A/n: What should have happened in "Her Negotiation", season 14

"I need a shower," Olivia commented in disgust to Nick after they left the interrogation room. She thought she'd seen and heard it all in her 14 years on the job but this perp was one of the sickest and sadistic ones they'd ever dealt with. William Lewis, they now had his name, had been picked up for public lewdness in Central Park and had attempted to burn his fingers so the detectives couldn't take his DNA. They got him though with the help of a photographer that had been at the park that day, Alice Parker. Reluctantly they had to let him go because those charges didn't stick. A couple days later Alice Parker was brutally tortured in her apartment and it was pretty obvious Lewis was responsible. Olivia and Nick had attempted to get a confession out of him when Alice died of a heart attack the next day. He had confessed to every gruesome, disgusting detail that made the 14 year-veteran SVU detective want to vomit. Nick was more concerned with the way Lewis seemed to take interest in Olivia and threatened her but Olivia had brushed it off and said he was just another perp and she could take care of herself. She wouldn't admit she was unsettled. She refused to give William Lewis that satisfaction. Nick said nothing else but pulled out his phone to send a text to a detective in the computer crimes division.

You and Liv got plans tonight? His phone buzzed with a response almost instantly.

I was gonna take her out to dinner depending on when we both got done with work. Is she ok?

She is. But I'm a bit worried. He put his phone down mid-sentence when Olivia walked back into the squad room and eyed him curiously. His phone buzzed and he realized he must have accidentally hit send and sent the other man into a panic due to the 'I'm a bit worried' part of the text.

On my way over. He sighed and Olivia turned to him.

"You ok Nick?" You mean except for the fact that I was trying to be discreet about asking your boyfriend/ overprotective former partner to check on you but I failed at the discreet part and now he's on his way to the precinct because I told him I was worried...yeah I'm just fine.

"Yeah, totally." The elevator doors open, and a worried/frazzled looking Elliot Stabler walks into the squad room. Nick tries to act neutral.

"El."

"Hey, sweetheart." He pulls her into his arms and kisses her. She snuggles into his embrace, savoring the warm feeling and trying to block out the filth she felt from the interrogation. "You ok?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" She smoothed his tie and rested her hand on his chest, then gave him another peck on the lips. He looked her over as if checking for injuries.

"Nick texted. Said he was worried." He put a hand on her forehead to check her temperature and she rolled her eyes. He ran a hand through her hair gently smoothing her waves. She turned and glared at Nick who was pretending to be busy on the computer.

"Really Amaro?"

"What?"

"I told you I was fine and you texted Elliot?"

"I wasn't trying to be so obvious. And there's no way you can be fine after-"

"I've been doing interrogations for 14 years. It was nothing. Please stop being overprotective."

"What did he say?" Elliot's voice was laced with concern and anger. "What did that creep say to you?"

"Nothing El, it's not that big of a deal."

"Not that big of a deal? He was describing the way he tortured Alice Parker and you told him you oughta kick his teeth in after what he did to her and he said-" Olivia cuts Nick off.

"There's no reason Elliot needs to know what he said Nick it was nothing I can't handle. I love you guys but I can't deal with two overprotective partners today ok just...relax."

"Normally I would if he hadn't told you you would be lucky if someone does that to you. That sounded like a threat to me." Elliot looked like he wanted to strangle the living crap out of William Lewis and also scoop Olivia in his arms and shelter her somewhere.

"He said WHAT? Tell me you didn't let that scumbag walk out of here! Where the hell is he!? " Olivia puts a hand on his arm to stop him.

"Elliot...babe I'm fine. I promise. He didn't touch me he just-"

"He still threatened you."

"I've been threatened before."

"Not like this Liv, this guy...this guy's different," Nick speaks up in agreement with Elliot and Olivia wants to roll her eyes at the way they together sound like a couple of hovering, protective mother hens.

"Liv come to mine. Stay with me tonight." Elliot pleaded with her.

"For what? Elliot, I'm fine. You're both worrying too much. Nick was overreacting."

"Liv-" Nick starts and Elliot cuts him off firmly.

"Liv you're coming to mine and that's final."

"Elliot I can protect myself. I've worked in this unit almost as long as you did." His voice when he responds is stern and protective but loving and reminds her of when she's heard him put his foot down to his kids because they were doing something that wasn't safe.

"Olivia Benson you are coming to my place even if I have to drag you myself!"

"Elliot." She tries but knows neither of them is budging, both her partners are just as stubborn as she is. That must be why Cragen paired her with them. She sighs. "Fine. But only because I'm too tired to argue anymore, and you're kinda sexy when you get all riled up and protective." He smirks.

"Whatever it takes.".

"I didn't need to hear that. You know she's like a sister to me. I'll see you tomorrow, don't let her out of your sight El." Nick responded.

"I don't plan to." They smirk, knowing they're driving Olivia insane.

"Oh good grief Nick." She throws a paperclip at him and he catches it, using it for some paperwork he's filing.

"Thanks!" She just shakes her head but smiles. As annoying as they can be, she's thankful she has people in her life willing to protect her like that. The fact that her work partner and life partner have become allies to keep her safe, taken care of and happy warms her heart. She knows she wouldn't have it any other way. She leans into Elliot as she wraps his arm around her waist holding her close to him as they leave the squad room.

X

Beep Beep Beep Beep. She groaned when her alarm clock went off the final morning of Lewis's trial for Alice Parker's murder and snuggled into Elliot's chest. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her tighter.

"Why don't we call in sick and stay here today." He suggested, she had been staying at his place the last few days and he was still worried about her not being with him since Lewis was still out there.

"El. Babe, I have to go. Not that I wouldn't much rather stay like this all day, but I have to get this guy."

"I just…"

"You're worried, I know." She kisses him gently and moves over him slightly, cupping his face and looking into his eyes. "I'll be fine El." She kisses him again and rests her forehead against his. "Besides, Nick is just as overprotective as you are."

"And for that I'm thankful. The one thing I hate about leaving the job is that I can't have your back anymore."

"You still have my back Elliot, just in a different way now." She moves to give him one last quick kiss but he deepens it and tightens his arms around her.

"It's hard to let you go, especially with this case Liv I-"

"I'll be fine El." She repeated.

"Sweetie I just-you're great at your job don't get me wrong. You're amazing. But I shared the job with you back then. Now I have to share you and I'm feeling selfish. The city needs you. But I need you home safe when you're done saving the city and the cape comes off ok?" She laughed at his last sentence and smiled at him.

"You make me sound like Wonder Woman. Regular girlfriend by night, superhero by day. Guess all I need is a cape."

"You're my Wonder Woman. Always have been and always will be. And there's nothing regular about you-"

"Gee thanks El." She smacked his chest lightly.

"What I mean is you're special to me Liv you-you don't know how much you mean to me. You and my kids Olivia are my greatest and most precious gifts. I'd be lost without you."

"Ditto." She peppered his face with tiny kisses before giving him a loving kiss on the lips. "I'll call you when we're done for the day I promise. I won't leave the precinct without you knowing." He sighs and reluctantly lets her go and follows her into the kitchen.

"Ok. I love you, baby. Be safe. You'll get him."

"I love you too Stabler. Go catch some hackers." He chuckled.

"It's not as nice as strangling perverts but it pays the bills." She laughs. He pours her a cup of coffee and hands it to her on her way out the door.

"I'm sorry we can't get breakfast today honey. Promise me you'll eat something before court?"

"Nick's picking me up, do you honestly think I'm getting out of that? It's crazy how alike you two are sometimes."

"The guy deserves a medal, you can be a handful you know that?" She laughs and rolls her eyes. "Love you."

"I love you too, stop stalling me." She teases.

"I know, I know." He hands her her jacket and untucks her hair from her shirt, brushing his hand through it and then gives her one last kiss. "Go nail the bastard."

X

She was furious. The judge had declared a freaking mistrial!? He was getting away with his crimes again. She wanted to scream. There had to be some way to get this guy. What on earth was wrong with that judge? How could she just let him go?

She stayed at the precinct for a bit trying to find something they could use to keep William Lewis in jail. Then, her captain told her to go home for a couple days to get her head together because the outcome of this case was not what any of them wanted, and she especially was struggling. She sent a text to Elliot on her way out.

Judge declared mistrial. Cap sending me home. I can't believe any of this. Her phone buzzed.

I'm sorry baby. I'm just about done here. Your place or mine? I'll get some Chinese and run you a bath. She smiled despite the situation. She could always count on him.

My place. I need wine. I'll take a cab.

No way. Wait for me or have Nick drive you. You don't need to be alone right now.

El I just need a few minutes to myself. You can come over when you finish up.

I just told my Captain I'm leaving, heading your way. You might as well wait. Xoxo. She rolled her eyes, he seemed to get more stubborn with age.

I'm already outside waiting for a cab, I'll see you in a bit. Love you.

I figured that's why I texted Nick and he's on his way out. Love you more. She can see his smirk in her head and she shakes her head. Of course, he did.

"Liv!"

"I know I know, Elliot told on me didn't he? "

"Hey I'm your partner, you're not supposed to run off without backup."

"You two are impossible."

"Yeah but you love us." He teased.

"Usually." She teased back.

"There's your knight in shining armor, or now that he's in computer crimes...your geek wrapped in tin foil?"

"Ha ha very funny Nick. Is this high school?"

"You don't have enough hair for this to be high school El." Olivia teased.

"Mean!" The three of them laughed and it felt good after the events of the day. "You know the gray hair comes from worrying about you and my kids. You've worn me out."

"But you love me." She kissed him and he wrapped his arms around her.

"So very much."

"You guys are the sappiest couple I've ever seen." Nick shook his head.

"Says the guy who gave Amanda a box of chocolates and left a different bouquet of roses on her desk each day for a week during Valentine's Day. You're lucky Cragen decided not to tell Tucker." She raised her eyebrow at him.

"Ok ok, I get it. Get the girl home Stabler, take care of her."

"Always."

X

They stopped at their favorite Chinese place to get some takeout and drove back to Olivia's apartment in comfortable silence. Elliot had one hand on the steering wheel and the other held one of Olivia's on the console.

They made their way to into the apartment building and down the hall when Elliot stopped suddenly outside Olivia's door, moving completely in front of her so he was shielding her from view.

"Babe, what's wrong?"

"Did you leave the door unlocked?"

"No, of course not."

"Does anyone else have a key? Is there any reason that-" she moves around to Elliot's side and sees it. While there's no sign of forced entry her door looks like someone opened it but didn't close it all the way. A chill goes down her spine.

"Just you and Nick." Elliot swallows hard and steps forward with his hand on the knob.

"Stay back. I'm gonna check ok?" She follows close behind him and the sight is horrifying. There are keys being heated in a pot on the stove. A roll of duct tape sits on the counter along with vodka and various drugs meant to knock someone out. There are rope ties in a chair in the middle of the living room. Her apartment had been turned into a torture chamber. She gripped Elliot's hand.

"We should call CSU." Before they can do anything they hear the floor creak and Olivia's heart is pounding. Elliot takes a protective stance in front of her. Suddenly they hear a chilling voice.

"Welcome home detectives."

"What do you want?" Elliot growled at Lewis, who had a gun pointed at them.

"Well I wanted to spend some time with your partner here but you kinda ruined my plans." Olivia's heart leaped in her throat when she saw Lewis point the gun straight at Elliot, remove the safety and put his finger on the trigger. She put herself between them, shielding Elliot as he had done her.

"Lewis...you don't need to do that ok Elliot had no part in this. I'm the one you're mad at."

"Mad at you? I'm not mad sweetheart, attracted is more like it." She felt bile rise in her throat and could feel Elliot's rage behind her.

"Why don't we let Elliot leave and you and I can talk?"

"Olivia there is no way in hell I'm leaving you alone with this psycho," Elliot spoke strongly. Olivia shudders at the sickening smile Lewis gets on his face and leans closer to Elliot.

"On second thought, why don't we give him a show, he can watch." He reaches his hand to touch Olivia's wrist and Elliot has him almost immediately in a chokehold.

"You're not touching her. You got that?" He kicks Lewis in the stomach causing him to drop the gun. Olivia grabs it and uses that moment to pull out her handcuffs and put them on Lewis's wrists while Elliot has him restrained. Her hands are shaking but she manages to keep her voice strong as she calls her squad for backup.

"William Lewis you are under arrest for breaking and entering. Guess you should've thought that through."

"You think this is over? Go check your bedroom, I left you a present. We'll spend time together soon sweetheart." She thought she was gonna be sick. Nick, Fin, and Rollins rushed into the apartment. Fin and Rollins took Lewis out while Nick walked over to Liv as CSU also arrived.

"You guys ok?"

"We're fine," Elliot assures him and looks over at Liv who's staring straight ahead. Her mind is bombarded with images of Lewis's MO. Things he did to his victims. Things he could've done to her. She jumps at Elliot's gentle touch and turns around, breathing a sigh of relief that it's him and lets him pull her into his protective arms. She buries her face in his chest and shudders in his arms.

"It's alright honey. It's alright now." He spoke softly and soothingly in her ear and stroked her hair. "We're ok. We're safe."

"Elliot...he…oh god…"

"I know. I know. It's ok now baby. It's ok. He's gone. It's just us. Just you and me." The bile rises in her throat and the fear of what almost happened shoots through her as she races out of Elliot's arms and to the bathroom. The scene in her bedroom. Her dresser drawers had been thrown open and lace panties had been placed on her bed with a note that in short said she could wear them 'the first night'. She couldn't look at anything else. She couldn't make it to the toilet fast enough and emptied the contents of her stomach in the trash can. Elliot helped her to the toilet and tried to soothe her as she tried to keep the sobs of fear and her own breathing at bay. He brushed her hair back and put it in a clip as she threw up in the toilet and then wet a washcloth to wipe her face and place on her forehead. Then he knelt on the floor and pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

"Shhhh deep breaths Liv. That's it, sweetie. Just breathe for a minute ok? I'm here. I'm right here." Focusing on his voice and his heartbeat helps her calm down after a couple minutes.

"He-he could come back. Elliot the things he did to those women...he was in my bedroom El...he.."

"He's not gonna hurt you, baby. I won't let him. I'll protect you. Always."

"I know you will."

"You know this means you're staying at my place indefinitely right? No arguments."

"I'm not gonna give you any. I'm ready for us to take that next step and move in together. Besides, we'll need more room soon and your place is bigger." She smiled, the fear from earlier disappearing.

"What do you mean?"

"I was gonna tell you tonight at dinner. I'm late El."

"You're late? You're...we're having a baby?" She nods and his responding grin melts away any nerves and darkness that had been in her heart that night.

"My baby's having my baby." She laughs and he kisses her, long and deep, pouring his love into the kiss. "I love you so so so so so much."

"And I love you." She kisses his nose. "Take me home El." He scooped her into his arms and carried her and she buried her face in his neck so she didn't have to look at her trashed apartment.

Nick told them goodbye and told Olivia he'd bring them breakfast in the morning.

Their overprotectiveness, though it got on her nerves most days, was the thing she knew she loved them the most for. She knew she could count on them always, both on the job and at home. They would look out for her no matter what and she couldn't ask for better partners. She had Nick, her best friend who was like a brother to her. And Elliot, who had been her rock, her companion, her constant, her protector for 15 years that she couldn't imagine her life without. She loved them both in different ways and wouldn't trade them for the world.

She had grown up with no love, no protection, and lonlieness. But now, she had more love than she thought she deserved and two men who would die to protect her. As she drifted off to sleep in Elliot's arms and let the rhythm of his heartbeat calm the storms in her mind she realized that despite the overprotectiveness, she didn't know what she'd do without them. Her protective partners.

A/N: I mean...that's how the episode should've gone, right? :) Working on a Thanksgiving oneshot next. Until next time. Thanks for reading :)