A/N Thank you so much for your reviews and follows on this, I am very grateful. It is always scary sharing what I write with other people but I am glad that there are a few people enjoying it!

Disclaimer: Have you seen a movie trailer for Atlantis yet? Then nup I still don't own them. Come on Dickie let me play with them…just for an hour?

First Contact: Part 2

"Oliva" He whispers back. Elliot reaches behind him to push the nurse's button but he never broke eye contact with her. He wraps his hands back around hers.

"What are you doing here?" She squeezes her eyes shut wondering if it is just an hallucination because really he couldn't be here.

She tries to move her hand to her head but it won't budge. She realises that something is holding onto it tightly. Olivia opens her eyes again; she looks back into those blue eyes she has missed so much.

Her eyes travel down to her hand; she now sees that it is firmly encased in his. Suddenly she is flooded with memories of a conversation she is sure hasn't happened but yet it feels so real.

"You're a Fed, really?" She asks, genuinely confused.

The nurse walks into Olivia's room at that moment, sparing Elliot from having to answer. She checks Olivia's blood pressure, reflexes and asks about her pain levels.

When the nurse mentions pain Olivia realises that she hurts everywhere. Her head is pounding, if feels like a really bad hangover. She could remember Lewis forcing alcohol down her throat fairly often during the time he had her so she figures that must be it.

The nurse tells Olivia and Elliot that she will page the doctor to organise more pain medication and leave the room.

They both look at each other in silence. Olivia not quite believing he is real and Elliot not really knowing what to say.

"Why are you here, Elliot?" Her voice is barely audible.

He pulls the chair a little closer to the bed and sighs loudly. His voice is quite husky still from talking to her most of the night but he will give her whatever answers she needs.

"Fin called me; he told me you were missing. I came to see if I could help them at all. I had to make sure you were OK. I should never have left."

Olivia watches him, she has so many questions but she feels as though he has already answered most of them. She keeps trying to think if they have had any contact before now because she distinctly remembers a conversation but she is adamant she hasn't heard from Elliot in three years.

The doctor walks in. He reads her chart and does his own quick exam. He explains to them both the injuries she was admitted with.

Elliot sat there as the doctor tells them about the extensive burns covering most of Olivia's body. He tells her that most are superficial, that's why the ones on her chest are uncovered. They are putting a rehydrating wound gel on them but would rather let them heal without wound dressings. These ones shouldn't scare but there are a few that are deeper so she may need to see a plastic surgeon as these could leave scars.

He also tells them that she is on a combination of antibiotics and also on blood thinning medication due to the head injury. They are using the thinners to reduce the risk of blood clots post surgery. He then asks a question that Elliot has been dreading.

"Olivia due to the condition you were in when the ambulance brought you here I have to ask, do you remember at any point in your ordeal if you were raped?"

Elliot held his breath and gripped her hand tighter. Olivia looked at him; she knew that this must be killing him. He hadn't been there to watch over her.

"I, um, I'm not sure. I don't think so but I was unconscious for a period of time. He forced me to drink a whole bottle of vodka at one point and I passed out."

She heard a choked sob come from Elliot, he was really trying to hold it together for her sake, and she knew that.

"Would you consent to a rape kit?" the doctor asked her. "As it was an emergency operation we only prepped and sterilised the area we had to work on. The nurses have deliberately not given you a sponge bath and your clothing was bagged up, just in case."

She again looks at Elliot but answers the doctor, "Yes, do the kit."

She and Elliot continue to watch each other as the doctor told them he will arrange for two nurses to come and do it as soon as possible. With that he leaves the room and they are alone again.

Olivia decides to change the subject. She knows at some point she will have to give a statement but right now she doesn't want to talk about it, doesn't even want to think about it.

"Elliot, are you really a Fed or have I just made up an entire conversation in my head?" She hopes he will follow her lead.

"Yep I am now a Federal Agent Liv. Special Agent Elliot Stabler." He chuckles to himself. "The very people we used to give shit to! I spoke to you for quite a while as you slept. What else do you remember?" He asks.

Olivia tries to get her brain to co operate. Everything just feels like it is a jumbled mess, so much tossing around in there. She just wants to filter out everything except the sound of Elliot's voice.

Her eyes widen as more of the conversation comes back to her. "You and Kathy? You guys are divorced?"

He holds p his left hand and wiggles his bare ring finger, trying to lighten the mood. He just nods his head.

"Its been nearly 18 months now. The older kids are OK, they figured it was coming. It took Eli a bit of time to get used to the idea of going from the house to my apartment but he has a routine now." He answers.

Olivia doesn't know what to say. She knew that he and Kathy had been on and off over the years, even when they separated she didn't believe they would actually divorce. At the time she had been right, little Eli had come along and helped to reunite the family.

She wants to ask him more about this but decides now isn't the time. Secretly she hopes there will be a lot more time outside of the hospital to talk. She hopes he is back for good.

"I don't watch Sex and the City anymore, I really don't watch anything", she smiles slightly, and then continues, "Except crappy game shows."

He groans inwardly. He is pretty sure she has remembered or will remember everything he told her throughout the night. Including the comment about watching her arse.

Two nurses enter the room, interrupting their conversation. They are here to perform the rape kit.

Elliot wanted to give them some privacy so he tells Oliva he will call Cragen to let everyone know she is awake. He promises he will be right outside the door and to call out if she needs him. Olivia smiles, grateful that he will be close by.

Elliot steps out and dials the number of his former Captain, who answers on the first ring. Elliot explains the situation, her waking and that she is currently undergoing the rape kit. Cragen tells him that they will come by to see her this afternoon, they need a statement and Lewis is still unconscious so they want to get everything from Olivia as soon as possible. The doctors aren't too sure if Lewis will make it.

Elliot pauses for a moment not really wanting to ask this question but he knows he has to.

"Don, Olivia's boyfriend. Who is he and where is he?"

He hears Cragen take a deep breath. Elliot can tell he is trying to figure out how to explain things. Then Don gives him an answer.

"Brian. Brian Cassidy." From the tone of his voice Elliot believes that Cragen isn't a fan of the relationship.

"I've left him messages Elliot. He was at the station when we got word that Olivia was at the beach house. I don't know where he is."

Elliot was now pacing up and down the corridor outside Olivia's room; he was getting very pissed off.

"Her boyfriend is Brian, fucking, Cassidy? The little fuck wit that was with the unit 14 years ago and couldn't deal with what we saw every day? That Brian?"

Elliot knows exactly who he is. Liv had spent one night with him over 13 years ago and hated that he got so clingy with her and now she is in a relationship with the guy?

"He is still the same immature little fuck cos he hasn't shown his face at the hospital Don, where the fuck is he?" Elliot loudly whispers into the phone. He doesn't want to raise his voice for fear of upsetting Olivia.

"I don't know Elliot, I don't think anybody knows. Nick asked me the same question when he walked in this morning. Leave it with me Elliot; I will see what I can do." With that Don ended the phone call.

The nurses came out of Olivia's room. One walked away but the other stays back, Elliot assumes it is so she can speak to him.

She tells him they have administered the pain relief that the Doctor wrote up but it is a relatively low dose so it shouldn't make Olivia drowsy. They want to give her the lowest amount possible to control the pain, mainly because she had ingested a lot of alcohol & that can interfere with the medication. The doctor also wants them to monitor her a little more closely now she is awake and that they are hoping to move her to a ward later in the day.

He thanks the nurse and she walks away, leaving him in the corridor. He is trying hard to get his anger under control. The last thing he needs is Olivia thinking it is directed at her. He takes a deep breath and opens the door.

Oliva doesn't look at him as he walks in; she just stares at the wall. He can see the redness around her eyes and knows she has been crying. Elliot sits back down and again he takes her hand in his. He lets his thumb stroke over the top of her hand hoping to bring her some comfort.

"Liv" He says, quietly. "Olivia, honey. Please look at me"

She turns her head and watches him, her brown eyes filled with unshed tears. He wants to scoop her up in his arms and just hold her but he knows he can't. He doesn't have the right to do any of that. All he can do is offer words, try to reassure her as much as he can.

"Liv, I promise you, I promise to never leave your side again. I will be with you every step of the way, if you want me to. I want my best friend back, Liv. I will understand if you can't forgive me and if you don't want to see me again I will respect that. But if you will let me I will spend every waking moment I have proving to you how much you mean to me" Elliot's voice cracks towards the end.

Both he and Olivia hear somebody doing a slow clap and they look towards the door. Standing there is Brian Cassidy, looking a little worse for wear. He is swaying slightly as he grabs hold of the door frame to keep himself balanced.

"Brave, Stabler, bravo. Such a beautiful speech." He says sarcastically.

"You do know she is spoken for don't you? She doesn't need you anymore, now I'm the one who gives her what you never could, Stabler" Brian is slurring his words as well, confirming to Elliot that he is definitely under the influence but of what he isn't too sure.

Brian staggers into the room now. Olivia grips onto Elliot's hand urging him not to let go but also hoping that it will keep him relatively calm.

"You see, Stabler" Brian continues, "Someone needed to step up after you left."

He walks up to the end of the bed now. They all hear the beep from the heart monitor increase its pace. Olivia was getting agitated now.

"What the hell is your problem, Brian?" Elliot growled at him. "Better yet, where the fuck have you been?"

Brian ignored his question and walked to the other side of the bed and tries to grab Olivia's free hand, the one that still has the drip attached. The heart monitor increases yet again.

"Get off her, Stabler. She isn't yours." Brian shouts.

Olivia tries to move as close to Elliot as she can. She is scared now. She doesn't know if Brian is drunk or high or even both. Elliot is loosening his grip on her hand and she knows he will hurt Brian if he doesn't stop talking now.

"She isn't yours either Brian. Olivia doesn't belong to anyone, she never has. You don't have any claims on a woman Brian, didn't your time at Special Victims teach you anything? Now answer me, where the fuck have you been while your girlfriend has been lying in a hospital bed?"

Eliot could barely contain his anger now. He lets go of Olivia's hand and stands waiting for an answer.

"I was out, visiting some old friends" He smirks, and then looks directly at Olivia. "They wouldn't let me do anything at the station, said they could handle it so I left. Went and had a few drinks and waited to see if anyone bothered to call me. Fin eventually rang. He took great pleasure in telling me that your old partner had returned and was taking good care of you"

Brian closes his eyes just for a second as he sways slightly once more, "So I decided to stay out for a bit longer, have a couple more drinks and have some fun. You didn't need me so why come back straight away?"

"Brian…" Olivia whispers.

It was too late though, Elliot was rushing around the bed towards him. The heart monitor beeped furiously, Olivia was sure it would alert the nurses.

Elliot grabs Brian by the throat and slams him into the wall. Brian tries to react but Elliot is just too strong for him. He always has been.

"You don't deserve her, you dick. She was too good for you 13 years ago and she is still too fucking good for you now. I don't give a fuck what Fin said to you on the phone, if you love her, truly love her, then you would have been here" Elliot shouts at him.

He pulls Brian away from the wall and towards the door. Elliot quickly glances at Olivia, who nods her head. He flings Brian out of the door into the corridor still advancing on him. Out of the corner of his eye he can see two nurses entering the room, obviously to check on the monitors.

"Leave her alone, Brian. She had been doing just find till you walked your drunken arse in that room" Elliot turns to walk back into her room but Brian grabs his shoulder and spins him back around.

"Since when are you the supreme authority on what is right for Olivia, hmm? You left without a word, Stabler. She never got over that." Brian argued.

"You think I don't know how much I hurt her, Brian? You think I don't know how much I fucked up? She knows how sorry I am, and you heard what I said in that room. I will be with her every step of the way. I'm back Brian, get used to it." It was Elliots turn to smirk. He could tell that struck a nerve.

Brian stood his ground and sneered at Elliot walking slowly towards him. "You will always be second to me. You always have been Stabler, cos I had her first. I took her 13 years ago and I've done it again now. I did what you never could, Mr Best Friend, I fucked her."

Brian had barely got the last few words out when Elliot swings for him. His fist connects with Brian's cheek and he goes down. Brian is sprawled out on the waiting room floor, holding his face. Elliot leans down and gets right in his face, looking at the bruise already beginning to for under is eye. Elliot smiles at his handiwork.

Elliot then whispers in Brians ear, "I had her heart first and that's all that matters."

He stands just in time to see a security guard coming through the double doors. One of the nurses comes out of Olivia's room, says something to the guard and then points at Cassidy. The guard hauls Brian to his feet and walks him out of the waiting room.

The nurse motions to Elliot, she wants him to come back into the room. As he enters he notices the heart monitor is now back to a steady beat.

The nurse who is tending to Olivia looks at Elliot, as the other speaks to him.

"Ms Benson has asked that the man you were arguing with be banned from the room." She explains as Elliot nods his head.

"But, Mr Stabler, if the alarm triggers on any of these machines again we will ask you to leave. Olivia has suffered a lot of trauma as you know and she needs to rest."

With that both the nurses exit the room.

Elliot again takes his seat next to Olivia and holds her hand. He had expected her to pull away but she responds by grasping on firmly.

"I'm so sorry about that Oliva. I couldn't let him speak to you that way. He has no right to treat you that way" His voice was quiet.

He could see she is trying to hold back the tears, her chin trembles slightly.

"I know, Elliot, I know." She sighs "I guess I shouldn't have been surprised to see he wasn't here. I had hoped that maybe he had come earlier when I was asleep, but I guess he had more important things to do. We have had more downs than ups lately." She laughs ruefully.

"I just wonder if the old friends are the ones he made while he was undercover." At the thought of this she just breaks down, the tears flowing down her cheeks.

Elliot is on his feet immediately; he sits on the edge of the bed facing her and pulls Olivia into his arms. He whispers in her ear, trying to calm her down. He doesn't want one of the alarms going off now. The heart monitor had jumped when she first started to cry but he noticed it settle when he wrapped his arms around her.

Elliot wanted to ask what she & Brian meant by "Old friends" but he didn't want to upset her anymore than she already was so he continued to hold her.

Her crying slowly settled down and she pulls away from him slightly. Elliot moves one hand to the side of her face, tucking her hair behind her ear. Oliva realises how much she has missed him, right now this moment is telling her she needs him, she always has.

"Elliot, you are back for good aren't you? Everything you said earlier you mean it; you will be with me every step of the way because really I don't think I can do it without you. I can't face going home, work, a trial, anything unless you are by my side Elliot" Her voice is trembling; she is scared that he will walk back out of her life.

"Olivia Benson, I am never leaving you again. I should never have done it three years ago; I thought I was doing the right thing by you. I will do anything to prove to you I am not going anywhere." He pleads with her, hoping she will understand.

She smiles properly, for the first time in a long time. She leans back into him and he wraps his arms around her tightly. She can smell his cologne, even now after him being here for hours its still there. The smell that was so familiar to her over the years. It had even lingered on her clothing long after he had gone.

He manouvered himself around the bed, so his back was now against the headboard. He slips his hand around Olivia's shoulders and she moves so the back of her head is against his chest. They just held each other; the only noise in the room was the beep of the monitors around them. She mumbles something into his chest, but he doesn't understand it. He whispers against her ear, "What?"

"You will always have my six, nobody else." She smiles up at him.

"You remember that do you?" He groans slightly, he has a feeling he knows what is coming next.

"I remember it Elliot, I'm pretty sure I remember everything you told me. How long did you talk to me, it must have been all night." She is still leaning into his chest.

"I heard that sometimes talking to a person when they are unconscious can help with healing so yeah I just kept talking to you. I didn't realise it at first but I must have talked for hours. Once I started I couldn't stop, I wanted to explain so much to you even if you couldn't hear me, Liv."

"Thanks for saying I have a nice butt! I knew you used to check me out" She laughs at him and it is the best sound he has heard in a long time.

"Trust you to remember that bit. You heard the rest though? You are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on." He strokes her hair and holds her head against his chest and closes his eyes now. She closes hers aswell and just listens to the beat of his heart against her ear.

"I know we have a lot to talk about, Liv but just now let me hold you. We have an eternity to catch up. I just want to sit here with you. It's like Rojas all over again, I just need to know you are still here."

"I am, Elliot. I'm still here, with you." She whispers back to him, holding on tighter.

Elliot thinks no matter what happens from this day, no matter where they go they will never leave each others lives again.

XXXX

Donald Cragen had been told before that his two best detectives were too close. He tries to recall the exact words "mutual reliance and emotional dependence" were some. He knew Hendrix was right, he had seen with his own eyes over the years.

As he looks through the window into Olivia's room he knows it has always been true. They needed each other like a person needs air to breath. He knows how badly Olivia was hurting when Elliot left, he saw it first hand. She lost a part of herself when he walked away. He guesses the same thing happened to Elliot. They always had trouble functioning without the other.

He had asked Hendrix if he should split them up. She had made it clear to him if they were split that they would both more than likely quit. Don had never seen a connection between partners in all his time with the NYPD like the one between Olivia and Elliot. It went beyond partnership, beyond friendship and even beyond love. It was unique.

She finally looks at peace, Don thinks to himself. She has been to hell and back and he knows it will get worse once the investigation starts. She will have to share the details of what happened during her attack with a multitude of people but looking at her now he knows she can handle it.

Her other half is back and she is now whole again.