7

TW: This chapter does mention a shooting but doesn't go into detail

The crew worked hard to figure out who the little girls were, but their pictures didn't match any in the database for missing and exploited children. Their nurse called and gave Olivia an update on the girls, who finally told the staff that their names were Madison and Julia. 

"Fireworks from up here are the best," Elliot spoke, as he joined Olivia on the roof of the precinct. She had been on the roof for over an hour before Elliot noticed her missing. 

"What are you doing up here?" Olivia asked weakly, her fingers running over the bricks of the ledge.

"I was worried about you."

"Elliot-"

"This case is taking a lot out of you, and I want to know why. Something just isn't right, and it scares me," Elliot admitted softly, his hand moving to the small of Olivia's back. Olivia shook when she felt the warmth of his hand, but she didn't ask him to move it.

"Elliot, I can't tell you what's going on with me," Olivia whispered.

"Do you not trust me?"

"Elliot, I trust you with my life. It's just that things are complicated and I can't risk telling you and putting you in harm's way," Olivia replied as she slowly turned to face her partner. Elliot looked her over for a moment, noticing the tears in her eyes and the slight bruise on her lower lip.

"What type of harm, Olivia? Is someone coming after you? An abusive ex?" Elliot asked, his hands moving to the edge on either side of Olivia. There was no space between the partners, and Olivia grew flustered. She could feel the heat radiating off of Elliot's body and the smell of his cologne.

"Elliot," Olivia whispered.

"Whatever harm is out there waiting for us, it doesn't scare me," Elliot replied, as he kept eye contact with Olivia. After a moment, Olivia leaned forward and rested her forehead against Elliot's shoulder, and took several deep breaths.

She wanted to tell Elliot about everything that had happened since March. How she ran away from Miami with the help of the government and that she was now in the Witness Protection Program. Most importantly, she wanted to tell Elliot about her girls. If he knew, maybe they could work together to rescue Macie and Rory from Hugo's grip. Yet she knew if she told Elliot anything about her past, she'd be moved to a different city and never get to see him again.

"Elliot, please don't dig any deeper. I have some demons that I'm still battling, and I mustn't drag you into battle. We should probably go back and find Madison's and Julia's parents," Olivia breathed, as she lifted her head from Elliot's shoulder. He shook his head as he met her eyes once more.

"Not before I do something I've wanted to do for a while. Okay?"

"El-" Olivia started, but she couldn't even speak because Elliot pressed his lips firmly against hers and looped his arms around her body.

Not only were the fireworks filling the dark July sky, but there were fireworks going on between the partners as well.

///

Julia and Madison were put into foster care after being released three days after they were found. Any leads on their parents were all dead ends, and eventually, the squad was forced to put this case on the back burner while newer cases came in. Everyone was so busy with investigating rapes and murders that Elliot and Olivia rarely got time together. The few kisses they shared on the roof in July were the first and the last for a while. 

"Olivia!" Elliot yelled as he ran into the emergency room in early October. He quickly slid to the side to avoid running into other victims. 

Not far from the precinct, Olivia had been getting coffee when a man entered the coffee shop and shot it up. Olivia was listed as a victim, and Elliot didn't know if she was still alive or not. 

"Sir!" A nurse exclaimed, as she grabbed Elliot by the sleeve of his jacket and pulled him to a stop. He stared at her for a moment before releasing a shaky breath.

"I'm Detective Elliot Stabler. I'm looking for my partner, Detective Olivia Benson. She was at the scene during the shooting and I was told she was taken here with injuries. Please, tell me she's okay," Elliot rambled, tears welling in his eyes. He was so scared and worried that the one who shot Olivia and all the others was who wanted to hurt Olivia back in July.

"Sir, we had twenty victims rushed in here within the hour. I don't know if or when she arrived, okay?"

"Then look!" Elliot exclaimed. The nurse took a slow breath and led Elliot back to the front desk. She asked him a few questions before nodding and grabbing a sticky label where she wrote Olivia's name and room number.

"Detective Benson is currently in room three hundred. Keep this badge on your jacket or shirt and flash it at the camera when you request to go back. Take a right at the end of the hall and look for the room," the nurse spoke, as she passed Elliot the badge. He thanked her quickly before running away from the desk.

///

Olivia winced as she pushed herself up in bed, one hand resting against her bullet wound. She had been shot twice while in the coffee shop, but it was her bullet that took down the shooter and what strength she had left to pin him to the ground until other officers arrived.

"O-Olivia?" Elliot asked quietly as he swung open the door. Olivia looked over at Elliot and gave him a weak smile as she slipped her hand off the bandage.

"Hey, El. I'm sorry that I scared you-"

"You more than scared me, Olivia. We got a call informing us you were shot and didn't know if you were alive. All I could think about was kissing you on the roof and that being the only time I could experience it!"