Darned Doc manager... was anyone else having problems with it? Ughh... Anyway, for the past 20 something hours, I've been watching that ep Wildlife over and over again. And my faith has been restored in the fact that Eli is NOT Elliot's son! There's just no way, and I think the boiling point for all of that is coming very, very soon. And until then, I will continue to write posteps for it, Fault, and all the other wonderful EO eps. Because let's face it, there's always something new to be done there. Anyway, enough of my rambling. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Not mine!

EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEO

It was midnight, two days after he had been admitted to the hospital, and Elliot was alone and staring at the ceiling of the hospital room.

Since he had been woken up for the first time, everyone he knew and was important to him had stopped by to see him at some point.

All except one.

Not once had he seen Olivia, and it really hurt him. If anyone was going to be there, it would be her. She would be there for him.

Then again, he had no right to expect her to be there. He wasn't her husband, though there were times that, if he was completely honest with himself, he wished he was. Ever since Kathy left him, he had been seeing Olivia in a new light. He had his responsibilities to Kathy, he knew that. But now that he was about to be divorced, he could think about himself for the first time in his life, and what he wanted.

But all he wanted was her.

He turned restlessly in his bed and closed his eyes, finally dozing off. Maybe when he opened his eyes again, she'd be there.

An hour later, Olivia quietly eased the door open and poked her dark head inside. Elliot was sleeping peacefully in his bed, and she let out a relieved breath, closing the door behind herself. For the last two nights, she had come in here when he was asleep and no one else was around. That way she wouldn't run into Kathy, or the recriminating eyes of anyone else. As it was, she didn't even believe that she deserved to be in there. She had shot him, and she was the reason why he was in there in the first place.

A tremor went through her spine as she slowly approached his sleeping form. There was gauze taped over the side of his head where her bullet had grazed him, and she closed her eyes. She didn't deserve to be here, but she couldn't stay away. She needed him too badly.

He was curled up on his side, and with great care she sat down in the chair by his bed. Then she leaned back and sighed heavily, watching him sleep. This had become a bit of a routine, and not for the first time she was grateful for her badge. When she showed it to the night nurses, they always let her right in, even though it was well after visiting hours and not even immediate family would be allowed in. Even though after his children, she was considered his immediate family, and the same was for her. Except ever since her mom died, he really had become her entire family. She sighed heavily at the depressing thought.

Elliot shifted restlessly in the bed, and without thinking about it, she reached out and gently rubbed his arm. "Shh, El..." she murmured, hoping to settle him.

He mumbled something incoherent, then said something that made her heart stop. "Don' go, Liv..."

His eyes didn't open, which told Olivia that he was still asleep. He was sleeping, and she couldn't believe that despite that fact, he still knew that she was there. She continued to rub his arm as she leaned closer to him. "I'm not going anywhere, El," she soothed. "Just sleep." Get better.

Slowly he settled down and relaxed, drifting into a deeper sleep.

Moving her hand from his arm to his head, she absently ran her fingertips over the bandage on the side of his head. His doctor had insisted that he would be fine, but until he walked out on his own, she would hold her breath.

"I am so sorry, Elliot," she whispered, blinking rapidly. "I shouldn't have done it..." Her fingers strayed into his hair as she propped her head up with her other hand. "But he would have killed you. And I just... I couldn't let him take you from your kids."

A tear slid down her cheek and hit the bed.

"Or me."

More than anything, she couldn't let that son of a bitch take Elliot from her. She had never, ever meant for it to happen, but somewhere along the line, her feelings had evolved into something much deeper than they should have been.

Behind her, the door opened, and she turned around. "Kathy."

The other woman stiffened noticeably. "Olivia. What are you doing here?"

"I... came to see Elliot."

Kathy scoffed. "After three days?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

Olivia frowned. She was used to the tension, but this was more than she could handle. "Excuse me, but I've been here every night since he was brought in."

"Then you must be able to turn invisible, because I haven't seen you." She walked around the bed and leaned down, kissing Elliot's head.

Olivia bristled when Elliot's face contorted in pain. Kathy had put too much pressure on his injury, and even if it was unintentional, she didn't like it. She ran her fingertips lightly over the tender area. "What are you doing here so late?"

Kathy's eyes narrowed. "He's my husband."

"No, he's your ex husband." That word felt incredibly pleasant rolling off of her tongue.

"Just because we're separated-"

"Kathy, you're divorced. You left him, broke his heart, and I think you should leave before he wakes up." His recovery would go much smoother and faster if his ex wasn't lurking around, waiting to pounce.

"You can't make me leave."

"Maybe not, but you know you should. You'll only hurt him by being here."

Nurse Ryans, who was making her rounds, stepped into the room. Seeing Kathy, she frowned. "Ma'am, only next of kin is allowed to be in this patient's room right now." She was the one who, more often than not, allowed Olivia in to her patient's room this time every night. She liked the brunette's kindness, gentle attitude and obvious affection for her patient. And every time she made her rounds during Olivia's visit, Elliot's vitals were always more stable than at any other point in the day.

Kathy bristled. "I'm his wife-"

"Ex wife," Olivia snapped, her exhaustion getting the better of her. She was too tired to put up a front for the sake of Elliot or his children, and it was showing. "I'm his listed medical proxy, and since the kids aren't here, I'm his next of kin." Her fingers paused where they were in her partner's hair. "And I want you out."

"You can't-"

"Actually," Ryans interrupted, "She can. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Kathy started to argue, and Ryans' eyes narrowed. "Ma'am, please don't make me call Security."

After several long, tense moments, Kathy finally stood up and stalked out of the room. As the door closed, Ryans looked at Olivia.

"She's his ex, and she doesn't like me," Olivia offered with a helpless shrug.

Deciding to leave it alone, Ryans simply nodded. After a few minutes, she was gone.

When the door closed, Olivia sighed in relief. Suddenly the idea of leaving was too much for her over exhausted mind to comprehend, so she settled back in the uncomfortable chair and closed her eyes.

It didn't register in her exhausted mind that she would be the first thing Elliot saw when he opened his eyes again.

TBC...

A/N: I hadn't intended this to be longer than two chapters, but I figured that if i just left it there, someone might kill me dead. Someone like Jess. YES, SHE SHOT HIM! SHE SHOT HIM! DEAL WITH IT! Ahem.