Semper Fi

Trigger

They both raced back to Olivia's apartment and got there in record time. When they pulled into the parking garage she ran out and Elliot was close behind. At the elevator, she held her head down and cursed her building for the fact they ran slow at night. Once inside she tried to punch the number to her floor but the button wouldn't light up.

"You have to be kidding me," she punched the number again and again before she got so frustrated that she kicked the wall.

"Hey, it's ok. I got it." He gently moved her out of the way before pressing the button repeatedly and it finally lit up. As the door closed, he reached out to grab her hand and she pulled back. This was typical behavior of hers and he wasn't offended. When she was very upset she hated to be touched but he wanted to comfort her.

As they exited the floor they both ran down the hall and could hear Noah crying before she opened the door.

"Hey. His temperature is 102 and he's been crying since about ten minutes before I called you. I gave him something for the fever but it hasn't gone down yet," Lucy said in a panic. Elliot noticed she looked exhausted and stressed out.

Olivia ran to pick up Noah and soothe him to see if it would help but he was inconsolable and started to struggle in her arms.

"I'm going to call his doctor," Olivia said as she struggled to hold Noah and reach for her cell phone.

Elliot reached out to take Noah from her while she called Dr. Lee. He walked around the living room with the screaming little boy and uttered reassuring words while Olivia went to the back to try and leave a voicemail without Noah's crying in the background. When she hung up the phone she was surprised to find there was no more crying. She walked out of the room to the living room to find the little boy sleeping in Elliot's arms as he continued to walk with him in the limited space he had.

"He's sleeping?" Olivia asked surprised.

"Yeah he's still a little fussy but better for now. What did the doctor say?"

"I'm waiting on her to call me back."

She laid her hand on his head to see if the fever had gone down a little and reached to take him from Elliot when the phone rang.

"It's ok I got him," he whispered to him while Olivia talked on the phone. Lucy grabbed her things and left asking Elliot to tell her to give her an update as soon as she knew something.

After explaining a little to the doctor, she told her to bring Noah to the ER and she would meet her there.

"She said to bring him to the ER," heading over to grab Noah and her keys.

"Ok, do you have a diaper bag or anything else you want to bring?" He was already grabbing a toy he found on the floor as he talked.

"Yeah but Elliot you don't.-"

"Olivia, let's go. I'll drive," he said while locking the door behind them.

At the hospital they were taken in a room where Noah was hooked up to fluids while they waited for Dr. Lee to arrive.

Olivia was on one side of the crib while Elliot stood over the other side. She rubbed Noah's back to help soothe him back to sleep while he tossed and turned.

"You're going to be ok little man," he said as he rubbed his hair. Briefly their hands touched while they were both comforting Noah. He closed his hand around hers and it gave her a moment to take everything in. She started to cry softly while stroking his hand.

"I'm worried El. He's been through so much already. His respiratory system has always been weak," she whispered.

"It's going to be ok I promise. You will find yourself here a lot more than you want to be but in the end it's all going to be ok."