A/N: I have good news and bad news for you guys. The good news is that here is the next update. The bad news is I am on vacation this week (Much needed) and not sure when I will be writing if any this week. I do promise to try to write to get you another update soon but can't promise anything. I want to thank each and everyone of you for sticking with me and the reviews I have received. You guys are the best.

The last time Alex ever remembered getting as little sleep as she did last night was when Olivia was first brought in a few months back. Even then they had only been woken up that once when her blood pressure started crashing. Last night every two hours sometimes less a nurse, usually Stephanie, would come in and wake Olivia up. After about the third time of being woken Olivia had become her usual charming self and informed Stephanie if she came in and woke her up one more time she would find some reason to arrest her since murder was illegal.

Stephanie had simply laughed and reminded the brunette detective that she would be back in less than two hours to wake her again. When Olivia informed her she was not kidding she would find some reason to arrest her Stephanie just turned around and stared at the detective. After what seemed like hours in the silence of the room minus the steady beeping of the machine Stephanie said that was fine but she needed to look over at Alex and explain why she wasn't getting checked and what she would like said at her funeral. Without her checking on her there was that chance that she could sink into a coma and eventually she would die. Olivia just gritted her teeth together before she growled at her informing her if that was the case she had better start waking her up every hour not every two hours. Stephanie had turned and walked out the door with a smile on her face.

That had set the tone for the rest of the night. Every hour on the hour Stephanie would come in and wake Olivia. Olivia would inform her she was fine and Stephanie would turn and walk out. Around seven when Stephanie came in to wake Olivia she had beaten her to the punch and stopped her at the door.

"I'm awake Stephanie" Olivia said turning to look at her as she walked in the room "When will the doctor return?"

"Which one?" Stephanie asked as she handed Elliot and Alex a steaming cup of coffee.

"Which one will stop you from coming in here every hour?" Olivia asked "Alex has gotten almost no sleep and after all she went through she needs her rest. I'm tired of you disturbing her."

"You're worried about Alex?" Stephanie asked looking slightly confused as she glanced between the two women. She would be the first to admit that the detective always kept her on her toes. The last time she was in here one second she would be yelling at Alex and the next so loving and caring. She was accustomed to seeing that from time to time during her rotation on the trauma ward. What really threw her for a loop with Olivia was how she turned everything about Alex and her well being, never once it being about herself.

"Yes I'm worried about Alex" Olivia pointed out as if it should have been obvious "Am I supposed to be worried about me?"

"Yes you should" Alex whispered as she laced her fingers through Olivia's "But we know better don't we?"

"I promised you I would protect you and take care of you. I'm not doing that with her waking you up every hour."

"Olivia" Alex choked out as she positioned herself on the bed "I would rather be woken every hour and have you alive then to be undisturbed and bury you. If lacking sleep means you're alive I will take that any day of the week."

Olivia smiled and accepted the gentle kiss that Alex had bent down to give her. Since she had came too last night there seems to be a difference about her. One that Olivia would be willing to attribute to the fact that Jess was currently under lock and key at Bellevue hospital.

"Elliot will you please take Alex to breakfast for me?" Olivia asked as she smiled at the blonde hair beauty just inches from her face.

"Sure as soon as you go for testing."

"NO now." Olivia ordered as she turned her head to look at Elliot "I want to talk to Stephanie alone."

"Olivia" Alex warned.

"DON'T OLIVIA ME" Olivia shouted "FOR ONCE JUST DO WHAT I ASK."

Alex released Olivia's hand and stood up abruptly. She quietly picked up her jacket and walked out the door without saying a word. She had prepared herself as much as she could for the Olivia she had encountered with the first injury but it still didn't stop the sting when she appeared.

"Get your head out of your ass and do it now" Elliot said as he stood and started to follow Alex but stopping at the door turning back to look at his partner "That woman has bent over backwards and gone through hell for you. You and I both know she's the best thing that's ever happened to you as well."

Olivia stared at the roof as she bit down on her bottom lip. She could feel Stephanie move toward the bed and sit down in the chair that Alex occupied just minutes before. She took a deep breath as she tried to find the words for what she wanted to say.

"Olivia I promise you there is nothing between me and Alex" Stephanie finally said "We are friends and nothing more and that's all we have been for over ten years now. I was just trying to assure her last night after all that she had been through. She needed a shoulder to cry on and you were temporally occupied with the doctor."

"That's not it Stephanie and I'm sorry about yelling at you. I know you're just friends." Olivia smiled as she continued to stare at the roof "After everything that happened I didn't want anyone near her. In my mind she wasn't safe and I have to keep her safe."

"Then what is it?" Stephanie asked "What's changed that you're scared to tell her?"

"Am I that apparent?" Olivia asked with laughter in her voice "I guess this head injury has me off my game."

"No but years in this profession has taught me that people send their loved ones out when they need to tell their nurse or doctor something that they don't want them to know. So I will ask you again what has changed."

"I'm seeing double." Olivia said after a few minutes of silence "I may not have a medical degree but I know that can't be good with a second brain injury."

"You're right." Stephanie said as she leaned forward and exhaled the breath she had been holding "How long have you had double vision?"

"This would be the third time you came in since it started. The first time I thought it was because I was woken up but when I woke up a little while before you came in this last time no matter what I did I couldn't focus."

"I need to notify Dr. Mathews immediately." Stephanie said as she stood and headed toward the door "For the record I will tell Alex you wanted to apologize but you need to tell her and tell her soon. She will know something is up the second Dr. Mathews arrives and you talk to him alone."

"I know but how do you break the heart of the one you love?"