Chapter 3
Liv woke up. She was in so much pain. She tried to move her right arm, but couldn't. She guessed it was broken. She looked around trying to assess the scene. Nothing was making sense to her. She couldn't remember where she was, much less how she got there. She couldn't see anything. It was dark and warm.
"Julie?" a female voice asked quietly in darkness.
"Yeah?" Liv answered back, not knowing if the voice was talking to her.
"Julie, you okay?"
"I've hurt my arm, but other than that, I'm fine."
"Good. I can't move. I can't see you. Can you see me?"
"No, I can't. Do you know where we are? Can you remember how we got here?" Liv asked her.
Liv crawled across the floor. There was some ambient light, coming from God knows where. Liv used it to make it to the other lady in the darkened room with her. She stopped when she felt a foot beneath her hands.
"Julie?"
"It's me," Liv answered trying to comfort the other woman.
She felt the other woman's legs. They were cut and more than likely bruised, but she couldn't tell with so little light. She continued to assess the other woman. She needed medical attention. She needed it quick. Liv decided that she needed to find a way out of wherever they were.
"I'm going to look around, see if I could find a way out," Liv told her.
"Julie, we need to hurry."
"I know, honey. I'm working on it. Give me some time."
"Julie Seabrook, I don't have much time."
Liv snapped her head back in the direction of the other woman. Suddenly, a wave of memories came crashing back. The headache she thought she had got worse. She didn't know where she was, but she remembered that she was undercover as "Julie Seabrook." The other woman was more than likely the woman that Julie was seeing. A year's worth of muddled memories to sift through in moments and Liv pulled her name out of the dark recesses of her concussed brain.
"Frankie, we are going to be okay. Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm going to get us out of this."
"Julie, we don't have the time. He isn't going to wait. I need you here, with me, now," Frankie answered.
"Frankie, I've got to get us out of here."
"Julie, my water broke," she replied.
Liv's heart stopped. Not here, not now, she thought. More memories came crashing through. Frankie was eight and half months pregnant. She was with "Julie" at the time. Frankie wanted "Julie" to be the other mother. She had already drawn up legal work. They had both signed it. The baby was going to be Liv's too. She knew that when the case was over, she would have to leave, and Julie Seabrook would die. She thought she would have more time. That the Feds would have already had enough to move, but instead she found herself in some dark, dank hole with a pregnant injured woman about to go into labor.
"Frankie…okay, damn it. This is not where we need to be. I'm going to try to find a way out. I'll be right back. I'm sorry, give me just a second. I'll be right back. I promise, Frankie."
Liv rubbed her face, with her good hand. She stood up and tried to find a door, a light, a window, anything. Her arm hurt like a bitch, but she knew that Frankie didn't need to have her baby there. Liv had to find a way out. She couldn't have the baby be born in those conditions. She needed to get help and she needed to get it fast.
"Frankie, how you doing?" Liv asked as she continued to try to find the way out.
"I'm starting to get contractions, Julie."
"Okay, okay, sweetheart, I'm coming back."
"Julie?"
"What is it, babe?"
"Why did the gang take us?"
"I don't know," Liv lied.
"Well, I hope someone comes back soon."
"Me too, Frankie. Me too."
"Julie?"
"Yeah?"
"I don't feel good."
"I know, Babe, I know," Liv told her, taking her hand.
"Julie?"
"Yeah," Liv replied, holding her tighter.
"The baby is coming. The baby is coming! Julie!"
Liv let go of her hand and repositioned herself between Frankie's legs. She had never delivered a baby. She'd come close once or twice, but the bus had always gotten there and the EMTs had to deal with. Elliot, Jr. was the closet she'd ever come. She knew that she didn't want to deliver Frankie's baby here. Liv knew enough to be dangerous when it came to medical care. What she wouldn't give for Melinda right now?
"Frankie, I'm going to do what I can for you. I promise. I'm not leaving you," Liv told her.
Liv held her hand. She tried to comfort Frankie as much as she could. Liv didn't know what else she could for Frankie. She knew that she would have to wrap the baby up somehow. She took her shirt off and decided that she would have to use that. Her body suddenly felt cold with nothing but "Julie's" trademarked black wife-beater on. The movements cause her arm to throb and she so desperately wanted to scream, but she knew she couldn't. She needed to comfort Frankie. Frankie needed her.
"Frankie, it's okay, baby. I've got you. The baby will be okay."
"Julie, I'm scared."
"I know, Frankie. I know. I've got you though."
Frankie screamed and Liv tried to help her through the contractions. She placed her shirt on Frankie's knees and tried to assess how she was progressing. Liv knew it wouldn't be long. She tried to find her cell. One last ditch effort to call for help, it would be a "Hail, Mary," but she had to try. Frankie didn't deserve this. The baby sure as hell didn't either.
"Julie?"
"Yeah, Babe?"
"I love you."
"I love you, too, Frankie," Liv replied, grimacing as her mind turned to Alex, wondering if she would understand.
She shook it off. She didn't have time to dwell in the past. She had to focus on Frankie and the baby. She had to help them. She felt around again and felt the baby crowning.
"Not too much more, Frankie. Another push or so. I know you can do, sweetheart."
"I am so tired, Julie, so tired."
"I know, Babe, but give me one more push, okay? Let me get the baby out and then you can rest. I promise. We need to deliver the baby. Can you do that for me, Frankie? Can you help me?"
"Yeah," Frankie answered weakly.
Liv got back into position, one armed, but ready to catch. She felt Frankie moving beneath her. She heard Frankie's blood curtailing scream and then the baby's first cries. She carefully wrapped the baby up and held it close to keep it warm. She heard Frankie panting.
"Oh, good…I want you to name him…something…a name you always said in your sleep…Must have been your Dad, cause I heard Russell tell me how much you loved him…Name him after your Dad, Julie. Please."
"You can name when we get to the hospital. Frankie, you're going to be okay. I promise," Liv stated, wondering what Frankie was talking about.
"Name him Alexander, Julie, promise me…" Frankie started and then began to cough.
"I will, Frankie, I will. I'll name him Alexander for you. Just stay with me now, sweetheart. Stay with me," Liv begged, grimacing again at the thoughts of Alex that betrayed her in her sleep.
"Julie?"
"Yeah, Frankie?"
"I hear sirens. Do you hear sirens?"
"I do, Frankie. They are coming for us. We're going to be okay. I promise. Just stay with me, love, stay with me. They are almost here. I promise. Everything is going to be okay. Frankie? Frankie, honey, come on. Wake up. Stay with me…Frankie...Frankie..."
Suddenly, Liv was blinded. She held the baby tighter to her chest, silently making the decision to die rather than give up the baby to whoever was there. She would fight. It would hurt. But, she would save that baby. She would save Alexander. She would do it for Frankie.
"Julie?!"
"Russell?"
"It's okay. It's okay. We've got them. We got 'em. You did it."
"Yeah, but they got Frankie."
Russell turned in the light and saw the dead woman on the floor. He looked Olivia over and finally noticed the baby in her hands. He tried to take him, but Liv wouldn't let go. She stared at him, blankly.
"Julie, it's over. Hand me the baby. We'll take you all to the hospital. Let me have him."
"No!"
"Julie, it's okay. We're the good guys, remember? Come on. I'll ride with you. But, let me hold the baby. You only have one good arm right now," Russell told her.
"He's mine."
"Who is?"
"The baby, he's mine"
"I let you and Ike deal with that. Come on. We need to get you to the hospital. The baby needs to be checked out and you need some stitches."