Chapter 1: Partners

The hallway inside Mercy General Hospital was a huge blur. He could've gone to the doctors but instead chose the source. He was sure Captain Cragen was there waiting. It was a cops' worst nightmare: receiving news that something had happened to their partner. Elliot Stabler received the call at 2:29 AM. His commanding officer didn't say much just that Olivia was in bad shape and he needed to get down to the hospital right away. Though Elliot missed being with Cathy at least there was an upside to living alone and that was he could leave without his wife or ex-wife needing an explanation.

"Where's Liv," he asked the second he saw Cragen. "Is she okay, can I see her?"

Cragen placed a hand in front of Elliot. "Calm down Elliot. The doc's say she was lucky but it's still pretty bad. She's got some cuts and bruises. Either the perp hit her or she fought back, we're not quite sure yet. Fin and Munch are looking into it."

"That's it, then how bad can it really be?" Elliot said in a light hearted tone not wanting to even think the worst. It was hard not to though with the solemn look on the captain's face. "How bad, Cap?"

"Elliot she was raped."

'She was raped,' Elliot said repeating the words in his head. No not Liv. Not his partner. This couldn't be happening.

Elliot found himself walking towards the door. A guard was posted outside her room for security reasons. His hand trembled on the handle as he made his way in.

"Liv," he said silently as he turned around the half closed curtain. Olivia quickly turned her face to her right hoping it would hide the bruises but knowing it wouldn't.

"Go away Elliot," she said.

"You know I'm not going to do that," he said taking a seat on one of the chairs in the room. Not liking the silence much Elliot spoke up. "What happened, Liv?"

Still refusing to look at him, Olivia spoke up. "Are you asking as my partner or as a cop?"

Elliot shook his head though Olivia didn't really see. "Neither. I'm asking as your friend."

Olivia turned to face Elliot for the first time. He didn't react not wanting to give her a reason to turn away from him again. Her right eye was bruised. There were some slash marks on the left side of her throat and four cuts along her left eye, one running vertical and three running at a diagonal. The cuts were fixed up with sutures and wound closure strips.

"Liv," was all Elliot could muster as he inched closer but Liv backed away.

"Sorry."

"Don't be. Do you want to talk?"

Olivia took a deep breath. "He told you didn't he?"

Elliot just nodded knowing what she meant.

Olivia rolled her head up and faced the ceiling. The light hurt her eyes and she winced but it was better than the crying in which she could all ready feel tears welling in her eyes. There was no point in blinking them away since the pain was too much. How could this have happened? Rationally she knew she had done everything she could but she had failed. All her training, all her years working for Special Victims, all her times under cover and nothing could stop what had happened. She had joined SVU to help the victims and put people like her father away for good not to become one of them.

Elliot placed his hand on his partner's and held it tight. "What can I do?"

"Find the bastard."