I must have fallen back asleep, because I wake up to find your soft lips pressed against my forehead. "I brought sustenance," you say with a smile, climbing onto the bed beside me and holding out a croissant and a cup of coffee from Starbucks.

I sit up in bed and lean over to give you another kiss. "Thanks, baby." I take a sip of coffee. Ah, the fuel to start my day. "Did you –?" I start to ask, then stop. Of course you haven't slept. I can see the dark bags under your eyes.

I slide closer to you and wrap an arm around your shoulders, breaking off a piece of the croissant and handing it to you.

You examine it for a moment, then take a bite. Sighing, you rest your head on my shoulder, and I kiss your cheek. "I love you," I whisper in your ear, and you beam.

"I love you, too, Liv." You hesitate. "Hammond called. He wants to come over."

"Mm." I bury my face in your silky blonde hair and inhale the familiar scent of your vanilla shampoo. "Later."

You take another bite of croissant and chew slowly. "He said noon."

"He can wait."

I sit up and start to massage your back. Your muscles are coiled and I rub away the tension as best I can. It makes me sad to see what your time in WitSec has done to you – the white bandage wrapped tightly around your left wrist, the deep bags under your eyes, the tightness of your muscles, the way your ribs protrude, the sadness so visible in your baby blues.

I feel you start to relax into me and I kiss the crown of your head. It feels so good to hold you again, to have you here with me, in my arms. I love you so much, baby.

I bring your bandaged wrist to my lips and kiss it with utmost tenderness. Your body shudders slightly, but you don't say anything. You lean back against me and smile slightly as I start to thread my fingers through your soft golden hair. "You're so beautiful," I say, almost unconsciously.

You smile shyly and I tuck a strand of hair behind your ear, cradling you more tightly in my arms. You normally wouldn't stand for being held like this and would have pushed me away by now – I've always been the needier of the two of us, and you sometimes get impatient with me for it. But today, you need the comfort and I need the reassurance that you're still here and not going anywhere, and for now, you let me hold you. I'd be happy to hold you forever if you'd let me. I've missed you so much.

We stay like that for several moments in comfortable silence. Suddenly, you jump at a knock on our door. I kiss your shoulder blade and lightly rub your back. "It's okay. It's just Hammond."

You smile ruefully and nod, sliding off my lap so I can get up to answer the door.

Sure enough, it's Hammond, and I step aside to let him in. I notice your gaze lingering on the locks on the door, and I flip the second lock, just in case. I'm not taking any chances when it comes to your safety.

Hammond sits down in the armchair and I pull you onto my lap on the couch again. You indulge me, which isn't typical of you – you're not given to public displays of affection in any way, shape, or form – but I need you in my arms today. Always.

"I'm not going back into Witness Protection," you say before Hammond has a chance to open his mouth. "I'm staying here."

"Alexandra, you might not have a choice. By being here, you're putting yourself and Detective Benson in danger. The other detectives, too," he says.

"I don't care," you say, and I tighten my arms around you.

"Alexandra, Velez's men can find you much more easily here than across the country."

"I don't care," you repeat. "I'm not going back. I can protect myself."

"I still don't think you understand the enormity of the situation. The police department doesn't have the finances or the resources to give you a full protective detail."

"Why should she need one?" I ask him.

"Detective Benson, your delusions of grandeur and invincibility aren't going to protect your girlfriend from a drug cartel."

I take offense to that, but you turn to me, a smile playing around your lips. "He's right, you know."

"Alex, it's not funny. This is your life we're talking about."

"But you do have delusions of grandeur and invincibility."

"Alex! Stop it. This is serious."

You slide off my lap, ducking your head as you move to the edge of the couch. "I'm sorry."

I scoot over to you and give you a squeeze. "I'm sorry, baby. I'm just –" I hate to admit it, but I have to. "I'm afraid, Alex. I'm afraid for you." I turn to Hammond. "I'll – I'll go back into Witness Protection with her. I won't let her go, ever again."

"No, Olivia. I can't do that to you. I won't."

"Sweetheart, we need to keep you safe. You're not good to me or anyone if you're dead, and I know I won't be able to handle losing you ever again."

"Olivia, we've had this discussion already. The answer hasn't changed."

I take your bandaged wrist and kiss it again, and you stiffen, but you don't pull your arm out of my grasp.

"I'm sorry," you say quietly, adjusting your glasses. "I won't hurt you, Olivia, any more than I already have."

"Alex, being without you hurts me more than you know."

You close your eyes and sigh.

"Alexandra, you're putting yourself and Detective Benson in danger by being here," Hammond says.

"I can protect her," I tell him. "If she won't let me come with her into WitSec, she can stay with me. I'll take care of her. I'll keep her safe from Velez."

"Detective –"

"Please," you say to Hammond, your voice breaking, "I won't go back."

Hammond sighs, and I pull you closer to me, unconsciously pressing a kiss to the crown of your head. "I think she's safer here than she would be in WitSec," I tell him carefully, hoping the implication is clear.

His expression softens slightly. "My job is to protect you from a drug cartel, Ms. Cabot. I can't do that if you insist on being stubborn and staying here. I know you love Detective Benson very much and you miss her, but your safety – and hers – is in jeopardy if you stay."

You raise your head and I see the vulnerability in your eyes, the naked fear. "I can't."

You quickly mask the fright I've just glimpsed, but I know how difficult this is for you anyway. I can see it in the slight slump of your shoulders and the trembling of your hands, in the way your hands are clasped tightly together, in the way you keep glancing at your bandaged wrist, as if to make sure it hasn't started bleeding again. You're trying to hide it, but I can tell you're absolutely terrified. I am, too, baby. I'm absolutely terrified of losing you – whether into Witness Protection or into the hands of a drug lord.

"Hammond, can you come back tomorrow? I think this is something Alex and I should talk about before we make a decision," I say.

"My decision is already made," you say curtly. "I'm not going back into Witness Protection ever again. I'm staying here."

"Baby, I think this is something we should discuss."

"There's nothing to discuss. You're not going to change my mind."

"Either way, I want to talk about this with you, and I think we'd be better off doing so without an audience."

"Olivia, I'm staying here, and you're not going to convince me otherwise."

I glance at Hammond. "Can you come back tomorrow?"

He looks reluctant, but finally nods. "You have one day to make a decision."

"I've already made it –" you start to say again, but he raises his hand to stop you.

"If you insist on staying here, I can't stay with you. That's not my job."

"I don't need you," you tell him coldly, and I snake an arm around your shoulders, pulling you close to me. You have me. You always have, and that's all you need.

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