AN: Thank you so much for all the support and feedback! I really appreciate it. I didn't realize that my lines that I use to make a change of place or perspective weren't actually showing up when published, so I tried something different for this chapter. Let me know if it works! I'm going away for the weekend so this will be the last update until Sunday night or Monday morning. I hope you enjoy!

Next Friday

Elliot held Kathy's hand as the anesthesiologist slipped the mask over her face, instructing her to take a deep breath and count back from ten.

"Ten...nine...eight" Kathy counted. She started to say the word "seven", but was out before she could finish it. Elliot gave her hand one last squeeze before letting go so that the could wheel her to the operating room. The lead doctor performing the lumpectomy had explained that the surgery itself would take about an hour and a half, and then she'd have another hour or so in recovery before he would be able to see her. Making his way towards the exit, Elliot glanced at his watch, realizing just how little time he had to get across town for Olivia's ultrasound. He could make it if he used the siren, but just barely.


Olivia laid on the table, patiently waiting for the tech to come in and get things started. She checked her phone for a text from Elliot, but there was still nothing. She couldn't help but be disappointed, even though she understood why he couldn't be there. Kathy needed him, and he needed to be there for her. A soft knock on the door brought her back to reality.

"Good morning . My name is Stephanie and I will be performing your ultrasound" She introduced herself as she grabbed a sheet out of a cabinet on the other side of the room. "I'm going to step out so you remove anything on your lower half. When you're done you can lay back down and cover yourself with this" she explained as she handed Olivia the sheet. The tech excused herself so that Olivia could strip as instructed, but the door opened again a minute later when Olivia was pulling down her panties.

"Elliot!" Olivia screamed, grabbing the sheet and wrapping it around her lower half. Elliot covered his eyes as he apologized.

"I'm sorry,Liv. I didn't even think-"

"It's fine" She insisted as she settled back down on the table, making sure that she was fully covered before giving him the all clear. Elliot took a seat in the chair next to her and the two sat in silence for several moments.

"How's Kathy?" Olivia asked, and she genuinely wanted to know. The last she had heard from Elliot was that Kathy was a nervous wreck. She had gone through childbirth four separate times for five kids, but this was her very first surgery.

"She had a bit of a breakdown before we left the house this morning, but as soon as we got to the hospital she calmed down. The staff was very kind and explained the whole operation to her and I think that helped".

There was a knock on the door which was followed by it opening so Stephanie could peak in. "Are we all ready?" She asked with a cheerful smile. "Oh hi" She greeted when she noticed Elliot. "You must be the daddy! Well, my name is Stephanie and I will be performing the ultrasound. Are you both first timers?"

"I am, he's not" Olivia explained.

"Ok then, let's get this show on the road" She said as she turned on the machine. "Because it's so early on I'm going to insert this into your vagina so we can get a clearer picture of your little miss or mister. Did you drink the recommended amount of water?"

Olivia nodded. "More than".

"Good, now spread 'em".

Olivia turned so that she was looking at Elliot, who instinctively reached out and grabbed her hand. He could see the discomfort on her face as the wand was inserted, but it quickly dissipated. They hadn't spoken much outside of work since the night that he found out she was pregnant. Things were definitely not as strained between them as they had been, but they still weren't back to normal. Elliot was relieved that she didn't pull away from him in disgust, and actually turned to him for comfort.

"Alright, now I need you to lift your top".

Elliot had expected Olivia to let go of his hand, but instead she awkwardly used her free hand to work her shirt up so that it covered her breasts and nothing more.

"Ok, the gel might feel a little cold" Stephanie warned as she squirted some onto Olivia's abdomen, using the doppler to spread it around.

Both Elliot and Olivia's eyes locked on the screen as Stephanie moved around until she found the little blob that was their baby.

"Here we go! Mommy and Daddy, I'd like you to meet your baby".

Olivia had pictured this moment many times throughout her life, and despite the fact that the circumstances surrounding it weren't great, she was happier than she ever thought she could be. She was going to be a mom, which was a dream she had given up on years ago.

"You are eight weeks along, does that sound right?"

They both nodded, still mesmerized by the picture on the screen. "When is the due date?" Elliot asked, earning Olivia's attention.

"Well, based off of what I can see here, the conception date, and the date of 's last menstrual period... We are looking at August twenty-third for the expected due date".


Olivia handed Elliot one of the pictures as they walked out of the office and to the car. He carefully slid it into his coat pocket wanting to keep it safe. She had taken the subway and walked the rest, but Elliot insisted on driving her to the precinct before heading back to the hospital. He had left about an hour ago, leaving him with an hour and a half to drive Olivia and get back, which was plenty of time.

While she appreciated Elliot's efforts to prove to her that their child would not be a second-class citizen,but she felt guilty for taking away from Kathy in her time of need.

"What was I going to do if I had stayed? Wait for them to call me in to help stitch her up?" He asked as he drove towards the station.

Olivia rolled her eyes at his attempt at a joke. "It's about moral support, El" She sighed, looking out the window.

"I know that, but you have to remember that this is all new to me. I'm only one person that's living two separate lives at the same time. I put myself in this situation, but I need time to adjust".

They hadn't talked about how either of them were feeling in all of this. At least for Olivia, she tried to think like a detective, keeping facts and emotions in two different sections of her mind.

She should have made more of an effort to check in on Elliot because he was obviously struggling with so much on his plate. If she thought her own guilt was bad, his must have been ten times worse. She didn't know what she could say to make it better because the reality of the situation was that there weren't any words that could cure Kathy's cancer, or turn back time.

She wondered how far back he would go if he had the ability to change it all…

He parked down the street from the precinct, not wanting anyone to see him since he was supposed to be with Kathy. The captain had been more than willing to approve his request for time off when Elliot told him what it was for. The whole squad had made their support , he had been presented with a basket of different snacks and gift cards for restaurants near him that the entire unit had chipped in for. It was a small gesture, but it meant the world to the Stablers. Elliot knew that Olivia was the one that orchestrated the whole thing, but she refused to accept any responsibility.

"Thanks for the ride" Olivia said as she unbuckled.

"Hey, Liv" He said, stopping her from going any further. "Thank you for letting me come".


Elliot rounded the corner, making his way into the waiting area for outpatient surgery.

"Dad!" He heard a voice call. Kathleen was sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the room, and she didn't look happy. He was supposed to be there the whole time, but because Kathleen was supposed to be in class and Maureen was watching Eli, he thought he was in the clear.

"Where the hell have you been?" She asked as he shrugged off his coat and took the seat next to her. "And if you aren't going to wear that can I? It's freezing in here". He wanted to make a comment about her lack of jacket in this weather, but he decided not to poke the bear.

"Cragen couldn't find my paperwork from the Hallander/Vucelik case from last week so I had to go down there and find it. I get down there and it's right on my desk where I said it was" Elliot lied as he handed his daughter the jacket. Kathleen must have believed him though because she laughed and joked about the place falling apart without him and Olivia there. She pulled the coat tight around her body, snuggling into its warmth.

"You know, a hot coffee would probably make me nice and warm" She said, leaning into her father's side and batting her lashes. Kathleen had always been ornery, and he loved that about her. Things had been so much better between them since she started going to therapy and taking her medicine, but they still had a long way to go.

"What do you want?" Elliot asked with a hint of a smile.

"French vanilla cappuccino please!"

Kathleen's hands were shaking because she was so cold. Bringing her hands close to her face, she huffed air on them several times and then shoved them in the pockets of the coat. She felt something brush against her hand, scratching her.

"What the hell?" She whispered as she pulled the picture out of her dad's pocket. Although it was just a blob, she knew exactly what it was. "Awwwee, baby Eli" She cooed. "That's so sweet that he keeps that on him" She said to herself.

But then she saw the date in the upper righthand corner. It was from today.

Then she saw the name. "Olivia Benson? What. The. Hell".

Knowing that her father would be back soon, Kathleen tucked the picture into her purse, hiding it away for later.