Author's Note: Sadly, this is going to be the second to last chapter. I'm so glad you like this story! I already have a new idea in progress for my next one and it'll be up very very soon so look out for that! c:
Three questions felt like an hour, six felt like a whole day. Elliot anticipated more and more to get to the hospital and go see Olivia. That's all that was on his mind at the moment. A few times, questions had to be repeated to him because his mind was occupied by Olivia's wellbeing. Finally, the last officer left him alone and before anybody else could approach him, Elliot dashed out of the crime scene and went straight to General Mercy Hospital. He didn't even bother to wait for Cragen to offer him a ride, he didn't even go back to the precinct to get his own car. He pretty much sprinted to the hospital.
When he got there, everybody was waiting in the lounge area. Fin, Munch, Melinda, George, Alex, and later Cragen joined them. They all looked at Elliot with uncertain eyes.
"She swallowed a lot of water. Even after you removed her from the pool, she was still technically drowning." Melinda said solemnly. Elliot's heart sped up. "The pool hasn't been cleaned for months and was exposed so they're checking her laceration and her organs for any infections."
"How long have you been here?" He asked everybody other than Melinda, since she rode with Olivia, and went over to them.
"Not very long, ten, fifteen, minutes maybe." Fin said.
"Is everything alright? Where's Olivia?" Emerged a voice from behind. Everybody looked at the skinny redhead approaching them.
"Casey!" Melinda exclaimed. Everybody else was just as shocked as she was, except Cragen.
"Cragen called me. Any news?" She sighed when Cragen shook his head.
While everybody else conversed with one another, Elliot sat in the chair that was furthest away from everybody else with his face in his hands.
"Elliot?" Casey said and rested her hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her, his eyes were red.
"Let's grab a coffee. We need to catch up." She said kindly and had the smile to match. He exhaled deeply, stood up, and followed her to the snack bar.
"I've never seen you like this. What's going on?" She asked him as she poured her coffee. She poured a second one and handed it to Elliot. He took it but just held it, too concerned with Olivia to think about what makes his coffee just right.
"Nothing, Casey. You know she's my partner and I'm just concerned." He mumbled.
"Yeah, but you've never shown concern in this way." Then it hit her, "You're in love with Olivia, aren't you Elliot?" She said loudly which caused everybody to turn and face them.
"Private talks aren't your strong point, I can tell you that much." Elliot replied. Casey only shrugged sheepishly and took a sip from her coffee.
"Is there an Elliot here?" A man in a white doctor's coat asked.
"Lover boy over there." Fin replied and pointed to Elliot.
When Elliot went over to him, he was almost shaking but he crossed his arms so it wouldn't show. He didn't want to expect the worst but somehow the thoughts were there.
"That partner of yours does not give up." He said and smiled, exposing his whitened and straight teeth.
"So, she's okay?" Elliot asked and instantly relaxed.
"She'll be just fine. There was a lot of dangerous bacteria in the water she swallowed so we gave her medication for that. She will have a cough and a sore throat but nothing extreme. Never have I seen someone refuse to quit. We managed to clean and stitch up her wound and remove the excess water from her system. The drugs made her a little out of it so she may be a bit confused but she's been asking for you the whole time. That and to go home. We offered her food but she's declining everything until she sees you."
Elliot thanked the doctor and rushed into Olivia's room but only to stop when he saw her. She looked fragile, her skin was extremely pale and her eyes were closed, she almost looked dead but thankfully she wasn't. She had all kinds of wires and needles connected to her and she was connected to an oxygen tank. He walked over to her carefully as if he was approaching something that could break if he breathed on it. He sat down on the chair next to the bed and wrapped both of his hands around one of hers. She opened her eyes slowly and smiled at him.
"Hey," She murmured and removed the assisted oxygen from her nose, "You weren't supposed to get the gun."
He chuckled, "And you were supposed to float on your back."
Olivia shifted in her bed and looked at the ceiling, "I'm sure your next question is what happened so I guess I'll just beat you to it." She said and took a deep breath, "I was going straight home but she grabbed me from the alley down the block. That's when she cut me. Then she took me to Joanna's apartment, took my gun, and made me send that text message to you. She said she wanted you to watch me die." Her voice was shaking. Elliot nodded, "Don't feel like a victim, Liv. You were still as strong as a cop back there."
She calmed down a little bit, nodded, and looked at him, "Anything new with Kathy?"
Elliot smiled, "We're officially divorced."
Olivia smiled weakly, "El, that's great. For you, anyway. I'm not so sure about her."
"She'll get over it. I just know now that I have someone better."
"And the kids?"
"We haven't decided yet. I have a good chance of getting custody since Maureen is old enough to watch everybody while I'm working."
Olivia smiled but then coughed violently and winced at the pain from her injury. Elliot was about to stand up and pour her water when she held up the hand she wasn't using to cover her mouth to make him stop.
"I'm fine." She said arduously.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm ready to go home." She said.
"That cough says otherwise." Elliot replied. Olivia only laughed faintly and looked out the window.
"The doctor said I'd be coughing like this for the next few days. It's just my body trying to get rid of the chemicals and chlorine from the pool because it can't handle so much."
Elliot placed his hand on her forehead and smoothed back her hair. Olivia only pushed his hand away gently.
"I already feel vulnerable by being strapped to these machines, El, I don't need you doing my hair to make it worse." She chuckled but Elliot's face was serious.
"Why did you leave the precinct so suddenly, Liv? That and why were you crying?"
Olivia stared at him for a while, "Joanna was my best friend back in school. She would always be in rocky relationships. What made them so bad was they always ended by one always cheating on the other. So, I introduced her to Harvey just so she wouldn't have to be in those situations again. He was a good guy and it was great but I guess the habit of cheating was still there. I guess I should've seen this coming when it first happened. Harvey never took rejection well nor did he accept the fact of coming in second. When it finally happened, I guess he just didn't know what else to do and snapped."
"The fact she was killed wasn't your fault, none of this has to do with you."
"Yes, it does, El. Every time I let go of someone I care about in my life, something always happens to them. You're the longest I've held onto and if I let you go and something happened to you, I don't know what I'd do. You're all I have left."
"Then don't let me go, Liv. It's as easy as that." He replied and leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. Olivia smiled as she kissed him back.
There was a knock on the door followed by someone clearing his throat, "Need I remind you two, that you're still on duty?"
Elliot and Olivia turned their attention to Cragen standing in the doorway with a warm smile on his face and behind him was everybody else.
"All of you didn't have to come. I'm fine. I just swallowed some water."
"With your wrists and ankles handcuffed, you almost drowned in contaminated water, and you had a deep laceration on your abdomen. Yeah, I'm sure you were just fine then too." Melinda said with a smirk on her face and stood next to Elliot's chair.
"So, when were you going to announce it?" Casey asked and strode into the room. The others followed her, placing their flowers, bears, and get well soon cards, on the tables available in the room.
Olivia smiled brightly, "Casey, you didn't have to come here to see me."
"That's not answering my question. When were you going to tell us?" Casey replied as she sat on the edge of the bed.
"Tell you what?" Olivia asked and looked over at Elliot. His face showed he knew the answer but he didn't say anything.
"Come on, Olivia! Everybody just saw you lip locking with Detective Stabler, here. How long have you guys been like that?"
Olivia was quiet and then looked at her, "Since last night." She said, trying not to hold back her smile.
"It's about time." Casey said and stood up.
Fin and Alex turned around when they heard a voice outside the room.
"Where can I find Olivia Benson's room?"
"She's right in there." Replied the nurse.
"Uh oh, Liv. Prepare yourself." Fin said.
