Hi Everyone :) Thank you for reading the story, I hope you're enjoying it so far.
I am thinking of having longer chapters going forwards, but I'll see if that works.
Also, I find some of the characters quite challenging to write, so if there is anything you feel is OOC please do let me know.
Any feedback/constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.
With love,
HQ21
Liv stared at Dr McCarthy with wide eyes, her stomach clenching as she processed her words, as their meaning became clear through her pain. It took her a few moments to understand what she was saying, and when she did realisation hit her like a freight train.
"Wh-what?" Liv stammered, her voice trembling as she spoke. She sat upright despite her pain, as she quickly became flushed wish panic. "No, I'm not" she replied, bewildered. "I-"
Before she could continue Dr McCarthy stepped away from the screen, revealing it to Liv, whose eyes widened in shock. On the black and white screen in front of her was the clear image of an unborn baby. The image before her was not a small, grainy, black and white kidney-bean, but rather a fully formed baby. Liv let out a staggered breath as she stared at the image before her, taking in the clear outline of the baby's head, body and legs. Her eyes darted frantically from the baby's nose to its belly, then to its feet, and she felt panic and confusion overwhelm her. Amanda squeezed her hand tightly and drew her back into the room.
"That's not possible" Liv protested breathlessly, fear present in her voice, as she stared at the screen. "I can't be pregnant" she whispered, forcing herself to look up at the doctor, who was watching her patiently. "I can't."
"You are" Dr McCarthy said gently. "I'll take some more precise measurements, but based on the size of fetus I'd say you're around twelve weeks along" she added. Liv inhaled sharply and stared towards the bottom of the bed, her eyes filling with tears as the news overwhelmed her.
"Look at the screen, Liv" Amanda coaxed. Tears spilled from Liv's eyes and she wiped them away instinctively. "Hey" she soothed, placing her left hand on Liv's lower back. "It's alright" she said softly, squeezing her hand.
Liv sat silently for a few moments as she processed the news, the doctor's words replaying in her mind. Despite having seen the ultrasound image she was still struggling to accept the news, it did not seem possible, or real. She was in pain, she was in shock and she was overwhelmed, and she was struggling to think clearly. All she was able to do was recognise the fear and panic which was threatening to overwhelm her completely.
Liv was drawn suddenly from her stupor by another wave of strong cramping pain at the base of her abdomen, the intensity of which caused her to lean forward, pulling her hand out of Amanda's and gripping her belly. She was aware of the voices of Amanda and Dr McCarthy, and felt hands upon her body encouraging her to lean back, but she resisted. Liv whimpered as the pain intensified, spreading across to her sides and lower back, and causing a familiar aching sensation in her pelvis. As the pain gradually began to subside, Liv's reprieve was short-lived, as she felt hot liquid pool between her legs.
Liv inhaled sharply and finally leaned back, feeling Amanda's arm around her, drawing her close. She felt her bottom lip tremble and her eyes fill with tears, as she reluctantly placed her hand onto her inner thigh. When she drew it back, her fingers were stained bright red.
"No" Liv stammered, as she suddenly began to feel incredibly light-headed, her breathing become deeper. "No..." she exhaled, as her eyes rolled back in her head and fell backwards into Amanda's waiting arms.
"Liv!" Amanda called urgently. "Liv, open your eyes, stay with me" she commanded, panic in her voice.
"We need to lay her flat, now" Dr McCarthy advised, pulling the pillows out from behind Liv's head and lying her down flat upon the bed.
Amanda watched as the doctor pressed a red button above the bed, before pushing the ultrasound machine out of the way and stepping towards Liv, undoing the zipper of her black trousers and pulling them down her body. Her inner thighs were stained with blood.
"Wh-what can I do?" Amanda asked.
"Nothing" Dr McCarthy responded, as a nurse ran into the room. "Page Obstetrics" she demanded. "Twelve weeks pregnant, abdominal trauma, possible miscarriage" she relayed. The nurse nodded and ran out of the room.
Amanda watched as Dr McCarthy pulled Liv's trousers down, quickly removing them along with her boots. She then draped a thin hospital blanket over her thighs, before removing her blood-soaked underwear. Amanda swallowed hard and took Liv's limp hand in her own, squeezing it tightly.
"It's gonna be alright, Liv" Amanda assured her, staring at her friend's face, which was pale and expressionless. "It's gonna be alright" she repeated.
Her eyes drifted down towards Dr McCarthy, who was examining Liv. She waited as long as she could before her question stammered out.
"What's happening?" Amanda asked. Dr McCarthy lowered the blanket and hurried back towards the ultrasound machine, removing her blood-stained gloves and placing the wand back on Liv's belly. "Is she losing the baby?" she asked quietly.
"I don't know" Dr McCarthy responded honestly. "The pain she was experiencing and the blood loss are worrying signs, but her cervix is closed, which is good" she explained, her eyes focused on the screen as she spoke. "There is no damage to the uterine wall, the placenta appears in tact" she said, moving the wand across Liv's belly as she spoke. "And the baby's heart is still beating" she added, quickly putting the wand down and picking up another device which Amanda recognised as a doppler. She placed it on Liv's belly and the room was quickly filled with the sound of a strong, rapid heartbeat. Amanda felt herself relax. "The heartbeat's strong" Dr McCarthy said with a nod, turning towards Amanda.
"So it's gonna be okay?" Amanda asked. "Liv and the baby are gonna be alright?"
"I really can't say" Dr McCarthy responded apologetically, placing the doppler on the bedside table. "Sustaining an abdominal injury this severe in early pregnancy is dangerous, and the pain and blood loss are incredibly concerning" she said gently. "But her cervix is closed, the bleeding has stopped – for now" she explained. "The baby appears unharmed, and it's heartbeat is strong, which is good" she added. "There is no damage to the uterus or the placenta" she continued. "Liv's abdominal muscles are strong, but she has sustained deep tissue bruising, which is painful" she explained.
"Could that hurt the baby?" Amanda asked.
"No" Dr McCarthy said slowly. "But any distress to the mother can affect the baby, especially this early on" she advised. Amanda nodded in understanding.
"So what happens now?" Amanda asked. "What do we do?"
"We wait" Dr McCarthy replied gently. "Liv's body has been through something traumatic, and it needs to heal" she explained. "But given the nature of the injury she sustained, and the pain and blood loss she has experienced, it is very possible that she will miscarry" she added quietly. "And I'm afraid there is nothing we can do to prevent that" she explained. Amanda nodded in understanding. She was about to ask another question when the doors opened and a red headed doctor in her thirties entered the room.
"Dr Montague" Dr McCarthy said gently.
"What have we got?" she asked, looking down at Liv and then back towards Dr McCarthy.
Amanda stood in silence as she listened to Dr McCarthy relay the information concerning Liv's injuries, symptoms and condition to Dr Montague. She held Liv's hand and stroked her hair, and was drawn from her thoughts by the sound of her name.
"Amanda?" asked Dr McCarthy, prompting her to look up from Liv, and finding that both doctors were staring at her.
"Yeah?" she asked quietly.
"What's Liv's full name?" Dr McCarthy asked gently.
"Olivia Benson" she replied. Dr Montague typed the information in on her tablet.
"Do you know her date of birth?" Dr Montague asked. Amanda considered.
"February seventh" she said quietly. "She's forty-eight" she added. Dr Montague nodded.
"Okay, Amanda, we're going to admit Olivia to Obstetrics and monitor her closely for the next few hours" Dr Montague explained. Amanda nodded in understanding.
"I wanna stay with her" she replied.
"Of course" Dr Montague responded, smiling softly. "We'll take good care of her" she assured her.
"Is she gonna be alright?" Amanda asked.
"Given her age, this pregnancy was already high risk" Dr Montague said gently. "And the injuries she sustained caused pain and bleeding which is very concerning, as is the fact she has lost consciousness" she added. "But Olivia's heart rate has recovered, the bleeding has stopped, and the baby appears unharmed" she explained. "But she's not out of the woods yet" she said, her eyes holding Amanda's as she spoke. "We describe this incident as a threatened miscarriage" she explained. "Olivia has not miscarried, but it is possible that she will."
Amanda nodded absently in understanding.
"But that's not... it's not definite?" she asked. The doctor shook her head.
"No" Dr Montague replied. "The fact that the bleeding has stopped is encouraging, but the fact it started, and the amount she lost, is not good" she explained.
"I understand" Amanda responded, turning her attentions back towards Liv. "At least she's not in pain if she's unconscious" she said quietly. Dr Montague smiled at her sympathetically, her eyes drifting towards the doors as they opened.
"Amanda, we need to take Olivia to Obstetrics now" she explained. "I'll examine her again and we can go from there. Okay?"
"Yeah" Amanda replied, watching as two porters entered the room, and were provided with instructions by the doctor. Amanda reluctantly let go of Liv's hand and walked behind the porters as she was wheeled out of the room.
As she stepped into the brightly lit corridor she felt her phone vibrate in her back pocket. She took it out instinctively and stared at the screen, as Fin's name looked up at her. She swallowed thickly and answered the call.
"Hey, Fin" Amanda replied, trying to sound calmer than she was. "Yeah, we're at the hospital now" she advised. Amanda nodded slowly as she followed the porters and Dr Montague through the hospital corridors. "She's gonna be fine" Amanda said confidently. "She has some deep tissue bruising, possible broken ribs and there's been some bleeding, but she'll be alright" she advised, keeping as close to the truth as she could. "I'm gonna stay with her" she added, before offering Fin further reassurance and ending the call.
Amanda was putting her phone into her back pocket as Liv was wheeled into a private room, where a nurse was waiting. Dr Montague gave her some instructions and she began to set up an IV for Liv, and hook her up to various machines. Amanda stood back to provide them with space, and Dr Montague turned towards her.
"Amanda, is there someone you can call for Olivia?" she asked gently. "Her husband, or partner?" she asked. Amanda hesitated and shook her head.
"She doesn't have a husband or partner" she replied, as questions which crept into her mind when her pregnancy had been revealed returned with full force. "I don't know who I should call, or whether she would even want me to" she confessed, before offering a tight smile and walking over towards Liv, sitting on the bed next to her and taking her hand once more. "It's gonna be alright, Liv" she soothed, stroking her hair from her face. "I promise."