Thanks again for all the reviews. I am always so excited to see what everyone thinks of the chapters. This story seems to take a while to play out, but I hope it will be worth it in the end. I know people tend to go back and forth between loving Elliot and being mad at him, respecting Olivia's decisions and thinking she's being unfair. That's the fun of writing something like this. Seeing the reactions from all of you. :)

That said...here is the next chapter I promised for the weekend. Please don't hate me...

February 12, 2015 2:30PM

Olivia stepped off the elevator and walked past the other detectives in the squad room, heading straight for her office. She didn't make eye contact with anyone and hoped no one would stop her and ask her questions or try to fill her in on a case. She knew she needed to be more present, more focused on her work than she had been in the last couple months, but she'd just returned from her obstetrician's office and all she could think about was the black and white ultrasound photo she had tucked away in her purse, and the fact that she wanted to show it to Elliot. Everything else could wait.

She hadn't seen Elliot since he'd been stuck at her apartment during the snow storm. It had been two weeks and not only had she not seen him, she'd barely spoken two words to him. He'd sent her a text, the day after he boarded the plane home saying he was going to be on assignment and she wouldn't be able to reach him. She immediately tried to call him, but he answered quickly and told her he was on his way out and that he wouldn't have his phone. He ended the call with, "Take care of yourself…" and those were the final words he'd said to her…the only thing she had to cling to for two long weeks. She kept waiting for him to call, to say he was safe, to say he was coming back to New York…but so far nothing…and she'd forced herself to go on without him. As much as she'd longed for a break from him after the holiday fiasco, all she wanted now was his presence. For the first time ever, she started to understand some of what Kathy felt all those times she and Elliot had been undercover, but she knew she wasn't his wife and she had no business having those feelings.

She pulled the photo out of her purse and stared at it. Two tiny little people snuggled close together and they were the most beautiful things she'd ever seen. Her first ultrasound at six weeks had been amazing, but now they were two perfectly formed little beings and the whole experience felt so much more real. She was tearing up simply thinking about the appointment, about the feeling of the cool gel on her stomach, and the slight pressure of the transducer against her skin…the picture on the screen of their movements and tiny beating hearts…and then the ultrasound tech had surprised her by saying she was pretty sure she could tell the sex of one of the babies if she wanted to know, and immediately Olivia had said yes before stopping to think about the fact that Elliot would want to be there when they found out. The rest of the appointment had gone smoothly and the doctor was impressed with her weight and blood pressure, especially considering her age, and after scheduling another appointment in a month, had sent her on her way.

She was brought back from her thoughts by a tap on the door and looked up to see Nick standing there. "What do you need?" she asked, clearing her throat.

"You okay?" he asked. "Were you crying?"

"Hormones…" she shrugged off the tears she didn't even realize she'd shed and put the ultrasound photo in her desk drawer. "Did you need something?" she asked.

"While you were out, Rollins and I took a domestic violence call," he explained. "The wife, she's here now…but we don't think she'll press charges. We might have to let the guy loose."

She ran her fingers through her hair and gave an exasperated sigh, "Talk to her a while longer, okay. See if you can convince her. Do you need me…"

"Nah…" Nick gave her a knowing glance. "You should put your feet up…relax a little. You've been gone all afternoon."

"At the doctor," she reminded him. "Not running a marathon. I think I can handle talking to a victim. I need to start pulling my weight around here anyway."

"You're the boss," he teased. "You can do your job from behind the scenes…" He laughed. "Let us give it another try and if it doesn't work you can…"

"All right," she sighed, leaning back and resting her hand on the swell of her stomach. She couldn't take her mind off the ultrasound, and she was trying to picture where each baby was inside of her, taking her focus completely off Amaro who was still standing in the doorway.

"Liv?" he said and she looked up at him. "You sure you feel okay?" he asked. "Was your appointment all right…you seem kind of off…"

"The appointment was fine," she forced a smile and nodded, "The babies are good…I'm good…"

"All right," he nodded, and walked out the door.

February 12, 2015 4:45PM

Olivia was sitting at her desk, signing off on the mounds of paperwork that seemed to multiply in her workspace, and munching on corn chips when her phone rang. She looked at it, assuming it would be Lucy asking what time she'd be home. She'd been lucky that when she finally told Lucy she was expecting that the young woman hadn't quit right away. She loved Noah and enjoyed working for Olivia, but she'd also made it clear she'd have to look for something else when Olivia went on maternity leave. There was no way she could tend to three babies properly. Olivia knew she'd miss her, but she'd expected as much and realized she'd probably have to look into some kind of child care center. How that would work with her hours she didn't know, but somehow she'd work it out. She had to. Glancing down at the phone, she was surprised to see it wasn't Lucy after all and answered it so quickly she didn't have time to swallow the food in her mouth.

"Elliot…" she said, trying to swallow the corn chips, but having a hard time due to the sticky peanut butter she'd dipped them in.

"Liv?" he asked. "Is that you?"

She finally swallowed and took a quick drink to get the stickiness out of her mouth, "Yeah, it's me…" she said. "Sorry…I was eating…"

He laughed slightly, "Of course you were. How're you feeling?"

"Good," she insisted. "I feel good. I went to the doctor today. I've only gained seven and a half pounds, but she said that's normal. She wants me to aim for one to two pounds a week for the second trimester. I told her I feel like I've gained way more than that, but she said it's just my uterus pushing up…"

"See…I told you…you're not fat, just showing," he said gently. "I'm sorry I wasn't there…"

"Me too…" she admitted. "El…I saw the babies…they are so perfect…"

"I bet they are," he said softly. "What did she say about making it to term? Did she have any advice…"

She knew he was thinking about Eli and she wished they had a better guarantee, "She said we have to wait and see," she told him. "I have a surprise though…"

"You do…" he sighed, and she could tell he was disappointed the doctor hadn't had more clear-cut news about the cord blood.

"The tech…she said she could tell the sex of one of the twins…" she began, but he interrupted her.

"Liv…it's early," he argued. "She might be wrong. You didn't let her tell you, did you…I thought you were waiting until the 20 week mark?"

"She said it was pretty clear," she insisted. "And I know I should've waited for you…but I wanted to know…"

"But she only knew the sex of one of them," he sighed. "Now we don't know about the other one…and this one could be wrong…I just don't want you to get your hopes up. There is something to be said for the element of surprise."

"Fine…" she sputtered. "You don't want to know. I get it."

"That's not what I meant," he said, letting out a deep sigh. "Liv…I'm sorry. I'm tired…it was a rough assignment and I just got home…"

She felt bad that she'd forgotten about his case in her excitement over the ultrasound. Of course he needed time to unwind before she bombarded him with information. "I'm sorry…how was your case?"

"I can't talk about it…it's classified information," he told her, his voice suddenly more tired than before. "Liv…I want to see you. Can I come up tomorrow? We need to talk."

"Okay…" she said, her voice quivering as she imagined what he wanted to talk about. He didn't sound happy and it worried her. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine…" he tried to assure her. "I'm sorry…I'm just tired. I want to see you…I want to see Eli…"

"Tomorrow's fine," she sighed, picking up a corn chip and popping it in her mouth. "I have to go…" she mumbled between crunches.

"You didn't tell me…" he reminded her. "Are you getting that little girl you wanted?" and she could tell he was trying to sound more excited than he was. Something was wrong and she was afraid of what he was coming to tell her.

"You don't want to know…" she whispered tearfully. "It's okay…it can be a surprise…"

"Liv, I'm sorry…of course I want to know," he said.

"She said…she thinks it's a boy," she said with less enthusiasm than she imagined when she thought about telling him.

"Guess you'll have to think of some boy names then, huh?" he asked, and she wished his voice carried at least a small hint of excitement.

"I'll see you tomorrow, El," she said softly.

"You know…why don't I just come tonight?" he suggested, trying to sound more cheerful. "We can go to dinner…celebrate this new baby boy…"

"I don't know," she sighed, "You're tired…I'm tired…"

"I want to see you, Liv," he said honestly. "I need to see you."

"Okay," she gave in. "I'll meet you at the apartment. I have to go…" and she hung up the phone.

February 12, 2015 5:30PM

She was putting everything in her bag when Fin knocked on the door, and she looked up in frustration. She knew he was coming with news that would keep her at work longer, and all she wanted was to get home and cuddle with her little boy before Elliot showed up to drop his bad news bombshell. "Don't tell me…" she groaned. "Another case?"

He shook his head, "No…same case. That lady Nick and Amanda have been trying to get to press charges…she won't do it. We had to spring the guy…Donald Marling…24 year old wife-beater with guns at home…supposedly for hunting…"

"I told Nick to come get me," she said angrily. "Damn…I might've been able to help her…we can't send her back to that house."

"Liv…she wasn't going to listen to anyone," he insisted. "I'm gonna run Mrs. Marling home. Her husband is supposed to be going to a friend's house, so I told her I'd check things out and make sure nothing's wrong…"

"But if she won't press charges," Olivia sighed, "We can't do anything. Let me talk to her…"

"She wants to go home," he argued. "She won't listen."

"I'll ride with you," Olivia suggested. "That way I can talk to her and maybe then you can drop me off at home…" she pulled on her coat and grabbed her bag.

"You're gonna argue until I give in, aren't you?" he asked with a sigh, "Come on…"

They pulled up in front of the small house and Olivia looked pleadingly at the woman in the seat next to her, "Please…Mrs. Marling…Stella…consider what I'm saying…"

"He's not coming back," the woman said, reaching for the door handle and holding her other arm gingerly at her side. She was black and blue and Olivia wondered if her arm was sprained, or even worse, broken.

"Why don't we go to the ER," she suggested. "Get your arm looked at."

"No…" the woman shook her head. "I'm fine. Donny's done this before and he knows this time I won't let him come back. I don't need some stupid doctor's report for you to use against him. You're as bad as the cops at the station."

"I just want to help you," Olivia said gently. "I want to make sure you're safe."

"I am safe," the woman argued. "My mom's gonna come over tonight anyway and stay with me. So I'll be fine. Just don't mess with Donny anymore. He just started a new job and I don't want him to lose it cause the cops are harassing him…"

"Stella…we're not harassing him," Olivia insisted. "We're trying to protect you…"

"I know that, but I'm fine," the woman gave a weak smile and opened the car door. "Besides…I have Donny's guns in the house if I need them."

"Let me go first, check out the place," Fin offered as he exited the car and ran ahead of her. He checked the doors and windows…seeing no sign of an intruder in the house, and looking around the outside of the premises and motioned when he was convinced it was clear, and Stella Marling gave Olivia a small wave and walked to her house.

Fin slipped back in the driver's seat and Olivia stared sadly at him, "I hate this…every damn time…she could come home tomorrow and find him in there waiting for her."

"You can't get through to everyone," he told her truthfully. "She's not ready yet. Maybe…next time…"

"If he doesn't kill her next time…" Olivia sighed, "I forgot to give her my card. Let me run it up there…"

"She won't call…" he said, but Olivia pushed the door open.

"I'll be fast," she promised and made her way to the door, knocking quickly while Fin fidgeted with the radio in the car trying to find something worth listening to.

"Go away…" Olivia heard Stella Marling's voice quiver on the other side of the door in response to her knock, and she was afraid for the woman.

"Stella…" she called to her. "It's Sergeant Benson…open the door…" but Stella didn't open it and Olivia tried the handle with no luck, but in a matter of seconds it swung open and she was face to face with a scruffy blonde man with a beard and a gun…the shots rang out before she could reach for her weapon and Fin looked up from the radio in time to see her fall to the ground.

He ran from the car, holding his own gun on the man who wouldn't lower his, eventually left with no choice but to shoot and seeing the man fall to the ground he grabbed the other gun and lowered himself next to Olivia who was staring up at him with cold, frightened eyes. "Liv…it's okay…you're gonna be all right…" he sputtered, holding his hand over the wound and trying to stop the blood that had soaked her blouse. She was shaking and he tried to reassure her, "You're gonna be fine…"

"My babies…" she said, her voice barely audible as she closed her eyes.

"The babies are fine, Liv…" Fin said, still holding pressure on her wound, and lightly smacking her face with his other hand, afraid of her losing consciousness. He could hear the sirens blaring in the background, and Stella Marling screaming as she held the limp body of her husband in her arms. Olivia wouldn't open her eyes and he was scared. "Hang in there…for the babies…they are okay…the bullet was nowhere near them…you're gonna be fine too…" and he prayed he was telling her the truth.

I promise there will be some good news in the next part...hang in there folks!