"How about Skoda? He's a straight forward guy I talked to him a couple times back in the day," Elliot suggested.
Olivia shook her head "I need somebody a little more compassionate how about Hendrix?"
Elliot chuckled slightly "your joking right? Did you forget about what happened nine years ago?"
Olivia shook her head "I didn't forget El but it was nine years ago and before we were together, I trust you enough not to worry about it."
Elliot smiled slightly "that means a lot Liv but I still think it would be strange," he said as Munch walked over "what you guys doing?"
"Just looking through some stuff," Elliot said as Olivia nodded "we could see Olevette you're already comfortable with her and she has a lot of experience."
Elliot sighed "I'd say yes but when I saw her in March she said she might be retiring at the end of the summer."
Olivia sighed slightly and rubbed her neck "I really wish Huang was still in town we could talk to him."
Elliot nodded "me too baby but it'll be okay we'll find the person that's right for us," he said softly.
Olivia nodded slightly "I really hope so I'd hate for us to pick one, not feel comfortable with them then have to do the whole process all over again."
He nodded "yeah me too honey, we're looking at the wrong folder though lets try looking at trauma therapist's instead of police ones."
Olivia nodded slightly as she opened her other drawer and moved the picture of her and Elliot she had stashed in there and grabbed the folder from underneath it and opened it up "Henry Carlyle? Do you remember him?" she asked not remembering much about him.
Elliot nodded "yeah I remember him he was Janice Donavan's shrink, hard pass."
Olivia chuckled "ohh god that's right I remember him now she snowed him into believing she had DID and murdered her parents."
Elliot nodded "mmhmm although I can't fault him she was pretty damn convincing."
Olivia shuddered "please don't remind me," she said as she remembered the actions of Dory, one of Janice's made up characters.
Elliot rubbed her back and kissed the side of her head gently as Munch chuckled "that was my last case as commanding officer of SVU and I was thrilled to keep it that way, didn't that woman try to seduce you Elliot?"
Elliot sighed "she did," he said as he flipped through more cards "how about this one Liv? His name is Peter Lindstrom, he's been a trauma therapist for over ten years and by the note attached to the back of this card you've referred 22 women to him in the last five years."
Olivia nodded slightly "it seems like he could be a good choice, are you okay with trying to talk to him? We both need to feel comfortable."
Elliot nodded "yeah I have a good feeling about it," he said as Cragen walked over after seeing Barba off and sending Rollins out to help execute a search warrant "what happened to you guys coming around one?" he asked.
Elliot sighed "we were up and ready so I figured the quicker we came in the quicker we'd be done."
Cragen nodded slightly and sighed "your anger burst through Barba for a loop, Rollins too they aren't used to your temper."
Elliot sighed "I'm trying to work on it captain, I really am I don't want to scare people but I'm gonna protect Olivia first and for most and if that means I have to be intimidating then that's what I'll do."
Cragen sighed "Olivia doesn't need to be protected from us Elliot, she really doesn't you keeping your guard up constantly like this is really unhealthy."
Elliot sighed "I didn't protect her before so I'm going to now," he said as Olivia frowned "what Lewis did to me isn't your fault."
Elliot sighed slightly "deep down I know that honey but knowing it and believing it are two different things."
Olivia just rubbed his back gently as Cragen sighed through a frown "Elliot you don't look like you've gotten a good nights sleep in days, it's only a little after noon and the press conference isn't set until 2 why don't you go up to the cribs and catch an hour of sleep?"
He shook his head "I can't, I can't anything could happen in an hour and the cage is to close to the squad room."
Cragen frowned "no one is gonna escape from the holding cells Elliot it's never happened before."
"I rather be safe than sorry," Elliot said as Olivia faced him "El you don't have to if you don't want to, I trust Don though and I know you do too."
He nodded "I do but I just can't."
Olivia nodded "that's settled then," she said as she looked to Cragen "can me and Elliot have a minute please?"
He nodded and stepped away as once he was gone Olivia gave Elliot a worried look "I would have been okay honey really," she said softly.
He sighed heavily "I know, I know my fears irrational but it's there and that's on me not you."
She shook her head "it's no one's fault and that's why we came here today was to find a therapist we both agreed on so we can both get the help we need, why don't we go into an interview room so we can call and make the appointment?"
Elliot nodded slightly and stood up as he smiled when he closed her desk drawer "I see you kept a photo of us in there," he said.
Olivia smiled and nodded "I did, if I would have had my way your desk would have been untouched too but by the time I came back to work someone was already using it and your stuff was boxed up so I got rid of the case files then brought everything home but that one picture, I wanted to keep it in my desk as a memory."
Elliot nodded slightly and wrapped his arm around her gently as he lead her to the interrogation room which didn't have bars on the windows "is this room okay? Can i shut the door for privacy?" he asked softly as he rubbed her back gently.
Olivia nodded her head as he shut the door gently and they sat side by side at the table "did my leaving hurt you? Because I feel like maybe it did on some level?"
Olivia shook her head "it didn't hurt me Elliot no, you did what you needed to do for yourself at the time and I understood that, understand that."
Elliot nodded slightly "I know you understand it but something can still hurt you even when you understand the reasons for it," he said as his phone began to ring.
"Y-You should take that," Olivia said silently grateful in her head that the phone rang.
Elliot shook his head and hit decline with out looking at it "every time we've started to talk about this we've gotten interrupted and never picked up where we left off so no more, I need to know if it did so I can fix it."
Olivia sighed slightly "I-I don't really think right now is the best time to have this conversation El," she said shakily.
"Why? Because your not in the frame of mind to tell me what you think I want to hear? No this is the perfect time to have this conversation," he said softly as he rubbed her back.
Olivia sighed slightly "E-El you did what you needed to do for yourself at the time and I understood that," she said again.
"Honey please..." Elliot said softly, wanting her to just be direct with him.
Olivia sighed slightly deciding she'd give him something in hopes that he'd let the subject drop "of course I missed having you here with me every day El we were partners here for 13 years but like I said you did what you needed to do for you and there's never been a day that I didn't understand that so I missed you yes but I knew at the end of every day I'd go home to you. Some days were harder than others yes but no El you didn't hurt me."
Elliot nodded slightly, believing her and satisfied with her answer as he sighed when his phone rang for a second time "g-go ahead and take it El," she said softly.
He sighed slightly but nodded his head as he continued rubbing her back gently "Stabler," he answered.
"Hey Elliot it's Carl, me, Maureen and Izzabella are in Manhattan and I was hoping I could get your debit card so we can buy the drywall that your gonna need for your bedroom?"
He sighed slightly "we're at the 16th precinct, go in the civilians entrance then take the elevator up to the third floor, I'll give it to you up here."
He nodded "alright will do, will I need to go through the metal detector?"
He nodded "yeah probably so but I'm sure you'll pass."
"I don't know I might not I have a pocket knife."
Elliot chuckled slightly "just leave it in the car with Maureen, you'll be in and out anyway."
Carl nodded slightly "yes sir, we'll be there in about 15 minutes."
Elliot nodded "sounds great and you can drop the sir you've already proven that your a good man and my daughter loves you so there's no need for you to try to win me over anymore you already have."
Carl nodded "yes sir, see you soon," he said as he hung up and Elliot just chuckled slightly.
Olivia smiled having heard him since she was sitting so close to Elliot "hey at least he respects you to many people his age don't respect their elders these days."
Elliot nodded "isn't that the truth," he said as Cragen then walked in "I'm gonna need this interview room back guys "me and Munch are about to be bringing in a seven year old girl who was sexually abused at daycare and we'll need to talk to her in here."
Elliot nodded "I understand," he said as he and Liv stood to leave and Cragen slightly smiled "thank you Elliot, can I ask a small favor of you?"
He nodded "of course what do you need?"
Cragen sighed "I've got a guy in our holding cell, George Grey, he needs lunch and to be let out for long enough to use the restroom can you take care of that for me? I would but me and Munch have to leave now."
Elliot sighed "I'm a civilian captain I'm not supposed to even be around the holding cells where are your other detectives?"
"Carisi is at the courthouse and Rollins is executing a warrant with all of my remaining unis," he sighed "please Elliot I literally have nobody else here."
Elliot sighed "I can't captain I'm sorry I don't have a firearm or a pair of handcuffs on me."
"I can get you those," Cragen said as he went to hand him his.
Olivia's expression grew slightly wary when she saw them off his belt as Elliot shook his head "captain I can't, go on to your crime scene though I'll figure something out I'm friends with the desk sergeant downstairs."
Cragen nodded slightly "alright just please make sure he eats at least he's an older gentlemen and I don't want to catch the heat for it if something happens to him here."
Elliot nodded through a sigh "give me the key and I'll take him a bologna sandwich."
Cragen nodded and quickly handed it to him "thank you Elliot, thank you, your old gun and cuffs are in the bottom drawerin my office too if you change your mind," he said as he rushed out.
Elliot sighed once Cragen was out of sight as they walked out and into the squad room "you okay Liv? You looked a little nervous in there," he said softly as they sat down.
She nodded slightly "yeah I'm fine El sorry about that it's just hard for me to separate the sight of handcuffs from my trauma right now."
He nodded "I get it baby, Cragen shouldn't have even asked me anyway I'm a civilian he'd be in a hell of a lot of trouble if the higher ups found out."
She nodded "that's definitely true, on the other hand though I think it's good that he trusts you to hold this place down while he's gone."
Elliot nodded his head agreeing "Tucker was out of his goddamn mind suspending Fin and Amaro though the whole thing was my idea not theirs."
"True but they were just as complicit in it as you were, not that that's a bad thing it isn't I'm so grateful for you guys..."
"Baby you saved yourself we didn't save you you already had him subdued once we got there."
She nodded "maybe I did but you don't know how happy I was when I saw the news cast on you guys, I knew it was you and it took every thing in me not to show Lewis how happy I was and give you guys away."
He smiled slightly "I'm glad we were able to give you that ray of hope I wish I had found you sooner though and prevented all that."
Olivia shook her head "don't go down that road El it won't help as soon as you knew I was missing you started searching for me and you didn't stop until you found me, that's what matters to me."
Elliot nodded slightly and gave her a gentle hug while rubbing her back as after a couple minutes he pulled away and handed her his debit card "why don't you call doctor Lindstrom's office and set up our appointment while I make the prisoner a sandwich?" he suggested.
Olivia nodded "would you mind heating me up a beef and mashed potato meal from the staff refrigerator too please?" she asked.
Elliot smiled "you know I will but I thought you were picking our lunch today after the press conference?"
"Ahh that's right I forgot about that, I need something small though and the bologna this place keeps is horrid."
He chuckled "that it is, I'll bring you in some peanut butter crackers sound good?"
Olivia nodded with a smile and grabbed her phone to call Lindstrom's office as Elliot nodded then stepped away.
"Office of doctor Peter Lindstrom this is Patricia," the receptionist answered on the third ring.
"Yes hi, my name is Olivia Stabler and I'm calling to make an appointment for both me and my husband please."
She nodded "I see, ma'am we aren't marriage counselors here just trauma therapists so if your looking for a marriage counselor you'll need to call somewhere else."
"Our marriage is great we aren't looking for help with that," she sighed slightly "I was kidnapped a week ago today and we both have emotional trauma that we've decided we want to try and sort through together."
Patricia nodded "I see, more than likely doctor Lindstrom will want to speak with you both separately to start with will that be okay?"
"It should be," Olivia said.
"Okay great, are either one of you having suicidal thoughts or showing signs of suicidal behaviors?"
"No ma'am," Olivia said.
She nodded "that's great to hear, we have an opening tomorrow from 1 PM to 3 will that work for you?"
Olivia nodded "yes ma'am it should."
Patricia nodded "okay great I'll put you guys down, can you tell me your full names and date of births starting with your husbands?"
Olivia nodded "Elliot Joseph Stabler, October 20th, 1966."
Patricia nodded and put it in to the computer "okay and yours?"
"Olivia Margaret Benson-Stabler, February 7th, 1968."
Patricia nodded "and your husband has consented to this? He'll be asked tomorrow if he consented."
"Yes ma'am he has, he'll be back in here with me in a moment if you'd like to wait and ask him yourself."
Patricia shook her head "that won't be necessary, we'll see you tomorrow, try and come in around 15 or 20 minutes early if possible you'll have some paperwork to fill out."
Olivia nodded as she saw Carl walking into the squad room "we'll try our best."
"Yes ma'am, have a great day," Patricia said as she then ended the call and Olivia looked to Carl "you here for this?" she asked extending her hand to him with the debit card in it.
He nodded "yeah I am where's Elliot?"
"Fixing the perp in the holding cell over there a bologna sandwich," she said pointing.
Carl frowned "that's not his job," he said taking the card.
Olivia nodded "your right it isn't but there's no one else here and captain Cragen has done so much for us that we feel like Elliot doing this small thing is the least we can do as payback of some sort."
He nodded "gotcha," he said as Elliot walked passed with his perp face on and unlocked the cell tossing the sandwich inside "is that what he used to look like in his element?" Carl asked.
Olivia nodded "I really need to use the toilet man," George could be heard shouting as they heard the infamous sound of the cell door slamming then locking as Carl frowned "he's not gonna make him hold it is he?"
Olivia nodded "probably so it's not safe for him to let him out with out handcuffs or a gun," she said as Elliot sat down beside her, face softened now as he sat her pack of crackers in front of her.
Carl nodded and sighed slightly "Thank you El," Liv said with a slight smile as she began to eat her crackers, silently grateful for the fact that he opened the package enough for her that it was easy for her to open it the rest of the way herself.
"Your welcome sweetheart," he said as he looked to Carl "was Izzabella good for you guys on the ride over?"
Carl nodded "she was you guys have raised a little angel."
Elliot smiled slightly "thanks man, I'm not for sure yet on where we'll be staying but i doubt it'll be at mother's, are you guys staying in our guest room tonight?"
"We are we wanted to get started on your repairs sooner rather than later I was only permitted a week off work to be up here, boss called this morning and said so."
Elliot nodded "I understand completely, once me and Olivia are done with the press conference we'll call you and meat you somewhere to get Izzabella back from you."
Carl nodded "sounds great, I'm gonna get out of here now this place is a little scary," he said as George shouted from his cell "I've gotta use the can officer! I'm not gonna be ignored anymore!!"
Elliot chuckled slightly "nothing to be afraid of Carl your not the one in the cell, see you later," he said as he turned to face the cell "shut up in there would you and eat your sandwich!" he called over the divider.
"Ain't you got something else I can eat? These sandwiches y'all fix are terrible!"
Elliot just ignored him and looked to Olivia "were you able to get the therapy appointment for us?" he asked.
She nodded "yeah it's at one o'clock tomorrow but they want us there at 20 till so we can fill out some paperwork."
He nodded "we can probably do that where do you wanna stay tonight?"
She sighed "maybe Cragen's? I really think we should try and go home soon though."
He sighed "baby I'm afraid it's to soon for that I don't want you to be triggered when we get there."
Olivia sighed slightly "El the longer we wait the harder it's gonna be, I know sleeping in our bed will be to much for me right now but I feel like the guest room might be doable, if the worse case scenario happens we can always leave I just really want to try," she said as George started banging on the cell door.
Elliot gave her a nod "we'll try it then as soon as the locks are changed and the wall is fixed," he said as he rubbed her back "stop banging on the door!" he demanded to George.
Olivia nodded "thank you Elliot," she said as George sighed from inside his cell "let me use the can and I will!"
"Of course sweetheart this is at your pace and if you feel like your ready to try going home I'm not gonna discourage that," he said softly as he then looked towards the cell again "goddamnit be patient!" he snapped.
"My handsome amazing El should never be a corrections officer," Olivia said softly as she rubbed his back.
Elliot nodded "no he shouldn't," he said playfully as his face then grew serious "those couple days that I worked there at Sealview were some of the worst days of my career."
She nodded "I know they were, I think it was less about the job though and more about me being locked in a cell."
He nodded "you got me there, remember how I waited until nobody was looking then snuck you your favorite candy bar?"
She nodded "yeah you did it every chance you could."
He nodded slightly "the hardest part for me was always closing the cell and locking it behind me, the look on your face when the door would close always broke my heart in two."
She nodded slightly "we got our perp though and that was a good thing."
He sighed "it was I should have been there though when you were taken to that basement, I shouldn't have gone to Ashley's mom's funeral."
Olivia frowned slightly "Fin was there though and he got to me in time."
Elliot sighed "barely," he said softly as George banged on the cell door again "can I use your desk phone honey?" he asked.
She nodded "of course El and remember I begged you to go to that funeral, told you that since I couldn't be there for Ashley I wanted you there for her instead, you only did what I asked so instead of blaming yourself please try to remember that."
Elliot nodded slightly and kissed her head as he then dialed down to the front desk "16th precinct sergeant Smith speaking."
"Allen it's Elliot, will you send an officer up here to transport a prisoner to the restroom I'm technically not supposed to and there aren't any uni's here I can ask."
"Sorry Elliot but I don't have anybody here either all my guys are either out patrolling or executing a search warrant with Rollins."
Elliot sighed "can you come up here and do it then?"
"I'm sorry but no I can't I can't leave this desk."
"Dammit!" Elliot said frustratedly "alright it's just he won't stop banging on the damn door and me and Liv are waiting to speak to the press and"-
"Easy Elliot take a breath..." Allen said as after a minute or so he spoke "why don't you just do it Elliot? I'm sure there are some cuffs laying around there somewhere you can use."
He sighed "Liv's been through a trauma you know that and I don't wanna trigger her."
"As long as you don't wave them in front of her face it should be fine Elliot, just try it."
Elliot sighed "I'll talk to her," he said as he hung up the phone "no luck?" Olivia asked.
He shook his head "nope he wants me to do it."
Olivia nodded slightly "go ahead then I think you taking him would be better than having to clean the cell because he relieved himself in there."
He nodded "it would be it's just you reacted badly to Cragen's cuffs earlier and I don't want you to be afraid."
She nodded slightly "I reacted like that because I was caught off guard seeing them that up close I'm okay now and I trust you."
Elliot sighed slightly "are you sure your okay with this?"
She nodded "yeah I'm sure El, go on before he gives us both a headache."
He nodded slightly and sighed heading towards Cragen's office to get his old handcuffs when the desk phone rang as Olivia sighed you can do this it's just the telephone, she thought to herself as she reached over and answered it "Manhattan SVU can I help you?"
"Liv? It's Melinda I didn't think you'd be back so soon..." she said shocked.
Olivia chuckled slightly "I'm not back me and El are just at the precinct by ourselves right now what do you need? Someone should be back soon it's a quarter after one."
Warner nodded "I'll call back a little later it's a finding on one of the new cases."
"Sounds good Melinda, sorry you wasted your time," she said in a slight chuckle.
"It wasn't a problem Liv," she said as the call ended "every thing alright?" Elliot asked while walking to the cell.
"Yeah it was just Warner with an update on a case, she's gonna call back later."
"Okay was just making sure," he called as he opened the cell.
"Try not to worry so much El please!" she called as she swiveled her chair to face the other way while Elliot handcuffed George "lets go," he said as when they passed by her desk he smiled at her "you know that's easier said than done Liv."
Olivia gave him a nod and a smile as George frowned "you two are a couple of love birds aren't you?"
Elliot glared "that's none of your business."
George just chuckled as he spotted the peanut butter cracker wrapper "I knew you guys had something better than bologna sandwiches, I want a pack of those too when we come back through."
Elliot shook his head "I'm sorry but perps don't get anything from the staff room."
"What's a perp?"
Elliot smiled "scumbags like you are perps."
George nodded "she shouldn't get peanut butter crackers if I can't get peanut butter crackers."
Elliot gave him a harsh glare as his cell phone rang "she isn't a perp," he said, that being all the explanation he felt he needed to give as he undid his cuffs when they got to the mens room "you have five minutes," he said as he pushed him in and shut the door "Stabler," he answered standing just outside it.
"Yes hi is this Elliot J Stabler?"
"Yes this is him how can I help you?"
"My name is May Evans I'm calling from doctor More's office to remind you about your annual physical scheduled for tomorrow at 8:30 AM."
"Shit I totally forgot about that..." Elliot said as he sighed "I'm sorry ma'am but I won't be able to make it it's to early in the morning and I have to much going on."
May frowned slightly "you hardly ever come in though and physicals are extremely important."
He sighed "I know they are... Can you look up my wife's name and schedule mine for the same time as hers?"
"I'm sorry Mr. Stabler but I can't look up her information for you with out her consent."
Elliot sighed but nodded "I understand, look I'll just have mine done when Olivia goes in for hers you'll call her the day before like you called me and I'll set it up then alright?"
"We may not have a slot available then," May said.
Elliot nodded "if you don't I'm sure it'll be fine besides a little back pain every now and again I'm feeling perfectly fine."
"Back pain isn't normal though the doctor might want to set you up with an MRI to find out the cause of it."
Elliot sighed slightly and took a deep breath realizing by the girls voice that she was only around Lizzie's age "ma'am I appreciate your concern truly but I really can't come in in the morning I'll give you guys a call when I can schedule something okay?"
May nodded her head relenting "okay sir thank you for your time and I'll cancel your appointment."
Elliot nodded slightly "thank you ma'am, have a good afternoon," he said as he ended the call just as George walked out of the restroom "hands out," Elliot ordered flatly.
George held them out and Elliot quickly cuffed them "you know your not a very nice person," he commented.
Elliot nodded "I'm not usually very kind to rapists and murderers," he said flatly.
"I didn't do it though I-I was falsely accused."
Elliot nodded "that's what you all say," he said as they passed by the break room.
George sighed "please just let me have a pack of peanut butter crackers?"
Elliot shook his head "not a chance," he said as they arrived back at his cell just as Carisi walked through "your still here Mr. Grey?"
He sighed "yepp wish I wasn't though," he said as once his cuffs were off Elliot locked him in again and went to put them back in Cragen's office.
"How long has he been here?" Olivia asked.
Carisi sighed "since Saturday night the tombs have been slammed because of Memorial day weekend."
"That's ridiculous," Olivia said as she shook her head slightly.
Carisi nodded "yeah it is they messed his transfer order up once too, I mean I don't like the guy we have evidence on him for 6 rape murders but 5 days in solitary with only us to keep him company? That's just cruel."
Olivia sighed "I guess it is a bit harsh."
Carisi nodded as Elliot took his seat next to Liv again "I heard you guys are giving a press conference shortly?" he asked.
Elliot nodded "yeah in around 30 minutes."
Carisi nodded "I wish you guys luck," he said as Munch and Cragen walked in with the little girl and Elliot and Olivia decided to head up to the cribs for some quiet time before they had to speak.
"El do I look okay? Presentable? Please be honest..." Olivia said through a sigh as it was 10 minutes till 2 and they were sitting on a bunk together.
"You look just fine baby, maybe a bit nervous but that's all I notice," he said softly.
She nodded "well that's right I'm definitely nervous."
He nodded and rubbed her back "you've got this I promise, I'll be right there with you."
Olivia nodded slightly and squeezed his hand gently "so how did it feel handling a prisoner today after three years of not doing it?" she asked changing the subject.
He sighed slightly knowing what she was doing "okay I guess, I mean he pissed me off but they always did so."
She nodded "you had your perp face at one point, Carl saw it."
Elliot chuckled "doesn't surprise me, I was all business I know that my goal was to be as quick as I could so I could go back over to you."
Olivia nodded "I could tell, I love you being near me I just wish you didn't feel like you have to worry so much when your not for a couple minutes."
Elliot rubbed her back gently "I'll work on it I promise."
Olivia nodded and gave him a quick kiss as Cragen walked in "you guys ready to head outside? Tucker is here and the press is starting to arrive."
"T-Tucker's here? Do I need to be worried?" Olivia asked growing slightly panicked.
"No not right now Liv I think he's just here to get a feel for if the media is gonna buy your story, the best advice I can give you is to be convincing out there. Elliot are you gonna speak?"
"Only if Liv needs me to and I'm gonna back up the fact that there was no affair, this is Liv's truth and she needs to be the one to tell it not me."
Cragen nodded "I see, thank you for tending to Mr. Grey's needs out there today too."
"Wasn't a problem, he really needs to be transferred out though I overheard Carisi say he's been here 5 days and that's to long."
Cragen sighed "I'm trying Elliot, see you guys outside," he said as he left the bunk room and Olivia and Elliot made their way out behind him.
As the two walked they held hands, Liv holding his a little tighter than normal "you've got this baby," Elliot said softly as he rubbed her knuckles slightly with his thumb.
"I knew you two were a couple of lovebirds," George said with a smile from his cell.
"Shut up," Elliot said but he still had a smile as he was proud of the fact that they were in love as they walked passed.
George just chuckled a little and watched them go as Olivia smiled "I love you El," she said when they entered the elevator.
"Love you too honey, you're gonna do great out there," he said as she finally gave a nod of acknowledgment when he mashed ground as while they waited they held each other close.
"Hello everyone, my name is Donald Cragen, commanding officer of Manhattan SVU, you are all gathered here this afternoon to here detective Olivia Benson-Stabler's version of events because they are much different than what has been spread around the media so far. I expect you to all be quiet and respectful while she tells her side then after she is done speaking her and her husband might answer questions. Does everyone understand?"
The news reporters nodded their heads as Cragen nodded "great that's all I had to say, Olivia, Elliot you guys can come up now," he said.
The couple nodded their heads and walked up to the podium as once they were still Elliot put a supportive hand on Olivia's shoulder and Cragen handed her the microphone as Olivia took a deep breath then began to speak.
"Hi, my name is Olivia Benson-Stabler, I know some horrible things have been said about my character and my actions on the night of May 22nd of this year but I want to clear it up for you guys that's why me and Elliot are here today.
There was no affair, there will never be an affair I love my husband, only him and that's never gonna change. William Lewis is a sadistic career criminal who broke in to our home, hid out in our hallway closet until it was safe to strike, then held me at gunpoint, knocked me unconscious, bound me to then tortured me on my own bed for an hour while my husband called me franticly the hole time afraid for my safety.
After he was interrupted there he escaped with me, making me watch while he brutally raped and murdered innocent people, stole my wedding ring, then took me to an abandoned beach house where he forced me at gunpoint to call my husband and admit to having an affair.
T-There was no affair, it was either tell Elliot that or get shot in the head a-and I wasn't gonna say it, I-I was gonna let him kill me but just before I thought the gun was gonna go off he left the room, preparing to torture me some more and me and Elliot used that opportunity to mutually agree to play his game.
What I said was just that, a game, fake, there was no affair. While we were alone together on the phone I managed to tell Elliot that I was in a beach house on Long-Island, it took him a little time but he managed to find me along with my colleagues detectives amaro and Tutuola.
By the time he had made it inside though I had already broken free from my restraints and in a moment of distraction Lewis used the opportunity and lunged at me, me and Elliot only took the actions necessary to defend ourselves from him. The blow torch falling on to his penis was a true tragedy but it was something that we didn't notice happened until the damage was already done.
This is the truth about what happened that night, all we want now is for justice to be served in a court of law," she exhaled slightly "questions?"
The reporters started shouting over each other trying to get their questions heard as Elliot moved his hand from on top of her shoulder and wrapped his arm gently around her waste instead "one question at a time people," he said into the mic.
The reporters simmered down slightly as Olivia pointed at the woman from channel 19 "how are you holding up after your ordeal mrs. Stabler?"
"I'm hanging in there thanks for asking," Olivia said.
Lisa nodded "you say your ring was stolen but I see one on your finger. Did you buy a new ring?" the male anchor from channel six asked.
Olivia shook her head "no my wedding ring was recovered and returned to me after being examined for evidence."
The man nodded "what do you have to say about your husband's alleged violent temper?" the channel five anchor asked.
Olivia sighed "Elliot is a good man, a kind sole, he wouldn't intensionally hurt a fly."
The news anchor frowned skeptically "but Mr. Lewis told us in an exclusive interview that Mr. Stabler caught the two of you having an affair, flew into a rage and held the blow torch to his penis."
"That's simply not true, like I said before Mr. Lewis is a career criminal and career criminals are prone to lying."
He just nodded, not convinced but letting it rest "Mr. Stabler what makes you certain that an affair didn't take place?" a woman from channel three asked.
Elliot leaned over slightly so he could talk into the mic "I'm certain because I know my wife, she is the most honest woman I've ever known, she's an incredible mother and family and getting justice for sexual assault victims are the most important things in her life."
The woman nodded satisfied as Olivia swayed on her feet slightly, her ribs beginning to hurt and her meds wearing off "okay only a couple more questions," Elliot said firmly.
The reporters nodded and began yelling over each other again "one person at a time," Elliot said as a young man from channel 4 was heard over everyone else "Mrs. Stabler how did it feel?"
Olivia frowned slightly "how did what feel? I'm sorry I don't understand."
"Your ordeal, the torture how did it feel? What were you thinking about while it was happening?"
Olivia's mouth dropped open in shock as she tried to prevent herself from going into a flashback "honey your okay," Elliot whispered softly as he gently eased the microphone out of her hand "we're not answering that question or any other questions," he said as he sat it down on the stand then gently guided Olivia away from the podium.
"W-W-Why would he want to know that? I-It was terrifying b-but isn't that common sense?" Olivia asked shakily.
"It is baby he was just being a prick, your okay though sweetheart and you did so well, so so well I'm so proud of you..."
She nodded slightly "I-I should go back out there and finish."
He shook his head slightly "your in pain baby we need to tend to that and get some food in you. They got our side and a fair amount of questions in for now."
Olivia nodded slightly as a reporter who was behind them spoke up "shouldn't she be the one to decide if she answers more questions?"
Olivia sighed "El was just making a suggestion and I'm done answering questions," she said as before the woman could respond they were in the building and heading up to the precinct to grab their things.
Cragen caught up with them after a minute or so "I'm going to file a formal complaint with channel four about their news anchors behavior," he said.
Elliot nodded "I'm glad to hear it, that question was extremely disrespectful."
"I know it was trust me I'm as angry as you are," Cragen said.
Elliot shook his head "I doubt that, let me know what punishment they dole out to him please."
He nodded "I will but don't expect much."
Elliot just sighed and nodded "captain is it alright if the three of us crash at your place tonight? Me and mom had a small falling out last night and I really don't want to make the commute back there tonight when we have to be back in town tomorrow anyway."
Cragen nodded "it's fine with me Elliot you guys aren't a bother, Izzabella will have to sleep with you guys though the guest room you two used is the only one with a bed in it and it'd be inappropriate for her to sleep with me."
Elliot nodded "I understand, we'll make it work, thank you captain."
"No problem, I'll see you guys tonight after work, I can't wait to taste your next dessert."
Elliot chuckled slightly "I'm not sure what it'll be but I'll make something, have you heard anything else about Layla's condition?"
Cragen sighed "I called Mercy a little while ago, there hasn't been any change."
Elliot nodded his head sadly as Cragen stepped away, heading towards his office and after Liv and El grabbed their drinks they left with small frowns.
A/n: I hope you guys liked the slight changes I made in this universe to season 9 episode 15 undercover, thinking about writing some oneshots for a few episodes in this universe, please let me know if your interested. Look forward to reading your thoughts, until next chapter everyone.