Pure and Simple
Chapter Ten
Bellevue Hospital
10:45 PM
Olivia sighed as she placed the icepack on her aching and bruised cheek. She sat back on the bed the hospital had provided her and pulled the blanket over herself to warm up. The flimsy piece of fabric the hospital liked to call a gown was hardly enough for her tall stature, and she asked Elliot to bring her some clothes since CSU needed her other clothes for evidence.
The doctor just prescribed her some aspirin for her headache and pains in her wrists and cheek. She had bruises on her neck from where Dmitri placed his hand and tried to choke her. Elliot was so worried about her, but she insisted that she was alright and she told him to go get her some clothes.
Just when she was about to give up hope on getting something decent to wear so she could go check up on India, Peter, and Mindy, Elliot emerged, bearing a pair of jeans and a tee shirt.
"Thanks," she sighed, tossing the icepack to the end of her bed and throwing off the covers.
She took her jeans and pulled them on under her gown and she stopped and looked at Elliot.
"A little privacy please?" She asked.
"Oh, right, sorry," he said, going outside the curtain.
She took off her gown and pulled on her tee shirt. She looked at the words. It read 'Sweet and Sour' across her bosom, and she groaned.
Elliot paced outside the curtains waiting on her.
She pulled the curtains back with an agitated look on her face.
"What?" He asked.
"You couldn't find a more appropriate shirt?" She asked, pointing to her title.
"Oh, sorry," he sighed. "Wasn't thinking. Besides, I pulled that off your sofa."
Olivia shook her head as she pulled on the jacket he brought her.
"How's everyone doing?" She asked.
"Mindy, Serena, and the baby are fine," he reported. "India's with a social worker."
Olivia breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm so glad we got to them," she said as they walked down to the lobby.
He embraced her and pressed his lips to her forehead and sighed into her hair.
"I'm so glad that you're okay," he whispered.
"I'm glad you're alright too," she whispered back and she leaned in and kissed him softly.
They parted and looked into each other's eyes.
"Olivia," Cragen called, approaching. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, captain, I'm fine," she sighed, pulling away from Elliot slowly, not wanting to leave her comfort. "I'm a little sore, but I'll manage."
"Good," he said, looking to Elliot. "I'm not saying I condone your little stunt, but I'm saying good work anyway. Consider it water under the bridge."
"Thanks," Elliot said. "Can we go check up on Mindy and the kids?"
"Yeah," Cragen said.
Room 134
11:12 PM
Olivia and Elliot knocked on Mindy's door. She looked up from nursing her son and she smiled and waved them in. Serena was sitting in the chair next to her older sister.
Elliot opened up the door and allowed Olivia to walk in first before he did and he closed the door softly.
Mindy and Serena were just fine. When Quentin shot Mindy, the bullet only grazed her shoulder, and Serena just had a nasty bump on her head from the blow Dmitri delivered. All in all, the sisters were going to make full recoveries.
"Hello," Mindy said softly. "Oh, look at my greedy little piglet," she giggled as she unlatched Peter from her bosom and fixed herself up and burped him. "Thank you, for everything detectives."
"You're more than welcome Mindy," Olivia said with a small smile. "How's the baby?"
"He is fine, he is beautiful," she smiled.
Serena smiled.
"My sister and I are grateful to you," she said. "I'm glad that you got the man that murdered our Niklos."
Olivia sighed, not wanting to ruin their happiness, but they had a right to know.
"Mindy, Serena," she began slowly. "Quentin is dead, and so is Dmitri. They won't hurt you anymore."
Mindy sighed in relief.
"We are safe now," she sighed, looking down at a sleeping Peter.
After their visit with Mindy and Serena, Elliot and Olivia headed down to the lobby of the hospital where India was sitting somberly with her social worker. She had a book in her hand, but she wasn't reading it, and the little girl was still in her night gown.
Olivia sighed at how sad the little girl was, and she hoped that she could give her some comfort.
"Hi India," she greeted, and India looked up, a bright smile creeping across her face.
"Olivia!" India exclaimed and she ran up and hugged her.
"How are you doing sweet pea?" Olivia asked, picking up the little girl.
"Okay I guess," India said. "Where's mommy and grandma?"
Olivia set India onto the ground again and took her hand and sat down.
"India," she began softly. "I have to explain about your mommy and Nana. Something really bad happened to them, and uh…"
"They're in Heaven, aren't they?" India asked in a small voice.
"Yeah baby," Olivia said, on the verge of tears. "But you know what? They're watching you, and they still love you very much."
India hugged Olivia tightly.
1-6 Precinct
SVU Squad Room
12:40 AM
Elliot walked into the crib and saw Olivia lying on one of the many bunks. He heard her sniffling as he approached her. He smoothed over her hair and she turned to him.
"Hey, you okay?" He asked, sitting next to her.
"A little girl has no family and now she's going to be in the system," Olivia sighed. "How do you think I feel?"
"Liv, they found a relative," he reported, placing a hand on her abdomen. "Sherona's father."
Olivia sniffled and looked away.
"Hopefully she's in good hands," she said before wiping her tears. "I didn't want you to see me like this El…"
"Like what?" He asked. "Like the caring, compassionate, emotional human being that you are? You can't be strong all the time, Liv. If this is going to work, we have to see each other…like this."
Olivia sighed and leaned up and kissed him.
She pulled away and sighed and laid back down on the bunk. She pulled him gently to her and they kissed passionately. They completely forgot that they were at the station, that it was in the middle of the night, and that they had just solved the most dangerous case to date. None of it mattered because they needed each other like this.
While nothing happened beyond just the kissing, neither one of them had ever felt more comfort before in a kiss, and it opened so many places in their hearts.
Later, they walked into the squad room where everyone had convened. They let their hands drop as soon as they left the comfort and privacy of the crib. Maureen was talking to Chris and Munch, Fin, Buckley and Cragen were preparing to go out for some breakfast.
"Elliot, Liv, wanna join us for some breakfast?" Fin asked.
"Yeah," Olivia said. "Let me just get my things.
Elliot went over to Maureen and Chris.
She looked shyly at her father, afraid of what he would say to her about hiding the fact that Chris was a detective.
"Hi dad," she said softly. "I'm sorry for not telling you the truth."
"It's okay baby," he said, pulling her into a hug. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay dad," she sighed.
Elliot looked up at Chris, who smiled nervously.
Elliot held his hand out and Chris shook it firmly.
"Thanks Mr. Stabler," he said.
"You're a damn good Detective," Elliot commented.
Olivia smiled. She knew that he would come around, and she knew that Kathy would be able to cross that off of her list of worries.
All the detectives headed off together, thankful for another day they could spend among the living.