Elliot was startled awake by his phone ringing from his nightstand. He answered it immediately, not minding the Caller ID. "Hello," he said in a groggy tone.
"Elliot. I thought you said Eli was on his way home?" Kathy said from the other end of the line. "You know I hate it when you..."
"What are you talking about Kathy?" he cut her off looking at the alarm clock. "Olivia left over two hours ago."
"Well, they haven't made it here yet, Elliot," Kathy snarled back at him.
"Kathy, something's wrong. I'll call you back," Elliot said hanging up on his bitter ex-wife.
He attempted many times to contact Olivia, each time her phone going straight to voicemail. After the seventh call, he received an incoming call. Cragen.
"Hello," Elliot nearly shouted into the phone.
"Elliot. There's been an accident. Olivia and Eli are at Mercy in Queens," Cragen said into his phone urgently.
"I'll be right there," Elliot said jolting from his bed and throwing on a pair of sweatpants with a hooded sweatshirt and tennis shoes. He grabbed Olivia's keys as he ran from the apartment towards her car parked in front of the building.
He called Kathy on the way as he sporadically drove to Mercy Medical in Queens. The drive normally took thirty minutes, but he made it in less than twenty. When he arrived, he saw Cragen waiting for him outside of the hospital. "What happened, Don?" Elliot asked immediately.
"An elderly man was driving his SUV in the wrong lane, crashed into Olivia head on. She's unresponsive, Elliot," Cragen paused. "But Eli is okay. He's got a lot of bruising and cuts along with a broken arm, but he will be fine."
"What about the baby?" Elliot asked terrified to hear Cragen's answer.
"I don't know, Elliot," he admitted. "They are still trying to stabilize her. She's had a traumatic brain injury."
The two men walked into the waiting area outside of where Olivia was being treated. Kathy had arrived shortly after Elliot and he quickly went with her to visit Eli before returning to sit with Cragen in the waiting room. Elliot felt so helpless just sitting there while his wife and unborn child were at the mercy of the doctors and nurses.
The minutes turned to hours and finally a doctor emerged from the operating room to speak with them. "Mr. Stabler?" the doctor asked walking towards Elliot.
"Yes," Elliot blurted out immediately.
"I'm Dr. Clark. I've been with Olivia since she was brought into the Trauma Unit. She has suffered a minor skull fracture along with many contusions and lacerations. I don't think she will have any lasting nerve damage, but it's touch and go right now. We've finally stablized her but she hasn't woken up yet."
"What.. what do you mean she hasn't woken up yet?" Elliot asked with furrowed brows.
"Mr. Stabler, your wife is currently in a coma," Dr. Clark said to Elliot.
"Get her out of it! Make her better," Elliot began ranting as a tear fell down his cheek.
"Elliot, calm down," Cragen said walking towards Elliot. "Doc, what about the baby?"
"The baby is still alive. Her heart rate is strong and miraculously, she seems to be doing fine. You have one strong daughter, Mr. Stabler. I don't understand how she survived the accident," Dr. Clark admitted to Elliot.
Of course she's strong. She's Olivia's daughter, Elliot thought to himself.
"How long do you suspect she will be in this coma?" Cragen asked.
"I can't predict that, sir. It could be twelve hours, it could be twelve weeks, it could be twelve months. The brain is a mysterious thing and it's completely unpredictable," the doctor answered Cragen. "We just have to wait and see."
"When can I see her?" Elliot asked wiping tears from his cheeks.
"You can come back now," Dr. Clark replied before turning around and leading the two men out of the waiting room and through many hallways and doorways. Finally, they arrived in the Intensive Care Unit at room 2219.
When they entered the room, Elliot was surprised to see Olivia laying in bed as if she was sleeping. He had somewhat expected to see tons of machines hooked up to his wife keeping her alive. The doctor explained that she was self sufficient except for nutrition. He was somehow relieved by that information. He walked over to Olivia and kissed her forehead. He leaned down and whispered "I love you" into her ear. He then leaned over her belly and kissed her tiny bump before whispering "I love you, Zoe."
He knew it didn't matter what her name was as long as she was healthy. Olivia liked Zoe, and so therefore that would be her name. He spent the next few days by Olivia's side, never leaving unless it was to visit Eli in the pediatric wing or take a quick shower and change clothes. He watched television and found himself talking to Olivia as if she would answer. He talked to Zoe at least once an hour, informing her of how strong her mother was and how he couldn't wait to meet her. He told her of her older siblings and how they couldn't wait for her arrival into the world.
Elliot had stayed by Olivia's side for ten consecutive days before Amanda finally convinced him to go home and rest. She promised she would stay by Olivia's side until he returned. He told her to make sure she talked to Olivia so she knew who was with her. He gave her his number repeatedly until she could almost recite it verbatim.
"Elliot, how are you holding up?" Amanda asked just before he walked out of the door.
"Amanda, I.. I'm lost without her," Elliot confessed.
"She's strong. She'll pull through," Amanda reassured him. Everyone had complete faith that Olivia would survive this.
After Elliot left, Amanda sat down in the chair next to Olivia's bed. She began telling her about how the squad missed her and the temporary detective finally showed up.
"His name is Riley Quinn. I'm back to being the only female detective just like I was in Atlanta," she said before pausing. "Ya gotta get better, Liv," Amanda said finishing quietly as she felt a lump grow in her throat. She wiped a stray tear that slowly ran down her cheek as she watched Olivia sleep in beside her.
************EO*********************EO************* ******
"Olivia! Olivia!" she heard her mother shouting from inside the living room. She quietly emerged from her bedroom where she had been hiding since she had returned home from school hours earlier. She could sense her mother was having a hard day, so she knew it as in her best interest to steer clear.
As her mother saw her walk into the living room, she quickly changed her focus from nursing her glass full of vodka and ice to her five year old daughter entering the room.
"Olivia, get your toys out of this living room. What have I told you about.." she started before taking another sip of her drink. "If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, Olivia."
"Sorry, mommy," the young Olivia said quietly as she walked over to the couch where her two dolls were sitting. She quickly picked them up and carried them back into her room.
Once she had returned to her bedroom, she sat on the her bed covered with a light pink duvet accented with white and pink pillows. She picked up her favorite doll and hugged her tight. She didn't understand why her mother didn't hug her or why she didn't kiss her goodnight. She would love to watch a movie with her mother or even eat dinner as a family - even if it was just the two of them. As she sat there dreaming of the things she could do with her mother, a single tear began to escape from her eye and make its way down her cheek. She wiped the tear away and shoved the thoughts out of her mind. She was only five, but she was beginning to build a strong wall around her heart already.
************EO*********************EO************* ******
"Amanda," Elliot whispered as he gently shook Amanda's shoulder. She had fallen asleep in the chair situated next to Olivia's bed sometime throughout the night. "Amanda, wake up. I brought you coffee."
"Hey. Thanks, Elliot," Amanda said rubbing the sleep from her eyes before reaching for the cup. "Morning already?"
"Yeah. Did she have a good night?" Elliot asked staring at his newlywedded wife lying helplessly in front of them.
Amanda nodded as she gathered her book, tablet and newspaper and stuffed them into her bag. She looked at her watch as she sipped from her coffee cup.
"I'm gonna get out of here and head down to the precinct," Amanda said slinging the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "Elliot, call me if you need anything at all," she said as she grabbed his arm and stared into his eyes making the seriousness of her statement known. "I mean it."
"Thanks, Amanda," he said taking the seat that had recently been occupied by the blonde detective.
Once Elliot and Olivia were alone, he began to tell her how well Eli's recovery was going. It had been nearly two weeks since the accident, and after a surgery to place pins in his arm, he was finally able to go home. He told Olivia how concerned the children were about her and baby Zoe and that Kathleen was planning on coming by the following weekend to stay with her so Elliot could spend a night with Eli. He told her about the snow that had been falling outside and how beautiful the parks were.
Dr. Clark came in after Elliot had finished his update with Olivia to announce that Dr. Taytem would be coming by to check on Olivia and Zoe later that day. He hated that Olivia wouldn't be awake for the sonogram, but was ecstatic to finally see his baby kicking and wiggling again. He knew the doctors reassured him that the baby was healthy and doing extremely well, but he still wanted to see her for himself.
************EO*********************EO************* ******
"Olivia Benson! What do you mean you're getting married?" her mother screamed at her from the other side of their kitchen.
"He loves me, mom," Olivia started to explain her relationship with her mother's 21 year old English student.
"You are seventeen! You don't even know what love is," her mother belittled her in only a way that she could.
"Mother! I am marrying.." she started again before being interrupted.
"Olivia, you listen to me. Listen," she said before taking a quick swig from the vodka bottle she had just pulled from the fridge, "if you marry that boy, I will do everything in my power to make sure he is expelled from the university. Do you hear me?"
"But mothe..."
"Do you hear me!?" her mother was now yelling at her.
"Yes," Olivia said defeated before she escaped to the solitude of her bedroom. Her bedroom was the only space in the entire house she didn't feel anxious in, where she could just relax and be herself. She now knew why her mother was the way she was and she tried her hardest to understand and give her mother the space she needed. She loved her mother more than anyone - they were all each other had.
As she sat there on her bed, she once again found herself wiping tears from her face as she had so many other nights before slowly drifting off to sleep.
************EO*********************EO************* ******
"Did you hear that, Liv? Dr. Taytem said Zoe is 10 ounces already! She's such a fighter," Elliot said as he stared at the pictures of his baby girl that had just printed out of the sonogram machine. Dr. Taytem had made a special trip down to Mercy to examine Olivia and perform a sonogram. The examination revealed that Olivia had not started any dialation and the sonogram showed Zoe's heart rate was strong and she seemed to be receiving enough nutrition via Olivia's IV. The doctors had been concerned with the amount of nutrition the baby would be receiving, but everything seemed to be working perfect for the time being.
"I ordered the bedding that you had showed me online today," Elliot said as he started talking to his wife again. "I sent Kathleen a picture and she says she can't wait to help us decorate."
Knock knock.
"Come in," Elliot yelled to the visitor on the opposite side of the door. Slowly, the door opened and Cragen entered carrying a bouquet of flowers. Elliot stood immediately and took the large floral arrangement from him and carefully sat them on a side table next to Olivia's bed.
"How is she doing, Elliot?" Cragen asked quietly as if he was scared to wake her.
"She's doing good, Cap. The baby is doing great too," he said showing off the newest sonogram images to his former captain. He was bursting with pride for his baby daughter.
"That's great. Do they think she will be able to carry the baby if she doesn't..." the Captain's voice began to trail off as he didn't want to finish his sentence. The possible reality of Olivia not being there to experience the birth of her child became overwhelming.
"One day at a time, Cap," Elliot said placing the sonogram photos next to the flowers on the small table. "I try to stay positive and think about today."
"That's probably a good way to be, Elliot. But you can't stay here forever, ya know. You eventually need to get back to your precinct," Cragen said offering fatherly advice.
"I know. I just keep thinking she will wake up and I will take her home and things will be normal again," Elliot said as his expression changed from hopeful to terrified. "How am I suppose to go to work and act like everything is normal when it's not. When it's the farthest it can possibly be from normal?"
"She's a strong woman, Elliot. You know that as well as I do, if not better. She will pull out of this," Cragen said placing his arm on his former detective's shoulder. "We are all here for you and standing behind you."
"I know," he said barely audible before hugging Cragen. "Thank you for loving her."
************EO*********************EO************* ******
"Elliot Stabler, this is your new partner, Olivia Benson," her new Captain said as he introduced her to her new partner. She was beyond excited to finally be a part of the Special Victims Unit in Manhattan. Ever since her discovery of how her life came about, she was bound and determined to make a difference in the lives of other rape victims. Her mother often voiced her disapproval for her chosen career, but she no longer let her mother hold her from her dreams.
"Nice to meet you, Elliot," Olivia said as she shook her new partners hand.
"Welcome to Special Victims, Olivia," Elliot said as he showed her to her desk.
"Hopefully you'll last longer than his other partners," a tall, older detective said as he walked by.
"Screw you, Munch," Elliot said.
"Hi, Olivia! I'm Monique Jeffries. I have the pleasure of working with that," Monique said with a look of disgust while pointing to John Munch who was pouring coffee into a brown mug.
"Like it's any better working with you, Jeffries? Don't flatter yourself," Munch quickly responded.
"Ignore them," Elliot whispered into her ear. "They secretly love each other," he said as he laughed at his own joke.
"Stabler. Benson. Got your first case for you. Stabbing and casteration of a taxi driver," Cragen said walking into the squadroom where the detectives were.
"Here goes nothing," she thought to herself as she followed Elliot to the elevator en route to their first case of their new partnership.
************EO*********************EO************* ******
"Liv," Elliot whispered to his wife as the clock passed midnight. "I need you to wake up baby," he pleaded with his wife. It had been two weeks since he had heard his wife speak to him. Two weeks since she had held his hand or hugged him or kiss him. He was beyond thankful that Eli had survived with no more injuries than he had. And surprisingly, tiny Zoe came out better than anyone involved in the collision. The elderly man who had caused the accident passed away from heart complications the day after the wreck. His widow had sent flowers to Olivia and balloons to Eli. She felt tremendous guilt for her husbands actions although Elliot couldn't feel any hatred towards him. All of his focus and concerns were invested in getting his Olivia back.
He reached up to the table and retrieved the remote to the television while still holding Olivia's hand. As he powered up the tv and the sound came on, he felt Olivia squeeze his hand. He immediately shot up in excitement. He expected to see her eyes open searching for him, but there was nothing. He called the nurse in immediately.
"Can I help you, Mr. Stabler," the polite nurse said as she entered Olivia's room.
"She.. she squeezed my hand!" Elliot said with exhilaration.
"How many times?" the nurse questioned.
"Once, when I turned the television on. As soon as she heard the noise, she squeezed it," he explained to her, still displaying enthusiasm.
"Okay, I'm going to notify her doctor but I have to tell you, Mr. Stabler. It more than likely was a twitch or something else nerve related. It's very common in coma patients to," the nurse started to explain as she noticed Elliot's expression change from elation to disheartened. "But I will definitely let the doctor know."
As soon as the nurse was gone again, he reclaimed his position of the last two weeks next to his wife. He wanted to believe that she knew he was there. He wanted to believe that she could hear him. He wanted to believe that she would wake up. Everything was taking its course on Elliot emotionally and finally he allowed himself to release his frustrations through crying. He sat there beside Olivia and cried for the better part of an hour. And somehow, after every tear had fallen and his eyes were completely drained, he felt better for the first time in the two weeks since the accident. He hadn't given up on Olivia. Deep down, he still believed she was a fighter and would win this battle.