One More Day

(Chapter One: Haunted)

Elliot smiled as he heard her laugh. He drew a deep breath and opened his eyes to see the most woman in the world staring back at him. Her smile was bright and her beautiful brown eyes sparkled as she laughed again.

Elliot reached out and traced his fingertip over her soft full lips. Olivia leaned forward and kissed him tenderly, it was the most amazing kiss he had ever had in his entire life. Everything inside him told him that she was the one and only love of his life.

"It's time to wake up," she said softly as the warmth of her breath tickled his ear.

Elliot groaned and stretched looking back at her. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He watched as she smiled and combed her fingers through her hair and it glistened like gold.

"Elliot," she taunted as she sat up pulling the sheet around her nude body and kissing his chest, "you are going to be late for work."

"I'd rather stay here in bed with you all day," he said pulling her body against his and kissing her lips tenderly. "I love you."

"Ummm," she moaned softly as she snuggled in against him and pressed her mouth to his once more. "And I love you."

The sunlight through the window cast a soft glow around her and she giggled once more. Elliot combed his fingers through her hair and just held her tight for a moment. He closed his eyes tight as he felt tears slide down his face as he drew another deep breath. She was so real he could smell her perfume on the air, so real Elliot didn't want to open his eyes to face the truth.

He felt the ache in his heart and the emptiness that now filled every place where she used to be. Olivia was no more than a memory now. The beautiful angel who haunted his dreams every night. She was gone and her sweet memories were all he had. Elliot never really held her when she was alive or told her that he was in love with her.

The truth was he had never felt more alone than he had since he had lost her. Now almost six weeks had past since the tragic accident that took her life. But it didn't change the way he relived that day in his mind.

They had been in pursuit of a suspect and Elliot was driving. Lights were flashing and sirens were wailing as they flew through the city streets after their suspect in a stolen vehicle.

He and Olivia had argued the night before, nothing serious just a minor disagreement. But voices were raised and feelings were hurt, leaving him feeling horrible for making her cry.

They were okay now. His sincerest apologies and a long heart to heart had brought their friendship back to where it belonged and everything was good between them once more. By the end of their little talk they were both laughing. Since then Elliot had been cracking stupid jokes to keep the smile on her face.

He loved her smile. He loved her. But hadn't quite found a way to tell her yet. And because of his hidden feelings a strange awkwardness had formed between them, often leaving Elliot unsure of how to act around his best friend and partner.

She was laughing when it happened. Elliot remembered looking over to see her pretty smile as she combed her fingers through her hair they way she always did. He smiled and shook his head as they blew through a red light and continued the chase. Elliot was doing everything right and by the book. He was driving right behind the car Munch and Fin were in and was completely aware of everything going on around him. Unfortunately, everyone around them wasn't paying attention.

The dark green SUV struck the squad car on the passengers side. The driver was speeding and didn't see them. The impact was so hard it spun the squad car sideways sending glass and debris flying all over the road. Elliot wasn't too badly injured, he hit his head against the steering wheel and suffered burns to his skin from the air bag.

Olivia wasn't so lucky. Her side of the car was destroyed. Elliot pulled her from the vehicle and cradled her in his arms as they waited the ambulance to arrive. He whispered for her to hold on that help was on the way. He felt a tear roll down his face as the sirens from the ambulance grew near. But they wouldn't arrive in time. Olivia moaned softly as she squeezed his hand. She leaned her forehead against his chest and closed her eyes as she took her last breath.

Elliot couldn't hold it together anymore. He broke into tears and rocked her in his arms apologizing for not protecting her the way he promised her he would. He kissed her forehead and closed his eyes as he took in the scent of her perfume.

When the paramedics finally arrived, Elliot was sitting in the street holding her in his arms. Olivia looked like she was sleeping peacefully. She was leaned into him with her head resting on his shoulder. Her eyes were closed and her hand laid limp in his.

This was the site Munch and Fin saw when they arrived on the scene after hearing the report of the accident over the radio. Fin walked up to Elliot and knelt beside his friend. He could tell by the look on his face and the tears in his eyes, it was bad.

"She's gone," Elliot breathed and as he spoke those words he felt his heart shatter in his chest.

Fin looked up at his partner in tears and Munch lowered his head, understanding then what was going on.

Elliot held tight to her for twenty minutes or so before he picked her up and carried her to the gurney where the paramedics waited to take her away. Olivia's arm fell limp and dangled beside her as Elliot made his way over to the ambulance. Elliot's best friend, partner and the love of his life, died in his arms right there in the middle of the street, only feet from the crushed remains of the squad car they had been traveling in.

Elliot laid her slowly down on the gurney, carefully placing her arms beside her. He kissed her forehead and combed his fingers through her hair putting each strand neatly back into place. To look at her she didn't even look that badly injured. Elliot kissed her once more, then watched as the medics covered her with a soft white sheet and loaded her into the back of the ambulance.

Elliot opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling above his bed. Some days when he had these happy dreams of her it was hard as hell to drag himself out of bed. He wanted so badly for those thoughts to be real, just to see her smile one more time or hear her laugh. To tell her all of the things he didn't know how to say when she was alive. Graveside confessions and a dozen roses weren't quite the same thing. Part of him died with her that cold New Years day. A part of him that would never regain consciousness. He took a deep breath and made his way to the shower to start the next of many lonely days without her.