A/N: Hey, sorry for the delay in updates. Life is starting to get back on track so I've been a little busy. Also...i only received a couple of reviews on the last chapter so I'm beginning to worry that people are losing interest in this story. Hopefully this chapter is a little more 'exciting' for you guys. I hope you enjoy this next chapter. xxx
"Elliot, I need you do go down to the coffee shop our vic frequented and keep a look out for our suspect." Cragen announced as he entered the squad room from his office.
Elliot stood and collected his keys and suit jacket. "Sure thing, Cap. Am I doing this solo? I mean, that coffee shop is pretty big and I can't have my eyes and ears everywhere." He stated. Munch and Fin were both out investigating a new case and Dani had left a few days before which meant he had been working alone recently.
However, before Don could respond, a voice behind them made itself known. "I'll go with you."
It took a moment for the persons presence to register within Elliot who looked at Cragen who had a knowing look on his face. "You knew about this?" Elliot asked with a raised eyebrow.
Don just shrugged in response before replying. "Just don't kill each other out there. You both need to keep it professional out there." He said giving them both a look of warning before turning on his heel and going back into his office.
About an hour later, the two detectives were sat at a table in the coffee shop. The silence between them was awkward as was the car ride over ton their new location. Not only was the atmosphere awkward, there was also a hint of hostility in the air surrounding them. Neither spoke except for when Elliot was getting his wife up to speed on their latest case.
Olivia cleared her throat and sipped at her coffee as she subtly scanned the area looking for anyone matching their suspects description. She then scrubbed at her tired face as she placed the cup back on the table.
"You seem...tired." Elliot commented, a hint of concern lacing his tone.
Olivia sighed and brushed herb bangs away from her eyes. "I uh...didn't get much sleep last night. Zoe bunked with me and she was being really fussy. Probably because of the fever she had."
Elliot frowned, his concern escalating at the mention of one of the kids being under the weather. "She's sick? You should take her to see the paediatrician."
Liv rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I know how to take care of my daughter, Elliot." She spat out slightly harsher than she intended to. In her defence, she was extremely sleep deprived and being teamed up with Elliot had her slightly on edge.
A hurt look flashed across El's face but he quickly composed himself before retorting. "Our daughter. You may have spent more time with Zoe but she's just as much mine as she is yours. Or are you forgetting that I also signed the adoption papers?"
Olivia closed her eyes briefly before giving her husband an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. Zoe will be fine. I'm sure it's just a stomach bug."
"Can I still have the girls this Saturday? I know last week-"
"Let's not talk about last week. I shouldn't of hit you." Olivia quickly interrupted Elliot. "And of course you can see them. It's like you said, they're your daughters too." She looked around the coffee shop and that was when something caught her eye. She tapped Elliot's arm and gestured for him to look in her line of sight. "I think that's our suspect."
"Hey, sorry I'm late." Olivia called into the house after returning home from her first day back at work. It was way past the girls bedtime so she thought it would just be Abbie, the babysitter, who would be waiting for her. However, as soon as she stepped into the family room she was proven wrong when she was greeted by a very teary eyed Zoe.
"Mama." The little girl sobbed out. She didn't move from her position on the couch but lifted her arms as if to say 'hold me'.
Olivia gave Abbie a quick glance before hurrying towards her little girl and cradling her in her arms as if she were a baby. "Oh, Sweet Girl. It's ok. Mommy's here."
"I'm sorry, Liv. I tried to get her into bed but she wouldn't settle. She just kept asking for you." The young red headed woman said apologetically as she gathered her purse and jacket.
Olivia waved her off. "It's ok." She had kind of expected her youngest to have a little separation anxiety that day considering Liv had been home everyday since Zoe had come to live with them. The fact that Zoe also happened to be sick just heightened the intensity of the little girls fears. Liv attempted to put Zoe back down on the couch but the little blonde screeched and clung onto her mother with a vice like grip. Olivia rubbed her back and placed a kiss on her daughter's head. "Baby, Mommy has to go to her purse and pay Abbie for taking such good care of you. I need you to be brave and wait here."
Although she hated to do so, Olivia extracted Zoe's weak little arms from around her neck in order to lay her down on the couch. Zoe burst out into sobs and Olivia was just about able to leave the room to see Abbie out and pay her for her services. "I'm sorry if she was fussy today. I'm hoping she gets a full nights sleep tonight. Hopefully she will feel better in the morning."
Abbie nodded in understanding. "Honestly, Liv, it's fine. It was her first day without her mama and to top it all off she feels crappy. I gave her children's Tylenol a few hours ago so she's ok to have some more now. She'll be back to her normal self in no time."
Olivia smiled gratefully at the sitter's reassurance and held the front door open. "Thanks again. Same time tomorrow?"
"See you then." Abbie said and with that she was gone leaving Liv to deal with her sick child.
"Ok, Zo-Zo, let's get some more medicine into you." Olivia announced as she lifted Zoe back up into her arms. She felt the child's forehead with the back of her hand and frowned. "I think I nice bath will help with that fever too." She commented more to herself.
Zoe shook her head rapidly and buried her face into the crook of Li'vs neck. "No baf." She insisted weakly. She was aware that having a 'baf' meant she wouldn't be in Mommy's arms and in that moment that's the only place she wanted to be.
Olivia sighed to herself as she trudged up the stairs and into Zoe's room. She expertly rifled through the dresser one handedly until she came across the little nightdress she was looking for before closing the draw with her hip and leaving the room. "A bath will make you feel better and guess what?" Zoe lifted her head briefly before returning back to her original position on Olivia's shoulder. "You can even use Mommy and Daddy's big bath." For some reason both her daughters preferred taking their baths in hers and El's en suite. They claimed the bath tub was bigger than 'their bath tub' but Olivia was pretty sure it was the same size as the one in the other bathroom.
Zoe made no comment and Olivia continued her bath preparations all the while offering the little girl soft assurances that she would be feeling better in no time. She made sure to put extra lavender scented bath bubbles in with the lukewarm water with the hopes that it will help her baby get to sleep quicker. Olivia was exhausted and all she wanted to do was curl up into bed and get some sleep.
Twenty minutes later and Zoe was curled up into Olivia's side in Liv's bed. The mother stroked through her daughter's blonde locks hoping to sooth her daughter into peaceful sleep. Zoe had her thumb in her mouth and although Olivia was trying to break her of that habit, she knew that it was giving her daughter some much needed comfort.
"Mama?" Zoe mumbled out around her thumbed.
"What is it, Baby?" Olivia asked softly.
"I no like being sick." The little girl grumbled as she buried herself deeper into her mother's side.
Liv giggled softly and held onto her daughter a little bit tighter. "I don't think anyone likes being sick, Honey."
Zoe shifted a little before she was laying on top of Olivia, her head now resting on the brunette's chest so she could now here the comforting sound of Liv's beating heart. "When I be not sick?"
Olivia rubbed Zoe's back and placed a loving kiss to the crown of her head before resting her cheek there. "Soon, Baby, soon." She whispered. She hoped she was right. She didn't think she could handle watching her baby girl suffer more than she already had.
By that Saturday, Olivia was near the end of her rope. Zoe hadn't got much better. If anything, the three year old had only gotten worse. She was fussing more than ever and if Zoe wasn't complaining about an 'ouchie' in her head, she was either bringing up bile or was drowsy. The night before had been the worse one so far and that had prompted Olivia to make a phone call the paediatrician who thankfully had an emergency slot for later that afternoon. Olivia was starting to assume that her little one had a bad case of chicken pox when she woke up that morning to discover Zoe had a rash on her pale and clammy skin.
"Maria, please get your shoes on and gather up your toys. Daddy will be here soon." Olivia said somewhat sharply as she attempted to tidy up the family room all the while having Zoe attached to her hip. Maria had been seeking attention from her all morning but with everything going on with Zoe, Olivia was unable to do so which just seemed to make her eldest's behaviour worse. She had thought about telling Maria that she would not be seeing her father that day but she knew that would be unfair for everyone involved.
"But, Mommy. I don't want to wear this outfit any more." Maria whined as she gestured to her all pink attire.
Olivia huffed and stopped what she was doing and glared at the six year old. "You are not changing again. Daddy will be here in five minutes and anyway, you picked out that outfit."
Maria shrugged. "I want to wear a dress." She insisted.
"Maria, I'm not in the mood to argue with you right now. You are wearing what you have on." Olivia told her matter of factly. She was 'saved by the bell' so to speak as the sound of the front door being unlocked could be heard. Liv sighed in relief when Elliot appeared in the doorway.
"Daddy!" Maria exclaimed as she crashed into her fathers legs.
"Hey, Angel Face. Are you ready to go?" Elliot asked as he ran his fingers through Maria's hair.
Maria stood back and shook her head. "No. I need to change my clothes but Mommy said 'no'." She told him with her her best puppy dog expression. "Can I go change?" She added.
Olivia went to protest but Elliot spoke before she could even make a sound. "Go ahead. I'll wait for you."
Maria scampered off happily and Elliot finally looked up at Olivia only to be met with glaring chocolate eyes. "What?" He shrugged.
Olivia rolled her eyes and took a few steps closer towards her husband. "I wish you wouldn't undermine me like that. I already told her there was no time to change."
Elliot shrugged again and gestured towards Zoe. "There's plenty of time. Zoe isn't even dressed yet." He pointed out when he realised the little girl was still in her pyjamas.
Olivia scrubbed at her tired face and shook her head. "Zoe isn't going with you." She told him.
"What? But you said-" Elliot began to protest.
"I know what I said but, El, she really isn't up to going anywhere today. I'm even dreading taking her to the paediatrician later this afternoon." Liv replied. "Zoe, Sweetheart, can you say 'hi' to Daddy?" Zoe lifted her head weakly and looked over at El who was looking at his youngest with concern. The child was pale and clammy and she had dark circles under her eyes.
Elliot went to take Zoe from Liv but the little girl whined and clung onto Olivia as tight as she could. Olivia shot El an apologetic look when she saw his hurt expression. "She won't leave my side. She's been sleeping in my bed every night and I even get followed when I go to the bathroom."
"Jesus, Liv, she looks awful. So do you." Elliot pointed out after studying Olivia's own physical appearance. Her hair was dishevelled and she was clearly still in her own pyjamas. "Look, how about Maria and I stick around here today that way I can come with you to the doctors office."
Olivia quickly shook her head. "No. Maria has been really looking forward to going out with Daddy today. Take her to the park, she has a lot of energy today." She insisted.
Elliot thought about her words for a moment before nodding his head in agreement. "Ok but...you'll let me know what the doctor says?" He asked.
"Of course I will. This isn't me shutting you out. There's no need for all of us to be miserable. Go have fun." She told him.
Just then Maria came bouncing back into the room and twirled in the space between her parents to show off her new outfit. "This much better." She stated happily.
"You look very pretty, Honey." Olivia agreed. She skilfully crouched down in front of Maria so that Zoe was still attached to her hip. "Be good for Daddy ok?" Maria nodded and gave Olivia a quick hug before stepping back and taking a hold of Elliot's hand.
Olivia waited until she heard the front door close behind her husband and older daughter before looking down at her youngest. "It's just you and me now, Baby Girl."
Later that afternoon, Olivia made her way upstairs in order to wake Zoe from her nap. The girl had become extremely lethargic and had been asleep for a couple of hours. Olivia hated to wake her but it was coming up to the time when they had to leave for the doctors appointment.
Upon entering the little girl's room, Olivia smiled softly at the peaceful looking child and made her way over to the bed before crouching down beside it. Liv stroked the top of her daughter's head hoping to rouse her gently. "Zo-Zo, it's time to wake up." Olivia didn't get a response so shook the child a little but she still had no luck in waking her.
Olivia stood only to sit on the edge of the bed. She placed her hand on Zoe's shoulder and turned her so the little girl was lying on her back and that's when Olivia's heart stopped. Zoe's usually pink lips were now blue and her chest wasn't moving.
Her little girl wasn't breathing.
"Oh my god," Olivia whispered and was momentarily frozen in shock but was quick to snap out of it. Digging into her back pocket of her jeans she pulled out her cell phone and dialled 911 before starting CPR. The whole time, Liv felt like she was stuck in some sort of nightmare. Why was this happening to her? To her baby? What had her innocent little Zoe done to deserve this? What had she done? Olivia couldn't help but think this was all her fault. She should have know that Zoe's illness was more than just a stomach bug.
Before Olivia could beat herself up any more, a voice on the other end of the phone caught her attention. "911, what's you're emergency?"
As Olivia counted chest compressions in her head she responded to the voice. "I need an ambulance. My daughter is unresponsive and not breathing." She shot off the rest of Zoe's condition as well as her address before adding that she was detective with the NYPD. She then breathed into Zoe's mouth as she heard the person on the other end of line say they were sounding out a bus to the location and that they would stay on the phone until they got there. Liv carried on with the CPR hoping that the paramedics would be there soon.
Meanwhile, Elliot was watching Maria run around the playground with a content smile upon his face. He missed being at home with his wife and daughters. He still couldn't believe how bad things had gotten between him and Liv. He knew that their current situation was his fault and he hated himself for that everyday. Elliot was just grateful that Olivia was such a great woman and hadn't stopped him from seeing his children. His family was everything to him and he didn't think he could handle losing any of them.
El was torn from his thoughts when his cell phone rang. He frowned when he saw it was Olivia calling but answered the phone call straight away. "Hey, Liv, how was the doctors-"
Olivia's sobbing stopped him from going any further. "El...I need you! Zoe...she's...she stopped breathing."
Elliot's eyes widened at this and he whistled loudly to get Maria's attention. The little girl looked over at her father and skipped over to him when Elliot beckoned her to where he was standing. El continued to listen as Olivia continued to ramble through her sobs. "Ok, Liv...stop, slow down...Olivia!" He finally got her attention long enough to ask the question he desperately needed an answer to. "Where are you now?"
"Mercy Hospital." Olivia was able to stutter out through her laboured breathing.
Elliot lifted Maria into his arms and began to march towards his car. "I'll be there in ten." Was all he said before hanging up.