It was almost an hour later that Alex jerked awake hearing the door open and shut quietly behind a man dressed in scrubs.
"Benson family?" A doctor asked as he walked into the room and looked at the four men who jumped to their feet instantly open hearing the door open and the blonde hair blue eye beauty that silently pleaded with him that everything was ok.
"That's us I'm Captain Cragen" Cragen said stepping forward "This is Detective Stabler, Detective Munch, Detective Tutuola, and ADA Cabot."
"I'm doctor Blount" The doctor said as he extended his hand to Captain Cragen "I was the surgeon on call when Benson was brought in."
"How is she?" Alex asked not really caring who he was at the moment.
"She is doing good considering she lost a lot of blood. She was shot close range in her abdomen which pierced her spleen. We had to remove about sixty percent of her spleen to stop the bleeding. By some miracle though she has survived. She is one hell of a fighter.'
"You have no clue." Elliot said finally releasing the breath he had been holding "When can we see her?"
"She is in recovery at the moment and will be there for about another hour. After wards we are moving her up to ICU for at least over night. If she comes too and all the tests come out ok then we will move her to a regular floor day after tomorrow."
"What tests? What are you talking about?" Alex asked.
"The test's I ordered" Dr. Mathews said walking into the room "Sorry I'm late. Alexandra I ordered tests to make sure that her hitting her head hasn't done any further damage."
"What if it did?" Alex asked reaching for Elliot's hand
"It could be a major set back for her. To be totally honest with you a person with multiple brain injuries especially as close together as these are are more likely to die. Each injury makes it harder and harder to reduce the swelling. A lot of times people who suffer multiple brain injuries suffer from depression and anxiety and no matter how hard they try they don't return to the person they use to be and that can and does often lead to suicide."
"Oh god" Alex cried "Is there a best case scenario?'
"There is" He said taking a seat and motioning for them to do the same. "Lets hope that somehow she didn't hit her head from the fall. That all she has was the minor fall where she hit her head in your room. That would be a best case scenario. What has happened is that she has reinjured a spot before its fully healed. Now she will have the scar tissue from the previous injury and the scar tissue from this injury both growing in the same spot. That will cause some interference with the brain signals and her behavior.'
"So keep with the same therapist? What" Alex sighed "Doc you tell me what she needs and she will have it by morning."
"if it is the minor injury I want to continue with the Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy. We will start with let's say three times a week but I can't do that till the gsw to her abdomen is healed or at least partially healed. Until then I want to start her on physical therapy that will pin point the areas that area damaged and what we need to do to retrain that part of the brain. I also want her seeing her behavorial therapist again as well."
"I'll call her behavioral therapist in the morning and start setting up appointments." Alex informed him "I need to locate the best physical therapist to deal with TBI's. They will be here by tomorrow afternoon."
"Alex I would wait if I was you." Dr. Mathews said looking at the ground dreading what he was about to have to tell her "Olivia is unconscious again. Although unlike last time we are not planning on placing her in a medically induced coma unless absolutely necessary. The problem lies in repeat brain injuries where they lose consciousness. The more that occurs the harder and harder it is for someone to fight back and return. Basically in a nut shell we're not sure if she's going to wake up. That's another reason why we are trying to avoid a medically induced coma. The longer she's out the more damage and longer therapy we are looking at."
"Let's get this straight right now." Alex said in a voice that all the men had come to know all to well since working with her "I don't give a damn how long we are looking at therapy. I don't give a damn about how much treatment will cost. The same standard stands that stood the first time we were here. You have a blank check for her treatment."
"I understand that but I need you to understand that there is a chance that she won't be the woman you fell in love with. I know how hard she fought to return to her old self last time. This time she might not."
"We will take it one day at a time" Alex said with conviction more for the guys than for herself "I want to see her."
"I know and as soon as we have her moved into her room I promise you." Dr. Mathews said standing to leave "I need to go and finish my paperwork. If you need anything call me."
It was almost an hour and a half later when a nurse arrived to escort them to Olivia's room. She held onto Elliot with a death grip until they stopped in front of her door.
"I need you to understand" The nurse said stopping at Olivia's door "When you walk in there she will be hooked up to wires and machines. We are starting to see bruises forming from the fight so don't be alarmed when you see them. The main thing is to talk to her. There have been studies done that even when someone is in a coma like state they can still hear you."
"I understand" Alex whispered as she swallowed hard and slowly entered the room.
She stopped just inside the door as she took in the sight before her. There were more wires and machines beeping than there was last time. A dark bruise was forming on her cheek and she could see where they had stitched a cut above her left eyebrow. Even looking as battered and as bruised as she was at that moment she never looked more beautiful to Alex.
"Go to her talk to her" Elliot whispered into Alex's ear encouraging her.
"Olivia, I'm so sorry" Alex whispered as she carefully sat on the bed next to her, laying her head on her shoulder and allowed the tears to finally fall.
"You know" Olivia said her voice raspy and very sore "I've been shot twice for you I think that entitles me to a second date."
A/N: She's out of surgery and talking. Did you guys really think I would kill her off? NO way. I want to thank everyone for sticking with me and all the reviews I have received for this story. I need to give thanks to my faithful reader who is helping me with the medical portion of this story. This chapter would be far from the truth if it wasn't for them. Thank you so much for helping with this aspect of the story.