Burning Desire

By: Liv-x-Lex4Ever & E. Scribbles

Chapter 3: Natural Painkiller

As Elliot barked orders down to the phone to get Casey's cell tracked, Munch drove towards New Jersey.

"Did you ever take that defensive driving course Munch?"

"No, I decided it wasn't necessary."

"Yeah, well, maybe you should have. Step on it!"

With a sigh that usually followed a long explanation, Munch turned the siren on.

Casey groaned. Her head was pounding and, trying to move, she found her wrists and ankles bound. She was also gagged, so screaming for help wouldn't do much good either.

Where was she? Possibly New Jersey. She groaned. Why did she have to be involved? Once Olivia found out, she'd end this relationship for sure.

"Have they had any luck with tracing her cell yet?"

Elliott shook his head. "They're narrowing it down. Try heading to where that crop circle was, maybe they got out there. They at least passed it."

Munch gave a nod.

Casey looked around. She was in some kind of warehouse that was used for car restoration. She scooted herself against a wall and, painstakingly, managed to sit up, only to realize the idiots must've grabbed her too hard as her right ankle was extremely sore. She could still move it, but she wondered whether it was broken.

She closed her eyes, praying Olivia was okay. She'd deleted the messages just in time so they wouldn't know who she was. Her past was catching up with her, fast.

Now she only hoped Olivia would be caring enough to listen.

That is, if she ever saw her again.

"Got it! Now let's just hope the bastards are amateur enough to have forgotten it and she's still got it with her!"

Elliott gave Munch the address Casey's cell seemed to be at, a warehouse on the outskirts of town.

Casey sighed, suddenly hearing heavy footsteps. She tried to make out figures by the dim lights, but it wasn't working.

"Hey, look, the precious cargo's awake," one of them said.

She saw the other with a sadistic grin, carrying a bat. He shrugged. "Boss said we could have a little fun. How 'bout it?"

The other one nodded, walking over and picking her up. She screamed and tried to break free, but his hold was too strong.

"Struggle and scream all you want. It's more fun," the one carrying the bat said as her grabbed her hair and slammed her head into the metal beam.

Casey found herself nearly sick from the pain, but managed to stay awake a bit longer, until the bat collided with the back of her head. The last conscious thing she remembered was feeling something rip...

Elliott and Munch walked around the warehouse cautiously, looking for any signs it had been used recently. Munch glanced inside a window. "I can't see anything El, maybe they threw out her phone after she sent that last message. Hell, maybe they sent the last message."

Elliott put a finger to his lips. Everything was quiet for a moment, then they heard a soft thud.

She could hear them as she regained semi-consciousness. With her good foot, she hit the side again and again, harder again, "HELP!" she tried to yell, but knew it was horribly muffled.

"Can you hear that?"

Munch nodded, then glanced into the window again quickly.

"I can't see anything inside, it's pitch black. Call it in?"

Elliott hesitated for a moment, then remembered Olivia's face. "No. We don't know if there's anyone in there. Let's go through that side door we passed. You got a torch?"

Munch nodded.

"Ok."

"Good luck."

Elliott gave Munch a glare, then they headed quietly towards the door.

Casey could see a figure walking toward her. Fearing it was one of the two men, she curled up into a ball, crying and trying to hide her exposed, marred flesh. The voice though, it wasn't of one of them. It...it was familiar, but with her head injured she couldn't quite tell who it was.

"Shit. Call a bus Munch." Elliott bent over Casey, laying his jacket over her. "Hey, it's ok. It's me, Elliot. You're going to be ok. I'm going to untie your hands ok?"

She slowly nodded. She tried to talk, but couldn't, which he realized and ungagged her.

She cried, leaning into him. "D-don't go!" she cried in a hoarse whisper. "M-might come back, clothes torn...think he-he..." she couldn't say anymore, do anything else but sob hysterically. "Liv!" she repeated over and over.

"It's okay. We've got more people coming. They're not going to come back. Liv is fine. I promise. She's ok. Here, you want to talk to her?" He dialed the hospital's number and asked to be put through to Olivia's room before holding the phone to Casey's ear.

"My God, El! Have you found her yet?" Olivia asked, panicked.

"L-L...Are you ok?" Casey's voice shook so much she was barely understandable.

"Casey? Sweetie, I can barely hear you. Yes, I'm," she swallowed hard. She could hear how much pain she was in and how scared she was. "I'm fine. I'm gonna be okay. You'll be back here soon. Do you want to wait until I can wrap an arm around you to tell what happened?" she asked gently.

There was a muffled noise, then Elliot's voice came on the line. "We're going to move her to the car Liv, Munch has one of his feelings. We'll look after her. She'll be fine." Before Olivia could speak, he hung up.

As Elliot reached the car and put Casey gently into the passenger seat, he was deafened by a loud bang. As Casey whimpered, he turned to see the warehouse in flames and Munch on his stomach. "Munch?"

Munch raised a hand, then climbed slowly to his knees. "I told you. Didn't I tell you? I had a funny feeling."

Elliot smirked. "Good ol' instincts! So now, do we wait or go? I wonder who'd be faster?"

"Well, there are the two idiots I knocked out and cuffed to the banister in the house a few feet away, so I suppose, as dutiful cops, both of us can't leave."

Elliot looked at Casey, noticing blood dripping onto the floor from, at least, one head wound if not more. "Call them. See how far out they are," he said as he sat in the car and held her hand. "It's gonna be okay."

"Wh-when we g-get there, c-can I be placed w-with her?" she whispered.

"I'll make sure of it, just please try to stay awake."

She nodded.

Elliott walked into Olivia's hospital room and opened his arms wide. "Who's your favorite detective?"

She smiled. "Depends. What've you got to tell me?"

He sat on the side of her bed. "We've collared two guys and Munch has taken them down to the precinct, but Cragen has given us a couple of uniforms here just in case. Casey's getting a couple of scans and getting patched up, then they're bringing her in here. And, while all of this was happening, I managed to find you a donut!" He held up the bag and placed it on her lap.

She laughed. "Thanks, but right now I'm more concerned with who you found. D-did she say anything?" Olivia asked hesitantly almost positive she wouldn't like the answer.

Elliot was silent for a moment, then answered softly, "She didn't say anything, but...her clothes were pretty much torn right off." At Olivia's expression, he added, "She did say she didn't need a rape kit though. I don't know Liv. She'll be in soon."

Olivia sighed. "I hate to contradict or make my imagination run wild with this, but, come on, do the math! Sh-she probably lied," she finished in a whisper. "Why else would her clothes be in shreds? I really hope I'm wrong though. I certainly don't want to make this situation worse. And, even though she trusts you, I don't know if she'd want to admit that to you."

"They-" Before Elliot could continue, the door was held open and another bed was pushed in.

Olivia looked over. She could see flaming red hair underneath a long white gauze bandage on her head. She waited until she could get a clear view and for a nurse to finish up before asking her questions. "Is she awake? That head injury looks painful."

"She is awake, but a bit out of it from the pain killers we've given her. The head injury is superficial, so it looks worse than it is."

Elliott squeezed her leg. "I'll leave you two alone. I'll be outside if you need me."

Olivia grabbed her IV and pulled a chair up next to the bed. Holding her hand, she rubbed circles into the back of it. "Casey, it's me. Everything's okay now. Don't worry about me. You just focus on getting better," she brought her hand up and kissed it. "Love you."

There was movement under the sheet, and after a few seconds, it slid down, her matted hair still covering her face. "No one came? You're ok?"

Olivia nodded. "Well, yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

Casey didn't reply, just turned over her hand so she could grasp Olivia's properly, and closed her eyes.

Olivia sighed, squeezing her hand. "Casey, I know earlier you weren't comfortable talking to Elliot. I wouldn't be either," she said sitting between the rails of her bed, "but, as it's just us in the room, can I ask you a difficult question? The answer 'I don't know' will be accepted."

Casey drew in a deep breath, and let it out shaking. "I just want to go to sleep. Please. I don't want to talk about it. It's finished now. It doesn't matter. Please."

Olivia smiled, letting go of her hand and running hers over Casey's cheek. "I can go back to my bed, or I can try to make myself comfortable next to you. Which will make you feel better? I promise, no more questions. It's just-I wanna kick their asses for doing this to you, Case, and I know the best details are the freshest ones, but you're probably getting tired of hearing my voice, huh?"

Tears threatened to spill from Casey's eyes. She wanted to tell Olivia everything. She wanted more than anything for Olivia to curl up in the bed with her, hold her close and comfort her as tears and words spilled from her, but instead, she just shrugged, pulling the sheet higher. "I'm just tired."

"Oh, okay," she said, sounding defeated and sad. Leaning over, she kissed her cheek. "I love you, Case, no matter what, remember that, okay?" she said, standing up and walking over to lay in her bed.

It was dark and something cold was touching Casey's back. Suddenly she realized it was a gun. She knew she was going to die. Instantly, she knew she was going to die.

A scream emitted from her throat, but just as suddenly, she was in a hospital room, and Olivia was standing over her, a frown of concern on her face.

"Casey?" she said, sitting on her bed. "You have a nightmare?"

Unable to stop herself, she sat forward, ignoring the pain, and moved into Olivia's arms, resting her head on her uninjured shoulder, trying to stop herself from shaking.

Olivia wrapped her arm around her, laying her head on her shoulder. "Shh, sweetie, it's okay," she whispered, rubbing her back, "it's okay. Maybe if you told me what happened I could make it better."

"But it was a dream!" she cried. "How can you make it better?"

"I just know. I love you, so much. All I want to do, right now, is make those tears go away," she said kissing her tears away. "Just let me try."

Casey just cried harder, wanting to tell her so much, but knowing she couldn't. "I can't, Liv! I-I just can't…"

"Okay, okay. You know, your dad was here earlier. Really worried about you."

She turned her head to the side. "When?"

"A few hours ago. He said it was better to let you sleep, but he wanted me to let you know he loves you."

She nodded. "Thanks," she said, pulling away a bit. "Sorry I woke you."

"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad I could help."

This next question would definitely raise more, but she had to know. "Did I say anything?"

Olivia nodded. "Please don't hurt her. I'll do whatever you want, I swear. Just please—"

"—don't hurt Olivia," Casey finished. "I know I need to explain, but…"

Olivia laid her back in bed. "Later Casey. You just need sleep," she replied, holding her hand, noticing she was shaking worse than ever. "It'll help."

"Don't go," she whispered, carefully moving herself to the side, "please."

Olivia sighed, knowing she really shouldn't. "Casey, I really—"

"Please Liv! While I was…gone I thought I'd never see you again. And just now. I-I…please just stay!" she pleaded, sitting up and throwing her arms around her.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. I promise," she said, wrapping an arm around her. "Lay down for a second, okay? I need to grab a pillow from my bed to put behind my back."

Casey nodded, feeling the bed shift and hearing the squeak as Olivia's IV moved across the tile, but it didn't take long for the detective to, somehow, maneuver in beside her in bed.

Olivia huffed, trying to get the pillow in proper alignment, but failing.

"Would you like some help there?" Casey asked coherently.

Olivia sat up straight as she adjusted it and then laid back. Casey's head rested on her shoulder and her arms wound around her. "I love you," she whispered.

Casey sniffled. "I love you too," she replied, burying her head into Olivia's neck, trembling decreasing substantially, She winced. "Damn broken ankle."

Olivia shook her head. "I'm just glad you're safe. With me. You could push the call button for more meds if you want."

"No," she snuggled into her side, "I think I have the perfect painkiller. One that'll never go away."

She kissed the top of her head. "Never."

Author's Note: What do you think?

Thanks to my Beta:Tiger(dot)Lily(dot)Weasley(dot)757

Please read & review!

Liv-x-Lex4Ever and E. Scribbles