EPILOGUE
Wow guys thanks so much for all the wonderful feedback. It means a lot really. This chapter is to the song Temporary Home by Carrie Underwood. Sadly I could not find this one on so you may have to click off screen and replay it on a computer of just put it on repeat on your phone. Aside from that little mishap hope you still enjoy. I recommend listening to the song while you read using this link ' watch?v=ItoX1aEJsww&feature=player_embedded'. My apologies if the updates are few and far between but comment will surely help!
With love- E.J.A
CHAPTER THREE PART ONE; RAIN IS FALLIN
OLIVIA'S POV
SVU precinct
August 20th, 2015
7:00 pm
I walked out into the brutal New York summer. I loved this kind of weather although winter was my favorite. Sun rays danced through the sky till they softly landed on the already heated ground. I walked to my car and felt the waves of heat incase my body. I sat down on the bitterly hot leather seats and crammed my key into the ignition. I may love the weather but the heat always got to me after a minute. The bright lights in the car lit for a second and then went back out. I tried again but the car kept stalling.
"Come on." I groaned letting my head fall and rest on the steering wheel. I opened the door and stepped back into the heat. Looks like I'm walking. I started on my seven block climb back home when I noticed the aroma of coffee wafting through the air. I followed the smell till I was opening the door to Coffee Palace. I never noticed it was on my walk home.
"Ahh Olivia. How are you this fine day Mrs. Benson?" David yelled as he came from behind the bar and pulled me in for a hug. The people in the cafe looked up for a brief second at me then returned to their phones and books.
"Hello Mr. Stabler I'm fine." I blurted out not knowing what to call him.
"Oh no no no Olivia you call me David." he said smiling.
"Okay." I said sitting down at the coffee bar as he returned to his post behind the counter. I looked up at him and for a second saw the same light in David's eyes that I always couldn't help but Find in Elliot's.
"What can I help you with, this isn't about Elliot is it?" he asked in a concerned sort of way.
"Oh no not at all my car just won't start and I had a rough case today and coffee will just clear my head." I explained.
"Coffee will work wonders." he explained. David looked at me with soft eyes.
"Your job is so hard." he said putting his hand on top mine and placing my coffee next to my hand.
"I know I know but I could never quit." I said picking up my coffee and fixing my jacket. I left the shop with a Final hug and fair well bid from David and restarted my walk home. The rain had picked up and landed gingerly on my buttery leather jacket. I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. It was from Elliot.
"Hey I'm getting Chinese, want some?" it read. I typed rapidly
"When do I not?! I'll be home in ten". I started to jog.
"What is a fine lady like you doing out in this weather at this time of day?" a man said pulling up next to the side walk and driving at my jogging speed.
"Not talking to strangers." I replied not making eye contact.
"Look I can give you a lift home?" he offered keeping pace.
"Okay sir". I said stopping as he did the same "NYPD." I flashed my badge "keep moving and if I see you so much as talk to another woman ever again I'm taking you in."
He looked shocked for a moment and then pulled off and didn't stop till he was out of sight. I continued my jog till I reached my stoop. I climbed the steps and finally reached my apartment. I opened the door and the lights were on and I could hear the low mumbling of the TV in the living room. I walked in and the TV was on low and a blanket was thrown across my couch. Must have left it that way with my rush this morning. I plopped on the couch and texted Elliot to see how far he was. I heard a phone buzz. It was in my kitchen. I placed my hand on my gun and slowly made my way there. I rounded the corner and pointed.
"Hey wait whoa slow down Liv I was just putting some beef and broccoli on a plate for you." he said while flinching.
"Oh God El didn't know you were home already." I said putting my gun back in my belt and relaxing my chest. I felt my heart rate slowly fall.
"Home? Of course" he said brushing past me and making his way to my couch. I grabbed my plate and made my way back to the living room. El was cozy on the end of the couch I always sat on but I didn't complain.
ELLIOT'S POV
Olivia's house
August 20th, 2015
8:09 pm
She sat down at the edge of the couch still looking a bit flustered that she didn't know I was here.
"Sorry I should have said hey when I heard the door open." I said shoving a fork full of lo main in my mouth.
"Really Elliot its okay." she said picking up the remote and turning off the TV. She turned to me and locked eyes.
"Remember that time I told you I tried for adoption and they declined me?" she asked softly. I sat up. Was she pregnant?
"Yeah I do what about it?" I asked. I knew she could tell that worry was thick in my voice when she put her hand on mine.
"Don't worry El I'm not pregnant or anything." she said. I let out a sigh of relief. Then what was it?
"Well then what is it?" I asked still confused.
"Well I'm trying again." she said as her eyes lit up with excitement.
"That's great Liv, when will you find out if you were accepted or declined?" I asked. She looked down at the table at a letter.
"Well the letters right there but I don't want to open it." she said slowly.
"How long have you had it?" I asked reaching for it. I knew she wanted me to open it for her but I felt the same way she did. I had this ping of hope in the pit of my stomach that she would have a kid. I mean she's great with them. She deserved one above all people I knew.
"It's been about a month." she finally replied. I pulled it open. It felt like I was having another kid and we were just finding out the sex. Slowly I unfolded the letter looking at Olivia who had her thumbnail between her teeth. I read carefully. Absorbing every word. I looked up solemnly after a minute.
"Olivia I'm so sorry." I said. Tears formed on the waterline of her eyes and she collapsed into the couch. I set the letter back down on the coffee table and pulled her into me. My shirt would be soaking wet and black from Olivia's makeup but I honestly could care less.
"Elliot don't leave." she sobbed in my shoulder.
"How could I ever leave you Livy?" I said slowly rocking back and forth. And that's how we stayed. Just rocking back and forth on her couch with Chinese food surrounding us in darkness. The lights from the city cast our shadow on the wall behind us. Steady rain picked up against the sliding door.
"Liv you can't know sunshine without a little rain." I said resting my lips on the top of her head. I felt the jump of her chest as she cried silently but hysterically. Eventually it calmed down to a steady rhythm and I laid back and stretched out across the couch with Liv on top of me. Her head nuzzled into my chest and her legs between mine.
OLIVIA'S POV
SVU precinct
August 21st, 2015
7:00 am
I walked up to the NYPD building with Elliot and a coffee in my hand. I'd been doing that a lot lately. I had woken up on top of Elliot and that had been awkward but he didn't seem to mind much.
"Let's go up to the lounge and finish our coffee before work." Elliot said opening the door for me. We climbed the steps to the lounge to sit and sip like usual but before we could even sit down Cragen stuck his head out his door and yelled our names.
"Liv Elliot my office. Now." he said. We both gave each other odd looks and walked in.
"Liv there's a little girl on the phone. I think you should talk to her." Cragen said handing me his phone.
"Hello this is detective Olivia Benson special victims." I said as Cragen motioned for Elliot and him to leave. At first it was silent but then I heard a meek voice.
"O-Olivia?" they said.
"Yes this is Olivia. Can I help you?" I asked.
"Well my mommy gave me this number to call in case I ever needed help." she said quietly "she told me to ask for my aunt Olivia.". Aunt Olivia? I couldn't worry about that now I had to find her.
"Sweet heart can you tell me your name?" I asked her.
"It's Grace." she said.
"Grace what?" I asked frantically.
"I don't know. Olivia I'm scared." she said as he voice wavered.
"Okay okay just stay on the phone with me Grace. Who's your mommy?" I asked. There wasn't a response. I set down the phone for a second and went to the door.
"El." I yelled "tap the line and trace the phone." I said slamming the door and running to the phone.
"Olivia?" I heard her ask.
"Yes Grace I'm here. Grace I need you to tell me your mommies name?" I asked.
"My mommies name is Sunshine she said you'd know her." Grace said. Sunshine. That was Gladys' street name.
"Okay Grace I'm going to give you a number and I want you to call it, it's my cellphone number okay, its 467-555-7450." I said.
"Okay I'll call it." she said.
"Okay I'm hanging up now." I said. I pulled the phone away from my ear and put it down. My hands were sweaty and clammy. I sat in silent suspense for a moment. I felt everything happening. Saw every detail. My cell phone rung. I shakily grabbed it.
"Hello Grace its Olivia." I said. "Olivia they have me running. I can't see it's so dark." she sobbed.
I walked into the meeting room. I pulled the phone away from my ear.
"El its Gladys' daughter." I said. He looked shocked. I put the phone back to my ear. "Grace what are you running from?" I asked.
"The men, the ones that took my mommy, they told me not to yell and I did and they told me it was time to play tag and that I had a five minute head start and I'm hiding in an alley." she said frantically.
"Okay Grace I need you to do something for me okay, I need you to look at the street you're on, this is important." I said.
"Okay it's um it looks like East Seventeenth Street." she said rapidly. I heard her breathing heavily.
"Okay Grace stay on the phone with me. I'm coming." I said grabbing my jacket.
"Please hurry." she said breathlessly.
"I am Grace I am just stay with me" I said as I found out the door with Elliot at my heels. I slammed the door and pulled off hardly giving El enough time to get in the car. The sound of tires peeling out on pavement boomed through the air around us. Every turn was in slow motion. Finally I saw the intersection about twenty feet ahead. Suddenly the sound of distant sirens were heard behind us. Finn must have called for backup. I snapped out of listening to the sirens just in time to watch us pass the street. I slammed on the breaks and spun the wheel as hard as I could as we did a half doughnut and people swerved around us.
"Liv!" I heard Elliot yell as I gunned it to Seventeenth Street. I made the hard right turn and the back end of the car swung around. Elliot reached for the handle above the door to steady himself. That's when I saw her. An innocent little girl ran out of an alley. Her frayed jeans long enough for her to trip over them as she stumbled. I pulled up a little farther in front of her and launched out of the car as Elliot did the same. I ran in front of her and scooped her into my arms.
"Grace!" I said as she cried hysterically "it's okay."
"Olivia I can't breathe. Their coming for me and now they'll get you!" she said. Her petite body frame crumbled against me as she collapsed into my chest.
"I won't let them touch you." I whispered in her ear as I rocked her back and forth. I picked her up and walked to the passenger's seat of the squad car. She couldn't weigh more than thirty pounds and I could feel her heart beat thump against my stomach through her thin rib cage. Her tiny finger's clutched onto on of mine. Everything about her was small. Her thick wavy brown hair cascaded around her face and onto me. She shook in my arms. That's when he back window shattered.
ELLIOT'S POV
August 21st, 2015
Seventeenth Street
7:46 am
I watched Olivia scoop Grace up and run to the car. I turned around, blood boiling, and saw two men whip around the turn and gunning off. Right into the line of cops. Not so smart. I aimed my gun to shoot there tires and that's when it hit me. Heat enveloped my side and I felt my body slowly hit the ground. Agonizing pain waved over my body every second, every breath, and every excruciating movement. Spasms of shaking blanked my body. Then I heard her. Olivia's voice poured out in a shrill scream of my name. It pierced the air, and for a second, just knowing she was there relieved my pain.
"Officer down. My partners been shot. I need an ambulance on East Seventeenth Street!" she said into her radio as she ran over to me. I heard her knees hit the pavement next to me.
"Please hurry!" she whispered to herself. She hovered over my then grabbed my hand.
"God Damn it Elliot Stabler you don't give up on me now. Don't you do it." she said to me in panic.
"Liv I-I could never." I said stopping to take a break to be able to breath "never give up on you." I said as I squeezed her hand. But I felt my eyes weighing down. I felt myself slipping.
"No no no Elliot don't do this!" she said as she ripped off her jacket. I felt her press it to my side to slow the bleeding.
"Liv don't ruin your jacket." I said staggered.
"Elliot you've got to be kidding me." she said sobbing.
"It can't end like this!" she yelled. She breathlessly cried.
"Oli-." I tried to choke out.
"Elliot stop talking please!" she said trying to think about what to do next. How to save my life. I painfully picked up my hand and touched my middle and ring finger to the bottom of my palm making the 'I love you' sign. She looked up and I let my hand fall.
"I love you too." she said smiling as her tears fell off her face and onto mine. I caved in and let my eyes fall shut as I heard the ambulances approach.
"Elliot? Elliot no!" I heard Liv yell. Her hand stayed tightly gripped around mine as the EMT's came.
OLIVIA'S POV
August 21st, 2015
Seventeenth Street
7:46 am
The glass shattered and landed on Grace and me like rain on the pavement. Had Elliot shot the perps? I sat Grace on the driver's side which was surprisingly glass free. I snatched the keys and placed my hand on my gun in case the other one was on the run. I got out of the car and spun around to see Elliot. Laid limp and helpless in the middle of the road.
"Elliot!" I screamed as I began to run at my fallen partner.
"Officer down. My partners been shot. I need an ambulance on East Seventeenth Street!" I screamed into my radio as I ran what felt like a mile but was really only what looked like ten feet. Once I reached him I dropped to my knees, hitting them on the pavement that brought up a familiar sting of the wintery spring we were having. The air was dry and seemed to choke me as the wind tore like rapids in every direction around us.
"Please hurry!" I whispered to myself half hoping that the EMT's would somehow hear me, as if my voice could be carried by the wind to them. I didn't want to touch him because it may hurt him but I had to hold his hand. He winced as my touch but clenched onto my hand.
"God Damn it Elliot Stabler you don't give up on me now. Don't you do it!" I said pushing him to hold his eyes open just a little longer.
"Liv I-I could never." he said in a hoarse voice, pausing briefly for breath, then continued "never give up on you.". As he said it he squeezed my hand and his eyes struggled to flutter open. Blood slowly trickled out his mouth. Then his eyes shut again. My heart beat raised to a million times faster and tears streamed from my face, soaking Elliot shirt, and I knew I looked a mess but honestly who the hell cared anymore. I had to do something while the ambulances came.
"No no no Elliot don't do this!" I said ripping off my jacket. I pressed it to his side and he folded up in pain.
"Oli-." he tried to choke out which only made the blood stream out of his mouth more.
"Elliot stop talking please." I said in panic. Trying to think. I looked up and his hand was raised up and he was making the 'I love you' sign. My heart just melted. His eyes were open again.
"I love you too Elliot." I said crying and leaning in to kiss his forehead. It can't end like this. I heard the sirens and looked up. I looked back down and Elliot's eyes we're again shut.
"Elliot? Elliot no!" I said gripping his hand harder. The EMT's came over.
"I'm riding in the ambulance with him." I said persistently. No one seemed to protest and loaded him in.
ELLIOT'S POV
August 21st, 2015
The ambulance
7:55 am
I couldn't answer her, as hard as I tried. I felt and heard her. Only I saw nothing. There was no 'flash of my life before my eyes' or out of body experience. Only darkness and echoes of every vivid sound. But mainly I heard Olivia and that's what I focused on. I heard faint beeps and shouts of orders and status updates. My vision got spotty like I shut my eyes and looked up at the sun and then I could open them.
"He opened his eyes!" Olivia shouted as I opened them. I felt finger's firmly on my wrist.
"His pulse is stronger!" yelled an EMT.
"Were only two minutes out!" the driver shouted.
"Detective what's his blood type?" an EMT asked Olivia.
"A positive!" she shouted.
"Tell them to have A positive ready on site." the EMT yelled to the radio dispatch.
"Hang in there El." Olivia said to me. I was pushing. The darkness was so empty and vast, and going back there would mean I wasn't with Olivia. We rounded a turn and the familiar glow of the red EMERGENCY lights on the side of the building peaked through the window. The gently, but swiftly, unloaded me and wheeled me in. Olivia's hand hadn't left mine yet.
OLIVIA'S POV
August 21st, 2015
Mercy Hospital
8:07 am
"Detective we have to take him in to emergency surgery. I'm sorry but you have to wait in the waiting room." the doctor said as they wheeled him back. Those simple words shattered my whole world.
"O-okay." I sputtered out as I finally let go of his hand. Mine was cold, clammy, and empty. I stood in the hall to collect myself. I must have been standing there a while because a janitor asked me if I knew where the waiting room was or if I needed directions.
"Um no thank you." I said turning to find an empty seat. I pulled out my phone. Thirty six misses calls. Damn it. I called back Cragen first.
"Olivia." he said when he answered in a relived but tense voice. My end stayed silent. "Olivia what hospital are you at?" Cragen asked.
"I'm um." I paused "were at Mercy." I said taking deep breaths to contain myself.
"Olivia, he's strong. Remember that. We'll be there in a second." Cragen said dropping the line.
CAPTAIN CRAGEN'S POV
August 21st, 2015
SVU precinct
8:09 am
"Was that Olivia Cap?" Fin asked.
"Yeah. There at Mercy." I said to the worried SVU family.
"How's Elliot?" Munch asked.
"Let's go find out." I said grabbing my keys and leading the pack out the door.
OLIVIA'S POV
August 21st, 2015
Mercy Hospital
8:20 am
The family had all filed into the waiting room and we sat in silence. Alex had walked in and without saying a word gripped my hand and stole the seat next to me. A doctor walked out.
"Mrs. Benson?" she asked. I stood up and walked towards her. Fear building up with every step I took.
"Yes." I said meekly.
"Your partner will be fine. Lucky he had you on that ambulance with him and you knew his blood type. If we hadn't had it ready on cite he may have bled out." she said with a smile. I ocean of relief dumped on me.
"When can we see him?" Cragen asked eagerly.
"Well he's still in ICU but one of you can go up and stay the night with him in case he wakes up." she said solemnly. All eyes automatically fell on me.
"Cragen really you can-." I started but Cragen was already cutting me off.
"No Olivia go now, he needs you." he said placing his hand on my shoulder.
"Okay." I said. I turned to the doctor with a bright face.
"Follow me." she said opening the door. The air felt sterile against the Goosebumps on my arms. We rounded several turns before finally reaching his room. She walked in but I stayed cemented to the floor, looking out at a shell of Elliot.
"You can come in Mrs. Benson." the doctor encouragingly said. "I-I know." I said taking small steps into the room.
TO BE CONTINUED…