Precinct 16

Queens

Wednesday, November 16

Olivia did everything she could to console him, yet nothing worked. She even tried to push him into talking, just to know that he was still breathing as he sat in his chair at his desk; his soulless features could be seen throughout the precinct. He kept mumbling incoherent words, but Olivia knew it was the same words he last said at the scene of the crime… "My baby's gone, my baby's gone…"

"Elliot," she whispered, pulling up a chair beside him. He did not respond. Olivia lifted his chin. Elliot's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. She knew his stubborn ways would get the best of him, no matter what the circumstances. Before Elliot could protest, she embraced him in an intimate hug. He was slow to respond, but soon found his arms wrapping themselves under Olivia's arms, and he began weeping into her blouse.

"I spent my whole life trying to protect her," he murmured. "I failed her…"

"Is that what you've been thinking?" Olivia asked.

"That it's your fault? Elliot, none of this is your fault. There was no way you could have prevented this. Maureen is up in heaven now, and I'm sure she's saying the same thing… It is not your fault." She hugged him tighter. For some reason she didn't want to let go. After all those years he had been there for her. Now she wanted to do the same. Elliot didn't want to pull away either. If she pulled away now, he felt as though he wouldn't have anyone left: Kathy, Maureen, Olivia.

When they finally did pull apart and stared into each other's eyes, Olivia spoke, "Elliot, you need to call Kathy. She has to know."

Elliot blinked. "I can't… I can't speak to her right now…"

"Elliot, she has just as much a right to know as you do. Call her."

"Liv…"

"Elliot," Cragen called from his office door, "May I see you in my office?"

Elliot gave him a slight nod and gave Olivia a confused look. Olivia returned his gaze before he left her for Cragen's office. When Elliot closed Cragen's office door behind him, an eerie silence struck the room. Cragen came from behind his desk, and gave Elliot a fatherly, heartwarming hug. Elliot returned it.

"I am so sorry, my boy. Out of all people, this, this should have never happened to you." He patted him on the back.

When they pulled away, Cragen asked, "You think you can cope?" Elliot shrugged. He knew why he hadn't asked if he was going to be okay. Don knew Elliot enough to not ask such an idiotic question. Of course he wasn't going to be okay. Since a few months ago, Elliot's life began crashing down before his eyes. Ever since everyone found out about his separation with Kathy, Olivia and he have been quite distant. He should have told her before anyone else. He knew he had hurt her. Kathy took the kids and moved out, so he rarely got to see them. And the cases they were taking on continued to escalate in disturbance and lies and sickness, and he couldn't take it any longer. Liv had always been there for him, and so had Don, Fin and Munch, and he pushed them all away. Between his personal life and his job, what he had just discovered a few hours ago, his daughter's lifeless, mangled body, made him snap, and brought him to his breaking point.

"Elliot," Cragen paused, bringing Elliot back to Earth, "Can you cope?" he asked again.

Elliot gave him a feeble expression. "I'm not sure," he honestly answered. Cragen sighed and sat back down in his desk.

"Elliot, I'm taking you off of this case."

"What?"

"You heard me. You can't handle this. Now, I'm not going to force you to see a psychologist, but you have got to promise me that you won't go anywhere near this case. Olivia, Fin, and Munch will handle it. All I want you to do is take a few weeks off…"

"But sir, you can't do this," he replied in a deathly tone. His eyes glimmered with malice at the idea of not being able to find the son-of-a-bitch who did this to his daughter. Cragen's face held the same expression, but he knew this was for the better.

"I can, and I will Elliot. Go home…"

"NO."

"Now Elliot!" he stood, clutching the edge of his desk. Elliot could see the anger in his eyes. Not directed at him, but at what he had to do, but it still didn't equal the anger that was simmering inside of Elliot at this very moment. Without hesitation, Elliot turned around and slammed the office door open, before slamming it shut again. Everyone looked up at the commotion, including Olivia. Elliot looked around. Everyone knew what had happened, and that angered him even more. He spotted Olivia, walking towards him. But before she could strike up a conversation about what had happened, Elliot rushed out of the main office, and was headed straight towards the crib. Fit to go after him, Olivia was stopped by Cragen calling her into his office.

"You wanted to see me sir?" she asked. He sighed.

"Munch and Fin just called a few minutes ago from the ME before Elliot left." He waited for a response. When none came, he continued.

"Warner gave the cause of death, loss of too much blood, and there is something else."

"What?"

"After she died, she was raped," he spat; the tremble in his voice evident. His grief grew beyond tears. He kept repeating in his mind, 'Maureen, so young, so young.'

"Oh my God," she flinched. Olivia couldn't take it anymore. Right there in front of Cragen, she broke into tears. She put her hands in front of her face to hide them, but was surprised and relieved to find out that she didn't have to. Cragen came over and embraced her in a deep hug and allowed her to cry into his shoulder. After a few minutes, he pulled back.

"There is something else."

"What could possibly be worse then this," she sobbed. Cragen returned to his desk, preparing himself for what he was about to say.

"As you know, she was found in an alley behind an abortion clinic."

"Yes?" Olivia gazed on skeptically.

"Warner also found heavy scarring around the c-section. Maureen Stabler was pregnant before she died."

This is getting sadder. Please review.