Alright, here's the last chapter. Please let me know what you thought of the story. Thanks for all the kind words. Enjoy.

Chapter Seven: Here With Me

The detectives sat in the station house still searching for Becker's hang outs, somewhere he might have taken Olivia. They had lost hope of finding her but no one was willing to just give up. Cragen was in his office alone when the phone rang. "Okay, thank you," he said curtly hanging it up. He brought his hand up to his head and sighed. Mustering all his strength and composure he walked out to talk to his detectives.

From the look on Cragen's face Elliot knew it wasn't good news. "What happened?" he asked bracing himself for the worst. He hated that it had turned into a waiting game. He couldn't stand not being able to save her. He should have been out there looking for her. Looking in every building in the whole damned city if that's what it took. In his mind he pictured the worst, but in his heart he hoped for the best. Still he was reduced to waiting, a pained nervous sort of waiting that was all he and the others could do.

"She's been found," Cragen answered grimly.

"Where is she?" Munch asked.

Fin stood up. "What happened?" he inquired.

Elliot looked terrified. His face a sickly pale white, his eyes wide with anticipation. "Is she hurt?"

"She's at Mercy Hospital. She's been shot," the Captain answered. The detectives looked at him with shock and sadness, like they had been the ones injured. "She's in surgery. They won't tell me anything else."

Elliot grabbed his jacket. "Lets go."

All four men arrived at the hospital a short time later. They were told to wait in the waiting area and that someone would be out to speak with them as soon as her condition was known. They sat, occasionally pacing anxiously, not speaking.

"Detectives," a young male doctor said approaching the four men. They all stood up. "Jody Kendall is awake," the doctor said. The detectives exchanged guilty glances. They weren't even thinking about the case from this morning.

"We'll go," Munch said. "Let us know how she is."

Fin followed, giving Elliot a firm comforting pat on the back as he passed. "She'll be alright. Liv's a fighter," he offered. Elliot just nodded.

Hours past. Fin and Munch were off investigating the Jody Kendall case. Cragen was called away from the hospital. The commissioner requested an emergency meeting with him to discuss the unit's progress on Congressman Kendall's daughter's case. Now only Elliot remained in the waiting area.

To pass the time he paced the small area repeatedly, practically wearing out the soles of his shoes. All he could think about was what he would do without his partner. Nothing-that was his answer. He needed her out there. He needed her to solve cases, to talk to, to make him laugh, to keep him sane, to keep him from losing it when a perp got to him, to get him through his separation.

"Detective Stabler?" Elliot picked his head up to see a middle aged woman in blue scrubs. "I'm Doctor Sanchez. I worked on Detective Benson," the woman said.

"Is Olivia alright?" he asked eagerly.

"She's out of surgery. It went well. We repaired the damage to her intestines and she should be out of here in a few days. She's resting now."

Elliot smiled in relief and exhaled sharply. It was the greatest news he had ever received. "Thanks. Thank you," he said shaking the doctor's hand hardily.

"Can I see her?"

"I'm sorry sir, family only for now."

"I am her family," he told Dr. Sanchez. His eyes pleaded with her. The doctor gave him a sympathetic look.

"Alright, I'll take you to her," she replied.

Elliot stepped cautiously into Olivia's hospital room. He stood a few feet in front of the foot of her bed with his hands clasped awkwardly in front of him. The only sound was the beeping of the machines Olivia was hooked up to. The sound was steady, the beep coming at a fixed interval. That's good, he thought. Her vitals are stable. The room was small, dingy and white-a standard hospital room. Still, it had a depressing sour feel to it. God, he hated hospitals.

Olivia's eyes fluttered open and she warily adjusted them to the light. "Are you gonna say something or just stand there?" she asked fixing her eyes on Elliot. He lifted his eyes to meet his partner's and she smiled weakly.

Gingerly he walked to the side of her bed. "Hey, how you feeling?" he asked softly, barely audible. He didn't return the smile. He stood still like a stone statue.

"You know El, you won't kill me if you talk at a normal volume," Olivia returned. "Nothing's wrong with my ears. Speak up." She pushed her body up into sitting position.

He laughed, relaxing at bit. "Sorry." Elliot looked over the bruises on her face and had to turn away. "Liv, I'm sorry," he repeated, this time much more seriously.

"He's dead Elliot," she stated sadly. She didn't know why she cared about the man who tried to kill her. Maybe because he had given her a chance at the last minute. Maybe because she just wasn't the kind of person to take pleasure or solace in the death of anyone, no matter what they had done to her. Maybe because he was her father. The last possibility is what got to her.

Elliot nodded. "I know Liv."

"All he wanted was a second chance." Her voice was low and regretful.

He took her hand and gave it a slight squeeze. "Some people don't deserve a second chance." Then how could we ever expect people to change? How are things going to get better? How is this world going to ever be any safer than it is now? She didn't voice her thoughts. She agreed with her partner, even though it was slightly pessimistic.

"You think you could stay awhile?" she asked hesitantly.

Elliot smiled and pulled a chair up to her bed. "I wasn't thinking of going anywhere."

"Good," Olivia whispered as she turned her head away from him and closed her eyes. "Because I need you here with me."