The two women slept late into the next day, peeking out from under the sheets to acknowledge the light streaming through the window and consciously choosing to ignore it. Alex simply buried her face more deeply into the nape of Olivia's neck and the brunette, groaning, laid a hand over her eyes. Finally, as the room glowed in the bright midday sunlight, Alex could stand it no longer. She threw the covers off and walked sleepily to the kitchen. She put the coffee on, knowing that the enticing aroma would lure her girlfriend out of bed sooner or later. She then headed to the bathroom, hoping that a hot shower would wash the laziness from her body.
As she stood under the spray, lathering her hair, Alex's thoughts turned to the events of the previous day. Her body had been tense, simultaneously wishing that she were the one putting O'Hara through the wringer and breathing a sigh of relief that she didn't have to. She couldn't move while the familiar process of reading the verdict took place, the seconds ticking by as if they were hours. When the foreman's voice rang through the silent courtroom with the guilty verdict, she remembered the feeling that she wanted to slide from her bench and lie in a heap on the wooden floor and just let her overwhelming joy and relief wash over her. However, this was Olivia's victory, she had thought, and besides, Alex would never let her colleagues and friends witness such a public breakdown. So she had done her best to share her feelings with the brunette while maintaining her composure as well as she could.
She felt maliciously glad that O'Hara was going to be thrown in prison. She hoped that, at the sentencing hearing, the judge would choose to lock him up and toss the key. That was probably a little extreme, but she at least felt certain that that scumbag was going to be put away for a very long time.
Alex turned off the water and toweled off, wrapping the towel around her hair to help wick the water away. She padded into the bedroom to grab some clothes and noted wryly that Olivia was nowhere to be seen; the coffee trick always worked, she thought. Alex dressed quickly in jeans and a blue v-neck sweater before walking to the kitchen for her own cup of coffee, rubbing her damp hair with the towel as she went. Olivia looked up at Alex through the steam rising from her mug. "Morning, Alex. I heard the water shut off and I poured you a cup." Olivia motioned to another steaming mug on the table.
Alex sank onto a chair and gratefully accepted the coffee. After the first sip, Alex finally responded to Olivia. "Morning, darling. Sleep well?"
Olivia rolled her eyes in playful irritation. Alex knew that they had both crashed into bed the previous evening, emotionally and physically exhausted, and that neither of them had made another move until they were interrupted by the sunny day outside the apartment. "So, what do you want to do today?" Olivia asked.
Alex shrugged her shoulders, dropping the towel onto an empty seat, and began to finger comb her hair in to a semblance of style. "I don't know. I hadn't given it any thought yet," Alex lied. She had thought about it but had resolved to let Olivia choose.
"Ok," Olivia replied. "Well, I want to go on a walk in Central Park. And then I want to go to Rockefeller Center and watch the ice skaters for a while. How does that sound?"
Alex choked on her sip of hot coffee, spluttering in an undignified manner, before clearing her throat and nodding her agreement. She had expected something tamer, shyer even. But, thinking back to before the accident, Olivia had loved these activities, often dragging Alex along for the ride. Alex could never understand why Olivia was so fascinated by the ice skaters. She understood walking through Central Park. It was both peaceful and active at the same time, the wind whispering through the bare tree branches, friends and lovers strolling serenely hand in hand, Frisbees flying through the air for the benefit of pet dogs. As for the ice rink, however, Alex had never been able to figure out the lure for Olivia. And she had never been able to convince the brunette to rent a pair of skates and try it. She would ask Olivia about it this afternoon. First, though, they needed to get a move on. The kitchen clock already said 12:30.
"That sounds nice," Alex said, smiling with excitement and warmth. "But only if you let me buy you a hot dog and a hot chocolate. Now, go get dressed and we'll get out of here." Olivia rose and bent down to press her lips quickly to Alex's before heading to the bedroom.
Alex watched as the brunette walked down the hall, noticing that she limped slightly. Alex had been increasingly concerned about her girlfriend's knees. The surgeon in the hospital had said that the pins were a temporary fix and that she would need further surgeries to permanently correct the injuries. Dr. Messer had said in their last visit that some pain would be unavoidable, but that he wanted to wait to have Olivia operated on until she was stronger. He advised Olivia to stay off her feet as much as possible but, in characteristic fashion, Olivia had promised that she would do so and then proceeded to ignore the doctor's instructions. Alex was a little worried that their outing would put too much stress on Olivia's knees but she had a plan.
She went to the hall closet and pulled out a cane. She had bought it several days ago, figuring that they would need it before long as Olivia grew more active. She also grabbed her coat and hat before returning to the kitchen to finish as much of her coffee as possible before they left. As she sat at the table, she braided her hair into a long plait that hung down her back. She hoped that they wouldn't run into anyone they knew; Alex hated to be seen without her hair properly done.
Olivia returned from the bedroom, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt under a blue flannel shirt. Her grin melted from her expression when she caught sight of the cane resting against the edge of the kitchen table. "Alex, what the hell?" she asked, irritation evident in her voice. Alex stood, her hands held out in a gesture meant to calm her girlfriend.
"Olivia, wait. I know that you're in pain. I can see it when you walk. I want you to take this today, just in case you need it. Please, Liv, do it for me."
Olivia's expression melted into mild irritation and she relented, willing to humor Alex if it would prevent a fight. She put on her coat and, with an annoyed glance in Alex's direction, picked up the cane. She led the way out of the apartment, pausing in the hall while Alex locked up, and then strode to the elevator, obviously correcting for her limp.
The two women strolled through Central Park arm in arm. Alex ignored it, but Olivia had begun leaning on her cane soon after they entered the park, walking gingerly. They proceeded in comfortable silence, the only sounds the crunch of their steps on the path and the laughter of other park-goers frolicking in the snow that had fallen overnight. Their walk brought up vivid memories for Alex of their last stroll through the park, hand in hand, making their way back to the apartment. Alex refused to think of what happened after they had gone to bed on that night. Instead, she chose to enjoy the warm memories of that date, images of Olivia dressed so seductively, the sensation of the brunette's hand in her own as they meandered leisurely through the falling snow. She smiled to herself and hoped that Olivia was doing the same.
After they had walked for a while, Alex spotted Olivia's favorite hot dog vendor. "Come on, Liv, I'm starving. Let's get something to eat. Something with extra relish sounds good right now." Her voice was light with humor and Olivia smiled widely as they turned to approach the man and his cart.
"Detective, long time, no see!" he said cheerily, his breath becoming clouds of fog in the chilly air. "What'll you have today?"
Olivia grinned warmly. "Two hot dogs, please. One with extra relish and one with ketchup. And she's paying today," she said, gesturing at Alex with a nod of her head.
The vendor handed both hot dogs to Olivia while Alex dug her wallet out and handed him his payment. With a wave, they turned to find a bench. Settling down, Olivia breathed a sigh of relief and hoped Alex wouldn't notice. As much as she hated to admit it, her knees really did ache and she was glad they had brought the cane. Alex sat close so that their thighs touched and Olivia handed Alex the hot dog. "Thanks, Alex. You can take me out anytime if you're going to pay."
Alex rolled her eyes in response and bit in to her snack, glad they had stopped as she really was hungry. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Olivia nibble at her hot dog. Usually, the brunette could be trusted to wolf down her favorite snack, the enjoyment on her face almost inappropriate. Now, however, she took only small bites, chewing as if it was a chore. Alex worried that even this couldn't tempt Olivia, but was gratified when the brunette finally finished the entire thing. They stood and tossed the wrappers into the garbage, resuming their walk.
Alex planned to walk to the edge of the park and catch a cab to Rockefeller Center and said so to her girlfriend. Normally, Olivia would scoff at this and insist that they walk, but today the pain in her knees was clearly affecting her and she simply nodded in agreement. They continued their stroll, Alex slowing almost imperceptibly so as not to push Olivia. Though she refused to show it, Olivia was tiring and she was finding it difficult to maintain her pace. They walked slowly, listening to the infrequent calls of birds and the increasingly noisy sound of cars and people rushing along outside the park. Finally, they exited the park and Alex quickly hailed a cab.
Olivia led the way to her favorite vantage point overlooking the ice rink. Alex left her at the small table and went in search of hot chocolate to warm their hands. Olivia rested her cheek in her palm and subtly stretched her legs. Her knees were throbbing and she was glad that they were not planning to walk anymore. She watched the skaters, laughing quietly at the ones who edged gingerly along, clinging to the wall. Alex returned with two large cups in her hands and passed one to Olivia.
They sipped in silence for a while, both women intently watching the skaters and tourists photographing everything in sight. Olivia reached across the table and grasped one of Alex's chilly hands, holding it firmly. Alex loved watching Olivia when they visited the rink. She loved how she giggled at the beginners whose knees and ankles bent at strange angles as they fought to remain upright on the slick surface. And when a particularly skilled skater spun or jumped gracefully, she would turn to Alex and ask excitedly if she had seen the trick. Curiosity finally got the better of Alex and she leaned close to her girlfriend to speak over the din.
"What is it about this place, Olivia? Why come here so often?" she asked. Olivia looked at her briefly as she took a long sip of her cocoa. She turned back to continue watching the skaters as she began to speak.
"I used to come here with my mother, when I was a little girl. She began taking me here after we watched the winter Olympics one year. I was so excited about the figure skating. I watched the whole thing on the TV and I would wait through all of the other sports until the skating came on. I would practice jumping and spinning in the living room, trying to land gracefully like the skaters in the Olympics. It drove my mother crazy so she took me here. I wanted to skate but my mother wouldn't come with me and she wouldn't let me go on my own. She said that I might get hurt or somebody might take me away. So I never tried, but we came here every winter and drank cocoa and watched the skaters until the rink closed. I guess when I come back, it brings up memories of my mother. This was something nice that she always did for me, no matter what." Olivia trailed off and took another sip.
Alex squeezed Olivia's hand and smiled at her girlfriend. "That's a nice story, Olivia. But you're going to have to try sometime. I'll make sure of that." Olivia glanced at Alex, laughter in her eyes, and smiled.
"We'll see if you ever get me to put those things on and wobble around like that guy," she said jokingly, pointing to a man whose children were coaxing him to release his death grip on the wall. Alex followed her gesture and laughed as he flailed his arms wildly but managed to stay on his feet. The giggles of his children wafted faintly to their table and Alex drew Olivia's hand to her mouth, kissing the knuckles gently before resting her arm on the table again. They drifted again into comfortable silence interrupted only by Olivia's scoffs and gasps as she watched the antics on the ice below.
The sun had set by the time they arrived back at the apartment. Alex took Olivia's coat and hung it in the closet while Olivia hobbled to the living room. She sunk on to the sofa, letting the cane fall against the sofa's arm, and closed her eyes in relief. Alex followed her and leaned down to press her lips to Olivia's. "Are you ok, Liv?" she asked, concern washing over her as she took in the drawn look on her girlfriend's face.
Olivia took a moment to answer, inhaling deeply and sighing. "Yeah," she said. "I'm just a little tired, that's all. I may have overdone it a little." Alex frowned. If Olivia was willing to admit that she had exerted herself today, Alex worried that the pain might be much worse than she had feared. After all, this is a woman who would chase a perp through obstacle-filled alleyways, get cold-cocked for her efforts and still take him down and read him his rights. So she went to the kitchen and returned with one of Olivia's pain pills and a glass of water.
"Here, take this," she said, handing Olivia the pill and glass. Olivia quickly swallowed it and took a long drink of the water. This piqued Alex's concern even more. Olivia hated the pills, fought Alex when she tried to offer them, and accepted them only when the pain became unbearable. Alex crossed stand in front of her girlfriend. "Come on, darling, a hot bath will make you feel better."
Olivia took Alex's proffered hands and stood gingerly, grimacing as she did so. They walked slowly to the bathroom, Alex supporting some of Olivia's weight. Alex turned on the taps and stopped the drain. While the tub filled, Olivia undressed and accepted Alex's help to remove her shoes and jeans. Alex gasped when she saw Olivia's knees. They were red and swollen and painful to the touch as Olivia jerked and gritted her teeth when Alex laid her hand on one of them. Alex helped Olivia into the tub and eased her to lie back and let the warmth do its job. She pressed a quick kiss to Olivia's forehead and, promising to come right back, went back to the kitchen.
She quickly rifled through the collection of doctor's instructions and business cards until she found Dr. Messer's. He had given her his cell number as a special favor and had instructed her to call if anything was wrong. She dialed and paced around the kitchen table as it rang. Finally, he picked up.
"Dr. Messer, it's Alex Cabot, Olivia's girlfriend," she said rapidly, not pausing to give the doctor a chance for greetings. "We went for a walk today and now Olivia's knees are very swollen. She's in a lot of pain and I'm not sure what to do for her."
The doctor listened patiently while Alex spoke, eventually breaking in to reassure the blonde. "Alex, don't worry. She still has several fractures which are not healing quite properly. We put the pins in to avoid any permanent damage, but we're waiting for the bones to heal before we operate again. So some irritation is to be expected if she puts weight on them for too long. I want you to apply heat to the joints and then wrap them in elastic bandages. That will help with the swelling. And keep them elevated as much as possible. And Alex, please try to keep her off her feet."
Alex laughed in relief. "Easier said than done, Dr. Messer. Okay, thank you for your help. I'll do like you said. Good night."
The doctor said his goodbyes and Alex flipped her cell phone shut. She breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed her eyes. Tears of worry had stung them while she waited for the doctor to answer but she now composed herself and returned to keep Olivia company in the bathroom.
Alex read articles from the newspaper aloud while Olivia soaked in the tub, her eyes closed and her hands trailing lazy patterns through the water. After she had finished the World News section, Alex folded the paper and set it on the back of the toilet. "Let's go to bed, darling," she said, keeping her voice soft to avoid eliciting another grimace. She pulled the drain and helped Olivia stand and step out of the tub, supporting as much of Olivia's weight as she could. They walked to the bedroom and Alex tossed Olivia a set of flannel pants and a t-shirt. Alex quickly undressed herself and slid into a pair of cotton shorts and a comfortable shirt. She then knelt to help Olivia pull the pants on without bending her sore knees. Olivia laid down on the bed, not even bothering to pull the sheets over herself.
Alex sat on the edge of the bed and rooted through the nightstand drawer, finally locating two elastic bandages left over from when Olivia had sprained her ankle several months ago. "I talked to Dr. Messer while you were in the bathroom," she said. Olivia's eyes flew open, flashing in annoyance, and Alex pretended not to notice. "He said that we should wrap your knees to make the swelling go down."
"You called the doctor?" Olivia asked incredulously. "Don't you trust me, Alex?"
"I do trust you, except for when it comes to your health. I know you too well, Olivia. And you're clearly in pain. I just wanted to make sure that you weren't hurting yourself. Now, please, let me wrap your knees up and then we can go to bed."
Olivia looked at Alex, holding her gaze icily for a long moment before her expression softened. "Alright, Alex. I'm… I'm sorry, you did the right thing. I'm just tired."
Alex smiled at the brunette before rolling the pant leg up over Olivia's knee. With practiced movements – Alex had taped her fair share of sprains during high school – she wound the bandage around Olivia's knee, checking periodically to make sure it wasn't too tight. She rolled the pant leg back down and then repeated the process on Olivia's other leg. Finished, she climbed into bed beside Olivia, laying an arm protectively across her stomach. She scooted close, laying her head on the pillow, and pulled the covers over them both.
"I had a really nice time today, Olivia," she whispered. "And I really mean it when I say that we're going skating as soon as your knees are better."
Olivia laughed in a whisper and replied, "I know, Alex. I know."