A/N: Not as abuse triggering as past chapters but this one may still be upsetting. Proceed with caution.

Everything seemed to happen in a blur as the sirens became deafening and Lester's body was pulled off of her.

"Liv...Liv….Olivia, can you hear me?" A hand reaches for her and she flinches with a whimper.

"Olivia it's Brian and Monique….it's just us honey. You're safe now. We're gonna get you to the hospital. It's all over. No one can hurt you anymore." Recognition swept across her features as she looked at her fellow detectives kneeling next to her, but all she could get out of her mouth was

"E-Elliot?" The partners exchanged a look of deep concern as if they had news they weren't sure how to tell Olivia. Her responding tortured cry made them both want to slap themselves for their 'too long' silence that caused her to fear the worst about the love of her life.

"NOOOOO! No, he's-you have to save him, please! He's not gone! He can't be...Elliot! Elliot!" She ran towards the paramedics rushing to get her partner on the stretcher.

"Ma'am, ma'am we're gonna need you to step back."

"You don't understand." She sobbed. "He's my-" best friend, partner, boyfriend, other half, soulmate, one and only. "He's my partner." She figured that 'partner' was a sufficient word to describe all that he was to her. He was her partner in so many ways. "I need to go with him! You have to save him! Please!"

"Liv we need to get you to the hospital too, Elliot would want you to get checked out.." She noticed her captain had come up behind her.

"Don...I can't lose him."

"I know sweetheart, I know." He had always thought of her as a daughter and seeing her agony over the man he considered a son broke his heart. He turned to the medics. "Let her ride with him." As the stretcher is loaded in with Elliot and Olivia gets in the back Cragen pulls one of the medics to the side.

"Is he gonna make it?"

"We're going to do everything we possibly can."

"He's got 4 kids and a partner who need him...I don't think I need to tell you how devastating losing him would be." He replied solemnly looking at Olivia, who was next to the stretcher, holding Elliot's hand and crying. He could see her lean over and kiss his forehead as an oxygen mask and heart monitor were placed on him. "For all of us."

"We're losing him!" Might be the most terrifying words Olivia had ever heard. "He needs blood stat or he might not make it to the ER." The beeps of the heart monitor were tainting her as his vitals dropped. She tried to contain her sobs as she spoke up over the chaos.

"We're both A positive! Let me save him please!"

"Are you sure?" She could've killed them. Why were they questioning her instead of saving Elliot?

"Yes! We're partners in the same unit, I've spent nearly every day with him in the last year and a half I think I know what his freaking blood type is!"

"Ma'am please relax-"

"RELAX!? You try 'relaxing' when someone who means everything to you is dying on a stretcher and see how YOU feel!"

"Hook her up!" Another medic shouted. "He doesn't have much time left." She sobbed loudly.

They lost his heartbeat before they could hook Olivia up to his IV to transfer her blood and her own heart shattered. "NOOOOOO NO NO NO NO NO!" They started CPR and she had to look away.

"We've got a faint pulse!" She could have passed out from relief.

"Oh thank god." She took his hand and could see color slowly returning to his body as her own blood was pumped into his veins to make up for the blood loss he'd suffered. She kissed his hand and held it to her cheek, beyond thankful for its warmth as a sign of life.

"Unbelievable." She glanced up at the medic's voice as Elliot's pulse and other vitals seemed to pick back up the minute she grabbed his hand and they started transferring her blood. She never thought she'd be so glad to hear him cough as the ambulance arrived at the entrance of the ER. She was his lifeline.

"El...El baby stay with me. We're at the hospital and we're gonna get you patched up. You'll be alright sweetheart. You're gonna be alright." She heard him mumble through the mask and more tears poured from her eyes. She hadn't realized how much she missed his voice until she thought she'd never hear it again. The thumb of the hand she held to her cheek caressed her face softly, wiping away her tears and although his eyes were half closed he gave her a lazy smile, 'I love you' was what he had tried to say. She knew just by looking at him. "I love you too El...so much." She kissed his hand as they entered the ER.

"Ma'am I'm sorry but you can't go into the OR-"

"He needs me!" She didn't let go of his hand. She couldn't. He lifted a shaky hand to his oxygen mask, trying to remove it. She kneeled down and lifted it just enough that he could speak to her.

"I'll be ok baby. I promise." His voice was raspy and quiet but the same soothing tone she loved. She leaned her forehead against his and he kissed her softly. "I love you." He said, wanting to be sure she heard him. Her tears fell on his face.

"I love you too El. More than anything." He tugged at her hand as the doctors started to roll the stretcher away.

"What honey?"

"T-take care of yourself-"

"That's your job." She smiled tearfully.

"If some-something happens to me if I don't make it. Promise me Liv. Promise me you'll take care of yourself and you'll find happiness. You deserve the world. Promise me."

"Don't say that. You're gonna make it. You can't leave me." She cried.

"Baby, please. J-just promise me. I need to know you'll be ok." She swallowed a sob.

"I promise El. I'll try." But she knew she could never be ok without him.

"I love you." There was a finality to the words. As if he was trying to say it as many times as he could to make sure those were the last words she heard from him if he died. He never wanted her to doubt that he had loved and cared for her unconditionally. She couldn't respond without sobbing and the minute he was wheeled into the OR she collapsed on the floor in sobs. Inconsolable.

X

She figured she must have passed out at some point, the grief enveloping her into exhaustion. She didn't know how much time had passed but it felt like days. As far as she knew Elliot was still alive but she missed him so much and felt empty inside. Her Captain and fellow detectives were sitting with her now in a waiting room. No one said anything. The air to sorrowful for words.

"I keep thinking." Olivia's voice was small and shaky. "That I'm gonna wake up and he's gonna be holding me, consoling me and telling me I was having a nightmare and that it would be ok. It was just a bad dream. And then I look around and I realize that he can't hold me because this isn't a nightmare and he might never hold me again or tell me to blink my lights when I get inside or tell me he loves me or solve cases with me and take down perps in the interrogation room. I keep wishing so badly that this was a nightmare and that he was taking me in his arms and kissing away my tears and it sounds so cheesy and ridiculous but I already miss him. I miss him so much."

"He's a fighter Liv. He's gonna make it." John Munch stated firmly.

"But what if he doesn't? He's all I have."

"I think you're underestimating how much that man loves you. A couple of bullet holes aren't enough for Stabler to leave you."

"And I know none of us could ever take his place, but you have us too, we're a family Liv." The sincere words coming from Brian Cassidy's mouth shocked but warmed the group.

"He wouldn't be in this situation if it weren't for me. How is this right? That I only have a few bruises and he's fighting for his life?"

"He was doing what he does best: protecting you."

"I know he was."

"If it's any consolation...Lester Sproles is dead. For real this time."

"I can still feel him on me. I can still feel his hands in my hair and...everywhere." She shuddered. "I can still taste him and hear his voice and feel his breath on my neck." She sobbed "Every time I close my eyes I see him doing things that either happened or that he would've done to me. He's still haunting me. Dead or alive. He killed my friend that I tried to save 10 years ago, he killed my mother, and now Elliot's-"

"Going to make a full recovery." The group looked up at the doctor's voice.

"You better not be messing with me because I really can't take-"

"We successfully removed both bullets. The one in his shoulder wasn't anywhere that will create lasting damage except a scar. The one in his side narrowly missed his kidney and was touch and go but we managed. He's a miracle. Aside from needing some pain medication and temporary desk duty your husband will be just fine Mrs. Stabler. Your blood donation saved his life." She didn't even bother to correct him when he said 'husband' and 'Mrs. Stabler'.

"Is he awake? Can I see him?"

"The anesthesia hasn't completely worn off yet but yes. 2 visitors at a time though." Cragen helped her to her feet and looped his arm with hers for support as they walked down the hall to the recovery room. He stood outside, allowing her to enter first. She couldn't hold back the sob when she stepped into Elliot's room. His left shoulder and side were wrapped in bandages. There were monitors on his chest to keep track of his heartbeat and he had a tube down his throat that had helped him breathe during surgery. She had done this to him. She had broken the man she loved.

"Go on and sit with him, honey." A nurse reassured her gently. She walked slowly, sitting in the chair beside his bed. He looked so fragile and she was hesitant to take his hand, worried she would hurt him. Tears pulled in her eyes when she saw his hand move slightly, his fingers inching toward her own.

"Talk to him." She places her hand on his.

"Can he hear me?" As if responding to her question himself, his hand grasps hers and squeezes gently. She laughs tearfully and smiles.

"I think that answers your question." The nurse smiles. "I'll give you two some time."

"Hey, El. I'm so glad you're ok. I don't know what I would've done if-" she sniffles, unable to finish the sentence. "This is hard. I should be the one in that bed, not you. But, thanks to you and your stubborn protectiveness…I hope that didn't sound like I was blaming you, baby. You saved me El. Just like I knew you would." Her voice cracks and she feels his thumb stroking the back of her hand as reassuring her and comforting her. Telling her everything would be ok now. "It's silly because you're laying right in front of me, but I miss you El. I miss your voice, your words, I miss being in your arms...everything. You've turned me into a cheesy lovesick school girl Stabler." She teased and could see the beginning of a smirk on his face. "I miss your smile. Your eyes. I'll stop rambling now I just-I know you need to rest but there's a selfish part of me that wants you to wake up. I'll be right here when you do. You've never left me and I'm giving you that same promise." She leaned down to kiss his forehead sweetly and his hand reached up to gently pull her head down to rest on his shoulder. Her heart warmed. He was asleep and recovering from surgery yet somehow knew she was next to him and wanted to comfort her. "You trying to put me to sleep?" She could feel a slight chuckle rumble through his chest and she tucked her face into his neck, inhaling his scent that she wasn't sure she'd ever smell again. "Always taking care of me aren't you? Ok...well as long as you're with me I think I can." She placed a small kiss on his uninjured shoulder where her head was resting. "I love you, Elliot." He squeezed her shoulder gently as if to say 'I love you too'.

A/N: he's gonna pull through! I know this chapter is shorter than some of the others but I liked ending it on this happier note. Just to put everyone's mind at ease...he will wake up next chapter and his kids will visit him too :)

I think either next chapter or the one after will be the last one and then an epilogue 10 years into the future. Thanks to all who have read/followed!