A mother for Bella

Sequel to A home for Nathan

2 of 4 in series

Olivia rushed from the precinct to the hospital. Her foot on the gas the whole way not caring about the road violations she built up and the laws she broke, she even put on the lights and sirens on when she realised cars would actually move out of her way if she did that.

As soon as she flew through the ER doors after parking her car illegally she ran to the front desk.

"Isabella McKellar please, I'm her mother." Olivia said hurriedly in a visible panic.

"Ok one moment…" The nurse said as she typed into the computer. "Paediatrics Room 209…"

Olivia was gone before the nurse could finish, she knew Mercy General like the back of her own hand so she didn't need directions. She skipped the elevator in favour of the stairs and ran up them two at a time.

When she arrived the peads ward she was about to press the button to ask to be allowed in when Trevor Langan stepped out of the room.

"Detective." He smiled.

"I need to see Bella." She said grabbing the door.

"I know, but I need to talk to you for a minute." Trevor said.

"Ok make it quick." Olivia asked desperately.

"Sure." He smiled and nodded softly. "Olivia, your chances of getting custody of Bella has dramatically increased, get her into therapy, get yourself into therapy, do what the judge has ordered, you're jumping through hoops here but it will all help ok?"

"I know. Thanks Trevor." She smiled and he nodded and pulled the door open wide for the detective to walk through.

As soon as she was inside the locked peads ward she ran to the room where social workers and Elliot, Munch and Fin were hanging around outside.

"Olivia." Elliot called and she rushed over. "She's asking for you." He told her and he pushed the door open for her to slip inside.

Bella had a visible black eye and her arms were covered in black bruises. At her wrists the clear marks of restraint marred her and Olivia managed to hold in the gasp and sob that threatened to engulf her.

"Momma!" Bella yelled and Olivia ran to the bedside.

Bella reached out her arms desperate to be held and Olivia quickly scooped the little girl into her arms before lowering herself into the chair beside the bed. Isabella began to sob hysterically and Olivia's tears could no longer be stopped and freely flowed down her cheeks.

"Shh you're ok now Bella, you're ok." Olivia whispered as she gently rubbed the five year olds back.

"The boy hurted me." Bella hiccupped.

"I know Bella, but he's going to prison ok? He's never going to hurt you again." Olivia told her as she tried to sound normal but her voice cracking with every word.

"I don't wanna go back Momma." Bella sobbed.

"You're not Bell' you're coming home with me. You and me and Nathan are going to be a family again." Olivia told her.

"Nathan wont hurted me?" Bella asked.

"Never baby. Nathan loves you so much just like me." Olivia told her. "Nathan misses you so much too baby."

"Can we go now?" Bella asked her big brown eyes blinking up at Olivia just as the door opened.

"Liv, her discharge papers." Elliot said coming into the room which made Isabella cower into Olivia.

"Bella, that's Elliot, he won't hurt you baby." Olivia said stroking Bella's matted hair.

"Promise?" Bella asked looking from Elliot to Olivia.

"Promise." Both Olivia and Elliot replied at once.

"Ok." Bella nodded. "Hi Elliot."

"Hi Bella." Elliot replied as he placed the papers on the bed and dug into his pocket.

He pulled out a small pink bear that he'd bought in the gift shop, he wasn't one for getting close to victims, that was always Olivia's job but this time, this child, was already close, this was his girlfriend's niece biologically, and mentally… Elliot knew mentally both Olivia and Isabella had a mother daughter relationship.

"I got you this." He said slowly passing it over so that he wouldn't scare her.

"What's his name?" Bella asked and Elliot thought for a moment.

"Uh I think he said his name was Growly." He said.

"Hi Growly." Bella smiled her tiny hand reaching out for the bear.

"Thanks El." Olivia smiled once the bear was firmly in Bella's grip she was able to slip her own hand into Elliot's.

"No problem." Elliot replied.

"El?" Olivia began and the blue eyed Detective looked at her and was able to tell she was having some form of internal argument.

"What is it Liv?" He asked his thumb swiping over the back of her hand, relaxing her some.

"Stay with me tonight?" She asked and he smiled and nodded. "I just… Bella's going to be up most of the night and I don't think I can do this on my own."

"Olivia, we're moving into the house together, I'm not planning on spending another night away from you." He told her and she smiled.

"I just can't believe this happened." Olivia whispered her voice thick with un-cried sobs.

"I know." Elliot said sympathetically. "But we can make sure there's not a chance it will happen again."

"Thank you." Olivia replied. "Bell you ready to go home?"

"Yeah." Bella smiled happily knowing that home meant the apartment with Olivia and Nathan.

"Ok then let's go." Olivia smiled.

Back at the apartment Bella went straight to bed and fell straight asleep. Olivia knew the child had been through something severely traumatic and knew the nightmares could come.

"So Trevor explained you'd have to jump through a lot of hoops." Elliot said when he and Olivia were cuddled up on the couch.

"Yeah." She nodded. "Therapy on my own, Bella needs therapy and then couples therapy Bella and me, it's ok, I did it with Nathan and I can do it again with Bella it's just … I'm scared I'll still lose El."

"I can't say I know how you feel, but I can say I'm going to be the whole time to have your back, I'm not going to let you push me away like you did when you had Nathan." Elliot told her softly.

"Ok." She nodded.

The buzzer ringing brought both of them out of their conversation, Olivia went to the intercom and just buzzed whoever it was in, only two people had said they'd be stopping by, Simon and Don and she knew it would be one of them.

Elliot switched the kettle on to make fresh coffees while Olivia went to find out who it was. She opened the main door to find Don and Simon there together and she couldn't help but smile.

"Come in." She said opening the door wider to let the two men inside.

They all went through to the living room while Olivia made her way to check on Bella, it was early so Nathan wasn't home from school yet but she knew she was going to have to sit him down and explain what had happened to Bella and why she would be weary of the boy who would be her big brother.

"How is she?" Don asked while Elliot handed coffees around.

"Sleeping now, I don't know if I'm honest I'm just taking each minute as it comes." Olivia replied and it was obvious to the three men around her she was mentally exhausted.

"Langan was saying you have to have a psych eval, he's set it up for tomorrow morning." Don said handing a business card over.

"Court appointed shrink?" Olivia asked and he just nodded in reply, it would mean that they could dig up anything and everything they wanted about her before they even met her. "Great." She replied sarcastically.

"Just behave while you're there Olivia, your appointment is at nine thirty." He told her and she nodded softly. "Bella's seeing the child psychiatrist then at two, you should be done by then…"

"Oh God it's going to go on forever." Olivia groaned.

"Just…"

"I know, behave." She said with a small laugh.

"Exactly." Don smiled.