It was like his eyelids were glued shut. That's how hard it was to open his eyes but once they finally opened the blue eyes glanced all over the room until they landed on someone with a white coat. "What happened?" He tried to speak but it blocked by
"Welcome back Detective. You gave us quite a scare. I'm going to take this tube out ok?" Nodding he felt it as the tube left his throat. "Breathing ok?"
"Yeah. Water please." The doctor poured him a cup and brought it to his lips. "What happened?"
"You were shot, sir. You've been in a coma for about a month." It felt like he shot again after hearing that.
"I'll give some time and I'll go get your wife she's outside on the phone." Nodding he watched the doctor exit and laid back.
The door burst open seconds later. "El? Oh, thank god." He watched her run up to the bed and grab his head. Resting her forehead against his she began crying. "I missed you so much."
Reaching up he grabbed her hands and tilted his head back. "I'm sorry. Who are you?"
Olivia looked at her husband. "What?" She stared into his blank eyes as she fought her tears.
Elliot stared at her with a frown and blank eyes before smiling. "Hi, baby."
Bursting into tears she climbed into the bed with her husband. "You son of a bitch. That's not funny. I thought I was going to lose you. You were in a coma for almost a month. A MONTH and you start cracking jokes."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry. Shh." Elliot began rubbing his wife's head and his tears threatened to fall. "I'm ok baby. Sleep. Knowing you I know you haven't slept much in this past month."
Sniffling Olivia nuzzled her face deeper into his neck and sighed. "I can't sleep without. The kids have been sleeping with me but it's not the same. I love you.
"Dad, please. Trust me we'll hook you guys up." Elliot sighed heavily and leaned his head back on the couch. "Kathleen please." Frowning at her dad she turned to her soon-to-be stepmom. "Liv don't you trust us. I have it all planned out. Which would go where and when and they're all so beautiful."
"El we have been struggling with handling everything let them. They've never disappointed before." Looking up at her finance she pout her lips and leaned into him. "Let them try. If anything we'll have a backup."
Knowing he could never say to her he looked at his daughters. "Fine but you run all of them by your mother." They all jumped up and climb on the couch with them. "Thank you thank you. We won't let you guys down."
"I'm nervous." Laughing Olivia looked at her husband. "El, have some faith. I'm sure it will be perfect. I trust them and remember you made them run ."
"Ok ladies and gentlemen. It's time for the couple's first dance. Now it took a little convincing and pouting from the future misses well now misses for our dad to agree with this but he did. So for this, it didn't take much because the first time I heard it I ran to my sisters and said this is the one. So here's to Mr. and Mrs. Stabler. We think this speaks your bond."
I found love in you
And I've learned to love me too
Never have I felt that I could be all that you see
It's like our hearts have intertwined into the perfect harmony
Gasping Olivia dropped her head down to her husband's shoulder and sighed.
This is why I love you
Ooh this is why I love you
Because you love me
You love me
This is why I love you
Ooh this is why I love you
Because you love me
You love me
I found love in you
And no other love will do
Every moment that you smile chases all of the pain away
Forever and a while in my heart is where you'll stay
"Olivia Stabler. I'm so glad I let you convince me to let them pick the playlist for our wedding because this is exactly how I feel about you and every day I fall more and more in love with you and I thank god every day that you choose me even though I don't deserve you. I love you so much." He couldn't explain it.
All his life he heard about soulmates and all that but always thought that it was just ridiculous. He got married so young and had to grow up so fast. Didn't really get to do all things he wanted to do but he was okay with that because he had a family to provide for but once he met her that all went out the window. He would crawl over broken glass for her. Go to the ends of the earth for her. Ruin his faith for her and that's when he realized that he couldn't breathe without her but stayed with his ex-wife because he wanted to be the man she wanted him to be and god did he fight. He fought for years staying in a loveless marriage until he couldn't and when he kissed her the first time everything was lifted off his shoulders. He felt like he was walking on clouds and he wouldn't have it any other way.
This is why I love you
Ooh this is why I love you
Because you love me
You love me
This is why I love you
Ooh this is why I love you
Because you love me
You love me
This is why I love you
Ooh this is why I love you
Because you love me
You love me
The stars have all aligned
And right now is the perfect time to say
I love you, I love you, I love you
I love you, I love you
This is why I love you
Ooh this is why I love you
Because you love me
You love me
This is why I love you
Ooh this is why I love you
Because you love me
Me
I found love in you
And no other love will do
That's why I love you
Once the song ended the couple ran to their daughters and pulled them into their arms. "You girls are my greatest achievements. You never fail to make me proud. You turned into fine women."
"Aww, dad. I'm guessing you liked it."
"We did and I'm so happy that you guys welcomed me into your lives as more than your dad's coworker. I watched you girls grow up and I love you guys like you guys came out of me and there's no one else I would've chosen as my bonus daughters. I love you guys so much."
"Mr. Stabler. Mr. Stabler. We have to take you up for some tests. Your wife went out to make some calls but we already talked to her. Are you ready?" Elliot nodded and stared at the ceiling as they rolled him to a different floor.
"Hey, Liz. How are the kids?"
"They're ok. I tried to keep their mind off of dad but they just miss him so much and I do too. How are you Liv? I know this is hard on you." Sighing Olivia sat in the lobby chair and leaned back. "I'm better now. He woke up Liz. The doctors took him up for some tests but everything seems ok but don't the kids yet. I want to surprise them."
"Whew ok. I'll let the older kids know but I won't say anything to the three young ones."
"Mrs. Stabler we're back with your husband." Nodding Olivia stood up and made her way to her husband's room. "Liz I have to go but I will call you right back." Hanging up she pushed the door open and sat on the bed next to her husband as they wait for the doctor to begin speaking.
"Ok, Mr. and Mrs. Stabler. Everything looked on the head ct and you're doing great on the memory so if all goes well I should have you out of here by tomorrow."
"I'm not going to argue about this. Get your ass in this chair." Elliot stared at his wife.
"Liv." He tried to speak but she wasn't having any of it.
"NO. Do you remember what it felt like to not know if I was ok those four days with Lewis? Well, this was worse." She tried to keep her composure be she was failing more and more. She was almost widowed by someone she once considered family. She was almost a single mother and had to keep her emotions in check for weeks to keep her family sane and run a squad at the same time. "Elliot it was so hard. So hard to keep going when I didn't know if my partner was going to be by my side. So please I beg of you just, please get in the chair."
Sitting down Elliot let his wife push him out of the hospital with a nurse by her side. "Liv. You're my everything and I need you to know that. No matter what life throws at us. It's us forever. I couldn't leave this world without you by my side and I never will. Tell me you know that." They sat in silence for a couple of seconds. the only noise being their breaths and the elevator going.
"I know. Always."
"And forever."
Walking in Olivia dropped her bags and walked up to her kids. "Hey, guys."
Once they all saw her they all ran to her. "Hey, mama. How's daddy?" Sighing Olivia felt a tear slide down her cheek and she stared at her three youngest kids. "He's okay. Are you guys all done with your homework?" When they all nodded she stood up and walked to the door. "Good because I have a surprise for you." Opening the door she watched her husband walk through the threshold and there wasn't a dry eye in the house when the kids all ran into their father's arms. "Daddy. You're ok."
Nodding he squeezed them tighter and let the tears slide down his face freely. "I am. Even better now." He opened one of his arms as he awaited his wife to join them. Once she did he closed his arms once again.
"So much better now."