Unrequited

Chapter 27

Author's Note: Ok I have a confession. I know I said this person would no longer be in the story but for this situation it made sense that this person is present. Don't worry. He/She is only their to do a job. Nothing else.

{---}

Elliot can't make himself speak. Not with all eyes on him when he's in such a vulnerable state. A petite blonde woman and a medium build guy that looks too young and naive to be in SVU look back at him. Immediately he knows who they are.

He nods his head at Fin and sniffles back a fresh onslaught of tears. Her squad is here for her. All chomping at the bit just like him to find out if she's okay. Despite his worries over the years about if she was alone, he sees firsthand now that the squad, although it has different faces, is still her family.

"How's Dodds doing?" Fin asks turning away from Elliot briefly to Amanda.

"He's just fine. The bullet hit his leg but no major damage. He's already awake and driving everyone crazy," she answers and they briefly chuckle. "His dad will be here in a moment though."

"That's just great," Fin responds sarcastically. "What's the latest on Liv? She still in surgery?"

"No," Carisi speaks up. "They say Lieutenants been out of surgery for like half an hour but still no word. What do you think that means?"

The look on his face is solemn and Elliot slumps in response. What could be happening that they won't tell them anything? God knows he's been in the hospital enough times that he should know the protocol but he's always been on the other side. It's always been Olivia waiting for word from the doctor after he got shot, stabbed or thrown through glass.

"Oh God what about Noah?" Amanda asks pulling him from his thoughts. "Do we need to call Lucy and tell her it may be awhile. See if she needs some relief?"

Elliot clears his throat and finally interjects. "Noah's fine." All heads turn and look at him inquisitively. "Maureen my daughter is watching him and she can stay with him for the night and I have Lizzie coming to look after him tomorrow so.."

Fin's eyes soften and he smirks at Elliot. "Should've known."

He's always been a man of few words so Elliot doesn't push him for more explanation. Dodds Sr. shows up and Carisi shows him to his son's room. Elliot continues to pace the floor, the light gray tile disappearing beneath his shoes. His phone buzzes with texts from Maureen asking for a status on Olivia shortly followed by Kathleen. It didn't take long for the word to spread among his children so he texts them all and checks on Noah who is still asleep.

The sliding door to the waiting area opens again followed by silence and Elliot turns around hopeful that finally it's one of the doctors there with news.

His blood stops cold when he sees who it is.

"You've gotta be fuckin kidding me," he snarls.

It all happens so fast. Before he can get a grip on himself he crosses the short distance that separates them and has Ed Tucker's collar bunched up in his hands, the pads of his thumbs touching the bulging veins on his neck.

Loud pleas of "Elliot don't" and "Not here" are all garbled together around him. Right now all he sees is the one motherfucker that's going to cause problems for Olivia and her shield and he's not going to give him the opportunity to mess with her career anymore.

"Let me go Stabler," Tucker chokes out while pulling at Elliot's hands.

There are arms on his shoulders attempting to pull him away and he shakes them off while he curses the fact that there's no wall close enough to throw him against without causing even more of a disturbance.