Hi, I'm back again. Life has been a rollercoaster; I have been exhausted, stressed, my motivation for everything has been lost...
Well, but here's a new chapter!

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However, Tucker didn't listen, because he looked at a confused, handcuffed Elliot, took a deep breath and announced in a clear voice:

"Elliot Stabler. You have been arrested on suspicion of murder of Julia Yellowstone. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will…"

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"Wait!" Elliot exclaimed as the cops, who had handcuffed him, began to push him towards the door. "Wait! I… This is… This is a misunderstanding!"

"Listen to him!" Olivia tried, but Tucker just glared her as he started to walk after them.

"I'd be careful with my words if I was you, Detective Benson," he answered in a low voice. "From what I've heard about you and Detective Stabler, I wouldn't be at all surprised if you had a hand in the game as well. I advise you to prepare yourself for the fact that you will be interviewed too."

Tucker's words made Olivia stop in her tracks because she couldn't believe her ears. The cops were pushing the resisting Elliot forward, and when the door flew open, it was a matter of seconds that it didn't hit him. Instinctively he dodged back and pushed the cop behind him, who misread the situation, and before Elliot had time to realize it, the cops had tackled him to the ground, and the other put a knee on his back.

The situation made Olivia snap back to the reality, and she already opened her mouth to exclaim, but then her eyes fell on a familiar figure standing in the open doorway, and who had clearly lost the ability to speak for a moment.

"What… What the hell is going on?!"

Tucker rubbed his forehead frustrated and took a deep breath before straightening his back and forcing a polite expression on his face.

"Captain Cragen. Detective Stabler has been arrested on suspicion of murder of Julia Yellowstone, and we're a bit busy right now. It would help a lot if we could leave without every passer-by trying to stop us, because…"

However, Olivia didn't hear more, as her attention was suddenly drawn to her partner, who was lying on the ground strangely quietly. The police officers were still holding him violently on the ground, and that's when her heart skipped a beat when she realized what was about to happen.

"STOP!" She cried out and lunged towards her partner. "Stop! He can't breathe!"

The cops turned to look at her in surprise, but neither of them let go of Elliot. Olivia didn't know where her exhausted and bruised body got the strength from, because without a moment's hesitation she grabbed a cop twice her size and pulled him off of Elliot. The police officers' commands felt like coming from somewhere far away as she kneeled down next to her partner and shook his shoulder.

"El, do you hear me?"

A lump started to rise in her throat when she didn't get an answer, and she put her hand before his mouth.

There was no air flow.

"Cap, he's not breathing," her voice felt getting stuck in her throat as panic began to squeeze it.

"What?!"

"He's not breathing!" She shouted, a cry breaking her voice as she began to turn Elliot onto his back. Panic gave her strength, and before the others in the room could do anything, she was already compressing his chest.

1… 2… 3… 4… 5…

"Get a nurse!" Cragen's voice sounded like it was coming from behind some wall, as Olivia felt like some invisible bubble had formed between them. It was just her and her partner inside the bubble, the rest of the world disappeared around them, and for one fleeting second, she realized that she had never had to resuscitate him before.

And when she grabbed his chin, pressed her mouth against his and blew, for a small fleeting moment a thought flashed through her mind and was suppressed almost before she could even notice it.

What if this is the only time when…

But then the lifeless body beneath her shifted, and when she raised her head, Elliot coughed, his eyes snapped open, and he inhaled sharply. Olivia helped her coughing partner sit up and kept her hand on his shoulder until he got his breath back. Tears were burning in her throat as she tilted her head to look Elliot in the eye.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

Elliot's voice was hoarse, barely audible when he answered: "I'm… Alive, thanks to…"

However, he was interrupted by a sob which escaped Olivia's lips, and regardless of the situation, regardless of the people in the room, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead against her partner's. Tears watered her cheeks, but she didn't care, all that mattered was that Elliot was alive, he was here, and not…

But then Tucker's commanding voice broke the spell, broke the bubble around them.

"Okay, I think we have seen enough now."

It wasn't until Olivia looked up that she realized that in addition to Tucker, the cops, and Cragen, Fin and two nurses had appeared in the room, each of them staring at them. In a normal situation, Olivia would have felt the embarrassment rush through her, but the fatigue, the past day and the fear caused by the recent incident seemed to have closed her innermost being from extra emotions.

"Detective Stabler, I would like to remind you that you are still under arrest."

"Sir, his breathing stopped," one of the nurses intervened. "The doctor should check him, otherwise we have to file a criminal complaint about the police's use of force.."

Tucker sighed, but his expression had suddenly softened. "Of course he will be checked. You can also be sure that the incident will be processed immediately after this. However, the suspect has been arrested, so outsiders are not allowed to meet him."

"We will arrange another room, follow me," the other nurse announced, and the cops grabbed Elliot's arms, who was still sitting on the ground, and lifted him up. In a second, Olivia was also on her feet.

"No! You can't do this!"

"Liv, it's okay," Elliot forced a sad smile on his face. "It's okay, promise me that you'll stay safe."

"I…"

And then the door closed, but before Olivia could go after them, a determined hand grabbed her arm. She flinched violently and backed away, and Fin put his hands up apologetically.

"Sorry Liv, I didn't mean to…"

However, Olivia didn't listen to him, instead she turned her desperate gaze to her captain.

"Cap, he's innocent! You know it!"

For a second, something flashed in Cragen's eyes that Olivia couldn't decipher, but then he sighed sadly.

"I know. I…"

"They can't take him!" Her voice shattered, and she had no strength to stop the tears that began to roll down her cheeks. "He hasn't done anything, and that bastard almost killed him! They can't…"

But then Cragen did something that surprised both Olivia and Fin. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Olivia.

"I know, nothing about this is right," his voice was quiet. "You shouldn't be here, he shouldn't be there, and Mr. Reed shouldn't be on the loose. However, I promise you that we will do everything we can to get Elliot free as soon as possible, and for that police officer and Mr. Reed to be held accountable for their actions. Do you hear me?"

Olivia's whole body was trembling from the force of the cry, but against her captain's shoulder, she managed to nod weakly. Cragen hugged her a little longer, then patted her back gently and gave her an encouraging smile.

"It's almost morning, you should sleep. I will drive to the station, tell Munch to drag his ass to my office, and we start working right away. Okay?"

Olivia wiped her cheeks with her sleeve and nodded lightly.

"Yeah… Thank you, Cap."

"I'll be still outside the room if you need me," Fin gave him an encouraging smile, and went after his captain. Outside the door he took a deep breath and rubbed his face. "Damn it!" He grunted painfully. "I hope you won't arrest me for this, but I'd be really happy right now if I could sink my fist into that smug face of Tucker's. Liv had a terrible night anyway, why did he have to…"

"He's just doing his job," Cragen answered, but leaned his back against the wall and closed his eyes.

"Yeah, I know that, but would situational awareness be too much to ask for?" Fin growled, gritting his teeth. Cragen didn't open his eyes but huffed:

"Well, discretion is not one of his strengths."

For a moment they just stayed silent, took deep breaths and collected their thoughts, but then Cragen opened his eyes and put his hands in his jacket pockets.

"Okay, I've got to fly now. We don't have a moment to waste."

"John won't be happy that he has to go back to work. He probably only had time to hang his hat on the rack at home."

"That's the only good thing about this situation," Cragen grinned as he started heading towards the exit. "Notify me immediately if anything comes up."

"Copy that," Fin replied, but then bit his lip, and the words escaped his lips before he could stop himself. "Hey Cap?"

"Yes?"

"I…" He struggled with his words, but then took a deep breath and said quietly: "I'm worried about Liv. I mean… I have never…. Have you ever seen her like that?"

Cragen's expression was serious as he replied: "Well, I've never seen her after someone has tried to rape and kill her, and after her partner has been arrested for murder and almost been killed in front of her eyes."

Fin pursed his lips and swallowed hard.

"Yeah... I just... What happened just now... She was completely terrified. It was as if she had shut out the rest of the world. I've seen her at work countless times, I've seen her help victims, I've seen her when, despite her will, she's been unable to save people. But still, this was something completely new, this…"

Cragen let out a deep sigh before taking a couple of steps towards Fin and placing a comforting, understanding hand on his shoulder. And before he started walking towards the exit again, he took a quick glance around before saying in a low, quiet but soft voice:

"Because now, my friend, you're talking about pure love."