Chapter 15

Waiting Game

The ticking of the clock in the kitchen made Amanda more anxious. Tick tock, tick tock, like an evil reminder of the inevitable. The detective watched as the blonde paced around the living room, running her hands through her fair locks, trying to control her breathing but proven unsuccessful.

"Amanda, please! You're not making the situation any better. Just try and stay calm for your own sake." Olivia pleaded. Only twenty minutes ago her Captain informed her about the upcoming bust. A lot had happened since then. A heated conversation from Amanda's part, a shoving match, a punch in the face and an emotional breakdown.

Amanda glared at the brunette. "Do you have family, detective?"

Liv knew where this was going and she sighed but answered honestly. "The squad is my family."

The blonde snorted and shook her head. "Its not the same thing. Blood is thicker than water and there is nothing I wouldnt do for Kim. She is my family! The only family I've got left and if I dont gpobablyack there is no reason for me to be here."

Olivia's heart started to pound. She knew what Amanda ment by that. Slowly she stood up and made her way towards the pacing woman. "Please," Liv begged, "dont say that." She stopped before she got too close.

"Why not?" Amanda spun around to face Olivia that was now standing a few feet away. "If I dont have Kim I have nothing left to live for, whats the point? Why would I want to live the rest of my life all alone?" The compassion glowing in Olivia's eyes was obvious but to Amanda it was an unnecessary and annoying emotion.

Liv took a step closer but stood her ground, willing herself not to come any closer unless she knew her proximity would be accepted. "You're not alone, Amanda. Whatever happends, you've still got me. I dont know if that mean anything to you but I just want you to know that Im here and you're not alone."

Blue eyes connected with Olivia's brown ones and an awkward chuckle escaped the blonde's throat. "Yeah, right. Is that what you say to all of your victims, detective or am I suppose to feel special?"

Licking her lips, Liv sighed in frustration but also a strange feeling of proving to Amanda that what she had just said was true. A headache was forming from the blow that happened earlier and she couldnt hide the fact that she was in pain. Rubbing her temples with her fingers, she scrunched up her face in a grimace.

Watching the older woman struggle with her headache made Amanda feel guilty. She was the one who had caused her that pain and now she felt like she had to make it better. Storming off she felt Olivia's eyes follow her every move and didnt stop until she handed the detective a glass of water and a painkiller. "Im sorry again for... you know, giving you a whack." She spoke quietly. "Its unforgivable and immature and I am really truly sorry for causing you pain."

The sadness and regret in her voice was present and Olivia didnt doubt for one second that Amanda wasnt telling the truth. She accepted the water and downed the pill before finishing the whole glass, feeling the cool liquid pass through her throat, quenching her thirst. "I know you didnt mean to hit me, Amanda. It got out of control and what you did was not really you, I understand. There are no hard feelings... just painfull ones." She joked and offered the blonde a smile. "And besides, Ive had worse." All she wanted to do was to make Amanda feel better about herself and about her fist slamming into Olivia's face, almost breaking her jaw. Her smile got wider as the blonde rolled her eyes and tried not to smile.

"Well, thanks for letting me know. Next time I'll punch harder." She said unaware that she was now rubbing her knuckles to dull the slight ache that was now making itself known.

Nothing was said for a few minutes. The silence echoing through the room and a strange tension in the air appeared, the atmosphere was thick with unanswered questions, unspoken feelings and hidden desires. Amanda seemed to see everything so black and white but other times there were so many more colours between the two that it confused Olivia quite a bit. She couldnt put her finger on it but there was something mysterious and compelling about the woman standing in front of her.

They were both startled when Olivia's phone rang once again. Eyes met and the desperation and worry that was etched on Amanda's face was almost unbearable to witness. Dreading the phone call and the unknown news, she slid her finger across the screen of her iphone. "Captain?" Her voice was shaky.

"We got her, Liv. We've got Kim. She's on her way to Mercy hospital. She was unconscious when we found her but she's alive. I'll meet you by the entrence in thirty minutes and I'll take you to her."

Liv just stood there. She was relieved and afraid at the same time. Afraid of how serious Kim's condition might be and also afraid of Amanda's emotional state and reaction when she had to inform the blonde about the news. "Liv? You still there?"

Craigen's voice brought her back to the present. "Yeah, got it. Thirty minutes." She was stunned and chocked herself. To find a trafficked girl alive after such a long time was highly unusual and extremely rare. She just hoped that Kim would be awake and alert by the time they reached the hospital. She hung up and turned slightly to look at Amanda.

"They got her, Amanda. She's alive but unconscious and we're meeting my Captain at the hospital in thirty minutes." Liv watched the blonde standing rooted in place, her body ridgid and tense. Her facial expressions were hard to read until Olivia realized that she probably wasn't feeling anything at that exact moment. Shock was evident and so was relief but apart from that, Amanda's face was blank.

It felt like they stood there for ever, just looking at each other and Liv still clutching tightly to her phone, but in fact it was only for a few seconds before Amanda finally crumbled. Her knees buckled and she sank to the cold wooden floor, hands clutching at her chest and sobbing uncontrollably.

Liv watched as the petite frame collapsed a few feet away from her, heard the anguished sobs and slender fingrs grabbing at the material on her pyjama top. In two long strides she was by her side, kneeling down in front of her and engulfed the shaking woman into her strong arms, hoping she could ease some of her tension and pain. They didn't speak, just the loud sobs could be heard echoing through the house as the cries only got louder.

Olivia felt the distraught woman clinging onto her and she was relieved that the physical touch was welcomed and not pushed away. A few minutes past by before Olivia finally untangled herself from a still crying Amanda. She brushed blonde bangs away from bloodshot blue eyes and wiped at the tears. "Come on, I'll find you something to wear and then we'll go, okay? I think I might be able to find something that would fit you." She helped Amanda to her feet and walked her into her bedroom.

"Have a seat on the bed and I'll find you something." Amanda hadn't said a word since the phone call. Her head was buzzing with thoughts, feelings and emotions that was too overwhelming at the moment. She wished she could just shut it off and not think or feel anything but that was humanly impossible.

True to his words, Craigen was waiting anxiously by the entrence but trying to keep a proffesional and calm face. When he saw Amanda being supported by one of his best detective's, his heart stung. As they got closer he could see the physical state of the blonde and it didn't look good. Olivia had been right when she had suggested to discharge her from the hospital. Amanda did look a mess, physically and emotionally, and he hoped that she was ready to see her long lost sister lying unconscious in a hospital bed with tubes and wires attached to her malnourished body. He was glad that she had Olivia to lean on for the moment.

"Where is she?" Amanda asked, her voice thick and hoarse from all the crying, tears still prickling her eyes and Olivia was firmly holding onto her arm.

Craigen nodded his salute to his detective. "Follow me." He said.

Amanda couldn't get there fast enough. She tried to take bigger steps but the pain in her chest made it extremely difficult. Liv wanted to slow her down but decided against it, thinking it would be useless to even try. She knew that Amanda wouldn't rest until she was safely situated by Kim's side.

The Captain stopped outside a closed door, turned towards the two women and was just about to inform Amanda about all the machies, tubes and wires that her sister was hooked up to, but never got a chance before the blonde burst into the room, her heart beating furiously.

The girl on the bed was a dublicate of Amanda, only a younger version. She was skinny, pale and bruised. Her head was wrapped in a white bandage and light blonde hair spread freely over her shoulders, making her look almost angelic. This was not the Kim Amanda remembered. This was only a shell of what she use to know. This was not her sister. Although, she was.