* Here we are with a new chapter. Ready away! *
"Noah Porter, what did I just tell you about running down the hallway? You have to hold one of our hands." Olivia scolded her son, as he tried to his best to escape her and Ed.
"I'm just gonna see my baby." Noah's words were so innocent; Liv couldn't help but feel a little guilty for being angry with him.
"I know you are sweetie." Liv acknowledged her son's excitement about his little sister, something she didn't want to spoil. "But we have to be careful in the hospital because there are a lot of people and they have important jobs to do, so you can't get in the way."
"Okay…" Noah knew that he had to listen to his mama, so he begrudgingly took Ed's hand and followed along by his side until they made it to the NICU.
"I'm happy to see the whole family here today." Their regular nurse greeted them.
"Well today seemed like the day to have everyone here." Ed remarked.
The nurse smiled at the family. "That is absolutely right. I'll call Dr. Wilson and we'll get this show on the road."
While the nurse did what she needed to do, Olivia, Ed, and Noah made their way over to where Layla lie in her bed. She wiggled and stretched under her blankets, trying to escape the confinement.
"I can't believe we are bringing her home today." Liv admired the sweet baby girl.
It had been almost three weeks since Layla's surgery and although the weeks had been longer than the parents had hoped, the day had finally come for her to go home with them. She was a strong little girl and the day before she had passed all of the tests that she needed to for her to be able to go home. It was earlier than expected and they were thrilled to complete their family, but Ed and Olivia felt a little overwhelmed. They would have two children at home now and they both would need their full attention.
"I can't either, but I'll be so glad to have her with us and not have to keep going back and forth to this place." Ed admitted. "I also won't miss all the doctors and nurses; they've been great but I'm tired of the hovering."
"Well we won't be hovering for much longer." Dr. Wilson appeared behind them, having heard Ed's comments.
"I didn't mean that." He tried to spit the words out, but he was obviously flustered.
"Don't worry, I take no offense in it. I understand that a hospital isn't exactly where you want to spend the first weeks of your child's life."
"But we are so grateful for everything that you have done." Olivia tried to save them.
Dr. Wilson gave her a warm smile. "Well it's been my pleasure, but let's get these papers signed and get you guys on your way. I know how eager you probably are to get home with your little girl."
There was more paperwork than either parent was expecting and by the time they finished signing, Noah was making laps around the NICU, their nurse doing her best to entertain him. And he enjoyed the attention, but he would be much happier at home with his sister and parents.
"Alright, so that is all I need form you. I want to see you back in a week, to check on her. From there I will probably see her every two weeks for six weeks, unless something else comes up, then call right away. Even if you think it's small, call and we'll let you know where to go from there."
"Do you think it's likely that something will come up? Is there anything we should be looking for?" The panic was obvious in Olivia's voice.
Dr. Wilson tried to retract her words. "No, you shouldn't be worried. She is ready to go home, but with our preemies, sometimes something shows up that we just weren't aware of. Just keep your eye out for anything abnormal and you'll be okay."
Even though the doctor seemed sure that Layla was ready to be home, Olivia wasn't sure that she was ready to take care of her without the help of any nurses and while also trying to keep Noah entertained and happy.
"Ed, are you sure that you have her car seat in there the right way?" Liv had watched him very carefully place the baby in the car, triple checking that he had done it correctly, but she still had to assure herself that they would get home safely.
And Ed appeased her, trying not to get annoyed. "I'm sure it is. She'll be completely safe riding home."
Olivia took his word for it and got into the backseat next to her daughter. Noah sat buckled into his own car seat on the other side of his sister and he watched her intensely, his big brown eyes not moving away from her the whole twenty-minute drive back to the apartment. He would reach his hand into her car seat and pat her tummy or try to hold her hand and Liv watched with pride, knowing that her little boy would be a great big brother.
When they walked up to their apartment, Noah insisted that he help carry the car seat with Ed.
"You love your little sister don't you bud?" Ed asked as they walked down their hallway.
"Yeah. I love her!" Noah grinned.
Olivia was sure that her heart was going to burst.
"Can Layla sleep in my room with me?" They had just walked through their front door, when Noah asked his mom the question.
"I don't think so buddy." Liv told her son. "Remember that's why we moved here, so that you and Layla could have your own rooms."
"Well… Can I at least show her my room?" Noah decided that would be good enough.
Olivia smiled and ruffled her son's hair. "Of course you can."
Ed took Layla out of her car seat and handed her to Liv. The mom then followed Noah into his room. He insisted on showing the baby absolutely everything, all of his toys, his bed, his chest of drawers, his closet where his clothes hung. Even though Layla was asleep by the time the tour was over, Noah was beaming with pride when he told Ed about what he had done.
The family settled rather quickly. Olivia attended to the kids' needs while Ed made and cleaned up their lunch, started the laundry, and had even gotten Noah to go down for his nap without a fight.
"Do you want to feed your daughter, dad?" Liv placed the baby into Ed's arms.
"I would be happy to." Ed agreed. "Why don't you go take a nap or something? I know you're exhausted."
"As much as I hate to admit it, that sounds like a great idea. Do you think you can handle her by yourself?"
"I think we'll get along just fine." Ed smiled at his little girl.
A couple of hours later, after both Noah and Liv had woken up from their naps, the sound of Ed's phone ringing filled the apartment and after his conversation with whomever was on the other line, Olivia could tell that something was wrong.
"Who was that?" Liv asked from her place on the couch, where she was feeding Layla and Noah was doing his best to help.
"It was…" Ed was trying his best to think of how to answer her question without tipping her off. "It was work."
"Do they need you?" Even with his best effort, Olivia could tell something about the call was bothering her boyfriend.
"Look I'll try to get someone here to help you with them." Ed tried.
"Do you have to go in? They can't find anyone else?" She didn't want to have to be alone with both kids the first day they were home.
Ed wrung his hands together, still doing his best not to reveal too much to Olivia. "I wish they could, but they've asked that I be there and it's something I can't say no to."
Liv tried her best to hide how upset she was because even though she wanted Ed to be with her and the kids, she knew that sometimes when the job called, you just couldn't say no.
"I promise I'll make some phone calls before I leave and make sure someone can be here with you, okay?" Ed assured her, as he walked into their bedroom. He changed as quickly as he could, calling Amanda as he did so.
When he returned to the living room he seemed even more frazzled than he had before.
"Ed, what is going on? You have to leave right this second?"
"I know. I don't want to either, but they said they needed me ASAP. I called Amanda and she will be here in the next twenty minutes. Will you be okay?"
Olivia sighed. "We'll be fine."
"Okay, I'll call you as soon as can." Ed laid a kiss on her forehead and headed toward the door.
"Be careful." Liv's words stopped him for a moment before he walked back out of the door he had entered with his family just hours earlier.
Once she was alone with the kids, Olivia turned a movie on for Noah to watch and laid Layla down in her bassinet to sleep. But she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something that Ed wasn't telling her. She had never seen him leave in such a hurry or be so evasive with his answers to his questions.
"Mama where did Ed go?" Noah had wandered into the kitchen where Olivia was aimlessly looking for something to make for dinner.
"He had to go to work, baby." Liv explained. "But he should be back soon."
Noah thought for a moment and then moved on to a new subject. "I'm hungry. Can I have a snack mama?"
"Sure sweet boy. How about a banana and some fishies?" At that moment, those were some of the few things in the kitchen that would suffice as a snack for her son.
Minutes later, as Liv settled Noah back down on the couch with his snack, there was a knock on the door. Olivia knew that it was Amanda. Even though she was feeling confident in being alone with both kids, she appreciated having some company.
However, as soon as Amanda came in, her own daughter in her arms, Liv could tell that something was wrong with the female detective.
"Thanks for coming, Amanda. I really appreciate it."
"Uh huh." Was all that the blonde could say as she set her daughter on the ground, giving her a few toys to keep her busy.
"Can I get you anything? I was just about to start some dinner." Olivia asked.
Amanda shook her head. "I'm fine."
"Okay, what's up? Ed left faster than I have ever seen and he wouldn't tell me what was wrong. Now you come in here and you can't even say more than two words to me."
"He didn't tell you?" Amanda's eyes widened.
Olivia simply looked confused. "What was he supposed to tell me? What am I missing?"
Amanda stopped, trying to collect herself. She had assumed that Olivia was trying to hide her own fear about what was happening by acting like nothing was bothering her, but she truly didn't know. And even though she had to tell her lieutenant, the last thing Amanda wanted to be was the one to deliver the news to her.
"Something happened."
"I go that much, Amanda." Liv tried not to be irritated.
"It was the hostage negotiation team that called Ed in. They knew he was who they needed after what happened at the townhouse." Amanda began.
"Hostage Negotiation?" Liv didn't like the sound of that.
"Someone is in the precinct, in the squad room."
Olivia felt her stomach drop to the floor. "Someone… someone is in our squad room?"
Amanda nodded.
"Please… please tell me no one is there." Olivia pleaded with her detective.
"Fin… Fin and Carisi are there." Amanda admitted.
* So much for their nice first day at home together as a family, but what can I say? Let me know what you all thought! (P.S. I updated my other story, Unexpected Encounter, as well yesterday) *