Ch. 14

Alex awoke, her neck stiff from sleeping awkwardly in the chair at Olivia's bedside.

She looked up to see a nurse checking Olivia's IV.

"I'm sorry I woke you, the nurse said in a thick Irish accent.

"No, it's fine… how is she?"

"She seems to be doing a bit better this morning. She had a good nights rest under sedation and she has stirred a bit this morning, though she has yet to wake up. Just changing out her fluids and we still have her on a low dose of pain medication..."

Alex nodded as she began to sit up to see Olivia.

She realized a blanket had been laid on top of her sometime during the night.

"Mr. Martin insisted that you not be disturbed last night and requested that we just get you a blanket, that you wouldn't want to leave Ms. Taylor."

Alex gave a slight smile shaking her head, taking Olivia's hand in hers.

"Thank you for the blanket, I have no intention of leaving her."

"I'm sure when she wakes she will be happy to see you, she's been through so much." The nurse said sympathetically.

Alex looked at Olivia swiping her hair from her face.

"Do you think Kate will wake up soon?"

"The sedation should completely wear off any time now."

The nurse looked at Alex, "I'll see if I can get you a little something for breakfast."

"You don't have to…"

"It's my pleasure. My name is Maggie and you can call for me if you need me."

"Caroline," Alex said with a smile, "and thank you."

AOAOAOAOAO

It wasn't long before Maggie brought Alex back a coffee and some breakfast.

Hospital food or not, Alex thanked Maggie for caring for the both of them.

Alone again, Alex sipped on her coffee as she took inventory once again of the cuts and bruises on Olivia's face and arms, and how they were beginning to heal.

Alex had yet to see the rest of Olivia's body that was hidden under the bed covers. Part of her she was sure she didn't want to see, the other part of her wouldn't look without Olivia's permission.

She noticed Olivia's breathing had become a bit more erratic.

Alex sat down her coffee before sitting on the bed beside Olivia, taking her hand again.

Alex touched her gently, trying to sooth her.

"It's ok… it's ok."

Olivia began to mumble quietly, her words inaudible.

Her hand twitching in Alex's hand.

"Liv?" Alex whispered. "Liv? Honey?"

Olivia stirred again, this time opening her eyes.

Groggy at first, she focused and looked directly at Alex.

Alex smiled a soft small. "Hi."

Olivia's eyes widened.

"Hi there," Alex said again softly.

Olivia began to shake her head, "No, no," she said as she began to panic. "No…"

Olivia tried to sit up.

"Hey, hey it's ok, it's ok." Alex said reaching for Olivia to calm her, to stop her from getting up.

"What are you doing here? He'll hurt you… you have to go away. He'll find you, you have to get out of here" She begged, her voice still hoarse.

"It's ok, you're safe, we're safe." Alex said trying to comfort her.

"No, no…" Olivia said tears streaming down her face.

"Liv, sweetheart I'm fine and we're safe here!"

Olivia looked around, seeing where she was, that she wasn't underground anymore.

"Where is he?" Olivia asked her eyes dark.

Alex took a deep breath.

"Lucas? They haven't found him yet."

Olivia began to shake her head again, "no, Alex no, he'll be back. And he'll get you, hurt you."

"Shh, it's ok. We're ok here." Alex said trying again to calm Olivia.

"Martin… Martin is here. He's just outside the door. You're under protection and I'm under an alias and they've changed yours… no one knows you're here."

Hearing of Martin and his presents seemed to noticeably calm Olivia.

"How did you get here?"

"They let me come be with you after they found you."

Olivia looked around. "Where are we?" Olivia asked confused.

"A hospital in Dublin, where they found you."

"Dublin? I was in, I was in Paris…"

Tears were still continually falling down Olivia's face and Alex reached for a tissue to try catch the tears that had fallen.

"They told me you were in Paris."

"He took me to Dublin?" Olivia asked confused.

"They found you in the cellar of a cottage that belonged to Quinn's mother."

"Quinn?"

"His name is Lucas Quinn."

Olivia went silent, thinking.

She looked away from Alex and then back to her.

"You need to go. You need to go home. He's a bad man Alex, and if something happens to you…"

"Liv, nothing is going to happen to me. And I'm not leaving you, I don't ever want to leave you."

"Alex, he raped me." Olivia said coldly. "Did they do a rape kit? He didn't use protection. He raped me, over and over."

Now tears were falling from Alex's eyes.

"I know he did. They did a rape kit, so far your tests have come back negative for anything, but it may be too soon to tell if you're…"

Alex watched Olivia's squeeze her eyes tight.

She reached for Olivia's hand, pulling it to her lips, kissing her palm softly.

"The test was negative, they'll test you again to be sure."

"Alex I…"

"Liv, don't, just don't ok." Alex said knowing what Olivia was thinking.

Thinking that it was too soon to tell if she was pregnant with her rapist's baby.

Thinking that history was repeating itself.

Olivia again looked away. She could see the dreary sky seeping through the window shades.

Alex sat there for the longest time, by her side never letting go of Olivia's hand.

"My name is Caroline Hutton," Alex said emotionless, "you're new alias is Kate Taylor."

Olivia looked back at Alex.

"Why do you want to be here with me? Why would you do this to yourself? To your life?"

"Because I got your letter." Alex said giving Olivia a shy smile.

"Alex." Olivia began to protest.

Alex leaned down to Olivia placing a soft kiss to her lips.

Olivia went to open her mouth to speak, but Alex quickly quieted her.

"Liv, I've wanted you too for a long time, I've been in love with you for an incredibly long time. I've denied it, ignored it, hell I've run from it. But after your letter, I promised myself I wouldn't miss another chance when you came back." Alex said caressing Olivia's cheek. "I just had to get you back, to tell you I felt the same."

Olivia gave Alex a soft smile.

"So you came for me?"

"As soon as I could."

"I don't want you getting hurt or something to happen to you, or for you to regret coming here."

"I've regretted too much already. Being here with you is the best decision I've ever made."

Alex leaned in kissing Olivia again.

Olivia's necklace around Alex's neck drug across Olivia's throat.

Olivia reached for the necklace.

"It made me feel like you were with me." Alex said reaching to take the necklace off.

Olivia stopped her.

"I love that you're wearing it, don't stop."

Alex grinned, pressing the gold pendant against her chest.

"Liv, we'll get through this, whatever happens we'll get through this."