Summary: Sure, before, his dad had been seeking answers and justice for their family, but now that Liv had actually been targeted, the fire of vengeance burned brightly within his gaze. (Eli POV for events pre and post Fin's wedding, includes reflections on Liv's accident, the arraignment and upcoming trial)
Characters: Eli Stabler, Olivia Benson, Elliot Stabler, Kathleen Stabler, Calvin Arliss, Jet Slootmaekers, and original characters in the Crew
A/N:
Took some doing, but through rewatching, I managed to figure out that this all takes place roughly between May 28 (day of Fin's wedding) and June 5 (IAB interview for Morales shooting), 2021.
Scenes referenced: - Wedding and case in SVU s22e16 Wolves in Sheep's Clothing - Accident and IAB interview in SVU s23e01 And the Empire Strikes Back - Arraignment and Morales shooting OC s01e08 Forget it Jake It's Chinatown Past story references: - Sketch's history with this library and Jet being called "Jez" - Part/Ch 5 Safety in Numbers - Eli known as Wally - Part/Ch 1 Sliver of Light in the Darkness
Since Eli and Dickie planned to spend the Friday of Memorial Day weekend closer to Manhattan than Queens, Sketch had shyly but with much enthusiasm suggested moving their study group to the Main Library. The hopeful glint in his friend's amber eyes had indicated this place held a special meaning to him, sparking curiosity within Eli who, after much prodding, had felt humbled once the other teen had explained its connection to his grandmother.
After passing the iconic lion statues, Eli's progress halted in the front entryway. This was a library?! He couldn't believe it! With its marble columns and dim lighting, its vibe was more like one of the museums or churches his parents had relentlessly dragged him to when they'd lived in Europe than a place of study. He finally shook himself out of his stupor and made his way to the Rose Reading Room, where, after spending a few moments staring in awe at the ceiling mural and chandeliers, he gently eased himself down in the chair at the table Sketch's text had directed him to.
"Christ, what happened to you?" Sketch quietly demanded in alarm.
"Paintball with Dickie," Eli muttered with a grimace, "Didn't know how much getting hit would hurt." Once settled in his seat, he leaned forward eagerly and flashed them a happy grin. "Was awesome though! Dickie busted out some moves from his Army days, and our team won!"
Blaze sighed, his dark eyes gleaming with envy before turning towards Sketch to ask, "Ya think Vinny would spring for us to go if we pass our GED tests?"
"Dunno, man," Sketch scoffed, "you live with 'im, so you ask him. He's done a lot for us already. Doesn't seem right tryin' to ask him to do that, too."
"Not even as a big bday gift for all of us?" Paco asked wistfully.
Giving him a gentle but skeptical look, Sketch replied, "He's never done anything like that b'fore. I mean, he's just a patrol officer; I doubt he can afford to take all of us even if he wanted to."
A morose look came across Sketch's face, as he quietly despaired, "Just like I'm never gonna have the cash to do anything like that with Noah."
Eli felt bad at his friend's downtrodden look, so he gave him a nudge and an encouraging smile. "Ya never know, you could wind up being a big artist and leave us all in the dust."
"Nah, man, that ain't the way my life works out," Sketch countered with a bit of a rueful smile, "I'll wind up a janitor or somethin'."
"Hey," Eli protested, "You're the smartest one of us all. There's no way you wind up with a job like that."
"Brains don't equal money or opportunity, my friend," Sketch advised wisely, his eyes suddenly looking much older than his age. Eli's protests died in his throat at the looks of agreement on the faces of the other two street kids.
Sketch shook off his glum mood and gave Eli a small smile. "It's cool you're getting to know your sibs better. Family is everything."
Eli nodded with a smile, "That's what my dad says all the time." It was like his dad's personal motto, serving as the driving force for so many of his decisions, especially the overprotectiveness that drove everyone crazy. There was no doubt that his father would go to the mat for those he loved…those he considered family. This was why, to a certain degree, Eli had understood his dad's obsessive hunt for answers behind his mother's death; it was just that he couldn't help but wish that his father would also remember that he was a dad too.
"Just cuz a cop says it, doesn't make it any less true," Sketch teased.
Eli wadded up a small piece of paper and threw it at his chuckling friend. "Hey, my dad's a good guy, annoyingly overprotective, but a good guy."
"Gotta be for Liv to put up with 'im for so long," Sketch agreed with a twinkle in his eye. "Though…" he trailed off with a shake of his head, shooting an apprehensive look at Eli, "Never mind."
"What?" Eli asked, a fissure of alarm at his friend's uncertain tone.
Sketch shuffled in his seat a bit and looked down at the hand twirling a pencil. "It's just….she doesn't talk about their time as partners." Picking up the small piece of paper that Eli'd chucked at him, his fingers began to tear it into small pieces. "I don't think Noah even knows his name, and there's not a picture of 'em anywhere in her place."
Eli thought back to the interactions he'd witnessed between the pair, and there was indeed a certain distance between them, an oddity given how much she'd been there for his family and the closeness his siblings had described to him. "My dad's departure might have something to do with it," he speculated, his mind churning with possibilities, "I'm not even sure they spoke after."
Sketch hummed in thought. "Hope that'll change now that he's back. Noah's said Oliva's been drifting off in thought a lot…like her mind's somewhere else that makes her 'sadder and happier' - his words not mine - at the same time. Poor kid asked me how that could be." A mischievous grin creased his face, and the light of laughter danced in his amber eyes. "Hard to explain complex relationships to an eight-year-old, so I told 'im to ask his mom. Can you imagine her face?" he crowed proudly, causing everyone to chuckle quietly.
"You're not worried she's gonna take it out on you," Paco asked nervously, his lip mouthing at his loop piercing.
The light in Sketch's eyes dimmed a bit at the question, astutely reading that this had happened to Paco in the past. "Nah, we're good now. She won't cut me off from Noah for this," he explained quietly, "I'll probably get some grief about it next time, but it'll be so worth it to shake her normal stoic self a bit." He put a hand on Paco's shoulder. "It'll be fine. "
"Ain't got no family 'cept the Crew," Paco whispered forlornly as he looked down at the fingers picking at his black nail polish "Must be nice."
Eli's heart broke for the young teen who'd been kicked out of his house for being true to himself. "Sure it's great most of the time, but they're all still a bunch of strangers to me." Paco looked at him in confusion. "We lived apart for most of my life, so I'm still learning stuff about them. Like today, I didn't even know Dicke was in the Army. Seems like something you should know about your brother, ya know?" They all nodded.
"Guess he and dad fought about it a bit when he was in high school, so he signed up once he graduated and didn't even tell our parents until the deal was done." Admiration filled him at the thought. "Didn't ask him to talk about it too much cuz it seemed to bring him down. Probably this time of year, ya know?" he mused with a shrug, "So it was good to do something to get his mind off of it."
"You still hanging with him later?" Paco asked, envy still in his voice.
Eli shook his head, disappointment filling him at the thought. "Nah, we bumped into an old Army buddy at the paintball place, and today's the only day they can hang out. Figured it was better for him to be with someone who could understand…truly understand…the weight of this weekend rather than my scrawny ass, so I rain-checked our hang out day."
Eli tried not to be bitter at the fact that he kept being passed around to his siblings like a hot potato his father didn't want to deal with, but it was hard sometimes. The fact that they were looking at apartments today signaled that perhaps the danger had passed and that he'd finally be able to return home. Hope filled him at the idea of a return to stability…to normalcy…to feeling safe again.
"Now after apartment hunting with Dad…"
"In the city?" Paco interrupted eagerly.
Eli shrugged. "Wherever makes the most sense for his work I guess."
The younger teen almost bounced in his chair, gray-green eyes shimmering with happiness. "Means you're gonna settle here. Which is awesome!"
Eli's eyes assessed the Crew members. "You really thought I was gonna leave?"
The three teens looked at one another before Sketch spoke up, "I mean we hoped you'd be sticking around, but couldn't be 100% sure, ya know? I mean your dad's still in that AirBnB, and you're still livin' with your sis, so..." He trailed off with a shrug.
"Nah, we were never gonna leave, not ever again. This is my dad's city," Eli declared definitively. If there was anything that he knew without any doubt, it was that. In fact, his surety of this had only been cemented the longer they'd been back. He could see it in every step his father took in this city…in every breath of less than pristine NYC air his dad took…in every interaction his father had with their family…in every single mention of Liv…in every second his dad spent in her presence. It was like a valve in a pipe had been turned off, releasing some hidden tension his father had been carrying for as long as Eli could remember. His dad seemed to breathe easier here…his bearing more at ease…his heart more…more at home.
"But I can't wait for us to get our own place! I feel like I'm cramping Leen's style sometimes cuz she can't really leave me alone per Dad's rules." At the thought of the looming apartment search, he groaned, "And he's got like a billion appointments back to back today before he drops me off at Leen's to head to Fin's wedding."
Sketch's head came up from where he'd begun to draw and gave him a questioning look. "Olivia's going to one too, so I'm gonna hang out with Noah while she's gone."
Eli nodded. "Makes sense. Fin's her sergeant, and he's been Dad's friend since back in the day." Grabbing books and laptop out of his bag, he turned to his friends. "Speaking of Dad, better get some work done before he shows up. Cuz he's gonna grill me for sure."
The apartment search turned out to be just as tedious as Eli had thought. Rushing from one place to another because his dad hadn't taken into account the long lines to view apartments in some areas, or, in the case of their last appointment, realtors running late.
"Shit," his father groaned as he checked his watch for the millionth time. Finally, he pulled out his phone, a regretful look on his face. "Fin, Sorry, I'm not sure I'm gonna make it. Stuck waiting on a realtor and this was the only time she had available over the next few days. Don't wanna chance it with our schedules, ya know?…you sure?…yeah I'm looking forward to seeing you all…fuck you, man…" He said with a chuckle, a small smile crossing his face. "...yeah, including Liv."
His father's voice became a tad softer when he said her name, and Eli saw a light that'd been missing from his father's eyes of late shine as he said it. The determination for justice that had consumed his dad after his mom's death had slowly leaked out of him, possibly due to the counseling or maybe the large arrest that'd just happened, Eli didn't know, but this…this was a look he'd only seen since coming back to New York. It was one only Liv could engender. Eli had no idea how to describe it or what it meant; he just knew that a warm feeling came over him when he saw it.
His dad's eyes narrowed before saying in a loud ticked off voice, "Gotta go, Fin. She's finally here. Maybe I'll make it to the wedding after all."
"Sorry I'm late, Mr. Stabler," the realtor mumbled with a strained smile on her face as she turned to open the door, "Another showing ran long."
"Common courtesy to call," his father huffed, "Let's get this over with. Got places to go."
By that point, his dad didn't seem to care about niceties because after what seemed like two seconds, he declared, "We've seen enough. We're leaving," just he turned on his heels and walked away. Eli shot a "he's the boss" look at the lady who stood there with her mouth open, an affronted expression on her face. With a chuckle, he shrugged and ran after his dad who was already in the car ready to take him to Leen's. Good thing he hadn't liked that place anyway.
Once they reached the apartment building, his dad informed him, "I'll let you know when I'm outside." Rolling his eyes as he nodded, he hopped out of the car, and after being buzzed in, Eli made his way to the apartment where he'd hang out until his sister had to leave to meet her friend for their annual Fleet Week pub crawl.
With this being his first ever Memorial Day weekend, Eli had been a bit lost at what it was all about, and after spending the day with Dickie and hearing bits about his service, the idea of partying on a holiday set aside to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice just didn't feel right. Dickie had talked about attending or participating in parades and other related events during non-COVID times, a reverent approach that appealed. Maybe that could be their thing , Eli wondered hopefully.
Later that night, Eli noted Leen's growing impatience as the time grew closer to 10pm. "Leen, chill," he chided, "he'll be here. God forbid he cut into your drinking time."
"Shut up, Eli," she grumbled, slumped on the couch already dressed up to go out, "It's not about that. It's about maintaining a tradition in these hellish times…of seeing and spending time with friends doing something normal for the first time in over a year."
"Yeah, right. You keep telling yourself that," Eli retorted with a roll of his eyes. "That's why all the places you're going are bars."
"It's where we usually go during Fleet Week," she argued, blue eyes flashing with irritation.
"Uh-huh, so you can troll for guys," he responded with a knowing smirk just as his phone went off with text notification from his dad. "Oh, look dad's here. See ya. Have fun and make good decisions!" He yelled as he grabbed his backpack and ran out the door, just in time to escape her wrath.
Still chuckling to himself, Eli got into the car that was parked in front of the building and glanced at his dad in surprise when heard Liv's voice come out of the car speakers and say, "I was supposed to be at the DA's office an hour ago, so I gotta go."
His father gave him a nod as he gently said, "I know you do." Despite the innocent conversation, there was a different tone to it, a new level of lightness…something softer, and from that simple exchange, Eli gleaned that Liv had put off leaving the wedding because they were hanging out. Maybe the change that we'd talked about at the library was starting to happen? He speculated, a flutter of happiness and wariness warring in his heart. The former felt like some sort of betrayal of his mother, while the latter was simply a reaction to more change in his life.
The hand he'd raised to put an earbud in his ear (his attempt to give them privacy) halted mid-air upon hearing her irritated voice say, "Except I've got some idiot with his brights on behind me." Anxious energy began radiating from his father, filling the cab of the vehicle and fueling Eli's own nervousness.
His dad's hand hovered over the keys dangling in the ignition as he sat up straight in his seat and gently suggested, "Eh, pull over."
At the sound of a horn blaring, his father muttered "shit" before urging, "Hey, Liv, let him pass."
Eli's hand crept up to the handle bar as his father began to punch the ignition a little too hard in his haste to get this going. How the hell his dad thought he'd be able to find her, Eli had no idea. All he could hope was that at the rate they were going they'd make it there intact.
"I'm trying," she assured him, and the next thing they heard was a crash. Eli's eyes widened at the sound, and his heart stopped in fear. Glancing at his father, he noted the lighter pallor of his father's face in the passing light of a street light, and his father's panicked heavy breathing joined his own.
"Eli, call 911. Tell the dispatcher that NYPD Captain," his father paused to take a breath as if gathering strength to say the rest, "Olivia Benson's SUV was run off the road between the District Attorney's office and Riverside State Park."
Eli nodded and did as his father asked. By some miracle, it seemed like they managed to find her within minutes, and the stress within them both eased a bit as the sound of sirens could be heard through the phone.
The entire time, his father shouted in a panicked, husky voice, "Liv? Liv? Liv! I got you." When his dad checked the street on the passenger side for traffic, Eli noted in shock that his wide blue eyes shone with a level of fear he'd never seen before.
They finally heard the faint voices of the paramedics on the other end, and a male voice could be heard urging her to stay with him. By some miracle, the phone remained in her hand, allowing them to hear her confused voice mumble, "Elliot?"
His father's voice caught at the small utterance, and Eli heard him choke off a sob as he all but shouted, "Hey, I'm here!"
From the sounds of doors slamming and muffled sirens blaring on the other end of the line, they knew she must be in an ambulance. His father started shouting in a desperate attempt to have his voice heard over all of the noise, "Liv, where are they taking you? Liv, ask where they're taking you." Suddenly, they heard the ominous beeping as the call dropped.
"Fuck." His flustered father fumbled with his phone before throwing it to Eli. "Call Jet and ask her to track Liv's phone."
Eli discretely switched phones and held his up to his ear, all the while keeping a wary eye on the somewhat crazy man driving their car. He'd never seen his father so frantic, an almost palpable mix of fear and desperation emanating from his very pores.
"Wally, heard it on the wire," Jez said, seriousness in her voice. "What do you need?"
"Hi, Jet," he started, signaling that this was a formal call, "My dad asks that you track Liv's phone to find out what hospital she's being taken to."
The sound of fingers rapidly tapping on a computer keyboard resounded in his ear. "Looks like they're taking her to Presbyterian."
"Presbyterian," Eli parroted, grabbing tightly to the "oh shit" handle as his father swung a turn.
"Shit," Jet muttered, "Found the initial report. Looks like she was deliberately hit."
Eli's heart sank at the news, and fear struck deep within his heart. The threats that they'd been worried about seemed to have finally come to fruition. Given the mood his dad was in, he didn't think it would be wise to share this little tidbit. "Thanks, Je…t," he stuttered, almost saying her street name.
"I'll start looking into it," she promised, determination coming through every syllable.
"Thanks. I'll let Dad know," Eli mumbled in a daze. I gotta let Sketch know. I gotta let Vinny know. What about Noah? Who's gonna stay with him? No, Sketch is with him. It'll be okay.
The commanding tone of his father's voice interrupted his spinning thoughts. "Let me know what," his dad demanded, "Eli, let me know what."
"Oh…um….Jet's going to start looking into it," Eli said, distractedly. He fumbled with his phone and began to spread the word in the Stabler sibling group text and by sending the Crew a CN message with the basics.
"Good," his father murmured, satisfaction echoing in his voice as he haphazardly parked their SUV in the hospital parking lot and hopped out, leaving the door open as he bolted inside.
Eli kicked the door close and raced after him.
"Liv! Liv!" his father shouted frantically. "Someone tell me where the fuck I can find Captain Olivia Benson!"
"Sir, you can't go back there," a nurse said, holding up a hand to try to stop the train that was Elliot Stabler from running past her.
Eli watched in shocked amazement as his father shoved his badge in the nurse's face and growled, "Watch me," as he pushed past her. The teen ran to keep up, and when the nurse tried to stop him, he yelled over his shoulder, "Sorry, I'm with him. He's my dad."
"Liv!" his father shouted.
Eli blew out a relieved breath as he watched his dad's shoulders slump down a bit in relief, when they heard her precious voice argue, "I don't need to stay here."
Eli watched his father put his hands on his knees and take a few calming breaths before standing up to head to the room where he'd heard her voice. "Liv, let the doctor do her job," Eli heard his father huff in frustration.
He moved closer to the room and parked himself in a position outside the door that would allow him to see the commotion in the room while staying out of the way. It was amusing to see the petite Asian doctor shoot a put out glance at his father and say, "You can't be in here." To which his father simply leaned against a wall with his arms crossed as if daring her to move him.
Liv huffed in annoyance, her brown eyes glittering with a hint of pain mixed with amusement and frustration, "You might as well give up. He's not going to move."
His dad just smirked at that. "Now, Liv let the lady do her job, so you can get outta here."
A scowl came over her face. "I'm fine. It's just a bump on the head and a hurt ankle. I'll ice it, and it'll be fine."
"Does she have a concussion?" his dad asked the doctor, ignoring Liv completely. She crossed her arms in frustration, like a little kid pouting after being told off.
Still not at all happy, the doctor turned to Liv to ask. "Is it okay to discuss this with him in the room?"
Liv glared at his dad who simply raised an eyebrow and looked back at her in determination and amusement. "You might as well. He's not going to leave. Stubborn jackass," she mumbled.
Eli snorted at that; there was no more an accurate description than that for his dad. His father's face creased with a large, gentle grin and stared back at the doctor with an expectant look on his face. "So concussion?"
She sighed and said, "She did pass out at the scene, so it seems that she might have a mild concussion from hitting the airbags. She'll also need to get x-rays done on the ankle."
His dad sent a triumphant look over at Liv. "Concussion and x-rays, Liv. See you do have to stay here."
She shot him an aggravated glare and looked away with a grumbled, "Nosey asshole."
Just as she put her head back and closed her eyes, the doctor shook her head at the duo and said as she walked out the door, "I'll go check on the x-ray, so your son can come in."
Before her head could even leave the pillow, his father stepped forward to put a hand on her shoulders, as if he instinctively knew that the room had begun to spin for her. Frantic, concerned brown eyes stared at his dad, and as she opened her mouth to say something, Eli poked his head in and quietly greeted her with a "Hey, Liv", his voice cracking a bit when he saw up close and in person that she was okay. "I'll…uh…go and wait in the…" he stuttered when his eyes locked on hers to see her face gentle at his obvious worry.
"Come 'ere," she encouraged as she waved him forward. Doing as she bade, he slowly made progress into the room until she was close enough to grab hand.
"Eli, I'm okay. Just a bump on the head and a bum ankle," she reassured him quietly as she gently pulled him towards her. He shot his father a look as if seeking permission, and the gentle, pleased look on his face was all it took for Eli to ease into her warm embrace to feel the vibration of her reassuring whisper of "I'm okay" in his ear. Her gentle tone caused his breath to stutter and almost brought tears to his eyes, as the lingering feeling of fear bled away to be replaced by immense gratitude that she was all right.
Letting go after a few seconds, he got up and went to step out of the room. "I'll go wait in the waiting room." Eyes roving around the space in embarrassment, he muttered, "It's a little crowded in here."
As he left, he glanced over his shoulder and saw his father step forward and grab her hand. "You scared us, Benson," he heard him chastise almost softly.
To which she quickly replied, "Can't get rid of me that easily, Stabler."
Eli gave a slight smile and nodded to himself as he made his way down the hallway. Yes, something had definitely changed between the pair at the wedding. He still didn't quite know how he felt about it, but he was happy that it seemed his father was at least on his way to re-building the link with someone who once played such a pivotal role in his life.
Upon entering the waiting room, he paused at the sight of Vinny, Krissy, Blaze, and Jez. Releasing a breath, he made his way over.
"Hey, guys," he said softly at the anxious looks on all of their faces.
"How is she?" Vinny asked anxiously, his hand holding Krissy's hand tightly.
Krissy rubbed his hand with her other hand and asked him, "Honey, you're crushing my hand."
With a low curse, he let go and began to run his palms up and down his thighs. "Sorry, babe." She clenched and unclenched her fists a few times before starting to rub his back.
Eli took a breath and reported, "Amazingly she's okay. Got a mild concussion and hurt her ankle. They're waiting to do x-rays, and cuz she's itching to leave, my dad's in there trying to make her stay put."
Looks of relief came across their faces, as their bodies slumped a bit as tense muscles were finally able to relax. "Gotta tell Sketch. He's probably quietly going out of his mind while he tries to distract Noah," Vinny said.
"Already did," Jez said quietly, waving her cell phone at him and receiving a grateful nod.
Glancing down at his cell which he'd silenced when he was waiting in the hallway, Eli found frantic messages from his siblings, all of whom were unable to come to the hospital for some reason or another. "Shit," he muttered as he texted the group to give them the latest.
"So what the hell happened?" Blaze demanded.
Duty done, Eli shrugged as he slumped down the chair. "We were on the phone with her, and she said some asshole was coming up behind her, wouldn't let her pass, and then there was a crash." Just saying the words brought to mind the sound of crunching metal they'd heard at the time of impact and caused his heart to speed up and his breath to pick up in fear. Closing his eyes tightly, he only began to feel steady once again when brought to mind the warmth of their hug and the echo of her voice saying "I'm fine".
Jez explained, "With the threat that was made, Sarge said we're gonna work it with Crash Investigations. Has to be deliberate. There are too many variables for it not to be. If that's the case, the question is how'd they know it was her. Three options: a tracker on her car which is pretty old school but possible…"
"Ain't no way," Blaze burst in, jumping up to pace a bit. "We been on 'er day and night, watching her place. No way someone planted anything, else we'da seen it."
Jez nodded, her eyes considering. "Well, we'll know for sure once we look over the outside and inside of her car."
Blaze looked at her confused. "What the fuck you mean 'inside'? Like the engine or something?"
With a huff and roll of her eyes, Jez replied flatly, "The car's computer."
"Why didn't you just say so?" Blaze said as he threw himself in a chair petulantly.
Fiddling with something on her phone, Jez continued her list, "Another option is someone tracked or hacked her phone which is difficult but not impossible. Gonna work on that when I get back."
Vinny looked at Jez, "What about the traffic cam systems? Could a sort of facial rec program be used to find her license or something?"
Jez stared at him blankly, her mind suddenly a million miles away. "That'd mean a breach of the Dominion Awareness System, one of our most secure systems. Not sure it's possible, but the guy is good or has the money to hire someone that good." A frantic look crossed her face at the notion. "Shit. Gonna have to think about that."
Eli looked at them all. "You guys should go home. She's being stubborn, and she's gonna be here awhile. I'll let you know if anything else comes up."
Vinny, Blaze, and Krissy all stood reluctantly. "We both have the early shift tomorrow."
Blaze pointed at them. "They're my ride, so I guess I gotta book too."
Jez also stood. "Let Captain Benson and your dad know that we're on it. If there's something, we'll find it."
Eli nodded wearily. "Will do."
It wasn't long after that that he heard rather than saw his dad and Liv coming. "Elliot, I can walk."
"Hospital policy, Liv," his dad protested smugly. "I promised the nurse you'd ride outta here, so if you wanna leave, you're gonna sit there and behave."
"Fine, but I am NOT going to stay with you. I know what a concussion feels like, and I'm fine," she argued, brown eyes flashing with aggravation as they came down the hallway.
"Hospital policy, Liv," his father once again reiterated, amusement in his voice, "You told the nice doctor that you'd have someone check on you for the next day as you rest. So unless you're gonna have Noah do it…" His father's blue eyes sparkled with untamed delight at the back and forth, something Eli had a feeling was a harbinger to times past between the two.
Eli marveled at the sight and at the fact that his father had stayed by her side the entire time. He felt a bit of resentment at the fact that according to his siblings, the man had spent more time trying to find out why his mother had been targeted than being with her in the hospital. Now that he knew that Liv was involved in that investigation, fury and resentment began to burn bright within him at the idea that perhaps his father had basically preferred to be with her …working with her …rather than sitting with his dying mother. The feelings that now festered within him were inevitably in direct contrast with the love and affection he felt for both of them, causing a headache to develop from the battle raging inside of him.
"You're so annoying," she huffed, with her arms crossed, "I do have other people to call that you don't know about," she bit back in aggravation.
Hurt and regret flashed across his father's face before a stoic look once again descended. "Okay. Well… while I go get the car, why don't you call one of 'em to make sure they can stay with you?"
Dark chocolate brown eyes stared after him with pain, frustration, and remorse before she began to try to dig out her phone from the pile of stuff on her lap. Temporarily shoving aside his conflicted feeling, Eli crept closer to her. "Hey, Liv. Vinny's working early shift tomorrow. You want me to call Sketch for you?"
She shot him a surprised look before huffing out a relieved breath. "I forget you know them, too. Yeah, that'd be great."
Eli nodded and pushed the appropriate button on his phone. After only a second, it was answered with a concerned hush, "She okay?"
"She needs to talk to you," Eli said as calmly as he could with the emotions raging inside of him and handed over his phone.
"I'm fine…just a bump on the head…" By this time, his dad had returned and cleared his throat insistently, causing her to shoot him an irritated glare. "Out of an abundance of caution, can you stay to do concussion checks?... Yeah, I'll explain it to Noah…There's no need for you to stay the whole weekend," she protested, as Eli and his dad helped her stand. She hissed as she accidentally bumped her ankle. "Just bumped my ankle…fine…" she sighed, "The weekend would be great…Thanks… Uh-huh…See you then."
Stretching out in the backseat with her ankle propped up, she let out a relieved breath. "There. All arranged."
"We can stop by the pharmacy to fill your prescription," his dad said, as he jumped into the driver's seat.
"Don't need it. Won't take them. Stick to extra strength Ibuprofen these days," she mumbled as she leaned her head against the backseat. Exhaustion could be heard in her voice, and looking at the time, Eli realized that it was well past midnight at this point.
His dad looked at her through the rear view mirror, a tender but confused look on his face. Waving for him to stay in the car, his dad got out and ran to the hospital pharmacy. Glancing down at the bag he'd put in the middle console then at his father's face, he felt the need to avoid further fireworks between the two by quietly pointing out, "She said she doesn't want it."
Getting into the car with a bull-headed look, his father put a tiny paper bag on the middle console and said, "Well…she's gonna be in pain. Better for her to have 'em than not."
"Your funeral," Eli muttered as he looked out the window as they made their way to her apartment.
His dad couldn't find a place to park right out front of her building. After grabbing her stuff, including the bag his father shoved into his hands, Eli helped her out of the idling car with one of her arms slung over his shoulder. They made quite a pair as they shuffled to the door, greeted the doorman who looked on with amused concern, and made their way to the elevator. Once inside, he propped her against the wall and let her rest for a moment.
When the door opened, he looked at her and asked, "You ready?"
She gave him a pained smile and nodded. "Let's do this."
They continued their shuffle to the door. At his quiet knock, it wung open to reveal a very worried Sketch who stared at them both in shock. "You gonna help me or what?" Eli urged, bringing him out of his stupor.
"Right," he moved to replace Eli as her crutch and helped her hop to the couch which she sank into with a sigh.
Eli stepped inside and placed everything on the counter. "Instructions are on this paper. Doc said you gotta wake her every hour and ask three questions, and my dad filled her prescriptions." Liv glowered at that, resentment burning brightly in her pain-filled eyes. "I think there might be extra ibuprofen in there too."
Sketch walked him out, and Eli said quietly, "Sorry to say she's gonna be a horrible patient. She argued with the doc about everything, so don't believe anything she says."
"Just glad she's okay," his friend said quietly. "Thanks for the head's up. Guess I'll be here until she can go to work."
With a glance back at Liv who was finally knocked out, Eli gave his friend a squeeze on the shoulder. "Let me know if you guys need anything. I can always get someone to give me a ride."
"Will do, man…will do. Thanks," Sketch said quietly prior to closing the door.
Eli made his way to the car where his dad gave him a weird look. "Who was it?" he asked in an obviously forced casual tone as he pulled away from the curb.
He couldn't help but stare at him like he'd grown a second head. "Who was who?" he asked bewildered, noting his father's blue eyes glinting with some sort of irritated light.
His father began to vibrate with impatience, fingers tapping on the steering wheel. "The person who's gonna take care of her."
Oh, Eli mouthed. Was this jealousy? He wondered in shock, a bit put off at the thought. Why would his dad be jealous of someone taking care of Liv? Was it because he used to do it when they were partners or something?
"So?" his father's gravelly voice interrupting his musings.
Eli thought quickly about how to define Sketch's role in her life, uncertain as to whether she would want their connection known before settling upon, "Oh, it was her babysitter."
"Did you tell 'em to make sure she takes her pills?" His father questioned.
Weariness finally settled in, making his head heavy until it rested against the window. "Yeah, Dad."
"Did you tell 'em she's gonna try to do too much?"
Annoyance began to fill him until he finally snapped, "Dad, I told 'em everything the doctor said, okay?" Turning to settle more deeply in his seat, he muttered, "Wake me when we get to Mo's"
His father let out a put out huff, but if he said anything else, Eli didn't hear it, as his consciousness passed into the land of dreams and rainbows.
Over the next couple of days, Sketch kept the Crew updated about Liv's condition. Much to Sketch's frustration, she was turning out to be just as much of a "stubborn pain in the ass" (as he once wrote) as Eli had warned. Of course, she refused to get the MRI because she "didn't have time" with the endless Holt Tower case and her "asshole of a Chief riding her ass all the time" as he'd colorfully described.
As the investigation into the car accident turned up nothing concrete, his father's frustration had turned into icy determination to see those responsible pay. Sure, before, his dad had been seeking answers and justice for their family, but now that Liv had actually been targeted, the fire of vengeance burned brightly within his gaze. Given the level of intensity that bled from his dad now, Eli had no doubt that if she'd indeed been seriously injured or, God forbid, killed, his father would've burned the world down trying to track down every single person responsible and make them pay…possibly with his fists or maybe even his gun. This realization served as just another indication that his dad might just care more about Liv than he had Eli's mother, something that skewed his childhood memories and rekindled the warring feelings that battled within his heart.
For some reason, his affection for Liv suddenly seemed a betrayal of his mother somehow, a test of loyalty that he seemed to be failing. So, all he could feel when he, like the rest of the family, received a text message from her expressing regret at not being there for the arraignment hearing was a mixture of relief and sadness. And for that he inevitably felt guilty after everything she had done for him…for all of them.
In front of God and all the media vultures, the Stabler Army, as Fin and Sketch had teasingly called them, descended upon the court house as a unified force, marching up those stairs without giving anyone the satisfaction of seeing the impact today would have on them all. There was comfort in being part a unit, of knowing that come what may you weren't alone to battle what may come, and Eli clung to this feeling like a child would a blanket.
His hand hovered over the door to the courtroom, a sudden urge to simply run away came over him. He jumped slightly when his phone began to buzz. Opening it, the messages of support from all Crew members reminded Eli that there were others in his family beyond those related to him by blood. Gathering strength from the protective shield of the large support network around him, he sucked in a deep, fortifying breath and opened the door.
As he braced himself to see their boogie men for the first time…the people who'd killed his mom, tried to kidnap him, attacked his dad, and probably tried to run Liv off the road, a longing settled deep within him for Liv's calm presence and her warm hand holding his, just another check in her column in the inner battle waging within him. While he followed his father's direction of keeping his head down, he couldn't help glancing out of the corner of his eye at the assholes who'd taken his mother from him as they shuffled into the room. Eli had always thought of gangsters like the people he'd seen in movies with expensive suits (they all certainly had that) and fedoras. And these people definitely weren't that: a tech tycoon, a manager of a pharmaceutical company, a mathematics professor, and a wanna-be entrepreneur. It was almost frightening how normal they all looked.
Fury and pain welled up inside of him the longer he stared at them Why? Why did you take her from me…from us? He wanted to scream and shout. What did our family ever do to you to cause pain like this? But he knew that this wouldn't be answered now; that would come later during the trial. As they left and the media swarmed, Eli's fury turned to nervousness about what was to come. If this is the amount of attention the hearing gained…God…what's the trial gonna be like? He fretted.
This feeling of anxiety and dread began to grow roots within him, as the case blossomed into a media spectacle due to events Eli only knew about because Vinny happened to be there or had heard about them through the radio. First was the wild gun battle in an alleyway when his father had saved the life of the man behind the curtain while he was being escorted to the Federal building for a meeting. When Eli had demanded an answer as to why he didn't just let the people kill him, his dad had responded, "It was tempting, but that's not justice."
This was followed by Liv, injured ankle and all, standing there with a fleet of officers (including Vinny) in support of their father and the desire for justice for the death of his mother. Vinny was almost gleeful at how awesome it was to see Liv put the asshole Wheatley in his place but also expressed concern because it seemed that once again the man had shown a particular interest in her. Which brought Eli to three - the latest in this cluster fuck, the discovery of the mole (Morales) and his shooting in a hospital, a location to which, according to Jez, Liv had been lured before having to go to the doctor again after "tweaking" her ankle, a claim belied by the boot she now wore.
Each of these incidents served to make his mother's case, the one charge his father managed to get to remain at the state level, one of the largest in recent history. Eli knew that he'd have to be there to show support for his mother…his family, but deep down he didn't want to be a part of the spectacle that was bound to occur. Thankfully, this could, according to the DA, be months from now, so at least, he'd have the chance to take a breather, to take comfort in being with his family…with being with his father again now that the danger had passed…to being normal once again.