Chapter 9

Elliot leapt out of the squad car, his gun trembling in his hand. He'd found her! He'd found Olivia! But as he looked over the situation, his heart sank. Anger flared up inside him, and he cocked his gun, pointing at Mike's head.

"Let her go, Jergens!" Elliot ordered. "It's over! You lost!"

"You're wrong!" Mike laughed back. He cocked his gun as well, keeping it level with Olivia's head. "As long as I have her, I'm still winning."

Olivia watched other officers file into the parking lot. There were so little of them. Had this been a spur of the moment decision? Why wasn't there back-up?

"Jergens, please, just let her go," Elliot pleaded. He wanted this over, and over quickly. He held up his gun in a surrendering motion. "Take me instead."

Olivia shook her head wildly, her messy hair falling into her face as she lay still bound on the ground. She couldn't let Jergens take her again. Elliot might never find her! But the last thing she wanted was for Elliot to take her place. She wouldn't be able to stand it. She heard Mike's gun clock again behind her head, and she closed her eyes, a stray tear falling down her cheek.

What a fine mess.

"What's wrong, Olivia?" Mike cooed, his voice bitter as he watched her shoulders shake. "Afraid you'll never see your partner again? Well, that's not a problem. You'll see each other again… in hell!"

Without warning, Jergens suddenly pointed his gun at Elliot and fired, the shot ringing out for all to hear. Olivia tried to scream as she saw Elliot fall to the ground, tears streaking her face. No! No no no no! He hadn't! He didn't! Mike however wasted no time in firing again and again at the other officers, in the meantime dragging Olivia around the back and tossing her back into the van. Olivia fought him with all her might, willing herself to be free, but it was no use. As officers fired to no avail, Mike sped away with Olivia, until he had lost the cops tailing him, and they were completely out of sight.

"You see what you do, Olivia?" Mike called to her as he drove along. "Just by being alive, you get people killed."

Olivia didn't answer. She was curled into a corner, her hair a mess and her face puffy and red from crying. Elliot had been shot. For her. And she didn't even know if he was still alive. What if he'd died? What if he was dying? No, she decided, Elliot wasn't dead. Elliot Stabler didn't die. Maybe he got shot once or twice, but he didn't die. But Olivia just couldn't shake the thought of Elliot's cold, lifeless body lying on the stone pavement, all because of her and her stupidity. She should never have let Kurt take her into Central Park. She should have run when she had the chance. And now, her partner and best friend was bleeding out, maybe dead. Olivia couldn't even find the energy to hold her head up.

…..

Elliot's eyes fluttered open, revealing a familiar face. He closed them quickly; fluorescent lights were such a pain.

"I see you're awake," Captain Cragen smiled as Elliot dared to open his eyes again. "How do you feel?"

"Like I got hit by a bus," Elliot replied truthfully. He looked down and saw the wrappings around his abdomen. They were white, but stained with large amount of blood. "Son of a bitch."

"Yeah, he got you," Cragen sighed. "But the doctors say you're gonna live."

"Always good to hear," Elliot smiled smugly. He looked around for a minute. "Where's Olivia? This time Cragen remained silent, dropping his gaze to the floor. "Captain?"

"Jergens made off with her," Cragen replied softly. Elliot could see the pain on his face. It was as though he was saying the family dog had died. "We gave chase, but the back-up hadn't come in time. We lost her… again."

Elliot let out a deep sigh, though the sharp pain sent up his chest made him wish he hadn't. But it didn't matter to him. They had failed. Olivia was still in Jergens' clutches.

"Do we know where they're headed?" he asked softly.

Cragen shook his head. "No. We don't."

Elliot dropped his head. "So it was all for nothing."

"I wouldn't say that," Cragen tried to cheer him up. "We know what Jergens is driving! Maybe-"

"He's not stupid, Captain!" Elliot suddenly snapped. "No doubt he's going to switch cars to lose us! He'll probably torch the van when he gets the chance…" Elliot went quiet, not letting on what he was thinking. "And my best friend with it."

"We're going to find him, Elliot," Cragen assured him, though to tell the truth, he wasn't so sure of that himself. The failure in Jersey had given quiet a blow to his ego- and his confidence. "We're not letting him hurt her."

"Well what if he already has?" Elliot asked. Now his expression gave off worry, and fear. "What if he's raping her now, while we sit here like idiots?" Grunting in pain, he pushed back his blanket and attempted to get off the bed. "We have to find her!"

"Oh, no no no," Cragen snapped, using one hand to push Elliot back down. "You're resting. We don't need you hurting yourself any more than you already have."

"But Captain!" Elliot protested, gritting his teeth as abdomen screamed in pain. "I have to find Olivia! She needs me!"

"Fin and Munch are already on it," Cragen replied steadily. "You trust them, don't you?" Slowly, Elliot nodded. "I know you do. I trust them too. Elliot, she's going to be fine, because we're going to get her before Jergens can hurt her."

Elliot just sat in his bed, images of Olivia's terrified face filling his mind. He could only hope that when they did find her, it wouldn't be already too late.

Notes: I had to update really really quickly before I left, (I was typing like mad for a good thirty minutes) so you're welcome! The things I do out of love... ;)

Thanks so much for reading and please review or I won't continue! ;) Thanks!