Elliot, I just can't put up with this!" Kathy Stabler yelled.
"It's my job!" Elliot yelled back.
"Then find a new one! You're never home and when you are, it's never any longer than for four hours!" Kathy shouted. "And I wouldn't be surprised if you were having an affair with Olivia!"
"I'm not having a damn affair, Kathy!" Elliot hollered honestly. He loved Olivia with all his heart but he would never have an affair. But he didn't love Kathy the way he loved Olivia.
"Oh, whatever, Elliot! I don't want to hear it! Now, get out of here or I will!" Kathy screamed. "I even have my bags packed and I'm demanding full custody!"
Kathy had been planning this? Elliot watched, shocked, as Kathy slung a bag over her shoulder and stalked past him. He grabbed the bag, causing her to whirl around. "What?" Kathy demanded.
"Why did you have your stuff ready?" Elliot demanded.
"I've been ready for this, Elliot! I can't put up with this anymore! I'll call you when it's your turn with the kids!" Kathy snapped. She began to leave again. And Elliot let her. He dropped onto the sofa and buried his head into his hands. Now he would start misbehaving at work and get on trouble, leading to him spilling about Kathy leaving him. Again. He had made a mistake in going back to her. Why had he? Why had he had sex with her? Then he could have had a chance with Olivia. Elliot loved Eli with all of his heart. He had been what made him return to Kathy. But Elliot hadn't really wanted to go back to her. Elliot heard his phone vibrate, but he didn't care. He stared into space and ignored the phone call that could have been the most important one he would ever get. He had expected it to be Kathy, but it was far worse.
An hour later, a knock on his door caused him to jump from his staring into space. "Kathy, this better be good!" he snapped loudly, not caring if she heard. He wanted her to hear. Elliot stood from his sitting position on the couch and made his way to the door. His glare was instantly broken at what he saw. He saw the shock of his life. Olivia stood in front of him, bruised and bloody. She was shivering and crying. Her head was hung down. Elliot was speechless for several seconds, then he snapped into action. Kathy was forgotten.
"Liv! Liv, what happened?" he asked, pulling her into the house and shutting the door. Olivia choked back a sob and stumbled forward, laying her head against his chest as she sobbed. Elliot wrapped his arms around her.
"Liv? Olivia, what happened?" he whispered. Olivia continued to cry into him, frozen in place. Elliot lifted her and carried her to the sofa and sat, sitting her next to him. "Liv?" he mumbled.
"I- I..." Olivia began.
"What happened?" Elliot asked gently. "Honey, what happened to you?"
"I- I was raped," Olivia sobbed. She shook with sobs and clung to Elliot's shirt. The words struck Elliot. He prayed that he had heard wrong. But he knew he hadn't. He pulled Olivia into his lap and stroked her hair as he wrapped his arms around her and rocked her.
"Shhh," he murmured. "Shhh. Don't cry, Liv. It'll be alright. You'll be okay."
"No I won't! He hurt me!" Olivia screamed. "He raped me and beat me!"
"Who?" Elliot whispered, holding her tightly. He wished he could wake up and find that it was all a dream. But he knew he wouldn't. The strong Olivia Benson had been raped and was breaking down.
"I don't want to say anything else!" Olivia cried. "Please, don't make me!"
"Olivia, if you tell me who he is, he won't hurt you again," Elliot promised. He was met by Olivia's sobbing growing louder as she trembled in his lap.
"No, please don't make me tell! I don't want to talk about it anymore!" Olivia wailed. Elliot rocked her back and forth in his arms and continued to stroke her hair.
"Okay, sweetheart, you don't have to tell me now. You can tell me when you're ready, okay?"
"You promise?" Olivia whispered.
"I promise," Elliot assured. "I promise, Liv." Olivia's sobs slowly started to cease and she buried her face into Elliot's neck and wrapped her arms around him.
"Can I stay here tonight?" she pleaded. Elliot softly kissed the top of her head and nodded.
"Of course you can, honey," he promised. "You can stay as long as you want to, okay? You don't have to leave until you feel safe, alright?" He felt Olivia nod against him. He felt her slowly slide out of his lap, but she still clasped his hand. He let her hold it and squeezed hers gently.
"I'm tired, El," she mumbled. Elliot lightly fingered her bruised face and tilted her chin up so that he looked into her eyes. Her beautiful brown eyes were full of tears and fear. Elliot traced the bruises and cuts on her face.
"Olivia," he called quietly. She looked into his eyes. "Liv, we need to take you to the hospital. I'll be with you the whole time, how's that?"
"You won't leave me?" she whispered. Elliot put his large hand on her shoulder.
"I would never leave you," he murmured gently. Olivia leaned against him tiredly and he half-carried her to his car. He helped her into the front seat and buckled her seat belt for her. Olivia felt tears roll down her cheeks as she stared out the car window and thought of the man who had hurt her.
She tried to block him out of her mind, but she kept thinking of how he had hit, kicked, and raped her. Elliot closed his hand around hers and she looked down at it, her tears splashing on her torn pants.