Chapter 5: Whoa Baby!

Kathleen rushed into the room to find an empty hospital bed and Olivia standing next to the window.

"Olivia," she trembled.

When Olivia turned around she could see the panic on Kathleen's face.

"Oh, Leenie, he's okay. He's in surgery," she rushed to her side just in time to catch Kathleen in her arms. "I'm sorry I should have told you. Shhhh….it's okay."

Kathleen held Olivia tightly and sobbed.

"It's okay. He's going to be okay," she said and almost believed it.

"I thought I was too late. I thought he…I thought he was gone."

"I should have told you. It's okay. It's okay," she held back tears now too.

She hadn't realized how badly she needed to hug somebody. She held Kathleen in silence for a moment longer and composed herself before pulling away.

"His brain is too swollen. They had to perform emergency surgery-"

"Emergency surgery!"

"It's a good surgery. It's going to give his brain some room to heal."

Kathleen fell to the couch and Olivia followed her. "Yesterday was so scary, Olivia. Will he ever get those lost memories back?"

"Yes, this is a slow process, but it's common behavior. I've seen it many times before. The Dr said he had a lucky hit to one small area of the brain that has nothing to do with memory or physical functions, that this memory loss and the manic behavior is caused by the swelling. If they can get the swelling down he will start to be more…like himself."

Kathleen reached for Olivia's hand and squeezed it. "Thank you for being our rock this time. You're amazing. I don't think we could have gone through this without you."

"I feel like you all have been a rock for me, so...ditto," she said holding back tears.

"Do you think this is it for him? Do you think he'll finally retire?"

Olivia wasn't expecting that question. She wasn't ready to retire, so she couldn't imagine he was ready either. "I…guess we'll have to see when this is all over."

"Because I don't know if I can take another one of these phone calls," she shook. "When the time is right, maybe you can talk him into it. Don't you think it's time? Don't you want to just be together and...I don't know go on vacations and watch true crime...like normal people."

She just nodded in deep thought. "Sure...if you like to sit around, let your mind go to waste, and wait for death, that sounds...just awful to me." She then back pedaled and gave a futile attempt of easing Kathleen's worries, while ignoring the request. "One thing at a time, Leenie. Let's just baby step his way home right now. We can figure out retirement once we get passed this."

"Yeah...Noah, is great, by the way. He woke up right away. Ate my pancakes. Helped wash the dishes. And I got him to school on time. Super easy kid. Eli on the other hand is still asleep, left the Tv on, left beer cans all over the living room, and dropped his mountain of smelly laundry in my hallway. I can't even imagine what his dorm room looks like. I fear the day we have to pick him up for summer break. Was it hard juggling a career and being a single mom?"

"Ah…yes. But I had a really good nanny and a good paycheck. And Noah, like you said, has always been a really easy kid. I will say this, it was never hard enough that I wouldn't do it again a thousand times over."

Kathleen smiled and paused.

"Have you ever had an abortion?"

Olivia stopped and held her eyes. "Why are you asking?"

"No reason. Just…wondered."

"Are you pregnant?"

"I don't think so."

Olivia sat up and forced her to look into her eyes. "Ah, what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing bad! Just had a one night stand a few weeks ago with a guy I kind of like but definitely do not love, and now I'm late. But I'm sometimes late. So. It's probably nothing."

There was a knock at the door and the doctor came in.

"To be continued," Olivia added before standing up to hear what the doctor had to say.

Rollins sat at Olivia's desk, angry and frustrated. She crumbled up the paper in front of her and tossed it across the room with a growl.

Fin peaked in. "You need a break?"

"Yeah! I need a break! I need a break on this case. Anything. I've got nothing. It's like this guy vanished into thin air. OC has hit a wall. I've been running on over time all week. YOU left me with a mountain of phone calls and paperwork, from the week Olivia was out on her honeymoon. That's the last time we make you interim Captain. I should make YOU do them. But I know you suck at it! AND- to top it all off, I feel like my milk is drying up because I haven't seen my son in days," She ended as she gestured to her chest.

"Whoa," Fin backed up. "I didn't realize you needed something heavier to throw. Okay. I hear you. Why don't you just hand me half of that paperwork. And leave at 4 today. I got you."

As he was saying that Olivia came around the corner. "Hey," she said in a flurry.

"Hey," Rollins stood up as Olivia swirled around her at the desk. "Shouldn't you be at the hospital?"

"I'm no use there. I'm going to see Oscar Papa again. He said he would help me. It's been a week, let's find out what he has."

"Ah…," Rollins hesitated. "You went to Oscar Papa last week? But we did that."

"Yeah, and I know that he would never tell you anything, but for some fucked up reason. He likes me. So you coming?"

"I guess I am," She shook her head looking at the clock that read 3 o'clock.

Fin mouthed an "I'm sorry." as she gave him an angry glare.

Oscar sat across from Olivia smiling.

"I got you a name, but…I need you to do something for me."

"I'm sure you do," Olivia said matter of factly.

"My girl was brought in last week for black marketing illegal weaponry, and now my son is in the system."

"You have…a son."

"Yes, Captain, you aren't the only mastermind to get roped into parenthood."

"Well, I can look at the charges, but if she's already been collared and processed, there's not much to negotiate."

"Nah, I don't care about that bitch."

"Okay," she said with a judgy ton.

"I want my kid in the best foster home you got. I even did the work for you," he said tossing a piece of paper over to Rollins. "Nancy and Rodger Goldenstien. White, rich, and 5 blocks from your son's high school."

He stopped and smiled at Olivia.

"Yeah, I know where your kid goes to school. Wasn't hard to figure out. If these waspy do gooders need a push to place him in a private school, I want you to give them that push, do you understand?"

Rollins and Olivia held a quick glance, Olivia thought about it for a brief second and then replied. "Let's hear what you got."

"Flutura Briscu. She was the one who told my son's mom about the guns. Said they were coming in with a group of her girls. She gave our crew a good deal. But she wasn't the brains behind the operation. She was working with a backer. Our crew was hired to distribute once the shipment came in. Her group was being sent to some safe house that this guy bought and set up. My girl says this guy is a real creeper. Wears a mask and has a limp."

Olivia nodded "And how do you know this guy has anything to do with the shooting?"

"Because one of the negotiations for this deal was that we were to shoot your ol' ball and chain. But...he was very specific on where and how. Psychotic about it. He wanted our best shooter. Said he didn't want him dead. Just wanted him to slowly suffer for the rest of his life. You know I'm a little surprised that you don't know this. You people don't talk? Ask Sargent Bell. She's the one that took down my crew for the guns."

"So you don't know this guys name? How did you get in contact with him?"

"Briscu was the one in contact with this Freddie Cougar guy."

Olivia shook her head in thought and backed away. "Okay. Thank you."

"You got my son?," he said with a finality.

"I'll…make sure he's taken care of."

"I'll know if he's not," Papa winked.

She and Rollins left the room and the tension pouring off of Olivia was thick.

"You're not really going to put his son in Noah's school are you?"

"Hell, no. Did Bell brief you on anything that he just said."

"Hell, no, she did not."

Olivia slammed open the door. "I hope you have a breast pump with you, because it's going to be a long night."

Rollins looked down at her blouse that now had wet breast milk stains forming all over it.

"Damnit! I'll take care of it. What are you going to do about Papa's kid?"

"Honestly, Rollins. Upstate New York is looking good everyday. But for now, call Bell, and let's track down Flutura."