"You missed me." Elliot answered his phone jokingly. It was mostly to cover up his nervousness. On doctor's orders, (nasty fall through a pane of glass shredded tendons in his arm and hand) so he had to imagine whatever Cragen called him about at about 10pm wouldn't be good.
"Elliot." Was all he said back. Elliot could imagine the face he was making over the line.
"What's up, Cap?" There was a strange beat of silence. "Cragen?"
"The last thing I want to do right now is upset you. But I'm going to be honest, it's not good." Elliot could hear the sirens faintly behind him, wherever he was.
"Not good? For who?!" Cragen took a little too long to answer.
"El... It's-It's Olivia." Elliot leaned up suddenly, his hands covering his mouth.
"Good lord. She's been shot, hasn't she?" He wondered, his voice cracking involuntarily.
"No, not shot-" Cragen answered quickly. Still, Elliot could tell by the older man's strained voice she might as well as been. "The truth is, Elliot, I'm not sure to what extent Olivia's been hurt. I just forced her to go to the hospital. She looked okay, doctors are hopeful-"
"Hopeful? For Christ's sake Donald, what are you telling me?!"
"Olivia was poisoned. Gassed in the apartment complex Hector and his mom lived in." There was another painful beat of silence.
"Poisoned. H-How! With what?!"
"We don't know. We have the biohazard team in there. They said it's genetically similar to nerve gas-"
"Mother Of god, she's gonna be okay though? Right?" He heard Cragen stifle a sigh.
"We don't know. We hope so. Luckily, she had the presence of mind to pull the fire alarm and get everyone out before she passed out-"
"Oh my god. I-I should've been there. I would've realized something was wrong before she did. I-"
"Elliot." Cragen snapped. "Don't do this. Olivia and every victim of this gassing is gonna need us. I have orders to be briefed on her condition and once I have things under control here I'm heading over-" Cragen heard a click. He sighed, lowering his phone.
"How'd he take it?" Finn asked somberly. "Want me to stop him from ruining his hand or going to jail?" Cragen nodded no.
"No. It's alright. There's only one place he'd be going right now."
Olivia twitched in the hospital bed, her head pounding with the worst migraine she'd ever had. She coughed weakly, it coming out in more of a whimper. She tried to lift her head but it felt like it weighed 1,000 lbs. She cried out again, feeling the tubes supplying air into her nostrils. She tugged at then, feeling how sore and raw her nose was.
'What's happening?'' She thought in confusion. She jumped as someone moved out the shadows near her.
"El-" She began but he he held his finger to his mouth. His eyes were bloodshot and rolling wildly in his head. The knuckles on his good hand were bruised and cut up.
"Don't speak." He choked out. He was relieved to see her awake, albeit weak. She had been sleeping for hours and he had just been waiting there to see if she was okay. He dragged a chair closer to her bedside.
"You're supposed to be on bed rest." Olivia nagged, an indignant look on her face. This promoted Elliot to shake his head, a chuckle bursting out from him.
"You'd be saying that even on your death bed." Olivia smiled tiredly. He sat beside her, his face darkening. "Olivia- I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't... I'm sorry." Olivia struggled to raise her head to look at her partner.
"What are you sorry for? I should've realized something was up way before-"
"Stop it! Don't do that! You saved hundreds of lives with your quick thinking. You got hit with something like nerve gas and you're getting on yourself. I won't allow it." Olivia settled her head back against her pillow.
"If you hadn't been hurt you'd be in the bed beside me." She drawled. Elliot sniffed.
"Damn straight. Just get some more rest, you look tired. It's worrying me." Olivia frowned but she was too tired to really protest. Until she remembered Hector.
"Hector-" she whimpered, struggling to sit up. "The nurse tech told me he has cancer from long term exposure. I need, I need to-" Olivia cried out, a hand flying to her head. Elliot was standing instantly, his large hands on her back.
Olivia let out a string of fitful coughing, causing Elliot to frown. "Easy," he pleaded with her. Aside from Kathy, Olivia was the strongest women he'd ever met. To see her so weak was driving something primal inside of him insane. "Take it easy, Olivia. Please."
Olivia slowly laid back down, looking worriedly into her partner's face. "Are you... Okay?" She wheezed.
"No. Of course not. I just got a call from Cragen that you were gassed. I'm much better off than I was a few hours ago, believe it or not." Olivia huffed in exhaustion.
"I'm okay, El." He sighed.
"I know. And I'll be here to make sure." Olivia pouted like a toddler. She opened her mouth to speak but began coughing again. Elliot grabbed a cup of water off the counter and held it gently to her lips. "Have some, please." Olivia sipped generously and then laid flat in the bed, about to lose the fight with sleep.
"But-"
"No but's, Liv. I couldn't be there when this happened," he pulled her sheet up over her as her eyes fluttered shut. "I'm gonna be here now." A following snore was Olivia's only answer. He smile to himself, Olivia's soft snoring being the only thing that made him feel better.