Few Weeks Later...

Brayden was still in the hospital. He had been woken up forty-eight hours after surgery. They wanted to give him all the time they could to let his body heal. Since waking up he struggled with breathing on his own for a bit so they still had him on a low dose of oxygen just to boost his levels. He was eating on his own, his strength was coming back slowly but surely. The only thing that seemed like it wasn't going to change was dialysis. His repaired kidney wasn't functioning right. He kept asking when he was going to go home and Amanda didn't have a definite answer. Noah had been coming down more often since Brayden woke up. It was nice to see them getting along again.

"Ma, I want to go home. When can we go home. This hospital is driving me crazy. I need to shower and I miss my friends. The only one who's been to see me is Noah."

Amanda looked at her son, from the first day he got here he finally was looking like himself. Olivia had gone into work leaving Amanda with Brayden herself. She hadn't spent a night in a real bed in weeks. She still didn't know where things stood with her and Olivia. The "L bomb" hadn't been said again since that night. Olivia hadn't been distant but hadn't been close either if that made any sense.

"Sweetheart, when the doctors think it's okay for you to go home they will release you. They've got to make sure you are okay enough to go home. They have to make sure that nothing will happen when you go home. Plus I, well We have to learn about this dialysis. It's serious and you're gonna need it for the time being to survive."

He looked at her, "At least they have been letting me get up and move around. I've missed alot of school and I've missed alot of dance and I still don't recall all of what happend. All I remember is someone coming in the class yelling 'Faggot and Fairy' and then the next thing I knew I heard a couple loud pops, screaming. Then I felt a burning pain and everything went black."

Amanda sighed, "Oh sweetheart, you had quite a couple of weeks. What you are talking about right there, Bray you were shot. The bullet went into your abdomen. It went into one of your kidneys and the shrapnel and pieces from it hit the other kidney. You almost died a few times in the ambulance on the way here and they lost you a few times in surgery but you came back. After the surgery they put you in a medically induced coma to let your body heal from the injury, from the surgery and the shock. You have also been on dialysis to help the kidneys since they have been damaged. They aren't sure if you will need it longterm or shorterm right now. They just know that it's needed to help build them back up."

She saw Brayden's eyes go wide. That was a lot for him to take in. A whole damn lot. "Ma did they catch the person who did this? I know you're gonna be hell bent to find who did this."

Amanda looked at her son, the hurt in his eyes, the pain as he walked around. She knew she had to tell him the truth, but in all honesty she wasn't sure how to do it. He looked at her once again, "Ma? I asked you a question. Did they catch the person who did this? How many more people were shot?"

Amanda wiped a tear from her eye, she made Brayden sit down. "Look before I get into any of this, I need you to sit down and relax. You've been through one hell of an ordeal Brayden. I almost lost you. Actually did a few times in the ambulance and then they told me they lost you a couple times in the OR."

Brayden sat and relaxed like his mother asked. "I didn't know all of that Ma. I'm sorry I scared you. I love you and I know you're here for me. Please tell me who shot me."

Olivia sent a text that Derek had tried to get bail, but she had fought it and it had been denied. Amanda breathed a sigh of relief. Bray heard her do that "Ma, what's going on? You're all nervous now but at the same time you're relieved."

"Brayden, oh I don't know how to tell you this. I know you're saying to spit this out and I am trying. Brayden you don't know how hard this is to tell you. It was your father who shot you Brayden. And before you flip out, I am not lying or bullshitting you. You can call Olivia or even call your Uncle Fin. It was Derek Thomas."

Her sons eyes went wide. She again could see the hurt and the questions in his eyes. Oh how her heart was breaking. To have to tell her thirteen year old this. To have to tell him that his father hated him so much, he tried to kill him and almost succeeded.

The way he looked at his mother, his eyes going soft. "He shot me cause of my dancing, didn't he? Cause you told me that he went after you when I was in bed. You quoted me and said he beat your ass cause of my dancing and that he didn't want and wasn't going to have a faggot fairy dancer for a son. I embarrassed him and made him hate me. Ma, you're not embarrassed of me are you? I can give up dancing, though I love it. I can give it up and get into sports if you want once I get better and heal from this."

Amanda moved to hug her son gently as to not hurt his injuries. "Oh my baby boy and you can get pissed at that later. Brayden that's why I fought so hard with him. Dancing makes you happy, and in turn that makes me happy. I'm proud of you Brayden I always have been. I never thought I could be a good parent after all the shit I went through with my own parents, but you proved me wrong. You're growing up to be a great young man."

He hugged his mama tight. That's all he needed to hear that she was proud of him. That she loved him and she did. She loved him more than her own life. Amanda kissed his head and just held him, after awhile she felt that he had fallen asleep. She wanted to reach out to Liv but once again she got distant with her.

Fin text her later asking how things were going and told her that Liv sent her best. She was furious.

"Tell her she doesn't have to act like she cares. She's done enough."

Fin had shaken his head. He didn't know what the hell was going on, right now Amanda didn't need the bullshit she needed people by her side. Since they were still at work he decided that he and Olivia needed to talk. He loved both women like sisters and their kids were his nephews. He had his suspicions about them before he truly figured it out. What he didn't understand was why Olivia finally had someone who accepted her for who she was and obviously had no issues with her job. Big one, she didn't think the gruesome details of a rape was a turn on. He went into her office and shut the door behind him.

"Olivia what is going on with you? You were at the hospital with Amanda all until Brayden woke up. Then you haven't been there at all. Liv it's easy to see you care about her more than you are willing to let on. But if you're that afraid of it then don't lead her on. She needs people she can rely on no matter what, especially right now. You lead her to believe that you're there and want to be there and what do you do? You run when she needs you the most."

Olivia glared at Fin. Pissed off that he was calling her out. She was struggling as it was and he was calling her out.

"How bout you mind your business. You don't need to know all of what goes on pertaining to myself and Amanda."

He looked at her again, his focused on her look let her know that he wasn't intimidated by her looks.

"Olivia nice try with the looks. I'm not backing down. I don't know all of it, but dammitt Liv I know enough. She wanted you there when her son was shot. You hang out over there shit your kids have sleep overs and you both tag along. You honestly think we don't know. Liv we weren't born yesterday. You found a match with Amanda and you're throwing it away. What the hell is wrong with you? It's not like she's making you tell anyone, it's secret except you forget I'm detective and a sergeant. You also forget that you have teenagers that pick up on stuff too. You know that woman has been abandoned her whole damn life. Her so called parents shit you saw the shit her mother pulled, the shit Kim pulled and even her father. They turned on her when she needed them the most. Then whatever the hell she went through with this guy Derek. Her son almost died Olivia. Almost died, he was in a medically induced coma for a few days. You stayed there for a bit and then you walked away. You find someone you bond with and get along with that understands your fears, your insecurities and this is what you do. Well I guess this is what Olivia Benson does best. Runs when shit gets tough."

Ohh Olivia got right pissed. How dare he still stand there and call her out. Yet he was soo right. Which made her even more pissed. She had no clue what to do and she sure didn't want to discuss it with him.

"Okay enough. You've made your damn point when you don't even know what the hell is going on. So you can leave now."

He looked at her, maybe some of what he said was sinking in he didn't know. But he was tired of talking.

"I'll say one last thing and let it sink in. You have gone through alot in this job and in your life. Amanda has as well. You want your feelings respected, well dammit respect hers as well. It's a two way street Olivia. Not a one way street where it's all Olivia's feelings, wants and needs. It's a two way street where not only do your feelings, wants and needs matter. So do Amanda's"

With that he walked out of her office. He usually wasn't one to get frustrated but he was. He saw a text on his phone from Brayden asking him to come and visit. So he headed off to the hospital.

At The Hospital

Fin went in to see both Brayden and Amanda. He just wanted to support Amanda too. He knew she needed someone in her corner and right now Olivia wasn't it. He hugged her tight telling her that no matter what he would always be there. She nodded on his shoulder, telling him she appreciated him so much. She went for a walk as Fin visited with Brayden. She needed to clear her head and her mind. Olivia had hurt her quite a bit, the back and forth and now the abandonment after saying she loved her. She felt like a fool, the worlds biggest jackass if you may.

She came back to the room after a bit. Grateful Fin had stayed and boosted Brayden's spirits. "Fin thank you so much for being the family I've craved and wanted for myself and for Brayden. I truly appreciate it more than you know."

Fin had left since it had gotten late. The nurse came in to check on Brayden telling them that if all went well through the night that Bray would be released in the am. Amanda sighed with relief cause the hospital wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep. After Brayden fell asleep and checking on him she soon fell asleep herself. Soon the sun began shining into the room waking her up. Brayden waking up after. Getting up to go do his business. After that, the doctor came in to talk to both Brayden and Amanda. Making sure Amanda and Brayden knew the instructions and what he should and shouldn't be doing. Pretty simple, just not overdoing anything, not a lot of bending and no heavy lifting. Take multiple breaks if need be. They understood. She started gathering Brayden's things as the doctor took out the IV and disconnected all the machines. Then he went to type up his discharge paperwork.

They had been home a few days. Fin checking in on them. Noah calling and texting Brayden. Noah telling Brayden that his mom wanted to come over but knew that she and Amanda weren't getting along. Brayden sent him a text.

"Noah-

Tell your mom to come over. Tell her to make some excuse like she wanted to see me. We need them to fix this. My mama is lost without your mom. Plus I miss having my best friend over here."

Noah was sitting with him mom, funny thing was they were talking about Brayden. He replied back to his friend after he told his mom

"Bray-

I told my mom to come over and that I wanted to see you. She said okay. Is there more I should do?"

Brayden got the text and smiled. He wanted to see his mama happy. He knew she was scared in the hospital cause of what his dad did. Now he understood why his mama protected him.

"Noah-

I hope you guys come. I miss my best friend and my aunt. Tell your mom since they fought to bring roses. My mama has been upset about the split and doesn't want to be broken up."

So Brayden found out who shot him. He relies on Amanda to tell him the truth and she did. No closure right now for her and Amanda. What's going to happen to them? Are they gonna work it out. Noah and Brayden know. They like their parents together.