Brokenhearted

Chapter 3: Stand By Me

A/N: The song is "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King. Thanks to Nat for helping me find the version of the song that I wanted.

"I'll go over it myself," Morales promised as he took the answering machine tape from Elliot "I'll let you know if I find anything."

"Thanks," Elliot nodded at the other man "I appreciate it."

Morales nodded "I'll do anything to get this guy," he told Elliot.

"Yeah," Elliot said softly, glancing over his shoulder at Olivia who was pouring a glass of water in the kitchen "Yeah, me too."

Morales was on his way out of the apartment when he turned back to Elliot "Oh, good luck in court tomorrow."

"Thanks," Elliot had nearly forgotten about court in the morning. Too much had happened in the last few hours. He watched Morales leave and locked the door to the apartment.

Olivia came back into the living room, holding her glass of water in one hand. She took a seat on the couch and took a long sip of the water. She knew Ruben Morales well but for some reason, she didn't want to be in the same room with him tonight. She drank a lot of water while she had been in the kitchen waiting for him to leave. She looked up at Elliot "Shouldn't you go home and get some sleep so you can be rested for court tomorrow?" she asked.

Elliot sighed heavily and sat on the couch beside her. How had she remembered about his having to be in court when he had all but forgotten? He didn't want to leave her alone tonight. He looked down, studying the pattern made by the wood grain on the top of Olivia's coffee table "Are you sure?" he asked softly "I mean I could stay here and watch TV with you or something," Olivia had previously stated offhandedly that she was probably never going to sleep again.

"You should be well rested," Olivia said matter-of-factly "I'll be okay here."

"I…" he searched for words "I could stay here," he wondered if he was being to forward.

"Excuse me?" Olivia laughed slightly "Your mother ever tell you that it's rude to invite yourself?"

"Liv," he said seriously "Are you really going to be okay here?"

She could sense the worry in his voice "Elliot," she placed a hand on his forearm "I'll be…" she trailed off "Go home, get some sleep."

Elliot stood up reluctantly "Lock the door after I leave," he told her. He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder "If you need anything…"

"Yeah," she said softly "I know the number," she walked him to the door and opened it for him "Be careful," she whispered "I'll see you in court tomorrow."

"Are you sure?" he asked "I mean, you don't have to be there."

"Yes," her lips were dangerously close to his "I do," it was her fault that he had to be called as a witness. Her shaky testimony had made it possible that the defense could call him. She felt responsible and knew that she had to be there "I'll be there."

"Do you need me to pick you up in the morning?" he offered. He was stalling for time, not wanting to leave her.

"Nah," she dismissed his offer "I'll drive," she saw the worried look on his face "I'll be fine."

He reached out and enveloped her in a gentle hug, burying his face in her hair. He suddenly didn't want to leave her but he wasn't going to stay and cause her more discomfort "Okay," he whispered "I'll see you then," he took a step into the hallway but was shoved backwards.

"Elliot," Olivia rushed to where he had landed only to be grabbed around the waist, a hand clamped securely over her mouth. She began to struggle against the man who held her until she saw the gun pointed in Elliot's direction. No Please? She thought as she froze.

Sickeningly warm breath tickled the back of her neck as the low raspy voice whispered "Shall we find out Olivia?" she heard the hammer of the gun cock.

She whimpered and the man moved his hand from her mouth "Please don't?" she begged.

Elliot stared up at the man in the gray sweats and the ski mask as he pointed his gun at Elliot. He saw the frightened expression on Olivia's face. He reached for his own gun "Drop your weapon and let her go," he commanded in a low dangerous tone.

The unknown assailant chuckled as he brought the barrel of his gun to Olivia's head "Oh I don't think so detective," he mused "You see, I hold all the cards in this game. Now drop the gun," his other hand began to roam over Olivia's body, pinching every once in a while.

Olivia couldn't help the shame that crossed her face. It was bad enough that it was going to happen again but the fear of having it happen in front of her partner made her want to vanish from the face of the earth. She felt utterly helpless. She had to do something to make this right for Elliot at least. She saw Elliot relaxing the grip on his gun and knew that once that happened they would be completely at this man's mercy. She turned her head slightly in the direction of the man holding the gun "If you let him go," she bargained "I'll do…" she paused, looking one last time at Elliot before turning her gaze to the ground "What ever you want."

The gunman smiled "That's a good girl."

"Olivia, don't," Elliot stood to his feet. He wasn't going to let this man use him as a pawn in his sick game "Don't let him do this."

"I'm sorry," Olivia whispered.

The man pushed her to the ground, forgetting in his excitement over getting what he was after, that Elliot was still holding his gun. As Olivia lay face down on the ground, she heard two shots ring out followed by two loud thumps that signified bodies hitting the floor.

Olivia looked up and saw Elliot lying in front of her, bleeding from a wound in his stomach. She rushed to his side, pressing down on the wound with one hand in an effort to stop the bleeding while with the other she fished through Elliot's pockets until she found his cell phone. Desperately, she called 911 all the while talking to Elliot "Oh God, Elliot, why did you have to do that?" she asked.

He lifted an arm weakly to her tear stained cheek "I couldn't let him… I had to… protect you."

The paramedics arrived soon after that and began to work on Elliot. The masked man was left alone for the police and the medical examiner to deal with; Elliot had landed a perfect shot right through the space where the man's heart, if he had one, was.

Olivia rode along in the ambulance, holding Elliot's hand. She was numb all over. She couldn't stand losing him. "I'm sorry," were the only two words she spoke, she whispered them over and over again to Elliot as the ambulance sped through the streets on the way to the hospital.

They got to the hospital and Elliot was whisked away to surgery. Olivia sank into a chair in the waiting room. She wasn't worth it. She wasn't worth Elliot getting shot. She hadn't been worth Ryan Clifford's life and she knew she wasn't worth Elliot's. If he didn't make it, she knew that there was no way that she could continue to live in this city. There was no way that she would ever set foot back in the station. She had to believe that he would make it. But it was so hard to have faith anymore.

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John Munch stood in the vacated apartment, staring at the evidence of what had happened there only an hour before. His first infuriated question had been shouted at the buildings super. How had the bastard gotten in? The man hadn't been able to provide an answer and John had wanted to ring his neck.

Fin gave a long low whistle as he bent down beside the still masked body. The shot through the chest was dead center. Elliot had really done a good job taking him down. If only the guy hadn't reacted as quickly as he did. Fin reached for the ski mask and pulled it off "Show us who you are you dead bastard," he muttered disdainfully.

Munch leaned over to peer into the face of the monster who had turned more than a few lives upside down "Hey, isn't that Wilson's defense attorney?" he asked.

"Oh," Fin muttered "The press is going to have a field day with this one."

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"Olivia," a soft voice called from beside her.

Olivia looked up, wiping her eyes vigorously to get rid of the tears she had been crying and stared into the face of Kathy Stabler. She hid her face once more "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Don't be," Kathy laid a hand on her shoulder "He's a fighter; he's not going to leave you. You've got to believe that."

"I'm trying," Olivia whispered, choking back a sob "I can't lose him."

Kathy enveloped the other woman into a tight embrace "And you won't," Kathy found herself crying as well "You aren't gonna lose him. You know better than I do that he's a stubborn jackass and he's not gonna let something like a bullet stop him."

Olivia chuckled slightly through her tears "Thanks," she whispered.

Kathy stood up "I'm still on duty," she told Olivia "I just wanted to see how you were doing. I'll be back to wait with you when my shift is over."

"Thanks," Olivia said again as Kathy disappeared down the corridor. Olivia returned to her silent despondency as she waited for someone to bring her news on Elliot's condition.

A doctor appeared in front of her without her noticing and she jumped when he called her name "Olivia Benson?"

She nodded meekly "Yeah?" she was hopeful and afraid all at the same time "How is he?"

The doctor smiled at her "He made it through surgery just fine. He'll make a full recovery."

Olivia leaned back in the chair and let out a relieved breath "Thank you God," she whispered before turning back to the doctor "Can I see him?"

The doctor nodded "Follow me," he led Olivia to Elliot's hospital room "I'm Dr. Laurence by the way," he told her "If you need anything, ask for me at the front desk."

Olivia didn't quite like the way that Dr. Laurence was looking at her. He was being in her opinion, awfully presumptuous. Still she nodded her head and even though she felt uncomfortable, she forced a smile and said "Thank you."

Elliot lay in a narrow hospital bed, an IV in his left arm and a heart monitor, rhythmically beeping, confirming that he was indeed alive. Olivia sat on the right side of the bed and took his hand in both of hers. He was still out from the anesthesia but Olivia didn't want to talk to him just yet anyway. She had no idea what to say to him. What he had done for her, she could never repay that as long as she lived. For now, she was just content to watch the rise and fall of his chest beneath the hospital blankets. She suddenly felt very tired. It had after all been over thirty six hours since she had last slept. But this was a hospital and she didn't feel safe enough to close her eyes in such a public place. She attempted to suppress a yawn to no avail. She brought her left hand up to rub her eyes. When she lowered it again, she saw Elliot staring back at her.

"Tired?" he asked with a smile.

All thoughts of exhaustion left her mind as fresh tears coursed down her cheeks "Hi," she whispered. It wasn't much but it was all she could think of to say.

"Hi," he reached his right hand up and brushed away her tears "Those had better be happy tears," he flashed her a small and fatigued smile.

"Relieved tears," she answered with a sniffle.

"Thanks," Elliot murmured seemingly without reason.

"For what?" Olivia asked. If anything, she should be thanking him.

"For being here," he answered.

"Anytime partner," she smiled meekly at him.

The anesthesia was messing with Elliot's inhibitions at the moment and he suddenly broke out into song. He sang in a soft voice; a song that he used to sing to Kathleen when she was a baby "When the night has come, and the land is dark. And the moon is the only light we will see."

Olivia recognized the song and smiling she picked up the tune "No, I won't be afraid, oh, I won't be afraid. Just as long as you stand, stand by me."

Elliot joined her for the chorus and together they sang "So darlin', darlin' stand by me. Oh stand by me. Oh stand, stand by me, stand by me."

Elliot closed his eyes again and yawned. Olivia began the second verse as he began to nod off "If the sky that we look upon should tumble and fall. Or the mountain should crumble to the sea," Olivia sniffled slightly as she tightened her grip on Elliot's hand and sang the next part "I won't cry, I won't cry, no, I won't shed a tear. Just as long as you stand," she sniffled again and laid her head down by his hand "Stand by me."

"And darlin'," Elliot picked up where Olivia had left off, stroking her cheek with his thumb "Darlin' stand by me. Oh stand by me. Whoa stand now," his voice became lower in volume and softer in tone "Stand by me, stand by me," he looked down to see that Olivia's eyes were closed and her breathing had evened out. He smiled and kept watch while his partner slept "I'll stand by you," he told her in a whisper.