"Sir? Sir?" Christy, Amber's mother said to Elliot quietly after he finished easing Olivia into her pajamas.
"Yes?" Elliot asked as he turned his head slightly to face her.
"I... I just wanna thank you so much for saving my daughter... I-If you hadn't broken into that beach house we might not have ever seen her again..."
Elliot shook his head slightly "no thanks necessary ma'am... Honestly I just stumbled upon her but I'm really glad that me and my colleagues were able to help."
She nodded some "me too sir me too... Can I hug you?"
Elliot nodded "sure just be careful of Liv."
Christy nodded "of course sir of course," she said as she walked over and hugged him tightly as Elliot returned it with 1 arm as after a moment she backed away with grateful tears in her eyes as she went to tend to her daughter who was waking up.
"You know you could have hugged her fully right I wouldn't have minded," Olivia said groggily.
Elliot nodded slightly "I know sweetheart I know I just couldn't put you down... it's the selfish part of me the part that's just so thrilled that your okay now that he just can't let you go yet," he said with a slight smile as Olivia chuckled and smiled "well if this is you being selfish I hope you keep doing it for a while."
He nodded and smiled "my arms are yours for as long as you want them baby," he said as Cragen walked in to the room and to the rolling chair "hey guys."
"Hey cap, sorry you got kicked out earlier," Elliot said facing him.
Cragen shook his head "it's alright really, I come with some bad news though."
Elliot sighed "what is it?"
Cragen sighed "I talked to the Long-island robbery squad about the spree you, Fin and Amaro went on this morning."
Elliot sighed "please don't tell me they're pressing charges I can't leave Liv."
Cragen shook his head "not exactly but you are gonna have to pay for all of the damages and that comes out to six thousand five hundred and sixty two dollars and eighty eight cents."
Elliot sighed heavily but nodded slightly "a-alright how long do I have to pay it?" he asked as Amber cried on her side of the room hearing the conversation "I-I kept my word.. I-I didn't tell them anything..."
"We know that sweetheart we know," Elliot said softly as he then looked to Cragen again and he sighed "you're gonna have to head to night court when you leave here and pay it then."
Elliot sighed "I can't leave Olivia."
Cragen sighed "how about I drive you and I'll sit in the car with her while you pay it?"
Elliot looked to Olivia as she gave a slight nod "alright but please let us give our statements tomorrow we both need some sleep."
Cragen nodded "that works Elliot hey where are you guys gonna stay tonight?"
He sighed "I don't really know I don't wanna go out to my mother's quite yet she lives in Nu Jersey so it'd take a while to get back here tomorrow plus I think we need to stay in a quiet place for a little while. Do you agree Liv?" He asked softly.
Olivia slightly nodded "yeah I do... I wanna call Izzabella, let her know I'm okay b-but I don't want her to see me like I am tonight..."
Elliot nodded his head "I understand baby.. I didn't tell Izzabella that you were missing last night, didn't wanna scare her but I did tell her that I had to deal with a grownup thing so I'm sure she'll be really glad to hear from you."
She nodded slightly "I hope so."
Elliot gently kissed the side of her head "she will I promise," he said as Cragen cleared his throat "Elliot where do you wanna stay tonight?"
He sighed "as much money as we've had to fork out here lately I don't know if we can afford a hotel right now... I thought I might ask Fin."
Cragen shook his head "no need Elliot Eileen is out of town visiting her brothers and I have a comfortable guest room that you guys can use for as long as you need."
"A-are you sure that's okay captain? I-I mean I'm gonna try my best not to but PTSAID is a bitch and I have a feeling that my nightmares are gonna start sooner rather than later," Olivia said.
Cragen nodded "of course it's okay Liv and you having PTSAID and nightmares is completely understandable considering what you've been through... Also if it makes you feel any better the guest bedroom is a good ways away from my bedroom so you wont have to worry about waking me up."
She nodded slightly as Elliot gently rubbed her back "we'll stay with you for a couple nights captain, thank you for letting us and I'll pay you what I can."
Cragen shook his head "no that's not necessary Elliot really," he said as a nurse walked in "hi Mrs. Stabler, my name's Deanna and I'm here to take your IV out so you guys can go."
She nodded her head with a slight smile as she held her arm out and the nurse made quick work of taking it out "okay your technically being signed out and into the care of your husband because of the continued ongoing care that your gonna need so can you sign this Mr. Stabler?"
Elliot nodded "yes of course," he said as he took the pen he was offered and signed quickly "you ready to get out of here honey?"
Olivia nodded "I'm more than ready El."
He smiled and nodded as an orderly brought in a wheelchair "I'm gonna need you to ride in the wheelchair Mrs. Stabler it's hospital policy."
Olivia nodded her head slightly as Elliot gently eased her into it as he then looked to Christy and Amber "you guys take care of yourselves, you are an amazing family and although I hate the circumstances it was truly a pleasure to meet you all."
Christy nodded slightly with tears in her eyes "same here Mr. Stabler, same here and thank you again," she said as she watched them leave the room.
"Okay Elliot how do we wanna do this? We can't leave either 1 of our cars here."
Elliot sighed "I really don't know captain but I didn't plan on driving."
He sighed "your gonna have to drive Elliot I don't see a way around that. Isn't the rental car service next to the courthouse?"
He nodded "yeah it is."
Cragen nodded "then why don't we have Olivia ride with me in my car, you can drive behind us, pay your fine then after your through with that you can return your rental car and ride with us to my place?"
He sighed slightly "I don't know if Liv's gonna be alright with being away from me for that long this soon after..."
Cragen sighed "the only other alternative is that I drive your rental car, drop it off first then have you pick me up so I can sit with Olivia while you pay your fine."
Elliot nodded "that sounds like the better plan to me."
Cragen nodded as Olivia sighed "I like your idea better too El but they'll have to see ID when they take the car back."
He nodded "I can just hand cap my ID I trust him with it."
She couldn't help but slightly smile "the pictures wont match though and you know it. I'll just have to ride with him El it's not that far I'll be okay."
"Baby are you sure?"
Olivia nodded slightly as they approached the vehicles "I'm sure El.. I love your overprotectiveness so much but in this situation there's just no way around it."
He sighed slightly and nodded "true," he said as he looked to Cragen "you can follow me to the rental car service first and I'll ride with you to the courthouse."
He nodded "that works for me Elliot," he said as the orderly parked the wheelchair at the car where do you want me to seat her sir?"
"I've got her from here, thank you sir," Elliot said as he gently lifted her into his arms "I'm gonna go ahead and sit you in the back that way you don't have to move again okay honey?"
Olivia slightly nodded as her eyes then widened when she saw a pair of Cragen's handcuffs in the back seat as she shook her head franticly.
"What is it sweetheart?" Elliot asked softly seeing her reaction.
She pointed at the handcuffs she saw with her good hand as Elliot nodded understanding, his facial expression full of love and compassion "Captain do something with those, get them out of her sight."
He nodded quickly "ohh god I totally forgot they were even there... Here they're gone," he said as he tossed them in to the trunk.
Elliot slightly smiled at Cragen as he then turned his gaze back on Olivia "it's okay they're gone now sweetheart, can I help you in now?"
Olivia slightly nodded her head through a yawn as Elliot slightly smiled and gently helped her into the seat "I'll see you in a few minutes honey, the rental car place isn't that far away at all."
Olivia nodded her head slightly as once he closed the door she laid her head on the door by the windowsill and fell asleep.
Around 20 minutes passed as in that time they drove to the rental car dealership and Elliot returned the car with no issue "she can't be comfortable like that, she's been leaning like this the whole time," Cragen said as he stepped out of the car when he saw Elliot walk out.
Elliot nodded his head and sighed "she's been sleeping a lot ever since they gave her the meds to calm her nerves earlier, she really needs it though I doubt she slept much at all with Lewis."
Cragen nodded "yeah she probably didn't, i wish I had a pillow in the car if I did I'd put her head on it."
Elliot nodded "yeah same here, as soon as I finish at the courthouse I'll move her to my shoulder," he said as he then got into the back and sat on her right as she stirred slightly.
"Hey honey it's just me you slept through the ride with Cragen we're headed to the courthouse now."
Olivia nodded slightly "I'm so sleepy... and cold..."
Elliot nodded slightly as he scooted over to the middle seat and gently wrapped his arm around her "captain can you turn the heater on?"
He nodded "sure but it's not that cold out does she have a fever?"
Elliot sighed slightly "I don't know but with 5 kids I'm a human thermometer," he said as he gently held the back of his hand to her forehead then put his lips to it "no I think she's fever free."
He nodded "okay good," he said as he started driving on to the courthouse as while he drove he turned his c d on as a few depressing songs played including Right or wrong by George Straight, I wouldn't have missed it for the world by Ronnie Milsap and Before he cheats by Carry Underwood "these songs are awful depressing cap," Elliot said.
He nodded "yeah I guess they are I've had this c d for as long as I can remember though, I mean it took me over 20 years to move on from Marge's death and date again."
He nodded "yeah I know it did," he said as he was gently stroking Olivia's back when Cragen pulled up as he sighed and gently eased his arm away "I'll be right back honey," he said softly as Olivia nodded slightly and he quickly headed inside.
Cragen sighed slightly "what's your prognosis Liv? How badly were you hurt?" he asked once Elliot was out of the car.
Olivia slightly sighed "I-I wasn't raped... But about every thing else you can imagine happened to me I was cut in the arm with a pocket knife, burned repeatedly, pistol whipped.."
Cragen nodded sadly "I see you have a cast on your wrist I take it it's broken?"
She nodded slightly "y-yeah it is and the worst thing is I can't move it for at least 4 weeks."
He nodded "I mean I know it'll be frustrating but that's normal for a broken wrist and you have a good support system."
She sighed slightly "you don't get it captain."
"What don't I get?" he asked wanting to understand.
Olivia sighed slightly "Elliot's gonna have to treat all of my burns since I can't do it myself, I'm gonna have a hard time fixing my own plates, drinks, every thing... Hell he's even probably gonna have to help me wash my hair. I just feel like I'm gonna be such an invalid and that that on top of my PTSAID is gonna overwhelm him."
Cragen nodded as he turned around to face her "Olivia Elliot is a really strong man... And I have no doubt that he'll be willing and able to handle it all... I mean think about what you did when he went temporarily blind didn't you do almost every thing for him?"
Olivia nodded slightly "y-yeah I did."
Cragen nodded "and you were happy to do it right?"
Olivia shook her head slightly "I wouldn't say I was happy he was blind, I wanted revenge against Sal Picard for making him go blind... But I was more than willing to do anything and every thing that Elliot needed for as long as he needed it."
Cragen nodded "Olivia sweetheart Elliot feels the same way now that you did then, your just gonna have to trust him like he trusted you," he said as the back door opened and Elliot sat down in the middle seat "six thousand more dollars are gone but the higher ups are happy so."
Cragen just sighed slightly "don't shoot the messenger Elliot," he said as he started driving to his house "are you guys hungry?"
Olivia shook her head slightly "not really captain," she said as Elliot shook his head in the negative also as Cragen just nodded and drove on.
As the drive continued Elliot steadily rubbed Olivia's back but his jaw was clinched in anger "El what's wrong?" Olivia asked after a few minutes.
Elliot shook his head slightly "I'm okay sweetheart I promise."
Olivia sighed shakily "please tell me why your angry?"
Dammit, Elliot thought to himself as he immediately softened his expression "I'm not angry honey," he said softly.
"You looked angry to me..." she said as she then sighed slightly and leaned her head against the door panel.
Elliot sighed slightly as he was upset with himself for letting his anger show as he gently rubbed her back and leaned into her ear "okay maybe I am a little angry... But it's not at you and it's not anything your thinking... Please just lean back against me instead of that hard panel and I'll explain it when we're in private okay?" he whispered softly.
Olivia slightly nodded "a-alright," she said as she laid her head back on his shoulder as he smiled and wrapped his arm around her again "every thing okay back there?" Cragen asked.
"Yeah we're good," they said in unison as Cragen chuckled slightly "do you guys share the same brain?"
"Nope," they said again in unison as Cragen just chuckled and drove the last block as my heart will go on from the movie Titanic played over his car radio "I swear he must be depressed, I don't know how he listens to this sad music all the time," Elliot whispered into Olivia's ear.
"That's a good question El although sometimes i wonder how you like so much classic rock, all music is good but in moderation."
He nodded "I think your right, it's a shame radio stations don't think like you," he said as Cragen pulled up we're here guys."
Liv and El both nodded "you gonna be able to walk honey?" Elliot asked.
Olivia nodded "yeah I think so as long as we take it slow."
Elliot nodded "we can do that sweetheart," he said softly as he gently helped her out and kept a gentle supportive arm around her waste as they walked into the house.
"You have a nice place captain come to think of it I don't think I've ever seen it before today."
Cragen slightly smiled "thank you Olivia and I'm sorry your seeing it for the first time under these circumstances."
She noded "me too," she said as Elliot then looked to him "where should I put our stuff captain?"
He slightly smiled "put it in the guest bedroom, it's back there he said as he pointed behind them I hope a full sized bed will be big enough for the both of you?"
Elliot nodded "it should be but if it's not we'll make it work."
He nodded "sounds great, goodnight," he said as he then headed off to heat up some leftovers and go to bed.
"So Elliot what was wrong earlier?" Olivia asked while he changed into pajamas.
He sighed slightly "it's about the fine we didn't have enough money in our checking account to cover it so I had to dip into our savings."
"Meaning my mom's inheritance.." Olivia said knowingly.
Elliot nodded "yeah... Honey I'm sorry, I really am I just didn't see another way to pay it. I promise you I'll find a way to pay that money back."
Olivia shook her head "oh Elliot..." she said as she motioned for him to walk over as when he did she wrapped her good arm around him "Elliot I've had that money for almost 13 years and it's not meant just to sit there... What you did to get that fine in the first place saved my life so don't you think it's fitting that that money went to that?"
Elliot shook his head slightly "that money came from your mother and it was supposed to be spent on something you wanted, something that you chose to spend it on.."
Olivia sighed and nodded "I know that's what I said I was gonna do with it when I first got it but remember we payed for our downpayment with part of it when we moved into our house... And Elliot we're married now so what's mine is yours and vice versa."
He nodded slightly "that's true I guess I just feel bad about it and I'm pissed too that I even had to pay anything at all I mean it was all for a good cause."
She nodded "your right it was but damage to doors is damage to doors no matter why they were damaged, and El don't worry about replacing the money because as far as I'm concerned it's your money just as much as it is mine."
Elliot exhaled slightly in relief as he gently pulled her into his arms and kissed her head several times "I love you sweetheart, so so much."
"I love you too El," she said softly as after another moment he pulled away "how about we get the rest of your burns treated so we can both get some sleep?"
She nodded slightly "you think I can shower first? I'll do what I can do myself myself I just don't feel clean."
He nodded "of course sweetheart and I'll help you with whatever you need help with don't stress on that part."
Olivia nodded her head slightly as she carefully walked into the guest bathroom as she struggled to get her shirt off one handed "come on, come on," she said tiredly as she cont trying it and she finally got it off "finally," she said quietly to herself as she worked at the sweatpants.
Why doesn't she just let me help her? Elliot thought to himself as he sighed slightly and stood just outside the door as he soon heard a thud then a whimper as he rushed in "what happened honey are you okay?"
She sighed slightly as she got up from the floor "y-yeah El I'm fine I just lost my balance while I was trying to get my pants off."
He nodded slightly as he saw that the gash that she had on her head which had scabbed over got hit as it was bleeding "here let me have a look at this baby. You hit your head on the counter on the way down didn't you?"
She nodded her head slightly "y-yeah."
Elliot nodded slightly as he stroked her hair while gently applying pressure to it with a washcloth until it stopped bleeding "honey I know this is hard for you... Trust me I do but I need for you to please let me help you..."
She sighed slightly "I am letting you help me El.. You've been helping me all day."
He nodded his head "that's true I have been but I need for you to keep letting me help you until you get your strength back up."
She nodded slightly "I-I am, or I'm trying to anyway I-I just thought I could do that myself..."
He nodded "I get it baby and trust me the last thing I wanna do is stifle your independence but I don't want you getting hurt either and this is only temporary.. I give you my word once you have your energy back and can do all this safely I wont say a word when you break the rules," he said as he winked at her and she slightly smiled "so do we have a deal?" Elliot asked softly.
Olivia nodded her head slightly "yeah we do El," she said as she reached her right hand out to him and he gently shook it "lets get you that shower then I'll doctor up your wounds and we'll sleep."
Olivia smiled slightly and nodded her head as she tried to keep her eyes open as soon the rest of her clothes were off and she was in the shower.
"El that feels so good..." Olivia said through a yawn as he massaged the shampoo into her scalp.
He smiled some "I'm glad it does sweetheart, try not to fall asleep on me though I don't want you to fall."
She nodded a bit and yawned again "maybe I should wash the parts of my body that I can wash? That should keep me awake."
He nodded "good idea honey," he said as he put some body wash on a loofa and she went about carefully washing the burn on the area around her vagina while he was distracted with her hair as she winced slightly after a couple minutes "honey am I hurting you? Am I massaging to hard?" he asked as he eased up a bit on the pressure.
She shook her head slightly "n-no I-it's not you El," she said as she kept scrubbing.
Elliot nodded slightly as he then noticed the scrubbing "easy baby easy don't rub it raw... Did Lewis.. Did he rape you?"
She shook her head slightly "n-no El he didn't I said that at the hospital."
He nodded slightly "you know that if you told them he didn't because you didn't wanna have a rape kit done I'd understand," he said softly.
She nodded slightly "I-I know that El but I swear to god he didn't... He stuck his finger inside me and that's as far as he got before I broke free."
He nodded his head slightly and sighed in relief "I'm glad that's as far as he got then and I'm so, so proud of you for breaking free like you did."
Olivia just nodded her head slightly, unsure how to respond to that as she gently rinsed the soap off of the burn then washed her chest, stomach and breasts a little quicker "after you finish with my hair will you wash my back?"
Elliot nodded his head "of course sweetheart."
Olivia slightly smiled "thank you El," she said as after a few more minutes she was out of the shower as Elliot gently wrapped her in a towel as once she was dried off he carefully helped her put her pants and panties on, making sure to be careful where he looked and touched as he never saw the burn she was hiding from him "lets get all these injuries tended to shall we?"
Olivia nodded slightly "sounds good El, you wanna call Izzabella and your mom tomorrow? Your watch says it's already 9:15."
Elliot nodded his head "that works for me honey," he said as he gently put some antibiotic cream on the gash on her head then put some gauze on it with a small strip of tape to hold it there "you wanna lay down on the bed while I treat the burns? I think you'd be more comfortable that way."
Olivia nodded slightly "please," she said as Elliot nodded as once they were in the guest bedroom Elliot gently helped her lay down then started to ever so gently apply burn cream to and bandage her burns as a couple tears fell from his eyes.
"T-They look so horrible... I should have done more I should have stopped him somehow.." Olivia said as a couple tears of her own fell.
Elliot shook his head slightly as he bandaged the last key shaped burn "baby this was not your fault... It truly wasn't you were powerless to stop him, honey you were restrained to our bed for most of those burns..."
She nodded slightly "I-I know I was... E-Elliot I-I don't know how I'll ever sleep in it again... I-I mean I'll try b-but I-I don't know how I can..." she said through tears.
"Shhh, shhh baby you don't have to, you don't have to we'll get a knew bed, headboard, bedspread, we'll get a whole new bedroom suit if it helps you feel safe."
"B-but what about the money? Bedroom suits cost money a-and you said we're low on money."
He nodded "baby we are low on money and that's Lewis's fault... But I'll find a way to get this bedroom suit we'll just have to cut down on some other things."
She nodded slightly as she raised up and reached for her shirt since he was through "what things can we cut back on? I honestly don't even know what all we're subscribed to."
Elliot chuckled slightly "well for starters I can get rid of my sports package that I barely even watch anymore, we can start buying off-brand food and stuff that's on sale, we get a sales paper every week I just never read it. We can get rid of our high speed internet too, the neighbors use it more than we do and if Izzabella gets board she can play with her toys instead of have me load videos for her constantly," he said as he gently eased her shirt over her head and her arms into the sleeves.
She nodded "you know she's not gonna take that change well right?"
He nodded "I know but I also know you were right when you told me I spoil her to much so this is a start in backtracking that right?"
She nodded "it is El. Which side of the bed do you want?"
Elliot chuckled softly "doesn't really matter cuz by the end of the night I'll be in the middle with you in my arms."
She nodded then thought for a second "I can stay on my side of the bed if you need me to El."
He shook his head and gently pulled her into his arms "I don't think my chest would know what to do anymore if your head wasn't on it, get comfy and I'll find a comfortable position on this really hard bed," he said in a chuckle.
She chuckled and smiled "it's not that bad El it's more comfy than the cribs, your just spoiled to our bed."
He nodded "yeah your probably right," he said as he yawned.
Olivia smiled and laid there for a couple minutes in silence "El?"
"Hmm?"
Olivia smiled sleepily "how'd you manage to sleep when I had to stay in the cribs because of a case?"
Elliot caught the past tense of her question right away but didn't say anything about it "usually I just let Izzabella cuddle on my chest," he said softly while stroking her hair as she nodded slightly and fell asleep as he soon followed.