A/N - As promised, the next chapter. I hope the ending worked for everyone. I so wanted A.J to get the last laugh and to close that chapter for herself.
Let me know what you think...
Read, enjoy and review!
Chapter Thirty-Three – The Shadow Of Existing
Olivia waited until the doctors left A.J's room before entering. She had gotten a call the night before, the nurse informing her that A.J was now in a stable condition and up for having visitors. A.J offered her a soft smile as Olivia took a seat, closing her laptop.
"Hi."
"Hey you. Glad to see you made it."
"So am I. It's a hell of a story I intend to tell."
"It sure is."
"How is my boy?"
"He's good. He's back with Fiona until you get home."
"That woman is a godsend. I can't tell you what I would have done without her."
"She's a good woman."
"Best one of ever met. If it helps, you are a close second."
"I don't mind coming second to Fiona. She definitely earned it."
A.J sighed.
"So, update me on the rest of it."
"Cutler is dead and Brookes is being charged on half a dozen murders that we have linked him too. And one we are done with your writing, we will have him for life in prison. If the death penalty doesn't take him first."
"So it's over?"
Olivia nodded, putting her words carefully.
"Do you remember what happened in the attic?"
A.J frowned.
"Only some of it. Why?"
"Do you remember what happened to Mike?"
A.J frowned as she tried to remember. The doctors had said that because she was so sick, dreams and reality start to mix. And she may not remember most of it, even if she was awake. She saw the second that A.J finally found the memory, her pale face becoming even more so, her eyes wide.
"Mike. He's dead."
A.J swallowed heavily.
"I killed him."
"Yes."
A.J gulped, tears coming to her eyes.
"I heard you talking to him, heard him threaten Etta and Peter. And I felt so angry. He took my daughter from me. I wasn't about to let him take yours. I just kept getting angrier. I don't remember thinking about the gun, or picking it up. I remember his face when I fired it though. He looked so surprised."
A.J started to cry in earnest now, her body shaking with the sobs. Olivia handed her some tissues.
"I'm so sorry A.J"
Olivia didn't feel that Mike was worth the sorry but A.J had still lost someone she had once loved. A.J sniffed, wiping her nose.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"I'm sorry about Mike."
Olivia frowned as A.J snorted, choking on her sobs. She cleared her throat and finally spoke.
"I'm crying because…because it's over."
"What?"
"It's finally over."
Olivia smiled slightly.
"I'm glad you're happy."
A.J blew her nose, wiped her eyes and sighed.
"It also explains why he kept reading my work."
Olivia nodded.
"Yeah, it does. He saw your suspicions of Alfonso and used it to get to Brookes. He paid Brookes to kill you."
"But Brookes didn't kill me."
"I know. He wanted people to know the truth. It was his downfall."
A.J nodded slightly.
"He said that. He said the world needed to know the truth."
"Well, we have more than enough cases to link him too. He will never see the outside of a prison cell again."
"That is a huge comfort."
A.J tore up the tissue in her hands, her voice low as she spoke again.
"Olivia, I didn't mean for you to get caught up in all of this. I thought I had it under control."
Olivia shook it off.
"You needed help. I just wish you had told me sooner before you had to go through all of this."
"I didn't think you would understand."
Olivia sighed, reaching over and taking A.J's hand in hers, stilling her fingers assault on the tissue paper. A.J looked up and Olivia caught her eye.
"I understand more than you know."
"How?"
Olivia bit her lip and started to speak, her voice low, telling A.J her story. Everything. It wasn't the same as talking to Heather. This was Olivia opening up properly to a friend that she thought she had lost for good. A.J listened with rapt attention. When Olivia finished talking, A.J shook her head.
"I never knew."
"Hardly anyone did. But in saving you, I was forced to focus on my own demons for a change."
"You feel better?"
Olivia smiled softly.
"Surprisingly, yes."
A.J shifted in the bed slightly.
"You want to know something?"
"What?"
"I was dreaming about Luka before you came."
"I saw where she was. She has a beautiful spot."
A.J nodded, her eyes filling with tears.
"She would have been perfect. But Mike took her away from me."
A.J rubbed at her eyes, stopping the tears before they could fall.
"I can't let Mike take this life too. I have a second chance. I'm going to make more of an effort."
"So no more serial killers or prisons?"
A.J smirked.
"Something like that. I like the idea of working with children."
A.J settled herself further in the bed.
"You should get back to your husband."
A.J squeezed Olivia's hand as her eyes started to close.
"Remember what you said?"
"About what?"
"About the reunion."
Olivia smiled.
"Get some rest. We'll talk about it later."
"You're going. I'm sure Peter will agree with me."
The grip on Olivia's hand loosened as A.J fell asleep. Olivia made sure she was tucked in before flicking off the lights and heading home.
Mrs Jeremy was about to make Olivia a second cup of coffee when Rayne burst through the door. Olivia had made an impromptu visit before she did the grocery shopping. Mrs Jeremy, in a mock stand of authority, put her hands on her hips.
"Where have you been?"
Rayne smiled brightly. She had a beautiful smile.
"Out. But I love you for worrying."
Rayne pressed a kiss to her mother's cheek before offering Olivia a surprised look.
"Olivia! I didn't know you were coming over."
"Neither did I. You look good Rayne."
Olivia didn't think it was possible but it made it no less true. Rayne seemed to have filled out ever so slightly. But it was her smile that changed everything. Because now the smiles touched her eyes. She looked, for lack of a better word, normal. She looked healthy.
"Thank you. I have a gift for you."
Olivia cocked her eyebrow.
"I heard. You didn't have to do that Rayne."
"Yes I did. You'll never know what you did for me. And it was the first thing I drew that wasn't so dark."
Before Olivia could protest any further, Rayne went bounding from the room. Olivia glanced at Mrs Jeremy.
"She looks really good."
"I know. I just hope that it stays that way."
Olivia smiled softly.
"It should. Just make sure she keeps talking. I can get you a number of somebody that she can be comfortable with."
"Thank you."
"Mum! I need your help!"
Mrs Jeremy smiled as she followed Rayne's voice down to the basement. A few moments letter she came back into the room, a large canvas in her hands. Rayne followed with two more.
"Agent Fogleigh helped me with this."
Olivia frowned.
"With what exactly?"
Rayne pulled the cloth off the first canvas. Somehow Rayne had managed to capture the essence of Peter and put it on the canvas. He was smiling slightly, as if he was about to tell a joke. His eyes sparkled brightly, his shoulders relaxed and he had that wonderful, fun air to him.
"Oh Rayne, this is beautiful. You captured Peter perfectly."
Rayne shrugged.
"He makes a good subject. His face has some nice angles for me to work with."
"He's going to love this."
"But wait, there's more."
Another tug and Olivia was suddenly seeing herself on canvas again. Only this time, she didn't look thoughtful or haunted. She looked happy. She was smiling widely, an invisible wind lifting her hair from her shoulders, which were relaxed. She looked youthful and at peace, as if everything was right with her world.
"I haven't looked that good in a long time."
Rayne chuckled.
"Funny that. Because these were some of your wedding pictures. I asked Heather and she asked Peter."
"From my wedding?"
"Yup."
"Wow. I need to look at those pictures more closely."
Rayne moved to the last canvas and tugged off the cloth. This time, Olivia grinned. She recognised this picture. This was one that Peter had taken only a few weeks back. He had gotten Etta to giggle and stay that way for a few seconds while he took the picture. Her mouth is open in a cheerful grin, her eyes wide and alert. She's an open book when she's happy like that. You can see the mischief, the jokester, the intelligence and determination in those eyes. Everything she was, Rayne had put onto canvas.
"Rayne, I don't know what to say."
Rayne bounced on the souls of her feet.
"Say you love them. "
"I adore them. They are beautiful."
Olivia stood, still a little shocked at the gift. Rayne moved around the panitings to pull her into a hug.
"Thank you."
"Anytime."
Olivia kept her voice low as she whispered into Rayne's ear.
"Keep talking, ok? It might like it now but it helps. That's how you can pay me back. Keep talking."
She felt Rayne nod against her.
"I promise."
Olivia moved back slightly so she could see Rayne's face.
"I'll find you the perfect person to talk to."
"Ok."
"And I'm going to check and make sure that you do. If you don't, I'll come back and find out why."
Rayne smiled.
"Don't worry Olivia, I don't break my promises."
"That's a good habit to have."
Olivia sat back down and finished her coffee, still staring, captivated by the beautiful portraits that Rayne had made.