Disclaimer: SVU and its characters belong to Dick Wolf. I own nothing.

The following morning, Elliot and Olivia were seated at a table at a restaurant in Manhattan for breakfast. It was a much nicer setting than she was expecting, as when he'd mentioned taking her out the night before, she had assumed he was referring to a diner or something similar.

Olivia had been so surprised with Elliot's choice, that she hadn't known what to order when the server came to their table asking what they wanted to drink. She hadn't even begun studying the vast menu. He had taken the initiative, ordering coffee and orange juice for both of them.

Finally, Olivia was able to come to her senses. She was about to protest that she didn't need both, but one look at Elliot's face stopped her. He clearly wanted to treat her this morning, so she wouldn't argue. When their drinks were delivered to the table, she placed her order without feeling guilty for taking advantage of his generosity.

When they were alone again, Elliot waited until Olivia had fixed her coffee. He was originally going to wait until after they'd eaten, but his excitement was getting the better of him. He wanted to give her the gift card now. He only hoped she would like it. Reaching into his coat where it lay on the chair beside him, he withdrew an envelope. Then he extended it across the table toward her. Olivia's eyes widened in surprise.

"El? What are you doing? It's not my birthday."

Despite her questions, she still accepted the envelope. Turning it over in her hands, she looked up at him.

"I know it's not, Liv. Just open it."

She slipped her fingernail under the flap, obeying his directive. Seconds later, she was holding a gift card in her palm. The accompanying card detailed what it valued. It was for a complete day's activities at a local spa, including a massage, manicure, and pedicure. Additional funds were available for a facial if she chose to use them.

Olivia replaced the items back in the envelope with a slight shake of her head, then looked up at him in disbelief. Reaching across the table, she tried to give it back to him. It was exactly how he'd anticipated she would react.

"El, I appreciate this more than I can ever say, but I can't accept this."

He placed his hand over hers, halting her movements. Though they had been getting more physical with one another ever since he had begun staying with her, it felt like the most intimate connection they had ever shared. He felt the touch of her skin all the way down to his toes.

"You can, Liv. You can and you will. I know it's nowhere near what you deserve, but I want to do this for you."

He squeezed her hand again, coaxing her to look up and meet his gaze. When she complied, he tried again to convince her.

"This isn't just me trying to say 'thank-you'. No amount of words or actions could ever possibly be enough for that. This is me trying to give you back something after everything you've been through."

He could tell she wanted to argue again, but the protests died on her lips. So he drove home his point.

"You've been through hell recently, Liv. What's the harm in pampering yourself a little? Let me give you that."

The look in his blue eyes was so sincere, Olivia was helpless to fight it. Heaven knows she never had a problem fighting with Elliot Stabler when it counted. Instead, she gave in. Plus the spa package did sound heavenly. When she spoke again, her voice was soft.

"All right, Elliot - you win. Thank you."

He squeezed her hand again, trying once more to reassure her.

"Don't thank me with words, Liv. The best way you can thank me is to make that appointment and take a day just for yourself."

Olivia nodded then, signaling her acceptance. Their food arrived then, breaking up the quiet of the moment. Elliot had to let go of her hand so he could sit back, giving the server room to put down their plates. She tried not to think about the fact that she immediately missed the warmth of his grasp. She mentally berated herself instantly. What was she thinking? Elliot was still a married man, not to mention her best friend. Shaking her head to dispel the thoughts, she focused on her attention on her breakfast.

Olivia had held true to her word, and actually called the spa when they had gotten back to her apartment. She scheduled an appointment for the following Sunday.

They were trying to figure out how to spend the rest of their day when Elliot's phone rang. It was a number that looked vaguely familiar, but not one he recognized fully. Still, he answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Elliot? It's Nathan."

Surprised that his friend was calling, but pleased to hear from him, Elliot was about to ask him how he was doing. He figured the man wanted to make plans to watch the game later. However, the call quickly took a turn.

"I was going to write you a note, but then I realized I didn't even know your last name."

Alarm bells started going off in Elliot's head immediately. It brought back memories of that night at home not that long ago, but he shoved those thoughts down deep inside. Now wasn't the time to go there. If he was correct in his theory, his friend needed his help – fast.

"Nathan...talk to me, man. What's going on?"

As he spoke, Elliot snapped his fingers to get Olivia's attention. He would need her help with this, as he didn't think he could do it alone. But he didn't want to ambush his friend if at all possible. He'd do whatever it took to save his life, but he wanted to try and get him to cooperate first.

"It's all too much. I can't handle the pain – any of it."

It was then that Elliot detected the slur in the other man's voice. He was drunk – or under the influence of something else – and he was only going to get worse.

"Why don't you text me your address, and I'll come over. We can talk about it."

Elliot tried to reason with him, taking care not to sound too desperate. He didn't want to set off any warning bells that might cause the other man to do anything rash.

"I don't know..."

Elliot didn't waste a moment in jumping on the other man's hesitation. It didn't matter if Nathan figured out his true intentions or not, all that mattered is that he agreed to let him come over and talk. They could decide the next step from there.

"Please, man. You shouldn't have to deal with this alone."

A resigned sigh came over the receiver, and Elliot found himself letting loose of the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He knew Nathan was going to give in. Still, he wasn't entirely prepared for the conditions the other man was going to negotiate upon.

"No cops."

So, he was coherent enough to realize what was going on, and what his likely motives might be. Not that Elliot had planned on going over there with an army of individuals, but he did plan on trying to talk the other man down. Still, it wouldn't hurt to try something else.

"What if I just bring Olivia with me? Is that okay? You've met her. She's no threat to you."

There was silence for nearly a full minute, and for a moment Elliot was worried that Nathan had ended the call. Then his voice came over the line yet again.

"Yeah, okay. Olivia can come. But no one else."

"Do you need me to stay on the phone with you until we get there?"

Another lengthy pause followed, and Elliot was on pins and needles waiting for an answer. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins now.

"No. I'll text you the address."

The line went dead, and sure enough, a text message followed. Elliot called out to Olivia, who appeared almost instantly. As if picking up on his distress, she already had keys in hand, and was ready to go wherever he needed. Her only concern was whether or not he would be strong enough to handle it. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she questioned him softly.

"Are you sure you're ready for this El?"

"I don't know if I am or not. All I know is I'll blame myself more if something does happen and I did nothing."

Nodding her head in understanding, they headed out the door together. Olivia insisted she was driving, instinctively knowing Elliot was too keyed up to handle the task. Luckily for them, Nathan lived only a short drive away. They could be there soon. They just both hoped they would be in time.

Traffic had been in their favor, and Elliot and Olivia had arrived at Nathan's apartment building within ten minutes. Instead of pressing the buzzer for the security door, Elliot opted to send a text to the man letting him know they had arrived. The last thing he wanted was to startle him. To their mutual relief, the buzzer sounded almost immediately, allowing their entry into the building.

They found his apartment easily, and Elliot knocked on the door. The man who answered bore no resemblance to the one he'd come to know over his time at Partial. From his outward appearance, it was clear he hadn't shaved or showered in a few days. His face was pale, and there were dark circles under his eyes, which were red and puffy.

Whether that was from the influence of alcohol or from crying, they did not know.

Stepping back, Nathan allowed them entry into the room. He made no attempt to apologize for his own state, or the condition of his living quarters. Right now, he wasn't even sure why he had said it was okay for them to come over. All he knew was he couldn't deal with things any more.

While Elliot focused on his friend, Olivia scanned the room quickly, taking inventory. She was searching for a weapon or anything that could pose a threat – not only to Nathan, but to her or Elliot as well. The only thing she found was a bottle of alcohol and some pills on the coffee table in the living room.

Sharing a glance with Elliot, she swiftly moved into the other room. The alcohol was the least of her concerns, even if they didn't want Nathan drinking right now. She wanted to check the status of the pill bottle. Relief flooded through her when she saw that it was full. She had just slid it into her pocket as the two men came into the room.

"You two don't need to stay. I'll be fine."

Nathan tried to insist, but neither Elliot nor Olivia were buying it. That became more evident when the man noticed his bottle of medication was missing. He advanced on Olivia, towering over her as he stood toe to toe with her.

"You had no right to take those! They were mine! Give them back!"

She wasn't threatened in the least by his anger, which quickly dissolved into something else. The man's shoulders sagged and Elliot caught him under the arms as he began to crumple. Helping him over to the sofa, he sat next to him. Olivia came to join them, sitting a slight distance away.

"We are just here to help, Nathan. Talk to us."

Elliot tried to coax his friend to talk, not expecting anything to happen right away. To his surprise, the other man did begin to open up. Maybe it was because he knew that Elliot had been NYPD – and Olivia still was - he felt that he could speak freely.

"I can't get those images from that day out of my head. I was supposed to have my partner's back, and I failed him."

Nathan choked back a sob, then continued.

"I wasn't even able to go to his funeral – I was still in the hospital myself. But as bad as the physical pain from my injuries still is, I can't forget the things I saw that day."

He looked up at both of them then, an incredulous expression on his face.

"How the fuck did you do it for twelve years? Olivia, how do you still do it? How do you deal with the worst society has to offer committing crimes against the most vulnerable?"

They knew then he was asking about their time in Special Victims. It wasn't a unit of the NYPD that everyone could handle. It was why the most common tour of duty lasted only two years. Their squad had defied the odds on that particular number, all staying well beyond that. It wasn't that the job never got to them on a personal level, but they pushed themselves to do it for the victims – for the survivors.

Elliot and Olivia exchanged a glance, unsure of how to answer. For the first time in many months, they felt like they were working together as a cohesive unit again. They were truly Benson and Stabler once more. Only this time, the person most in need of their help was a fellow officer whose life was in danger from his own hand. In the end, Elliot decided to answer honestly.

"It wasn't easy. There were plenty of times when it felt like the job was getting to be too much."

He paused then, swallowing down the lump in his throat.

"It's because of something on the job that put me where I am now. But looking back, I can honestly say I wouldn't trade those twelve years for anything. For all the bad, there was a lot of good, too."

Silence fell over the room then, and they all sat quietly. After a few moments, Elliot decided to try again to reach Nathan.

"You need help, man. There is no shame in asking for it. Let us help you get it."

Another choked sob came from the man sitting next to him, followed by a confession.

"I know. I just didn't want to have to go back there. I was inpatient once already. I thought I had beaten those feelings. But I can't deal with it on my own any more."

Wiping his eyes, Nathan used his cell phone to place an emergency call to his therapist. He explained that he was going to be admitting himself for inpatient treatment, and would be heading to the hospital soon. Once they assured he was not in any immediate danger to himself or others, and that he had a ride to the hospital, the call was over.

Elliot went with Nathan to his room to help him pack a bag. While the two men were gone, Olivia took advantage of the opportunity to clean up the living room a little. She removed the alcohol, and got a garbage bag to throw away the trash that was littered about. By the time Elliot and Nathan had returned, she had finished with her task.

"Olivia, you didn't need to do this. I could have done it."

It seemed Nathan was a little more coherent now that the decision to seek inpatient treatment had been made. He was apologetic, and even seemed ashamed for his behavior.

"It's no trouble. Just look at it as one less thing to worry about now."

He nodded his acceptance then. There was one final thing he had to do, and that was gather his medications. He placed them all a plastic storage bag and was just about to seal it when Olivia removed the one from her pocket to add to the bunch.

That done, Nathan shouldered his bag and gave a nod indicating that he was ready. Olivia and Elliot headed out the door as he followed behind, locking up. The ride to the hospital was mostly silent, but when they arrived it was broken.

"Thank you – both of you. I don't know what I would have done if you wouldn't have practically insisted on coming over today."

Elliot shook the other man's hand, pulling him in close and clapping him on the back.

"Don't thank me, man. Just get yourself well."

Then Elliot walked with him to the door, and watched as his friend made his way beyond the security entrance into the section of the emergency room designed for mental health patients. Satisfied that Nathan was now in safe hands, he went back to Olivia. She was standing outside the car waiting for him. He didn't even hesitate, but walked right into her embrace.

"I'm sorry, Liv. I'm only just now realizing what I put my family – what I put you – through."

Olivia cupped her hand over the back of Elliot's head, soothing her fingers through his hair.

"It's all right Elliot. What matters is that you came to me, and you are still here. You're getting help. You didn't do it on purpose."

He let her comfort him, trying to calm himself down. She was right. He was still here. He was getting better. Maybe today had been too much, too soon for him to take on, but he was glad he'd done it.

When Olivia suggested they go home, he didn't fight her on it. The adrenaline was wearing off, and he was quickly becoming weary. He needed to rest and decompress. Nathan was safe now, it was time to take care of himself again.

Back at Olivia's, Elliot slipped his shoes off and headed straight for his room. No explanations were necessary, Olivia understood he needed time to himself right now. It didn't stop her from worrying about him, though, and she would check in with him later. For now, she knew he needed his space.

The afternoon had been an emotional one for all involved, but all that mattered now was that Nathan was getting the help he needed. That and that it wouldn't have any negative effects on Elliot. She had a feeling he would want to check in with his family later, and made a promise to herself to offer to drive him to Queens if it would give him peace of mind. At least tomorrow, he would have the support of his group to talk to.

She had been sitting alone for a little over an hour when Elliot returned to the living room to sit beside her. To her surprise, he sought out even more physical comfort than he had earlier when he'd hugged her. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he pulled her close to his side, and dropped his cheek down to rest on top of her head. Olivia didn't protest the closeness, and leaned into his touch.

"Did you need to talk, El? Or would you rather just sit like this for awhile?"

Her gentle understanding touched his heart. She had to have known that there was so much on his mind at that moment, but she was still leaving it up to him as to when to open up. Even more so, she was content to sit and have him practically hold her.

"Can we just sit like this for a few minutes?"

"Of course."

They did just that, sitting in the silence together. It was so still and peaceful, Elliot was able to concentrate not only on the sound of his own breathing, but Olivia's as well. That gave him the ability to center himself and draw his focus away from his racing thoughts, which were trying to remind him of the day's earlier events. So many things could have gone wrong while at Nathan's apartment – there were so many variables that could have resulted in a different outcome. With that first and foremost on his mind, he ultimately spoke.

"Olivia, I'm sorry I dragged you into that today. I don't know what I would have done if something had gone wrong and you'd have been hurt."

Olivia turned herself slightly so that she was facing him. She hated to break their connection, but she wanted to look him in the eye. She needed to know that he saw and understood her.

"Elliot, you don't owe me any apology. Heaven knows we've faced much tougher odds in the field. I followed you then just like I follow you now. With complete trust."

He was humbled by her words, but still not convinced.

"But if he'd have had a weapon -"

She placed her fingertips on his lips, silencing him.

"Then we would have dealt with it. We're both trained to deal with those kinds of situations. Plus, you knew going in the only person he was a threat to was himself."

He nodded then, confirming that she was right. Still it didn't abate the residual fears running through his mind. He recalled the moment when Nathan had advanced on her in anger for removing the medication. If the man had been in a more volatile state of mind, who knows how the situation could have gone. Again, as though she were reading his thoughts, Olivia tried to calm him.

"It's over, El. Nathan is somewhere safe, and being taken care of. Now, let me take care of you."

As she spoke, she wrapped her arm around his shoulders, switching their positions. Now, she was the one who was holding him. It reminded him of the morning he had first shown up on her door. The way he had openly wept and she had pulled him against her body to cradle him close. Though he currently had no tears to cry, he welcomed her embrace.

"I'm going to ask you something, El, and trust me when I say there is no right or wrong answer. Just tell me what is right for you in this moment."

He nodded against her shoulder, confirming that he understood what she meant.

"Do you need to see your family tonight? I can drive you out to Queens right now if you do."

Just when he thought she couldn't possibly do more for him, she proves him wrong. Not only had she intuited just what was on his mind, she offers to do the one thing that would make it possible. There was no way he could consider himself stable enough to drive right now.

"You read my mind, Liv. Let me call Kathy and see if it's okay if we come over."

Now, Olivia was ready to protest. It was one thing when they were visiting in her home, but she didn't want to intrude on Elliot's time with his family in his. She had just planned on dropping him off, then going to pick him up later. As though anticipating her reaction, he pulled away from her. Reaching out a hand and laying it on the side of her face, he plead with her softly.

"Liv, I'm asking you to come with me. It's not that I don't feel comfortable with my family, but I need you there, too."

She could never deny him. Nodding her acceptance, Olivia agreed to go along. She even came up with another solution.

"When you call, see if there is anything they want for dinner. We can pick it up along the way."

Elliot smiled then, his first genuine one since before they'd gone to Nathan's earlier that day. Then he went to his bedroom to call home.

Ninety minutes later, Olivia was pulling into the driveway of the Stabler home. Elliot had been mostly quiet during the drive, but she had taken no offense. She knew his mind was still all over the place. She hoped after spending some time with his family, it would put him more at ease.

Grabbing the food they had brought with them out of the backseat, Olivia followed Elliot to the door. Kathleen was holding it open, waiting for her father.

"Dad! It's so good to see you two days in a row!"

Elliot embraced his daughter, holding her close.

"It's good to see you, too, sweetie."

As the young woman stepped back to allow them entry into the house, she explained what was going on.

"Maureen said to say she's sorry she missed you today, but she had to get back to school. The twins are here, though, and of course so are Mom and Eli."

Kathleen stopped to take a breath, then remembered her manners.

"Olivia, thank you so much for bringing dad out. What do we owe you for dinner?"

The older woman shook her head, indicating that it wasn't necessary.

"There is nothing to thank me for, Kathleen. And I don't want you worrying about dinner, it's my treat."

Kathy had approached behind them, catching the tail end of their conversation.

"Thank you, Olivia. Please come in and make yourself at home."

The family gathered around to eat, opting to sit at the kitchen table instead of the more formal dining room. Despite his still muddled thoughts, it didn't escape Elliot's notice that he found himself seated between Olivia and Kathy. Eli was in his high chair on Kathy's other side, and the kids were on the opposite side of the table.

To his relief, there were no questions during the meal about how he was feeling. He knew they must all have their questions considering he had been to visit two days in a row. He also knew that his outward appearance read anything but calm and collected.

That was why he was immensely grateful for Kathleen's dominance of the conversation. She spent a lot of time talking about an internship she had applied for this summer. She'd already made it through the first round of interviews, now the next step was to write an essay.

Soon, the food had all but disappeared. Though she wanted to stay longer, Kathleen needed to get back to campus. She had an early class the next day, and needed to do some reading to prepare for it. After saying goodbye to her siblings, she hugged her mother. Then, she turned to Olivia. Giving the older woman a hug as well, she whispered in her ear.

"I know you brought Dad here to see us tonight, Liv. But don't forget that he needs you, too."

Not sure what to say to that, Olivia could only nod. Yet again, she was amazed by the young woman's perception. Perhaps it was because of her own battles with bipolar disorder that made her more cognizant of what her father was going through.

After Kathleen had left, the twins asked Elliot to stay a little longer and watch something together as a family. Now that he seemed much more calm, Olivia was thinking about excusing herself. She could always leave Elliot her car, and take a cab home. The twins had already left the kitchen, with Kathy and Eli following close behind. At that moment, Elliot turned to Olivia, as though he had anticipated what she was going to say.

"Liv please, stay."

To drive home his plea, he reached out and put both hands on her shoulders. His eyes flicked back and forth between hers. He was searching for answers he'd hope to find.

"I know you, Liv. You're not leaving because you're uncomfortable here, you're leaving because its what you think you should do. Believe me when I tell you that I want you here – that I need you here."

He was quiet for a few moments, then tried again to convince her.

"You're not interfering."

As if to prove his point, the voices of the twins called out in unison from the living room.

"Dad, Olivia are you coming in? We found a movie to watch!"

Not taking his eyes off Olivia, Elliot called out to his kids.

"We'll be right there!"

Then he reached up with one hand and brushed her hair back.

"You were the one who knew how much I needed my family today, Liv. Don't think for a minute that means I don't still need you, too."

Reaching up with one hand to cover his where it still rested against her cheek, she squeezed gently.

"I won't. Now let's go watch a movie with your family."