I have one thing for you to do though, when I write, I feel that music really helps make the story come alive. If you'd like (it really helps with imagery and feeling), when I write the name of the song in the reading, open a new tab, head to YouTube or Grooveshark and open the song!
Then she fell.
Elliot felt his heart stop as his breathing hitched, his legs giving out from beneath him. He fell, the world spinning again. He couldn't be sure. Had he heard two shots? They were so close together he wasn't sure what had happened. Through the haze which hovered about his vision, he could make out his partner's frame. She lay beneath a motionless figure - Peter Harrison. He couldn't breathe at all.
If she was hit, he'd never forgive himself. He needed to go help her, but he was unable to peel himself off the floor. The room was filled with the sounds of police rushing in, sirens blaring outside the now open window. It felt like everything was in slow ears felt like he'd been thrown into a vacuum and he couldn't think straight. He saw a familiar face in front of his as officers crouched near his partner, blocking his view.
"Elliot." The far away voice spoke.
"Elliot, you ok?"
It was Fin. The detective could see the fear in Elliot's eyes.
"Liv's ok. It's over."
He tried to help his colleague up. Elliot's vision began to clear as his world spun back toward normal speed.
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Olivia had felt the gunshot resonate through her eardrums. Just as soon as the high-caliber weapon was fired (she was trained to know what kind of gun it was), she felt a heavy weight fall upon her, crushing her on the ground. She couldn't think. And yet, all she could do was run possibilities and questions through her brain and a thousand miles per minute.
Had she been shot? Was Elliot hit? Had backup arrived? Was the team safe? Her lungs were compressed, but she felt no pain, except her hand which had been bothering her since that horrible night - a lifetime ago. The same sounds that met Elliot's ears met Olivia. The weight was peeled off of her, a familiar voice reaching her.
"Liv? Liv, are you ok?"
Cragen. She'd know that voice anywhere. He helped her sit up, supporting her in his arms.
"We got them."
He checked her quickly for additional injuries, worried she'd been hit. The shot had been risky, but it had to be taken. Eli lay on the ground feet away from where they were. When Cragen helped her up, Olivia found his eyes. He found hers.
When there were no words to say, they could speak silently through their eye contact. Her captain let her go and she walked to him, him to her. Their embrace was a wordless exchange of reassurance. The nightmare was over, and they were ok.
"Come on. Let's get you guys out of here."
Cragen put a hand on Elliot's shoulder, the two pulling apart. Olivia shook against Elliot as she nodded. Fin held Olivia's arm as Cragen lead Elliot out of the room. The officer's bodies leaked blood onto the floor, spatters covering the window.
A pang of guilt fell heavily upon Olivia as she looked at them. If she wouldn't have shot the girl, Natalie, a year before, none of this would have had to happen. Fin heard her silent thoughts, knowing the expression she wore.
"None of this is on you, Liv. Don't let me hear you saying that it is, ok?"
His voice was soft but firm.
"Why don't you tell them that."
She pointed at the two officers lying in their own blood.
"Stop. You know it's not your fault. You've had this job a long time. Things like this happen. It doesn't mean it's your fault."
Cragen and Elliot went on ahead, turning the corner in the hallway.
She nodded, "I know."
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Elliot felt his heart finally slowing as he sat down on a stretcher, leaning back and sitting up as paramedics strapped him in.
"They're going to transfer you to Bellevue. We've got a mess to clean up here." Cragen said.
Elliot found Olivia near Fin, walking out of the hospital entrance. Police cruisers were still reaching the hospital, screeching their tires on the ground as they slammed on the breaks and jumped out. Olivia sat on a stretcher and was strapped in as Elliot was.
Fin stepped back, "I'll see you later, baby girl."
Elliot found Olivia's eye contact shortly before they were both lifted into the ambulances and driven away. Cragen made his way to Fin, talking into his radio.
"We're all clear. Get the coroner and CSU here."
He removed the radio from his mouth, his NYPD jacket flapping in the wind while he turned to face Fin.
"We got here in time."
He seemed to be trying to convince himself that it was over.
Fin nodded, "Yeah we did."
Munch jumped out of the cruiser that screamed up to the curb.
"They ok?"
He approached his captain and partner.
Cragen smiled a little, "Yeah. Nice work."
The wind blew gently, the sun beating down on the sidewalk as the buildings rose high into the sky. The city carried on like it always would. The sky was blue, the clouds were invisible, and the warmth of the June sunshine reflected off the windows of sky rises, panning across the city of lights and dreams.
Here it is! New tab, YouTube/Grooveshark, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. Take the time. You'll be glad you did! I'll wait(:
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FOUR MONTHS LATER
Elliot walked into the precinct holding a tray of four cups of Starbucks coffee.
Olivia looked up from her paperwork, "Well good morning."
She smiled. It was rare that Elliot Stabler brought in coffee. Fin and Munch looked up.
"Aha! Told ya he was going to. You owe me fifty bucks ol' man."
Elliot smiled, lowering the tray so Fin and Munch could both grab one.
"How'd you know?"
He made his way over to Olivia.
"Just a feeling.' I figured you'd buy us coffee to celebrate your big day." Fin replied.
Olivia grinned and chuckled as she took her cup of coffee, running her hands along the brim of it.
"Happy birthday, El."
She offered him the smile he rarely saw. Elliot sat down, placing his coffee on his desk.
"Thanks."
"Alright, how old are you, grandpa?" Fin questioned.
Elliot sighed, looking down, a smile creeping across his face.
"Half as old as you guys."
He looked up at the two partners across the room.
"That's not an answer. Come on, we need to know how many candles to put on your cake."
Olivia's eyes were bright - at long last.
"Well, I've got suffering lung capacity so, I'm 13." Elliot said.
Fin tossed a paper ball in his direction as Munch commented.
"I've been turning 45 for the past twelve years, my friend. I'm sure your in much better shape than I am."
Olivia laughed, "Feel any different, 43-year-old?"
She knew how old he was. She didn't even have to ask.
"That's it? Good god, Stabler, what are you complaining about?" Munch chuckled to himself as Cragen exited his office.
"Why do I feel like nothing's being accomplished out here?" His tone was light.
He had been watching. It warmed his heart to see his detective happy again. He was seeing Olivia and Elliot grow happier and healthier every day, showing progress in their emotional distress. Now the smiles had been broken out. Things were going back to normal, slowly but surely.
"Elliot's 43 years old, Captain." Olivia spoke.
Cragen raised his eyebrows, "That's it? You enter the police academy at age 3?"
Elliot smiled at his captain's joke, shaking his head, "No. I was definitely a little older than that. I've just been a pain in your ass ever since. My apologies."
Cragen chuckled.
"That goes for all of us." Munch commented, grinning.
It felt right - finally. The days were no longer clouded by the lethargic behavior of the detectives. The sun shown through the windows into the precinct where special victims found their heroes. Elliot and Olivia were healing, as was everyone else.
What happened changed them, but it failed to rip away all that they stood for. They would remain part of the elite NYPD for the rest of their lives - through anything, together.
And that's it. If you've got any thoughts, feel free to share. What did you think of the chapter, the story? I'd love to hear. Thanks again for reading.