Hey guys! Yes, I'm still alive. I took a rather large European jaunt this last summer and I've been trying to not get washed away with the tide since I've returned. Now that I've got a bit of a break I thought I'd try to breathe some more life in this story. I hope it lives up to what came before. There's definitely more to come. And there definitely be some smutty goodness in chapter 4!

Love to you all and thank you for sticking with me!

Liv dabbed at Olivia's face with a wet rag.

"Baby, can you hear me?"

She'd been out a long time and Liv was starting to get worried. Olivia had lost a lot of blood. But all Liv could do was sit and wait, fear twisting her insides like a vice.

After what felt like hours, a small sound, weak, broke the silence.

"Liv?"

"Oh Olivia," Liv leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Thank God. I thought I killed you." She laughed.

Olivia smiled. "You're not getting rid of me that fast." She tried to prop herself up on the couch and immediately fell back. "Ah!"

"Whoa, don't sit up. You'll break your stitches." Liv smoothed Olivia's furrowed brow with her thumb. "I'm afraid we're going to have to stay here for a while. Your body needs time to heal and replenish all the blood you've lost."

Olivia nodded. "I…"

"What, sweetie?"

"Just…thank you. You saved my life."

"Well we're not out of the woods yet."

Olivia cocked her head and raised an eyebrow.

Liv sighed and smiled. "You're welcome. You scared the shit out of me, you know."

Olivia looked down. "I know, I'm sorry."

"You don't need to be sorry. I guess I just never realized how much you meant to me until I almost lost you. I meant what I said, Olivia. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Olivia ran a few strands of Liv's auburn hair between her fingers. "Me too. I don't know how to explain it but…I feel so close to you. It's immoral, unethical. It's insane but…it's you, Liv. Somehow…it's always been you."

Liv smiled and brushed the backs of her fingers across Olivia's cheek. Olivia turned into the warmth of her hand and closed her eyes.

"Lay here with me?" she asked softly.

Liv started to protest. "I don't want to hurt you."

"How long has it been since you've slept?"

Liv didn't answer. She hadn't dared close her eyes while Olivia was in such a state and she knew Olivia could tell. Her eyes alone gave her away.

"Come on." Olivia winced as she as scooted more towards the back of the couch. Liv slid in next to her and rearranged the blankets so they were both covered. Olivia rested her head on her double's shoulder and allowed herself to sink into her. She had never felt safer than wrapped in this woman's arms.

Liv wrapped herself around Olivia. She seemed so small now. So fragile. She kissed the top of her head and finally drifted off to sleep.

The sun was just starting to peek through the dust covered windows when Olivia woke up. The first thing she felt was cold. Where was Liv? She missed the warmth of her, her spicy-sweet smell, the – no. God, what was she thinking? What had happened the last two days? I'm injured. She thought. I haven't bee thinking clearly.

"It's good that she's gone," she whispered. "Let her ruin someone else's life for a change."

"What?

Olivia jumped. She hadn't even heard Liv come in. She must really be losing it.

"Nothing. I thought you'd left."

"Just to go hunting. There's a wooded area a few kilometers east. Thought I'd see if I could scrounge up something for us to eat." She held up two small rabbits rather proudly.

Olivia took in the sight. Liv's stomach was bare from the bits of shirt she'd ripped off for rags. She was covered in dirt, sweat, and had a few small leaves and twigs in her hair. And she was drop dead gorgeous. Olivia gave herself a mental slap. Stop it!

"I…didn't know you could hunt."

"Hey, I'm not without skills." Liv smirked and gave her a wink. What was that supposed to mean?

"Right…well, thanks."

Liv furrowed her eyebrows. "Is something wrong?"

"No. I was just thinking we should try to get out of here. You know, back to my universe."

"Of course. But you can't travel like that, babe. You need time to heal."

Olivia stood up, quicker than she should have, and sucked a breath in through her teeth. "Don't call me that."

Liv looked up from the fire where she was preparing the rabbits, confused. "Why?"

"Why?! Oh, I don't know. Maybe because I'm YOU! A more damaged form of you, but I'm still you! You can't just…just…" Olivia was gripping the back of the sofa, nails digging into the old upholstery. She was in pain, she was confused, and she was livid.

"I can't what? Love you?"

Olivia looked like she might explode. "Don't." She pointed a finger at her alternate, so furious she didn't even raise her voice. "Do not say that."

Liv wasn't fazed. She knew that tone of voice. She owned that tone of voice. It would have made anyone else want to crawl in a hole and disappear. But Liv knew what it really meant. Not anger, but fear.

"You're afraid."

Olivia let out a sharp laugh and immediately regretted it. She gritted her teeth. "Afraid of what? Of you?"

"You're afraid to let someone love you."

Liv said it so matter-of-factly, all Olivia could do was glare at her.

Liv sighed. "Would you just lie down? You look like you're about to faint."

She was. She'd stood all of five minutes and was about to hit the floor. Liv was right; there was no way she could travel. For now, it seemed, they were stuck here.