Chapter 20:

The trip to the hospital went by fairly quickly and Andrea sighed in relief when they finally made inside the cool building. With Lexxi still held tightly against her sleeping she made her way over to the reception desk to speak with one of the nurses sitting there. Her heart was beating an unsteady tempo as she thought about what it was she was there to do. The anger, the rage, the pain, and the disgust started rolling through her again and Andy closed her eyes taking a few deep breaths forcing her mind into that place she went when her children needed her most.

"Ma'am?" a timid, concerned voice stated.

Andy exhaled again and looked up meeting the soft concerned gray eyes of one of the nurses. Biting her lip Andy fought back the tears stinging her eyes and nodded slightly looking down at her sleeping child before she spoke, her voice low and full of deep seated pain she felt, "I... my daughter... she needs to be check... for..."

"Kelly, we need to check for signs of sexual abuse" Olivia's voice came from behind Andy and she turned with a small smile.

"Thank you" she whispered burying her face in Lexxi's hair as tears slowly made their way down her face.

"Alright, are we needing a SOEC kit done?" Kelly asked.

Andy simply nodded while Olivia went over exactly what she wanted done and gave the nurse the information she'd need to get Lexxi in the system quickly. Listening to the conversation Andy interjected when needed but allowed Olivia to take care of things as Lexxi stirred in her arms. She smiled a little as somnolent brown eyes opened and locked on hers.

"Mommy?" Lexxi asked with a yawn.

Andy nodded, "Mommy is right here baby girl." she whispered shifting Lexxi so that her head rested on her shoulder now that she was awake.

"Are you making me see a doctor?" Lexxi's voice was small and held a hint of fear that made Andy's heart ache in her chest.

"Yes baby but Mommy will be there with you the entire time." she said locking eyes with the nurse and then Olivia who nodded.

"Promise?"

Andrea smiled at her daughter and nodded kissing her temple, "Nothing and no one will get me to leave your side Munchkin."

A while later and Andrea found herself sitting on the hospital bed next to her youngest child waiting for the physician to return so they could do the actual kit and she could take her daughter home. With a soft smile Andy nodded at the question Lexxi asked her and then turned her attention back to the game they were playing while they waited. As she watched her, Andrea noticed that Lexxi appeared more relaxed now that it was just the two of them in the room with Jo and Olivia in the far corner talking softly to one another.

"Mommy... what is the doctor going to do when she gets back? She checked my tummy and my eyes and ears and my nose and my throat... now what?" Lexxi asked a little hesitantly.

Andy looked at the detectives and then she looked back to the little girl sitting on the bed staring at her with wide soft, chocolate brown eyes and her plump red lip trapped between her teeth. Running a hand through her hair she sighed and shifted so that she could wrap an arm around Lexxi's small body, "When she gets back she's going to check for bruises and injuries on you in your secret place."

She felt Lexxi stiffen in her embrace and turned pleading eyes to the detectives. She found herself in a place she had never been before and it angered her that she was in such a situation now. Andy kissed Lexxi's hair, "I'll be right here the entire time princess. The doctor just wants to make sure you are ok and make sure nothing that the mean men didn caused any other problems... ok?"

Lexxi nodded and wrapped herself around Andrea who returned the embrace closing her eyes against the new tears trying to fall.

A knock on the door startled the three adults in the room from their personal thoughts and had Lexxi curling into Andy further. Andrea sighed and nodded to Jo when she pointed to the door letting her know she could talk to whoever it was. Turning her attention back to Lexxi Andrea missed the door opening to Miranda with a plastic bag containing Lexxi's clothes that had luckily missed the wash cycle the previous night. She was so focused on Lexxi that she jumped with a low yelp when a cool hand touched her shoulder a few minutes later.
Andrea turned to see the person connected to said hand and froze when her eyes locked onto the compassionate soft azure eyes of Miranda. She gave the older woman a small smile and turned to situate a once again sleeping Lexxi on the bed. Holding a finger to her lips she motioned with her head for Miranda to follow her across the room and just outside the door.

"How's she doing?" Miranda asked her eyes locked on the small fragile body still inside the room.

Andy watched her for a moment enjoying the sight of her and the comfort she felt in the fashion editor's presence, "She's holding up. The initial exam went smoothly and I think Lexxi warmed up to the doctor alright. She had slight discomfort in her stomach but it was consistent with the bruise there so she's not too concerned just yet. No signs of internal bleeding and nothing appears to be broken. She does have a sprained wrist and what Olivia called defensive wounds."

"Do you know where from?"

Andrea looked at Miranda and chuckled, "Yes, she fought him. According to the doctor she fought him good too. Found skin fragments under her nails, her arms are bruised from the ropes he used. She said they were from climbing so at least we know that much."

Miranda's smile made her heart flutter and she turned away before she said something she shouldn't and watched Lexxi sleep, "She was kept in a room with barely any heat at all, she only remembers a few times she ate cheese sandwiches with Nate but they did let her have all the water she wanted. She had a bed but she always slept under it because the 'blond man' would always come into her room at night. He didn't try anything until the last couple of days apparently." she said her voice just above a whisper.

"Andrea, did he rape her?" Miranda asked her own voice lower than usual.

Andy shook her head and shrugged, "I don't know Mira," she said looking back at the older woman, "Lexxi wouldn't talk anymore after we left the house until we were alone in there. The detectives only got that he did bad things to her and after that she said nothing else. With Christian still running and Nate and Lexxi both swearing that it was Christian and not Nate, we have to wait on the results. She's hesitant around men but not anymore than she was before the kidnapping, she hasn't shown any of the usual signs associated with it... but that's just Lexxi."

"Mm... she gets that from her mother." Miranda said a small smile gracing her lips.

Andy smiled shaking her head, "Yes well... I am not a big one on letting the world know what's going on with me. And you have no room to talk lady." she replied.

They were quiet for a few minutes before Andrea turned fully to face Miranda, "What are you doing here Miranda? I mean... not that I mind... but..." her voice trailed off and she stood just watching her.

Miranda looked through the window at Lexxi before she turned back to Andrea and sighed, "Many reasons. First I wanted to make sure that my namesake was alright. Secondly, after you left I went to Lexxi's room thinking I'd bring her something to make her feel a little more comfortable when I noticed her clothes. I know enough to know that there could be some sort of evidence left behind on clothing so I packed them and called Jo. She asked me to bring them and since I was planning to come anyway I agreed."

Andy nodded, "Thank you for bringing them and checking on her. You should stick around until she wakes up... she'd love to see you." her voice was barely audible when she spoke but her mind was spinning in many different directions.

"Andrea" Miranda's tone was one Andy had not heard in a very long time.

"Yes Miranda?" she said with a smirk her eyes darting back to blue ones.

"There was something else... only I am not sure this would be the best time."

Andy stared at Miranda for a moment her thoughts running through what other reasons the woman would be standing before her right now. When her thoughts turned towards the morning conversation she flinch slightly. More than anything she was hoping that she was not getting more bad news on top of the horrible news she'd learned when talking with her daughter. Just the thought that Miranda would decline her proposal while they stood in the hospital just outside of Lexxi's room made her entire body ache but she wanted to just get it over with. Sighing she shook her head a small sad smile forming on her lips, "No time like the present Miranda." she said looking away again.

The sound of a zipper and Miranda's soft sigh made Andrea look at her and she frowned at the box in her hand, "I told you that's yours Miranda." she said furrowing her brow.

"I know that Andrea and I want you to put it where it belongs."

"You... what?" Andy asked staring at the beautiful fashion maven.