Title: Remember Me

Author: Megan Faye

Disclaimer: I don't own anything here.

A/N: There's a cookie in here for you sitcom fans! If you can find it I'll give you 10 points!! Hint: Its not in this chapter!!

Olivia inhaled the scent of the sweet 'nectar of life.' Elliot always brought her coffee, and most of the time, he got it right. Some days, it was a little too sweet, but most days, he knew just what she needed. This, however, was not coffee she smelled. This was better. This was hot chocolate. He loved to surprise her occasionally and bring her a treat. Olivia asked what he ordered different than she did, but he refused to divulge the secret. It was always just..better...when he ordered it.

"Oh, god. This is terrific," she said after a sip. Elliot laughed lightly as she wiped the whipped cream from her lip.

"Glad you approve, 'Livia."

"Please tell me! I need to know what's different! I got one yesterday and it just..sucked. They WHOLE time I was under cover in Oregon, I couldn't have a hot chocolate. Yeah, you should have seen me at the protests when I couldn't figure out the difference. I wasn't acting pissy. I was pissy."

"Honey, you'll never get it out of me. Stop trying!" She flung her pen at him playfully.

"So, what we got today?"

"Sixteen-year-old waited until her baby was born to cry rape."

"I swear, if this is another one of-"

"Its not. The guy she's saying raped her is 17, broke as a joke, and doesn't want a thing to do with her or the kid."

"Why'd she wait so long?"

"Her father wouldn't let her come forward. He thought that if she and her boyfriend were messing around, the kid would be boyfriend's and it was just a way to get out of being in trouble." Olivia handed him the file. "Guess what? Baby isn't boyfriends."

"Jesus, that's what a 16 year old looks like? She looks younger than Lizzie!" Elliot felt a little sick to his stomach. "Let's go pick this guy up for questioning."

"Fin and Munch are at the hospital talking with the parents, the girl and boyfriend."

"Cap, we got a suspect. We'll be back!" Elliot hollered towards the office.

"I think I figured it out!" Olivia said, tossing the cup into a garbage can outside of the apartment building where the suspect lived. "Every time I ask, you say the same thing, 'Honey, you'll never get it out of me.' Its Honey! You put a little honey in it!"

"Gee, great detective work, Benson. I've been waiting for you to get it for 8 years."

"Jerk," she muttered to him, grinning. She and Elliot bound up the steps to the door and looked. "Here we go." Elliot knocked.

"Jeremy Rivvan," he called.

"What do you want?" he yelled through the door. Elliot flashed a badge to the peep hole and the door opened.

"I'm Detective Stabler, this is my partner, Detective Benson. You know a girl name Lacy Reagens?"

"Yeah, she just had a kid."

"Your kid, to be specific. Baby has your green eyes. Lacy has blue, her boy friend has blue."

"So?"

"She says you raped her," Olivia said, stepping a little closer. Jeremy stood as tall as he could over her.

"I didn't rape her, bitch," he said forcefully, and shoved Liv hard. Elliot grabbed the boy, who kicked wildly, knocking Olivia down the stairs.

"Olivia!" Elliot yelled. He cuffed the kid and ran down to his partner, who lay still on the side walk. "This is Detective Stabler, I need a bus..."

"Is she okay?" Cragen asked. Elliot's eyes were red and his face was tear stained. He simply shrugged. "What happened?" Elliot made no attempt to talk; tears immediately pooled and slipped from his eyes. "Elliot, I need to know. Not asking as a friend, I'm asking as a Captain."

"We, uh, we went to question a kid. He pushed her, and when I grabbed him, she was a lot closer to the stairs. He...started kicking...trying to break free, and Olivia tried to help restrain him. The kid was just kicking, and caught her in he chest, and she fell down the stairs."

"And then?"

"I cuffed the kid to his door handle and went to check on Liv. Called for a bus and then when they got here, I let the squad car take the kid." Cragen nodded. "Cap, she looked so helpless...lying there. One minute we were talking about hot chocolate, the next, we're here and I don't know if she's even alive. I've lost her twice already, Captain. I can't go through this again." His voice had no tone to it. It was barely over a whisper. Cragen could tell that Elliot was breaking.

"Elliot Stabler?"

"How is she?"

"There is sever head trauma. They're taking her into surgery now. She in critical condition. Honestly, we don't know if she'll come out of this. If she does, there could be serious brain damage. Also, her wrist was sprained, several ribs were bruised, and there is swelling of the spinal chord. Once she's out of surgery, the swelling should go down, and we'll know if there is serious damage to her back. A neurosurgeon will talk to you after the surgery. Are you next of kin?"

"I'm listed as next of kin," Don said. "Do I need to sign any forms?"

"Please come with me." Elliot sat back down in a daze. Next of Kin never occurred to him. He had Kathy, his children, siblings. Olivia had her mother, who died, and the squad. Elliot and Cragen were her next of kin.

Elliot hadn't prayed since he signed the divorce papers, but now was as good a time as any to remember how. He prayed silently for his friend. Elliot only stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Brought you a coffee," Munch said, holding his offering out.

"Thanks."

"Cragen filled us in. C'mon. The surgical waiting room is two floor up.

Fin was sure that the carpet Elliot paced would need replacing after this night of waiting. He looked at the worn patch Elliot walked across and wondered how many people's foot steps Elliot tread upon; how many people awaited the fate of a loved one in this room. Hopefully, they would be hearing good news, soon. Fin looked out the window. The sun was rising and the sky was fading from its night-time black to a clear blue day. Olivia loves days like this.

"Mr. Cragen? Mr. Stabler?" The men all jumped up to meet the doctor. "Olivia is out of surgery and in recovery. It looks as though she'll pull through. We were able to relieve the pressure on her spine and brain, but the damage may already be done. We'll know more over the next week when she wakes up completely.

"Can I see her?"

"No, not until she's moved into I.C.U. She'll be moved there in an hour or so. When she's there, she can have one visitor at a time, no more than an hour overall. When she wakes up, we'll see how she's doing and maybe increase that time a little bit." Elliot exhaled loudly through his nose. "The cafeteria is opening in 10 minutes. Go, eat. I'll send someone down. I promise."

"Thank you," Cragen said, stepping in front of Elliot. As the nurse left, Cragen sighed and faced his men.

"We should get breakfast."

"Captain, I think I'll wait-"

"In the cafeteria with us. You've been here 18 hours without anything more than a cup of coffee." Cragen lead the men down the hallway. "You know, Olivia is good at this kind of thing. She always knows what to say to calm you guys down."

"She's never been the one seriously injured. I never let a perp get that close before," Elliot whispered. "She hated how protective we all were with her."

"She likes to yell at me about it," Cragen said. "She told me that she's a damn good cop and not to treat her like a child. I couldn't help it. I think of her as my own daughter."

"I never should have let it happen."

"Its not your fault, Elliot. The kid kicked her down the stairs. You were doing your best to restrain him. You can't protect her from everything, El. We've all tried, and she still got hurt." Don sighed heavily. "Its as much my fault for sending her out there." The rounded the last corner and found themselves in line for breakfast. They each chose the same; bagel, cream cheese, fruit bowl, coffee and an orange juice. It was something Olivia would enjoy on a slow morning while the guys fought over donuts.

In her earlier years on the squad, she'd have dove into the donuts right along with them, but somewhere over the years, she lost interest in the sweets, and began to eat healthier foods in general. When she returned from her undercover assignment in Oregon, it was weeks before she gave up organic foods, and had a steak with Elliot. He smiled at the memory as they looked for a table. She'd told him it was the best slab of meat she'd ever eaten, cow be damned.

The four men ate in absolute silence, and never actually finished more than a few bites each before they realized they don't like bagels, Munch hated cream cheese, and Fin was allergic to the fruit he picked out.

"We're pathetic," Elliot said lightly. "Olivia is alive, and will come out of this. She's a whole helluva lot stronger than any of us."

"Damn straight," Fin added