Previous Disclaimers Apply
Chapter 2
"We're what?" Asked Olivia.
"Detective, Ms. Cabot, we thought that with Zapata being moved into federal custody that would have alleviated the threat against you. We were wrong. So when you were both shot, we decided, for your own safety that you should remain dead."
"What!" Exclaimed Alex.
"Oh, hell no!" Added Olivia.
"Detective, Ms. Cabot, please here me out. You are far safer dead than alive. We thought it was Zapata that put the hit out on you Ms. Cabot, it wasn't. Apparently, Cesar Velez wanted retribution for you taking away his top lieutenant."
"My mother?" Asked Alex.
"With you dead, she should be safe. We will keep a detail on her for the foreseeable future until we feel she is no longer in danger."
Just then, Hammond's cell phone rang. He stepped out to take his call.
"Liv, I…we…what are we going to do?" Asked Alex.
"I don't know, Alex. He's talking about Witsec, the Witness Protection Program. If everyone thinks we're dead, we can never contact our family again. Well, you contacting your family; never contacting our friends, no one."
"I can't do it, Liv. I can't leave everything behind."
"Maybe you won't have too?"
"What do you mean?"
As always with bad timing Agent Hammond came back into their room. Olivia tried to sit up straighter in the bed, wincing in pain as she moved.
"That was the relocation agent. I should have your new identities within the hour. You'll stay here one more night before its medically safe for you both to travel to your respective new cities."
"No." Replied Olivia calmly.
"Detective, think about this. Be rational. It's for the best."
"No. We won't go alone." Said Olivia.
"I don't understand."
"We go together or we don't go at all!" Exclaimed Olivia.
"I'm sorry?"
"Agent Hammond, Alex and I together, as in we are in a romantic relationship."
"Detective, Ms. Cabot, I can't allow this. Are you married? Do you have any documentation of a domestic partnership?"
"No, we hadn't got that far in are relationship, yet." Replied Alex.
"Then, I'm sorry. You'll enter into the program separately."
"No!" Yelled Olivia.
"Agent Hammond, it will be in your best interest to comply with our request. If you don't, the first opportunity I have to make contact with my mother I will and with her political and financial connections you'll be find yourself a lonely park ranger in the middle of Yellowstone National Park. Do I make myself clear, Jack!" Said Alex emphatically.
"Uh…I need to make a few phones calls. I'll be back shortly." Said Agent Hammond as he left their room.
The door had not even closed completely when a nurse came in followed by another agent. The nurse checked Alex and then Olivia making sure they were feeling as well as could be expected and whether or not they needed additional pain killers which they didn't.
"Nurse, could you move our beds together?" Asked Olivia.
"Pardon me?" Replied the nurse.
"I want to be closer to my girlfriend." Replied Olivia.
The nurse didn't think anything of it. Yes, she worked for the government and she has seen a lot of situations like this one. Alex was to Olivia's right so all the nurse had to do was move the small side table that was between both beds out of the way. Afterwards, she popped the brakes on Olivia's bed and push it against Alex's bed and locked the wheels back. Before leaving she pushed the side table to the left side of Olivia's bed. She smiled at the stoic agent as she left the room. The agent's eye trailed back to the ladies; he watch as each slid closer to the edge of the bed, closer to each other.
Neither woman cared that they had an audience; they were together and that's all that mattered. As soon as they both settled, Olivia's right hand took Alex's left. Their fingers laced together automatically as their lips sought out the other's. The kiss was gentle, chaste even. It was all they needed at the moment. Afterwards, Alex laid her head on Olivia's shoulder and Olivia laid her head against the crown of Alex's after placing a kiss to there. They didn't speak, they just held each other as best they could considering their injuries.
When Agent Hammond returned, he was accompanied by a man in scrubs whom the ladies assumed to be their doctor.
"Ladies, this is Dr. Smith. He's here to tell you about your injuries and your recoveries. If you'll excuse me. I'll be back shortly."
As the agent turned to leave, Olivia spoke to the doctor.
"OK, Doc, lay it on us." Said Olivia.
"Detective, Ms. Cabot, you were both brought into Mercy Hospital in Manhattan suffering from gunshots wounds. Detective, yours was a through and through. When the bullet exited your body, it hit Ms. Cabot. Based on a Detective Stabler's statement, you apparently tried to shield Ms. Cabot with your body. However, at such close range along with a high powered caliber bullet, you couldn't stop the bullet from hitting Ms. Cabot. It did however slow its trajectory, considering that Ms. Cabot's subclavian artery was hit, it was minimal damage. Had she taken the full impact of the bullet, the artery would have been severed. She would have bled out in the ambulance before ever reaching the hospital. Ms. Cabot you should heal easily. There will be soreness as the muscles rebuild, you will need some physical therapy, but I would expect in 3 months time you should be back to 100% health."
The doctor paused for a moment before turning back to Olivia.
"Detective, your injury was a bit more severe. Since you took the full impact of the bullet, there is more damage to your muscles and ligaments in your shoulder. You will need more extensive physical therapy. Based on the damage I've seen, I can't guarantee you'll get 100% use of your arm back. You will more than likely experience less range of motion compared to your right arm, you may not get back the full strength it was before the shooting. I could be wrong and you'll be back to 100% as well, there are some things in the human body we just can't predict. All I can say is to do everything your physical therapist tells you to do and hope."
"Thank you doctor." Said Alex.
"If you have any questions just have the nurse page me. Ask for Dr. Smith, #8." Said the doctor.
Olivia laughed.
"I take it every doctor here is named Dr. Smith?" Asked Olivia.
"Something like that Detective."
He turned and left the room.
Olivia was quiet and Alex knew why. If her shoulder didn't heal properly she wouldn't be able to meet the physical requirements to be a police officer; however with them entering the Witness Protection Program, it's highly unlikely that Olivia would still be able to be a cop.
"Liv, I know you are going to miss it, being a cop. We'll just have to hope that your shoulder does heal completely and that we won't have to stay in hiding for too long. Then maybe we can come home and you can be a cop again."
"I know. It's just for most of my life that's all I had. I don't think I could do this alone and not be a cop too. I'd go crazy."
"Well, it's a good thing we are in this together."
"Yeah, it is." Replied Olivia stealing another slightly deeper kiss from Alex.
Again with his impeccable timing, Agent Hammond returned to their room.
"Ladies, I had to call in a few favors, you owe me for this one. Your new identities are in the process of being prepared. You will be relocated as a married lesbian couple."
He continued laying out the events for the next few days. They'll start the process of moving them tomorrow. Due to the ladies, injuries, they want to get them placed as soon as possible so that they can settle in and begin to heal. It will take roughly two weeks before they'll reach their final destination. Traveling with them will be a doctor and a physical therapist so that they can start their treatment plans for their PT. Afterwards Hammond left them with an agent in their room and another outside their door.
That night when Olivia realized his second shift planned on staying in their room she had other ideas.
"Agent Peters, do you think, maybe just until we fall asleep you could wait outside. We'd like a little time alone together, please?" Asked Olivia giving the agent her best doe eyes.
"Sure. I'll look back in on you in an hour or so. I'll be right outside the door with Agent Hodges." Replied Agent Peters.
"Thank you." Replied Alex.
The ladies had only separated when each had to go to the bathroom. They needed to get up and move around a bit since they will be moved tomorrow. After the nurse had come in for a check around 10pm, they decided to try and get some sleep. The each lowered the heads of their beds to a more flat position, Olivia scooted as far left in her bed as she could and Alex shifted from her bed to Olivia's. They got situated under the covers; Alex was able to turn onto her left side and she cuddled next to Olivia. Olivia had her right arm protectively around Alex. Soon the ladies drifted off to sleep.
TBC…