CHAPTER 10: I LOVE HER
"Kathy Davis, you're under arrest for the attempted murder of Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler…" Cragen had been listening been listening to Fin mirandize Kathy. He walked over to be with his two best detectives.
"How are they doing?" he asked solemnly.
"The bullet went in and out of his left shoulder. He hit his head on the floor and is unconscious, but he will be fine." The EMT said.
"And Olivia?" he asked afraid of the answer. The EMT was silent for a moment.
"I think you'd better wait and ask when she gets to the hospital."
They put Elliot and Olivia in separate ambulances and rushed to the hospital. Cragen followed behind them in his car. Meanwhile, Munch and Fin were locking Kathy in the precinct's holding cell. She'd confessed, so putting her in jail would be no problem for Casey. They left her with a guard. Work was on the back burner for now. They went to be with their friends.
As the hospital doors swung open, the EMT's rolled Elliot and Olivia in on gurneys. Cragen walked in behind them; hurting because his children were hurt. That's what Elliot and Olivia were to him; his son and daughter. He sat in the waiting room. Munch and Fin arrived minutes later.
"How they doin' Captain?" Fin asked.
"The EMT's said Elliot will be fine. They won't tell me about Olivia." He said. The three of them were sitting when Casey ran in minutes later. She went to them with tears in her eyes.
"I went to the station and the guard said you were all at the hospital. What happened?" she asked. Don was silent, so Fin answered.
"Kathy showed up at the house they were staying at. She shot Liv and Elliot."
"Are they alright?" Casey asked.
"Elliot will be, but they won't tell us about Olivia." Fin replied. Casey started crying. Fin caught her in a big hug.
Rubbing her back he said, "Come on, you know Liv, she'll pull through." After a minute, Casey pulled away and sat down. She had never really noticed how sensitive and kind Fin was.*
After an hour or so, the doctor came out.
"How are they doctor?" Don asked gravely.
"Elliot is doing just fine. You can go see him."
"And Olivia?" Fin asked for Don.
"It's not looking too good." The doctor began. "She lost more blood than we thought. We removed the bullet and repaired the organ damage. But, she struck her head on the granite counter top so hard it cracked her skull. Her brain has swollen and bruised. She is in a coma." He started to walk a way, but turned back around.
"She might not come out of it. There is no brain activity as of now. If she doesn't wake up in a week, you should think about pulling the life support." This time the doctor walked away. Casey started crying again. Just like before, Fin pulled her into a bear hug. His own tears threatened to spill out. Liv was like his little sister. He loved her. Munch said a silent prayer for her. Don just stood there.
When Casey had stopped crying, they went to see Elliot. He sat up when he saw them.
"How is Olivia? No one will tell me." He was on the verge of tears himself. The four of them looked at each other. Munch spoke up for the first time.
"The doctor said she's in a coma. She may never come out of it." He said. A tear fell down his face.
Casey continued; "If she doesn't wake up in a week, the doctor says we should pull the life support." Her voice broke on the last word.
Fin squeezed her hand.
"She'll wake up. I know she will." Elliot said. They looked at him. "She will. We said we loved each other. She won't leave me now." He seemed so sure of it. Don realized he wasn't trying to convince them; he was trying to convince himself.
"Elliot," Don began gently. "we can't be sure of that. She is the strongest woman I know, but the doctors said there is no brain activity."
Don immediately wished he hadn't said that. It seemed to sink in for Elliot. His beautiful Olivia was never coming back to him. He would never hear her voice, see her face, or feel her with him. He had been so stupid.
"Why didn't I tell her sooner!" he yelled. It had been so quiet, everyone looked up when he yelled.
"Tell her what?" Casey asked gently. She felt she already knew, but the rest of them didn't. Elliot was crying now. Not just tears sliding down his face, but sobs that shook his whole body.
"That I love her." He said almost silently.
Casey leaned down and hugged him. "She knows." She said surprisingly strong. "She loves you more than life itself. She always will. Even if she doesn't get better, she will always love you. She'll always be with you."
Munch Fin and Don had to get back to the precinct to file the report. Casey had stayed at the hospital with Elliot. She was watching him sleep. She thought back over the past ten years. Her and Olivia had become friends right away. Her and Elliot were a different story. They had been at each others' throats constantly for a year. She smiled at the memory of their constant meaningless bickering.
Then a year after she became their prosecutor, he had saved her life. In the courtroom, someone had a gun and shot at her. He blocked the bullet and got shot in the arm. After that, they got along. They were like brother and sister now.
She got up and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm going to see how Olivia's doing." She left his room.
She walked out into the hallway and found the doctor they had talked to earlier. "Is there any change?" she asked bracing herself.
"No brain activity; at least not strong enough to show on the machine." He answered. "But there's still a chance she'll get better right? I mean, isn't there anything you can do?" she pushed.
"Yes there is a chance, but I can not stress enough how very slim that chance is. As for your other question, I am sorry Ms. Novak, but there is nothing we can do. All we can do is wait." He walked away leaving Casey on the verge of tears. In the back of her mind, she was wishing Fin was still there.*