A/N sorry for the delay and the short chapter, yesterday. Work was killer and then my daughter wanted Mommy and Momma time. I was not about to tell her "no." This chapter should make up for it and yeah, I have to next two days off, so more time to write. Hope you enjoy. Please R/R. I love hearing from you all. JET

Chapter Eleven - Baby

Liv rolled over to find Alex gone. She grabbed the pillow and smelled it. Alex hadn't been gone long, her scent was still there. Liv hadn't been dreaming. Alex had slept in the bed with her. She lay back on her back and stared at the ceiling fan. A slow smile crept across her face. Everything was starting to make sense again.

She rolled her head and looked at the alarm clock on the bedside table. It read eleven thirty. She knew that she needed to get up. She had an appointment with Huang at two. She sighed and got out of the bed.

She padded around the bed and into the closet. She dug around until she found something she thought was decent enough to be seen in. She laid out her blazer and a pair of black jeans on the bed. She grabbed her favorite maroon blouse and underwear into the bathroom. She hung the blouse up on the towel bar. She was about to turn on the water when she heard arguing.

Liv made her way into the living room, where she saw her favorite leather jacket still on the chair. She could still hear the arguing and it sounded like Alex and Dana. She continued her search until she found them on the back porch. Neither of them looked too happy.

Liv opened the sliding glass door and stepped out, saying, "Morning."

"Morning, Sunshine," Dana replied.

"Good morning, Liv," Alex stated.

"You want to tell me what's going on out here?"

"We were just having a friendly conversation," Dana replied.

Liv looked to Alex, who didn't respond. Liv looked hurt, but didn't say anything more about the subject. She just turned to leave.

"I'll go. I have a meeting with Huang and then the therapist for my arm. Please, continue your conversation without me, because I'm sure that it was about me," Liv said, walking back in through the door.

"Liv," Alex called after her, following her into the living room.

"What, Alex?"

"I'm sorry."

"For lying to me or just not telling me what is going on?"

"I don't think I've lied to you, but I haven't told you everything either. I'm working on a case while I am here, and yes, it concerns you. I'm not sure how you would react, right now. That is why I didn't say anything."

"How I would react? React to what? You made me promise last night that I would tell you the truth no matter if it hurt you. Give me the same damn courtesy," Liv demanded.

"I know. I'm sorry. I just didn't…I don't know how to bring it up. Plus, I wanted to have everything finalized first," Alex told her, grabbing her hand so Liv couldn't walk away.

"Just tell me. I can take it. I'm a big girl, remember?"

"Tell me what you remember about the day you were extracted," Alex demanded.

"Why?"

"Because, I need to know how much you remember."

"I was in the warehouse. I was handcuffed and strung up. Frankie was with me. She was on the floor. I couldn't see her, but I could hear her," Liv stated as tears started to form in her eyes.

"Okay, anything else?" Dana asked, joining them.

"Shouldn't I be telling this to Huang?"

"You will, but you also need to tell Agent Lewis. Do you remember anything else from that day? Anything at all? A smell? A sound? Anything?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, I do."

"What?" Dana probed.

"I was strung up with my right hand on top. I could barely touch the floor with my left foot. I was off balance and swinging or spinning, I couldn't tell which. I couldn't hear anything at first, then I heard D. J. yelling at Frankie. He was angry. I couldn't make out what he was saying, but I knew that he was doing something to Frankie," Liv answered.

"Like what?"

"I don't know. I could hear her screaming for them to stop, but my ears roared, like after a gun goes off next to you head. I could hear things but not clearly. I wanted to make them stop, so I yelled for them to take it out on me. If they were angry, then hit me and to leave Frankie alone."

"Did they?" Dana asked.

"Yeah, they did. The next thing I knew I was being pummeled with a baseball bat, I think. The first blow was to my arm. Guess that is the one that broke it. It made me shift hard and pull on my shoulders. My right shoulder was higher and tighter, so it took most of the punishment. The next blows were to my legs. Over and over and over, again, but they didn't break," Liv said.

"You were already so limp," Alex stated.

"Yeah, so when I wasn't crying out in pain anymore from the bat, I felt the knife. Shallow cuts on my legs, I was in and out of it by then because of the pain in my arm. Next thing I see was literally Robin's fist to my eye. She punched and punched and punched, but I wasn't going to crack. I knew that either way, I was most likely dead. I was just trying to buy time, hoping that the cavalry was on its way," Liv explained, pulling her right arm back into her body.

"They were," Dana added.

"I don't know how long I was like that. I heard a cell phone, some cussing and then D. J. tell Frankie that he'd find her. She couldn't hide from him. Then they were gone and everything was quiet. Some time later, I felt the floor, cold and hard, beneath my cheek. I sat up and my arm hurt like a sonuvabitch. I could hear Frankie crying, but damn it, I couldn't see anything."

"It was dark. They broke all the lights. But, they released you?"

"I guess. I didn't have the cuffs or any chains on me anymore. I just woke up on the floor. I had to find my way out. I couldn't remember how I got there. At the time, I was Olivia Benson of the NYPD and I thought I had royally fucked up. Then, Frankie called out my name, well, my cover's name," Liv answered.

"And, what happened?" Alex inquired.

"I searched and searched for a way out but it was so dark I was probably going in circles. Frankie kept calling for me as Julie. Once I realized who she was and why I was there, memories of the operation flooded my mind. I tried harder to get out. But, something was wrong with Frankie. I don't know what it was, but it made me stop searching."

"Did she say something was wrong or did you feel it?" Dana asked.

"Both, I think. That is why she was calling for me. She needed me with her, but also because something was wrong. I just can't remember what it was…damn it. I know that it is important, too. Why can't I remember?"

"Don't worry about that right now. What is the next thing you remember then? Who is the next person you remember?"

"Russell! I remember Russell breaking into the room where we were. He came at me, calling me Julie over and over again. He tried to take something from me. I growled at him. I don't growl, but I growled and him. I told him that he couldn't have…he couldn't have…"

"He couldn't have what?" Alex pushed.

"Not what, who. I told Russell that he couldn't have Alexander. That the baby was mine."

"That's right, Liv, you did," Dana told her.

"What does that have to do with anything now? I don't have the baby. He isn't really mine."

"That is where you are wrong," Alex stated.

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you remember the legal paperwork that Frankie had drawn up for you concerning Alexander? It would have been weeks before you were taken. You sent copies of it to Ike to review them. You wanted to be sure that you weren't going to be punished by the Bureau for signing the documents," Alex told her.

"Vaguely, why?"

"Well, Girlie, it looks like they are binding," Dana told her.

"Meaning what, exactly? Alexander is mine. How can that be?" Liv asked.

"Well, according to the State of Georgia, you were named as primary guardian of the minor child of Frankie Stone Milton, regardless of her medical condition. Well, Julie Seabrook was named. Ike and Dana have been researching the validity of the paperwork because you were undercover," Alex replied.

"And?" Liv asked, sitting in a chair, unable to stand any longer.

"According to my friends in the GBI and the AG of Georgia, all we have to do is get an affidavit written and signed by a federal attorney and Julie Seabrook would be legitimized as Olivia Benson for all legal matters due to an ongoing federal investigation. That is of course if you want to keep Alexander. If not, we will have to turn him over to DHS in Georgia," Dana explained.

"So, he is mine."

"If you want him to be," Alex replied.

"I want kids, but I am sure that this isn't how I wanted them. I don't know what to do. I don't want to put him in the system, but…I know that the adoption agencies in New York were right. With my job and my life style, I can't take care of a kid, much less a baby," Liv stated.

"You did it with Calvin," Alex responded.

"He was older. He took care of himself for the most part. I was just there when he needed me."

"Don't kid yourself, Liv. He started calling himself Calvin Benson. He wanted to be your son."

"Alex, what am I going to do with a baby?"

"Love it. Cherish it. Protect it. But, most of all, be the mother it needs."

"You make it sound so easy," Liv said.

"Look, ladies, raising kids isn't easy. I've got my own. But, between the two of you, I think y'all can handle it. All you have to do is say the word, Benson, and he is yours. We'll make it legal and you can change his name."

"What is his name now?"

"According to the EMTs, you named him Alexander Milton. I have copies of the birth certificate from Atlanta. Julie Seabrook is also named as the midwife who delivered the baby. All the rest of his stats are there, too. However, due to the sensitive nature of the case and the fact that D. J. and Robin are still being hunted, his name was changed to Alexander Carey. A new birth certificate from Georgia was filed under that name to hide him. The AG and the GBI are aware that young Master Alexander will have multiple birth records courtesy of the FBI and they will be given as needed," Dana explained.

"Marshalls do this every time they move someone?"

"Yeah, new everything," Alex replied.

"Damn…I'm sorry. So, where is Alexander now? I want to see him," Liv stated.

"He is at my house. I've been taken care of him, until we knew what you wanted to do. I need you to make a decision though. Not today, Hun, but by the end of the week, I'm going to have to report to the federal lawyer we've got on payroll. She is just itchin' for something to do."

"Federal lawyer?" Liv asked, looking from Dana to Alex and back again.

"Yeah, she's an AUSDA. I think you know her or something. She saw your name come across her desk and she was in my office the next day. She is kinda crude, but I like her. Can't keep the boys from staring, but she doesn't even care. I guess it is her Southern charm and Texas drawl that gets them. But, she is good at her job," Dana said.

Liv and Alex looked at each other. They both smiled. They knew exactly who she was.

"Don't tell me that Abbie Carmichael is here," Alex demanded.

"Yeah, why, Girlie? Got some unfinished business with that one? She's a looker."

"No, she doesn't. They worked together in the DA's office in New York. Abbie and we go back a ways. Sometimes I wonder how she could handle the Feds after dealing with us," Liv stated.

"Don't know, but she does. I'm sure you'll want to see her this afternoon, too. I'll call and see if I can't get her over to the house. We'll have dinner at my place. Now, you go get ready for your appointment with Huang. I had to pull strings to get him here. Go. Scoot. Alex and I'll deal with the rest of the legal stuff," Dana said, pushing Liv towards the bathroom.

They waited until they heard the door shut and the water start. Alex, then slightly lost her composure. Dana waited for her to take it all in, again.

"That went well," Alex finally stated.

"Give her time. She's been through a lot. I know that it is helping that you are here. I also know that there are things that she isn't going to want to tell you. Can you handle that?"

"I don't know."

"Well, let's start with the elephant in the room, then. Can you handle it if she decides to keep Alexander? Would you support her decision?" Dana asked.

"Yes."

"Well, then, there's a start. You two are going to have to build from that. She is going to tell you about Frankie. It is going to be hard to hear, but she is going to have to tell it in order to move on. I can't begin to imagine how you feel right now, so I am not going to try."

"Thanks, I think," Alex replied.

"Look, we both know you love each other. Don't even try to deny it. You wouldn't be here if you didn't. You've both been through this 'identity issue,' now. I've only got one question for you that I need to know the answer to before anything else happens here," Dana stated.

"What's that?" Alex asked.

"Have you seen the baby, yet?"

"No, I haven't. I've been so worried about Liv and dealing with the paperwork. Planning out different scenarios in my head, trying to get a game plan formed, in case the documentation wasn't found to be legal or that Georgia decided not to recognize it."

"Well, then Counselor, I think it is time that you met your namesake."

"My what?"

"They never told you how Alexander got his name?"

"Russell or Ike, no, they haven't," Alex answered.

"Evidently, Julie liked to talk in her sleep about Alex. Russell told me that she had nightmares about blood and death, mostly associated with Alex. When he questioned her about it, she would just say they died in the line. He assumed that Alex was male and possibly her father."

"That is why they were so confused at the conference when we all met," Alex replied.

"Exactly. Russell told me in his first report that Liv was holding the child in her left arm, nuzzled up her breast. She wouldn't let him go. Told them that his name was Alexander. Once, they got her to the hospital, she finally told them it was because Frankie wanted him to be named after Julie's dad. Russell had convinced Frankie and himself that Alex was their dad's name and he had died in the line of duty. When it came time to extract them both and back here, she was very adamant that his name would always be Alexander regardless of what other names they gave him," Dana explained.

"She named him after me?"

"After a fashion, really. It seems that Frankie made her promise to him Alexander, after the name that she called out in her sleep, in her nightmares, late at night. I'm sure that Olivia was taken aback by it, but she promised Frankie as she lay dying there that she would name him Alexander. She has stuck by her word," Dana stated.

"So, she has. I think I need to meet Master Carey, I believe. He should meet the person that he was named for, even if Liv doesn't decide to keep him. I would like to know what happens to him, regardless," Alex stated.

"Of course," Dana replied, hoping that Olivia would say yes. She knew that if she didn't, Alex would. She couldn't let that boy go into the system, especially since he was named after her. Dana grabbed her coat and they left.

Olivia came back into the living room to grab her coat. She was about to head out the door and to see Huang at the FBI campus, when she caught herself in the mirror by the door. She was looking much better. The bruises were all but gone. She smiled at the reflection.

"Don't worry, Julie," she told herself, "I'll take care of 'em. He is our son after all."