[Chapter 25 : One Door Closes ]

She wanted to make herself something to drink as she had been there for about two hours now but she just couldnt make herself go in there. She had been packing some of her valuables from the lounge into a box. She had decided that she wanted to just take her valuables and things she couldn't replace with her. The rest of the furniture she would leave in the apartment. She wanted to start as fresh as she could in the new place. She didn't want items that would remind her of the attack.

Olivia decided to move into the bedroom and start packing up most of her cupboards. Amanda and one of the guys had been to her place twice to get her things which she needed. The first time was while she was still in hospital and the second was just a few days later when she was staying in the hotel which the department put her up in. As for the rest of her personal items that she had in her new apartment, she'd just gone out and bought a few things, a few clothes and other necessities that she needed to get by. For the most part her new place was empty and she knew she'd eventually retrieve her stuff from the old place to fill it up.

Even though most of her attack had occurred in the living area, walking into her bedroom, she was surprised to see the state of her bedroom, her most private part of her dwelling. Her duvet was gone. He had used that to wrap her when he had taken her down the fire escape. But crime scene must have taken the sheets for testing. The lamp next to her bed lay smashed the floor. From her position in the bedroom she could see blood in the bathroom. She reached out her hand towards her bed and sat down as she felt another wave of nausea, shame and a mixture of emotion wash over her.

Just as she was regaining control, she heard her doorbell ring. She tensed in fear. No one should be looking for her here. She decided to just remain where she was until the person had gone. Her hand went towards her hip. It was still there. She felt a small sense of relief that she wasn't unarmed. Next she heard her phone ring. She was infuriated with herself for leaving it in the lounge. As soon as the ringing ended, her doorbell rang again but this time there was a voice as well.

'Olivia. It's Don. I know you are in there. I heard your phone so I know you're there.'

Crap! How did he know I was here? I look like crap, my face is tear stained! I can't let him see me like this! Not again!

As she contemplated how to get out of the situation, she heard him again.

'Liv, please open up. I'm not leaving before you do.'

Olivia rose from the bed and slowly walked to the door. As she did so she wiped her face and cleared her throat. She planned to open the door slightly and stand at an angle so he wouldn't be able to see her face too clearly.

She opened the door while it was still on the chain.

'Hi Captain. Do you need me to come in?'

'Hey Liv. Uh no. I just wanted to come and give you some material you can use for your Sergeant's exam.' It did not slip by him that Olivia was hiding behind the door and not really facing him.

'Oh thanks Cap. Uh, I just came by to grab some more of my things and I'm not really presentable so why don't you just leave them there and I'll get them on my way out?'

'Liv, I know your voice. You've been crying.' He said in a matter of fact tone of voice. 'You've had a hard few hours alone in this apartment trying to pack things up, haven't you? Brian called. That's how we worked it out. Please, let me in. I'm here as a friend, not as your boss.'

She knew he had her cornered. There was no way out of this now.

He saw the door close and heard her undo the chain before reopening the door slowly. As she opened the door she turned her back to him, still trying to hide her appearance from the older man. She took a few steps before stretching her arm out against the wall and holding the bridge of her nose with her other hand.

Cragen turned from closing the door and saw the room. He froze on the spot. Aside from the work Olivia had done the last few hours, everything was as they'd left it on the day they found out that she was missing! Guilt threatened to overwhelm him. Why had they not organised the flat to be cleaned? How could he of forgotten! Suddenly he looked at the woman leaning against the wall. This woman in front of him wasn't his strong, determined detective which led his troops fearlessly into danger. This was a vulnerable woman, fighting her way back from a traumatic event. He put the books in his arms down and walked up beside her. Without a word, he pulled her into his arms and held her. At first she was rigid, but after a few moments her body melted into his and she started sniffing.

He was struggling with his emotions as he held her. He knew that right now he had to keep it together. Still holding her he started to talk.

'You didn't have to do this alone, Liv.'

'I thought I could. Until I got here.'

'I should have asked them to come clean the place for you. I'm so so sorry Liv.' She just remained in his arms.

'Even my bedroom is a wreck!'

'Liv, come let me get you out of here.'

She push herself out of his embrace. 'If I leave now, I might not have it in me to come back and finish. No, I can't leave now.' She said wiping her face.

'Liv, go wash your face and then come back. I have an idea.'

As she re-entered the living room she saw two glasses of water standing on a table next to the couch as well as a piece of paper and a pen.

'Come sit, Liv.'

Before she sat she grabbed the one glass of water and drank more than half of it at once. As she finished she took a seat and looked up at Don shyly.

'Guess that was a good move. Here let me refill it for you before I sit.'

'Um, could you please bring the box of biscuits in the second cupboard above the sink?'

When Don returned with both items in his hands, she reached for the box of biscuits and she immediately started to open it and eat one.

'Went in there one to get the bin. Couldn't go back in there.'

He looked down at the floor and nodded. He understood why. He reached for the pen and paper.

'Ok, we start with the lounge.'

Olivia looked at him and then at the paper.

'Tell me what you want in your new place.'

She still had a confused look on her face.

'Liv, we going to make a list of stuff you want moved or packed up. Then we are going to leave and your stuff will be at your new place in a few days.'

She started to protest but the look on Don's face told her not to bother. They spent about half an hour talking about each room and what she wanted in her new apartment, in storage or what could be given away. They did it all without leaving the couch. When the reached the bedroom, Don could see her hesitate.

'Don, I don't want people go through those things. I've dealt with too many perverts through the years.'

He put the pen and paper down on the table, slapped his hands on his knees and looked at her.

'Then we better get moving.'

'Captain?'

'I'll take the rest of the boxes through, and get you started.'

Again she wanted to protest but he was already moving towards the boxes. He waited for her to catch up with him and led her to the destination. Once there he put the boxes on the bed and opened them while she found her suitcases out the cupboard.

'Get started and I'll be back.' He said as he left the room. Just as he stepped out the room he popped his head back in. 'Oh, the doorbell will be ringing in about twenty. It will be the delivery guy. Got it covered.' He was gone before she could process what he'd said.

Don went into the living area and sat down where he had just sat with Olivia. He brushed his hands over his face before allowing his arms to rest on his knees. He was tired but he knew he had done the correct thing by coming. He only hoped he wasn't overstepping any boundaries. But he knew that if Liv was his biological daughter, this is where he'd be sitting. He was determined to help her through this in any way he could. He wanted to give her enough space to pack up the things in her room but he didn't want her to be alone.

Don took out his phone and start typing.

'She is here at old place. Not doing too well but won't leave till she's done the bedroom stuff. Will stay with her and then take her home. Don't worry, I have her. See you after shift. Don'

Don then phoned the pizza delivery place and ordered two pizzas. As he disconnected the call, he felt a message come through.

'Thanks Don. Will call when I leave here. Brian.'

With the admin handled, Don looked at that kitchen. He wanted to clean it up for her so that she could walk out of her home of so many years without having to avoid any room or space. He could do this… for her. He took a deep breath before standing up and walking in that direction.

The doorbell startled her when it rang out, but knowing Don was out there and that he had told her to expect it, kept the panic from rising within her chest. Nevertheless, she listened to the voices and was relieved when she heard Don close the door and reset the chain on it.

During the last half an hour she had made quite a bit of progress in the room. She had kept an ear out for Don but he had left her to her own devices. Still she had found comfort in the fact that she was not alone in the apartment. She could hear him move around the place but wasn't sure what he was doing inside. Suddenly he knocked on the door.

'Liv, got something better than biscuits out here. Care to join me?' He smiled.

'Ah yeah. Suppose I could.' She said with a small smile of her own.

'You get the glasses, I'll get the knives.' He said as they entered the lounge.

Olivia was taken aback by his comment. How could he just have forgotten how she was avoiding the kitchen? She couldn't bear to see Lewis' instruments of torture. She looked at him with a blank expression on her face. But he just used his head to coach her to go through with his suggestion.

She nervously headed in that direction. When she saw her little kitchen, she let out a huge breathe she hadn't known she'd been holding. There was absolutely no trace that Lewis had ever been inside this area! She ran her hands over her clean counter, looked at the stove, and saw that every trace of him had been removed. As she was still surveying the area Don brushed past her to retrieve the knives to cut the pizzas.

'Come on. They're getting cold.' He said casually.

She looked at him with damp eyes and then quickly reached for the glasses. Don saw her hands trembling so he reached over.

'Here, take these. I'll get those.'

It wasn't the first time today she looked at him with questions in her eyes.

'This was your home Liv. You deserve to leave here without having to avoid any dark corners.' He said simply as they walked back into the living area.

Olivia was staring out the window as Don drove her car back to her new apartment. Don looked at her for a moment. There was no doubt that he was worried about her. Don was almost sure she wasn't seeing anything that passed before her eyes. She hadn't said a word since they got in her car. He could only imagine where her head was at this point of the day. It had indeed been a long day for her. He felt a pain in the pit of his stomach when he saw 'his girl' look so lost, drained and dejected.

'Hey.' Don said quietly but firmly.

Olivia snapped her head to look at Don.

'It was another tough day but you did it.'

She gave him a forced smile.

'Liv, you know as well as I do that recovery is a series of small steps, not one big one. You are taking them one at a time. Before you know it you'll be far down the road to recovery. Just keep at it. You're doing better than you think.'

Olivia gave more of a genuine smile and a nod before returning to stare at the outside world. Don allowed her to sit in silence until they came to a stop outside her place. When she still didn't react to the lack of movement, he turned to her.

'Liv, we're here.' She gave him a blank stare.

'We're at your apartment, Liv.'

'Um… yeah. Thanks Cap.' She said as she suddenly became aware of the situation and began undoing her seat belt. 'Thanks so much for the help today.'

'Liv, don't mention it. You go on ahead open up and I'll start carrying a few things up.'

He had seen them pull up in front of the building and as they got out the car he noticed that the Captain had been driving. That fact was definitely not lost on him. Olivia wouldn't have given Don her keys easily. It just confirmed to him what Don had said to him in the text. He walked towards them hoping that she would allow him to help shoulder the weight that she was carrying.

'Hey Babe.' He said while he was still a way from them so that she would know that he was approaching.

'Bri.' She said with a surprised look.

He walked up to them and she allowed him to take her into a hug.

'Is that the time? Wow, I guess I lost track of time.'

'That's okay. I thought I'd meet you guys here.' He was bending down to retrieve some of the stuff that Don had already packed out of the car. 'Let's take a few things and unlock the place and then I'll come back down to help bring the rest up.'

They walked silently up to her apartment and Brian could just feel the emotions and the fatigue of the day radiating off her. They stopped at the door and she unlocked the door. Once she started to push the door open, Brian snuck in before her and walked into the semi darkened place flicking on the lights as he went. Once he had put down the box he had allowed her to walk through the place before he left her to help Cragen bring the rest of her stuff up.

'Hey Liv. This is the last of the stuff.' Brian said as he and Don came back into the apartment.

'Thanks guys. I've just put the kettle on. Cap, are you staying for a cup?'

'Ah thanks Liv but I actually have somewhere I need to be. Next time?'

'Sure thing. Thanks so much for today.' She said as they hugged. 'I don't know how far I would have gotten today if you hadn't been there.'

'Anytime Liv. We all here for you.'

'Thanks Don. I am starting to accept that. Good night, Cap.'

'Night you two.'