Author's note~ hey everyone! Ok so I should probably be updating my other fanfic, but the reviews I got in one night made me so happy that I grabbed the computer and immediately started writing as for pairings, I will likely be doing some fin/Melinda since I have a lot of reviewers who like that. But I will probably leave it at that (unless someone really wants another pairing) because I agree with Arron008 and feel that, especially in this story, everyone needs to be there to support one another.

vampirePrincess96- well, kinda of. I was on google trying to find illnesses common among newborns. I found a page on staph infections and took random bits and pieces from it.

kandiiKane96- I'm glad you like the name I will try to get some F/M for you ;)

xDeathByCupcakesx- (haha, I like your name ) thank you

Kiss the girl54- ok, seriously, you're all too nice to me thank you so much! You make me want to write more as you know, this chapter is dedicated to you

Casey slept in her bed while fin and Melinda sad at her bedside. Casey had insisted that she didn't need people by her bedside 24/7, but Melinda and Fin offered to spend the night. It was around 2:30 am when Casey began thrashing around in her bed. Fin had left to use a bathroom. Casey was tossing in her bead and screaming at the top of her lungs.

"No! Noooooooooo! Caarrrrraaaaaa!"

"Casey, case, common honey wake up" Melinda said trying to wake up Casey. When she finally woke up, she jumped and sat up in her bed. She found herself in a cold sweat, shaking, and panting; struggling to catch her breath.

"case, huney, you're gonna hurt yourself." Melinda warned,"whats the matter?"

"I h-had a ni-ightmare and h-he t-took h-her" Casey said through tears.

"who took who? Someone took cara?"

"y-yeah"

"who?"

"just…no one." Melinda held Casey for a moment.

"Mel?"

"yes Casey"

"when can I see cara?"

"she's still on her meds in the NICU, and you've got to stay put until your test results come back. "

Casey had a pleading look on her face. She didn't want to have to beg to see her baby, but she'd do whatever it took to see her. Melinda sighed.

"I went to medical school with a doctor on this place's board. I'll see what I can do" Melinda said with a smile.

"thanks mel" Casey said.

"try to get some sleep."

Uhhggg. Sleep. More Sleep meant more nightmares.

Casey walked into the NICU the next morning very excited. She was going to see her baby for the first time since the night Cara was born. Melinda had pulled a few strings, so she and Casey were allowed in the neonatal intensive care unit for a few minutes to see Cara.

"here she is" a nurse whispered to Casey, handing her the child. Casey's face instantly brightened up. The baby completely resembled Casey and only Casey- not the child's father at all. She had dark red locks beginning to sprout from her head. She had beautiful hazel eyes. Cara even had Casey's nose, ears, and naturally red lips.

"Hi cara" Casey whispered.(by the way, the reason they're all whispering is because you have to e really quiet in the NICU)

Casey smiled at the adorable baby for a few moments, when Cara's hand reached out for Casey's face. Casey smiled sweetly at her child and took the small hand into her hand and kissed it. She gently rocked the child for a few minutes. The nurse came back after 13 minutes of quiet bonding and informed Casey that Cara needed her antibiotics. She gave the nurse cara , then she and Melinda stepped out of the NICU and spoke to Cara's docter.

"she's doing really well. Her tests all came back negative. She'll be off of her meds by tomorrow, which is when I'm releasing her. When are you being released?"

"today. They finished my blood work and everything was fine so I'm good to go right after this."

"well I suggest you go home and install a car seat for her so you can bring her home tomorrow."

"thank you so much" Casey said with a smile.

"no problem" the docter replied.

Olivia, Elliot and Casey were at Casey's apartment finishing Cara's room. Elliot was putting her crib together while Casey and Olivia finished organizing Cara's diapers and clothing.

"so when do we get to meet her?" Olivia asked

"she comes home tomorrow so I was thinking of having everyone over tomorrow" Casey replied

"sounds good" Olivia said with a smile.

"done" Elliot said triumphantly.

"nice job" Casey said looking at the light green crib.

"hey case?" Elliot asked

"ya?"

"At the hospital, when mel offered to call some of your family, why did you freak out?"

"oh.." Casey said, looking down. Elliot immediately felt bad for asking,

"You don't have to answer that if you don't want to, I was just curious"

"no, it's fine. See, they, um, well none of my family knew that I was pregnant."

"Oh" Elliot and Olivia both said with astonished and confused looks on their faces.

There was a moment of awkward silence before Olivia broke it.

"how did no one notice?" Olivia asked

"I'm from a small town in Vermont. My only family in new York is my older brother Joey, but he's upstate. I usually go to Vermont for holidays. I did for last Easter, since I wasn't showing yet. I made excuses for why I couldn't go up for other holidays, though, like Christmas, new year's thanksgiving…"

"why?" Olivia asked

"huh?"

"I know it's none of my business, but why didn't you tell your family?"

"It's complicated. I love Cara to death I've known her for not even the better half of a week, but I would already take a bullet for her. She's my life now. But when I first found out that I'd be a single mother, I wasn't so sure that I was going to keep her. You know, through the pregnancy. I'm pro life, but I was terrified she'd look like… him."

"like who?" Elliot asked

"you ex?" Olivia asked

"oh, um yeah. Anyway, I decided the least I could do was have it and put it up for adoption. But if I wasn't going to keep her, I decided there was no reason to tell my family . but when I saw my first ultrasound… Liv, it was amazing. Like nothing I've ever felt before. I heard her heartbeat and I saw her and… suddenly she wasn't a burden, she was a miracle. I loved her so much. But, I don't know, I just never told them."

"well it's not like you can keep her from them" Olivia said with a playful smile

"I know, but I just don't know how to tell them. Plus I'm alone, and I was always Casey the honor student. I don t feel like being Casey the whore."

"case, your not a whore. It's not you or Cara's fault that your ex was a dick" Olivia said hugging Casey.

Casey laughed without humor. "ha. You try telling that to my parents. They're so Catholic they went to church in Hawaii because their honeymoon fell on a Sunday"

"Casey, they love you and they'll love Cara. I'm sure they'll support you no matter what" Olivia said continuing the hug

"El?" Casey asked

"ya?"

"I haven't been to church in a while. They'll baptize a kid without a dad though, right?"

Elliot smiled "I'm sure they will" he assured.

"I was thinking of having her baptized at my childhood church in Vermont. Maybe earn back some points with my family. Do you think you guys could come?"

"of course!" they both exclaimed, smiling.