Truth And Deception
(Chapter Seventeen: Rainy Days & Mondays)
Elliot sat across the hospital room and watched the monitors as Olivia slept. Flashing lights and random beeps and each of them determining the health and welfare of their unborn babies. He took a deep breath and exhaled as she stirred a little in the hospital bed.
Olivia moaned softly and opened her eyes to look up at him. "The babies?" She asked softly.
"They are okay for now," Elliot said leaning to kiss her lips.
"I'm so tired."
"It's the medicine they gave you to stop the labor. It relaxes your body enough that you can't have contractions. They called Dr. Raines, she was out of town, but she's on her way." Elliot locked his fingers between hers and smiled. "I love you so much. All three of you," he said placing his hand on her belly.
"What are we gonna do, El? I can't stay on these drugs until they're born. I'm so doped up I am seeing double and all I want to do is sleep. This stuff can't be good on the babies."
"The doctor here said something about a procedure they do for some women who go into premature labor, where they put a stitch in the cervix to keep the baby in longer."
"Is that what they want to do?"
"I'm not sure. I think everyone is waiting for your doctor to get here. We'll talk to her and see what she suggests. She's done this a few more times than we have," he said with a smile. "I'm sure she'll know exactly what to do. For now, you should rest." Elliot brushed his thumb across her forehead and kissed her gently as her heavy eyes fell closed.
"Stay with me," Olivia whispered tightening her grip on his hand.
"There is nowhere else I would rather be," Elliot replied as he nestled his head in beside her and closed his eyes as well.
Twenty minutes later Elliot woke up as Dr. Raines entered the room carrying Olivia's chart. He watched as she walked around the bed and inspected the machines, then turned to inspect Olivia's IV as well.
"How are you doing?" She asked looking at Elliot.
"Worried sick. Are Liv and the babies going to be okay?"
"I'm going to do everything in my power to safely deliver you two healthy babies. Let her sleep for right now, give me about twenty minutes to look over the file. Then I'll come in here and see if I can give you guys some options. Try not to worry. I am here and I'm not leaving. Your wife and babies are my main focus now. We're a team, Mr. Stabler. You, me and Olivia. And it is going to take every member of this team to get these babies here safely. I just want you to know that I am in this all of the way. You wife and children are in good hands. I have delivered many babies at this hospital. They have amazing doctors who work very well together and put the patients' safety above everything else. I don't think she could be in a better place."
"Thank you doctor," Elliot nodded with tears in his eyes. He watched as Dr. Raines carried Olivia's chart out of the room.
Olivia was just waking up when Dr. Raines walked back into the room. "Hey Olivia, how are you feeling?"
Olivia winced and adjusted herself in the bed. "Like I am stoned. I am so doped up I can't see straight. Everything has a ring around it and it is starting to make me nauseas."
"I'm sorry about that. They gave you the medication to try and buy us a little time to assess the situation and come up with a few choices."
"Choices?" Elliot asked.
"Like putting a stitch in my cervix to keep the babies from coming out?"
"That procedure is called a Cervical Cerclage. And it has proven to be successful in many cases. But I am not so sure that is the right thing to do in this situation."
"You don't think it will help our babies?"
"I would like to do another ultrasound and check the positioning of the babies, before we decide a plan of action."
"Okay," Olivia said softly.
"I will get them to bring the machine in here and I'll be back in a few minutes. Lets see what's going on in here," Dr. Raines said placing her fingertips against a spot where it was obvious there was a tiny foot just below the surface.
"Wow," Elliot said rubbing his hands over his face.
"Do you think everything is going to be alright?" Olivia asked him.
"I hope so. I think that we are getting the best possible help that we can for our babies," he said kissing her belly. "I don't think we could have a better doctor."
"I like her, too. I love that she is completely focused on our babies and she is really good at making sure to explain everything to us. I think she realizes how scared we are and she is good at helping us understand what is going on."
"I like her a lot better than that guy you had before."
"Me, too." Olivia smiled and moaned a little.
"Are you in pain?"
"No. I just feel a little pressure when they move around. I've been thinking."
"About what?"
"Their names," she said tracing her fingertip over the shape of the little foot on the skin of her belly.
"You changed your mind?"
"I think so. I still really like Bryson, but I'm not so sure about Addison."
"Baby, you already hung her name over the crib."
"They are letters, Elliot. They can be changed."
"What do you like?"
"Alyssa Nicole or maybe Aubrey Nicole."
"I like both of those. I really like Aubrey, though."
"So you don't mind if we change it?"
"Olivia, these are our kids. She will have this name for the rest of her life. It needs to be a name we both like."
"Okay, Aubrey Nicole Stabler it is!" She said with a smile.
Elliot and Olivia watched as Dr. Raines moved the wand of the sonogram machine around to look at the positioning of the babies. Elliot watched the monitor while Olivia studied the doctor's face.
"You don't like what you see?" She asked with a worried look in her eyes.
The doctor took a deep breath and exhaled. "My opinion?"
Olivia nodded.
"We need to get them out of there. They are crowded, it is causing complications. Nothing major so far, but I worry that they aren't getting enough of what they need." She put the wand down and turned off the machine and wiped the excess gunk from Olivia's belly. "Do you feel this?" She said pushing Olivia's hand gently in against one of the babies.
"Yes," Olivia replied.
"That is your daughter, 'Baby A.'"
"Aubrey," Olivia replied looking at Elliot with a smile.
"Well, Aubrey is turned and ready to go. You went into labor, Olivia. But 'Baby B' is breach and blocking the birth canal. Both babies are stuck. And I don't like how they are positioned. Leaving them like this we run risk of the cords getting tangled or you going into labor again. The placentas could rupture, not to mention the positioning is putting stress on the babies and I still cannot completely rule out a heart murmur. I would like to go ahead and perform a cesarean, the sooner the better and get them out of there."
"It isn't time yet," Olivia gasped.
"No. Ideally it would be better to keep them in there longer, but I think we have reached a point where our risks outnumber the possible benefits. You are almost thirty five weeks. The babies both look healthy. I am estimating them between three and a half to four pounds each. I can get a team in place and sedate you, Olivia. You can be awake the entire time. We will have incubators and be ready for anything. I will deliver little Aubrey first, because she is up higher. I will hand her off to another doctor so they can check her out while I go back in for 'Baby B.' Things will seem a little crazy in the delivery room, but I assure you that everything will be under control. Every member of this team has done this before. I will stay with you, Olivia until I have you stitched up and know that you are stable. Then I will move to oversea the twins care. I will not leave these babies until they are ready to go home with their mommy and daddy. And when they finally do get to go home, I will recommend you to a colleague of mine who is an amazing pediatrician."
"Are there any other options?" Elliot asked.
"Well, I could try to hold out a few more days. I would administer a series of steroid shots to boost fetal development. But it would only work if we could keep them in there for a few more days and Olivia would have to stay on the medication the entire time to prevent labor. The only reason your body isn't pushing right now is because you are so heavily medicated the muscles cannot contract. Short term this method is harmless. But keeping you like this for days could cause a number of problems for Olivia or the babies. I am willing to try this either way. This is your decision. But I honestly, would feel much more confident about this if we went ahead and delivered the babies via c-section this afternoon. Then we can focus on individualized care for each infant." She stood there and watched as Elliot looked back at Olivia. "I'll give you guys a few minutes to talk it over and decide. Just push the call button when you have reached a decision."
"Thank you," Olivia said softly.
They watched as the doctor walked out of the room closing it behind her. Elliot exhaled and looked back at his wife. Olivia sat with tears in her eyes circling her hand over the place where her daughter laid inside her.
"I am so selfish," she said softly.
"What are you talking about baby?"
"I thought, after the Leukemia….after the chemo and the months it took us to get pregnant that nothing else bad could ever happen. You know? Like I paid my dues," she said as a tear rolled from her cheek. "This isn't about me, Elliot. It never has been. It's about the babies and what is best for them."
"Do you think we should do it? Go ahead and let her perform the cesarean?"
"I think we should trust her judgment."
"Even if a few more days inside could possibly mean bigger healthier babies?"
"It could, El. But it is a gamble. It could also mean running a risk of cutting off their oxygen supply or damage to the placentas or the cords and we could lose them both."
"God, this should be an easier choice. There is no certainty either way. The risks are high and the wrong decision by us could harm our babies. I don't know what to do."
"You like Dr. Raines?"
"I do."
"Do you trust her?"
"Yes."
Olivia nodded. "I think we should do whatever she thinks is best."
Elliot stared into her eyes. "Deliver our babies today?"
Olivia took a deep breath and nodded her head. "We have the best doctors and nurses. We are at the best hospital and we are in a position where we still have a choice. I don't want to know what it feels like not to."
"Okay," Elliot said wiping away the tears from his eyes as he pressed the call button. "Then we'll do it."
Olivia laid in bed waiting for the nurses to come prep her for surgery. They had asked Elliot to step out several minutes earlier and he went down stairs to call the older Stabler children and let them know that they baby brother and sister were about to be born. He also put in a call to everyone at work to let them know Olivia was about to have the babies.
He paced around the gift shop talking to Maureen on his cell phone as he gathered little gifts for Olivia and the babies. He climbed into the elevator and walked back down the hall toward her room.
Inside Olivia laid still in her bed waiting for them to prep the delivery room for the arrival of her babies.
"Hey beautiful," he said with a smile.
"Hi," she whispered.
"I got a few things," he said sitting on the edge of the bed with a smile. He opened a large gift bag and began to pill out the gifts. "I got them each a bear for their crib. They match," he pointed out with a smile. "I got her her first baby doll," Elliot pulled a small cloth doll from the bag. She had dark brown yarn hair and her little blue eyes had been stitched on by hand.
Olivia smiled.
"And for him," Elliot began as he stirred around in the bag, "his first Yankees baseball cap.
"Aww," Olivia cooed at the tiny little hat. "This is so adorable," she said with a smile.
"Actually I got that in a gift shop shortly after I found out we were having a son. I have had it in a package in the car for a few weeks now. I got something for you, too."
"You have already given me my gift," she said with a smile circling her hand over her belly.
"I guess I'll just have to take this back then," he said pulling a velvet jewelry box from his pocket.
"No," Olivia said reaching for it.
Elliot smiled and kissed her gently as he handed her the box. She shifted in the bed and opened the top to stare inside. Elliot watched as tears rose in her eyes. Inside was a gold necklace with double interlocking hearts, each with a tiny emerald.
"Elliot, it's beautiful."
"Emerald is their birth stone, now. I took a walk while I was waiting. And as I passed a jewelry store I decided to go inside. I was going to get you a diamond. But this seemed more appropriate. Two babies, two hearts. One for each of them."
He looked up at Olivia as she began to cry. She laughed a little and wiped a tear away. She raised her palm and placed it against his as she stared into his eyes. She lowered her fingers to slide between his as he leaned forward and kissed her lips.
"I love you so much," she said softly.
"I love you too, angel. And in less than an hour, we will finally get to meet our babies."
Olivia smiled nervously as the doctor walked in.
"Are we ready?" She asked looking at Olivia.
Olivia exhaled and wiped tears from her eyes. "As ready as I will ever be."
"Daddy, if you'll come with me we can get you ready while they take her in," a nurse said motioning for Elliot to follow her.
"I will see you in the delivery room," he said kissing his wife.
Olivia nodded and watched as followed the nurse out the door.
Ten minutes later they showed Elliot into the delivery room where Olivia laid on the table. He could tell by looking into her eyes that the drugs had taken effect and she was feeling a little tired.
"Okay I am about to make the incision. 'Team A' get into position, we are about to meet baby Aubrey."
Moments later Elliot and Olivia heard a little shriek and the baby began to cry. Dr. Raines stood up and lifted a tiny baby girl over the divider for them to see. "Here is your daughter," she said as they stared at the dark haired infant as she screamed. "The lungs sound good," the doctor laughed as she handed the baby off to the doctor leading 'Team A' and they rushed her off to clean her up and inspect her.
"Now for 'Baby B,'" she said moving behind the sheet once more.
Olivia stared up at Elliot with tears in her eyes as they waited. He leaned down and kissed her forehead through his paper mask. "I love you baby. I love you so much," he whispered repeatedly and Olivia could tell he was just as nervous as she was.
She stared into the comfort of his blue eyes and they both cried as they heard the second baby begin to cry.
"Here we are," Dr. Raines announced stepping from behind the sheet divider once more. " 'Baby B.'"
The tiny baby kicked and squirmed and cried and it was the best sound either of them had heard in a long time.
"Born…" the doctor said looking back at the clock, "two and a half minutes after her sister."
Elliot and Olivia laughed and smiled at each other as he kissed the top of her head.
"Wait," Elliot said raising his head to look across the room as 'Team B' rushed into position taking charge of the second baby, "her sister?"
"That is right Mr. Stabler! You have two beautiful baby girls! Congratulations!" Dr. Raines moved behind the sheet once more to work on closing Olivia up.
"That means that Bryson Michael is…" Elliot thought aloud.
"Bailey Olivia," his wife cut him off with a smile.
"Two girls," Elliot said with a soft laugh. "Aubrey Nicole and Bailey Olivia Stabler. It's perfect. They are perfect." Elliot lowered himself beside her and kissed her once more through his mask.
When the doctor was finished with Olivia she asked Elliot to give them about twenty minutes to get her settled back into her room. Elliot took the opportunity to head down the hall to the waiting room and make the announcement that more than a dozen people were waiting to hear.
"We have two little girls," he said in excitement at the waiting room full of friends and family. "I don't know their stats yet, but they are beautiful. Both look just like Olivia with a head full of dark hair."
"What are their names dad?" Dickie asked standing up and dropping his video game to the sofa where he had been sitting.
"Aubrey Nicole and Bailey Olivia Stabler. Both named after their mother, Olivia Nicole Stabler."
"Those names are sweet daddy! I can't wait to see them," Maureen cooed.
"Well, the doctors will have to check them out and run a few tests. Why don't you take your brothers and sisters down and buy them some dinner?" He suggested handing her some cash. "I'll call you when Liv gets settled into her room and you guys can see the babies."
"Okay dad," she said taking Eli by the hand and leading the brood toward the elevator.
Elliot took a deep breath and walked back down to the gift shop. He was so relieved the delivery had gone well, but now worried about the health of their little girls.
Elliot walked into Olivia's hospital room as she stared out the window into another rain storm. On the window seal sat the two biggest dozen pink roses he had ever seen.
"Thank you for the roses Elliot, they are gorgeous."
"Not half as gorgeous as the two beautiful baby girls you just gave me. How you feeling?"
"Good. Tired. Glad that part is over, but nervous. Did you tell everyone?" she asked with a smile.
"Yes and they are all excited. I sent Maureen down to the cafeteria to buy them all some dinner, give you a little time to get settled in before they come up to visit." Elliot laughed.
"What?" Olivia asked with a smile.
"Cragen said this was the farthest anyone has ever gone to get a three day weekend. Like I convinced them to be born on a Monday."
"You worked some this morning."
"That's what I said," he laughed as he kissed her lips.
Just then the doctor entered the room followed by a nurse pushing a little bed with both babies in it. Olivia smiled as her eyes fell upon the two tiny little girls.
"How are they doing?" Olivia asked.
"These two are amazing little girls. Aubrey weighs in at four pounds two ounces and is eighteen and a half inches long. Bailey weighs three pounds fourteen ounces and is eighteen inches long. Both babies appear to be perfectly healthy. And I hear no sign what so ever of a heart murmur on either of them. They are small, but perfect little babies." She picked up one of the babies and handed her to Olivia. "This is Aubrey and," she turned and picked up the second baby girl handing her to Elliot, "this is Bailey."
"We got our babies," Elliot said with a smile as he kissed his wife.
"Now, the girls will have to remain here in the hospital until they gain some weight before they can go home. I'll monitor them closely over the next few days and when they are in the nursery I will have them in an incubator to make sure they are warm enough while they are sleeping."
"Only one bed?" Elliot asked looking toward the little plastic cradle.
"They both cried and cried after we cleaned them up. I thought there was something wrong with them, but could find nothing. Then it dawned on me, separation anxiety. They have never been more than a few inches away from each other in their lives. I placed Bailey back into Aubrey's bed and have not heard a complaint out of them since."
Olivia smiled and looked at Elliot.
"It happens with twins from time to time. The have been together in there since conception. They get scared when they are apart. I can give you guys a few minutes alone with the girls. Unfortunately until they are a little bigger I cannot allow the other children around them. But I can have the nurses bring them to the nursery window so that the older children can see their little sisters."
"That would be great," Elliot answered.
"I'll give you four some privacy," she said walking toward the door.
"Doctor?" Elliot said as she turned around. "Thank you so much. For taking care of Olivia and the babies."
"You are welcome, Mr. Stabler."
Elliot sat down on the edge of the bed as they both inspected both little girls. They were both perfect little dolls.
"I don't know how I'm going to tell them apart," Elliot said staring down as the baby girl in his arms yawned and stretched out her little hands.
"They are fraternal, El."
"But they still look exactly alike. What if I mix them up?"
"I'm sure they will forgive you," she laughed.
"I'm their father, Liv. I should be able to tell my own kids apart."
"You will. They have little differences."
"Honey four ounces difference is hard to see."
"Yes, but their eyes aren't."
Elliot looked confused.
"Look closely, daddy." She shifted the baby in her arms. "Aubrey has blue eyes and Bailey has brown." She stared at him with a satisfied smile.
Elliot laughed. "You may have just saved them years in therapy talking about how their father couldn't tell them apart. Now Bailey," Elliot said softly, "daddy got something for you." He pulled out another little cloth doll identical to the other one. He picked up the little baseball cap from the table beside the bed. "I guess we won't need this," he said holding it up to Olivia.
She took the little hat from his hand and looked at it for a moment then looked at her sleeping newborn in her fathers arms. She reached over and slid the little hat onto Bailey's head over her dark hair. "You know daddy, little girls can watch baseball, too."
Elliot raised his tear filled eyes and smiled at Olivia as she pressed her lips together and smiled back at him. He leaned in and kissed her tenderly.
"I love you all so much," he said as he placed a kiss on the forehead of each of his little daughters. "And when you girls get a little bigger, daddy will take you to a real Yankees game at Yankee stadium."
Olivia smiled.
Elliot stood in the hallway with his five older children peering into the nursery window. He lifted Eli up to the glass as a nurse appeared with a little bed containing two tiny little girls.
"Here they are guys," he said softly as a nurse lifted one baby to the glass and Dr. Raines held the other up.
"So who is who, dad?" Dickie asked sure his father couldn't tell the girls apart.
"Son, this is your sister Aubrey and this one here is Bailey."
"How do you tell them apart dad?" Elizabeth asked.
"I am their father, I just know." He looked at the doubting eyes of his older children. "No, Olivia showed me a way. Aubrey has blue eyes. Bailey has Olivia's brown eyes."
The kids all laughed.
"They are so sweet dad," Kathleen said with a smile. "I can't wait until we can actually hold them."
"How long do they have to be in here?" Maureen asked.
"Probably a couple of weeks. Until they get a little bigger. But they are healthy. They are just small. Being crowded up in that tiny little space for so long. They didn't have much room to grow."
"Were we that little when we were born dad?" Elizabeth asked looking down at the second set of Stabler twins.
"Not quite that small. You and your brother were both just over five pounds. Dickie was a little bigger than you were," Elliot said kissing the top of her head. "But your mom was pregnant with you three weeks longer than Olivia was with them. So you had more time to grow bigger."
"Oh," she replied.
"Are you guys ready to go back and see Olivia?"
"Yeah, we brought presents for her and the babies. Some clothes and things for the girls and flowers for Liv."
"I'm sure she'll love them. She is very tired so we will only have a few minutes to visit tonight. But Maureen can bring you guys back tomorrow after school to visit for a while." And with that Elliot lead them down the hall to see Olivia.