Emily woke up the next morning momentarily confused before remembering she was in the hospital. A quick glance to the chair by her bed revealed she was alone. She picked up the nurse call remote, pushed the button, and a moment later a voice came on the intercom.
"Yes? Can I help you?" The nurse said.
"Um how long until I'm able to get out of here?" Emily asked, she had only been awake maybe 5 minutes and she was already getting antsy still being in that bed.
"Let me ask the dr." The nurse responded and just like that it was back to silence in a dimly lit hospital room thanks to the thick blackout curtains.
Just before she was going to look for her phone, Olivia walked through the door balancing two paper cups of coffee, nudging the door open with her foot then shifting the weight of the door to her back to walk through.
"Looks who's awake." Olivia said, walking in and setting one of the cups on the hospital table over Emily's bed.
"Yeah," Emily said, picking the cup and sniffing, "this is the most sleep I've gotten in years."
"I didn't know what kind of coffee you liked so I just got what I usually get." Olivia said, taking a sip of her cappuccino.
Emily took a sip and couldn't help but giggle, "Of course we have the same taste in coffee."
Olivia had already gotten the results from Emily's rape kit and she knew she'd want to know if it was the same guy, but Olivia wanted to make sure Emily had coffee and something to eat first because she had a sneaking suspicion that Emily wouldn't eat again until they caught the bastard.
Emily caught a glimpse of Olivia in deep thought, "What's going on?" She may have been in a hospital bed, but she was still a detective and her intuition told her that something was up.
Olivia tried to search in her brain for an explanation that wouldn't sound suspicious, but she couldn't think of anything.
"Ok," Olivia sighed, moving to the chair and sitting down, facing Emily. She sat for a few minutes, her warm coffee cup between her hands, and she looked from the plastic top of her hot beverage to her sisters concerned face, "I called Seattle SVU and had your kit tested."
Emily sat waiting for her sister to finish what she said, her heart began to race at the thought of that man being in the same time zone as her.
"It's the same man." Olivia said, she didn't want to tell her sister, but she deserved to know the truth. She looked back down at her coffee, sighing as she turned the warm, half filled paper cup in her hand.
Emily's breath became choppy and she struggled to take deep breaths. What was he doing here? Did he follow her? How did he know she'd be here if he did? So many questions entered her mind and not one of them had an answer.
"Emily," Olivia said, standing up and placing a hand on her sister's, Emily didn't even notice amidst her onset of a panic attack, "I promise you, we will find him and we will put his ass away for a long, long time." Olivia knew better than to make a promise like that, but when it came to those closest to her in pain, she didn't exactly think clearly.
Emily grabbed her sisters hand and squeezed, her breathing normalizing. Having someone by her side through all of this seemed to make coping just a little easier. Maybe that's what she'd been missing. She had kept her assault from her mother because she figured suffering from breast cancer was enough stress and she didn't want to add to it.
"Ok," Emily said, choosing to trust in other people for once, "Will you at least let me listen in on the case?"
Olivia was about to protest, but she knew more than anyone how much Emily needed to be there every step of the way.
"Deal," Olivia said, "On one condition."
"I know," Emily said, knowing the protocol with cases like this, "In instances that it will hurt my case, I'll stay out of it."
"That means-" Olivia started.
"Not watching in on interrogations," Emily quickly interrupted, "Also, no vigilante bullshit, no investigating on my own, blah, blah."
Olivia chuckled. She wondered how fun it would have been to grow up with Emily. They could have been there for each other through their mother's alcohol induced rage attacks on Olivia. That's when she thanked God at least one of them got out of that mess.
"Oh," Emily spoke up, "Do you know where my phone is? My boss is probably texting me non-stop."
Olivia looked around and spotted it in a bag of Emily's things. She walked to the chair is sat on and rummaged through the clear plastic bag until her hand found the cold metal of her phone.
"Here you go," Olivia said, placing the rectangular device in her sister's hand.
Emily read through her texts. Each one from her boss becoming more and more agitated. Did he not have anyone else to work cases there? She knew she was the best detective, but she knew some pretty damn good ones in her unit. Every text, though not blatantly said, suggested that her job was on the line if she didn't come back to work before her vacation was over. The last text only sealed her intent to quit.
Emily scoffed, "This guy is a real piece of work." She didn't even realize she'd said it out loud.
"Who?" Olivia asked, her head looking up from her own phone.
"My boss," She said shaking her head as she typed the words 'I quit' in the text window, "My mom just passed away, I didn't even go to the funeral because she didn't believe in them, and I'm here trying to figure out my life and he's just… badgering me to come solve all these cases. There are other detectives!" She knew she wasn't just angry at her boss. She didn't even realize her voice had gradually raised as she spoke. She sent the text and then sat her phone down firmly on the table above her legs.
Olivia had done research on Emily's unit and found that any case that was publicized was solved by her sister. She was their shining star, but they were overworking her and dimming her light with stress.
Emily started to cry, "I just quit my job." She had no clue what she was doing. Everything just felt so out of control. She couldn't even think let alone be a case solving cash cow for her boss right now. Her father had died years ago in a freak car accident, her mother was gone, she didn't have any siblings, and she hadn't really gotten close with her adoptive family. Her mother was all she had left and even though she had her sister now, she still felt so alone.
"Oh Emily," Olivia started.
"Please don't say you're sorry," Emily said, the slightest tinge of anger in her voice, "I'm so tired of people feeling sorry for me."
"I-" Olivia started then stopped herself, "Can I at least offer you my spare room until you can figure something out?"
Emily stopped to think, it wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. She'd be able to get to know her nephew and would live in the same apartment as the woman working her case. It actually made a lot of sense.
"Ok," Emily said, "But one condition."
"Yes," Olivia said, smiling, "We can grab ice cream on the way home."
Emily chuckled. Maybe there was something to that twin connection thing after all.