A/N: Hey everyone, here's the fifth chap. Less angst. More action. Yay. :) Hope you like it. And thanks again Chels. You're the best.

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em.

Replacement

Any tension left between them goes on the back burner when they arrive at Mercy Hospital. Somehow, when faced with a suffering child, they manage to put aside their personal issues, act like the professionals they are.

"Are you the detectives?" a forty-something man asks, glancing up from the clipboard in his hand. He does a double take when he sees Olivia. Elliot smirks. It never gets old—seeing people react to his partner.

"This is Detective Benson. I'm Detective Stabler. Are you the nurse who called?"

"I did call, but I'm Stephen's doctor."

Elliot narrows his eyes at the power play.

Olivia smiles. "You're Dr. Reed?"

"You can call me Henry."

Elliot's uncomfortable with the way his partner and the doctor don't break eye contact after the introductions are over.

He clears his throat. "Can we see Stephen? We'd like to ask him a few questions."

"Of course. This way." Reed begins walking, filling them in on the situation as they go. "Stephen's mother brought him in after she noticed blood stains on his underwear. When she asked him what was wrong, he wouldn't answer her, only cry. I've seen my share of abuse cases, but never something this bad."

"What did you find? Were there any fluids?" Elliot asks as they stop outside of a room.

"Semen. More than enough for DNA testing. And Stephen's in bad shape. . . .Find the bastard that did this," Reed finishes, voice gruff.

Olivia lays a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you, Henry. We'll take it from here."

**

"It was his stepfather," Mrs. Vazquez tells Olivia as Elliot focuses his attention on the boy in the hospital bed. "Ever since he got out of Rikers he's been…different, around Stephen."

"Do you know the person that did this to you, Stephen?" Elliot asks in a gentle voice.

The boy nods but won't meet his gaze. "Papí."

"I said you can't go in there!" Reed shouts from the hallway.

The door to Stephen's room flies open and a burly man, who's still growing out his prison haircut, fills the doorway. Stephen flinches and cowers toward Elliot, his eyes going wide. Elliot's jaw clenches, but he puts a hand on the child's shoulder to convey that he's safe.

It's Olivia who approaches the man they take to be Stephen's stepfather. Standing at her full height, she's still a good three inches shorter and less than half the man's weight. But she doesn't show any signs of being intimidated by the larger man.

"Are you Javier Vazquez?"

"Who're you? I'm here to see my son." He tries to step around her, but Olivia blocks him, flashing her badge.

"Why? So you can stop him before he talks? It's over. We've got DNA, and as soon as we match it to you, you're back in prison."

"No. I won't go back!"

Elliot goes for the tackle as the man's left fist crashes against his partner's head.

All three bodies fall to the ground, one stunned, two wrestling for power. Reed joins the foray and Elliot's glad for the extra hands. With difficulty they subdue the thrashing man. Elliot manages to close the handcuffs around his wrists.

"Javier Vazquez, you are under arrest."

"What for?" he huffs, still struggling.

"Assaulting a police officer. You have the right to remain silent…"

Even as Elliot lifts Javier to a standing position and recites his Miranda rights, his eyes search for Olivia. Reed is crouched in front of her, blocking his view. He cranes his neck to assess what the damage is.

"I'm fine," Olivia keeps saying, trying to stop Reed from touching her forehead.

"Bleeding's not usually associated with the word 'fine.'"

"Is she okay?" Elliot asks Reed because Olivia is trying to say it's just a scratch.

"His ring made a sizable gash. But a few stitches and she'll be good to go. I'm guessing you won't stay for an MRI?"

"No. And I don't need stitches either. Just give me a Band-aid." Her fingers are covered in blood when she pulls them away from her temple.

"I'm afraid a Band-aid won't cut it. I'll stitch you up right now. It won't take long. Ten minutes, tops."

Elliot is familiar with the look she gives Reed, knows she's still going to fight. "Liv, you need stitches."

Olivia's gaze switches between the two men. She realizes she's not going to win this one and finally gives in. "Fine. But El, get this sonofabitch outta here," she says, glaring at Javier.

**

Outside, Elliot hands Javier over to a pair of uniformed officers so that he makes it down to central booking in one piece. Alex won't be happy with him if the bastard gets off on a police brutality accusation.

Twenty minutes later, Olivia gets into the car, a fresh piece of white gauze taped to her temple. She's tried to cover it with her hair, but it's still visible.

Instead of the indifferent stare he expects, her lips are curled into a smile.

"Did Reed give you a shot of morphine too?" Elliot jokes as he pulls into traffic.

"No." From her coat pocket she pulls out an orange lollipop. Her smile grows as she removes the wrapper.

Elliot eyes the candy with suspicion. "If I'd have known it only took a lollipop to make you happy, I'd have given you a bagful a long time ago."

Olivia ignores his sarcasm. Elliot's concerned that she needs that MRI after all, but he doesn't want to take her back to Reed. He did this to her, made his partner all smiley and strange and foreign to him. He only left her alone for twenty minutes. What the hell happened in there?

They stop at a light. Elliot watches her twirl the stick of the lollipop between her fingers, then bring it to her mouth like a microphone.

"El…"

"Yeah?"

"I gave him my number."

She closes her lips around the lollipop as Elliot strangles the steering wheel.

A/N: Thanks for reading. I'd love to know your thoughts. Was I evil to end it there? ;)