Chapter Five - Hospital
"How is she doing?" Ike asked Russell, who was pacing outside a closed ER cube.
"I don't know. No one has come out yet to tell me anything. What the hell were we thinking?"
"Calm down, Russell. She's okay. We got the goods and the gang. She did fine."
"But, at what cost? We lost a civilian in the warehouse. Julie is lying there, and we have another problem in the nursery. I don't know what the fuck happened. We don't know where Julie has been for two weeks. You show up here and expect me to be happy that we won this one. Fuck you, Ike. She is my partner in this and she was held for two weeks."
"I know that, Russell. Calm down. I'm on your side."
"Fuck you, Ike. Fuck you. You tell Lewis I'm done with this. I am done with you. You can go back to Washington or Timbuktu. I don't care. This is your fault. I'm writing everything up into my report. Lewis will get it when she gets here. I know that she will be here soon."
"She is coming, but-"
"Don't. Just don't. I have nothing else to say to you. You were supposed to be running intel and making sure that Julie didn't go into anything blind. You were supposed to make sure that the DEA and ATF were there, too. Where were they? Where were you?" Russell questioned.
"I did my job," Ike told him.
"Well, isn't that great? I don't care, Ike. I don't care. I have to take care of Julie and now a baby. I don't have time for your shit anymore. Go push some papers around. When this blows over, I'm gone. I am getting reassigned. I am finished with you."
"I didn't set her up, Russell. I was looking for her, too. I am worried about her, too. Do you think that I am happy that she is in that bed? Do you?"
"I don't care what you think. Your thoughts are my own and you really don't want mine right now. I am going to check on the baby. You should be gone when I come back."
Russell didn't wait for a reply. He stormed off down the hospital corridor towards the nursery. He knew that the baby was going to be the first thing that Julie asked about when she woke up. He wanted to give her good news.
"Sir, can I help you?" a nurse asked him.
"I am…just wanted to check on my nephew."
"Oh, which one is he?"
"Alexander."
"I am sorry sir. We don't have a baby Alexander here. Are you sure?"
Russell dug around his back pocket and produced his FBI credentials. He flashed them to the nurse, who studied them for a second. He put them back into his pocket.
"I am sorry. The boy…his name is Alexander. I don't know his last name. My sister brought him in, but she is still down in the ER. I would just like to see him."
"Oh, that baby. We have him under Seabrook, sir. Are you Mr. Seabrook?" the nurse asked.
"Yeah, I am Russell Seabrook."
"Well, your partner, Ike Bellinger dropped off the legal paperwork with the hospital lawyer earlier. We received the call about twenty minutes ago. He is fine."
"Paperwork? What paperwork?"
"It seems that your sister's partner had custody papers drawn up naming her the legal and only guardian if something were to happen to her. I believe that the boy's mother died in birth. I am sorry for your loss. But, young baby Seabrook is doing well. He is going to be fine."
"Alexander Seabrook…"
"Yes, sir, Alexander Seabrook, your nephew is a good and healthy baby. He weighs in at seven pounds two ounces and is a whopping twenty-two inches long. The EMTs will still have to come and give us time of birth, but we have arrival at the hospital listed at fourteen fifteen."
"Mark that on his paperwork. He was delivered by Julie Seabrook, as well. A baby boy…I wonder what the hell we are going to do with you, Master Alexander. I wonder if Julie will tell Alex that she named you after him. Excuse, ma'am. I need to check on my sister. Here is my cell number, please call me if there is any change. Until she can speak for him, I guess I'll be the one you need to talk to, being next of kin and all," Russell stated.
"Yes, sir. You would be. I'll put your card in his charts. Once you know what room she's in, we'll see if we can't come up for a visit."
"Thank you. I'm sure that she would like that," Russell replied heading back down to the ER.
Russell sat in Julie's room watching her breathe. He took stock in her appearance and every part of him hurt for her. He was still waiting for her to wake up. He needed to talk to her. He needed to know what happened.
"Julie…what happened? Why didn't you tell me about Frankie? What happened?"
Ike walked in behind him. Russell felt his presence, but didn't acknowledge it. He was still angry with Ike.
"She didn't tell you because I told her not to."
"Why would you do that?" Russell asked.
"Because she was in too deep and I couldn't pull her out. Frankie knew too much about the organization. She was an easy mark for Julie to play. Frankie wasn't directly involved with any of the trafficking. She was just the former lover of the little sister of the head of the gang."
"She knew all the right people."
"Yeah, and we put Julie in path for a reason. We didn't know that Frankie was pregnant at first. By the time we did, we couldn't back off. We couldn't just simply change directions. Julie brought me copies of the paperwork as soon as they were filed with the Fulton County Courthouse. She needed to make sure that if something did happen they would hold up in court and the minor child in question wouldn't be put in foster care."
"Julie and her kids."
"Yeah, well, you know her background from NYC. Frankie was alone. No siblings or other family who could step up for the child. Julie did it to protect him. She was fighting for that baby before that baby was born."
"How you do know that?" Russell asked.
"Because I told him about D. J. and Robin," Liv answered, groggily from her hospital bed.
"Julie, you're okay."
"What the hell am I doing in the hospital? Where is Frankie? And, what the fuck is wrong with me? I feel like I got hit with a Mack truck," Liv answered.
"What is the last thing you remember?" Russell asked.
"Frankie and I were taking a cruise to Tennessee. D. J. and Robin wanted to come. I thought I could get some more info, so I let them tag along. Frankie never knew fully what was going on, but she knew enough and the players to be dangerous to D. J. I followed them in my car. Next thing I know, I'm in some warehouse hanging by my arms trying to figure out who sold me out."
"And?" Ike asked.
"I have no idea. Where's Frankie? Is she okay?" Liv asked, trying to sit up.
"She didn't make it, Julie," Russell replied, quietly.
"And, the baby?"
"He's fine."
"He…it's a boy. She had a boy. Did she name him?" Liv asked.
"I don't know. You did tell me that his name was Alexander. He's a big boy, too."
"He's okay, though, right?"
"Yeah, Julie, he is fine."
"Ike?"
"The paperwork has been filed. I don't know what the hell you are going to do with a baby, but for all legal purposes, he is yours. The only problem is that he will listed as Alexander Seabrook."
"How is that a problem?" Russell asked.
"Because, Julie is not a Seabrook. We will have to go to court to get it all straightened out. You will have to testify that you are Julie Seabrook due to an undercover operation. Besides, Dana is going to conniption about this. How are we going to explain to our superiors that she became the legal guardian of a minor child, who is currently nameless and now parentless, while undercover? They will have someone's head," Ike stated.
"Then, they can have mine. I am done. I just want to go home," Liv answered.
"Well, you are going to have to wait. As soon as the doctors clear you and little Alexander, we have to get you out of here. We already have word that the gang has put a hit out on you, Julie. Dana wants you back at Quantico yesterday. She will be handling your debriefing. And, whatever you do, don't watch the news?"
"Why is that, Ike?" Russell asked.
"Because Julie Seabrook of the Atlanta Seabrooks, died in a horrible car accident that took place on 285. You will be taking a commercial chartered plane, by the FBI of course, to Richmond under the name of Chastity 'Ci Ci' Carey, of the Virginia Careys. From there, it'll be another plane to Quantico. Dana will be pick you up at the airport. Russell you are going with her. Don't worry about your excuses to anyone here. Russell Seabrook will close shop and sell Seabrook Landscaping to David Correnet. David will be the new undercover lead in Atlanta. Russell, you will be accompanying 'Ci Ci' as her husband, Randy Carey. The child will go with you. His name will be –" Ike was explaining.
"His name is Alexander. It will always be Alexander. You can change his last name. You can change his parentage. But, he will always be Alexander, got it, Ike?" Liv questioned him.
"No problem, Julie, I mean Ci Ci. Alexander will be going along as well. Dana isn't sure what she can do, but she know that as soon as you testify that you are Julie Seabrook in court as part of an undercover operation that it will legally mean that he can take whatever name you want. It would vet you as Julie Seabrook, even though you will no longer be using that name. No one would have a legal leg to stand on. But, you aren't his mother, Ci Ci. Do you think that this is wise? Are you sure that you want to do this? It's career suicide," Ike stated.
"That boy is my son. I will not abandon him because I can't. He is mine," Liv replied as she raised herself up in the bed, ready for war. She didn't know why and hell, she didn't care, but she was going to fight for that boy until there was no fight left in her. Then, she would die for him, knowing that she gave him the best chance that she could.
"I'll testify to it, if I have to in court. Alexander stays with Jul—I mean Ci Ci. He is our son. Get the paperwork ready, Ike. As soon as, Ci Ci, is feeling better we're leaving for home."
"I want to see my son," Liv replied.
"I'll get the nurse and the paperwork ready. Let me know when you are ready. I'll have a limo pick you up and take you to the airport. Ashley should be her in half an hour with your things and your wardrobe. Take care of yourselves," Ike said, leaving them alone in Liv's room.
"I want to see my son," Live stated, again.
Russell smiled. He could see her coming back. She was a fighter. She was tough. And, she would be one hell of a mother. He feared for anyone that would deny her Alexander, now. He was her son and Ike would make sure it happened. Russell stood there smiling as the nurse brought the little bundle in.
"Can I hold him, darling?" he asked Liv.
"Sure, honey," she replied, playing along in their new roles.
"He's gorgeous," Russell stated taking the boy in his arms, "I guess your mother was right."
"About what, darling?" Liv asked confused, as Russell smiled at the nurse.
"The blond hair does skip a generation in your family. It's so blond, it's almost white. And, I bet that he has the deepest blue eyes, too," Russell stated.
"No, sir, they are as dark as yours," the nurse replied.
"Brown eyes?"
"Yes, sir, he has both of your eyes. I think I see your chin, ma'am. But, he is going to be a heart breaker when he grows up. He already has half the nursery staff fighting over who gets to take care of him. I am just glad that you are doing better. I was sorry to hear that your labor was hard because of the accident," the nurse stated.
Ike works fast, they both thought as they stared at each other.
"Yeah, it was horrible," Liv answered, thinking about Frankie and the warehouse.
"It'll be okay, now, Ci Ci. Alexander is okay. You are okay. And, soon, we'll be back in Virginia at the horse farm with Mother and Father," Russell stated, seeing the pain flash across Liv's face.
"Virginia, oh, how I miss thee…"