1Ch 5

See notes in Ch 1

It had been four weeks since Katie had been in the hospital. Elliot spent as much time there as he possibly could. He tried to keep Dickey and Lizzie away as much as possible, so they wouldn't see her lying there helpless. When they weren't at school, they stayed with Olivia. Elliot could still remember the conversation he had with Maureen about what happened.

"Maureen, what happened? Why did your mom do this?" He had asked her.

"I don't think I should tell you. You will just get angry and we need to focus on Katie right now." She had told him.

"Maureen Nicole Stabler you tell me what happened this minute." Elliot practically shouted at her. "I'm sorry for snapping at you Maureen, it's just this thing is getting to me. Please tell me what went going on?"

"Ok, but you won't like it. Mom and Katie were upstairs yelling and arguing, as usual so I just went to the kitchen. When I got back to the living room, they were at the top of the stairs. Katie told Mom she was going to come live with you. I guess Mom thinks you and Liv are together or something. She told Katie that if she went to live with you and your whore to never come back to her house, and Katie told Mom that was fine and went to walk down the stairs, that's when Mom pushed her."

Elliot got angry just thinking about it. He and Kathy had been married for twenty years and he never thought she would ever hurt one of the kids. Elliot looked down at Katie's still body and couldn't help wondering if he could've prevented this some way. Suddenlyhe felt a hand on his shoulderHe looked up to see Olivia standing there.

"Hey Liv, did the kids get to school all right?" He asked. He didn't know what he would do without her. She had not only been there for him, but for his children as well.

"Yeah, Elliot they are at school. So has there been any change with her?" She asked. Olivia was not a religious person, but every night since the incident Olivia had prayed that Katie would wake up.

"No change, but I guess that could be a good thing. At least she's not getting worse." Elliot answered.

"So what were you doin before I got here?" Olivia asked

"Just thinkingabout how a mother could do this to one of her own children and how there has to have been some way for me to prevent it."He told her with tears in his eyes.

"Elliot Stabler look at me! This is not your fault. Do you understand that? Kathy did this not you. I can't tell you what on Earth would possess her to do it, but she is the one who did this." Olivia told him

"Yea, but maybe if she didn't think I was moving on and happy, she wouldn't have done it." He answered her.

" I don't think Kathy was pissed because yo were moving on. I think it was because she thought you were moving on with me. So this is my fault way more than it is yours."

Elliot stood up so he could hug her. He held onto her as long as he could.

"Liv, this is noone's fault, but. You said it yourself. You make me happy and that and my kids are all that matter." He told her, hoping she knew how important she was to him.

"Thanks El. You make me happy too. Would you mind giving me a few minutes alone with Katie?" She asked him.

"Sure. I'll go get some coffee from the diner next doorYou want anything?" He asked shocked by her request, but happy that she loved his daughter that much.

"No thanks." She answered. "See you later."

A/N: Bold Italics flashback/memory.

TBC. Will Elliot and Olivia ever admit their true feelings? What will happen to Kathy? Will Katie wake up?