A/N: Hey! Pretty sure this is a chapter people have been waiting for and I just hope I did it justice. On a side note, the medical information in this chapter is more than likely inaccurate. I did do a little research but it was minimal at best. Enjoy and review...your thoughts mean a lot to me. xxx
"Liv!" Elliot called out as he hurried down the hospital corridor, Maria attached securely to his hip. He could see his wife in the distance pacing up and down the waiting area.
Olivia heaved a sigh of somewhat relief and reached out to take her oldest child into her own arms. She clung onto Maria as if she were her life line. As she laid a kiss on the top of Maria's head, she made eye contact with Elliot who was trying to control his breathing. There was a few seconds of silence between them before Elliot spoke.
"What happened? Have the doctors said anything?" He asked quickly as he looked around.
Liv's lips trembled and her eyes filled with tears. She shook her head and swallowed the lump in her throat before replying. "She was breathing when they got her in the ambulance but she was still unconscious. They rushed her straight through and told me I had to wait here. I haven't heard anything since."
Elliot rubbed Olivia's arm comfortingly before looking around the corridor trying to get someone's attention. "Hello?! Can someone tell us what is going on with our daughter?!" He boomed.
Maria flinched and clung onto her mother at the sound of Elliot's harsh tone. Olivia caressed her back. "El, don't..."
Elliot stopped in his tracks and looked between his wife and child. "I'll go find someone." He went to walk away but a tight grip on his arm stopped him.
"Don't leave me." Liv's tone was pleading as her hand remained on him. "I need you." This time, she couldn't stop the tears from spilling over and her body began to shake with her suppressed sobs.
Elliot didn't waste any time in pulling her into a tight embrace, Maria sandwiched in between them. Olivia's face was buried into his chest and he rested his chin on the top of her head after placing a kiss to her crown. He rocked them minutely as he spoke. "She'll be ok, Liv. Zoe is strong, she'll pull through." He tried to convince her as well as himself.
"What's wrong with Zo-zo? Is she going to die?" Maria asked worriedly from her position between her parents.
That's when something clicked inside Olivia. Rather abruptly she pulled away from Elliot but made sure his strong arms were still wrapped around them. She lifted Maria's head slightly and made eye contact with the child. "No, Baby," She blinked back her tears and took a deep breath, "your sister is just very sick right now but that's why we're here. The doctors are going to make her better real soon."
Maria still looked unsure but chose not to comment and instead rested her head on her mother's shoulder. Olivia looked back at Elliot and the two detective's were once again looking into each other's eyes. The worry was evident on both their expressions but neither of them pointed out that fact. They had to be strong not just for each other but for their little girls.
"I'll call Cragen. I'm sure he will want to know about what's going on. Maybe he can take Maria back to his place whilst we're here." Elliot suggested, already taking out his cellphone from his pocket. He took a couple of steps away from them to make the phone call but remained in Liv's line of sight.
Just as he got off the phone to Don, a doctor approached the waiting area and called out. "Family of Zoe Benson-Stabler?"
Olivia swivelled at the sound of the voice and relaxed just a little when she felt El wrap an arm around her waist. "That's us." Elliot said when he realised Liv was unable to speak.
"If you would like to follow me to my office, I can update you on your daughter's condition." The doctor told them and gestured in the direction of his office.
He held the door open for the two detectives and pointed them to the two chairs opposite his desk. He sat down in his own chair before speaking. "My name is Doctor Mitchell, I've been treating Zoe." Mitchell said.
"I'm Elliot. This is my wife, Olivia and our older daughter, Maria." Elliot returned the introduction.
Olivia seemed to come out of her daze at the mention of her name. "What's wrong with our baby?" She asked. Her words were harsher than she intended but she didn't seem to care. All she cared about was Zoe and her condition.
"We believe she has contracted meningitis." Mitchell got straight to the point knowing that the couple before him were very worried and confused.
Panic set in Elliot and Olivia at the confirmation of their daughter's diagnosis. Worst case scenarios flew through their minds. The multiple outcomes that came from such a notorious ailment. Amputated limbs, brain damage...death-
Before they could get themselves worked up any further, the doctor spoke again. "I'm pretty certain we've caught it on time. The reason why Zoe stopped breathing and lost consciousness was purely because her body temperature was too high. We've been able to stabilise her condition and bring her temperature down and we're hopeful she will regain consciousness soon."
Elliot nodded and squeezed Liv's hand which had found its way into his own. "So what happens next?" He asked.
"At the moment we have her on a course of IV antibiotics but to be sure that we have her on the right treatment plan we need to do some tests." Mitchell said but before he could carry on, Olivia once again made her presence known.
"Why won't antibiotics work?" Olivia asked sharply.
Mitchell sighed and gave the mother a look of understanding. "There are two different types of meningitis. Bacterial and Viral. If your daughter has bacterial meningitis then the antibiotics are pretty much useless. If this is the case, she will need to just be kept hydrated and get lots of rest so her body can fight off the bacteria."
"And if it's the other kind? Viral meningitis?" Elliot asked, now slightly more worried.
"We will keep her on antibiotics until the virus has completely left her system." Mitchell told him. "However, to determine which kind of meningitis it is, we need to do a test called a lumbar puncture. That's when we-"
"We know what a lumbar puncture is." Olivia said rather bluntly.
"Well then you are aware how invasive this particular test is. It comes with many risks and that's why we need you to sign a consent form." The doctor said as he pushed a piece of paper towards them.
Elliot looked between the paper and the doctor. "What are the risks?"
Mitchell smiled as he had already anticipated this question. "They vary but the most common include head aches which can sometimes cause nausea and vomiting. Also, because a needle is used to penetrate the lower back, patients often experience some back pain and bleeding in that area." He paused briefly before continuing. "The main problem we face in this scenario is that Zoe is very young. During a lumbar puncture, it is imperative that the patient remains completely still. One slight jostle of the needle could cause permanent damage to the spinal cord and even paralysis."
Olivia's eyes widened and she shook her head. "No. I don't give my consent. I'm not giving you permission to maim my child." She spat out quickly.
"Mrs Stabler, I can assure you I have done this procedure many times – even on babies – and none of my patients have ever been permanently effected by a lumbar puncture." Mitchell tried his best to assure the woman who was clearly on edge.
Olivia shook her head adamantly but looked over at Elliot when he called out her name. "We have to do this." He told her. "They have to know so they can treat her."
"If you like," the doctor broke the staring competition between the couple and now had their attention back on him, "one of you can be with her during the procedure. That way you can help keep her still. It doesn't take very long but for young children it can be quite an ordeal."
Olivia mulled over the whole conversation the three of them had just had and then she finally nodded. "Ok." She said simply. "Just save my little girl."
Just after Elliot and Olivia had both signed the consent form, there was a knock on the office door and after being granted entry, a nurse poked her head around the door. "The Stabler girl is awake and is asking for her mommy."
The doctor led them to the room where Zoe was and held the door open for Olivia and Elliot who wasted no time in entering the room. The sight that greeted them was heart breaking. There was their girl, sick but still fighting against the nurses as she sobbed for Olivia. Liv passed Maria over to her father before hurrying over to the bed which seemed to swallow the three year old.
"Hey, Baby. Shhh. Mommy's here. Shhhh." Being careful of the IV, Olivia sat down on the bed and cradled her little girl in her arms.
"Mommy..." Zoe whined as she clutched onto Liv's shirt.
Elliot watched as his wife comforted their youngest daughter and made his way over to the bedside. "Daddy's right here too, Zo-zo." He said and reached out to run his fingers through her blonde hair.
Zoe sniffled and looked up at her Daddy with teary eyes. "I sick." She told him.
El nodded sadly and sat down beside his wife. "I know, Pumpkin, but the doctors are going to make you better real soon. You just need to be brave. Think you can do that?" He asked.
Zoe nodded softly and held her arms out towards him. Olivia and Elliot swapped kids expertly so their youngest was now being cradled by Elliot. "I brave, Daddy." The little blonde mumbled.
"I know you are, Darling. You're my brave girl." He told her and placed a kiss on her head.
A nurse walked into the room at that moment and cleared her throat to get their attention. "A Donald Cragen is here. He says he's Zoe's grandfather."
Olivia nodded and smiled at the nurse. "He is. Let him in, please."
Not even five seconds later did Don make an appearance. Olivia placed a sleeping Maria on the bed and hurried over to her surrogate father and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Daddy." She mumbled as his arms wrapped around her in a fatherly way.
Don caressed the back of her head and rocked them back and forth. "It's ok, Livy. Everything will be ok. Zoe is in the best place possible." He told her, making sure to keep the volume of his voice low.
Olivia pulled away from him and wiped at her eyes. "Thank you for getting here so quickly." She told him gratefully.
"I was out the door as soon as I got off the phone to Elliot and I may or may not have broken a few traffic laws." Don told her sheepishly and Olivia gave him a look of disbelief. He just shrugged his shoulders. "Anything for family, right?"
The 'family' continued to talk amongst themselves right up until Doctor Mitchell made another appearance. "The procedure room is ready for Zoe now." He announced.
Elliot shifted Zoe back into Olivia's arms as they had already decided that she would be the one who would be in the room with Zoe. "I'll see you very soon, Pumpkin." He told his little girl when Zoe looked at him somewhat questioningly. He then looked up at Olivia who nodded slightly.
"I'll wait for you to get back before taking Maria back to my place." Don told Liv who smiled gratefully at him.
Moments later, Olivia found herself in a sterile room where the lumbar puncture was going to take place. She hoped it wouldn't take long as even for her – a grown woman and seasoned SVU detective – she felt slightly intimidated by the cold room.
"I scared, Mama." Zoe whimpered. She was bent over and her hospital gown was open at the rear to expose her back. Olivia was kneeling on the floor in front of her and was holding onto her little hands.
"It will be over soon, Sweetie. You're being so brave." Olivia told her and looked up at the doctor who nodded to confirm that the needle was about to be inserted. Liv smiled comfortingly at her little girl. "Let's sing a song." She suggested.
Zoe squeaked out a little 'ok' and joined her mother in their slightly off-key version of 'Twinkle Twinkle'.
As soon as they got to the end of the song, Zoe's face scrunched up and she whimpered. Olivia was quick to react when she saw that her little one was about to dive into her arms. Liv was well aware that the needle was now embedded in Zoe's lower back and that was what had caused the discomfort in the three year old.
"Shhh. Stay very still, Baby. It's nearly over. You're doing so well. I'm very proud of you." Olivia murmured softly and stroked through Zoe's hair.
"I wanna go home." Zoe whimpered as tears made their way down her pale cherub cheeks.
A part of Olivia's heart, the Zoe shaped part, broke as she watched her baby suffer. Liv knew that if she could, she would take away her girl's pain and endure it herself. However, that wasn't possible so all that was left for her to do was to comfort her in the only way a mother can.
"I know you do, Sweet Girl, but we're here so that you can feel better. We'll go home as soon as possible. Mommy will be with you the whole time." Olivia promised and kept her voice soothing. She had already decided that she would not be leaving her daughter's side until she was fit and healthy. It was scary enough being in the hospital alone as an adult, she couldn't imagine what it was like for a small child. Olivia wasn't about to let her baby go through any of this on her own.
A couple of hours later, Elliot and Olivia were sat on the visitors chairs in Zoe's hospital room as they watched their daughter sleep. The results had come back rather quickly and Doctor Mitchell had informed them that she had bacterial meningitis. This meant that Zoe was no longer being pumped with antibiotics and now only had one IV line attached to her which contained fluids to help keep her hydrated. Mitchell explained that with a lot of rest and TLC, their daughter should make a full recovery.
Now that the two detective's were practically alone – Don had taken Maria back to his house – there was a semi uncomfortable silence between them. Whilst their attention was mostly focused on their daughter, they had often caught one another sneaking glances in the other's direction. At one particular moment, they looked at each other at the same time and stared into each other's eyes until Olivia blinked and averted her gaze.
"So, what happens next?" Elliot asked.
Olivia shrugged and kept her eyes on the sleeping child. "Well the doctor said that once her fever is gone she can be released. It's just going to be a waiting game I guess."
Elliot took in a deep breath and scrubbed his hand over his face. "I meant with us, Liv. Where are we now?"
Olivia broke her gaze away from the bed and looked at her husband. "At the hospital with our sick child?" Her eyebrow was raised and her tone held a hint of sarcasm but then she let out a small chuckle at Elliot's unimpressed expression. "I'm glad you're here, El. I wouldn't have been able to stay calm if you wasn't." Her voice was now more tender than it was before and she gave him a soft smile when she finished talking.
"I'll always be here for you and our girls, Liv. Nothing was going to stop me from being right by your side today." Elliot told her seriously. Silence engulfed them for a few seconds before El once again broke the tranquillity. "You still haven't answered my question."
Liv gave him an inquisitive look and tilted her head slightly. Elliot sighed and reached over in order to take her right hand into his left. He looked down at their entwined fingers and his focus zeroed in on her ring finger where, thankfully, her wedding band was still in place. Olivia followed his line of sight and a small, sad smile appeared on her face.
"El, I've thought a lot about us the past few weeks and I realised that we are both at fault for what happened. This marriage thing...it's still new to me." Olivia looked up at Elliot's face and saw a worried look there. "I'm not saying I'm filing for a divorce or anything. I just think...we need to work harder on our marriage. Communicate more. Poor communication is what has put us in this situation. We were just so busy...with the adoption, work, me settling back into life in New York after Oregon. We just seemed to stop talking to one another. That can't happen again."
Elliot nodded along as he listened to what she was saying. "You're right, Liv. I realise now that marriage and parenting is a two man job and I wasn't there enough. I was being a really shitty husband and father and I'm so, so sorry."
Olivia felt tears fill her eyes. She realised that it was probably due to her – them – experiencing an overly emotionally day after weeks that were stress filled and slightly hostile. She shook her head, unable to speak and she didn't resist when Elliot tugged on her hand. Olivia stood up from her seat only to be pulled down into her husband's lap. Muscular arms wrapped around her waist and she reciprocated the gesture by entangling her arms around his neck.
Nothing more was said as they moved their faces towards the other's. Their lips joined in a tender kiss. The show of affection was loving and tender – it was passionate but not in the rough 'make out' sense. It was two adults showing their love for one another. When air became an issue, they pulled back rather reluctantly. Not wanting to lose contact, Liv rested her forehead against Elliot's and bit her lower lip softly.
"El?" She whispered not wanting to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere.
"Mmm?" Elliot hummed as if to say 'go on'.
"Come home?"