Disclaimer: I own nothing
Hi all. Hope you enjoyed last chapter, I see you all hated me for the cliff-hanger. Here's the next chapter, reviews are appreciated.
Olivia groaned, her whole body hurt, the impact had thrown her around like a rag doll. She'd protected her head with her arms and realised they were cut up some from exploding glass, she looked at the windscreen and realised it was still intact.
"Is everyone OK?" she asked and was relieved when Elliot quickly replied
"I'm good"
"Babe?" Olivia asked, looking over at Tyler and coming up short "Tyler?" her heart stuttered when she saw Tyler slumped against the door, blood running down the side of her face and unconscious "TYLER" she panicked tearing at her seatbelt, ripping it off and hearing Elliot swear. She knew without looking he would be dialling 911.
"Tyler" Olivia reached forward with gentle fingers and shook her lover carefully, no response. Shakily she reached for her neck and felt for a pulse, there was one, sure and strong thankfully. She sighed in relief "She has a strong pulse" she stated for Elliot to relay before turning back to Tyler "Tyler sweetheart, please wake up" she carefully used her hands to support Tyler's neck, just in case.
"Bus is on the way" Elliot stated and looked at Olivia. He had never seen his partner look so distraught. He realised in that moment how deeply his partner cared for the Sheriff. "Liv she'll be OK"
"I hope so, if anything happens to her" she bit her lip and looked at her partner "It may have only been a week El but..."
"I know" Elliot nodded as there were pounding footsteps beside the vehicle as Tate and Abbie raced up, Alex tottering way behind on her heels and cursing her decision to wear them.
"Everyone Ok?" Tate asked as she used all her might to rip open Olivia's door. Looking in she saw Tyler unconscious and bloody "Oh shit Tyler" she breathed before turning to her lover "Alex call an Ambulance" she yelled and Alex blanched, please don't let it be Liv as she shakily tried to dial
"Alex it's done" Elliot called as he climbed out of the car and seeing her concern added "Tyler's been knocked unconscious and her window exploded so she's a bit cut up"
"Oh" Alex continued to totter forwards on her heels but had to stay up on the road as she didn't want to risk sliding down the embankment.
Inside the truck Olivia's heart continued to pound as she waited for any sign of the woman who she realised with clarity that she loved, to wake up. She held her head steadily and tried to block out Tate's panicked voice and Abbie and Elliot trying to calm her.
"Tyler please wake up babe, open those blues for me" she pleaded then bit her lip when there was no response. Where the fuck was that bus? She wanted to scream. The rational side of her told her this wasn't New York City and it may take time for one to get here. She was startled when Tyler let out a groan and her gaze took in her lovers features "Tyler?"
"Liv?" Tyler groaned
"Oh Thank God" Olivia sighed. "She's awake" she called behind her and wasn't at all surprised when Tate scrambled into the back seat to be nearer
"What happened?" Tyler asked before coughing and crying out, reaching up for her head
"Shh don't move" Olivia instructed "We crashed avoiding some cows"
"Callum's prize bulls" Tyler grumbled "Gonna make hamburgers out of the bastards personally". Olivia and Tate shared a relieved knowing smile.
"Where do you hurt babe?" Olivia asked and Tyler gave a snort then groaned
"Try everywhere. But for medical reasons lets just say my head" she sighed and opened her eyes, blinking her vision into focus until she saw Olivia's concerned face hovering near hers "Hey beautiful"
"Yep, she's fine" Tate chuckled "I'll see if the others have located the first aid kit yet" and she slid out of the vehicle.
Olivia turned back to look at Tyler and she let all her concern, worry and love shine through for Tyler to see. Tyler smiled and reached up to cup the side of Olivia's face.
"I'm Ok babe" she assured "Just a headache"
"We'll let the paramedics decide that shall we?" Liv smiled shakily and sent her a warning look when she went to protest "I need you to Ty, you scared me stupid. I..." she paused, swallowed hard "I thought I'd lost you for a while...I only just found you"
"Sshh. You're talking like I'm dying Liv. I'm going to be fine. Wait until I have all my sense to confess your love Ok" Tyler gave her a cheeky smile and Olivia couldn't help but laugh and shake her head
"You should be so lucky love"
"Yeah, I would be, incredibly" Tyler stated suddenly serious and their gazes locked and held until Tate dived back into the vehicle and held out a compression pad to Olivia.
"Here, press this against her head wounds" she stated as Olivia took the pad and pressed it to Tyler's head apologising when Tyler winced "Ambulance should be here soon and I called the ranch. They're coming out to deal with the bulls"
"Thanks" Tyler croaked
"No worries Tyler, just relax and let Olivia take care of that thick skull Ok"
"Get out of here kid" Tyler growled and Tate laughed
"Love ya Ty, glad your hard headed" Tate scrambled back out of the truck, not before she heard Tyler's quiet.
"Ditto".
Once clear of the vehicle Tate's adrenaline started running out and she scrambled up the bank past Abbie and Elliot who were standing guard quietly. She made it to the road before her legs collapsed and she fell on her rump and buried her head in her hands. She took a shaky breath of relief before she felt a presence beside her and looked up to see Alex who had knelt down
"You Ok?" Alex asked rubbing her arms
"Yeah, just adrenaline overload" Tate smiled "She looks a mess but will be OK" she sucked in a deep breath "She's just, when she was unconscious I...she's my mentor, my best friend, my sister" she buried her face back in her hands, embarrassed to feel tears.
Alex soothed her lover by caressing her hair gently, letting her regain her composure. Tate didn't want to be seen as weak in front of her. The thought brought a smile to her face and she leant in and kissed a tanned brow.
Sirens suddenly blaring through the night drew everyone's attention, the Ambulance was coming slowly, being careful not to hit the cattle that had created the mess in the first place.
Tyler refused to go in the ambulance unless Olivia went with her. Olivia wasn't complaining and was eager to go, wanting to keep an eye on her.
Judy, Hank, Callum, Beau and a couple of ranch hands arrived in more trucks just before the medics were going to close the door to the back. Judy gasped on seeing the bloody mess that was her daughter but the medic assured her Tyler would require some stitches and some monitoring for her concussion and she would be fine. Head wounds always tended to bleed a lot.
Slightly appeased and relieved Olivia was there for her daughter she took a step back and told them she would follow them into town. Alex and Abbie decided to go with her. The others would get the bulls back in the paddock and pull the truck out of the ditch before calling to find out her status.
Olivia held Tyler's hand all the way back into town. The medical post had been alerted who was calling in the head nurse. The medics had assured her also that it appeared Tyler would just need stitches and monitoring for the next 48 hours. Olivia was relieved beyond words and decided she would personally watch Tyler like a hawk for the next few days.
Once at the medical post things moved quickly. The head nurse, an older woman, took time to clean up Tyler, pulling out some glass from her wound and tidying up the smaller cuts before finally giving Tyler 7 stitches in her head. Tyler grumbled when her head was shaved in the area to make it easier and cleaner but Olivia told her to get over it, it would grow back. Olivia grumbled when Tyler insisted that another nurse clean up her own wounds, a few cuts to her arms and hands.
Once Tyler was all tidied up and the nurse had given them tablets for the pain, ointment for the cut and told them what symptoms to look out for, for signs of concussion they strolled hand in hand out to the waiting room to find Judy, Alex and Abbie waiting.
Tyler received hugs from her mother who fussed over her cuts on her face, her shaved patch and her stitches. Olivia assured Alex and Abbie she was fine when they saw the bandaids on her own arm. Just deep scratches, no need for stitches even. She suffered hugs from Alex and Abbie before Tyler claimed her hand again and once again thanking the nurses they made their way outside.
Abbie sat in the front, allowing Tyler, Olivia and Alex to share the back seat. Olivia was highly amused when she found herself sitting in the middle with both her hands occupied by two separate women. Tyler had no compunction about taking Olivia's hand and Olivia had held it tightly. Yet when a small cool hand had slipped into her other one she had looked at Alex in surprise. She saw the worry and concern in Alex's gaze and had given the hand a squeeze. Alex had smiled in relief and held the hand in a death grip.
Upon return to the ranch they all hurried inside the main house, finding all the men, Tate and Sarah still up with solemn to angry scowls on their faces. Alex hurried over to Tate who welcomed her with a welcoming embrace, holding her tight.
Tyler sat down on a chair offered up by Beau and Olivia sat down on the arm of it, staying close. They both knew something was up.
"What is it?" Tyler asked and waited patiently for the quiet to be broken before Elliot sat forward on his seat and clasped his hands between his thighs. Olivia knew the pose well, something was up.
"We checked the fence, it had been cut. Someone had herded the bulls out" he sighed
"I told you, it was Chase, he knew we were out and he was frog marched out of the place by the suits. He wasn't happy" Tate growled. Alex gave her a warning look and rubbed her back soothingly.
"We can't prove that" Elliot sighed
"Whatever" Tate shrugged "We all know he's done it". Alex sighed and taking her hand started dragging her out of the room
"Excuse us, I think hothead needs to leave the room" she told everyone, dragging her grumbling lover behind her.
"Sure sure" Olivia teased
"Ride 'em cowgal" Abbie called after them earning the finger from Alex and a glare from Tate as they left. Once they were gone Abbie sat back shaking her head "Hooey that Tate is a hot head." She chuckled and looked around the room "So, what are we gonna do about this Chase?"
That was a good question.
In their room Alex was sitting on the bed watching as Tate paced. She didn't blame Tate for being agitated and she knew that she had lots of experience with the way the law worked and the frustration of it. Tate didn't and couldn't understand why they weren't doing more.
"Tate you need to calm down" she sighed and Tate shot her a glare
"Calm down? How can you expect me to calm down! The bastard cut the fence and we can do nothing. Tyler could have been killed, they all could have been killed" Alex bit her lip as Tate's face became haunted "We could have been the lead car Alex, I don't have Tyler's driving skills, what if I'd crashed and you'd been killed" she said and Alex got up from the bed, realising what was truly behind her lovers anguish.
"Tate"
"Don't Tate me!" Tate bellowed and Alex rose an amused brow "Someone's going to get killed and I am terrified it's going to be you. If not Chase then Wentworth when he comes along."
"I'm not going to be hurt, I have plenty of protection" Alex came forward and cupped her face tenderly "Stop worrying"
Tate just shook her head before raising gentle fingers to caress the two bullet scars barely visible on Alex's right shoulder. Alex closed her eyes and groaned, part in what Tate was implying and part from the sensations that careened through her at such a simple caress.
"How am I not supposed to worry Alex" Tate choked out and Alex's eyes flew open to see tears brimming in her lovers eyes "The love of my life is being pursued by a madman and if anything happens to her..." she came to a halt when Alex pressed her finger against her lips and looked up at her with awe and shock
"What did you say?" Alex could barely get the words passed her lips, she was so choked with emotion. Tate felt her heart sink. Oh God, her and her big mouth, she hadn't meant to say that, not yet, Alex wasn't ready to hear it.
"Nothing, I said nothing" she tried to pull away and step back but Alex wouldn't let her, suddenly clinging to her like a vine
"Oh no you don't lover" she breathed pulling Tate's head down, knowing she only did so because Tate let her. She loved that about Tate, so big and strong, could hold her off with her pinkie but never tried, never used her strength against her "I want you to say it again?"
"Why Alex?" Tate shook her head "What do I get to gain? I've had these feelings for 5 years and..."
"Am I not enough?" Alex asked and Tate looked at her confused "You asked what you had to gain by telling me you loved me. I'm asking you. Aren't I enough?"
Tate had to be dreaming, no way was Alex saying what she thought she was. She blinked and shook her head trying to clear it. Alex frowned and tried to pull back thinking Tate was answering her in the negative. Tate grabbed her quickly around the waist and held her still.
"You are more than enough Alex, you have to know that. For how long do I have you though? That's the question" Tate sighed and pressed her forehead to Alex's, loving the press of their bodies "I wasn't going to say it yet, not for a while, not until you had a chance to fall for me too"
"Tate, when I came here to see Olivia I wasn't expecting to meet anyone, I just wanted to be with my friend, my sister" Alex stroked Tate's face gently "I knew the minute you called me Miss Carsen that you would be trouble. As we talked on the plane I found myself opening up to you in ways that I haven't to anyone else before, not even Olivia. I was in your bed on the second night, I made love to you on the 4th night. In 36 years you're the first woman I have ever slept with, does that not tell you something?"
"M..m...maybe" Tate stuttered heart pounding as Alex pulled back and taking her hand led her towards the bed
"Let me show you Tate" she whispered as she laid back on the covers and pulled her lover down with her "Let me show you exactly how much I care and why I'm not intending to go anywhere for a very long time"
Before Tate could reply Alex raked her hands into her hair and pulled her down into a deep kiss. Tate decided to let Alex take the lead and end the discussion for now. Talk or make love. Tate wasn't stupid, and willingly gave in.