The week and a half which followed Rafael Barba's thoughtful gift of the pregnancy pillows were the most relaxing and restful weeks Liv had experienced in some time. Despite being busy with work and Noah, the pregnancy pillows provided her with a level of comfort and relief she had not realised was possible, and she achieved a solid six to seven hours sleep most nights, which was perfect. She utilised both pregnancy pillows and a blanket, creating what Rafa affectionately referred to as "a nest" in her bed. It was a comparison she found both amusing and endearing.
As a result of her improved sleeping patterns, Liv found herself feeling more calm and well-rested as the weeks progressed. Her anxiety concerning the arrival of her baby was being managed during her meetings with her therapist, Dr Lindstrom. In addition to their sessions, he suggested that Liv take up prenatal yoga, which would benefit both her physical and mental health. She suggested she would look into it and see if there were any virtual classes she could do at home, but Dr Lindstrom suggested it would be more beneficial for her to attend in-person classes, as she could meet other pregnant women. He provided her with pamphlets to some classes near to where she lived, and she signed up to one on Tuesday mornings before work. She found the class enjoyable and relaxing, and was surprised by the comfort she felt being with other women who were at a similar stage of their pregnancy as she was. Three of the women in her class were also in their forties, which made her feel much less alone.
Liv was at the beginning of the sixth month of her pregnancy and had just finished her second prenatal yoga class. She bought an orange and mango smoothie from a nearby store which she was sipping on the drive through Manhattan on her way to work. She was wearing black maternity yoga pants and matching jacket with a purple gym top which fell loosely over her ever-growing belly, with her hair tied up in a loose ponytail. She felt calm and well rested as she cruised through the city. As she stopped at a set of traffic lights she glanced down and noticed that the time was eight-twenty five, meaning she should arrive in the office with plenty of time to shower and change. She took another sip of her smoothie and felt the natural sugars coursing through her body, prompting her baby kick excitedly. She smiled softly and placed her hand on her belly, looking up at the lights, which were due to change at any moment.
Before Liv's lights could change, she saw a white BMW on the opposite side of the intersection perform a dangerous overtake, remaining on the wrong side of the road and increasing speed as it continued forward. She placed her smoothie down in her cup holder and watched in horror as the car did not stop at the lights, but instead entered the intersection at speed, crashing into a black Audi. The impact of the collision caused the Audi to flip several times, skidding across the tarmac with a sickening metallic sound, before landing heavily on its roof. The BMW drove around it unsteadily, before making a sharp turn and mounting the pavement, narrowly missing four pedestrians as it drove out of sight.
Liv gasped in horror and undid her seatbelt, before reaching into the side of her door and picked up her window hammer. She threw open her door and jumped out of the car, removing her phone from her jacket pocket as she ran towards the car which was crashed in the centre of the intersection.
"This is Captain Benson of Manhattan SVU" Liv informed dispatch breathlessly, as she and a man from the car behind her ran towards the crashed vehicle. "I need an ambulance, fire service and Police dispached immediately to the intersection of 10th Avenue and 23rd Street" she declared. "Serious RTC between two vehicles" she added as she reached the car. "Also put out a BOLO for a white BMW 5 series with damage to the front and driver's side door, licence plate 592 NPG" she added, before ending the call and putting her phone in her pocket.
As Liv reached the car she could see that the airbags had been deployed, the front window shattered and extensive damage caused to the side and front of the vehicle. The driver was a woman in her mid-thirties with long dark hair and extensive bruising and bleeding to her face. She was groaning and moving her hands weakly, battling to stay awake. As Liv was about to speak, she heard a pounding of the tinted glass windows of the back of the car, and a child's voice screaming "mummy! Mummy!". Liv's eyes widened in horror, and she watched as the driver's eyes opened wide.
"Libby? Libby!" the woman screamed. "Amy!"
"It's okay, you're okay!" Liv called, leaning towards the driver's window. "We're gonna get you out of here" she assured her, her voice calm and controlled. She heard the sound of footsteps behind her, as a man dressed in construction gear reached her side.
"My kids! Get my kids out, please. Please" she said, her voice weakening and her head falling forwards, she fell unconscious.
"We will" Liv assured her, before looking up at the man beside her, a tall stocky man in his early forties with light brown hair and a tanned face. "You get her out, I'll get the kids" Liv instructed, the authority in her voice earning an immediate nod from the man beside her, who leaned down, turned the key in the ignition to turn off the engine, and began trying to free the woman from her seatbelt.
Liv hurried towards the back of the car, where one of the two screaming children were pounding desperately on the window and screaming for their mother. They sounded no older than six or seven years old.
"Libby, Amy, my name is Olivia, I'm a Police Officer" Liv said calmly. "I'm gonna get you out of there, but I need you to stay calm, okay?" she soothed. The girls' screams calmed into whimpers, and the banging came to a near stop.
Liv reached for the door handle and tried to open the door, but it would not open. She frowned and pulled it harder, twice, but it would not move.
"Okay, girls, I need you to listen to me" Liv said calmly, talking clearly in the direction of the window. "I want you to turn away from this window and close your eyes. Can you do that for me?"
A chorus of tearful yeses confirmed that they could. Liv waited a moment before stepping back, shielding her face with her left forearm, and hitting the centre of the window with the glass hammer. The window shattered on the second hit and the girls screaming, prompting Liv to bend down and look inside the car.
The older daughter, who was approximately six years old and with her mother's hair and frightened eyes, was staring at Liv with utter terror. She had freed herself of her seatbelt and was sitting on the underside of the upturned roof, one protective hand upon her younger sister. Her sister, who appeared to be about four years of age, was strapped into her car seat, holding onto the seatbelt and crying.
"It's okay, sweetie. You're gonna be okay" Liv soothed, as she reached through the window to the oldest girl and extended her hand. "Take my hand, sweetie. Come with me" she instructed gently.
"My-my sister" she stammered tearfully. Liv offered her a soft smile.
"I'm gonna get your sister out next, but I can't get to her until you're out. Okay?" she explained. The older girl stared at Liv uncertainly, before nodding in response, and slowly crawling towards Liv. "Be careful of the glass" Liv encouraged, as the girl slowly made her way towards it. "That's it. You're doing great" she added, as the girl's hand reached hers.
Liv clasped the girl's hand tightly and pulled her out through the window and onto the road, holding the trembling girl in her arms before rising to her feet. Liv drew her hand around the girl and looked her over, quickly ascertaining that she had no serious injuries, just cuts and scratches. A kindly elderly couple walked briskly towards Liv, reaching out for the girl, and encouraging her to be with them.
"Stay right there" Liv instructed, as she released the girl into the older couple's custody, and watched them take her onto the sidewalk. Liv's eyes drifted across the passing cars, gawping civilians and a sea of cell phones recording the incident. Her eyes hardened and she turned back towards the car.
Before Liv could return to the youngest child, she noticed that the man beside her was struggling to free the mother from her seatbelt.
"You okay?" Liv asked, as she hurried towards him.
"The seatbelt's jammed, I can't get her out" he grunted breathlessly, as he continued to battle with it. "I've got a box cutter in my car" he stated.
"I got it" Liv said quickly, before leaning past him into the driver's side window and using the other side of the glass hammer to cut through the seat belt. The man beside her caught the woman before she felt against the windscreen, and he carefully pulled her out of the car.
As Liv rose to her feet to head back towards the rear passenger seat, a loud 'whooshing' sound erupted from the front of the vehicle, which promptly burst into flames. People gasped in horror and some started to scream. The man beside her looked up and stumbled as he pulled the unconscious woman from the debris of her car.
"Get her out of here!" Liv yelled. "Everyone stay back!" she instructed, before hurrying to the back of the car once more. She knelt down on the ground, feeling glass crunching against her knees, but ignored it. "Hi sweetie, it's okay" she soothed, as the younger girl stared at the flames which were rising against the windscreen, and promptly began to scream. "It's okay, you're gonna be okay" Liv assured her, as she tried to reach in towards her. In her desperate attempts to save the girl, Liv's arm grazed the jagged glass left in the pane of the window, and she felt a sharp pain across her arm, followed immediately by warm blood spreading across her forearm. The little girl was too far away, and Liv's pregnant belly made climbing in through the window impossible. She could tell from the concave metal of the door next to the child that the other door was even more damaged than this one, so was much less likely to open.
The little girl was terrified and inconsolable, and she did not respond to or acknowledge Liv. She continued to scream and cry and yell for her mother, which caused something deep inside Liv's heart to ache. Liv rose to her feet and pulled against the door handle, feeling the door move slightly but not enough to open, having been damaged when the car flipped. She pulled it several times, feeling it give slightly more each time, but to no avail. She hit it furiously with the hammer five times, before pulling the handle again, feeling the door give slightly more, opening an inch or so but not completely. Liv gripped the handle tightly and pulled it as hard as she could, prompting it to finally open with a sickening metal creak.
As Liv wrenched the door open, she felt something in her right shoulder pop, followed by a burning, searing pain which took her breath away. She drew her arm towards herself immediately, but realised she was unable to move it. She grit her teeth and winced in pain, before leaning into the car, squatting down and heading towards the girl.
The little girl was crying and screaming hysterically, and Liv's attempts at soothing her as she cut her free from her seatbelt were almost completely in vain.
Once freed from her seat, Liv wrapped her left arm around the little girl and eased her onto her feet, taking her hand and guiding her backwards out of the car, as the flames grew ever closer.
As soon as the little girl's feet reached the tarmac she ran at Liv, grasping at her desperately.
"I've got you. I've got you, my love. It's okay" Liv soothed, as she leaned down and encouraged the girl to put her arms around her neck. "You're okay" Liv assured her, as she lifted the child with her left arm, ignoring the searing pain in her right shoulder as she did so.
The little girl seat on top of Liv's pregnant belly and wrapped her arms around her waist, holding onto her tightly and sobbing as Liv ran with her away from the car.
Less than five seconds later, a loud roar from behind Liv was followed by the feeling of sudden heat, as the car burst into flames. The pressure of the explosion caused Liv to fall to her knees, landing heavily upon the ground, leaning forwards as she wrapped her left arm protectively around the little girl.
Sirens wailed in the background, and Liv exhaled breathlessly, looking up in relief as she saw a fire engine approaching with blinding lights.
"It's okay" Liv soothed, relief flooding her, as she held the sobbing girl close. "You're okay" she breathed, closing her eyes and holding her tight.
The next ten minutes were a blur of crying, sirens and emergency personnel. Four squadcars arrived on the scene, followed by two ambulances, as the scene was quickly secured, the fire extinguished and the casualties treated.
Liv gave a succinct account of the incident to the first responders, answering their initial questions and providing instructions to the police officers who responded.
The driver of the car, who was the mother of the two little girls, had sustained a serious head injury, suspected punctured lung, and broken legs. She was rushed to hospital in the first ambulance, whilst the girls were treated at the roadside by the crew from the second.
Little Amy, who Liv had pulled from the burning wreckage, clung to her saviour and screamed when the EMT tried to prise her off. Her flailing and vitals indicated she had not sustained a serious injury, and visually she appeared to be virtually unharmed, save for a scratch above her left eye. It was agreed that Liv would travel in the second ambulance with the children, whose father had been telephoned by one of the Police officers, and was already heading towards the hospital.
As Liv sat on the examination bed in the back of the ambulance, and finally convinced the little girl to sit on her lap and face the EMT to she could look her over, she winced and leaned into her right arm. The little girl's sister, Libby, was sitting silently next to Liv, clutching the edge of her jacket, as though tethering herself to her. Liv turned towards her and offered her some words of reassurance, before inhaling deeply and wincing once more, releasing a slowly breath as she tried to ignore the rising pain.
"How far along are you?" asked the female EMT, her dark brown eyes meeting Liv's.
"Six months" Liv said calmly. "The baby's fine, I can feel it moving and kicking" she quickly added. The EMT nodded in response.
"You've hurt your right arm" the EMT remarked. "Can you move it?" she asked. Liv swallowed thickly and shook her head.
"No" she confessed. The EMT nodded.
"Can you tell me how you did it?" she asked. Liv inhaled deeply.
"I couldn't get the rear passenger door open" Liv said quietly, as she remembered pulling on the handle with all her might, and hitting it hard with the hammer. "When I finally managed to wrench it open I felt a pop, then this hot, searing pain in my shoulder" she advised. "I haven't been able to move it since" she added quietly.
"It sounds like it's dislocated" the EMT informed her. Liv nodded in agreement. She suspected it was. "I need to take a look at you" she advised, moving closer to Liv.
"No!" Amy cried, turning in Liv's lap and wrapping her arms around her neck. Liv winced in pain but rubbed the little girl's back with her left hand.
"It's okay, sweetie" Liv soothed, feeling the girl shaking beneath her touch. "You can stay right there, okay?" she assured her, as she looked up at the EMT. "Could you cut my jacket off me?" she suggested. "I think I've also cut my arm on the glass, it's bleeding" she admitted. The EMT nodded in agreement and reached for a pair of medical scissors, which she used to quickly cut through the right sleeve of Liv's jacket, all the way up to the neckline.
As the EMT pushed the two separately sections of fabric aside, her eyes drifted down Liv's arm from her shoulder to her forearm. Liv glanced down curiously and paled at the sight before her.
"Your right shoulder is definitely dislocated" the EMT stated, as she reached behind her for some material which was in her kit. "And you've got a deep cut to the back of your right forearm, about an inch deep, six inches across" she stated, before pressing down a wad of fabric on Liv's forearm. Liv inhaled sharply and closed her eyes, ignoring a strong feeling of nausea. She knew she had cut her arm but had not realised it was as bad as it was, the black fabric of her jacket having concealed the blood loss. "This'll need stitches" the EMT declared. Liv nodded in agreement.
"Can you re-set my shoulder?" Liv asked gently. The EMT shook her head.
"Not in a moving ambulance" she said softly. "We'll be at the hospital in five minutes" she added. Liv nodded in understanding, reaching into her left pocket and removing her phone, as the EMT called in details of Liv's injuries.
Liv felt a sudden wave of guilt and panic, fear flooding her as she unlocked her phone and dialled a recent contact. Her baby kicked her encouragingly as Liv dialled and held the phone close to her ear.
Rafael Barba walked calmly into the precinct, responding to an email on his phone whilst taking a sip of his very strong coffee. He looked up as he stepped into the squad room, and found Fin Tutuola standing opposite him.
"Hey, Counsellor" Fin said politely. "Liv's not in yet" he advised. "Must be running late."
"Okay" Rafael Barba responded, trying to ignore the sudden feeling of unease which pooled deep in the pit of his stomach.
"Is there somethin' I can help you with?" Fin asked.
"Uh, possibly. Yes" Barba continued, as he walked with Fin into the squadroom. "The Taxi Cab Rapist's legal team have filed a motion claiming that the confession was coerced" he stated. "The Hearing is this afternoon and I need to talk to Liv, you and any other officers who spoke with him on the day of his arrest" he added.
"That confession was not coerced" Fin stated confidently, as they approached Amanda's desk.
"I'm sure it wasn't" Barba assured him, watching as Amanda sat up straight and reached for her phone, which had started to ring. "But I still need to talk to you all" he added.
"I get it" Fin assured her.
"Hey, Liv" said Amanda, prompting Rafael Barba to feel relief flood him. "Yeah, everything's fine, you?" she continued conversationally, as Barba took another sip of his coffee. "Wait, what?" Amanda said suddenly, worry and surprise present in his tone. He lowered the cup from his lips. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" she asked, rising from her seat as she spoke. Barba stiffened, staring at Amanda, who was grabbing her coat from the back of her chair and nodding. "I'm gonna come and meet you at the hospital" she stated firmly. Barba paled and Fin stepped instinctively closer to him, his own eyes also focused on Amanda. "No, Liv, I'm coming. I'll be there in ten" she said, before ending the call and turning on the spot.
"Rollins?" Barba asked, worry present in his eyes and voice. Amanda stared at him in surprise and opened her mouth to speak. "What's happened?" he asked. "Is Liv alright?"
"She's fine" Amanda quickly assured him. "She witnessed a car accident this morning, and she helped get some kids out" she continued, "she's hurt her arm and shoulder, so she's gonna get checked out at the hospital" she explained carefully. "But she's fine, and the baby is fine too" she quickly added, watching as the usually unflappable Rafael Barba showed signs of panic. "Her injuries sound minor, she's okay" she soothed.
"I'm coming with you" Barba stated, in a tone which made it clear it was not a request. Amanda nodded obediently and walked briskly with Barba out of the squad room.
Liv arrived at hospital five minutes after making the call to Amanda. Amy refused to be separated from her, and so the EMT helped Liv to stand, and escorted her out of the ambulance.
As Liv and the children were guided towards the hospital entrance, a tall man in an expensive suit was pacing near a Police officer. Upon seeing the man, the previously silent Libby screamed "daddy!" and ran towards him. The man turned around with wide eyes and an expression filled with relief, as he rushed towards his daughter, scooping her up in his arms and holding her tightly. Liv felt tears burning in her eyes at the sight before her.
Liv was quickly distracted from her own emotions by Amy, who upon hearing her sister's cry turned towards her father, clinging to Liv but looking up at her father just as he looked up in search of her. Anticipating the girl's next actions, Liv bent down and released her, prompting the little limpet to let go immediately and run towards her father, screaming his name.
"Come on, Olivia" the EMT coaxed, as she continued to lead Liv towards the entrance. "Sir, we need to check those girls over" she informed the father, who looked up towards her immediately. He looked up at Liv and walked slowly towards her, as though in a trance. The police officer followed him closely.
"Are you the officer who saved my daughters?" he asked tearfully, his voice heavy with emotion. Liv smiled softly and nodded. "Thank you" he said, relief flooding him. "Thank you so much" he added.
"Of course" Liv assured him. "The girls seem fine, but they need to be checked out by a doctor."
"Absolutely" he agreed, wiping his eyes and holding his daughters tight.
"Olivia, we really need to get you inside" the EMT insisted. Before Liv could respond, she watched as the girls' father's eyes drifted towards her belly. His eyes widened and he looked worried.
"Oh, my God, are you alright?" he asked with concern.
"I'm fine" Liv assured him quickly. "The baby's fine" she added quickly, as the EMT drew her towards the door. "Take care" she encouraged, as she was led into the hospital.
As Liv walked into the ER she was led towards a tall, stocky doctor in his mid-forties, with sandy hair and glasses. It was clear he had been waiting for her.
"Miss Benson?" the doctor asked. "I'm Dr Samuels. Can you come with me, please?" he asked gently. Liv nodded in agreement as the EMT walked with, following the doctor into a consultation room.
Over the course of the next ten minutes, the EMT and Liv apprised Dr Samuels of the nature of her injuries and how they were sustained, and he examined her. Liv assured her doctor she had not sustained any abdominal trauma, and her baby had been moving and kicking constantly since the incident. Dr Samuels listened to the baby's heart with a stethoscope and conducted an ultrasound, which confirmed that all was well.
"The baby is fine, it's the mother we are concerned about" Dr Samuels said gently, his voice warm and friendly. "This is a nasty anterior dislocation" he informed her. "And you're going to need stitches for that cut" he advised. Liv nodded in agreement.
Before the conversation could continue there was a knock at the door, and Dr Samuels turned towards it.
"My friend Amanda is on her way" Liv said quickly, as the doctor opened the door slowly. Liv drew her arm to her side, holding onto her right wrist with her left hand, as she looked up at the door. But as it opened, she was surprised to find herself meeting the worried gaze of Rafael Barba, who walked quickly into the room.
"Liv" he breathed, his concern almost palpable.
"Rafa" she replied, surprise present in her tone. She watched as his eyes drifted from her shoulder to her bleeding arm. His eyes widened worriedly and he stepped instinctively towards her. "How did you-?"
"I was in the precinct when you called Rollins" Rafa responded, somewhat distractedly, as his gaze drifted over her injuries once more, before meeting her gaze. "Are you alright?" he asked, placing his hand on her waist.
"I'm fine" she quickly assured him. "The baby's fine" she quickly added. Rafa stared at her for a moment, noticing that despite her calmness, she was very pale, and her eyes were glassy with pain.
"Why didn't you call me?" he asked, confusion and hurt present in his voice. Liv felt a knot form in the pit of her stomach, and quickly tighten, as she stumbled for an answer.
"I didn't want to worry you" Liv said gently. Rafa's eyes widened incredulously. "I only called Amanda to let her know I'd be late. I was going to call you after-"
"You were admitted to hospital at six months' pregnant and you didn't think to call me?" Rafa asked, lowering his hand from her waist to her hip and holding her gaze. Liv's expression faltered.
"The baby's alright" Liv repeated, drawing Rafa's hand from her hip to her belly, where their child was making a valiant attempt at kicking a hole through her uterus. "It's just my shoulder" she said dismissively. "It's nothing, I'm fine-"
"It's not nothing" Rafa contested, "and you are not fine" he said slowly. Liv stared at Rafa for a moment, confusion overcoming her. She couldn't tell if he was mad or worried. She was beginning to suspect it was a combination of the two.
"I've dislocated my shoulder and need a few stitches, that's all" Liv soothed.
"That's all?" Rafa repeated incredulously. He was about to argue when he stopped himself, swallowing hard and nodding, before turning towards the doctor. "Are you able to relocate her shoulder, please?" he asked keenly, noting that Liv was clearly in pain, despite her attempts to conceal it. He did not want to delay her getting treatment for a moment.
"Yes" Dr Samuels said politely, having been waiting patiently for an opportunity to interject. "Olivia, this is going to hurt, but only for a moment, okay?" he advised. Liv held his gaze and nodded.
"Is there anything I can do?" Rafa asked. The doctor met his gaze.
"If Olivia could hold onto you for support, whilst I relocate her right shoulder, that would be helpful" Dr Samuels explained. Rafa nodded keenly.
"Of course" Rafa stated, as he stepped closer to Liv.
Liv looked up at Rafa and met his gaze, as she continued to try and work out if he was angry or worried. He seemed less angry now, more resigned, and she felt something deep inside her ache. She stepped forward obediently and held onto his right shoulder with her left hand as instructed. She felt Rafa's hands upon her body, his left hand resting comfortingly on her hip, his right arm up her back, holding her close.
Dr Samuels took Liv's right hand and used it to slowly guide her arm away from her body, explaining the procedure as he did so. Liv nodded in agreement as she listened, wincing in pain as he raised her arm uncomfortably high. Rafa gripped her hip tighter and rubbed her back.
"It's alright, hey. It's okay" Rafa soothed, running his hand comfortingly up her back and encouraging her to rest her head against his shoulder. "It's okay."
A few moments later, Liv felt as Dr Samuels lifted her arm higher into the air, the pain prompting her to grip Rafa's shoulder painfully as her shoulder was clicked back into place. Liv cried out in pain, burying her head in the crook of Rafa's neck, as she exhaled breathlessly. She was vaguely aware of the sound of Rafa's voice, the feeling of his hands upon her, comforting her as she came through the other side. After a few moments she leaned back slowly, letting out a deep breath as she lifted her right shoulder, which felt sore but incredibly less painful than it had done before.
"You okay?" Rafa asked, meeting her gaze with warm eyes. Liv nodded in agreement.
"I'm okay" she assured him. Rafa considered her for a moment before nodding in response.
"Come and sit down" Rafa encouraged, as he guided her towards the examination table. He watched as Liv winced. "Is there anything you can give her for the pain?" he asked Dr Samuels hopefully.
"We usually prescribe anti-inflammatory medications, which can be used in the first and second trimester of pregnancy, but not after around twenty-eight weeks" Dr Samuels advised, anticipating the next question. "So I can prescribe-"
"I'll be fine with Tylenol" Liv interjected. "Thank you" she added gratefully. Rafa stared at her with confusion.
"Liv, you're only twenty-four weeks pregnant, you can take the medication" he said gently. Liv shook her head.
"I don't want to risk it" Liv said gently. "The pain's not that bad, I'll be fine" she added. Although Rafa wanted to argue the point, it was clear she was still in pain, and she still needed to receive stitches. So he simply nodded in acknowledgement.
"Okay" he conceded, as he took her left hand in his. She looked up and met his gaze and he offered her a small smile, which he returned.
Rafa sat beside Liv and tried to distract her, as Dr Samuels stitched, dressed and bandaged her arm. When they were done, Dr Samuels put Liv's arm in a sling, and Rafa draped his coat around her, mindful of her injured shoulder.
"Can I be discharged now, please?" Liv asked keenly. Rafa blinked in surprise.
"Shouldn't she stay in for observation?" Rafa asked slowly, prompting Liv to turn towards him with a confused expression. "Given her condition" he added for clarification.
"As Olivia did not sustain any abdominal injuries, and the ultrasound and heart-rate show the baby is fine, I'm happy for her to be discharged" Dr Samuels said confidently. "I'd like you to rest, no heavy lifting, no driving for the next week or so whilst your arm heals" he explained. "You can take the sling off in a couple of days" he added. Liv nodded keenly in response. "I'll get that paperwork" he added, sensing the couple needed to talk.
"Thank you" Liv said quietly.
"Thanks" Rafa echoed.
Liv waited until the door closed behind Dr Samuels before turning towards Rafa, who appeared visibly uncomfortable.
"Rafa, I'm fine" Liv said warmly. "The baby and I are both fine" she soothed.
Liv watched as Rafa's jaw clenched and swallowed hard.
"You're not fine" Rafa said quietly, his tone somewhere between sadness and anger. "What were you thinking?" he asked, turning towards her and meeting her gaze with worried eyes. Liv leaned back and stared at him in surprise, before frowning.
"I was thinking I had to get those girls out of the car wreck" Liv said slowly, her tone defensive. "What would you have had me do, kept driving?" she asked.
"No, of course not" Rafa sighed, closing his eyes as he spoke.
"Then what?" Liv persisted, staring at him in confusion, genuinely bewildered.
"I'm not suggesting you should have ignored them" Rafa replied, his voice calm but his disappointment clear. "But it didn't have to be you who ran towards the car" he said patiently. Liv swallowed hard and looked down at the floor, slowly easing herself to her feet and turning to face him as he continued to speak. "It was rush-hour, there would've been dozens of people around-"
"Yeah, there were, but most of them took out their phones to record it rather than help" Liv responded, frustration present in her tone. "What would you have had me do?" she asked incredulously. Rafa held her gaze and got to his feet, his shoulders falling as he spoke.
"You could have given orders, you could have told people what to do-"
"There wasn't time" Liv interrupted, finding herself feeling increasingly agitated by what she perceived as unfair criticism. "The mother passed out, the girls were screaming, and the car caught on fire-"
"And you ran towards it, without any thought as to your own safety" Rafa continued, the irritation in his tone matching hers.
"I'm a Police officer!" Liv retorted, gesturing with her left hand and raising her voice as she spoke.
"The only one? In all of Manhattan?" he responded sarcastically. Liv scoffed and met his gaze, fixing him with a hard glare. "You're also six months pregnant, in case you've forgotten" he added. Liv's eyes widened and she leaned back. She was in pain, she was sore, and he was yelling at her. She was furious.
"Of course I haven't" Liv said quietly, her eyes ablaze, her voice dangerously low. "The baby is fine" she stated with conviction. Rafa looked away from her and she bridled. "What?" she demanded.
Rafa swallowed hard and exhaled deeply, trying to calm himself and suppress his rising feelings of agitation and worry.
"It didn't have to be you" Rafa responded, his voice quieter and more calm, as he met her gaze.
"It happened right in front of me" Liv said calmly. "And I reacted. It was instinctive" she explained. Rafa stared at her before nodding in acknowledgement. "I've taken myself out of the field since discovering I was pregnant. I only leave my office to go to another room in the precinct, or Court, or One PP" she stated. "There were extenuating circumstances" she said gently, trying to soothe a visibly agitated Rafael Barba. "And everyone was fine" she reminded him.
"I get it" Rafa assured her. "I get it, Liv. I really do" he continued, taking a small step towards her as he spoke. "But what if you weren't fine?" he said gently. "What if you hurt more than your arm, or your shoulder?" he suggested, nodding towards her sling. "What if the car exploded when you were inside?" he asked, pain present in his voice and his eyes. Liv took a step closer to him.
"It didn't" she reminded him.
"It could've" he countered, holding her gaze as he spoke. "Liv, whether you like it or not, being pregnant makes you more vulnerable, physically" he explained. "You can't just-"
"Please don't tell me what I can and can't do" Liv sighed, exasperation present in her voice. Rafa's expression tightened and he stared at her.
"You really don't see any problem with what you did?" Rafa asked quietly. Liv held his gaze with a shocked expression.
"Getting two children out the back of a burning car? No, I don't" she countered.
"I'm not saying you should've left them in the car, I am suggesting you could have delegated" Rafa replied calmly.
"Delegated? To who? One of the dozens of morons recording those children crying on their phones?" Liv argued. "You think I could trust them to get those girls out?"
"I don't think you even considered asking anyone else for help" Rafa replied, frustration present in his voice. Liv's eyes widened and she shook her head. "Liv, you are six months pregnant. Your pregnancy is high risk, you are anaemic-"
"I know" Liv spat, her eyes ablaze. Rafa bristled.
"What you did put you and our baby-"
"Just because I am carrying your child does not mean you get to tell me what to do" Liv responded angrily, her eyes ablaze. Rafa stopped mid-sentence and stared at her in shock, the hurt look in his eyes making something deep in Liv's belly ache.
"I have never suggested that it does" Rafa said calmly, frustration present in his tone.
"Well it sounds like you were" Liv responded. "Why don't you just make me a list of things I can or cannot do?" she said sarcastically.
"I have never tried to control you or your behaviour" Rafa responded, unable to hide his offence at the insinuation from his voice or expression. "That is not what is happening here and you know it" he said calmly.
"Isn't it?" Liv asked.
"Don't be ridiculous" Rafa said quietly.
"Oh, so now I'm ridiculous?" she asked, her voice rising with annoyance.
"Not usually, no, but right now ,yes, you are being ridiculous" Rafa responded. "Though if I were to write you a list of what not to do during a high-risk pregnancy, running towards a burning car would be on it somewhere between swimming with sharks and shooting heroin!" he retorted. Liv leaned back and glared at him, her eyes ablaze.
"The car was not on fire when I went towards it" she said quietly.
"Oh, well that's alright then" he responded sarcastically. Liv clenched her jaw and they stared at each other.
"How dare you" Liv replied, irritation present in her tone. "You don't get to decide what I can and cannot do" she stated. "I am not just an incubator for your baby!" Liv responded, tears burning in her eyes as she spoke. Rafa's eyes widened and his lips parted, as he stared at her in shock. Something in his expression made her regret her words immediately, guilt flooding her as she realised she had crossed a line.
"I have never suggested that, or treated you in a way which would indicate that's what I believe, because it's not" Rafa said quietly, his tone imbued with hurt, and an undercurrent of anger. "I am not just worried about the baby, I am worried about you" he continued patiently. "Because whether you like it or not, pregnancy does make you more vulnerable" he stated. "The risks are not just to our baby, but to you. And if something happens to you, it affects our baby" he continued, his voice calm and measured. "I am asking you – I am begging you – to be careful. To exercise caution. To not put yourself in situations which could be harmful to you and our baby" he explained. "I am not only concerned about the baby. And I do not view you simply as the vessel that is carrying it" he stated, hurt present in his voice as he spoke. "And you know it" he added, his eyes burning with anger as he spoke. Liv sighed gently and swallowed hard.
"Stop treating me like a child" Liv responded with frustration.
"Then start behaving like an adult" Rafa responded angrily. Liv stood up straight and stared at him with furious eyes.
"I am" Liv responded, her voice dangerously low. " And I would never put our baby in danger" she said calmly, shaking her head as she spoke. Rafa met her gaze with a disappointed expression.
"You just did" he said quietly.
Liv stared at Rafa, trying to ignore the hurt that his disappointed tone and expression caused her. She was sore and in pain and angry, and his statement had deeply offended her. She felt tears burning in her eyes, and her anger was overtaken by pain and hurt. She swallowed thickly and blinked in a vain attempt to stop herself from crying.
"Screw you, Barba" she said quietly, her voice heavy with emotion, as she turned angrily on the spot and walked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her.