Elliot didn't even see the shooter. He just saw Olivia's face look up from her plate in pure horror. He heard the bang and fell to his knees before he could comprehend what was happening. Olivia pulled out her gun first and shot the perp. But another blast hit their table at about the same time which made them all fall to the ground.

Elliot didn't register what made his breath catch in his throat at first, but hearing "I'm hit" from Benson pulled him straight back to reality. He crouched besides her, panic invading his body, seeing nothing else than the blood coming in waves through her white shirt.

"Olivia!"

He didn't think twice before putting his hands on her and pressing so hard that it made her whimper. He anchored himself, his left knee on the floor in between her legs and his right leg bent on the outside of her body to have better leverage.

"Get a bus, now!" he screamed, his attention on her. "Liv, I'm right here, it's gonna be okay."

She clearly had trouble breathing, but he put it on the shock of being shot and on his hands pressing down on her. Her left hand was grabbing his forearm while her right grabbed his Henley in panic.

"Elliot…" she gasped.

"It's okay, I've got you. The bus is coming. Just breath."

She groaned at the pain and her eyes shut.

"GET A BUS NOW!" he screamed again, not leaving his partner.

"Liv…" her eyes were still shut, her mouth open breathing in small gasps. "Liv, look at me, please."

She opened them at his request and locked her gaze with his.

"That's it. Keep looking at me, I'm right here. We're gonna get you through this."

"El…" her voice was strained.

"Don't speak, you don't need to speak, I got you."

He felt her grab his forearm tighter in acceptance.

"The bus is on the way, Stabler." Sergeant Bell called from a few feet away.

"See?" Elliot spoke softly to Olivia. "The bus is coming, you're gonna be fine."

While his voice was calm, his body was in total panic. He couldn't lose her now. He couldn't lose her, period. Even though she was in a lot of pain, Olivia shared his fear.

"Noah…"

"You'll see him soon, don't worry about that." He cut her off, not willing to let their thoughts go there.

He continued pressing on her and she fought the wave of pain once more.

"Elliot, I'm sorry…" she tells him, tears in her voice.

"Sorry?" he asked confused, still working on applying pressure on her. "For what?"

She forced herself to open her eyes before telling him.

"I'm sorry I wasn't ready before…"

Elliot shook his head vehemently.

"No, we're not doing this." His voice was hard. "We still have time, Liv. We'll both get ready and then we can have everything."

Olivia closed her eyes again and sighed, the pain starting to be too much now.

"Hey, look at me."

This time, his tone was harsher. She opened her eyes again, a few tears falling out and running on her temples.

"We'll get our chance, okay? I promise."

The blue of his eyes was so intense, she didn't have any other choice than to nod. Elliot let her gather her emotions for a moment, but then felt his left thigh twitch. He swallowed a groan at the sensation.

"Ayanna!" he called from his position on the floor.

Bell left the officers to get to him, crouching to be at his level.

"Yeah?"

When Elliot spoke next, his eyes never left Olivia's body. He made sure to keep his voice low only for Ayanna to hear.

"I wanna make it clear that no matter what orders you give me right now, I will not move or leave her, is that clear?"

Ayanna frowned.

"Yeah, I get that. What do you want me to do?"

"Take off my tie."

"What?"

"Take it off."

Bell did as told, not sure how his tie would help Benson, who was still breathing irregularly beneath him. Once it was done, Elliot continued.

"I want you to move around me and fix me up." His voice was quiet but assertive.

The Sergeant was still not following him, until her eyes fell on his left thigh.

"Shit, Stabler!" She went around him and fell to her knees.

Elliot had been hit, too, but didn't tell anyone, his focus solely on Benson. His thigh was covered in blood.

"Just fix me up and tell them to hurry the bus for her."

Ayanna knew there was no arguing now, even though she wanted to yell at him. Benson made a sound, her head rolling from side to side in agony. Bell hurried and made a tight knot with the tie around his leg to slow down the blood loss. Stabler clenched in jaw to suppress a moan.

"You'll need to be looked at too. Soon." She said to him.

"Not before her. She's the priority."

Ayanna sighed in partial disagreement and Elliot switched his gaze to her for the first time. The desperation in his eyes made her breath catch.

"I mean it, Ayanna. She's the priority. I can't…she has to be."

Bell nodded and squeezed his upper arm in comfort, understanding his despair.

"I'll go see where that bus is at."

Ayanna got up but Benson was becoming aware of her presence and maybe their conversation.

"Wait, Ayanna." Benson whimpered, trying to stop her.

"Yes, Captain?" Bell crouched again beside her.

"I need a witness."

"What?"

"I want you to act as a witness-"

"Liv-" Elliot started to cut her off.

"I want to make Elliot my emergency contact. The doctors…they can give him any information they need to."

Ayanna exchanged a look with Stabler.

"No problem Captain. Hang in there, the bus is coming." She said, getting back up and leaving the partner alone once more.

"Fin is my contact now…" Olivia tried to explain, she sounded exhausted but determined to tell him.

"It's okay Liv-"

"I want you to be…"

"Liv, it's okay…" he exhaled, bending over her body until their forehead touched. "Stop talking, please, keep your strength." His hands were still on her abdomen.

"I want you to be there…like before…my partner." She continued, one hand shakingly grabbing his neck.

"I will." He whispered. "I am."

The bus finally arrived then, and Elliot had trouble releasing Olivia, even though he knew it had to be done. The EMTs put her on a stretcher and rolled her to the ambulance. Elliot followed, limping. When he went to go in with her, they stopped him.

"Sir, there is not enough space for all of us."

"I'm going with her." Elliot growled.

"You need to be taken cared for as well, and we can't do that while we stabilize Captain Benson."

Stabler didn't have much argument to that.

"We'll meet you at the hospital." The EMT said but before he could turn away, Stabler grabbed him by the front of his jacket.

"She's an NYPD Captain. She's got a twelve-year-old son at home. You make her your priority, you understand?"

The EMT didn't argue at the intensity of his voice.

"Elliot!" Bell called. "Come on, I'll drive you to the hospital."

He turned away limping to her truck. Only once inside, he let go of his emotions, the adrenaline not strong enough now to push away his PTSD. Bell started to drive, keeping an eye out to him.

Elliot felt the panic creeping up to his neck and grabbed the door, his knuckles turning white instantly, finding his breathing with difficulty.

"You good?" Bell tentatively asked while driving.

He started to shake then, his body desperately fighting for control.

"El?" Bell touched his arm lightly.

"She has to make it…I can't lose her…not now…" he mumbled mostly to himself. "I made a promise to Noah…"

"She will. She's a fighter, you know that."

Bell's words rang into his mind, a ghost of Olivia's exact words when Kathy had been hurt. Elliot raised his eyes to his Sergeant, tears pooling.

"Yeah…" was his only answer.

The end(?)

I'm planning a chapter 3 at the hospital, but I don't know if i'll have to time, so I'm marking this as complete for now and will add the 3rd chapter if there is one!

musical-Aven

May 2023