The Reunion

Elliot

I can't keep my legs from giving out, and I slide to the floor. I must be dreaming. There is no way in hell that I am sitting here, puddled in a heap outside the back of this greasy ass diner, my cell to my ear, with her sweet voice pour out of it. No way in hell. I'm sobbing now and can't control my emotions. I really don't want John or Fin to come see me like this, but then I remember I'm not at O'Malley's. I'm at the diner, it's eight in the morning, and I'm out here because I'm trying to escape from my that...oh, I guess she's my partner. I hear a sharp intake of air and suddenly remember that she's still there.

"Olivia? It's really you?" I hear something that sounds like a chuckle.

"No...It's Don King..." I'm surprised. She sounds like her old self. I grin so hard I know she can feel it through the phone. Just as I'm thinking it, she says just that. Even after all this time, we haven't lost it.

"So...ah, how ya doin'?" I ask, not sure what else to say. I feel stupid as soon as it leaves my mouth. How the hell do you think she's doing? She just woke out of a six month coma, for crissakes!

"Mom, there some of that famous Stabler inarticulate monologue," she jokes, laughing at me. I don't mind a bit. She's can laugh at me until she's blue in the face. "I'm talking to ya, aren't I? I must fine, right?" Fine? Her voice sounds sultry as ever... Sultry?! Get ahold of yourself, Elliot! The poor woman just woke up. I know she's scared as hell. That's the only time she uses such light sarcasm. Normally, she'd blurt out whatever happened to cross her mind and if it came across as insulting, she'd say suck it up. That Olivia for ya.

"Yeah...yeah, I...ah...I guess so..." God, I feel like a teenage geek. A geeky, pimply, uncoordinated teenage boy being talked to by the most popular girl in school. Trite? Perhaps, but I cannot think of another way to describe it. I'm surprised to find that I've walked all the way around the building and am now leaning against the sedan. The sedan with the dent in the passenger door. Olivia had gotten mad one day (not so unusual) and threw something at me. I can't remember what it was, but I do know I dodged it and it flew head on into the car. When we returned it that evening, she said that it was like that when we got it. They didn't believe her, but they were too scared to say anything.

"El...I...I got to get out of here." She sounds like she's begging and the volume of her voice has dropped. "I'm gonna go crazy and I can't take it. Can you please come get me?" She didn't have to ask me twice. It's not until I've hopped in the car, turned the ignition, and begun to drive off that I remember about Kelly. Damn...I'll probably have to take her with me. I turn the car off and start toward the diner. I'm not really paying attention to where I'm going for Olivia has started telling me about her doctors and her roommate. I'm completely fascinated and don't notice Kelly until I walk right into her.

"Eli!" she exclaims, throwing her arms around me. "There you are! I was wondering where you went. Come on, let get back to the..." She quiets as she finally notices I'm on the phone. Olivia has also stopped talking. Everything is quiet for a moment.

"Who is that?" Olivia asks, breaking the silence. For some reason, I now feel like I'm in the middle of a love triangle. I don't love Kelly, but I feel like I'm somehow betraying Olivia by being partners with Kelly. Granted, I didn't ask for a new partner, but I can't help the way I feel.

"...um...it's...ah..." I don't know why I'm stuttering. I guess I think she'll think that I've given up on her. I guess she thinks the same thing, because she hangs up. I'm crushed, I won't deny it. That really hurt.

"Who was that, Eli?" Kelly asks, gazing into my eyes. I want so bad to look up and stare back into chocolate brown eyes, framed by a worried bronze face. I want so bad to look up and see Olivia standing there. But when I do look up, I see into green eyes, framed by a pale face.

"Nobody..." I mumble and get into the car. I'm starting to feel resentment toward Kelly. How dare she destroy my moment with Olivia? I start up the car and peel out of the parking lot. I drive without really seeing. I can't because all I can see is red and I'm trying my damnest not to reach over slap Kelly. It really isn't her fault. I glance at her to see her look slightly alarmed.

"Eli...you missed the turn."

"No, I didn't."

"...Where are we going?"

"Brooklyn."

Elliot

I'm surprised I remember where it is. Actually, no, I'm not. I used to drive past here once a week, every week, for three months, deciding if I was going to go in. I never did...

I never went in. I never went to see her. In those six months, I never went to see her. Oh, God, she's gonna hate me. Maybe she doesn't want to see me. Well, she did ask me to save her from this hellhole, didn't she? But she did hang up...I don't know how I'll handle being rejected by her. She'll know, and she'll never want to see me again. What the hell kind of partner am I? What kind of friend am I? She'll be so mad, I just know it. I turn around and head back to the car. Kelly catches up with me just as I open the door and slams it closed.

"Elliot, you dragged me all the way out here. I know we're not here to marvel at the building. Let go do whatever we're here for. You can't back out now." I stare at her in shock. What happened to her annoying honey sweet voice? She blushes and clears her throat. "Come on, Eli. Let's go see her." I wonder how she knows about Olivia. I never told her. Cragen never told her. Fin rarely speaks to her and she doesn't speak to Munch. It wasn't on the news...maybe just shop talk at the bar. I'm surprised I let her take my hand and lead me into the building.

Olivia

Dammit, she hung up on him. I swear to God, if my limbs weren't so tired, I'd climb out of this bed and smack that bitch. She just grinned and said she had to call her kids. Fuck her kids, the man I was talking to is worth so much more than all her brats combined. I don't say a thing. Not that I can, I used all my energy talking to Elliot. Plus, my adrenaline has subdued, so I can't curse her out. Damn...this is the last thing I'm thinking before I slip into a blanket of black cold...

"Right this way, detectives..." That's my nurse I hear...detectives?

"Room 666..." That voice sounds vaguely familiar, I just can't place it.

"You superstitious?" I roll my eyes. I really hate my nurse.

"No."

"I have to warn you, she'll look a lot different. She's lost about 75 pounds and is deathly pale..." Hell yeah, that's definitely my nurse. She knows I till look sexy. I mentally crack up at the though of me trying to seduce someone in this too small hospital gown.

"Look here, cut the chit-chat and let get on with it." I like the sound of this vaguely familiar voice. "Besides, he hasn't been..." I hear a smack and the voice stops. I can feel people standing over me. I don't even have to open my eyes to know that my nurse is staring at me, with her face twisted in disgust.

"Do you mind?" the other voice asks. I hear the nurse mumble and stalk away. I smile to myself. Myself is the only person I can smile to; my body is not listening to me and I can't even open my eyes. What if he comes and I don't see him? What if...waitaminute. He's here already. I can smell him! Oh my fucking...he's standing over me. Oh how I wish my eyes would obey me and open. I wanna open them and stare into his. I wanna get drown in the deep blue of them.

"Eli...you haven't said a word since we left the diner." I know where that voice is from now!

"...Liv?" I melt. I absolutely fall apart. How long have I waited to hear that beautiful voice? "Come on, Liv...open your eyes." his voice is cracked and suddenly I feel a tear strike my face. Is...Is he crying? Oh My God...I will my eyes to open now. They got to. I can't let this sight pass and I not get to witness it. Open, you stubborn bastards! Suddenly, they flutter open. It takes a minute to register, but I'm crying too. Hard. Sobbing is closer to it. Come on, Olivia, say something.

"Hey..." I croak out.

TBC

next: interruption

A/N: I know I didn't update as I promised. I'll try harder to crank out chapters. I was half tempted to abandon the story (damn writer's block), but then my fingers started moving and Voila! the next chapter. Anyway, thank you to all the reviewers, and if you notice a bunch of grammatical errors...well, keep it to yourself because it's late and my eyes are starting to cross.