A/N: Decided to redo this. This was my first fic and, looking back on it, I realize how hard it was to read. Now that my writing skills have improved I wanted to go back and clarify some things and redo certain scene. The story line will be basically the same (couldn't ruin the sequel, now could I?") but I am going to go more in depth with some of the emotions and write more detailed chapters. Enjoy.

Disclaimer- I own nothing but the story line

The world seemed to stop. Everything was at a stand still, he couldn't hear feel or see anything around him. The only thing in the world that mattered was in his arms, clinging on to life.

"Hold on," he begged, he actually begged. Elliot Stabler had never begged for anything in his life, but now his life, his world, his everything, was slipping away. They lay there on the cold cement of the alley way praying that help would come soon.

"Elliot," she stirred, "Elliot." Her voice was weak and her eyes were drifting close. She tried to cling to him, wanting the last thing she felt on this earth being the warm comfort that was his embrace. Yes, she tried to cling to him, but her body was unresponsive.

"Liv stay with me!" This time he screamed, afraid that anything less would not make it past the fog she was in. "Liv," he cried out again, "Olivia hang on, help is coming. I can hear the sirens. Listen!" He lifted her in an attempt to make her listen. He knew it was wrong to move a person when then are injured but he had to try something, anything, if it meant she would stay with him even just a minute longer.

"El," her voice was barely a whisper. She wanted to scream; having felt only blind panic. "Elliot listen to me, I have to . . . I have to . . . to tell you." But she couldn't finish. Her head was pounding and the loss of blood was making her world spin.

"What is it, Liv?" Elliot looked down at her and his face went pale. The tears that he had been trying so hard to hold back were now flooding down his face. "Liv!"

She did not respond.

He stroked her cheek in an attempt to wake her but she did not stir. Yes, he couldn't feel, hear, or see anything around him; anything outside of the nightmare that he was now faced with.

But he could feel her limp in his arms, hear her breathing slow, and see, oh god could he see, he could see that she was dieing.

THREE WEEKS EARLIER

Olivia had just gotten the last button on her blouse undone when there was a knock on her door.

"Liv? Its Elliot, I'm going to use my key ok?"

Olivia smiled. Since his separation Elliot had been a frequent guest at her apartment; something about not being able to stand the silence at his place. As much as she hated to admit it, she liked having him there. She knew all too well about silence, and loneliness, so she found comfort in having someone to talk to.

The sound of her front door clicking closed distracted her from her thoughts.

"I'll be right out Elliot I'm just changing."

Elliot smiled and looked towards her bedroom door surprised, and blessed, to find it slightly cracked open. Standing just barely in the view of the crack was the back of a very topless Olivia. Elliot shook his head in an attempt to rid it of the suggestive thoughts that now assaulted his mind. As mush as it pained him , and boy did it pain him, he looked away.

"I got pizza," he said as he set the box down and searched her refrigerator for a beer. It was, after all, one of the only things she kept in that empty box she called a fridge.

"You did," she said as she emerged from her bedroom; clad in a pair of short pajama shorts and a tank top, "and here I was about to cook for you."

"Really?" Elliot asked.

"No", she replied with a smile. "What kind of pizza did you get?"

Elliot let out a small chuckle and motioned towards the box. "Supreme, no pineapple, just the way you like it." He watched as she walked towards her table and opened the box closing her eyes and the smell filled the room. God she is beautiful.

"Thanks El, I was starved."

Her words broke him out of his trance. "Yeah I figured you would be since you have absolutely no food in this house. I saw a bottle of ketchup in there," he joked, "did somebody go grocery shopping?"

Olivia looked up at him and smirked. "I'm sorry; why are you here again," she asked playfully.

"Hey if you want I can take my pizza and le-"

"Stay!" She half shouted.

Elliot smiled as she walked over to her cabinets and pulled out paper plates for the two.

" Well if you insist," Elliot said accepting a plate from her.

They each got a few slices and walked over to her couch where, during these visits, they would usually sit and talk until one or both of them would fall asleep. They both enjoyed these talks; during the past couple of weeks Elliot found himself opening up to Olivia more than he ever did to anyone in the past, including his wife, Kathy.

They talked about the separation, his kids, even his childhood; a topic he did not discuss with anyone so freely. Olivia was just glad to be there and listen; she loved that he felt comfortable enough with her to share his inner most secrets, fears, and hopes.

Mostly, though, she was just glad she could be there for him like he always had benn for her. The two had grown exceptionally close during the past few weeks and they could both feel the spark that was always between them ignite into a flame, though neither would ever think to act on it. Besides the casual and occasional flirting and pretending not to notice when the other was sneaking glances over paperwork, their relationship never crossed any lines.

Elliot and Olivia were both so involved in conversation that they didn't bother to answer Olivia's phone when it rang, but when Elliot's phone rang almost immediately after they both knew who it was and figured they better pick up.

"Stabler," Elliot said into his phone. "Hey Cap. Yeah I'm with her now. Uhh she's fine, we were just talking." There was a long pause and Olivia could tell something had happened. Although she couldn't make out what Cragen was saying she could hear her captain shouting from the other side of the phone. "How?" Elliot looked over at Olivia with concern etched all over his face.

Olivia watched as Elliot tried to control his facial expressions, not wanting to worry her, but he couldn't control the way the color drained from his face and Olivia noticed it right away.

"Elliot what is it?" She asked in a whisper.

"Yeah," said Elliot, "I understand. I'll tell her." With that he hung up the phone and turned towards Olivia taking her hands in his.

"Elliot what happened?" She asked, panic evident in her voice. Hearing it broke Elliot's heart.

"Liv," he began. But couldn't continue, unsure of how to say this to her.

"Elliot," she persisted, "El you're scaring me. Just tell me. Is everything alright? Was someone hurt?"

Elliot was never one to hold back when it came to delivering bad news. As difficult as it was, it was a familiar part of his job and he knew it was best to just say it. So, when he did hold back, Olivia knew something terrible had happened.

"Liv I don't know how to tell you this." He eyes locked onto hers.

"Just tell me, El."

And then he looked down, not wanting to see the distraught look on her face when he gave her the news. "Liv," he began, "Lowell Harris escaped from prison."

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