Olivia stood in a daze outside the hospital room where her partner and his wife were. She watched Elliot meet his son for what seemed like an eternity. In comparison to the noise and the chaos of getting Kathy through delivery, she was glad to observe in silence.
Elliot emerged an undeterminable time later, veins throbbing in his neck and forehead. His face was still red, his eyes threatening to spill tears as he laid eyes on his partner. The only thing nearly or as precious as his wife and all his children. He forced a smile which earned a tired one from her.
He could still see the afterbirth smeared on Olivia's neck and shirt. As usual, what would he ever do without her? He had never missed his wife's birth before but Olivia was the next best thing to be there.
"How's the baby?" Olivia drawled after a long while. He smiled, a little less tense.
"Great." He fought the emotions bubbling in his chest. Kathy, the new baby, Olivia- They we're all making him sappy. He grinned and cut around his partner before turning and crushing her to him in a desperate embrace. She smelled like his child and how she always did. He squeezed his eyes shut, forcing his tears back.
The tension flowed out of Olivia's body. She didn't know how much she needed that. A hug from Elliot. She let the emotions hit her in waves, so glad everything had worked out.
"Thanks-" Elliot shuddered into her, pulling apart and staring into her beautiful, flushed face. She smiled up at him and they began walking in unison.
"So," Olivia began in a husky voice. "Pick a name?"
Elliot wiped at his face and smiled. "Well, Kathy wants to name him after me." Olivia's smile widened.
"Just what the world needs, another Elliot Stabler." He stole a sidelong glance at her, and noticed she stumbled just a bit into the wall, just catching herself. He frowned.
"You get checked out? You're a little banged up." He asked, worry seeping into his voice. Olivia smiled and waved her hand.
"I'm fine the car t-boned us on Kathy's side-" Elliot frowned, grabbing her chin delicately with his large hand. Olivia sighed, her body electrified by the contact.
Elliot eyed the smallest dribble under her nose, mostly clear with streaks of red. 'Could be brain fluids, concussion.' He thought.
"El, I'm fine just a little sleepy-" Her eyes fluttered suddenly causing Elliot's heart to jump into his throat.
"Hey!" He snapped as Olivia buckled in his arms. He caught her in one arm with relative ease. Her head lolled backwards as she went limp, Elliot following her to the cold, linoleum floor. "Help! Doctor! I need a doctor over here!" He screamed, laying Olivia's head in his lap.
"Olivia? Liv? Open your eyes, sweetheart. Livia?"
The cold, fluorescent lights stung Olivia's brown eyes as she opened them, scared when she felt the stiff hospital gown on her body instead of her clothes. She groaned, starting to sit up.
Elliot switched some of the lights off and came to her side. "You got a mean concussion, I'm sure these lights are bothering you."
"Elliot." He was smiling at her but his smile was pulled tight.
"My formerly pregnant wife was not happy to hear you never got checked out and passed out in the waiting room." Olivia burned sheepishly under her partner's knowing stare.
"El, Kathy's situation was way more serious-"
"And what if I took you home, you went upstairs to bed, went to sleep and never woke up?" Suddenly Olivia felt like one of Elliot's children being scolded.
"I'm sorry. I was just worried about getting Kathy and your baby here in one piece, I-"
"You don't get it, do you?" Olivia was used to it and often embraced Elliot's intensity. But right now it was wearing her out. "You really think you're not as important to me as my wife and that baby."
"Elliot-"
"Just take care of yourself. It wasn't an option for something to happen to any of you." Olivia nodded, too tired to keep arguing with the hot head.
"Now I'm gonna go see me kid, and then I'm gonna talk to the other driver involved in this accident." He smiled wide.
"Elliot..." Olivia said in a warning tone.
"I'm just gonna talk."