It was the day after Elliots shooting. The whole team were beyond stunned and shocked. No-one said anything.
Olivia walked in to the CSI lab head high. She walked looking for the familiar face of Stacey Hannigan, the CSI she trusted the most. She found her staring at a bullet. She knew the presence of Olivia and told her before she asked.
"The bullet, had interesting marks on. Mainly the one that said, 'Gotcha El, Billy Mathers' engraved in was the most interesting." Stacey said looking up. Olivia's eyebrow raised. She was tired and everyone could tell the last day had been exhausting.
"Billy Mathers is our perp then." Olivia simply stated, swallowing. "Thanks Stacey." Olivia turned and walked away.
"Olivia, " Stacey called. Olivia turned. Stacey smiled faintly, water forming n her eyes.
"I'm sorry about what happened." She said. Olivia gritted her teeth and nodded. She turned and walked on.
Munch, Olivia and Fin were sat around Cragen's office as their Captain spoke to the attorneys office. They found the link between Elliot and Mathers. Cragen got off he phone. They looked each exhausted, sad and shocked beyond belief. They hadn't slept since the shooting. None of them could until the perp was behind bars. New glass had been put in the frames – everything was back to normal - almost. It never would be really. Olivia was still minus a cat, Fin scarred for life, Munch's feet still ached and they were missing an ADA. Elliot, well what had happened with him was still raw, they couldn't think about it… it hurt too much.
"We got the warrant," he told them. "A substitute ADA will meet you at his apartment." They didn't need anything. Fuelled on revenge and adrenalin they ran from the building into the cars and to Billy Mathers' apartment. All Olivia knew was that he was going to pay for what he'd done. Jail for a long time. Olivia hoped it would be enough for themselves – no one destroyed the lives of her friends like he had, onlyto get away with it. No one.
They jumped out the cars and met Rachel Hannigan. She had their warrant. She nodded. Guns became upholstered as they stealthily climbed 4 floors of concrete steps. They reached 34B and knocked on the door, shouting the mandatory:
"Police!" No door opened no movement inside. Olivia motioned for them to break it down. Fin happily complied. The door crashed open. They moved swiftly in each taking a room. Munch moved in to the living room. A balding man sat in a chair in front of a television.
"You took your time." He sneered.
The funeral shocked Olivia to the core. It seemed so final. The end. She couldn't believe Elliot Stabler was dead. The bullet had killed him straight away. Punctured his heart; his kind, caring, loyal heart. She couldn't cry or grieve properly until Mathers had been arrested. She hadn't shed a tear until then. After that it flooded from her. She cried for hours at a time, until her eyes were raw and her throat ached. She'd told Kathy and the kids. Maureen and Kathleen screamed on the spot. The twins cried. Maureen was devastated. She'd give her dad a hard time but she loved him so much. Olivia had to leave before she broke down. Munch, Fin barely spoke. They were broken. Cragen looked after them all. Helped them through it, supported them. He was in shock. Never cried, but the others knew he felt it. It was the haunted look he held in his eyes.
It had taken ages to find out why he'd been killed. During Elliots first month on the job, he'd been assigned to a case. Members of the force were being attacked. Elliot missed a clue. A big one – something that would have ended it. Mather's ended up losing a partner and girlfriend. He blamed Elliot. Elliot blamed himself for their deaths. He'd reassigned himself to New York sex crimes in attempt for anonymity – Mathers had found him and destroyed him for revenge. A fresh flow of tears left Olivia's eyes as she recalled the reason for his death. A beautiful person had been taken from the world. He'd punished himself everyday for what had happened. In retrospect she knew that. The sad look that followed him, his resistance of talking about his past.
She looked around and saw the faces. At the edge of the graveside. Kathy, Fin, Munch, Cragen, Huang. All their, sharing their grief. The kids weren't. They couldn't cope. They didn't want to see their hero of a dad being lowered in to dirt. She couldn't blame them. It killed her inside. It was only a little while ago she'd buried her lover and now her best friend. She let the tears flow freely, shuddering silently. She looked at Kathy as the first bit of dirt was thrown on the wooden coffin.
"Oh god..oh god…please god no…" she spluttered in between sobs, her knees gave way underneath her, a howl escaped her lips.. Cragen knelt beside her, holding her shoulders… The things she wished she'd said: Thank you, how he was the greatest man she'd ever met, how no man compared to him, how….
"Oh god why…." She mumbled.
The stone:
Elliot Stabler,
Friend, Father
May God reward him for his good deeds and Angels protect his spirit.