A/N: Wow, it's been a while. Hope this makes up for it. Thanks again for all the great comments. I appreciate it!
It was the usual routine for Elliot on a Monday morning; up at five, and into the city by half six. However, today was different; it was Daniel Anderson's trial, and Elliot promised Laura he'd be there. Olivia and the others decided to skip out on the trial, seeing that it was a "busy" time of year.
Elliot sat near the back of the courtroom and felt his blood boil when Daniel entered the courtroom. On the other hand, his heart sank as he reciprocated the smile Laura gave him when she entered the room. Elliot had illicitly grown attracted to her mysterious allure; her strong composure and soft features intrigued him, and that scared him.
The trial went on for many days, and each day Elliot learned to hate Daniel more, learning about his cruel and controlling demeanor. It was a shoe-in that he would be convicted, no doubt.
"Your honor, the jury finds the defendant, Daniel Anderson, guilty of rape, assault with a deadly weapon…." and the foreman continued to list what the jury had convicted him of; he got 12 years.
Although Elliot expected it, his heart leapt for joy. He saw a tear run down Laura's face as she watched her former boyfriend walk away incarcerated. Elliot didn't know if they were tears of joy or of sorrow, but either way he was overjoyed. He tried to make his way through the crowd outside the court, and get to Laura, but she was quickly ushered into a car and carried away again. Elliot knew he'd meet up with her again sometime.
The sun began to hide behind a few rain clouds, and Elliot had seen this picture before. With his luck, it would start raining and he would be soaking wet by the time he made it back to his car. However, this time he made it to the car by the time the first few drops had escaped and began decorating his windshield. "Made it…" he smiled.
It was ten days after the trial when Elliot was at the bar, in a state between bewilderment and excitement of his unknown future.
"Thought I'd find you here…" a familiar voice came from his right. At first he thought it was Olivia. Instead he was startled to find those piercing turquoise eyes haunting him all over again.
"Laura…hi…"
"Det. Stabler…"
"Call me Elliot…" he smiled. "Sit down, join me…how did you know I was here?"
"Well, Elliot, I asked around and I was told this was the local hangout. Anyways, I just wanted to thank you for everything…"
"Thank me? Don't be silly…What are you having?"
"Oh, um, nothing, I can't stay……"
"Well, if you won't have a drink with me, you'll accept the dinner I promised…"
"Well I guess I could go for a slice of pizza or something…" she laughed.
"Great. I know this great little pizzeria down the street…"
"Alright…." she gave in smiling at him. He walked her out of the bar and down three blocks. He had a pepperoni while she ate half a plain slice. Conversation came easy and they talked about everything from the trial to work. Elliot knew he was going too far with a former vic, but he knew it would never amount to much. They talked for an hour, when she announced, out of the blue, she had to get back home.
"I moved you know. Too many bad memories, and I don't want to associate with any of Daniel's friends or anything that has to do with him for that matter."
"I know what you mean." he admitted as they walked up to her building.
"You know, Elliot, I was married once…"
"Yeah?" Elliot asked surprised.
"Yup. My high school sweetheart. We were married for ten years, even trying for a baby."
She stopped without saying what happened, and Elliot didn't ask.
"Lets just say he turned out to be someone I didn't know anymore. He was this big exec in some boring office building, and he fell for an 18 year old secretary. So cliché, I know…"
"So you got divorced?"
"No…I didn't know what was going on, no matter how obvious it was; you know the typical late nights, vacations to Miami, and his lack of attention for me…But anyway, they were driving back from the Hamptons one weekend, when I was told he was going to Boston for a business meeting. They ended up crashing head on into a telephone pole at 95 miles an hour, and she was pregnant. Talk about Karma…"
Elliot was shocked. Laura was obviously still scarred from everything that happened to her, but still carried a smile on her face. Elliot felt like explaining his situation with Kathy, but somehow, he couldn't come up with the words.
"Well, home sweet home", she unlocked her apartment door. "Thanks again Elliot, for everything, this was really fun…I know there's rules about detectives and…"
"Yea…." he knew what she meant.
Elliot didn't hear from Laura for two weeks following their get-together, he guessed everything was going well for her. One person he did hear from though, was Kathy. She hadn't come across his mind since they last talked on the phone, and the divorce would be final in six months. It had been about two months since they slept together. "I bet its about the damn house…"
"Hello." he answered trying to keep his cool.
"Hello." she said back. "It's me…."
"I know."
"I'll take the house…"
"I said that was out of the question…"
"Elliot…I'm talking about the house across the street. I think we should be friends, and its good for the kids to know we're on good terms. Plus, they'll be right across the street so they can come to and fro…"
"Kathy, lets be real here…You don't work fulltime, and there is no way in hell I'll be able to pay for two mortgages and Maureen's college tuition."
"Elliot, don't worry, I've got it all worked out…"
Elliot knew her motives were sincere, but her credentials were sketchy. "And what made you change your mind, I ask?"
"Anthony…"
"Who?"
"Elliot, that's the other thing…"
"Wait? You're back with him!"
"Elliot…let me explain…"
"Please do!"
"That night we slept together, I swear, I felt a connection. I really thought we could work things out. And you shut me out. I met Anthony a few days after, and we clicked. I'm not in love with him or anything, but he said he's looking for a house and I proposed we'd live together…"
Elliot was speechless.
"So…" Kathy continued, "…he says he's got everything under control…"
"I see….So that's it? All your problems are solved I guess…"
"No….I don't love him, Elliot. I still love you…"
"Kathy, please…." Elliot became frustrated. "I loved you up until the day I found out you were fooling around. My trust has completely been shattered…You know that right!"
No answer.
"Right!"
"I'm pregnant…"
It was Elliot this time that didn't answer. "Wait, what?" he finally managed to say.
"I didn't get my period, so I took a pregnancy about three weeks ago and it came out positive. I thought it could be a fluke, so I went to the doctor and it turns out I'm pregnant."
"And it's his? Holy shit Kathy, you're amazing…."
"Well, I dunno about that one…"
"What do you mean?"
"Anthony and I have always used protection, Elliot. I was on the pill before we broke up and then I stopped taking it after we broke up, but we had sex one last time before it was "officially" over. Then me and you slept together. So that's my dilemma…."
"What the hell is happening!" Elliot said out loud. "What is this, high school?"
"Elliot, you're the only one who knows I'm pregnant…"
"Does he know what happened with us?"
"Anthony? No…Nobody knows…I can't tell him, he's buying my house…"
"You're using him….I see what's going on, Kath…"
"Elliot, he's a good guy."
"If you don't tell him it could be mine, then I will…."
"That's entrapment."
"Tough. You've trapped me for the past six months…"
"I'm getting rid of it…"
"Are you serious Kathy? Christ…"
"Elliot, I'm forty…I have four children, and an estranged husband who…"
"Oh no, no, no…don't use me as an excuse to have an abortion…"
"Will you come with me then? To the clinic?"
Elliot felt like he was slapped in the face twice; not only was Kathy pregnant, she was considering having an abortion. So much for the All-American, devout Catholic, soccer Mom she had portrayed for years. Elliot was disgusted; he was against abortion, and the thought of Kathy doing such a thing compelled him to slam the phone back on the receiver.
"Of course…" he complied, even though it didn't feel like him saying that.
"God, how is this happening…" she started to break down over the phone. Elliot felt himself come over with emotion. For the first time since he found out she was cheating on him, Elliot felt sympathy for Kathy.
"It's gonna be alright. When are you going to….to uh….to get it done?"
"Tuesday, nine in the morning…" she sobbed.
"I'll pick you up…I'm sure Cragen will let me off for once…"
"Thank You, Elliot…"
"Alright, then…"
"Elliot…."
"Yea?"
"I'm sorry…"
"Alright, then…" he repeated, and hung up the phone.
