I fell back asleep as someone walking in a few minutes later.
"Hola Lina." Nick said as I opened my eyes.
"Hola Nickie." I said quietly as he sat on my bed with a bag in hand.
"I brought you some clothes for you. Manda is taking care of Albert for you so you have less to worry about. When you are up to it. Get on up so you can get out of here." Nick said as I smiled at him.
"Thank you Nickie." I said as I sat up. He walked out of the room as I pulled out a long navy blue t-shirt and a pair of black leggings. I changed into my clothes and rubbed my eyes. I slipped on the flip flops and threw my hair into a messy bun.
"Nick you can come in." I said as I rubbed my un-ived wrist. Nick walked in and sat in the chair next to my bed. "Who brought you flowers?" Nick asked as I looked at the vase.
"Carisi did. It's that sweet of him." I said as Nick rolled his eyes.
"He was being nice Nicky." I said as he shook his head.
"He was just maybe being too nice." Nick said as I laughed.
"You and your paranoia." I said as the doctor walked in.
"Alright Detective Amaro. You are not to work for two weeks or you will be in danger of ripping the stitches on your legs. I am putting you on some high strength ibuprofen for your kidneys and liver. Drink plenty of water and fluids. After the two weeks you can go to your normal physician and get the stitches removed and then you will be a loud to work in the field if the NYPD permits." She said handing Nick my prescriptions and started to help me pull out my IV. She wrapped it and helped me out of bed."You are free to leave." She said as Nick helped me out and we walked out. We walked to his car in total silence and got in. I got in the passengers side and buckled up.
"You want to go get some food?" Nick asked breaking the silence.
"Yeah that would be nice. After that do you think we could stop by the precinct?" I asked as Nick nodded.
"If you want but you know that Liv is going to put you on leave." Nick said as I nodded.
"I just want to let everyone know I am out." I said as we drove to the precinct.
"We will go in and I leave you in the capable hands of our squad." Nick said as I nodded. We parked and he helped me out. We walked up and I first saw Fin.
"Ay it's the Amaro and Lina. What are you doing here girl?" Fin said pulling me into a hug.
"I wanted to come see you guys." I said as I pulled away.
"Well, Liv is talking to Barba about your case. Manda and Carisi are out getting us breakfast, while I am waiting for your brother." Fin said as Nick put his hands up. "I am back aren't I?" Nick said as Liv walked out with Rafi.
"Lina, what are you doing?" Liv asked as I wrapped my arms around my chest.
"I wanted to come back and see you guys." I said as Rafi smiled at me, Liv nodded as I heard Yates talking. I froze and watched uniforms walking him into the squad room, with his hands handcuffed. I felt emotions ball up into my throat as he looked at me, he watched me as I glared at him, I noticed Fin put his hand on me and Nick's shoulders. I balled my fist and watched him being dragged into holding.
"He is still here?" I asked quietly as Liv looked at me worried.
"Why don't we talk in private." Liv said breaking me back into reality.
"It's okay, I'm fine." I said as I felt myself shaking. I heard Amanda and Sonny laughing as their faces fell.
"What happened?" Amanda asked as I shook my head. "Nothing. It's nothing." I said as Carisi's eyes meet mine. I sat at my desk and opened my laptop.
"Lina what are you doing here?" Manda asked as she sat down next to me.
"Well I wanted to come by and let you guys know that I am out." I said as opened my laptop.
"Lina do you think I can talk to you in my office privately?" Liv asked as I nodded and walked into her office.
"Let's sit." She said referring to the couch next to us. I sat down with her.
"How are you doing?" She asked as I nodded.
"Well… I don't know. When I saw him just now I wanted to rip him apart." I said shaking my head as Liv nodded.
"Normally women don't see their attackers right after the attack like that." Liv said as I shook my head.
"I needed to come here. It seems a lot more like home then my apartment." I said as Liv nodded.
"Barba nearly was told that he wasn't a loud to prosecute this case because of you and his history. But he said that that you guys are just colleagues." Liv said as the door was knocked on. Rafi walked in briskly as he put his briefcase down.
"I need to speak to Catalina alone." Rafi said as Liv looked at him confused then I looked at her.
"It's alright Sargent." I said as she got up and left us be.
"I want to know any sand bags that the defense will use. Because I only know of one and that is of your brother. What else?" Rafi asked briskly as I looked down.
"Carisi and I are now involved." I said as Barba looked at me confused.
"Carisi needs to recuse himself from this case. Anything else?" Rafi said as I shook my head.
"Carisi knows better than to let emotions get the better of him. Nick has already been told not to go near this with a ten-foot pole." I said as Rafi shook his head.
"Rafael…" I said softly as he looked at me. "I know you will have a field day with this case." I said as he nodded. "I swear if I get sand bagged I will be force to be reckoned with." Rafi said as I rolled my eyes.
"Whatever you say Rafael." I said as he walked out. I shook my head as Liv walked back in.
"Nick said he is ready to take you home if you like." Liv said as I nodded.
"Before I go. Sarge am I on desk duty?" I asked as she nodded.
"Unfortunately you are. But you are also on paid leave for the next week." Liv said as I nodded.
"So I am going to go stir crazy for the next week." I said as she nodded.
"Yeah." She said as I got up.
"Well then I better go then." I said as got up. I walked out with Liv as I heard Yates calling Nick and I's name out in the holding cell.
"You know that she wanted it big brother. That beautiful perra gatito knew that she wanted it." Yates yelled as Nick was being held back by Fin and Sonny.
"Nick he isn't worth it." I said softly as Nick looked at me.
"Lina you know what happened that night. You are a true puta." Yates said as I clenched my fist and shook my head. Uniforms were taking him out of holding as I tried to hold myself back.
"Come on la puta." Yates said as I lost it and swung at him.
"Catalina that's enough." Sonny said trying to pull me off him. I got him to the floor as Sonny pulled me off of him. "Maldito gringo! ¡Púdrete en el infierno!" I yelled as the uniforms looked at Liv confused.
"Put him back in holding. Nick take Catalina home. I am going to call Barba and he will talk to you." Liv said looking at me. I rubbed my knuckles as Nick grabbed my arm softly. I jerked away startled as I walked away. I got in the elevator and went down. I went straight to the car and got in.
"You okay?" Nick asked as I ignored him.
"I feel a lot better now. Is it wrong that I wish that I killed that scum in the forest that night?" I said as he shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know." Nick said as he started to drive to my apartment. I closed my eyes as we pulled up to my building.
"I am going to go to sleep." I said as I got out.
"Okay, I'll be by to check on you soon." Nick said as I nodded. I waved good bye and walked into my building. I went up to my apartment and walked into my home. I locked my door and sat on my couch in silence. I turned on the news and watched as they talked about Yates, his murderers and about me. I shook my head and walked into the kitchen. I got a pot out and started to make me soup as I heard my buzzer ring.
"One second." I said as I walked over to the door and saw Rafi. I took a deep breath and let him in.
"You attacked Yates!?" Rafi said as he came right on in.
"I'm sorry. I got blindsided by emotion and I swung on him." I said meekly as Rafi shook his head angered.
"Lina, you just opened a huge can of worms. HE is going to go after you on assault charges." Rafi said as I stirred my soup.
"It was a hell of a lot better than Nick punching him." I said as I looked at Rafael intensely.
"Still Lina you don't understand. Yates is going to try and plea down his case by saying he will drop charges." Rafi said as I sighed.
"Then I will need one hell of a lawyer." I said smiling for the first time in the past two days.
"Lina it is not something to be smiling about." Rafi said as I rolled my eyes.
"Look, Yates wants to plea it down then work with it from there." I said as I took my soup off the stove. "Maldita sea Lina." Rafi said as he walked out. I closed the door behind him and sat down on the couch and watched the news. I started to eat my soup and started to drift off to sleep. I put my bowl down and laid on the couch. I closed my eyes and saw Yates. I bolted up and heard the door being banged on. I hurried over to the door and opened it. I saw Nick standing with a cup of coffee.
"Hey sorry I fell asleep." I said as he walked in.
"I'm sorry. I've been banging on your door for the past ten minutes." Nick said as I closed the door behind him.
"Sorry Nick." I said quietly as he put the coffee down.
"Barba come by?" Nick asked as I nodded.
"He said that I opened a can of worms and that I nearly cost him his case." I said rolling my eyes.
"Lina, maybe you should go lay down in your bed. You look like hell." Nick said as I rubbed my eyes. I stumbled to my room and fell into my bed. I fell into a dead sleep and felt someone cover me up.
I woke up in the middle of darkness and started to shake. I rubbed my eyes as I walked in my bathroom. I looked at my face and looked at Yates' handy work. I touched my black eyes and ran my fingers down the long scratches on my neck. I saw my nails painted green as I started to cringe. I still felt his hands all over me. I turned on my shower and took off my clothes slowly. I scrubbed my body over and over again as I felt my eyes fill with tear. I turned off the water and sat on the bathtub floor and pulled my knees up to my chest as I felt all the emotion I had felt earlier hit me like a freight train. I heard my door being knock as I got out. I put my robe on and walked out and saw Amanda holding a leash. I undid the chain and smiled at her as I saw her with my Albert.
"Hey Manda. Albert hey baby boy." I said as I knelt down and pet him.
"I thought that Albert should be home with you. Dogs make things better." Manda said as they walked in.
"Thanks Manda." I said as I petted Albert as I sat on the couch.
"How are you holding up?" Manda asked as I shook my head.
"I don't really know to be honest." I said as she sat next to me.
"Carisi wanted me to come by and check on you because he said he wanted to but he was worried Nick would be here." Manda said as I shook my head.
"No he left while I was sleeping." I said as Amanda nodded.
"Carisi still is scared of my brother?" I asked as she nodded.
"Yes indeed." She said as I chuckled and it sounded foreign.
"Well, I'll leave you alone to get some rest." Amanda said as she got up. I walked her out and locked my door. I went back to my bathroom and found my nail polish remover and scrubbed off my nails as I heard someone at the door. I flinched and got up. I walked to the front door and looked through the peep hole and saw Sonny. I opened it quickly and saw him. "Hey. Sorry I…" I started to say as he nodded.
"It's okay. Don't worry about it. Mind if I come in?" Sonny asked as I nodded and let him in.
"How are you holding up?" Sonny asked as we sat on the couch. "I'm tired of people asking me how I am holding up." I said as he nodded.
"I know." Sonny said as I sat next to him. We sat in peaceful silence as I started to drift asleep.
"Want me to put you in bed?" Sonny asked as I nodded feebly as he picked me up and carried me to my room. I laid down as I looked up to see him walk out.
"Sonny?" I asked as he turned back to face me.
"Stay?" I asked as he nodded.
"Let me turn off the lights and take care of Albert." Sonny said as I nodded. I got up and slipped into a pair of shorts and a sports bra as Sonny walked back in. I crawled into bed next to him and fell asleep on my chest.
Gregory Yates standing in front of me holding a gun to Sonny. "Do as I say and your rayo de sol won't get physically hurt my little heart." He said pressing the gun into Sonny's temple. "Let him go Yates!" I yelled as it was just Lewis and I in my apartment. "Take off your clothes Detective." He said as I shook my head. I started to shake as he violently tears off my jacket and points his gun at my head. "You should have not have left you Sunshine." He said as he pistol-whipped me. I felt burning and pain, I screamed as someone touched me. "Lina it's okay your safe!" Someone yelled as I sat up to end it all.
I bolted up and fell out of the bed crying as I heard rustling on the other side of me. I pulled my knees up to my face and started to cry. I felt someone touch my arm softly, I pulled away and shook harder than before.
"Lina, mi amor, ¿qué pasó?" Sonny whispered as he sat in front of me.
"Yates… he had a gun on you and then he was going to kill you if I didn't do as he said. It happened again Sonny. He keeps hurting me." I said as sobs rack through my body.
"Lina, el novio look at me please." Sonny said softly as I lifted my head to look into his large caramel eyes.
"You are safe el novio. You haven't done anything wrong. That son of a bitch is going to go to jail for life." He said as I crawled into his lap.
"I'm sorry for waking you up Sonny." I said as I laid my head on his shoulder.
"I don't care if I'm up for you Kit-Kat." He said kissing my temple.
"Sonny, when can I go back to work?" I asked quietly as the sun came up.
"Soon baby girl. But first you need to get back to some sense of normal. You have only been off one day." He said as he got up. "I'm going to go get ready for work." He said as he laid me back down in the bed.
"Please don't go." I whined as he chuckled slightly.
"I need to el novio." He said as he kissed my forehead.
"Te amo Dominick Carisi." I muttered as I fell back asleep.
"I love you too Catalina Amaro." He whispered in my ear as he walked out of the room.
I couldn't fall back asleep, I opened my eyes to hear Albert whining in the living room. I smiled and crawled out of bed. I pulled on one of Sonny's t-shirts over my tank top that drapes across my slim body and walked downstairs to see my baby. "You want to go outside." I said as I opened the back door. I watched him bounce around the backyard, I heard my phone buzz. I walked over to the table and looked at it.
"We need to talk." It was from Rafael.
