A/N: Okay, this chapter is a lot of set up, the story should really get moving next chapter. Glad you guys like it so far! Please read and review!
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. But I do own the plot, yay!
The Doctor smiled and said, "She's going to be alright. The knife didn't hit any vital organs and the wound was fairly shallow. She got quite the beating- her wrist is fractured in three places, she's got several cracked ribs, and multiple lacerations and contusions, but none are going to cause her any permanent problems. She'll be hurting pretty bad for a while though."
Elliot sighed and asked, "When can I see her?"
"As soon as she gets into her room, which ought to be in twenty minutes or so. I'll come back out because I want to talk with you about some things." The Doctor replied, patting Elliot's shoulder lightly before heading off.
Elliot collapsed back down into his chair, rubbing his forehead lightly. "Thank God," muttered Olivia's lieutenant, finally unclenching his hands. He looked over at Elliot and said, "I want to thank you for all you did for her."
With a somewhat surprised expression Elliot replied, "That's my job."
"Sure it is. But I know that it's been a rough few months for you."
"Yes, it has."
The lieutenant smiled slightly and said, "Well, I am quite sure that Olivia will do her best for you- provided she still wants the job." Elliot looked up curiously, about to ask what he was talking about when the lieutenant's phone rang. After a few seconds he hung up and told Elliot, "I have to head out, they are interrogating the bastard right now. Tell Olivia I'll be in tomorrow."
Just as the lieutenant was exiting, Elliot saw Cragen come hurrying in. "How is she doing?"
"She ought to be fine…" Elliot began, a little confused at Cragen's sudden appearance.
Cragen sat down beside him and said, "I got out just as fast as I could. This is unbelievable- I talked to her on Friday."
"About what?" asked Elliot, his blue eyes tired but quite intrigued.
Cragen sighed and replied, "She was going to transfer to SVU."
Elliot froze for a second and then said, "She's going to be my partner."
With an affirmative nod Cragen continued, "I was going to tell you. You are too good of a detective to stay at the desk. I thought that she seemed like a good match for you."
Elliot nodded slowly and said, "She recognized me from the paper."
"Really? How aware was she?"
"It's hard to say… it was obvious she didn't exactly know what was going on, and had all the physical reactions of a victim. But she did seem to grow a little better as time wore on."
"Mr. Stabler?" Elliot looked up and saw the Doctor standing just a couple feet away. "You can see her now." Cragen tagged along just behind them, and they stopped just outside of a room with a closed door. "We ran the rape kit. There was a great deal of skin from underneath her nails, but no sperm or spermicide was found. However, because of the trauma, I would say that your perp used his hand. He probably suffers from some nature of sexual dysfunction."
Elliot nodded slowly and then pushed open the door, shutting it quietly behind him. She was laying on her back, her head cocked just slightly as she looked over to see who was coming in her door. Though her face was a little battered and bruised, her brilliant eyes and soft complexion remained unchanged. Her chestnut hair was gracefully spread out around her pillow, a loose strand clinging gently to her cheek. Elliot smiled at her, quite sure she was just as beautiful as she had ever been. "How are you doing?"
"Not bad, considering. How's my partner?" Olivia asked.
"I'm sorry, he died on scene."
Olivia nodded slowly, a tear streaking down her face. Elliot decided to come a little closer and hesitantly touched the top of her hand. "Can you tell me what happened?"
"Yes. I remember most of it…" Olivia said, taking his hand gently.
"So the perp was supposedly over here…" explained Robert. Olivia nodded as her partner went through the sequence of the crime with her. After a moment, he paused, looking confused. "Hold on. This makes no sense."
Olivia watched as he trotted over into the next room and out of sight. She sighed and glanced into the dark corner at the side of the room. Curiously stepping forward she saw that the door was open to the closet underneath the stairs. As she glanced inside the empty closet the hairs on the back of her neck pricked. Immediately her hand went to her gun. But before she could even get a good grip on it someone slammed the door against her back. Olivia staggered and the man ran up and seized her around the waist, stabbing a small knife into her stomach. "They shouldn't have sent a lady cop." He muttered into her ear as he gave the knife a twist before removing it.
She gasped in surprise, pain searing through her. The man quickly shoved her backward in the closet, pushing her against the wall. When he pressed his weight against her Olivia could feel exactly what he was going to do to her. "Don't you dare scream." The man hissed as he undid her belt, yanking the gun off and emptying the clip. With that he threw it into the corner.
"Olivia, are you alright?" came Robert's voice from the next room.
The man seemed surprised that she had someone else with her and gave her a venomous glare before pulling out the knife again. Olivia dropped to the ground when he released her and gripped her side. "Robert! He's got a knife!" she screamed as the man ran out of the closet.
There was a loud scuffle, but it was over quickly, and the man came limping back towards her. "You stupid bitch! You are going to pay for that!" Olivia struggled to stand before he got to her, but it was a futile effort. He kicked her as hard as he could in the stomach and she smacked the wall. Then he seized her by the arms and hauled her to her feet. "Now, tell me how much you want me."
Olivia glared up at him and then used the last of her strength to knee him in the groin. He screamed in agony and took it out by hitting her across the face. Then he grabbed her harder and pulled her out of the closet and towards the stairs. Olivia felt tears rising in her eyes when she saw her old partner lying quite still on the ground. As they reached the base of the stairs the man struck her again and she fell to her knees. Her vision swam as he kicked her in the side and her head bumped heavily against the stairs.
The next thing she knew, the man was dragging her up the wooden steps. Olivia fought, but she was already weakening from blood loss. As they reached the top of the steps, the man banged open a door and threw her inside. Flipping her over onto her back, he seized her wrists, pinning them above her head. Olivia wriggled slightly as he lay down on top of her, running his tongue down her neck. "Settle down, it won't hurt as much if you behave." he muttered, ripping her blouse open. Olivia let out a shocked whimper as he pressed hard on her stab wound with his grimy hands. And then he moved his bloody hand, pulling down her pants. Olivia fought harder to stop him, but in the end, with a hard shove he parted her legs and pushed up inside her. That was the last straw. Olivia screamed as loud as she could.
The man angrily pressed his weight into her, and her wrist began to burn with pain. It finally gave way, snapping with a loud pop. Olivia cried out in pain and the man withdrew his hand, placing it on her neck. Sloppily sliding over top of her he squeezed harder, just enough she that she could breathe but had great difficulty. It was quite pleasing for him to see her slow her struggling so that she could take a breath. Suddenly she reached out her good arm, dragging her nails through his skin. He furiously let go of her neck and backhanded her across the face. When she continued fighting he hit her again. And then several more times until she stopped writhing and lay still. She looked up at him with exhausted brown eyes as he removed his pants. He came down and knelt heavily on her chest, his crushing weight stopping her breathing. A couple of loud cracks echoed through the room. That was when she passed out.
Elliot squeezed her hand gently and said, "I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault. I should have reacted quicker." Olivia muttered, a tear dripping down her cheek, "I let my partner die."
"No you didn't. You did all you could."
Olivia didn't answer and merely shut her eyes a moment and then said, "Detective Stabler, I owe you a lot. I didn't think anyone was going to come."
"You don't owe me anything. Now you just get some rest. You need to get better so I can have you as a partner."
"If you still want me. This is not a very good first impression, now is it? I can't even fight off one perp and my partner gets killed." Olivia replied.
Elliot ran his hand lightly across her forearm and said, "Don't doubt yourself. I think that you will become a great Detective."
Olivia smiled and looked up at him. She slowly reached out and traced her fingers lightly down his jaw. "I'm sorry about your old partner."
He smiled half heartedly back and gave her hand a final squeeze before walking out.
The Doctor and Cragen were both waiting when he came back out, and they looked a little preoccupied about something. "What is it?" Elliot asked.
"I was just going through her forms… I want to release her next week, provided that she stays stable. But her next of kin was her partner, and I can't release her to be by herself." The Doctor said, glancing through her chart again.
"She can stay with me." Elliot volunteered immediately.
Cragen looked over at him in surprise and asked, "Elliot, are you sure?"
Elliot shrugged and said, "I have three bedroom apartment."
"No… I mean I am not sure you should get so involved… she's not out of the woods yet."
"Look Captain, I know you're worried and everything, but I will be okay. Besides, I want to help my future partner."
"Well if you are sure, I need you to come and fill out some paperwork, after I okay it with her." The Doctor said, and then walked into her room.
Olivia watched as her doctor came slowly walking in. She tensed slightly but calmed down after he gave her a gentle smile. "Detective Stabler wants you to come live with him when I release you next week. I can't release you unless you have someone to help take care of you."
"Really? He will do that for me?" Olivia questioned, looking astonished.
"He said he'd like too. But only if you are comfortable with it."
Elliot waited impatiently until the Doctor came back out. "Well?"
He smiled and said, "She says that she'd love to."
And for the first time in months, Elliot's smile lit up his eyes.
Meanwhile in a holding cell at a nearby precinct, a bulky man with blood all over his clothes sat on the cold ground. He didn't seem at all concerned, and was looking in amusement at the red stains on his hands. But his knee was aching fiercely from the blow the old Detective had landed on him, and he was still in a great deal of pain from the stupid bitch's hits. They hadn't fought him before, especially little skinny things like her. But she had scratched his arms raw, bruised him all over, and even caused a deep laceration just above his groin, which was by far in the most pain. He looked up as he saw a man come walking over to look into his cell.
Lieutenant Darby glared in at the man, who looked to be in deep thought. He was easily over twice Olivia's weight and was a good six inches taller. Poor thing never stood a chance, thought Darby as he unlocked the door. "Mr. Weathers, come with me."
He slowly stood, the handcuffs chaffing his wrists irritably. Darby looked livid. Weathers just smiled at him, shoving a small key deeper into his pocket. As his fingers grazed it, he was quite confident that they were never going to find out the magnitude of the situation. They were going to be so focused on the murder of one cop and the rape of another that they would be blinded to everything else. Only time stood in his way. He had to find a way to keep them distracted until summer. As Darby roughly grabbed his shoulder, Weathers concluded that it wouldn't be hard to push this for months.