Disclaimer: Law & Order SVU belongs to NBC and Dick Wolf. This story idea and any new characters I create are mine.

Happy Trails…

Chapter 10

This terrain was much different from the woods and trails before. It was rockier, steeper, and the brush was denser. Elliot let the way with Olivia close behind trailed by Munch and Fin. Olivia's feet slid a little, a combination of the still damp ground and the ill fitted boots that she was wearing, causing her to slow every couple of feet. Munch was keeping up surprisingly well. Fin was right behind struggling a little his arm still stinging from the grazing shot he took back at the lake. Olivia could hear Munch's heavy breathing behind her as she struggled to keep pace with Elliot. She let out a small gasp as particularly sharp, thorny branch snapped back and smacked against her leg.

"Liv?" Elliot stopped turning around at the sound.

"It's fine, I am fine," Olivia said quickly.

Elliot back tracked stopping to give her a through once over looking for contradictory evidence and finding blood seeping through his sweats from where the thorny brush had cut through the fabric and scraped her thigh. Elliot knelt down in front of her pushing apart the material ripping it further open so he could examine the cut.

"It is fine," Olivia repeated, sighing. "Really, Elliot, we are going to lose day light here."

Munch almost fell into Olivia as he caught up to them, breathing heavily. "Oh good, we're taking a break," Munch stated as he sat himself down on a rock.

"We are not taking a break," Olivia said wincing when she felt Elliot's fingers run along the cut.

"It is not too deep though I am sure it stings like a bitch," Elliot said as he stood up. "We'll keep an eye out for a place where we can wash it out, okay?"

Fin caught up with them. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine," Olivia assured him.

"Liv cut her leg," Elliot said.

"Are you okay?" Fin asked concerned seeing the rip in her pants.

"It's small. I am fine," Olivia repeated for what felt like the millionth time.

Elliot sighed looking over at Olivia. "I get to worry about you, okay. Scrapes, cuts, all of it, I get to worry."
Olivia blushed at Elliot's declaration. "Okay," she said quietly.
Fin smirked watching the exchange.
"Okay," Elliot nodded in agreement leaning forward and placing a soft kiss on her mouth. His lingered against hers savoring the sweet softness.
Olivia could feel the heat flood her face again as Munch gave a low whistle.
Elliot pulled back slowly giving Munch a less than friendly gesture.
Fin chuckled.
"I am so hurt," Munch feigned an expression of sadness placing his hand over his chest.
"You're so obnoxious," Elliot said dryly.
Fin gave Elliot a high five.
Olivia rolled her eyes at them. "Okay, I think we have wasted enough time here," Olivia said as she stepped up taking the lead.
Elliot shook his head jogging to catch up with her.
"What we didn't even get any tongue action," Munch joked with Fin nudging his uninjured arm.
"Shut up, Munch!" Olivia and Elliot yelled in unison without looking back.
An hour later, Olivia was still leading the group with Elliot just behind her when she saw it. The road was a mere 800 feet in front of them. Olivia grinned and turned to point it out to Elliot.
"So close yet so far away," The man from the lake said as cocked his gun against Elliot's head. "What are you going to do?"
Two more men emerged from the woods holding Munch and Fin.
Olivia swallowed hard. "What does it matter, you can't let us go anyway."
"Smart girl," he smirked. "Smarter than the other two, aren't you?"
Olivia glared at him.
He smiled at her before nodding.
Olivia had only a minute to process that he was nodding not at her but someone behind her. She screamed as a man grabbed her from behind, one arm clamped around her arms and the other clamped around her waist as he lifted her several feet off the ground. Olivia continued to scream and kick as her legs remained unrestrained.
"Don't touch her! I will fucking kill you!" Elliot yelled struggling against the man's grip on his arm blatantly ignoring the loaded gun pressed to the side of his head.
The man in charge laughed. "I think you're girlfriend needs to be taught how to shut up,"
The man holding Olivia grinned, lifting her off himself easily. He raised her in the air with one arm before hurling her down into the ground.
Olivia groaned her head throbbing as she rolled on the cold, damp ground. She looked up which was a big mistake. The man who had been holding her was over six foot and thick with muscle. He looked like a linebacker. He grabbed her by the front of Elliot's sweatshirt hauling her effortlessly off the ground before bringing his fist down onto her face.
Olivia groaned again as she found herself back on the ground. Her head was spinning and she could hear the men laughing and Elliot yelling. She looked up to find the man towering over her with a huge smile as his hands went to his pants buckle. He licked his lips at her.
Elliot stopped yelling as he moved beyond anger to something else. All he saw was a red haze. "You're going to have to fucking kill me," Elliot ground out before throwing his elbow into the man's abdomen and springing forward. He jumped on the man standing over Olivia, the man who outweighed him by a good 50 pounds of muscle. Fin and Munch simultaneously began their own fight unwilling to give up either.
Olivia struggled to catch her breath and forced herself up off the ground. She watched the man slamming Elliot's body against a tree as if he was a doll. Olivia eyes scoured the ground looking for something, for anything. Grabbing a rock, she ran forward slamming it into the base of the skull of the man attacking Elliot. Olivia backed up as he turned to her glaring menacingly. He approached and then wobbled before falling forward face down.

A gun went off.
Olivia froze as she saw Munch standing there gun in hand standing over the man who had been holding Elliot. The man lay in the leaves turning darker as the blood seeped from his head in a steady stream.
Elliot stepped forward. "It's okay, Munch. Give me the gun." Elliot extended his hand to his friend and colleague worried by the absolute blank expression on his face.
Munch shook his head and turned and fired at the man who Fin had already subdued. He then turned to shoot the man Benson had hit with the rock. "That was for Jeffries," Munch muttered darkly.
"Munch," Olivia whispered sadly making her way over to him.
"Truck! There's a truck heading down the road!" Fin shouted pointing down the incline in front of them.
Olivia and Elliot exchanged a look. "Munch, we have got to go now," Elliot said.
They all looked up as they heard voices nearing, men's voices.
Elliot grabbed Olivia pulling her with him down the incline followed closely by Munch who had been startled back into action and Fin. They slipped and slid down the incline until they reached the dark pavement of the road. Elliot ran out into the middle of the road waving his arms at the truck. The driver slammed on his brakes as the truck came to a screeching halt the back shifting to the out and to the side from the rapid braking. Elliot ran to truck's cab.
"Are you crazy, son?" The trucker driver exclaimed as he leaned out the window.
"We need help! These men are following us," Elliot said breathlessly.
The trucker driver interrupted him. "Get in the cab, now!"
Something in the driver's old weathered face made Elliot trust him. He reached for Olivia's hand pulling her around the truck. Fin and Munch opened the door to the cab jumping into the back. Elliot jumped up into front seat reaching for Olivia and pulling her securely onto his lap.
The driver took off before Elliot had even closed the door.
"We need to be dropped off at the nearest city or town with a police department," Elliot said as he started to explain their situation more.
"Son, I don't think you want me to do that," the truck driver replied dryly. "The next town is Alleigh and those boys after you, they know everyone in Alleigh."
Fin leaned forward. "You know those men?"
The driver nodded. "Been driving this route about 15 years now. Twice a year I go through this stretch of road and keep going."
"What town is safe?" Olivia asked.
"It is about three hours from here. The police there are good honest folk and they will help you," the driver replied. "My name is Ben,"
Olivia nodded. "Thank you, Ben. I am Olivia and this is Elliot," she gestured at the back to Fin and Munch. "Fin and Munch,"
Ben nodded. "Nice to meet y'all, sorry it is under these circumstances."
Fin and Munch nodded their greeting.
Elliot wrapped his arms tightly around Olivia's waist placing a soft kiss into her hair.
Olivia leaned back against Elliot as the adrenaline of the moment dissipated leaving her to contemplate what had almost happened back there in the woods. She tried to control her trembling but she knew Elliot felt it as he enclosed her tighter and tighter into his arms.
"Liv, I would never have let them hurt you like that I would die first," Elliot whispered against her ear.
Olivia blinked back her tears. "I know,"
Elliot was close to tears himself as he turned her to face him on his lap. His hand went up to her face. "I am so sorry he hit you, baby, I should've moved sooner," Elliot's fingers caressed the side of her face where he knew there would be bruising, bad bruising. There was already swelling.
"It's okay. It doesn't hurt that bad," Olivia lied.
Elliot shook his head unable to stop the tear that made its way down his face. He pulled her firmly to his chest never wanting to let go.

A/N: Our criminals are no small operators; it will take more than the local police to get them. Next up if you want it...the drive, the local police, a call to Cragen, some FBI involvement and a safe house. And of course more Olivia and Elliot. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and thank you for taking time to read and review!