Burning Desire

By: Liv-x-Lex4Ever & E. Scribbles

Chapter 4: Secret Wrench

Casey maneuvered herself awkwardly into the lift, still not used to her crutches. "Thank God the lifts are actually working for once."

She offered a smile to Olivia, but also got a hearty laugh from one of the men who had been ordered to accompany her everywhere for the last week and who had never stepped foot inside the building before today.

Casey rolled her eyes, and then suddenly remembered the state her apartment had been in the last time she'd been there. Great, bet he was going to laugh about that too. As the lift hit her level, Olivia led the way to her flat.

She opened the door, kicking shoes out of the way. "Careful Casey. Watch your step."

"Step? I think you mean hop slash shuffle." Casey's dry words once more caused one of the officers to laugh, throwing his bag on the couch, too quickly to notice the pair of underwear now lying underneath.

Olivia walked over, grabbing the pair and stuffing them into her pocket before someone saw. Carefully, she helped Casey onto the couch. "What would you like for dinner?" she asked, trying not to be too annoyed by the guards that were assigned to them for safety. All of them knew they weren't too thrilled to have them to be watched so they tried to stay out of the way.

"Privacy?" Casey murmured, but then she saw Olivia's expression and her face softened. "Can we send one of the tweedle brothers out for take-out? You make a mess at the best of times, I don't like your chances with one arm...and I don't like to think what they'd make."

Olivia wrapped an arm around her. "Can someone get us some take-out, please? For tonight it'll be easier, after spending a few days away." She sighed, laying her head on Casey's shoulder as Casey put her injured ankle up.

An hour later, everyone else was eating, but Casey was fast asleep, her head resting on Olivia's good shoulder, making it very hard for her to eat.

"You can go home if you need to, detective. We've got it covered." One of the officers grinned at her, his mouth rimmed with what looked like spaghetti sauce, although they were eating Chinese.

"Nah, no offense, but if she slips and falls during the night and needs help, I don't know how comfortable she'd be to having you rush in, but..."

Olivia sat up, situating Casey against the couch. Why the hell couldn't Elliot do this? At least then they wouldn't have to put their relationship back under wraps. As she moved to get up though, Casey opened her eyes and grabbed her wrist.

"Wh-what's—where are you going? Don't go!" Casey held tightly to her wrist, seeming to panic and forget where she was. All she knew is she didn't want Olivia to go.

As Olivia stroked her hair and murmured words at her, her panic subsided and she slowly began to realize where she was. "Stay." It was added softly, more like a breath than a word.

"Sweetie, I don't know if your guards would like me to—"

The panic took over once more, and Casey attempted to stand, forgetting about her ankle. "You have to stay! Please! Olivia, it's not just me – you need to stay!"

Olivia steadied her, sitting back down with her on the couch. "Uh guys, could you...give us a minute? You don't have to leave completely." They nodded, walking into the kitchen. Her expression softened as Casey leaned her head on her shoulder. "What's 'not just me'? What do you mean?"

Casey let out a shaking breath. "I can't tell you. If I tell you, you'll leave."

She stroked the side of her face, running her hand lightly over a bruise. "Don't you think I should make that decision? Try me. I meant what I said that night in the hospital. I'll love you no matter what—"

Casey closed her eyes, savoring the feeling. "I really, really wish I could believe that, but this...this is different."

"Casey, I know you're scared, but I promise whatever it is, I'll never, ever leave. Did anyone ever tell you what happened when I woke up from getting patched up?"

Casey shook her head, making a face as she remembered the moment Olivia was shot.

"I was hysterical in every sense of the word. All because you weren't there. I was terrified I'd lost you too. That you'd—" she took a shaky breath, "—been placed into protection because of what you saw. I never want you to go away, Casey Novak because you—" she brought her face up to look her in the eyes, "—you mean everything to me. I want to help you. I love you with everything I am. Don't you believe that?"

Casey stared into her eyes for a moment, then words tumbled from her mouth. "It's Alex. She knew, my uncle. I didn't know. Then I knew and I didn't know how to tell you. My uncle is part of the gang that is after her and I'm so sorry. I love you."

Olivia's expression was strange for a moment. "Why? How?" she asked, holding tighter as Casey tried to pull away. "It doesn't change how I feel. I understand why you couldn't say anything. Why are you involved?" she asked as tears started to trickle down the younger woman's cheeks.

"They said he left, disappeared. They thought maybe he'd come to me, so they tried to get information from me, that's why they, why they-"

Olivia held her closer. "Wish I had both arms to wrap around you right now. Shh, just take a breath. Listen to mine. Relax a bit." She could feel her trembling worsen. "I'm not going away," she whispered into her hair, "I promise."

"Because you'll feel guilty? Its ok, you can go. Cragen knows all about it. He knows where Alex is. You can go to her."

Olivia shook her head, grabbing her hand. "No. I don't want to go to her. I want to stay with you. Do you want me to leave?"

"...I want you to really think about it before you decide."

"When everything started between us, I had to give you a chance. I did and I'll never regret it. Long before any of this other stuff started, I'd, somehow, in my heart, already made up my mind of who I wanted to be with. Casey, I'll follow you anywhere you want me to. I know things, right now, aren't fabulous, but, as long as I'm with you, I'm happy, no matter what happens."

Casey was silent for a moment, then asked gently. "Even to that chicken place I love that you say will give everyone food poisoning?"

She groaned then leaned into her with a grin. "Even there. Now will you please, please tell me the rest of your story?"

Bit by bit, Casey told her the rest of what happened. Olivia sat silently, stroking her hair, and safe in her arms, Casey felt as though she was telling someone else's tale. She recounted everything quietly, not noticing when the other officers walked into the room and, by the time she'd finished, not even Officer McShiteatingrin was smiling.

Olivia sighed. "The most important thing is that you're back here safe. And I really am sorry that I couldn't get to you."

Casey nodded, a yawn escaping her lips. "If you didn't know me, you wouldn't have been shot, then you wouldn't have been in hospital and could have found me...does that make any sense? God, I'm tired."

Olivia smiled, nuzzling her neck. "Yes it does, but I'd gladly do it again. Maybe you should get to bed? You must be emotionally exhausted after saying all that."

"Probably." She gave another wide yawn, asking Olivia sleepily, "Do I need to be in court tomorrow?"

"I-I don't know. Cragen didn't tell me anything. Just told me to take you home. I suppose I'll find out in the morning. Do you want me to go or stay?"

"Stay." Casey was already mostly asleep, her eyes closed, her breath evening and her head resting on the back of the couch.

"Ah…should I uh...carry her to bed?" One of the officers volunteered.

Olivia thought a moment. "Wish I could, but with one arm in a sling, I don't think it would go too well. Also, I have a question for the two if you. Were either of you informed about 'us'?"

The smaller one grinned, but the other one merely nodded. "Your captain informed us. Don't worry about my partner here. I know his grin can be off-putting, but he's not nearly so much of an idiot as he appears to be."

Olivia smiled. "Then would you please be so kind as to carry her for me? I think I can manage everything else...hopefully."

Casey didn't even wake until the officers had left the room and Olivia was in the middle of pulling her top off over her head. "Not tonight, Liv, too tired."

Olivia just grinned. "I know, I know. We're in your bedroom. I'm just trying to make you more comfortable so you can sleep. What, you thought tonight was the night?" she asked laughing. "I have one arm in a sling and you have a broken ankle! Oh yeah, that's sexy!" she said sarcastically, scooting down and pulling off her skirt.

"Mmm, but the sling really brings out your eyes, and the white of my cast distracts from the blinding whiteness of my legs. It's really a good look for me." Casey curled up to the pillow. "You feel really soft...and fabricy."

"Fabricy?" she asked, climbing in the other side after turning off the light. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know. I think I was away at school that day. I told the doctor I had a high tolerance for pain medication, but I think maybe I was wrong."

Olivia laughed, now knowing the meds were making her a bit loopy, but they had to be pretty strong to get rid of that kind of pain. "Go to sleep, Casey. You'll feel better."

"Can we have potatoes in the morning? And brussell sprouts? Have I told you I love brussell sprouts? God, I love them. Almost as much as I love Olivia. Every time I see her I just want to-" Her words were obscured by a yawn, and her eyes slowly closed.

Olivia sighed as Casey's head rested on her shoulder and she fell asleep. "At least she can't feel anything. Pain meds did their job. Yay."

"Fetching! That sling really brings out your eyes partner!" Elliott grinned at Olivia, who laughed louder than he expected as she remembered Casey's comment from the night before. "Where's Casey?"

"She's just gone to the bathroom with her posse. She's insisting on calling them that now that she's discovered they have a mutual appreciation of really, really bad music. Where's Cragen?"

"Out on important business. Should be back soon."

Olivia sighed, figuring it wasn't her place to tell Casey's role in all this. "Right through here," she heard Cragen say.

At the clack of heels, Olivia turned her head, used to it being Casey, but her eyes widened when she saw a blonde head. "Alex?"

Alex raised her head, then looked at Cragen. "I thought you said she wouldn't be here?"

Olivia was taken aback by the bite in her voice. "Am I not supposed to be? It's just a shoulder wound."

Alex looked apologetic. "I didn't mean it like that…just…I didn't want to see you. It was hard enough last time…"

"Oh, gee thanks! That makes it so much better!" Olivia bit. "Why don't you just say you hate me, alright? At least it'd be out in the open!"

Alex's eyebrows shot up and she approached Olivia. "As touchy as ever I see and I thought I was the one who was supposed to be going off my rocker on the WPP. What I meant was that it was painful to see you last time because I missed you so much...I didn't want to see you this time, because I don't know how long I'll be around for. Is your shoulder ok? They said it missed everything important." Alex touched her arm gently.

Olivia's eyes were defiant. She'd missed her too, but after everything that had gone on before that trial... What was she supposed to say? Her anger flared.

"You missed me! How the hell would I know that? Be-because of some half-assed, cold-shouldered note that was supposed to make me feel better? Better yet, why should I believe you? You're just going to go away again," she snapped, pulling away. "To answer your question, Cabot, yes nothing vital on me is injured! You can go back to what you were doing now."

Her anger was real. Alex could see that, but there was much more betrayal and hurt than anything. As Alex went to stalk off, Olivia grabbed her arm. "I-I'm sorry...I just-I don't know how...what to...after..."

So many emotions showing in Alex's eyes, but she asked simply. "A hug?"

She huffed, but gratefully stood and wrapped her only free arm around her. "What did you want me to say...or expect?" she asked as she heard someone else enter the room. She turned her head, just in time to see Casey running, as best she could, to the lift…

Author's Note: What do you think?

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

Review thanks to: tummer22

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Liv-x-Lex4Ever and E. Scribbles