Disclaimer: Characters belong to Mr Wolf and I'm just playing.

AN 1: For Sam, Laura and Hannah, who despite everything else always manage to make the world a better and brighter place.

AN 2: This ff (and the current JAG one I'm updating) mark the last ffs to be posted on this site for a while. I am taking a break - it may be a month, it may be six, I'm unsure. There are 60 stories in my portfolio to check out in my absence. Thanks to all who have supported my writing. Feel free to PM me or email me.

Thanks for the amazing reviews - much appreciated.

Ignore spacing issues - it's the site not me.

Laura...what would I do without you?

--Asphalt--

This is how we left chapter 8 (I'm sure you remember)

Sleep was fitful and fleeting for both, Elliot only allowed himself to drift away when he was sure Olivia was properly asleep. The moment he succumbed to the sandman, Olivia was awake and out of bed to use the bathroom.

"You okay?" he murmured as she crawled back in beside him.

"Yeah," she whispered. "Go back to sleep."

As soon as she settled again, Elliot drifted off only to be woken some time later by another bathroom trip, and another one and another one. The second and third time, Elliot waited patiently for her to return and despite the increasing lengths of her absences she did return. The fourth time he waited and waited to no avail. Eventually he got up and went to the bathroom.

"Liv," he said quietly knocking on the door. "You okay?" He got no reply so he repeated the question. Getting no reply the second time, he eased open the door and got the fright of his life.

Chapter 9

Olivia lay spawled across the cold bathroom tiles, her eyes closed and her t-shirt caught up showing her lavender panties and much of her back, bruises and scratches included in the view. Instantly Elliot dropped to his knees, noting her searing temperature before his hand even touch her skin. He shook her.

"Livvy, Livvy, wake up?" There was no response and he frantically felt for a pulse, she whimpered and Elliot took it as a good sign.

Throwing on his sweats before wrapping her in the throw rug, he scooped her up and raced down to the car, making his second trip to Strong Memorial for the day.

Elliot sat in the hard plastic chairs in the waiting room while Olivia was being assessed. He stared at the wall clock until he couldn't keep his eyes open, then he dropped his head into his hands and wondered what was taking so long. Frustrated by everything about this whole situation and by not knowing what the actual situation was, he began pacing the floor.

He knew she'd been assaulted but whether she'd actually been raped he wasn't sure. The thought of someone touching her in any manner against her will had his blood boiling. He slammed his fist into the noticeboard sending paper flying. Not finding that satisfying he kicked the small bin across the room, that didn't help either.

Leaning back against the wall he bounced his head off the cold tiles again and again and again, each time a little harder. He wasn't used to being calm and composed. Wasn't used to having to control everything he said and did. Knowing he couldn't do anything for her right now, knowing he needed something to be happening before he completely lost his mind he tried to figure out what to do. He looked over at the old man who had been sleeping on the bench at the far end of the room. The banging and kicking had no doubt woken him and he stared up at Elliot with a mix of fear and curiosity. Elliot glared at him, every urge in his body told him to take the nine steps over to the stranger and hit him ... for no other reason than to release the pent up aggression which was threatening to overwhelm him.

A nurse came into the waiting room and collected the old man, leaving Elliot alone. He slammed his fist into the board again before slumping into the chair below it. He closed his eyes and imagined Olivia being happy and wrapped in his arms ... the thought alone made him smile and he could feel some of the tension drain from his body.

Another glance at the clock told him it wasn't yet five, realising he didn't have his cell; he headed to the nurses station and called Don. It didn't surprise him when his boss' voice was croaky and sleep-filled.

"Cragen," he mumbled down the line. Elliot drew in a deep breath, he didn't really know what to say, he just had the overwhelming need to talk to the man who was more than just his boss. "Cragen!" he repeated.

"Don, it's Elliot," he said, his voice wavering.

"It's 4:43 in the fricken morning, El…what…" his voice trailed as he heard the heavy breathing coming down the line. "Elliot, what's wrong?"

"Sorry, it's so early," he replied.

"Don't worry about it," he answered his voice clear and alert. "What's wrong?"

"I'm at Strong Memorial…" his voice trailed, as he tried to compose himself against the undercurrent of fear running through him.

"Speak to me, Elliot," Don said urgency in his voice.

"Um, I just brought Liv in, she's unconscious…" he began.

"You said she wasn't sick," Don interrupted.

"She's not…I mean she is at the moment but she wasn't before now…that wasn't the problem before…" he rambled.

"Elliot, what's wrong with her right now?" Don demanded.

"Think it's an infection, she's running an extreme temperature…she um…she passed out on the bathroom floor," he explained.

"What are the doctors saying?" Don asked.

"Nothing yet…she's been in there for an hour and nobody's said anything…god," he sighed.

"You okay, Elliot?" he asked, concerned that one of the toughest people he knew was sounding so broken.

"Yeah…" he said.

"Not convinced about that response, El?" he said.

"Look, I'll be a hell of a lot better when I know something," he replied, running his hand over his weary face.

Don paused and waited for him to collect his thoughts.

"What was the problem before this?" Don asked, not sure he wanted to hear the details.

"She hasn't said exactly," Elliot began, contemplating how much to tell him.

"Elliot, what happened to Olivia?" Don said slowly and carefully, so Elliot could make no mistake at all. "Or what do you think happened?"

"I um…I think she was raped," he said quietly.

"WHAT?" The voice was so loud Elliot had to move the receiver away. "Who the hell did it?"

"Liv's not saying but Fin should know, she said he saw them out on a date a couple of weeks ago. I've tried to ring him and …"Elliot began.

"He's on an undercover job," Don interrupted.

"That explains it," Elliot sighed.

"You don't worry about anything but taking care of Olivia, you hear me? I'll get hold of Fin and take care of things at this end." Don was determined. "You hear me, El?"

"Yeah," he replied quietly, the lack of sleep, pain he was feeling for Olivia and his own emotions draining him.

"Elliot, is there something you're not telling me?" he asked, his nerves being stretched. Elliot sighed, there was something, a big something, he was in love with Olivia and what's more he had told her. This was something their boss needed to know, preferably sooner rather than later. "El?"

"Sorry, Don, no…just tired I guess," he lied, hoping his boss would buy it. "The doctor's coming I've got to go."

"Call me!" echoed down the line as he replaced the receiver.

"Detective, come through and we'll have a chat," said Dr Woodbridge, gesturing towards the break room behind the nurses' station. Elliot walked in and sat at the table and waited for the doctor to follow.

"Firstly I apologise for having you wait so long, with the weather we're short of staff," he apologised. Elliot nodded wanting him to get to the point. "And secondly, your partner's circumstances required more than the usual assessment."

"Circumstances?" Elliot questioned.

"When you brought Olivia in you said she had passed out but had only been running a temperature for a few hours," the doctor commented.

"That's right, why?" Elliot asked.

"Olivia is suffering from a severe infection…initially I thought being exposed to the extreme cold on the two occasions you explained could have resulted in a respiratory infection but her lungs were clear and she hasn't been coughing, has she?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No she hasn't," he agreed.

"Now, you also said she had been assaulted last week, but you didn't specify anything other than the bruises and grazes around her throat and chest and on her back…" the doctor paused.

"They were the only ones I knew about! Look, Dr Woodbridge, what's wrong with her?" Elliot asked, his patience expired.

"I believe Olivia is experiencing a few separate problems which have resulted in her current condition. Her severe infection probably had its origins in one of the bite marks on her breast…"

"She was bitten!" Elliot jumped up from his seat. "Can I see her?"

"No, Elliot…" The doctor reached out and held his arm, gently bringing him back to the chair. "From what I can determine she sought treatment for her injuries close to the time of her attack. She would have been put on antibiotics and that should have cleared the infection. Either she didn't take them or weren't strong enough. It's possible her body fought the infection but coupled with her exposure to the cold and other factors, she had a relapse," the doctor explained.

"What other factors?" asked Elliot.

"She's dehydrated, probably hasn't been eating, and from the darkness under her eyes would say she hasn't been sleeping either," he said quietly. Elliot nodded in agreement.

"What happens now? When will she wake up?" he asked.

"Right now we have her on an IV drip for rehydration, along with a strong course of antibiotics. We've drawn blood for testing. We're cooling her down and are hopeful her temperature will drop quite quickly and she'll be awake within the hour." He smiled reassuringly at Elliot. "They've moved her to a room, I can take you in to see her if you want?" Elliot was at the door before he could finish his offer.

Elliot's hand was only inches away from Olivia's face before he quickly drew back. "Can I touch her?" he whispered looking up at the doctor.

"Sure you can…and given the quiet day we're likely to have with the snow, there's no reason you can't lie down in that next bed and get yourself some sleep, okay?" Elliot smiled at the doctor's suggestion but they both knew it wouldn't be happening until Olivia was awake and Eliot knew she was alright.

Dr Woodbridge left the room soon after and Elliot pulled a chair up to her bedside. He leaned back in the chair and watched her intently. Though his eyelids were heavy and fatigue had set in he would not give in. Each time he felt it taking a hold; he'd get up and walk around the room, all the while looking at her. It was to his immense relief her eyes fluttered open just after eight.

"Hey Livvy," he said quietly as she slowly looked around the room and tried to focus her eyes. "You're in hospital," he added when her eyes fixed on the needle in her arm. "You're okay." It took all her energy to look up at him.

"What happened?" she croaked.

"You passed out on the bathroom floor," he explained quietly, sitting back down beside her and taking her hand.

"Why?" Her head was a swirl and she had little ability to think for herself. Elliot looked at the pain and confusion evident in her chocolate eyes; he moved and sat up on the bed beside her. She shuffled across to give him room.

"You have a severe infection and were running a really high temperature, they have given you lots of fluids and antibiotics and now you're awake," he explained quietly.

"I guess sitting out in the icy cold isn't the thing to do, is it?" she asked, looking down at his hand which was still holding hers.

"It didn't help but it didn't cause it," he replied, hoping to have a much needed conversation with her.

"Oh," she replied.

Not willing to let it go with a single syllable, Elliot edged closer and gingerly wrapped his arms around her, thankful she wasn't resistant.

"Livvy," he whispered, "the infection started with the bites." He stopped when he felt her tense up. Desperate not to lose this opportunity he kissed her head and pulled her closer. "Please talk to me."

eoeo Asphalt eoeo

Warning: the next chapter contains the details people have been demanding since chapter one.