Chapter 8

Close Call

Amanda slowly came to. Her senses taking in the surrounding stimulants. The beeping from the heart monitor, the smell of disinfectants and the smell that Just belonged to a hospital, the taste of iron in her dry mouth and the one sense she wished she didn't have at the moment was the sense of feeling.

The pain in her whole upper body was so intense. Her head was pounding and she could feel every heartbeat in her ears and her chest felt so heavy it was difficult to breath. She tried to move but stopped when she felt a slight pressure on her right hand. Slowly, she turned her head to the side, wanting to see what was restricting her movement, groaning as she did so, the pain in her chest increasing.

The groan was loud enough to cause Olivia to stir from her sleep. She felt Amanda's slight movement of her hand and she opened her eyes. Her tall frame protesting from the uncomfortable position on the hard plastic chair. She stretched her back quickly before turning her attention back to the haltheeeping woman.

As her eyes scanned Amanda's body they finally came to rest on her face and she instantly knew something was wrong. Fair eyebrows were pulled into a deep frown and laboured breathing told her that Amanda was really struggling to get some air into her lungs. Letting go of the woman's hand she brought hers up to stroke blonde hair away from a painfilled face. She was alarmed when she felt the heat radiating from flushed skin and immediately stood up.

"Amanda? Honey, can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?" The detective was greeted with a second groan and wasted no time before she ran out of the room calling for help.

Amanda's doctor and two nurses followed Olivia straight into the room. Dr Wyatt placed his stethoscope on Amanda's heaving chest. "Increased heart rate, high fever and breathing difficulties." The skilled surgeon was talking out loud and quickly came to a conclusion, turning towards a worried Olivia.

"The bone fragments must have travelled closer to her heart causing an infection which leads to elevated temperature and can compromise respiratory function. We have to perform emergency surgery right away to remove them." Less than a minute later Olivia found herself alone, still standing in the same position looking at the doorway where they had just rushed Amanda through, trying to catch up with what had just happened.

Elliot and John didn't have any luck during the night. Nothing unusual was going on in or around the building, at least not from what they could see.

"They must know they're being watched after the whole 'Amanda shooting incident'. They're cautious, not stupid about their next move. They're staying low." Munch had been talking almost through the whole night and Elliot felt like giving him a punch in the face.

"Do you ever shut up?" Elliot asked. His tired eyes still scanning the area and the house.

John turned to face him. "No, not really. I like the sound of my own voice. Besides, someone has got to do the talking."

Elliot squinted his eyes in attempt to see better through the car window. "Well, unlike you, I can manage quite alright without hearing mine... and yours." He picked up a pair of binoculars from the glove compartment and scanned the area, looking closely through every window of the house. "Its been over an hour we last saw any movement. I say we check it out." He looked over at detective Munch. "You wanna play Jehovah's witnesses?"

"Well, since I'm the one with words perhaps it's better if I get the honour." He opened the door and got out. "Come on, my friend. Lets experience the joy of being closer to God for a while."

They made it to the front door and gave it three knocks. Elliot was silently hoping that John had a rehearsed speech about Jeovah and his followers because he was not in the mood to start preaching. The older detective knocked again. Nothing. Looking at each other they grabbed their guns from their holsters and got ready to kick the door in. On the second kick the door gave away and slammed open. Elliot was first to enter.

"NYPD, we know you're here. Stay down and no one will get hurt." There was nobody in the house. They cleared each and every room one by one only to find the building empty. "Damn. There must be another way out that we didn't know about."

They split up and went to search for any clues of where they could have escaped through. Elliot was quick to spot their escape way. A latch in the wooden floor in the halway. It was covered by a rug but when Elliot stepped on it he could hear that, whatever he was standing on, it sounded hollow and empty underneath. He kicked the rug to the side. "John, over here."

The senior detective approached as Elliot got ready to open the latch door. Grabbing their guns once more they prepared themselves for whatever was going to happen. The latch was ripped open and the two detectives were faced with an empty small room. From where John was standing he could make out a narrow corridor leading from the little room.

"Do you see what I see, Stabler?" Elliot turned his head to where Munch was looking at. Without thinking Elliot descended the six foot drop with only his gun as a barrier between him and the unknown. Swiftly he enters the corridor. It was dimly lit by a couple of light bulbs along the right side wall.

"If I'm no back in five minutes call for backup." Before Munch could protest Elliot was already gone.

John rolled his eyes. "Terrific."

It was wide enough for a person to easily run through it. Built as an emergency escape exit, Elliot thought. Only two minutes had passed before he reached a dead end. There was no other way out except except the way he had just come from. Sighing, he was about to turn and head back when something caught his eye. Just above his head he could make out a rusty metal rail attached to the wall looking like a handle of some sort. As Elliot got closer he spotted another one and then another. It became clear that it was a ladder.

Looking up, Elliot counted the steps. There were seven of them altogether placed rather far apart but close enough for a small woman to climb up without difficulty. At the very top Elliot could see the outline of a circular shape. He knew instantly what it was. Grabbing onto the first rail he pulled himself up and climbed the ladder in jut a couple of seconds. Placing his right hand against the round lid of a street gutter, he gave it a hard push.

He stuck his head up through the hole and saw that he had ended up in a dark alley. He quickly climbed out fully and made a three-sixty, taking in the new surroundings. The alleyway was wide. A big car or even a van could easily fit through and still leave plenty of space on each side for the dumpsters that was lined up against the concrete wall. It was filthy and the smell of urine was overwhelming. Not wanting to take the same way back to the house and Munch, he was glad when he spotted the building behind a few other small houses and trees. He figured he had about a minute left before John would have the whole damn squad looking for him. He sped down the alley and headed for the house. Munch had his radio in his hand when Elliot came through the front door slightly out of breath.

"Oh, there you are. I was just about to call the captain so he could have your ass kicked. What were you thinking? Doing something stupid like that? You had no idea of what could have happened."

Elliot shrugged. "Well, nothing happened so the captain doesn't even have to know, deal?" Munch was not a happy camper about Elliot's reckless behavior but agreed anyway.

Stabler filled John in on what he knew. They both decided to split up and go from door to door asking if anyone had seen or heard anything unusual coming from the building or neighborhood. Losing their only lead it was all they could do.

Amanda had recently returned from surgery but was still sleeping. The doctor had informed Olivia that the surgery had gone as planned but that the blonde was very weak and was still fighting the infection. The detective was once again seated next to the sleeping form and affectionately ran her hand over a feverish cheek. "It's gonna be okay, Amanda. Everything is gonna be okay." She wasn't sure if the blonde could hear her or not but she felt the need to say those words. Her skin was clammy to the touch. Olivia had found a facecloth and she wet it and started to gently wipe at the sweat and tears on Amanda's face.

A few minutes passed and the blonde stirred, groaning while trying to shift in the big bed. Liv placed a cool hand on a burning forehead. "Shhhh, it's okay, don't try to move too much."

Amanda opened glossy eyes and met Olivia's gentle ones. "Wha..." Her throat ached but she was determined to have her say. "What happened?" It was barely a whisper but it was loud enough for Olivia to hear.

"You caught a fever from an infection in your chest. They had to rush you in for emergency surgery. They are pumping fluids and antibiotics right now but you're gonna be fine. You still have a fever but it's going down." Olivia quickly walked over to the bathroom and wet the cloth with cold water again. She gently placed it on Amanda's forehead. "How are you feeling?"

The blonde swallowed and licked dry lips. "Like I've been shot... twice." Her voice was raspy but clear.

Liv smiled a bit and continued rubbing her face with the cool cloth, slowly moving down to her neck. "Are you feeling sick to your stomach? Coming out of anaesthesia can do that."

Amanda had her eyes closed but shook her head, tilting it to the side so Olivia could reach better, groaning at the sensation. "Feels good, doesn't it?" Liv said.

Amanda just nodded, too tired to verbally answer. Normally, she hard when people fussed over her. If she had any strength in her body at all she would've brushed Liv's hands away and probably tell her to piss off, but in the state she was now in she didn't even find the strength to keep her eyes open. She had always taken care of herself and Kim. Even growing up Amanda had been the mother figure for Kim and she still was.

Kim couldn't remember their father because she was only a baby when he took off. At least that's what Amanda told her he did. The truth is that Amanda had aimed a rifle at him threatening to pull the trigger and blow his knee caps off if he didn't leave her, Kim and their mother alone. He was a horrible man, violent and angry. Her mother never forgave her for doing that. He was the one who brought in the little money that they had doing odd jobs here and there. The money was mainly spent on drugs and alcohol and that's why her mother had gotten so angry for kicking him out of the house. Now she wouldn't be able to get her fix and she physically and mentaly took it out on Amanda and Kim.

Since their was such a big age gap between the two blndes, Amanda was mature enough to raise a kid. She had no choice really. Social services was not an option. They would just split the two up and probably never see each other again. When Amanda was old enough she moved out with Kim leaving their mother to fend for herself. She had no clue, to this day, if their mother was even alive.

Groaning again Amanda turned her head towards Olivia. "Water?" the brunette barely heard the simple word but understood what she had said when she saw Amanda repeatedly tried to swallow and lick her dry cracked lips. The detective reached for a plastic cup with a straw in it. With Olivia's help Amanda took a few sips and collapsed against the pillows again, caughing slightly and whingeing from the pain.

"Shhh, easy." Olivia soothed. "Better?"

Amanda nodded and tried to focus her eyes on Olivia's face but everything seemed to be a bit blurry. The detective sighed and sat back a bit. "Amanda, I know I've asked you this already but considering the circumstances I feel the need to ask you again." She paused, giving the blonde some time to comprehend what she was about to say. "Is there anyone, at all, that I should call? What about your parents? They must be worried? What about a relative or a close friend? Anyone?"

Looking at Amanda's fever flushed face, she waited for some kind of reaction or response but the blonde only turned her head in the other direction and kept quiet.

"Amanda, please. There has to be somebody that would miss and worry about you? Come on, help me out here!"

Despite being really groggy after her surgery Amanda found some kind of strength inside of her. Turning her head back towards Olivia's caring and pleading face, she looked her straight in the eyes, her stare full of anger and hurt and her voice just the same. "I told you, detective. There is no one. Now, leave it alone." She hissed between her teeth making Olivia shudder slightly but not enough for anyone to notice. The detective just bobbed her head and decided not to push it... for now.