Chapter 6: A Fimiliar Face

Elliot walked into the precint feeling unusually cheerful. The witness he had been talking to hadn't been helpful, but he was happy just the same. For the next week, we would be leaving work at 6 to go to a hotel to be with Olivia until someone would relieve him at 10. That was, until she was sent to Baltimore on Saturday.

"You look happy today," Munch mused with a lopsided smile as Elliot sat at his desk. "The witness talk?"

"Nah, just been a good week I guess," Elliot shrugged. He glanced at the clock for the fifteenth time that day. "How are you?"

"Fine," Munch sighed, taking a sip from his coffee cup and putting his feet up on his desk. "It's been kinda slow today. But I guess that's a good thing, right?"

"Yup," Elliot smiled. He shuffeled his papers and began to sort his case files.

Of course it's a good thing, he thought to himself. It means they won't need me here at 6. Just five more minutes and I'm home free!

"Elliot!" Captain Cragen suddenly called from his office. Elliot turned to see him peeking around the door. "Can I see you in here for a sec?"

"Sure Cap," Elliot replied. He got up, pushed in his chair, and headed into Cragen's office. Cragen closed the door behind them. "What's up?"

Cragen folded his arms over his chest.

"Stabler, I'm not going to beat around the bush with you," he told Elliot. "You need a new partner, now."

Elliot's heart dropped to his feet. He had forgotten he would get a new partner.

"Who-who do you have in mind?" he stammered, caught off guard. "Captain don't you think it's a bit early?"

"No," Cragen replied. His gaze darted to the door. "Elliot, you remember her right? This is your new partner."

Elliot turned around as a fimiliar blonde head poked through the door. Her eyes lit up when she saw Elliot and she walked in, smiling broadly.

"Stabler!" she grinned. "Long time no see! How ya been?"

"You're my partner?" Elliot asked, baffled. "I thought you left! I thought you couldn't handle the job!"

"I decided to give it another shot," the blonde grinned. "Why, El? Aren't you glad to see me?"

Olivia called him 'El'. Elliot ignored her and turned to face Captain Cragen angrilly.

"We just lost Olivia!" he snapped. "Why the sudden rush to replace her?"

"We need the manpower!" Cragen replied sharply. "And Detective Beck was more than willing to come back."

"Lighten up," Dani grinned, elbowing Elliot's ribs playfully. "It'll be fun! Just like old times, remember?"

Elliot checked his watch. It was 6 o'clock.

"I have to go," he announced, turning on his heels and heading for the door. "I'll talk to you tomorrow Captain."

"Bye!" Dani called after him hopefully. "See you tomorrow!"

Elliot didn't even turn around. He was finally able to relax when Olivia opened the hotel room door. She smiled when she saw him, and he smiled back. But Olivia noticed the sad glimmer in his eyes as he walked in.

"What's wrong?" she asked, embracing his middle and kissing him on the cheek. "You look tense."

Elliot kissed her forehead and the two flopped down onto the couch, Olivia in Elliot's lap. Elliot wrapped his strong arms around her, and Olivia wrapped hers around his neck and put her head on his shoulder.

"They've already replaced you at work," he sighed sadly. "Dani's back."

"Dani?" Olivia asked. Elliot had told her about how Dani and him had kissed when she had been undercover in Oregon. He had assured her it was a one-time thing. "What's she doing back? Didn't you tell me she left?"

"She came back," Elliot sighed. "And I think she's still interested."

"But you're not, right?" Olivia asked, looking him in the eye.

"No," Elliot smiled. He nuzzled her cheek lovingly. "You're the only one I want to be with. Ever. Dani will just have to suck it up and get over it."

Olivia laughed.

"Don't totally shut her out," she smiled. "She still has to be your partner, since I won't be-"

Elliot cut her off by putting his tough-skinned finger to her soft lips.

"Don't talk about that," he pleaded. "Please."

"Alright," she smiled, moving his finger from her lips. "I'm just saying you should treat her like you do Fin and Munch- like a friend."

"You're probably right," Elliot replied. He sighed as he embraced her, drinking in her very essence and refreshing his spirit with her presence. "So what were you planning on doing tonight?"

"I don't know," Olivia smiled. "I couldn't get past spending the entire night with you."

"Well," Elliot smiled, leaning in his face to hers until they brushed lips. "Let's make the most of it then."

As they began to kiss, they came a sudden banging from the door. Elliot and Olivia pasued, shooting both their gazes toward the door.

"Who's there?" Olivia called cautiously.

The knocking came again, and Elliot pushed Olivia gently onto the couch. He handed her his gun, and she cocked it and pointed it at the door as Elliot approached. The door suddenly burst open, and a masked man holding a crowbar over his head menacingly shouted "Get ready for- oh damn..." He cut off when he got an eyeful of the gun in Olivia's hand.

"Drop it!" Olivia ordered, and the crowbar fell with a bang to the floor.

Elliot quickly reached for the thug, but the thug stepped back in protest.

"Hey!" he shouted, holding his hands in the air in defense. "I didn't mean nothin'! Nah, the chick payed me to do it!"

"What chick?" Elliot demanded, but the thug was smart and instead of answering ran out the door.

"Leave him," Olivia told him when Elliot moved to chase after the thug. "He's not worth it."

She got up and handed his gun back to him, when there came a sudden clamor from the fire escape. They both bolted for the window, but the figure had already scampered down the iron to a sickly fimiliar white van. Olivia let out an inescapable cry of fear when she saw it, and Elliot pulled her into a tight embrace to comfort her.

"They were watching us," she sobbed. "Elliot this isn't safe for you any more-"

"I'm not leaving you, Olivia," he told her strongly. He held her close, refusing to let go. "Not again."

"I'll have to be moved," Olivia whimpered. "Again. I'll be moving to Baltimore before I'll know what's happened!"

"And I'll hold you hand as long as I can," Elliot assured her. "Trust me Olivia, I will keep you safe."

"They know I'm alive," she told him, tears streaking down her cheeks. "They'll hurt someone I love!"

"They're not after us," he told her. "Please Olivia, don't worry. I promise, I will find the person after to you. We'll make it work, and soon you'll be back in the precinct with John, and Fin, and Cragen..."

"I believe you, Elliot," she sniffed. She held herself as close as she could to him. "I just can't lose you."

"I know," Elliot sighed, closing his eyes as they embraced. "I know."

Notes: Yeah, I know, short chapters suck. But I'm saving the best parts for the next few chapters! *wink wink* Review to tell me what you think please! I really like to know that you guys are reading! Muchas Muchas Gracias! I'll update when I can!