Part 7:
Disclaimer/AN: So I don't own any of the characters, yada yada yada. So what do you think? I'm sorry that it's long again but just a warning, it will be long!!!! Hope no one minds! Thank you so much for the reviews up till now!
Olivia could tell that something was wrong with Elliot when he came back into her room. His face was tense and his blue eyes were shadowed and sad. "El?" she asked, reaching out a hand.
Elliot sat heavily down in the chair beside Olivia's bed and put his head in his hands, rubbing his forehead before looking up again with a tired small. "Yeah Liv?" he asked.
"What's wrong?" she asked, her brown eyes showing her concern for her partner and friend.
Elliot
almost laughed. Here was Olivia in the hospital, just woken up from
a three day coma worrying about him. "I'm fine Olivia," he
said with a small smile.
Olivia shook her head, ignoring the pain
shooting through it with the movement. "Don't give me that
Elliot," she said sternly. "Tell me what's going on."
Elliot sighed. He had never been able to keep anything from Olivia for long. They had always had a special connection, able to tell what the other one was thinking and react to their surroundings almost instantly. "It's Kathy," he said quietly.
Olivia sat back. Of course it was Kathy. Couldn't she ever leave Elliot in peace? "You should go home Elliot," she said, her former resolution coming back to her. "She's your wife and you love her. She needs you, especially right now." Olivia had to say it, even though bile was rising in her throat. She hated telling Elliot to go home to his wife, the one who didn't trust him and called every time he was out of sight. Still, he was married and he loved his family. Olivia was just in the way.
It's
time to let you go; it's time to say Goodbye
No more excuses; no
more tears to cry
There's been so many changes; I was so confused
All along you were the one; all the time I never knew.
Elliot looked at her strangely. "Are you sure Liv?" he asked, suppressing a yawn.
Olivia smiled sadly and nodded. "Of course I am. I'm fine, see? You go home to your family Elliot. I think they need you more than I do."
Elliot thought for a moment and then nodded. Cragen would be by soon after he left to check on Olivia. She wouldn't be alone for long. "Okay," he said, getting to his feet. "By Liv," he hugged her gently and kissed her on the forehead, leaving quickly before she could say anything else.
Olivia sat back and closed her eyes, trying to hold back the tears. She knew what she had to do now; protect her best friend. She just wondered if she would be strong enough to do it.
I
want you to be happy; you're my best friend
But its so hard to
let you go now; all that could have been
I'll always have the
memories; she'll always have you
Fate has a way of changing; just
when you don't want it to
Throw away the chains; Let love find a
way
Till love comes again, I'll be OK!
The doctor came back into the room not long afterwards to give Olivia the good news. She was free to go home. Olivia was relieved. "Thanks Doctor," she said, as she took some of her clothes out of the bag that Casey had left for her.
Just then a nurse came into the room. "Ummm doctor, Ms. Benson? A Captain Cragen is here to see Olivia."
The doctor looked to Olivia who quickly signed the forms held out to her and nodded. Cragen came in moments afterwards.
"Hello
Captain," Olivia smiled at him as she pulled her socks on.
Cragen
glared at his officer. "Olivia, what are you doing?" he demanded
as she got to her feet.
"Well,
I believe I'm putting my shoes on," she said, slipping her slim
feet into her regulation shoes.
"I mean, what are you doing out
of bed? Dressed?" Cragen sputtered.
"The doctor said I was
free to go," Olivia shrugged. "So I'm going."
"Where's Elliot?" Cragen asked. "He can take you home."
"Elliot went back to his house," Olivia said quickly. "I told him to. He was dead on his feet and…Kathy was getting anxious."
The older man ran a hand over his shiny bald head. "Well, I can take you back to your apartment before I go back to the station."
Olivia shook her head. "No. I want to talk to you first Captain. I-I think that I need to transfer out of SVU. I had an offer from Dean Porter helping out with another FBI case and I think I might take it."
Cragen looked at his detective in astonishment. He had almost never heard Olivia so serious. "What are you talking about Olivia? You want to leave SVU? For good?"
Olivia shrugged, half shaking her head. "I don't know," she said quietly. "I just need to get out of SVU for a while. Things are…yeah."
Cragen shook his head. There hadn't been any recent cases that might have upset Olivia this badly that she would want to leave SVU. "Olivia, what the hell is going on?"
Olivia
shook her head. "Just some personal stuff Captain. I need some
time away from the precinct. Just…don't tell anyone about it
until I'm gone. Please?"
The sigh could have been heard in
the hallway. He knew that what was going on with Olivia had
something to do with Elliot, he just wondered how. "All right
Olivia," he said quietly. "But you have to keep in touch."
Olivia smiled and came forward, hugging her captain and friend, taking him by surprise. "Thanks Captain," she said quietly, her eyes misting over. Then, without a look behind her, she walked out of the hospital room and down the hallway. Her gait was brisk but her heart was heavy.
Life
passes so quickly, you've got to take the time
Or you'll miss
what really matters, you'll miss all the signs
I've spent my life
searching, for what was always there,
Sometimes it will be too
late, sometimes it won't be fair.
Throw away the chains, Let love
fly away
Till love comes again, I'll be OK!
Olivia sat in her apartment. It had been a day since she had been released from the hospital and already Elliot had called her several times, leaving multiple messages. She hadn't answered him once. She couldn't believe how hard it was to ignore him, but she couldn't help it. She knew that if she picked up the phone, heard his voice, she would change her mind about going with Porter. But Olivia had to be strong. She knew that leaving was the only way to save her sanity and Elliot's marriage. Tears ran down her cheeks as the phone rang once again and Olivia had to bite her lip and dig her nails into her palms to keep from reaching and picking up the phone.
I
won't give up... I won't give in...
I can't re-create what just
might have been,
I know that my heart will find love again
Now
is the time to return...
Throw away the chains, Let love find a
way
Till love comes again, I'll be OK!
Can't go on forever,
baby; I can't go on forever, baby...
Can't go on forever, baby...
yeah...; I'll be OK
Someone knocked on Olivia's door and she jumped. "Please no," she prayed, hoping it wouldn't be Elliot. It wasn't. "Dean," she smiled, opening the door. "How are you?"
"I'm good," he said. "I was delighted to get your message saying that you would be willing to help us out again. You see, we're tracking a serial killer-rapist. You've had experience with rapists before. But this man…we're at a complete and total loss with him. He's killed six women already, but they have all been in different cities or different parts of the city. He follows no pattern known to us. We would love to have your expertise."
Olivia smiled, slightly flattered even though she knew that most of what Dean was saying was crap. They were the FBI after all. They couldn't be too at sea. She knew that Dean just wanted to work with her again. "Well, like I said, I would be happy to come with you, if only for a short time."
Porter seemed to sense something in Olivia's voice. "Anything wrong Olivia?" he asked.
Olivia shook her head. "No. Nothing." With good control, the woman kept her gaze from straying to the answering machine.
"Is it something to do with that partner of yours, Elliot?" Dean asked, coming forward, holding Olivia's arm gently. He sounded fierce however and Olivia knew that if she told Dean 'yes' that he would go and try to beat the crap out of her partner. In a way, it was Elliot who was hurting her, but not in the way that Dean meant. And she would never admit it to Dean either.
"When are we leaving?" she asked, stepping away from Dean to go to the fridge. "Want anything?" she asked, as she took a beer out for herself.
"Whiskey," he said, coming to sit at Olivia's counter.
She nodded and got him his drink before sitting across from him and sipping her own cool liquid.
"We want to leave as soon as possible," Dean said taking a large gulp of his whiskey. "Can you be ready tomorrow afternoon?"
Olivia looked around her apartment and released a sigh that was barely audible. "Yes," she said. She had started packing for the FBI trip since she had gotten out of the hospital. Her suitcases were sitting ready in her room.
Dean got to his feet. "I'll come to pick you up at noon. Is that all right?"
"Uh hu. Sure," Olivia followed his lead. "Thanks for coming over Dean."
"No problem Olivia. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah. See you tomorrow."
Can't
go on forever, baby; I can't go on forever, baby...
Can't go on
forever, baby... yeah...; I'll be OK
