Chapter 4: Reunion

Elliot aproached the bench cautiously. He still didn't know who he was dealing with, and he had to be on his guard.

"El?"

Elliot's eyes widened as the voice rang in his ears. So fimiliar... no. It couldn't be. He turned around as Olivia Benson, his partner, his dead partner, stepped out of the bushes. He forgot to breathe as she embraced him; he just held her close.

"I love you, Olivia," he told her as soon as he found his voice. "I choose you. Oh God, Olivia, I love you."

"I know, El," she sobbed, resting her head against his strong muscular shoulder. "I know."

"Am I dreaming again?" he asked. "Are you really here?"

"I'm really here, Elliot," she laughed. Tears of joy were streaming down her cheeks. "I'm with you."

"I'm never going to let you go again, Liv," he promised her. "Never. I should have done something with the assassin; anything. I almost lost you."

"It wasn't your fault, Elliot," she told him sharply. "Don't you ever think that. It was never your fault."

"I'm sorry to break up this heartbreaking reunion," Agent Richards told them sharply, also stepping out of the bushes, "but we have to get Ms. Benson to her safehouse."

"No," Elliot breathed. He looked her in the eye. "You can't be- no!"

"I have to," she sighed, a single tear shimmering in the low light as it streamed down her cheek. "I pushed my luck as it was meeting you. Please Elliot, you understand as much as anyone how this is supposed to work."

"Olivia." He took her face and cupped it in his hands. "I swear on every fiber of my being, I will find the bastard who tried to kill you. Then you'll be able to come home, and I'll take you into my arms and never let you go."

"Oh Elliot," she sobbed, thrusting herself back into his arms. "I love you so much."

Then, very softly, their lips met for the first time. Elliot had never felt more whole than that moment as he and Olivia were one, as their lips moved so naturally against each others' in perfect synch. Agent Richards cleared his throat loudly, and they pulled apart, almost painfully.

"I love you, Elliot," she sighed, looking into his dark grey eyes with her warm brown gaze. "Remember that, please."

"I love you too, Olivia," he told her. "And the moment I stop fighting for you will be the day I die."

"Let's hope you won't have to," Richards sighed. "Come on, Ms. Benson. We have to go."

"Goodbye Elliot," she sobbed, kissing him softly one last time.

"Goodbye, Olivia," he told her, his voice cracking.

Olivia then allowed Richards to lead her back to the van, where they drove off into the night, her heart shattering. Elliot was out of breath. He had to tell Cragen, and Casey, and Alex, and Fin... but he couldn't. He couldn't tell anyone, or he'd risk losing her for real this time.

Suddenly, Elliot has filled with a sense of purpose. The only way Olivia would truly be safe would be if the man after her were caught. He saw it only fit that he would be the one to do it.

Elliot stomped into the FBI building.

"Elliot?" Dana asked, catching sight of him out of the corner of her eye. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Who's doing Liv's case?" he demanded, not making eyecontact. His eyes were too bust scanning the FBI building for a fimiliar face. "I need to talk to them."

"El you know I couldn't tell you that if I wanted to," she snapped. She set down her box of evidence on her desk. "Geez Elliot, what's got you so riled up?"

"I need to find Liv's casse manager," he told her shaprly. "Please Dana, just help me out this once."

Dana hesitated.

"Fine," she sighed. She turned and called the hallway "Hey! Anybody seen Richards?"

"He's in his office!" someone called from their desk. "Hurry, he's about to leave for the week!"

"Thanks!" Dana called. She turned to Elliot. "Follow me."

Elliot rushed to keep up as Dana walked quickly down the hallway. As they reached FBI Agent Richards' office, he himself was comingout carry his box of paperwork and his laptop case slung over her shoulder. Dana looked him up and down suspiciously.

"New case?" she inquired, quirking her eyebrow quizzitively. "Looks like a big'n too."

"I'm working the Olivia Benson case," he told Dana sharply, shifting the big box uncomfortably from one hand to the other. He turned his gaze to Elliot. "Detective Stabler?"

"It's you," Elliot breathed. This was the man who had taken away Liv that night after the funeral. Maybe this was his chance to see her again! "Where the hell is-"

"Your captain said you might be coming," Richards told Elliot quickly, cutting him off midsentence. "Please, step into my office. NOW."

Elliot obediantly stepped into Agent Richards' office and Richards nearly slammed the door behind them.

"Where the hell is Olivia?" Elliot demanded as soon as they were out of earshot. "Where did you put her?"

"Shut up!" Agent Richards snapped. "Do you want to be heard? I can promise you she's fine. But she won't be if you blow the entire secret out of the water! You know that could get her killed? Is that what you want? Her to be dead for real?"

Elliot felt like he had been slapped in the face- he knew what that felt like. He'd had people do it frequently. Richards ran his tired fingers through his hair and sighed.

"Look," he said more softly. "How about this? I'm having trouble getting someone to watch her tonight- we've got this other really big case and we really just don't have the manpower to have someone watch her all night. I was going to do it myself, but since you're here..."

"Yes," Elliot nearly choked. "I mean, sure. Anything to help."

Inside his heart was racing. HE WAS GOING TO SEE OLIVIA!

"Uh huh," Agent Richards smirked. "I'll pick you up at 6 form your apartment. Be ready when I get there!"

Agent Richards picked up his box again and continued out the door.

"Wait!" Elliot called. "Don't you need my address?"

"I know where you live, Detective!"

The only thing that followed Agent Richards out the door was Elliot's baffled and shocked look boaring into the back of his skull.

Agent Richards pulled up the car to the Marriot Hotel and parked the car.

"She's in room 14C," he told Elliot, who was axiously staring out the car window at the hotel. "Just go on up."

"Thanks," Elliot replied, and quickly got out of the car.

He pulled his jacket tighter around him as a chilly autumn breeze made leaves scatter beneath his feet.

The way time flies, he thought to himself. One minute it's dead summer, the next it's early autumn.

He stepped up to the hotel doors and shot a look back over his shoulder. The black car he had pulled up in was gone. He shrugged and went in through the doors. Stepping into the hallway, he asked the attendant "What floor is C?"

"Third," the attendant replied, not bothering to look up from his Sports Illustrated. "God, that floor has been getting a lot of visitors. And that lady's the only one up there!"

"What lady?" Elliot demanded, stopping dead. "And who's been up there?"

"Some FBI dude," the attendant replied, "was up there once. THe next was some skiing guy, and now you."

"Who's the lady?" Elliot repeated sharply.

"Rachel something," the attendant replied. "Dude, chill. It's not like it's big deal."

"When did the 'skiing guy' go up?" Elliot asked desperately. Rachel was Olivia's alias. "Come on!"

"Like, five minutes ago!" The attendant nearly jumped out of his seat at Elliot's booming voice. "Geez, man, take a pill!"

Elliot skipped the elevator and headed for the stairs. He had to get up there. Somewhere around the second floor he heard a scream. It sounded like Olivia.

"Liv!" he cried. He sprinted up the stairs and burst out into the third floor hallway. He scanned the signs. "There! 14C!"

He ran up to the door, pulling out his gun mechanically and holding it to his side. He nudged the door, which was already slightly adjar. He burst through the door, holding his gun level with the floor. Elliot choked back a sob. The room was trashed, the window to the fire escape was open, and Olivia was gone.