Chapter 6: Relief

Sorry if this chapter is short. I know this episode happened before 'Paternity'. But like I said previously, it was an idea I ran with after watching 'Infiltrated' and it took a life on it's own.

He couldn't help but smile. She was finally awake. After six damn long weeks. Doing what he had promised he would, he immediately dialed the all to familiar number. After two or three rings, a voice answered. It sounded like Kathleen.

"Kathleen, where's you're father at?" asked Cragen.

"Still sleeping on the couch. Did something happen?" asked Kathleen.

"Something did happen. But I promised you're father that he would be the first one I called. Could you wake him for me?" asked Cragen. Kathleen walked over to the couch and pulled the covers off her father, immediately getting his attention.

"What? Is there a reason you chose to wake me up, Kathleen?" said Elliot. He was still half asleep. There had to be a reason for her waking him up out of the blue. Kathleen just handed him the phone. Let him find out for himself why she woke him up like she did.

"What happened?" asked Elliot.

"Are sitting or standing at the moment?" asked Cragen. That wasn't what he was expecting. But he went with it anyway.

"Still sitting on the couch. Why?" asked Elliot.

"Good because I'm about to tell is going to make you jump up off the couch." Replied Cragen. And it was. Hell, it almost made him jump out of the chair he had been sitting in.

Why was he taking so long to tell him what he had to? This didn't sound to go. Not the way his boss was suddenly stalling.

"What?' asked Elliot.

There was no other way to tell him, but to pull the band aid off and just get it out in the open. He was going to find out either way.

"She woke up. She woke up as I was coming into see her. I don't know how long she will be awake before they let her go to sleep but I told you I would call you first if and when anything happened. I still have to call John and Fin. Don't drive like an idiot like I know you're probably going to do anyway. I don't need another one of my detective's in the hospital and as something stupid none the less." Said Cragen, before hanging up the phone altogether. The minute the phone was down, he was up off the couch and running up the stairs to Maureen and Kathleen.

"Dad, what happened? I don't think I've seen you make a run up the stairs like you just did. Whatever it is, it must be big." Said Maureen.

"Just grab you're purses and meet me out in the car." Was all he had to say. They wasted no time grabbing their purses. And just like he had, they bolted down the stairs, locked the door behind them and got in the car as quickly as they could.

When the three of them had gotten there, John and Fin were just walking in. Both with smiles on their faces. Things were looking good so far. But they weren't out of the woods just yet.

"Cragen is in there with her now. If we understood him right and correctly, they took the ventilator out." Said Fin.

John was still at a loss for words. Honestly, he didn't think she would ever wake up at the rate it had been going. For her to finally wake up, it just sent a feeling of relief over them all.

"Obviously, Munch is still at a loss for words. For the first time since I've been working him, he's actually quite and not rambling on about some conspiracy theory of his. It's nice change. Too bad it won't last very long." Laughed Fin. It was nice to smile and laugh again. None of them had been able to since they were told about the accident. This was a sudden change for all them. And they weren't going to complain about it.

Before any of them could actually sit down, Cragen reappeared.

"I don't care who goes in first. Just don't fight for the first turn." Said Cragen. All six of them looked at each other. None of them took a step forward as to being the first to visit. And Cragen had already visited. But he had no intention of leaving anytime soon. Rather than just stand there and wait for someone to go first, Kathleen just walked down to the room. Maureen smiled. Kathleen was probably the smart choice. Especially since it had been such a hard time for her earlier.

Kathleen opened the door slowly and quite as she could. First thing she did after coming in the room, was to sit in the chair. She pulled the chair closer and sat down. Olivia turned head so that it was looking at Kathleen. The first thing she did, was taking the young woman's hand in hers. Kathleen immediately looked up at Olivia. Instead of having a tube in throat, and no expression on her face once so ever, it was now replaced with a smile. Before she could even get a word out of her mouth, Kathleen spoke up. Olivia could see the tears Kathleen was holding back.

"I'm so glad you're finally awake. I don't think any one of us would know what to do if you hadn't woken up. I'm sorry I left like I did last night." Began Kathleen. But before she could continue with the conversation, Olivia was pointing to empty spot next to her. Indicating that she wanted Kathleen next to her. She wasn't sure how much she would be able to talk but she was going to try. She already hating being quite and silent. It was her turn to do the talking.

"My throat made be a little sore and scratchy but that's not going to stop me from talking. Don't apologize for anything. You have nothing to apologize for, sweetheart. If I had been on the other side like you, I would have done the same thing. Besides, I could still hear what everyone was saying to me. More than I should have been hearing. Or more I would have liked to, that is anyway." Smiled Olivia.

And it was how she really felt. There were just some things that she wasn't sure that should have been said in the first place. No matter how dire the situation was or had been. Some things should be left unsaid.

"I don't want to leave. But I should because Maureen probably wants to get in here before you fall asleep." Said Kathleen. This time, she didn't want to leave.

"I won't be going to sleep anytime soon. They won't let me any way." Said Olivia. And they didn't. She was told she had to stay awake for the next couple of hours to make sure it was okay for her to fall asleep and sleep on her own. They didn't want to take another chance if she did happen to fall asleep and not wake up again. It was too much of a risk to take. They wanted to play on the safe side. Kathleen got up off the bed from where she had been laying, hugged and kissed her before leaving the room.

Kathleen walked back out to the waiting room area and sat down next to her father and the rest of them. Maureen got up and made her way down the hall to her room. Just like Kathleen had done, she opened the door slowly and quietly as she could.

"It's different seeing you awake and with out the tubes and wires." Commented Maureen.

"I'm sure it is. So whose all still sitting out there?" asked Olivia. She knew Cragen was still out there. He wasn't leaving anytime soon.

"Captain Cragen, Fin, Munch, Dad, and Kathleen and myself." Replied Maureen.

"I heard you're sister woke you're dad while he had been sleeping on the couch. Must have been an interesting site." Said Olivia. Normally any other time, you had to fight with him, just to get him to sleep. Waking him up was even worse. Once he would fall asleep, he never did want to be woken up. And especially after working a case for twenty fours if not longer. But then who wouldn't?

"Yeah, she did but with good reasons and intentions. Besides, after he got off the phone, he ran right up the stairs, like he's never done before, and just told us to grab our purses and meet him out at the car." Laughed Maureen.

"That definitely doesn't sound like you're father. Not any of it." Laughed Olivia.

"Dickie and Lizzie said they would come and visit another time. I don't think dad even had time to tell them you were even awake." Smiled Maureen. Just like her sister had

Maureen sat down where she had been sitting in the waiting room. Fin said he would go next. By now, the way to her room was also memorized by the all. They could close their eyes and yet, still find their way to her room.

"Thank god you decided to wake up. Nothing has been the same. I can't even tell you which one of us wanted to kill Porter." Said Fin. She knew them better, when they said they wanted to kill him, that they meant it. Especially after this whole mess. And truth be told, she wanted to kill him just as much.

"It's not like I went anywhere." Commented Olivia.

"Yes it is. You weren't the same person laying in that bed. You were so damn pale and with all the wires and tubes, it scared everyone out of their right minds. None of us wanted to leave until we knew you were awake. Some of us more than others." Said Fin.

"Yeah, well I could still hear you guys. Although some things I shouldn't have heard. And I wished I hadn't. " said Olivia. He knew who she was referring to. But given the situation, he wasn't so sure that he wouldn't have done the same.

"For the first time, you even had Munch speechless and at a loss for words. That will never happen again." Smiled Fin.

"That's a first for John. He doesn't do emotions. " laughed Olivia. Fin sat and talked with her another fifteen minutes before remembering that he was still waiting to visit. And that was going to be interesting in itself.