I have been in the grip of a tough block for a while, but after watching a dozen EO videos on youtube, I finally managed to get the creative juices flowing! I'm really excited about this story because I haven't really done one like it, so yay! Enjoy, and please remember to review!

To Kaydence Rei, for finally finding my left shoe! YAY!!!

Disclaimer: Not mine!

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Olivia Benson laughed as she pushed Eli on the swings at the playground. She had been extremely surprised when Kathy Stabler had called her out of the blue on her day off and asked her to babysit, but of course she hadn't refused. She worshipped the little boy that she had witnessed come into the world, and would never turn down the offer to spend time with him.

"More!" the two year old squealed, pumping his chubby little legs in the air. "More, Wivvy!"

She gladly obliged and pushed the swing a little harder. Sometimes it was impossible for her to believe that two years had passed since Eli's birth. To her, it was only yesterday when she had held him for the first time in her arms; just a squirmy, red little creature with a perfectly functioning set of lungs. Had the circumstances been more…pleasant, she would have relished the contact, and secretly reveled in the fact that she had been the first to hold him.

But as it was, his mother had been dying beside her, and she had been powerless to help her. So she had held the squalling newborn and tried to reassure him that everything would be okay, somehow.

A few feet away, a little girl ran away from her older brother, screeching at the top of her lungs as he chased her with a frog clutched in his little hands. Olivia laughed and pushed her hair out of her face. So many times in her youth she had wanted a sibling to torment and be tormented by, like the two children who ran in front of her. She had wanted someone to confide in, someone who was always happy to see her.

But it had never happened, and she had always felt cheated because of that.

Then Elliot Stabler came into her life, and suddenly she didn't feel so alone. There was an immediate connection between them that she couldn't deny, practically from the moment that Cragen had introduced them. He was married with four children that he adored, and she was surprised the first time that he invited her to dinner to meet all of them. There was some tension between Kathy and herself, but she formed bonds with each of the Stabler children right away.

Another shriek brought her back to the present, and she happily watched little Eli bravely wave his hands for a second, then latch back onto the chain links. She had always tried not to play favorites, but when Eli was born, she couldn't help it. She had been the first to hold him, the first to soothe him. She had been there for his first breath, and she had been the first one to kiss his tiny head.

There was no doubt that she loved all of the Stabler children, but Eli had her wrapped around his chubby, sticky little fingers.

Suddenly Eli squirmed to get down, and Olivia gently halted the swing, then helped the little guy down. Immediately Eli took off, laughing as his chubby little legs carried him away. She shook her head and took off after him, easily keeping up with the golden haired toddler.

When he realized that she was chasing him, Eli shrieked and turned, trying to run faster to get away from her. "No, Wivvy!"

She laughed and let him get a little further away, then caught up with him again and called his name.

Eli continued to run, his little sneakers suddenly hitting the cement of the street.

Olivia's laughter died and fear suddenly turned her blood to ice in her veins. "Eli!" Her legs moved harder than they had ever moved in her life.

A few yards away, a driver pounded on the horn and slammed on the brakes in an attempt to stop.

She couldn't breathe, couldn't think except to get to Eli. Her arm extended, and her fingertips brushed against the material of his little jacket. Closing them, she roughly pulled him out of the way just as the car skidded to a stop.

Shocked and confused, Eli started to wail at the abrupt end to their game.

Gasping, Olivia roughly pulled the little boy into her arms and held him tight, sitting on the ground. "Eli, you never play in the street! Never!" she admonished, kissing his head. "The street is bad!"

The little boy buried his face in her neck and cried at her anger and harsh tone.

Finally she got to her feet, still holding Eli tight as she backed away from the edge of the street. Adrenaline still coursed through her veins, and her heart raced violently against her ribcage. If something had happened to the little guy that she loved so much… She kissed his head and ran her shaking hand through his soft hair.

Ahead of them, the two children that she had observed earlier were running toward the slides, and two mothers sat on a nearby bench. She slowly started to relax and breathe.

Until the sound of gunshots erupted in the chilly fall air.

Olivia's first instinct was to run toward the civilians, but Eli was in her arms and she didn't have her badge or her gun. The two children screamed for their mother in fear, and Olivia twisted away from the shots and dropped to the ground, shielding Eli's tiny body with her own. Protecting him was her first priority, above all else.

Three more shots rang out, and Olivia curled tightly around the screaming child.

Finally an eerie silence settled over the park, and Eli squirmed under his aunt. "Wivvy?" He managed to wiggle his little body out from under her. Then he sat up on his knees and pushed at her with his tiny hands. "Wivvy!" She didn't answer his anxious cries, and finally he gave up and curled into her side, figuring that she had decided to take a nap because she was sleepy.

The only thing that didn't make sense to his little mind was the red, sticky water that was on his hands.

TBC...

A/N: *hides under a rock* Review!