title: Next of Kin

author: SVUFanatic611

rating: PG

a/n: This chapter is dedicated to all my reviewers. ccabello, AthleticCharmedOne, Mrs. Rhett Butler, SVU-Watcher14, Ava Cabot, csigeekluv, HR Puffnstuff, RoughIslandSunrise, SiriusBlack1007, traci487, Scarlette O' Hara, and Boscosbabe55, you guys are the best! You keep me writing. Thanks for taking your time out of your busy schedules just to review my story! It means a lot!

BTW – annebd, I know one month isn't that long, and trust me I thought of that when I first started writing the fanfic, but if you read in Chapter 7, then you'll find out that Corrine's early admission gets cancelled. She won't be going for another 5 months.

disclaimer: SVU and its associated characters are not mine.

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Olivia couldn't believe what had just happened, but she was mad. She didn't know if she was mad at the fact that she had gotten caught, or mad at Corrine for finding out, or at herself for not getting off the case when Cragen told her to. She really wasn't sure of anything these days. But one thing she was sure of was that Corrine was out on the streets of New York at midnight; not exactly the safest place to be. But maybe she needed time to cool off. Everybody does. Olivia figured if she wasn't back by morning, she would go look for her.

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1:00am…2:00am…3:00…Corrine didn't come home. It was 9:00am when Olivia decided to call the one person who had always been there. She needed him now, maybe more than ever.

"Hello?"

"Kathleen, is your dad home?"

"He's actually a little busy." She brought her voice down to a whisper. "Mom's here with her boyfriend and…I think you get the point. Why? Olivia, is something wrong? If it is, I can have my dad down there in no time."

"No, it's not that important. Corrine and I got into an argument last night. She left and hasn't come home. Would you know where she might be, Kathleen?"

"Try looking for her at Central Park. The bench by the fountain. She goes there a lot after school to clear her mind."

"Thank you so much, Kathleen. I really appreciate it."

"No problem, Olivia. I'll tell my dad you called."

"Alright. Thanks again." She hung up and made her way to Central Park.

She arrived and looked everywhere for her. She searched every bench and no Corrine. She had no clue where she was or if she was okay.

After searching in a couple of other places, Olivia decided to go home. She could only hope Corrine would already be there or would come on her own.

-

Olivia came home and when she walked through her doorway, nothing could have prepared her for what she was about to encounter.

Corrine was home, thank God. It was the two people behind her that scared Olivia. It was the person holding a gun to Corrine's head that posed a threat. Olivia's mind was racing to try to find out where she had left her gun. Her mind was completely fried. She couldn't remember where it was.

"Hello, Detective Benson." said a man in a dark suit. He definitely looked the part for a mob member.

"Hi" she replied in complete shock. "And you are…?"

Corrine's facial expression was one of sheer terror and fear. She barely knew Olivia, but she suddenly found herself trusting her with her life.

"Names aren't important, detective. Let's just get right down to business, shall we? We know you've been investigating."

"And how do you know that?" Olivia didn't know what was going through her mind when she was asking these questions. She was primarily focused in Corrine.

"Why do you want to fill your mind with useless details, detective? They are minuscule and unnecessary. Now, we have come to settle a score. You both know too much already. The real question is: who will be the first to go? The wonderful child or the hero detective? Hmmm, tough call."

Corrine couldn't handle it anymore. She felt like hurting him. She remembered one night, she and Olivia stayed up all night and for fun, Olivia taught her all the defense moves. She felt like using one of them. But, if she did give into her impulses and hurt this man, what could happen as a result? "Screw it." she thought to herself "Giving into my impulses is what I do."

And with that, she gave him the elbow to the groin.  Olivia, surprised she remembered anything from that night, chimed in. She blitz-attacked the main man who was holding Corrine and fought for his gun. Corrine fell out of the man's grip and fell to the ground. She then tried to beat the other lackey.

Meanwhile, Elliot was on his way to Olivia's apartment. He figured that she was always there for him. He should help look for Corrine. When he arrived, he heard noises inside. He decided to go in.

When he busted in, Olivia saw him. He was always there just in the knick of time. He always acted as her knight in shining armor.

"Olivia...oh God!" He reached for his gun and held it to the man with whom Olivia was fighting. He gave up on Olivia and pointed his gun toward Elliot. The man shot first numerous times, but Elliot ducked and missed the incoming bullets. Elliot fired back and hit him almost instantly. He fell to the ground, dead.

Corrine was still fighting with the other man. She kicked him, bit him, slapped him, anything that would help, but nothing did. Elliot didn't get a chance to rest. He grabbed his handcuffs and cuffed him. He read him his rights and then called CSU as he walked out of the apartment. Olivia didn't even get to thank him. She didn't get a chance to. Before she could even think that it was all over, she looked down. There she saw a horrible sight. She saw Corrine, her leg and entire body covered in blood. She must have gotten hit. She knelt down beside her and applied pressure to the wound on her right leg. "Corrine, stay with me. Corrine, don't go, hold on. Help will be here soon."

Corrine faintly spoke. "Olivia, I'm sorry. I blew my cool last night…"

"Shh…Shh…don't talk, sweetie, it takes more energy." Olivia couldn't handle it anymore and began to cry. "Let's just say all is forgiven and forgotten. Okay? Corrine, hold on, please, hang in there."

Corrine slightly closed her eyes and wanted to give into the darkness. It was certainly easier. But, she had come too far, fought too hard. She had no intention of giving up now. She couldn't.

" 'Liv, ambulance is here." Elliot said as he stepped in.

"Okay. Corrine, did you hear that? Please hang in…for me." Olivia wiped the tears from her face.

The EMTs came and took Corrine into the ambulance. Olivia was about to get in to ride with Corrine, but she turned around and looked at Elliot. "El'! Thank you."

"That's what partners are for. I told you nothing was going to change that."

She smiled and got in, now focusing on the other person she cared so much for who was fighting for her life. Olivia couldn't believe that it had happened so quickly. It was just a half an hour ago that her biggest concern was where Corrine was. She stared into Corrine's hazel eyes and she took comfort in them. She could tell that Corrine was going to be okay just by looking into her eyes.

"Is she going to be okay?" she said, finally finding her voice.

"It's risky, I'll admit. She lost a lot of blood, but with some surgery, I think she just might make it. And now that you know that, how about we clean up that nasty wound on your cheek?"

Olivia was just so caught up with Corrine, that she didn't even realize that she had a cut on her face that was pretty bad. "Sure…thank you."

A huge weight had been lifted off of Olivia's shoulders. Corrine was going to be okay. She was strong.