Disclaimer: I am now wearing the One Ring so I'm currently invisible. This should make obtaining my prize very easy...
Now onto the Meat and Potatoes
Lizzie
The Last Stand
Stabler headed up the staircase first with Benson at his heals. The stairs creaked under their weight and Stabler only hoped it sounded loud because of how tense they were. When they reached the landing, Benson gestured to the offices to the left.
"I'll take those and you can take the rest."
"No!" Stabler quickly lowered his voice, glancing around. "We're staying together."
"We can accomplish more if we split up, El, and you know it." Benson's voice, while a whisper, was angry. Stabler was questioning her abilities, something he had only done once and that was after she'd just had her throat slit right before his eyes.
"Not necessarily. We might accomplish more separately but we'll be safer if we stay together."
Benson glowered at him for several minutes before nodded and, taking the initiative, headed for the first office in front of them. She kicked the door open and Stabler ventured in with his gun drawn. He searched the corners only to find the room empty. Shaking his head to Benson who was standing in the doorway, they slowly made their way down the hall, alternating who opened the door open and who searched. Every time it turned up negative.
Then, on the last door, Stabler kicked it open and Benson plunged inside. She called out his name seconds later and Stabler hurried in behind her, shutting the door behind him as he went. She was standing at the window, looking down into the field. Stabler only saw a black Cadillac parked outside.
"What's up, Liv?"
Benson pointed at the car and turned to her partner. "That's Yaburov's car. I'd know it anywhere."
Stabler glanced around the room, doing a double take. The room was as empty as it had been two minutes ago. Pulling out his cell phone, Stabler decided to try a different approach.
"I'll call Munch and Fin and let them know of the situation." He began to dial the number as he turned to leave the room.
Benson nodded and gave one last look at the car before turning to follow her partner. But when she turned around she found him staring down the barrel of a gun, his cell phone down by his side
Benson's gasp of surprise made Yaburov turn his attention to her while keeping the gun trained on her partner.
"Put your gun down and I won't blow his brains out."
Stabler glanced back at Benson, who was still clutching her gun but no longer had it raised. "Drop it, bitch! You, drop your phone."
Stabler's cell had rang Fin's number three times now and the detective wasn't going to hang up until Munch or Fin picked up.
"You wanna die, Stabler? Want her to die?"
Stabler used his peripheral vision to see Benson watching him.
"Just do it, El."
Deciding that he could sacrifice his phone, Stabler dropped it and crushed it with his right foot right as he heard, "Fin," on the other end.
Yaburov nodded his approval and turned his glance to Benson. "Now, drop the gun."
Benson didn't move so Yaburov took aim and fired a shot. The bullet ripped through the window, barely missing Benson, who took a sharp intake of breath.
"Elliot, tell your partner to put her gun down or the next bullet won't miss."
Stabler took in his surroundings quickly. Yaburov had taken his gun the second the detective had opened the door. Instead of walking in on them, Yaburov had waited outside the door for them to come to him. Cursing his stupidity for allowing the door to close behind him, Stabler, who could no longer see Benson as she had thrown herself sideway to dodge the bullet and was now behind him, looked at the shot Yaburov had. Stabler was in front of him but he had a clear shot at anything behind him by aiming over the detective's shoulder. Stabler wasn't sure if Benson had her gun raised or not but was positive that Yaburov had him positioned so he was acting as a human shield. Cursing again, Stabler realized that while Yaburov was in perfect position to shoot Benson, he was also perfectly hidden. Yaburov seemed to be aware of his situation also.
"You can't shoot me, bitch, but I can shoot you and your partner. Put the gun down."
Stabler wanted nothing more than to see Benson. They had known each other for so long that by just looking at her Stabler knew what she was planning. His inability to look at her was a great disadvantage. He also knew that without seeing his face, Benson couldn't figure out what he was thinking.
"Very good," Yaburov murmured, his hand now held out and with this pointer fingure gestured for Benson to walk forward. Stabler couldn't see what was going on. He twisted his head in a hope of seeing his partner. "Now, bring it here. But first, turn it towards yourself. Like that, yes."
Stabler heard footsteps behind him and soon Benson was at his side. She was holding the gun by the barrel, the butt sticking out towards Yaburov, which he took.
"Thank you. Now, find your partner's handcuffs."
Benson, while she had been willing to disarm herself, seemed to be drawing the line.
"Why?" Her voice held no fear but it wasn't as firm as Stabler always remembered it being.
Yaburov stepped forward and placed the gun against Stabler's forehead, digging it in painfully.
"Just do as you're told."
Benson put her hands in Stabler's pockets and felt around. Her hand grazed his cuffs but she didn't stop. After checking both she stepped back and shook her head.
"He must've left them somewhere."
Liar must have been printed on Benson's forehead because Yaburov, while keeping the gun pressed against Stabler, reached into his pocket and produced the cuffs.
"Lying to me'll get you shot, bitch." He threw the cuffs to her and gestured to Stabler. "Cuff him, now."
Benson glared at Yaburov. "No way in hell. You want 'em on him, you do it yourself. I'm not helping you restrain him."
Yaburov looked at Stabler for a moment. "She's got a mouth on her," he whispered before slamming his head against Stabler's. The detective slumped to the ground and tried to force his eyes to focus. Yaburov grabbed Benson by her hair and cocked his gun.
"Wrong answer…"
Stabler winced away as a gun shot was fired into the room. Yaburov fell to the ground, releasing Benson as he did so, in an attempt to shield himself from Fin's bullet.
"Liv, Elliot, get outta there!"
Munch didn't need to tell them twice. Benson grabbed Stabler, who was still reeling from his head injury, and they ran from the room. Yaburov found his feet and took a desperate shot that hit the door frame in exactly the same place Benson had just pulled Stabler through.
"Split up," Munch had called back. "We're harder to catch that way."
The second Stabler heard Munch and Fin on the stairs was the second he remembered that neither he nor Benson were armed.
Benson seemed to have realized this also because she grabbed him by the hand and pulled him towards the stairs.
"Freeze!"
Yaburov seemed to have gotten over the shock of nearly being taken out, but his shot at them was poorly aimed and missed by several inches.
"We gotta find somewhere to hide and some guns," Benson was talking to herself as well as to Stabler. The latter was finally losing the cross eyed effects of being hit in the head.
Stabler took in their surroundings quickly because he was positive Yaburov was right behind them. Seeing the various offices, he tapped Benson on the shoulder and gestured to one, which they entered. Benson locked the door while Stabler sought out a hiding place. The closet was too small and the only thing big enough for them to fit under was the desk.
"Under here's the best we can do. If we had a weapon we could wait on him and attack by surprise."
Benson, having locked the door had taken a letter opener off of the desk.
"At least we have a weapon of some sort," she whispered. Quickly but quietly, she crawled under the the desk. "I'll wait until he finds us and then I'll stab him. It'll be difficult since it isn't very sharp but it's the best we've got."
This plan had risks but Stabler nodded and crawled under the desk beside her. Both of them barely fit under the desk, Benson remaining on her hands on knees, the letter opener in her hand like a dagger.
They sat there in silence for several minutes. Stabler could feel Benson's labored breathing beside him. Knowing his couldn't sound much better, he reached up and gently put his hand on her back to get her attention. She turned her neck so they were making eye contact. She raised her eyebrows at him in questioning. Her partner's expression clearly asked if she was okay. When she nodded, Stabler leaned forward to whisper in her ear.
"You sure you don't want me out there?"
Benson nodded, her ears taking in every sound. At least her breathing had slowed.
The minutes creaked by and Stabler felt an overwhelming sense of dread. What if Yaburov had just decided to leave? They needed him to get Evans and the other women in the New York brothel. What if he'd gone after Munch and Fin? They could handle themselves but Stabler still felt that everything was traceable back to him and Benson. This was their fault.
No, Stabler's thoughts butted in. "It's your fault. Olivia was fine until you came storming in looking for her. If you had just let her do her job, everything would be fine. If anyone dies, it's your fault.
Stabler's thoughts were brought back into the present by the sounds of someone kicking in a door in much the similar fashion he and Benson had been using just moments before. Maybe Munch and Fin were searching for Yaburov. Stabler felt rather than heard Benson's breath become hitched as she watched for light to fill the room as whoever was kicking down doors found theirs.
"Maybe we shouldn't have locked the door. It'll give him a pretty good clue that we're in here."
Stabler nodded but grabbed Benson by the back of her nightgown when she started to climb out.
"It's too late now, Liv. You don't know when he's…"
His voice trailed off as a foot came in contact with the door but didn't budge.
Stabler and Benson exchanged looks and Stabler released his partner, who returned to her former position, letter opener in hand.
Gun shots into the door made both Benson and Stabler jump. Benson's features became more set and she gripped the letter opener with more force. The door opened seconds later and light filled the dark room. Stabler peered out from under the desk and could only see the shoes. He didn't recognize them as Munch or Fin's. The shoes were getting closer to the desk and Stabler returned his eyes to Benson who looked frightened but determined. Her grip on the letter opened was so tight that her knuckles were white.
Stabler turned back to watching the feet just in time for one of them to kick the desk hard. While Stabler was ready Benson, who had been concentrating on other things, gasped loudly. However, it only took her a second to get over her shock. Realizing that she had just given their hiding place and plan away, she threw herself forward and plunged the opener into his shoe. She'd been aiming for his leg but her tight grip and adrenalin charged thrust caused it to reach the actual flesh of his foot.
Yaburov let out a scream of agony and the gun fell from his hands. Stabler leapt out from under the desk and went for the gun. The wound to Yaburov's foot seemed to only be surface and he recovered quickly. He kicked out and Stabler attempted to roll away and the kick landed in his hip rather than his ribs. Benson dove for the gun at the same moment Yaburov did but Benson seized the gun first. To keep her from turning back and having a shot at him, Yaburov grabbed her ankle and twisted. She cried out in pain but still attempted to twist around. However, she wasn't able to twist far enough and screamed for her partner.
"Elliot, take the gun."
Stabler, who was in pain beyond any he had ever experienced, didn't even hear her.
Putting his boot covered foot on Benson's bare one, Yaburov climbed to his feet. Benson bit on her lip to keep from crying out, fearing her foot would break. She attempted a shot at him and missed.
"Don't make me break your foot, Olivia."
Benson knew that having her foot broken would do nothing. Her partner was still lying on the ground so she decided on a third option. She released the gun but instead of handing it to Yaburov, she slid it across the floor with as much force as she could so it was out of Yaburovs rang. He'd have to leave her to grab it. Yaburov hesitated only a moment before going for the gun. It had barely gone halfway across the room. He retrieved it and when he turned the gun back on what he assumed was one pain ridden detective and another refusing to leave without her partner he caught a book right in the face. Stabler was finally pain free enough to find his feet and Benson threw the first thing at Yaburov she could grab to get a distraction. She than grabbed her partner and tore from the room.
"MUNCH! FIN!" Stabler's voice echoed down the corridor but there was no sign of the others.
"We've gotta find them."
Stabler agreed but also knew they needed to get as far from here as was possible. Not knowing which way to go both Benson and Stabler began a long sprint down the corridor.
"Where's back up," Benson whispered as they made their way up the stairs, deciding to head back to the second floor. Stabler shrugged. He had no idea but surely they were nearly here. That was what he hoped, at least. Pain was filling his body and, judging by the outward state of Benson's body, she couldn't be feeling much better.
"We need to get a visual of Yaburov. We need to know where he's at."
Stabler leaned over the balcony and kept his eyes peeled on the room they had just left. He didn't emerge and Stabler began to have a feeling of dread.
"I know you didn't hit him that hard with the book, Liv."
Benson nodded, her eyes also raking the floor. "You don't think he'd be able to recover that quickly, do you? He's also got a bum foot."
Stabler nodded but it seemed their perp was more resilient than originally thought.
"He also knows this place better than we do. He's probably been parking his plane here for years."
"Very true, Detective."
Stabler's heart stopped as he heard a gun cock from behind them. He and Benson turned around. Yaburov was looking anything but talkative right now and Stabler knew this was it. No more talking or bargaining. They were about to die.
He turned his gun on Benson who didn't flinch. "You've been a thorn in my side since I first met you. I believe you remember what I said about watching you die?"
Benson still didn't react but Stabler couldn't think fast enough. There was no way out. He expected Yaburov to fire but instead the Russian turned his gun on Stabler.
"For that, I'll make you watch him die first."
Stabler had heard that when you die from a bullet, you don't actually hear the shot that's fired so it was to his great surprise when he heard a shot ring out. Out of habit, he squeezed his eyes shut thinking the end had come. Yet there was no pain. He heard a grunt of pain and a body hit the floor. Someone had been shot.
"Elliot! Olivia!"
Stabler didn't move. He thought he heard Cragen's voice but he must have been mistaken. They were in London, far from home.
He than felt someone very gently touch him on the shoulder. Stabler, who wasn't sure if he wanted to open his eyes, had finally done so and came face to face with his boss.
"Captain?"
Cragen smiled and nodded. "Yep, you okay?"
Stabler nodded but than he remembered that someone had been shot and his thoughts shifted to his partner.
"Liv!"
"I'm fine, Elliot."
Stabler looked to his right and saw Benson standing in between Munch and Fin, her face slightly paler than normal.
"Who got shot?"
Munch pointed at the ground and Stabler's mouth fell open. Vasyl Yaburov was laying there, still alive, after being shot in the shoulder.
"Nice shot, Cap."
Cragen shook his headed and gestured to Randy Ulmer who was standing nearby, gun still drawn.
"It was him. We heard him mention shooting you first so Ulmer opened fire."
"Didn't really have a shot so I just fired," Ulmer muttered. "Probably why he's still alive. I would've been shooting to kill."
Cragen and Stabler made their way over to Munch, Fin and Benson.
"You three all right?"
Munch and Fin nodded but they both knew the question wasn't directed at them. Cragen hadn't seen Benson in almost three weeks and he had missed her greatly.
"Shaken but okay," was her reply. Her eyes were on her former captor. Ulmer came over and gestured to the cuffs that were sticking out of Benson's pocket, the ones she had almost been forced to restrain her partner with.
"You wanna do the honors? Arrest Yaburov," Ulmer added when Benson hadn't moved.
Benson looked to Cragen who nodded so she pulled out the cuffs and made her way over to the injured Russian. She knelt down beside him and pulled his hands behind his back.
"Vasyl Yaburov, you are under arrest for numerous crimes. Here's a list in case you've lost track: murder in the first, murder in the second, rape, involuntary servitude, kidnapping young women from all over the world, and I'm sure I've left out some. Dont' worry, they'll clarify those when you get to the United States."
"Yeah," Stabler couldn't help himself. "Like the kidnapping of a New York police officer."
Yaburov snorted and Benson tightened the cuffs, making him flinch.
"How could I forget that one, you bastard." Yaburov gave a moan when Benson helped him to his feet. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you can't afford one, one will be appointed. Do you understand these rights?"
Yaburov snickered and Benson gave him a light shove. "Of course I do, Liv, but let me see if you understand this; you have nothing on me back in the States. I'll be deported back to Latvia for my fair trial there. You've failed, Liv. Do you understand that?"
There was silence as Yaburov and Benson glared at one another.
"I think you'll find that you are very much mistaken, Mr. Yaburov."
Both Benson and Yaburov, along with everyone else in the room, turned to the two people who had just entered. While Benson recognized the two visitors, Yaburov did not. The man who had just spoke was Asian and in his forties. The woman, who was currently on her cell phone, looked to be in her early thirties and was wearing a blue power suit. She muttered a thanks on her cell phone and hung up.
"Dr. Huang's correct, Mr. Yaburov, you're very much mistaken."
Yaburov smiled at the two visitors he now recognized. "So I finally get to meet Casey Novak and George Huang."
Everyone ignored him as Novak had just turned to Cragen. "That was Detective Phillips back in the States. He and Detective Jefferson have just arrested Kendal Evans at Mr. Yaburov's brothel. The women have been transferred to protective custody and will be sent home to their original countries as quickly as the system will allow."
Yaburov glared at Novak. "That doesn't…"
"Convict you, you're correct." Novak was ready. "But you'll know that Kendal Evans sang like a canary in a last ditch effort to get a lesser sentence. He's even agreed to testify against you at trial. And THAT, Mr. Yaburov, does convict you."
Benson gave Yaburov a shove toward two officers from London PD. "Any more questions, Mr. Yaburov?"
This time, the Russian said nothing as he was led away. Benson didn't look at him and instead made her way over to her partner, where they watched their perp being led away.
Once Yaburov was gone, Ulmer turned to Cragen. There's still a lotta paper work to be completed, Don. I'll give you guys a few moments alone but I'd like to get all this shit done tonight."
Cragen had nodded but Ulmer wasn't ready to leave yet. He found his way over to Benson and pulled her into a hug without saying a word.
"God you don't know how many nights of sleep I've lost over you, Liv."
Benson didn't seem surprised by the hug and quickly returned it. "I'm sorry," was all she said. Finally, after what felt like an eternity to the others, Ulmer muttered an apology to Cragen before leaving and the seven Americans were together again for the first time after the longest separation in eight years.
Cragen kept it brief, knowing that the paper work was extensive and they could catch up later. He mostly wanted to be alone with his team to make sure everyone was fine.
"John, Fin, you guys okay?"
Again, Munch and Fin knew Cragen was more interested in Stabler and Benson, so they merely nodded so their Captain could get on with it. They were exhausted and wanted to head for their hotel. Sure enough, he went right on from them.
"Elliot, Olivia, how're you?"
Benson and Stabler exchanged looks. Stabler nodded his head to show he wasn't hurt but all eyes fell on Benson. She'd been the one missing the longest and the one in the most danger.
"I'll be fine," she said. "Thanks for sending the entire squad after me."
This even made Cragen smile and he hugged the detective whose funeral he had been planning just twenty four hours prior and thought he'd never see again.
That had broken the ice and conversation had broken out among the group. As quickly as each person could, they updated the rest of the squad what had happened since they had last been together. All knew that more details would come out later but right now there was paper work to be done. It was during this time, that Stabler realized how close this squad really way.
How could we not be, Stabler found himself thinking. We're all over here in Europe, some of us for a long time, just for one person. His eyes raked over Huang, Novak, Cragen, Munch, Fin and finally came to rest on the person who had started it all, Olivia Benson. She was currently hugging Novak but it didn't take long for her to catch him staring at her and she cuffed the ADA on the shoulder and walked over to my partner.
"Thanks for coming after me, El, and for saving my life."
She held out her fist for him to knock but lowered it when he didn't move. "You got yourself away from Yaburov, you saved us back in the room with the letter opener. You recused yourself, Liv."
He than hugged her while Cragen gave instructions to Fin on what would happen next. Pulling apart, Benson and Stabler joined the conversation.
"Ulmer's gonna find us a hotel. This is London PD so don't expect the Plaza."
"When have any of us stayed at the Plaza?"
Fin's comment got several laughs mostly because of the truth in it. When everyone finally stopped, Cragen gestured to the door. "Let's get outta here so I can fill out my damned paper work."
breakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreakbreak
Outside the building, Cragen and the others found three police cars waiting, lights flashing but no sound. Ulmer got out of one when he saw them emerge.
"Don, I thought you'd come back to the station house with me and get this paperwork done. The rest of you can go with the other two cars to your hotel for the night. After we get done with you, Don, you can join them. Hopefully it won't take long."
Cragen had agreed while really wanting nothing more than a hot shower and a soft bed. He resentfully watched the two cop cars with Benson, Stabler, Munch, Fin, Novak and Huang comfortably seated together pull away.
"At least I have them all back," he muttered to himself as he and Ulmer headed in the opposite direction for downtown London.
"As long as we got each other, we got the world spinnin' right in our hands."
As Long as We Got Each Other - Steve Dorff & John Bettis
Author's notes: This chapter got re-written at least twenty times. I was always able to find something I want to change. Special thanks to kelly of the midnight dawn for point out that I got Benson's age wrong. I was going off the actress's age because I didn't remember the epi where we find out when her mother was raped. Forgive that mistake of mine:)
Also, I'm thinking of posting this to another site but they have a strict rule on betaing. Since my sister (whom I'd like to thank for just reviewing) is busy with her classes, I've betaed this myself but I'd like to know if someone is interested in being my beta for another site. I may be arguementative but I can take constructive criticism so if you're interested, let me know. Again, thanks for reading and we're almost to the end. We have about 3 chapters and a epilogue to go.