Ch. 3

"I'll see if we can get a subpoena." Alex said crossing her arms and leaning against Amaro's desk. "Without Elizabeth's testimony I'm afraid we won't have much to go on."

"What about Elizabeth's mother?" Rollins asked.

"I think she would be a good asset, and if anything for character."

"I'll work on her mother." Amaro spoke up.

"Great just let me know if you need anything." Alex said rising to her feet, gathering her things.

"Anyone heard anything about Olivia?" Amaro asked out of the blue.

Alex's head rose slowly, her eyes catching Nicks.

"Look I know we're all wondering if she is ok. It's been like six months and nothing." Nick continued.

"Would we hear anything if she wasn't ok?" Amanda interjected as she slid her hands in to the back pockets of her jeans.

They wouldn't know if she was ok.

There was no need to inform the insignificant.

Olivia belonged to them now.

The CIA would tell them nothing.

If she was hurt maybe she would be sent home.

Or if they had her body…

Alex was grinding her teeth.

No one knew her feelings for Olivia.

No one knew what she had emotionally been through without her.

"She's probably fine. Otherwise we would have heard by now." Alex said picking up her briefcase ready to dismiss the detectives. "Let me know if you get Elizabeth's mother," she said as she walked out of the precinct, Nick and Amanda both speechless by Alex's rather cold reaction.

Olivia sat in the back of the café, her morning coffee halfway gone.

Gareth would meet her for a late breakfast.

She sat, a newspaper in hand starring at the words though she had no intentions of reading them.

The newspaper, a façade to give her mind time to wander.

Her days and nights alone had become few, and when they did arise she was exhausted.

For the most part she was thankful.

Glad she didn't have time to dwell or miss home. Miss her life, New York, her Job. Miss Alex.

Olivia closed her eyes shut for a moment thinking of Alex. Thinking of her, knowing it was the end of the day for her, hoping she would have time to relax.

Maybe she could soak in the tub, a glass of Cabernet, and a chance to read one of her many favorite books.

"Bonjour ma chérie. Tu es ravissante ce matin," (Good morning darling. You look lovely this morning.) Gareth said leaning in for a quick kiss to her lips, then dragging his fingers down her forearm to make better contact with her.

"Merci," she said as she watched the handsome man settle in across from her.

"Anything news worthy this morning?"

Olivia looked down at the newspaper in her hand.

"I actually just glanced at it." She said unable to relay a word to him because anything she had read, she quickly forgot after her thoughts of Alex.

The waitress appeared and Gareth ordered coffee and they agreed on ordering on eggs and pastries for breakfast.

His attention back on Olivia.

His green eyes sparkling at he sight of her.

"I would like you to travel with me back to London." He said pulling her hand in to his.

"London?"

"I know your business is here in Paris and I'm sure you are looking to get back to the States at some point, but we are having too much fun. And I have to say I more than enjoy your company. So I would love for you to come to London with me for a little while."

"I thought you needed to be here in Paris? I believe you said something about being present to run a tight ship."

He grinned, intertwining his fingers with hers.

"Everything seems to be going well and you know as I do when doing business around the world, you are needed in many different places."

Olivia picked up her coffee cup and pressing it against her lips, though she never let go of his hand.

Biding time.

"Maybe." She said coyly, but with a smile.

Gareth grinned again.

"Well… I'll take a maybe for now. But know I will do my best to persuade you."

"I will have to see if I can work it out." She said vaguely.

"Very well." He said, as their breakfast arrived.

Her desk lamp felt like it was burning her retinas.

She pulled her glasses from her face, dropping them on to her paper-stacked desk.

She leaned back in her chair closing her eyes.

"You know, you're allowed vacation time." Casey said, standing in Alex's doorway.

Alex opened her eyes giving a slight laugh to the redhead.

"Vacation? Do I look that bad?" Alex asked.

"You look tired."

"I didn't know tired warranted vacation in this job."

"Not necessarily, but I know you've had a lot on your mind the last few months."

Alex took a deep breath, placing her glasses back on.

"It's good to see you Casey."

"It' good to see you." Casey said sitting in the chair across from Alex.

"How have you have you been?"

"Good. I've been good, but I wanted to come and check on you."

"Check on me? Why?"

"I know the last couple of months haven't been easy, worrying about Olivia."

"Olivia." Alex tried to state blankly.

"Oh come on Alex. You don't have to do that with me."

Alex sighed, giving in to the conversation.

"Casey, she's fine."

"But she left you."

Alex gave another slight laugh.

"She left everyone, she left her life."

"And she left you."

"Casey I'm not sure what you're getting at."

"Nothing… nothing… she's your best friend. And I know you two… I know you two have had a hard time in the past when…"

"When what? When one of us takes off? When one of us is left behind? God Casey we're not..." Alex stopped herself.

Casey raised her brow.

"Alex, it's ok to miss her. It's ok to worry about her, we're all worried about her."

"She did this on her own accord. She put herself in danger to run from her own life. She does this. She doesn't understand that it hurts other people, she thinks she's running for a good reason. She thinks she's doing good somewhere else and that makes up for anything she abandoning in her life."

"So you're angry she left."

"Casey."

"And what was she running from this time? You?"

"Why would you ask that?" Alex asked defensively.

"Because you're angry. Because Donnelly said you haven't been yourself since she left."

"Oh so Donnelly is in on this too?"

"No one is in on anything. We just care about you, and we care about Olivia."

"Casey, it doesn't matter. She's gone. She made the choice to go. So I have to let her be gone."

"That why you wear her necklace?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"Whatever your feelings are for her, I just want you to be able to say out loud how much miss her. You've kept this all inside for the last six months, you don't confide in anyone."

"I confided in her." Alex blurted.

Casey sat back in her chair.

The prosecution rests.

Alex clenched her eyes shut.

"I miss her." Alex said aloud.

"Samantha."

"Martin," she said acknowledging him as she pulled her coat closer to her chest. "Must you always be smoking when we meet?"

Martin flicked his cigarette to the ground, smashing it with the toe of his perfectly shined shoe.

"You and Mr. Bishop looked quite cozy in that café." He smirked.

"Was I not hired to be cozy?" She snipped back. "Did you check on the lead on the black market?" She asked changing the subject.

"Still looking in to it. If he is, he's good. Not a trace so far."

"Possible Celeste was lying about the baby?"

"Don't let Bishop get to you Samantha."

Olivia looked at Martin in the eyes with disdain.

"I'm doing my job. I give you leads, you follow up."

"Easy. A bit on edge are we?"

Olivia physically relaxed, pushing her hands in to her coat pockets.

"Sorry. Yes a little on edge… He asked me to go to London with him." She said collecting herself.

"What did you say?"

"I played coy, told him I would think about it."

"Prepare to relocate to London. We'll have everything set up for you."

Olivia shook her head agreeing.

"Samantha?"

She turned, looking to Martin.

"You're doing good."

Olivia swallowed the lump in her throat and turned up her mouth giving Martin a slight smile.

"Thanks."

"Be safe." Martin said sincerely.

Olivia nodded and walked away.