He Learns

"What's wrong, captain?" Elliot asked, frowning.

"Elliot, why don't you sit down?" Cragen quietly urged.

Still standing, Elliot exclaimed: "It's about Eli, isn't it!" He recalled how a double ear infection had sent him, Kathy, and the baby to the emergency room the night before.

The captain put a paternal hand on his shoulder. "Elizabeth was visiting her grandmother," he explained softly, "who had to leave on an emergency. Later a man purporting to be from Con Ed went to the house 'to read the meter in the basement,' but he---"Cragen looked away grimacing, and then he sadly turned back to Elliot. "After he'd left, she flagged down a unit on patrol. I'm very sorry, Elliot."

Elliot stood agape, his glistening eyes wide under furrowed brows. "Cap---wh-where is she!" the agonized detective demanded, his voice strained.

"She's at Hillside Hospital---"

The three anticipant detectives in the bullpen were putting on their coats when the door to Cragen's office abruptly burst open. Elliot lunged out, looking around frantically. "Olivia!"

"I'm here, Elliot---we all are," she said supportively, moving quickly to his side. "Munch is going to drive us to the hos---"

"Let's go!" He flew out of the room with his three colleagues following swiftly in his wake.

A few seconds later Chester, having discretely cancelled his evening plans, solemnly returned to the room. Having witnessed the others' speedy departure, he wordlessly reported to his CO. "What are you orders, captain?"

"Elliot is obviously not going to be working for a while," Cragen said soberly and firmly, "so you're going to have to help pick up some of the slack." Walking over to Elliot's desk, he picked up a folder and gave it to Lake. "I had just put this on his desk for him and Olivia right before…Captain Ross' call. It's your and Fin's case now."

"Yes sir." The detective nodded. "You know, for the relatively short time I've been here, I've gathered that Elliot is very protective of his kids."

"He is," Cragen affirmed, nodding.

"I thought he'd be even more whacked out," the young detective continued. "I'm surprised he took it like he did, all things considering."

"That's because it all hasn't sunk in yet," sighed the captain.

Hillside Hospital

While Elliot, Olivia, Fin, and Munch made their emotion-filled drive to Queens, Eames and Goren were directed to a waiting area near the exam rooms. There they were briefed by Sgt. Riche, who subsequently introduced them to Elizabeth's mother and grandmother. After assuring the two teary women that they would do their best to apprehend the attacker, the detectives excused themselves to take the girl's statement.

"But isn't this too soon for her?" asked the worried Kathy.

"My partner, who's been with Elizabeth the whole time, says that your daughter wants to do it now," Riche explained reassuringly. "And she has a lot of courage for doing so."

"Plus, we're going to do everything we can to make it as easy as possible for her," added Eames. "We'll even stop at any point, if it comes to that."

"All right," Kathy replied after a few seconds, relaxing somewhat. "We-we'll be right out here, waiting for my husband."

Shortly thereafter, the interview commenced in the exam room. Elizabeth, having showered and changed into the clothes provided, sat in a chair opposite Eames, who was using a small tape recorder to log the statement. Meanwhile, Goren, whose presence had been unequivocally permitted by the girl, stood quietly off to the side, well out of her field of vision.

"After school I went to my Grandma's," Elizabeth began quietly but steadily. "She has to get ready for a bake sale, and my mom can't help her this time---Eli's got an ear infection. So I am…I was supposed to help her and spend the night." She paused, closing her eyes, before continuing.

"But…but around 3:00---we had the radio on---a neighbor called---Gina something. She needed someone to watch her daughter while she went to the hospital for something---I forget. So Grandma told me to work on the batters, because she wouldn't be long---maybe an hour before---before Gina's son got home from college."

Tears began streaming from her eyes next. "I don't think…she was gone five minutes when there was a knock on the door. I answered---figured Grandma had forgotten something…and there was this man. He…looked kinda surprised and asked if my grandma was home. I told him no, she wouldn't be back for an hour, and he sorta smiled"---her face crinkled---"and said that he just wanted to read the meter." She wiped her eyes using a tissue from the box on her lap.

"Elizabeth," asked Eames gently, "did the man show you his employee identification?"

"No!" Elizabeth almost shouted and then hung her head. "No," she repeated more quietly. "He was wearing…a partially unzipped jacket---it was a dark blue field jacket, and it looked like he was wearing the Con-Ed shirt with ID clipped to it---I couldn't see the whole card, though. It…it was partially hidden under his jacket. And he his pants were like a Con-Ed worker's. He had a clipboard, too, and…and tan work boots, so I let him like an idiot."

Goren, having noted the defensiveness and self-condemnation in her tone, was glad when Eames paused the tape to respond supportively. "You're not 'an idiot,' Elizabeth. You've done nothing wrong. The only person at fault is the man who attacked you. And you've already helped us with the description of his clothes." She resumed the recording. "Do you remember anything else about him?"

"He wasn't tall," answered Elizabeth. "He was just a few inches taller than me, and I'm 5-foot 2 and a half. So I guess he's 5' 6 or so. And, but he was hefty, like he worked out. And, and hewas white and had wavy blond hair…and…two eyes. I mean, he had a blue eye and a brown eye. And…a thin mustache." She shuddered before continuing.

"I led him towards the kitchen, 'cause the meter is in the basement, and the utility room is just for the washer and dryer," she said rapidly. "Suddenly, he…he shoved me against the…doorway---I hurt my head and fell and he crouched over me holding my wrist real tight, telling me that if I made any noise he'd…he'd hurt me worse." She stopped to blow her nose.

"He forced me upstairs," Elizabeth went on quietly, tears leaking from closed eyes. "Then, he, he turned me around in front of Grandma's bed and punched me in the stomach, and he started hitting me all over and that's when…that's when he…he…took…my…clothes…off." By now her forearms were crossed over her chest, her hands clutching at her shoulders.

Leaning against the wall, Bobby frowned and closed his eyes momentarily before he remembered that he had to observe Elizabeth's body language.

"Elizabeth, do you want to take a break?" Eames asked compassionately.

"N…no. I want this over with," the teen replied tearfully. She composed herself again, crossing her legs and gripping her upper right arm before continuing.

"I was hurting as it was, but he made me lay…he pinned my arms above my head…while…he…forced…himself…in me." She let out a sob. "He took my virginity! And he wasn't done! He…turned me on my stomach…and then he…he…he committed sodomy! I hated it!" She turned to look at Goren. "I hated it!"

"Yes, honey, we know you did," he said sympathetically. He noticed how she became calmer after he spoke.

Turning back to Eames, she said with relief, "When he was through, he left without saying anything."

Nodding, Eames asked slowly, "Is there anything else you can tell us?"

"No." The response was as quick as it was brief.

After noting the time Eames terminated the interview and turned off the recorder.

"Thank you, honey," she said to the sniffling girl, "you did well."

"Really? Is it enough?"

'Is it enough?' Goren repeated in his mind.

"Yes, but if you recall anything else---"Alex began.

"No. Nothing." The teen shook her head vigorously.

Bobby watched as Elizabeth sighed heavily, relaxing visibly. She leaned back with her hands resting on the tissue box on her lap. She bowed her head for a few long moments, and then lifted it slowly.

"Is my mom here?" she asked.

"Yes," Eames answered and waited for the girl's response. She didn't want the teen to feel that she was obligated to see Kathy if she wasn't up to it.

"Can you please get her for me? Just her, no one else," Elizabeth said softly.

"Of course," Alex said. Then, handing the girl a card, she continued with a previous thought. "Just in case you do remember something more, contact me."

"Well," Eames said in the hallway, after they'd sent Officer Keller back inside, "now all we have to do is speak to Mrs. Stabler, give her our cards, exit out the back, and head to the crime scene."

"And then the rest of the work begins," Bobby said thoughtfully. 'Is it enough?'