A/N: This is a very short chapter and it didn't turn out exactly how I wanted it to but I thought I should update since it has been a while. A couple of more things are going to happen between Olivia and Elliot but there will be a bit of drama coming up soon which will force them to talk properly. I hope you enjoy. xxx
Three days.
That's how long it had been since Olivia had last seen her husband. Sure, they had spent longer amounts of time apart over the years but on most of those occassions – with the exception being when she was in Oregon – they had some sort of communication. However, this scenario was different, it felt very...final. Liv hadn't even text Elliot back when he informed her that Fin had agreed to let him stay with him for a while.
She was aware that she had behaved slightly irrationally the night she had left for Don's house but at the same time she didn't think she could face her husband. It wasn't just the kiss that had prompted her to make the decision to leave. It was also the fact that she felt they needed some time apart to really appreciate one another. She found it ironic that she had spent weeks wanting to spend time with Elliot and now she was doing everything she could to avoid him.
At first, Olivia was reluctant to return back to the house considering there were so many reminders of much fonder memories but then she realised she was being selfish. Her girls deserved to have some semblance of stability in the form of being surrounded by their own things. If she didn't have them to think about, she didn't think she could stomach being in hers and Elliot's shared residence alone.
Olivia was brought out of her thoughts when she heard a small giggle from beside her. She looked down and smiled at Maria who was tucked into her side and Liv tightened her hold on the child. Olivia then felt a small hand touch her cheek and turned to come face to face with her smaller child was was situated on her lap.
"Why you crying, Mommy?" Zoe asked sadly and that's when Olivia realised that the three year old was wiping at a tear that had silently made it's way down her cheek. Liv tightened her hold on her children. She just wanted them close to her that day so decided to pull her older child out of school for the day.
"It's because Daddy isn't here." Maria commented as she looked up at her mother. "He's staying with Uncle Fin."
The little blonde frowned at her sister's words. "Why?" Her lip protruded in a pout and her tone was sad.
Olivia sighed and ran her fingers through one of Zoe's pigtails. She hadn't had the heart to tell the girls what was going on. All she had told them was that Elliot had decided to 'help Uncle Fin' for a little bit. She knew it wasn't much of an explanation but it seemed to placate them for a while...until now it seemed.
Liv was saved from answering the question when he phone rang. She checked the caller ID before answering when she saw that it was Cragen. "Hey." She greeted, turning the volume of the TV down.
"Hey, Liv." He sounded tired and apprehensive.
"Everything ok?" Olivia asked. She could tell by the sound of his voice that something had happened.
Don sighed and paused briefly before getting down to the point of his phone call."It's Elliot...he's been stabbed."
Olivia made her way through the hospital hallway with her two daughter's. Maria was trotting along beside her whilst Zoe was attached securely to her hip. The two children were a little confused and were both sniffling as they sensed their mother's panic and desperation.
After hanging up on the phone call with Don, Liv hadn't wasted any time in hurrying the girls towards the door before putting on their shoes and bundling them up into their jackets. She offered no explanation to her children as she loaded them into the car and raced towards the hospital Cragen had told her Elliot had been rushed to.
As soon as she knew where her husband was, Olivia had made her way swiftly through the large building. She had a sudden case of tunnel vision so she didn't take notice of anyone around her. Instead, she barged straight into the room where she knew her husband was being held.
"Elliot?!" She called out as soon as she stepped into the room.
"Hey." Was all the blue eyed detective said. He was too shocked to say anything else as he definitely didn't expect Olivia to turn up and he certainly didn't expect her to have their two daughter's in tow.
"What happened?" Olivia asked in a whisper as she lowered Zoe onto her two feet while Maria hurried over to her father.
Elliot wrapped his arm around his oldest and placed a kiss onto the top of her head before looking up to answer Olivia's question. "Perp came at me with a pen." He commented and turned his upper body so she could see the bandage that was taped onto his chest. El allowed Liv to examine him for a few minutes but when she just continued to gape at him without saying a word, he quickly added, "Doctors say I'm going to be fine."
Wordlessly, Olivia lifted Zoe onto the bed and looked between the two kids. "Stay here with Daddy. Mommy will be right back." She told them before leaving the room and making her way towards the waiting room where she found Cragen and Munch.
"Liv." Don greeted as he stood up from his chair and approached her.
Olivia held up a hand as if to say 'stop' and shook her head. "You told me he had been stabbed." She said, her voice was low and slightly menacing.
"He was-" Cragen began but was quickly interrupted.
"With a pen. I thought he was dying. Instead, I get here only to find out its a little flesh wound." Liv said exasperated. Over the past few days, Olivia and Elliot's work colleagues and friends had tried different tactics to get the warring couple talking. Up until that day, they had all been unsuccessful. Liv knew that they were only doing it out of concern but she could do without them butting into her and her husbands business.
"I just thought that you would want to know that he was hurt." Don tried to defend himself. Sure, he was angry with Elliot when he found out about him and Beck's kiss but he didn't want to see him or Olivia hurting any more than they had to. He felt that Elliot had been punished enough. Don had seen how defeated his blue eyed detective had been the past few days. He knew how much it was bothering El that he couldn't see his wife or children. The SVU captain just wanted to see Olivia and Elliot happy again. "I didn't think you would actually turn up." He added as an afterthought.
Olivia scoffed as soon as the words left her captain's mouth. "Of course I was going to turn up. All I knew was that he had been stabbed and was being rushed to the hospital."
Don sighed and scrubbed at his face. "Liv, why don't you just take this opportunity to just talk to him. He's been struggling the past few days." Liv snorted at that and went to interject but it was Don who put up a hand this time. "He's broken, Liv. He's lost without you and the girls. Even if you don't want to talk to him right now, let him at least spend some time with Maria and Zoe. I bet they've missed their daddy."
Olivia felt her eyes tearing up but she pushed them back and swallowed the lump in her throat. "Ok. I'll stay for an hour." She relented after mulling over his words. "I just don't think I'm ready to forgive him yet. I mean, who's to say they didn't do anything more whilst I was away-"
"Don't," Don said quickly, "don't go down that path, Olivia. The whole time you was away, Elliot was either at home with Maria, at work or trying to track you down. He didn't have time for anything else, not that he ever would have betrayed you in that way. He would be crushed if he found out you were thinking like that."
Olivia and Don spoke for a few minutes more before Liv left the waiting room and went back to Elliot and the girls. She didn't say anything but just observed the girls interactions with their father. Elliot had a child cuddled up on either side of him as Maria and Zoe babbled at hime about their weekend.
"When are you coming home, Daddy? We miss you so much." Maria's sudden question made her parents freeze.
Olivia and Elliot's eyes locked as they had a silent conversation. El was giving his wife an almost pleading look and Liv's only response was to shrug and shake her head a little. Elliot heaved a sigh and looked back at his oldest who was giving him a quizzical look. "Soon, Angel Face. I'll be home soon."
Elliot then looked back at his wife. "I was thinking I could have them on Saturday. It will you give you a break and the chance to think about...things." His statements were said in more of a questioning tone.
Olivia bit her bottom lip and nodded. "I'm not going to stop you from seeing them, El. I just...I'm not ready yet. I need more time." She told him.
"I understand. We'll go at your own pace." Elliot responded.
Just then, the door to the hospital room opened and the two detectives looked up to see Dani enter the room with two cups of coffee in each hand. "I brought coffee for the patient-" She stopped when she noticed that Elliot wasn't alone and shifted awkwardly on her two feet.
The adults in the room froze and stared at each other. Elliot was looking at Olivia and saw that she was glaring at Beck who was looking between Liv and El. Their focus shifted when Maria piped up. "Hi, Dani!" She squealed and jumped off the bed. However, before she could approach the woman, Olivia pulled her daughter towards her.
"It's time to go. Say goodbye to Daddy." Olivia was careful to make sure her tone wasn't too harsh but she hoped it was still clear enough to convey that she was unhappy with Dani's presence. She waited for the girls to say goodbye to Elliot before lifting Zoe into her arms and taking a hold of Maria's hand. "I'll call you Friday night and let you know what time will be good to come and collect the girls." Liv said dismissively before marching towards the door. Just as she passed Dani, she shot the woman a sharp look as if to say 'stay away from my family'.
Dani waited until Olivia was gone before approaching Elliot's bedside. "Elliot-"
"Look, Beck, I think it's best you leave. I'm not blaming you but for what's happening right now but I don't think it's appropriate that you're here. I'll see you at work tomorrow. Thanks for the coffee." Elliot told her. His temporary partner sighed and nodded before exiting the room, leaving Elliot to his own thoughts.