FADE IN:
INT. PRECINCT- MORNING The industrial precinct is quiet and dark, except for a light in Captain Don Cragen's (50's) office.
INT. CAPTAIN CRAGEN'S OFFICE- CONTINUOUS
CRAGEN
(on phone)
Yes.
Yes.
I understand.
No-
No, I think you're mistaken. My Detectives are very-
Uh huh. Ok.
I understand that, and we appreciate your concern. But my detectives are the best of the best.
Uh huh... OK.
He slams the phone down and rests his head with closed eyes. There's a knock at the door.
CRAGEN Come in.
Olivia Benson (30's) is dressed too casually, jeans and a sweatshirt.
OLIVIA: Cap.
CRAGEN Take a seat.
She sits in front of him anxiously.
CRAGEN
Is something wrong?
OLIVIA
Yeah... Well no... but yeah.
CRAGEN
You're usually not so... vague. What's goin' on?
OLIVIA
Captain... I love my job. I love helping victims... I-I think I'm a good cop-
CRAGEN
You are.
OLIVIA
Thanks... But... Ya know, never mind.
She stands abruptly, Cragen follows.
CRAGEN
Olivia.
OLIVIA
(quietly)
Yeah?
CRAGEN
Is there something you need to tell me?
OLIVIA
Yeah... But I can't, Captain.
CRAGEN
I see. What if I-
He takes his badge from his pocket and sets it on his desk.
OLIVIA
Cap-
CRAGEN
Don.
A silent beat.
OLIVIA It's Elliot.
She sits back down, he leans against his desk.
INT. PRECINCT- MORNING
Detective John Munch, Fin Tutuola and Elliot Stabler walk in together.
MUNCH I just don't see why you can't believe.
TUTOLA You're talkin' about black helicopters and a secret organization that only the Army knows about- and supports!
MUNCH
So what's the hold up?
TUTOLA
(to Elliot): Can you believe him.
Elliot smiles and glances at Cragen's office.
ELLIOT Olivia's back?
The other two shrug.
INT. CAPTAIN CRAGEN OFFICE
CRAGEN
What about him?
OLIVIA
I just don't think... I don't think we can work together any more.
CRAGEN
Why not?
Olivia gulps loudly. There's a long silent beat.
OLIVIA
I'm too... attached.
CRAGEN
Attached?
OLIVIA
I care too much.
CRAGEN
Are you in lo-
OLIVIA
I heard there's a position in narcotics.
CRAGEN
Olivia, do you really want to work in that unit?
OLIVIA
No.
CRAGEN
Can I make a suggestion?
OLIVIA
Please. Anything will help.
CRAGEN
Well, you've taken a week off. I'm guessing you've done a lot of thinking about this.
She nods sadly.
CRAGEN I know someone who can help you. Someone who helped me deal with my drinking problem, with the absence of my wife.
OLIVIA
Lika shrink?
CRAGEN
...Yes.
OLIVIA
I don't think so-
CRAGEN
I'm gonna give you her number. Just so you have it.
He goes behind his desk and searches for it in a Rolodex.
OLIVIA
I don't think that'll be necessary.
CRAGEN
I want you to take it anyway... Here it is.
He pulls out one of the business cards and holds it in front of her. Olivia reluctantly takes it.
She heads for the door and stops.
OLIVIA
Did she really help you?
CRAGEN
I stopped drinking. That's something.
A beat.
OLIVIA Thanks.
Cragen pulls a red vine out of a container and chews methodically.
INT. PRECINCT- DAY
A few hours have passed, Munch and Fin and are absent from the precinct. Cragen charges out of his office toward Olivia and Elliot at their desks.
CRAGEN
Just got a reliable tip on that missing girl from a week ago.
ELLIOT
Justine?
Olivia rummages through her files.
OLIVIA Justine Michaels.
CRAGEN I want you two to head down to Chelsea.
He hands them a paper.
CRAGEN The address.
Olivia and Elliot jump up to get their coats. Olivia turns back to glance at Cragen as she leaves behind Elliot.
EXT. STREET- CHELSEA
Olivia and Elliot stand in front of a fence that is surrounding a small broken down building.
OLIVIA Perfect place to stash a kid. Elliot moves a bunch of 'no trespassing' signs to find a whole in the fence.
ELLIOT Found our entrance.
Olivia climbs in after him. They head toward a two-story, old wooden, distorted home. Elliot tries to open the door, it wont budge. He looks around for something to pry it open with. Olivia takes a few steps back and charges the door. It falls on top of her, but she isn't pinned.
ELLIOT Are you OK?
She rubs her head.
OLIVIA ...Yep. Go ahead.
She stumbles to get up while he moves forward into the home. Olivia catches up in a few moments.
ELLIOT I'll take the right.
Elliot goes in one direction, while Olivia heads the other. She steps into an empty kitchen, but the inside of the refrigerator has fresh food.
INT. HOME- BEDROOM
Elliot opens a few drawers, finds nothing. He heads back to the front door area. Olivia meets him there.
ELLIOT
Find anything?
OLIVIA
Fridge has food.
ELLIOT
Could be bums.
A beat.
Both of them frown, a faint 'creak' comes from above. They both look up the stairway.
Both pull out their guns, Elliot follows Olivia.
Olivia hugs the wall as they come upon a hallway. The faint sound is now silent. Olivia nods to Elliot. He begins to walk down one way of the hall when a loud creak comes from behind them. Both turn to find a middle-aged man covered in blood. He holds a double action Baretta calmly and steadily.
MAN Put your guns down.
Olivia and Elliot carefully drop the cartridges out and slowly put their guns down. Elliot remains a few feet behind and off to the side of Olivia.
MAN
You, slide them down the stairs with your foot.
Olivia kicks both guns down.
OLIVIA
I'm Olivia Benson, this is my partner Elliot Stabler.
MAN
Shut up.
He's now a little bit more shaky.
OLIVIA
Where's Justine?
MAN
Who?
OLIVIA
You kidnapped her from her school. She's just eight years old.
The man begins to laugh.
ELLIOT You think this is funny?
MAN
Yeah!
ELLIOT
We'll see if you think its funny from behind bars.
MAN
I'm not going to jail.
ELLIOT
Yes you are, if I can help it.
MAN
Do you see a body?
ELLIOT
You have blood all over your hands.
The man begins to look angry. Olivia looks back at Elliot cautiously.
ELLIOT
When your in jail you'll get to feel what it's like to be raped and beaten... Day after day you'll be bait to prisoners... Doing what they want so you can save your own sorry ass.
MAN
You wanna say that again?!
ELLIOT
You're going to jail!
OLIVIA
Elliot.
MAN
(To Olivia)
Shut up!
(To Elliot)
You think because you're a cop that you're above the law. But you're not. You're just like me! You're as much a killer as I am!
ELLIOT
You're worse than me, you're a failure.
The man suddenly becomes very hostile. He holds his gun as steady as possible. Elliot is suddenly frozen, regretting his irrationality. Olivia watches like in slow motion, of the man slowly pulling the trigger. To protect her partner, she takes a step to the left and is shot in the shoulder. Blood spatters on Elliot. The man makes a mad dash down the stairs. Elliot looks back and forth between the man and Olivia. He see's Olivia's eyes closed. He darts to her side.
ELLIOT Olivia! Liv! Stay awake!
He pulls out his cell phone while keeping pressure on her shoulder.
OLIVIA
(whispers)
Elliot? El?
He snaps his phone shut after making the call. While he holds her shoulder, he brushes hair out of her face with his other hand.
ELLIOT Stay awake, Liv, stay awake. She tries to make out words, but nothing comes.
CUT TO:
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM- NIGHT
Olivia is asleep in a hospital bed, monitors are hooked up to her.
OLIVIA
(sleep talking)
Elliot... Elliot...Elliot.
An old woman sitting in the bed beside her watches her intently.
OLD WOMAN Who's Elliot?
Olivia's eyes suddenly dart open. She turns over quickly, then cringes of stings of pain in her shoulder.
OLIVIA
What? Did you say something?
OLD WOMAN
You're the talker.
OLIVIA
Huh?
OLD WOMAN
(mockingly)
Elliot... Elliot... So who is he?
OLIVIA
A friend.
OLD WOMAN
Don't lie to me. I didn't survive world war II just so I could be lied to by a pretty young woman.
OLIVIA
Huh?
OLD WOMAN
You know, I was in love once. A long, long time ago. He was my mister.
Olivia chokes a little on a cup of water.
OLIVIA
What?
OLD WOMAN
He died in a car accident. I never thought I'd get on.
OLIVIA
But you did.
OLD WOMAN
No, actually. That's how much I loved him.
OLIVIA Why are you telling me this?
The woman smiles.
OLD WOMAN You should probably get some rest.
Olivia nods.
OLIVIA
I'm Olivia by the way.
OLD WOMAN
Miss Horne.
Olivia turns over carefully, her eyes flutter closed.
CUT TO:
DREAM SEQUENCE:
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM- NIGHT
Olivia gets out of the white bed carefully. Her shoulder doesn't hurt, she bends and rotates it surprisingly. She passes the old woman in the next bed and heads out. She wanders around, no one is there. She walks down a long white hall. She turns down another hall to spot Elliot sitting at a bench. They are suddenly in the forest.
Olivia walks toward him with a spunk in her walk. She hears three shots behind her and turns around quickly. No one is around. They are back in the hospital hall. Olivia turns back to find Elliot lip-locked with a woman. Olivia approaches carefully. The woman is blonde.
OLIVIA Kathy?
She places her hand carefully on the blonde's shoulder. She pulls her away from Elliot and shes suddenly transformed into Elliot. She looks to where Elliot was, and she see's herself. Olivia backs away and Elliot stands. He comes toward her. He wraps his arm around her waist and yanks her close. Olivia keeps her head back, afraid and startled. He suddenly pulls out a gun from his back pocket and holds it against her temple. Olivia see's her hand pull out a gun and hold it to his temple. She doesn't understand what she's doing.
OLIVIA No, Elliot.
Both of them pull the trigger, a loud bang.
End dream sequence.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM- NIGHT
Olivia sits up with a gasp. Elliot is suddenly at her side.
OLIVIA
Elliot?
ELLIOT
How are you?
OLIVIA OK.
ELLIOT
How's your shoulder? Are you in pain?
OLIVIA
No.
She slides her hand across his cheek.
OLIVIA You're...
She slides her fingers over his lips.
OLIVIA
You're real.
ELLIOT
Yes.
Olivia is hit with reality, she takes her hand away quickly.
OLIVIA I need to rest.
ELLIOT OK... I'll wait.
OLIVIA No. Go to work.
He nods and grabs his jacket.
ELLIOT I'll get the guy.
Olivia watches him leave, she looks over at the old woman who is staring intently.
OLIVIA What?
The old woman shakes her head.
OLIVIA What!?
Olivia grunts and turns back over on her side.
TBC
