A Protector's Love [Benson and Carisi]

{Three}

After a rough Friendsgiving, everyone started to clean up the mess they had made. Olivia had calmed a bit, but not as much as she was wishing she had. She kept feeling like someone was watching her as she put away the dishes that Casey and Alex had scrubbed and rinsed.

"You can go home now if you had wanted. We are all set here." Alex spoke, as she saw as Olivia stared off into the distance. Olivia blinked a few times before shaking her head.

"I think that I'm going to stay here... maybe see if Kathy and El will let me crash on the couch. I'm a little overwhelmed still. It's like I'm not in my own body." Olivia frowned deeply.

"Well, then take this tea to Kathy and ask then. We are going to take a cab back to the building soon. So if you change your mind, tell us before we leave." Alex spoke, and Olivia nodded.

"Will do... Mom." Olivia grumbled. She was hoping that if she kept her sass levels high, that her friends would start thinking that she was settling and not as upset about the robbery as she had been earlier.

Olivia carried the cup of tea into the living room to where Kathy was sitting and talking with Dominick. Olivia rolled her eyes as she sat beside Kathy before passing her the cup.

"Kath?" Olivia asked, and Kathy smiled at Olivia and nodded.

"Yeah?"

"Can I stay over tonight... I'm too tired to catch a cab and go home." Olivia spoke because she felt Dominick staring at her again. She knew that he had been the one watching her as she put away dishes because he seemed to not be able to take his eyes off of her.

"If it's because you are scared of being alone or like going into a dark apartment, I can take you home." Dominick offered, and Olivia shot him a nasty look.

"I don't need you to 'protect' me. So leave me alone and I'll just go home." Olivia hissed, before moving from the couch and to gather her items before leaving.

***

Olivia sat on the edge of her bed as it started to storm outside. She was in tears as she rocked back and forth as the rain hit the window hard.

"I'm okay," Olivia whispered as she closed her eyes to try and prevent the shadows from scaring her. Everything terrified her, even if before nothing seemed to bother her. She wasn't even close to okay. She would have actually stayed with Elliot and Kathy if it hadn't been for her wanting to prove a point to Dominick and his need to protect her.

A loud clap of thunder sounded and it was like the whole apartment building shook. Olivia jumped and let out a cry before quickly scrambling under the sheets. She covered her head up before starting to sob.

"I'm not okay. I'm really not okay. Why was I so stupid..." Olivia whimpered, before hearing more thunder. Olivia left her bed before running and pulling some pants on and grabbed her jacket because she realized more than ever before that she needed to get back to a place where people were.

Either she needed to be with Casey and Alex, or Kathy and Elliot. But as she ran from her apartment and hastily locked the door. She stopped by the stairs before gnawing on her bottom lip. She didn't want to go and bother Alex and Casey after they worked hard to help Kathy get dinner ready, so she opted to head back to Elliot and Kathy's apartment.

"Olivia!" Someone called as Olivia ran down the steps of the building and towards her car. It was older than she was, and she was praying that it would start so she could get somewhere where she wasn't dwelling on what had happened. On how scared she had actually been when the man pulled the gun and was possibly going to kill someone. Her luck, it would have been her.

"Who is it?" Olivia yelled over the rain. She was soaked by this point.

"Kathy asked me to drive by and make sure you were okay. Why are you out in the rain?" The man called back before he got close enough to Olivia that she could tell that it was Dominick.

"Aren't you scared? Because I'm terrified!" Olivia cried as she looked at him.

"About?" Dominick replied back as he walked to Olivia and put his umbrella over her head, even if it wouldn't help at all.

"About everything. Like, what if he would have seen us run away? We would have been dead! You almost got me killed and it doesn't seem to bother you at all!" Olivia cried as she stepped out of the dry space that the umbrella created, before walking towards her car.

"I didn't want to kill you, Olivia! I saw you and the first thing I wanted to do was save you because something was screaming at me that you were special! So special! Now, please just let's go back inside. I'll sit up with you!" Dominick exclaimed as he grabbed Olivia's arm and turned her towards him. He closed his umbrella before moving closer to Olivia.

"I don't need to be babysat! I'm a grown woman!" Olivia cried.

"Even adults get scared and need someone! So please, Olivia, let me help you!" Dominick exclaimed as Olivia stepped forward and hugged his waist tightly, as her sobs mixed with the sounds of thunder and lots of rain.

"Please stay." Olivia whimpered into Dominick's chest. He could barely hear her, but he nodded.

"Let's go inside."

***

Dominick dried off after Olivia did, and he sank down onto the edge of her bed as she stayed bundled up underneath the sheets with a hot water bottle by her feet.

"How are you feeling?" Dominick asked as Olivia wiped a raindrop from her forehead.

"Exhausted." Olivia breathed. Dominick nodded before smiling softly.

"Close your eyes and get some rest. I'll be sitting here prepared to help you whenever you need me too. Not as someone trying to protect you. Instead as a friend."

"Even after I was a complete bitch to you?" Olivia questioned.

"Most of my friendships start out like that." Dominick laughed as Olivia slid under the sheets and started to close her eyes.

"Thanks, Sonny." She yawned.

"Any time, Liv."

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