Truth And Deception

(Chapter Three: The Plan)

Elliot woke the next morning with Olivia curled up tightly in his arms. He moved his arm slowly over her back and kissed the top of her head. He pulled the blanket up around her and just watched her sleep for an hour or so. He loved the way she felt in his arms. As Elliot watched her he prayed that somehow they would find some way to beat this. Or maybe somehow this had all been some kind of horrible mix up and was really fine.

Elliot closed his eyes and could feel her heart beat against him. He had to be strong and help her through this. He could not imagine his life without her and refused to let that nightmare become a reality.

Olivia shifted and moaned a little then opened her eyes to look at him. She smiled sweetly and gazed up at him. She had an innocence about her, almost childlike.

"How did you sleep?" He asked looking into her beautiful brown eyes.

"Really well. Thanks El," she said softly smiling at him again. Her smiles were like the sunshine. Warm and bright. He had always thought she had an amazing smile.

"You hungry?"

"Yeah," she laughed.

"Why don't you wait here and I will fix you breakfast in bed."

"You would do that for me?"

"Olivia, there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. You are my best friend and I love you."

"Aww. I love you too, El."

He leaned up and kissed her forehead once more. "You rest. I will be back in a little bit."

"Okay."

Elliot returned twenty minutes later with biscuits and gravy and coffee. He sat beside her on the bed and handed her a plate. They ate breakfast together then laid back down and talked.

"I made a call," Elliot started, "I have an appointment this afternoon to have the bone marrow test. I want to know, I need to know if I am a match. I think we should talk to everyone at work. I know they will all go get tested."

"Elliot, I don't want to tell anyone. Not right now at least."

"Olivia, they love you. We all do and I am sure they will do whatever they can to help."

"El, please. I'm just not ready for that."

"For what?"

"I don't want to be treated different."

"Liv, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about….everyone is already so overprotective of me. Do you honestly think that things wouldn't change if they knew? Elliot, I don't want to be treated like I am broken. Just please, promise me you wont tell anyone."

"Of course not."

"I told you because someone needed to know what was going on just in case something happened. And because, I needed someone to talk to. And I couldn't keep this from you Elliot. I tell you everything."

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Three days letter while they were at work Elliot received the phone call he had been waiting for. The results of his bone marrow test were in and he was not a match. He was devastated. He was so sure that he could help her and now he was not going to be able to save her.

Elliot told her his not so good news and suggested she tell their friends and coworkers. Olivia was being her stubborn self and again she refused. Requesting that they keep the news of her illness just between the two of them.

"How are we going to find a match, Liv if you are keeping it a secret?" He asked.

"There are programs and lists. Like with kidneys or anything else that people donate. It is unlikely that people I'm not related to would be a match anyway."

His eyes flashed quickly to hers.

"What does that mean?"

"Well, the best match for anyone would be a full sibling. Since I have no siblings the next best shot is a parent."

"But your mother is dead. And your father…."

She looked up at him. "I have to find him, El."

"Olivia, are you sure you want to do this?"

"I don't really have a choice. But I need your help."

"Anything."

"I read her file. About the rape, everything. There was a DNA sample and some hair samples that were not a match to her blood type found on her clothes. Those samples are in the evidence room at a precinct across town. They didn't have the technology back then, they were only able to tell that the blood types were not a match. But if we ran those samples today and he was in the system, it would at least give me a name. Then I would know who I was looking for."

"They were there this entire time and you didn't run them?"

"Well, it is illegal Elliot because it is not an active case, not our case and her files were sealed when she died. I knew the key to finding the identity of my father was in that box, Elliot. But until now, I wasn't ready to know who he was. The man did horrible things to my mother. I hate him for what he did to her. And if things were different now, I still wouldn't want to know who he was." She took a deep breath to regain control of her emotions, then shifted the conversation. "The last time I checked out the evidence box it had not even been opened since the late seventy's. They probably don't even realize that the samples are in there and could probably help to close the case. When I found them I was torn. If I ran them, they could finally catch him and put him behind bars for what he did to her. But I would be forced to face him and to acknowledge him, to know who he was after all of these years. I was selfish Elliot. I didn't want to face him. So I closed up the box and turned it back in. That was three years ago."

Elliot took a deep breath. "I can get the samples, Liv. But whose to say that after all of these years they are still usable?"

"It is a chance I will have to take. It could be my only shot."

He squeezed her hand in his. "I'll go make some calls and see if I can get a hold of that evidence box. We can do this."

Olivia looked up at him with worry in her eyes. "And after all of these years, I am going to meet my father."

"You don't have to do this alone. I am right here the entire way, no matter what."

"Elliot, you are the best, best friend ever. I don't know many people who have someone in their life who would go through the things you have gone through for me."

"With you."

"With me." She looked into his eyes and smiled. "I don't know what I would have done all of this time without you in my life. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I need you to know that."

"Now don't go getting sentimental on me," he smiled. "We are going to figure this out. And I am going to do everything I can to fix this. I am supposed to dance at your wedding, remember?"

Olivia smiled and he kissed her forehead. "I'm not even dating anyone."

"No, but you will. And get married and have babies. And I am going to be right there beside you the whole time. That is what best friends do."

Olivia laughed. "Sounds like you have it all planned out."

"I guess so."

"I should get going. I have a lot of work to do."

"It is Saturday, Elliot."

"Yeah, but I plan on getting that box and at least get those samples ran. It will take a few days for results. Why don't you stay here and get some rest."

"Elliot it is almost noon and all I have done is sleep."

"Well, you do this for me and when I get back in a few hours we will go do something."

"What?"

"Anything you want, my treat." He kissed her forehead again. "So you be thinking about that, too."

"Okay."

"Okay, I will be back in a few hours. Your phone is here by the bed and a bottle of water. If you need anything call me."

"I will." She took a deep breath as he turned to walk out of the room. "Elliot?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you. For taking such good care of me. And for just being here for me. Having someone like you makes going through this a lot less scary."

"Olivia, there is no where else I would be. You have always been there for me when I needed someone. Now I get to return the favor. That is what best friends are for. Get some sleep I will see you in a little while."

"Okay." She closed her eyes and settled back into her pillow.

Elliot watched her for a moment fighting back tears, then turned and headed across town to get that box. He wasn't sure if this plan would work, but for now it was the only plan they had. And her life depended on the answers they would find inside.