"Damnit, Zachary!" Elliot held his hand out to brace on the wall for balance as he rubbed his foot.

"Welcome to my world, honey. Did that with Zane at least twice a day." Olivia bent down to pick up the offending object. "Do you need anything while I'm out?"

"Not that I can think of. Hurry back?" He wrapped his arms around her and peered over her shoulder at their pajama-clad son.

"I will. I already called it in. Can you get Zach dressed? I got some of Zane's old clothes out and washed them. Zack's already growing out of his pants." She gave Elliot a peck on the lips and turned around. "Come pick up your trains, buddy. Daddy stepped on 'em again."

"Now, Zackary." Elliot snapped his fingers and watched the four year-old dart down the hall and come to a halt.

"Mom's going to the store, okay? Pick out a shirt to wear and your dad will help you with your pants." Olivia ran her hands through his unruly hair. He'd gone to sleep with it still partially wet, and it refused to lay flat.

"Okay, mom. Wuv you." Zackary held onto her hair as she lowered herself down to his level. He leaned his head to touch hers and smiled.

"Love you, too. Be good for your dad and leave your brother alone." She swatted him lightly on the bottom and watched him race back down the hall, trains in hand. She marveled at how similar he was to his brother. All the train cars were lined up by size and color.

"Zane's drawing you a picture for your desk. Said he wants it to be a surprise, so don't go in there yet." Elliot walked his wife to the door and held her coat out so she could put it on.

"Thanks for the warning. Love you." Olivia grabbed her keys and purse to leave.

"Love you, too, baby." Elliot smiled at how it rolled off his tongue. He'd always seen himself to be rather manly. He closed the door behind her and did the locks. Just like always, he parted the shades and watched her walk down the street until she was no longer in sight.

Olivia glanced over her list on more time. She had the distinct feeling she was missing something. The shrill sound of her phone broke her from her thoughts. She held her breath as she opened her phone. Not work. Thank. God.

"Hey, honey. Sorry to bother you, but can you stop by and get some laces? I can't find my other pair of shoes." He hated that he always called her up after she left to run an errand.

"I just picked them up. I knew you'd need them bef…" The loud popping startled her, making her drop her phone. She could hear Elliot calling her name from where the phone came to rest on the pavement.

"Liv? Olivia, damnit!" Elliot walked down the hall and into his bedroom so the kids wouldn't get worried.

"I'm here. I…I think I just heard gunfire. I have to go." Olivia abruptly closed her phone. She knew Elliot would be pissed at her for hanging up on him; not to mention he was probably pacing like a madman. She quickly called the authorities and hung up. Her heart raced and she fumbled with her phone before finally getting it back into her purse. Just as she looked up, she saw the hooded figure walk out the door of the pharmacy.

With wide eyes, she stared at the man. His eyes darted around and he brought his hand behind his back to reveal the gun he'd just used to get the money from the cash register. He heard the sirens approaching and came at her, tackling her to the ground.

Olivia's head hit the concrete as the man's weight brought her crashing to the ground. The air was sucked out of her lungs, and she knew it was over. The images of her sons and husband ran through her head. She wondered how her obituary would read. Tears sprang to her eyes at the thought of leaving so soon after finding happiness not so long ago.

Her heart pounded as the man brought the gun up to her face. The metal was still warm and she jerked her head to the side in a vain attempt to prevent her face from being burned. She let out a whimper and braced herself for what was to come. She closed her eyes, resigning herself to her fate. The man's sweat rained down on her, until he was pulled off and thrown aside. She could hear a scuffle, followed by a distressed voice calling out to her.

"Oh, God. Liv? Please be okay, baby." Elliot jumped over the unconscious man and stuck the gun in the back of his pants. "Open your eyes, Liv."

Olivia felt herself being pulled up and into his arms. She clung to him as he frantically checked her over for injuries. She shook in his embrace until the emotions were too great. The realization of what had just transpired caught up with her, and the floodgates opened.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Elliot studied her eyes as he patted down her arms and stomach. He brought her to his chest in a fierce hug and pulled away to resume his search for any signs that she'd been hurt. Satisfied that she hadn't been shot or stabbed, he pulled her head to his shoulder and let her cry out her fears.

"I…you…where are the boys? Don't let them see me, Elliot." Olivia wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket and hid behind Elliot's form. She'd tried so hard to shelter them from the reality they faced outside their home.

"They're at the neighbor's. I told them you forgot something and that I had to run and give to you. What were you thinking?" Elliot's fear soon turned to anger as he thought of her risking her life without regard to her family.

"Wh…I was thinking of you, you son of a bitch. Why do you think they're here?" She pointed to the units that had arrived from the precinct around the corner.

"I'm sorry. I know. I'm sorry." Elliot kissed her forehead and kept a firm grip on her as he helped her stand.

"Zane needs his meds. I have to get his…where's my purse?" Olivia winced as her head began to pound from the impact with the pavement.

"We'll get his medicine. There's your purse. Did you hurt yourself?" Elliot gestured for the hand bag one of the officers on scene was holding and handed it to his distraught wife. He kicked himself for assuming she'd risk her own safety.

"I just need some Tylenol. I hit the back of my head when I fell." Olivia's hand was intercepted as Elliot reached up to prod the area. She winced, biting her lip.

"Sorry. You need to get checked out, Liv." Elliot took in her disheveled appearance. She was slightly incoherent, but given what she'd just gone through, he'd expect nothing less. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying, and she walked slowly as he led her to the group of officers waiting nearby.

"It's just a bad headache. Promise. Let's get this over with so we can go home." She walked the officers through her statement and gave as much detail as she remembered. She was relieved to hear that none of the patrons had been injured.

"Ma'am, I can't let you go into the crime scene, but I can have someone retrieve your prescription for you." The officer wasn't sure what it was for, but he'd overheard the couple talking and wanted to ensure they got their son's medicine.

"I…okay. Um…I don't have my checkbook with me. I'll have to…" Her voice trailed off when the officer held his hand up. He handed back Olivia's wallet and motioned for a beat cop standing next to a nearby cruiser.

"You're one of us. Don't worry about it. Scotty, go get Detective Benson's prescription. Do what you have to do to get it. I'll sign off on it. Get her somethin' to drink, too." The older man patted Elliot on the back and grinned.

"Look, you don't need to do that, but thank you. If you're ever near the one-six, look us up." Elliot shook the man's hand.

"I thought I recognized you. The work you two do is…well it hits home. You folks take care. Ma'am." The officer reached into the passenger side of his patrol car and pulled out a bottle. "Thought you might need these."

"That all you got?" Olivia grinned and took the offered bottle as the younger officer returned with a brown bag. She thanked him and let Elliot lead her down the path back to their home.

"You scared the hell out of me. Are you sure you're okay?" Elliot twisted the cap off the water and watched her down the tablets.

"Yeah. I just need to lie down. It happened so fast. I called dispatch and I didn't have time to go around to the side of the building. Please tell me you don't really think I would have gone after that guy." Olivia wiped the excess water off her mouth with the back of her hand.

"I know, Liv. You know how I get. I'm sorry I wasn't there sooner. I think Zane knew something was up. He wanted to come with me." The image of her being pinned to the ground by a man twice her size still haunted him. He could just barely make out the reddish mark on her jaw where the barrel of the gun had burned her skin. She was walking a little slower than usual, but she was okay.

"I'll talk to him. Let him know everything's fine. Did Zackary suspect anything?" Olivia dug into her purse and pulled out Elliot's shoelaces.

"He was too busy playing with the new puppy next door. Thank you for getting these." Elliot cleared his throat and blinked away the moisture from his eyes. If Olivia hadn't made the stop to the shoe store beforehand, things could have turned out differently.

"I felt bad. You could have been nagging me to get you some more. You kept tying the others back together, instead." She slipped her arm hand in his and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I need a nap."

"Adrenaline is wearing off. You're crashing. I'll get the boys so you can rest. Zane will be fine. I'll tell him you have a headache." He kissed her on the check and unlocked the door.

"Don't forget he has to take it at ten-thirty. I left the dispenser on the counter. One in each day. Thank you, honey." Olivia slowly walked into the house and toed off her shoes before slipping off her coat. With shaky hands, she picked up the frame on the table. Two little boys were hanging off the arms of her husband; all three stared back with big smiles. She let out a sob at how close she'd come to never being able to witness other moments like that.

She navigated through the hallway and into the bedroom. A sock had found its way onto the bed. She smiled and tossed it into the hamper by the door. She hissed when her head hit the pillow and rolled over to her side to face away from the door. Moments later, she heard the hushed voices from the kitchen. She sighed, curling herself up into a ball. She hadn't slept like that in years. Not since she'd changed departments. She no longer felt as if the world was weighing her down. She'd tuck her arms and legs into her body, as if warding off the violence inflicted upon innocent citizens of New York.

"Liv." Elliot crept into the room and closed the door. He winced when the hinges began to squeak. It never failed.

"I'm awake." Olivia raised her head and turned to her other side. "Lay with me?"

"I got Zack some fruit snacks. He's watching a movie. Zane asked about you. He's worried, but I told him you were fine. Said you were looking forward to seeing his picture." Elliot settled himself on the bed gently and brought a hand up to her face. He gently kissed the burn on her jaw. He watched her struggle to control her emotions. "Let it out, baby."

Olivia buried her face into his chest. Her hands found the material of his hooded sweatshirt, and she pulled him even closer as she began to sob. She could feel his finger-light strokes as they made sweeping passes over her back. She breathed in his scent and closed her eyes.

"I love you so much." Elliot whispered into her ear softly, hoping the words would find their way into her heart so that she could find peace. Into her mind so she could sleep. He cursed the man that made her so uneasy. The bastard that took away her right to feel safe and protected. He carefully pried her hands from his shirt and climbed over her. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, yet gently. As her breathing evened out, he allowed himself to cry. For the woman he loved that he'd almost lost. For the mother whose sons were spared the speech that would change their lives forever. For them. A family filled with so much love that a moment away from each other is a second too long.