Disclaimer: See chapter 1

As always, thanks for continuing to read/review this story :) A little light relief for the most part in this chapter. a break from so much grief!

Friday May 23rd 2008

14.57

Roof of The Egerton Hotel, Midtown

"Mr Anderson, please let Mathew go and step away from the edge." Olivia stood stock still in front of the distraught father who was holding his son captive against his body and backing slowly but surely towards a six storey drop from the edge of the fleabag hotel they had been hiding out in. Heights did not usually bother Olivia, she rock climbed in her scant spare time, but she certainly disliked children so close to such drops. She held her hands out in front of herself to show she was no threat, was not brandishing a weapon. Elliot stayed beside the entry way to the roof his weapon drawn and aimed at Anderson. Whilst he did not want to spook the already agitated man any further, he needed to cover his partner and ensure her safety.

"They're going to turn my son against me, they're going to stop me from seeing him." Steve Anderson's despair made him irrational. In his mind, there was only one solution; if he took his son with him over the edge, no one could ever hurt Mathew again and nor could they be separated.

"You were acting in what you thought were your son's best interests, that will be taken into account by the courts," Olivia reasoned, eyes flicking to Mathew who looked frozen in terror.

"You're just saying that to gain my trust. Well it's not going to work, I know fathers never get custody." Anderson shuffled back closer to the precipice.

"That's not true Mr Anderson. Up until now, you have never hurt Mathew, you have tried to do everything you could to protect him. He told you someone was hurting him and you did what any responsible parent would do – you removed him from harm's way. But this is hurting Mathew now. And you're not the type of father who hurts his son. Please Mr Anderson, don't become another man Mathew is scared of. Let him go." Olivia stepped a little closer, seeing her words penetrating the fog surrounding Anderson's frantic mind. She was almost within touching distance of the pair, just a little closer and she might be able to salvage this whole mess.

"You know who hurt my boy? You can prove it?" There was more than a flicker of hope in Anderson's voice, his grip loosening almost imperceptibly on the terrified young boy.

"We do, we know it was his step-father and we're going to make sure he never hurts Mathew or any other child again. Mathew will be safe now but he will need his Dad more than ever, to show him it wasn't his fault, to show him how to be a good and honest man himself. He needs you to be there for him, to continue to be a good role model." Olivia pressed, edging a fraction nearer and then nearer still when Anderson did not back off. Her arms were relaxed by her sides and she held the man's gaze as one hand slipped to release her handcuffs. Deftly, she closed one bracelet around her own wrist. "Please Mr Anderson, let Mathew come to me and then we can figure a way to sort this out." Olivia reached for the boy with her unshackled hand successfully distracting his father momentarily. Elliot watched as time seemed to slow down. Olivia reached for the boy and the father simultaneously. Anderson thrust Mathew at the detective and carried on backwards, off the roof just as Olivia secured the spare bracelet around his wrist. The ex-marine was in motion before he saw Olivia drop to her knees, bracing herself to counter the man's weight and prevent herself and Mathew, who had attached himself to her like a limpet, from following Anderson over the edge. The air was knocked from her lungs as she was slammed into the shallow wall surrounding the rooftop and she had to swallow an agonised cry as she felt her shoulder part company with its socket from the jolt of taking the dead weight dangling from the edge.

"Liv, you ok?" Elliot was beside her almost instantly, peering down into his partner's face concerned for her welfare given the lack of colouring in her normally tanned looking skin.

She gave him a tight nod, regretting it instantly as it jostled her shoulder and collarbone, both of which were screaming at her. "Get Mathew off the roof for me would you, El? And then get Anderson up." The words were uttered through gritted teeth, her pain evident to the man who had worked closely with her for more than ten years. Elliot beckoned over a young female uniformed officer and crouched down so that he was face to face with Mathew.

"Hey buddy, I'm Elliot, I work with this lady detective here. I need you to be a brave man for me and go with this police officer so I can help your daddy, can you do that for me?" Mathew momentarily tightened his grip on Olivia, his tiny hands pressing on a particularly painful spot on her injured shoulder as he hugged her neck but then released his hold and shuffled forwards towards the officer who was to escort him down off the roof. "Good man," Elliot called after him, earning a quick wave from the young boy.

"Can you take his weight but give me a minute before you pull him up?" Olivia knew moving her shoulder would be painful and needed a moment to prepare herself. Their prisoner wasn't going anywhere and judging by his own whimpers was also suffering as a result of Liv's actions.

"We'll go on your signal," Elliot informed her, not needing details to know the woman was fairly badly injured. He reached over the edge of the roof, after anchoring himself securely, and grabbed a fist full of Anderson's shirt in one hand and instructing the man to give him his free hand before gripping that wrist tightly and guiding Anderson to wrap his own hand around Elliot's own thick wrist. "Ok, I've got him, Liv. Whenever you're ready." Liv had felt the dead weight lessen, the burning pain in her wrist easing slightly. She took a deep breath, swallowing down a wave of nausea and closed her eyes. Gritting her teeth, she gave Elliot the go ahead to pull up the man currently dangling from the building. Elliot hauled the father back up on to the roof as though he weighed nothing, not wanting to prolong the agony for his partner. The tiny remaining bit of colour drained from her face as her shoulder was brought back into a more natural position.

Olivia fought the darkness creeping into the edge of her vision, determined not to pass out no matter how much pain she was in. Her entire arm felt like it was being jabbed with red hot needles, her shoulder sitting painfully outside of the socket and the skin on her wrist broken where the metal bracelet had bitten into her . She could only dare to fear what other damage had been wrought as a consequence of her determination to save both the child and his father. She made to get to her feet but a fresh wave of nausea convinced her it was more prudent to remain where she was. She was vaguely aware of Elliot calling for EMT's to attend to her and Anderson but the world seemed to be receding rapidly despite her best efforts to remain focused and alert.

Friday May 23rd 2008

16.23

Mercy General Emergency Room

"Where is she?" Alex demanded of Elliot who was reluctantly heading back to the precinct with Anderson in tow, freshly bandaged and with his arm in a sling.

"Through there," Elliot thumbed over his shoulder. "I gotta get this guy back and take his statement. You ok to make sure she's alright for getting home?"

"Of course, I'll take care of it," Alex assured him, knowing how much he would have preferred to hover over the female detective protectively. She was rather glad he was leaving, it would make battling with Olivia's carers easier to ensure Samia would be granted access to her lover and be kept informed of her condition. Olivia had insisted on speaking to Alex on the phone before she accepted treatment following her doctor's refusal to contact her girlfriend on the grounds that she was not a recognised next of kin and therefore had no rights to information regarding Liv's condition. Alex intended to approach the subject of drawing up legally binding papers for Olivia which would ensure that such things would not happen in future, knowing that the two women considered themselves to be family. The blonde attorney watched Elliot's retreating form, making sure he was gone before she strode over to the floor desk and demanded to speak with the physician in charge of Olivia Benson's care.

"Ms Cabot, how can I help you?" A young woman in a pristine white lab coat approached the attorney, a polite smile plastered on her face that entirely failed to reach her eyes.

"I'd like to see Detective Olivia Benson and I'd like to know what her condition is." Alex's voice was steady but cool, her polished tones even more precise than usual.

"I'm afraid Detective Benson is undergoing treatment just now and unable to accept visitors. If you'd like to wait in the waiting area, I'll make sure someone comes to get you when she is ready to see people." The doctor turned to leave, mentally having dismissed the blonde woman.

"Dr… I'm sorry what did you say your name was?" Alex questioned directly, knowing full well that the woman had not introduced herself and Alex refused to be forced to read it on a name badge.

"Dr Sullivan."

"Well Dr Sullivan, perhaps I did not make myself clear. I am Assistant District Attorney, Alexandra Cabot. I need to speak with Detective Benson urgently regarding a case we are currently prosecuting." Alex's gaze never wavered, even as she blatantly lied to the doctor.

"I empathise with you, Ms Cabot, but Detective Benson will not be of any use to you until the medication given to her wears off. I will make sure you are able to see her just as soon as possible." The doctor turned to leave once more, leaving a very frustrated Alex in her wake, but another voice stopped the woman in her tracks.

"Excuse me doctor, my son would like to give the detective who rescued him this picture he drew for her." Dr Sullivan turned, preparing to give the woman the same speech. Alex saw the disinterest in her eyes and stepped in before she could open her mouth.

"Perhaps I could pass it on to Olivia for him when I see her?" The almost skeletal brunette nodded her approval to Alex's solution and encouraged her son forward to pass on the drawing. The doctor drifted away without another word, returning to her previous position at the nurse's station, exchanging idle gossip and flirting with a rugged looking male dressed in surgical scrubs. Alex crouched down beside the young boy who was clutching a colourful piece of paper where he stood, partially hidden behind his mother's legs. "Hi, I'm Alex, Olivia's my friend too."

"'Tective 'Livya's a superhero, jus' like Superman, 'cept she's a girl. She saveded my daddy when he couldn't fly off the roof," Mathew informed Alex with a shy smile, looking up at her in wide eyed wonder from beneath his shaggy blonde fringe.

"She did huh? Wow, she sounds kinda special," Alex stifled a small laugh and smiled fondly at the boy's description of her friend's actions, glad to see he didn't appear to have been traumatised too badly by seeing his father try to take his own life.

Mathew nodded seriously, holding the paper out for Alex to take, "I drawed her a picture."

"That is a beautiful picture, Mathew, I'll make sure Olivia gets it as soon as I can. I'm sure she will love it." Alex was surprised when the slender boy wrapped his arms around her and placed a sloppy kiss against her cheek.

"You give her that too?" He asked hopefully.

"I will," Alex informed him gently, standing up straight again as she watched mother and son walk away, the boy holding tightly to his mom's hand as though afraid she might disappear without him. She looked down at the brightly finished drawing, recognising Mathew attached to Olivia's hip as his 'superhero' flew through the air, a man she presumed to be Mathew's father, Steve Anderson, held firmly in Olivia's outstretched arm.

"Should I be jealous?" The voice in her ear startled Alex out of her reverie.

"Sam! You really shouldn't sneak up on people, you know!" Alex admonished gently, briefly hugging the younger woman who was fast becoming a firm friend. "Olivia has an admirer, but don't worry, I think your place in her heart is safe…he's only five."

Sam peered at the drawing, barking out a laugh as she took in the black leather jacket that was doubling as a cape as her girlfriend soared in the sky, saving the young boy from his demons. "Well I always knew she was my hero, guess the rest of the world is just catching on," the blonde teacher joked. Her expression turned more serious as she focused on their reason for being at the hospital. "Have you managed to find out how she is?"

"No, the doctors won't tell me anything either but I did manage to wheedle out of them that Liv's been medicated and is currently undergoing some kind of treatment," Alex replied, letting out a frustrated sigh and motioning for Sam to join her sitting in the waiting area.

"Treatment's better than surgery, right? That means whatever it is, it's not too bad doesn't it?" Sam sounded unsure and Alex realised that this was her first real taste of the dangers Liv faced in her job.

"It is and they're in no hurry to find out who her next of kin is so I'm sure she's fine." Alex reached for the younger woman's hand squeezing it lightly and resting their joined palms in the nook between their knees. Nervous tension rolled off the blonde teacher in waves, despite Alex's assurances, a testament to how deep her connection with the detective was. The not knowing for certain her lover was ok was driving the dynamic woman to distraction.

Friday May 23rd 2008

16.39

Mercy General Emergency Room

"Ms Cabot?" Dr Sullivan approached the blonde attorney, casting a distasteful glance in the direction of her hand where it lay still entwined with Sam's. Seeing that she had her audience's attention, the ER doctor continued, "you can visit with Detective Benson for a few minutes now but I doubt you'll get anything coherent out of her which will assist your work." Alex rose from the uncomfortable plastic seat, pulling Samia along with her. "I'm afraid we will have to restrict it to one visitor at the moment," Dr Sullivan attempted, not even bothering to hide her contempt for the other woman.

"Dr Sullivan, this is Olivia's partner and she will be visiting Detective Benson with me or I will make life very uncomfortable for you and your colleagues. You might have heard of William Harriman, Judge William Harriman? I believe he is a very generous contributor to this hospital's funds. If Uncle Bill were to hear about the way you obstruct your patients from seeing their loved ones at a time when they need comfort most, I'm sure he would reconsider his position." Sam tried very hard to smother her smirk as she listened to Alex effectively dress down the doctor in the crowded waiting room without ever raising her tone above her usual quiet speaking voice.

"There really is no need for threats, Ms Cabot. I was merely stating hospital policy to restrict the number of visitors a patient sees if their physician deems it detrimental to their well being for more than one person to be at their bedside," Dr Sullivan bristled haughtily.

"Fine, I can wait then. Please take Ms Camanetti to see her partner, I'm sure her presence will be far more beneficial to Detective Benson's recovery than my own would be." Alex refused to back down to the blatant smoke screening of discrimination, daring the doctor to challenge her further and strengthening her resolve to have papers lodged on Olivia's record to reflect that Samia was her next of kin and should be treated as such. Alex passed the drawing Mathew had done to Liv's lover indicating the discussion was over.

With an agitated huff, Dr Sullivan barked at Samia for her to follow her through to Olivia's room. Liv's girlfriend caught Alex's eye as she walked past and mouthed a thank you at her earning a wink in response and Samia realised that the poor doctor had never stood a chance, playing directly into Alex's hands. Every time she spent any time with the attorney, Sam realised why Olivia had been so keen to reconnect with her. Alex was a force to be reckoned with, that much was a given, but she was also fiercely loyal to her friends, caring, compassionate, witty and generous with both her time and her seemingly unlimited funds without being flashy. Alex simply had a way of making things happen.

"Five minutes then we'll have to ask you to let Detective Benson rest." Dr Sullivan turned on her heel and left without waiting for a response. It was clear that despite her gaining access to her lover, she was not being invited to ask any questions about her condition. Sam's gaze fell on the prone figure lying in the bed, wrist in a back-slab and her entire arm contained within a sling to keep it immobile. The normally sharp chocolate eyes were clouded with medication but a lazy smile still broke across Olivia's face as she saw who had come to see her.

"Hey pretty lady!" Olivia giggled girlishly, a sound so totally out of character for her it momentarily threw Sam.

"Liv?"

"I sure will, I'll do anything you ask me to," Liv beamed, trying to wink but ending up scrunching her whole face up in a very comical blink.

"Sweet talker!" Sam laughed before her face twisted into a devilish grin, "so you'll do anything I ask will you?" She sidled closer to the bed, positioning herself on the non-bandaged side and taking her lover's hand between both of her own.

"So long as it involves you and me spending eternity together, you betcha I will." The blonde teacher decided she kind of liked high Olivia, there was no barrier to her adorable honesty.

"Baby, you don't need to be in a hospital bed for me to promise to be here always and forever. For as long there is breath in my body, I will be beside you in my heart, my body and my soul." Sam punctuated her words with gentle kisses to each of Olivia's cheeks, to her forehead and finally to the tip of her cute nose, avoiding the lips she so wanted to devour and earning herself the most adorable sullen pout from the detective. "I brought something to show you. Seems you're a superhero to more people than just me," Sam made to bring up the drawing Mathew had given Alex.

"Ah but only you get the spidey kiss," Olivia quipped giddily, causing her lover to laugh out loud, drawing the attention of the nurse across the ward who scowled slightly at the women.

"I'm very glad to hear it," Sam admonished gently before drawing Liv's attention back to the picture she had propped up on her midriff. "Mathew was quite insistent you had this for saving his daddy." Liv's eyes fell on the child's drawing and she gently extricated her hand, running soft fingers over the figures in the picture with an expression of pure wonder on her face. Sam ran her own nimble fingers through Olivia's hair, effectively cuddling the detective's head close to her bosom, needing her own physical connection to her lover to prove to herself she was indeed alright.

"Well don't you two look the picture of a happy family?" Two sets of eyes, one startled, the other blurry, focused on the speaker.

"Alex?" Sam's expression changed to confusion as the attorney slipped into the room.

"Ooh another pretty lady! Hey 'Lex," Liv murmured feeling herself getting lost in the gentle ministrations her lover was lavishing on her scalp.

Alex spared Olivia an amused glance and waved at the detective before she moved to reassure the teacher, "it's ok, Dr Sullivan said I could come back for a few minutes. Seems the hospital administrators got word of my suggestion I could damage Uncle Bill's support of this place and told her to talk to me and make nice with me." She watched as Samia relaxed back against the head of the bed, Liv's head lolling closer and closer to resting on her breast, eyes drooping. "Looks like they've got her on some pretty good stuff!"

"She's been priceless, I can't wait for her to get better so I can tease her mercilessly about it!" Sam retorted jovially. "So did you find out what my superhero here has been doing to herself? I don't get the impression she's in much of a fit state to fill me in herself."

"She has a hairline fracture of her collarbone and both bones in her wrist have fractures but they're clean breaks that don't need surgery. Her shoulder was dislocated and with her other injuries, they had to sedate her to get it back into the socket, hence spaced out Liv. Apparently, she'll need physical therapy and it will take time for her to regain full strength and use of her arm but they're not expecting any lasting damage. Looks like she'll be on desk duty for a good few weeks though." Sam groaned, realising how much that would irritate the dynamic detective who thrived on being an integral part of every investigation she was involved in. "I know, I can only imagine how that's going to go down when she sobers up enough to realise it." Alex tilted her head on one side, looking fondly at the now sleeping detective whose head had indeed found its way to rest against the side of her lover's breast.

"Does she have to stay in hospital overnight?" The question was directed at Alex but answered by another voice.

"Not so long as Detective Benson is not left alone. She will need to make sure she keeps her shoulder as still as possible for the next two weeks so someone will need to assist her with dressing and personal care, that sort of thing. We will arrange for her physical therapy appointment to be sent to her home address. I've written up a script for pain relief for her that I would advise her to take three times daily for the first two days and then twice daily for a further week. After that, she should be able to take them only when the pain warrants it." Dr Sullivan handed the bottle of tablets to Alex who slipped them into her purse without flourish. "As soon as the sedative has worn off properly, Ms Benson will be free to leave. One of you may sit with her until she wakes up if you wish to." It was obvious that the woman was only offering because she had been forced to by unseen people higher up the food chain but Alex would take any small victory.

"I'll wait for you in the waiting room Sam, when you're ready, I'll help you get Liv home." Alex slipped back out of the door without waiting to hear if the young teacher had any argument to her plan. Sam noticed Dr Sullivan have a quiet word in the ear of one of the nurses who wheeled a stool over and positioned it beside Olivia's bed for Sam to sit on while she waited on her lover waking up.

"Thank you," she said, grateful to be allowed to be there despite not having any legal standing given the nature of their relationship. The nurse favoured her with a small but genuine smile and a slight nod. In the quietness of the room, Sam's thoughts turned back to Alex's comment as she had entered, upon seeing herself and Olivia looking affectionately over the childish drawing. With a flutter in her chest, she realised that she could definitely envisage being a mom with Olivia, knowing the detective would make a fantastic parent. As Olivia slept, she allowed herself to dream of a miniature version of the brunette running about and keeping them on their toes, wreaking havoc as he or she played the superhero. The thought made her smile serenely, an expression of total adoration plastered to her face as she kept watch over her slumbering lover.

Saturday February 14th 2009

12.16

Alexandra Cabot's apartment, Belmont Towers, Upper East Side

Alex looked over at where Olivia rested on the couch, seeing the detective gazing unseeingly at the orchid, her expression unreadable once again. When they had returned to her apartment, Alex had insisted on running Liv a hot bath to chase away the last of the cold she had exposed herself to and then got the older woman settled on the couch wrapped up in the throw which was always on the back of the sofa.

"How about I make us something light for lunch and we stick a movie on?" Distraction was to be the key in Alex's plan. She hoped she could find enough ways to make the difficult day pass for the brunette and ease her suffering in some tiny way.

"I'm not really hungry but you go ahead." Olivia pulled the cover closer around her, yearning to drink herself into oblivion so she could escape from the dull pain buried deep within her.

"Liv, you need to eat," Alex began only to be cut off.

"You're not my damn mother, Alex." The brunette shrugged off the throw and stormed from the room, retreating into her bedroom and shutting the door firmly.

"Guess we've hit the anger stage then," Alex mumbled to herself quietly as she set about brewing a pot of coffee and considered what she wanted to eat herself.

Olivia sat on the edge of the bed in Alex's spare room, mentally berating herself for snapping at the young woman who had given over her home to Liv. But there was a burning hatred beginning to flame into life inside of her, a raging anger at the injustice of the situation. Elliot could keep his God, Olivia had no time for any Deity who could offer a glimpse of happiness only to allow it to be snatched away in the cruellest of manners. That wasn't the mark of a benevolent god in Olivia's mind. She wanted to lash out, to hit something, to punish someone or something for her pain. She wanted to keep hitting until her knuckles bled and then hit some more just for good measure. She wanted to scream and shout and yell at the world about how unfair it was that Sam wasn't alive to share in what should have been one of the most joyful days of Olivia's life.

"Every day is a gift baby, every day we have on this earth we have to make the most of it, of each precious moment."

Sam's words rang clear in Olivia's mind. They had come during a discussion following a particularly gruelling case, a case which had seen the detective attempt to withdraw from everyone around her, fearing her presence in their lives would only lead to pain and suffering for them. Olivia had wondered aloud how some people kept going, no matter what was inflicted upon them and that had been Sam's answer. At the time Olivia had thought the words glib, the sentiment sweet but inappropriately simplistic. In that moment however, Olivia suddenly understood that it was exactly that kind of optimism which kept people going through their darkest hours. It was also what had drawn Olivia to the young teacher in the first place. The thought of how she had treated Alex crowded her subconscious, making her restless and uneasy. Thinking back on the plans she had made for that day, a way to apologise to Alex formed in her mind. She allowed herself a tiny smile as she considered how Sam would have approved of her idea.

Alex sat quietly at the dining table, looking over her schedule for the week and making notes on the cases she had penned on the docket to remind her of what preparation still needed doing. She heard a door open in the apartment and braced herself for hearing the front door following suit but it never came. Instead, she heard steady footprints padding through the apartment.

"Al?" There was a tinge of anxiety in the voice as it called out to the attorney.

"Through here, Liv." Alex responded using the detective's pet name, reserved only for those she cared about, to show there were no hard feelings following her earlier outburst.

"I thought maybe you'd left," the brunette murmured softly, slipping into a chair beside the young blonde.

"No, just doing a little prep for next week," Alex replied, turning to look at the woman now seated beside her, body angled towards her.

"I wouldn't have blamed you if you did. Leave, I mean. I shouldn't have snapped at you, I know you're only trying to help and I do appreciate it, really I do." Olivia ran a hand through her shaggy hair, not so sure her master plan was such a great idea now it came to actually vocalising it to her friend.

"No need to apologise, I should know when to back off and give you some space." Alex reached over and squeezed the detective's closest hand gently before sitting back in her chair and twiddling a pencil between her fingers.

"Well I think I do need to apologise. You have been so great to me; you've opened up your home, you've been there for me every step of the way, you've put up with me. I really don't feel like staying in tonight, I'll only spend the evening dwelling on Sam not being here. Weeks ago, I made reservations at Eduardo's, would you… I mean I'm sure you already have plans for this evening…" Liv trailed off, fidgeting with the edge of the table in front of her.

"You'd like for us to go out to dinner tonight to Eduardo's?" Alex placed her glasses down on the folder on the table next to her, looking evenly at her house guest.

"It's ok, forget I mentioned it, it's a stupid idea, of course you have plans already, why would you not, you're a beautiful woman…" Alex forestalled any more of Olivia's ramblings with a gentle finger against her lips.

"Liv, honey, I don't have any plans for this evening that don't involve take out. I think it's a lovely idea. I just want to make sure that you're really okay with the idea of taking another woman to the restaurant you had planned to dine at with your partner. I understand you want to be distracted and maybe you feel that being around a lot of other people is what you need but is a restaurant on Valentine's Day really the right kind of distraction? Won't that just drive home that I'm not Sam?" Alex was genuinely concerned.

"There isn't anything that can make the fact that she's gone any more real than it already is to me, Alex. I know it will be hard, I know it will hurt but I am also sure that it is what Sam would want me to do. She wanted me to keep living, to embrace every day that I am alive and live it to its fullest. I lose sight of that at times but there's always a memory of her that reminds me. Please Alex, share a meal and a bottle of wine with me and let's use it to celebrate Sam's life, to celebrate the fact that we're both here, that we're back to being friends despite circumstances conspiring to keep us apart. I don't really care what we celebrate but please, help me choose to live." There were tears in the blonde's cobalt blue eyes as Olivia completed her plea.

"I'd be honoured to share this evening with you." Alex leaned forward and wrapped her friend in a warm, comforting hug, rubbing her back gently as she struggled to compose herself.