Disclaimer: SVU and all of its characters were created by and are the property of Dick Wolf. I make no profit with this story, which is my own original work.

Elliot's voice was strained with equal parts of panic and pain. He easily buried the latter sensation in deference to his concern for his partner. Despite Olivia's protests, he rose to his feet once more, intent on inspecting her person. The memory of the gun firing was echoing in his brain, and it hurt him deeply to even consider the possibility that she had been seriously injured in her attempt to save his life.

Olivia on the other hand, was not having any of it. Again, she tried to force Elliot back into a seated position. She was convinced he was hallucinating. But, the truth of the matter was, she had indeed been shot by Dale Stuckey. The wound was not a fatal one, but the bullet was nonetheless embedded within the muscles of her abdominal wall, having taken up residence only a short distance from the pelvic bone.

"El, stop. I'm fine. The gun went off, yes, but I wasn't hit. As for the casing, CSU will find it when they conduct their investigation. Now, will you sit so you can rest until Cragen and the ambulance get here? You're bleeding, for heaven's sake!"

"So are you!"

Again, Elliot was adamant in his declaration. This time, he gestured wildly toward Olivia's midsection, indicating the rapidly growing stain of crimson that was spreading across her right side. Dazed, Olivia pressed her hand against her hip, feeling the dampness for herself. When her fingers came away from the fabric tinged with red, she looked toward her partner in confusion.

"I have been shot. How can this be? I didn't feel a thing. It doesn't even hurt."

On his feet again, and this time trying to be the one to force his partner to sit, Elliot observed her with a look of chagrin.

"It's the adrenaline, Liv. I'd love to be able to tell you that you won't feel any pain, but I've been shot enough times to know it's going to hurt like a bitch later."

Shrugging, Olivia accepted his words at face value.

"I'll deal with that later, then. Right now, I'm more worried about you. The ambulance should have been here by now. Maybe I should just drive you to the hospital myself."

Elliot was incredulous, and beginning to wonder if his partner had somehow sustained a head injury as well, given her lapse in good judgment. There was no way in hell he was going to let her get behind the wheel of a car in her condition.

"If it's a question of which of us needs the hospital more, Olivia, that person would be you."

"I already told you that I'm fine."

Before their debate could escalate any further, the room came alive with activity as Cragen, Fin, and Munch arrived. Their Captain was demanding answers, but also concerned for his detectives.

"Just what the hell is going on here? Olivia, you said on the phone that Elliot had been attacked by Dale Stuckey, that Ryan O'Halloran had been murdered. I need to know what happened!"

Though Olivia desperately wanted to give her superior officer the answers he was looking for, her first priority was to take care of Elliot. That's why she stepped forward to act as an advocate on his behalf. Plus, she knew that if she didn't, he'd likely deny his need for medical attention, and most likely try and put her needs before his own.

"Can we fill you in later, Captain? I want to get Elliot to the hospital. In addition to the knife wounds he sustained, he also has a head injury. I want to make sure it isn't anything serious."

Just as Olivia had predicted, Elliot indeed tried to argue his case.

"It's nothing I can't handle Cap. What Olivia failed to mention is the fact that while we were attempting to immobilize Stuckey, she was shot! It's a miracle she is still standing!"

Every pair of eyes, Elliot's included, fell on Olivia. She felt herself blush under their scrutiny, and pulled the lapels of her jacket more closely together in an attempt to conceal the still growing bloodstain on her right side. Cragen, on the other hand, was not easily fooled.

"You're both going to the hospital, and that's final! I can collect your statements later. But, if you think I'm going to lose any of my detectives because of that twisted son of a bitch, then you are mistaken."

Not wanting to go against the word of her Captain, Olivia reluctantly acquiesced to his command. However, she was still trying to argue her case, convinced that her wound was minor.

"Fine. I'll go to the hospital and get checked out, but I'll have Fin or Munch give me a ride. Elliot should get the ambulance."

"No, the ambulance should be for Liv."

Bringing both hands to his temples, as though he were warding off a massive headache, Cragen closed his eyes and slowly counted to ten. How was it that these two could be so damn stubborn? He fully understood their need to protect each other, but to ignore their own well being like this, it was insufferable!

"I'll arrange it with the medics that you can share the damn ambulance, just both of you shut up and stop arguing!"

The fight left the pair of detectives then, almost simultaneously. Their three coworkers observed in horror as Olivia's surge of adrenaline wore off and she succumbed to her blood loss. In a graceful faint, the brunette wilted into Munch's arms, and the Sergeant kept her from hitting the ground. Likewise, Elliot's head injury had gotten the best of him, and witnessing his partner fall had been the last straw. Seconds after Olivia had collapsed, he too was unconscious. If not for Fin's quick reflexes, he'd have landed in a heap on the floor for a second time that day.

"NYFD Paramedics"

A voice called out from the direction of the hall, and Cragen responded in kind. He was grateful that he'd radioed ahead for an extra ambulance, in the hopes that Olivia and Elliot had somehow been mistaken about O'Halloran. At least this way, neither of them would have to wait any longer than necessary to be transported to the hospital.

As the medics began their assessment of the patients to prepare them for transport, Cragen gave final orders to his two remaining squad members.

"Go with them to the hospital. I'll call in extra help and take care of things here. Make sure they are put in the same room, and don't leave them alone until there is a detail at their door. Not until we know for certain of what all Stuckey is responsible for."

Following an MRI to rule out a more serious injury, and after the wounds on his chest had been disinfected, sealed with Dermabond, then held together with a series of Steri-strips, Elliot Stabler had been diagnosed with a mild concussion and was resting comfortably in his hospital bed. He'd already spoken to all of his kids, and confirmed that he was in fact all right. Even though they were now divorced, he'd also spoken to Kathy, and reassured her as well. Now, he was waiting anxiously for any word on the condition of his partner, as last he'd heard from Fin upon regaining consciousness during his own exam was that she'd been taken immediately into surgery.

As the events of the day replayed themselves in his mind, Elliot could scarcely believe that they had actually happened. Everything still had such a surreal quality about it, from the time they had rushed Elizabeth Donnelly to this very hospital earlier today up until the moment he had witnessed Olivia collapse into Munch's arms. Even now, the memory of that fateful gunshot echoed in his ears, and he remembered how only seconds before, Stuckey had been aiming the weapon in his direction.

He had very nearly died from a bullet from his own gun today. To make matters worse, his partner actually had been shot. Although Elliot knew he was not the one responsible, there was a guilt he was dealing with that was impossible to reconcile. He had been the one to kick Stuckey, triggering the chain reaction. Olivia had needed surgery, would be in pain, because of an indirect result of his actions.

Left to his own devices, dueling thoughts competed in Elliot's tormented mind. Torn between self deprecation and an all consuming anger, he was at war with himself, trying to come to terms with the events of the day – the past several days, actually. It didn't help any that he had yet to hear any word on Olivia's condition, and the subsequent anxiety was keeping his blood pressure at an elevated level.

Just when Elliot thought he couldn't wait a moment longer, and was about to get out of bed and ask for an update himself, the door to the room opened. A gurney was wheeled in, and it held the conscious but somewhat sedated form of Olivia Benson. From his bed, Elliot could hear his partner arguing with her escorts, and surmised that she'd only recently been told that she, too, was a guest of the hospital until further notice. Despite the seriousness of their present situation, he felt the corners of his mouth quirk up in a sardonic grin. It would be difficult to say which of them would be labeled the more uncooperative patient.

"I told you, I'm fine! Just let me go home, I don't need to stay in the hospital. What I need, is to know where my partner is."

Olivia's voice was slightly slurred from whatever medication she'd been given, but her words were no less adamant. Even so, Elliot knew her well enough to be able to decipher the hidden anxiety that resided just beneath the demanding tone. Though she was anything but a cowardly woman, he could tell she was scared – and it was on his behalf. Elliot imagined that his facial expression the moment he had woken up in the emergency department and discovered his partner was nowhere to be found had likely mirrored the one Olivia was currently wearing. He knew then that he needed to reassure her.

"Liv, I'm here."

Though she was still more concerned for his well being than her own, Olivia relaxed almost instantly upon hearing Elliot's voice. Instinctively, she knew she had their Captain to thank for seeing to it they had been placed in the same room. Then, another thought crossed her anesthesia addled brain – one far more alarming. If they were placed together, that was likely so a single detail could observe them both. Was it possible that Elliot's life was still in danger?

"El? Are you all right?"

Shaking his head ruefully, Elliot didn't hesitate to respond.

"I'm okay, I promise. I'm a patient here, just like you are. I want you to get into your bed so you can try and rest, all right? We can talk later."

He could tell that Olivia wanted to argue, but the combination of medications coursing through her system were dulling her protest. Reluctantly, she allowed the orderlies to settle her in her own bed. However, Olivia did insist that the curtain dividing the room remain open, so she could keep an eye on her partner at all times. Obviously, should a need for privacy arise, she would agree to have it closed, but until that point, she wasn't going to let Elliot out of her sight. To be fair, Elliot needed that same reassurance – to have Olivia within view. Too much had happened today, and he'd already spent too many hours outside of her presence worrying about the what-ifs. Their present rooming situation may be an unconventional one, but he was grateful for it.

Elliot knew that there was so much he needed to talk to Olivia about, but he was also aware that now was not the time. Even though they were technically alone, his head was still pounding, and she had just returned from surgery. Major discussions could wait. As it was, Cragen would likely be wanting their statements sooner rather than later. While he wasn't certain about where Olivia's mind was in the grand scheme of things, for his part, Elliot was still having difficulty processing the events that had unfolded only a few hours earlier.

Glancing to his left, Elliot observed that his partner had given in to the medication in her system and was currently asleep. Though he felt like he was taking advantage for doing so, he watched her slumber for several minutes, relief coursing through him each time Olivia's chest rose and fell in an even cadence. She was alive – they both were - and Stuckey had been arrested. In addition to their witness testimonies, the evidence was irrefutable. He would not get away with his crimes.

When Don Cragen arrived at the hospital, all he knew for certain was that his two detectives had been admitted, and both were resting comfortably. In addition to overseeing the arrest of Dale Stuckey and the processing of the scene back at lab, he'd spent the last few hours arguing with not only IAB, but being given orders from the Chief.

Despite all of his efforts to keep things in house, the case had been pulled from his department. The brass was worried about how it might look considering the fact that two of SVU's own had been attacked and injured. Not wanting to give the defense the opportunity to claim that Dale Stuckey's charges were an act of revenge if and when the case went to trial, a new team of detectives had been brought in to take the lead. Don knew his squad would still be called upon as witnesses, they just wouldn't be allowed to gather evidence or conduct interviews. Although it was a frustrating development, ultimately, he understood. What mattered most was that the trial ended in a conviction.

Once he arrived on the wing that housed Elliot and Olivia, Cragen found their room easily. Fin and Munch were both positioned outside the door, and it looked like neither man had budged for hours. While the SVU Captain was heartened by the loyalty in his team members, he was a bit angry to find that the detail that he'd requested hadn't arrived yet.

"Fin, John, how are they?"

It was the elder of the two who responded.

"I can't answer for Elliot, as I've been with Olivia this whole time. They wouldn't let me in the operating room, but I was permitted to gown up and stand guard outside once I explained the situation. They just brought her upstairs a little over an hour ago."

Now that their superior officer had been appraised more definitively on Olivia's condition, Fin took the opportunity to inform him on Elliot's.

"Stabler is resting too, though it took him awhile to settle. For a hot minute, I thought he was going to refuse treatment when he found out Liv was taken straight to surgery. It took some convincing, but he eventually cooperated once he knew the old man was keeping an eye on her."

With a nod, Cragen absorbed the information he'd been given and reached for the handle on the door, about to enter. A call from Fin pulled him back a second time.

"Fair warning, though, Cap – Elliot is going to be pissed with you. He remembers that you promised he and Liv could travel in the same ambulance, and when he woke up during transport to the hospital, he wasn't very happy to learn that she wasn't with him."

"Why am I not surprised to hear that? While I normally wouldn't put up with it, I'll take it. All that matters to me right now is that they are both going to be okay."

Turning around a second time, this time Cragen was actually successful in opening the door and walking through. Taking in the sight before him, he shook his head. Instead of being in his own bed where he belonged, Elliot had instead taken up residence keeping vigil beside a sleeping Olivia. He was holding her hand, and it would appear to the outsider that Elliot clearly believed his partner might disappear if he were to let go.

As though he were aware of another presence in the room, and had already intuited just who the other person was, Elliot began to speak.

"I couldn't warn her away because my mouth was taped. But, I shook my head the second I saw her! I tried to tell her to leave! Why didn't she run? Why did she risk her own life to try and save mine? It's my fault she's hurt."

Resting a palm on Elliot's shoulder, Don Cragen tried his best to console the other man. In truth, it pained him to see the woman he viewed as a daughter in such a vulnerable state, too.

"She was only doing the same thing for you that you would have done for her. And it's not your fault, Elliot. Only one person is to blame for this, and he is behind bars."

Feeling no hint of shame that his emotions were so blatantly obvious, Elliot wiped his eyes then turned slightly to look at his Captain.

"Where are we on Stuckey's arraignment? Do we have any details?"

With a sigh, Cragen imparted the news he had been hoping to avoid for awhile longer.

"The case is out of our hands, even though I fought like hell to keep it in house. However, the Chief has promised to keep me updated on all fronts. Stuckey will be arraigned first thing tomorrow morning. The DA is asking that he be held without bail."

Nodding once as he absorbed the information, Elliot pressed a bit further.

"And the charges?"

"Three counts of first degree murder, one count of kidnapping, two counts of assault, and three counts attempted murder."

Elliot couldn't contain his sigh of relief. There was something satisfying in knowing that Dale Stuckey would never see the light of day again. Instead, he would spend the rest of his years rotting in a jail cell. As much as he wanted to stay by Olivia's side, Elliot was determined to do his part.

"Do you need me to give my statement now?"

"Only if you're ready. I can try and buy you time until tomorrow if you're still not feeling well."

"No, I need to do this."

Cragen understood. Nodding once in confirmation, he withdrew his phone from his pocket.

"All right, I'll make the call. Someone will be here shortly to question you."

Though he had been hesitant to leave Olivia for any reason, Elliot was comforted in knowing that his Captain would be staying behind with his partner. Plus, Fin and Munch were still standing guard at the door, as they had yet to be assigned an official detail. Even though it had been determined that the threat had been contained, Elliot, Olivia, and Judge Donnelly would be kept under guard until after Dale Stuckey's arraignment the following morning.

After a grueling two and a half hours answering questions and recounting his ordeal, Elliot was wheeled back to his hospital room. Once again, instead of going to his own bed, he took up residence in the chair beside Olivia's. This time, when he clasped her fingers in his palm, the woman on the bed stirred. It appeared she was finally shaking the remnants of the anesthesia and other medications that had been in her system.

"El?"

"I'm here, Liv."

Sitting upright suddenly, Olivia looked around the room. Elliot tried to ease her back down against the pillows, but she wasn't having any of it. Instead, it appeared that she was actually trying to get out of bed. She swung her legs to the side, wincing in pain as the incision on her hip pulled in the process.

"Easy, Liv. Where do you think you're going?"

"I can't stay here. I've slept too long as it is! Speaking of which, what are you doing out of bed? You've been hurt!"

Ruefully, Elliot shook his head. He wasn't exactly surprised by Olivia's behavior, but in truth, he had hoped that she would have woken up in a more cooperative mood. Especially after seeing that he, too, was wearing the same hospital issue gown that she was.

"Yes, I've been hurt, but I've been thoroughly examined and all my injuries have been treated. They diagnosed me with a mild concussion, and closed up all the wounds on my chest. I'm going to make a full recovery."

It was only after hearing that affirmation that Olivia visibly relaxed and eased herself back into her bed. But her mind was not at rest. Instead, it rapidly switched to the next topic at hand – justice.

"Have you given a statement yet? When do they need me to give mine?"

Don Cragen spoke up then, and for the first time, Olivia registered her Captain's presence in the room. Prior to that, her only concern had been for Elliot.

"If you feel up to it, Liv, I have someone waiting who can take your statement. If not, I can try and hold them off until tomorrow."

"No, no. I want to do it now."

Again, Olivia tried to get out of bed, at which point she was discouraged by both Elliot and Cragen. The Captain insisted he would have someone come directly to his detective in order to question her, and he and Elliot would simply vacate the room in order to give her privacy.

When the men came to question the brunette detective about the events of the afternoon, she didn't omit any details. Not even the more painful ones about pretending to betray her partner, or the moment she had kissed Dale Stuckey. In order to see that lab technician was convicted of his crimes, it was imperative that she tell the truth, even if it called into question the lengths she would go to save Elliot's life. Fortunately, no one had second guessed her. If anything, she had been commended for thinking so quickly under pressure, and deescalating the situation without any additional casualties.

Olivia wasn't on her own in the room for very long, as Elliot returned promptly after. Though he desperately wanted to take up his prior place by her side once more, the look Olivia was giving him was enough to make him crawl into his own bed. Now that they were alone, he also took the advantage of imparting some information he'd learned earlier.

"I don't know if they told you, Liv, but Stuckey is going to be arraigned tomorrow morning. If all goes well, they should release us in the afternoon. Same goes for Donnelly. Until then, we're all going to have a detail posted outside our doors."

If it were solely on her behalf, Olivia would have protested the presence of the detail. But, she knew it was for her partner's safety as well, and that was something she strongly supported. Though it was almost certain the danger had passed, she'd do anything to keep Elliot from harm. That brought up another subject – recovery. She didn't want him having to go back to his apartment alone. Not with a concussion.

"Where are you going after you leave the hospital tomorrow? I mean – what I was going to say is – did you want to come and stay with me? I can help take care of you."

Elliot tried not to laugh. It wasn't that he found Olivia's suggestion humorous, it was just that once again, she seemed to be forgetting that she was just as injured as he was, if not more. Who was going to be taking care of her?

"I'll come stay with you, but under one condition."

"What's that?"

Knowing he would only incite his partner's annoyance with him if he were to get out of bed again, Elliot instead opted to extend his hand in her direction. He was surprised when she took it without question, but the gesture made him feel good.

"We take care of each other. You've been hurt, too, Liv. So what do you say? We spend the next few days together, changing each other's bandages?"

Olivia mulled the proposition over for a few minutes. Ultimately, she realized that Elliot was going to win, one way or another. When it came down to it, he was just as stubborn as she was. Plus, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing to have some company during her convalescence. With a smile, she responded.

"You've got a deal."