10

Tuesday Morning

One Day Post Rescue

Alex opened her eyes, her gaze going immediately to the ceiling, her mind instantly on Olivia and the possibility of seeing her today. She wanted—no, needed—to make sure that happened, either with Fin's help, or without.

She closed her eyes once more and, before she had a chance to yawn, she heard a noise to her left. She turned her head to find a nurse—different from last night—entering with a tray, smiling. It was no longer Arliss, but a heavy, dark-skinned woman with a broad smile.

"Good morning. Ready for a little breakfast?" She came closer and moved the bed table towards the bed, placing the tray on top.

But Alex wasn't hungry, at all. Maybe it was the medication. Maybe it was her extreme desire to see Olivia. Maybe it was just being ready to end this, leave this town, and go home. Whatever the reason for her lack of appetite, she couldn't imagine forcing what looked like a breakfast burrito, a glass of orange juice, and whatever was underneath the silver lid down now, or any time soon.

"I'm sorry…" Alex started, "…I'm really not hungry." Alex furrowed her brow. "What happened to Arliss?"

"Arliss? She went off duty about an hour ago. Said she came in to let you know she was getting off, but you was sound asleep." She grinned. "I'm Shanice."

Alex smiled slightly. "Alex."

"And you need to eat something so you can take your medicine. How's the pain this morning?"

Alex swallowed, shifting her neck around, lifting her backside slightly, and then she brought her fingertips to her forehead, lightly touching her contusion. "Better, but still hurting."

"OK. Well, you need a little something so your stomach won't get upset. How about a little cantaloupe?" Shanice lifted a small metal lid and set it aside, revealing bright orange fruit.

"I don't think I can. My stomach…"

"What about if I join you for breakfast?" a familiar, Heavenly voice offered from the doorway.

Alex gasped as she watched Olivia wheel herself into the room, hair in a lop-sided ponytail, a huge smile on her face. The blonde's eyes immediately began filling with tears, her lower lip vibrating.

Shanice smiled and looked at Olivia and then at Alex. "I'll leave you two alone." She headed to the doorway, left the room, and closed the door behind her.

Alex's eyes never left her wife as the brunette came closer and closer. The blonde reached out her left hand, not able to speak.

Olivia approached the bed and then stood, moving to sit in the space on the edge of the bed next to her left thigh, pressing her own left leg to hers. "Hey, Al…" she smiled, her own brown eyes watering with emotion.

Alex swallowed and sniffed, feeling her face contort. "You're OK…" she whispered.

"I am…just a few stitches…and something called contrecoup, where my brain hit the opposite side of my skull," Olivia said softly, taking Alex's left hand into her own. "But…I wanna know…how are you, Babe?" She looked her face over and then bit her lower lip.

Alex could see her wife restraining her own emotions for her sake. The blonde knew she must look bad and that Olivia had already been clued in on her exact injuries from her demeanor.

"Did you talk to the nurses?" Alex asked.

Olivia nodded quickly. "I did…and the doctor." She paused and swallowed, drawing her lips inward.

And Alex saw the guilt there, the hurt, the utter and extreme angst that her wife was feeling. "Olivia…" Alex started. "Please don't do this to yourself, my love. Please."

Olivia shook her head. "I can't help it, Al." Her voice was soft, delicate, emotional.

And God were those warm eyes conflicted.

"I'm gonna be fine," Alex promised.

"It's gonna take at least six weeks, Al," Olivia whispered.

"Six weeks…OK. We'll be home. We'll be with the kids." Alex smiled devilishly, feeling the warmth of a tear roll down her cheek. "They can wait on us hand and foot, Babe…" She chuckled softly.

Olivia joined in and shook her head, her face twisting with grief once more. She inched upward and then hovered over her, looking back and forth between her eyes. Alex focused on the chocolate hue, the misery in them, until Olivia's face got even closer and the blonde couldn't help but move her gaze to that warm, plush, inviting mouth.

The brunette pressed her lips to hers—gently, expertly—before pulling away and looking at her once again.

"And you and I are gonna focus on getting better and look toward the future, Liv." She raised her eyebrows. "OK?"

Olivia swallowed and sniffed, nodding quickly.

Alex looked at the tray that was now off to the side. "Wanna split a breakfast burrito with me, Babe?" She smiled.

"I would love to, Al."

No concussions meant they could go home the next day, Wednesday afternoon.

Olivia lifted the beach tote that she had brought on the trip, the one that Fin had retrieved from the room along with all of their other belongings, onto her shoulder and then moved to the door.

It opened just as she reached for the handle and she was met with Sergeant Tutuola standing behind a wheelchair, his hands on the handles.

"Your ride," he smiled.

Olivia gave him an unimpressed look.

"You know it's hospital policy, Liv. Just sit down." He leaned closer, "At least it's me and not that creepy, cross-eyed orderly," he said quietly.

Olivia turned around and obliged, placing herself in the chair and setting her bag on her lap. "Where's Alex?"

"Already in your Rover." Fin wheeled her out of the room and towards the elevators. "We had to get that doughnut pillow and all them blankets for cushioning in there first, and then got her in there."

And there was that lump again—the one that seemed to be ever-present in the brunette's throat at the mention of any of her wife's afflictions. The elevator opened and she was wheeled inside.

"And Imma drive extra careful so you and she will be as comfortable as possible." He said, leaning over her. "You ready?"

The elevator stopped and the doors opened again, revealing the lobby.

"More ready than I've ever been, Fin." Olivia took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm ready to get home, see our babies, take a hot shower…all of it."

"Well, you'll be there by this evening, Liv. I promise."

He pushed her through the doors of the hospital now, into a bright, sunny May afternoon.

She was ready to get home and take care of her wife.

She would make sure Alex healed completely and that she was OK both mentally and physically.

And she would simultaneously work her damnedest to make sure the bastards that did this to them would pay for their crimes and that they would be put away for a very long time.

Alex could sense Olivia's torment, even as she shared the backseat with her, both relaxed and close to sleep.

Alex also knew her wife was exhausted, as was she.

Those brown eyes were closed, but Alex knew she wasn't sleeping. Olivia was too exhausted to sleep and the brunette had never been able to sleep in a car, anyway.

Alex gripped her hand tighter.

They had been holding hands since they entered the SUV, both in the back seat while Fin drove, and both had been quiet. Her wife's older partner hadn't spoken and was simply giving them both the peace, time, space and patience that he knew they both needed.

Olivia gripped her hand back tighter and Alex knew that she had the same sentiments, the same thoughts, that she did.

They had entered Manhattan about ten minutes prior and Alex knew they would soon be walking through their front door and into their family's arms. She would see her brother and feel his firm strength, she would see her mother's relieved, yet worried, face. She would see the unrestrained emotions of their children.

And it would all be worth it.

She turned and looked at her wife again and watched as those warm cocoa eyes opened and then looked at her smiling. Her ponytail was disheveled, and she was wearing her faded denim shirt and jeans. She looked exhausted but, at the same time, amazingly beautiful.

That never seemed to change for the blonde.

Olivia brought her hand to her mouth and kissed the back gently before bringing it to her cheek, just above her now-exposed stitches, and closed her eyes once more.

The bruising on Olivia's jaw was there, the skin around the black sutures slightly inflamed, but the swelling was almost gone.

"It looks good, Liv," Alex said softly.

Olivia re-opened her eyes and brought their clasped hands to her lap. "Not like the accident in the warehouse almost twenty years ago?" Olivia's smile broadened.

Alex flared her nostrils, smiling and shaking her head. "Not at all, Babe."

"No female elephant man?" Olivia raised an eyebrow, smirking.

"No, Liv," she claimed softly. "When that happened right before we got married…" Alex shook her head, "…you were so upset. Remember?"

Olivia nodded. "I do…it was so close to our wedding. I didn't want anything to mess up our perfect day, Babe."

Alex looked at her wife then, the two just sharing a moment of remembrance, of unity. "And nothing did."

"It was perfect," Olivia agreed.

"I love you, Liv…"

Olivia nodded, her face emotional once more. "And I love you, Al. So much…"

"We almost there, ya'll," Fin stated from the front seat.

Alex looked to her left at the Harlem River as they made their way southwest on FDR Drive, only a few boats on the water in the darkness, their headlights bright and distinct—so majestic, so comforting, so familiar—and then she watched as they turned right on East 97th Street.

And Alex felt her emotions come all over again.

She felt a warm hand cup her chin now and she turned to face her wife's equally emotional face.

"You ready to see our family?" Olivia asked, smiling through her tears.

And Alex could only nod, too overcome with relief for anything else.