Melinda enters the morgue early on Monday morning. She has yet to receive a call about homicide, or any other untimely, or suspicious deaths. She pushes open the double doors, and enters the morgue. She flips on the light, and finds a familiar face on her exam table. Olivia sits on the edge of the cold, stainless steel table. Her brown eyes seem dark, and heavy with worry as the medical examiner tries to regain her composure.
"You know the last thing that I want to find on that table early on a Monday morning, is a live body," Melinda begins the conversation.
"I am hiding."
"From the living?"
"From my partner. In all honesty I am basically hiding from my entire squad," she explains as she vacates her seat on the exam table, and moves to her feet.
"Why?"
"All the looks, and the questions, I just don't want to deal with any of it right now."
"Liv, how long have you been back?"
"A month," she admits.
"You have to deal with the looks, and the questions eventually."
"I am not ready to deal with any of this. I came in this morning, and I questioned whether I should be here at all. I think that I came back too soon."
"So take some time off."
"Work is the only thing that keeps me from going back down the rabbit hole."
"You think that I can help you?"
"I wake up sometimes, and I wonder what I am doing here. Why am I still here? I should be..."
"I don't want you on my table," Melinda points out.
"I know."
"Olivia I am not sure how I can help you."
"I don't know how to do this."
"I can't answer that for you."
"Fin won't stop hounding me."
"I know. He has tried to get me to tell him what is going on with you, and I won't."
"I appreciate that."
"But you should. He isn't the only one that you should tell."
Olivia blinks away tears, "I don't want to tell anyone, ever."
"That is unreasonable," Melinda calls her out.
"None of this is fair."
"I know."
"I was locked up in a basement for six months, I should be thankful just for being alive, and yet somehow, I can't find a single reason to be grateful."
"Olivia I am not the person that you need to be talking you."
Olivia groans, "Save me the lecture about seeking professional help. I have heard it."
"So why won't you listen?"
"There are some things that should never leave that room," Olivia answers.
"If you are ever going to get through this you have to talk to someone. You have to deal with this."
"All I want to do is find them, and put them in the ground."
"Olivia a lust for revenge will eat you alive."
"What do I do?"
"Start telling the truth. Maybe you should start with admitting it to yourself."
Olivia leaves the morgue, and heads to the squad room. She gets off the elevator, and makes a beeline for her Captain's office. She knocks on the already open door. He looks up from his desk, and motions her into the room. She steps inside the office, and close the door behind her.
"Something you want to talk about?"
"Yes," she nods.
"Do you want to have a seat?" he gesticulates.
"No."
"What's on your mind?"
"I need a few days. I thought that I was ready to be back, but I'm not. I need to sort through some things before I can be here. I only want to be here if I can help someone, and I don't feel like I can help anyone right now."
"Okay," he agrees, "Take as much time as you need."
"I just need a couple of days."
"Olivia don't push yourself too hard. Take your time, and ease back into things. Okay?"
"You know that has never been my style."
"I know that you have lived for your job, and that the job has taken more things from you than you ever anticipated."
"I am going to go home, now."
"Call me if you need anything, and I mean anything."
"Okay," she agrees.
After work Nick stops by Olivia's apartment. He knocks on the door, half expecting her not to answer. After a few seconds the door comes open, and she appears in the doorway. She tilts her head, and gives him a questioning glance. She's traded her work clothes for pajamas despite the fact that it is barely eight o'clock.
She is the first to speak, "Nick, what are you doing here?"
"Can I come in?"
She nods, and steps aside, allowing him to enter the apartment. She closes the door behind him. He looks around.
"I really like the new place."
"That isn't why you're here, is it?"
His eyes meet hers, "No."
"So why are you here?"
"Because you are my partner, and I am worried sick about you. You were imprisoned in a living hell for six months, and despite the fact that you are standing right here in front of me, I feel like my partner is still missing. Physically you're here, but..."
"Nick, I don't know if things can ever be the same. I don't know if I am ever going to be the same person."
"I can accept that, but I won't accept you pushing me away. I am not going anywhere. I am just as stubborn as you are, and I'm not going to let you shut me out."
"Nick, please."
"I am your partner. I need you to trust me."
"I do trust you."
"Prove it."
"You were my first call," she reminds him.
"Olivia whatever it is that has been going on in your mind these past weeks, I want to know. Tell me, please," he begs.