They were almost at the hospital in the back of the ambulance. Olivia and Maya still hadn't spoken a word to each other. Officers tried to take their statements but Olivia refused to speak. Maya followed her daughter's lead and did the same. They took pictures of her face and clothes that were splattered with Herman's blood. When she left the apartment, the police were marking it as a crime scene and taking pictures and collecting evidence all over her apartment.
They told her they received a domestic violence call before it was upgraded to a shooting, about a man yelling and women screaming and she assumed that was why they took Fitz. They wanted to know exactly what happened.
The ambulance parked in the emergency department and the EMT pulled Olivia's stretcher from the back and brought her into the emergency entrance.
There was still a level of shock that she felt that made it hard to process what was going on.
Then she was in the emergency department, waiting for the nurse to complete her intake form. Once she was left in the small exam room just outside of the triage area she pulled out Fitz's phone. The police officers were outside of the room though Maya was sitting by her side.
It was a black iPhone and when she tried to open it, it required a face ID.
"Damn it," she said, frustrated. She had assumed it didn't need a one if Fitz gave her the phone. She looked down at the screen and then the phone opened and she realized that Fitz must've scanned her face into his phone while she slept.
When it opened she quickly went to his call log and dialed Arianna's number.
"Fitz?" Arianna said groggily.
"No, it's not Fitz, it's Olivia," she said tearfully through the phone.
"Oh no, oh no," Arianna said in a panic, "Did something happen to him. Did something happen to my brother?"
"Something happened- the police took him. They're holding him-"
"-Oh my god-"
"-I'm at the hospital, I can't go to him. I think he's at the precinct downtown."
"Okay, I'm going," she said quickly, "are you okay?"
"I don't know-"
"What happened?" Arianna asked.
"I can't tell you, just go make sure he's okay," Olivia said then she wiped her eyes and hung up.
The gynecologist she requested came after a nurse checked her vitals. While her blood pressure was higher than normal, there were no other worrying signs. When her doctor stepped into the private exam room moments later Olivia turned to Maya and spoke to her for the time in the evening.
"I want to be alone."
"No, please, let me stay," Maya said as she took her hand. She was sweating inexplicably. "I don't want to leave you alone."
Olivia pulled her hand away, "I don't want you to stay. I'd hate to see you cry tears of joy if I find out I'm losing my baby."
"Olivia, I'd never-"
"Just go," Olivia said again then she turned her face.
Maya reluctantly left the room to give her daughter space but stayed right outside in the hall waiting until they were finished. There were two police officers right beside her.
Olivia pulled up the blanket the paramedics had given her when the police officers took her coat and boots because it was stained with Herman's blood.
"The blood on your face isn't your right?" Dr. Crowl asked as she read through her chart.
Olivia shook her head as the doctor pulled the curtains closed.
"How far along are you?" she asked."How far along are you?" she asked.
Olivia requested Dr. Crowl for a reason. She was the newest attending doctor in the gynecology department and wasn't familiar with any of the residents.
Olivia wiped her eyes when she realized she was crying again, "can you just tell me if my baby has a heartbeat, there's supposed to be a heartbeat." She pulled off her underwear and looked at the crotch and was relieved there was no blood then she lifted her legs on the stirrups.
Dr. Crowl nodded and flipped on the ultrasound machine then slipped gloves on her hands. She took a vaginal probe and spread lubricant on the tip.
"You'll feel a little pressure," Dr. Crowl said as she slowly inserted the probe.
Olivia closed her eyes and waited for it to pass then once the images came up on the ultrasound screen she looked.
A few moments passed and then the fetal heartbeat was audible from the small dot on. the black screen. Olivia found herself letting out a small sigh of relief. That was one disaster averted but there were so many others.
"We have a heartbeat and I don't see any classic signs or symptoms so it seems you are in the clear. Based on the size of your fetus I'd say you're a little more than 6 and a half weeks. Does that sound accurate?"
Olivia nodded.
"What symptoms led you to believe you were having a spontaneous abortion?"
"Severe abdominal cramping. Can I have a copy of the image?"
Dr. Crowl nodded and pulled the probe from between Olivia's legs and wiped between Olivia's legs then tossed the napkin with excess fluid in the bin.
"Right now everything looks good but with a pregnancy at this stage, things change very quickly. One minute you're fine and then next you've lost a child." She pressed a button on the machine and it printed a small paper image of the screen.
"Thanks," Olivia said sarcastically.
"I'm sorry, I just want you to be prepared if things change."
She pulled her legs from the stirrups and sat up and stood slowly from the table.
Dr. Crowl handed her the black and white photo then she slipped on her underwear and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders then headed out of the room, placing the picture in her purse as she walked, before Dr. Crowl could stop her.
"Where did you take him?" she asked one of the officers.
"We need to bring you in for questioning," the officer said. "No one is being charged right now but we need to know what happened. If you don't tell us, we'll have no choice but to charge him."
"I'm not answering a single question until I see him so what are you gonna do?"
The officer shrugged and said something into his radio then someone responded and he turned to Olivia. "Come with me."
She could see Maya standing beside them but she ignored her and followed the officer. Maya followed behind them and it wasn't until they were almost at the exit of the hospital that Olivia heard a thud behind her. When she turned around Maya was unconscious on the floor.
Olivia watched Maya's eyes flutter open early in the morning.
"What happened?" she asked groggily as she looked to Olivia who was sitting in the chair by her bed. Her eyes were wet and red from crying.
Olivia wiped her face and stood and walked to the side of the bed. "You had takotsubo cardiomyopathy. It's kind of like a pseudo heart attack brought on by stress. Dr. Roslin gave you ace-inhibitors and anticoagulants since you have a history of strokes. You should feel 100% in about a month."
Maya nodded but seemed indifferent now.
"Are you in pain?" Olivia asked.
"No."
"Why didn't you tell me you were feeling chest pain earlier? I saw you hold your chest when Herman dropped you but I didn't know this was the reason."
"It didn't seem important considering everything that was going on but honey don't cry about me, I'll be fine, or is the baby? Did something happen?"
Olivia shook her head, "I'm not crying because you had a pseudo heart attack. I'm crying because I can't believe you caused all of this."
"Olivia, I'm so sorry, you'll never know how sorry I am."
Olivia sniffled, "I love him...I think...which is probably why I can't breathe right now-" she said fanning her face for air.
"-Olivia-" Maya said tearfully.
"I know this is a lot for you...I know the way I told you was wrong and even the way we met was wrong, he kidnapped me and I know that hurt you but one his worst day he hurt me less than you did tonight, and one his worst day he was better to me than Herman ever was. He listens to me, he respects me and he makes me feel like I'm fine just the way am I. There is no pressure and no expectations and that is exactly what I needed because I can't be your hopes and dreams and the apple of your eyes and everything else. It's too much."
"I know- Livie, I'm sorry- I'm too much, I know I am...I'm sorry about telling Herman anything, I didn't think he could ever do something like this."
"I told you he was crazy. The Herman he was to you is not the Herman he was to me."
"-I wasn't thinking. You left, you wouldn't answer my calls and I have no one to talk to so when I came home from the supermarket and he was there I...I just...I was venting and if I'd known I would never- I don't even know what I expected when I told him...I wish I could take it back."
"He used to tell me that the only way I'd be apart from him was if I was dead. When I separated from him he slid notes under my apartment door reminding me of that. I knew at his worst this was what he could be. I don't blame you for how he reacted but you let your hatred of Fitz and your jealousy cloud your judgment so much that it almost killed us tonight not to mention the fact that Fitz is sitting in a cell right now and instead of being there with him, I have to be here with you."
"I'll tell them what I did. They can't keep him, Herman was going to kill us-"
Olivia shook her head, "you can't say anything. Fitz doesn't want us to."
Olivia wiped her eyes. "I came there tonight to tell you I was moving out but that it didn't mean I didn't want you in my life. I was hoping we could make up and that you could understand that even if you didn't agree with every choice I made that at the very least we could still have a relationship."
"That's what I want more than anything right now. I was jealous, you're the person I speak to 10 times a day and then he took you for weeks and you came back and it was like I repulsed you. You'll never know how sorry I am," Maya cried, "I could never try to hurt my only living child Olivia, you know that. I'll do anything to show you that all I care about is you and my future grandbaby. I won't say anything bad about him-"
"You don't have to pretend to like him, that's not what this is about, I just need you to take a step back and let me live, let me make mistakes, you're always gonna be my mom so there's no need to be jealous of anyone or feel like you have to prove anything to anyone because you're my mom so act like it."
Maya took her hand."I know, I know, I'm stuck in some bad habits but I will try to do better. I wished this didn't happen. I just love you so much, you know, when you're a mom you'll understand but I really will try to do better."
Olivia nodded. "I love you too."
Maya reached for her and Olivia leaned down and hugged her, even though Maya was hooked up at least a dozen wires monitoring her vitals and organs. Water came to Olivia's eyes and she leaned up and wiped them.
"I have to go to make sure he's okay. His sister said he was but they're not allowing her to talk to him. If they try to talk to you, you can't say anything without a lawyer, okay?"
"Okay. Is the baby okay? You still didn't answer."
Olivia nodded, "the baby is okay, the heartbeat is strong."
"I haven't even processed that I'm gonna be a grandmother. I've been busy concerning myself with everything else," Maya said inwardly.
"It's okay, I just want us to be okay," Olivia said softly.
"We are," Maya said with a sigh, "if you talk to him just tell him I'm thankful."
"I will."
Olivia walked to the door and Maya realized she was still shoeless with only socks on her feet.
"Borrow my crocs, you need shoes, it's cold out."
"Right," Olivia said.
"And my jacket," Maya added.
Olivia quickly slipped on the crocs and parka and then waved to her mother again before heading off.
When she arrived at the police station with the same two officers who'd been escorting her earlier she saw Arianna laying on a bench in the waiting area. Olivia quickly as she could, still mindful she didn't want to over-exert herself after her pregnancy scare hours earlier.
"Arianna," she called.
Arianna jumped up quickly. She dozed off an hour earlier. She looked at her phone screen and realized that she'd missed calls from Olivia and her parents.
"Hey sorry, I was so tired. I dozed off."
"It's okay," Olivia said quickly, "you still haven't seen him?"
"No," Arianna said, "are you okay? I still don't know what happened and no one will tell me. What did he do?"
Olivia walked closer and leaned to Arianna, "Fitz said I shouldn't say anything until his lawyer gets her," she whispered so the officer couldn't hear.
"He's on his way from New York. He should be here any minute," Arianna said quietly to Olivia, "I know him, I spoke to him."
An officer cleared his throat.
"I have to go," Olivia said to Ariana and then quickly turned away with the officers.
They took her behind the security door and where officers were working at their desk.
"Dr. Pope?" an officer said from across the room.
Olivia turned and recognized him.
"Officer Stewart," Olivia said.
He walked over quickly, "what's going on?" he asked his colleagues.
"We've taken her in for questioning in a code 6 turned lethal."
"Oh no. What? What happened?" he said.
"That's what we're trying to find out," the other officer replied.
"She's a doc at Mass Gen, I see her all the time when I take perps over to the hospital-" he stopped, "wait, is it that ex-husband?"
"Yeah...a Herman Bloom from Brooklyn but she won't say anything so-"
"Let me get on the case. She had a restraining order against the guy from a couple years back and he kept showing up at the hospital and her apartment, death threats, suicide threats, the usual behavior. I was on the case. If he showed up and they got into an altercation, he was breaking his protective order."
"Okay, maybe you can get her to talk," the officer said then he handed Officer Stewart a stack of papers.
He nodded, "Dr. Pope, why don't you come with me."
Olivia followed him to a small room in the back along with another officer.
"Can I get you coffee or tea?" he asked.
Olivia shook her head.
"What do you need, before we get started."
Olivia was silent for a moment, "I need to see him."
The man looked down to the front of the stack of papers then looked at Olivia.
"Ugh...Fitzgerald Grant, he's who we're holding?" he asked.
Olivia nodded.
"Okay, as a favor, I'll let you see him but you guys can't talk about what happened. Because there was a shooting and we got called in on a domestic violence dispute we have to take your statements separately. We have the info we gathered from the scene and from your neighbors but that's all we have."
Olivia nodded.
"Okay, let's go."
Olivia stood quickly and followed him outside of the room, down the hall to an area where there was a large holding cell. He looked at the paper and then went to a cell, "Fitzgerald Grant?" he called as he opened the gate.
Fitz stood and walked to him and the officer stepped aside and let him out. Olivia ran to him and wrapped her arms around him.
"Hey, take it easy. Did you go to the hospital, are you okay?" Fitz said, just about a whisper. He was aware the officers would try to listen in on their conversation.
She nodded and wiped her eyes, "Are you okay?'
"I was worried you were gonna lose the baby," he said softly.
"I'm totally fine, the cramping stopped and everything is fine. I heard the heartbeat and it's really strong."
Fitz smiled, "holy shit, that's good news, disaster averted."
"Disaster averted," Olivia said tearfully, "look at where you are?"
"Okay Olivia," Officer Stewart said, "this is all the time I can give you-"
"-Where is my client?" a suited man with a briefcase asked loudly, grabbing the attention of everyone. He was accompanied by an officer.
"He's the lawyer," the officer told him as they walked closer.
"I hope no one has been talking to my clients without their lawyer present?" he asked. "I'll need a well-ventilated room with adequate chairs and some water, go fetch."
Olivia saw one of the officers sigh and roll his eyes, "follow me."
Fitz's lawyer stepped ahead and they followed behind him and the squad of police. They led them back to the same room Olivia had been in earlier and left the three of them.
Once they were alone Olivia wrapped her arms around Fitz and hugged him tightly again, finally relaxed without officers watching them.
"I'm so sorry about all of this-"
"-Don't be sorry about anything. You didn't do anything," Fitz said.
"I thought he was gonna kill her," she said as fresh tears came and she finally grappled with what Herman did. She wiped them quickly and took a breath to calm down.
Fitz pressed her against his chest and held her. After some sniffles, Olivia leaned up, "you smell."
"Yeah, there are like 8 hobos in there," he said with a small smile.
The man pulled out a chair for Fitz and Olivia then sat in the chair on the opposite side.
"Okay, please tell me no one said a word."
"I didn't say anything about what happened, I swear," Olivia said quickly.
Fitz nodded and walked her to the table. They both sat. "Well they know I shot him but that's kind of obvious, the gun was beside me."
"That's fine," he said as he took out a notepad. "I want you to tell me what happened."
"Where is that water I asked for?" the man yelled as he flipped through some documents a police officer had given him.
He waited and when no officer came he smiled, "I just want to check that the room is soundproof. Also, I apologize for not getting here sooner, with the Thanksgiving weekend, it was hell getting a flight."
"It's fine, Jaime," Fitz said.
"Okay, so what happened, are we in a lot of trouble?"
"We shouldn't be. It was a licensed gun with no silencer, she had a restraining order against him which he broke and his fingerprints are on the knife he tried to stab her with."
"Who is this man?"
"My ex-husband," Olivia said. "Herman Bloom."
"It's very important that you didn't know he was going to be there. If it can be proven that you called him there or that you know he was there and went then they can try to flip this on you."
"It can't," Fitz said.
"Okay, did you shoot him in the front or back?"
"Front," Fitz said.
"Can they prove that you could have left but didn't?"
"I heard her scream and I went into the apartment," Fitz said. "That's about it."
Jaime jotted down more notes.
"You have a strong self-defense claim which is why they haven't charged you yet and I'm sure they're scouring the scene right now for anything that can prove otherwise but they won't really know what happened until you give them a picture but we won't give them a clear picture. Tell them the absolutely bare minimum, don't volunteer information, and don't lie. I'll be right here. We'll talk to them now and in about 30 minutes, you'll have been here for 6 hours and at that point, they'll have to charge you or let you go."
"What's my exposure, if they do decide to charge me."
"There's a lot they can charge you with but only if they can prove you didn't act in self-defense. There's a duty to retreat in Boston which is the opposite of standing your ground basically. If you can avoid a confrontation then it's your legal obligation to. You didn't use an unlicensed gun which would've been 2 years in state on a good day and if it had a silencer attached then it would've been an extra 3 years just for using it even if it was self-defense so right now you're in the best possible scenario." He glanced at the paper again, "it says your mother was involved?"
"She was there, yes," Olivia said. "Herman showed up and she found him in the hallway and she was talking to him inside my apartment."
"She didn't tell you she was going to do that?"
"No."
He took a breath, "I was trying to avoid this but your mother should get a lawyer, I can't represent all three of your interests. This isn't to alarm you, I don't think she has any legal liability if it's what she says happened then she's fine. They're really gonna be looking at you Fitz, you pulled the trigger so you have most of the liability."
Fitz nodded.
"So just give me a quick rundown of what happened so I don't have any surprises when you're giving your statement. If you're omitting something tell me you're omitting it and if there's anything you don't want the officers to know tell me so I can steer them away from it."
Olivia nodded, aware she had to be careful about how she worded her statement, "we went to dinner last night and afterward I decided to stop by my apartment to grab some textbooks for a surgery I have scheduled on Thursday-"
"Wait, you're a doctor?" Jaime asked.
Olivia nodded.
"At any point, could you have provided care that could save his life? This is important."
"Why would I save someone who tried to kill me?" Olivia asked.
"It doesn't matter. The same rules that apply in the hospital or anywhere else apply here. If you withheld care and he died they could charge you if they wanted. They'll know when they do an autopsy."
"It was instant," Olivia said, "I couldn't save him even if I wanted to."
Jaime nodded and jotted down more notes, "okay thank you, continue. I just want all my t's crossed and i's dotted."
Olivia nodded and continued, "I also wanted to tell her I was moving out. I went into the building and I found Herman stepping out of my apartment."
As Olivia spoke Fitz listened carefully because he wasn't there for that part and he wanted to see how well Olivia could omit parts of the story. He was sure they were on the same page about what they could and could not say. Maya however was another story.
"-wait, are there cameras in your building?" Jaime asked.
Olivia remembered and nodded then she realized that Fitz had had to be on camera with Alesander and the rest of them.
"They probably have the footage by now then," Jaime said.
"They probably won't see me on it," Fitz interjected.
"You're always very thorough," Jaime said smugly then chuckled. "Alright, continue."
Olivia took a sigh of relief then began again, "I asked him why he was there and he never answered. For a moment I thought my mom wasn't home and he'd broken in or something. Anyways, I told him the restraining order still stands and that he can't show up at my apartment anymore."
"Anymore? Has he been there before?"
Olivia looked to Fitz and he shook his head at Jaime.
"Okay, so we'll avoid that question. Got it, continue."
Olivia sighed nervously.
"It's fine, this is why you're talking to Jaime first," Fitz said.
She nodded and continued, "he grabbed me and I screamed. By that time Fitz was in the apartment building and he heard me and called my name. Herman pulled me inside. My door has a slam lock so it locks automatically. He covered my mouth and nose so I couldn't breathe as he held me against his chest. I was struggling to get free and that's when my mom came and saw what was happening. Fitz called again and my mom screamed for help. Fitz banged on the door, I think, I was having a hard time breathing so for a moment I wasn't sure what was going on. All I know is that he dropped me and then grabbed my mom with a knife from the kitchen. It's kind of an open kitchen so as soon as your walk down the foyer, you're in the kitchen. Fitz opened the door and came in and that's when he saw Herman with the knife at my mom's throat."
"How did he get in?"
"With a key."
Jaime nodded, "did you give him the key?"
"We're gonna steer away from that one," Fitz said.
Jaime nodded and continued.
"What was his behavior? Herman?"
"He was erratic and frantic. My mom told him that Fitz and I were expecting and it set him off and I showed up at the worst time possible."
Jaime took notes and nudged her to continue.
"Fitz tried to talk to him to get him to put away the knife but he wouldn't so Fitz pulled his gun."
"Was that the point when you shot him?" Jaime asked.
"No, I was still trying to talk him down. Olivia managed to do it actually, and she got him to let her mother go and then he hugged her with the knife in his fist and tried to kiss her. She rebuffed and threw up on him then she fell and he raised the knife to stab her and I gave him a double-tap. He died within maybe 20 seconds."
"Okay, sounds good, you didn't move him, I know you, Fitz, because you're careful but sometimes you surprise me by doing something crazy."
"I didn't move him," Fitz said.
"Awesome."
"One question before I call them in. Why did your mother tell the man with a restraining order things about your personal life."
"I was moving out, we were fighting and she said that she was just venting to him, she didn't know he was capable of this."
"You spoke to her? Where is she now?"
"At the hospital, this whole thing gave her takotsubo cardiomyopathy."
"What?" Jaime asked, confused.
"It's a stress-induced heart condition, like a pseudo heart attack."
"Is she okay?" Fitz asked.
"They're observing her but she's okay."
"Okay," Jaime said as he stood. "I'm gonna call them in so we can get the hell out of here."
Olivia and Fitz walked out of the station just after 6am. Arianna was snoring on the bench.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Olivia asked as they walked to Arianna. He had his hand wrapped around her shoulder, clutching her close. "I really am sorry it had to come to this. I know this is the last thing you wanted. You're always so careful, I don't want to be the one to get you in trouble."
"There's nothing to be sorry about. He would've killed your mother or you, this was the only way. Yeah, I'm annoyed her mother said anything but if he didn't find out today he would've found out later and maybe it would've been worse. It is what it is and if I had to do it again, I would. They have nothing. They'll be annoying for a few weeks but they'll have no choice but to close the case."
Olivia nodded and Fitz leaned down and kissed her softly and let his lips linger on her. Jaime walked out from the police officer's back room.
"We're good," he said as he walked to them, "I'm gonna hang around town for a few days to make sure that everything stays good. Apart from maybe, some follow-up and stuff, we're pretty straight. Oh, and they want your phones to check messages and location but I told them to burn in hell."
Fitz nodded.
"Also, no traveling, just until they close the case. I told them I'd give them a couple of weeks."
Jaime waved to Olivia and Fitz and then he was out the door.
"Watch this?" Fitz said before he leaned over and reached into his pocket and took out a coin then slipped it in Arianna's open snoring mouth.
She reflexively closed her mouth and then tasted the cold coin and jumped up and spat it out. She looked up and Fitz and saw him smiling, "Oh, you bitch!"
He chuckled, "come on, let's go."
"Let's go? What the hell happened," she stood and stretched, "are you okay? You've never been arrested? How was it?"
"I'm fine."
Arianna shook her head, "are you guys gonna tell me what happened. You've been very hush, hush about it. I mean Olivia calls me hysterically crying, scaring the shit out of me, is everything okay now?"
"I'll tell you later."
"Well, mom and dad are on the way…" Arianna said quickly.
"You didn't?"
"I'm sorry, how was I supposed to know when they'd let you out. I was calling in reinforcements, you know dad likes to yell at people."
Fitz sighed annoyed, "it's okay, come on, let's go. Also, you might need a tetanus shot from that coin."
Arianna rolled her eyes and hugged him slightly under his arm. It was an awkward hug because his arm was attached around Olivia and it made it hard to properly hug him. Fitz kissed her temple slightly then Arianna let him go.
The three of them headed out of the building.
When Olivia and Fitz walked into their hotel room, Camilla dashed over to him and hugged him.
"Thank god you're okay," she said breathlessly.
Olivia's lower jaw fell from her top jaw. She was just irritated enough from exhaustion to pick a fight. She walked over to pull Camilla from him but saw when Fitz backed away from her.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"I was worried about you-"
"I'm fine, I spent a few hours in a holding cell, I'll live. Olivia is here now. We're not sleeping together anymore. I already told you that we can't have the same relationship that we had before so don't let me tell you again, okay?"
Camilla shook her head, as if she was confused but didn't answer.
"Olivia, I have to talk to the guys outside so you can go ahead and get in the shower and I'll join you in a sec."
Olivia nodded and headed to the bathroom.
"Fitz-" Camilla pleaded.
"Just go," he said, "I'm tired."
Fitz opened the door and Camilla reluctantly stepped out. Alesander and Andrey walked in.
"We took care of everything on our end but Wade is still keeping an eye out on what they're entering into the system about you, just in case they try to surprise you. If anything comes up even slightly interesting Wade let you know," Alesander said in his usual broken English. "They want to talk to the mother, that's all. They'll do it today."
They talked for a few minutes and then Fitz decided to end it.
"Fly in another squad of guys so you can take a break."
They both nodded and headed out. Fitz closed the door behind them and stripped out of his clothes as he walked to the bathroom.
When he walked in Olivia was sitting in the bathtub with suds up to her neck, fast asleep with her mouth slightly open.
He stepped out of his pants and stepped into the water and hovered over Olivia. She didn't move. He sat and pulled her to him. She was limp in his arms as he laid her against his chest and leaned back. Her straight hair became curly from the water.
Fitz kissed her lips softly, she stretched slightly in the water but never woke and as he laid in the water with his arms around he finally admitted to himself that he loved her.