Ch. 17
Alex took a deep breath, composing herself before she went through the door of Olivia's hospital room.
Olivia was in the chair where Alex had left her.
Olivia had managed to get the blinds open, lopsided from where she caught the string with the tips of her fingers from her chair, but it allowed her to see outside.
"Liv, honey you shouldn't be at the open window," Alex said protectively.
"I just needed to see a change of scenery."
Alex handed Olivia her coffee and shut the blinds.
She sat down beside her, "we can't be too careful." Alex tried to say nonchalantly.
Olivia nodded.
She understood.
"Coffee ok?" Alex asked as she watched her take her first sip.
"It's really good, thank you," Olivia said giving an appreciative smile.
They sat there, drinking coffee in silence.
Alex was trying desperately to hide her worry, her anxiety of everything that was going on outside.
She leaned in taking Olivia's hand, playing with lazily with her fingertips.
A simple gesture, but it was also to occupy Alex's nervousness.
"I'm sorry about earlier." Olivia said looking to Alex.
"What are you apologizing for?"
"Being an ass."
Alex smiled.
"You weren't being an ass. And when have I ever refrained from telling you when you are being an ass?"
Olivia returned the smile.
"I'm just a little on edge about the pregnancy test."
Alex sat down her coffee and held Olivia's hand in between hers.
"Honey, I know and you don't need to apologize for being scared, but everything will be ok. Whatever the outcome is everything will be ok."
Olivia looked away tears welling up in her eyes.
"I just can't help but think that this is how my mother felt. How alone she was..."
"You're not alone Olivia." Alex said adamantly. "You'll never be alone again, not as long as I'm on this earth."
"You don't know what you're promising. And you have to know that if this becomes too much for you… Alex you can leave, you can go. I'll understand."
"I'm not leaving you. Liv, I'm not leaving you." Alex said now cupping her cheek. "No matter what! No matter if you are pregnant or how dangerous things are… I'm not going anywhere without you."
Olivia started to cry.
Cry like she had wanted to for days.
Alex dropped to her knees, pressing her body in to Olivia's no longer worried about breaking her.
Olivia held on to Alex as tight as she could.
"It's ok baby, it's ok… let it out, just cry, it's ok." Alex said, no longer able to hold back her own tears.
Olivia's body shook.
Alex held her tighter.
"I'm sorry I'm a mess," Olivia said sniffling.
"No baby, you're not a mess." Alex said catching a stray tear.
"I didn't mean to make you cry too," Olivia said reaching up, wiping away Alex's own tears.
Alex kissed her, hip lips lingering longer than she ever had before.
"I think we both just needed to let out some of our emotions."
"Would you mind if I laid back down?"
"Of course not, here let me help you." Alex said standing, holding out her arms for Olivia to brace her. "Remember take it slow."
"I promise I won't throw up on your shoes." Olivia said cracking a slight smile.
Alex grinned.
Alex helped Olivia up slowly.
Another step and another.
"Much easier this time," Olivia, said now sitting on the edge of the bed.
She looked up at Alex.
"What's wrong?" Olivia asked alarmed at the look that had fallen on Alex's face.
"Nothing, nothing," Alex said brushing her off, "I have another pair of yoga pants in my bag if you want?"
Olivia looked at Alex a smile covered her face.
"Let me get them." Alex said already making her way to her bag lying on the floor nearby.
And a bit thankful Olivia was so willing because she would at least be somewhat dressed if they had to leave in a hurry.
Alex pulled the pair of yoga pants and a sweatshirt from her bag.
"Maybe these will make you feel a little better."
Alex helped Olivia undo her sling on her arm and then helped her out of her gown.
Olivia's nakedness was still a bit sensitive for them both, and Olivia found herself holding her arm against her naked chest.
"Ok this may be a bit tricky." Alex said as she tried to maneuver the luckily loose sweatshirt over Olivia's head.
They both struggled a bit but finally got the sweatshirt on.
"You want to rest a minute?" Alex asked.
Olivia shook her head yes. "For a second."
Alex waited patiently before Olivia said she was ready again.
With determination Alex helped her with the yoga pants.
"You think you can stand?"
Olivia stood right up impressing Alex.
"Very nice! She said with a smile. "Ok hold on to me to keep steady..."
One leg in, another.
Done.
Olivia sat back down on the edge of the bed.
"That concludes our workout for the day." Alex teased and she helped swing Olivia's legs over on to the bed.
Olivia's head hit the pillow, her head spinning a bit.
"You ok?" Alex asked concerned.
"I now have on all your clothes, even your underwear," Olivia said bypassing the answer to Alex's question.
"Well…" Alex said sitting on the side of the bed beside Olivia.
"I certainly don't mind you in my underwear." Alex said wide-eyed, raising her brow.
Olivia couldn't help but grin at Alex's boldness.
"Do you want to lie down next to me?"
"Always." Alex said lying down beside her, snuggling against her. "I always want to be next to you."
AOAOAOAOAOAO
Olivia had managed to drift off to sleep with Alex beside her.
Alex laid there, her eyes glued to the door waiting from any word from Martin.
It felt like it had been hours since she had walked back in that room, since her hands had stopped shaking from seeing Lucas.
Martin knocked on the door lightly as he poked his head through the doorframe, motioning for Alex.
Alex tried to pull herself from Olivia's side without disturbing her from her sleep.
She stepped outside with Martin.
"She ok?" Martin asked, a troubled look on his face.
"Exhausted, but she's fine." Alex said crossing her arms protectively.
"We have to get you two out of here?"
"You couldn't find him?"
Martin shook his no.
"We have men double checking all of his safe houses around the city, we have an eye on anyone we know to be associated with him… We've searched the hospital, checked surveillance tapes."
"You saw him? Did you see him on the tape?"
Martin shook his head yes, "we did."
"How hard can he be to find?"
"Caroline, he's a professional. He's calculated. Lucas Quinn is the kind of man that has enough contacts and resources that if he doesn't want to be found, well… well it makes it pretty damn hard."
"But he was here, how did Lucas get here?"
"It could have easily been luck. He knows Kate is injured, he knows that she would have been taken to a hospital. He knows she couldn't have been taken too far because of the condition she was in."
"So you're letting him get near her by luck?" Alex scolded, her eyes wide.
"We had no choice but to bring her to a hospital close by to get her the emergency medical attention she needed. Now that it's possible, we're going to get you both out of here."
"Is it ok to move her?"
"I talked to the doctors, they feel confident she is ok to go as long as we're careful. Arrangements have already been made to get you to London."
"When?"
"We'll wake her, tell her now. And at first chance we can move, we move."
Alex swallowed hard.
"Martin." She said her voice giving way to a slight quiver.
"Caroline, please trust me. We know who we're dealing with."
Alex looked away, shaking her head in agreement.
She then took a deep breath as if to prepare herself.
"Let's wake her." Alex said turning to the door of the hospital room.
Martin agreed and followed her in.
"Martin," Olivia said sleepy eyed.
"Kate," Martin said giving her a rushed smile.
Olivia looked at Alex.
"I woke up, you were gone." She said suspiciously.
"I know I'm sorry I needed to talk to Martin."
Olivia looked back and forth from Martin to Alex.
Olivia began to try and sit up, pushing herself up with her good hand.
"What happened? What's wrong?
"Baby, it will all be ok," Alex said calmly.
"We have to leave for London tonight." Martin said speaking up.
"What happened?" Olivia asked confused. "Tell me!"
"When I went to get coffee this morning… I saw Lucas." Alex said speaking up.
"Here in the hospital? Why didn't you tell me? You knew he was here and you didn't tell me? Either of you?"
"We had to make sure and take proper precautions. Getting you upset, hindering your progress would have been no help." Martin protested.
Olivia looked to Martin.
"So you're sure it was him?"
"We have him on surveillance."
"Does he know I'm here? We don't think so, but obviously we can't know for sure. We think he was just checking hospitals."
"So you think he left the hospital?"
"We've done a thorough sweep."
"And we're leaving?"
"As soon as possible."
Olivia shook her head processing everything.
"On the surveillance footage, did it look as if Lucas knew who she was?" Olivia asked alluding to Alex.
"No, it didn't seem so." Martin answered.
Olivia looked at Alex.
"Ok so we go."
Martin nodded his head to both of them.
"The nurse will be in right away to assist you in anything you need to get ready to move. You'll get in a wheel chair and we'll take you by service elevator to a restricted parking area, you'll get in an SUV and we'll take you directly to the Dublin airport where a jet will be waiting to take you directly to London. Caroline, if you would gather your things and anything Kate may need and have them ready by the door, we will grab them on the way out."
"You'll be with us?" Alex asked Martin in assurance.
"Once on the move, I won't leave your side."