You're Somebody Else || A Bensler/EO Reunion Fanfiction

10-13

She gripped the steering wheel tightly, so tightly that her forearms protested and her knuckles grew white. He dark eyes were glassy, tears threatening to pool there...but she couldn't let herself give in, not yet. She took deep, ragged breaths. Her heart pounded within her chest and within her mind, memories flashed before her... so many years had passed and yet here was the proof that some wounds just never healed.

Three minutes prior, she had heard a 10-13 called over the police scanner... the words that followed made her blood run cold and her heart practically cease beating. She replayed those words in her mind now 10-13 officer in distress... car bombing on a rental car near Centre Street... registered to a N.Y.P.D. Detective. One E. Stabler. There it was, the lump in her throat...the regrets of a decade of silence between two people who had been partners...best friends...and so much more.

Her phone began to ring, she glanced down at it where it sat haphazardly in the cupholder. The contact read 'Fin'. She accepted, "Fin, I'm sorry," she said, her tone emotional but not the sorrowful as she cut him off before he could ask where she was. She couldn't have ignored this radio call... Fin would understand. "Where are you?" he inquired, his accent making his concerned tone sound more casual. "Something's come up," she replied, keeping her reply intentionally vague. She couldn't truly let him know what she was thinking, in fact she couldn't have voiced her thoughts without breaking down. "Well, you're the guest of honor. Everybody's waiting on you. What's going on?" he inquired, his tone still concerned, but he was also expressing his (and everyone else's) impatience. "I'm not quite sure yet," she replied, her voice wavering dangerously.

There was a brief pause before she added, "I got a 10-13, a vic near Centre Street. So, I'll be there as soon as I can, okay? Thank you." She didn't wait for a response, she couldn't speak any more...not until she knew. Fin would handle things, he was her number two and he always had her back when she needed it. She gripped the steering wheel again, clenching and unclenching her hands around it as she felt her heart rate spike. The siren on her car blared and she drove as fast as she could, swerving around other cars when needed. She was desperate to get there... to see what happened... to make sure he was okay.

Which was why, when she pulled up to the scene and stood from her car, her breath hitched in her throat and her stomach turned... there was only one gurney and on it, "Kathy," she breathed the name, to no one in particular. She slammed her door shut and approached the scene, pulling out her shield and flashing it to the uni that approached her. "Captain Benson, what happened here?" she said, trying to control her demeanor as she approached the scene. Over the uni's shoulder she could see the car, burnt metal warped by the blast...car bomb? She found herself speculating already, attempting to decipher the scene.

"Car bomb," the uni replied, holding the tape up for her, "They're taking the vic to Mercy, doesn't look good." Olivia nodded, her mind racing and her eyes raking over the scene...no white sheets, no second gurney. Maybe he isn't here? The EMTs were moving the gurney towards the ambulance and Olivia moved, pushing her way towards Kathy to try and speak with her. "Kathy?" she said, her voice wavering dangerously as she tried to talk to the woman... ten years had passed and it all flooded back. "Kathy," it was breathy again, her emotions hitting her square in the chest. She shook them away, leaning forward, "Kathy?!" she said, louder and more urgent. No response.

The EMT pushed her back and spoke, "We gotta go," as they loaded the gurney into the ambulance, leaving Olivia standing there...staring at Kathy's limp form and feeling helpless. That's when she heard him, his voice over the sounds of sirens and chatter about the scene, "LIV!" he called, as if no time had passed. She turned in his direction, almost taking a double take as her dark eyes found his icy blue ones. She whispered her response, as if the wind had been knocked out of her by his presence, "Elliot..." there was a long pause before she whispered the only thing she could think, "Oh my god..."