Pursuit

by Bensler

Terror.

Dread.

Anguish.

The details were sketchy – only that shots had been fired, an officer was down as well as others. Elliot's heart constricted painfully when he heard what happened because he knew Olivia was there. He should have been. But Cragen pulled him back to run down another lead with Munch. He was her partner. He should have been there.

Calls and texts to her cell phone were met with the standard line that the customer you are attempting to reach is unavailable at this time. Either her battery was gone or someone had turned it off. And he knew Olivia would never have turned it off.

Elliot heard the wail of a siren and saw the flashing lights of an ambulance as it rounded the corner two blocks below him as he jerked the car to a stop. Not bothering to shut off the engine or close its door, he leaps from the vehicle and takes the steps in front of the building by two. Tearing onto the scene, he is mortified by the sight before him. Shards of glass from broken windows litter the floor. Windows broken by gunshots. But what really shook him up was the blood. There was no ignoring the blood. It was everywhere. So much blood. Too much.

The hammering of his heart made his chest ache as his frenzied gaze swept the scene for the one person who could quiet his heart and calm his soul. Pushing past unis standing guard and CSU techs measuring angles, dusting for prints, he checked each room in his frantic search for his partner.

The search is vain. She is nowhere to be seen. No one from Special Vics is there. The pounding becomes more insistent and he is certain a heart attack is eminent.

Grabbing the closest uni, he demands, "Where are the detectives?" His voice was so rough, so raspy, he was not sure it was really him talking.

"Sir?"

"The detectives that were on scene! Where are they?" The quiet voice vanished and he now roared at the young policeman.

With widened eyes, the officer answered, "Mercy General."

Mercy General. Oh, God. Please. Please. "Who was shot?" Elliot glared at him.

"Uh…I…uh… I'm not sure who all it was, sir…at least one cop…and couple of others…I just got scene…sorry."

The air around Elliot suddenly disappeared. He stood gasping, trying to catch a breath. His chest was on fire. Now his breaths were coming hard and fast – he was going to hyperventilate. Stabler, get a hold of yourself, he screamed silently in head. Olivia needs you. Finally, he sucked in a normal breath and ran for the door.

Jamming the cherry on the dash, Elliot slammed the gearshift into drive, gunned the gas pedal making the tires of the sedan squeal as he made a U-turn onto the sidewalk and into the road and headed toward Mercy General Hospital.

Sprinting into the ER, Elliot quickly found Cragen and Alex talking with a medical personnel of some sort. Still, no Olivia.

"Where's Olivia?" Elliot yelled as he neared the Captain.

"Elliot," Cragen took a step toward him.

Elliot threw his hands up, a silent warning for Captain Cragen to back off. "Where is Olivia?" he growled.

He was about to lose it completely.

"They took her down that hall," Cragen said as he pointed to a set of double doors. "Elliot!"

He heard Cragen shout his name, but ignored it as he thoughts hovered near insanity.

Took her. Took her? Elliot's mind raced with a dozen scenarios. She'd been shot. His mouth went dry. Stabbed. Did she need blood? Had the crap beat of her. He should have been there fighting with her. For her. She was in surgery. Please be okay. Or ICU. Don't let it be that bad. Or they simply had not had time to come and give them the bad news; to tell them she was…

His hand landed on the sign that said 'Authorized Personnel Only' as he violently shoved the door open and burst through the barrier that kept him from what he needed more than anything else in this world.

The second he was on the other side he saw her. "Olivia!"

Horror.

Panic.

Grief.

These emotions and others played across her face as they rushed toward one another.

And tears.

Real tears.

Hot, salty tears.

They squirted from her eyes and raced down her pale cheeks.

The noise she made could have been his name, but whatever it was it was drenched in a tormented anguish. And name or not he would have recognized the sound of her voice.

When at last they touched, she shattered as she fell into his arms.

Melting into him, pulling him close, holding on for life itself, her strangled, deep sobs tore from her mouth straight to his heart rending it in two with such force it was all he could do to keep them standing. He began to rock her; to comfort her.

Pain.

Relief.

Wounded.

Healing.

Sorrow.

Joy.

At the prospect of losing her, the emotional trauma he felt was gut wrenching enough but her pain flowing into him was nearly unbearable. At least seeing her in one piece provided relief for him. Physically she may be fine, but he knew she was emotionally wounded. If only there were something he could do or say to give her the healing that began in him the moment he saw her. If only he could trade all her sorrow for the joy that filled his heart when he realized she was okay. If it were possible he would take it all and bear it himself so she could be spared.

Time stood still as he stroked her hair, rocked back and forth as he held her and she clung to him. The scent that was unique to her, his partner and so familiar to him filled the air around them and he breathed it in deeply. Though they both wore coats, the heat of her body seeped through warming places within him he had never known existed. He had never felt like this. Never know such a connection with any other person. And he had always been careful not to get too close to it. So careful because he knew it would make him feel even more things he had no right to feel.

The hard sobs that gave way to quiet crying; the warmth of her breath at his ear; the dampness of her tears on cheek as she leaned on him for comfort, somehow gave him the strength they both so desperately needed.

His whispered words finally soothed her enough to stop her crying, but she didn't let go of him. If anything, she held him tighter. The rocking continued. He lost count of how many times he kissed the top of her head; her temple. After what seemed an eternity, she slowly pulled back from him. Not out of his arms, but just enough that they could look into each other's eyes.

It only took a few seconds for everything to change between them. He felt it and he knew by the look in her eyes and the way to she could not hold his gaze that Olivia felt it, too. Her eyes shifted downward. To his lips. Then she glanced up at him almost as though questioning him. Do you feel it, too? Yes, he silently answered. As he leaned forward just a bit, testing to be sure he heard her, she turned her head closer to him as her tongue slid over lips. Elliot moved slowly, still uncertain. Their eyes were now locked and oh, the things they spoke of without ever uttering a word. Millimeters apart, their lips were nearly touching when…

The sound of the doors opening followed by Cragen's voice jarred them back to reality and they quickly released each other though Elliot kept an arm draped protectively around her shoulder.

"Elliot, Olivia." Cragen eyed them suspiciously before continuing. "Just got word – Fin's going to be fine. He'll be in ICU a day or two, remain in the hospital for several more days and out of work for a couple of weeks. But all in all he's good."

Olivia's eyes watered and she wiped at them as she nodded, unable to force words around the lump in her throat.

"That's great, Cap'n," Elliot said as he pulled Olivia a bit closer.

"Olivia, I know you've been through a lot today, but we need your statement as soon as possible." Cragen's hand went to her upper arm and he gently patted it. "Come back to the precinct when you feel up to it."

"Captain, I…" Her voice caught and she shook her head.

"I'll take her statement, Captain. That way she can stay here a little longer," Elliot offered, knowing she did not want to leave Fin just yet.

Cragen looked back and forth between the two detectives before finally agreeing. "Okay. But we really need it tonight."

"The brass is all over this, Liv. So, don't wait too long, okay?" Alex added as she gave her a tight hug.

The brass, Elliot thought to himself. What the heck happened that the brass is already on this? He looked at Olivia but she was staring at the floor and nodding.

Cragen and Alex headed out but just as they got to the door, Cragen stopped and came back to them. "Almost forgot…I need your gun." He held his hand out to Olivia.

Elliot was thoroughly puzzled now. The case just got more complicated than it already was.

Olivia pulled her Glock out of the holster, released the clip and laid them both in Cragen's outstretched hand.

"Liv, it will be okay," Cragen said softly. "Elliot, make sure she gets home and gets some rest."

"Yes, sir."

When they were gone, Olivia walked to the edge of the hallway to a small alcove and sat on a worn couch that sat under a huge window. Elliot quietly followed a sat next to her, not touching but close enough to be there for her.

Watching her, he thought back to how they had held each other and stared into each other's eyes. He had almost kissed her. His partner. Almost. He would have if Cragen had not come in when he did. And she would have let him. He saw it her eyes and heard the silent permission she had given.

Olivia leaned against the back of the couch and closed her eyes. Her fingers went to her forehead, lightly massaging it.

Elliot slipped his hand around the back of her neck and gently squeezed it. "Headache?"

"Mmmm…yeah." That she didn't not move or pull away from his touch amazed and frightened him. His complete ease with touching her at all terrified him.

"Liv, what happened?" he asked so softly he wondered if she even heard him.

A long silence ensued before she began.

"I shot Alicia."

~ ~ ~ eoeoeoeo ~ ~ ~

Her phone didn't work because it had taken a bullet meant for her.

A pre-ep. Since I have no idea what all is going down in the episode - well, maybe I did hear something about a...hug? But this is my take on what might happen, or what should happen, is more like it. You know I am EO to the core, so it is what it is.

Bensler does not own SVU. Master Wolf owns SVU. Bensler does not own SVU. Master Wolf owns SVU. But Bensler has to ask – can you just sign over Meloni?

I know you won't believe me, but I really wanted this to be a one shot - okay, quit laughing - but as you know I have a difficult time doing that, so this will be two parts. Maybe just two. And besides it is 1:00AM and I have to get up for work at 6:30! But I promise to post it all before the show airs! Let me know what you think! " ) Bensler

P.S. I saw two other 'pre-eps' and just as a disclaimer...I have NOT read them, so any similarities that may occur are just because great minds think alike! " )