DISCLAIMER: None of the SVU characters are mine (I'm not mad about it... really...), but Sarah and Laurel are.

A/N: Wow, it's been a long time! This story has always been a tough one for me, but I'm pretty pleased with this chapter. Difficult to start, but once I got going, the end of it came pretty naturally. And I'm pretty happy with it. I feel like there is a LOT more story to tell, so this may develop into a series. We'll see... :) Please R/R. It helps more than you know!

Elliot walked with purpose down the hospital corridor, a slight jaunt in his step. For the first time in many weeks, many months, he felt optimistic, hopeful. For the first time in a long time, he felt a small surge of happiness.

Today, Olivia was being released from the hospital.

After her ten day stay in ICU, plus another week in a rehabilitation unit, her doctors finally felt she was ready to leave the hospital. Her physical recovery had been excellent, her wounds were healing beautifully. The staples in her head had come out just prior to her leaving intensive care and her jaw wires had been removed just a few short days ago. Elliot had noticed that her energy level was increasing and she was spending more and more time each day awake and alert. Her doctors were pleased and so, he was pleased. He couldn't have been prouder of her, the woman he loved.

As he rounded the corner and entered her room, he saw her standing by her window, dressed in the yoga pants and loose-fitting t-shirt he'd brought her the day before. She had also politely asked him to bring her one of her silky scarves to cover the scars on her skull. He had protested, stating that she didn't need it, but she'd insisted. And he, wanting to make her feel comfortable, had finally obliged. She now had it wrapped around her head, her remaining hair tucked up into it.

She hadn't heard him come in, so he took a moment to simply observe her. He smiled softly at her beauty. She was bathed in the early morning sunlight that streamed in through the window, her eyes closed to its warmth. She looked incredibly peaceful and he knew it was a state of mind she had worked hard to achieve. Olivia had been on an emotional roller coaster these last few weeks, rocketing between anger and fear and sadness, sometimes within moments of each other. He couldn't imagine what she was going through, but he wanted to do everything he could to help her come out stronger on the other side.

"Knock, knock."

Despite his soft voice, Olivia startled and opened her wide eyes to him as he took a few tentative steps toward her. Upon recognizing his face, she pressed a hand to her heart and took a deep breath. "Elliot. You scared me."

"I'm sorry," he said, slowly closing the distance between them and coming to stand next to her at the window.

"Don't be," she replied quietly. "It's not you. I'm just…" He could tell she was struggling to find the words. "I don't know what I am." Her admission frightened him, made him unsure, made him want to cry. His vivacious, self-assured partner had lost her way and he was desperately trying to help her find it again.

He smiled anyway and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, giving her a soft squeeze. "Remember what I told you?"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I look for you," she whispered. "And I'm home." Her brown eyes opened and found his face, and in that moment, he saw her peace return. She smiled. "Thank you."

He smiled again and ran his hand down her arm to intertwine their fingers. He so longed to kiss her, to press his lips to hers in a soft embrace, to feel her as he once had, wrapped around him, warm and sweet. His eyes must have traveled down to her lips as he lost himself in thought, for soon she pulled away and cast her gaze to the ground. "Elliot…" she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. He knew she wanted to continue and paused to let her.

When she didn't, he pressed her. "Olivia?"

She looked back up into her curious face and he could see her lose her nerve. "Nothing," she said, turning to finish putting her personal items in the small bag he'd brought her. She asked the hospital to throw away the clothes she'd been wearing the night of the attack, but they had returned her wallet and her badge, which she now threw into the bag along with some of the other items Elliot had brought her from her apartment.

Elliot stepped toward her to continue the conversation, but at that moment, a very helpful nurse decided to choose that particular moment to enter with Olivia's discharge forms and prescriptions. She listened carefully to the nurses instructions, signed the forms and thanked her for her care. As the nurse was leaving and Olivia was slinging her bag over her shoulder, Sarah entered.

"Olivia," she said warmly, crossing the room and wrapping her arms around his partner's fragile frame. Elliot smiled softly at the embrace and watched Olivia bring her hands up to cup Sarah's shoulders, clutching her in a silent expression of gratitude.

As they parted, both women smiled upon each other with tears in their eyes. "Well," Sarah said, clearing the emotion from her throat. "I'm just finishing my shift, but I wanted to come and say goodbye. You're all set? You don't have any questions?"

"No, not right now. The other nurse was pretty clear in her instructions," Olivia said. "So, I'm okay."

Sarah reached forward and grasped Olivia's hand. "Yes, you are." With her other hand, Sarah pulled a piece of paper from her pocket. She pressed it to Olivia's palm. "This is my contact information. You call me, day or night, if you need anything, okay? Even if it's just to grab a drink somewhere. I love a good dirty martini." She winked at Olivia and they both shared a laugh.

"I will, Sarah, thanks." Olivia placed the piece of paper in her bag along with the rest of her items.

The hospital room door opened again and Elliot saw a tall red-headed woman peak her head into the room. "Well," she smiled as she entered the rest of the way. "You're a popular woman, Olivia."

"For the first time in my life," Olivia laughed and self-consciously touched her hand to the scarf that was wrapped around her head.

The woman smiled and held something out to Olivia. It was a small book. "Here," she said softly. "I want you to write in this as often as you feel like it. It doesn't have to be every day, but the more often you write, the easier this process is going to be."

It finally dawned on Elliot: the red-headed woman was Olivia's therapist. He wasn't sure why this surprised him. Of course Olivia would have to talk to someone after her attack.

Olivia nodded at her and said, "Thank you, Laurel."

The red-headed woman, Laurel, Elliot now knew, nodded and smiled softly. "I'll see you in a couple of days."

"Okay," Olivia said quietly. Elliot sensed she was quickly becoming overwhelmed at her visitors and the information she was being given and about leaving the hospital. He didn't want to intervene, but felt concerned for her well-being, and so he stepped forward.

"Ready, Liv?" He held his hand out to her and looked into her pale, tired, beautiful face.

She looked relieved and placed her hand in his. "I am." She gave his hand a soft squeeze and looking back to the two women in the room, whispered, "Thank you. Both of you."

Sarah and Laurel smiled once more as Elliot and Olivia made their way from the hospital room. As they approached the elevator, Elliot could see Olivia's eyes were wide and her breathing heavy.

"Hey," he said, stepping closer to her. "Hey." She looked up into his face and waited for him to continue. "One step at a time, okay? I'm right here beside you."

Olivia took a deep breath and nodded. The elevator dinged and as the doors opened, Elliot and Olivia stepped inside, hand in hand.

Elliot opened the door to his apartment and stepped in, turning back to reach for Olivia. "Come on in," he smiled warmly at her. She entered wordlessly and looked around. It was the first time she'd ever been to his new place. When he'd first moved in, after Kathy left, after this with Olivia deteriorated, it seemed so big and empty. Then, one day, Maureen and Kathleen showed up on his doorstep and kidnapped him to places like Target and Ikea. They'd helped him make it feel more like a home and he was forever grateful to his two oldest girls.

"What do you think?" he asked Olivia, who was walking around and taking everything in.

She looked at him and said, "It's nice, El."

Elliot looked around and smiled. "Yeah. The girls helped me decorate it. I don't know much about any of that stuff, but they seemed to enjoy it." He chuckled at the memory.

"Mo and Katie?" Olivia inquired and Elliot nodded in response. "They would enjoy that, yes." Olivia grinned.

"Come on, I'll give you the tour." He led her through the apartment, ending up in the guest bedroom. "I asked Fin bring over some clothes and things for you," he said. "I hope that's okay."

Olivia set her bag on the bed and whispered, "Yeah, that's okay. Thank you, Elliot."

"You're welcome, Liv," Elliot said.

They lapsed into an awkward silence, Olivia staring down at her bag on the bed, Elliot staring down at his feet. "Are you hungry at all?" Elliot asked. "I could make us a quick breakfast while you get settled in here?"

Olivia smiled. "Sure. That would be nice."

Elliot smiled at her and began to make his way out of the room. Before he could think too much about it, he turned back and grasped Olivia in a warm embrace, pressing his face into her neck and breathing in her scent.

He felt her tense momentarily before bring her hands up to clasp his back, resting her hands there and taking a deep breath.

"Welcome home, Liv," Elliot whispered.

After breakfast, Olivia took a round of medicine and excused herself to rest. Elliot took it upon himself to tidy up his already tidy apartment and put in a round of laundry. As he was folding the first load out of the dryer, his cell phone rang. Fin's number. "Stabler," he answered.

"She home?" Fin got right down to business.

"She is," Elliot replied. "She just went to lie down."

"She okay?" Fin asked. "Up for visitors?"

"She's doing okay, Fin, but let's hold off on visitors for a day or so. She was feeling pretty overwhelmed as we were leaving the hospital."

"Sure," Fin said, understanding that letting Olivia adjust to being out of the hospital was what was best for her right now. "I just wanted to let you know that a trial date has been set. Alex is planning on calling Olivia to the stand."

Elliot took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Okay. When is it?"

"Next week."

"Okay. I'll let her know. Thanks Fin."

"Sure. Give her a hug for me."

"Sure will." And with that, Elliot ended the call.

After finishing his folding, Elliot made his way back to the guest room. Upon seeing the door open, he peaked in and found it empty. "Liv?" he called, continuing down the hallway. He noticed the bathroom door was shut, so he knocked softly and called her name again.

"You can come in, El," her voice was quiet and sweet in its reply.

Elliot turned the doorknob and slowly opened the door. Olivia was there, standing in front of the mirror and holding Elliot's grooming scissors and electric clippers. She looked up at him with wide, soft eyes and simply said, "Will you help me, Elliot?"

Elliot nodded and stepped into the bathroom, taking the items from her hand. She unwrapped the scarf from her hair and took the scissors back. Picking up a section of hair from the unshaved part of her head, she snipped and watched it fall into the sink. She looked back up into the mirror and a look of determination crossed her face. She picked up the next section, and then next, and the next, until her hair was trimmed down close to her scalp.

"Okay," she whispered. Without a second thought, Elliot turned on the clippers and got to work, gently running the razor over her already shortened hair and carefully watching her face. She didn't falter, didn't waver in her resolve. Soon, Elliot was done and he turned off the clippers, setting them on the edge of the sink and staying silent as she came to terms with this new step.

Olivia stared at her reflection for minutes, hours, days. Finally speaking, her voice showed no trace of sadness or fear. "I needed to take control. I needed to accept what happened to me and take my control back." She looked at Elliot. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," he said. "I do understand."

Olivia nodded and looked back in the mirror. "I needed to show myself that he didn't break me, that he didn't steal me. That I'm still here, that I can be new, be reborn." She took a deep breath and looked back at Elliot.

He smiled at her, stepped forward and cupped her delicate cheeks in his hands. "You're beautiful. You look like Olivia."

She grinned. "I am Olivia."

R/R please? And thank you!