Olivia laid in bed later that night as Mark brushed his teeth in the doorway. She laid against the pillows her hand resting on her stomach. Minutes later Mark turned off the light to the bathroom and walked over to the bed. "Are you sure everything is okay?" he asked.
"Do you think it's wrong that I'm working while I'm pregnant?" she asked softly.
"I think what happened today could have been a lot worse," he said. Olivia nodded lightly. "But sweetie there's no way that you could have prevented what happened today, or seen it coming." Mark set his hand over Olivia's interlocking his fingers with hers over his stomach. Olivia clenched her jaw as her eyes began to water lightly. "Olivia," Mark said softly. "Babe. What's wrong?"
"I just never thought that I would be having this conversation," she said with a light smile. "Here I am three months pregnant laying in bed with my husband." Mark smiled as he leaned in and kissed her lightly. "I love you," she whispered.
"Right back at ya," he said with a smile before kissing her again.
Olivia walked into the squad room the next morning to find Elliot at his desk, filling out a report. John, Fin and Nick were standing by the coffee station listening to John discuss his highlights from the presidential debate which aired last night. She walked toward her desk slowly as Elliot looked up from his paperwork. "Morning," he said quietly. Olivia smiled lightly before setting her bag on the floor beside her chair. She took a sip of her water bottle before setting it down on her desk. She was about to sit down before Elliot stood up slowly. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" She nodded before following him up the stairs to the balcony overlooking the squad room.
"What's up?" she asked leaning against the railing. There was a slight pause before Elliot turned to face her.
"Liv, last night, how I acted, it wasn't right. You know I may have five kids but I've never been pregnant," he said with a light smile. "But you are and I trust your limitations."
"Elliot I'm pregnant, not porcelain," she said. "But what happened yesterday was unexpected. I mean when we took off down the alley I wasn't thinking about what could go wrong or whatever. And that's my own mistake. I mean let's face it, I'm new to this whole pregnant thing." Elliot smiled lightly as he glanced down at the ground. "So are we okay?"
"Just promise me that six months from now you won't run down an alley after a guy with a knife," he said sarcastically. Olivia laughed light as she stood straight.
"Elliot if I can run six months from now, we've got an even bigger problem." Elliot laughed before heading toward the stairs, Olivia on his heels.
Olivia sat at her desk later that morning and filled out the paperwork to the Brooks case, when Cragen opened the door to his office. "Olivia!" he called, causing her to look up from the folder. "Can I see you for a minute." Olivia nodded before standing up and walking into Cragen's office.
"What's up?" she asked as she walked into the office, closing the door behind her.
"I wanted to talk to you about yesterday," he said standing behind his desk. Olivia glanced down at the floor quickly, before looking back up to Cragen. "Olivia, I can't have you chasing perps in your condition."
"My condition," Olivia said as her eyes widened. "Captain, my pregnancy isn't a condition."
"What would you have done if Brooks had stabbed you in your abdomen, or shot you?" he asked. Olivia sighed as she looked over to the interview room attached to Cragen's office, where Nick was interviewing an older woman. "Olivia you're pregnant, and unfortunately with this job, some limitations need to be set."
"So what are you going to do, cuff me to my desk. Captain, I'm only 14 weeks along," she said stepping forward but before she could continue Cragen held up his hand.
"The discussion is closed detective. You may go to the crime scenes, family interviews and interrogate suspects under my approval," he said lowering his hand. Olivia clenched her jaw before turning slowly and walking out of the office.
Two days later Olivia and Mark walked into the doctor's office. After signing in Olivia walked over to Mark who was already seated in one of the many chairs in the room. She sat nervously as Mark rubbed her thigh lightly.
"Are you going to be this way every time we walk in here?" he asked with a smile.
"Until this baby comes out of me, I'm going to be nervous," she replied placing her hand over his. After a few short minutes, a nurse came through the door and called Olivia to come back. She obeyed as Mark followed her down the hall and into the exam room. After the nurse took her blood pressure and all of the essential tests, she closed Olivia's file and stood up.
"Ok Olivia, if you just want to sit tight the doctor should be in shortly."
"Alright, thanks," Olivia said with a smile as her feet dangled over the edge of the exam table.
"Nice to meet you Mark," the nurse said before leaving the room.
"Likewise," he said from the chair next to the table. Almost immediately Olivia's doctor walked into the room, surprising both Olivia and Mark.
"Wow, that's the shortest that I have ever had to wait for a doctor," Mark said as the doctor closed the door behind him.
"I can go back and come in later if you want," he joked. Mark and Olivia laughed as the doctor walked across the room. "How are you guys this morning?"
"Good," they both said almost in unison.
"Great," he said sitting down and opening Olivia's file. He read over the charts quickly before turning in the chair to face Olivia. "Okay Olivia, everything looks great. Blood pressure is good, you said that you are still having some morning sickness and dizziness which is completely normal."
"I read somewhere that it should taper off after the first trimester," Olivia said. "Is it bad if it continues?"
"Not at all," the doctor reassured in a comforting tone. "Some women can have morning sickness until halfway through the second trimester so there's nothing to worry about." Olivia nodded with a smile. "Any problems or concerns that you have?" Olivia shook her head before turning to Mark who was also shaking his.
"Okay, well you make my life pretty easy," the doctor said with a smile. "Uh before I examine you I do want to talk to both of you about some of the things to expect during the pregnancy. Because
you are only about fourteen or so weeks along, today is more of a consultation. We will look at the baby and you will be able to hear the heartbeat but we won't know the sex of the baby for a little bit."
"Okay," Olivia said as she folded her hands in her lap.
"Olivia, you are how old?" the doctor asked.
"Uh, I will be 43 in a few months," she replied raising her brow.
"Ok," the doctor nodded. "Olivia, because you are in your early forties, the risk of any problems during your pregnancy are slim, but there are significant differences between a woman pregnant at the age of 20 and at the age of 40."
"Serious problems?" Olivia asked nervously.
"Well after the age of 40, a woman that becomes pregnant has a higher risk of giving birth to a child with down syndrome due to a problem with the chromosomes in your body and your baby's body," the doctor explained. Olivia's eyes widened as a wave of nervousness overcame her. "Now because you are just over 40, the chances of your baby having the syndrome is much lower than that of a woman who is say 48, however we can do a test called an amneocentisis, which will tell us if your baby does have a chromosomal problem." The doctor paused noticing the nervousness of Olivia's face. "Don't stress out about this, Olivia, or Mark," he said looking over to Mark in the chair, "Probability is very much in your favor and you shouldn't have anything to worry about. But as your doctor I would like you to know about this," he added. Olivia nodded with a light smile. "Do you have any questions?"
"No, I'm just glad I heard it from you and not from the computer screen," she said with a light smile before looking over to Mark who was also smiling.
"That's why I do it," he said. "Now other than that there is also a risk of heightened blood pressure and diabetes, but you will probably just find yourself to be a little more tired and just a few more aches and pains."
"But I'm good?" she asked with a smile.
"You're excellent," he assured her before standing up. "So why don't we exam you so you can hear the baby's heart beat" Olivia smiled as she laid back and watched as the doctor pulled gloves over his hands. Mark stood next to Olivia's head as he took her hand in his. She pulled up her shirt with her free hand as the doctor began the exam.
Later that night Olivia walked through the living room, pouring some water into the various plants that were scattered throughout the room. Mark stood up and walked across the living room after hearing the doorbell ring.
"Who in the world?" he said walking toward the door.
"Whatever they're selling, we don't want any," she said walking into the kitchen. "Unless it's a girl scout troop, then but some cookies." Mark laughed as Olivia disappeared into the kitchen and he opened the front door.
"Don," Mark said, surprised to see Olivia's captain standing on their porch.
"Mark. Hi, is Olivia home by chance," Cragen asked.
"Uh, yeah she's in the kitchen. Come on in," Mark said opening the front door wider so Cragen could step into the living room. "Liv!" he called as he closed the door behind Cragen. "Don's here?" he called. Olivia raised her brow in surprise as she tossed the cloth towel onto the counter before walking out of the kitchen.
"Can I get you something to drink?" Mark asked Cragen.
"No, I can't stay," Cragen declined with a light smile. "I just wanted to talk to Olivia for a minute." He looked over as Olivia walked out of the kitchen. "Liv."
"Captain," she said with a smile as she walked toward him. "What's up?"
"I was on my way back from the house and I wanted to stop by and talk to you about something for a minute." Olivia glanced to Mark quickly before back to Cragen.
"Uh sure," Olivia said slightly confused as she turned, and in a way leading Cragen into the kitchen.
"Liv, I'll be upstairs if you need me. The basket of laundry isn't going to fold itself," he said with a light laugh before walking up the stairs. Olivia and Cragen walked into the kitchen before Olivia pulled herself up onto the countertop.
"How was the doctor's appointment?" he asked. Olivia raised her brow, unsure of why her captain was standing in her kitchen.
"Don?" Olivia said looking at her captain. He glanced down at the floor before looking back up to Olivia. "My appointment was fine. Now what's this about?" she asked with a light smile.
"Olivia, my only reason for restricting your job performance is for your safety," he began but before he could continue Olivia slid off of the counter and leaned in front of the island which stood between them.
"Captain," she began but stopped when he raised his hand.
"I did what I did because I don't want to see something to happen to you, let alone your baby. This child is something that I know you have wanted forever and if I have to restrict your time on the street or in potentially dangerous situation, I will do it." Olivia looked down at the counter top as silence fell between them.
"Don," she said before looking back up to him. "I know why you did what you did." He smirked lightly. "And thank you." Olivia smiled as she walked around the island toward her captain. "I mean let's face it, I'd rather be benched for being pregnant than because IAB put me there."
"Another point I forgot to make," he said sarcastically. Both laughed as they walked out of the kitchen toward the front door. Cragen opened the door before turning to Olivia. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah you will," she said smiling. "Good night." Cragen nodded before walking out of the house closing the door behind him. Olivia locked the front door before turning the lights off downstairs and walking up to the bedroom where Mark was standing beside the bed, folding the towels and sheets.
"Everything okay?" he asked as Olivia walked into the bedroom.
"Yeah," she said walking across the bedroom and climbing onto the bed. She laid back resting her head on the pillow. "I can't stop thinking about the doctor's appointment today?"
"Liv, he said not to worry about it. You're fine," he said sympathetically.
"No, that the next appointment we might be finding out if it's a boy or girl," she said rubbing her bump slightly. Mark smiled as he placed the folded towels back in the basket and climbed onto the bed, sitting next to Olivia's waist.
"Do you have a preference?" he asked rubbing her thigh.
"Not at all," she replied with a smile. "What about you?" Olivia shook her head, still smiling before Mark leaned over and kissed her. She brought her hand to the back of his neck as the kiss deepened and Mark pulled the blanket over top of them, smothering them in darkness.
Two months later, Mark and Olivia walked up the pathway to Mark's parents house. Mark's entire family was gathering once again for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, for the second time since Mark's mother told him she was sick. Mark held Olivia's hand tight as they walked up the few stairs of the porch to the front door. Mark knocked loudly before opening the door and walking into the house hearing familiar voices from the living room. Mark removed Olivia's jacket before hanging it, along with his on the rack by the door. Olivia adjusted her gray long sleeve shirt which fit tightly over her bump. They walked into the living room where Mark's entire family were talking and laughing with one another. Olivia laughed at the shouts and screams that were heard as they turned the corner. She placed her hand under her now larger stomach, cradling her bump, as she and Mark walked further into the living room.
Twenty minutes later Olivia stood in the kitchen with Mark's brother David and Eric, and Mark. She took a sip of her water as she felt Mark's hand on her lower back. "So what's the deal with work?" David asked Olivia.
"Well I am pretty much confined to my desk for the next three months," she answered with a smile. "I can still interview victims and go to the crime scene but other than that I am strictly my desk's best friend." They all laughed as Mark walked over to the fridge and taking out another bottle of beer.
"And you are how far along?" Eric asked.
"Just over five and a half months," Olivia said nodding as she rubbed her stomach lightly.
"What about the sex?" David asked. Olivia glanced over to Mark who walked around his father and over to Olivia. He smiled indicating that she should tell them.
"It's a girl," she said smiling.
"Oh my gosh," Eric exclaimed as he reached out and hugged Olivia tightly. Olivia wrapped her arms around her father in law, as she heard David congratulating Mark behind her.
Ten minutes later, David and Mark left the kitchen and headed toward the living room where the rest of the family remained, leaving Olivia with Eric. "Eric, Mark and I were talking the other night about the fact that we are having a girl," she began as she walked toward the counter.
"I'm so glad it's a girl. I mean I would have been just as happy with a boy, but a little girl is wonderful. I'm so happy for you two," he interjected as he walked toward her.
"Thanks," she said with a light smile.
"Eric, Mark and I were talking and even though it's kind of early to seriously talking about a name, we actually came to the idea of maybe her middle name, but we wanted to talk to you about it."
"Why?" he asked confused.
"We would really like her middle name to be Rose," she said in a sympathetic, almost soft tone. Eric smiled lightly before clenching his jaw as his eyes began to water. "We wanted to make sure that her grandfather approved. I mean she did have a pretty amazing grandmother."
"I would love if her middle name was Rose," he said choking back the tears before hugging Olivia again. Olivia smiled as she rested her chin on Eric's shoulder, her own eyes beginning to water.