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She shouldn’t be here.
She should be finding another way to clear his name, to find the proof, he’s not the one that did it.
Elliot’s not a killer. He never could mutilate, murder Clyde in cold blood.
From the other side of the door Olivia hears footsteps as she comes face to face with the individual on the other end.
Kathy.
“Olivia what is going on?Elliot isn’t here right now.”
She knows Elliot is not here, because he had been with her at the precinct , coughing like crazy and spreading germs around while trying to prove his innocence.
It was there,Tucker found him while she was out and arrested him. After that, the hard task of informing his wife befell upon her.
“I’m here about Elliot, Kathy. I wanted you to hear it from me. He’s been arrested for the murder of a biker but he didn’t do it and we are gonna prove it, he’s gonna get out. I just wanted you to know he won’t be coming home tonight.”
There’s only anger when she looks at his wife’s face. The frown of a person having enough of her husband's issues with the job.
“He was supposed to go to Lizzie’s play, today.” She whispers, resigned. “I’m tired Olivia. I’m tired of his job and things constantly popping up. I stood by through a lot of stuff but that’s enough.Murder? ”
She tries to grab her shoulder, make her change her mind and reassure her.
“Kathy, listen to me, Elliot will be here after he goes through processing and the charges are dropped with a good lawyer. We are gonna prove he didn't do it.”
“Well, if he gets out tell him to not come back here. He's your problem from now on.”
The loud sound of the closing door is the only thing heard in the quiet evening.
**************************************************
“What are you doing here Langan?”
“I’m here to try and salvage this Stabler. Make you land on a soft verdict.”
“I can’t afford you.”
“Well it’s good, you don’t have to.”
“What do you mean?” he asks with a tired sigh but curious to learn.
“Friends paid me to get your case. You’re covered.”
He stops, a soft smile on his face. He knows who “friends” are, Olivia.
“Listen, things are hard, there’s your blood on the knife and the plates of your car were identified on Clyde’s 911 call.”
“I didn’t do it. You’ve got to believe me, Langan.”
**************************************************
In the end it doesn’t matter what Langan believes. The judge declares a bail of 250.000 dollars until he travels to Ricker’s, an amount he clearly doesn’t have laying around. The only way money like this could be found is by mortgaging the house in Queens.
Kathy-who by now- would definitely know about his arrest would never agree to something like that.
When he called her from lock up, she was barely talking to him, the only things mentioned were what an utter disappointment he was for one more time.
She’s tired and he can’t blame her. He’s tired too. He can see the situation for what it is, a veteran by now in marriage troubles and recognizing the signs. This is a divorce, pure and simple. It's waiting for him around the corner.
When he leaves the court he feels terrified, an ugliness rearing its head inside his body from the biker’s threats.
If he arrives at Rikers he doesn’t know how long he’ll stay alive.
***************************************************
When he passes through the doors of lock up he meets Olivia’s calm eyes.
He shouldn’t be out, yet he is.
“Olivia, what did you do?”
“I couldn’t let you be shived at Ricker’s.”
The money was a lot, how the hell did she find an amount this big?
He hadn’t realized he said it out-loud until he receives an answer.
“Serena, did leave me an inheritance I will never use.”
She lies of course, she was preparing to take a trip to the Bahamas but Olivia would sacrifice everything in order for her partner to be okay.
A warm feeling spreads on his chest from her declaration. Liv was keeping Serena’s money for a special occasion, the only thing the cruel woman left her after she passed.
She gave it all up for him, for his freedom.
Elliot was already half gone about Olivia, even with a fifth kid and a marriage. This…..this was just the cherry on top.
He’s completely and utterly in love with her.
Time after time, his partner has always been there for him, standing by his side and protecting him.
She made it so easy to love her, just by simply being her, being Olivia.
“Does Kathy know I’m out?”
“Called to her half an hour ago. She hang up on me.”
He laughs, not even surprised from the outcome. A secret part inside of him is relieved.
“Can I crush to yours? This flu has made me exhausted and my temperature keeps going up and down.”
She smiles at him gently, large brown eyes looking at him like he’s the center of the world.
“You never have to ask El.”
This is their own vow of thousand unsaid I love you's That’s what partners do. They protect each other till the end.
*************************************************
It’s much later when she finds out about Lawrence’s existence and questions him along with Fin about Clyde and their connection to Elliot that she discovers the culprit behind all of this.
Brady Harrison.
Elliot and her arrested him six years ago on a series of date rapes.
He’s the one framing her partner. He’s the one doing all this.
When she gets her hands on him she doesn’t know what she’s going to be capable of.
**************************************************
Terror runs through her entire body as she races against the clock, running anxiously with only one destination in mind.
Her apartment.
The bastard, Harrison is heading there right now, intent on getting his final revenge from Elliot.
God, Elliot’s laying tired, sick in her home, clueless about what’s coming for him.
Kathy hates his guts and he’s all alone while she’s out searching for Brady. She hopes, she arrives on time, she doesn’t know what she’ll do if something happens to her best friend, to her partner, to the man she’s always been secretly in love with.
***************************************************
As Elliot falls on the floor along with Harrison, who’s tazed and down for the count, he sees Olivia passing through the door, a scared expression on her face as her gun aims for Brady on the ground.
“You, okay El?”
Utter relief envelopes his tired limbs, feeling safe now that his partner is here and got his back.
“I think, I’m on the mend. Definitely must be getting over this damn cold.”
As Liv cuffs Harrison she gifts him with one of her beautiful rare smiles.
The nightmare is over, he's got his guardian angel watching over him.
**************************************************
After the charges have been dropped, his name finally cleared and the case solved once and for all, Elliot and Olivia find themselves sitting on her couch enjoying some cold beer and take out.
“Have you talked to Kathy?”
He nods, pondering how he was gonna utter then next few words.
“ Yes, barely said stuff but the only thing we both agreed on are divorce proceedings.”
“So, it’s final?”
He nods, this time completely sure about the ending of his marriage.
“Yes and to be honest with you I don’t regret. She went through a lot and I did too. I’m tired trying to save something deep down neither of us want to be saved. We held on for Eli but life shouldn’t only be about that. It should be about happiness and serenity too. It should feel right. Me and Kathy, it no longer feels like it.”
He watches as Olivia gulps, lowering her gaze.
He doesn’t let silence follow. There were way too many already between them, way too many missed chances and what if's.
“I want to thank you. For sacrificing your money, for bailing me out. No one, would do that if they were in your position, Olivia.”
“Yes, they would El.”
Her voice hides unshakeable strength behind the words spoken.
“They would if it was a person they loved, a person they couldn’t leave without.”
His heart pounds loudly as sweat gathers on his forehead.
Liv, is in front of him, expressing her emotions. For once he’s free and this time he won’t let a single moment go to waste.
Under the lights of her apartment and the sound of her TV, he curls a hand around her neck, kissing her with passion, letting his wicked tongue do the talking he so desperately craved. The feeling of utter contentment and happiness engulfs him whole, giving him the courage to dream of happy possibilities, solely colored by her presense.