Work Text:
Shots fired at the courthouse.
Elliot's already on his way there when he hears about it. They've been working on a case that's finally gone to court and considering it was a joint thing with SVU, Olivia had offered to help with trial prep after it became clear the victims had been through various traumas outside of the case itself. His own SVU training had kicked in but he knows he’s got nothing on Olivia. He never has.
When he arrives at the courthouse, it's a struggle to get inside. A lot of people have made it outside and the steps and sidewalk are all filled with people. The only reason he manages to actually make it into the building is because Ayanna is already there and tells the officers watching the entrance to let him pass.
"How many?"
"One shooter but the actual shooting stopped almost as soon as it started."
"So they're down?"
Ayanna shrugs, letting out a sigh that borders on frustration. "Unconfirmed. They started shooting down here. It was busy so with all the panic, the shooter was able to slip away and head upstairs." She leads Elliot away from the entrance as she talks. "We were able to pinpoint the area that the next and final gunshot came from. We’ve got video of that corridor and the surrounding areas and Jet is also watching from her desk. Exits are all covered and people are either staying shut up in whatever room they're in or have been evacuated."
There’s a nervous lilt to her voice that Elliot locks on to. He gently grasps her arm and they stop walking. Ayanna turns to look after him expectantly.
"What is it that you're not saying?"
She takes a breath like she's bracing herself for something. "The corridor we’re watching is the same one Captain Benson was last seen in."
Olivia and the shooter's last known locations were in the same part of the courthouse. The thought barrels through his mind at such speed it makes him feel a little sick. She could be in serious danger.
But Ayanna's hand on his forearm, gently squeezing stops him from running off to find Olivia.
"Has anyone heard anything from her?"
"No," Ayanna says as she continues walking and Elliot hurries to follow her. "But that might have changed. I knew you were headed here so I left to make sure you got in."
They don't walk too much further before a group of cops and court officers come into view. As they get closer, Elliot recognises ESU and in the midst of them are Fin, Carisi, and Velasco. At the sight of them, Elliot lets out a breath. On a small table that must have been dragged out from a nearby room sits three laptops. One shows a corridor while the other two show the open areas at each end of said corridor and upon closer inspection, each end as two ESU officers waiting.
"Any word on Liv?" he asks Fin.
"Nothing yet but Jet says her phone hasn't moved so unless she left it behind…"
"Counselor?"
Carisi steps forward. His suit jacket is gone and his sleeves are rolled up to his elbows. His usually well-kept hair has been disturbed.
"The last I saw her was maybe 10, 15 minutes before the shooting started. She was heading in to do some last-minute trial prep with Naomi."
Elliot accepts the little earbud that Velasco hands him. "Jet?"
"No updates," her voice comes through. "No more shooting and I haven't seen any movement."
"Are we sure the shooter was last there?"
"I looked back at the footage. They were walking down the corridor, checking all the rooms but they didn't bother with anyone inside until they finally went inside one of the rooms and shut the door behind them but no one came back out."
"And that particular room has no other exit," Carisi supplies.
"Which room?" Elliot asks although, from the look on Ayanna's face, he already knows.
It's Fin that speaks. "The one Liv is in."
Elliot's stomach lurches. This is so much worse. He gets why Ayanna didn't tell him. He was already tempted to run in all guns blazing at the thought of Olivia being anywhere near the shooter and there is no way he would've been able to hold himself back if he’d known it wasn’t just the same corridor they had last been spotted in but also the same room.
"We can't just stand here."
"ESU are trying to get more eyes on the situation but with no other exit, we don't wanna put Liv or Naomi in any line of fire," Fin explains and Elliot forces a nod because he knows the other man isn't wrong. "No further shots is a good sign."
"Unless Liv was on the other end of that last shot," Elliot points out and at the look on Fin's face, it's clear he's thought about it too. "Jet?"
"Yeah?"
"Any clearer information on the last shot fired."
"I've been able to determine that it was just one more shot after the initial shooting downstairs but I’m not entirely sure when and where it happened though. There are conflicting reports on the when and the video doesn’t help in that department. There’s no audio either."
"Was it in the same room as Captain Benson?" Ayanna asks.
"There's a chance but when the shooter checked the other rooms, the gun was out of sight for a few moments each time."
The looks they all share tell Elliot that they all feel the same way he does. That the likelihood is that the shot was fired in the room with Olivia. Maybe at Olivia but Elliot forces himself to shake it off and-
"I have movement!" Jet calls out. "The door is opening."
"Can you see who it is?" Ayanna asks.
"Hang on, the door is blocking my line of sight." There's a long pause and Elliot holds his breath until, "it's Captain Benson! She seems okay. She's looking around."
Velasco has taken his gun out and is checking it as Fin asks, "is she alone?"
"She's out in the corridor and the door is closed." A pause. "No one is following her."
Carisi, who must have slipped away to talk to ESU, comes back and leans into them. "ESU has eyes on her too. They're holding in place just in case the shooter is waiting but they are prepared to move when need be."
Elliot doesn't want to stand here. He wants to go and he's clearly not the only one because Velasco is suddenly moving, throwing an "I'm going in, Sarge" over his shoulder without waiting for a response.
Fin curses and goes for his gun but Elliot stops him. "I got it."
He also doesn't wait for a response and hurries after Velasco. He climbs the steps two at a time and although the younger man is still ahead, he's within eyesight and Elliot draws his gun as he follows behind. It's clear Velaso is more concerned about getting there so Elliot forces himself to pay extra attention to their surroundings.
Someone must have told ESU to expect them because no one stops him or Velasco from getting to the corridor and making their way down it. With Velasco still ahead, he gets to Olivia first who has begun walking in their direction.
"Captain?" He puts his gun away but Elliot keeps his out. She’s not with it, clearly rattled. With his hands raised, he tries again. "Captain?"
She finally looks at him and her eyes go wide. Elliot forces himself to stop a few steps away from them so he'll be able to get off a shot if need be without having to move around them. The two of them are close enough now that Veslaco is able to reach for her and when he touches her, he breathes out a gentle, Olivia, that Elliot almost misses.
"Velasco?"
"Yeah," he murmurs. "It's me. I've got you."
A lump forms in Elliot's throat as Velasco gently pushes Olivia's hair out of her face and momentarily cups her cheek. That lump grows as she allows herself a second to lean into his touch before his hand is gone. She lays a hand on his chest, fingers drumming a steady pattern and he keeps a hold of her.
"I'm fine. No injuries."
"Where's the shooter, Liv?" Elliot asks gently.
She looks at him for the first time but she doesn't seem surprised to see him. "In that room." She twists to gesture to a nearby door. "He's unconscious and handcuffed and unarmed now.."
"Naomi?" Velasco asks.
Her eyes well up a little with tears. "Dead. He walked in and her eyes went wide and then he shot her before I even had a chance to turn around."
"Christ," Elliot mutters but at least that explains the single gunshot. "Then what happened?"
"He disarmed me and went to handcuff me to the table but I was able to get the upper hand."
"You guys hear that?"
"Yeah," Fin says. "We know he's restrained but ESU is coming to meet you. They'll cover you while you retreat and then they'll check the room."
"Got it," Elliot says as he keeps his gun trained on the closed door while Velasco relays the information to Olivia.
They don’t have to wait long before ESU is with them, one officer from each end of the corridor, and Elliot, Olivia, and Velasco immediately begin to retreat. She doesn’t seem to need it but Velasco stays right by her side. They’re no longer touching but from the glances Elliot takes, something inside of him says that they want to. He forces himself to stay focused. His gun is still drawn and his eyes keep sweeping all over just in case. He only relaxes when they finally reach the stairs.
It’s Fin that greets them at the bottom. For a moment, Olivia reaches out to touch Velasco’s arm before she steps closer to Fin instead and lets him guide her to where the others are set up. Elliot still lags slightly behind them all but his eyes remain solely on Olivia. Physically, she seems okay but he can’t say much about how she’s doing mentally or emotionally and even he is still aware that she has a habit of downplaying things.
In fact, the second it’s suggested, she shoots down the idea of getting checked out. She says she’s fine and then to fight off protests, she tells Fin and Ayanna and Carisi that she wants to see that ESU have the shooter and that this is really over before she’ll let anyone take a look. The only form of acceptance is when Ayanna hands her an earbud and she puts it in, offering a quiet “hello” and “thank you” to Jet before she focuses on the screens.
Elliot still watches her though. She’s standing tall and looking very much the Captain she is but it doesn’t stop him from worrying. Velasco seems to be the only other person not watching the screens either as he too keeps his gaze solely on Olivia but Elliot does everything he can to keep his eyes on her and to stop his thoughts from straying.
A collective sigh of relief is the only thing that tears Elliot’s focus away and over to the screens in time to see the two ESU officers bringing a handcuffed man out of the room. Jet is in their ears confirming that he’s groggy but otherwise unharmed and they’re bringing him down now. As Elliot brings his eyes back to Olivia, she nods at Fin before letting Velasco guide her away from everyone and through a nearby door.
A waiting room of sorts, if Elliot remembers correctly.
It feels like forever before things settle but in reality, Elliot knows that’s not true. The shooter has been secured and he trusts that both Ayanna and Fin and even Carisi will ensure that he stays that way and that he will be questioned and dealt with swiftly. Elliot isn’t entirely sure what’s happening outside or who is handling interviewing the people who were able to get out but ESU and court officers and fellow cops have spread out to look for those who were hiding out.
Elliot, however, has not moved.
He’s taken out his earbud but he’s kept his focus completely on the door Olivia and Velasco had disappeared behind. A few minutes ago, the paramedic who had slipped in to check on her had left. No one has asked him to do anything specific and his interest is peaked so he finally pushes away from his spot and moves towards the door.
The plan was to knock but the door is slightly ajar so he nudges it open and leans in, not fully stepping over the threshold. The room has a couple of couches and some chairs spread out with the odd end table dotted around. He doesn’t have to look far to find them.
Olivia is sitting on one of the chairs and Velasco is sitting on another chair right in front of her that either he or the paramedic must have dragged over at some point. They’re both in profile and if they were to look to the side, they’d easily spot him but they’re too caught up.
“You sure you’re good?”
She sighs. “I was just checked over. You were here. There’s nothing wrong with me.”
“Physically,” Velasco agrees. “But that’s not what I’m talking about.” At that, Olivia offers up a gentle smile and reaches for his hand. He lets her take it and pulls it into her lap to hold. He scrubs his free hand over his face. “I was worried.”
“I know,” she says. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”
Velasco’s next words are so soft, Elliot almost misses them. “Then don’t lie to me.”
Olivia eyes him carefully but eventually nods. “It… Wasn’t easy. One minute I’m trial prepping and the next,” she gestures vaguely with her free hand, “Naomi is dead and I’m looking down the barrel of a gun.” She sucks in a breath and it only makes Velasco scoot in closer. He’s taken to rubbing soothing circles against her hand. “It dredged up some memories, opened some old wounds.”
That twists Elliot’s stomach uncomfortably. What memories? What old wounds? Velasco only gives a nod and it’s hard to tell if it’s because he wants to be supportive or because he knows what she’s talking about or both. None of those outcomes makes Elliot feel any better if he’s being honest.
Like back in the corridor, Velasco gently pushes her hair out of her face and the look she gives him is one of content and familiarity that the twist in Elliot’s stomach only tightens.
“What do you need?”
“Get me out of here?” She sighs and an expression flashes across her face like she realises what’s happened and who she is and- “At least back to the squad room. I’d rather be there to answer questions and deal with all this.”
“Yeah, I’ll make sure Sarge knows so there isn’t a panic and I’ll drive us over.”
He goes to stand and Elliot is so close to being caught when Olivia, thankfully, stops Velasco and gets him to settle back into the seat. “In a minute.”
Scooting his chair a little closer, their knees don’t just touch, they have to move to slot them between each other. He goes back to rubbing those soothing circles into her hand. She leans away but only so she can put her head back and close her eyes. He keeps his gaze locked on her and the worry he’s obviously been trying to keep at bay slips forward as his eyes roam over her.
“I can feel you staring.”
That worry slips away and Velasco grins. “Can’t help it. Like looking at you.”
She huffs out a laugh that, despite the jealousy rising up inside of him, makes Elliot’s spirits soar. It’s not a loud sound by any means but it’s genuine. It’s the first time today that he’s felt like she might end up truly being okay.
“Well, save it for another time.”
And although his spirits are still better and his worry for Olivia has lessened significantly already, Elliot’s stomach drops as that jealousy spikes again. Her words are so soft yet filled with so much meaning and he’s struggling to decipher whether it means this isn’t the kind of time or place for Velasco’s comment or if it’s her saying there actually will be another time.
Fearing that it won’t be the option he hopes for and that he’s pushing his luck by standing here, Elliot forces himself to quietly step back and slip away from the door with that jealousy rising higher and higher with every passing moment.