Chapter 21
Liv was looking at her phone when Warner leaned out of her lab and told she and Elliot that they could come on back. "Everything all right," The pretty ME asked when Liv gave her phone one last frown before putting it away. "Boyfriend problems?"
"Furthest thing from it," Liv couldn't help smiling as she thought of Fin. With the wedding only two weeks away and the apartment finally in order she and Fin had agreed that each of them would get something new to wear for the ceremony. He had sent her a picture of a very sharp suit in a charcoal grey. Her biggest problem was finding a dress. "What's the story with our vic?"
Warner obligingly began to explain the significance of the ligature marks and bruising around the victims wrists, feet and neck. By the time she was done Liv had a very good idea of just how the victim had been tied up and killed. Shaking her head over the notes she'd taken Olivia sighed, "So chances are she was either someone who liked to be tied in that position and it got taken too far or our perp needs his victims bound like this."
"I didn't find any older bruises in the same pattern, no signs of muscle scarring from the strain repeated positioning would have caused," Warner shook her head. "My guess would be the second, though it's possible she was a first timer on the S&M scene."
"Liv I'm gonna grab us something to eat, you oughta ask the doc about a dress," Elliot suggested as if he hadn't been highly resistant to the entire idea of her wedding. "Doesn't your sister buy for Saks?" He looked at Warner with a shrug, "Maybe you can help her out. At the rate she's going she'll end up wearing her under cover clothes."
"That's your problem?" Warner tilted her head at Olivia and the detective sighed, "You need a dress?"
"It's got to be perfect," Olivia shrugged as if this wasn't the most important dress of her life so far. "I'm showing more now and I want to look sexy without looking like an overweight floozy, but I don't want to look…"
"Uh huh," Warner folded her arms. "What's the occasion?"
Olivia felt her cheeks heat and remembered that it had been a while since she'd seen Melinda Warner, they'd worked with a few other MEs for their last several cases and Melinda hadn't even seen her ring, she just knew Liv was pregnant. "It's for my wedding," She admitted. "I'm getting married in three weeks."
"Married?" The medical examiner repeated in shock. "Seriously married? You said you were wearing your grandmother's ring when we talked the other day but you didn't say a thing about getting engaged."
"We've been keeping it quiet," Olivia admitted. "He's a cop and only a few people know that we were even seeing each other. We moved in together pretty recently."
"Whirlwind romance?" Warner asked the question idly but her eyes were calculating and Olivia could practically hear the doctor's brain clicking along.
"Uh, more like whirlwind realization," Liv smiled a bit sheepishly. "Turns out he's been in love with me for years, just like I was with him…after…" She took a deep breath, "After Sealview he was there for me, and he…he didn't let me lean on him too much. He helped me get better but he made sure I did it." She exhaled slowly, "He's…so… I can't describe him Mel. He's just…"
"Perfect for you?" Warner smiled, the smile of a woman married longer than Liv's career as a cop upturning her lips. "You gonna tell me who the mystery man is? Or will you make me guess? I know its not Elliot."
"Oh God no," Liv rolled her eyes and pulled up a picture on her phone. "He sent me a picture of him in the suit he's having tailored, that's why I need the perfect dress. He looks so good in this suit…" She showed Warner the phone and waited for the explosion.
"Oh that son of a bitch," Warner scowled. "I was giving him so much shit months ago about who he was dating. And John wouldn't tell me either. And it was you. I should have made the connection especially when I knew you were dating a brother."
"Listen to you with your street talk," Liv teased, "A brother."
"I've been listening to my daughter talk too much, obviously," The woman rolled her eyes. "And you are right, the man does look fine in this suit. I'll call my sister, we're going shopping on Saturday. Take lost time but we are finding you the perfect dress."
"That'll be a job and a half," Liv patted her belly. "Twins seem to require more room so I'm getting twice as big as a normal woman."
"You never could do anything the easy way," Warner laughed at her. "Who else knows?"
"Just the guys and Kathy," Olivia admitted. "George Huang is going to be my witness and John is Fin's. Don agreed to give me away."
"So when and where?" Warner was busily writing everything down.
"Well we're getting married at the courthouse on Friday afternoon," Liv took a deep breath. "God I think about it and sometimes I just want to panic. But the alternative… well it doesn't bear thinking about so I can usually stave off the urge to run."
"Your belly keeps growing running is going to be your last option," Melinda chuckled. "And your reception?"
"Belluchios," Liv smiled at Warner's surprised look. "Fin proposed there, after a fashion, and the waiter mentioned the restaurant does do private rooms at a discount if the proposal took place in the restaurant. So we figured why not."
"Nice work Fin," The ME grinned. "All right, I'm guessing you'd like Casey and Alex to be there if possible?"
"I called Alex, asked if she could call me back, but I haven't heard from her yet," Olivia shook her head. "If she's busy I don't want to take her away from something important."
"Liv would you drop everything and fly around the world if Alex was getting married?" Warner picked up her phone when Olivia nodded yes, "What makes you think she wouldn't do the same for you?"
"I don't think that…I only called her this morning," Liv objected as Warner held up her hand for silence.
"Alex?" The ME smiled, "Melinda Warner." Her smile widened, "I'm good actually thanks. Listen, calling you to let you know you've got to call Liv back. It's important. She knows you're working hard and she doesn't want to be a bother, you know her." Olivia could hear Alex's laugh coming through the phone. "All right," Melinda grinned, "I'll tell her." Clicking off the call she looked at Liv, "Alex is going to call you tonight."
Olivia sighed, "You know between you and Kathy I feel like I'm getting steamrolled by a bunch of flowers, pretty and sweet but I'm still flat on my back afterwards."
"What's Kathy doing?" Warner wanted to know, an amused smirk on her face.
"She's planning a wedding/baby shower for Liv," Elliot answered as he reentered the room, a bag of burgers in his hand. "I'll text her so she knows to send you an invite. She's already threatened to hunt Alex down if she has to."
"Just talked to her," Warner smirked at Olivia. "She'll call Liv tonight about the wedding."
"Why do I feel like everyone's ganging up on me?" Liv put her phone away and looked at Warner, "I'll text you my address. You can see the apartment on Saturday if you like. Fin and John have a guy so they got my car fixed up. I can drive if you want."
"Where's the new place?" Melinda was busy opening her burger as she asked.
"Go ahead Liv, tell her," Elliot was grinning as he bit into his own lunch.
"Fin and I found a place in Harlem, a nice restored building in a good area," Olivia sighed. "I like it, its safe and Fin's comfortable there. So am I. One of the ladies in the building is my mother's age, told me she's mixed and that she'd help me deal with the kids' hair."
Warner started laughing at the look on Olivia's face, confused, pleased and just a little overwhelmed. "You haven't even given birth but you're lining up a babysitter,
that's perfect."
Olivia mumbled almost to herself, "Fin already did a background check on her." That got Warner chuckling and even Elliot couldn't stop grinning. "Yeah I know, maybe if I hadn't needed a nap so bad I might have done the same thing. And Ken and Alejandro are constantly at the apartment bringing toys and clothes for the kids."
"Spoiled rotten and not even born yet," Elliot observed with a chuckle. Olivia regarded her partner thoughtfully, when Fin wasn't around Elliot seemed genuinely pleased for her. He'd offered his kids to help her move, he'd been the one to volunteer his house for the baby/bridal shower, and now he was helping her get her dress. "Though if I had a neighbor volunteering babysitting and grooming services I'd do the same."
"I did," Warner confessed with a smile.
"Well fun as this has been, we'd better get going," Liv sighed. "I'll see you on Saturday if not before Mel," She took out her phone and texted the address to the ME. "You'll bring your husband and daughter to the wedding right? I draw the line at your dog though."
"Wouldn't miss it," The ME smiled wider, "See you on Saturday."
Fin was still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes on Saturday morning when Melinda Warner and her sister Laura showed up at the door, "Hey Mel." He greeted her tiredly, "Can't tell me you missed me so much you've come visitin'."
"No," Warner laughed and pushed past him into the apartment, "We're here to get Liv. We're on a mission."
"Oh her dress," Fin chuckled. "Yeah, I've been gettin' an earful since my suit was pretty simple to pick out. 'Course I'm not pregnant so my job's about five hundred times easier." He picked up a piece of paper from the counter, "Woman gave me a honey do list this morning." He was well aware that he was grinning like a fool down at the list, as if chores were the best thing in the world Liv could have given him.
"Yeah you look all tore up about that," Laura commented dryly.
Fin shook his head, "You two want some water? I'm cuttin' down on the caffeine when we ain't at work since Liv isn't allowed. Doesn't seem fair to have a pot a coffee goin' and teasin' her when she can't have any."
"We took the precaution of getting coffee on our way here," Warner replied. "So what's on your list of 'honey dos'? My husband practically has a coronary when I give him one of those, you look like Olivia just gave you season tickets to the Yankees."
"Oh she wants me to check out the flower arrangement she picked for the reception tables," Fin read off the list. "I gotta narrow down the cake to at least three flavors I like 'cause she likes all of 'em. Same thing with the menu." He laughed, "Babygirl's so hungry she says everything tastes good, so make sure you feed her while ya'll are out."
"I've been pregnant Fin, trust me, I know how to deal with an appetite," Melinda rolled her eyes at him. "What else do you have to do?"
"Stop at the hardware store and get curtain rods for the baby's room," Fin held up a box end. "I need to get the same kind as these so I'm takin' this with me. And I gotta pick up grooms gifts of some sort, long as its something John and Cragen'll like I'm good there."
"He's going to be running around more now than when we're at work," Olivia's voice was amused as she came into the living room with her purse. Fin couldn't help the little groan in his throat at the sight of Olivia in her jeans with a pretty turquoise top stretched over her swelling belly.
"God Babygirl, how come you look so damn good like this?" He put his hands on her hips without even realizing he'd crossed the room towards her and pressed his lips to her cheek. Her hair was smooth and shiny, smelled like her shampoo and she felt so good. "Not sure I wanna let you out of the house now."
"Well unless you want me to get married in jeans and a shirt you'll have to," Olivia grinned at him and put one of his hands on her belly. "I'll text you when I'm on my way back, maybe I can give you a hand with the list."
"Oh no, you go and get your present for George and figure out what you want for favors," Fin held the list out of reach teasingly. "This is my list baby, you made it for me."
"Trust me babe you'll get plenty more of those for the rest of our lives together, you'll be begging me to stay away from paper," Liv was laughing as he played keep away. "But since I have most of my list figured out all I have to do is pick things up."
"Why don't we meet back here, we'll go out to dinner, even take these two along if you like," Fin jerked his head jokingly at Melinda and her sister.
"Alex is on her way up," Warner had been checking her phone which made Liv dive into her purse for hers.
"I've got to just keep this in my pocket," She sighed. "Any requests regarding the dress?" She draped her arms around Fin's neck with a smile.
"Don't care how much it costs, don't care if you want a princess dress, long as you're happy," Fin chuckled. "This is our day Babygirl, we're gonna have fun. Want you to remember everything." He pulled out a card from his pocket, "So also on my list is a photographer and a video guy. John says he's the best."
"John would know," Liv grinned.
"Well he's meetin' me and helpin' out with the list today," Fin chuckled. "Got a few things of my own to do for the wedding 'sides the list."
The bell rang and Fin let go of her reluctantly to get the door, "Baby you got comfortable shoes on right?" He was asking with a frown of concern, hardly paying attention as he opened the door for Alex.
"My shoes are fine Fin, thanks for asking," Alex told him dryly as she stepped into the apartment with a grin.
"Hey Alex," He couldn't help giving the ADA a hug. "Good to see you."
"You too, though when Liv told me who she was marrying you could have knocked me over with a puff of air," Alex shook her head as she followed him down the hall to the living room. "And you," She hugged Olivia happily, "Not telling me you're pregnant! And engaged? Seriously?"
"I just..." Olivia shrugged and Fin wrapped an arm around her waist, kissing her cheek.
"Why don't you show 'em around the apartment Baby? I'm gonna hit the gym downstairs and shower before John gets here. I got my phone and keys so anything you need, you text me." He kissed her firmly on the cheek and looked at the three women, "You take care of her today. She's always hungry and she gets tired way too easy. Lots of sitting. You got me?"
Olivia poked him in the side offsetting that with a kiss on the cheek, "I know when I'm tired babe. Go mess around with the weight machines. I'm on baby aerobics and those stupid itty bitty free weights until I give birth."
Fin frowned but sighed his agreement, "You remember, whatever you want." He kissed her lightly on the lips and was grateful she rarely bothered with lipstick. "Love you Babygirl."
"Love you too," She was smiling as he left the apartment and that was all he could ask.
Author's Note: So I was very surprised nobody seemed to guess how Melinda Warner would be able to help out with the wedding. It's canon that her sister is a buyer for Saks though I just made up a name for her. ME Warner has a husband, a dog and a daughter.
We're having a little fluff before we get back to dealing with Elliot and Olivia and the issues of non-communication between the two of them. I'm working on several other stories at the moment so every story gets their turn at the top of the queue. Hence the lack of everyday posting. Sorry for the wait folks. I hope its worth it.