Olivia went into the kitchen to make Alex something to eat. Alex's fridge was full, which was definitely a good sign. She tried to remember what foods Alex liked, other than vegetables and salads. She decided to put together a smoothie that she recalled Alex mentioning in the past. She threw together some vanilla yogurt, a banana, and some vanilla extract, then searched for the blender. She figured a smoothie would be easy for Alex to eat and it would soothe her throat. And she hoped that having a familiar food would be a comfort for her, no matter how small.

She went to check on Alex every few minutes, replacing the washcloth with a fresh one intermittently. She furrowed her brow when she realized her fever wasn't getting any better. In fact, it seemed to be rising, not falling. Regardless of Alex's trepidations, if the fever got any higher they were going to have to go to the hospital. Olivia had never seen a fever as high as 104.2, and she knew that anything over 103.5 could require medical attention. Olivia wasn't a doctor and didn't know how else to take care of someone as sick as Alex was right now.

When she'd finished making the smoothie, she brought it out to Alex and set it down on the coffee table. She knelt again by Alex's side, gently brushing Alex's damp hair back from her forehead and running her fingers through the golden strands. Alex was sleeping fitfully, tossing and turning, mumbling words that Olivia couldn't decipher.

"Alex, shh," Olivia said softly, pressing a kiss to the blonde's temple, even though she was aware that she would never have dared to make such a bold move if Alex had been awake. "Sweetie, calm down. You're safe."

If anything, her words frightened Alex even more, and Alex began to thrash in earnest, still muttering in her sleep.

Olivia stepped back from her, not wanting Alex's flailing hands and feet to catch her body. She reached over and grasped Alex's shoulders to still her. "Alex, sweetie, I need you to wake up now. Open your eyes for me. I'm here, and you're safe. Please, sweetie, open your eyes."

Finally, Alex's eyes flew open, glassy and unfocussed. "L-Liv?"

"Yeah, sweetie, I'm here."

Alex blinked. "W-why are you here? Where – where am I?"

Olivia held out her hand for Alex to take. Hesitantly, Alex grasped it. Her grip was weak. "We're at your apartment, honey. You're very sick right now. That's why you feel so bad."

Alex nodded and laid her head back down on the couch.

"Sweetie, did you have a bad dream?"

Alex shrugged, hunching her shoulders and starting to tremble again.

Olivia sighed and reached out to feel her forehead. "Oh, my God, Alex. We need to take your temperature again. Now."

"Wha-why?" Alex's eyes were starting to drift closed.

Olivia handed her the thermometer. "Your fever, sweetie."

Alex put the thermometer in her mouth, but her grip was loose and her fingers slipped away from it. Olivia had to grab the thermometer so it wouldn't fall out of her mouth. She held it there until it started to beep.

"Oh, God. 105.4. Alex, this is really serious. We need to call a doctor."

"No – no, Liv, no doctors – no, please, please –" Her words were slurring together, and they were so soft that Olivia could barely hear. She knew that regardless of what Alex wanted, taking her to the hospital was the right way to go, but it still broke her heart to have to do it.

"Sweetie, I'm sorry, but we have to. Your fever is way too high. This can be really dangerous, Alex. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Alex curled up more tightly on the couch, whimpering. "Liv – just want to – just want – sleep – please." Her eyes closed then.

"Alex!" Olivia shook her shoulders in an attempt to wake her, but it didn't help. Panic clouding her vision, she hefted Alex into her arms and raced out the door.

She thought about calling an ambulance, but she knew the nearest hospital was only a block away, and they didn't have any time to waste. She ran down the stairs two at a time, holding Alex tightly and trying not to groan under her weight. Tiny though she was, Alex was not a child and she was heavy. But the adrenaline surging through Olivia's veins told her that she needed to put aside her own pain and get Alex to a hospital now, or Alex might die.

She ran into the ER with Alex in her arms. She went straight to the triage nurse. "She – she fainted. She had a fever of 105.4 and she was delirious and she just – fainted."

As several other nurses arrived with a stretcher for Alex, Olivia tried to answer questions about Alex's medical history, but she didn't know all that much and couldn't be of much help. Finally, one of the nurses told her to go into the waiting room and they would tell her when they'd stabilized Alex.

Olivia paced the waiting room, unable to stop her racing mind from worrying about Alex. She couldn't help but feel as though she had betrayed the woman she loved by handing her over to the doctors she was so clearly terrified of, even though she knew it had been the right decision. What if Alex's fever had gotten worse and she'd died? A fever over 104 was serious; a fever over 105 could be life-threatening.

She didn't even want to think about what might have happened if she hadn't shown up when she did.

About an hour later, a nurse came into the waiting room and called for the family of Alexandra Cabot. When Olivia stepped up, the nurse asked how she was related to Alex, but when Olivia flashed her badge, the nurse was happy to apprise her of the situation. "Ms. Cabot is very lucky. If you hadn't brought her in when you did, she might not be here now. We've brought her fever down to 102; she'll be sick for another day or so, but she'll be fine after that. We'd like to keep her overnight for observation just in case, though."

Olivia nodded. "Can I see her?"

"Of course. Right this way, Detective."

Olivia followed the nurse to Alex's room. She was the only one there, and she was awake, sitting up in bed. Her back was ramrod straight and she had an IV in her arm. She was glaring at Olivia and the nurse. Olivia couldn't help but smile at the familiarity of the expression.

Olivia pulled a chair up beside her bed. "Hey," she said gently. "How are you feeling?"

Alex's eyes were like steel. "You betrayed me, Olivia."

"What?"

"I told you not to call a doctor. I told you –" Alex sighed, the fight draining from her eyes. "I'd like you to leave, Olivia."

"Alex – you were very sick. Your fever was 105.4! You could have died, sweetie."

"Olivia, don't. Don't even try to justify yourself to me. And don't you dare call me sweetie. I am not your sweetie. Do you have any idea how –?" She stopped abruptly. "I want you to go, Olivia. Now."

"Alex, you were unconscious. You could have died."

"Olivia." Alex sighed again, clearly working to even out her voice. "I woke up in a hospital bed, with a needle in my arm, wearing a hospital gown, all by myself. You have no idea…"

"I'm sorry, Alex. That must have been terrifying for you. I am so sorry."

"Get out, Olivia."

"Alex, when I was at your apartment, you were telling me about doctors. That they tied you up. That they hurt you. What happened?"

Alex stiffened, her eyes growing even more glacial. "Olivia," she said in the soft, dangerous tone she reserved for the worst of the scum they dealt with every day, "if you don't leave right this very moment, I will not be responsible for my actions."

Olivia felt tears stinging her eyes as she stood up. "Alex, I am so, so sorry. I never – I never wanted this. I never wanted to hurt you. I'm sorry." She bowed her head. "I hope you feel better soon," she whispered as she started for the door.

Thanks to Alex Beckett, peterpeter, AIOILove, MillaMayhem, Eljh55, Bkwrmchar, AprilBaby95, johannasbreasts, , ladybugsmomma, Liv-x-Lex4Ever, Ravens Trinity, Kikilia14, and guardianrock for your reviews. I appreciate every single one of them.