Elliot was the first to move forward, impeded only by the hand gripping his upper arm.

"Don't be stupid El." Fin pulled him back so he was stood with the other SVU detectives. Cragen gave him a warning glance before turning to the negotiator who had emerged just as the gunshot had sounded.

"What can we do?"

"Well I'm setting up the phone as we speak. I assume he has one of the weapons stolen from Detective Clarke's apartment?" Cragen nodded.

"As far as we know, that's the only ones he has access to."

"Okay, we have armed response on their way and snipers being set up on the roofs across the park." Cragen nodded again.

"But what can we do?"
"Nothing at the moment. Just sit tight and I'll come and get you." The negotiator left the group and re-entered the Control Unit.

"Fucking useless. They're all fucking useless."

"El they're just doing their jobs. We'll get her out of there." Elliot turned on Fin.

"Did you not hear what I just heard? Can you not see the glass over there? She could be lying up there bleeding out and we're sat here waiting for him to set up a fucking phone line." Elliot paced backward and forward infront of the van, anger radiating from him. "There's got to be something we can do."

"You heard her Stabler. She'll call if she needs us. I know we aren't doing but she knows how to handle this and she knows what to do." Elliot turned to the older man who peered over his glasses with a knowing look. "If I know anything, I know Olivia and I know she'll survive this." Elliot smiled appreciatively before reaching down to his belt and pulling out the revolver. Making to hand it over, Munch held out a hand. "Keep it. Y'know… just in case."

"Thank you." Munch shrugged and smiled before returning to the other detectives and leaving Elliot to hide his gun again.

The door to the Control Unit opened once more.

"The line's set up. Do you want to listen in?" All present nodded eagerly and filed into the van. Crowding around the phone, the negotiator dialled the number and pressed speaker. The phone rang for a couple of seconds before it was picked up.

"Hello?" The voice was tentative but strong and undoubtedly female.

"Hello my name is Julie and I'm your negotiator. Who am I speaking to?"

"Detective Olivia Clarke."

"Okay Detective, are you hurt?" Silence filled the line before,

"No, the bullet grazed my shoulder but I'll be fine." All present let out a breath of relief.

"Okay, can you tell me who else is present?" Olivia hesitated.

"My husband. John Clarke."

"Okay, is he hurt?" a quiet chuckle could be heard followed by an indiscernible growl and then,

"No."

"Okay. Is John there?"

"Yes."

"Would he like to speak to me?" a slight pause then,

"No."

"Okay. Can you ask him if he needs anything? Food, a drink, cigarettes?" A quiet mumble then a laugh and then.

"He says no but thank you for the kind offer."

"Okay." The negotiator paused. "Olivia?"

"Yes?"

"I would really like to talk to your husband. Do you think you could get him to talk to me, even if it's just for a few minutes?" Another mumble as Olivia repeated what the negotiator had said before,

"I'm sorry, he is still saying no." The negotiator sighed.

"Okay, that's okay. How are you feeling Olivia?" Silence followed, dragging on for so long the detectives thought she had hung up before,

"I'm fine." The negotiator nodded, happy with the answer and ignoring the glances between the detectives over her head.

"Okay. Can we keep the line open?" Mumbling and then,

"So you can listen in on our private conversations? I don't think so. You've already interrupted us once, don't call again." And with the that the dial tone sounded indicating he had hung up.

"Shit." The negotiator redialled the number but was met with:

"The person you have dialled is unavailable. Please try again."

"Shit, shit, shit." She threw down her headset and stood up. Turning, she addressed the officers currently sat at computers behind the small group. "Okay, what have we got?" A man on the far end answered.

"Snipers have eye, she was sat on an armchair the entire time and he was lying on the floor. Neither has been seriously wounded from the single gunshot. Snipers are ready on your word ma'am." The negotiator nodded, satisfied and exited the van to find and update the Captain of the armed response unit. The detectives were left in the silence of the van. None of them spoke. The silence thickened with every passing second as tensions and anxiety mounted between them until it was cut by the trill of a ringing telephone. The detectives looked to the two men sat behind them but neither had noticed the ringing. Either that or it wasn't their place to pick it up. Cragen opened the door of the van but returned shaking his head.

"I can't see her out there." The six adults looked uneasily at each other. The phone needed to be picked up. Taking decisive action, Nick reached forward but was beaten by a larger, much stronger hand that grasped the receiver and took it off the hook, pressing the speaker button at the same time.

"Hello?" Elliot's rough voice the complete opposite of Julie's gentle tones.

"Who am I speaking to? What happened to Julie?"

"She stepped out; I'm your negotiator now." John chuckled down the line.

"I see." He paused. "You must be Elliot yes?"

"Yes."

"I hope you don't mind my saying so but you're a pretty shit partner." John laughed, hiding the low growl that emanated deep from within Elliot.

"Where's Olivia?"

"Deflect the conversation away from you, good… She's here."

"I want to speak to her."

"I'm afraid she's a little…ahem…tied up right now." Over the line Elliot could hear John trying to suppress his laughter and fail miserably as the line was filled with a loud crackling as he whole-heartedly laughed at his own joke. It was during this noise that Julie returned, her face darkening as she realised what was happening. She opened her mouth but was quickly silenced by all present as the line quietened and John continued. "The nice lady before asked me if I wanted anything and I've decided I do." John paused expectantly and Elliot filled the gap.

"What would you like?"

"You."

Silence followed as the detectives gasped slightly. Julie pushed her way through them, trying to catch Elliot's eye as she signed for him to stop the conversation immediately. However, Elliot's gaze was pinned to the wall directly in front of him. After half a minute of silence he responded.

"Okay."

"Be at the door in five minutes. Unarmed." The line went dead. Nobody spoke as they watched Elliot drag himself from which ever dark place his latest conversation had taken him. Confident he had returned, Julie was the first to speak.

"What the hell do you think you were playing at? Answering the phone like that. You are unqualified and inexperienced and god knows what could have happened had you said the wrong word. She could have been shot and-"

"But she wasn't was she? He spoke. I listened. End of." Elliot pushed past a now staggered Julie and exited the van. He strode over to the police tape, closely followed by the others. Turning as he reached it, Elliot removed the gun from where he had stuffed it into his waistband earlier. Ignoring the searing glare from Cragen, he handed it over to Munch who, this time, took it and placed it back into its holster. Saying nothing, Elliot turned and ducked underneath the tape before stepping up to the door and ringing the buzzer next to .

I'm finished school now so hopefully I'll be able to write and post the end of this ASAP. Please review it though, I love hearing what you think and don't be afraid to criticise. I can only improve if you tell me what needs improving.