Helpless

(Chapter Three: Coming Home)

It was around nine o'clock in the morning when Olivia whimpered and jerked in Elliot's arms waking him. She was having a bad dream, probably reliving the events they had been through in the early hours that morning. He moved under her and raised her chin as she opened her eyes. She gasped for a second and he saw tears welling behind her eyes.

"It was just a dream, Liv. It's over now," he whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Casey will be here soon and then we're going home. Get you the Hell out of here."

A little while later Casey arrived and an officer lead Olivia out to talk to her.

"Oh, Liv. I am so sorry," Casey said as she hugged her. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine Case, I just need to get out of here."

"I brought you some clothes," she said pointing at a bag on the table across the room. "Lucky for you, you and I are just about the same size."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Where's Elliot?"

"They took him for his three minute shower. He should be back before long."

They sat down at the table where Casey had brought them all a cup of coffee.

"So what's the damage, Casey?" Olivia asked as Elliot joined the conversation.

"Well, they are still insisting that you had something to do with the murders, because you had one of the victims blood on you when they found you. I know that is ridiculous, but they are going to try to make a case. And you…." she turned to look at Elliot. "As if charges for breaking and entering weren't enough, you assaulted a police officer?"

"Your damn right I did! He had his hands all over her! What was I just supposed to watch like everyone else seemed to be doing and see what else he did to her before someone stopped him?"

Casey looked at Olivia as she nodded her head.

"I might be able to get those charges dropped if we file charges against him. It will give me leverage and they would probably drop them to keep the sexual assault charge from going to court. Apparently they want to play hardball. But Elliot, you broke his nose."

"That is only because I couldn't reach his dick," Elliot mumbled as Casey shot him a glare.

"No more of this. I need you on your best behavior. I'm going to have to do a pretty convincing little song and dance for that judge to get you released into my custody until this breaking and entering thing actually goes to court. They have until then to try and make a case for the murder charges. Obviously they are going to get hair and fibers and finger prints from the residence because you were guests there. Did you touch anything pertaining to the murders? The gun, knife or any of the bodies?"

"I touched Kate," Olivia said looking up at her. "I knelt beside her to check for a pulse. When I did, I got her blood on my clothes and my hands. I touched my face and had some there also. But I never saw a weapon. Casey I can identify these guys. I saw them, well one of them really close."

"I saw them both. I saw them shoot Max and kill him. Then I went back upstairs to get Olivia."

"What exactly happened upstairs?"

"I walked quietly down the hall and into her room. She was asleep in the chair. I put my hand over her mouth and dragged her into the closet to hide. They came in looking around, but didn't find us. When they went back downstairs we came out into the room to try and call for help. But they had cut the phone lines to the house. They came back upstairs and we hid under the bed. They had Kate's father and made him open the safe for them. Then they shot him. Casey he was looking at us under the bed, reaching for us when he died. They took some stuff from the safe and trashed the place. We were under the bed about two hours and then they left. We went downstairs. They got Olivia's wallet with her cash and credit cards and drivers license. We got outside and they came back to look for her. I guess they realized that the woman on the drivers license was not the one they had killed. We climbed down a hill toward a light and ended up at the airport. They had a phone so I broke the door to get in. It was an emergency. Then they showed up and arrested us and brought us here."

"This whole thing seems so crazy. Are either of you injured?"

Elliot looked at Olivia and she shook her head.

"No."

"Good." Casey looked at her watch. "We'll see the judge in about an hour and I will see if I can get you released out on bond. Then I have to get special permission to take you back to New York with me. But you will have to return to Seattle for the actual trial."

"That is fine, just get us out of here."

An hour later they stood in court in front of the judge as Casey worked out a deal with him. No bond if they stayed out of trouble until trial. Casey was responsible for their actions and if they got so much as a speeding ticket they would both be shipped back here and be held at the county jail until the date of the actual trial in thirty days. Everyone agreed, the judge slammed his gavel down and just like that, they were free to go.

They walked down the steps of the courthouse with Casey.

"We're not going to be able to get a flight out tonight. I think we should just get a couple of rooms at that motel up the road and leave out in the morning. None of us have had any sleep."

Casey turned to look at Elliot and Olivia.

"I am not above a red eye flight, Casey."

They both looked at Olivia.

"I just want to get back to New York."

"Okay then, I will call and see if I can get us on something and get the Hell out of here," Casey replied.

Their flight didn't leave until eight o'clock that night. Olivia laid her head against Elliot's on the plane and slept most of the way back. They were not allowed to take any of their belongings from the house until the crime scene had been thoroughly processed. At this point Olivia didn't care. She didn't want anything that had been in that house.

They arrived back in New York around five o'clock the next morning. In the cab on the way back to Olivia's apartment Elliot realized something.

"Liv, if those guys have your drivers license they know where you live. What's to stop them from coming after you?"

"What?"

"I just don't think you should go home. At least not until we get flyers out with their description and know who we are looking for. Look why don't you come back to my place for tonight. In the morning I will take you home to get some things. I think you should stay with me for a little while. At least until they catch these guys."

"Where Elliot, you have one bed."

"I sleep on the couch anyway. Liv, please. I just want to know that you are safe."

She took a deep breath and looked around the dark streets outside their cab.

"Okay, but just for a little while."

"Thank you," Elliot said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Back at Elliot's apartment, he gave her an old tee shirt and a pair of his boxers to sleep in. Olivia took a hot bath and soaked for a while to relax. Elliot fixed her a cup of hot tea to help her unwind and before they knew what was going on, they had fallen asleep curled up together on his sofa wrapped in a blanket. Olivia tucked her forehead in against Elliot's chest and they slept this way most of the day.

A little later Olivia woke him when she got up to use the bathroom. Elliot stretched and sighed. It had been nearly two days since either of them had gotten any decent sleep and this couch just wasn't cutting it. Olivia came out of the bathroom and returned to the living room. But Elliot and the blanket were gone. She laughed and fixed herself a glass of water then walked down the hall to the bedroom.

Elliot had covered the curtains with a heavy blanket to make it dark in the room. He laid across the bed and looked up at her. Olivia hesitated for just a moment.

"Liv, come on. It's okay. I'll behave, I promise."

She smiled and looked into his eyes.

"El…"

"Honey, this is the only way either of us has gotten any sleep the last two days. You sleep better with me here and I sleep better knowing that you are safe. You can even have your own blankets, so I don't steal the covers. We can sleep all day if you want. When we wake up I will fix us something to eat and we can lay here and watch television until we are ready to sleep some more. And if you have bad dreams or get scared, I am right here beside you. Please, Liv?"

She stood there looking at him for a minute, then against her better judgment she crawled into the bed with him. She was too tired to dispute this with him now. Besides, she had kind of gotten used to waking up next to him and she felt so safe with him beside her.

Elliot pulled the blankets up around them. Olivia laid there and stared at him for a few minutes not saying anything.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked.

"I can't," she said softly trying not to cry. "Not yet."

Elliot smoothed his hand over the side of her face, pushing her hair out of her face.

"You know I am right here when you are ready."

"I know," she whispered. "Good night, Elliot."

"Good night, Liv."

And moments later, she was asleep again.