Disclaimer: Don't own the show, don't own the characters, don't own the songs

Chapter 5

The woman was a sadist, he finally decided two weeks later. She enjoyed tormenting him in a way no one else had. Every day that he didn't hear from her after her worrisome last letter, was a day of torture for him. She had to know that her last letter scared the shit out of him, didn't she? How can you send someone something like that and not immediately follow up with a "sorry to worry you, but I'm OK" letter? He was scared shitless about her, and he knew he wasn't alone. Every day he showed up to work with no news for Munch and Fin, they got more and more worried as well. The temptation to go to Huang, despite their agreement, was getting stronger by the day.

It didn't help that they needed her back now, and not just for their peace of mind. Unless they can get Olivia on the stand to testify within two more days, a rapist will walk free. The entire unit was slowly going mad over the inability to contact Olivia, and the fact that the three of them knew that Olivia had been in contact with Elliot was wearing on their consciences. Dani was starting to get, well, bitchy, about the entire ordeal as well, claiming that if Olivia cared about the victims as much as everyone said she did, then she would be there. The fact that she was working undercover for the FBI seemed to be lost on her, apparently. Elliot figured it had something to do with him spurning her numerous advances. Oh well, he figured, it wasn't his fault that his heart was somewhere in Oregon, working to get back to him.

Speaking of Oregon, the entire unit had been briefly distracted by a news report out of there. Apparently an FBI bust (he mentally cursed them, as he does now when those three damn letters are strung together) uncovered a girl that had been held captive for years by a pedophile, who she subsequently killed. He found himself scanning the crowd of officers surrounding the pompous agent, knowing that if there was such a blatant sex crime out there, Olivia Benson would be drawn to it. Sadly, there was not a recognizable face in the crowd.

Locking the door behind him, he eagerly looked through the stack of letters that he found waiting for him. His eyes widened, and he dropped everything but the simple white envelope he now stared at almost reverently. He didn't even get the envelope open before he once again felt the tears gathering in his eyes. He had to blink a few times before he could read the precious words before him.

El-

Listen as the wind blows from across the great divide
voices trapped in yearning, memories trapped in time
the night is my companion, and solitude my guide
would I spend forever here and not be satisfied?

Through this world I've stumbled
so many times betrayed
trying to find an honest word to find
the truth enslaved
oh you speak to me in riddles
and you speak to me in rhymes
my body aches to breathe your breath
your words keep me alive

Into this night I wander
it's morning that I dread
another day of knowing of
the path I fear to tread
oh into the sea of waking dreams
I follow without pride
Cause nothing stands between us here
and I won't be denied

And I would be the one
to hold you down
kiss you so hard
I'll take your breath away
and after, I'd wipe away the tears
just close your eyes...

I'm sorry if I scared you before.

I mean every word, I hope you feel the same. We'll find out soon, I'm coming home.

He couldn't breathe. Elliot Stabler forgot how to breathe. He knew that if he could remember how to breathe, he could better comprehend the words on the paper in front of him. His lack of breathing wasn't affecting his body's reaction to what he read. He didn't think it was possible to react this intensely and as fast as he did to simply reading a letter. But as usual, Olivia Benson has to go and prove him wrong again. There was certainly no misinterpreting the meaning behind those words. Olivia just laid it all on the line and told him she wanted him, and damn if he didn't want her more right now than he's ever wanted a woman in his life. She better get back here quickly, or he was liable to go insane, and there wasn't a soul on the planet that would blame him. He'd only need one piece of evidence, and it would be that letter, and any and all wrong doings he did in his madness would be completely excused.

It was these thoughts that brought his focus to the end of the letter, her personal addition, and he had to force himself to re-read it several times. She realized how scared he was by the content of her last letter, which means it was more venting than a call for help, which put his mind at ease once and for all. Then he read the three words he's been waiting for since this whole damn ordeal began. She's coming home. When? How long does it take for a letter to reach New York from Oregon? He didn't know. How has he never stopped to consider this during the last few weeks? Could she be in the City now? Will she call when she lands? Will she have to spend hours in debrief? Does she know about the trial? All these thoughts and more raced through his head so fast he had to get up and pour a large helping of scotch, the only thing that would calm his raging thoughts. He knew he wasn't going to sleep tonight, but he wasn't going to have ten thousand thoughts flying through his head like a tornado. The scotch would slow them down to a more tolerable speed.

The next morning, Munch and Fin took one look at the dark circles that once again resided below his eyes, and automatically assumed the worst. He could tell by the way they both jumped out of their desks simultaneously, and raced over to him, not caring who saw. He could see Cragen and Dani staring at them curiously, and it was Munch who threw the half assed excuse of needing his opinion on something over his shoulder. He was pretty sure they didn't believe a damn word he said, but that didn't matter to him. Finding out if Olivia was OK was first and foremost on his mind.

They had barely gotten the doors closed to the observation room of Interrogation 1, when they both turned on him demanding answers. The smile that spread across his face, was answer enough, but they still wanted specifics.

"I got another letter," he said unnecessarily. "She apologized if she scared me with the last one. No, you're not reading it. And get this, she said she's coming home."

As usual, Munch recovered himself first, "She's coming home? Seriously? When?"

Fin broke in before Elliot could answer, "You sure she's OK man? Was there anything that was like the last one?"

Elliot tried to be as reassuring as he could, "Yeah, she said specifically, I'm coming home, but she didn't say when. For all I know, she's on a plane right now. All I know is, she wouldn't lie about coming back, so we'll know more soon."

They all smiled and quietly reveled in the fact that the missing member of their family would soon be back. As they turned to leave, Elliot turned to his two friends and very solemnly spoke, "Guys, really, thank you so much for helping me with this. Without you guys, I think I would have gone crazy dealing with this all alone. Knowing that you two were there to talk to about this, it helped keep me sane through all this. Especially after that last letter, I might have just lost it if I had to deal with that by myself."

No words needed to be said between the three long time friends. The pats on the back Elliot received from the other two men was all the reassurance that he needed, as well as their thanks for keeping them informed, when it was obviously a private matter between him and Olivia. The knowledge that she was out there and talking to one of them had kept them from losing their minds with worry over the woman they had all come to love in different ways.

As they were leaving the room, Elliot received a text message from Casey that simply said: "Get your ass to the court room. Now!" He froze in place because he instinctively knew, she was there. Olivia was home. When Munch and Fin turned to see what was wrong, he spoke up, "She's at the court house!"

Their cries of disbelief barely registered with his brain, he was so focused on getting out of there. He did have the presence of mind to offer his friends an explanation. "Casey just texted me, telling me to get my ass to the court house immediately. My testimony is done, and we've got one more day for Liv to get here before we're screwed. The only thing that's left is that Liv is in that court house. I hate to do this, but I gotta get out of here, do you think you can handle the questions that I'm sure are gonna follow me?"

When both friends reassured him that they'd be more than happy to take the heat for him, as long as he brought her back with him, Elliot turned and sprinted out of the station house, ignoring the questions his partner and his captain were screaming at his back, knowing that Munch and Fin had it covered.

And so we have Chapter 5! And, as requested (though it was already planned), the triumphant return of Olivia Benson! Though she hasn't shown her face yet, though that's next chapter. And next chapter is a doozy! Reviews do a body good, since my fingers seem to move faster after reading them ;)

Song for this chapter is Possession by Sarah McLachlan