Elliot was transfixed with Liv's little girl. He honestly loved her like one of his own. He never understood how Liv could not know who her father was. She wasn't the type. He really thought that she just didn't want to tell anybody. If that was the case, then she had her reasons and he respected that, but this kid should have a dad. He's always happy to fill in where needed.
After they came back from the deli with a bagel for her, she sat at Liv's desk and entertained herself. He had 5 children, not a single one of them can sit more than 10 minutes without guidance on what to do, asking a million questions, or sighing heavily to convey their boredom (well, he still had hope for Eli). Not Serena. She watched what was going on around the squad room, opened her book and switched between writing and coloring. He was able to catch up on quite a bit of paperwork thanks to his babysitting duties. Every time he looked up, he saw mini-Liv concentrating on what she was doing with her tongue slightly sticking out between her teeth. He used to do that. His father told him it was not something he wanted to see so Elliot made every conscious effort to break himself of that habit, lest there be unwelcome consequences. He would never say anything like that to any of his kids, and he wasn't about to correct his partner's child either. Besides, she just looked too damn cute. He also noted that the girl was left-handed. Where did that come from? He and Kathy used to contemplate the same question because Kathleen and Dickie were both left-handed when everyone on both sides of the family were righties as far as they both knew. Liv was a righty so it must be her father. Elliot thought of him as a sperm donor because who wouldn't want to be a part of this child's life? She was amazing.
"Elliot, I need to pee" she said suddenly, breaking him out of his reverie. He did what he used to do to his girls; he picked her up, covered her eyes and ran her into a stall in the men's room. Apparently, this was the funniest action on the planet as it elicited a plethora of giggles. However, when he saw the condition of said stall, he had second thoughts.
"I gonna have a accident, Elliot." Serena started to look a bit frantic as he hesitated. He hated seeing any look on her face that wasn't joy so he did what any good dad would do, he held her up and she held on tight. When she was done and hands were clean (again, with covered eyes), she put her hands on both his cheeks and gave him a kiss. It was the best thank you he's ever gotten and no words were said. Like mother, like daughter.
It was a quiet day at the 1-6. Other than the call that Liv and John were on, no new calls came in so it was time to do research on open cases and catch up on paperwork. Elliot noticed how many people were just milling about. Who were they here to see? He hated these types of days; it made him uneasy to just sit, watch, and wait.
Fin had just finished speaking to Serena and when he left her side, her beautiful smile was plastered even bigger. He was just about to ask what was so funny when his phone rang. Liv. So, now he sat on the edge of his partner's desk listening to her child speak to her. Fin, silly? He somehow had a hard time reconciling his fellow detective with that description so he got up and began to walk back to his chair. Suddenly, the loudest bang filled the air so close that if it was tangible he would be able to touch it. That bang was followed by another and another, not as loud but popping and fast. Smoke was everywhere. Elliot knocked Serena out of the chair and practically threw her under the desk as he looked all around, prepared to take out the shooter. Everyone was taking cover, shouting orders, or running around; ironically, he also heard laughing. Above it all, he heard a sound that practically ripped his heart out. Heavy breathing and a slight whimper coming from right behind his back. He turned and bent down to see Serena under the desk. He caught a glimpse of a bag that seemed to be on fire but his attention was on that baby as she was biting her bottom lip, trying not to cry. He went to say something to console her, but he saw the reason for the whimper. Her right arm was waxy looking and bright red. It was burned and it looked bad.
-SVU-
John pulled the squad car up to the back of the precinct and Liv jumped out before he even stopped. She saw the ambulance and Elliot helping load the gurney with the EMT's. He would only be out here for one reason: her daughter was getting in that ambulance. No matter what was going on inside, he wouldn't leave her for a moment so she ran towards them and her feet didn't even touch the ground. She pushed past him and into the back. He didn't say a word, just moved out of her way, closed the doors and gave the signal to go.
-SVU-
Back upstairs, Fin was laying into the reason for the commotion. "What the fuck did you think would happen?" he questioned. "Bringing homemade fireworks into a police precinct you ass! Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in?"
The 17-year-old that sat in front of him looked about as high as a kite. A uni tackled the kid while another found the source of the bangs. Not gunfire, fireworks, and not the professional kind. Set off in a backpack that was placed on the floor near Liv's desk. It caused a small fire and a hell of a lot of smoke but no one really cared about that. What they were concerned with was Serena caught the explosions as Elliot knocked her off the chair for cover. He was so busy trying to find what he thought was a shooter that he didn't realize the baby's arm was burned, badly.
"Dude! You don't appreciate how awesome that was! I made those. Got the instructions from the internet. I didn't think it would work but man! Wasn't supposed to be inside though. I just put the bag down to use the can and I was looking around for it when the cherry bomb went off. Look" he held up a reddened palm which Fin grabbed and shoved back in the kid's face.
"A four-year-old was just taken to the hospital, you idiot! Do you even understand what's going on?" He took the stupid look on the kid's face as a no before he walked out of the interrogation room, slamming the door. He told a uni to process him first, they'll get answers later, after he comes down from the high.
-SVU—
Elliot was finally allowed upstairs after the ambulance left. The events of the last half-hour were running through his head in slow-motion. After briefly listening to Serena talk to Liv, he was about halfway to his desk when he heard the bang. He quickly turned and saw Serena's eyes open wide as she dropped the phone and looked down. He thinks he heard her scream. He did a quick scan of her surroundings and began to close the gap between them. The sounds, which he now knew were fireworks, were so close but he had to get Serena out of harm's way immediately. Under the desk was the safest place to keep her until the threat was neutralized, so he grabbed her with one hand, shoved her under Liv's desk, and assumed position in front. He could kick himself for not realizing that the move he meant to protect her with, was the one that ended up hurting her.
It was only when the popping sounds stopped that he realized his tragic mistake. When he bent down to look, he ended up kicking the burning bag out of the way. He thought that was the reason for Serena's whimpering; she was practically face to face with a small fire. He was only partially right. He was so concerned with getting her under the desk and out of harm's way, he threw her right on top of the bag of fireworks. She managed to push it away but not before several practically blew up right on her arm. Since they were homemade, who knew what was in them? He was blocking her in so it was like an oven under there. When he caught her eyes, that's when realization hit.
Elliot immediately grabbed her up by her other arm and held her close to him. "Let me see" he insisted but Serena just buried her face in his neck and held on with her left hand. Her right arm was immobile and untouchable. Her tiny legs were wrapped around his torso as far as they would go, and she was pumping them up and down as if jumping on a hoppy ball.
"Call a bus!" he screamed. Now that the noise was gone, his voice boomed. Fin came running over and took a quick look at Serena's arm. He caught Elliot's gaze which prompted him to shout louder, "Get a bus here, now!" That was the moment the happiest, most calm child on the planet started to cry. She didn't even wail as one would expect. Hell, even a full-grown man would turn into a baby if that happened to him, but Serena bunched up Elliot's shirt, stuck in it her mouth, and cried. He wouldn't have even known if her mouth was not right by his ear and he felt her body shaking with the effort.
The building was on immediate lockdown. Whether a shooter or a bomb, procedures were in place. No one in or out. This was not boding well with Elliot. He couldn't wait for the "all clear" because her nerve endings were being tortured. So, he ran for the stairs, daring anyone to stop him. He heard the captain call after him, but that was immediately followed by Fin's voice. Elliot didn't even care; he just had to get Serena medical attention. He was sprinting down the stairs while trying his best not to jostle her arm. Unfortunately, he kept bouncing and he felt her grip tighten even more and her crying getting steadily louder and more guttural. By the time he made it outside, he saw the ambulance. They were waiting for the go-ahead to get inside, but once they saw Elliot, they rushed the gurney right over. Serena did not want to let go, so he laid her down and held her hand. He ran with them right up to the point that they lifted her inside. That's when he caught sight of Liv and got out of the way.
Now, he was going to find out who before meeting them at the hospital. When he got back upstairs, he caught sight of the uni taking a kid to holding. He then saw the look on Fin's face and before anyone could stop him, his right hook connected with the kid's jaw, sending him to his knees. It was all done in stride without missing a beat. No one said a word, that is until he saw Tucker and IAB.
-SVU—
As soon as Liv felt the ambulance drive away, she grabbed Serena's hand and sat up by her head. "Was she shot? What happened?" she questioned the EMT's. They were busy talking to the hospital and working on her arm, so they didn't answer her. She watched, and felt, her little girl go limp and pass out. She needed answers.
"What. The. Fuck. Happened?" she said in a voice that no one could ignore. The EMT closest to her filled her in on the little he knew. Fireworks. Direct hit to the child's arm. Smoke. She just seemed to pass out from the pain. Fireworks? That didn't make sense, but Serena's arm was looking worse by the minute. Passing out was probably the best thing for her right now. Liv tried her best to stay calm and in the moment. She could deal with her emotions later; after her baby was taken care of.
