Olivia sat on the examination table and watched Alex pace back and forth in the small room. She would take three steps left turn on her heels and take three steps right and repeat. Every time she thought she heard someone entering the room she would walk over to the wall and stand against it. Olivia cocked her head to the side and stared at the blonde angel as she paced.
"What?" Alex asked looking up at Olivia.
"It's my appointment that can seal my fate, but you're the one pacing."
"I know and I'm worried about what will happen to us when you go back to work. To be totally honest with you, I have no problem with you never returning and just keep on living with me."
"What will happen to us," Olivia stated as she opened her arms for Alex to step into and waited until she had rested her head on her shoulder before continuing, "Is that we will have to work a little harder to have time for us and we will have to have stolen moments whenever we can get them. Honey, I love you and I don't want to lose us or allow work to interfere with us either."
"I love you too," Alex whispered as she lifted her head and kissed Olivia on the cheek as she heard the door open.
"Good afternoon, ladies," Dr. Mathews said as he walked into the exam room, "How has everything been going?"
"It's been good," Olivia said taking a deep breath trying to calm her nerves.
"No episodes or anger issues?"
"She had one incident when we met a few friends of mine for dinner last week," Alex said standing next to Olivia, "but the whole thing was very stressful for her and she handled it exceptionally well."
"Was the incident just verbal or hands on as well?"
"It would have been hands on, but Alex was there and able to calm me instantly."
"Olivia, have you had any incidents where Alex wasn't around and you had an episode you had to calm yourself."
I can't recall any," Olivia exhaled scared of where this conversation was heading, "If I go out, she's with me or one of the guys, but mostly her."
"Are they as frequent as before?"
"The few times she's had an episode is when she has perceived me in some type of danger," Alex said glancing between Olivia and Dr. Mathews.
"So that has never changed."
"No, sir," Olivia said as she began to rub the hands together.
"Relax, Olivia," Dr. Mathews said as he smiled at her, "I'm not going to hold that against you or allow it to keep me from releasing you to full duty. I personally believe that will be something you will forever deal with no matter how much therapy you take. Your brain, concerning Alex, is always in the fight and no matter what we do it will stay that way. I have said it before and I will say it again the two of you have a connection to each other like I've never seen before or will probably see again and this side effect is just one downfall that we have to work around because of it."
"So I can go back to work?"
"You can," Dr. Mathews stated as he looked between the two women, "But it is going to be a very slow and long process to get you back to full time. Even then, once you're released a hundred percent, I seriously doubt you will ever be able to put in the hours and work the way you had before."
Olivia hung her head as the realization hit her she may have to transfer from SVU.
"What I propose we do is that you work no more than twelve hours a week for the first two weeks. I will see you again and if everything is going fine I will up you to no more than sixteen hours a week for two weeks and so on until we have you at forty hours a week. If, at any time, I don't feel like you're ready to step up you will stay at the current hours that you are at for another two weeks."
"It will take over four months to get back to full duty that way," Olivia mumbled.
"Or longer," Dr. Mathews stated, "Olivia, if I allow you to go straight back into full time status, you run a chance of shocking your system and that can cause you to have a setback. The best way to counter that is to slowly work you up to it so your system will have time to adapt. I know it's frustrating and aggravating, but it's the best way I know how to do it."
"At least I will be working," Olivia answered as she looked up at the doctor.
"Yes, you will be at a desk only until I release you back to a forty hour work week."
"That's something and I'm willing to take it," Olivia said smiling as she looked over at Alex.
"I will right up your orders for you so you can turn them in and get started back to work on Monday," Dr. Mathews said holding his hand up to stop the objection he knew was coming, "Monday is the earliest I'm willing to release you."
"Okay," Olivia exhaled, "I need to ask you something else too."
"Sure."
"I was offered a second job."
"Olivia, no second jobs for a while," Dr. Mathews stated cutting Olivia off.
"Hear me out," Olivia said frustrated that everyone would jump to no without hearing everything first.
"Continue…"
"All I have to do is look over files here and there. It's not a constant job and most, if not all, of it I can do while lounging on Alex's couch watching the latest soap opera. It'll be just like reading a book and that's it."
"What do these files contain?"
"Mostly financial records, I will be going over them for a divorce attorney."
"I don't like it and, honestly, would prefer that you didn't right away. Let's wait till after your first two weeks on duty and, if everything goes according to plan, I'll clear you to look over one case at a time and no more until we see how you do with that. If at any time, I feel like it is stressing you too much I will pull that clearance. We do not want to have a relapse."
"I'll take it, thank you."
"You're welcome," Dr. Mathews said as he closed Olivia's file and stood, "Any other questions?"
"I don't have any, Alex?"
"I don't have any either."
"Very well," Dr. Mathews said extending his hand to both women, "Olivia, you are a miracle case. You have recovered from an injury that most people can't, at least not as much as you have. I will continue to monitor you for the next six months, every two weeks, and then after that once every six months. When we hit the once every six months mark, we will perform a FMRI and see where we stand. It is not uncommon for a patient need to do another round of hyperbaric oxygen therapy every so often, but usually no more than ten sessions, if it is needed."
"I can work with that," Olivia answered with a smile on her face.
"Very well, I will have Michelle draw up your release orders with your specific instructions and you know how to reach me if you need me in between visits."
Olivia waited till the door had shut behind Dr. Mathews before she allowed the tears to fall. Over the past year, with every set back, she was beginning to wonder if she would ever be where she was now. She was finally released to go back to work and allowed to go over one file at a time for Langen's firm, but, most importantly, she had the love of Alex.
"Liv, are you ok?" Alex asked as she gently wiped the tears that were falling from her eyes.
"I'm finally getting my life back, Alex," Olivia said smiling through the tears at Alex, "I didn't think it would ever happen."
"I told you to give it time and it would happen," Alex said as she helped Olivia to her feet and into her coat, "Why don't we drop the papers off to Cragen and then just go home and lock the world away? It's the last time we're going to be able to do it."
"Sounds like a plan I can't refuse," Olivia said as she wrapped her arm around Alex's waist and pulled her to her before walking out of the room.
A/N: I promise I haven't forgotten this story or any of my other ones. I hope to be taking a mini vacation soon so I should be able to catch up on all of my writings. I want to say thank you so much to everyone who has stuck it out with me on the long gaps. I love you guys.