DISCLAIMER: The story is mine. Nothing else.

A/N: I know a lot of you were frustrated by the last chapter. Firstly, let me thank you for your reviews and for voicing your opinions to me. I really enjoy the feedback! Secondly, let me explain: I really wanted to drive home their separateness. The story is sad so far because our characters aren't themselves without each other. And I needed them to feel more loneliness to increase the love, the anger, the passion they feel for each other. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? That said, I really hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

Elliot stared at the empty desk across from him. It had been seven months and he still wasn't used to her absence. He'd driven away another partner, two since she'd been gone. He'd accepted that he just couldn't work with anyone else, not when they had been so perfect together.

"Elliot," Cragen's voice interrupted his thoughts and he turned toward the sound. "Join me, won't you?" The Captain beckoned with his hand for Elliot to come in to his office.

Elliot sighed, frustrated before even vacating his chair. He'd been good these last few weeks! He hadn't gotten angry, he hadn't thrown a suspect up against a wall, he hadn't bitched anyone out for no reason… what could the Captain want? He certainly couldn't want to have another discussion, and he certainly wouldn't suggest Elliot go talk to Huang again…

"Sit," Cragen said before Elliot had even shut the door.

Elliot regarded him defensively. "I think I'll stand…" his voice trailed off when he saw the Captain's face, his dark eyes creased with worry.

"Trust me," Cragen said. "You'll want to sit down for this."

Elliot sat down silently, wondering what the hell was going on. It couldn't be… it couldn't be her…

"I received a call today from Chicago SVU. Captain Larrimer wanted to thank me for sending him the best detective he'd ever had working under him."

"Olivia?" Elliot whispered hoarsely. Somewhere along the line, Elliot's throat had gone completely dry, he lost his breath, his legs went numb.

Cragen paused and barely nodded. "He said that Detective Benson was one amazing cop: smart, intuitive, patient with victims… and he said she was almost completely useless from the moment she started."

Elliot's brow creased and he scrutinized the Captain carefully. He spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully… well somewhat carefully. "Why the hell would he say that?"

"He told me…" the Captain paused and sighed. The continued, "He told me Olivia's pregnant."

Elliot felt the room spin. He looked down at the floor to gain his bearings, tried hard to see the logic in the situation. She must have met someone there, settled down with him and started a family. It was quick, but he couldn't say it was entirely unexpected. Olivia was beautiful, smart, funny, full of life… he loved her more than he thought possible. He had to accept that if he did, other men could… and would.

"Elliot." The Captain's voice brought him back. The room stopped spinning once something grounded him. That was usually Olivia's job, but she wasn't here. "Elliot, I have to ask… is it yours?"

Elliot paused and thought how funny it was that the Captain saw right through him. He knew what their relationship had become, probably even before Elliot and Olivia had. He wondered who else knew, how transparent had their relationship become. At first, he didn't know how to answer the Captain's question. It could be his, yes. God, he almost hoped it was. Not only because he couldn't bear the thought of Olivia with another man… no, those legs only belonged around him, that mouth was made to kiss him, her body was made to fit with his. There was that, but there was also the idea of a child… a child with Olivia, a child made from the two of them. But then, Olivia had been gone for many months… it might not be. Maybe she had met a man, someone to fill the lonely nights, someone to touch her the way that Elliot would have, had he really been given a chance.

No, he didn't know the answer. So he answered as honestly as he could.

"I don't know."

Olivia sat at her desk, shifting position constantly in order to alleviate the pressure in her pelvis. Month seven had not been easy so far. She'd been confined to her desk due to her "delicate condition," according to her Captain. What a misogynistic prick. She'd been stuck shuffling papers, filing DD-5's, entering data into computer databases. She couldn't handle it. It was boring, she didn't feel like she was really doing her job. She wanted to help the vics, she wanted to lock up some criminals, she wanted to feel like she was doing some good for crying out loud!

Olivia inhaled sharply as a severe pain shot through her pelvis. "Oh God…" she whispered to herself. That was the second one she'd had in an hour. She shifted her position in her chair again in the hopes the baby would settle.

She wished Elliot was with her. She had no idea what he was like during Kathy's pregnancies, but she imagined he'd be loving and nurturing, willing to do whatever it took for her to achieve comfort. Instead, she was alone, dealing with the pain and discomfort by herself. She knew she had only herself to blame. But still… she thought that being seven months pregnant allowed her a little bit of margin to wallow in self pity.

She just missed him.

Another sharp pain and Olivia's hand went to her belly. "Jesus," she gasped.

A female co-worker, another detective, approached her. "Benson, you okay?"

"Christ, Connie, I have no idea. I keep getting these shooting pains."

"Shooting pains?" Connie's brow furrowed. "How many? How far apart?"

"Uh, three so far in the last hour." Her co-workers worry concerned her. "Why? What's wrong?"

"How far along are you?"

"About 28 weeks."

"Come on," Connie took her arm and pulled her gently out of her chair. "Get your coat."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Probably nothing," Connie said, her voice calm but her forehead still creased. "But we should go get it checked out."

Olivia could see right through her co-worker's façade; she was nervous and wanted to get Olivia to a hospital as soon as possible.

As Connie shuffled her quickly (well, as quickly as Olivia could move) from the squadroom, Olivia wished for Elliot. She wished he had his expertise to guide her; he had been through this five times. She wished for his voice to calm her, his eyes to center her. She wished it was Elliot's hand on the small of her back, she wished Elliot would be by her side at the hospital.

Why hadn't she called him when she had the chance? She'd picked up the phone so many times, dialed the first six digits of his phone number but hung up before she could finish. She was so scared, scared of what he might say, scared of what he might do. She was scared of how this would affect his relationship with Kathy… it would, in all certainty, end it. Kathy had always taken issue with Olivia.

She was so afraid he'd hate her. She couldn't bear that thought. He was her best friend, he was her solid ground, her counterpart. She'd only done what she'd done to protect him, just as she always did.

And now she was scared of losing his child. What if this was it? She'd come so close to having a family. Maybe she wasn't supposed to be a mother. But she thought for sure this was it, that this was what was supposed to happen. She was supposed to bear Elliot's child. She knew it was right, she knew it right down to her bones.

She called for him, silently, willing him to come to her.

Elliot… Elliot… Elliot…