PART 3
INT. PRECINCT- DAY
Elliot is sitting at his desk, his nose stuck in a file. The phone rings.
ELLIOT Stabler. Uh huh.
He snaps at Munch and Fin. They stand beside him.
ELLIOT
Yeah.
Yeah... ok.
He hangs up.
MUNCH
What's up?
ELLIOT
I think it was the perp.
MUNCH
The perp? What'd he say?
ELLIOT
He wants to meet me. He wants to talk.
FIN
I'll tell the Cap-
ELLIOT
No!... I'll tell him.
Munch and Fin back off warily. Elliot walks to Cragen's office. Olivia appears inside the precinct, she hangs her coat. Munch and Fin watch her take a seat across from Elliot's desk.
FIN
Welcome back.
OLIVIA
Thanks. Did I miss anything?
MUNCH
Just the occasional brush with fate.
OLIVIA That's it?
Elliot comes back into the main room, he glances at Olivia, grabs his coat and is out.
Cragen smiles at Olivia.
OLIVIA
What do you want me to do, Cap?
CRAGEN
Just, uh- just.
OLIVIA
Desk job?
CRAGEN
For at least another week.
OLIVIA
Okay.
Cragen disappears into his office.
OLIVIA
Anything I can help you guys with?
Fin shakes his head.
MUNCH
Not at the moment.
OLIVIA
(sighs)Ok.
INT. COFFEE SHOP- DAY
Elliot sits at a table with the perp who shot Olivia.
ELLIOT
What ya want?
MAN
I'll give you a...a lead. On something huge.
The man laughs nervously.
ELLIOT
Like what?
MAN
A ring of pedophiles. All working as a joined network to smuggle abducted children to each other. Used and tossed when done.
ELLIOT
In return?
MAN
We forget the shooting.
ELLIOT
Goodbye.
Elliot gets up to leave, the man remains cool.
MAN
One woman's life is more important than that of innocent children being raped and smuggled?
Elliot is frozen, again caught between the perp and Olivia. He sits back down.
ELLIOT
Tell me what you know right now. If it's good info, I'll try to get you leniency.
MAN
That's it?
ELLIOT
I think that's pretty good considering you shot a cop.
The man thinks a moment. A beat. Another beat.
ELLIOT
Well?
MAN
You gotta deal.
ELLIOT So?
Elliot pulls out a pad of paper.
INT. CLASSROOM- DAY
Elliot and Fin interrupt a classroom, everything is silent.
MAN (V.O) The first guy, Chris Donnel. He teaches high school, but he likes them younger.
Chris is handcuffed and dragged out of the class.
INT. FANCY ITALIAN RESTAURANT- DAY
While muted, Munch asks a waiter for someone.
MAN (V.O) Second, a manager of a fancy restaurant in Manhattan. Big tourist place. Good food, bad guy.
Munch walks out with the manager in handcuffs.
INT. COFFEE SHOP- DAY
Back to Elliot and the perp.
ELLIOT
Any more?
MAN
One. The worst of them all.
INT. THEATER- DAY
A class is rehearsing a play. Fin and Elliot walk up the stage and handcuff a woman.
MAN (V.O) Marie Howlet. She gets off watching those pedophiles rape innocent children. Elliot gives her an extra push out of the theater.
INT. COFFEE SHOP- DAY
ELLIOT
That's the huge network?
MAN
They orchestrate the whole thing.
ELLIOT
And how do you know about them?
MAN
My brother was abducted and killed. I had a close friend- an investigator. Before he could call in the police, the network went into hiding.
ELLIOT
You know I'm gonna have to take you in, too.
MAN
I know. But you made a promise, I trust you.
ELLIOT
What's your name?
MAN
Mark Phillips
ELLIOT Stand up and turn around. Mark Phillips you're under arrest for the shooting of Olivia Benson.
INT. PRECINCT- DAY
Cragen, Elliot, Fin and Olivia stand in a sub-room of an interrogation room.
CRAGEN
Who wants who?
ELLIOT
I'll take the teacher.
FIN
Manager.
CRAGEN
(to Olivia) Are you ok with Marie?
A beat.
OLIVIA
Yeah. No problem.
CRAGEN
Alright then, let's get this over with.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM 1
Elliot and Chris (40's), but handsome, sit awkwardly.
CHRIS So?
Elliot smiles.
ELLIOT
Do you know why you're here?
CHRIS
No.
ELLIOT
Hm. Well, I was told that you're into children. Literally.
CHRIS
I'm a teacher. I work with High School students all day.
ELLIOT
I know... You like teaching the young ones how to bang you?
CHRIS
That's sick! I've never had an incident with any student! Check my records.
ELLIOT
So, do you kill them? That how you keep them quiet?
CHRIS
This is ridiculous. Whoever told you this information is sick.
Elliot looks toward the mirrored glass, Cragen watches in from the other side of it.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM 2
Fin stands beside the manager, Louie (30).
FIN
How many times are we gonna go through this? You raped a child, maybe two, maybe three. How many is it exactly?
LOUIE
No I didn't! Check my computer, check my phones- I don't care, check anything! I never hurt a little kid!
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM 3
Olivia rests against a wall while Marie (50's) sits comfortably.
OLIVIA
You don't seem very... nervous.
MARIE
Why should I? I didn't do anything.
OLIVIA
You raped.
MARIE
I never raped nobody. I've only loved.
Olivia turns to her curiously, she sits beside her.
OLIVIA
Who did you love?
A beat.
OLIVIA
(louder) Who did you love?
MARIE
So young-
OLIVIA
How young?
MARIE
18.
OLIVIA
18?
MARIE
Yes.
OLIVIA
How old were you?
MARIE
24.
OLIVIA
And he was 18?
MARIE
He? Oh God, no. She.
OLIVIA
How 'bout watching them? You like watchin' little innocent children being raped?
MARIE
No! God, no!
OLIVIA
I think you do. I think you are workin' a little business.
MARIE
What kind of business?
OLIVIA
Smuggling children to pedophiles- watching them rape over and over and over again.
MARIE
No! Never! ...God help me.
A beat.
OLIVIA
You're talking to the wrong person.
Olivia gets up.
MARIA
Can I go now?
OLIVIA
No!
She leaves. Cragen is standing outside the room. They share a look.
INT. CRAGEN OFFICE
Fin sits between Olivia and Elliot. Cragen sits behind his desk in deep thought chewing a Red Vine.
OLIVIA We've only got one connection, Cap. They all deny it.
ELLIOT
Don't they always though?
OLIVIA
We're all good at interrogating- you think we'd get something out of one of them after two hours.
ELLIOT
I'm just saying not all perp's tell the truth.
OLIVIA
Well I'm saying that maybe the perp lied. How did we get this information from him again?
Fin is worried that a fight has begun and he's sitting in the middle of it. Cragen watches each of them back and fourth- ready to break them up if it gets out of hand.
ELLIOT
I made him a deal.
OLIVIA
Right. I remember now, he walks for shooting me, if he tells us information about a ring of pedophiles. That may or may not even exist!
ELLIOT
I'm trying to make things right!
OLIVIA
Bull shit! All you ever care about is yourself! I don't know why I expected more.
ELLIOT
That's not true!
OLIVIA
I took a bullet for you and you visit me once in the hospital, and once after that. Thanks for the support, partner.
ELLIOT
You told me to work on the case!
OLIVIA
Read between the lines Elliot!
ELLIOT
Read between the lines... Now that's bull shit.
OLIVIA
I can see why Kathy left you.
ELLIOT
What?! What did you say to me!
OLIVIA
You're never there! You see things how you wanna to seem them.
CRAGEN Ok! Ok! Liv, get out. Fin walks out and holds the door open for her. OLIVIA (to Elliot) I hope your happy... 'Cuz I'm not.
The door slams behind Fin and her. Cragen watches Elliot intently. Elliot kicks the trash can with all his might, a huge dent is carved.
CRAGEN
Sit down.
Cragen and Elliot sit.
ELLIOT
I was just trying to do the right thing.
CRAGEN
Elliot. I've been trying to tell you this without actually saying it... I'll try again... Sometimes you have to do what's wrong to make things right.
A beat
CRAGEN
Do you understand that?
ELLIOT
I don't know.
CRAGEN
I think you should go home and think about it. I'll see you tomorrow.
ELLIOT
Cap-
CRAGEN
(stern) I'll see you tomorrow.
Elliot nods and gets up.
ELLIOT
I'll- I'll buy you a new trash can.
Cragen nods.
INT. PRECINCT- NIGHT- CONTINUOUS
Elliot passes through without even glancing at Olivia. He grabs his jacket and jets. Olivia's head falls into her hands. Fin and Munch share a concerned look.
FADE TO:
INT. THERAPIST OFFICE- MORNING
Olivia takes her head out of her hands.
MARIA
What happened?
OLIVIA
We fought.
MARIA
About what?
OLIVIA
A case.
MARIA
The case about your shoulder?
OLIVIA
Yeah.
A beat.
MARIA
Why were you fighting?
OLIVIA
He doesn't... He doesn't get it.
MARIA
Get what?
OLIVIA
Get it. He doesn't... It's like he cares about me just enough so we could be partners. And now, he either cares too much or not enough.
MARIA
What do you think it is?
OLIVIA
I feel like... Like I'm his mistress.
MARIA
(surprised) His mistress?
OLIVIA Yeah. Like, he goes home to Kathy every night, and he's there for her when she's sick or hurt... And he's just there for me when things are ok.
MARIA
Do you consider him a friend?
OLIVIA
Elliot? I guess. We've talked about important things. We've eaten breakfast, lunch and dinner together.
MARIA
Is that what makes up a good friend?
OLIVIA
Yeah, I guess. I mean, we get along. Well we did.
MARIA
Olivia, what's changed?
OLIVIA
Changed?
MARIA
What happened that turned your partnership, and friendship, into love?
A long beat.
MARIA
Do you know?
OLIVIA
Yeah. I think about it almost everyday.
MARIA What happened?
A beat.
OLIVIA We were workin' a case, two kids were abducted. We found the perp, Gitano, in a warehouse. Elliot stumbled on him first. When I came into view, Elliot was in a choke hold with gun at his temple.
INT. WAREHOUSE- NIGHT- FLASHBACK
GITANO is holding Elliot with the gun at his head. Olivia stands a few feet away with her gun pointed.
OLIVIA (V.O) Gitano had killed the kids' whole family. Point blank. And Elliot stood there yelling at me.
MARIA (V.O) What was he yelling?
OLIVIA (V.O) 'Shoot him'. Shoot him.
INT. THERAPIST OFFICE- MORNING
Back to Olivia and Maria in the office.
OLIVIA
And Gitano, he kept yelling 'back off, back off!
MARIA
What did you do?
OLIVIA
I couldn't shoot. I couldn't shoot Elliot to get Gitano. I stood there for what seemed like hours and hours... Elliot looked at me like he never had before. I could see it in his eyes. He thought I'd take the shot.
M
ARIA
What happened?
OLIVIA
Things started becoming blurry. I was crying... All I could do was mouth to Elliot, 'I'm sorry.
MARIA
Then what?
Olivia takes a deep breath.
INT. WAREHOUSE- NIGHT- FLASHBACK Olivia is in her stance, Elliot and her have locked eyes.
The SWAT team bursts into the warehouse.
OLIVIA (V.O) SWAT. They got in there before anyone was hurt...
INT. THERAPIST OFFICE- MORNING
OLIVIA But I, I felt like I'd taken a shot to the head... three to the heart.
A beat.
MARIA Were there any other times you felt so...
OLIVIA Stricken?
MARIA Precisely.
OLIVIA
There was another case. Not nearly as stressful. It was more like a moment. I'll never forget it.
MARIA
What happened?
OLIVIA
There was this mentally unstable man, who had abducted a boy who he thought was his son Tate. Case wasn't too bad, we found the kid in an old broken down building. Scared, but safe.
MARIA
What was the moment?
OLIVIA
El had called a bus. He held the boy in his arms.
INT. OLD BUILDING- DAY- FLASHBACK
Elliot holds the boy in his arms, Olivia comes to stand beside them in front of an open window.
OLIVIA (V.O) I stood beside the boy. We all stood there together, close together. Like we were a family.
INT. THERAPIST OFFICE- MORNING
OLIVIA
It was.
MARIA
Fulfilling?
OLIVIA
Deafening.
A beat.
MARIA
Olivia, do you think you can continue to be his partner?
OLIVIA
I don't know.
MARIA
Do you want to be?
OLIVIA
...I don't know.
MARIA
I think that's enough for today, ok?
OLIVIA
Yeah.
EXT. CENTRAL PARK- DAY
Olivia sits at a lone bench viewing a serene fountain. Her eyes are locked on two kids playing with their father. MAUREEN, one of Elliot's blonde daughters, appears beside her.
MAUREEN
Olivia?
OLIVIA
Huh?
She looks up and becomes very happy. They hug tightly.
OLIVIA
Maureen! It's so good to see you! You've grown so much!
MAUREEN
Ha! Thanks. Mind if I sit with you for a minute?
OLIVIA
Please.
They sit next to each other on the bench.
MAUREEN
How are things?
OLIVIA
I don't know any more.
MAUREEN
Dad told me you were shot. I can't imagine what that feels like.
OLIVIA
I'm just glad to hear that you and your father talk.
Olivia nudges her with a smile, Maureen giggles.
MAUREEN
It's easier now that I'm out of the house.
OLIVIA
How's your mom?
MAUREEN
Dating.
OLIVIA
How's that going?
MAUREEN
Good for her. It's taking a toll on Kathleen.
OLIVIA
She's gone through a lot, both your mom and Kathleen.
MAUREEN
Ya know, I just wish dad and mom hadn't got another kid. It's mom's fault though.
OLIVIA
Why do you say that?
MAUREEN
She knows dad. She knows what she's getting into. But she did it anyway.
OLIVIA
They love each other, that's what you do for love.
MAUREEN
That's the funny thing. I don't think they do. I think they did it to try to be in love again.
OLIVIA You really have grown up, Mar.
MAUREEN
No one calls me Mar now days.
OLIVIA
I'll always call you Mar.
Olivia puts her arm around her and squeezes her close. They let go of each other.
MAUREEN
It was good seeing you, Liv. I'm suppose to meet Kathleen here, have you seen her?
OLIVIA
Shouldn't she be in school?
MAUREEN
Shouldn't you be at work?
OLIVIA
I won't tell if you don't.
Maureen smiles and then see's KATHLEEN, Elliot's other daughter, who looks much more like his wife Kathy.
MAUREEN Kath!
KATHLEEN Hey!
They hug.
MAUREEN Look who I found!
Kathleen turns to see Olivia, her expression changes to a glare. Olivia has stood to give her a hug, but Kathleen folds her arms.
MAUREEN What's wrong with you?
KATHLEEN
I don't talk to her any more. You know that.
MAUREEN
Oh come on Kathleen, you know Olivia had nothing to do with mom and dad.
KATHLEEN
(to Olivia) You broke them up! If it weren't for you- we'd still be a family.
MAUREEN
Kathleen!
KATHLEEN
You're not mom, Maureen. Get off it.
MAUREEN
We're going. Sorry, Liv.
KATHLEEN
I'm not sorry.
MAUREEN
Let's go.
They leave. Olivia falls on the bench with a big sigh. She looks up into the sky.
OLIVIA When are you gonna give me a break?
TBC
