Who Could Have Known
Chapter 25: When Smurfs attack.
Elliot walked out to the mustang and inserted the key frustrated that it wouldn't go it the door's lock. He looked at the key chain and then smiled noticing Olivia had thrown him the keys to the bar and not the keys to her car. He trotted back inside the bar.
Vicente pulled angrily at Olivia's pants sliding them down her body. She kicked and punched at him and then in a moment of sheer desperation she pulled her knee straight up into his groin causing him to moan and sit back on his heels. She untangled her feet from the pants and used her hands to support her weight as she kicked with all the strength she had left. She stood to her feet quickly feeling the chill wrap around her now bare legs then it hit her that her transmitter was still connected.
"Elliot! Elliot help me!" she screamed into it, "Locker ro-" was all she could get out before feeling her airway being constricted from behind with her own jeans.
"Your mine." He hissed in her ear as he pulled the pant legs tighter causing her to gasp for air.
Elliot ran to the locker room quickly only to be stuck with a locked door. "Liv!" He pounded on the door.
Olivia, feeling the world go black, stepped back and stomped Vicente's instep before turning and elbowing him in the face. "Elliot! It's Vicente!" she yelled running to the door and then falling flat on her face when she felt Vicente's hand wrap around her ankles. She turned to her back quickly in order to keep her eyes on Vicente. She could hear Elliot screaming through the door as he started throwing his body weight into it.
Vicente managed to grab for Olivia's right leg and dug his nails into the back of her thigh. She felt her skin rip and she yelled at the pain that was being inflicted onto her unwilling body. As he tried to remove her panties she spotted her keys on the floor. They must have fallen out of her jeans when he was choking her. She grabbed them quickly and swung at Vicente's face gouging at his eyes with the keys.
As he tumbled back holding his cut face Olivia followed suit swinging repeatedly, one punch after another to Vicente's face yelling, "You sick pervert!" She was unaware that Elliot had finally made his way into the locker room. He moved quickly seeing Olivia punch a currently defenseless Vicente.
"Liv stop!" He yelled pulling her light body off of him, as she swung more fiercely hitting only space as Elliot walked her backward. "Liv, it's okay, that's enough." He told her holding her tightly and letting her sit on the chair. "It's okay." He reassured a very dazed Olivia.
Elliot returned to Vicente, feeling for a pulse and when he was confidant there was one he shook him gently, "Wake up ya freak." He barked as Vicente moaned into wakefulness. Elliot pulled out the handcuffs from his belt, the only thing he could carry as a bouncer, and placed Vicente under arrest. He stood Vicente to his feet and read him his rights.
"She's mine, I get to have her not you." Vicente barked, "That body is mine!" he hissed back to Elliot who simply placed his palm on Vicente's forehead and shoved him back into the wall causing him to fall to his feet again.
Elliot picked up Olivia's pants and walked to her slowly, knowing she was trying to process what just happened. He kneeled in front of her and offered a weak smile as he swept the bangs away from her face, "I see you still have that right hook."
Olivia let out a small laugh taking hold of the jeans and resting them in her lap before leaning into his shoulder. "For a smurf," She said softly, "He hit's pretty hard."
Elliot laughed at her attempt at humor and simply wrapped his arms around her shaking body pulling her to him but then loosened quickly feeling her wince in pain. He felt her frantic heart beat and felt the tightness with which she tried to hold him in spite of the excruciating pain she was in. "How about you get dressed and I'll call Cragen and an ambulance?"
"You call me an ambulance and you'd better call a police car too." She arched her brow.
"Why?" he asked confused.
"Because I will kill you." She smiled weakly. "I'm okay." She whispered. "Just bruised."
"Alright." Elliot gave in. "Go ahead and get dressed."
"Okay." She whispered standing to her feet and slipping off her shoes wondering how he managed to get the jeans over them. She slid slowly painfully into her pants and pulled her shoes back on. "Let's go."
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Elliot and Olivia walked through the bullpen with their fresh catch handcuffed as they led him into the processing area. A uniform met them at the counter to take custody of their prisoner.
"Kind of short for a perp isn't he?" The young cop smiled at Benson.
"You know, I was thinking the same thing." She smiled back trying to give the illusion that she wasn't in excruciating pain.
"That's what happens when you don't have any nuts." Elliot chimed in with a smile.
"Benson! Stabler! My office!" Cragen bellowed from around the corner.
"What did you do?" Elliot smiled looking at Olivia.
"Me? You're the one always getting our butt's in the sling, I should be asking you what you did." She smiled back rolling her eyes and bracing herself for whatever Cragen would be chewing their butts for.
"Why do I have a Smeagle look-a-like in my station house without conclusive evidence…and what the hell happened to your face?" He asked with a slightly softer voice looking at Olivia's split lip and the swelling that was already starting to show above her eye.
"Looks like I am the conclusive evidence Cap." She offered a weak smile feeling a little dizzy and feeling the increased pain in her ribs and abdomen.
"Someone want to fill me in?" Cragen said sitting in his chair and bringing his voice back to normal.
"Vicente attacked Olivia." Elliot mumbled.
"What the hell." Cragen said looking back at her, "Are you okay?" he asked her.
"Yeah, just a couple of bumps and bruises…don't really feel so well." She whispered.
"Want to see the doctor?" Cragen asked softly noticing Olivia had broken out into a sweat.
"No, no, I think I'll be fine." She said softly, "What did you need on the case Cap?" she asked with a smile that Elliot knew was forced.
"Tell me what ya got, what happened." He said poised to write.
"He matches the information Warner gave us, he's a self proclaimed diabetic, left handed and short." She offered, "I think with a search warrant of his residence, we can get more." She stopped speaking and exhaled deeply grimacing as she tried to negotiate the air.
"Liv?" Elliot asked as she bent over in her chair, "You okay?"
"Yeah." She shook her head and stood slowly tryng desperately to hide the pain she was in, "Cap, I need to use the restroom."
Cragen shook his head softly in agreement "Okay, I'm gonna call Warner though and have her meet you back here okay?"
Olivia shook her head agreeing to his decision and walked slowly out of the office.
"She okay?" Cragen asked.
"She's strong." Elliot smiled weakly wanting to be with her right now but knowing he would trip every alarm within Cragen if he insisted. It was a song and dance between him and Olivia. At work they had to pretend to fight and disagree but still be on the same page. At home they were allowed to just be with one another without second-guessing a stare, touch or compliment.
"What do we got by way of forensics?" Cragen asked.
"Liv got some prints at the bar, a hair and a vile of the same nail conditioner found in the wounds of one of the victims." He said confidant it would be a stickler.
"We know for sure he's diabetic?" Cragen asked.
"Yeah, his blood sugar was low and Olivia pulled it out of him and offered him a candy." He told him.
"Nice." Cragen smiled and then frowned when the door to the office swung open. "Fin, were in a meeting."
"Cap," Fin was serious, "It's Liv. Casey found her passed out in the restroom."
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Elliot paced nervously in the waiting area of Mount Sinai hospital. He was allowed to ride with Olivia to the hospital but she remained unconscious for the duration of ambulance trip. Cragen watched him panic as he paced and it was in that moment that Cragen speculated Elliot and Olivia were more that partners and friends.
"Elliot." Cragen's voice was calm as he stood and placed a hand on Elliot's shoulder to stop him from pacing. "She's strong." He reminded Elliot of his own words.
"I know…I just-"
"I know." Cragen shook his head not willing to listen to anything that hinted of a relationship knowing that doing so would put the careers of his best detectives in jeopardy.
"Captain Cragen?" A female voice called out to the hall.
"Yes ma'am how is she?" Cragen asked folding his arms across his chest and standing poised to listen.
"She wont let me release anything sh-"
"So she is awake then?" Cragen asked catching the doctor's remark.
The doctor smiled, "Awake, stubborn and very pissed off." She laughed.
"Ah, sounds like Liv." Elliot laughed feeling the entire state of New York being lifted from his shoulders.
"She's asking for a…" the doctor's voice trailed off as she flipped through a file, "Detective Stabler, can someone call him please?" She asked.
"Um, that won't be necessary, I'm him." Elliot said suddenly touched that she would ask for him…and then suddenly terrified as to why she was asking for him.
"Detective," The nurse touched his arm, "She's going to need your unconditional acceptance and strength." The doctor offered a weak smile, "Room 633." She informed him before leaving.
Elliot stood in front of room 633 for what seemed to be forever. He took a deep breath and opened the door to see Olivia lying on her back asleep. Elliot pulled a chair up as quietly as possible and took his jacket off. He sat down draping the jacket over him and resting back in the chair watching her as she slept. He reached out and took her hand into his and allowed himself to drift off into his own condemning thoughts and then finally sleep.
It hadn't been more than an hour when Elliot felt someone starring at him. He opened his eyes to see that Olivia had woken up and was simply looking at him.
"Hi." She murmured.
"Hi." He whispered removing the jacket and leaning over the bed, "How ya feeling?"
"Believe it or not," she offered him a weak smile, "I've had better days."
Elliot smiled and kissed her hand. "What did the doctor's say Liv?" his voice was entirely serious.
"She asked if I'd gotten the license plate of the mac truck that hit me." She tried to laugh and then clutch her rib cage biting her bottom lip to stiffen a cry of pain. Once settled, she filled him in. "I have two stitches in my thigh…doc said just to be sure there wouldn't be a scar. Pretty sore. Guess how many ribs I broke." She smiled.
"Oh no, Liv…how many?" he said in all seriousness as she smiled triumphantly as if they were battle scars that proved she had been through hell and back…he knew she had just obtained bragging rights and who was he to stop her from flaunting it.
"Two…but one has two fractures in it." She smiled again. "I think between you trying to kill me on the dirt bike and Vicente…I'm starting to feel my age." She laughed and then quickly stopped afraid of the pain that would shoot through her body. She caught Elliot's gaze and was shocked to see that his eyes were red and misty. "What?" She whispered softly.
"What aren't you telling me Olivia?" he asked as he brushed her bangs away from her face. "You're cracking too many jokes…what's wrong?"
Olivia lowered her gaze and took his hand back into hers as tears fell from her glassy eyes, "The doctor said that…" Olivia ran her free hand through her hair trying to regain her composure.
"Please tell me." He said softly kissing her gently on the corner of her lips, "We'll get through whatever it is." He assured her. Oh God, please don't let it be cancer. He prayed silently not exactly sure why he thought it could be.
Olivia sucked in a deep breath and spoke barely above a whisper, "I was pregnant." She exhaled deeply unwilling or more likely unable to look at him.
Elliot furrowed his brows catching the grammatical usage of the past tense, "Was?" he whispered.
Olivia felt more tears fighting their way to fall. She pulled his hand closer to her almost as if she were afraid he would leave her in that moment, "I miscarried, the impact from the kicks…" she allowed her self to break in front of him, "I'm so sorry." She cried.
Elliot stood slowly without speaking and for a moment Olivia thought he was going to walk out, "don't leave." She whispered.
"I'm not…scoot over, let me hold you." He whispered sitting on the bed and stretching out next to her. He held her close and looked at her tenderly, "You have nothing to be sorry for." He kissed her forehead gently and rested his hand on her waist.
"What if someone from the station comes in?" She whispered…always the stoic, always concerned with her job.
"Then they'll see me holding my best friend." He whispered, "Get some rest Liv, we'll talk when we get home."
"Think they'll let me go home today?" she asked nestling into his neck.
"You were admitted unconscious, you know they're gonna keep you over night." He smiled at her stubbornness.
"Damn. Sometimes I wish we had an H.M.O. Drive through medical care you know?." She offered a weak laugh before the tears started to fall again. Although this time she wasn't sure if it was from the rib fractures or the fact that she had just discovered in one second that she was pregnant…and that she would never see her own child.
"Rest Liv, we'll talk later."
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Two days after Olivia's altercation with Jose Vicente she felt her eyes flutter open as the sun entered her room warming her body through the down comforter. She carefully rolled her aching body over to see emptiness. She was aware that Elliot had brought her home from the hospital and from what she could remember between the vicodin and nightmares; she had thought he stayed with her.
"Glad to see you're awake." Elliot spoke softly walking into her bedroom and sitting gently on the bed. "How are you feeling?" he asked her.
Olivia struggled to sit up and when she grimaced and bit her tongue in order to keep herself from tearing Elliot slipped his arms under hers, "Hold onto me." He instructed. When he felt her grasp tighten around his neck he simply moved her higher up.
"I'm so sore." She whispered hoarsely.
"Doctor said to expect it." He told her with a small smile, "You broke two ribs you know."
She smiled back at his humor. "How long have I been out?" she asked pinching the bridge of her nose.
Elliot looked at his watch and smiled, "About forty hours."
Olivia looked at him shocked, "Oh, Elliot, I'm so sorry."
"Don't be." He whispered, "I went through your subscription of Cosmo and then straightened up a little. I called Cragen and told him you'd be out for-"
"Elliot!" she scolded.
"Hey," He raised his hands in surrender, "Doctor's orders." He smiled and then spoke softly, "You need to rest, we can talk when your ready okay?" he asked her.
Olivia shook her head softly agreeing with his recommendation and his request, "El?" she smiled sheepishly, "I need to go to the restroom."
Elliot let out a small laugh and pulled the comforter away from her body and extended his arm to her tired and aching body. "Take my hand." He smiled helping her out of the bed. She struggled to straighten her body, and when she finally did she let out a weak giggle.
"Geez, what did he do to me?" she asked.
"Apparently, a whole lot. Liv, Call me if you need me Okay? I'm gonna go get your breakfast."
As Elliot walked back into the bedroom he placed the tray of food and drink on the nightstand and straightened out the bedding making sure to fluff her pillows back to life. He was just about to place another pillow on the bed when he heard her call for him in a weak voice.
"Elliot…I need you." She said in a defeated voice.
"What's wrong?" He asked leaning against the frame of the door.
Olivia let out a small laugh and spoke with embarrassment, "I can't pull myself up, my body hurts so bad and I'm exhausted."
"No problem." He said simply "I'll pull you up. Are you clean?" he asked matter of factly.
"Yeah." She laughed, "How embarrassing is this?" she smiled.
"It's not." He said helping her to her feet. "Hold onto me." He instructed as he crouched down and gently brought her panties up to her waist. "Better?"
"Yeah, thanks, I'm not sure what I would do with out you." She smiled. Elliot followed her to the bed and helped her slide her body back in. When he was about to pull the comforter over her he stopped and took in the view that was not Olivia. Her face was badly bruised from being slammed into the locker, her neck was raw from the chocking she endured, her lip had a split that hurt Elliot just looking at it, and her eyes were dull from the pain killers.
"Liv?" he whispered sitting on the bed next to her.
"Hmm?" was all she could offer.
"Can I see?" he asked softly resting his hand on the hem of her shirt.
Olivia looked at him, hesitating at first, then obliged pulling her shirt up just under her breast. He fought hard not to cry, not to show her that he was hurting. The bruising ran from her belly button up to her ribs and sides. He lifted her leg gently running his fingers along the back of her thigh feeling the deep scratches and stitches. Elliot lowered his head, "I'm sorry Liv."
Olivia looked at him curiously, "For what? You didn't do this to me Elliot." She reminded him.
"I know. I just, I'm sorry It took me so long to get to you." He whispered.
"But you did…you got to me." She said holding out her hand to his. "El, things could have been a lot worse." She whispered. She wasn't sure she could handle being raped and in spite of loosing her baby, she was relieved that she hadn't been.
Elliot shook his head in acknowledgement of her words. "Ready for breakfast?"
"Starved." She smiled, "Can you help me up again." She laughed. She'd never thought in a million years she would be asking someone for help in the manner she was.
Elliot helped her up and pulled the comforter over her. "Here, I made it just for you." He smiled placing the tray over her lap.
Olivia grinned, "Monte Cristoes…thank you."
"Well," he smiled back, "A long time ago, this really beautiful woman introduced me to them."
"Ah," Olivia smiled picking up a fork, "She's got good taste."
Elliot smiled and stood to leave her to eat in peace. "Elliot."
"Yeah?"
"Please stay with me." She asked, "I don't want to be alone."
Elliot looked at her carefully and fell in love with her all over again. "Sure." He whispered walking to the opposite side of the bed and laying on top of the comforter. He positioned himself close to her and took her free hand in his.
As Olivia filled herself with sustenance they sat together in silence until she heard the steady breathing of Elliot. She turned to see that he'd fallen asleep still holding her hand. She smiled faintly noticing his stubble and the same shirt he wore when he'd picked her up. She realized that he must have stayed awake since she'd been home; forsaking his own rest for hers. How did I get so lucky?