Chapter Eight
The drive to Jersey was a long one. Fin was less tired, so he got to drive while Olivia slept fitfully in the passenger seat. She was dreaming about Elliot. He was wandering around Jersey, lost and tired, calling out for her. She sat bolt upright in the seat when the dream reached its climax, the unknown partner shooting Elliot in the back.
Fin rubbed her arm lightly. ''It's OK, Liv. El's going to be fine. He's not dead. He can't be dead.'' He knew Olivia wasn't ever going to be able to come back from that. She would just completely shut down. That's how he knew that they were meant for each other. They were so in love that they would be completely devastated if they permanently lost the other one.
Olivia sighed and rubbed her tired eyes. She was exhausted. She hadn't slept much since she and El had made love. Too much drama. This horror, this almost losing him, made her realize that life was too short. She was just going to be with him. Besides, Kathy was going to jail for a very long time. She wasn't going to be able to do anything about it.
When they got to Jersey, Fin stopped at a gas station. They still had a forty minute drive to Gainesville, where Leslie said that Dave and his partner had taken Elliot. Fin went to get gas, while Olivia got out to stretch her legs. All she could think about was Elliot. She missed him and she hoped he was alright. She didn't know what would happen to her if he was dead. She was trying not to think about it. She knew she would just completely break down before they found him if she concentrated too much on it.
Fin got back in the car. Nearly sixty dollars to fill the car. He wished they'd been able to take the train, but there'd been no time. They'd had to jet. After Liv had gotten back in the car, he took off again. They rode in silence for about twenty minutes. He hoped that they weren't too late, he knew that that wasn't the outcome they were hoping for. They were hoping that he was still alive.
Olivia broke the silence by sniffling. She had tears slowly falling down her face. She wished Fin would drive faster. She had to know if Elliot was alive. No other possibility was acceptable.
Gainesville was a small town. Fin wondered why Dave and his partner had brought El here. Outsiders got more attenion in small towns. He looked around for Peach Street, Leslie had told him the house where they had had Elliot would be there. He really hoped that they'd find Elliot in one piece. He wanted this to be over. Liv and El deserved to be happy.
The house was a beautiful two story place, painted blue. Liv jumped out of the car almost before Fin had completely stopped. She headed to the front door, figuring a knock couldn't hurt.
She was pleasantly surprised when a tall man came to the door. He was taller than El, and had long hair. It was pulled back in a ponytail. He looked bigger than El, too. That explained why they got the drop on him. ''I'm Dect. Olivia Benson. I'm here with my partner, Dect. Fin Tutuola. Leslie told us you're holding my boyfriend Elliot Stabler hostage.''
The man looked at her for a second, and took off running. She followed him through the house, and into the garage, where he tried to get into his car. She yanked him back and very nearly knocked him out as she did. ''Where the hell is my boyfriend, you bastard?'' She yelled, as she held him in place despite his struggling. She was amazed at her strength.
The man struggled as hard as he could against Olivia's grip. ''What are you talking about? Who's your boyfriend?'' He struggled some more as Olivia pinned him beneath her. He seemed to be stalling.
''Elliot Stabler. We know Leslie Davenport hired you and your little friend Dave Hartzberger to kidnap him. Kathy Stabler was in on it, too. Where is he? Do you understand that if you don't tell me right now, I will break something vital? That man is the love of my life and I'm not going to lose him. Where the hell is he?'' Olivia ignored the look of shock Fin was giving her. She knew that she hadn't been acting like herself since Elliot had gone missing, but she had never been seperated from Elliot like this for this long. It made her a little crazy and out of conrtol. She couldn't stop herself.
''Look, lady, my name's Pete Townsend, and all I know is, Elliot Stabler isn't here anymore. Hartzberger dropped him in one of the town's quarries.'' Pete looked more than a little uncomfortable.
Olivia wanted to put her hands around his neck and squeeze, but she knew that wouldn't get her what she wanted. ''Where are the quarries located?'' She managed to sound semi calm.
Pete replied, ''There's one by the only cemetary, and then there's one not far from here. I'm not sure which one he took him to.'' Olivia was a little relieved, he'd said him instead of the body.
Olivia put him under arrest for kidnapping and attempted murder, and then she and Fin made him take them to the quarries. Olivia got out first when they reached the second, hoping that they'd find him here. She was having a hard time trying not to punch Pete in the face.
She searched the entire quarry, until she finally saw a broken cell phone. A few paces closer, and she'd found him. She called out, ''Elliot, Elliot, baby, please be alive.'' She knelt beside him, undoing the handcuffs and pulling out her phone to call an ambulance.
She rode with him but they made her wait in the waiting room when they rushed him off to surgery. Fin and Townsend had followed, and they had joined her. Fin watched her, wondering when she was going to lose it and cry. She sat very still, filling out forms. She wasn't accepting any possibility but that he was alive. Death was not an option.
An hour later, a very nervous looking doctor came out. Dr. Simpson. ''Mrs. Stabler?'' He asked, voice trembling a little bit. He looked to be not much older than thirty.
Olivia didn't bother to correct him. It was true enough. ''How is he?'' She asked, getting up nervously. She'd been sitting there for a half an hour, having filled out all the forms.
Dr. Simpson said, ''We had to go in and revive him, make sure that there wasn't any head injuries, that sort of thing. He was unconscious for quite awhile. We're going to keep him overnight for observation, but you can see him now. He's going to be fine.''
Olivia thanked him and went off to El's room. She found him awake, looking a little disoriented. Tears filled her eyes, but she went in and sat in the chair next to his bed, taking his hand. Through her sobs, she said, ''I'm never leaving you again. I love you, Elliot.'' She kissed him softly, never wanting to let him go ever again.
Elliot kissed her back. ''That's good to hear. I love you, too, Olivia.'' He said, a little drowsily. He seemed to have been waiting for her before he went to sleep. Satisfied, he drifted off to sleep, looking peaceful and like a little boy almost.
She held his hand and watched. She was afraid to let go. She never wanted to be without him ever again. This was for life as far as she was concerned.
Author's Note: TBC...coming up next chappie, Kathy and Leslie's day in court. Will Casey put 'em away? Review to find out!
