Thanks again for all the awesome reviews! I love hearing what you think. Here is another short chapter, but it will lead to a bigger one in the near future. Enjoy...

December 24, 2014 5:00PM

"I'm back…" Elliot called as he walked through the door…back at the house he'd shared with Kathy for over twenty years of marriage…the house he didn't consider to be his anymore…her house where he happened to be staying so he could be close to his son while he was sick, but in his heart he longed to be somewhere else, anywhere else. "Where's Eli?" he asked, walking into the kitchen where his ex-wife was busily making sugar cookies.

"Taking a nap," Kathy said, as she sprinkled the white icing with green candy pieces. "He couldn't wait for you anymore. You know how tired he is Elliot. You should have been here earlier."

"I got back as soon as I could," he explained. "He'll wake up in a while and we'll watch the movies then."

She shook her head, "How could you leave in the first place? Elliot, this might be his last Christmas…" she wiped away the tears that were beginning to stream down her cheeks and looked at him, "How can you choose not to spend every single second you can with him?"

"He's going to get better," Elliot insisted. "This is not going to be his last Christmas…"

"You don't know that!" she yelled, throwing down the icing spoon, leaving a large splatter on the counter. "Where were you all day anyway?"

"Olivia needed me…" he began but she interrupted him.

"Olivia?" she rolled her eyes. "She needed you more than your son needed you?"

"She's pregnant," he argued.

"So it's your responsibility to take care of her?" Kathy snickered. "She's a grown woman…she doesn't need you to there…"

"I am the father of those babies," Elliot reminded her. "And I would never make her go through all that alone. Do you remember how sick you were when you were pregnant with Dickie and Lizzie? Twins are hard and you know it. I was there for you…and I will be there for Olivia too."

"She isn't your wife, Elliot," Kathy argued.

"Neither are you," he reminded her. "We share kids, Kathy…and I will always be here to help you and to take care of the kids…but you can't tell me how to run my life. And those babies are mine too, just like Eli and our other kids…so just like I need to be here to help you with our children, I have to be there to help Olivia too."

"Her babies are not your children. You were a sperm donor. You didn't just knock her up after a night of drunken sex or something. She chose to get pregnant Elliot," Kathy sighed. "She chose to do it alone…without you…so why is she taking so damn much of your time now?"

"She's been sick…her morning sickness is brutal," Elliot told her. "And she had some bleeding. She has a fourteen month old too, Kathy. She can't do this alone, even if she thought she could in the beginning. And her babies…they're mine too…they are our biggest hope for Eli…"

"Our children don't even match Elliot," she sighed. "Do you really think hers will?"

"The twins have a good chance of being cord-blood donors," Elliot sighed. "And you know that. They said a half-sibling or a niece or nephew would work…that's why Maureen was trying so hard to have a baby…"

"I'd rather Maureen have a baby," Kathy interrupted. "Than have to be indebted to Olivia for the rest of my life."

"What the hell does that mean?" Elliot asked. "You don't want her to help Eli?"

"I need her to help him," Kathy cried. "That doesn't mean I'm happy about it. She didn't even think about me…in any of this. She asked my husband to father her children…and she didn't even ask me if it was okay…"

Elliot's eyes widened, "I'm not your husband anymore."

"Not now," Kathy sputtered. "Then…when you donated and created those embryos. We had a baby at home Elliot…and she asked you to have one with her."

"She didn't," he admitted.

"What are you talking about?" Kathy asked, grabbing the utensils she's been using and tossing them in the sink.

"She didn't ask me," Elliot told her. "I knew she wanted a baby. I knew she'd be a good mother and I wanted to give her that. I offered…and I lied to her. I told her I asked you first and you wanted to help her too because you were so grateful that she helped you deliver Eli…"

"You what?" Kathy asked. "You're lying now…there is no way…"

"I'm not lying to you," he insisted. "I wanted to help her…and if she'd used the embryos back then I doubt I'd be involved much because I was married to you and I didn't want to be a dad again…I just wanted to help Olivia because I knew she wanted to be a mother more than anything. The only reason she told me about the pregnancy now was because of Eli…because she wanted to help him…not because she wanted me. Kathy, she never wanted to hurt you. When she told me, I admitted to her that I lied about you knowing, and she was hurt. She would never have agreed to it if she'd known. So if you want to be mad at someone, be mad at me."

"I am mad at you," Kathy yelled. "Do you think this is all about her? Dammit Elliot…you've always been in love with her…and now you're using these babies as an excuse to be with her instead of with our son…and he's sick…he's dying…"

"Those babies can save him!" Elliot yelled. "They are the last chance, Kathy…the last hope we have. Stop being like this. Who gives a damn if you think I've always been in love with Olivia? This isn't about her. It's about saving our son and the only chance he has is for those babies to get here safe and full-term…she's forty-six years old. Do you think she's going to make it full-term with twins if no one is there to help her? She needs help…and I'm doing the best I can to help her and be here for Eli. She's the one who insisted I leave and come back here…she knows I need to be with my son…she's not going to keep me from him…"

"Does she know you're only helping her so the twins will be able to save Eli?" Kathy asked bitterly. "How do you think she'll feel then? Think she's still gonna want to help when she figures out you don't want those babies for any reason other than the fact that they might be able to save Eli?"

"That's not true," Elliot said sadly. "They are my children…I love them…"

"Do you?" Kathy asked. "Because I never heard you say you are helping Olivia because you want your children born healthy…or you want to make sure your babies are safe…you said you are helping her so they are born at term and can save Eli…" He didn't say anything and she shook her head, "God…I don't know why I've been mad at Olivia. She's gonna get hurt in all this too. She thinks you care about her…"

"I do," Elliot insisted. "And I love those babies…"

"Daddy…" Eli's small voice echoed from the doorway and Elliot turned to look at him. "Daddy…what babies?"

"Uhm…Eli," Elliot gave a weak smile and picked the boy up. "You ready to watch Rudolph?"

"You said you love the babies…" Eli said curiously. "What babies?"

"Tell him," Kathy said seriously. "He needs to know."

"You remember my friend Olivia?" Elliot asked. "She played Checkers with you…"

"Yeah," Eli smiled, "The lady who saw me get born. She was nice."

Elliot smiled, "She is nice…and she's going to have two babies…later in the summer…"

"Wow, really?" Eli laughed. "Two babies are twins, right? Like Dickie and Lizzie…"

"Yep, that's right," Elliot smiled. "And her babies…we're hoping they might be able to help you get better. If they have some of the same genetic markers as you, then the doctor said they can do a transplant and maybe help you get better."

"Really?" Eli asked. "What if they don't match?"

"Then we'll have to try something else," Elliot said seriously. "Cause we're gonna find a way to help you buddy…I'm not giving up."

December 24, 2014 7:30PM

Olivia sat in the rocking chair, Noah in her lap and opened the book…The Night Before Christmas. She realized she'd never actually read it before, but she'd picked up a copy while she'd been searching the stores for Noah's gifts the day before. She remembered Elliot saying he always read it to his children at Christmas, and that Dickie and Lizzie would insist he keep reading it long after the holiday was over. She didn't have any holiday traditions of her own, so she decided it wouldn't hurt to borrow one of his.

"Are you ready to read the book?" she held the baby close in her lap, kissing him on the cheek as she opened to the first page, "'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house…" she began and he ran his fingers over the colorful pictures and giggled. She continued to read, stopping on each page so Noah could see the pictures and she was surprised he was so excited by each one. "And I heard him exclaim, er he drove out of sight…Happy Christmas to all…and to all a goodnight." She said, closing the book while Noah pounded on the cover with his little fists. "You loved that book…didn't you?" she smiled, "Next year…I'm gonna have to try to find a way to fit all three of you in my lap…" she held the baby close, twirling his hair with her finger. "Noah…you're gonna be a good big brother…I'm sorry you won't get more time alone with me." The baby began to fidget in her arms, and she picked him up, laying him on her shoulder while her rubbed his eyes and made soft noises until he fell asleep. Then she picked him up, and put him down in the crib, watching him sleep. "This is our last Christmas Eve with just the two of us," she patted his back gently.

An hour later she stood in front of the little Christmas tree and placed Noah's presents carefully around it. She should have been happy...and she tried to convince herself that she was...but thinking about how she was all alone with her son on Christmas Eve made her wish she had someone to share the experience with…someone to laugh with her when Noah was so adorable reacting to the pages on the Christmas book, someone to take pictures as she held Noah in her lap when he opened his presents in the morning, someone to appreciate the effort she was making to create a perfect holiday for her little boy…and when she thought about how lonely she felt, she thought about Elliot. She missed him, and she had no right to miss him. He was with his family, where he belonged and she was with hers.

Suddenly she stopped, putting her hand gently on her stomach with the realization that next year they'd have to share the twins at Christmas. She'd agreed to let Elliot be their father, and with that came shared responsibilities and shared custody on holidays, and she hadn't bothered to think about that before. What if Elliot wanted to take the twins with him to DC next Christmas? What if he wanted them for a family celebration with his other kids, and she had to give up either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day with them? She felt herself tearing up at the thought and quickly blinked her tears away. "Stop it, Olivia…" she sighed, "He wouldn't do that." But no matter how much her head tried to convince her, her heart was broken at the thought. She had to share her children with someone who had his own life, separate from hers…and that meant her babies wouldn't be with her all the time. She leaned back on the sofa, staring as the lights on the Christmas tree blurred through her tears…she heard her phone beep, but she didn't bother looking at it as she cried herself to sleep.

December 24, 2014 8:30PM

"Your father has news for all of you," Kathy said, as the family sat around the table playing board games. It was a Christmas Eve tradition and even though the kids were grown they still enjoyed it. She glanced at Elliot, who was holding a very tired Eli in his lap, "Tell them your news, Elliot," she smirked, knowing he hadn't planned to tell them yet, but since Eli already knew Olivia was pregnant, it was only a matter of time before everyone else found out.

"I don't think this is the right time," Elliot said, looking at Eli. He didn't want the little boy to hear something that would worry him or make him upset and he fully expected the older kids to get angry. "Are you about ready for bed, Eli?" he asked. "I can tuck you in…"

Eli shook his head, "I want to play the games…" he whined. Then he grinned, "When I get better…I won't be so sleepy and I can stay up late again."

"Yeah," Elliot hugged him close.

"Dad, what news do you have?" Kathleen asked. "Just tell us…"

"He wants to tell you that I might be getting better," Eli chimed in. "Cause his friend is going to have some babies and they might match me so I can have my transplant…"

Maureen's eyes widened, "What is he talking about?" she looked at her mother who said nothing and then back at Elliot, "Dad…what is going on?"

"Dad," Dickie interrupted. "The only way someone could have a baby that matches Eli is if the baby is a sibling…are you seeing someone we don't know about?" He cringed, "How could you…"

"You don't understand," Elliot tried to explain, but the kids were all talking amongst themselves and no one was listening. "Would you all stop?" he yelled, and they turned to look at him. "I am not seeing anyone…this is a long story and I'm not sure this is the time to tell it," he sighed.

Kathy looked at him and then at Eli, "Come on Eli…Mommy will tuck you in so Daddy can talk to your brother and sisters."

"I want to stay," Eli argued.

"The sooner you get to sleep, the sooner Santa will come," Lizzie reminded him and he smiled and nodded in agreement, kissing his father goodnight and then walking off with his mother. When Eli was out of the room Lizzie looked at her father, "What the hell is this about?" she asked angrily. "If you are seeing someone, we should know about it…especially if we're gonna have a new brother or sister." She sighed sadly, "How could you when Eli is so sick?"

"I'm not seeing anyone," he promised. "A long time ago, I donated some sperm to a friend who wanted a baby," he began. "But she decided not to have a baby at the time…"

"Mom didn't care that you were a sperm donor?" Maureen asked. "I don't believe that."

"She didn't know," Elliot admitted. "I made a mistake by not telling her…"

"Who would you give sperm to?" Lizzie asked. "That's gross…"

"Olivia," Dickie answered knowingly. "It was Olivia…wasn't it?" he shook his head, "Dad would do anything for her…anything…"

"You gave your sperm to Olivia?" Maureen asked. "Why?"

Elliot sighed, "She really wanted a baby, and she didn't have anyone in her life…I swear she didn't know I lied to your mother, or she wouldn't have accepted it…"

"You said she didn't use it," Lizzie reminded him. "So what's all this about a match for Eli."

"Olivia froze embryos back then," Elliot explained. "And she decided that this was the right time for her to use them. She didn't know about Eli, but she ran into your mom at the hospital and when she found out a half-sibling could match Eli for a cord-blood transplant, she decided to tell me that she's pregnant…"

"Isn't she kind of old?" Kathleen asked.

"She's not old," Elliot said. "But she is older…and this pregnancy hasn't been easy. She's only seven weeks along and we found out recently that there are two babies…that means the chance of helping Eli is less because it's harder to get cord-blood from twins. So we're doing all we can to get the babies to full-term and we're talking to specialists about how to do this…"

"Olivia is pregnant with twins?" Maureen asked. "And they're yours?"

"Wait…if you're a donor then you aren't really their father," Dickie said. "So she's gonna help Eli and then what…we never get to see our brothers or sisters again?"

"I asked Olivia to let me be their father," Elliot admitted. "And she didn't want to at first, but she changed her mind. So you'll get to see them as much as you want."

"What if we don't want to," Lizzie sighed. "Why do you want more kids anyway? God Dad…Eli is sick and this time should be about him…not about some new kids you're bringing into our lives."

"Liz," Elliot said sadly, "This is about Eli. All I want is to save him…and Olivia wants that too."

"I wanted to have a baby, Dad," Maureen insisted. "I was going to keep trying…you didn't have to do this…"

"I didn't do this," Elliot argued. "Olivia did this…she was already pregnant before she knew about Eli. She only told me because of him…because she wanted to help."

"Well maybe she's gonna change her mind about the babies being Stablers then," Kathleen suggested. "She can always change her mind…technically the babies are hers and not yours."

"They are mine," Elliot insisted. "Olivia and I agreed to that."

"So you're gonna share custody or what?" Dickie asked. "Keep them on weekends and holidays? Come down from DC to get them every week? How are you going to pull this off?"

"I don't know," Elliot sighed, "I haven't thought that far ahead. Right now…all I know is we have a little hope for Eli…and we should all be grateful for that."

"Where's Olivia tonight?" Maureen asked.

"At home," Elliot answered. "Having her own Christmas."

"I want to see her," Maureen added. "I think we should invite her over…so we can all hear her side of this too."

"Her side?" Elliot asked.

"I just want to know what she's thinking," Maureen sighed. "She's pregnant with your kids…"

"I asked her to come to dinner tomorrow," Elliot told them, "But she wasn't sure she wanted to…and after talking with your mom today, I'm not sure it's a good idea."

"Mom has every right to be mad," Dickie sighed. "This isn't fair…to any of us…but if it saves Eli…"

"This can't be just about saving Eli," Elliot insisted. "If the twins don't match or they can't get enough blood from them…I don't want you to blame the babies. They don't deserve that…they are your siblings too…"

"No they're not," Kathleen argued. "They are Olivia's kids. You didn't even plan on them…"

"But they're here," Maureen reminded her. "And we have to be nice to Olivia and we need to be there for the babies…" she looked at her father, exhaling slowly, "I'll talk to Mom…ask Olivia to dinner again. Tell her we all want to see her…and we want to thank her for helping Eli."

"Really?" Elliot asked, and the kids all gave a reluctant nod. "Okay…" he whispered.

He sent a text to Olivia I told the kids about the twins and we'd all really like you to come to dinner tomorrow. He waited for her answer, but she never replied.

More soon...