Pretty in Pink
"No, Elizabeth, you cannot go to that party. You know the rules. You are still my daughter even if we don't live in the same house any more. That's the last time I'm going to say it." Elliott said decisively and levelly. He thought he was starting to get through to her at last.
She stuck out her Stabler chin, folded her arms and glared at him. "It's not like I'm going to drink or do drugs. Orlena is going to show us her prom dress and I want to see it. She says it's terrific. You can trust me, Dad."
"No party and I'm not going to change my mind. Put those tomatoes on the table, please."
"Mom would let me go." Elizabeth said snatching the bowl and practically flung it on the table.
"Stop that! And you know better than that. Your mother and I still make these decisions together. You are not going. Come on, everyone. It's time to eat." Dickie and Kathleen came out to the kitchen and sat down. Elizabeth flounced toward the living room. "Come back her and eat with the rest of us." Elliott said quickly.
"I'm not hungry." She said.
"Elizabeth Lorene Stabler, get back here. If you're not hungry, don't eat but you will sit down with the rest of us."
Her full name caused Elizabeth to come back to the table. Full names were serious business. She pouted and glared at Elliott through the whole meal. He ignored the tantrum and tried to talk to her while he helped her with the dishes afterward. She refused to speak to him.
He played games with the kids after dinner and then it was bedtime. Elizabeth closed her door when he was saying good night to the others and he was reluctant to push the issue. He saw them so seldom, he hated to fight with her when he did see them.
He went to sit in the living room for awhile then went to bed. "Dad. Dad, wake up." Kathleen told him from across the room. All his kids had been taught not to waken him by touching him. "What? What's the matter?" he asked.
"Elizabeth is gone and so is the outfit she was going to wear to the party. I think she snuck out and went anyway."
"Damn. Where's Dickie?"
"Still asleep. I don't think he knew."
"Keep and eye on things. I'll go find her. Where was this party?"
"The Wentworths."
Elliott got up, dressed and headed for the Wentworths. They had stopped asking him and Kathy over for barbeques when he'd made the SVU squad, it made them uncomfortable. He pulled up and there were vehicles all over. Most of them were newer than he drove he noticed in disgust. The lights were all blazing and music could be heard from the street. If it hadn't been such a rich neighborhood there would likely be cops all over out here by now.
He made his way into the house, pushing himself through the crowd. There was some smoking and open cans of soda, but not detectable drugs or the smell of any. Several of the kids knew him and called to him. He nodded or waved to them as he went through. Word soon spread that he was here and Elizabeths location was pointed out. He walked into the room and saw her on the bed with other girls admiring Orlenas dress.
"Dad!" she said horrified.
"Let's go, Elizabeth." He said, sternly.
"We weren't doing anything, Mr. Stabler, honest." Orlena said hurriedly.
"This is between Elizabeth and me. She's leaving. Say goodbye, Elizabeth." Elliott grabbed her by the arm and escorted her sputtering, protesting body out the door.
Outside he marched her angrily protesting self back to his car and plopped her unceremoniously on the seat. "Buckle your belt." He told her harshly and slammed the door.
He took a few minutes to walk around the car and got in. Elizabeth was glaring daggers at him all the way home.
"Go to your room. We'll discuss this in the morning. I can't talk to you tonight."
"I didn't do anything wrong. Everyone was there." She yelled at him. "Now they'll all think I'm a baby."
"Go to your room, Elizabeth, now!"
Quiet settled down in the apartment and Elliott was finally able to get back to sleep. It was late when he got up and he realized he had to be to work a half hour away in ten minutes. He cursed the alarm clock and jumped up to zip through the shower and thanked God he had a razor for the car. He reached for his suit and realized it was gone. All of them were gone but one. "What the hell…." But he didn't have a choice.
He pulled it out and stared at it. It was bright pink. The suit, the shirt, the tie, everything was bright pink and smelled faintly of cherry. He looked in vain for anything else to wear, nothing was here. He reluctantly put the outfit on noticing that dry cleaned suits shrunk when washed in a washing machine and went out to the living room. There was a note on the door. "Thought I'd help out by doing laundry. PS you're out of Cherry Koolaid. Elizabeth."
Elliott figured his face was as red as the shirt but he had no choice. So he went to work that way. Fin laughed hysterically when he saw him, Lake grinned until Elliott thought his face would split permanently, Cragen tried to hide his smile but Olivia asked mildly. "New fashion trend, Stabler?"
"I got into an argument with Elizabeth last night and she helped me out by doing my laundry in Cherry Koolaid."
"Hey, man, at least no one will notice if you get mad unless you turn blue." Fin gasped out.
"Yeah, be grateful you didn't get grape. You'd look like a giant wine bottle." Lake added.
With a sigh, Elliott realized he was going to be in for a very long day.
COMPLETE