A Protector's Love [Benson and Carisi]

{Twenty-Three}

They were walking on clouds after they had gotten engaged. They felt even closer to each other than they had before, which neither thought it was possible to be closer or love the other more than before their engagement.

Not only did they have a wedding to plan and enjoy, but they were also waiting eagerly for Kathy and Elliot to have their first child. Dominick wasn't really excited about Rebecca having another baby, but that was another thing coming eventually that he had to keep an eye out for.

Less than a week after their engagement, Dominick graduated from Hudson University and was heading off to law school in the fall, but he didn't know what one yet. He didn't want to leave Olivia behind for 3 years, so he was thinking about looking at the letters he had gotten back from the other schools he had applied too.

"Hey, so I was doing some thinking about Cornell," Dominick spoke, as he and his fiancee walked together through the campus after graduation. There would be another graduation before they knew it, and they would have to go through the same long ceremony.

"Are we moving?" Olivia asked, and Dominick's eyes went wide.

"What?" He asked.

"Well, you still have a few weeks before you have to respond, and I was just assuming that we were moving to be there."

"I did research... and I don't think your credits would transfer if we moved there. You'd have to start all over. Or we would be apart for a year while you finish your senior year."  Dominick spoke. Olivia stopped as she heard a bunch of drunk graduates already made their tour around the campus before going home.

"I don't want to be apart for a year," Olivia spoke.

"I don't want to be apart either... I think that I'm going to open these up and pick." Dominick spoke. He pulled a few envelopes from his dress pants before showing them to his fiancee.

"Are they all in Manhattan?" Olivia questioned.

"They are so close that we can still be together." Dominick teased.

"I don't want you to go to a bad school just because we are engaged... okay? I want you to have the best that you can have. And if going to Cornell is what you need, then go there." Olivia spoke. She reached out and grabbed his hand before kissing his palm.

"Olivia, as long as I don't get my degree from a shady community college, any university will be good enough for me. As long as I'm close to you, that's all that matters."

***

Dominick decided on Columbia Law School. He enrolled and got accepted quickly, which made him wonder if no one wanted to go to Columbia for their law degree. But he pushed that away as he and Olivia started to do a rough outline of their wedding.

Olivia wanted something small and not too stressful, but she wanted their wedding to still be considered religious enough for Dominick's grandparents.

Dominick was just along for the ride mostly and helped make small choices. But it was Olivia's dream and he was just so very thankful to be apart of it.

"Okay, we need to go," Olivia spoke quickly, in the middle of picking out flowers. She had just gone to the bathroom and when she came back she looked anxious.

"What's wrong?" Dominick asked as he stood before grabbing his fiancee's binder.

"Nothing is wrong. It's just that Kathy is in labor. And as that baby's godmother, I need to be there when it's born. So get your butt into gear and drive me!" Olivia smiled. She apologized to the florist before moving quickly out of the building. Dominick followed as he sighed deeply.

"She's early... but should she be okay? And the baby?" Dominick asked.

"She's due the second week of June... she's only like 3 weeks early. Lola was born a month early and that brat is perfectly fine." Olivia spoke, smiling as she thought about her younger sister and her very sudden arrival.

"It's weird that our friends are having a baby," Dominick spoke, as they climbed into their car.

"I know... I wonder who will be next." Olivia spoke, as she buckled up. She turned her head before looking at her fiance.

"Not us," Dominick spoke quickly.

"Yeah, not us."

***

Olivia and Dominick arrived at the hospital and quickly ran up the stairs and to the maternity floor. They met up with the rest of their friends before Elliot came out of a room and looked over the faces before finding Olivia.

"Kathy wants you." He spoke, as he nervously ran his hand over the back of his neck.

"Is she okay?" Olivia asked, as she quickly shoved her phone into her pocket as she stood.

"She's great. She's so close, but she said she wants us both in there. So if you are feeling strong enough to be around all of that... stuff... then please join us." Elliot spoke. Olivia smiled before nodding.

"I'll follow you."

Once in the room, Olivia went straight to Kathy's bedside. She hugged her friend before smoothing her messy blonde hair.

"How are you doing, lady?" Olivia asked, and Kathy sighed as she grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I'm going to be a mom." Kathy smiled tiredly.

"You are going to be an amazing mother." Olivia smiled.

"Are you going to be good? With the blood and stuff?" Kathy breathed, as she closed her eyes. Olivia waited until Kathy opened her eyes before nodding.

"You are one of my best friends. I wouldn't miss you having this kid for anything in the world. I am going to be its godmother." Olivia smiled.

***

Everyone was waiting for a few more hours until Olivia walked out of the room. Kathy and Elliot gave her the job of telling everyone about their baby being born.

"Hey, so the baby is here." Olivia smiled, as Dominick stood and moved towards her.

"Are they all okay?" Alex asked, and Olivia nodded.

"Kathy is tired, Elliot is weak because he hates blood, and little Maureen Nicole is absolutely perfect."

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