Viral Invasion Part 2.
She gazed down upon the sleeping attorney and watched as she started to dream. Olivia softly stroked Alex's hair until she was confident she had fallen into a blissful slumber. Still running a fever, Olivia knew full well the kind of dreams that would be occupying her mind - vivid and most likely unwanted. She would have to prepare for Alex's wake, however, with the mixture of Nyquil and exhaustion - that wouldn't be for at least six hours. Olivia pulled a blanket from the back of the couch and draped it over Alex, tucking in the sides, to make sure she was comfortable. She pushed herself up from the couch and caught sight of the movie collection on the bookcase behind Alex's sofa. "Wow, you are a movie buff, huh?" Olivia grinned. She moved over to the bookcase and looked at every 4K Blu-ray. From Lord of the Rings special editions to The Godfather - there was practically every movie ever made. Olivia looked down the bookcase to an entire shelf dedicated to Alex's most loved franchise, Star Wars. Special edition Blu-ray, tinned versions, film cells, anything and everything. Even on the walls of Alex's apartment hung movie framed movie posters. The original Star Wars movies, Alfred Hitchcock, The Blues Brothers and more. Alex was everywhere in this apartment.
"A real fucking nerd, am I right?" Lucy's voice spoke as she approached Olivia.
"Huh? What do you mean?" She didn't like that tone.
"You know - all this Star Wars junk…" She leaned across the shelf and flicked one of the special edition blu-ray tins.
"There's nothing wrong with Alex having interests." Olivia sighed as she pushed past her towards Alex's bedroom.
"I mean, no but Star Wars? She's like fifty."
In all the time Olivia had known Alex, she never knew that the attorney liked movies, let alone has an interest in Star Wars. Despite their hours of spending time together, idly chatting over drinks in a dive bar by the precinct, never once did Alex reveal she had any form of interest. It didn't surprise Olivia, with the work they do - escapism wasn't uncommon. For Olivia, all those years ago when she found trouble coping, she would lose herself in Saturday morning cartoons. Scooby Doo, SpongeBob, Yogi Bear, anything that didn't have death. As she got older, she didn't need the escapism as much, yet she still enjoyed watching Saturday morning cartoons with Noah. A reminder of how far she has come.
"It doesn't matter how old you are." Olivia bit back as she opened Alex's laundry basket.
"If she wasn't so hot - I would have-"
"What?" Olivia interrupted looking over her shoulder. "You would have what?"
"Turned around and left the minute I first step foot into this nerd cave."
A perplexed look hit the detective's face as she stood up from the laundry basket. That look turned from confusion to mild annoyance. "If Alex wasn't so hot?!" She hated the mere thought of this beautiful, talented, and intelligent woman being judged solely on a single interest that she never directly spoke about or being seen as some kind of trophy. Alex was more than that - she was more than hot arm candy. She was a bright, funny woman who Olivia was in awe of. Olivia could feel the anger boiling up inside of her and she realised she needed space from this awful woman.
"You know what? How about a Starbucks run? Want anything?" Olivia asked, closing the lid.
"What about the laundry?"
"It can wait. I'm feeling coffee." Olivia walked back into the living room where Alex slept soundly.
Olivia took a moment to lean over the back of the couch to the sleeping attorney. Gentle soft snores of blocked sinuses, eyelids twitching, whatever Alex was dreaming about - she hoped it was warm, kind, and she felt safe. She brushed her fingers through her hair and then over the blonde's cheek which made her smile in her comfortable slumber. Olivia took a moment to take in every inch of Alex's beautiful face as she slept, every curve, every dimple, and every sigh. These were the moments she longed for late at night while doing paperwork, watching TV alone, or waking up early in the morning to an empty bed. As creepy as she felt, Olivia could have stayed there all day watching over Alex.
"Vanilla iced with cream," Lucy said from behind her.
Olivia looked over her shoulder as if a core memory was unlocked. Last week - when Alex called her from the coffee shop. It wasn't Novak she was meeting, it was Lucy. Her mind began to race through thoughts of mistrust and lying. Olivia swallowed hard as her heart began to thump in her chest. Why would she lie to her? What does that achieve? Olivia was always so open and honest with Alex - it was what she feared; she was being jerked around. Olivia pushed herself away from Alex.
"What?" Olivia blinked lost in thought.
"My order? Vanilla iced latte with whipped cream on top."
"Right… I'll be about twenty minutes," Olivia said, walked over to the door and grabbed her jacket.
She wandered for a little while - for what seemed like hours. Why did this bother her so much? Alex was free to make her own choices but maybe it was the lying that affected her so badly. She hated this pit feeling in the base of her stomach. Olivia hated being lied to, she hated being led around on a short leash for nothing. She wanted to hold her at night, help her fight her demons, and go ice skating. They already did that once and it was a wonderful memory that is lodged within Olivia's brain for years to come.
Olivia finally reached the coffee house by Central Park. She ordered their drinks and waited. It was the first time Olivia had been inside Alex's favourite coffee shop. She looked around at the beautiful decor and the beams where the vines weaved around the woodwork. There was something delightfully calming about this little coffee shop, something that seemed to make Olivia forget about her worries with Alex.
"Olivia?" Called the barrister from the side.
A young man, not much older than twenty-four, with long hair tied back in a bun, he was a handsome man, a young Keanu Reeves type. He had warm kind eyes and a gentle smile on his lips as he watched her reach for the coffee. Olivia frowned slightly, he was watching her - why? She tilted her head to the side. Did she have something on her face? The detective in her started to raise alarm bells and soon his smile turned into a smirk. Olivia rolled her eyes.
"Hold on, Romeo, I'm old enough to be your mom."
He chuckled as he stood up fully, his knuckles tapping the counter where he was just leaning. "You're beautiful, but that's not why I'm smiling."
Curiosity truly started to play on Olivia's brain.
"I saw you last week. With the lawyer lady."
Olivia was even more confused, she hadn't been in public with Alex yet. The two had only tread the ground of each other's apartments and Olivia was certain he was not one of her neighbours, if anyone would notice something like that it would be Lieutenant Benson. Olivia felt slightly uneasy - was he stalking Alex? Peeping through bedroom windows or in her case, the third-floor apartment… wait, that wouldn't make sense - the fire escape is on her bedroom window.
"Relax… I can see your mind racing." He said with a chuckle before leaning back on the counter. "I saw you on her phone, you were video calling with her."
Olivia breathed a sigh of relief and untensed herself. Her shoulders fell and she smiled warmly at him. The look of relief on her face was enough for the barrister to know what sort of thoughts were running through her mind.
"She had a big smile on her face."
"Who?" Olivia asked.
"The lawyer lady. I'd never seen her smile like that when she was talking to you and then as soon as that redhead came in - poof, it was gone."
"Wait - the redhead… did she have long straight red hair or long curly red hair."
She felt a little weird prying into Alex's private life and interrogating a young man who had nothing to do with the situation, but she needed to know - her mind needed to know. She could see him searching in his mind, seconds went by before he spoke again.
"Curly. The straight-haired redhead comes in with her every morning, they're usually in running gear and the redhead is bitching." He laughs. "She's kinda cute t-b-h."
"Uh-huh, yeah, she's also old enough to be your mom. Tell me more about the redhead."
"The straight-haired one or the curly-haired one?"
"Curly."
"Oh, well… I don't know much…" He looks over to Alex's usual table towards the back of the cafe. Secluded and tucked away from prying eyes. "I see them come in at least once a week, they order coffee and sit over there but they're kinda distant. I dunno if they're friends or work together."
"Does it look like they're dating?"
"Oh god no. The lawyer lady ain't into her, that's for sure." He points at Olivia. "You, however, oh shit she balls deep for you."
Olivia would have preferred better phrasing but she appreciated it nonetheless. She laughed softly at the young man.
"I ain't ever seen her smile like that and I've been serving her coffee twice a day, every day, for about two years." He concluded his little tale. "Anyway - I gotta get back to work, have a nice day, Olivia." He smiled and walked back off to the counter.
Olivia took her time enjoying the wonderful day as she wandered back to Alex's apartment, suddenly, everything seemed so much brighter, the birds were singing, and the flowers, even though it was October, were in full bloom. Nothing could ruin this beautiful moment. The woman she has been lost in for the last two decades felt the same way - so obviously that a barrister who barely knew her, could see it. Olivia felt her heart skip a beat as she thought about one day walking through Central Park hand in hand, going on little getaways upstate, and sitting by a flickering fire with a glass of red wine. She felt excited for the future, whatever it may hold. As she continued her gentle walk through autumn in New York City, she couldn't help but let her mind drift to the perfect time in which to tell Alex how she felt. Realistically, it was a perfect time. Olivia had been taking care of Alex, they already shared so much history and now - it was perfect, despite Lucy… though, if she kept up the firm friendship with Alex, Lucy probably won't be heard from again. The excitement was almost too much to bear, however, she needed to contain herself even just a little bit. One step at a time, they had only shared a single date, a little early to be planning trips to Maine for the weekend or Valentine's Day.
Olivia reached Alex's apartment, she took a key with her so she didn't have to wake Alex upon re-entering. She opened the door slowly, stepped in, and closed it behind her. Something was a little off though. Alex slept soundly on the sofa, Lucy's bowl of soup sat cold on the kitchen counter untouched. With the sound of the door closing, Lucy appeared from Alex's bedroom with a look of panic across her face. Eyes widen, dishevelled hair, a look that spoke 'I done fucked up and I need help.
"What's wrong?" Olivia whispered as she placed the coffee down on the counter.
"I tried… while you were gone, to start Alex's laundry… and well…"
Oh god.
"Well… what?" This couldn't be good.
"I wasn't sure what setting to put the washer on… and then I wasn't sure if it was one of those machines that use fabric detergent or… soap."
"No…" Olivia looked at her with pleading eyes.
"It started to bubble over and that's when I realised I put a dishwasher tablet… in there…"
Olivia stared at Lucy with a blank expression, how does one not know how to do laundry? Even Alex, born into the lap of luxury, learned how to do laundry for herself or at least how to put clothes into the washer, then the dryer and then put them away. Olivia was unsure if Lucy even had that much of an idea of what to do with laundry. The detective bit her bottom lip and nodded her head. She thought for a moment, what could they do? Surely the washer would have bubbled over completely and ruined the beautiful hardwood flooring not to mention dripped down below to the apartment beneath. The main focus would be to clean up the mess. Olivia looked at Lucy and sighed, this woman was truly hopeless.
"Alright." Olivia began. "I'll clean up here and see if I can fix the washer. Go get Alex's laundry and take it through the park to the Village… or even get a cab, I don't care. Go to Meloni's Laundry. Nonna Meloni owns and works there. Tell her Olivia sent you. She'll do Alex's laundry at a discount. I used to go there when I was living in a studio in the Upper West."
"What if Alex wakes up?"
"She'll be too delirious to know what's going on. I'll handle it, I'll put a movie on for her to zone out to."
Lucy nodded her head, still looking frantic as she started towards Alex's bedroom. She looked over her shoulder at the detective. Olivia heard a heavy sigh come from the redhead. When Olivia looked up, Lucy turned back towards her with eyes filled with tears. Olivia frowned and tilted her head to the side and slowly approached Lucy. She wasn't sure what this sudden surge in emotion was, but she was very used to dealing with breakdowns when it came to her job.
"You know - I get it, I get why she never told me about you." She said quietly. "You're together, powerful, and strong - you got this 'can't fuck with me' attitude and you just take charge. H-How can I compete with that?"
"I… I'm not competing with anyone, Lucy, I'm just trying to help."
"That's the problem, you don't get it. You're a fucking superhero! I've seen the way she looks at you, Olivia." Lucy's gaze wanders to the sleeping attorney. "The way she smiles at you, the way you know every little detail about her… it's like a connection I have never seen before." She looked back at Olivia.
"We worked together for a long time, Lucy. I've known her for twenty years, we used to have drinks every Friday." She placed her hand on Lucy's arm trying her best to soothe the other woman. "I'm sure she has strong feelings for you."
What was she doing? Why was she saying these things "I'm sure she has strong feelings for you?" An act of guilt, maybe? She didn't want to hurt Lucy, and Liv didn't want to hurt anyone but she cannot help the way she felt especially when it came to the attorney. Olivia stepped back and removed her hand, she didn't want to make things any more awkward than they already were. A woman she had only known for a handful of hours was crying in front of her about the woman Olivia, herself, adored. She didn't want tension, she also wanted the interaction to finish. Olivia moved past Lucy to the laundry room.
"Do you feel the same way?" Lucy's quiet voice was filled with hurt and sadness.
Olivia stopped dead in her tracks, her chest hung heavy with feelings of guilt, lost time, and longing. she didn't even look over her shoulder at the redhead. She didn't want to see the pain she had just seen moments ago. She could tell by Lucy's voice, Alex meant more to her than what she led on with Olivia. She wasn't just random fun or a trophy. This was the first genuine interaction she's had with Lucy, one not built up by fakery and boasting. This was a woman who seemed to have a genuine affection for Alex. Olivia looked down and cleared her throat - attempting to clear the feeling of dread that washed over her.
"I have for the last twenty years, Lucy. I'm sorry." Her voice shook with the truth.
She couldn't lie anymore, not to herself and not to others. Those feelings and raw emotions. The times when Alex would perch herself on Olivia's desk as she flicked idly through whatever file was in front of her trying to make sense of the case. Olivia's gaze would start at her long beautiful legs, and move up further, slowly taking in every sight of the blonde. Alexandra Cabot was a breathtaking woman and kept Olivia in a trance for years. Even when Alex would run away, it took every ounce of strength to stop Olivia from chasing after her. Hunting her down in witness protection or running off to Congo. She didn't care for the risks, she just wanted to be there next to her and to hold her hand through the pain and torment.
She felt the icy cold brush of Lucy as she walked past her to Alex's bedroom without saying a word. Despite their previous interactions, Olivia felt sorry for her but opted to keep a distance. She wasn't sure what was going to come, but she didn't want to be in Lucy's direct path.
Lucy packed up the last of Alex's laundry, various garments, blouses, and suit pants. Alex disliked laundry - this was evident but there wasn't much to tackle, maybe a couple of weeks' worth. Olivia focused on the washer, she emptied Alex's wet clothes. Placed them down, and drained the washer. She then let it rinse through as soon as Lucy left with a large duffle bag. Olivia was far from an engineer or a handywoman, however, she did have to wiki-how a lot of household troubleshooting and not just because she lived alone. A neighbour down the hallway, a young woman living alone working a regular 9-5 was sexually assaulted by a handyman five years prior. Since then she relied on Olivia to fix odd things around her home. Cabinets, WiFi, and even her washer and dryer. Olivia's browsing history consisted of various searches like "How to re-wire a plug?" And "What's the crusty white stuff on the washer pipes" followed by "How to remove limescale without going insane?". The answer… treat limescale as you go or buy a new washer.
With the washing machine now rinsed and drained, Olivia finished mopping the laundry closet floor. After that, she placed Alex's wet clothes in the washer, dropped them in a tide pod, closed the lid, and pressed start. It started without a worry, Olivia was relieved to see it swirling around. She packed away the mop and looked at the time on her phone. Lucy should be almost back from Meloni's laundry.
Olivia walked back into the living room deciding to use the opportunity to check on Alex, maybe even sit with her for a while. Olivia walked around the L-shaped sofa to where the blonde slept soundly. She crouched down and brushed a loose strand of blond hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. She was beautiful, even riddled with flu and barely able to function - she was the most beautiful woman Olivia had ever seen. Olivia let her fingers linger over Alex's cheek. She pulled back when she heard her groan in her sleep.
"I wonder what you're dreaming about…" Olivia whispered tenderly, still looking down at her. "Either a trial or a laser sword battle." She laughs softly. "Either way, I hope you're kicking ass, Cabot."