I Wanna Come Home
Chapter 10:
A/N: I love, love, love, all of you wonderful people. Keep those wonderful reviews coming; you guys are awesome! This chapter is dedicated to AliasCSINYFriendsER because she is just so cool and everyone should read her story "Forget Me Not" and then harass her to update it.
A chorus of laughter erupted in Elliot's room as poor Fin was pinned in the corner by Olivia. The doctor had suggested that Olivia get some practice with the crutches before she was released. She had been practicing all day and when Fin and Munch had shown up, she stood up from the chair and headed straight for Fin. He had backed into the corner and that's where he remained with one of Olivia's crutches digging into his stomach. Cragen and Casey were sitting beside Elliot's bed and everyone was laughing hysterically.
Fin threw his hands up in the air "I'm sorry," he pleaded.
"Damn right you're sorry," Olivia was taking this probably more seriously than she should. She had been so afraid that Matheson would come after her and Elliot. She didn't like the idea that someone could sneak into her hospital room and get as close as Fin did. She trusted Fin of course and knew that he would never hurt her but it was just terrifying that she was that vulnerable.
"Liv," John said softly from behind her. He could tell that she was on edge. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she spun around, losing her balance instantly. John caught her before she could hurt herself.
"Let me go," she almost screamed as the crutches clattered to the floor and she pounded against Munch's chest with her good hand.
Elliot tried to stand up at that moment but Cragen laid a hand on his shoulder. Elliot knew he was supposed to stay in bed or risk further injury. His heart broke for Olivia as she completely fell apart before his eyes.
John brought her back to sit in the chair she had been occupying before as everyone looked on in confusion. As soon as she was with in reach of him, Elliot reached out to her, not caring that everyone was watching "Liv," he whispered as he was able to pull him onto the bed beside him. "Honey, what is it?" he was beyond concerned at this point.
Casey herded the guys out of the room "Come on you guys," she said in a hushed voice.
Fin took one last look at Olivia before he left the room. He had no idea when he wrote on her cast that it was going to affect her like this and he was pretty sure that it was more than just not being to fond of the color pink. He shrugged and followed the others out of the room.
Elliot held her against him and she wrapped her arms around him as she trembled "It's okay," he whispered. "He didn't mean anything by it," somehow, Elliot knew that this went deeper than Fin's little practical joke.
"I know," she whispered through her tears "I just… I just can't believe that I didn't hear him come in."
"You were exhausted," Elliot told her soothingly "It's okay."
"But what if it wasn't Fin?" she asked and suddenly her fear became clear to him.
"Liv," he pressed a tender kiss to her lips. He couldn't tell her that she was one hundred percent safe in a hospital. Olivia herself had handled more than one case where a victim had been abducted from a hospital. He found himself at a loss for words.
They lay like that for a long time before Casey poked her head back in. "Everything okay?" she asked, taking a step inside the room.
Olivia looked up, wiping her eyes dry with the back of her hand "Yeah," she said in a small voice. Casey turned to the others in the hallway and ushered them back inside the room. Olivia looked up at each of them and forced a smile. It really wasn't anyone's fault that she was feeling so vulnerable. The only one to blame was Matheson. "Sorry guys," she said genuinely.
Cragen cleared his throat "We should probably be getting back to work now anyway." He turned to Munch and Fin "Come on you two," and the three men left the room.
Casey took a seat once more "I should probably get going soon too," she told them. She had a hunch about Charles Bedford and she needed to do some research. "Do you need me to help you back to your room before I leave?" she asked Olivia.
"Nah," Olivia said quietly "I'll get one of the nurses to help me." She really didn't want to leave Elliot so soon. She didn't like the idea that she needed someone to help her from one hospital room to the other.
"Okay," Casey smiled softly in understanding. She got up and retrieved Olivia's crutches from the far side of the room and propped them up against Elliot's bedside. "You should probably be getting a little more practice with these," she smiled.
"Thanks Case," Olivia smiled back at her friend.
"Anytime," Casey gave Olivia a pat on the shoulder before turning to leave "You to behave yourselves now," she shot back over her shoulder with a mischievous grin.
Elliot and Olivia rolled their eyes simultaneously "Goodbye Casey," they said at the same time before breaking into laughter.
Casey paused at the door and turned around "Bye, bye," she grinned and winked causing Elliot and Olivia to laugh harder.
"Ooh," Elliot breathed when Casey has left. Laughing took its toll on his injuries.
"You all right?" Olivia asked, concerned.
"Yeah," Elliot reassured her quickly. He was fine. He just needed to catch his breath. A few seconds later and had recovered from the laughter. He took Olivia's hand and smile "Just gotta take it easy I guess."
Olivia leaned in and kissed his lips. She smiled softly "I guess I'll just have to be sure not to make you laugh," she said, half playfully, half seriously.
Elliot smiled back at her "You can try," he said as he kissed her "But I have a funny feeling you won't succeed."
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Casey's eyes scanned the information on the computer screen in front of her. She knew Jack Bedford's name had sounded familiar when she had first heard it and now she knew why. He had been a private investigator on a case that she had prosecuted four years ago back when she had been in white collar crimes. She had never met him personally but from all accounts and what she saw on the screen before her, he had been one of the best.
But he didn't work for the DA's office anymore and hadn't for at least two years. Casey wondered why until she looked an idea hit her and she looked up cases that had been tried around that time period. There in front of her was the reason that Jack Bedford had quit. It was also perhaps the reason that he was dead. If Casey's hunch was right, this was big. She quickly printed out the information and went to tell Cragen and the others.
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"Charles Bedford was inedited for embezzlement two years ago," Casey began to explain. "His brother Jack was supposed to be investigating the case. Jack quit and left town for a while so no one could find him to serve him with a subpoena to testify against his brother."
"Do you think Jack knew something?" Cragen enquired.
"There's not a doubt in my mind," Casey replied "And that's probably why Charles had him killed."
"You're starting to sound like my partner," Fin spoke up.
"I'll take that as a compliment," Munch murmured before adding somewhat reluctantly "Do you have any hard evidence to support this?"
"Well no," Casey started "But I'm sure it's there if you just go looking for it."
"You're suggesting we go looking for something that isn't there?" Munch asked "You really are starting to sound like me."
"Charles Bedford was acquitted because of lack of evidence," Casey nearly shouted "Jack must have known something about his brother. Something connected to the embezzlement of course but something so big that if Jack decided to turn on Charles even after the acquittal, Charles could be put on trial for it and go to jail for a very long time."
"Take it easy Casey," Cragen said calmingly, putting a hand on her shoulder. She was spouting off theories so fast that she was out of breath. "Breathe," he instructed.
"This is too insane even for me," Munch told her.
"Besides," Fin reminded her "Matheson's the one who killed Jack."
Casey had caught her breath by this point "They have to be connected somehow."
"I think you need to get some rest," Fin told her "One crackpot theorist is all we can handle around here."
"Again," Munch muttered "I'll take that as a compliment."
"The connection has to be there," Casey protested.
"I'll drive you home," Fin said as he grabbed his coat. He walked Casey out of the precinct and to his car. "You're just under a lot of stress," he told her "We all are with everything that's been happening."
"If you say so," Casey murmured but somehow, she knew she was right.
A/N: Okay, I promised myself that I would get at least one more chapter up before tonight's episode and I believe I have done that looks at what she's written yeah, I think this is a chapter LOL.