The Butterfly Effect

18. Reality

Thursday, September 30

An entire week had passed since Olivia and Elliot had left the doctor's office after receiving confirmation that her pregnancy hadn't failed, and that their baby had been okay. She had even called Cragen later that night and let him know the great news. Olivia had to admit she was a little saddened that she had to go on desk duty right away, but she knew it was for the best. On the bright side she would get to go home earlier and spend more time with Cecilia, which was always a better idea to her. Now with their new reality in full force, she wanted to spend as much time with Cecilia as she could now with the baby coming.

"You want me to help you with that baby?" Elliot ran to the other side of the car in the parking garage to try and help her with her purse.

"Oh my god, Elliot I swear if you don't stop with this nonsense...you're driving me insane!" she snatched her purse from his hands and went on to the inside of the building.

"Liv, wait!" he shut the car door and ran to catch up with her. "I'm sorry, I'm just worried about you. If it were up to me you'd be locked up in the apartment until the baby comes," she turned to him with her arms crossed in front of her, her sass at full speed. The last thing he wanted was for her to get upset and stressed, and he definitely didn't want to be the cause of it.

"I know you're worried, hell I am too but we can't live in fear everyday. You're stressing me out with all of this constant worrying, which isn't good for the baby," she subconsciously ran her hand over her abdomen. "And you better save all of that energy for when I'm the size of a whale, that's gonna be a real bitch on wheels!" she winked at him and interlocked her arm with his.

"You are full of sass this morning," they walked into the elevator together and Elliot pushed the number 4.

"You should be happy it's just sass and not the ass whooping that you deserve," she leaned her head on his shoulder, starting to feel more exhausted than usual.

"You feeling okay?" he wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her forehead.

"This baby is kicking my ass, but I'll be okay," she looked up at him through her dark lashes and smiled lazily at him. "All I need is my morning coffee and I'll be good as new."

"Easy on the caffeine," they stepped into the hallway leading into the bullpen.

"Elliot.."

"I know I'm sorry- I'll back off," he held his hands up in surrender.

"Liv!" Amanda ran up to greet her, a smile beaming across her face. "I can't believe you and Elliot are having a baby!" Olivia had looked at her and then over to Elliot, trying to figure out who had blabbed their mouth. "It was captain- he accidentally let it slip when he said you were on mandatory desk duty. But don't be mad at him it was kind of our fault, badgering him with all sorts of questions," Olivia knew that trying to keep this a secret would've been nearly impossible the moment she went on desk duty.

"Oh it's okay, you guys would've figured it out anyway," Fin and Nick had walked up to her and Elliot, wasting no time to embrace Olivia in a group hug. They had all been each other's family here, and the news about Olivia and Elliot had brought nothing but excitement to the squad room.

"When is our little mano supposed to arrive?" Nick asked.

"Sometime in April!"

"Ah, a spring baby? Congrats man!" Fin had given Elliot a brotherly hug.

"Thank you guys! I can tell this baby is gonna be loved so much."

"I always knew you two would end up together, but having a baby? And so soon?" Fin had been around since the beginning and seen the way Elliot and Olivia loved each other. He wasn't the least bit surprised that they had gotten together so quickly after he separated from Kathy.