Jingle Bell Rock
Disclaimer: Not mine, never likely to be…one can only dream
This is for Chantelle…Merry Christmas!
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Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle
bells swing and jingle bells ring
Snowing and blowing up bushels
of fun
Now the jingle hop has begun
Times Square was awash in its normal sea of fluorescent colours and neon signs. The ground was covered in two inches of snow and, over the grates, where the heat had evaporated the snow, steam rose on the near deserted roads.
Walking through to the subway on their way back from The Olive Garden where the SVU squad had enjoyed their Christmas get together Olivia slipped on an icy patch and Elliot, grabbing for her arm, fell with her. They both ended up in a tangled mess on limbs on the ground.
"You okay, Liv?" asked Elliot, extracting himself before rubbing his hands to warm them from their icy contact with the snow. "Liv?" He stretched out his hands.
"Think I broke something," she cautiously admitted with a sheepish grin.
"What?" He crouched down beside her.
"Um…my ankle." She pointed to her right leg and grimaced as he touched her. "Ahhh!" she drew in a sharp breathe.
"Hurts?" he asked, gently rubbing her shin.
"Nah, my eyes normally pop out of their sockets about this time," she groaned.
"Well, let's get you some help."
Elliot scooped her up and she draped her arms around his neck, burying her face into his shoulder every time movement caused sudden and sharp pain to ricochet from her ankle to all parts of her being. More than once Olivia groaned as the pain became overwhelming.
"Don't know why you're groaning, I'm the one carrying you," Elliot chided, trying to distract her. "I think you need to cut back on the donuts."
Playfully she swiped him across the back of the head. "I'll get you."
A block and a half along without a cab in sight, Elliot waved down the first black and white he saw. Flashing his badge he instructed the rookie driver to get them to Mercy or else. The young man paled and got them there in record time.
"Sit down El," Olivia instructed, tired of seeing him pace the floor.
"I'm fine," he replied without stopping.
"El….hey, El, come here," she said, holding her hand out to him. "Why are you so anxious?"
"Your ankle's probably broken, you're in pain and these idiots are taking forever…I mean we've been here thirty six minutes and you haven't even had an x-ray," he ranted.
"Hey…" She pulled him back as he tried to resume his pacing. "The Vicodin's kicked in…it's still sore but not as painful as it was….and there was the multiple MVA they're dealing with – a broken ankle doesn't quite stack up now, does it?"
"I guess not." He sighed heavily slumping into a seat beside the bed.
"Look Elliot, you don't need to hang out here all night, I'll be fine you can go. I know you have plans tomorrow," she said, her eyelids getting heavier.
"No way,' he replied, getting back to his feet. "I'm not leaving you here by yourself. Besides, you'll need someone to take you home."
"Well, at least go get yourself some coffee…or a sedative…something to help you settle. You'll drive me crazy if you keep up the pacing," she said with equal measure of humour and seriousness.
Five minutes after Elliot left for the cafeteria the nurse and orderly came to take Olivia for her x-rays.
"This is completely ridiculous," remarked Olivia as they wheeled her, bed and all, to radiology.
"Standard practise, ma'am," replied the orderly.
"Wouldn't a wheelchair have done just as well?" she asked.
"Your leg has to be as immobilised as possible - we don't want to aggravate the existing injury.
"Fine," Olivia conceded.
Elliot returned and was staggered to see two doctors and four nurses working frantically around the bed.
"BP dropping," yelled one nurse. "Pulse weak and rapid."
"O2 levels dropping," called another.
He moved towards the bed only to be pulled back by yet another nurse.
"Sir, give them room," she ordered.
"What the hell happened?" he asked, not daring to look away from the chaotic scene.
"Sir, they're doing everything they can,' she said as the patient flat lined; the piercing beep cut through his heart.
"I don't understand it…she slipped on the street and probably broke an ankle but this…" He gestured to the room.
"She? Sir, this patient is male." The nurse double checked just to be sure.
"But…But…this is where Olivia Benson was…." he croaked.
"She went to x-ray about ten minutes ago."
Elliot threw his untouched coffee into the nearest trashcan and raced to radiology. He got there just as Olivia had finished.
"Look's like a break…" she said tiredly before registering his startled look. "What's wrong?"
"Um, nothing…nothing," he replied as he managed to start breathing properly again.
"El, you're as white as a ghost. Are you sure you didn't do some damage when you fell?" she asked concerned at his pallor.
"Yeah, I'm sure." He didn't want to tell her he'd just thought she'd died, that in that instant he wanted to die for her or with her…preferring those scenarios to living without her.
Olivia studied him cautiously as he walked alongside the bed as she was wheeled back to the ER and into another room.
"Dr Harrison will be in shortly to confirm the x-ray," said the nurse as she fixed Olivia's bed. "Just buzz if you need anything."
The nurse gone, Olivia allowed her gaze to settle back on Elliot…his good humour of the night long gone, a new sense of fear mixed with panic could still be seen behind his baby blues, she had no idea where it had come from.
"El," she said quietly, knowing it would bring him to her bedside, it did. "Wanna tell me now?"
"Tell you what, Liv?" he asked.
"About what's wrong," she prompted.
"Nothing, I'm just tired…" He yawned for effect before glancing at the clock. "Ha, it's now Christmas Eve….Santa comes tonight."
"Santa? Right?" She knew he was avoiding the issue. "El, go home…get some sleep. I don't think I'll be getting out anytime soon,"
"Oh, you never know, Olivia, you may see the sunrise," said Dr Harrison, briskly walking to her bed with x-rays in hand. "If you look here," he said tapping the film just above the image of her foot. "You have two small fractures at the base of the tibia and…"
"So, how long's the plaster on for?" asked Elliot, keen to get things moving.
"Ah, no plaster. The ankle's too swollen at this stage. We will fit a splint to support the ankle and give Olivia crutches…which must be used for the next two weeks at least. Then we will x-ray again and if necessary apply a cast.
"Look's like you'll be doing desk duty for a while, Liv," Elliot smiled, more than happy to have her confined to the precinct rather than on the streets on crutches.
Several more hours passed before Olivia had her splint applied, her crutches in hand, pain relief meds, discharge advice and follow up appointment. Elliot pocketed the pills and notes so she had her hands free for the crutches. He walked painstakingly slow from the hospital drawing several calls to hurry up from Olivia.
"No, I won't hurry up, Liv, you slow down! This isn't the hundred meter dash you know," he said.
"At the rate you're going we'll still be here tomorrow," she chided as she stopped to allow him to catch up.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he muttered.
As the cab took them from the hospital to Olivia's apartment, the radio blared with Christmas carols.
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells
chime in jingle bell time
Dancing and prancing in Jingle Bell
Square
In the frosty air.
What a bright time, it's
the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell time is a
swell time
To go gliding in a one-horse sleigh
Giddy-up jingle
horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
Mix and
a-mingle in the jingling feet
That's the jingle bell,
That's
the jingle bell,
That's the jingle bell rock.
"I guess there won't be any dancing and prancing for me this Christmas," Olivia said, looking down at her leg.
"Guess not," Elliot yawned.
"Thanks for staying all night, El. You didn't have to but I appreciate the fact you did." She gave his hand a quick squeeze.
"You're welcome…besides it could just have easily been the other way around," he replied.
"True but you'd have been a much more difficult patient," she chided before closing her eyes and resting her head on the seat.
It was Elliot's hand gently rubbing her arm which woke her up once they had pulled up in front of her block.
"Rise and shine, Livvy, we're home," he said quietly. A groan was his only response. He moved around to her door and opened it. "Liv, come on." He guided her from the car and put her crutches in one hand and wrapped his other arm around her waist. She leaned heavily on him as she hopped up the front stairs.
Once in the foyer she was dismayed to find the elevator out of order, she eyed the staircase…it was going to be a long and arduous trek up to her apartment.
"It won't be as bad as you think," Elliot said as he handed her the crutches.
She looked from the aids to the stairs to Elliot. "Sure."
Before she could stop him he scooped her up and began to carry her up.
"No, no, put me down," Olivia said when she knocked her leg for the third time.
"You can't walk, Liv," he said as he let her stand up on the first floor landing.
Elliot looked at the next lot of stairs. "I've got it."
He threw her over his shoulder in the classic fireman's lift and continued up the stairs. Despite her embarrassment of spending time with her butt in the air and her face dangling over his back, Olivia was grateful for the assistance.
Before long he was walking through her sitting room towards her bedroom.
"El, you can put me on the sofa," she said into his shirt.
"You need to get some sleep," he replied opening the bedroom door.
"I can sleep on the sofa," she reminded him.
"Well then where will I sleep?" he asked as he deposited her as gently as possible onto her bed.
She stared at him for a moment. "You'll sleep at your place."
He laughed at her comment, there was no way he was leaving her alone just yet.
"What's so funny, El?" she asked.
"You. You think I'd leave you here on Christmas Eve, doped up on pain killers and with no means of getting in or out of your building…" He walked out of the bedroom and headed to the kitchen.
"Elliot, wait," she said hobbling after him. He stopped and turned around. "Look, I appreciate everything but I don't need a babysitter. Besides you had plans for today."
"I have plans for later today and I'm not your babysitter, I'm your partner. Now, do you want something to eat or drink?" He entered the kitchen and plugged in the kettle.
Olivia knew he was staying whether she wanted him to or not and although she'd never admit it to him she was glad, she liked having him there.
"Coffee and toasted cheese, if that's okay?" she asked.
"It is. Now, go sit on the sofa and I'll bring it over," Elliot instructed.
"Yes, sir," Olivia replied with a mock salute. Elliot grinned.
When the food was gone and the coffee finished, Elliot stood and took the mugs and plates back to the kitchen.
"Now, Liv," he said on his return. "Do you need any help getting into bed?"
Olivia grinned at his comment and watched a small blush creep up his cheeks. "I mean…with your foot…do you…"
"Relax, El, I'll be fine…I am going to take a shower though and I may need some help there…" she said and watched as he inhaled sharply. "I mean in putting the waterproof cover on my splint."
"Oh yeah, I can do that," he replied, although I'd prefer to help in the shower. He shook his head at the thought.
"I'll shout for you when I need your help."
Elliot sat patiently on the sofa awaiting her call. It seemed to take forever to come and when it did he was at the door within the blink of an eye. He knocked once as a courtesy. It was a difficult job for him to keep his eyeballs in their own sockets when he saw Olivia sitting on her bed, wrapped in nothing but a fluffy pink towel. God, I'd love to be that towel!
After assisting Olivia with her splint, Elliot sat down on the bed and watched her walk into the bathroom. As he listened to the water running, he imagined being on the other side of that door and the sight which would befall him. He lay on the bed and closed his eyes after an extraordinarily long night. As well as it had all turned out he still couldn't completely let go of the fact that, just for an instant, that night he thought he'd lost her – and that feeling disturbed him greatly.
By the time Olivia was finished, Elliot was sound asleep. Not wanting to disturb him, she threw a blanket over him and slipped under the covers beside him. Sleep came almost instantly.
It was mid-afternoon before Olivia awoke. She smiled to find Elliot's face inches away from her, he was still asleep and he looked so peaceful. She watched him for a while and noted his handsome features begin to transform. He was mumbling something she couldn't quite make out. He began moving restlessly, his face registering his distress.
"No! No!" he called out and instantly she reached out and gently shook him.
"El! Elliot, wake up!" Olivia said.
"Not happening!!! NO!!!" he screamed. Olivia shook him more vigorously.
"Elliot, it's a dream, wake up!" she said loudly.
Elliot's eyes popped open, his breathing was quick and shallow and sweat covered his face.
"It's a dream, El, just a dream. You're okay," she soothed, running her hand up and down his arm. He stared at her.
"Dream," he repeated.
"Yeah, hon, just a dream. You're okay," she whispered, gently patting his face.
"Are you?" he asked.
"Am I what?" Olivia asked confused.
"Are you okay?" He struggled to sit up.
"I'm fine, broken ankle aside," she replied, noting his concern. "Why wouldn't I be?"
He shook his head; he didn't want to explain it. In the ER yesterday he thought she was dead, in his dream he was burying her…he couldn't tell her.
"El," she said, sitting up beside him, trying to get eye contact and not succeeding. She drew his face around and noted the same fear and panic she'd seen at the hospital. "What was the dream about? What happened at the hospital yesterday?" she asked, keeping her hand on his cheek so he wouldn't look away.
He leaned his face into her palm and sighed.
"I thought I'd lost you…" he began; a puzzled look crossed her face.
"How?" she interrupted.
"Um…yesterday…I returned to your room and they'd taken you to radiology…" he paused.
"And?" Olivia prompted gently.
"And…when I got back a whole mess of people were working around your bed trying to resuscitate you and you flat lined…" he replied.
"Was that in your dream?" she asked.
He shook his head. "At the hospital…only it wasn't you it was the person they put in your room when you went for x-rays but I didn't know that and I thought it was you and the nurse wouldn't let me get any closer and then the beep for flat line came through and I…I…thought I'd lost you," he spewed forth without a breath.
Olivia picked up his hand and rubbed it against her face before placing it over her heart. "El, I'm still here. See?"
He nodded and for the first time in a long time allowed himself to breathe.
After a few moments Olivia realised his hand still hadn't moved, she looked from his hand to his eyes and their gaze locked. She ran her hand along his arm and up to his shoulder before caressing his face.
"I'm okay," she whispered and watched as a smile spread across his face. He went to move his hand but she captured it and kissed his palm. "And you're okay, too."
The seconds seemed endless as Elliot inched his way towards her, he so desperately wanted to kiss her, now more than ever.
Just as his lips brushed hers the phone rang startling them both.
"Benson," Olivia grumbled.
"Hey Liv, it's Don," her boss said. "Just calling to see what the verdict was. Elliot phoned from the hospital to say you'd had a fall…"
"It's a fracture. Sorry Don…looks like I'll be out of commission for a while," Olivia replied.
"These things happen, Liv. Is there anything I can do for you? Are you getting around alright?" he asked.
"Haven't tried much. We didn't get home 'til about eight and crashed not long after," she reported.
"We?" Don questioned.
"Elliot and I…" she replied.
"Oh," he said quietly, not to sure what to think.
"It's not like that, Don," Olivia offered, although she hoped it was.
"Yeah okay," he replied without sounding convinced.
"Daddy checking up on us," Elliot laughed as she replaced the receiver.
"Yep, don't think he liked what he heard though," she smiled.
"Oh well, his problem," he said, moving close to where he had been before the interruption.
His lips captured hers and sparks flew causing Olivia to moan into his mouth.
When he finally broke away, a huge smile was on his face.
"You look pleased with yourself," she chided.
"I am…I've…um…wanted to do that for a long while…" he trailed.
"Why didn't you?" she asked.
"Thought you might deck me…" he said, with a degree of seriousness.
"You should have taken your chances," she said as her hand wrapped around his neck.
"You ever thought of kissing me?" he asked. She shook her head. "Never? Not at all?" He looked hurt.
"Well, not just kissing you…" her voice trailled as she pulled him closer to her.
"You mean you've thought of us…"
She nodded and smiled. Elliot grinned, Olivia had been starring in little more than her birthday suit in most of his recent dreams.
He repositioned himself so he could kiss her properly and he did…her brain had little chance to register the growing pain in her ankle as he took her breath away, again and again. When finally he broke away, he looked at her expectantly.
"Didn't you have plans for today?" Olivia asked, not wanting to start something he couldn't finish.
"Oh yeah…" he said, "but I think she'll understand."
"She?" she replied, jealousy creeping into that single word.
Elliot fished into his pocket and pulled out two tickets for the Christmas Concert and Dance at Radio City.
"You said you wanted to go, so I bought the tickets as a surprise," Elliot explained. "Sorry you can't go dancing and prancing tonight, Liv."
Olivia sighed, a cheeky gleam sparkling in her eyes. "Um, El, if you're game we can still do the Jingle Bell Rock."
"Liv, with your ankle you can't dance," he replied.
"Who said it had to be vertical dancing?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You mean it can be horizontal?" he asked more than a little surprised.
Olivia grinned broadly, tugging at his shirt.
"What a bright time, it's the right time to rock the night away…" she began to sing to him.
Before she could continue his tongue was in her mouth and her night was about to be well and truly rocked.
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I am aware I have a few requests still pending, most of which I have started. Unfortunately due to ill health they will probably not be posted before Christmas - sorry. If no one has any objections I'll continue the Christmas ffs into the New Year...or...I can keep them for next year...
