Thank you for reviews/alerts/favourites. I hope this next chapter pleases as much.
Any ideas where this should go next?
Benson-Stabler residence, Manhattan, New York
Wednesday, September 17th 2008
7.01 am
Olivia yawned as she walked into the kitchen, the smell of coffee hitting her hard making her overcome with nausea.
"I thought this had ended." She gasped rushing out the room to be sick.
Elliot latched his hand to his mouth hoping he wouldn't be sick as he sure shared the nauseating feeling, he'd had it since he'd woken up twenty minutes before but he hadn't linked it to Olivia.
When she came back into the room she looked a little better and so she took her decaff coffee from Dani and went to sit beside Elliot. She rested her head on his shoulder as she slowly woke herself properly.
"Morning." Anne smiled joyfully as she entered the room.
"Morning." Olivia and Elliot chorused both yawning simultaneously.
"Someone was up late?" Anne teased and Olivia turned to look at Elliot both of them blushing to a deep scarlet.
"Mm." Olivia replied deciding words would do nothing here.
"Here's your tea Mrs Jeffries." Dani smiled placing the cup on the table, she'd been taught by Anne how to make the perfect cup of tea which had just made Olivia laugh.
"Thank you Daniela." Anne smiled as the nanny made her way to get Cragen's coffee as he had just walked into the room.
"Morning." He smiled taking a seat beside his wife and dropping a heavy kiss on her temple.
"Morning." Everyone replied.
"Here." Dani smiled placing the coffee in front of him.
"Thanks." He beamed gratefully.
"I'll go and get Melly up shall I?" Dani asked.
"Yeah that would be great, I'm surprised that she's not the first up this morning." Olivia replied hoping that there was nothing wrong.
The redheaded nanny left them all to go and wake the youngest member and Olivia decided now would be the best chance to ask Anne and Don about her discussion with Elliot.
"Elliot and I were talking last night." Olivia started.
"What? You actually got some talking done?" Anne asked.
Elliot looked away while Olivia blushed again.
"Yes Mom, we got talking done last night." She replied through gritted teeth, she was very embarrassed but didn't want to show it.
"Oh ok go on." Anne laughed, Don wasn't sure whether to laugh or be embarrassed so looked around nervously.
"Ok well, we were talking about the fact that you two have been staying here so often." Olivia began explaining.
"If you don't want us to stay Olivia just spit it out, we understand if you want privacy." Anne smiled gently.
"Actually what we were talking about was quite the opposite, we were wondering if you'd both consider or like to move in on a more permanent basis." Olivia explained because she didn't want either one of them to think she didn't want them around.
"Oh, well, that's a generous offer Olivia we'll have to discuss it of course." Anne replied smiling, she knew what she wanted to do but she would have to have Don's complete agreement.
"Ok, that's fine I understand and we won't mind if you don't want to but we like having you both here, I like having you both here." Olivia explained.
"Of course, we'll talk about it won't we Don?" Anne smiled.
"Yes of course." He replied unsure what to think as he was surprised at Olivia's offer.
"Good." Olivia smiled just as Dani and Melly came into the room.
"Mommy!" Melly smiled rushing over and wrapping her arms around Olivia in a tight embrace.
"Hey Melly are you ok?" Olivia asked smiling gently.
"I feel poorly." Melly replied.
Olivia pulled Melly onto her knee and pressed the back of her hand to Melly's head.
"You've definitely got a temperature Melly, do you think you can manage some breakfast?" Olivia asked her concern rising a little.
"No I just want to go back to bed." Melly replied.
"Ok, have a glass of water for me first and then you can go back to bed and I'll call school ok?" Olivia replied.
"Ok Mommy." She nodded before resting her head on Olivia's shoulder.
"She's pale." Anne commented.
"I know, she can go back to bed and rest, I'll give her some paracetamol medicine to bring down the temperature a little." Olivia replied as Dani bought Melly a drink of water.
"Dani could you go to the medicine cabinet in my bathroom, there's a bottle of calpol in there." Olivia asked.
"Of course, I'll be two minutes." Dani smiled rushing off.
"You can take some medicine Mel and then go to bed ok?" Olivia told the little girl on her lap who was shaking a little.
"Ok Mommy." She replied weakly.
Olivia gently rocked Melly backwards and forwards in her lap until Dani bought the medicine bottle down. She grabbed a med spoon from the drawer and knelt down in front of Melly to give her the pink liquid.
"Ugh." Melly said after the second.
"Well as horrible as it is baby it will make you feel better." Olivia replied.
"Ok, can I go to bed now?" She asked.
"Yeah, Uncle Elliot can carry you up." Olivia smiled winking at Elliot.
He stood up and pulled Melly into his arms, she looked much smaller than usual as she rested her head on his shoulder and held tight around his neck.
"I'm glad I'm suspended right now, I'd hate to have to leave her when she's poorly." Olivia commented knowing she'd be up and down to check on her daughter all day.
"Cragen." Don snapped answering his ringing mobile. "What? Ok. Yes. No I'll let them know. Ok. Bye."
Olivia and Anne were both wondering who would call at such an early hour in the morning as Cragen placed his phone back in his robe pocket.
"Who was that?" Olivia asked.
"Ed Tucker." Cragen sighed.
"Oh." Olivia said just as Elliot came back into the room, resuming his seat beside Olivia.
"He says there is a hearing today at the IAB to determine your status, you are both required to attend as am I and we can give a statement if we so choose." Cragen explained.
"Ok, what time?" Olivia asked.
"Nine." Cragen replied.
"We better get ready then." Elliot sighed getting to his feet.
Olivia didn't move as she had other things going on in her mind.
"Liv?" Elliot asked seeing her stationary.
"I can't. Melly's poorly." She replied.
"Liv..."
"Elliot, my daughter's sick I'm not going to sit in IAB for the day listening to people discussing whether or not we should be partners or not I'm sorry." Olivia explained.
"Olivia you don't have a choice, they won't give you your gun and shield back if you miss this." Cragen sighed, he felt for her but she had to be there.
"Olivia, I'll be here, I'll call you and Dani can teach me how to text so you'll know she's alright." Anne smiled gently.
"Ok, I want a text every hour and I'll call when I'm free." She replied trusting her Mom to be there for her daughter should the need arise, not that she didn't trust the nanny but mother's instinct where different and Dani didn't have any kids of her own.
"Ok, texts on the hour now go and get ready, you should put one of your skirt suits on and look presentable." Anne smiled.
"Thanks Mom." She smiled and she leant over and kissed her on the cheek before taking Elliot's hand and let him lead her away.
Internal Affairs Bureau, Manhattan, New York
Wednesday, September 17th 2008
8.52 am
Olivia and Elliot were sat outside a room waiting for Cragen who had gone to find out exactly what was happening. They both held each other's hand unsure of what to say so just giving each other comforting squeezes every now and again. When Cragen came back they both jumped to their feet seeing the worry evident in his face.
"Well?" Olivia asked impatiently.
"This hearing is well ... the easiest way to describe it is that this hearing is almost like a trial, Lieutenant Ed Tucker will be fighting a case to have you split up and one of you transfer to another unit and Lieutenant Maria Keller is fighting to have you remain as partners. They both have a line up of people to talk to and ask questions too and they will cross examine each other, basically guys you're on trial." Cragen explained.
"Are you serious? Who's Maria Keller?"
"That would be me." A dark haired pale woman walked up to them with a smile on her face.
"Oh, nice to meet you." Olivia replied offering her hand to the woman.
"Nice you meet you too Detective Benson and Detective Stabler." She smiled shaking both of their hands.
"Ok so why are you fighting for us?" Olivia asked confused.
"My parents were in the same unit as partners, then they got together and had to separate and I never understood why that should happen if it didn't interfere with their work, when I heard about your case I started doing some research into the two of you and when I heard the facts I thought I'd take Lieutenant Tucker on." Keller explained.
"Oh well thank you." Olivia replied with a smile.
"You're welcome, it's going to be a tough few days but I don't see why he will win, wait till you see who I have defending your corner." Keller grinned shaking the jackets in her hand.
"Ok." Olivia nodded smoothing out the black day dress she had chosen having barely any tidy clothes that went nicely over her bump she was relieved to her Mom for buying her the maternity dress even though at the time she had laughed because she thought she'd never wear it.
"I'm taking a guess that this will take around three days and then a day or two with the board deliberating so we should know in a week what happens either way." Keller explained further.
"Thank you." Elliot smiled, he couldn't help but be grateful to the woman in front of him.
"Well we should go inside then, both of you will sit on the table beside me." She smiled.
Olivia and Elliot left Captain Cragen and followed Lieutenant Keller inside. They saw Tucker sat on a table alone and they went and sat at a table opposite him on a slight diagonal to a large table that Olivia knew would hold the board members, the people who determined hers and Elliot's future.
It took a while for everyone to be seated but once they were Ed Tucker stepped forward so he could give his opening statement.
"Members of the board, we are here to argue whether or not Detectives Benson and Stabler of Manhattan's Special Victims Unit should be separated or be the first to be a couple and be partners. I will show that having partners in a sexual relationship will complicate their job, making them a liability to the NYPD. I will prove that Detectives Benson and Stabler should have been split up a long time ago and that this is the final nail in their coffin." Tucker's voice drawled and Olivia couldn't help but have a rush of wanting to pummel him.
When Keller stood up Olivia slipped her hand into Elliot's beneath the table, she was terrified that the young woman wasn't up to the challenge of defending them.
"Detectives Benson and Stabler are two of Manhattan's finest. With a ninety seven percent case closure rate which hasn't slipped in five years. I will prove to you, the members of the board, that splitting Benson and Stabler up as partners will prove to be more costly than is worth. You will hear from multiple people who all have one thing in common, they have reasons that these two should remain partners." Keller retook her seat and smiled at Olivia gently.
"Lieutenant Keller call your first witness." One member of the board called.
"I call Detective Olivia Benson." Keller replied and Olivia took a very deep and shaky breath before getting to her feet.
She had to be sworn in just as she would in a courtroom, after unfolding her speech she had thrown together she held onto the podium as she prepared herself to give her statement.
"Detective Stabler and I have been partners for nine years now. If either one of us thought our relationship affected our job in any way we wouldn't have hidden it. Our job is important to both of us, the strangest thing for both of us is that we enjoy what we do when we do the job right. We're expected to be voices for the victims and catch the perpetrators and that is what we do and we do it well. I hope you will see that the fact Elliot and I have a relationship outside the office, it doesn't affect what happens inside the office." Olivia could feel her phone vibrating on her belt but couldn't answer it and hoped it wasn't important. "Neither one of us would ever put our relationship before a victim or perp, that I can say in all honesty. Detective Stabler and I have always been and will always be professional, we hold the rules that the IAB and OnePP have in highest regard, this being the first one we've ever chosen to break and the reason being is because we had too, we couldn't bring ourselves to be separated, we couldn't bring ourselves to transfer out of SVU when we both love working there. Asking us to either break up or transfer out is ridiculous and I hope you ..."
Elliot felt his phone vibrate for the eighth time but this time it was a text message. He slipped his phone out and checked it and when he saw the message his heart almost jumped out of his throat.
"Keller." He whispered leaning over to her.
She leant in to him so she could hear as Olivia's speech went on. When Elliot finished telling her, she had gone pale and jumped to her feet bringing Olivia to a stop and making all eyes turn to her. She didn't notice as she rushed to Olivia and leant in to whisper to her.
"What?" Olivia gasped loudly her own hand reaching for her phone. "I have to go. El!" She was panicking, her heart hammering in her chest.
Cragen was on his feet knowing something serious was wrong, Tucker and the board members were also on their feet unsure what was going on. Olivia, Elliot and Cragen ran out the door not stopping to say anything.
"Family medical emergency, her daughter has fallen gravely ill." Keller explained before also rushing after the family.
Mercy General Hospital, Manhattan, New York
Wednesday, September 17th 2008
10.12 am
Olivia ran through the ER doors and to the front desk.
"Melissa Jasmine Benson, I'm her mother." Olivia told the woman.
"Room 212." The woman smiled and Olivia, knowing Mercy General like the back of her hand, rushed off followed closely by Cragen, Elliot and Keller.
Olivia's heart was hammering in her chest, she was running on adrenaline and she felt like she was in a living nightmare.
Finding the room she rushed inside and saw Anne and Dani either side of Melly's bed and Melly's pale, unmoving figure.
"What happened?" Olivia asked rushing to Melly's side and clutching her hand, leaning over the side of the bed and stroking her head.
"Her temperature kept climbing and she was delirious, very drowsy, I thought we'd give her a cool bath and then when I pulled her top off I saw this red rash type thing and as I was showing it to Dani she just went limp." Anne explained.
Olivia couldn't stop herself from getting teary, the last time her child had been lying in a hospital bed he'd died there. This terrified her.
"Hi you must be Mom?" A doctor came in a gentle smile on his face.
"Yes." Olivia replied her eyes flicking to the man then back to her daughter. "What's wrong with my baby?" She asked desperately.
"It's nothing to worry about, she has what's called Lyme disease." The doctor replied.
"That? You get that from ticks. Where has she been near a tick in mid September?" Olivia asked desperately.
"Sometimes they don't all die out, anyway we need to start her on an IV antibiotic course and put her in a cooling blanket to bring down her temperature." The doctor explained.
"Of course." Olivia replied knowing as she hadn't been there they hadn't been able to give her anything but emergency treatment.
"Ok well a nurse will be with you shortly to sort that out." He smiled then left as Elliot slipped is arms around Olivia's waist.
"Here that baby she's going to be ok." Elliot whispered rubbing his cheek into hers.
"I just ... I kept thinking ..." Olivia whispered tearfully.
"I know, I know you were thinking about Michael baby, but she's going to be ok." Elliot replied trying to hide his own tears.
"Olivia why don't you sit down? You don't need to be on your feet." Cragen suggested pushing the chair closer to the bed.
"I'm ok Pops, really I don't need to." She replied not wanting to move from the position she was with Elliot and Melly.
Keller who still stood unmoving, unsure what to do with herself, was surprised at hearing Olivia call Cragen 'Pops'. She didn't know of their relationship outside the office.
"I should go and explain that the hearing needs to be postponed." Keller decided to speak knowing she shouldn't be in this family situation.
"You know Keller, thank you for everything you've done but just hand them what you've got and tell them to decide, this hearing is a waste of time because I'm sure they've already decided and I just want to get my daughter better and then get back to work." Olivia explained.
"I can do that." Keller smiled. "I hope Melissa gets well soon."
"Thank you." Olivia replied and she watched the lieutenant leave before turning her full attention to Melly.
Everyone in the room watched the gentle rise and fall of the blonde haired baby in the large hospital bed, unsure what to do or what to say so choosing to just watch and be quiet.
Hope you guys like the smut, I tried something a little different with it to what I normally do, I'm kind of trying to experiment a little with my writing style for my book. Your opinion as ever means a lot to me guys!