The Bet
Chapter Eight
By: Lizzie Bundick
----------
Author's Note: Since it's now what I lovingly call the Divorce Era, because it seemed to take forever, we're going to be heading towards a more serious note in both The Bet and The Ante. I'm sure I'll work some humor in some how, though. I love wise cracking Munch to watch him slip away. Please read and review.
----------
Detective John Munch paused while writing in a note in a case file. Had he just over heard what he thought he over heard? Had Elliot just really said Kathy had left him? Pretending to be relaxed, he leaned back in his chair and studied Olivia as she walked back into the bull pen and sat back down. She looked normal, but he'd been working with her long enough to know that she wasn't okay. Her eyes gave her away every time and they were a little shell shocked. Yeah, he'd heard right, Kathy had left.
Picking up his note pad, John flipped to an empty page and scribbled what he'd learned. He slid the note pad over the Detective Odafin Tutuola, who looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. John zipped his lips and then pointed to the pad. Fin rolled his eyes and picked up the pad. Both eyebrows shot up when he read the note. He slid the pad back without writing on it and got up from his desk. John sent him a confused looked and Fin held up one finger, indicating John should wait.
Fin found Elliot by the vending machines, his arms braced on either side, glaring at the Cheeze Doodles like everything was their fault.
"You gonna buy something or stare at it all day?" Fin joked, knew he was about to tread into very dangerous territory and wanted to ease into it. The longer Elliot kept his cool the more Fin could say.
"Sorry," Elliot said, taking a step back from the machine. Fin studied the sad sorry collection of junk food and pretended he cared what he polluted his arteries with.
"How's the case going? Cragen didn't look to happy with that lawyer."
"Victim says I was inappropriate with her," Elliot muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. "Says I groped her while helping her into her apartment."
"Is she filing charges?"
"Not if we arrest the guy who raped her." Fin slid some coins into the machine and studied Elliot. He figured now was as good a time as ever.
"You can tell me if it's none of my business man, but I over heard you and Liv. Kathy left?"
Immediately Elliot stiffened and put on the emotionless cop face, "It's none of your business."
Fin thought about retreating and making a joke about the Ding Dongs being as old as Munch, but figured he'd have once chance to say his peace, "I remember the day my wife served me with papers. It was a long time coming but, man, those papers made it real. I was workin' under cover, it finally got to her. She started out okay with it, but the more time I spent away, the more she resented me. One day, she woke up and couldn't take it."
"Fin," Elliot said, his voice full of warning. Fin noticed however that he hadn't walked away.
"Look, I lost my son and it wasn't just because of the job. You're angry, so was I and I let it poison my divorce, so now I don't even know my own son. Don't let that happen to you, because if you do you'll regret it like nothin' else in your life. If ya love your kids like I think you do, you won't screw this up because you feel useless and stupid." It was possibly the longest conversation Fin and Elliot had ever had that didn't revolve around a case. Elliot looked like he didn't what to say, so Fin saved him.
"So, what do you think is older? Munch or those Ding Dongs?" He watched Elliot realize that Fin knew all about a painful divorce because of the job. He knew exactly every emotion Elliot was going through and was willing to talk about it. Not that Elliot would talk to him about it, but the offer was there.
"Going to have to go with the Ding Dongs, they've been here for as long as I have," Elliot replied, but he nodded stiffly in thanks before walking off. Fin ended up getting some pretzels, since they looked like they could just barely kill him. He returned to his desk, picked up John's note pad and scribbled a note.
Either this will destroy them, or someone is going to end up very rich.
-----------
Author's Note: I figure Fin was a better choice to talk to Elliot because in Venom it looked like he didn't have a "happy" divorce and I just don't see Elliot and Kathy having a "happy" divorce. Man, serious stuff here. Also, moving into a new house this weekend, which means no internet, don't know when I'll be able to update chapter eight of The Ante. Please, read and review.