This is not happening. This is not happening. Not now. Not today. Why is this my life?
"Hey, Amanda." Olivia said to her. "It looks like the lift halted because of the rain."
"Just our luck." Amanda tried to make herself comfortable on the floor. "Trip and Billie want to hear how auntie is going to save us. Are you going to pull a John McLane right now?"
"Amanda, please—I am not as young as I once was. Climbing through an elevator shaft like the hero of Die Hard is on a list of things I so shouldn't do. Hang on."
Olivia pulled her phone from her pocket. She just hoped the person at the other end would pick up fast.
Out in the bullpen, Elliot was feeling confused. That wasn't usual. Something was just... off... And it wasn't just because of the stopped elevator. Was it even on their floor? Probably. But maybe not.
"Hey, Elliot." came Carisi's voice. "You would not believe the rain out there. It's nuts."
He and Fin were just making it into the room from outside. They had been out chasing a lead. Elliot watched them put their things away on the community coatrack and head towards him.
"Now the elevator isn't working." Carisi paused in his chatter as he looked around. "Where's Liv? Amanda?"
Sighing, Elliot pointed towards the lift. "I think they're in there."
Carisi hung his head. "Oh, hell no."
Elliot's desk phone began to ring. Fin and Carisi gathered around as he switched the phone to speaker mode. All of them were eager to hear from her.
"Dominick, Fin, and I are all here at my desk." Elliot told Olivia. "Please tell us where you are."
"I'm in the elevator with Amanda." Olivia replied. "She's in labor. The most recent contraction was twenty minutes ago."
There was naught but a thud as Carisi sat hard in a chair beside the desk.
"Is the phone on speaker?" Fin asked after a beat.
Carisi finally remembered how to talk. "Liv, let me talk to Amanda."
"The phone is on speaker." Olivia informed him.
Amanda's voice came through very clearly. "Abo, we are fine."
Carisi sobered up. His middle name was Abramo, but Amanda sometimes called him 'Abo' for short. It was the Arabic symbol name for lion. This card wasn't played often.
"Olivia is taking care of you and the babies?" he said knowingly.
"She is. We are fine."
Carisi was just as quick to capitulate. "Okay, babe. I love you."
Amanda powered her way through a small pain spasm. "I love you, too."
Olivia took her phone back. "Please get us out of here. I trust that all of you will be resourceful enough to call whoever you have to."
The nerves in Olivia's voice didn't escape Elliot's notice. "We're putting our heads together now."
Carisi was now the one feeling confusion when the phone call finally did end. His comrades were grinning like amused schoolboys.
"You guys, what?" he said warily.
Fin answered first. "One day, but not any time soon, you'll have to take Olivia to The Yellow Viper for drinks and ask her why she's claustrophobic."
"That'll be fun." Carisi glanced towards the elevator as people began to gather. "Come on, you guys. The case can wait. One of us can do damage control, some else can call 911, and the last guy gets to call Handyman Lyle. Wherever he is."
As his colleagues couldn't think of anything better, they got up and spread out so they could work.
Everything would be okay. At some point.
Things were somewhat stable at The Watering Can. In the loosest sense of that word.
Casey had finally arrived. She was extremely pleased. Baby Henry was also choosing to begin his own debut.
The little boy didn't want to miss out on the fun. But he was also heavy. So Casey decided she wouldn't leave her parents' property until need be.
Yet... something wasn't quite adding up.
Violet grew nervous when she found Casey and Ellington sitting together at the cash register.
"Dare I ask what's happening?" she inquired of them. "You two have always been my schemers. Ells only got back from deliveries five minutes ago."
Violet's daughters both looked at her.
"Almost everyone who you and pop were expecting today have arrived. Plus, Abigail will be along on the bus very soon." Casey said. "Right?"
Violet nodded. "Yes."
Ellington spoke up. "Ma, the only one missing is Amanda. Where is she?"
"I'm not sure." Violet said with a small start. "We should—"
Violet was cut off by Senior calling for them from the work room. She hurried over, with her daughters hot on her heels. The summonings had sounded urgent.
"This had better be good, Augustín."
He laughed nervously. "All in the clear, kvietok. Olivia is on the speaker."
He pointed to this phone on the work table.
"Go, Olivia." called Beatrix.
The other woman repeated her situation yet again. "Long story short, the rain short-circuited the elevators. Amanda and I are stuck in one. She also happens to be in labor."
"WHAT?!" everyone cried as one.
"If only I was kidding..."
Alex demanded, "Where the hell is Dominick?"
"He's in the hallway, directing traffic. We're keeping in touch through text. There's also a rescue team working to get us out." Olivia told them. "Has anyone been touch with Harper?"
Alex's phone immediately began to ring.
She held it up to show her sister-in-law's name on the screen. "I swear that lady is totally psychic!"
Sophia made a shooing motion. "Go see what she wants."
Alex left the room to take the call.
Violet spoke again. "We're all okay for the time being. Just look after Amanda, and let us know when you are out."
Olivia tried to sound confident, but her voice shook a small tad. "Will do. Catch you later."
Violet put her hands on her hips as she looked at the rest of her company. "Six of my children are claustrophobic. Is this the same of Olivia?"
"Yes." answered Casey, Sophia, and Ellington together.
Violet just made a sympathetic sound.
Casey shot daggers at Ellington as a thought clunked into place. "How do you know that story?"
Ellington gave her little sister a smirk. "You said funny things while on morphine. Repeatedly."
"But," Casey sputtered. "The only time as an adult I was that dopey on morphine was back when I was recovering from my injury!"
"Gold star." Ellington said calmly.
Violet tossed in her two cents. "You told all kinds of stories back then, Cassandra. Sometimes you also mixed your languages. Ellington was your favorite to speak with. It was really endearing."
Sophia chimed in, "What all did Cassandra say?"
Alex walked back in to the room at this moment. "Finished with Harper."
Casey exhaled a comical sigh of relief. "Bless you. They're screwing with me again. What did Harper want?"
"Nothing. Just help with a math process she was blanking out on… what?"
The rest of the room occupants were staring. Arithmetic was the last thing any of them had been expecting.
"Law and legalese are not the only areas I'm an expert in." Alex rolled her eyes. "There's also a mathematics major to my name."
"Isn't that something?" mused Senior.
Alex looked at them all. "Were you all telling embarrassing stories, and I missed it?"
"Yep." Ellington answered cheekily. "Before that, there was talk about your wife being claustrophobic."
Alex had been there during the first manifestation of Olivia's claustrophobia. It had been memorable, to say the least. But she also knew that she would regret breathing a word of what had occurred. Why? Olivia had threatened to let Alex's own silly secrets breath in the light of day.
"No. I am so not opening that can of worms." she finally said. "By the way, I filled Harper in. She's heading over to the hospital with her kids. Her goal is to wait for news on Amanda."
"Excellent." Violet praised. "How is Diana?"
"Bored." Alex parked herself in a nearby chair. "She keeps elbowing me."
Violet shifted her attention to Casey and Sophia. "Everything still check out with your precious cargo?"
Sophia nodded. "Yes. All of us are fine."
"Really." added Casey.
"As long as you're sure…"
Senior swooped in. "Leave them alone. You just don't want a repeat of last week."
Six days previously, Tiffany had given birth to hers and Forrest's last child. She had barely been admitted before it was showtime. The little one's name? Yara Mae.
Violet made the sign of the cross over herself. "Heaven forbid. She was nearly born in the car."
Senior spoke sensibly. "Thank heavens for us, it doesn't seem that the little ones here are in the same kind of hurry that Yara Mae was. I think we should just stay focused in this moment."
Senior's words were hanging in the air as the overhead bell tinkled in the shopfront. A new customer had arrived. So Senior went to investigate. Ellington and Beatrix followed him.
Violet kept the others busy with light work. She knew it was probably the only thing that was keeping them from worrying about Olivia and Amanda. Or that their own bundles of joy were taking their time. It was better than nothing.
In the lift, things were going at a standstill. Almost literally. Amanda was not doing too hot. Olivia was doing everything she could to not bottom out. Talking became her new distraction.
"And that," Olivia said with a flourish to Amanda as she finished a new anecdote. "Is how I became very claustrophobic. How's that for crazy?"
"Very." Amanda squeezed her CO's hand for a few seconds when she felt a pain spasm go through her body. "How long had you known Alex?"
"A month."
Amanda smiled in amusement, but leaned against Olivia like a frightened child. "How long have we been here?"
It was well over an hour by now.
Olivia deflected the question with one of her own. "What can I do for you?"
Amanda removed a hair tie from her left wrist. "Could you please help me out of my jacket, and secure my hair for me? My limbs are feeling like lead."
Olivia did as asked, and even secured Amanda's beautiful voluminous hair into a topknot. It was out of her face now. This would be a major benefit later on.
"How's that?" Olivia asked when she finished. "Better?"
"Yes, but I'm also sorry."
Olivia quickly circled around and held Amanda's hands in hers. "For what? You have nothing to apologize for."
Amanda blew out another labored breath. "You're going to miss your daughter and your grandchildren being born because you're stuck with me in this godforsaken elevator."
"You are my family." Olivia pressed a motherly kiss to Amanda's temple. "I'm glad I can be here with you right now. Truly. I love you."
Amanda's heart flip-flopped. "Right back at you..."
Another contraction hit Amanda as she finished these words. A very hard one. Olivia coached her through it and said nothing in protest when Amanda gave her hands a hard squeeze. Her only responsibility was taking care of Amanda. Nothing else.
Olivia's phone sounded shrill in the air a few minutes later. BEEP!
A text from Elliot had come through. How's it shaking?
Olivia answered fast. Not good. You know how I am about small spaces.
As if I could ever forget. How is Amanda?
Blaming herself that I'll miss Diana & my grandbabies. Has more progress been made?
Pause. Get Amanda to a corner. Now.
Olivia immediately moved into the furthest corner, taking Amanda with her. She also draped the discarded jacket over its owner's head.
"It's about to get really loud. Don't be scared. I'm right beside you."
Amanda burrowed back into her protector's arms. "I trust you, Liv. Tell them to do what they have to."
Olivia sent a single word to Elliot. Go.
Almost at once, they were met with a loud sound of metal grating on medal. Sparks flew. They were almost out of the mess.
Olivia couldn't help thinking back to Eli Stabler's birth. Today's adventure would be another one for the books.
After what felt like an eternity—
CREAK!
The elevator doors were pried open with very strong maneuvering tools. Olivia's heart leapt when she realized that they weren't that far from the SVU floor.
A firefighter poked his head in. "Lieutenant Benson, I'm Captain Bell. My team and I are going to get you Detective Rollins out of here."
"Okay!" Olivia called back. "What do you need from me?"
It took some time, but Olivia was eventually lifted out of the elevator. She fell to the ground a few feet away, catching her breath. Tight spaces really weren't her thing.
Elliot pulled her up and steadied her. "Can I get you anything, Liv?"
"Will you please call my wife? Tell her I'm out?" Olivia looked back over her shoulder. "Amanda is the only person I can think about right now."
"Sure. I'll be back in a few." Elliot stood and made tracks for his desk.
Olivia strolled over to where Carisi stood at the back of the throng.
"Hey." she said softly to him. "I'm all good now."
Carisi tore his gaze away from the firefighters with a great effort. "Thank God. How is my fiancée? Please give it to me straight."
"I won't lie—Amanda is pretty freaked out. There's also no doubt that Trip and Billie are on the way." Olivia patted Carisi on the shoulder. "Be prepared to go to the hospital when the EMS gives the go ahead."
This hit Carisi like a fright train. "Oh, my God..."
Olivia continued to speak with authority so Carisi didn't spiral. "Now please tell me where Jesse is."
Carisi did his best to focus on this piece of outside information. "She's at Blue's place. Frannie Mae, too. I should probably call over there."
"Yes." Olivia affirmed. "Call your parents, too. They'll want to know."
"For sure. They'll head to the hospital, ASAP."
"Go." Olivia turned Carisi towards the direction of the bullpen and gave him a gentle push. "Someone will tag you back in."
Reassured, Carisi hurried away.
And Olivia turned to survey the scene before her again. So much was happening.
But just to kill time, she humored a paramedic who wanted to give her a cursory examination. Everything checked out fine. Thank God.
Elliot and Carisi caught up with her again.
"Well?" Olivia asked them expectantly.
Carisi's words came out in a rush. "Blue is going to keep Jesse and Frannie for as long as we need. My folks are also en route to the hospital."
"That's good." Olivia turned her focus on to Elliot. "What did Alex have to say?"
Elliot shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Casey answered the phone instead of her."
Olivia wheeled fully about. "Excuse me?"
"From what I understand, Alex in the residence because things are 'progressing,' as Casey put it. Violet is taking care of her now."
Relief seeped through Olivia. "Any new word on my daughter? Or her wife-to-be?"
"Not that I have heard." Elliot admitted. "But I bet Casey wouldn't say anything because she wouldn't want us to worry."
"Sounds about right." Olivia thought fast. "What are the chances that Alex would still find a way to kick my ass if I headed over to The Watering Can right now?"
"Very high." Carisi cheerfully supplied. "Casey and Sophia would also make a quip about you staying at your post."
Olivia scoffed. "Why does Titanic have to be their favorite cry movie?"
Elliot grinned smugly. "I still remember what yours is, Olivia."
"Zip i—"
Carisi pointed to the elevators. "Look!"
In what was very much a miracle, Amanda had been safely evacuated from the lift and was being helped on to a gurney. But her fear had escalated.
Carisi hugged Amanda when she had been safely loaded onto the gurney. "I'm right here."
His words were enough to calm Amanda right back down. After a few moments of pacing her breathing, she beckoned to Olivia.
The woman in question hurried over. "I'll be there when I can. You just go to the hospital. Trip and Billie are your only concern."
Amanda exhaled shakily. "Thanks. Will you please call my mom?"
"You bet." Olivia told her. "We'll see you later on."
Pleased, Amanda let the paramedics lead her away. Carisi jogged along beside them. Olivia would catch up to them. At some point.
Upon sending an update text to Violet, Olivia scanned her surroundings further to find that the the gaggle of spectators were still there. But such behavior was normal in this building. It was its own world. And the Special Victims Unit was the key to the kingdom. Olivia had just learned to live with it over the years.
"Get out of here, all of you." she said in exasperation. "There are still things to do. Go on."
Everyone dispersed. And before it slipped her mind, Olivia sent an update to Violet. She knew those at the shop were eagerly waiting.
Fin walked upstream towards her. He was carrying a large roll of caution tape with him.
"I called maintenance man. He was up in the Violent Crimes Unit because their plumbing had already sprung a leak." the dark-skinned man reported. "What a banner day, huh?"
"It's also nowhere near over." Olivia griped. "What else did the repairman tell you?"
"The elevators are off-limits now. I've been told to secure the doors here." Fin shook the measuring tape for good measure. "Other people on other floors are getting everything else. The lift power has also been completely cut. Just in case."
"That works." Olivia finally softened up. "I really appreciate you taking the initiative, Odafin. Can I trust that you'll hold down the fort for me?"
"Think nothing of it." Fin winked. "I'll also run point for the rest of the case. We both know it won't be long before you go to Alex."
"You're a great friend. I'll be in my office if you want me. Amanda asked me to call Beth Anne. I promised I would."
Fin gave an approving nod. "Okay. Go do that."
After trekking over to her office and closing the door behind her, Olivia scrolled through her phone contacts until she got to the Rs. She and Beth Anne had exchanged numbers during the Georgia Rollinses' visit. For situations like this. When they both couldn't be there to support Amanda in a moment of need.
Beth Anne sounded tired, but delighted when she answered. "Olivia!"
The lieutenant spoke tenderly. "Hi, Beth Anne. How are you? Congratulations on your new arrivals."
"Thank you very much." Beth Anne sighed happily. "Eden and Haven are snuggled up with me. Kim is cuddling with Junior."
"Where might Senior be?"
"I sent him home to get some sleep." Beth Anne paused when she realized she was on the verge of a tired ramble. "Did you want something?"
Olivia chose her next words carefully. "Amanda is in labor."
Beth Anne's heart skipped a beat. "Wow. Are she and Dominick at the hospital?"
"Yes, they are. Jesse is with Blue and her family for the time being. Everything is under control." Olivia wisely chose to skip the part about the elevator. "Someone will send you an update when there is one to be had."
"Works for me. And is it showtime for Sophia, Casey, or Alex yet?"
"Almost is all I can say, but I'm going to check on them soon."
Beth Anne had her own sense of relief. "Thank you for sending me word. It means a lot."
Olivia smiled even though Beth Anne couldn't see her. "We're family now because of our eldest children."
"That is one thing that will never change. It was really great to talk you." Beth Anne said sincerely. "We're standing by for updates. Good luck."
"Thank you."
Both mothers exchanged their good-byes and ended their calls.
Olivia's phone was hardly on her desktop when it lit up with a new text.
This one was from Violet. Scoot your caboose over here, pronto. Alex is getting weepy.
And Olivia's response was very swift. Heading out now.
In the blink of an eye, Olivia got her things together and headed out the door. Nobody tried to stop her. Because they all understood.
Sometime in the very near future, baby Diana Pearl Cabot would be joining the world. At last.
