AN It kind of sounds like an ending chapter, but it's not. I have much more planned for this one! Thank you so much for all of the support! Let me know how you feel (please don't be mean, but constructive is completely welcomed). Love ya'll!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Olivia"

"No"

"Could you at least-"

"No!"

"Consider it because-"

"No!"

"Would you just listen to me?" he snapped.

She jumped when he raised his voice, making him feel guilty.

"Liv, I'm sorry I didn't mean to-"

"Save it El, just say what you were going to say".

"You should listen to the doctor and stay an extra day. You won't be in as much pain and they'll help keep you hydrated" he explained as he sat on the edge of her bed.

He understood why she wanted to go home; they had already been there for 27 hours. She hadn't been able to actually rest much due to everyone visiting her, including Brian Cassidy.

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That was the most awkwardly painful part of the night. Cassidy came in with a dozen roses, which Olivia hated, saying how sorry he was that he canceled their plans. He left Olivia when she needed him the most. She was angry with him.

"Olivia baby, I'm so happy you're okay" Brian said reaching to kiss her. She pushed him away with all her strength, wincing because of her wrist. "I'm okay? How the hell do you figure that? What part of this is okay? When I was with Lewis I kept begging God to kill me…" her eyes filled with tears and Elliot tried to keep his under control.

He had only recently gotten through that faze himself. He would pray each night that it was his last, that God would end his pain… but now he saw why he didn't. If he had died, he wouldn't be here for Olivia. His best friend would be hurting and alone.

"I think it'd be better if you left…give her some time. I mean, it's up to Olivia" he said from his spot in the corner of the room. His tone was not angry, but plain. It was her choice; she didn't need his anger right now.

"I think Elliot's right. I just need some time Bri. Thanks for the flowers and for checking up on me. I promise I'll call you before I'm discharged". She gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek and sent him on his way.

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"Fine El, I'll stay. It's not like I have anywhere to go once I leave anyway". She was right; Cragen had told him that her place was a crime scene. Lewis had destroyed everything he could and Olivia would have to replace most of her belongings. "Where do you plan on going when you leave then?" he knew exactly where she was going to say, but he wanted to hear how she felt.

"I guess with Brian…" she said with a sigh.

"Or you can stay with me…only if you want to. I know we have a lot to talk about and I haven't been around and I'm probably not you're first choice but I-"

"Relax El, staying with you sounds pretty nice actually. We can catch up and I'll get to see the kids".

"Actually Liv, they don't live with me anymore… Kathy and I divorced a little over a year and a half ago".

"Do you want to tell me about it?" Her concern for him made him smile. Even when she was worse off, she put others first.

"Not now, but I promise I will. You need to rest up so we can sleep in real beds".

He hadn't left her side since Cragen and the squad showed up at the beach house. He wasn't going to let anything happen to her now that she was safe. He slept in the chair next to her bed when her medicine knocked her out. His back was killing him, but she was worth it.

Killing me…Shit!

"Uh Liv, I need to run home real quick and uh take a shower and tidy up a bit". He didn't want to leave her, but he needed to clean out his apartment. She couldn't see the noose he left on his bed, or the empty vodka bottles that covered his floor. She would kill him if she found out that he was... an alcoholic. He couldn't drink anymore. Not with her there. Her mother was a drunk. She didn't need him to be one.

This is real. This is real. This is real.

Yesterday all of this had been a dream. Now it was real. He was actually in the same room as Olivia. He had actually saved her this time.

He was glad she had called before he sent the text to the children; they would have admitted him to the psych ward and put him on suicide watch.

"Are you going to go soon or…?" she asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Yea, I'm just going to call the captain and have him stay with you". He knew that she wasn't ready to be alone. It would be a while before she felt safe again.

He was almost out of the room when he heard her call for him.

"Yes, Liv?"

"Thank you Elliot, for coming when I called and for staying with me".

"I would do it all again in a heart beat".