One last update for the weekend...enjoy :)

The room was dark when Olivia opened her eyes, and she struggled to focus on her surroundings. She didn't remember where she was at first, but the beeping of the monitor next to her was a quick reminder. She'd gone into labor, and it was too early. She put her hand on her stomach, relieved when she felt the familiar bulge beneath her hand. At least she was still pregnant. "El…" she whispered, her voice dry and weak. "El…where are you?" she asked anxiously.

"Olivia…" Don stood up from the chair and leaned over her. "Liv…are you okay?" he asked.

"Captain…" she squinted, trying to make out his face in the dark. "Where's Elliot?"

"He wasn't feeling well," Don said softly. "Maureen took him home. Do you want me to call him?"

"What was wrong with him?" she asked. "His headaches…"

"Yeah," Don answered, "He was dizzy and in a lot of pain. He wanted to stay. He didn't want to leave you, but after a while we had to make him. He was getting too weak…"

Olivia nodded, "He can't help it. The brain injury…it makes him so weak and confused sometimes…this whole mess probably triggered it." She closed her eyes, "I can't believe I'm in the hospital." She looked frighteningly at him, "How is my baby?"

Don smiled, "She's fine," he promised. "The doctor's been in several times, checking her on the heart monitor and he did a quick ultrasound too. He said she looks just fine." He brushed her hair back from her face, "What about you? Are you feeling alright? You aren't having anymore contractions according to the monitor…"

"I'm fine," Olivia answered. "I feel kind of queasy though," she swallowed, trying to settle her stomach. "Can I sit up?"

"Yeah," Don pushed the button to raise the bed a little. "The nurse said the medicine they gave you to stop the contractions might make you feel sick. You tell me if you feel worse, okay."

Olivia nodded, "Captain…why are you here?" she asked.

"Because Elliot had to go home," he said seriously.

"But…why are you here?" Olivia asked. "You have your own life to live. You don't need to get caught up in our drama…"

"You don't want me here?" he asked. "Is that what you mean?"

"No…that's not what I meant," she insisted. "I just…I don't even know what I mean…" she tried to steady her breathing. "I think I'm gonna throw up…"

He grabbed the pink, plastic tub on the stand beside her bed, putting it in front of her just in time. He held back her hair while she retched into the tub and he was sure he'd never seen anyone look as miserable as she did in that moment. "You're gonna be okay," he tried to soothe her. "Do you think you're done?" he asked, but before she could answer, she started vomiting again and he sighed, "Guess not…"

She leaned back against the pillow, her face sweaty and pale, "I'm done…" she closed her eyes, embarrassed by her weakness. "I'm sorry…"

"You don't have to be sorry," he sat the tub on the nightstand and pushed the button for the nurse to come take it away. "Liv…the nurse said you'd be sick. It's nothing to be embarrassed about."

The nurse came in and smiled, "You're awake," she said, glancing at the tub on the nightstand. "Not feeling so great, huh?" she asked. She looked at the read-out from the contraction monitor, "At least we know the medicine in working. No more contractions." She put her hands on her stomach, pushing slightly and smiled, "Your baby's moving. She must want to say hello to us."

"Yeah…she doesn't like it when I throw up," Olivia cringed. "Neither do I…"

"I'll bring you some gingerale," the nurse grabbed the tub. "Buzz if you need me, okay?" Olivia nodded and watched her walk out.

"The baby's kicking?" Don asked with a slight smile. "At least you know she's okay then, right?"

"Yeah…" Olivia forced a smile. "Do you…you want to feel her…move I mean? You don't have to…I'm sorry…I just don't know what to say…"

Don smiled, "I'd like to feel her," he put his hand out and Olivia grabbed it, feeling the coolness of his skin and the roughness of his calloused palms. She put his hand on the spot where the baby was moving and waited for her to kick again, laughing at the shock on his face when the baby gave a swift kick. "Oh wow…" he grinned. "There's a real person in there, huh?"

"I sure hope so," Olivia chuckled. "I'd hate to think I'm just this fat for no reason."

"You're not fat," he smiled. "Being pregnant isn't the same as being fat. She's a lucky little girl…you're making a safe home for her…even though it's making you miserable. You're a good mom."

"Thanks," Olivia said tearfully. She brushed away her tears, "Captain…are you…" she didn't know how to ask what she wanted to know. She was afraid of the answer.

"Am I what?" he asked gently.

"Are you still mad at Elliot?" she asked. "Are you disappointed in me…for taking him back?"

"It's none of my business," he said seriously.

"But I need to know," she insisted.

"He hurt you," Don said truthfully. "I watched you fall apart when he left and I know how hard it was for you to move on. So if you took him back, I guess there must be a good reason…and so I could never be disappointed in you for that." He smiled, "I know you love him…and he loves you too. He wants so badly to make you happy and to take care of you and the kids."

"I know he does," she said sadly. "He tries so hard…" she let her tears fall, knowing it would be pointless to try to hold them in. "I want him to get better…to be the way he was…and it's never going to happen."

"Olivia," Don took her hand and held it tight. "He's doing the best he can."

"I know that," she cried. "And I love him for it…but it's so sad to watch him be so hard on himself when he can't do the things he used to do. Last night we were coloring with Noah…and Elliot's motor skills are so poor that it was hard for him…really hard…and I saw the spark go out in his eyes when he realized he couldn't color in the lines. How do I make him feel better about that? He's almost fifty years old, and he can't color in a damn coloring book with our son…how do I make that okay for him? I have to open things for him because he can't do it…and I know it makes him feel bad. I don't want to make him feel bad about the things he can't do…because he's doing all he can…and I want him to know how proud I am of him…but when I tell him that, I feel like he thinks I'm patronizing him or treating him like a child."

"God…Olivia," Don shook his head, unsure of what to say. "I'm sorry…do the doctors think he'll get better?"

She shrugged, "They say it's tricky with a brain injury. He's really recovered more quickly than most, and his large motor skills are better than his fine motor…he can walk now for short distances, and his memory is much better than it was, unless he gets overly tired or worked up and then he gets confused, but who knows if he'll continue to improve or if this is as good as it gets. No one knows. And I love him…no matter what, I'm okay with how things are now…but he's not, and that's what is so hard. I have to watch him constantly disappointed in himself…and it breaks my heart.

"Well, right now, you can't worry about Elliot," Don said gently. "You have to worry about yourself and getting this baby here safely. That's what Elliot would want you to be thinking about…not him. He's okay."

"He showed up at my apartment…looking for Maureen," she said, changing the subject. "He didn't even know I lived there." She gave a weak smile, "If I hadn't needed to hire a nanny for Noah…I doubt I'd have ever heard from him again."

"I guess Noah changed your life in more ways than you could ever have expected," Don said softly. "He's adorable, by the way. He looks like you."

She smiled, "Everyone says that."

"So now, you and Elliot are going to have a baby…and you have Noah…and he has his other five kids…and a granddaughter, just one, right?" Don laughed, "That's a full house."

Olivia nodded, "Did you know Kathleen died?" she asked, and she could tell by the look on his face that he didn't. "The reason Elliot didn't come back…the reason he didn't tell me he was leaving…it was because Kathleen found out he had feelings for me. She freaked out…stopped her meds…"

"Oh Liv…I'm sorry…" he squeezed her hand. "I didn't know…"

"I didn't either…" she wiped away a tear. "But when he told me…I guess…I just wanted you to know why I had to forgive him…"

"I understand," he nodded. "And I'm sorry…I really am…"

"After the shooting…when he was coming out of the coma," Olivia sniffled, "He asked if he'd tried to kill himself. He said Kathleen died and he wanted to kill himself." She cried. "All I could think about was what life would be like without him…and I don't want to know what that's like. Even when he wasn't in my life, I still knew he was out there someplace…but imagining the world without him in it…I don't think I could face that. I really don't."

"Because you're in love with him," Don said gently. "He's a part of who you are…he always has been…ever since that day I partnered the two of you up," he smiled. "I always wondered how long it would take the two of you to figure it out."

She smiled, "It took us too long," she sighed. "But I'm glad we finally did." She ran her hand over her stomach, exhaling sharply and pressing where the baby was kicking, "She's a wild child tonight," she laughed. "I'm glad you're back…" she smiled.

"Me too," he added. "How did you like being in charge of the squad?"

She rolled her eyes, "Gave me a new appreciation for you," she sighed.

"Well, that was my plan," he teased. "All the trouble you liked to cause me over the years, I figured it was time for you to get a taste of your own medicine."

Olivia laughed, "Yeah…well I've been on leave for so long I barely even think about that place anymore. That's weird…isn't it?"

"No," he shook his head. "I told you when I left…you can't let your own life pass you by while you waste every second on the job. I'm glad you took my advice…you deserve to be happy."

"I am happy," she promised. "Even with all the craziness…all the stuff that's happened and keeps happening…I have everything I've ever wanted. I'm lucky." She yawned, the medication making her weary. "I'm so tired…"

"Get some sleep," he whispered. "I'll be here if you need anything." She nodded, already half asleep and within seconds the sound of her snoring filled the room. "Goodnight, Liv," he smiled, sitting back in his chair and drifting off to sleep.