Thanks to those who took time to review the last chapter. Much appreciated. Here is a little more...there is a longer chapter to come, hopefully tonight...

They were sitting in a diner not far from the station, and it was practically empty because most people were out celebrating the New Year. An old man was sitting at the counter, sipping coffee and waiting for the ball to drop on the small television propped up behind the cash register. A young woman, with a screaming toddler was sitting in a corner booth, even though it was late and her kid should have been in bed, and a group of drunk college kids were shouting out things and laughing, obviously too far gone to realize it was almost midnight.

"Why did we come here?" Olivia asked, looking around the room.

"Because you're starving, remember," Elliot teased. "And it's close to the station. Hopefully no one will get too rowdy…if they do you can pull out your badge and keep them in line."

She laughed, "Yeah…I got sent home for working too hard, but I'd be happy to wrangle up a bunch of drunks on New Year's Eve."

"Hey, someone has to protect me from them," he laughed. "I'm not a cop anymore…just a mere civilian."

"You'll never be just a civilian," Olivia teased. She looked at her menu, trying to decide what to order. Nothing looked very appetizing but she was so hungry she thought she'd get sick without eating soon. "What are you getting?" she asked.

"I don't know," Elliot looked at his menu. "Whatever it is, I'm sure you'll eat half of it."

"It's not me," she smirked. "It's the baby…"

He laughed, "Yeah…she's a little food thief." He smiled. "But I don't mind…"

The waitress came and took their orders, and then returned with coffee for Elliot and a glass of water for Olivia. Olivia looked at her water and sighed, "It isn't fair that you can drink coffee," she groaned. "I would kill for coffee right now. Heck, I'd even drink Munch's crap if I could get my hands on it."

"Don't say that," Elliot teased. "It would be dangerous to our unborn child for you to even be in the same room with that swill." He took a sip of his coffee and looked across the table at her. "I could be a loving and doting expectant father and offer to give this up too," he smiled playfully.

"God no," she laughed, "There'd be no living with you then." She took a big drink of her water and sighed, "I think this is the first thing I've had to drink in hours. It was crazy at the station. I just want to eat and go home."

"Liv, you know you need to be eating and drinking throughout the day, even if you're busy," he reminded her. "It's not healthy."

"Yeah, I know," she put her hand to her stomach, an uncomfortable look on her face.

"What's wrong," he asked. "You okay?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I guess…I'm just achy. It's not really painful, like a cramp, just…I don't know…kind of sore and tiring."

"Has she been moving around a lot?" he asked. "Sometimes that can leave you feeling kind of off."

She shook her head, "She hardly ever moves. If I do feel her, it's always at night when I'm in bed."

"She's a night owl," Elliot smiled. "You probably just did too much today." The waitress brought their food and Elliot looked at the bowl of soup Olivia had ordered and wondered if she should have ordered something more substantial. "That's all you want?" he asked. He looked at his sandwich, "Do you want half of this?"

"No," she dipped her spoon in the soup, taking a small sip. "I'm not all that hungry…"

"I thought you were starving?" he asked. "What's going on? Are you sick?"

"El…I'm not sick," she insisted. "I'm just tired and achy and I want to eat so we can go home."

"Okay," he looked unsure, but decided to leave her alone. He took a bite of his sandwich and looked at the television, "It's almost midnight…" he pointed to the countdown on the screen.

She turned to look at it. The drunk kids were counting down 10-9-8-7…Elliot moved from his spot across the table and slid into the seat next to her. "What are you doing?" she asked.

4-3-2-1-this kids counted down. "Happy New Year," he smiled and leaned over, kissing her softly on the lips and it took her off guard even though it probably shouldn't have. Everyone in the room was shouting and cheering, but they were both content to hold each other close and kiss with silent passion. When they finally pulled away from the kiss, he smiled, "That was nice."

She looked at him, "Yeah…but I think we need to come up for air more often," She gently massaged her fingers into her temples, "I feel lightheaded."

"I have that effect on women," he teased.

She rolled her eyes at him and laughed slightly. Then he pulled his plate over to her side of the table, and she looked at it and back to him, "So what? Now we're one of those obnoxious couples who sit together on one side of the booth?" she laughed.

He grinned at her, "Drives you crazy, doesn't it?"

She sighed, "I don't mind." She put her hand to her stomach, exhaling sharply and leaning her head on his shoulder.

He couldn't help but worry about her. She just seemed off, complaining of being tired and lightheaded, but after her outburst earlier he wasn't sure how to approach her without making her upset or angry, "Do you want to go home?" he asked, noticing she'd barely touched her soup.

"I'm going to get sick if I don't eat," she moaned. "I just feel so…I don't know the word for it…"

"Let's go," he stood up, throwing money down on the table to pay for their food. "I think you need to get to bed, and I'll find something for you to eat at home."

She stood up, ready to follow him out of the diner when she suddenly knew she wouldn't make it. She felt shaky and weak, her head spinning and she grabbed the side of the table, trying to regain her balance. "El…" she whispered, not sure if it was loud enough for him to hear.

He turned to look at her, noticing the way she was swaying on her feet, "Liv…" he ran to her, holding her steady, "It's okay…just take a deep breath…" But it was too late because within seconds she fell and he grabbed her, holding her close. "Liv…" he wasn't sure what was wrong, but watching her pass out cold in his arms scared him half to death. He lightly smacked her cheeks, trying to jolt her awake, "Olivia…wake up…" but it didn't work.

The waitress came running over, "Sir…what's wrong?" she asked.

His voice quivered and he pulled her closer to him, "Call 911," he yelled. And as she ran off to the phone, the noise from the screaming toddler in the corner and the drunk college students seemed to disappear and all he could do was focus on the person he loved, unconscious in his arms. "You're gonna be fine," he promised, tears stinging his eyes, his arms shaking as he held her. "Please…wake up…Liv…" he cried. It seemed like forever before he could hear the sirens approaching in the distance…and from there everything was a blur.