AN: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! We both enjoy hearing from you, and we can never get enough input, so please keep the reviews coming!
For those of you that requested Huang, we love him, too, and he'll be in here…not in this chapter, but in the story! We promise!
This chapter contains a graphic flashback, decide for yourself if you can handle it.
So, without further ado…the fifth chapter!
Fin and Munch grimly walked up the pathway to Our Lady of Grace parish. They were instructed to go and find Father Joseph before Elliot had time to attack him first.
"Fin, Munch." Cragen called. The two detectives rose from their seats and listlessly marched into their Captain's office. Cragen shut the door behind them with a tight snap.
"I want you to go and find Father Joseph," he said. Fin and Munch exchanged glances before Fin spoke up.
"I thought Elliot wanted to be a part of this," Fin stated. Cragen nodded and smiled grimly.
"He will be. But I know Elliot would rip Father Joseph to pieces if he was the one to go and retrieve him." Munch raised an eyebrow.
"And what makes you think we won't hurt Father Joseph?" Cragen moved past them and opened the door, a signal for them to leave.
"Oh, I know you'll hurt him. But Elliot would kill him, and I'd rather the bastard go through a trial and let an entire gang of perverts kill him."
Fin and Munch walked through the door and were greeted by an elderly woman. They flashed their badges and the woman's polite smile faltered.
"Good morning, Detectives. How may?"
"Where's Father Joseph?" Fin growled, not in the mood for civility. The woman looked taken aback for a moment, but she quickly recovered.
"Well, he's certainly not here, young man," she replied briskly, "He hasn't been here all week." Munch glanced at Fin.
"Do you have his address, my dear?" Munch asked, figuring a more polite approach would get them further. The woman smiled at him, but not before shooting a nasty glance in Fin's direction.
"Yes, of course." She disappeared for a moment, and then returned with Father Joseph's address on a slip of paper. Munch glanced at it and then thanked the woman before he and his partner left the parish.
Twenty minutes later, the two detectives stood at the door of a respective townhouse. Fin pounded on the door.
"Father Joseph, this is the police!" he shouted. "Open up, we need to talk with you!" A crash sounded within the house- Munch and Fin immediately drew their guns.
"OPEN UP!" Fin repeated. A sound like a door slamming caught the detective's attention. Munch ran around the side of the house, just in time to see a man disappear behind a fence.
"Fin!" Munch took off after the man, his partner close behind him. Munch turned a corner into an alley, and stopped. Nothing was there. He cursed loudly and kicked a nearby garbage can. They had lost him.
Elliot knocked on his daughter's door. He heard her small voice from within and he stuck his head in the room. Elizabeth was sitting on her bed, putting on a pair of high heels. It was Sunday, and the Stabler family was preparing to go to mass at their new parish. Elliot, however, wasn't sure if Elizabeth was emotionally ready to go.
"Are you sure you want to do today?" he asked, coming into the room. "Because we can always wait a while if you're too uncomfortable." Elizabeth smiled; a real smile, and patted a spot on her bed beside her. Elliot walked over and sat down. Elizabeth put her head on his shoulder and hugged him close.
"If I wasn't ready to go, I'd tell you." She replied. In truth, Elizabeth wasn't sure if she was ready to go, but she wanted to face her fears. She could tell her father still looked uncertain however, and she laughed.
"I'll make you a deal, daddy," she said, "I'll go and talk to someone about the way I feel about the… rape, and you let me go to mass." Elliot was surprised at the light-hearted tone in his daughter's voice. It was as if nothing had ever happened. But Elliot did want Elizabeth to talk to someone; he felt she was keeping her feelings inside- and he knew that wasn't healthy.
"And since I know how much you hate shrinks," his daughter continued, "I'll go and see one I like- Huang." Elliot smirked and hugged his daughter. He couldn't understand why Elizabeth liked Huang so much. Whenever Elliot spoke to him, even casually, he always felt like Dr. Huang was trying to shrink him. Elliot laughed and kissed his daughter on the top her head.
"Deal."
"You lost him?" Cragen shouted, in complete disbelief. "You lost him! That's not good enough!"
"I'm sorry, Captain." Munch said, regret filling him.
"Well, you two get to be the one's to tell Stabler that his daughter's rapist is on the loose thanks to your…damnit! Get his photo out there, I want it on the news nationwide, he could be anywhere."
"It's already done," Fin said, also sad at losing the bastard.
"Good. Call Stabler before he finds out on television."
The Stablers, and Casey, filed, for the second time that week, into St. Mary's, which was, conveniently, closer to their house then their previous parish. Father Matthews was standing at the door, greeting his parishioners.
"Well, if it isn't the Stablers! Welcome!" His eyes fell on Elizabeth, and he smiled down gently at her.
"Elizabeth. I'd like to apologize for instantly assuming that you'd be fine with me touching you. If you'd ever like to talk about what happened, my door's always open."
Elizabeth was touched.
"I accept your apology…and I'm sorry for making such a big deal out of it."
"It wasn't your fault," He said quietly.
"Could we talk for a minute after mass?" She asked.
"Of course. I'll see you then."
Elliot was both pleased and proud of his daughter's mature and brave attitude. Clearly, it was a huge step. She walked beside him and hugged him as they reached a pew. Elliot kneeled to genuflect, and his eyes fell on Casey. Wow… was all he could think. Focus on God, Stabler, focus on God…
Father Matthews smiled at Elizabeth as she quietly walked into his office.
"Have a seat, Elizabeth." He offered warmly, "What did you want to talk to me about?"
"The…rape." She said, forcing out the last word. "I guess I need to let some of it out…I haven't told anyone but the police, and even with them I didn't go into everything…"
"Alright. Tell me whatever you want to, sweetheart." He said, "Do you want the door closed?"
"No!" Elizabeth said, gasping, then taking a deep breath, "Sorry…he locked me in his office when he…he…"
She couldn't hold in her tears anymore, and started to cry.
Father Matthews heart went out to her. This shouldn't happen to anyone, he thought, let alone by their priest…He slowly walked over to her and tentatively put his hand over hers.
"I'd left my purse at the parish…I went there to ask him if he'd seen it…I was looking though this box in his office for it, and I went to go and…he grabbed my shoulder…he said 'You don't think you're going anywhere now, do you?'…And then he forced me onto the ground…"
"Wait, DON'T!"
Father Joseph put his hand over her mouth, still pinning her down.
"Scream, and it will be worse." He threatened.
Elizabeth screamed as he pulled her skirt down, trying desperately to get him off her.
"I'm only going to warn you this time, Elizabeth! Don't do that, or it will be worse!"
Elizabeth didn't care. She fought him with everything she had. He pulled his robe up and forced himself on her, and she cried out in pain…
Elizabeth cried out in Father Matthews office, her arm shaking.
"Elizabeth, it's okay. What are you remembering?"
Elizabeth snapped back to reality.
"He raped me." She said, sobbing, "He raped me…oh, God, why?"
Father Matthews gently hugged the child, silently praying for her until her sobs subsided.
"You don't have to keep going if you don't want to."
"No…no, I want to."
Elliot smiled at his family, then over at Casey, who was standing beside him.
"Casey…would you like to go out for coffee with me tonight?"
"Are you asking me out on a date?" She asked, shocked.
"Yes…" Elliot said.
"Yes, I'd love to go."
Elliot smiled, then clued in on the fact that the kitchen was silent, his children staring at them, Kathleen smirking.
"It's about damn time!" She shouted.
Elliot and Casey both laughed. Elizabeth's taking a while at the parish…Elliot thought. Maybe I should call…
His thoughts were cut off by the phone ringing.
"Stabler," He said, "Fin, hi…what?"
Elizabeth walked into her house, shocked to find her family sitting in the living room, waiting for her, their faces pale.
"What?" She asked.
"Fin and Munch went to arrest Father Joseph and he…"
Elizabeth could hear her father speaking after that, but the words were fading in and out…the room was getting so hot…
"Elizabeth? Sweetheart?" She heard Casey call her name, then scream, "Elizabeth!"
Then everything went black.