Disclaimer: I don't own any of the NBC's characters

Chapter 5

Kathy's POV

I'll never be able to get the phone call out of my mind, the one telling me that my husband and the father of my 5 children was shot and was rushed to hospital. I wasn't even told what had happened all they told me was he was in a critical condition. As a police officers wife that phone call was the one thing that I had always dreaded but I knew it came with the territory. When Elliot first started as a Cop on the beat and I got calls late at night when he wasn't home, I just prayed that it wouldn't be a call to say he was injured or worse dead. However after so long I foolishly believed that no harm would come to him, that Elliot and his team were too careful and skilled to let that happen. I was fool though, because no one can stop a mad man with a gun intent on shooting someone. I just had to pray that somehow Elliot would be okay and that we could continue to work on our crumbling marriage.

It took a couple of hours after I arrived for a doctor in pale green scrubs to approach Don and I and pulled down her mask in order to talk.

"Mrs Stabler?" The doctor questioned.

"That's me, how's Elliot?" I replied with a unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"The good news is that your husband has survived the surgery but the gun shot did significant damage to his internal organs. I'm afraid to say that your husband is in very bad shape and is currently unconscious in a coma and it's a possibility that he may never wake up," the doctor relayed the information to us. At the news I stopped breathing, Elliot may never wake up. It didn't seem real. I could not lose my husband and there was no way my children could lose their father.

"What is the possibility like?" I asked trying to make sense of the situation.

"It's a highly likely possibility I'm afraid," the doctor said sympathetically.

"Oh my god," I whispered. I could feel the colour drain from my face as the reality of my husband never waking up began to sink in. Things in our marriage may not have been great before he was shot but I couldn't imagine my life without him.

"Can we see him?" Don asked while he put a comforting arm around my shoulder in a vain attempt at comfort, which I appreciated. I tried to compose myself but the tears I was trying to keep at bay refused to stay in place and I began to cry as I felt Don pull me into a warm embrace.

"Yes, he's in intensive care," the doctor responded as she left to attend to her next patient.

"Kathy are you going to be okay if I go and let the other know?" Don asked looking worriedly into my eyes

"I'll be fine," I said in a daze as I started walking towards the intensive care unit where my husband was lying unresponsive in a coma which he might never wake from.

As I approached Elliot's room I unsuccessfully tries to wipe the tears from face and took a deep breath before opening the door and walking in but nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. I couldn't help the sobs that escaped me as I saw Elliot eyes closed attached to numerous machines all beeping and flashing. Somehow I managed to find my way to his bedside and I clasped onto his hand for dear life.

"Elliot I am so sorry," I said through my tears "for everything. I blamed you for all the problems in our marriage and I gave up on us way to quickly. I should have tried harder and I shouldn't have pushed you back to me when I found out about Eli. I knew you would do the responsible thing and come home but I shouldn't have put you in that situation after I forced you into signing the divorce papers. I do love you Elliot, so, so much. I'm going to call the kids now and get them to come and say hello because I know they will want to see you. We love you Elliot and you need to come back to us. Please," I said as my tears started to dry up. I squeezed Elliot's hand tightly before making my way to the phone box in the hospital to quickly call my parents.

"Hello," my mother answered the phone.

"Mum, it's me," I said as I managed to stop a further onslaught of tears.

"Is everything alright honey?" My mum said in her comforting and warm voice.

"No it's not but I need you to drop the kids off at St Marks Hospital as soon as possible and send them to the fifth floor. I'll be waiting for them," I said and hung up to stop my mother from hearing the tears which resurfaced as soon as I hung up.

30 minutes later I was getting a cup of steaming hot coffee when I spotted the kids getting off the lift and walking towards me.

"Mum what's wrong?" Maureen who was carrying Eli asked taking charge.

"Is it dad?" Lizzie followed.

"Your father was shot, he survived surgery but there is significant damage to his internal organs," I said trying to stay strong for my children's sake.

"But he is going to be okay right?" Kathleen asked with a pleading look in her eye.

"He is in a coma and the doctors think he might not wake up," I recalled painfully as tears began to form in all my children's eyes.

"Can we see him?" Maureen asked.

"Come on," I said as I took Eli and cradled him protectively against me and lead the way to Elliot's room. In silence we filed into the room and took up various spots around the room.

"Is Olivia okay?" Lizzie suddenly asked.

"She was shot as well but she is fine," I said trying desperately to stop the venom that I could sense in my words. I was always jealous of Olivia I could admit that but now I was only pained that she was the one that was okay while Elliot might never wake up. I knew it wasn't fair to wish that Elliot and Olivia's conditions were reversed but I couldn't help it. Lizzie just nodded and silence engulfed us again, except for the odd sniffle.

I must have dozed off for hours later I woke with a sleeping Eli still in my lap but with an ache in my back from sleeping in an uncomfortable chair. My body protested as I stood up and placed Eli on the chair and draped my jacket over him. I glanced at my children who were all asleep in various uncomfortable positions in chairs around the room. Looking at my watch I was shocked to find that it was midnight. Quietly I woke them all up.

"You all need to go home and get some proper sleep. I don't want to have you all complaining of sore backs and necks from sleeping in hospital chairs. You also need to shower and have something decent to eat," I said looking at the bleary and glassy eyes of my children.

"We are not leaving dad," Maureen tried to say forcefully but the impact was lessened as she yawned.

"Your dad would want you to look after yourselves so it's time to go. Say goodbye to your father," I said standing back to allow Lizzie to get to Elliot.

"Well the same would apply to you mum. You look like hell," Maureen said as she followed all her siblings in giving Elliot a kiss on the cheek and squeezing his hand. Not wanting to leave Elliot but wanting to take care of my children I nodded my head weakly, since I had to be fit enough to care for them. Elliot would understand that.

So I squeezed his hand and gave him a peck on the lips and whispered "We love you and we'll be back soon," as I picked up the still sleeping Eli and left the room. As I followed my children out of the hospital I prayed that Elliot would somehow manage to pull through.

Reviews appreciated