75. In The Embers

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"I'm really fine" Hank assured as the nurse from the first aid station pressed the gauze pad to his head to stop the bleeding.

"Hank, you're bleeding. It was a pretty nasty fall" Olivia said as she looked at him.

Hank and Olivia had been waiting for the fireworks to start at the park when Noah took off running after an employee carrying balloons, insisting that he needed one.

Hank chased after Noah and tripped on the curb. And on his way down he fell and cut his forehead on the edge of a post on his way down.

"Really, it's fine" Hank grimaced as the nurse pulled the gauze away and started to clean the wound.

"I'm just glad to see you get it checked out" Olivia said with a smile as she adjusted Noah on her hip.

The door to the first aid center opened and Jay and Erin walked in. To the audible sound of Hank's groan.

"What happened?" Erin asked as she walked up to the curtain where Olivia was standing.

"It was just a little fall" Hank assured once again. "I'm fine. You all go back to your date"

Jay looked over at the play area where Everly was standing by the wall moving the beads of an abacus that was nailed to the wall back and forth.

"Ev" Jay called as he looked at his daughter.

Everly turned and looked at Jay. "Da-dee" She called as she walked over to him with her arms extended.

Jay picked her up and placed a kiss on her cheek and cuddled her against him.

"Did you have fun tonight, bug?" Jay asked.

Everly nodded and pointed to Hank "Boo Boo"

Jay nodded and smiled "Yeah, Papaw got a boo boo. But he's ok. He's not dead yet"

"Funny Halstead, you wanna look for another job when you get back to Chicago?" Hank asked as the nurse bandaged his wound.

"Hank" Olivia said.

"It was just a joke" Jay sighed and swayed with Everly on his hip. "Are you OK, Hank?"

Hank nodded and sighed "I'm fine. You guys go back to your dinner. Liv and I can take it from here"

Jay looked at his watch and then at Erin. "You want to go grab some dinner? We've still got time"

Erin looked at Hank and Olivia "Are you sure that it's ok?"

Olivia nodded as Hank stood from the exam table and walked over to Jay and she smiled as he took Everly.

"We've got it covered. Just go enjoy your date. You're not going to get too many more of them once the twins come" Olivia assured.

"Thank you" Erin said as she gave Everly a quick kiss goodbye and she and Jay left.

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"Are you sure you feel up to this?" Jay asked as he and Erin stood in line for the monorail to go to Typhoon Lagoon water park.

"Yeah, Jay I'm fine" Erin assured as she ran a hand over her bump. "Last night was a little rough, but I'm ok."

"I just want you to take it easy" Jay said. "I feel terrible, I didn't know dinner was going to make you so sick"

"Jay, I will be fine. Just give me a break. You don't have treat me like I'm a porcelain doll" Erin looked down the track at the monorail as it approached the boarding area.

"We go swim. Mommy?" Noah asked as he looked up at Olivia.

"Yeah, we're going swimming" Olivia smiled down at him. Noah was dressed in his shark swim trunks and he held tight to Olivia's hand as he watched the monorail coming down the track.

"I'm glad that Hank went ahead of us to get some beach chairs" Jay pushed Everly's stroller back and forth as she tried to wake up from her morning nap.

"I hope that the park isn't too busy" Erin sighed. "I don't want the Ev to get cranky"

"I know it. I hope that we don't run into any characters. I'd like to save Everly a little bit of money that she doesn't have to spend on therapy" Jay agreed.

"I don't see why she gets so upset, I mean you're character enough for us all. Jay" Erin teased as she pushed her sunglasses up on her face.

"You're so funny, Erin" Jay mocked as the doors to the monorail opened and the family boarded to go to the water park. "But I'm afraid you must be referring to Hank"

Erin and Jay looked over at Olivia as she helped Noah climb into his seat. "Oh, I'd argue with you, but you guys are right"

Noah looked over at Everly who's eyes were heavy from sleep and he slid off the bench and walked over to her holding onto the sides of her umbrella stroller.

"Ev Ev! Wake up!" Noah said as he looked at his best friend. "We gon' swims"

Everly pushed Noah's hands away from her and whined.

"Dat not nice" Noah said as he looked at Everly.

"Noah, she's sleepy" Olivia said. "You need to come back over here and sit down"

Noah frowned and walked back to where Olivia was sitting and climbed up on the bench. "Evie, no nice"

Olivia shook her head and pulled Noah to her. "You need to be nice yourself, buddy"

Noah pouted and looked out the window of the monorail as it went down the track.

Erin turned Everly's stroller so that it was facing her and she looked down at her daughter.

"Are you still sleepy?" Erin asked as she looked at Everly in her seat.

"Out" Everly whined as she pulled at her buckle on her seat.

"We're almost there" Erin soothed.

"Out" Everly whined again as she looked up at Erin. "Mama...out"

Erin sighed and unbuckled Everly from her seat and pulled her into her lap.

"You ok?" Erin asked.

Everly whined and curled into Erin's chest. Erin frowned and wrapped her arms around Everly as she started to sway side to side. "Are you getting another tooth?"

Everly brought her hands to her mouth and started chewing on her fingers.

"She ok?" Jay asked as he looked from his phone to Erin.

"She's getting her two year molars" Erin sighed. "She's gotten her teeth back to back. I know that has to hurt"

Jay looked down at Everly and ran his finger over her cheek. "Yeah, but she's a tough girl. Aren't you?"

Everly frowned and reached for Jay' "No. Da-dee"

Jay reached for Everly and brought her to his chest.

"Maybe I should take her to the hotel" Erin said.

"No, she'll be ok" Jay said.

"I hope so" Erin sighed as she looked at her daughter.

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"This place is really nice" Adam said as he and Kim walked hand in hand down the street of downtown Nashville.

"It really is" Kim said as she placed a kiss on his shoulder.

"I give Platt credit, I never would've taken her to have a destination wedding. I'm really loving the atmosphere here. I'm thinking this might be where we need to retire one day" Adam said as he wrapped his arm around his wife and kissed her on the side of the head.

"It was really nice of Matt and Gaby to babysit while we have a date night" Kim moved out of Adam's arms as they walked into the Watermark Restaurant.

"Adam, this place is amazing" Kim said as she looked around.

"Only the best for you, darlin" Adam said as he reached for her hand. "I want you to have a nice time. We've got a rough week next week and I want you to take a few hours to forget about what's going on next week, and I want you to focus on just relaxing"

Kim nodded and took a seat at the table as she looked at her menu. "It's just really overwhelming. I just keep thinking about Jack and how he must be feeling and it's like I'm afraid to fall asleep, because if I do, I'm afraid I'm going to wake up and he's not going to be OK"

Adam reached across the table for Kim's hand "Burgess, it's going to be OK. Jack is the strongest boy. He's half you and that makes him damn near invincible"

"I hope so" Kim said as she looked up at the ceiling and tried to fight off the tears that she knew were coming.

"Kim" Adam smiled sadly and held tighter to her hand. "If it wasn't for your intuition, we never would've taken Jack to the doctor as soon as we did. You saved his life, darlin. And he's going to be OK all because you trusted your gut to know something wasn't right. We're going to get through this and we're going ot come out on the other side stronger than ever"

Kim looked at Adam and wiped a tear that slid down her cheek and she moved closer to her husband. "I love you. I don't know how I'd get thorugh this without you"

Adam smiled and scooted his chair closer to Kim. "Well, you're in luck. You don't have to worry about me going anywhere"

Kim smiled and looked at Adam. "We're going to be OK, right?"

Adam reached up and wiped the line where Kim's foundation had ran from her tear. "We're going to be just fine, Burgess"

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"Dada" Everly called from where he was sitting on the ground as the water rose up from the ground like a water fountain stream over the baby's legs.

"What bug?" Jay asked as he watched his daughter push her legs up and walk towards her father.

"Cold" Everly said as she walked the short distance to Jay.

"Cold? Well I think that daddy can fix that" Jay said as he picked Everly up and held held her against him.

"Baf?" Everly asked as she pointed to the big wave pool behind Jay.

Jay looked at what Everly was pointing at and he laughed and kissed her cheek gently.

"No Evie that's a pool. That's where your Papa and Olivia are" Jay explained as he walked Everly out of the water area and over to the chair to grab a towel.

"Mama?" Everly said as Jay sat down on the chair and wrapped the big beach towel around Everly's body.

"Mommy went to go get something to drink. She's going to be back in just a few minutes" Jay said as he grabbed his sun glasses and laid down on the chair as he pulled Everly against his bare chest.

Everly rooted against Jay and rested her cheek against her father's bare chest and yawned.

"You tired Bug?" Jay asked as he rubbed Everly's towel covered back.

Everly didn't respond, she only rooted against Jay until the top of her head was under Jay's chin.

"I'll take that as a yes. So, how about you and daddy take a nap?" Jay rubbed Everly's back as the warm Orlando sun shined down on him.

Erin walked back up to the lounge chairs and she smiled when she saw Jay with Everly.

"Did you guys have fun?" Erin asked as she sat down on her chair and handed Jay his drink.

"We did" Jay said as he held onto Everly's back and reached for his drink.

"Is she feeling better?" Erin asked as she laid back in her seat.

"She's fine" Jay said as he took a drink of his lemonade and sat it down next to his chair. "These teeth are killing her. And me"

Erin nodded as she looked at Jay and she groaned as she felt a soft twinge in her abdomen.

"You ok?" Jay asked as he watched her grasp her bump gently.

"Yeah...I'm fine" Erin assured. "These two are already fighting for room"

Jay looked at Erin for a long moment and reached his arm out to touch her arm. "Do you want to go back to the room?"

Erin shook her head. "No, I'm fine. It's just harder this time. I love these babies so much, but I'm tired of being pregnant. I'll just be glad when they're here and they're in our arms"

Jay gave Erin a smile and squeezed her arm. "You're handling it like a pro, baby"

Erin ran her hand over her bathing suit covered bump and smiled. "I was thinking, I'd like to be surprised again. I didn't get the chance to tell you last night becuase of Hank's accident, but I want to wait"

Jay nodded and rested his hand against Everly's back as he felt her starting to drift off. "If that's what you want. Have you thought anymore about what Dr. Backus asked? Do you want to do a c-section?"

Erin shook her head "No. I definitely don't want to do a c-section. I want to do it as natural as we can"

"So no epidural this time?" Jay asked raising a brow from behind his sunglasses.

"Are you kidding me?" Erin shook her head and frowned as she thought back on the pain of contractions with her labor with Everly.

"I just thought I'd ask" Jay said with a laugh. "But you know you're strong enough to do it without one"

"Are you trying to say you don't want me to get one?" Erin asked getting defensive. 'You don't know what..."

Jay shook his head "Er, if you want one, get one. I'm not trying to tell you what to do. I just want you to be comfortable and our twins to ge healthy. I'll support you no matter what decision that you make"

Erin looked at Jay and then back down at her bump as she felt one of the twins flutter as they moved.

"I'll try it without one. If that's what you want. I can do it"

Jay shook his head "Er, I..."

Erin forced a smile and looked at her husband "I can do it"

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"Mommy?" Noah asked as he and Olivia floated on their raft down the lazy river. The wave pool had been fun for Noah until a little boy hit him in the eye.

Olivia knew it was going to bruise and she just hoped that it wouldn't be a bad one. They didn't even get an apology from the boy's mother simply a "kids will be kids".

The remark from the mother had pissed Olivia and Hank off, but they had to remember where they were. A waterpark was a far cry from an interrogation room.

So she did one of the most un Olivia Benson things she'd ever done. She turned the other cheek.

"Yeah Noah?" Olivia answered.

"Me wuvs you" Noah said softly as he rested his back against Olivia's chest and stomach.

"I love you too buddy" Olivia kissed the top of Noah's head. "Did you like Disney baby?"

"Yeah, me like it" Noah answered.

"Are you ready to turn three years old?" Olivia asked.

"Me am" Noah explained as he held up five fingers "I be dis many"

Olivia couldn't help but laugh as she looked at her little boy.

"Almost. but you're going to be this many" And she gently used her fingers to correct him.

"Dis many" Noah said as he looked at his hand.

"Are you going to miss Disney when we leave tonight?" Olivia asked.

"Me am" Noah said "Me stay wif you an daddy"

Olivia nuzzled Noah's hair and gave him a gentle kiss on the head "But daddy and I aren't going to be here. We're going to a wedding"

"Evie go?" Noah asked.

"Yes, she's going to be there too" Olivia explained. "Are you excited?"

"Cake?" Noah asked.

"And cake" Olivia laughed

"Me go" Noah said with a nod.

"If I only knew that it would take Everly and cake was the key to get you to listen" Olivia teased and tickled Noah's belly.

Noah laughed and squirmed in Olivia's arms.

"Mama no" Noah said as he laughed and tried to fight Olivia's hands off.

Olivia saw that they had made their way around the lazy river and back to where Hank was sitting.

"You ready to get out?" Olivia asked "Let's go get some lunch"

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"I can't believe what a long day it was" Hank yawned as he buckled a sleeping Noah into his carseat.

"Me too" Jay agreed "Who knew that a water park could take so much out of you"

"Are you sure that you guys are OK to drive" Olivia asked "I don't mind driving if you need me to"

"I think Halstead and I can manage taking turns" Hank said as he offered a smile.

"Yeah, we've got it" Jay said as he watched Erin walk up with a drink carrier filled with cups of coffee.

Jay shut the trunk he'd just loaded up and walked the short distance to his wife and he smiled as he watched her inhale the aroma of the coffee.

"You need a minute?" Jay asked.

Erin sighed and shook her head "I just miss it, that's all. I just needed to smell it"

"You'll be able to have it again soon" Jay said as he took the coffee cup from Erin.

"It's not fair you know, you did this to me and I don't even get coffee" Erin sighed.

"You weren't complaining during conception" Jay teased.

"You know, you're lucky that we're driving up to Nashville tonight. Otherwise you'd have to sleep with one eye open" Erin frowned.

Jay laughed and reached for Erin's hand "Let's get on the road"

"Actually" Hank said as he looked around at everyone. "I wanted to make a stop first"

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Adam walked, half-asleep, into the kitchen carrying a newly changed Jackson, who was shaking his stuffed bear as he babbled happily to both his dad and his best friend. Adam threw the soiled diaper into the trash can and placed Jackson on the counter beside the sink, using his body to keep the small boy from tumbling forward as he washed his hands. He grabbed a paper towel and dried his hands before reaching up and scratching the side of his head, causing his hair to stick out even more than it already was from his night's sleep. Erin and Jay would be joining them for the wedding festivities soon, and while the thought of his best friend joining them for the weekend made him beyond happy, he was exhausted and all he wanted was a few more hours of sleep.

"So, what do you want for breakfast, buddy?" Adam asked as he lifted Jackson off the counter and walked over to the fridge.

Jackson's only response was to bang his bear against his father's chest and squeal loudly

"I'm sure Mr. Burns is hungry too and a little bit abusive." Adam smiled down at his son as he opened the door and then looked at the contents of the fridge.

"How about cereal?" He looked back at Jackson who was looking at the contents of the fridge. "What about you, Mr. Burns, would you like cereal today?" Adam asked Jackson's stuffed bear, which he'd named one night when he and Jackson were watching reruns of "The Simpsons".

Kim had done her best to get him to stop but the more she tried, the more Adam got pleasure out of using the name. Finally she'd given up, knowing she'd lost that battle and was just grateful Adam hadn't started naming all Jackson's toys.

Jackson wiggled in Adam's arms and Adam sighed, closing the door to the fridge, and walked over to the kitchen table, before lowering Jackson into his Bumboo Chair. Once the baby boy was securely strapped in, Adam walked over to the counter and began to mix the baby cereal for Jackson. He cleaned up his mess and walked over to the table and sat down next to Jackson.

"I hope you're ready for this, buddy. It's a daddy special. Mixed it up all by myself. Me and Gerber. But mostly me" Adam explained as he stirred the cereal and pulled Jackson's bumboo closer to him.

Jackson watched as Adam mixed the cereal and his face turned into a frown as he started to whine and he smacked his hands against the tray of the Bumboo.

"Hang on buddy" Adam said as he finished mixing the cereal and checked it for any lumps before gathering a spoonful of it.

"Here comes the police car" Adam made siren sounds as he pushed the spoon towards Jack's mouth

"Dadadadadadada," Jackson babbled as he opened his mouth.

"What did you say?" Adam asked as he sat the spoon back down in the bowl. "Did you just say dada?"

Jackson whined and looked at Jackson as he once again opened his mouth.

"Say it again buddy. Say Dada" Adam encouraged.

Adam stood from the table and yelled out of the kitchen "Kim! Get in here!"

Adam stepped back towards Jackson and smiled. "Come on buddy, say it"

Kim quickly walked into the kitchen. "What's going on?"

"He said dada" Adam said as he looked at Jackson. "Over and over again"

Kim ran her hand through her hair and looked at her husband. "Adam, he's barely 6 months old. He was probably just babbling"

Adam shook his head and looked at his wife "No, he really said it. Say it again please buddy"

Jackson looked at Adam and Kim as she walked up behind Adam and he pouted before bursting into tears.

"Nice, Adam" Kim said as she walked over to Jackson and picked him up from his Bumboo chair.

"What?" Adam said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"I know buddy" Kim soothed. "That mean old daddy is trying to starve my hungry boy. He's just so mean, huh?"

Kim sat down in the chair as Jackson started to calm and she adjusted him on her lap as she scooped up some cereal and dropped it in Jackson's mouth.

"Traitor" Adam teased as he ran a hand through Jackson's dark hair as Kim placed another spoonful of cereal in Jackson's mouth.

"You want some breakfast, darlin?" Adam asked as he walked over to the fridge and grabbed some eggs and bacon before walking over to the stove.

"Erin, Jay, Hank, and Olivia will be here soon. I think we're all supposed to go out for breakfast then" Kim explained as she kept feeding Jackson.

"I can't wait that long" Adam explained as he started laying bacon strips on the pan he was warming up.

Kim looked at her watch and yawned. "It's almost 7, Platt and Mouch are sleeping kind of late"

Adam nodded as looked at the bacon in the pan "Yeah, they had kind of a late night last night. I'm not sure how you slept through it, but you did"

Kim shook her head and fed Jackson another spoonful of cereal. "I'm kind of glad I did"

Adam shuddered at the momory of last night before speaking "I'm glad that you did, but I'm never going to forget it"

Kim smiled at Jackson and looked down the road of the Tennessee house they were staying at. "They're here"

"Already?" Adam asked. "They must've drove all night"

Adam walked to the window and watched as Jay pulled up in the driveway and got out of the car.

He noticed that everyone else stayed in the car and Kim stood up as he watched Jay walk to the door.

Jay walked in the kitchen and looked at them "Hey guys, what's up?"

Adam stepped back and watched his brother closely as he walked into the kitchen followed by Kim.

"Hey Jay," Kim said. She frowned as she looked at him. "What's the matter. You know you guys can come in, right?"

Jay turned to Adam and looked at him grimly. "I didn't want to do this on the phone so I'm just going to go ahead and say it. So there's no surprise."

"What is it?" Adam asked as Kim walked over beside him, sliding her arm around his waist and they both looked at him.

"Jay, you're starting to scare me here. Just tell me what's going on. Is it something bad?."

Jay swallowed and looked away for a moment as he tried to compose himself, inhaling deeply and hoping he could get the words out.

"Jay, what is it?"

"Hank and Olivia got married last night," he said.

"What?"Kim and Adam said at the same time.

"It was just the four of us and the kids and they don't want anyone to know until after Platt's wedding" Jay explained.

"Doesn't want me to know what?" Trudy asked from the doorway.

"Nothing...not a thing" Jay said as the door opened and Erin, Olivia and Hank came in with Noah and Everly.

"I don't want anything going wrong this weekend" Trudy said. "It's my weekend...It's my day"

The sound of Kim's scream filled the rental house as she came running around the corner.

A limp and lifeless Jackson in her arms.

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