I Will Love you Forever
Disclaimer: I don't own any of them
Summary: What will happen when an old love comes back into Olivia's life? Will it change for the better or worse?
A/N: Kinda bumbed about the small amount of reviews I recieved, but I hop this chapter gives you all something that I think you have wanted!
Alive
As he stepped off the plane he still couldn't believe it was finally over. He may not have really been dead, but he may as well have been. Without his kids and without Olivia he was nothing. That was hell, and he never wanted to go back there.
All he could thing about now was hugging his kids, he wondered if the four years he had spent away from them had changed them much. Part of him hurt because he had missed so much. He had left with two 12 year olds, a 17 year old and a 20 year old, and was coming back to two 16 year olds, a 21 year old, and a 24 year old.
After his kids he would surprise Olivia. He had already called Cragen and told him the news. Olivia's last partner transferred last month, and they were looking for a replacement.
Cragen sounded shocked when he picked up the phone and heard Elliot's voice over the receiver. Elliot had asked about everyone in the squad, but all Cragen had said was that things had changed.
Elliot didn't care though. He fumbled with the diamond ring in his pocket as he waited for his bag in the airport. He had been holding on to it for four years. He was going to ask Olivia to marry him that New Years, but those plans were shot to hell.
All he wanted to do now was hold his kids, and then drop to one knee in front of the women he loved; the women he hadn't seen for four years.
As Elliot waited for his bag he remembered the past lonely years he had spent in Virginia.
He woke up to a U.S. Marshall standing over his bed. He was told that the man who had shot him was dead, but the man who had hired him wasn't. It turned out the man who shot Elliot was hired by an ex-con who Elliot had put away. The Marshall told him that he and his kids would be in danger if he didn't go into hiding.
That night he was shipped off to Virginia. He lived there as a bank teller in a small house. He kept to himself, and didn't make any friends; he didn't intend to stay long. His days and nights were filled with thoughts of the city and the people he had left behind.
He had hoped that his kids were handling his "death" okay, and cursed himself each night for putting them through that. He though about Olivia, and prayed that she would find happiness.
He remembered yesterday. How he had gotten a phone call from the same Marshall who had informed him that he would have to leave his family. The man told him that the ex-con gunning for him was dead, and that it was safe to return home.
Elliot picked up his bad with the name "Steve Miller" (His alias) still written on the tag. He pulled it off, and threw it out with a smile on his face.
Elliot was nervous as he climbed the steps to his ex-wife's house. He had called her first after receiving the news that he would be going home. She almost fainted when she heard his voice. She was keeping the twins home from school, and called Kathleen and Maureen and told them to come home, but she didn't tell them why.
Elliot knocked on the door lightly, and it opened shortly. Kathy had tears in her eyes when she saw him. She hugged him tightly. "I never thought I would be so happy to see my ex-husband." She whispered as she wiped tears away. "The kids are in the living room." She added just as quietly.
He made his way through the hall and gazed into the room his kids were in. The four of them were talking, and didn't notice him; they had grown so much. Dickie looked more like him than even he could imagine, and Lizzie had blossomed into a beautiful young woman. Kathleen didn't have any signs of childhood left on her, and Maureen looked more mature than ever.
Tears flowed silently down his face as he gazed at his kids. They were so grown up. He couldn't speak, but just stepped into the room.
Elizabeth was the first to notice the presence. She smelt her father'sfamiliar cologne, and looked up from the conversation.
"Oh my God." She simply stated before flying across the room to her father. She threw herself into his arms, and just sobbed.
The other three looked up to see what had made their sister react in such a way.
"Daddy?" Kathleen asked, shocked, but didn't move.
"How?" Maureen asked, also still. Her hand flew up to her mouth as tears slid down her cheeks.
Dickie didn't know what to do. He just stood there with his mouth agape. When he finally realized who he was looking at he simply responded with a "Holy Shit Dad!"
Elliot chuckled briefly.
"Isn't anyone else gonna give their old man a hug?"He was finally able to say; Elizabeth still clinging to him.
The three looked at each other before rushing to their dad.
"I missed you guys so much." Elliot said through tears. "I love you."
After everyone calmed down Elliot explained what had happened, and apologized for what he had done until he was blue in the face.
The kids decided that it was best to not mention Olivia, or their little sister. They felt that she should be the one to tell him.
After about an hour Elliot told his family that he needed to see Cragen. Because he had been in Protective Custody the Marshals had paid to keep his apartment for him, (A/N: totally made that up, they don't really do that, but I wanted Elliot to have his apartment, writer's license!)he made plans for his kids to spend the night with him and hugged each one extra tight before leaving.
He was on top of the world when he entered the 1-6 again. He rode the elevator up, and smiled because it felt like he had never left.
When he walked into the bullpen he noticed that Munch, Fin, and Olivia weren't there. It was noon so he figured that they were at lunch.
He knocked at Cragen's half-open door.
Cragen look up and smiled. He got out form behind his desk and let the familiar detective in.
Cragen stared at Elliot for a moment before embracing him in a fatherly hug. As the two separated, each had tears in their eyes, although they were too macho to let them fall, or even admit that they were there.
"It is so good to see you again." Cragen finally said.
"You have no idea Don." Elliot answered.
"Everyone's at lunch, but they should be back soon." Cragen said, explaining why no one was in the bullpen.
"Yeah, I figured." Elliot answered. "So, you said that a lot has changed on the phone, why don't you fill me in." Elliot offered.
Cragen motioned for Elliot to sit, and re took his position behind his desk.
"Well," He began cautiously. "Casey is engaged. Ol…" He began to explain, before stopping himself. He didn't want to be the one to inform Elliot that he had a fifth kid. "ahh, old friend of hers introduced them, and they just clicked." He finally said.
"Wow, that's great." Elliot smiled.
"Yeah, and Alex is married!" Cragen continued. "To some investment banker she met after literally running into him on her way to court."
"I guess love has been in the air around here." Elliot joked.
Cragen offered a small laugh, but knew that love was going to be the one thing that would hurt Elliot soon.
"Munch still single?" He asked.
"Oh hell yes!" Cragen answered, getting a roaring laugh out of Elliot.
"How's Liv?" Elliot finally asked. Cragen knew that he would, but was hoping he wouldn't.
"She's…" He began. "Back!" He finished when he saw her enter the bull pen with his other detectives. "That was close." He thought to himself.
"Why don't I get them? Stay here." Cragen said as he rushed out to meet his three detectives.
"Benson…" He boomed as he exited his office. "Your new partner's here."
"Please don't say it's another rookie." She answered with a smile.
"Not, he's actually been a cop for a while now. Just transferred form Virginia." Cragen answered honestly.
"John, Fin, why don't you guys come meet the new guy too." Don beckoned.
The three followed their captain into his office to see the back a guy in a blue suit.
"Olivia, I'd like you meet your new partner." Cragen smiled wearily as Elliot turned around. He didn't know how this would go.
Olivia's jaw hit the floor. She couldn't say anything.
"Ah Hell No!" Fin yelled out of surprise. "I don't friggen believe it!"
"Those Marshall Bastards!" John interjected. The two had put the pieces together themselves.
"Good to have you back man." Fin said as he embraced a man who he thought of as a brother.
"Good to be back." Elliot answered, hugging Fin, but eying Olivia.
"You owe me about 400 bucks for all those flowers I put on you grave." Munch joked as he too embraced his friend.
"Yeah, put it on my tab." Elliot smiled.
"Ah, why don't we let you and Olivia talk?" Cragen said quickly, excusing himself and Munch and Fin before anything got awkward.
"Well, you happy to see me?" Elliot asked. He was worried that Olivia had remained silent for so long.
"I… I thought you were dead." Olivia finally stammered. In a fraction of a second her world had just been turned upside down.
"Without you, and the kids, I thought I was dead too." He smiled, but didn't move. "So, how have you been?" He asked; not knowing what else to say. He had never felt so awkward around Olivia before.
"El, so much has changed." She said out of the blue. "You were dead."
It was then that Elliot noticed the ring on her left ring finger.
"You met someone." Was all he could say.
Olivia followed his gaze to her ring.
"Two years ago." She answered, almost apologetically. "El, I thought you were dead." She defended.
"You love him?" He asked, although he wasn't sure why.
"Very much." Olivia answered honestly. "I'm so sorry."
"No, don't be." Elliot answered his head spinning. "I'm just glad that you're happy."
"I am." Olivia answered. "So, you gonna give your partner a hug?" She asked.
Elliot smiled, and obliged. He hugged her briefly, and then broke their embrace.
"So, when do you start?" Olivia asked.
"Right now." Elliot smiled.
As he returned to his old desk Elliot's mind was whizzing. The world he had left behind was gone. His kids were all almost adults, and his Olivia was engaged to someone else. Here he was father to four grown kids, and partner to his ex-love.
When Elliot had stepped off the plane that morning, he thought he was leaving hell behind in Virginia, but unknown to him, it had followed him back to Manhattan.
TBC... Did you really think I could have kept Elliot dead! Next chapter Elliot will meet his daughter, and Olivia's fiance! REVIEW and stay tuned!