Ch. 32
Olivia opened the door to the tall, suit-clad redhead.
"Casey!"
Casey immediately hugged Olivia.
"Come in!"
"I brought lattes."
"Ah thank you" Olivia said taking the offered cup.
"You look good." Casey said following Olivia in.
"Thanks…" Olivia said trying not to dismiss Casey's compliment.
If she had only known how much better she looked.
"I've missed you!"
"I've missed you. Sorry I've been a bit of a recluse since I've been back."
"Liv you don't have to apologize. You were gone a long time! You needed time to adjust back to normal life."
Casey had no idea about how she was adjusting and wasn't back to "normal" life.
"What happened to your arm?" Casey said studying the cast that ran down the length of her forearm.
"Oh just being clumsy… I hurt my wrist. I should only be in this cast a little longer." Olivia said brushing it off.
"So how are you with Alex going back to work this week?"
"You wouldn't happen to be checking up on me because Alex went back to work?" Olivia asked taking a sip of her coffee.
"No! Alex may have mentioned something, but I just took it as an invitation to get some time with you." Casey said letting out a laugh. "But I do know Alex is happy to go back to work."
"I think she was going to go stir crazy not working!"
"But she was also stir crazy when she wasn't with you."
Olivia gave a slight smile.
"Liv it was really sad!" Casey joked.
Olivia laughed.
"Casey, thank you for being there for her. And I think I owe you a bigger thank you for encouraging her to tell me she felt the same about me."
"Are you guys doing ok?"
"Yeah, we are. Being back has been a bit of an adjustment, and being here together is new, but we both feel the same about being with each other."
"Finally!" Casey grinned.
"Ha yes. It does kind of feel like finally!"
"I really am glad you two finally realized what you mean to each other…"
"I'm not sure if I could have gotten through any of this without her."
Casey looked at Olivia wondering what she meant.
"Can you even tell anyone where you were? I mean when Alex disappeared I figured she had gone to be with you."
"Um my last leg was in London…"
"London? Really?
"Alex stayed with me there while I was wrapping up my assignment."
She lied.
The only truth was Alex was with her in London.
No mention of Paris.
No mention of Dublin.
No rape, no torture.
No murder.
She lied.
But those were the rules.
"Well I'm sure she was a sight for sore eyes." Casey said understanding that was all Olivia could divulge.
"She was. I was happy to see a familiar face, but to see her face, it was sublime."
"I joke but she really was lost without you. I hope you two really have agreed to stop this running away from each other's lives."
"I think it took a lot for us to realize what it meant to have each other. I mean it feels right to tell her how I feel about her, how in love with her I am, it just feels right."
"I think your friends knew long before you did! I remember even not so perceptive Elliot asking was there something going on between the two of you."
"He did not!"
"Liv you and Alex have your own little language… and not to mention the sexual tension sears off of the both of you when you're around each other."
"Casey…"
"I'm just telling the truth!"
Olivia laughed.
"Case, it's incredible to be with her, and I am thankful every second she came to be with me and that she wants to be with me."
"Well you both are my best friends and you deserve to be happy."
"I want to make her happy."
"Good!" Casey said with a grin, getting up from the couch. "Ok I have to get back to the office, but I want to see you and Alex more now that you're back."
"Yes… maybe dinner next week?"
"Sounds good." Casey said hugging Olivia again before Olivia walked her to the front door.
"I'm really glad you came by."
"Hey me too! And I'll tell Alex you are just fine." Casey said with a chuckle.
"Ha yes, thanks."
Olivia closed the door in high spirits.
It was good to see Casey.
It felt normal to see her friend.
She hated she had to lie to her, but it was a part of the job.
It was also now a part of Olivia she didn't want anyone to know about.
What happened to her.
She would lie to her friends, Alex would keep her secret.
It was all as simple and as hard as that.
Olivia picked up her phone and texted a message to Alex.
"It was good to see Casey… I love you."