(evil laughter pierces silence) Mwhaha! Another new story! Yes, I know. Most of you are rolling your eyes and thinking, This chick is crazy. She needs to work on her other stories. And believe me, I've been getting that from my muse a lot lately. But oh well. It's her fault anyways. Yes, so blame everything that happens in this story on her! MWHAHA! And this is also my... Drumroll, please Confused! (Confused does drumroll) my 75th story! Woo hoo! Cookies for every bunny that reviews! Anyways, please don't forget to review, bunnies! I love hearing from ya'll!
Disclaimer: They're coming to take me away, ha ha! They're coming to take me away, ha ha to the funny farm where life beautiful all the time and I'll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats and they're coming to take me away, ha ha! Oh, you're actually reading this? In that case, they ain't mine!
This chapter is for, or can be blamed on, Confused, cause she and I had a morbid discussion about the catastrophic possible events that could result if one of the main actors of SVU or CI were to die. So, yeah... (points at Confused) Blame her.
For the tenth time that morning, Alex Eames sighed and looked over at her partner's desk, which still remained suspiciously empty. Bobby Goren never missed work, and when he did, he always called her to let her know that he wouldn't be in. Something was terribly wrong, and she could feel it settling in her stomach like a rock. Finally, around ten o'clock, she grabbed her jacket and walked into Deakin's office, knocking briefly before walking inside.
Deakins looked up in surprise as Alex walked in, and he laid his pen on his desk and said, "Alex, what's wrong?"
"Bobby's not here," she blurted out. "I know I'm probably being paranoid, but he never misses work without calling me. I can't help but feel something's wrong."
Deakins could see the fear and panic in her eyes, and he knew that she was right. Bobby Goren would never not show up for work without letting her know. Something was definitely amiss. Leaning forward with his elbows on his desk, he looked at her and asked, "And you've tried calling him?"
She nodded and said, "I called his cell and his house phone. He didn't answer either of them."
He could feel the worry and concern rolling off of her petite frame in waves, and he came to a conclusion. "Okay, Alex. Go up to his apartment and check on him, just to make sure he's okay. And when you see that he is, kick his butt for not calling in, okay?" A brief smile lit up her face in response, and she mumbled a thank you before walking back out of the office. Stopping at her desk, she grabbed a few things before heading out of the building, and into the parking lot. She tossed the items into the back of the car, then climbed into the driver's side and pulled out of the parking lot, aiming her car in the direction of Bobby's apartment.
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As soon as she pulled into the parking lot of Bobby's apartment, Alex snatched the keys out of the ignition and darted up to the building, stepping inside and quickly going to the elevators. The feeling of fear increased nearly tenfold when she reached his door and knocked loudly, but received no response. With trembling hands, Alex found the spare key to his apartment and shoved it into the lock, unable to contain a sigh of relief as the tumblers clicked and the door opened.
The apartment was dark and completely silent as she slipped inside, and something inside her had her going immediately to his bedroom. But what she saw next made her gasp audibly and her heart skip a beat.
Bobby was lying on the floor beside his bed, his blankets twisted around his body. "Oh God, no," Alex whimpered as she threw herself onto the floor beside him so fast that she felt her knees burn. With extreme care, she lifted his head into her lap and gently placed her fingers over his neck, feeling for a pulse. His pulse was weak and thready, and she let out a breath that she didn't know she had been holding.
"Hold on, sweetheart," she murmured as she grabbed her cell phone from her back pocket and quickly dialed 991. She had to calm herself down several times as she attempted to give the dispatcher Bobby's address, and when she finally did, she threw the phone down and looked at Bobby's pale face. She realized that she needed to get him off of the floor, and looking up at the bed, she made her decision. With strength she didn't know she possessed, she managed to lift the upper half of his body onto the bed.
Then she rose to her feet and gently pulled his legs up onto the bed, wiping the sweat from her forehead. He didn't move at all, and she sat on the edge of the bed and held her fingertips to his neck. As she did, she began to feel strange, and suddenly her head started pounding. She closed her eyes, then reopened them and attempted to focus on her partner, but her vision was blurring rapidly.
"God, what's wrong?" she tried to say, but all that came out was garbled nonsense. Her head swam, and she heard someone come into the apartment before she slumped over her partner's body. She tried to yell, to let someone know where they were, but her mouth wouldn't cooperate, and the foggy haze was rapidly descending over her senses. The last thing she heard before she completely lost her grip on consciousness was a man shouting about two bodies in the bedroom. Then she gave into the looming darkness.
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Mike and Carolyn sat in the small waiting room, the silence thick as she gripped his hand for comfort and reassurance. His other hand rested on her stomach, and he sighed as she laid her head on his shoulder.
"Car, please let me take you home," he pleaded again. "You don't need all this extra stress. It's not good for the baby." She shook her head and squeezed his hand, lacing her fingers through his.
"Mike, I'm not going anywhere until I know-" She stopped suddenly, and he whipped his head around to look at her, his eyes wide with worry.
"Carolyn? What's wrong?" he demanded, and she raised her face to his and smiled, although he could see the fear in her eyes.
"Mike? I think it's time," she murmured, running her hand over her large stomach. His jaw dropped, and he froze before releasing her hand and jumping out of his seat, sprinting to the nurse's desk.
"I need a wheelchair!" he gasped at the nurse, who tilted her head and looked him up and down. "I'm having- my girlfriend's having my baby!" he shouted, and a look of understanding dawned on the nurse's face before she quickly grabbed a wheelchair and followed Mike to the waiting room where Carolyn sat.
He quickly lifted her into his arms and gently placed her in the chair, earning him a scathing look. "I'm pregnant, Mike, not paralyzed," she growled. "I can still walk." He just shook his head and followed the nurse as she wheeled Carolyn's chair down to Maternity.
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Deakins was sitting in a stiff chair beside her bed, a book in his lap, when she began to stir. Immediately he put the book aside and rose to his feet, laying one hand gently on her shoulder. A soft moan escaped her lips, and he gently smoothed back her matted hair, murmuring softly to her.
"It's okay, Alex. You're safe now," he spoke gently, but as her eyes fluttered open, he could see the stark fear in them. He was far from surprised as the first word she could manage passed her lips.
"Bobby?"
He smiled a little at his detective, even though he knew that the doctor's prognosis of her partner had not been a pleasant one. "How are you feeling, Detective?" he asked quietly, and she groaned again and closed her eyes.
This time when she spoke, her voice was stronger. "Where's Bobby? Is he okay?" Deakins ran his hand over his face and sighed, and the motion didn't escape Alex. "Cap, where is he? Where's my partner?" she demanded again, and he could detect the fear creeping into her voice. He exhaled deeply and sat in the chair, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees.
"Alex, I don't know how to tell you this-"
"Tell me what?" she whispered tearfully, her heart already tearing into shreds.
"I just spoke with Bobby's doctor. He's not doing very well, Alex. You need to prepare yourself for that," he said quietly, but firmly.
"What happened to him?"
"You were both exposed to carbon monoxide," he explained, and she nodded a little. "He was exposed much longer than you, which is why you came around so quickly. The paramedics got there just a few minutes after you made the call."
She bit her lip and looked out the window, and Deakins ran his hand through his silver hair. He was battling internally with himself over whether or not to tell her exactly how her partner was. On the one hand, she had a right to know, and keeping the truth from her would only serve to hurt her. But on the other, telling her his condition could possibly send her into a panic attack, or worse. If she couldn't handle it, she might have to be sedated. He weighed both sides carefully.
"I can handle it," she stated softly, interrupting his train of thought and startling him a little. "Whatever it is, you have to tell me." He looked at her determined features, realizing that he couldn't hide the truth of her partner's condition from her.
Rising to his feet, he extended his hand out to Alex and waited for her to accept it, which she did without hesitation. He helped her to her feet, then draped his coat over her slender frame and guided her out of her room. "Where are we going?" she asked softly, her hopes rising steadily.
He looked down at her hopeful expression, then wrapped his arm around her and drew her close, saying softly, "To see your partner."
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Dressed in light blue scrubs, Mike stood beside Carolyn's bed and held her hand, hiding his pain whenever a contraction hit her and she nearly broke his hand with her vice like grip. As another contraction ended, Carolyn fell back against the pillows and breathed heavily, and Mike leaned over and smoothed her hair back, kissing her sweaty forehead. "You're doing good, baby doll," he murmured, and she glared at him.
"Shut up, Logan," she growled through gritted teeth as another contraction made her bear down, and he rubbed her back gently. She let out a scream, and Dr. Hayes looked up from her seat at the end of the bed.
"Okay, Miss Barek. You're fully dilated. When I say so, I'm gonna need you to push down as hard as you can, okay?" Carolyn nodded wordlessly, and Mike's eyes widened in anticipation.
"Okay, push!" Hayes ordered, and Carolyn nearly doubled over as she did what Hayes told her to. "The baby is crowning… Dad, do you want to come down here?" Hayes asked Mike with a grin, and he nearly said no, but the look on Carolyn's face changed his mind.
"Go, Mike," she urged softly, and he kissed her forehead before releasing her hand to walk down to the end of the bed, where Hayes was sitting on a stool.
"Okay, here we go. One more big push ought to do it," Hayes stated, and Mike visibly paled as he watched his child enter the world.
Carolyn heard a dull thud, then the beautiful sounds of her child's first cries, and tears flooded down her cheeks. "Mike, how's the baby?" she asked tiredly, and she was surprised when Dr. Hayes said, "Uh, Carolyn? I think Dad just fainted." A few moments later, Dr. Hayes placed a tiny pink bundle in Carolyn's arms, then motioned behind herself and said, "I think I should go check on him."
Carolyn nodded, then looked down at her daughter for the first time, and more tears spilled from her eyes. Her eyes opened, and Carolyn stared into a pair of dark brown eyes that were identical to her own. From beneath her tiny pink hat, she could see dark brown curls, and she smiled, then looked down towards the foot of the bed. "Is he okay, Dr. Hayes?" she asked, her lips curling into another grin.
Hayes looked up at her with an amused smirk, then said, "He's got a nasty bump, but he'll be fine." A groan from Mike interrupted her, and Carolyn couldn't help but laugh at the sour expression on his face as he rose unsteadily to his feet.
Hayes smiled at her, then patted Mike's shoulder sympathetically before saying, "I'll leave you three alone for a little while. I'll be back later to weigh her and take her to our nursery for a little bit." Carolyn nodded at her, and once she was gone, she looked at her partner.
"Come meet your daughter, Mike," Carolyn urged softly, and he walked around to the head of the bed. She moved over a little, and he raised himself onto the bed beside her, tucking his arm around her and looking at the tiny, snuffling bundle cradled in her arms.
"Careful," she said quietly as she tenderly laid their daughter in his arms for the first time. She gurgled softly, and he smiled, then gently kissed Carolyn's lips. She sighed contently and laid her head on his shoulder, then closed her eyes and breathed deeply.
Mike nudged his partner gently, and when she opened her eyes, he said, "We still need a name for this little tyke."
She thought for a moment, then said, "I like Riley."
"And I like Brianna," he added. Looking thoughtful, he suggested, "What about Brianna Riley?"
Carolyn smiled and snuggled into Mike's side, then touched her daughter's tiny forehead and cooed, "Welcome to the world, Brianna Riley Logan. I'm your Mommy."
"And I'm your Daddy," he smiled softly, touching her tiny hand. Carolyn sighed happily and laid her head on Mike's shoulder again, and Mike watched her drift off into a restful sleep before climbing off of the bed and walking around the room with his daughter cradled safely in his arms.
"I love you, little girl," he murmured quietly as his daughter looked up at him with big brown eyes. "You and your mom are my entire world. I don't know what I'd do without you two."
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Deakins watched from the door as Alex slipped across the hard floor, her breath quickening with every step she took. She kept her eyes glued to the floor until she reached his bed, and she raised her head a little and took his hand. Then, taking a deep breath, she raised her head completely and took in the sight of her partner.
No amount of talking could have prepared her for the shock that attacked her system as she laid eyes on her partner, her best friend. He looked somewhat peaceful, but the tube that was in his mouth and snaked around the bed made vomit rise in her throat, the acid burning her tongue. She sank down into the chair that was beside his bed, and she laid her head on his arm, shuddering as the tears flowed down her cheeks and onto his skin.
Deakins watched the scene from his position at the door. He knew that there would be no removing Alex from Bobby's side, so he quietly left the room to get a cup of coffee, leaving the two alone in the quiet room.
On his way to the cafeteria, Deakins passed the maternity ward, and was surprised to see Mike standing in front of the large observation window of the nursery. He walked up to his detective and gently grasped his shoulder, saying, "I miss something?"
Mike turned to him and smiled, then said, "Carolyn went into labor. She had the baby about a half hour ago."
"What did she give you?" he asked with a grin, and Mike smiled and pointed into the window.
"A healthy, beautiful little girl," he murmured, his voice full of pride.
A nurse walked into the nursery and picked up Brianna, and Mike gently tapped on the window. Yours? the nurse mouthed, and he nodded and grinned widely. She picked up a bottle, then walked out of the nursery and up to Mike and Deakins, placing the newborn in Mike's arms.
"Here you go," the nurse said as she adjusted his arm and gave him the bottle. Mike smiled nervously and carefully held the bottle to his daughter's lips, but his nervousness faded as she gladly latched onto the bottle and began to feed. Satisfied that the father and daughter were fine, the nurse gave the three another big smile, then disappeared back into the nursery.
Mike looked up at Deakins with a look of pure amazement on his face, and the older man smiled and patted his shoulder with fatherly affection. "She's beautiful, Mike," he agreed, and Mike grinned.
"That's all her mother, thank God," he laughed.
Deakins looked at him for a second, then said, "Come on, Mike. I want to go see how the new mom is doing." Mike nodded and led him down the hallway, towards Carolyn's room.
TBC...
A/N: Okay, that's chapter one, folks! Now, please review while I try to reach my goal of 100 stories, and TOTAL WORLD DOMINATION!! MWAHAHAHA! Or total fanfic domination... (shrugs shoulders) Ya know, whichever...