Chapter Five

I hear rhythmic beeping. Steady and somewhat loud. Maybe it's because of my pounding headache.

The lights are off, which helps. So I open my eyes.

Hospital. Why the hell am I in a hospital room?

Suddenly, I find it hard to breathe. I sit up and hear the heart monitor speed up. That's when a nurse comes over to me, pushing my shoulders back.

"Ma'am, you need to relax and lie down. Don't worry, your safe," she tells me.

"W-What happened?" I remember the twins. "M-My kids! Where are my kids!?"

"Your kids?"

"Well, they aren't mine but they are," I explain, not realizing she won't get what I mean by that.

"Uh...huh..." the nurse says.

"Just let me see them! Where are they? There should be two 14-year-olds. They could possibly have two older women and a baby with them."

"That's who's waiting in the-"

"Yes!"

"Alright," she says, unconvinced.

A couple minutes later, Lizzie and Dickie rush in to my room with the baby. Immediately, Eli is on my lap, surrounded by my arms. The twins sit on either side of me.

"What happened?" I ask.

"You saw Dad and fainted. Hit your head on the floor and you wouldn't wake up," Dickie explains.

"I just...I don't..." I stammer. "Where is he?"

"He had to do something but he should be back any minute."

I nod and Eli starts to cry.

"Oh, baby, what's up, huh?" I coo in his ear. Gently bouncing him, he slowly calms down.

Eli babbles his baby talk. "Brgrfflgrb Wiv shbferd," he says.

"Did he just say..."

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you," Lizzie says suddenly. "Eli was watching when you fainted and said 'Wiv!' His first word."

"You couldn't have stayed conscious five more seconds to hear it, either," Dickie replies.

"The reason he said it is because she was unconscious, you doofus."

My heart warms up to this information. His first word was my name.

Just then, there's a knock at the door and it opens. Who I thought was a dream before, is actually standing there in front of me.

I feel my world spinning again, but I know I won't pass out.

"You're supposed to fall on something soft," he says.

"And you're supposed to be dead! What the hell, Elliot?!" I feel tears forming in my eyes.

He still has a smirk on his face. "Thanks for that kidney."

"Your body didn't reject it?"

"Obviously not."

Then it clicks. "They put you in Witness Protection?!"

"Yeah, they did."

A million thoughts run through my head. He was never dead. Kathy didn't know that. Does he know Kathy is dead? Or is she in Witness Protection too? What is this gonna do for the kids now?

"Wh...What...K-Kathy? I-" I babble.

"Liv, it's okay. I-"

"Wiv!" Eli interjects very seriously. It gets a slight smile out of me. I snuggle him closer.

"Guys, take Eli to the waiting room. Your sisters should be here soon," Elliot requests.

They nod and all three kids are off the bed, out of the room. Elliot takes Lizzie's place.

"Seriously, Liv. I would've died if-"

"And I would've ended up in the same position. I would've watched the kids. They'd be safe."

"I know that. But then again, Children Serv-"

"Oh I've heard enough about them today, okay? They said everything was fine, but made a huge fuss anyways. I'm glad you were the reason, but still.

"Mhm," he says sarcastically.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"I'm not gonna lie to you, Liv. I know you and I know you desperately wanted to keep these kids. Even a little from me."

I open my mouth in shock. "How could you say that? All they wanted was their father back. I wanted to help them in any way I could."

"It's fine, Liv."

"But it's not. I thought you were dead. Your kids thought you were dead! Kathy...oh my god, Kathy. She...She..."

I start tearing up at the situation.

"I know, I know. It's gonna be...hard. Once the excitement of me dies down. And the fact they have to stay here...they'll be hurt."

Then it hits me: he can't come out of Witness Protection. And if he wants his kids they have to transfer as well into the program.I have to go back to Manhattan.I'm never gonna see any of them again.Unless I can get the asshole perp that put him here.

But for now, any sort of fake family I had is gone.

But it wasn't fake. They were mine. All mine.

I shouldn't have thought it would last. I should've told myself it was all pretend and they'd be taken away as soon as I had them.

I have to catch this perp. And I have to do it now.

"Liv, we're gonna be fine. And can still call and talk to them. I'm not gonna stop you."

"But Tucker might."

"Well screw him."

Okay then.

"I'm gonna get this guy. As soon as I'm back in-"

"Take it easy, Liv. It's not gonna be easy. How do you plan on doing that anyways?"

"I don't know. But I'm gonna get you back to SVU. And those kids back to Queens."

"Rest up first, alright? You fell pretty hard."

"I can't rest and you know that."

"Still. I'll even let you have the baby for a while."

I smile at that. "Can you get him now?"

"Yes I will."

I keep smiling, even after Eli is in my arms. He babbles and babbles, only stopping when his little baby mind gets distracted by something random.

It doesn't take long to get me discharged, but I know I can't go home just yet. Maureen, Kathleen, and the twins are waiting and they all insist I stay with them for a little bit.

So I do.

•••

I know this is a hella short chapter but I wanted to end it there. Mainly cuz I'm not sure how to continue it.

Should I make it:

A: an E/O love story?

~or~

B: a custody battle between the dynamic duo?

~or~

C: try for both?

please comment and let me know! Otherwise this is gonna be a hard story to continue 😁😁😁