Close Calls

Summary: See ch1

Disclaimer: Not mine

A/N: So I'm back, just like I said I would be! I think that you all will be happy by this chapter, judging by the reviews I have been getting!

Awaken

The first thing he noticed after the silence lifted was a subtly, steady beeping. He was pretty sure he heard the echo of footsteps somewhere in the distance, but wasn't exactly sure where.

Within a while of the sounds, the sensation of feeling slowly began returning to him. He felt the softness of something under him, and something thin covering him. There was a subtle breeze coming from somewhere that sent shivers down his entire body.

After lying still, being able to hear the quiet world that surrounded him, and feel what he thought to be a bed under him, he first discovered that he could slowly move his fingers. He began tapping them on the bed below him.

Within minutes he was able to wiggle his toes, and slightly move his hand. He assumed that he was alone where ever he was. As he laid there in silence, his memories began flooding back.

He remembered the gun, remembered the pain, remembered lying in Olivia's arms as his life ran out of him. He had tried to tell her that he loved her, but wasn't able to. He remembered the pain he felt when realizing that he would never get to tell her, and the numbness that overtook him when he realized that he would never see his children again.

So where was he now? Was Elliot Stabler dead? Was this what heaven was like? Had he made it to heaven? Or by some miracle, was he still alive.

As he focused the senses he had on the world around him, he realized that he must be in a hospital room. Yes, that would explain the beeping, and muffled noises. He knew how thin those hospital sheets were, and the breeze must be coming from the vents in the ceilings.

Now all that he had to do was focus, and he was sure he would be able to will his eyes to open.

As he lay in bed, silent, he could feel his heavy eyes beginning to give in. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, his eye lids fluttered opened; only to snap back shut after the bright rays of the morning sun shone into them.

He let out a quiet groan when the pain sensation in his eyes hit him. After a moment, he decided to try his eyes again.

This time, he opened them a little more slowly, and fought to keep them open. He took a deep breath as he took in his surroundings.

He had been right in his assumption that he was in a hospital. The room was that of a standard hospital room. There were ceiling tiles above him, and blank walls all around him. There were tons of flowers and well wishes on the plastic tables that surrounded the room. He could see that he was connected to all sorts of machines and medications. His chest was throbbing, but what did he expect after being shot?

He slowly forced his head to turn to the side. That was when he finally noticed Olivia sound asleep in a chair at his bedside. She had a coat pulled up to her chin to protect her against the cold from the air conditioning.

Elliot smiled when he saw her. Did she really care enough to sit by his bed for this long? Then a thought came over him, how long had he been out for?

He wanted answers, but was still too tired to attempt to make contact with the world. Elliot let his eyes close again, and let sleep over take him once more. It was night before he woke again. This time he was able to lick his dry lips, and clear his scratchy throat.

He trained his eyes on Olivia, and watched as she slept. He assumed that she had woken while he slept; being that her position had changed slightly, and she appeared to be in different clothing.

She looked anything but peaceful. Her face had worry written all over it, and Elliot knew that he was the one who put it there.

As he studied her face he noticed her stir. She sighed, and stretched her clearly aching muscles in the chair before allowing her eyes to flutter open.

It wasn't until after she straightened herself in the chair, rubbed her eyes, and yawned that she noticed Elliot awake in the bed.

"Elliot?" She asked shocked, raising herself out of the chair.

"Hi." Elliot greeted with a coy smile.

"You… you're awake." She noted, still in shock. "How long?"

"Just a little while. I didn't want to wake you. Looked like you may have needed it." He answered. She could tell by his voice that he was still tired.

"You have no idea what you put us through Stabler." She smiled. "What you put me through." She added quietly.

"Was I out for a while?" He asked.

"Two days." Olivia answered matter-of-factly. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was shot in the chest." He said with a laugh, unfortunately, it was followed by a wince of pain.

"Oh, you okay?" Olivia asked, concern filling her voice.

"I'm fine. Just a little sore." Elliot answered, sensing her worry.

Olivia looked down at her hands suddenly, and her face fell.

"What is it?" Elliot asked.

"I just." She began. "I'm sorry Elliot." She said. "I'm so sorry."

"For what?" Elliot asked, lifting her face with his hand so that she was looking into his eyes.

"For putting you in the hospital!" Olivia said, as if he should have known exactly what she was talking about.

"You didn't put me in here Benson." Elliot smiled. "Whoever that guy with the gun was did."

"But you jumped in front of the bullet for me. If I had been paying closer attention to the scene, I would have seen him." Olivia sighed.

"Liv, we're only human. We only have two eyes." Elliot tried comforting. "We can't have our eyes on the entire scene the entire time. That's why God invented partners. I have my eyes on one thing, and you have yours on the other. You were tending to the Vic, and I was monitoring the rest of the room."

"I just, I don't know what I would have done if I lost you." She said quietly.

"You would have been upset for a little while, but then you would have moved on. I know you Liv, you're a strong person. You would have been fine." Elliot answered.

Olivia just shook her head. "I put on a good front, don't I?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" Elliot asked.

"I don't think I could make it if it weren't for you in my life." She said in barely a whisper.

Before Elliot could respond the door opened, and Cragen walked in.

"Stabler, you're awake!" He almost shouted.

"Hey Cap." Elliot smiled. "Good to see you!"

"You have no idea." Cragen smiled. He walked over to the bed, and gave him a fatherly hug. "Do the doctors know?"

"Not yet." Olivia answered for him.

"I'll go get them." Don said, happiness in his voice.

Cragen left the room, and returned moments later with not only Elliot's doctor in tow, but also with Kathy, Munch, Fin, Casey, and Huang.

"Hey, it's a party now." Elliot smiled.

"Good to see you awake man." Fin smiled, and shook his hand.

"You had us worried there buddy." Munch smiled.

"Don't you dare do that again to us Stabler." Casey smiled from the bedside.

"Yeah, I'm sure you guys didn't miss me all that much." Elliot grinned.

"The station house was quiet without you Elliot." Huang smiled.

"It must have been silent without all his yelling and screaming!" Kathy joked, getting a rise out of everyone, including Elliot.

"Good to know you care Kath." Elliot smiled.

"While you're sounding better Detective Stabler, I'd like to take a minute to examine you. So if everyone doesn't mind…" The doctor trailed off.

Everyone got the hint, and left the room do the doctor could check Elliot out.

Once in the hall Kathy left to call her kids and tell them to come up to the hospital in the morning to see their father.

As Olivia waited outside of Elliot's hospital room she let out a deep breath that she hadn't even realized she had been holding since Elliot fall to the ground in that warehouse days ago.

"You okay?" Casey asked coming up behind her.

"Yeah." Olivia smiled. "I think I finally am."

"So, you tell him yet?" She asked coyly.

"Tell who what?" Olivia asked, playing dumb. "What does everyone know that I love him?" She wondered.

"You know who and what." Casey said rolling her eyes. "Did you tell Elliot that you love him?" She clarified anyway.

"What is there a bulletin out there somewhere that is posting my inner most feelings for the world to see?" Olivia asked, avoiding the question.

"Yeah, it's called you!" Casey smiled. "Anyone who watches the two of you interact can see that you guys are crazy about each other. You're just too damn scared to admit it to yourselves."

"I hate it when you're right." Olivia laughed, knowing that she had been caught.

"So, did you tell him?" Casey asked again.

"No." Olivia stated simply. "I don't know how to tell him."

"You could try saying something like, 'Elliot, I love you'." Casey answered cockily.

"And what if it all blows up in my face Case?" Olivia asked. "I mean, yeah, okay, so maybe he has feelings for me now. But what if those feelings fade? What if he meets someone else? What if we break up? How am I going to go into work every day and face him, knowing that I had him once, and lost him?" She asked desperately. Her deepest fears finally coming to light. "Or even worse, what if something like this happens again, but he doesn't make it? How will I be able to go to work knowing that?"

"I think the better question is, how are you going to go to work every day and face him, and all of his future girlfriends, knowing that you could have had him, but didn't. What are you going to do if something like this happens if you do lose him, and you never told him that you loved him? Or even worse, what if he winds up with someone else?" Casey asked before turning and leaving Olivia alone with her thoughts.

TBC... well there you have it, he's finally awake! Tell me what you guys all think!