Sorry about the delay in updating I kind of lost my way for a while but hopefully I'm back. I don't watch SVU anymore so some of these timelines may be out, but I don't care as it's my story so I can do what I like LOL. Enjoy and review if you feel like it.

Chapter 10

6 months ago

Olivia knocked the shot back and shuddered as she slammed the glass back down on the table.

"Jesus Christ that is awful," she said picking her beer up and drinking a large mouthful to get rid of the taste.

"Well all you had to do was answer the question," laughed Kathleen.

"I am never going to answer a question on what I would fantasize about doing with your dad if I had the chance."

"Well ask me," said a drunken Ziva to Kathleen. "Cause I will tell you exactly what I could do."

Kathleen and Olivia looked at her and burst out laughing.

"What about Tony?" asked Abby looking a little upset.

"Nothing is going on with me and Tony. He is annoying and talks too much."

"But you want him though," said Kathleen nudging her.

Ziva glared at her. "I do not, he is my partner and that is all. We cannot and will not be anything more."

Kathleen looked at Olivia "I bet this sounds familiar," she grinned.

"Nothing ever happened with me and your dad Kathleen."

"I know, but it doesn't mean you both didn't want it to," she grinned.

Olivia was about to answer when her phone rang.

"Shit," she said and everyone looked at her. "It's Ass….Cassidy… Brian on face time," she told them. "I told him I was staying with an old Uni friend the same as last time." The phone stopped ringing then started straight away again.

"Well answer it," said Abby. "It doesn't look like he is going to give up."

"Just don't mention Elliot," she said to them all as she pressed the answer button.

"Hey sexy," he slurred when she answered.

"Hi Brian," she said and looked at Abby who was pretending to be sick as he spoke.

"I miss you," he said. "Do you miss me?"

"Yeah of course," she told him, when the truth was she hard hardly thought about him all day.

"So why did you just leave in the middle of night?"

"I told you in the text Brian we needed a little break from each other."

"Yeah right that's what you said and what you thought," he huffed. "I never got a say."

"Brian you were drunk, you walked out the apartment first not me. Every time you get drunk we have the same argument. I couldn't take it anymore. I don't need this shit from you."

"Shit from me. You're the one who won't have a word said against your precious Elliot fucking Stabler. That guy leaves you without a word. You get kidnapped and he doesn't show up, no phone call, nothing. I mention it and you defend the prick every time."

Olivia looked at Kathleen and saw the anger building on the young girls face.

"Brian just leave it. This is the exact reason why I had to get away for a while. Why I needed to visit my friend," she lied to him.

"Yeah your friend right," he snarled.

"Yes, my friend," she snapped. "What the hell is your problem?"

"You are!" he yelled. "You're not with your friend, you're with…. You're with…."

"She is with her friend!" yelled Abby grabbing the phone and staring at Brian. "She is staying with me cause you're a drunken prick, who doesn't deserve her. So why don't you back the hell off and leave her alone to relax for a few days, you complete Ass," she said before hanging up and slamming the phone down. She looked around the table at everyone looking at her.

"What?" she asked them looking a little embarrassed.

"Drunken Prick," said Kathleen.

"Back the hell off," said Ziva.

"You never talk like that or lose your temper," said Kathleen.

"Yeah well, he called Elliot a name and he was getting on my nerves. Plus he was awful to Olivia. I couldn't stand it anymore."

Olivia smiled at Abby and reached across the table and took her hand.

"Thank you Abby," she smiled at her.

Abby shrugged. "You're welcome….. I really don't like him," she told Olivia. "Are you sure you don't want Gibbs to get rid of him?"

"Hey," said Ziva hiccupping. "I could get rid of him just as well as Gibbs," she said with a daft grin on her face, making everyone laugh.

Present Day

"El, you know we need to go out there at some point."

"Yeah I know," he said running his fingers over her back as she lay on his chest. "It's just the thought of all those kids out there. There is already six there and Maureen Eli haven't arrived yet."

"Not to mention Kathleen's two friends have a major crush on you," she giggled.

"Hey, I'm not the only one Micky is there remember," he chuckled.

"I suppose we should be flattered really," she laughed. "I mean we aren't getting any younger."

"Hey," he said flipping her over and sliding between her legs. "I can give those young kids a run for their money."

"Oh I know you can," she grinned when she felt his erection pushing against her thigh. Just as he was about to slide into her there was a loud bang on the bedroom door.

"Come on Love Birds!" yelled Kathleen through the door. "The two of you have been in there long enough now, and Maureen is gonna be here in a short while with Eli."

Olivia grinned up at Elliot and pushed him off her. He fell onto his back and sighed. "My kids have the worst timing," he grumbled.

"Never mind Baby," she said crawling over him and kissing his lips, then his chest and the tip of his cock. "We can pick this up later," she said sliding off him and heading to the bathroom to freshen up.

Elliot sat up on the bed and bit his bottom lip. "Liv, you know we need to talk at some point about what is happening today," he said. He heard her sigh and her head pop around the edge of the door.

"No we don't, baby. Not yet anyway. There is nothing I can do about the outcome. So until I get the call to tell me I just want to enjoy myself with the kids and you."

"But….."

"No buts El, that's how I want to play this."

Elliot nodded as she disappeared back into the bathroom.

"Now get your cute ass up and ready," she yelled at him making him smile.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They were all gathered in the living room eating Chinese and talking about the camping trip they were about to take. Kathleen's two friends were both looking a little down that they weren't going with them. Elliot came from the kitchen and looked over towards the game machine. Eli was sat on top of the machine facing Olivia and they were deep in conversation.

"He really likes her," said Maureen coming up behind Elliot. "They are so close."

"Yeah," he smiled as he watched Olivia say something and Eli burst into a fit of giggles.

"Do you it has something to do with Olivia being there when he was born?"

"Maybe, he couldn't really remember Liv when I first told him about her when we got together. I sat him down and showed him old photos and explained about the crash and how she was there, and she helped to save him and his Mom. He sat all night asking me questions about her and wanting me to tell him stories about her and things we had done."

Maureen smiled as Eli reached up and hugged Olivia.

"When he finally met her again he ran up to her and flung his arms around her and gave her a huge hug and said Thank you."

"Yeah well we all have a lot to thank her for. She has always looked out for us, all of us."

Elliot nodded and jumped when Olivia's cell phone next to him on the counter rang and he saw it was Fin.

"Shit," he cursed under breath. Maureen looked at him as he answered. "Hi Fin," he answered. "Give me a minute I will get her," he said looking over towards Olivia who had Eli on her back now. He held the phone up and she walked over to him. "It's Fin," he said handing her the phone and taking Eli from her.

"I will take this in the bedroom," she told him.

"You want me to come with you?"

"No, stay here with the kids," she said forcing a smile at him. Elliot nodded and watched her walk away to their bedroom.

"Dad, what's going on?" asked Maureen.

"Today was the hearing on Lewis's death. I'm guessing that's Fin telling her whether or not she has to go to court to defend her actions."

"That was today, why didn't she….why didn't you tell us?"

"She didn't want to. She just wanted to act as though it was a normal day. She didn't want any of you guys to treat her any different."

"Dad," said Richie from behind him. "Everything is going to be okay isn't it?" he asked after hearing them talk.

"I hope so," he said looking towards the bedroom door.

Realising something was going on Kathleen and Lizzie walked over to join them and Maureen explained what was happening.

A few minutes later the bedroom door opened and Olivia walked out. She stood across the room and looked at Elliot stood there with his kids all staring at her. She could help the tears falling as she looked at them all. Elliot handed Eli to Lizzie and walked over to her.

"Liv, what happened?" he asked her as he saw the tears.

She sniffed and wiped her nose. "It's over," she sobbed. "It's not going to trial."

"It is…. You're not, you mean they….."

"Cleared me," she grinned.

"YES!" he yelled picking her up and spinning her around before kissing her hard as she wrapped her legs around his waist. "God I love you so much," he said in between kissing her.

"I love you to," she laughed as she felt all the kids run around them and hugging her.

"It's really over?" asked Richie.

"Yeah it's really over," she told him as they all hugged.

"Time to celebrate," said Elliot pulling himself away and going into the kitchen and taking bottles of champagne from it. "Been holding onto these fro something special and this is definitely it," he said as he began to unwrap the cork on the first one as Lizzie joined him and got out the glasses, as Kathleen and Richie explained to their friends what was going on.

Soon everyone including Eli with a very small glass were raising a glass and toasting Olivia, who couldn't stop smiling.

"Hey what did I miss?" asked Abby as she dumped a rucksack down by the door. Everyone turned to face her.

"Olivia was found innocent of any wrong doing… which we all knew anyway," grinned Elliot. "She isn't going to trial."

Abby ran towards Olivia and threw her arms around her neck holding her tightly. "I knew they would see the truth," she whispered as she held her.

Elliot looked between Abby and Olivia and then the rucksack by the door.

"Erm, Abby what's that for?" he asked pointing to the rucksack.

She pulled away from Olivia and looked at Elliot, then Kathleen. "You said you had told him," she said to her.

Kathleen shrugged. "I forgot with everything that was going on."

Abby turned back to Elliot who now had his arm around Olivia's waist.

"I'm coming camping with you guys," she grinned.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

4 months earlier.

Olivia closed her book and picked up her glass of red wine and took a large drink. She looked over at the clock before picking up her phone and calling Brian.

As usual it went straight to answer phone. "What time you going to be done? Call me if you find the time."

She wasn't even that bothered if he came home or not. She had tried to end it with him a few times but something always happened. It was as if he knew and would do something sweet and loving like he used to do when they first got together and she would back down. The last time she tried to end it he had come home and gave her the deeds to the apartment with her name on it. It was the last thing she had wanted but she smiled and pretended she was happy.

She spoken to Elliot a few times but hadn't seen him. He spent a lot of time away and wasn't always able to call. Abby kept her informed on how he was. She had also kept in touch with Kathleen and had since met up with Maureen, Richie and Lizzie, when they came to New York to visit. She thought back to the last time she saw Kathleen as they had a coffee together.

"Can I ask you something?" asked Kathleen after the waitress had taken their order.

"Sure."

"Why are you still with this Brian?"

Olivia looked at her and sighed.

"It's complicated," she told her. "Brian was there for me, I need to give him a chance."

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?"

"Why do you need to give him a chance? Why stay with him when you're not happy?... You're not happy right?"

Olivia just sat looking at Kathleen.

"Let me ask you something else. When was the last time you were truly happy?"

Olivia bit her bottom lip and looked at Kathleen. "When I saw your Dad again."

"And when was the last time someone made you smile?"

"When your dad called me last week."

"So why are you wasting time with Brian. You're not happy with him Olivia, he makes you miserable."

Olivia sat back in her chair as the waitress put their coffee down.

"He was there for me," she said again. "When I had no one he was there."

"So where was he after Lewis?" she asked her. "When you really needed someone where was he and where has he been since. You don't need him Livia, he is dragging you down. You used to be so strong what happened to you."

"I don't know," she said quietly. "I just wanted someone to care for me, I wanted a normal life, a normal relationship."

"Even if it's with someone you don't love."

Olivia didn't answer and took a sip of her coffee.

"One more question," said Kathleen. "Then I will drop it. If Dad didn't work away so much, if he was at home in Washington, would you still be with Brian trying to make it work?"

"No," she said. "If your dad was back in my life like he used to be, I wouldn't need anyone else."

Olivia walked into the kitchen and poured herself another glass of wine. She had thought a lot about their conversation in the last week and she knew what she had told Kathleen was the truth. If Elliot wasn't away so much and was near her she wouldn't be trying as hard to make it work with Brian. She jumped when there was a loud bang on her front door.

"Shit," she said as she spilt her wine. "Yeah okay I'm coming," she yelled as whoever it was kept banging. "Jesus Christ," she said as she flung the door open.

Tony and Ziva stood in front of her.

"What's happened?" she asked them suddenly feeling sick. "It's Elliot isn't it?"

Tony nodded as he stepped forward. "Why don't we go inside," he said taking hold of her arm.

"Just tell me!" she yelled. "What the hell has happened?"

"He's….. He's been shot," said Ziva as Tony kept hold of Olivia's arm.

Olivia shook her head from side to side. "No…No he can't have…. Is he…..is he…"

"No," said Tony. "He's alive and being flown back from Afghanistan right now. They stabilized him at the Military Hospital in Camp Bastion, before putting him on a medical plane."

"How serious?" she asked them.

"Two rounds hit him, one in his shoulder a through and through, the other to his chest," said Tony.

"Jesus," said Olivia feeling her legs give way.

"Olivia, he is stable. They wouldn't have flown him home if he wasn't," said Ziva.

Olivia nodded as she sat down on her couch. "Do his kids know?"

"Yeah, Gibbs and Abby informed them and Kathy and told them he was going to be okay. Gibbs asked us to come and tell you personally. He figured you might want a lift back to Washington for when he arrived."

Olivia looked up at Tony and nodded. "Yeah that would be good," she sniffed. Ziva got her glass of wine for her from the counter and handed it to Olivia. Olivia took it from her and drank the full glass in one go. "He is definitely going to be okay?" Both Tony and Ziva nodded.

"We aren't going to lie to you," said Tony sitting next to her. "It was touch and go for a while. The round was lodged not far from his heart, it took a while to get it out, but he is going to be fine."

Olivia took a deep breath and stood up. "Just give me a minute to pack some clothes," she said heading into her bedroom. She closed the door behind her and took a deep shaky breath letting the tears fall.

"Get a grip Benson, he's fine," she said to herself and slapping her own face. She shook herself off, wiped her eyes and went into the bathroom to clean up before she started to pack.

Tony and Ziva stood in the apartment and looked around it.

"Not many photos of her and that idiot she is with," said Ziva. "Hopefully she is coming to her senses and leaving him."

"He can't be that bad, I mean she has stayed with him."

"He is an obnoxious idiot."

Before Tony could answer the front door opened and Brian walked. He stopped in the doorway and glared at them.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked slamming the door.

"Special Agent DiNozzo," grinned Tony holding his hand out to Brian. Brian ignored his hand and looked towards Ziva.

"Where's Olivia?" he snapped.

"She is packing some clothes," said Ziva.

"What the hell do you mean packing clothes….. LIV!" he yelled towards the bedroom. "Where the hell you taking her?" he asked looking back at them.

"We are not taking her anywhere, she is coming with us to Washington," said Ziva getting annoyed with his attitude.

Olivia came out the room and looked at Brian. "Your home," she said to him. I was just about to text you and leave a note. I need to go away for a few days," she said sitting down and putting her boots on.

"What do you mean you need to go away for a few days, where the hell do you think you going?"

"Washington," said Ziva. "Didn't we already tell him this? Obviously he is deaf as well an idiot," she said looking at Tony.

Brian snapped his around and stared at Ziva "Did I fucking ask you? And who the hell are you anyway."

Ziva sighed " Agent David and Agent DiNozzo," she said pointing to Tony. "Although I'm sure you already said that," she said to Tony.

"You forgot the Special," said Tony. "Special Agent DiNozzo." Ziva glared at him.

"I need to go to Washington," Olivia said to Brian standing up.

"What….why?"

"I just do," she said looking around for her badge and bag.

"What just like that you need to go," he said looking over at Tony and Ziva. "No explanation, no nothing. You just need to go to Washington with these two. Has this got something with this friend you have been to see recently?"

"Yes….. Yes it does," she said putting her coat on. "I'm ready," she said to them. Tony bent over and picked up her small bag that she had packed. "I will call you," she said to Brian going to walk past him.

As she got level with him Brian grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "You're not going any fucking where!" he yelled. "Not till you tell me what the hell is going on."

Before she could reply to him Ziva had him pinned up against the wall his arm half way up his back.

"Aaahhh!" yelled Brian as she twisted his arm.

"Don't you dare touch her like that," she snarled at him.

"Get the fuck off me you Bitch," he screamed at her.

"A bitch?" asked Ziva. "Tell me I was hearing things and you did not call me a bitch."

"Fuck," he gasped as she bent his wrist even further back.

"Ziva….Stop," said Olivia, placing a hand on Ziva's shoulder. Ziva sighed and let go of Brian and stepped back and Brian turned around and rested against the wall.

"Your fucking crazy," he said looking at Ziva. Ziva stepped forward making Brian jump and Olivia couldn't help but smile a little.

"Brian, I'm going to Washington because my friend has been hurt. Tony and Ziva are mutual friends and they came to tell me and to give me a lift back to Washington.

"Mutual friends," said Brian rubbing his arm. "How come you have never mentioned any of these so called friends before?"

"Because there was no need and they had nothing to do with you. Now I'm going to go and I will call you later," she said turning around. "I need to get to Washington."

"You mean you need to get to Elliot Stabler," said Brian stopping her. Olivia turned to face him.

"What you on about?"

"I'm not frigging stupid," he said stepping to her. "I saw you both that night, when he dropped you off."

"You…. You saw him?"

"Yeah, I saw him. I also so you kissing the prick….. Your nothing but a fucking slut!" he yelled in her face.

"That's it," said Ziva stepping forward. Olivia held her hand up to stop her.

"I'm a slut," she said to Brian. "This coming from the man who fucked a prostitute when undercover even though he knew his girlfriend the woman he was supposed to be in love with was listening."

"I….. You…. You said you hadn't heard anything."

"I lied," she said stepping forward. "I had to sit in the car with and listen to you moaning and groaning with her and yet you have the nerve to call me a slut."

Before Brian could reply she slapped him hard across the face.

"Fuck you," she growled turning away from him.

Brian went to grab her and before he could he was met by Ziva's fist and fell back against the wall.

"I told you not to touch her," said Ziva looking down at him as he slid to the floor and Olivia followed Tony out the apartment.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Olivia sat in the hospital room her eyes never leaving Elliot. He was already at the hospital when she had arrived. He was connected to a load of tubes and had two large dressing over his chest. He was still sedated after his flight.

He began to mumble in his sleep and Olivia leaned forward and took hold of his hand running her thumb softly over his knuckles.

"Ssshh it's okay," she whispered kissing the back of his hand as he settled again.

"How's he doing?" asked Gibbs from the doorway.

"Still asleep," she told him. "He hasn't woken yet. The Doc says he will be out for a while longer yet, but things are fine with him."

Gibbs nodded and took the seat on the other side of the bed.

"What happened?" she asked him. "I asked Tony and Ziva but they wouldn't tell me."

"That's because they don't really know," smiled Gibbs. "They know where he was but not what he was doing."

"And what was he doing?"

"I can't tell you."

"Jesus," said Olivia sighing.

"However I can tell you he was shot saving a young girl. He was stopping her from being raped by a gang of men. Something he shouldn't have done and he will have to answer to the director about. He will probably get a suspension."

"Wait a minute," said Olivia looking a little confused. "He is going to be in trouble for trying to save a young girl from getting raped and getting shot."

"He wasn't there to get involved like that."

"Well what the hell was he supposed to do….. Just ignore it?"

"Yes," said Gibbs. "He should have carried on with the mission he was given."

Olivia stood up and started to pace. "Unbelievable," she said rubbing her hand across her forehead. "You expected him to ignore what was happening."

"He had a job to do, and because he helped that girl his and his teams cover was blown. He screwed up."

"Saving a young girl from being raped isn't screwing up," she said getting angry. "How can you even say that? Can you honestly tell me you would have just sat back and let it happen? You wouldn't have tried to stop it."

Gibbs stood up and turned to leave.

"You're not going to answer the question?"

He turned around and faced Olivia smiling.

"Difference is I wouldn't have got shot and ended my mission," he told her before going to walk out the room again.

"Gibbs," she said stopping him. "Did he do it. Did he save her?"

Gibbs nodded. "Yeah he saved her, and took out three of the guy's as well. She was taken back to her family," he said before walking away.

Olivia sat back down and pulled her chair closer to the bed and took hold of Elliot's hand again, as she rested her head next to their joined hands and closed her eyes.

Present Day.

Elliot leant on the door frame and watched Olivia bend over kiss Eli on the forehead before pulling his blanket over him.

"Love you Livvy."

"Love you to sweetheart," she said nipping his nose before turning off the light and turning around to see Elliot stood there smiling.

"Night little man," he said to his son.

"Night dad, I'm so excited for going camping."

"Me to," he said walking over and kissing Eli on the cheek. "Now go to sleep."

He walked out the room and closed the door before taking Olivia's hand and leading her down to their room.

"Fancy a nice bubble bath?" he asked her.

"Sounds good to me," she smiled.

"Well why don't you go and start it when I grab us some more champagne," he winked and kissing her softly.

"Hmmm, sounds good," she said opening the door to the room.

"I love you Liv," he said to her not moving. She turned around and looked at him.

"I love you to baby, now go and bring some strawberries as well," she said closing the door to the room as he walked back towards the kitchen. He opened the fridge and took out the last bottle of champagne and put it down before reaching in and taking out the strawberries, he smirked to himself as he reached for the squirty cream before closing the fridge.

"Shit!" he gasped as he shut the fridge and Kathleen was stood there. "You trying to give your old man a heart attack," he laughed.

"Sorry," she said looking at the items he had put on the counter top and raising an eyebrow.

"What," he said picking them up. "We are celebrating."

"Well, just keep the noise down, there are children in the house….. A lot of us," she shouted after him as he disappeared back to his room.

He closed his bedroom door and carried everything into the bathroom.

"Shit," he said as he put everything down next to the large bath. "I forgot glasses."

Olivia picked up the bottle and started to open it as Elliot quickly stripped off and climbed in the bath opposite her.

"Guess we will have to do without then," she said popping the cork and putting the bottle quickly to her lips drinking the overflow.

"So lady like," he laughed picking up the strawberries and eating one. Olivia handed him the bottle as she reached for a strawberry and popping it in her mouth.

"Cream?" she said raising her eyebrows. "In the bath."

Elliot shrugged "We can use it later," he laughed before taking a drink and handing the bottle back to her.

He moved forward in the bath and put his legs either side of her and rested his hands down on her hips. Olivia picked up a strawberry and fed it to him.

"I can't remember the last time I was so happy," she said.

"Me either, it's like everything is finally coming together."

"Yeah Me, You the kids…work," she said moving forward and sliding up his thighs and wrapping her legs around him. "I finally have the life I have always dreamt of."

Elliot took the bottle from her and took a drink before putting the bottle down.

"It took us a while but we got there," he said running his fingers up her side gently brushing them over her breasts and up to her neck. "You are so beautiful," he said leaning forward and kissing her collar bone and up to her neck suckling gently.

"You're not too bad yourself Stabler," she said rolling her head to the side to give him more access and she felt him smiling against her before he lifted his head.

Her eyes dropped down to the scar on his chest. "Slightly to the left and we wouldn't be here right now," she said running her fingers over the top of it.

"Well it wasn't and we are here and I'm not going anywhere, neither of us are," he said as he moved his hands to ass cheeks and pulled her to him.

Olivia could feel the tip of his cock pushing against her, she raised herself slightly and reached between them and guided him into her before lowering herself slowly down onto him biting onto her lower lip as he filled her fully.

"We are gonna have to be quiet," he told her as she began to roll her hips and her pushed himself up into her.

"I know," she breathed into his mouth. "Quiet and slowly, so slowly," she said as they moved together their arms wrapped tightly around each other. "Kiss me," she whispered.

Elliot lifted his head and kissed her softly exploring her mouth with his tongue as he continued to move inside her, their tongues brushing against each other as they made love in silence, the only sound coming from the gentle lapping of the water around them.

4 months earlier

Elliot opened his eyes and blinked quickly against the sunlight.

"Shit," he moaned and went to lift his hand to shield them from the light. "Fuck!" he gasped as he tried to lift his left arm pain shooting through his shoulder and chest.

Olivia jumped awake when she heard him yell out.

"El," she said reaching out and putting a hand on his good arm.

"Liv," he croaked, his throat dry. "What happened, what you doin here?" he asked her confused as he looked around.

"It's okay….calm down," she told him leaning over him and cupping his face.

"Why….why are you in Afghanistan?"

Olivia chuckled.

"What, what's so funny?"

"You're not in Afghanistan El, your back home."

"What, what do you mean?" he said coughing. Olivia reached over and got the glass of water and raised it to his lips and Elliot took a drink.

Olivia put the glass down and smiled at him. "You okay now?"

Elliot nodded "What happened Liv?"

"You were shot," she told him. "Again."

She could see Elliot trying to remember as he closed his eyes.

"You went in to save a young girl who was being raped, you were shot twice. They fixed you up and flew you home."

"I was shot?"

Olivia nodded. "Yeah once in the shoulder once in the chest."

"The girl, she was being attacked, I remember….. Did I ….. Did I save her. Is she alive."

"Yeah, you saved her, Gibbs says she is back with her family."

"Oh god," he said dropping his head back on the pillow. "Gibbs… is he pissed at me for blowing the job."

"A little, he says you're gonna be in the shit for it."

"It was worth it," he smiled.

Elliot lifted his head and looked down at his chest. "How are you here?"

"Tony and Ziva came to tell me and bring me back here," she said sitting on the edge of his bed. "I was so scared when they told me El. I thought I had lost you," she told him tears running down her cheeks. "I thought I had just got you back in my life and I had lost you again."

"I'm sorry," he whispered reaching out for her hand with his good arm.

"I can't lose you El, not again."

"You didn't lose me Liv, I'm still here."

"But I could have… I could have lost you and I couldn't take that."

Elliot reached up and wiped away her tears. "I'm okay Liv, I'm okay," he said as the Doctor came into the room.

"Aaah Agent Stabler your awake," he said coming over to his bedside as Olivia got up and looked out the window.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Olivia spent the next 5 days between the hospital and staying at Elliot's. She spoke to his kids and Kathy regularly and kept them updated. They all wanted to come and see him but Elliot didn't want them to come out of school when he was going to be okay. Olivia promised them she would stay with him. Abby spent time with her when she could on the nights at Elliot and not once over these five days did she call, text or think about Brian that much. All she cared about was making sure Elliot was okay.

"So, how long can you stay for?" Elliot asked her as they sat playing cards one evening after Tony and Ziva had left.

"I called Don and told him I needed to take some vacation time. I just told him I needed a break from everyone."

"He was okay with that?"

"Yeah, it's not like I ever take much time off. Even after Lewis I didn't have much time away from the place."

"Yeah, I wish you had. I wish you had stayed a bit longer with me before you went home."

"Looking back, I wish I had now," she said giving him a small smile.

"Sooooo, how is it going with Cassidy?"

Olivia shrugged.

"What does that mean?"

"It means I don't want to talk about it."

Elliot smirked. "So not good then?"

"Elliot…." she said her voice warning him.

"What? I can't help it if it makes me smile knowing he is still being a prick."

"He knows I was with you, he saw us when you dropped me off," she said looking up at him. "He saw you kiss me."

"You mean he saw us kiss each other," he smiled.

"Yeah," she nodded.

"Why didn't you tell me that he had seen us?"

"He didn't tell me until Tony and Ziva came to get me 5 days ago. All that time he knew and never said a thing. He just carried on as normal…. Well as normal as Brian can be."

"What did you say to him?"

"Nothing, he kind of acted like a prick cause he had been drinking and Ziva pinned him up against the wall," she chuckled which made Elliot laugh with her.

"Have you spoken to him since?"

Olivia shook her head. "Nope and I don't want to yet, the only thing I care about right now is getting you home and looking after you."

Elliot reached over and took hold of her hand. "Does that include giving me a bed bath," he smirked. Olivia snatched her hand back and punched his good shoulder.

"God you can be such a prick at times," she laughed just as his doctor came in.

"Well I see moral is up in here," he smiled. "So I'm sure you will be glad to hear this. You may go home tomorrow Agent Stabler as long as you have someone there to help you for a week or so , just until your wound heals a little more, you're gonna be a little sore for a while yet. Do you have someone who can stay with you?" he asked looking between Elliot and Olivia.

"Yeah he does," grinned Olivia. "However if he keeps up his pain in the ass routine I might be bringing him back in with another bullet wound," she told the Doctor making him smile before he walked out the room.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Olivia sat down on the couch and lifted the cup of coffee to her mouth and was just about to take a sip.

"Liv!" he yelled from the bathroom. "I need a hand."

"I swear to god," she said under her breath. "Where the hell is my gun I'm gonna shoot him."

"Liv!"

"I'm coming!" she yelled back putting her coffee down and standing up. Since she had got him home that morning she had been up and down all day helping him. The doctor told him he had to stay in bed and rest. The only rest Olivia had had was when he had fallen asleep for a few hours. The rest of the time she had been up and down, getting him drinks, picking up his TV control, getting him meds and each time she went in he was sat with a goofy look on his face. The final straw came when he actually phoned her from his bed and asked her to get him a glass of water.

"What!" she snapped at him as she entered his room.

"I missed you," he said pulling a sad face. She stood in the doorway glaring at him.

"I left you 5 minutes ago," she said folding her arms across her chest.

"Only kidding," he laughed. "I forgot to mention before you went out that my dressing needs changed."

"Okay," she said to him going into the bathroom to get the clean dressings. As she disappeared into the bathroom she heard him say.

"Missed you as well," making her smile. She grabbed the clean bandages and some warm water and walked back into the bedroom. Elliot had managed to take his t-shirt off and was sat up in his bed. Olivia sat on the bed next to him.

"I will do your shoulder first," she told him getting two clean bandages ready. Elliot leant forward and Olivia removed the dressing and cleaned his wound on his back before putting the clean bandage on and doing the same to the front one. Elliot sat in silence as she worked his eyes never leaving her.

"First one done," she said as he lay back against the pillow. "This one might hurt a little more," she told him as she began to peel the bandage off his chest. Elliot flinched slightly as she removed it and threw it down next to the others. She picked up the cloth from the warm water and gently cleaned around the wound, which was sewn together with stitches.

"You need to be more careful," she said quietly. "I'm not there to have your back anymore," she said dropping the cloth into the water. She raised her fingers to the bullet wound and ran her fingers softly over it. "How come they always seem to get you in the left hand side?" she asked him as her fingers went to the other scar just above where Bushido had shot him years earlier. "I really thought I had lost you that night as well," she said as a tear escaped from her eye.

"I'm not going anywhere Liv," he said his voice just above a whisper. "I promise you."

"You can't make that promise El, not if you keep doing stupid things like rescue missions by yourself. You need to be more careful."

"I will….. I promise you," he whispered.

Olivia nodded and leant forward towards his chest and softly pressed her lips against the wound kissing it. Elliot watched her in silence swallowing hard as her lips touched his chest.

"I can't lose you…. I need you," she said lifting her head and looking him in the eyes.

"I need you as well Liv, so this goes both ways, we both need to stop getting hurt….. Deal," he said brushing her hair out of her face and behind her ear.

"Deal," she smiled picking up the clean bandage and covering the wound. Olivia picked everything up and headed back to the bathroom to dispose it all in the trash.

"I love you Liv. I know you're still with Brian but I need you to know that I'm still waiting and I still love you."

"I love you to," she said disappearing into the bathroom.

Happy New Year everyone hope 2015 is a good year for everyone.