Here is chapter 3, hope you enjoy!

Elliot sat in the waiting room thinking about what he was going to say when he saw Kathy. How do you tell the person you love more than anything else in the world, that you let them down? He just kept thinking that there must have been something he could have done. As a cop he had witnessed scenes like this more times than he'd like to remember. But those were different. There he knew what to do. A surge of adrenaline kicked in and he was ready to take action. This time his world had stopped; it was like he had been frozen. He had seen grieving parents all the time. He had told them that he could feel for them. But the truth is that it wasn't until this moment that he could ever understand or share their pain.

Elliot looked down and for the first time he noticed the blood stains covering his shirt and hands. He was about to ask a nurse where he could get cleaned up when Kathy walked into the room.

When Kathy saw Elliot's clothes she froze. Her poor little boy. What had happened? Was he going to be okay? Who would do something like this?

"Kathy?" Elliot called as approached her. He was wary. Would she even want to speak to him after what he had done?

Kathy ran over to him and collapsed in his arms sobbing. Elliot brought her over to one of the couches, and sat down, holding on to her the whole time. Kathy needed to know what happened.

"What happened?" she asked between sobs.

Elliot mentally prepared himself for her rejection.

"We stopped by Frank's to get some milk. Dickie asked me if he could grab some ice cream from the back. I told him to go ahead. I was talking with Frank when some guy walked in. I didn't even turn around to see who it was," Elliot said frustrated. "He put a gun to the back of my head. He asked Frank for all the money in the drawer. He never even noticed Dickie till he walked up to the front of the store. He just wanted to know if he could get rocky road because they were out of cookie dough." Elliot said his heart breaking, tears streaming down his face. "I let you down. I failed. I'm sorry."

Kathy should have thought of this before. She knew how hard Elliot took things especially those of a personal nature. It would be just like Elliot to blame himself for something he had no control over.

"Ell it's not your fault. You couldn't have done anything."

"I'm a cop! I failed my own son. If I can't even protect him how am I supposed to do my job?" Elliot said angrily getting up and pacing the room.

Kathy let him blow off some steam before she spoke again.

"Elliot!" She yelled to get his attention. He looked down and saw her face and for a moment he thought it might not be his fault, maybe there was nothing he could have done, but that moment didn't last long.

"Elliot look, I know you're blaming yourself. I also know no matter how many times I tell you it's not your fault you have to figure that out on your own. But Dickie needs you now. And so do the girls. They still don't even know anything has happened," she said before the tears started up again. "And I need you," she whispered. Elliot realized that regardless of how he felt about himself at this moment he had to be there for his family. He brought Kathy back into his arms. He would deal with everything else later. His wife needed him and he needed her.

Barbara Kelly walked down the narrow hospital hallway to the nurses' station. She wanted to find out how her nephew was doing. She knew her sister and brother-in-law needed some time alone so she decided there wasn't much else she could do at the moment.

"Hello," she said as she reached the station.

"Can I help you?" A nurse named Nancy asked.

"Yes, my nephew was brought in here a little while ago for a gun shot wound. I wanted to know if there was any news on his condition?"

"What's his name?"

"Dickie Stabler" The nurse automatically recognized the name. She remembered when the boy was brought in. He had already lost so much blood and from what she could see it looked like the bullet had entered very close to his heart. She remembered seeing his father who was brought in with him. He looked so lost, like his whole world had fallen apart.

The nurse plastered a cheery smile on her face and said,

"Hold on let me see if I can find the doctor."

The nurse left and returned ten minutes later. Although the woman was trying to keep a smile on her face, Barbara knew that it was an act. It wasn't good she could tell.

"The doctor is still in surgery. He feels it best if he speaks with you and the boy's parents himself."

"When will that be?" Barbara asked. This information was like having none at all.

"It should be in a little while. If you go back to the waiting room I'll let him know where you are."

Barbara decided she would find the cafeteria and get some coffee. This could be a long wait.