THANK YOU for the awesome reviews :D -M
Ch. 18
It was a rough flight to say the least.
She wasn't ready.
Despite her willingness to go along with the plan to disappear from Dublin, and the reach of Lucas Quinn, she wasn't ready.
Things didn't go smoothly for Olivia despite any of their efforts.
By the time they had made it to the plane Olivia had thrown up twice.
Her head ached and she felt like her body was revolting against her.
She wasn't ready.
An elevator, a car, a plane, another car…
Olivia was exhausted and beyond feeling sick to the point of miserable.
Alex by her side, held her, did her best to comfort her though it with promises it would all be over soon.
Darkness had fell over London.
Darkness had fell by the time they had arrived outside of the apartment building in Noting Hill.
"No hospital?" Alex asked confused.
"No, we have you an apartment with full security. We can have more control here." Martin said stepping outside of the front seat of the SUV.
He opened the door politely for Alex.
"I think she needs to see a doctor."
"We have one meeting us here." Martin said assuring her.
Alex looked over to Olivia beside her in the backseat.
Alex hadn't let go of her since they had left Dublin.
"Honey you will be able to lie down in a few minutes I promise," Alex said squeezing her hand.
Olivia weakly squeezed her hand back.
Alex could tell Olivia was more than over this move to London and in typically Olivia Benson form she would suffer and make it through.
"Get Caroline inside." Martin instructed to his men.
Martin made his way to the other side of the SUV opening Olivia's door.
"Kate listen to me, we're going to take you inside, where you can rest."
She nodded slightly.
"I'm going to carry you in ok?" Martin said as if he were asking permission.
Martin tucked his arms under Olivia's body, pulling her from the car and without hesitation he carried Olivia in behind Alex, between his men.
"Bedroom?" Martin grunted.
"Back and to your right," the guard holding the apartment door offered.
Martin immediately took Olivia to her bed and Alex followed.
Olivia moaned as her body hit the down comforter.
Martin let Alex see to her.
"You're here baby, no more moving." Alex assured her as she pulled off her shoes and the covers over her.
"I think she has a fever." Alex said removing her hand from Olivia's forehead and looking back at Martin.
Martin too observed the state Olivia was in and couldn't hide his worry.
"Martin?" One of Martin's men stood in the doorway of the bedroom. "Dr. Parker is here."
"Show him in please."
"Agent Martin. Good to see you." Dr. Parker said shaking Martin's hand.
"This is Caroline," Martin said introducing Alex as she stood, "Caroline, Dr. Parker works with the MI6 here in London." Alex nodded in approval as she shook the doctor's hand. "And this is Kate." Martin said leading him to Olivia.
"Heard she has had a difficult trip," the doctor said now at Olivia's bedside.
Olivia was now in a state of mumbling about being ok.
"We needed to move her here to London. We didn't have a choice."
"By the charts I received she had quite the concussion…" the doctor said looking at Alex. "Moving her, the plane ride, though I know you felt it was necessary, it was a risky move. How was she before the move?"
"She was sitting up, but nauseous and easily tired." Alex informed.
"Vomiting?"
"When she initially sat up this morning, and twice in our travels here."
"I see that she was on anti-nausea medication, we'll get her back on those. Also lets continue giving her something for pain, that hopefully will help break the fever she has as well."
"Should we be worried she has a fever? She hadn't had one before?" Alex asked concerned.
"I believe the fever was brought on by stress to her body. Let's let her get some rest, make sure she continues to get plenty of water and if she needs more of the anti-nausea medicine I'll let you administer that to her. If she shows any signs of worsening you can call me and we'll decide then what may be a better option, but hopefully this will get her back on track.."
The doctor readied medicines for Olivia. "Kate, this will be a quick prick to your arm and you should feel some relief."
The doctor observed her a bit more, checking various things.
"Ok let's let you rest now."
Dr. Parker looked at Alex. "I will leave everything here you may need, and Martin has my number if anything changes or you have concerns."
"Thank you doctor." Alex said appreciatively.
Dr. Parker nodded politely and left out of the room with Martin.
"Hey baby, you ok?" Alex asked sympathetically as she sat on the bed beside Olivia.
Tears were falling from the corners of Olivia's eyes.
"It's ok, I know you feel bad, but just try and rest," Alex said wiping the tears from Olivia's cheeks.
Alex sat there for the longest time, trying to sooth her until she was sure Olivia had drifted off to sleep.
She kissed Olivia gently on the forehead and left her quietly to go and talk to Martin.
"How is she?" Martin asked as he looked up to see Alex closing the bedroom door behind her.
"She's asleep. Hopefully the doctor's right and rest will help."
"I hope we didn't do any real harm moving her," Martin said with apologetic look on his face.
"There was no choice," Alex assured.
"I do feel better that you are here now. It's easier to see that you are safe here."
"Honestly, I already feel safer here." Alex said sitting on the couch across from Martin.
"The windows and doors have alarms, and there will be security outside your door at all times."
"Where will you be?" Alex asked concerned.
"I'll be right next door. We're the only apartments on this floor."
"Also, we will try and give you as much privacy as possible here so you both can be comfortable. I know you would like to actually sleep in a bed."
"As would you!" Alex said giving Martin a quick smile.
"We had Samantha's things delivered from Paris as well as things we thought you and now Kate might need. Besides clothes and personal items, you will also find the apartment equipped with just about any amenity you may need."
"Home sweet home," Alex said somewhat sarcastically.
"Caroline, we'll get him. It's just a matter of time."
"I know. And I'm thankful that you got us here, and hopefully that much further from Lucas."
Martin stood, "I'm sure you're tired, and hungry. The refrigerator is stocked, but if you need anything just let me or my men know."
Alex shook her head now following Martin to the door.
"Martin."
"Yes?"
"Try and rest ok?"
He smiled politely, shaking his head, "you too."
After closing the door behind him, Alex looked around at the more than generous accommodations and how everything seemed comfortably laid out, how everything seemed to have been given a feminine touch.
She made her way in to the bedroom checking on Olivia who was sound asleep.
Alex couldn't help but be a little giddy that she could finally undress freely and shower.
Alex wandered in to the bathroom, stripping down.
As Martin promised everything was there waiting - shampoo, soap, razor deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss… fresh towels…
Alex promised herself a quick shower, but found her herself lost under the warm spay, now remembering what a simple pleasure of taking a shower at leisure in the privacy of your own bathroom felt like.
She finally stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around herself and went in to the bedroom digging for what clothes she might find.
She looked at Olivia still sleeping though it seemed at some point she had become restless and kicked the covers away.
Alex found her underwear, a t-shirt and a pair of sleep shorts to put on. She then rummaged through the clothes that were for "Samantha."
A whole different person lay inside those clothes.
The blacks, the grays, the leather and cashmere… all high end clothes.
Another person.
A character.
Alex found a pair of silk pajamas in the stack of clothes and thought Olivia would be much more comfortable at least in the pajama top while she slept.
Olivia stirred again.
"Alex?" Olivia questioned out in to the room.
Olivia's eyes opened to an unfamiliar place, not remember where she was from before.
"I'm right here sweetheart." Alex said making her way to her bedside.
"Where are we?"
Alex looked at Olivia, swiping her hair off of her forehead.
"We're in an apartment in London."
"We made it?"
"Yes baby we made it. We're safe here." Alex said with a soft smile. "How are you feeling?"
"Much better, I'm hot, but much better."
"It was a rough trip."
"But we made it."
"We did." Alex said feeling Olivia's forehead and then her hands for her body temperature.
"I found these pajamas. You want me to help you change? The pajama top at least should be cooler."
Olivia nodded, making an attempt to sit up.
"Are we alone?" Olivia asked looking around the room as she tried to familiarize herself with her new surroundings.
"Guards in the hallway and Martin is next door."
"You told him I was ok?"
"Liv he knows you're resting. Do you remember him carrying you in?"
Olivia looked at Alex confused.
"The doctor being here?"
"I, I don't…"
"That's' ok," Alex assured her.
"What did the doctor say?"
"He gave you something for the nausea and for pain. Said you're fever was probably just due to stress."
"Is that why I'm so hot?"
"Here let's work on getting these clothes off of you and see if that helps."
"Always trying to get my clothes off." Olivia teased with a lazy grin.
"Always full of yourself!" Alex said with a laugh.
Alex placed her hands at Olivia's hips dragging them towards the waist of the yoga pants. She made a quick tug pulling the pants down Olivia's hips, her thighs, past her feet and thrown to the bottom of the bed.
"Ok let's work on getting this arm out of this sweatshirt." Alex said looking at the task before them.
She desperately didn't want to cause Olivia any more pain, and she would do anything she could to make this whole undressing easy as possible.
After a bit of maneuvering, the sweatshirt now too lie at the bottom of the bed.
"Ok almost done." Alex said with encouragement, know this was exhausting Olivia.
Olivia lay back down, her head resting against the pillow.
Her body finally cool against the cotton sheets.
She laid there, her breasts exposed, though Olivia didn't now seem to care.
"You want me to help you with this pajama top or do you want a t-shirt? I could get…"
"Can I just lie here, I'll cover up. I'm just tired and over the whole getting dressed thing." Olivia said her eyes never opening. "Besides you can keep ogling over my chest."
"I'm not ogling!" Alex protested.
Olivia opened one eye to look at her and then grinned.
"And even if I was starring at your breasts, I do want you to at least get under the covers. I don't want you to be sick."
"Yes ma'am."
Alex pulled the covers over Olivia.
"You'll lie here beside me?"
Alex smiled.
"Of course."
Alex shut off the lights and crawled in to bed close to Olivia.
Olivia eyes closed, she searched for Alex's hand.
Alex took Olivia's hand pressing it against her chest.
"I can feel your heart beat." Olivia said softy.
Alex leaned in kissing Olivia just below the lobe of her ear.
"Do you feel safe here?" Olivia asked.
"I do." Alex said without expanding.
"Ok."
"Do you think you'll feel safe here?"
"Yeah I think so."
Olivia reached for Alex's other hand placing it under the covers, on to her bare, warm stomach.
Unexplored territory.
Alex curled her fingers soothingly in and out over Olivia's skin. And she heard Olivia sigh on to a peaceful sleep.
"I feel safe with you." Alex whispered in to the moonlit room.