Okay okay. I'm sorry about the cliffhanger. How about an early chapter release? Am I forgiven? 3

Elliot knew he wasn't breathing, but he couldn't suck in air until the doctor finally gave them news, "We successfully removed the clot. We had a little more bleeding than we liked, but considering the amount of trauma her body has sustained it wasn't surprising and it resolved quickly. There will be some bruising, but it will look worse than it is."

"She needs to be on blood thinners for three months as a precaution. It makes us a little nervous because of her previous kidney bleed. We obviously have it contained, but the thinners add a higher bleeding risk, and we will need to watch that kidney."

His eyes darted to Elliot, "That might mean a lot more abdominal exams and palpitations. Talk to her about it so she's prepared. If we need to do it when you're present, we can make that work."

Amanda looked over at him, slightly confused, but he waved her off, giving her a look he hoped she understood as, 'tell you later'.

"When she is up to it we need to talk about scaling back her responsibilities, particularly field work." Elliot knew she was going to hate that. "They should have her back to her room by now, and she should be coming out of sedation any time."

Elliot didn't even know he was crying until Amanda handed him a tissue from her purse. "God I'm a mess." He looked back up at her medical team, "Can we see her?"

"Of course. She's in the same room as before."

He shot up and started down the hall, but turned and shook the doctor's hand, "Thank you." The doctor nodded in return as Elliot hurried down the hall with Amanda trailing behind him.

As expected she had a lot of scary bruising. Elliot took her hand and kissed it. He turned to Amanda, "Her breathing already sounds better."

"Yeah it does," Amanda agreed, but it was apparently her turn to cry.

"Should I grab a tissue out of your purse?" He said, half teasing and half seriously.

Amanda waved her hand at him, "Oh shush." She covered her mouth with her hand, fighting back the tears. "I'm just so happy she's okay. When she was coughing blood I was terrified. She's my best friend. She's my girls' Aunt Liv. I," she shook her head, unable to say anything else.

"I know the feeling," his eyes dropped to Liv and then back to Amanda. "You take the chair. I'll sit up here with her."

Amanda looked surprised, "You want me to stay?"

"Of course. She needs her family here."

"Damn it Stabler you're going to make me cry again."

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. He brushed hair away from her face before saying, "She's going to want Noah here right after she wakes up." He looked back to Amanda, "where are we at on the schedule?"

He softly slipped into bed next to Liv while Amanda searched her purse for her phone. She eventually found it and scrolled to her calendar. "Okay, it looks like he should be hanging out with Phoebe until dinner, and then me or Sonny were going to pick him up and take him for the night."

"Poor kid's probably exhausted. I hate how much he has to be shuffled around."

"Me too," admitted Amanda. "But this is the best way that he can be with family and see his mom. I think he needs that."

Elliot toyed with her hair, "we all need that."

"What was the doctor talking about when he told you about needing to do more abdominal exams."

Elliot watched his fingers tangle with hers as he slowly traced each knuckle with his other hand. "She was triggered pretty bad with the last exam they did." His eyes flit to Amanda, knowing exactly why this would be triggering. "The act of pushing her gown up and touching her abdomen made her extremely anxious. I asked her what she needed me to do and we walked through it together." He dropped his eyes to her hand again. "I'm sure any of you guys could have walked her through it if you were here."

Amanda looked like she was going to cry again. "No Elliot. I don't think any of us could do what you did for her in that moment."

-000-

Elliot hadn't noticed he'd fallen asleep. He could pretty much sleep anywhere at this point. His sleep was all over the place since Liv was in the hospital. He shifted to see what woke him. Amanda was crashed out in the chair next to the hospital bed so it had to be, "Liv." He whispered.

Her beautiful brown eyes focused on him. "Hey." She sounded super raspy. "Well, I didn't die." She smiled like it was the funniest thing in the world and he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Damn it Liv." He kissed her and when he pulled back he added, "I'm not sure I'll survive any more scares like this."

"I'm hoping I'm done with this surprise stuff."

"I hope so." He kissed her soundly before there was some coughing behind him. Oh yeah. Amanda. He pulled back and lifted himself out of her bed so Amanda could see her better.

He glanced down at his phone, realizing he had like a billion messages. Great. He interrupted the quiet conversation Liv and Amanda were having, "I'm going to step out in the hall for a sec," he held up his phone so they could see how many messages he had there, "I apparently need to update the world."

"Thanks El." She looked so tired.

"No problem."

-000-

Elliot to Noah

E: Your Mom is awake and doing well

N: Can I see her?

E: I'm sure she'd love that.

N: Uncle Sonny is picking me up soon. I'll make him take me over.

E: Okay. See you soon bud.

-000-

Elliot to Stabler kids group chat

El: Liv is awake and doing well. Clot removal went well.

Kathleen: Thank God

Maureen: Ditto

Dickie: Wait. She was in the hospital?

Lizzy: You're an idiot. Where have you been for the past week?

D: Working?

K: Liz, call him and tell him what's going on.

L: Why me?

K: You were born together- that means you automatically have to do this kind of crap.

L: Great.

D: Sitting right here.

L: We know.

Eli: Can I come see you guys tonight or in the morning?

El: Katie can you bring him?

K: Yeah I'll bring him when I'm done at work.

D: Wait. Where are you guys?

K: Liz, call him please.

L: Doing that now.

-000-

Group text with Elliot, Ayanna, Fin, and Carisi

E: She's awake and doing well. Pretty sore and bruised up.

F: You letting her look at work files yet

E: Hell no.

F: It relaxes her

E: you just don't want to do the work.

F: Okay. That's true, but I know she's bored.

E: She'll live.

A: I'm glad everything went well.

E: I'm calling you later.

A: What why?

E: You're lucky Rollins didn't drive down there. She was threatening violence.

A: She wouldn't

C: She would…

-000-

Amanda stole Elliot's place while he updated the world, sitting next to Liv on the hospital bed. They were silent for a minute before Amanda said, "You scared the shit out of me Liv. You couldn't have done that on Stabler's watch?"

Olivia chuckled lightly. "Not like I planned it."

"Well your timing was impeccable." Amanda laughed. "God, I was so nervous to call him."

"Elliot? Why?"

Amanda sat up and looked at her in surprise. "Have you met that man? I'm pretty he'd torch the world for you, and I was the one who had to tell him you needed another procedure."

Liv winced at a painful movement, "Sorry. I'm not in a position to rein him in right now."

Amanda leaned back down, next to Liv. "You know. Here's the thing. I say let him burn the world for you."

Liv chuckled, "What?"

Amanda shifted her weight so she could turn towards Olivia. "I obviously don't mean literally, but God Liv. I haven't been sure how to feel about him. I've been pushy about him because I know he makes you happy. Can you blame me for being a little wary? I mean he's Stabler. He's reckless, temperamental,"

"Unpredictable, intense, an ass…" Olivia topped off the list for her, "I miss anything?" Liv grinned.

"Yes to all those things." Amanda bit her lip, "but I think I get it, or get him, I guess." She smiled, "In so many ways he's your opposite. I see why the partnership worked. You tempered him back and he pushed you forward. But what I have realized through this whole mess is who he is for you." Amanda glanced up to see Liv tearing up. "No crying, or you're going to make me cry."

"Too late."

"I have never seen anyone so," Amanda struggled to find the exact word she was looking for, "Devoted."

"Yeah." Olivia brushed away a tear, "the lucky ones get to know the Elliot I know. Once Elliot Stabler has your back, he will always have your back."

"I get that now." Amanda smiled.

Elliot opened the door to the room, but still had his eyes down on his phone.

"Your ears burning Stabler?" Amanda teased.

He shot her a confused look, "What?"

Amanda laughed and Olivia reassured him with a, "nevermind," before smacking Amanda's arm.

Elliot eyed them skeptically but moved on. "Can Sonny bring Noah here for a little bit tonight?"

"That's the plan. He picked up the girls from his mom's house, and he's grabbing Noah from Phoebe now. He's gonna drop Noah off and pick me up, we will get the girls fed and settled down at home, then one of us will swing back here to get Noah for the night."

"Okay. Eli wanted to visit Liv one more time before he went back to school, but I don't want him to dip into any of Noah's time." Elliot pulled his phone back out and started texting again.

"He's welcome to come hang out with us. Noah won't mind." Liv's voice still sounded dry and scratchy.

"You sure? It's easier for Kathleen to bring him tonight, and I apparently can't leave you unsupervised for more than a minute."

"Hey!" Amanda complained, "she was supervised."

"Sure she was." Amanda was starting to enjoy that dry sense of humor.

Amanda's phone rang, and she stood up, "It's Sonny," she whispered and pointed to the phone. She answered the call on her way out the door.

-000-