Elliot snuck away from work early, after working for a day and a half straight, trying to arrest a serial rapist. They figured out who it was, thank god for DNA! He stopped at a florist and picked up a dozen white roses, next stop was home. Things at home have been very tense sense Kathleen's trial, he didn't like that it wasn't healthy but he didn't want a divorce. He loved her to much, and it would destroy the kids so he had a surprise for his wife. He arrived home to see Kathy on the porch swing on the phone she hung up when she saw him with the flowers, he handed her the flowers. She found the note it read, go upstairs and get changed a have surprise for you. She smiled ear to ear; she kissed him on the cheek and went upstairs. When he walked inside Eli ran up to him,
"Daddy," he picked up his son, and walked towards the kids in the living room.
"Your mom and I are going out tonight watch your brother, will be back around ten,"
"Dad, its Saturday I'm going to Billy's," Dickie said annoyed that his dad would ask him to stay home. Elliot reached in his pocket and pulled out a twenty, Lizzie stood up from burying her face in the book.
"sure thing, Daddy" taking the twenty out of his hand, he turned and saw his wife coming down the stairs, wearing a dark blue spaghetti strap dress and high heels. They took off he opened the car door for her. They drove for a while, and they arrived and a very nice restaurant they held hands walking in. they had a reservation, she was so happy because there were a lot of people waiting outside. The waiter brought them to their table, even though they both were having a great time they really hadn't spoke from the car ride to now.
"So do you like the place?" Elliot asked, drinking some wine that had been just brought out.
"I love it."
"Good, I'm glad" even though he was tired he had planned this for a while and wasn't going to let a thing like sleep get in his way. He needed this night to be perfect, their arguments were getting bad. His work was being affected by this and they were scaring the kids, and that brought painful memories back of Elliot's childhood. They both ordered angel hair garlic Alfredo, it was her favorite, and before they knew the food was here. He smiled watching her eat, "is it good?"
"It is wonderful," she smiled, making him smile. About a half an hour flew by. He finished before her, it was the first real meal he had eaten it a while, "I'm stuffed, I couldn't eat another bite," Kathy said.
"I bet we can just bring it with us," the waiter came and brought them there check, "can we get like a container for this?"
"Sure thing, I will be right back," the waiter said, Elliot smiled at his wife, she smiled she was having a wonderful time. She could really never stay mad at him, she just hated that he knew that. The waiter came back, Elliot handed him the check with his credit card. He reached over and put his wife's food in the Styrofoam container. The waiter came back and they walked outside, Kathy stared at the beach she put her food in the car.
"What are you looking at?" Elliot asked
"Let's go for a walk babe" it was the first time she called him that since they got back together. He smiled, he took her hand and they headed for the beach.
"How was your day?"
"Fine, Dickie invited his girlfriend over for dinner tomorrow. He doesn't want us to embarrass him; Maureen is going to stop by the house next weekend. Eli drew on the walls in almost every room in the house. He is almost been hiding things in the house, how was your day?"
"Long, we got our guy so I guess that it means that it was good." She stopped and took off her shoes, and handed them to Elliot.
"These kill my ankles," she rubbed her arms suggesting to Elliot that she was cold,
"Oh," he took off his jacket and placed it over Kathy's shoulders. She snuggled it on, she grabbed Elliot's head and planted a very passionate kiss on his lips. He grabbed her waist bringing her closer to him. They were now lying on the sand, kissing, she pulled away and looked at him. It was a deep look, she was really studying him.
"Why are you doing this, el?"
"What are you talking about?"
"This all this, the roses the fancy resturant, what is going on"
"I am tired of the fighting Kath; I want us to be happy for us and the kids that is why. I love you" she began to cry, "no don't cry, please don't cry" he wiped away her tears. He kissed her forehead.
"I love you, too" they cuddled on the sand looking up at the stars, they almost fell asleep, Elliot's eyes were closed and he was just about asleep. "El, what time is it?"
"What, yea. Ummm its nine forty five, shoot I told the kids we would be back by ten" they got up, he hugged her again. They walked towards the exit of the beach, but they were far from it. She rubbed her head against his big muscular shoulders, "did you have fun?"
"It was perfect…" a man came running down the beach and ran into Elliot he took a few steps back.
"Aye man, can I have a dollar, hey man give me a dollar" the man insisted that Elliot gave him a dollar. He wouldn't get out of Elliot's way.
"Nah, man I don't have a dollar," the man pushed Elliot back.
"Give a dollar, please man just a dollar" Elliot ignored him, "what so now you don't hear me?" he pushed Elliot again.
"Go away! I don't have a dollar" Elliot pushed the man back; the man pulled out a big knife and pointed it at Elliot. Elliot pushed Kathy behind him, she was scared and gripping his shirt tightly. He was her shield; she just never understood that until now.
"Give me your wallet, now give it to me," Elliot fiddled with his pockets and gave it to the man. Elliot could easily over power the man, he waited for his chance, he didn't want to waste it and for his wife to get hurt.
"Let's just be cool, you have it now,"
"Shut up!" the man was at least six to ten feet away now, he was distracted so Elliot so his chance and took a step forward. "What are you doing?" the man lunged at Elliot he jumped back, the man lunged again, Elliot went to step back again but hit his wife. The knife pierced into his skin, it was deep, went all the way to the handle. Elliot punched the man as he pulled it out, the man ran off. Kathy went to her bleeding husband, blood was pouring out of his chest, he was trying to put pressure on it, and Kathy began to sob. She reached in his pocket to get his phone she called 911.
"Please help me,"
"Where is the location, of your emergency?"
"Conney island beach. Please my husband has been stabbed. Please hurry"
"Okay ma'am, where was he stabbed?"
"His chest, please hurry he's a cop."
"Is he conscious?"
"Barely, oh my god please hurry"
"They have been dispatched," her hands were stained with his blood. About a minute later the ambulance, was there as long as the police" the rushed over to Elliot, he began to choke on his blood.
"His lung is collapsing," they pulled Kathy away she was very distraught, she could barely stand; they loaded Elliot into the ambulance after they stabilized him, and they loaded Kathy as well. They arrived at the hospital, where a team of people where ready to help him they cut his shirt off, then pushed him off to the O.R., Kathy begged then to let her go. Elliot's hand was slummed over the gundy; she feared the worst, right away. After the doctors were finished with Kathy she waited out in the waiting room. She waited for twenty three minutes, as she stared at the clock then the door. Then Cragen busted through the doors with Olivia.
"Kathy?" Olivia yelled, "What happened?" just thinking of the tragedy made her break down yet again.
"We were enjoying a nice evening then we were…. Leaving the beach and some guy begged Elliot for a dollar… Elliot didn't have one and the guy stabbed him in the chest… and then ran off" she could barely get it out, Cragen hugged her. "Oh my god, I have to call the kids, they still think were out,"
"I will go check on them; I will send a skecth artist over here?" Olivia left, she cried the whole way over to Elliot's house, and it was eleven thirty. Everyone but Lizzie was asleep; she was scared when she saw Olivia at the door. She woke Dickie up to answer the door, he did.
"Sorry, Olivia my dad isn't here,"
"I know, can I come in"
"Sure is everything alright?"
"Umm, there was an accident you're father has been stabbed and he's in surgery, you're mom is fine and she is with him," Dickie was scared, Lizzie cried. Dickie reminded her so much of Elliot with the way he acted about the whole situation. "I'm going stay, tonight I let you know what I find out."
"Promise?" Dickie demanded
"promise," back at the hospital, the waiting room was filled with cops, Kathy just finished with the sketch artist. Cragen took the sketch and went to the streets and the media. Kathy waited despretatley for the doctor to come out. He did, and she ran to him.
"how is he doctor?"
"we finished, the surgery, we had to remove part of his lung, there was significant blood loss, he is lucky to be alive, he's asleep now but you can see him" the doctor led her to the room that he was at. There was a tube in his mouth breathing for him she grabbed his hand and kissed it, she played with his hair. She fell asleep in the chair, she woke up around eight she was still very tired. Elliot still was asleep, Olivia peeked her head in the room.
"how is he, kath?"
"they had to take part of his lung now there just waiting for him to wake up,"
" I brought you some clothes, liz packed them. Cragen is with them now,"
"thanks, I called my parents to take the kids there going stop by here later so that the kids can seen him," she went to the bathroom to change her outfit. Olivia's phone began to vibrate, it was fin.
"how's Elliot?"
"still asleep, what's up"
"Someone used for of his credit cards to buy a pack of smokes, and a disposable cell."
"where?"
"I'll come and pick you up,"
"sure" Olivia turned to leave, when Kathy came out of the bathroom.
"what is it?" she demanded to know.
"there was activity on one of the cards, so I am leaving to go interview the store owner" Kathy seemed relieved that they would find him. Olivia left, leaving Kathy alone with a lifeless Elliot. Shortly after Olivia left, elliot's eyes began to blink. He reached for her hand she was almost asleep, he squeezed her hand with of his might, she looked over and saw her husband's blue eyes looking at her. He looked sleepy, she kissed his forehead and he grabbed her hair.
"how are you feeling? You can't talk they had to put a tube down your throat and breath for you," Elliot tipped his head back, "you're going be okay" the doctor came in the room.
"hello detective stabler, I'm doctor allan so we can take that tube out now, mrs. stabler I am sorry but you're gong have to leave while I exam him," Kathy looked offended by the motion but she did and called everyone. First her house.
"hello?"
"hi don?"
"hey Kathy, how is he?"
"he just woke up, did you hear from Olivia?"
"no not yet, I will tell the kids"
"thank you, don, bye"
"bye, call me if anything changes" she hung up.
Meanwhile Olivia and fin left the bodega, with no luck.
"Damnitt,"
"Don't worry, we will get the guy"
"Yea we better, how is it that no one saw this guy" Olivia's phone bean to ring again, it was Munch. "Benson"
"He is awake," Olivia let out a big deep breath,
"What?" fin asked.
"He's awake,"
"There was another credit card hit, Harry's gas and go"
"were two blocks thanks munch" Olivia and Fin ran down to harry's gas and go, fin stayed outside and Olivia ran inside right to the cashier. "Have you seen this man?"
"He was just here, left maybe two minutes"
"Which way was he headed?" the clerk pointed. Olivia ran out the store and ran down the street; they approached a homeless man, the sketch matched. The man was lying down on the sidewalk.
"Oh my god, fin" Olivia placed her hand on her holster, fin tapped the man couple times, the man rolled over and saw fin and Olivia.
"What in the hell are you doing?" the man demanded to know.
"What is your name, sir?" the man had a very swollen black and blue eye.
"Tyrone,"
"Tyrone, I am going need you to stand, do you have any weapons, or needles?" fin padded the man down.
"Liv, you have and a bag"
"Yea," Olivia handed him an evidence bag, fin put a knife with at least a six inch blade, in the bag covered in blood. "Oh my god" fin handcuffed the man.
"you are under arrest for the attempted murder of detective Elliot Stabler, you have the right to remain silent anything you say may be used against you in the court of law, You have the right to speak to an attorney and to have an attorney present during questioning, if you cannot afford an attorney an attorney will be supplied at no cost, do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?" he put the man in the back of the car. The dropped off the man in interrogation, Fin and munch did the interrogation they didn't think that it would be a good idea for Olivia to do it.
"We gotcha, Tyrone, you're prints are on the knife"
"I didn't do anything,"
"We have a witness, who places you at the scene, stabbing a friend of mine"
"No I didn't stab him! It was… the lady. I was there I sleep there sometimes, I heard them argued, then she was crying then they were hugging I don't know, then he fell on the ground, she took the knife and threw it so I took it and ran off"
"Liar!!!" munch yelled
"Ask him, just ask him please"
"Then what happened to your eye"
"I owe some people some money but I didn't stab anybody, I swear on my mother's grave" Tyrone was very ballsy lying to the guys, making them second guess themselves. Olivia left to the hospital fin went with her. They arrived at the hospital and Elliot was in the room by himself.
"Where's Kathy?"
"She went home to shower and bring the kids to her mom's. Any luck finding the guy Kathy said she talked to a sketch artist." His voice was very raspy.
"Can you tell us what happened?"
"umm yea we were lying on the beach I almost fell asleep, then we remembered that the kids were expecting us back, so we got up to leave… umm"
"What is it?"
"Chest hurts, a man he looked homeless came and slammed into me asked for money, I didn't have anything, he lunged at me I stepped he did it again and got me next thing I know, I am here,"
"Are you sure?" Olivia asked quickly
"What do you mean, am I sure? I think I would know"
"We have a witness who says that you and Kathy got to an argument, and she stabbed you," Olivia pushed forward, frustrating Elliot he felt like she didn't trust him. He gave her a blank stare, "did you guys get into an argument?"
"No! And she didn't do this" Elliot sat up, he was getting very anger with is partner. They have been partners for almost a decade. "How could you say that, Liv?"
"I'm just saying…"
"Were leaving" fin said grabbing Olivia's arm leaving. Elliot was furious; he was going to get out of the bed, and chase after his partner. Outside of his room, fin was angry with Olivia as well, "what are you doing? You took the word of a cracked out homeless guy, over your partner… or is there more to this then what I can see"
"What are you talking about? I believe the cracked out homeless. Elliot told me last week that their neighbors called the cops because of their fighting. Dickie has called me asking when his dad is going home, but when he calls me our shift is already over…"
"That's for them to work out not us"
"Not if she stabbed him, I say we ask there neighbors about there fighting, one time they got into an argument and she threw a vase at him, I was on the phone when that happened, she is crazy"
"I hope your right," the next day, they drove to queens.
"I can't talk to these guys I have met them,"
"What I am supposed to go talk to them? What so your head case of a partner can kill me, nah I don't dig that"
"Please, I will owe you"
"Big time" he added very hesitant but he did he returned to the car around half an hour later. "Liv, these guys should go on jerry."
"Oh that bad"
"The day before the stabbing, she pushed him as he was leaving, he fell down the stairs. Then he comes home with flowers, then leave. I don't know what to make of it" they questioned the whole neighborhood. Meanwhile back at the hospital, the doctor came back in his room.
"Well detective you can go home, but you need to make an appointment with the nurse to come back in for a checkup, alright take care" the nurse came in with a wheelchair; Kathy pushed Elliot out to the parking lot where the media was waiting.
"How are you feeling?" Kathy asked
"Fine" his voice was still a little raspy.
"my mom is going to drop off the kids when I call her, so I think you can probably get a nap in then I will call," the media swumed them Elliot got out of the wheelchair he didn't need it, he took his wife's hand and marched through.
"Detective Stabler what happened?"
"Where you mugged?" they went to their car and sped off.
"Why didn't you talk to them, el?"
"I don't know, why?"
"I see you on the news all the time, but you never talk to the reporters"
"Were not allow if we do the victims, can get hurt emotionally or physically, and there annoying"
"Oh" Elliot fell asleep in the car; he awoke several hours later in his bed. He heard sobbing; he was scared he ran down, to see his neighbor Tina hugging Kathy. He rushed over to her.
"What's wrong? Are the kids alright?"
"Someone went around asking people about us they think I stabbed you" he was furious, he hugged her tight. He had an idea of who it was.
"What did they look like?" Elliot demanded to know, Tina looked a little scared.
"Black guy, close cropped hair he was wearing sweats, he said his name was… shoot what was it"
"Tutuola"
"Yea" he bolted out of the house, and went to the station, he was unbelievably mad. When he arrived at the station he saw fin up by the coffee pot. He pushed hard but not too hard because he was still sore. "What the hell is your problem?"
"What is yours?" fin pushed Elliot back.
"That guy stabbed me, and you have my neighbors thinking that were nuts,"
"I didn't do, that you and your old lady acting like you just escaped from the Looney bin, did it" Elliot punched him right in the mouth, they both started swinging munch and Cragen broke it up.
"Hey hey knocked it off, relax" Elliot pushed off Cragen.
"What the hell is going on, why doesn't anyone believe me?"
"Relax, he stabbed me arrest him and stop telling to relax" Olivia spoke up, and touched Elliot's arm.
"We have the evidence,"
"What evidence? I was there I saw him… he did it" she looked at him. "Screw you all" Elliot took his badge and gun, out of locker handed then to Cragen then left. "Kathy didn't do this," Elliot stormed out furious with what he would do next. He couldn't believe that no one believed him that they believed a cracked out homeless man over him. He's worked there for the majority of his life, and then this. Later that night, Cragen stopped by Elliot was on the porch swing.
"How you feeling?" Cragen was always like a father figure to the squad
"Fine,"
"We arrested, Tyrone Daniels"
"Good he did it; I only had to say it a thousand times, what was the problem?"
"I couldn't tell you, not because I dot want to because I don't know. But there is no way that's how your making your exit" he reached in his pocket and pulled out elliot's shield.
"cap I don't know, with all that happened I don't know if I can do this any longer…"
"so what your done? No way, I have seen you overcome so much in your career, I think this is just one of those. Don't be mad at them they saw a lead, they didn't want the guy to walk so they had to ask around. You're a great cop, don't let it go to waste." He put elliot's shield in his lap. "See you next week,"