Chicago med ER, 2:35 AM.
"I came down as quickly as I could what's the problem?" Dr. Daniel Charles asked April since he had been paged.
"It's a patient Olivia Stabler, Dr. Stohl and student doctor Manning suspect that her husband's been abusing her so he was detained by security, she's woken up though and when she found out she ended up going to look for him. She's in the security room with him now and refuses to come out until he's released. Dr. Stohl was hoping you could maybe convince her to go back to her bed?"
Charles nodded "I can give it a good try. How sick is she?"
"She's in critical condition doc."
Charles nodded "I take it that you don't believe the husband was abusive?"
April shook her head "there's no way you'll think the same thing when you see them with your own eyes guaranteed."
Charles gave her a nod "where is Stohl anyway? It's normally the ER doc who paged me's responsibility to brief me."
April nodded "he went to the break room he was due his 30 minute break."
Charles nodded "I see, well I'll be back shortly," he said as he went to the security room and lightly knocked on the door "may I come in?" he asked Hue.
"Please," he said quietly as Charles nodded, walked in then took a long look at the sight before him as Olivia was dozing lightly, her head laying on Elliot's leg just above his knee and Elliot was running the fingers of his left hand through Olivia's hair gently while trying to hide how uncomfortable he was "you look really uncomfortable sitting like that is there anything I can do to help?" Charles asked him.
"I'm fine," Elliot whispered quietly as Charles just nodded slightly "I'm here to talk to your wife."
Elliot nodded slightly then looked up at his coat and frowned seeing chief of psychiatry written on it "Liv's not crazy," he said quietly.
Charles nodded "crazy isn't really my favorite word, I just wanna talk to her and get this all straightened out."
Elliot sighed slightly and nodded "I want this straightened out too I've been sitting here in this chair for almost 2 hours. I-I didn't hurt my wife and no one believes me."
Charles nodded his head "I completely understand, would you wake your wife up for me so I can talk to her and we can sort all this out?"
Elliot gave him a nod then leaned to whisper in to her ear "Liv, Liv can you wake up for me sweetheart?" he asked softly.
Olivia still continued to doze lightly and Elliot gave her gentle kisses on her neck, cheek then temple "mmmm feels so good," she moaned contentedly.
Elliot smiled then gave her a final kiss on her temple before moving his mouth back to her ear "there's a doctor here that needs to talk to you, he's the head of psychiatry sweetheart."
Olivia's head shot up quickly as she faced Charles "I-I'm not crazy and I'm not suicidal I just can't be away from Elliot, n-not here a-and he didn't do anything wrong."
"Okay Mrs. Stabler, okay it's okay no one is saying you're either of those things I just want to talk okay?"
Olivia gave a slight nod and Charles slightly smiled "would you like to maybe talk somewhere that's a little more private?" he asked.
Olivia shook her head "I'm staying in here with Elliot," she said.
Charles nodded "can you help me understand why you're so adamant that you need to do that?"
Olivia sighed slightly and lowered her gaze in shame "I-I'm triggered right now by hospitals and needles."
Charles nodded "has something bad happened to you at the hospital in the past?"
Olivia shook her head slightly "I-I was held captive by a serial rapist about a week and a half ago a-and he forced me to do Heroine against my will by jabbing it into me through a needle."
Charles nodded "I'm so very sorry that you had to go through that, I completely understand why you need your husband right now."
Olivia nodded slightly "s-so you don't think that my fear is stupid? Or that I'm crazy?"
Charles shook his head "no not in the least, if anything I think you've been very brave this evening facing your fears and allowing people to run the tests on you that they needed to."
She nodded slightly "it helped a lot that I was unconscious."
"You were still really brave baby, awake or asleep," Elliot said softly as Charles nodded agreeing "can you tell me how you got these burns Mrs. Stabler?" he asked as he slightly pointed at the ones he could see.
Olivia sighed slightly and nodded "the man who held me captive gave them to me, h-he burned me with our house key, metal hangers from our bedroom and several other things."
Charles nodded sadly "can I assume that he broke your wrist too?"
Olivia nodded her head sadly and Charles nodded slightly "I think those cuffs can come off now Hue."
"Are you sure Dr. Charles? The police haven't made it here yet."
"Yes I'm sure this man isn't a threat," he said as Olivia smiled when the handcuffs were finally off him and Elliot carefully stretched his arm out "was the person who did all this stuff to you caught?" Charles asked.
Olivia gave a slight nod "he's in the critical care unit at Mercy hospital in Nu York," she said through a slight yawn.
Charles nodded "I'm really glad to hear that, you know I can tell you're really tired so why don't we get you back into bed now okay?"
"O-Only if Elliot is allowed to come too," Olivia said.
Charles nodded "he will be but his wrist is hurt a bit and needs to be patched up so why don't I help you back to your room then he can get his wrist fixed up and come in behind us?"
"O-Okay," Olivia said hesitantly as Elliot shook his head slightly "my wrist is fine I'd rather just go straight back to her room with her."
Charles nodded his head "I understand that you just want to keep your wife as calm as possible, you've been doing a great job with that by the way but your wrist is bleeding and I'd feel a lot more comfortable if you let one of the ED doctors patch it up for you."
Elliot sighed slightly "they can patch it up for me in Liv's room it's not that bad."
Charles gave him a slight nod "alright I'll see if I can work something out, Mrs. Stabler do you need help getting off the floor?"
Olivia shook her head slightly and tried to get up herself then ended up giving him a slight sad nod "you know it's completely okay to need help right now you're in critical condition and somehow mustered up the strength to leave your hospital bed, search almost the whole ER for your husband then you sat on a hard uncomfortable floor for around an hour anyone would need help if they did all that while in your condition."
"I-I'm supposed to be strong though, I've always been a strong independent woman."
"You still are baby," Elliot said softly as Charles nodded agreeing "your husband is right, we're all human, we all need help sometimes, we all have fears and no one is invincible," he said as Elliot stood from his chair and gently helped Olivia up "please let me carry you sweetheart?" he asked.
Olivia shook her head slightly "n-no El your wrist is hurt, s-so is your cheek and your exhausted."
Elliot went to say something but before he could Charles cut in "we can get you a wheelchair instead. That or one of the guards can help you back to bed."
Olivia shook her head "I-I'm gonna walk," she said as Charles went to say something else but Elliot shook his head "Liv needs this, her legs and back are the only parts of her that haven't been effected in some way by what happened she can't use her left arm and her right one is swollen so bad right now that she can't really use it either we're gonna be doing so much for her already please, she wants to hold onto this scrap of dignity let her have it."
Charles thought about it for a minute then gave a slight nod "alright but Hue stay with them and if it becomes to much for her you help her we can't have her injuring herself any worse."
Hue nodded "copy that," he said as Charles left the room and Olivia let Elliot support part of her wait as they walked out.
"Okay baby lets get you laying back down," Elliot said softly once they were in the trauma room.
Olivia nodded her head slightly and carefully lowered herself into the bed "ahh," she sighed in contentment as she let herself melt into the sheet and pillow.
Elliot smiled, kissed her head gently then rolled her IV poll over "I'm gonna hook this tubing back up okay honey?"
"D-Do you know how to?" Olivia asked.
Elliot nodded "I do sweetheart," he said softly as once Olivia gave him a nod of permission he gently reattached the tubing back to the poll and Olivia tried to hide a grimace when the IV moved slightly.
"Shit did I hurt you baby?" he asked worriedly noticing her expression right away.
"I-I'm fine El I-it just moved a little," she said through a sigh as she rolled onto her stomach slightly.
"I'm sorry baby," he said softly as he leaned down, kissed the back of her head then stroked her hair "you want me to try and straighten it back out?"
"N-No," Olivia said a little to quickly as Elliot nodded "okay sweetheart I don't have too," he said as just then the curtain slid open "hi Mr. Stabler? I'm student doctor Choi I'm here to take a look at your wrist."
Elliot nodded and held it out for him while continuing to stroke Liv's hair with his other hand "so how long have you guys been married?" Choi asked with a slight smile.
Elliot smiled our third anniversary is on June 26th."
Choi smiled and nodded "I'll be honest I would think you guys have been married for longer if you hadn't just told me that."
Elliot nodded "we get that a lot, we would have been married a lot sooner but we worked together and marriage would have made that a lot more complicated."
Choi nodded "what did you guys do for work?"
"We were detectives with the Special Victims Unit in Nu York city, Liv still is one god she's made such a difference I can't tell you how proud of her I am," he said with a smile.
Choi nodded "I imagine a lot of people are," he said as he finished treating Elliot's wrist "the wounds on your wrist are superficial so I think the ointment I just applied along with the gauze will do the trick."
Elliot nodded "I told doctor Charles it wasn't that bad," he said quietly since Liv was now sleeping as they started to hear shouting outside the curtain "you guys are telling me that even after Mr. Stabler offered to give you guys his information and fingerprints you still kept him detained in the security room for two hours!?"
There was silence again for a few seconds "that doesn't matter! It's your job to figure out exactly who our patients are the minute they get here!"
Olivia startled slightly in the bed and Choi quietly left "shhh you're safe baby," Elliot soothed.
"H-He's angry, L-Lewis always yelled," she whispered as her heart rate was speeding up.
"NO I CALLED IT OFF!!" Charles could be heard shouting as before Elliot could respond to what Olivia said her monitors started going off "deep breaths honey, your safe baby I promise I need for you to breathe with me in and out, in and out."
Olivia's breaths continued to come shallowly as Olivia was hearing Lewis in her head yelling at and threatening her "everything's okay baby everything's okay I promise you I'm right here please try and breathe for me?" Elliot asked softly as Manning ran in to the room "what's going on?"
"She was triggered, she's having a flashback I've got this," Elliot said.
Manning shook her head "April give her 5 of Versed please."
Elliot shook his head "as her power of attorney I'm not allowing that just yet she doesn't need to be sedated she'll come out of it soon, Olivia, Olivia I'm here sweetheart you're safe I promise," he said softly making sure he was positioned to where she'd be looking into his eyes when she opened hers.
A couple more minutes passed then she finally opened her eyes "e-El?" she asked quietly.
"I'm right here baby," he said softly as he began stroking her hair again.
Olivia nodded slightly "w-What happened?"
Elliot sighed "Dr. Charles woke you up yelling at some people and it triggered you, you told me Lewis yelled at you a lot then went into a flashback when it didn't stop."
"I-I'm sorry El," she said shamefully.
Elliot shook his head slightly "no need to be sorry sweetheart," he said as April then walked over "Mrs. Stabler can I check your blood pressure?" she asked.
Olivia gave a slight nod and April nodded "can you stand on her other side Mr. Stabler?"
Elliot nodded and moved quickly as once he was situated April took her blood pressure "your blood pressure is reading 171/126 which is pretty high, would you like us to give you anything for your nerves?"
Olivia shook her head "El is all I need I'll be fully calm soon, can you please bring him a chair though?"
April nodded "I'll see if I can find him one, sorry Mr. Stabler I need you to switch sides again her IV is crooked I need to fix it."
Elliot quickly moved back to Olivia's left side as she sighed nervously "here baby it's okay just squeeze my hand," he said softly as he held it out for her to grip onto while stroking her hair again with his other one.
Olivia nodded slightly and gripped it gently "you can squeeze it harder than that Liv it's not gonna break I promise," he said with a small smile.
Olivia just grimaced a bit while April worked at trying to straighten it out "s-stop that hurts," she said after another minute more as her teeth were gritted.
"I've almost got it just hang in there a little longer," April said softly as Elliot rubbed her knuckles gently with his thumb "squeeze my hand baby, squeeze it hard I can take it," he said.
Olivia gripped it a little harder "that's it, there's your grip," he said with a smile as April finally finished "all done," she said.
Olivia immediately loosened her grip on his hand, opting to just gently hold it "you know you're not supposed to be using that hand at all with the cast right?" April asked.
Olivia nodded "I know but I don't care," she said as she then looked to Elliot "sit down on the bed honey," she said.
"He can't it's against procedure," April said as Olivia nodded and slightly smiled "I don't care about that either."
"You don't huh?" Nurse Maggie asked in a chuckle as she entered the room "CFD just dropped off this bag for you guys," she said sitting it on the foot of the bed.
"Please tell them we said thank you," Olivia said with a small smile as Elliot nodded agreeing and swayed slightly, letting his wait alternate from foot to foot.
"I'll do that, is there anything at all that you guys need?" Maggie asked as April had stepped out to check on another patient.
"Just a chair for Elliot, that or I'm gonna let him sit on the bed it isn't right for him to have to stand on his feet this much."
Maggie nodded "I'll see what I can find, try and get some rest you really need it."
Olivia just gave a slight nod and Maggie stepped out "I really appreciate how hard you're trying to make sure I'm comfortable but I'm fine baby I'm more worried about you," Elliot said softly.
Olivia smiled slightly and nodded "I worry about you and you worry about me that's always been how this goes."
"Yeah true but this morning all the worry should be going to you I'm tired and a little sore but you're really sick."
Olivia nodded "and if you aren't comfortable then you won't be able to help me through it, y-you have to sleep sometime El you can't stay standing up forever."
Elliot smiled "I'll stay standing for as long as I need to, I've stood for six hours straight in interrogation remember?"
Olivia just nodded, smiled fondly at him then yawned "get some sleep sweetheart I'm gonna be right here," he whispered.
Olivia gave him a slight nod "love you El," she said.
"I love you too sweetheart," he said softly as her eyes then fluttered closed.
Elliot stroked her hair for a few more minutes to make sure her sleep was deep then he eased away from her slightly to go through the contents of the bag thank goodness it's all here, he thought to himself relieved finding everything the way he had left it and his phone sitting neatly on top of it all as it was flashing red with notifications.
Elliot carefully picked it up and clicked on them as they were texts from Kathleen.
Kathleen: 7:49 PM: Brad and a couple of his friends were arrested not long after you left and a cop named Sergeant Voight pulled me aside, told me what a horrible guy Brad is then let me go once we got to the station do you know anything about that?
Kathleen: 11:15 PM: You not even gonna answer me?
Elliot sighed heavily and typed a text Sorry to hear that honey. He sent as he had only half read
them and not really absorbed what they said.
Kathleen: My heart is broken, you wait almost eight hours to text me back then when you finally do that's all I get? Unfreakin believable!
Elliot: What do you want me to say?
Kathleen: MAYBE I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT WOULD BE A GOOD START!
Elliot just read the message, sighed and closed the app deciding he'd deal with this once Olivia was no longer critical as it didn't take long for his phone to begin to ring.
Elliot clicked on the sorry, can't talk right now option and sent her to voicemail as about 30 seconds later a text shot through What the hell is your problem dad!? it read.
Elliot: Kathleen I love you honey but you're gonna have to yell and cuss at me later Olivia's in the ER in critical condition.
Kathleen: My god will she be okay? Does it have something to do with that awful spot on her arm?
Elliot: I hope so; yes.
Kathleen: is there anything I can do?
Elliot: No honey there isn't.
Kathleen: I'm sorry dad frowning face emoji I'll keep her in my prayers, talk to you later.
Elliot: thank you honey, love you. He sent as just then Maggie walked into the room "I found you a rolling chair Mr. Stabler, there is a waiting room though pretty close by for patients families if you wanna try and get some sleep there are recliners in there."
Elliot shook his head slightly "I promised Liv I'd stay in here with her, thank you for the chair though," he said as he quietly sat down.
She nodded "no problem sir just don't forget to take care of yourself too you can't be your best self for her if you don't sleep and attend to your own needs."
Elliot nodded "I'll keep that in mind," he whispered as Maggie nodded "can you fill these out sir? she asked handing him some insurance forms and hospital paperwork.
Elliot nodded his head and took them from her then grabbed a pin and quietly got started "thank you sir is there anything at all that you need?"
He sighed "maybe just a cup of coffee if you don't mind?"
Maggie nodded "we'll get that for you sir, Dr. Stohl is gonna be in to check on your wife in a bit then she'll be moved up to the ICU at shift change."
Elliot just gave a nod as Maggie went to leave then turned back around to face him "Mr. Stabler?"
Elliot's eyes rose from the paperwork as he looked at her "I just wanted to tell you I'm very sorry for the misunderstanding that happened earlier, we know who you guys are now and that you didn't harm your wife and I just want you to know we're all good people here and your wife is completely safe in our care."
Elliot gave her a tired nod "thank you for saying that," he whispered.
She nodded "no problem Mr. Stabler, we'll have your coffee to you soon," she said as she stepped out and he went back to filling out the paperwork.
An hour or so passed uneventfully as Elliot finished with the paperwork and drank his coffee as while he was doing a crossword puzzle game on his phone to pass the time he started to notice Olivia's head rolling around slightly "what's wrong honey? Are you hurting do you need something?" he asked softly.
Olivia said nothing as her head still continued to roll around in her sleep as she rolled over several times then a frown finally appeared on her face "aww, honey what is it?" he asked softly as he put the phone down and stroked her hair.
Olivia sighed slightly in contentment and her head immediately stilled ahh that's what she needed, he realized as he made himself comfortable and kept it up "I miss my pillow," she mumbled half asleep after a few minutes.
"Your pillow's right there baby your head's on it," he said softly as he tapped it gently.
Olivia shook her head slightly "n-not that pillow," she said as she then glanced at his chest "this pillow."
Elliot chuckled slightly then smiled "well just think the pillow you have now is softer."
Olivia smiled slightly "well maybe I like a nice warm firm pillow."
Elliot chuckled slightly and kissed her gently "you'll be laying your head there again soon enough I promise."
Olivia nodded with a slight smile "I'm glad they finally gave you a chair."
He nodded "yeah me too baby I would have kept standing if they hadn't but I was beginning to hurt."
She nodded slightly "I could tell," she said as the curtain then opened "hi Mrs. Stabler, I'm Dr. Stohl I'm here to have a look at your arm."
Olivia gave a slight nod and Stohl pulled the sheet down to look at it "no change," he said.
"But I thought you guys gave her an antibiotic? Shouldn't it be helping?" Elliot asked.
Stohl sighed "normally this one would work quicker but since you waited so long to bring her in the infection became really severe so it's gonna take stronger meds to get rid of it."
Elliot just nodded slightly "please don't guilt trip him like that it was my choice to wait not his," Olivia said.
Stohl just sighed slightly and nodded his head "we're gonna give you a stronger dosage of zozen then retest your blood in a couple hours to see how much infection is still in your blood sound good?"
Olivia nodded slightly "is there any way you can draw it from the IV instead of sticking me somewhere else? Needles trigger me."
"I'm sorry but no," Stohl said as he walked out before any more questions could be asked and Olivia sighed warily.
"Everything's gonna be okay honey," Elliot said softly attempting to ease her mind as he went back to stroking her hair.
Olivia sighed and shook her head "w-what if... w-what if I-I have a flashback like I did at Mercy?"
"Then I'll get you out of it and make the nurse stop until you're feeling calm and safe again."
Olivia gave a slight nod then rose up and went to stand "hey where you going sweetheart?" he asked softly.
"I-I'm thirsty a-and there's a water fountain in the hall."
Elliot nodded "why don't you let me go fix you a cup? That way you're saving your strength? You'll heal faster if you save your strength."
Olivia looked slightly wary "I won't take long sweetheart I promise and they won't do anything while I'm not in here."
Olivia gave a slight nod and laid back down as Elliot kissed her head gently then dashed out "where do you guys keep your throwaway cups?" Elliot asked April.
"Over there," she said pointing towards a cabinet "do you need more coffee?"
Elliot shook his head "Olivia needs water I told her I'd fix her some."
"Gotcha, you know I'm surprised she didn't try and come out here herself she seems like that kind of person."
"Oh she did I just convinced her that was a bad idea, thanks for the help," he said as he quickly grabbed a cup then hurried over to the water fountain.
"He's hot you gonna ask him out? You're real friendly with him," Doriss, another nurse asked as she clocked in for her shift.
"No he's happily married," she said with a slight smile.
"Shame," she said as she started reviewing charts and Elliot finished at the water fountain and went back to Liv's room finding her almost asleep "I have your water baby do you still want it?" he asked softly.
Olivia gave a slight nod and reached her left hand out slightly "let me?" he asked.
Olivia hesitated slightly but ended up nodding when he stroked her cheek gently "I saw a new nurse clock in," he said as he gently held the cup to her lips.
Olivia nodded slightly while taking slow sips as after finishing around half of it she moved her head a little "you through?" he asked.
Olivia nodded slightly "y-you think they're about to move me upstairs?"
Elliot shook his head "they've gotta give you more meds and test your blood levels remember?"
Olivia nodded "w-what time is it anyway?"
"4:58," he said softly.
Olivia nodded slightly and closed her eyes with a sigh as April then eased in "I'm just gonna hang her meds and check her temperature," she whispered thinking Olivia was asleep.
Olivia nodded her head slightly and Elliot said nothing, just stroked her hair gently "it's 104.6 which is still way to high," April said.
Elliot nodded "can you give her more meds for her fever then?"
"I'll ask Dr. Stohl," she said as once she hung the new bag of zozen along with some saline she left the room.
Olivia drifted into a light sleep right after April was gone and managed to stay that way when she came back in and pushed more acetaminophen through her IV "Mr. Stabler would you like for me to replace the chair you're using with a cot? It's gonna be a little while until we draw her labs and I can tell that you're really tired."
"I-I don't know..." Elliot said hesitantly as he mulled it over in his head.
"You'll still be right next to her and if for some reason you don't hear her and she needs something she has a call button right here," April said quietly as she pointed at it.
Elliot shook his head "I don't want for her to have to use that I'm her husband and I'm gonna do everything for her that I can."
April nodded "you're a great husband Mr. Stabler I can tell from just the short time I've known you but Olivia is a great wife too and I think that she would want you to take care of yourself and get a little rest."
Elliot sighed heavily "yeah she would... Okay," he said resignedly "I'll take the cot but if I'm not awake when you come in to draw her labs you've got to wake me up."
Before April could give a response a patient began coding in the next room and she rushed off as Elliot sighed heavily then focused his attention back on Liv, utterly grateful that it wasn't her coding as he relaxed back in his rolling chair.
"Time of death 5:23," Elliot finally heard a doctor say in the distance as Liv cringed slightly "a-am I dead?" she mumbled half asleep.
"No baby, no no you're not dead you're still with me I promise," he reassured softly as he gently stroked her hair and kissed her cheek.
"B-but I heard someone say"-
"It was next door baby," he said softly cursing the curtains for being so thin in his head as his heart broke a little more when he saw her attempting to reach out for him "I'm right here love, right here," he whispered softly.
After another minute or so Olivia became a little more alert as she scooted herself closer to the edge of the bed "careful careful," he said worried she'd fall off.
Olivia was in deep concentration as she didn't respond to what he said and used some of her strength to place her left hand over his heart "I'm right here baby," he whispered again soothingly.
"I-I know I-I love you."
"I love you to Liv, so so much, you're gonna be alright," he whispered as she then slipped back into a light sleep.
As Olivia slept Elliot gently held her hand and stroked her hair not wanting to let go and not wanting her to wake up again for a little while the nurse is probably to preoccupied to find the cot which is fine with me I could care less about getting any sleep right now he thought to himself as he sighed when his phone began to vibrate and he looked at it.
Cragen the screen read as he sighed slightly knowing the man was probably really worried since they hadn't made it back like they said they would as he gently extracted his hand from her hair to answer his phone "Stabler," he whispered.
"Elliot it's Don are you guys okay? Your not in yet and your note said you'd be in late last night."
"No cap Olivia's in the hospital, s-she's got an infection in her bloodstream s-she's in critical condition."
"Oh my god... Elliot I'm so, so sorry... Do you know how she got it? D-Did she get it from Lewis?"
"I-I don't know I-I didn't think to ask them that," Elliot choked out.
Cragen nodded "it's okay Elliot is there anything at all I can do?"
"C-Call Fin for me? Ask him if he's willing to meet Kathy and get Izzabella from her until we can come home?"
"Get her from Kathy? Elliot am I hearing you right? Don't tell me you..."-
"No!" he said adamantly, forcefully as Olivia startled slightly "shhh," he whispered as he stroked her hand with his thumb gently "i-it's not like that Kathleen ended up inviting her to Chicago too and not telling us that's why it wasn't in my note," he said as his voice was soft again.
"Ohh okay.." Cragen said relieved as Elliot just nodded "you should know me better than that anyway Don," he said quietly but firmly.
Cragen nodded "I know I know it just sounded a little"-
"Sketchy I know," he said as he then slightly sighed "look cap I need to go Liv is trying to sleep, please text me though and let me know what Fin says and if he says yes let him know the flight from Chicago to Nu York is already payed for."
"I will Elliot, keep me updated on her condition and don't forget to take care of yourself too."
"I'll try my best, talk to you later," he said as he quickly hung up and wove his fingers back into her hair and she sighed in contentment in her sleep.
Around 25 more minutes passed slowly as when Elliot was about to nod off sitting up the curtain slid open "I'm here to draw your wife's bloodwork," Dorris said.
Elliot frowned slightly "where's nurse Sexton? I trust her with Liv I'd rather it be her."
"I'm sorry she clocked out for the day," Dorris said as Elliot just nodded slightly and sighed "well Liv's been through a lot and needles are one of her biggest triggers right now so I expect you to be gentle with her."
Dorris nodded "I saw her chart," she said grimly as she began walking over to Liv's right side.
Elliot shook his head "wait," he whispered sternly as he then leaned to whisper in Liv's ear "Liv, honey a nurse is here," he said as he gently squeezed her hand.
Olivia's eyes opened slightly and focused on him "I only see you are you my nurse?" she whispered groggily.
"Sorry baby not this time," he said softly as he turned his gaze to the right "she's your nurse."
Olivia nodded slightly then frowned seeing the needle "you want to feel better right?" Dorris asked.
Olivia gave a slight nod "I-I want to be home."
Dorris nodded "think of this as a step to getting back there then," she said as she then looked Olivia's arm up and down for a vain "I can't get one on this arm it's to swollen, sir you're gonna need to switch sides with me."
Elliot just nodded and quickly moved in the rolling chair "tell me Liv, tell me what do you wanna do for our third anniversary?"
Olivia smiled "m-maybe we could go dancing?" she asked.
Elliot smiled "I'd like that, and maybe that afternoon I could take you for a ride on the motorcycle?"
Olivia nodded "t-that'd be amazing. M-Maybe that night I'll feel up to"- she grimaced a bit feeling the needle digging around in her skin.
"Squeeze my hand baby, squeeze it hard," he whispered softly.
Olivia squeezed it slightly "Dorris! I need you two gunshot vics are rolling in in 2!" Maggie called.
"Dammit!" Dorris exclaimed as she started digging faster "I'm almost through in here!" she called.
"Copy!" Maggie called but when Olivia teared up and began to cry because of Dorris's now rough digging Elliot lost it and firmly grabbed her wrist, not enough to hurt just enough to stop her "listen to me right now I don't care how many patients you have, how many patients are coming in or how tired you are you're gonna be gentle with Olivia no matter how long it takes you got that?" he asked sternly as he steadily stroked Olivia's hair with his free hand.
"t-This is an emergency room we have to be quick, in and out when trauma's come in," she said slightly intimidated.
Elliot nodded "yeah and I don't care if this is an emergency room, an urgent care center or just some secret hideout I mean what I said," he said as he was gently drying Olivia's tears with his thumb now since she couldn't reach up and do it herself.
Dorris just nodded slightly and swallowed hard as nurse Maggie stepped into the room slightly "is there a problem here?" she asked.
Elliot nodded "she decided it'd be a great idea to be rough with Olivia," he said flatly.
"I-I wasn't trying to be rough I-I was just trying to get it done and make it out there to receive the trauma's," Dorris said.
Elliot nodded "and I don't care if god himself is your trauma victim absolutely nothing condones you being rough with her you guys know who we are and what she's been through."
Maggie nodded having heard both of them as she looked to Dorris "it's alright Dorris I know," she said as she then looked to Elliot "Mr. Stabler I know what you're feeling and I understand that you're upset but I need you to let go of my nurse's wrist now."
Elliot frowned warily trying to decide if he should listen or not as Olivia chose that moment to finally speak "i-it's okay y-you can let go El."
Elliot released Dorris's wrist and Olivia franticly looked to the nurses "y-you can't have him charged with assault t-this was my fault I-I couldn't hide the pain I was in a-and he just reacted."
"H-He didn't hurt me, h-he didn't grip it that hard," Dorris said shakily as she showed Liv her wrist which had no marks or bruises on it as Olivia sighed in relief and Elliot gently kissed Liv's temple "don't worry Mrs. Stabler it's alright this was a difficult situation and we know what you're both going through," Maggie said.
Olivia just gave a slight nod "I-I think me and El both need some sleep, some good deep sleep," she said.
Maggie nodded slightly "me and Dorris are gonna go unload our gunshot victims then I'll be back to draw your labs myself okay?"
Olivia involuntarily cringed at the thought of going through this again but slightly nodded as both nurses then left "e-El are you okay?" Olivia asked softly.
Elliot nodded "I'm fine baby I promise are you okay?"
"I-I'm still a little shaken up b-but yeah I'm okay El."
Elliot nodded slightly "I didn't scare you did I? I-I tried to keep my voice level I-I really did I just couldn't let her put you through more pain than was necessary."
Olivia shook her head "you didn't El I promise y-you were firm in what you said to her but the hole time you were being gentle with me, y-you calmed me down t-thank you for doing that."
Elliot shook his head "you don't have to thank me for that baby," he said softly as after a minute or so of quiet Olivia looked to him "El why don't you just get up here and hold me? We'll both sleep better that way."
Elliot shook his head "not right now baby I don't wanna fall into that deep of a sleep until you're upstairs, as soon as we're up there though we can try it I promise."
Olivia nodded slightly and rolled over a little and Elliot rubbed her back gently "sleep sweetheart I'll be right here and I'll wake you up when she's back."
Olivia nodded her head ever so slightly then she began to doze lightly again please let this second attempt of the blood draw be easier on her. Please let her sleep through most of the day so she doesn't have to remember every detail about how sick she is. Lord please let her fever go down and her meds get rid of this infection, she wants to go home please let her do that soon he prayed in his head as soon his eyes closed.