Author's Note: Grab a box of tissues, this chapter will probably make you cry.

Further Down The Road

(Chapter Eleven: Still With You)

SIX WEEKS LATER

Olivia laid asleep with her head on the mattress beside Elliot. Two days earlier she had finally decided to set him free and sign the papers. But as everyone gathered around to say their good bye's and the doctor unhooked the machine something happened.

Something that no one had expected. Elliot began to breathe on his own. For the first time in nearly six months he was now breathing for himself. He still had not regained consciousness, but it was enough to give them hope when they all needed it so badly.

For the last two days she had sat here by his side. Watching and waiting and hoping that somehow his eyes would open and he would be okay. But they were still not sure if that would even happen.

His bullet wounds had been reduced to scars. Pink scars that were hidden under his hospital gown. On the outside he looked well. Completely healed and ready to go home. Pale from his lack of sunlight for six months, but otherwise health.

But inside, although all of his organs were functioning and keeping him alive, something was still wrong. Something that kept him from waking up and coming back to them. The doctors had run every test they could think to run and were unsure why he was still in the condition he was in.

Olivia stirred a little as she felt fingers comb through her hair. She knew someone in the room was trying to wake her, but she wasn't ready to wake from this dream. She was with Elliot. And they were dancing. And as he held her tight she could feel his arms around her. She never wanted this dream to end.

She felt someone squeeze her hand.

"Okay. I'm awake," she groaned. As she fluttered her eyes open. She took a deep breath and raised her head slowly, but there was no one else in the room. She wrinkled her nose as she felt the pressure against her hand again.

Olivia lowered her eyes to see her hand in Elliot's. She tipped her head to the side to focus her eyes on his fingers locked in hers as she stood up beside the bed. She turned around to look at him to see the most beautiful pair of blue eyes she had ever seen in her life.

Olivia stood still, unable to move and just stared into the warmth of his eyes. She hadn't been able to stare into them for six months. "Oh my God," she gasped as she leaned in to kiss him. She broke down crying right there as she laid her head against his chest. "I love you so much," she sobbed. "God I missed you."

Elliot gulped and raised his hand to rest on the back of her head. Olivia slid in beside him in the bed and he just held her tight for a moment. They said nothing, just held tight to each other in fear that this moment would end.

EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEO

"Ma'am? Excuse me, ma'am?"

Olivia felt hands on her shoulder and they shook her gently.

"Yeah?" She opened her eyes and sat up in the bed, Elliot's arm still around her.

"I don't think you are supposed to be in the bed," a young man said from across the room.

"Who are you?" Olivia asked confused.

"I just volunteer. I was supposed to come in and ask if you wanted some jello. Look, I'm not going to say anything. But if they catch you in the bed…."

"He was awake," she pointed to Elliot who now didn't appear to be awake at all. "He was," she said confused. "Can you go get the doctor for me?"

"Sure, but before he gets back you should really get out of that bed."

Olivia nodded as the kid disappeared into the hallway. She turned to look at Elliot.

"Elliot," she said softly. But he didn't respond. She leaned back down against him. "God please," she whispered. "El," she whispered softly as she smoothed her hand across his jaw and gently kissed his cheek.

He smiled and laughed a little, then wrapped his arm back around her. "I hear it baby. But can't we sleep in? Hit the snooze."

Olivia smiled and laughed. She rolled in against him and nestled her nose into the curve of his neck. "Elliot, it is time to wake up now. Please wake up," she said smoothing her hand over his cheek.

He opened his eyes to stare into hers. "Well, good morning beautiful."

Olivia smiled as tears flooded her eyes. "You really are back?"

"Back? Baby, I didn't go anywhere."

She laughed and sat up reaching across him to push the call button for the nurse.

"Elliot, you have been in a coma for six months."

"What are you talking about?" He asked placing his hand against her cheek and pulling her to him for a kiss. It was magical. And as badly as Olivia wanted to close her eyes to capture the romance of the kiss, she held them open and locked them on him. Part of her still afraid that she was just crazy or still dreaming and he was not really awake.

"Alright you two," the nurse said from across the room, "break it up."

"He's awake," Olivia mumbled still a little confused.

"I see that. Welcome back, Mr. Stabler," the woman said checking his vitals. "The doctor is on his way."

"I need to call Maureen." Olivia climbed from the bed and pulled out her cell phone.

"Oh, your oldest daughter arrived a few minutes ago with the younger kids. They are out in the waiting room. I didn't want to let anyone back here until I was sure why you pressed that button. I can get her if you like."

Olivia pulled the woman across the room and talked to her for a moment. The nurse nodded and headed out the door.

"So much has happened, Elliot. We have all missed you so much."

Elliot smiled. "This is so strange. What is going on?"

"We were in Starbucks and it got robbed. You were shot. That was six months ago. We almost lost you."

"I was shot?"

"Yes." Olivia moved his hospital gown to show him the scars. "Three times."

"And I was in a coma for six months?"

"Yes."

Just then there was a knock at the door. Olivia spoke softly to someone outside. "Can you give us a few minutes? Okay," she said to the person in the hall. But Elliot could not tell who it was.

Olivia turned and walked toward the bed with a blanket bundled in her arms. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked into his eyes. All of a sudden Elliot remembered she had been pregnant.

"You had the baby?"

"Six weeks ago."

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

She leaned in and handed him the bundle, then pulled the blanket back to reveal an infant with thin dark hair and his blue eyes. "This is your son," she said with a soft smile and tears in her eyes.

"We got our boy?" He asked inspecting the baby.

"We got our boy," she replied as Elliot looked into her eyes. She watched him as he cradled the little boy and kissed the top of his head. "He is beautiful Liv," Elliot said as a tear rolled off his cheek.

"He looks like his daddy," she said as she started to cry again.

"What's his name?"

"Landon. Landon Elliot Stabler."

"You named him after me?"

"No El, you named him. You picked that name out before…" She looked away from Elliot unable to finish her sentence. She turned her eyes back to her son as he got acquainted with his father. "I just kept the name you had picked out."

"I picked out Landon," he said softly. "You chose Elliot."

Her eyes raised to meet his, as she smiled. "You remember?"

"It is starting to come back to me."

"I wanted him to be named after the most wonderful man I knew, his father. God, El. I was so afraid you would never get to see or hold your son. That he would never get to know you."

"I'm back now, Liv. And I am not going anywhere." He kissed her softly. "Except home with my wife and children."

Olivia laughed. "The kids are all outside waiting to see you. All of the kids."

"We should probably let them in, then."

She smiled and sent a text to Maureen letting them all know it was alright to come back. Moments later, Elliot's room was filled with Stabler children, all eight of them. And across the room holding his new son, sat his beautiful wife who had never given up on him.

As the afternoon rolled into evening and quickly turned into night Elliot kissed each of his kids good night. Maureen took the girls home for the evening, leaving Landon at the hospital with Elliot and Olivia.

Olivia closed the door of the room and cradled her son as she nursed him. She burped the baby and rocked with him until he fell asleep, then placed him in his carried. Elliot watched her, remembering her doing these same things not so long ago with little Abby.

"I love you so much," he said slipping his hand into hers and staring into her eyes.

"I love you, too. I missed you," she whispered.

"I know, baby. But soon we will all be home together."

Olivia laid her head down against his shoulder.

"Come here," Elliot whispered softly.

She raised up to look into his eyes.

"What?"

He patted the bed beside him. "Come here."

"Elliot, if they catch me in the bed they will make me leave."

"No, I'll take care of it. I just want to hold my wife," he said softly combing his fingers through her hair.

Olivia smiled and sat down on the edge of the bed beside him. She looked across the room at Landon sleeping in his carrier.

"He's fine, Liv. If he wakes up, we are right here."

She laid back in the bed beside Elliot as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.

"God I missed this," she said as she laid her head against his chest.

"So did I. I missed a lot of things, Liv. And I am going to make it all up to you."

"Just think, in two if everything goes well, you will be back at home in your own bed."

"In my own life. It will be nice to have things back to normal."

"Yeah."

"I love you, angel." Elliot kissed her forehead softly. "Try to get some sleep."

Olivia snuggled in against Elliot and listened to the beating of his heart.

"I love you too, El."