Tarnished

Chapter Eleven

St. Catherine's Hospital

Room 314

7:00 AM

Christian stopped just short of Josephine's room, looking at her through the window. She was crying. He didn't want to make her cry anymore. His heart couldn't take it.

"Is she going to be alright?" He asked. "Is she going to be able to see again?"

Olivia sighed. "The neurologist said that it may get progressively worse over time," she explained. "Or it will get better as she heals, but her eyesight will never be the same. He said that it could go either way."

Christian nodded. "Can I see her?"

"Sure," Elliot sighs. "Be with your wife for a few days, then when she's feeling up to it, we need you both at the precinct. We need to get to the bottom of this whole thing."

"Thanks, Detective Stabler," Christian said gratefully.

Elliot just nodded and then Christian opened the door and entered Josephine's room. Olivia and Elliot watched as Josephine turned and held her arms out for the man she loves. Deep down, it made Olivia's blood boil to see that after all that she'd been through, Josephine still loved her husband passionately.

"Christian," she said in a small voice as she began to cry. "C'mere. I'm so sorry sweetheart."

Christian hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek. "No, no don't say that. I'm the one that's sorry. God, Josie. How bad are your eyes?"

She pulled away and wiped her tears. "Everything is blurry…so blurry. I can barely see my hand in front of my face. The doctor said that I may go completely blind or it could get almost back to normal. But don't worry, Christian. You're here with me and that's all that matters. We're going to be a family, okay? We're going to get help and be a family again."

"Please forgive me Josie," he begged into her chest. "Please."

"I do, Chris," she cried. "I do forgive you. We need to tell the police the truth, baby. We can't hold on to our secrets anymore. We have to tell them."

"I know," he agreed. "I just want to be with you and the boys. I'll take you home, okay?"

"Okay," she nodded. "Let's go home."

Olivia and Elliot didn't stick around to see the reunion. They walked across the street to the parking garage and headed up to their car.

"So, you found out some interesting things from Christian?" Olivia asked as they walked to the Sedan.

"Yeah," Elliot agreed as he tossed her the keys to drive, even though he knew that she hated driving. "His father is a sick bastard just like he turned out to be. He told me one time his dad beat and raped his mother right in front of him."

"Jesus," Olivia sighed as she tossed the keys back to him. "That's awful, but that doesn't mean Christian wouldn't kill."

"I don't think Christian or his wife killed anyone," Elliot sighed. "I think we need to talk to the elder Sadlers."

Olivia stopped in her tracks and looked at her partner. "Wait a minute, you think that Chistian's parents may have something to do with the murders?"

"It's looking that way," he said as they got into the car. "But, let's call Cragen. I'm taking us home."

Olivia grinned. "I like the way you think, Stabler."

Elliot Stabler's Home

Queens

8:00 AM

Olivia pushed her scrambled eggs around on her plate. She wasn't feeling particularly hungry anymore, and she felt bad because Elliot had prepared a wonderful breakfast for her before they went upstairs and went to bed to sleep. Elliot reached over and caressed her cheek.

"Liv, baby, what's been on your mind?" He asked as he pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

She looked into his eyes. "I just worry that I'll ruin what we have."

Elliot furrowed his eyebrows. "Livvy, why would you think that?"

"El," she huffs as she gets up from his table. "You already know what I'm thinking. We've had this conversation before."

"Olivia, don't do this," Elliot said, coming over to her as she looks out the window. He wrapped his arms around her waist. "Talk to me, please."

She remained quiet for a few minutes before turning to him, arms crossed over her chest.

"I don't know," she sighed. "I'm just really scared and I want so many things, but I don't feel…deserving."

He kissed her firmly. "Olivia I think that you are more than deserving. You are worth more to me than anything that this earth can offer. You're not going to ruin what we have because we're stronger than that, Liv. Relationships take work, baby."

Olivia nodded. "I haven't read the letter yet."

"I'm not going to push you," he whispered. "If you feel like tearing it up and burning it, then that's what we'll do and-"

She pulled away and became angry with him.

"See, that's what I'm-" she cut herself off and put her hands on her hips. "Everything is we. We have this and we'll do this…I've become so emotionally dependent on you that I can't even think straight anymore. It's so confusing, El. So confusing, and that's what's scaring me is that I don't know what to do unless you're there with me. Otherwise, I would have torn the letter up and moved on."

"Tell me what you want to do," he said. "What do you want to do, Liv?"

She hesitated for a moment before making a decision.

"I want to read the letter," she sighed. "With you. Us, together because you know how much I went through. But not right now, okay? Just keep it for me, will you?"

"Sure," he sighed as he pulled her into a hug.

She looked into his eyes and he caressed her cheek before claiming her lips with his.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered as he kissed over her face, and she grinned in delight. "You know why?"

"Luck?" She asked.

"Because you're Olivia," he whispered as he kissed her eyes. "You're Olivia Bernice Benson."

She hugged him tighter.

"Can I sleep in your bed with you?" She asked.

"Uh, that's what I was planning on, yeah," he chuckled.

"El, I'm serious," she said quietly. "I mean, it's still yours and Kathy's bed. The marriage bed. You won't be offended?"

"It sounds like you're more offended enough right now for the both of us," he laughed and she scowled at him. "I'm sorry. No, it won't offend me, and trust me, Kathy is completely fine with you, us. She wants me to move on as much as I want her to move on. Our kids want us to be happy."

Olivia nodded reluctantly.

They cleaned up the kitchen and then headed upstairs to his room. As soon as Olivia hit the pillows, she dozed off, and Elliot watched her as she slept. He'd seen Olivia sleep before, but watching her up close is a sight for him to behold. Finally, his own fatigue took over, and he embraced her and fell asleep.

12:17 PM

Olivia awoke from a deep sleep and she found herself in Elliot's arms. She sighed and turned to face him and snuggled closer. She could still smell his cologne and it comforted her; let her know that this wasn't a dream. He began to stir and his eyes opened up and he looked right into hers.

They both grinned.

Olivia sat up and stretched, her tee shirt sliding up, revealing her midsection.

Elliot reached over and skimmed his fingers over her soft flesh and she brought her arms down and covered his hand with her own as she laid back down. Elliot wanted to make love to her more than he would actually admit, and she wasn't helping things by giving him glimpses here and there.

She kissed him softly.

They broke away when they heard some noise downstairs.

"What's that?" Olivia asked.

"Dad! Daddy!" A shaky and distraught voice yelled.

"That sounds like Maureen," Elliot said and they both quickly got out of bed and rushed downstairs.

When they got downstairs, Elliot saw Maureen sitting at the dining room table with her head in her hands sobbing.

"Maureen, what's the matter baby?" Elliot asked as he came over to her.

She got up and bum rushed him with a hug and she was trembling.

"Daddy," she sobbed.

"Shh, just tell me what happened hon," he soothed and Olivia went into the kitchen to get Maureen a cup of water.

Maureen pulled away.

"Chris and I had a huge fight," she sobbed. "And then I told him that I didn't want to be married anymore, and he walked out. I feel so terrible dad!"

Olivia came back with the water and Maureen took it gratefully.

"Thanks," she said, then she looked between her father and Olivia strangely. "Olivia, did you sleep here?"

"Guilty," Olivia shrugged. "But what about you, sweetie? Are you okay? Did Chris hurt you? Did you hurt him?"

"No, nothing like that," she sniffled. "Just a lot of yelling and screaming and crying."

Elliot was relieved that nothing had turned violent. "What'd you two fight about?"

"Everything," Maureen began bitterly. "You know, I have been doing everything…I mean everything by myself. We got the house, and we were supposed to decorate together and buy furniture together. Well, I've done that all by myself. The decorating, the bills, school, work…all that by myself. Even sex has become a one sided affair."

Elliot grimaced. "Didn't need to hear that honey."

"Sorry," Maureen said, blushing, and Olivia smiled. "And now our plumbing is screwed up and there's water all over the house, and he hasn't been there. So I laid in on him and we got into it and I told him that I was tired and that I didn't want to be married anymore."

"Maureen," Olivia began. "I know you didn't mean that, and Chris knows that too. You both are very ambitious and determined people, and sometimes, that can get a little overwhelming. But you love each other."

"I do love him," Maureen whined. "But he frustrates me so much…can I stay here a few days, daddy?"

"Sure honey," he said. "This is still your house too."

"Thank you," she sighed. "I'm leaving Chris to deal with everything for once so he can see how I feel."

Elliot grinned at his eldest daughter.

"You know where your room is," he said, secretly joyful that she came home for a little bit.

Maureen smiled and took her things upstairs.

Olivia chuckled. "I know that you're happy she's home," she laughed. "But please don't go and kill your son-in-law."