So be kind, been a while since I've written anything. This is not at all related to my story " I'll give you a Kidney" but I am hoping it is better. I wanted to write one where Elliot had an intact family; as much as I like Elliot and Olivia together. Let me know what you think :)
As always I own nothing, this is a hobby I do for fun, all charactors belong to their creators and writers.
Often she found herself at her desk, looking across at her old partner's. She missed him, they had been a team for twelve years; good and bad. Even though she trusted her new partner and worked with him; it just wasn't the same.
Olivia was forcing herself to focus, she had paperwork for the last week to do. It had been a busy month and getting caught up had been impossible; she was finally close.
" Benson." Olivia turned, the Captain had his head stuck out the door. " My office."
Sighing she pulled herself out of the chair; an hour before she could leave for the weekend. IT had been a long day and she was ready to go home. As the door shut behind her curiosity flickered; all their cases had been fairly straightforward.
" Sit down Olivia, I need to talk to you about something." Cragen told her, rounding his desk and sitting; she did the same.
" What is all this about?" She shifted in her seat.
" There is something I should have, and meant to tell you a while ago. It was a miss-communication. I was supposed to pass this along but I assumed he was going to talk to you." Cragen seemed focused on something on his desk; frustration rose in side of her.
" What is it?"
" Elliot's son is sick, Eli has been diagnosed with a rare illness; he has gotten a lot worse. He is in the ICU at Mercy General. Elliot called me last week and I told him I would pass it on; he has been more or less at the hospital. It doesn't sound like he is going to make it, I'm sorry Olivia; if you need time." HE met her eyes and she knew he was.
" Its okay, mind if I bail out and slip over there? I have the weekend, I'll let you know if I need more." She kept her voice much calmer than she felt. He nodded, she stood and walked out, stopping only to grab her coat; her mind was racing.
Eli Stabler was three, a precious little boy. His older siblings adored him and he had helped his parents mend their relationship. He was a child discovering his world, it wasn't fair if he was sick. Some where inside her auto pilot kicked in , finding a parking spot and wandering through the hospital was automatic; she had done it enough times.
She wandered through to paediatric side of the ICU, stopped by the glass; blocking her entry Wandering down she found a window looking in to a curtained room; a tiny boy lay pale and still in a huge bed. His sisters on either side, holding his hands; her fingers glanced off the glass. She wanted to go wrap all three of them in her arms, especially Maureen and Kathleen; they didn't deserve this. Their family had been through enough.
" Olivia?" A voice behind her made her pivot.
"Kathy, I'm so sorry." She stuttered, the slight woman stepped closer and collapsed against her; crushing her in a hug.
For a moment Olivia just held her, struck that Kathy was in scrubs; she was still working She felt fairly sure her partner's wife had lost weight too.
" We didn't think you were going to come. El called Cragen last week; we didn't know if he would hang on or not."
" I know, I'm sorry; it was a communication error. What happened?"
" Three months ago he had flu like symptoms and it just got worse from there. His immune system has given up The doctors aren't sure they can do much more. Its been hardest on El, he doesn't want to loose his baby. He matches but cant help him because its heredity." Kathy's grip tightened for a moment and then released her slowly.
Suddenly it clicked in her head, the baby needed something. Nodding silently she looked at the child in the bed. A tiny version of her old partner. He was three, the little boy deserved a life; outside of a hospital bed. He had a family that adored him, that had suffered enough. Kathy disappeared down the hall but she stood and watched for a while.
The little boy was thin and frail, not the energetic healthy boy she had seen when she went over for his birthday; before Elliot had left the squad.
Olivia felt a hand on her arm, turning a older nurse stood at her side. The hand shifted to the centre of her back.
" Sad isn't it? I take it you know the family?" The older woman spoke softly, her tone almost motherly.
" Yeah it is, I've worked with his dad for years." Olivia murmured.
" I mentored Kathy when she first started here. They were so excited when he came alone; especially with that delivery. I don't want to watch her lose this kid, I've seen it before but not this time."
" What is happening, can.." She broke off , afraid to ask. " Can anything help him?"
" Have time to chat? I'm due for a break anyway." The woman started to lead her away, expecting the answer. They ended up tucked in a corner of the hospital cafeteria.
" This stays between us, I'm just sick of taking care of dying kids. I know its part of the job but I've been on the job a long time. You only see this once in a blue moon; we had a kid with the same condition a few years ago.
It is a condition that is inherited, could come from either side of the family; and clearly can effect only one child. Its an error in the make up of the immune system The body doesn't recognize its own cell. There are non-specific and specific immunity, some are constantly in the blood stream which sets the tone but can do only a little damage. When the body is fighting an infection more cells are made in reaction and that starts the problem.
The body kills the cells meant to kill the infection, sometimes as it kills its own cells it mutates; these cells don't recognize their own DNA. His immune system has now shut down but it is almost like a tumour now; those cells don't align with the other cells in his body and they can multiply quickly; that is the speciality of the immune system.
His body hasn't dealt with the infection and its has taken over; it will be harder to to deal with now But also after that to right his immune system." Ruth explained, cradling a cup of coffee.
" So for treatment what can be done to help him? Will antibiotics do anything, or blood transfusions?" Olivia asked, her own coffee almost finished; her day had already been long and now she just wished it had never started.
" Possibly, the doctor found a successful one down south where the kid accepted another person's tissues and fluid to fight the infection; the other DNA took over in his immune system. Now he has two strands of DNA and will have to stay on a type of immune-suppressants; but he will live. There is just a long term commitment of the donor; it was an adopted cousin who committed." The woman shrugged seeming unsure.
" It worked then? What is the commitment then?" Olivia perked at the possibility.
" Yes but it was a long slow process; not pleasant at all. Then any time the kid gets sick and his weak immune system starts to work but the donor goes in and supplements it as his body activates the new system and adjusts.
Over time the body adjusts, which it is good at and eventually when there is an infection his body will produce antibodies. They will have a different strain of DNA but will be effective; it will just take time for his body to do this. It may be years before it can respond independently." Ruth replied, her tone frustrated.
" How long? Five, ten years?" Ruth just shrugged. " Correct me if I'm wrong but he is a match to his father?" She got a nod. " If a person was a match to him what are the likely hoods of matching to Eli?" Her hand tightened around her cup.
" Very good if they match Elliot or Kathleen. It is a shame the family can't donate in this case; his dad would have in a heart beat."
" I have the same blood type as Elliot. Would they consider me? I have ties to the family, I was Elliot's partner for twelve years and was there when Eli was born." Olivia asked quietly, the woman's stunned look answered her.
" Yes you likely would. And you would consider being his donor? It isn't a straight up organ transplant, I mean the doctor will go over you with a similar intake exam but it gets complicated. A lot of things could rule you out." Ruth's eyes had lit up.
" I want to try at the very least." Olivia answered,trying to keep her voice calm as her heart raced; she never had that much to do with doctors.
" You need to talk to Dr Miller, Sonya. She will be able to intake you as a donor and explain treatment goals." Ruth stood and Olivia followed suit.
They wove their way through the hospital into a section of offices. Ruth stopped outside a door and the turned on her heel; Olivia knocked.
Let me know if you want me to keep going on this one