Multiple Blessings

(Chapter Six: High Risk)

Olivia awoke in the dark with a strange feeling. She wasn't quite sure exactly what was wrong, but something definitely wasn't right. She sat up and looked around the bedroom. Elliot laid still beside her sound asleep and Lucy watched her carefully from across the room.

"I swear I am going insane," she mumbled to the dog as she stood and made her way to the bathroom.

Moments later Elliot was awakened by her frightened voice calling to him from the next room.

"El," she called to him and he could hear the fear in her voice.

Elliot shot from the bed, stumbling around the room and trying not to trip over Lucy as he ran to the bathroom, still not sure what was going on.

"Liv? Baby, are you okay?" he asked as he pushed open the door to see his wife with tears streaming down her face.

"There's blood," she gasped opening her palm to show him as he noticed the stain on the front of her cotton gown.

"Okay," Elliot said trying to take charge and help her to keep calm, but he really wasn't sure what to do. "Get back to the bed and off your feet. I'm gonna call the doctor."

"We should go to the hospital, Elliot. I'm losing the baby."

Elliot stared at her for a moment as their eyes met and he nodded in agreement. He helped her back to the bedroom and grabbed a change of clothes for her. He dressed himself quickly and helped Olivia to the elevator. In the car she sat staring out the window into the rainy darkness and Elliot could tell she was crying. It was killing him that he had no way to make this better.

"I had them page your doctor," he said slipping his hand into hers and holding it tight, "he's gonna meet us at the hospital."

He listened to the silence as she drew a staggered breath and exhaled once more.

At the hospital they rushed Olivia up to the O.B. floor. A doctor examined her, but didn't say much. Before long she had been admitted and was getting settled into her hospital room.

"Is someone going to tell us what is going on?" Elliot asked as a nurse started the IV in Olivia's arm.

"The doctor will be with you soon," she said softly.

"She has already been seen by a doctor," Elliot replied in a stern voice. "We want to know what the hell is going on with our kid!"

"El," Olivia said cutting him off as she patted the bed beside her. "They are doing everything they can do. And my doctor will be here soon." She took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to calm her own nerves as she stared at him. "Right now all we can do is wait."

Elliot moved to her side. He slipped his hand in hers and placed a soft kiss on it.

"I just hate not knowing," he said softly.

"I think we already know," she whispered in a soft and shaky voice.

Elliot wiped a tear from her eye and kissed her tenderly. He sat in the chair beside her bed and placed one hand over her abdomen. The room fell silent for a few moments as the rush of hospital staff moved down the hall to another patient's room.

Ten minutes later Olivia's doctor entered the room with her chart. She raised her sad eyes to stare at the man for a moment.

"Have I lost my baby?" she asked in a soft, but calm voice bracing herself for the harsh truth.

"That's what I am here to find out. We're going to do everything we can," he assured her.

Elliot watched as a nurse entered the room and Olivia was examined once more. The doctor then excused himself and returned with a machine.

"Olivia, I am going to perform a vaginal ultrasound to see if I can get a better look at this baby. Because you are still so early in your pregnancy, a standard ultrasound is not going to be sufficient. This will allow us a better look at what is going on in there."

Olivia pressed her lips together nervously and nodded her head.

"Whatever you need to do," she said softly.

"You might feel a little pressure. That is normal."

"Nothing about this pregnancy has been normal," she replied exhaling softly and trying to relax.

Elliot turned to hold her hand and stare into her eyes as the doctor raised the sheet and began the ultrasound. He watched as Olivia shifted uncomfortably at first then closed her eyes and drew a deep breath.

"There we go," the doctor said and they both turned to see the little flicker appear on the screen once more.

"Oh thank God," Olivia sighed as she began to cry once more, this time in relief instead of fear.

The nurse smiled and unmated the machine so they could hear the tiny thump of the baby's heartbeat.

"What is going on in there?" Elliot asked, still holding his wife's hand.

He watched as the doctor took some measurements, then smiled and drew two little circles with the mouse on the computer screen.

"Well, I am not exactly sure what is causing the bleeding. But this right here," he said pointing to the first circle on the screen, "is your seemingly healthy five week old fetus."

Olivia laughed and smiled as Elliot kissed her once more.

"And the other circle?" Elliot asked.

The doctor stood and smiled proudly.

"That is the second fetus."

"The second…." Elliot paused for a moment trying to put it all together in his head.

"There are two babies?" Olivia asked.

"There are," the doctor agreed.

"Twins…." Elliot said aloud in shock as the events of the evening all began to sink in. "We're having twins."

Olivia smiled and they both laughed happily as the nurse printed off the ultrasound picture showing their two babies.

"It is actually pretty common with Invitro cases. We implanted six embryos and two of them took. Wonderful results. But it is still very early and we still have a long way to go. I want to keep Olivia for the night for observation. If we can get this bleeding stopped, you can go home tomorrow. But I want you on bed rest for a couple of weeks. Up for showers and bathroom breaks only. And I don't want you walking any further than from the bed to the couch. From this point forward I am considering yours a high risk pregnancy. With a twin pregnancy there is a greater chance of premature delivery and other complications. We are going to do everything we can to ensure these babies a safe and healthy delivery."

"Thank you doctor," Olivia said smiling as she stared down at the grey mass on the picture in her hand.

"Try to get some rest."

The chair in the hospital room unfolded into a small cot like bed and Elliot made it his place for the night. He sat beside her and they talked for a little while trying to unwind so they could go back to sleep.

"Do you see them?" she asked as they stared at the ultrasound picture a bit puzzled.

"Honestly, I think it looks exactly the same as it did the last time. All grey and fuzzy."

Olivia smiled.

"I guess it takes a trained professional," she admitted as she smiled again. "I was so sure I was losing the baby," she said turning her attention to her husband.

"So did I."

"I was so scared."

"We're not out of the woods yet," Elliot reminded her. "We have to do whatever it takes to ensure a healthy pregnancy."

Olivia smiled adoringly at his concern over their unborn babies.

Elliot placed his palm against her abdomen once more in amazement.

"Two babies," he said with a smile.

"Two babies," Olivia repeated with an excited laugh.