Liv called as they started walking away.

"We will!" called Casey.

"You got it!" Alex waved.

Olivia waved back and watched, tears sliding down her face like rivers, until they disappeared into the woods and out of sight.


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: y'all know the drill

Note: I AM SO SORRY! I didn't think it would take me this long to get the next chapter posted! In the hopes of making you forgive me I made this chapter really long. I hope that you enjoy it and I swear that it won't take me long to post the next chapter.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Amanda's journey with Alex and Casey had been, thankfully, fairly uneventful. Alex had been slow to warm up to Amanda and often kept as much distance between her and the dragon-woman as possible while still keeping at least one wary eye on her. There had been a handful of tense situations between them, especially when Amanda would "train" Casey in the ways of the woods. She spent much of the journey teaching Casey how to hunt- how to track animals and stalk up to them quietly, how to shoot a bow and arrow, how to identify helpful versus harmful plants, and how to fight. The week wasn't enough to teach her everything, but Casey was a fast learner and left Amanda feeling satisfied that, should they run into danger or the humans were left to take care of themselves, Casey could at least defend herself as well as provide for herself and Alex. By the time they reached their destination, the three women, even Alex, were sad to part from one another. They thanked Amanda profusely and warmly hugged the dragon-woman. Amanda told them to take care of themselves and each other and watched a safe distance away while they walked to the town's wall. Luckily, when they told the guards that they needed a place to stay, they were welcomed eagerly and guided through the gates. Amanda had watched until the gates had closed and sent a prayer up to her Goddess that her friends would find the life they were looking for. Then she had unfolded her wings and took off for home. Even with her ability to fly, it took her a few days to return home, but she met no trouble along the way. She couldn't be reunited with Olivia fast enough.

The time between the last time Liv had seen Amanda and the next time she saw her was filled with worry. She hardly slept and barely ate. She knew she was being ridiculous. Amanda could take care of herself and Casey and Alex. But she couldn't stop being fearful that something would happen that would prevent Amanda coming back to her. In addition to her inner turmoil, rumors had begun to spread about Casey's disappearance. And soon, so did more about Alex's. Many people believed Olivia responsible in one way or another. She had stolen them both away to some place unknown to have them all to herself, was the most popular theory. Liv could constantly feel people's eyes on her and hear whispers when she walked by. It was making her angry and paranoid- she could swear that someone was following her- which was only worsened by her lack of sleep. Her friends and fellow soldiers, she knew, could tell that something was wrong. Nick (Elliot was out on his trade) had taken her out for drinks and tried to ask her what was wrong. But Liv obviously couldn't say, so she just told him not to worry about her. He hadn't been convinced, but he let it go. He also told her that he and most of the other soldiers didn't put any truth to any of the rumors, that they didn't suspect or blame her of anything. And for that, she was grateful. She knew she should probably feel guilty, for lying and for actually having played a huge part in Casey and Alex's disappearances, but she didn't. She had to protect them. And herself. But mostly them.

When she was finally able to leave for her next trade and visit with Amanda, she had to try extremely hard not to show her nerves. She was worried that her love wouldn't be there, and she didn't know what she'd do if that happened. As she travelled with her men through the woods, she THOUGHT she felt Amanda's eyes on her. But she couldn't be certain it wasn't just wishful thinking so she didn't bother to part from her men during the night when they made camp. When she was finally able to sneak out of Sundaria, she did so shakily and nervously; she even considered going back just so she wouldn't have to face Amanda not being there. Of course, all her fears were for not and Amanda was there waiting. As soon as Olivia entered the tree line and opened her mouth to call for her love, Amanda glided down from the tree she been hiding in and wrapped her entire body around the brunette. They both fell to the ground because of the impact with Amanda on top of Olivia. They grinned at one another and, before the human could even catch her breath or calm her rapidly beating heart, Amanda seared her lips to Liv's. They kissed wildly as their hands gripped tightly on to the other until they finally had to part to breathe. Amanda looked down into those brown eyes she so loved. For a few moments, Olivia looked back. Then she was laughing, loudly, joyfully, and hysterically, as her delight overflowed. Amanda was confused at first but soon found herself infected with the human's laughter and started herself.

They went quickly to their spot, their laughter continuing as they chased one another. Amanda made it there first and, with eyes locked on Liv's, ripped off her clothing, tossed it away, and walked backwards into the clear water. Olivia paused only for a few seconds so she could let her eyes wander up and down that gorgeous body before she too shed her clothing and ran to catch up to her love. She splashed through the water until they encased one another once more in their arms. Lips devoured, hands clawed and gripped almost every inch of skin until fingers were buried deep within one another. Then they were moaning and growling and crying out in pleasure as they brought each other rapidly up to and over the edge of orgasm. Once, twice, three times. Then they slowed, taking their time to really feel and taste and see. As they reached the edge yet again, their foreheads rested together, their mouths parted to share breaths, their eyes locked in an unblinking stare. And they fell over the edge together one last time. With the last of their strength, they swam to the other side of the creek, crawled onto the warm sand, and collapsed in a pile of entangled limbs, content to doze lightly for a couple of hours to regain their strength before simply gazing at each other adoringly.

"Do you realize that we've only known each other for about six months?" Liv asked softly as she stroked her fingers across Amanda's jaw.

Amanda's eyes fluttered at the touch and she sighed, "Seems like more."

Liv smiled, "I feel like I've known and loved you all my life."

Amanda kissed Liv's fingers as they swiped over her lips in silent agreement. Now that the human had brought it up, Amanda thought back over the time since they met. It seemed like only a month ago she was nursing the wounded soldier in her home, only a couple of weeks since they'd first kissed, and just yesterday that they had first made love. And yet, Amanda agreed wholeheartedly with her love; it felt like she had known and loved Liv for a long time. She knew that she had spent an uncountable number of years completely alone and miserable. But, with how unbelievably happy Liv had made her, Amanda couldn't remember how those feelings had actually felt. Being with Olivia had healed her beyond what she thought was possible. How could it only have been six months? As if the thought made Amanda suddenly more aware of her surroundings, she noticed for the first time that the temperature was slowly dropping, getting cooler for the upcoming cold months, and that the leaves had started changing. They would start dropping soon. The cold would become more noticeable. Amanda pondered what the change in season would mean for their relationship. Amanda recalled Liv telling her that, once it got cold enough, trades would only happen once a month and stop altogether if it snowed. The thought that she might only get to see Liv only once a month made her a bit sad.

Liv saw the sudden frown on her love's face and asked, "What is it?"

"It just occurred to me what'll happen once it starts getting cold, when you're only allowed to leave once a month."

Liv frowned too. She hadn't thought of that until now; she'd been so caught up in Amanda that she had forgotten to plan ahead. If she were only allowed to see Amanda once a month, she was sure she'd lose her mind. She could barely last the two weeks in between trades. No. She couldn't- wouldn't do it. She shook her head. "I'll think of something," she told her love.

Amanda wasn't sure what she'd be able to do, but Liv had gotten them this far. She put her faith in her human and nodded. Liv smiled at her; then, determined to get their carefree attitude back, she plastered on her most flirtatious expression and said huskily, "What do I have to do to get you to hunt for me?"

Amanda instantly felt the last of her negativity leave as she laughed before teasing back, "I don't know. I'm awfully tired. I'm not sure that there's anything you can do."

"Oh. Really now?" Liv asked as she pushed Amanda on to her back and straddled her, careful not to crush her wings. When Amanda's hands came up to push her off, she caught the blonde's wrists and pinned them down above her head. Then she leaned down and began nipping at her love's neck and up her jaw as she said sexily, "Just you wait and see. By the time I'm done with you, you'll beg to follow my every command."

Before Amanda could tell her that she already would do whatever Liv wanted her to, she felt Liv's mouth sucking on her throat and moaned. Liv's tongue slid down and across her chest before swirl around her nipple. Despite the earlier rounds of love-making, Amanda's core quickly became slick and hot. Her wings twitched under her, begging to wrap around them. Her hands begged to touch, and she struggled a bit against Liv's grip as she gasped Liv's name.

Without releasing Amanda's nipple from between her teeth, Liv said, "Ah ah. No touching 'til I say."

Amanda whined but stopped struggling. Liv wrapped her mouth back around Amanda's nipple as reward and lavished it with her tongue. Amanda groaned. After a few moments, Liv kissed her way across Amanda's chest so she could tease the other nipple. She loved the sounds her love was making but, after a few long minutes teasing the nipple, Liv kissed and nipped her way down Amanda's stomach. She kept her grip on Amanda's wrists, pulling them down with her and placing them at her sides. Finally, when she was directly above Amanda's core, she slid her hands into Amanda and entwined their fingers. Amanda gripped them tightly as her excitement grew. Liv looked at Amanda's face as she kissed and bit around Amanda's hips, thighs, and the creases between them. It was obvious that Amanda was losing it. Her body shook and her mouth was open as she slurred moans and demands for more. Not too soon, Liv pressed her tongue between the blonde's folds and lapped at the delicious nectar. Amanda cried out as Liv swirled her tongue around her clit. Liv pressed her tongue harder against her love's opening and lapped at it a few more times so she could taste Amanda in every corner of her mouth. Then she sucked the clit into her mouth. Amanda's back arched as she roared her pleasure. "Liv! Please!" she begged. Her wings tried to flap under the blonde.

Liv knew it must be uncomfortable, and she would be lying if she said she wasn't turned on even more by watching the wings react to their love-making. So as she pulled away and started to lay on her back, she ordered, "Come here."

Amanda moved to straddle her hips but Liv grabbed her thighs and pulled her towards her head. Amanda got the silent demand and straddled the brunette's head instead. Olivia wrapped her arms around Amanda's hips and wasted no time in returning her mouth to the blonde's center. Just as she's hoped to see, Amanda's wings jerked and spread, arching over them. Liv reached up to grab on to them as she sucked and licked Amanda's core. Amanda moaned a loud, long, satisfied moan and arched into Liv's touch. So focused she was on devouring Amanda that she let out a surprised cry as Amanda reached back to cup Liv's center, sliding her two middle fingers between her soaked folds and circling around her clit. Amanda smirked down at her through her own arousal and repeated the action. When Olivia moaned her name, Amanda continued drawing small, slow circles around Liv's clit. As Liv's hips jerked, she growled before latching her mouth back on Amanda and began feasting from her with fervor. Amanda's whole body rolled and her wings flared as wide as they could go. She forced her fingers into Olivia and fucked her with quick, deep thrusts. Olivia hummed against her, and Amanda gasped at the vibrations. She was close. They both were. It wouldn't take much more. Olivia gripped Amanda's wings even tighter and tugged on them as she sucked especially hard on her clit. That was all the blonde could take. She arched her back and roared her climax to the heavens. Liv bent one of her legs so that she could help hold Amanda up. Amanda leaned back against Liv's leg, panting as her orgasm began to fade. Her fingers, which had paused in their movements inside Olivia, begun moving again. Olivia gasped, her hips jerking, "'Manda! Almost there!"

Amanda looked down to watch Liv in the throes of ecstasy as she quickly brought her back to the edge. Her head was pressed back as far as it could with the ground beneath her, her eyes wide open with arousal, her mouth gasping and moaning. Amanda could feel the trembling deep inside Liv. Wanting to shove her mate over the edge, Amanda pressed her fingers as deep as they would go and curled them rapidly. Olivia's body jerked as she cried out just seconds before her whole body stiffened and she came hard. Amanda continued to curl her fingers so she could extend the human's pleasure. When it finally passed, Liv's body sagged and she gasped at Amanda, "Will you hunt for me now?"

Amanda laughed and grinned down at her love, "If I have to."

Olivia chuckled. She pulled Amanda down to kiss her with slow, lazy, loving kisses. When they eventually pulled apart and got dressed, Amanda went out into the forest to hunt while Olivia got a fire going. As they ate, Olivia got a sudden idea. "Recruitment!" she blurted excitedly.

Amanda looked at her confused, "What?"

"Recruitment," Olivia repeated, turning her animated eyed to Amanda. "I can't believe I only just thought of this now. It's when we, the Sergeants, go to the other cities in Airia to look for new recruits for the main Airian army." When Amanda only looked more confused, Liv explained, "We usually only take people from Airia and encourage people in the rest of the kingdom to focus on learning a trade. But then, every few years, we open an invitation to those who wish to join the Guard and send one or two Sergeants to each city to begin the newbies' basic training. Then we bring them back to Airia so they can complete their training, take the test, and have the chance of becoming a soldier. This year is a recruitment year."

"Okay…?" Amanda didn't understand where the human was going with this.

As Liv gave her an obvious look, she added, "The Sergeants usually stay in their host-city for a few months during the winter." When it was obvious Amanda still wasn't following, Liv continued, "If I come to Sundaria for recruitment, then I'll be able to sneak out every night and meet you."

Amanda's eyes widened as she finally understood. "Liv, that would be amazing," she said, "But won't that just increase our chances of getting caught?"

Olivia shrugged, "We haven't gotten caught so far."

"Can't argue with that logic," Amanda replied sarcastically.

Liv's lips pursed, "Do you not want to see me during the winter?"

"Of course I do! I just don't want anything to happen to you."

Liv smiled and reached over to hold her hand, "Nothing will happen. And if it does? Well… you're worth the trouble."

Amanda couldn't help but melt at those words. "Okay," she relented.

Olivia grinned, "Good. That's settled then. I'll talk to the Captain when I get back to Airia."

The two finished eating before laying out their furs. As they cuddled in each other's arms, they both felt a lingering worry about their future. But, for now, they ignored it, content to just live in the moment. The next five days passed all too quickly as they were filled with laughter, relaxing, and love-making. It seemed that, even though they both knew of the obstacles that came with their relationship, they'd find a way to always come out on the other side together. Life for the two women was good; they had each other. But it would come to a screeching halt.

On their sixth day together, midmorning, just after they'd finished cleaning up the remains of their breakfast, Amanda heard it. Instantly, she froze, her senses alert and cast out as far as she could send them. Olivia noticed and froze as well. "What is it?" she whispered, looking in the same direction as Amanda was and trying to hear whatever the blonde had heard.

Suddenly, Amanda's heart stopped and her stomach plummeted as she realized what she was hearing. She whirled around to her love with panic filling her eyes. "It's your soldiers," she answered shakily. "They sound hostile."

"What?" Olivia felt panic of her own fill her. She knew instantly that they had to get out of here, "Which way do we run?"

"There is no running. They've got us surrounded and they're moving in." Amanda's eyes flashed about as she tried to figure out how to best protect her mate. "And there's no time to fly away. Even if I managed to lift us both, we wouldn't be able to move out of range of their crossbows fast enough."

"Well then you fly yourself out of here!" Liv begged. She could hear the pounding of horse hooves now and knew the soldiers were getting closer. She dove for her sword despite her next words, "My men won't hurt me."

Amanda's wings snapped open, towering over them both in a sign of dominance. Her eyes were glowing bright enough even to see during the daylight as she snapped her gaze to glare at Olivia and snarled, "I am not leaving you!"

"Fuck Amanda!" Olivia shouted in frustration and fear for her love's life, "Get out of here."

But instead of listening, Amanda turned her back to Olivia and wrapped her wings around her love, ignoring the human's protests and struggles, just as the soldiers burst into their clearing. Amanda tightened her wings so that no part of Olivia was left exposed as she moved her body into a defensive position. Her eyes glowered at the men, daring them to make a move. Logically, she knew that if they attacked, there wasn't much she could do to protect herself, especially not against so many of them. Her own weapon was too far away to reach for without leaving Olivia unprotected. But she'd be damned if she didn't at least try to guard her mate, even if it meant her life. She could tell that her light was glowing even brighter, giving her whole form an unnatural silhouette. The horses most of the men were riding shifted nervously, sensing the power and hostility coming from Amanda. Some of the soldiers even seemed to sense it as they too looked at one another with nervous glances. Three men stepped closer than the rest. It was the man in the middle, a hazel-eyed brunette that was dressed in fine-looking clothes and had an air of authority, pride, and cruelty about him, who ordered, "Stand down Beast."

Amanda growled, but ignored the insult and demanded, "What is your purpose here?"

His hazel eyes narrowed but he responded, "I am here to arrest a one Olivia Benson for crimes such as treason, kidnapping, and now I think I'll add bestiality to that list."

"You'll not have her!"

The man rolled his eyes and sighed, "I don't have time for this." Then he looked to the men Amanda knew were behind her and ordered, "Subdue the creature."

As several men swarmed her, Amanda lashed out with fists, managing to land multiple blows on a few of them. But, because her determination to shield Olivia as much as possible left her unable to use her wings or legs in her defense, she was quickly pulled away from her love, forced to the ground on her stomach, and held down by more than a few men. Above the struggle, she could hear Olivia shouting, "Stop! Don't hurt her!"

When Amanda looked up, she saw two more men holding Olivia back as she tried to get to her. This time it was Amanda who shouted, "Get your hands off her!" She tried to wriggle free again, but it was no use.

Sometime during the skirmish, the hazel-eyed man and his horse had come closer. Now he was approaching Olivia, looking down on her with a cocky, triumphant gleam in his eye. "I have to admit Olivia, when the scout I'd sent to follow you came back with a story of how he's seen you happily and intimately in the arms of a dragon-winged creature, I had thought he was lying. Even now that I've seen it with my own eyes, I'm still not certain I'm not dreaming."

"Let her go Lewis!" Olivia growled at him, "You have me. Now let her go."

Lewis pouted, "Giving up easy are you? I'm disappointed. I was hoping for more of a fight." When Liv simply glared at him silently, he sighed, truly seeming sad, "Alright. I guess there's nothing left for us to do here then. Just answer two questions for me. First, how did this," he motioned from Amanda to Liv and back again, "happen?" Olivia stayed silent. Lewis growled, "Fine then. Second question. Did you have anything to do with Alexandra Cabot's or my wife's disappearances?"

Olivia knew it would be smarter to continue her silence, but she'd never done the smart thing anyway. Smirking, she answered cruelly, "Casey hated you. She thought you were a monster. She wanted out. She would've gotten out either way but she asked for my help and I said yes."

Lewis stiffened as his eyes filled with fury. Liv knew he understood the underlying message, that he knew that Casey had told her everything about what he did to her and to others. "Where is she?" he growled.

"Somewhere safe, where you'll never find her."

He growled. For a few more moments, they glared at one another. Suddenly, Lewis was grinning evilly, "I'll see that you rot in my _special _prison." Liv's eyes widened and insides tightened painfully in fear as she knew exactly which prison he was referring to. Amanda's insides reacted in much the same manner at the look of fear on her love's face and from the memory of what Casey had told her. Lewis continued in a louder voice, "Olivia Benson, as King I declare you guilty for the crimes of treason, aiding and abetting, and bestiality." He looked to the two men holding her and ordered, "Clap her in irons and make her walk behind one of your horses." Then he looked over to the men still on top of Amanda, "And kill the creature."

At the same instant, both Olivia and Amanda shouted, "NO!" and began to struggle wildly against their captors, each thinking only of protecting their mate. In spite of her protests, Olivia was slowly dragged away farther and farther from her love. Amanda had somehow managed to shake a few men off her wings and one arm and was using them to slash and claw wildly at the men. She stole a quick glance at Olivia and saw the brunette free one of her arms, pull it back, and punch a soldier in the face. But then the man still holding her kicked her knee and forced her to her knees. He gripped her wrist in one hand and the hair on the back of her head in the other. Liv made a pained noise and went to punch him in the balls, but the other man she'd punch grabbed her free arm, and they started pulling her once again. At the pained sound from Olivia, Amanda saw red. She fought like hell, bursting free of the rest of the men holding her. She roared at them as loud and powerful as she could. She felt a thrill of satisfaction as they froze and gaped in fear, clearly expecting her to become one of the creatures they were trained to kill. She flapped her wings powerfully twice. The first gust sent most men falling to their asses. The second sent the rest. She whirled around, looking for Lewis. When she saw him, she shouted, "Wait!" He took his hungry eyes off still-struggling Olivia (which made Amanda want to rip him apart) and looked at her. She flew away from the men and landed a couple yards from Lewis. "Take me in Olivia's place," she demanded.

Immediately, Olivia froze and gaped at the blonde.

Lewis simply cocked one eyebrow and scoffed, "And why would I do that?"

"Because if you do, I'll tell you everything you want to know about the dragons- all our secrets, how to kill us, everything."

Lewis didn't exactly look impressed but many of the soldiers around them let up an approving murmur. He wasn't interested in ridding Airia of dragons. But he knew the rest of the Kingdom was. Knowing it was important that Lewis continue to look good to his subjects, he was forced to reconsider. An idea came to him then. He was ambitious. He had wanted to rule as King, but then he found it wasn't enough. He ruled over the women he destroyed, but that wasn't enough either. He wanted to rule over everything and everybody. He wouldn't go so far as to say that included the world, but he certainly wouldn't turn down the opportunity. And ever since the first time he had seen the fear and control the dragons held over the people and the carnage that just one dragon could reap, he had desired to possess such abilities. If this female was offering up her knowledge of how to kill them, then certainly she could tell him how to control them. And that was something he was VERY interested in. He grinned that evil smile, "Okay creature. You got yourself a deal." Amanda swallowed roughly, knowing in her gut that she had just sold herself to a devil. Lewis looked to the men holding Olivia. He was regretful that he wouldn't get a chance to destroy her. Maybe once this was all over, he told himself. "Release her and bind this one instead."

Amanda felt slightly relieved when the men stepped away. She folded her wings and forced herself to hold still as the men approached her. She held out her arms and let them cuff her. As soon as they were snapped into place, it was as if a switch was flipped in Olivia. She jerked into action, rushing forward, and saying, "Amanda, no. Don't do this." Another man stepped forward to hold her back, but all her focus was on her love.

The blonde smiled lovingly at her. "It's done," she said gently. The men roughly pulled Amanda over to the nearest horse and tied her to it.

"Bind her wings too," Lewis ordered. "Don't wanna take any chances."

Olivia snarled as Amanda's captors tightly wrapped thick ropes around the blue limbs she so loved and the man holding her had to wrap his burly arms around her to keep her there. "No! Stop!" The men stepped away from Amanda and climbed back on their horses. "At least let me say goodbye!" Olivia's heart broke even as she said the words. Lewis nodded to the man and he released her to go climb on his horse. Olivia ran the rest of the distance between her and her love. When she was close enough, she gripped Amanda's head and leaned their foreheads together. Her eyes filled with tears and she whispered through the thickness in her throat, "Please don't do this. Take it back. Break free and fly away. Please."

"I can't do that Liv," Amanda whispered back. Her own eyes grew shinny and wet as she added like it was the only reason she needed, "I love you." And of course, it was.

Olivia burst into sobs and threw her arms around Amanda. She gripped on to those amazing wings where the rope wasn't constricting them. Amanda buried her face in the crook of Liv's neck and deeply inhaled her scent, drawing strength from it. Liv pulled back just enough to press her lips to Amanda's. She poured all her despair, helplessness, and love into it. Amanda returned the kiss but hoped Liv would sense the comfort she was trying to provide.

"Alright ladies," Lewis called over, "I believe that's enough."

Olivia ripped her mouth from Amanda's and snarled at Lewis, "Fuck you!"

Lewis just smiled amusedly. "Olivia, you are no longer welcome in Airia. You may return to Sundaria to fetch your things, your horse, and supplies but after that you must leave the territory."

Olivia barely heard him through the wild pumping in her head. She couldn't believe this was happening. She tried to think of something she could do- even though logically she knew there was nothing; she couldn't take on so many men. Even if she somehow managed to free Amanda without being stopped, she knew the blonde wouldn't leave. Then they would both die. "Liv," Amanda's whisper interrupted her thoughts. She looked back to her love and saw her blue eyes staring back at her calmly, "I love you. Never forget that."

The brunette let out another sob and hugged Amanda again. "I love you too," she whispered in her ear.

Lewis sighed in exasperation before ordering, "Someone separate them. Everyone else. Move out!"

As the horse Amanda was tied to began to move, Liv held on, panic rising. "No. No. No," she said as she and Amanda stumbled. But then two set of arms gripped onto Liv and roughly pulled at her. "No! No!" She held on until she couldn't any longer. As the distance between her and Amanda grew, she began screaming and thrashing, "NO! NO! AMANDA!"

Everything in Amanda was blaring to go back to her mate, to kiss and hug and comfort her. But she had no choice but to keep moving. She forced herself to keep her tear-filled eyes on the ground in front of her. She was certain she wouldn't be able to bare looking back at Olivia right now, not when she was shouting and sobbing hysterically as she was. It wasn't long before they were entering the trees. Slowly, Liv's shouts grew fainter and fainter. Then she heard it.

"I'll come for you my love! I promise!" Liv shouted. "Don't ever give up! I'll come for you!"

As some of the men around her chuckled at Olivia's promise, Amanda's dam broke and her tears escaped in thick, heavy rivulets down her cheeks.


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I still do not own SVU or any of its characters

So wow. It's been over a year since I last updated this, and let me tell you I feel ashamed about it. I could go on and on about having felt like I basically lost my soul and how I haven't slept or had emotions (other than anxiety or anger) in about a year and a half and therefore haven't had the fuel or the energy to write, but I wouldn't want to bore anyone. So instead I'm just going to say, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Was that enough? Lol. I also want to say that I can't promise that I'll post another chapter any time soon. I've been writing a few hundred words or so for different stories of mine like once a week for about a month though so I'm hoping that's a sign that, even though I still don't really have emotions, I will be able to get back into writing. This chapter took me three or four different sessions to finish, the last one being about the last thousand and a half words which is the most I've written in a long time. It doesn't seem like much but I feel accomplished. So like I said, I hope all this is a sign that I'll be able to write again soon, but I won't promise anything. I'm hoping that knowing exactly how I want it to go from here will help too. Cross your fingers! Lol. And let me know what you think. I'm not quite sure if this is any good, but I can't really tell…

PS: I recommend rereading the last chapter since it's been so long. But in case you don't want to or can't, here's a short recap. Lewis and some men found Olivia and Amanda in the woods because they were going to arrest Liv for "kidnapping" the King's wife (a.k.a. Casey), though the reality was that Casey wanted to leave because Lewis tortured her and she wanted to be with the woman she loved (a.k.a. Alex) and Olivia just helped them get out, and for having a relationship he/they deem unnatural with Amanda, whom is not human but rather a dragon shapeshifter stuck in a mostly human form but with wings; Amanda offers herself in Olivia's place and Lewis accepts, binding Amanda and banishing Olivia. They drag Amanda away but Olivia vows that she'll rescue her. End of chapter. This one starts right where the last one left off.

~~~~SVU~~~~

As soon as Amanda was out of sight, Olivia's body sagged in defeat. The men holding her realized that she had no fight left and released her, letting her fall to her knees on the ground. They laughed at her weakness and began to follow the rest. It wasn't until they were gone that Olivia allowed herself to break completely. She let out a pained sob and was helpless to stop the tide of tears that escaped. She curled in on herself, hugging herself with her arms, and tried to stop crying. She was supposed to be a soldier, strong and unbreakable. Yet she found that she was completely shattered inside. How had things gone to Hell so quickly? Why? Logically, she understood that Amanda had been trying to protect her. But she didn't want to understand. She wanted to be furious at her love for being so stupid; Amanda should've just let Lewis take her. She should've flown away when Liv had first told her to. But Liv couldn't truly be mad considering Amanda had sacrificed herself for her; she'd have done the same thing. If that wasn't love than Liv didn't know what was. She had to do something though to save her love. She couldn't just leave her in Lewis' sick, twisted hands. Liv couldn't even imagine all of what the bastard would do to her but what she could imagine made Liv terrified for Amanda. She didn't know what exactly she was going to do. But she had to try.

The brunette allowed herself to cry for a few minutes more before holding her breath, telling herself that she would find a way to rescue Amanda, and forcing herself to stop. First things first. She had to go back to Sundaria to get Coffee and the rest of her things. Then she would go to Amanda's cabin and start planning. She wouldn't stop trying until she either had Amanda back or was dead. With that thought, she wiped the tears from her cheeks and stood up. She gathered her sword and pack that she usually brought on her visits with Amanda then headed towards Sundaria.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Amanda kept her eyes downwards to the ground the whole way to Airia. Unlike when Liv would lead her men to and from Sundaria, Lewis did not allow them to stop. They went through the trees at an easy yet steady pace but Amanda found herself stumbling often, her balance thrown off with her hands and wings bound as they were. At first, several of the men laughed at and taunted her. She couldn't help but hope that the dragons would come and attack the group. Then maybe perhaps she could escape. But soon after the thought occured she felt guilty for wishing injury and death on Olivia's fellow soldiers. She found her mind returning to her mate through much of the journey. She hoped Olivia would be okay. She hoped that her human would do the smart thing and start her life over somewhere else, somewhere safe. Perhaps she could join Alex and Casey. She should've suggested that before they'd taken her away. She should've made Liv promise to move on. Amanda wanted her love to be safe above all else. If that meant hoping that Liv stayed away and moved on with her life, without Amanda, then so be it. In spite of what she wanted however, she knew her human well enough to know that she would stop at nothing to get her back.

When they finally reached Airia, Amanda felt her nerves growing. The gates opened and almost immediately a crowd began to form. The people of Airia came out of their houses and businesses, stopped everything they were doing, to come and gawk at the soldiers and what they had brought home. Word spread fast and soon it seemed as if everyone and their mother was there. They were quiet at first, whispering words of shock and wonder and fear when they saw Amanda. But as the crowd grew, so did their volume. Her face flushed red as people glared in anger or stared with scared, wide eyes at her. She wanted to tell the people that she wouldn't hurt them even if she could, that she wasn't the monster here. Instead, she allowed herself to be pulled along in silence. Eventually, the King had led the soldiers away from the townspeople's homes and businesses and towards the base of the castle and the gallows that stood there. Amanda wondered with a sinking feeling in her stomach what the King's plans for her were. Lewis climbed to the top of the platform of the gallows and shouted to be heard over the crowd, "Bring the creature to me."

The soldier whose horse Amanda had been tied to jumped down to cut her loose. Then he and two other men roughly forced her up the stairs of the gallows and to Lewis' side. Amanda grunted but otherwise stayed silent. She looked out at the crowd that had gathered nervously before looking to Lewis. His hazel eyes were watching her, lit with cruel excitement, then he turned to the people. His voice was jovial as if he was addressing his people after winning a war. "My subjects. Do not be scared of what you see before you." He paused for dramatic effect. Then, "For years, we have been prisoners in our own kingdom, victims to those devils we call dragons. What you see here is one of these devils in almost pure human form. Though she appears weak and almost-human, she is more evil than her more monstrous family. She turned one of our own against us. Olivia Benson was discovered wrapped intimately in this creature's arms. After having betrayed us by kidnapping our Queen, my beloved wife, a crime I and your brave soldiers went to arrest her for, it was discovered that Olivia had slipped further into darkness by having a beastly affair with this creature." The crowd gasped in horror and exchanged scandalized whispers. Amanda felt fury fill her as Lewis smeared Olivia's good name. She tensed and growled and shook in her captors' grip, wanting nothing more than to rip the vile man's body to pieces and feast on his heart. Lewis continued, his face taking on a saddened look, "It sickens me to say this but from this day forward, Olivia Benson is now an exile. However, there is a silver lining to this sad news. We have instead Olivia's beloved creature. As I said before, we have been victims of her kind for decades. Too long. I intend to use this less-than-human monster to discover a way in which we may free ourselves from the dragons' reign. It's time we stopped cowering in fear inside our walls and destroyed all the dragons!" The crowd hurrahed and Lewis' grin turned sly and victorious. He had played them perfectly into his hands, and he soaked up the glory. He turned to Amanda and the men holding her. "Take her to my dungeon."

The crowd cheered and taunted Amanda proudly and cruelly as she was dragged away. She growled at the men but otherwise remembered her sacrifice and did not struggle. She was brought through the castle, past the cleaner and more used rooms, past several people she assumed were servants and other royals who gaped at her. Then she was brought to a set of doors that were ordered open as they got there. It was as if they had entered another castle. This section was dirty and dark and appeared charred but Amanda couldn't be sure with the quick glimpses she got. There were weapons and pieces of metal and other unidentifiable objects scattered everywhere as if there had been a battle. Finally, they rounded the corner and arrived at a padlocked metal door. One of the men pulled keys from his belt and began to unlock it. Amanda stared at him wide-eyed and couldn't help but say aloud, "If you have the key, then you know what he does down here. How can you allow him to torture and kill innocent women?"

He glared at her as the door creaked open. "They are hardly innocent," he answered in a hard voice. "Whores and those with the Devil in them," he scoffed, "They deserve what they get and the city deserves to not have to worry about them."

As they shoved her down the stairs, she gasped, "How many soldiers know of this?"

"Not too many," he answered vaguely, "Just enough to cover up their going missing and to dispose of the bodies when he's done with them. Now, enough questions beast!" He personally pushed her the rest of the way down, and it was a lot of effort for Amanda not to fall flat on her face. They walked a few more feet to the right and stopped at a barred, stone cell. The door was already open and chains dangled from the farthest wall. Amanda felt a bolt of fear and anger when she remembered that this is where Lewis planned to imprison Olivia. They shackled her before leaving, locking both the cell door and the dungeon door behind them and leaving Amanda to wonder when her torture and suffering was to begin.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Olivia had gotten into and out of Sundaria without much trouble. For the most part, people either whispered and gaped at her or ignored her completely. She couldn't hear what they were saying but she was pretty sure she didn't want to. She gathered her things and went to the stables where Coffee was waiting for her. She decided not to stop for food or anything because she was certain they'd give her the stale bits. She had Amanda's bow and arrows; that would be plenty to procure meals. She greeted her horse sadly, and the dark-colored horse flicked her ears at her and gave her one of those looks that made Liv wonder whether her horse could actually see inside her soul. Judging by the way Coffee stayed very still and wary in the stall as Liv loaded her up, Liv was pretty sure she could at least sense the mood. When she was done, Liv led her horse towards the gate. She was almost there when she heard someone call her name. It was full of anger and Liv flinched as she turned to face a furious looking Trevor Langen, Alex's husband. She stayed still and allowed him to approach her. Still she barely moved as he punched her in the jaw. She just looked up at him as he snarled, "The King told me what you did. That you were behind the disappearing of the Queen and my wife. Where did you take her?"

Liv answered simply, "Somewhere where she'll finally live a happy life."

"How dare you?" he punched her again. "Get out!" he shouted, "Get out before you have to be carried out and tossed in a shallow grave!"

Liv bowed her head and turned to leave. A part of her felt a little bad for Trevor. After all it hadn't been totally his fault that Alex had been unhappy. Sure, he probably could've treated her better, loved her better, and paid more attention to her needs. But Liv knew that Alex would've still been incomplete with him, especially after meeting and falling for Casey, so she couldn't find it in herself to feel too badly for him. Her best friend was happy now, and that's all that mattered.

She climbed atop Coffee just outside the gates and pushed her into a run. She needed to get to Amanda's so she could plan. She and Coffee didn't stop until they were there. Liv led her horse to the little barn, unsaddled her, and made sure she had some water and food. Then she went to the rundown cabin that had been Amanda's home for so many years. Liv felt a piercing agony in her heart as memories flashed across her vision as she looked around the small dwelling. Liv felt close to Amanda here despite the current distance between them. Liv vowed that she would take good care of it so that Amanda could return to the home she knew when Liv got her back. Liv looked to the pile of furs that Amanda used as bed, the one that she had selflessly given to Liv during her stay here. She remembered watching Amanda from that nest as she settled down to sleep across the room, how the blonde had curled up, reminding Liv of a cat, and covered herself with her wings. Liv had found it adorable then, and the memory made her smile slightly now. With depression squeezing her heart, Liv moved to the furs. She stripped most of her clothing off and crawled into the nest. She buried herself under several blankets and shifted until she was comfortable. She inhaled deeply the scent that clung to the nest. It was a combination of nature and the dried skin and Amanda. The smell seeped deep into Olivia, into the dark depression that was surrounding her heart. It didn't disappear, but it did become more bearable. Liv felt a glimmer of hope and that was all she needed right now. She closed her eyes as exhaustion began to fog her senses. She inhaled Amanda's scent one last time before allowing sleep to claim her.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Liv slept through the night and well into the next day. She dreamt of being with Amanda in their usual spot, doing their usual activities like swimming and hunting and love-making. She was thankful for the happy dreams and woke up rested. She hunted and cooked the meal as Amanda showed her. It wasn't until she was cooking the heart and liver as she knew Amanda liked it that she had to stop and breathe through a sudden swell of tears. She ate the meat and tended to Coffee. She got to work repairing the parts of Amanda's home that had begun to disintegrate so that it would be sturdy enough to bare the winter. Keeping herself busy helped to retain her focus on coming up with an idea to save Amanda rather than sinking into her despair.

Her imagination came up with a ton of ways to rescue Amanda. They ranged from Liv building a giant catapult and flinging herself into the castle, Liv busting through the gates and single handedly fighting anyone who stood in her way, Liv starting a war with another Kingdom- a bigger Kingdom that could destroy her own- as a distraction, Liv sneaking alone through the city then the castle until she found Amanda and then breaking her free and them flying away through the nearest window. All her ideas were crazy and doomed to fail, though, and Liv knew it. By the next day, Liv still didn't have any better ideas. Or the day after that. She was beginning to lose that hope she'd felt. What could she possibly do all on her own?

Liv was wallowing in bed on the fourth day since they'd taken Amanda from her when she heard shouts coming from outside. She got out of the nest and went to open the door. "Olivia?!" she heard. Her eyebrows furrowed. She knew that voice. But she didn't understand how she could be hearing it. Was she starting to go insane? "Olivia?!" the shouting was louder, closer. Then there was rustling and her best friend, Elliot Stabler, appeared atop a horse into the clearing in front of the house. "Liv!" he said happily, a huge smile on his face, when he saw her.

"Elliot?" she called back. "What the hell are you doing here?"

He walked the horse closer before jumping off and enveloping her in a tight hug. She was too surprised to hug back, but he didn't seem to mind. He pulled away and held her at arm's length, still smiling. "I'm here to help you!" he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"What?" she asked.

"You heard me. I came to help. We all did." He motioned behind him and, as if that were their cue, several dozens of men emerged into sight. Liv's eyes widened when she saw that Cragen, Nick, Munch, and Fin were leading them. They filled the clearing and Olivia absently thought that she was going to need more space for them all. Her five closest friends (Alex and Amanda not included) stood in front of her with smiles, looking at her as if nothing had changed.

"I… I don't understand," she said slowly. "Don't you know what's happened?"

It was Nick who nodded and answered, "Lewis called a meeting for all soldiers and told us that he believed you were responsible for Casey and Alex going missing. He ordered us to arrest you. A lot of us wouldn't, so he took those who were loyal to him and/or dislike you for whatever reason and were willing to bring you in. We sent a spy though." He motioned to one man specifically. Olivia recognized him by looks but not by name. He was an older man, between Fin and Munch's ages perhaps. She didn't remember seeing him there, but she had been preoccupied with other things after all. With a kind smile, he waved and, hesitantly, she returned it.

"He was there?" she asked.

Cragen jumped in then. "Saw the whole thing and reported it back to us," he told her. "And this was after Lewis made a spectacle out of you and your- umm… lover in front of the whole city. He told them that you had been banished for being with the enemy and that he was going to use your… to learn how to destroy all the dragons for good. Got the crowd all good and riled up before he ordered that she be locked up."

Olivia flinched at Cragen fumbling over what to call Amanda. "Amanda," she told them, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Her name is Amanda. She's my soulmate. She is not evil. She did not seduce me or threaten me. She loves me, and I love her."

"Liv, ya gotta give us more," Fin informed her gently. "Ya can't blame us for bein' confused."

"We're here because we are loyal to you," Munch added. "But we need the whole story."

Olivia nodded, "That's fair. I understand. I will tell everyone everything, but first everyone should set up camp before it gets too dark. The dragons don't usually trespass on Amanda's territory but they might be drawn to the large crowd so we'll need a look-out team as well as a hunting team. I know this part of the forest well so, if no one has any objections, I will point a group in the direction of supple prey."

Luckily, everyone seemed satisfied with what Liv decreed, so they began to set up camp. She shouldn't have been surprised to see that they were prepared to camp out in the forest rather than return home. She made a mental note to ask the other five Sergeants if their families and the families of their soldiers were safe being left behind in the city. Then she was approached by a group of ten men who were ready and willing to go out hunting. She told them the nearest place where she knew deer would be plentiful and then she told them where the stream would be so they could fill up the water sacs. Once the hunters were gone, she looked over the crowd. Within those handful of minutes she'd spent talking, several tents had been erected. Olivia wasn't sure she liked having so many people, most no better than strangers, on Amanda's territory. She felt like they were trespassing. She knew she had to suck it up, however; after all, they were here to help, and she needed all the help she could get.

By the time the hunters returned with enough deer meat to feed everyone, they were mostly settled. Olivia started a fire in Amanda's firepit and began roasting one of the deer. Two more piles were built and lit, and they cooked deer over them as well. Olivia worried that the stronger-than-average smell would attract dragons, but look-outs had already been posted around the camp. Everyone else was gathered around the fires, waiting for an explanation. She wondered if she would still have their loyalty when she was done. She took a deep breath and called for a silence. When she got it, she told the story from the beginning, everything from the dragon attack that almost killed her to Lewis and his men taking Amanda away. She didn't leave a single thing out, though she was purposefully vague about certain things, like the sweet things her and Amanda had said to one another and the details of their lovemaking; those things were too special to speak aloud to anyone. She noticed that, as she told the tale of how the dragons came to be the way they were, many of the men were either intrigued or doubtful, not wanting to admit that fellow humans, and possibly ancestors, were actually the ones to blame for their own problem. But as she spoke more and more of Amanda, she saw that the number of disbelieving and mistrustful faces decreased. Instead new expressions were borne from her tale. Righteousness. Anger. Sympathy. Determination.

Once Olivia finished, Cragen, Elliot, Nick, Fin, and Munch came to stand with her. She felt her hope swell when she saw in their faces that they still cared for and supported her. As Captain of the Guard, Cragen declared, "The King is not the man we thought he was. He is an abuser, a torturer, and a murderer. He turned on one of our own without fair-enough evidence. He has imprisoned an innocent soul. It is because of all of this that we must mutiny against him. I'm not going to lie, it will be difficult; we may not live through it. But we swore when we became soldiers to protect the Kingdom. If Lewis is willing to cause such pain upon innocents and his own wife, then who's to say what he's capable of and who, if anyone, is safe. Our people are in danger. Are you willing to do as you swore to do, to defend the Airian people even at the cost of your own life?"

Every soldier, including Olivia, Elliot, Nick, Fin, and Munch, shouted, "Aye!"

"By doing so, we have all declared ourselves enemies of the crown but protectors of the people. Lewis will notice we have gone and soon he will proclaim us abandoners. If you did not do so before leaving, I will help make sure that your families back home are taken care of by sending a messenger to the allies we left behind to keep an eye on the city. For now, we will stay here until we have come up with a solid plan of taking Lewis down."

Cragen turned to the other four people standing by him with an open expression, inviting them to add anything. Olivia spoke, "I want to thank you all for coming, for trusting me enough to want to get my side of things, for staying, and for being willing to help. I am honored to work with each and every one of you. You are brave and loyal and true Guardians of Airia. I have confidence that together we will take Lewis down and prevent him from hurting anyone else."

The men dipped their heads to her in respect and acknowledgement of her gratefulness. Cragen dismissed them. Some went back to eating the meal that had been passed around sometime during Olivia's story while others headed off to bed. The sun was sinking, the forest getting darker. Olivia hugged her friends and offered to let them stay in Amanda's home with her. Only Nick and Elliot took her up on the offer, having forgotten their tents in their haste to get to Olivia. Olivia bid goodnight to Cragen, Fin, and Munch and led Nick and Elliot to Amanda's home. She motioned around the empty space and said, "Sleep anywhere you like. Except here." She walked over to the nest. She could handle letting her closest friends inside the home, but there was no way she'd let them even touch Amanda's nest. "And there's a door in the floor over there," she pointed in the general direction of the place in the floor that led to the underground room where Liv and Amanda had made love for the first time. "Don't open it," she practically growled, her voice thick with emotion.

Sensing her mood, Nick and Elliot were quick to lay out their own blankets elsewhere. She was feeling exhausted from having talked so much so she crawled in bed. After a few moments, silence fell and Liv assumed that meant the other two were settled in their own makeshift beds. "Thanks again you guys. For everything," she said quietly.

"Of course Liv. 'Night," came from Elliot.

"You'd do the same for us. Sleep well," Nick added.

She smiled. She was so lucky to have them. With them, Fin, Munch, Cragen, and the rest of their men, she might actually have a real chance of getting Amanda back.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I still own nothing but this story.

Good news! It didn't take me over a year to update this time! :D Lol I'm still sorry about that, but I think my ability to write is coming back- albeit slowly. I'm writing more often than I was a few months ago so I'm considering it an improvement even if it's not like it once was. I'm still determined to finish this thing. I don't even care if nobody cares about this story anymore. Well, that's not true; I hope you guys do still care, but, even if you don't, I AM going to finish this. Just for my own satisfaction. I have rarely finished any of the stories I write because I suck at endings, but I'm resolute not do that with this one. So it may take a while guys, but I hope you hang in there with me.

Since it's been a while again, I'll do what I did last chapter and do a quick recap. So Lewis, the King of Airia (don't worry if you forgot what that bloody kingdom was even called because so did I lol), was going to "arrest" (and by "arrest" I mean he was going to torture and rape) Olivia for "kidnapping" his wife, Casey (Casey discovered Lewis' sick, twisted hobby of torturing and killing women that no one in the city would miss so Lewis beat Casey up; then she ran away with Alex, who she shared mutual love with, with Olivia and Amanda's help). But Amanda traded herself for Liv instead. There was a painful, tearful goodbye between our two lovers and Olivia vowed that she would rescue Amanda somehow. Lewis dragged Amanda back to the main city and put on a show for the citizens. He declared to the crowd that he was going to use Amanda to find a way to kill off the dragons. Of course, we know that that isn't really his plan; Lewis wishes to control the dragons and use them to take over neighboring territories. And if he gets to torture Amanda while he figures out how to do that, well that's just fine with him. So Amanda got locked in a cell. Then Olivia went back to Sundaria (another city in the kingdom I created and yet still forgot what I named it lol) to get her horse, Coffee, and her stuff. Trevor, who was Alex's husband, confronted Olivia and threatened to kill her if she didn't leave. Liv numbly went to Amanda's little, rundown cabin in the woods to wallow and try to think of a way to save Amanda but came up with nothing. A few days later, Elliot, Nick, Fin, Munch, Cragen, and a few dozen or so of the soldiers who were loyal to Olivia showed up wanting answers. Liv told them everything and, shockingly, they believed her and swore to dethrone Lewis and help Liv save Amanda.

Oh! And perhaps I should warn you that Amanda gets hella-tortured in this chapter. So if you have a weak constitution that I'd skip this one. No rape though if that helps lol

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

Amanda wasn't sure how long she'd been left alone exactly, but she was sure it had to have been at least a couple of days. She hadn't eaten since she had been with Liv. Her stomach hurt with hunger pains but she wasn't feeling weak or shaky yet. The worst of her nerves had been calmed by the consistency of nothingness. She had even managed to sleep some. When she felt restless, she paced her cell. It was only five steps wide and as many long. Her chains were heavy but they allowed the small movement. She had entertained ideas of escape, of breaking out of here, getting to Olivia, and running from the kingdom before Lewis could get his hands on either one of them. She had looked for any weaknesses in her cage. She had felt along its walls, pushing to see if any of the stones were loose, but it was seamless. She threaded her hands through the bars at the front of her prison and fiddled around with the lock. When she couldn't pick or break it, she tested the bars' strength by throwing her body against it. All she got from that was a bruised and sore shoulder. She tugged against her chains with all her might, but they held. So she couldn't escape on her own, but if Lewis thought that, when he came to open her door and do what he willed with her, she wouldn't fight then he was in for a surprise. She imagined all the methods she would try for her freedom, especially if it included Lewis' death. Visualizing Lewis dying at her hands in as many ways as she could think of both soothed and excited her. When she wasn't killing Lewis in her mind, she was fantasizing about Olivia to pass the time and comfort herself. She missed her love greatly, but she hoped Liv stayed away for her own sake, that her moving sacrifice for the woman she loved wouldn't be for nothing, that Olivia moved on with her life, even if it meant she found a new lover. If Amanda never got out of that damned dungeon, she'd be able to survive it knowing that Liv was happy and living her life as she deserved.

Amanda was dozing when she finally heard the creaking of the door at the top of the stairs. She quickly stood and tensed her body, readying herself for a fight. The chains wrapped around her wings, keeping them from unfolding, made it difficult but she instinctually lifted her wings as much as she could to make herself look bigger. Unfortunately for her, there wasn't only one person coming down. She could hear the footsteps of four people. That would significantly lower her chance for escape but she still had to try. As far as she was concerned, extra deaths would just be collateral damage. Lewis' men knew what he did to women and did nothing to stop him; they deserved death. She started growling threateningly as they approached, led by none other than the crowned king.

He chuckled, "By all means creature, you fight 'til your heart gives out. You won't get anywhere."

"You're only so confident because you have your minions here with you and I'm chained up," she told him. "If it were just you and me, I'd tear you to shreds."

He laughed heartedly. "You have a smart mouth. I like that. It'll make this so much more fun."

"I won't tell you anything," Amanda said.

Lewis grinned wider, "Do. Don't. I don't care. Eventually, I'll get what I want from you."

"What _do_ you want? Was it not part of our deal that I would tell you about my kind?"

"It was. But that was just for show. Truth is, I don't want the dragons exterminated. I'd like to control them. However, all the ones I've captured proved too wild to tame. So far anyway. I'm nothing if not stubborn; I'll find a way."

Amanda looked at him in confusion and mistrust, "So you aren't going to force me to talk?"

His grin somehow got even more frightening as he replied, "Oh, you'll talk eventually. They always do. They'll say anything to get the pain to stop. That just isn't my goal."

"What is?" Amanda couldn't help but ask despite being sure she didn't want to know the answer.

"To destroy you," he purred wickedly. "I want to hurt you, bleed you, break you. I want to hear you scream and whimper and cry and beg for me to kill you just so the pain will stop. I want for you not to remember what hope, joy, and love feels like- only pain and despair. I want you to forget Olivia, who you are, and that you had or were anything before you became my toy. That. That is what I want."

Amanda could do nothing but gape at him as she felt terror slither down her spine. The only thought her brain was able to formulate was '_This man is truly evil'_.

She and Lewis stared at one another for a minute longer before Lewis chuckled and turned away. "I'll be back in a little while. Have to attend to my Kingly duties before we begin," he spoke to her as he began walking back up the stairs. Then he added to the other three men, "Make our guest comfortable on the cross. I think I shall like starting there."

He finished his climb up from the dungeon as one of the men stepped forward with a key. She began growling again. The man opened the door and all three of them stepped in. They came at her at once, surrounding her. Two of them grabbed her while the one with the key unlocked her chains from the wall. She roared at them, bit them, and thrashed against their hold. She knew she'd managed several bite wounds from the taste of blood in her mouth and the men's grunts of pain. But it did not deter them as they dragged her from the cell. They took a left and went down a short hallway before the room opened up. The men pulled her towards a giant metal X. Despite her struggle and continued bites, they chained first her left hand to the X, then her right, before they secured her feet. They pulled on her restraints to be sure they were good before turning and leaving Amanda left spread eagle on the "cross".

For several minutes, Amanda continued to wriggle and battle against the chains. But they wouldn't give. Huffing in anger, she stopped and looked around the room to assess her surroundings. Across from where she was bound, there were thick chains dangling from the ceiling. Next to them was a bathtub, an item that Amanda had never used herself but had heard about from Olivia. Along the wall to her left was a long table. Amanda's stomach twisted when she saw that it was covered with a multitude of weapons. She saw several different kinds of knifes- some were smooth while others were jagged and they varied in length- metal wires, iron prods, a whip with a single tail as well as one that ended in several, nails, hammers, scissors, candles, a couple of jugs that Amanda wasn't sure what was inside them, gags, and several phallic-shaped items that Amanda remembered Olivia telling her could be used during sex. In front of that table was another, wider table. It didn't have anything on top of it; Amanda thought it looked big enough to for a person to lie down on. Directly to her left, there was a wooden bench. It didn't have a back, was maybe only a foot wide and four feet long, and had legs that formed triangles. To her right was a chest. It was closed so Amanda couldn't tell if there was anything inside it. Finally, in middle of the room, Amanda saw a drain. She noticed the rest of the floor was slightly angled toward it, and Amanda swallowed hard as she realized it was to channel away any spilled blood. She also noticed that, scattered on the walls, were scorch marks. Like the ones she'd seen upstairs. She wondered again at what could've made them. She knew there was no way Lewis could've gotten a dragon down here, so they couldn't be from that.

For hours she was left on that cross, trying not to let her mind think too much about all the things Lewis was going to do to her. Instead, she thought of Olivia, all the memories they'd made together. God, Amanda missed her. Finally, the door to the dungeon creaked open and shut and footsteps came down the stairs, down the small passage by her cell, and into what Amanda deemed The Torture Room. She had a defiant glare ready on her face when Lewis came into view. He stopped to look at her, his eyes brightening at the sight. He grinned, "My my. Don't you look delightful chained there? I hardly know where to begin."

"Why don't you just kill me?" Amanda snarled. "I won't give you anything useful. I won't give you want you want."

Lewis laughed. "Even if you don't give it, it doesn't mean I won't take it. And kill you? Where would the fun be in that?"

"How can you possibly find this," Amanda motioned with her eyes around the room, "fun? How can you be so demented?" Lewis stayed silent. Amanda guessed that either he didn't have an answer or didn't want to divulge it. She continued, "What do you get out of all this? Besides enjoyment." She wanted to understand why she was even here in the first place.

"I will admit that I do have other reasons for doing this. Though they're just bonuses really. I used to only do it for the pleasure, but as my ambitions grew, I saw my hobby as a way to help me get what I want. However, you don't need to know about any of that. At least not yet. For now, it's all about the fun."

With that, he removed his kingly, red, satin robe and draped it over the chest. Then he walked towards the table with all the weapons on it. From the angle she was at, she couldn't see what he was reaching for, but when he turned back to her she saw that he had the scissors. He stepped forward until he was right in front of her. He roughly grabbed the bottom of her shirt and pulled at it. With the scissors he cut a tear in the cloth. Then he gripped both sides of it and tore it open. Amanda growled as she became exposed, but he didn't fear her. He cut the sleeves too before ripping the shirt away and tossing it behind him. When he reached for her pants, Amanda's growling grew louder and she wriggled. He sliced the skin along her stomach in retaliation, but Amanda still writhed. As he cut at her pants, she was cut in several more places, both purposefully and accidentally. Inevitably, Lewis was able to remove her clothes, baring all of her to him. She continued to growl as his eyes wandered over her, filling with interest. "For such a devilish creature, you have quite the heavenly body, pet," he purred. "Perhaps I will get more out of this then I had hoped. I can see now why Olivia allowed you to seduce her."

"I'll kill you," Amanda warned darkly, her eyes flashing uncontrollably with that Alpha Light as she filled with rage at the mention of her mate.

Lewis' eyes widened at the sight. Not in fear, but in surprise. "Oh," he breathed, "Interesting. You are an Alpha, yes? I have never seen one myself but have read accounts."

Realizing she had just revealed something about herself, Amanda stayed quiet and willed the light away.

"That could be very useful to me," he grinned evilly. "See? You have already given me something and I haven't even started yet."

Amanda mentally chided herself, but otherwise said nothing, refusing to give him any more information.

He chuckled and went back to his tool table. He looked over it for a few moments, as if trying to decide which weapon to use first. When he turned around, Amanda saw that he had chosen knife. He dragged it down her skin from her throat to her stomach and down over her right thigh before coming back up her left and pausing at her stomach. Amanda held her breath. Then, like a flash, he slashed open her stomach over and over and over. Slowly, he moved up and sliced her breasts and chest, stopping just under her throat. Then he slowed down his movements, pushing the knife into her skin and gradually dragging it down the center of her body, stopping just above her womanly parts. All the while, Amanda clenched her jaw and didn't make a sound. True, it had hurt, but she had felt worse pain before; she would not show weakness. Lewis paused to watch the blood run down her body. Then he punched her wounds, opening them further and causing sparks of pain throughout Amanda. Still, Amanda was silent. Then he stabbed the knife deep into her side, all the way down to the hilt, and twisted it. She knew he was trying to get her to cry out. She refused. Even when he stabbed her again and again, winding it each time. She let out her breath only when he headed back towards his table.

He came back with an iron prod. Turning slightly, he gripped the iron in both hands and lifted it over his shoulder. He swung it, and it collided hard with Amanda's leg. It was harder to stay quiet as he continuously beat her legs with the iron stick, breaking her bones in several places, including her knees, but somehow she managed it. She breathed heavily when he stopped. She watched as he held the prod up with one hand and lifted his other hand parallel to and with his palm facing it. With his eyes locked on her face, his hand began to glow. Amanda's eyes widened as a bolt of light shot out of her captor's hand, around the prod, and collided into the wall, creating a burn mark that matched all the others. When her eyes looked back at Lewis, she saw that the part of the prod that had been in the path of the bolt was now red hot. With the shock making her momentarily forget her pain, she gasped, "What the hell was that?"

"Ah yes," he said with a snicker, "Perhaps I should've said when you asked earlier. I'm a warlock."

Amanda had heard this term before, way back when she was just a child. "You practice magic," she breathed, her stomach dropping with dread. "Black magic." As opposed to witches and wizards, who practiced white magic. All three were rare, though there were more warlocks than witches and wizards. Warlocks were evil by nature, dark to the very core and easily corrupted by the wickedness of black magic. That explained why Lewis was the way he was.

"I have a gift," Lewis bragged. "Many of my kind have to use spells or objects to be able to use magic. I however was born with the power to summon lightning with my very hands. I can make it cold enough to freeze or hot enough to burn. I only wish that it was not always fatal; every time I use it on a person, it kills them. If I could lessen its power, I could hurt people with nothing but my hands. Not that I'm too upset about it. There's nothing quite like drawing blood with a knife or whip or whatever else."

"That's what happened upstairs," Amanda said shakily as the pain rushed back to her. "You burned it with your lightning."

Though it wasn't a question, he nodded, "Indeed. Combination of practicing honing my skills and losing my temper when Casey left before I was done with her."

Amanda trembled as he electrified the prod again, restoring what heat it had lost as they talked. Then he stepped closer and pressed the heated stick against her torso. Amanda closed her eyes tight and gritted her teeth, still denying him of hearing her pain. He took it away, zapped it again, and forced it against the bottom of one foot only to repeat his actions on her left. He branded her several more times, earning nothing but silence, before resting the prod back on the table.

Reaching for the key at his belt, he unlocked her chains. With her legs broken as they were, Amanda had no choice but to excruciatingly collapse to the floor. Lewis gripped her hair with one hand and lifted her hand with the other. He turned her around and chained her back to the cross with her back facing him. He grabbed at the chains that were wrapped around her wings and tugged at them so he could move her wings off to the side, exposing more of her back to him. Amanda whimpered uncontrollably into her arm as one of her wings snapped as it was pulled in a way it wasn't meant to go. It was the first sound of agony she'd made; with her wings being the most sensitive part of her, the pain in her wing was worse than all the pain she felt on the front of her body and in her legs. She hoped he didn't hear it over the clanging of her chains. He didn't seem to as he, again, paused to eye her body hungrily before going to his table once again. Amanda tried to turn her head to watch him, but was unable to see anything. She could only listen to his footsteps getting closer as warning before there was a blaze of pain across her ass and the crack of a whip. It was the one with numerous tails judging by the multiple origins of agony. Over and over, he ripped open the skin of her back with the whip. Amanda's head was beginning to spin, but her resolve to stay soundless did not weaken.

Finally, with her body covered in blood and wounds, Lewis stopped. "It's getting rather late," he said. "Think I'll continue this tomorrow."

Amanda tried not to sigh in relief too loudly as Lewis unlocked her. He let her fall again as he grabbed his cloak and put it on before he gripped onto the chains around her wings. Roughly, he dragged her across the floor and back to her cell. He tossed her in, not bothering to chain her to the wall like before, and locked the barred door. "Good night my pet," he told her with fake sweetness before he headed up the stairs and left, slamming the door behind him.

Amanda waited another minute or so, just in case her tormentor came back, to finally break down. She sobbed as agony pulsed throughout her body. She could feel it starting to heal already in some places, but still, she knew, she would be in pain for hours. Her wing would take longer to heal. She wasn't sure she'd be able to stay strong if more pain was added to what she already felt. But she was determined to try. She would stay strong as long as she could. She'd get out of here eventually; she just needed to hold on until then.

~~~~SVU~~~~

By the time Lewis came back down to the dungeon, Amanda's injuries had mostly healed. She still had dark scars from where he had stabbed her side, her knees were still painful and stiff, and her wing was still fractured but not as badly broken as it had been. When he saw her, Lewis said excitedly, "You've healed! Delightful! I get to start from scratch!" To the men he had with him, he added, "Hang her from the ceiling chains."

Just as she had the day before, Amanda did her best to fight against the man as they entered her cell. Again, she managed to inflict several injuries, but nothing made them stop and soon she was dangling from the ceiling. Lewis dismissed his minions as he removed his robe. He wasted no time in starting, going immediately for a whip- this time, the single-tailed one. He spun her around before quickly stepping back and letting the whip fly. It landed randomly, breaking open her skin in several places, as she twisted around and around. Amanda refrained from making any noise. When she started to slow down, he stepped forward to spin her again. Then once more. As she finally came to a stop, she felt like every inch of her body was throbbing but it was nothing she couldn't handle.

She glared at Lewis as he ogled her blood-covered body. She growled at him, daring him to continue. He tittered before reaching into his pocket and pulled out an empty glass bottle. Amanda watched in confusion as he stepped forward. He dragged his hand and the bottle over her, collecting her blood. What he gathered in his hand, he cupped so it would pour into the bottle. He did this until the bottle was full, all the while watching with an odd gleam in his eyes, and he shoved a cork in the top.

"What are you doing?" Amanda couldn't help but demand.

He took out a handkerchief and wiped the bottle and his hands before securing the vessel back in his pocket and tossing the bloodied cloth away. "Just a little experiment," he answered casually.

Amanda kept her mouth closed when she realized that was all he was going to say on the matter.

Lewis tortured her for a few more hours, using every object on his table save for the gags, phallic-shaped objects, and whatever was in those jugs. Other than panting and quiet gasps, Amanda hadn't made a sound. With an expression that was half-angry, half-intrigued, Lewis noted, "Still no screams? You are much tougher than you look, I'll give you that. An unexpected challenge. But I'll find the thing that'll make you scream my pet. I promise."

"Don't bet on it," Amanda glared and growled at him, her voice slightly shaky from the pain she was in.

Without another word, he stepped around her and unceremoniously undid her chains. She dropped to her knees, cringing since they still hurt from the day before. He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her back to her cell. He shoved her in and locked it before leaving.

~~~~SVU~~~~

The next week passed in much the same manner. Lewis would come with a couple of his minions, they'd chain her to something, and Lewis would torture her with his tools. Sometimes they would taunt each other cruelly, trying to piss the other off. Sometimes only one of them would speak. Sometimes neither of them would say anything at all. Amanda continued to abstain from making any noises of pain which continued to both annoy and fascinate Lewis. Each day, at some point during his torment, he would stop and collect some of Amanda's blood. Halfway through the week, he increased the amount he took to three bottles worth. At the end of the week, he filled seven. Amanda once more demanded what he wanted her blood for, but he refused to tell her.

By the end of that week, Lewis was determined to get Amanda to scream. And he succeeded.

She was dangling from the ceiling again, bloodied and sore. He had just finished lashing her with the multi-tailed whip, creating bone-deep gashes each time when he stepped close to her and grabbed onto her wings. "I think I've figured out what will make you scream pet," he grinned malevolently.

Amanda's stomach dropped, but she kept her face neutral. Lewis undid the chains that were wrapped around her wings, and they clanged loudly to the floor. Amanda didn't hesitate; she lashed out with the wing closest to him. He went flying backwards and collided hard into the wall. He grunted in pain and had no choice but to fold into himself as he tried to refill his suddenly empty lungs. Amanda smirked. When he looked up at her, he looked wrathful, but Amanda widened her sneer. He growled as he stomped over to his table and picked up the iron rod. He heated it with his lightning. Then he launched at her and started swinging. Amanda's wings flapped in an attempt to both dodge the blows and hit Lewis. Lewis moved behind her, and she tried to spin around so she could track him while still blindly lashing out with her wings. She grimaced when the heated stick burned the flaps of her wings, but otherwise didn't react.

Finally, she swung her wing low, and Lewis took the opportunity to bring down his weapon right on her wingbone between her back and wingjoint. It broke with a loud snap, and Amanda whimpered. She wasn't able to move it out of the way fast enough before the rod broke the bone again, this time down closer to her back. Amanda wailed. She began to panic when she couldn't move her wing and it simply dangled behind her. Lewis stomped his foot down on it, crushing the smaller, more flexible bones within the flap of skin. Amanda whimpered again. Instead of trying to find him with her other wing, she extended it towards the ceiling, trying to keep it out of his reach. It wasn't enough. Lewis heated the iron stick again and stabbed it clean through her skin flap. Over and over and over. Amanda cried out each time. Then he stabbed her wing one final time and pulled it down towards him. The iron tore her wing open and Amanda screamed. Then Lewis swung the stick again and broke her second wing down near her back as well. Amanda roared in agony as her wing drooped like its twin. Lewis cackled behind her as he continued to beat, burn, stab, and rip her wings with his iron rod, breaking her bones and tearing the flaps in so many places Amanda lost count. By the time he was done, Amanda's voice had nearly died from screaming so much and loud, and she was shaking with the severe agony. She didn't need to look over her shoulder to know that her wings were completely crushed and shredded.

Lewis laughed and tossed his stick back on the table as he stepped around to face her. Amanda did her best to glare at him, but it didn't hold as much fire as it did pain. Lewis grinned victoriously up at her and taunted, "Told you I would make you scream pet."

Amanda weakly growled at him but looked away as shame filled her.

Lewis snickered again, "Don't feel bad my pet. You lasted much longer than anyone else, longer than even I predicted. You've won all the battles so far, and I'm willing to bet you'll win some more. But in the end, I'm going to win the war."

He waited for Amanda to respond, but she had nothing to say, couldn't think clearly through the waves of pain radiating from her wings. He shrugged before moving to let her down. She whined as she crumpled on the floor. She shrieked when Lewis took hold of each of her shattered wings and pulled them, and her, to her cell. He threw her inside, and she moaned as, unable to move them, she became tangled in her wings. Lewis cackled maniacally all the way up the stairs. Amanda sobbed in pain until, finally, she fell into unconsciousness.


End file.
