Stork (SVU Fanfic)

Chapter Two

I put Eli in his car seat and buckle him up. He's barely awake, since it's nearly his nap time. Just before I close his door, I kiss his head.

After a slow drive to the Stabler residence, I get out and take Eli with me.

I unlock the door and carry Eli up to his room first, to put him in his crib for the time being. When I get up there, the crib is taken apart and the parts are stacked. A bunch of his toys are in a cardboard box.

I take the baby to the next bedroom - Dickie's - and see it still looks the same. My hands, on instinct, lie Eli down and put pillows around him so he doesn't roll off the bed.

After looking at the other untouched rooms, I'm confused as to why she did this to just Eli's room.

Because he's my favorite. And Kathy thinks I'd take him and not the others, which is untrue.

Quickly, I carry the crib pieces to my car and put them in the trunk. Then the box of toys. Now, onto the kitchen. Just as Kathy wrote, my key works with the box sitting there. It's stuffed to the brim with papers. I just close it and put it in the passenger seat.

Next. I don't even know. Something about food for the baby sticks in the back of my mind.

I go through the lower cabinets so I can find the reusable shopping bags. I take all of the baby's food. I take a third bag and get diapers and clothes and other things for the baby. I hear him cry, so I hurry to put the things in the car and go comfort Eli.

While carrying him, I wander into the master bedroom. It's a mess.

Brown boxes are marked with big E's and I know that stands for Elliot. One says E - NYPD Stuff.

Without even thinking, I drag that out and towards the stairs. Eli has calmed down so I put him down again.

I finish packing up the car and I grab my favorite boy and buckle him in his car seat.

What I don't get is why I didn't find Kathy. And why I just went and did what she told me.

While sitting around my apartment questioning it, my phone rings.

"Hello?" I ask without checking who it is.

"O-Oliv-via?" I hear. It's a crying Lizzie.

"Is this about your mom?" I ask automatically.

"Yeah..." she replies, drawing out the word. "How the hell did you know?!?" she yells.

"We have a lot to talk about. But I just got the call. I was one of your dad emergency contacts so I guess it went over to her too. Where are your brother and sisters?"

"Brother?"

"I have Eli. He's alright. Where are the rest of you?"

"My grandma's taking us to Mercy."

I hear commotion in the background and then, "Liv? It's Maureen."

"Hey, Mo. How you holding up?"

"I've been better. I need to talk to you, seriously, though."

"Alright. I'll be to the hospital soon. With your brother."

"Sounds good."

"Do you want me there with you when you ID the body?"

"I don't care. Sure."

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Kath," I say. "Take him."

Kathleen takes her baby brother in her arms, nodding. I then follow her older sister to the window. The ID-ing window.

I hold Maureen by the shoulders when they open the blinds and remove the sheet from a body's face. Clear as day, it's Kathy.