"I am so sorry, Olivia."

Her head spun.

The doctor's voice was grave as he explained to her that she had experienced an ectopic pregnancy, a pregnancy where the fetus develops in the fallopian tube. They had surgically removed the pregnancy while she was passed out to stop her from hemorrhaging.

Her baby was gone. A large lump formed in her throat. She wanted to cry, but the tears didn't shed. Brian grabbed her hand, and she saw the sadness written all over his face too. He hadn't even known she was pregnant.

"I'll leave you two alone to talk," the doctor said and did just that. He'd explained that they wanted to keep her overnight for observation, and then she could go home tomorrow afternoon. The doctor also recommended she take the rest of the week off.

Because she could totally afford to do that, and she didn't want to, either. With the loss of her unborn child looming, all she wanted to do was work. She didn't want to lie here in this hospital bed, mourning the loss that she'd barely even known. After all, she'd just found out she was pregnant today. She couldn't sit around and do nothing.

Every time her life took a turn in an uplifting direction, she was shoved right back down. It was like the Universe had it out for her. Why was that? Why must the world always crap on her? Everyone else was able to have wonderful families with beautiful babies. Everyone else was able to have a career, a family, and a life. Not her. Her profession was all she had. It was all the Universe allowed her to have.

And Brian. If he didn't leave her now, too. Then she would be all alone, forever and for always. What if that was her destiny? She'd lived alone for so long. Maybe that's how it was supposed to be.

She'd almost forgot about Cooper. With the heavy, painful weight of the loss of her and Brian's baby, she had forgotten about Cooper, a little boy who'd just lost his mother. His mother, the parent who had raised him, the only parent he had known for the majority of his life. Poor boy.

She thought of Cooper; the thoughts really put her life into perspective. Just when she thought it bad, she realized someone else had it worse. Cooper was a just a boy, a child who's very much alive. A child whose life entire life is ahead of him.

Olivia looked at Brian. He wasn't crying, but the sadness in his eyes were woeful, grimacing, and aching. The pain stood out. She could tell he was hurting.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Brian finally whispered. He gulped on the saliva in his mouth then raised his voice, "Why, Liv?" She sensed anger.

"Bri, I just found out today. Right before you told me about Cooper," Olivia whispered, softly adding, "I promise. I was going to tell you later...I just, I didn't think it was right to tell you with all that was going on with your son."

He gripped her hand, squeezing it tightly, shaking his head grimly.

"I'm so sorry," Olivia murmured.

Brian didn't look at her. Eye contact wasn't one of his strengths. She knew that he struggled to look people in the eye, particularly when the situation was awkward or when he was upset. "Don't apologize," he whispered, looking at her hand, folding her hand into a fist for her and snugly fitting her fist in between both of his large hands. He gently stroked her knuckles. "It's not your fault, Liv. There's nothing you could have done."

She nodded. "I know. I know. I just...I feel such a piece of crap." It was the truth.

His neck jerked toward her and their eyes finally met. "Don't say that," Brian huffed. "You're not a piece of crap." He leaned forward and kissed her forward. "You're everything. You're my everything." Their faces were centimeters apart, they were close enough that she could see the glimmer of tears in his eyes, even if not shed. Seeing him this sad made her want to burst into tears. Brian Cassidy wasn't a crier, yet his eyes showed that he was holding them back.

"So you're not leaving?" Olivia swallowed hopelessly, truly expecting he'd take off. She wouldn't blame him if he did, after all.

Brian looked taken aback by the accusation. "I could never leave you, Liv," he replied earnestly. "Never...besides, Cooper needs a mother, and I can't think of a better mother for him than you."

Olivia bit her lip, astonished by Brian's openness, and also doubting the words coming from his mouth.

"Are you sure?" Olivia whispered solemnly. "Because I'm not so sure the universe thinks I'm cut out for motherhood."

Brian swallowed, kissing her hairline. "Liv, did you ever think that maybe the Universe has a plan for you, and this is it? This is the family we're supposed to have, Liv."

She allowed Brian's words to sink in, and she realized he was right.

The next afternoon, she and Brian took Cooper back to New York City. She didn't have a baby, but she had an intelligent, bright, nine-year-old boy to mother, and she couldn't be happier or prouder.

This was the family she was meant to have.

-FIN-

A/N: I had to finish this story. I know it's short, but it gets the point across. I lost my SVU muse a long time ago. I'm in the process of removing incomplete stories from this site, though, and this is just one story I couldn't leave incomplete. I'm evil, but I'm not that evil.

I toyed with how to end this story for the longest time. Originally, she wasn't going to lose the baby, because that seemed too devastating, too heartbreaking for me, and I didn't think I could do it. The more this story loomed in my head, though, the more I realized that it's what had to happen. I hope you won't be too pissed at me. The ending is really intended to be bittersweet.