Insecurities

Chapter 15

"Where is she?" he asks barrelling through the set of double doors Cragen is standing beside. "She's right here Elliot." Cragen says guiding him into a room.

His expression immediately drops because he realizes that Cragen has led him to the room he should have been referring to but was not.

Kathys asleep and noticeably covered in bumps and bruises.

He places a hand on her bed near her feet and looks at her for a second. But only a second.

He quickly looks at Cragen but doesn't say a word, doing his best to hide his emotions for the moment.

With that single exchange Cragen sees a look in his eyes and tilts his head, nodding knowingly at Elliot. 

"Captain..." Elliot muttered softly, his voice faltering as his emotions take control.

"This way Elliot." He says pivoting on his heel and taking him to a room down the hall.

As soon as Captain stops outside a door he's quickly pushing it open and walking inside without another word.

There's a curtain drawn across the length of the room blocking his view and he quickly jerks it over, without hesitating, unapologetically.

"Liv." He calls out as he pulls it.

"El?" her eyes quickly find his and he looks like he just saw a ghost. He's pale white and clammy. 

"El..." she repeats "Kathy's right down the hall she's fine."

A lifetime I almost spent without you.

He quickly slides into the bed at her side and she winces "Careful."

"What-what happened?" He asks, gently shuffling over in the bed to give her some room hand hovering just above the cast. "Its broken." She says lifting her arm and resting it on her leg.

He swallows around the lump in his throat.

"I thought I'd lost you." He says, clearing his throat when he chokes up and leaning over to rest his head against hers.

She thinks about how she wants to kiss him.

She wants to kiss him and he's not hers.

"You should go see Kathy." She says, leaning back in the hospital bed.

He tilts his head and narrows his eyes at her. "What about you?" He asks, not wanting to leave her.

"I'm fine El. It's just a broken wrist."

"Just a broken wrist?"  He repeats back to her hoping she'll hear how utterly ridiculous that sounds.

"You're injured Liv." He says and she rolls her eyes and turns her head to hide the smile that follows. it's hardly the time to smile but she feels overwhelmed by how sweet he is.

"Don't roll your eyes, this is serious Liv." He says.

"Kathy is injured too El. Your wife.." She raises her eyebrows as she says it.

"You should check on her." Olivia says.

They hear the door crack open and Elliot quickly stands.

"Elliot." Cragen calls from the hallway.

"Yeah Cap?" He calls out.

"There's a doctor out here that needs to talk to you..." He says softly.

"Okay.." he says, exchanging some fearful glances with Olivia.

When he enters the hallway there's a doctor in a long white lab coat waiting on him. "Are you Mr Stabler?" The man asks, extending a hand.

He swallows and extends his own. "Yes." Elliot says.