Bensler Oneshots

Can't Touch Them

"Elliot!" Olivia yelled as she jumped from the sedan, running toward the burning building.

"Liv!" Fin hollered after her, sprinting to catch up.

"Olivia, stop!" Cragen called out, also running but not as capably as the detectives.

Olivia was almost to the building when a flaming piece of siding crashed down to the ground in front of her. She stumbled backwards, falling. She jumped up quickly and was ready to dash inside when Fin caught up to her, wrapping his arms tightly around her as she flailed.

"Let go!" she demanded. "Let me go!"

"You can't go in there," Fin insisted.

"I have to get to him! I have to get him out of there!"

"Let FDNY handle it. They'll find him," Cragen said, though the tremor in his own voice betrayed his attempt to calm her down.

Olivia shook her head wildly. "They're not here yet. They won't be fast enough. I have to go in."

"You know I can't let you do that."

"You don't understand! He's my partner! I can't just leave him to die!"

Cragen grabbed ahold of her, too, and she couldn't fight them both.

"We're not. Olivia, look at me," Cragen ordered. "We wouldn't be of any use to him. There's too much smoke. We don't have the right equipment."

She shook her head, disbelieving. "Please. Please, let me go," she pleaded with them, tears leaking from her eyes.

"I'm sorry. We have to wait," Cragen said finally, fighting tears of his own in fear for Elliot's life and in frustration with the fire department.

The sirens that had been playing distantly came closer, and Cragen sighed in relief. However, as they reached the lot, a sudden thundering sound and whoosh of flames signaled the collapse of the upper floors, spraying dust and ash. The three standing in front of the building shielded their eyes.

"No!" Olivia shrieked. "No! Elliot!"

"Dammit," Fin cursed as the flames engulfed what was left of the building.

"No, no!" Olivia sobbed, crumpling against Fin and Cragen even as the fire department's water hoses went to work.

"One of my detectives is in there," Cragen informed a firefighter.

The man nodded. "As soon as we can get inside."

"Liv, you gotta breathe," Fin told her gently, trying to keep her upright.

"I can't...El...I have to..."

"Breathe."

She continued to sob, face buried in Fin's jacket, hands clutching it tightly as she fought to control herself.

The flames eventually died out, but the building had continued to collapse under the fire's damage and the pressure of the water. When the building had settled enough to enter, the firefighters began to search the debris, calling out for Elliot. Although they wouldn't permit them to go inside, Olivia, Fin, and Cragen circled the perimeter of the building, calling for him as well.

Some of the firefighters began to return, and Olivia could feel a fresh round of tears burning the back of her eyes, but then, she heard a faint cry for help.

"Elliot? Elliot, where are you?"

"Olivia-" Fin said quietly. "He's not-"

"Elliot, can you hear me?"

"Liv?" the voice called back.

"Keep talking! I'll find you!"

She ran around to the other side of the building, leaving Cragen and Fin to share a confused look.

"El?"

"I'm here!"

"I'm coming!"

Cragen and Fin looked on, baffled when a hand shot out from under the wreckage. Olivia clambered up the debris, outpacing firefighters and reaching for him.

"I've got you," she said.

One of the firefighters joined her, and with his help, a dusty and beat up Elliot emerged.

"No damn way," Fin said in disbelief.

Cragen let out a baffled chuckle.

"How do they even do that shit?" Fin asked his captain, still staring at the reunited pair.

"I don't know, but I tell you, those two, seems like nothing can touch them," Cragen told him as they watched the codependent partners share a relieved hug.