She winced at the light, turning away from it.
"Olivia?" She tried to ignore the pain searing through her leg before realizing that it was a real injury. "OLIVIA!" the panic in his voice caught her attention and she glanced back into the light before turning away again at the pain in caused. "ANSWER ME!"
'I'm fine...' she coughed with the effort, pain spreading across her side. 'okay, I'll amend that. I'm alive."
"What hurts?"
"My leg, my head, my side... my reality." She added the last part quietly,
"Damn it! Can't you stay in your own damn reality!" Peter yelled back down to her,
"It's not like I have a choice!" She jerked as she pressed her hand against her stomach, the ring startling her.
"You're turning out to be a real pain in our asses!"
"Bite me." she muttered mostly to her herself, "Why don't you get her the hell out of here?"
"If only so I can shake you out of her." She smiled at the annoyance in his voice, he sounded so much like her Peter sometimes.
She was getting cold and fighting sleep when the firefighter was finally beside her. She hadn't felt the pull back, hadn't felt anything beside the pain. It didn't get better when they moved her or got her back onto hard ground. "You're still here?"
"Hello to you too." She mumbled softly, feeling Peter's hand on her cheek, wiping away something with a frown. "What is she doing down a hole?"
"We were hunting for a guys hiding place. He is kidnapping girls. Dropping them down pre-made holes. The ground just gave way beneath her."
"This doesn't make any sense."
"Did you find your Peter? Was he okay?"
"He's fine now."
"But he wasn't?" Olivia shook her head before holding up the hand with the ring on it.
"What is this?"
"Oh...' Olivia raised an eyebrow at the sheepish boyish grin that spread over his face, 'I asked last night."
"How long have you known Olivia? This Olivia?"
"5 years." Olivia blinked, staring up at him in shock. "You?"
"Just over a year." She slammed her eyes closed at the pain that exploded through her hip.
"What is it?"
"See you around Bishop. She's gonna be pissed."
"She always is. Good bye Olivia."
*v*v*
Olivia blinked at the pain in her hip, glancing around slowly. "Again?"
"Again what?"
"You're here again?"
"Damn it." Earning a smile from Charlie, saw his frown when she tried to take a step before pushing one hand into her hip and closing her eyes. Pain etched around her eyes.
"You okay?"
"Old Injury."
"Our Liv complains about her hip hurting after you 'leave'." Olivia didn't touch that one, letting the comment slide away from her.
"What are you working on?"
"Come on. I'll show you." The pain eases a little more with each step and she found herself staring at the bodies of young girls at the bottom of deep holes.
"What's his name?"
"Harry Jackson. We think he's killed at least 15 different girls. He drops them...'
"Down pre-made holes and watches as they starve."
"Yeah." The pain blindsides her and she wakes up screaming. Peter's hands on her face, his warm eyes in front of her. She's breathing fast, the pain in everywhere. Her stomach turns and Peter must see it coming because there is a bucket beneath her nose before she can think to look for one. An injection into her neck and she gradually felt better. The pain was still everywhere and Peter took her prompt from before.
"Remember holding Ella for the first time...' she closed her eyes, let her mind go back and the pain fell away before feeling Peter pull her forward. She rested there for a long long time, she wasn't truly aware of how long it had been until she pulled back and noticed that Walter and Astrid had gone back to work. Peter let her pull away, pushing her hair behind her ear. "Better?"
"Yeah,' the pain was still radiating through her hip but it wasn't as sharp as before. Peter eased himself up first before hauling her too her feet. They all had figured out nothing made it easier and it was best to just get it done with. It didn't stop her from clinging to him for a few moments while the room righted itself.
"So you want to open an investigation on this man because he's kidnapping women in another dimension?"
"Yes."
"And how exactly do you want me to explain that to the higher ups."
"Anonymous tip." Broyles frowned as she moved away. Watching as Peter stepped out from no where and took her elbow. Both of them disappearing into her office a few moments later.
Peter let her settle into her chair and close her eyes before catching her attention. "Do you really think that this is why you were over there."
"We're engaged.' Olivia opened her eyes at Peter's startled cough, smirking as he tried to calm himself.
"Excuse me."
"He doesn't like me much."
"Who doesn't?"
"The other you. Thinks I'm nothing but trouble."
"And we're... they're engaged?"
"Yep."
"How long?"
"Couple days. At least she wasn't wearing a ring the last time I jumped."
"How long have they known each other?"
"According to him. 5 years."
"5?"
"I jumped before I could figure out why there was such a difference."
*v*v*
Three days turned up 5 bodies and a trail towards a 6th. She was tired and sore and every muscle in her body hurt. She stopped functioning around hour 75. Well she had stopped functioning well at hour 36 but forced herself to continue anyways. Peter wasn't surprised when she dropped at the fifth crime scene, caught her, let her crumple against his chest. Kept one arm wrapped around her, the other hand pressed against her face. She was clammy, cold. Held her a few moments until she fell completely under, her body relaxing against him as she finally lost the battle to stay conscious.. Broyles appeared at his side, concern etched over every feature "She okay?"
"Just passed out."
"How can you be sure?" Peter wasn't sure how he knew... but when she jumped... she was just gone. Not sleeping. Not exhausted. It was like she wasn't even there. At all. Now... she was in there.
"Just am." Broyles didn't look like he understood but he decided not to push. "I'm gonna take her back to the hotel. Lay her down. Let her sleep for awhile."
Broyles watched as Peter lifted her into his arms, she turned into his heat but didn't wake. "You sure she's okay?"
"She'll be okay." Broyles watched as an Agent opened the door to the rental truck, watched as Peter settled her in and then covered her with his jacket before walking around the truck.
*v*v*
She woke several hours later, opening her eyes to stare at the side of Peter's face. "How long?"
"12 hours."
"12 hours!" She sat up, immediately regretting it as the world spun and forced her back down. "That wasn't smart."
"Nothing has changed. No new clues. No new leads. I've kept in contact with Broyles. He'll call us the moment anything changes. Wants you to get some rest and take a look at the information again with a fresh set of eyes." Olivia doesn't like it but can feel the exhaustion pulling her back under. Felt Peter's hand on her cheek and forced her eyes open again.
"Wake me."
"Sleep." She closed her eyes again and let herself sink into the darkness. When she woke the second time she was warm, felt an arm around her waist and relaxed when she recognized the lines of his hand. "Better?"
"Much."
"We should get back." She nodded, feeling him pull away slowly. Tracked his progress across the hotel too the bathroom and let him disappear in it first.
She was getting up to her feet and straightening out her shirt when he came out. "Shower?"
"Yeah." 15 minutes later she stepped out to see him stepping back in with a cup of coffee and a bag.
"Here." She accepted both and smiled slightly as she looked at him.
"I know I can be a pain in the ass sometimes but I wanted to thank you for taking care of me when I'm not doing it."
"Everyone needs someone to care for them."
*v*v*
Broyles watches as she settles herself beside Peter, both looking over the case file. Looking a little less ragged around the edges but the coffee in both of their hands had him worried. He knew them both. Knew that they would push themselves into the grave if need be.
"How are you feeling?"
"Better sir... thank you."
"Good cause we have a lead."
*v*v*
Another whirlwind 36 hours had two plane trips and a 6 hour car chase through busy streets and down the interstate at 120 miles per hour. Peter didn't have time to be scared though because it happened fast. Too fast. One second Olivia was pushing the suspect into the back of a police car in hand cuffs the next she jerked like something hit her and fell back.
"What happened?" Broyles asked as he watched Peter as he cradled an unconscious Olivia against his chest.
"She jumped." Broyles frowned at the man before looking back down at Olivia, unlike the last time. She didn't respond at all to Peter picking her up. "Open the door and get the med kit from the back." Peter laid her across the front seat, kept one hand on her pulse and the other on her face.
"How long does it normally last?" Broyles asked as he handed Peter the 'med kit'.
"I don't know, the last one was almost 9 hours."
*v*v*
Olivia gasped as she woke, pain radiating from every part of her body, "Olivia?" Peter's face swam above her and she rotated quickly, her body protesting every moment of the movement. "Easy... shit... easy."
"It hurts...'
"I know...' he rolled her carefully onto her back, his eyes holding hers. 'what are you doing here?"
"I don't know. We caught him..."
"The guy killing the girls?" She nodded, "Where?"
"Small town of Ables. He's armed, has no problem using them." Peter nodded, watching as Olivia tried to catch her breathe before tears flooded her eyes.
"What is it?
"The pain isn't going away."
"What do you mean?"
"Stand me up." He got out of the bed quickly and Olivia frowned at the expanse of skin before her as he crossed around the bed and moved her to her feet. The pain slowly receded with every forced stepped. The cast on her leg was a pain in the ass and a softer pain in her shoulder. Leaning against Peter when she could finally breathe again.
"Better?" She nodded, before pulling back and letting him sit her on the edge of the bed.
"Yes... thank you." She felt slightly funny sitting in front of him half naked. The skimpy bikini underwear and tank top did nothing to cover her.
"These visits are becoming more frequent." She nodded, saw his eyes scan her own. "Why?"
"I don't know."
"Do they hurt you?"
"I get headaches. The pain is getting worse." His eyes went to the bed, "How did we meet?"
"You needed my father's help on a case."
"Do you know John Scott?" His eyebrow lifted.
"Olivia's partner?" He didn't miss the darkening around her eyes. "What happened with your John?"
"He died. He betrayed us."
"Betrayed? Olivia? What do you mean betrayed?"
"He's working on his own. Doing his own investigations. Getting information from the bureau and using it for his own purposes."
"What purposes?"
"I don't know. He died over a year ago. Right when I met you."
"Meet me? How exactly did you meet me?"
"Iraq. I tricked you into getting your father out of Saint Claire's."
"Saint Claire's?" Olivia nodded, feeling the first pulls of the return, watched as Peter took her hands. "Does it hurt as much going back?"
"More." He winced watching as she took a deep breathe. "It gets easier the more I do it."
"Lair."
"Thought you hated me."
"We've all got our roles to play." Olivia nodded and smiled.
"See you around Bishop."
"See you Olivia."
*v*v*
"Hey... easy, easy." She's grasping at her chest and struggling to take a breathe. Broyles eyes widen as he watches the violent fight Olivia is struggling through. His attention jumps between the two of them quickly as Peter flips through the 'med kit' and pulls out a preloaded syringe. Olivia's eyes are wide and frightened but she doesn't resist when Peter turns her head and presses the needle into the vein there. Broyles frowns as he sees a line of similar dots down the vein and watches as Olivia slowly relaxes.
"What did you give her?" Peter turns his attention towards Broyles to see the alarm stretched over his face before looking back to Olivia as her hands slowly relax and she takes a deep breathe.
"It's a combination of a sedative and a muscle relaxant. We keep it on hand for moments just like this." Peter puts his fingers over her pulse, feeling it slow as her breathing eased. Watching as her eyes close as it sweeps through her system. When her eyes open again they have the haze of the drugs over them but he'll take it. She's back. His hands frame her face and he smiles down at her. "Hey you."
"Hey." He watched as her eyes fluttered before she forced them open. Her hands curling around his wrists.
"What is it?"
"Do you have a scar on your right leg?" He shook his head no slowly, saw her nod before her eyes drifted closed before jerking open and focusing on him with an intensity that shouldn't be possible. He left his hand on her cheek as she stared at him with big wide eyes.
"What is it?"
"I don't know." He frowned at her before watching as she struggled to sit up.
"Where do you think you are going?"
"Need to stand.' he helped her too her feet, watching as she swayed. Her own hand clenched in his shirt the other pressed against her hip. 'oh..." She pitched forward and he lets her breathe through the pain. Keeping one hand on her back, the other carefully rubbing her neck.
"Easy 'Livia, just breathe."
"It hurts."
"I know. I wish I could take it away." She nods into his shoulder before taking a deep breathe and pulling away.
"Where is Walter?"
"Astrid is keeping him in check.' Peter watched as Olivia nodded, her eyes jumping around without a clear reason to why. Reaching out to touch her arm centered her attention back to him. "I don't know about you but I would love to go home."
"Yeah. Home sounds good."