Summary: Spoiler Alert missing scenes from Holden's Manifesto. What happens when a certain missing best friend/partner bumps into Olivia while she is at the hospital with Noah?

Author Notes: So this is my first SVU story and I haven't seen every episode of the series so I'll apologize upfront if the characters seem out of character or I may have screwed up details or the timeline. It's also been a while since I wrote my last story, so all spelling and grammar mistakes are totally my fault. After watching the first six seasons of the show, I find it extremely hard to believe like many others that Elliot would leave Olivia and never have any contact with her again. Therefore I have several stories running around my mind about how things should have played out. This happens to be the one yelling at me the loudest.

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Law & Order: SVU but that role is still held by Dick Wolf. I own nothing but the crazy idea for the story.

"Just breathe, baby. Mommy's here. Just breathe." That is the mantra that Olivia Benson had been saying repeatedly to her foster son, Noah, since she had rushed to the hospital Saturday night to find him with a spiked fever and gasping for a breathe.

As Olivia stared at Noah, she couldn't help but wish that there was something more she could do. She wanted to hold him so much. He had to be so scared. She was scared. She hadn't felt this helpless in a hospital since the last time she was here waiting to hear whether Elliot would be ok or not. Damn her mind. Why did she keep thinking about him, Elliot Stabler, more and more lately? Hadn't she finally put him behind her? Well that answer was easy...NO. There would never be any closure unless they finally talked and the likelihood that would happen was next to never. She had given up trying to contact him since it appeared he didn't want to be found. And while she needed him she wasn't going to appear desperate for any man.

With one final look at her son and a whispered goodbye for now, Olivia walked out of the intensive care and back to the family waiting area hoping to find the doctor. Unfortunately she was so lost in her thoughts, she crashed into the strong body of another person instead.

"I'm sorry ma'am. Are you ok?" the gentleman asked as his hands reached out to steady her to make sure Olivia didn't stumble to the ground.

That voice she would remember until her last breathe which may be her current one. Her imagination must be running away with her because she wanted to see him so badly. With the last bit of her strength, she looked up to stare into the bluest eyes she had ever seen and into the face of the man that had stolen her heart so long ago.

"El," she forced out of her mouth as tears started streaming down her face.

Realization came to Elliot at the same time and he wasted no time in pulling her fully into his arms. There was no hesitation from Olivia as she wrapped her arms around him and buried her head into his neck.

Who knows how long they stood there but it was apparent to those who passed by that those two never wanted to let go. Elliot was trying to memorize the feel of having Liv in his arms again before she realized that she should be pissed off at him. Meanwhile Liv didn't care what caused him to be here she was just happy to finally be back in his presence.

Elliot reluctantly pulled back so he could take another look to reassure himself she was really here but she wouldn't look up at him. He could tell she was either worried that he would disappear or that she would appear weak. With his right hand, he gently tilted her face upwards and then used both hands to dry the tears still leaking from her beautiful brown eyes but they didn't shine as brightly as he remembered.

"Liv...Liv...I've thought about this moment for so long...but now that it's here I have...I don't...God...I'm so sorry…," he trailed off.

The anger he had always expected didn't come only more tears that he wiped away with his thumbs. When she continued to just stare, he knew something was wrong more than just the time which had separated them for so long.

"Liv, what's wrong? Why are you here in the pediatric wing? Is it a case?"

She finally snapped out of her dream and whispered, "No. Noah."

"Noah? Your son?" Elliot asked.

Confusion was clearly written on her face when she said "How did you know?"

Shit Elliot thought. Elliot figured if he wanted to fix things with Liv he might as well start to come clean. "The chief happened to mention it to me"

"The chief?" Olivia was very confused. Why would Elliot be talking to the chief?

"Liv, I'll explain everything I promise but let's focus on Noah right now," Elliot said as he tried to deflect the conversation away from his knowledge of Noah and back to how Noah was doing.

Elliot took her by the hands and led her to the small coach along the outer wall. He took a seat on one of the cushions and then pulled her down next to him. Now that he had touched her he wasn't going to let go so he kept her by his side and interlaced their fingers.

"They don't know what's wrong. They are still running tests to find out why he's having a hard time breathing. El, he's in there fighting for each breath and there isn't anything I can do. I can't even hold him...touch him."

"Sweetheart, he is in the best place possible right now."

"But what if they don't find anything or they can't fix what is wrong?"

"You need to think positive. He's strong. He's a fighter. He's going to make it," Elliot says as he pulls her into his arms.

Only a few seconds go by before Olivia's phone goes off again. While she would love to ignore it, she knows that she must answer it even if it means she has to pull out of the arms of the man she has been in love with for over the last decade. Liv reluctantly pulls back and pulls out her phone.

"Benson"

As Olivia recognizes the voice of Amaro, she stands up and starts going over the latest updates on their case.

Elliot watched Liv as she moved away while talking to someone from the station. It was amazing to watch her go from a worried parent to Sergeant Benson. She was beautiful as ever but he could see the fatigue and worry hanging heavy on her. When he woke up today he never imagined that his one desire to see her again would come true. He had spent so much time away from her he had no idea how to bridge the gap any more but maybe this chance meeting would be exactly what he needed to fix their relationship and move it into the direction he longed for.

Elliot continued to look on as Liv moved out of his sight. There were so many thoughts churning in his head but they flew out the door when he caught sight of Liv walking back towards him. He quickly stood and braced himself for whatever it was that had Liv on the verge of tears.

"Liv, what is it?"

"The doctor says the problems are related to abuse Noah suffered probably shortly after he was born...multiple broken ribs which is now manifesting itself in the form of breathing issues for Noah. She wants to do more tests to be proactive. We'll know more once they come back," she says while trying to hold the tears at bay. "Unfortunately I can't stay because Chief Dodds wants an update on the latest case so I have to head back to the house."

Elliot was pissed. How could anyone hurt an innocent child? The urge to hit something was strong but he knew he had to keep himself under control for Liv.

"Sweetheart, he's in good hands. They'll figure out how to help Noah and we'll ensure everything is done to help him so that he grows up big and strong." The temptation to pull Olivia back into his arms was too hard to ignore any longer so he enveloped her into his arms.

Olivia knows she should pull away but after all of this time she doesn't want to leave the safety of his arms or run the risk of not seeing him again. While they had shared a few hugs over the course of their partnership, none had ever felt this good but she needed to know what was going on here.

Liv pulled back so she could look at Elliot but didn't leave the circle of his arms. "Elliot, what are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?" He asks.

"El, I haven't see you in years and while I appreciate the support I need to know what's really going on here. Why are you even here?"

"I'm here to see Maureen."

"Oh no! Is she ok? Does she have a baby here too?"

Only Olivia, Elliot thinks. She's worried about Noah and the Chief is breathing down her neck but she is still worrying about others. "No. No. She's fine. She works here in the hospital as a perinatal nurse. We were going to have lunch but I ran into this gorgeous woman who looked like she needed a friend," Elliot says with a small smile.

"She's probably worried you haven't shown up yet. You better go."

"Actually I was walking around burning time waiting for her. She was still helping with a delivery when I went to find her earlier. She'll ring my phone when she is free and ready to go."

"You must be proud"

"I am. Kathy and I managed to not screw her up too much."

With the mention of Kathy's name, a knife was twisted into her heart. She would give anything to be in Kathy's place and married to Elliot. "I'm sorry. I didn't even ask. How is Kathy and the rest of the kids?"

"The kids are good. Eli is growing like a weed. He's going to eat me out of house and home. Kathy is doing well. She and her husband live in Virginia."

"Elliot, I'm sorry. I didn't know. I should have kept my mouth shut." Olivia felt bad for bringing up what were probably painful memories of his failed marriage but that knife which was lodged in her heart just a few seconds ago was suddenly gone and there was now a spark of hope.

"Liv, its fine. We are better friends now than we were spouses at the end. I know you probably have a million questions and I want to answer each of them but I have a feeling the Chief isn't going to wait forever."

"Shit! I can't believe I forgot he is waiting. Damn I don't want to leave Noah or you," she whispers.

"Go. Noah is in good hands and I promise it won't be three years until we see each other again," he said as he tried to convey with his eyes his sincerity and love.

Liv could tell El meant it but there was something else she couldn't quite decipher. If she only had more time instead of needing to get back. "Ok"

As she turned to go, El pulled her into one more quick hug and added a kiss to her cheek. Before she could fully respond he was pushing her towards the exit, "Go and save New York, Benson" he said with a cheeky grin.

With one final look and a shy smile she practically ran from the room praying Noah would be fine and that sexy man would want to be a part of her crazy life again.

Elliot was still staring at the exit Olivia bolted through when he hears, "Dad". He turns around to see his first born standing in front of him looking just as beautiful as the first time he laid eyes on his baby girl.

"Hey sweetheart. Ready for some lunch?"

"Yeah but how did you end up down here. You usually wander up to check out the nursery." Maureen could tell something had happened but she wasn't sure what but for the first time in a long time her dad looked like the weight of the world wasn't pressing down on him.

"I'm not sure honey. I found myself taking a right instead of going left and I ended up here and bumped into a goddess," Elliot said.

"What? Have you been drinking?"

"Not a drop in years. I ran into Liv," he says with a smile. "She has a son...the little guy is in here."

"Olivia? She's here? Maureen says with so much hope in her voice but it turns to worry in the next breath. "Oh my God! Is her son ok?"

"They are running tests but if he is anything like Liv he's a fighter"

Maureen could tell her father was worried about the baby and she knew how much he missed and cared for Liv which meant he was already head over heels in love with this little guy too. "Did you get a chance to see him with Liv?"

"No, she was headed back to the station when I bumped into her."

"Do you want to take a quick peek? You would need to scrub up and wear a gown but I could take you back real quick."

Elliot lit up at the prospect of seeing baby Noah. "Are you sure? As much as I would love to see him, I don't want to get you in trouble or make things worse for him or Liv."

"No worries. Melany is on duty she'll let us take a peek at the little guy."

"Ok. Let's do this."

Maureen led her father back into the intensive care area and helped him get ready. Once scrubbed of possible germs and covered in a protective gown they headed into Noah's room.

Elliot couldn't believe all of the medical equipment monitoring the little man. He looked so small next to everything but even in his weakened state he could see how Liv had fallen for Noah. He was adorable and when he opened his eyes to look right into Elliot's he stole his heart as well.

"Hey little man. I'm Elliot. I'm an old friend of your mom's. She told me you weren't feeling so hot so I had to come see you. I'm sorry I haven't been around before but I promise you I'm here to stay now. You and I are going to make sure your mom has the life she has always wanted and deserves which means I'm going to help make sure you get better and get every opportunity to grow up and be whatever you want to be." Elliot whispered to Noah.

Maureen had tears in her eyes as she watched the two interact. Noah never took his eyes off of Elliot and it seemed like his soothing voice was calming to Noah because his breathing was easier now.

Elliot reluctantly said, "Ok, Noah you concentrate on getting better and I'll work on helping your mom. And we will take you home as soon as we can. Take care and I love you." With those words he stood up and watched Noah take one more look at him before closing his eyes and falling back to sleep for some much needed rest.

Elliot turned to Maureen with tears in his eyes to see her silently crying. "Come on sweetheart let's let him sleep while we grab some lunch," he said as he pulled his girl into a hug.