AN: I can't believe I haven't updated this story since I left the States (January). I'm so sorry but for some reason I wasn't able to touch it until now.**PLEASE NOTE: THIS CHAPTER IS SHORT AS HELL** - BUT I'm posting the next one in 24 hours. It's already written. I just wanted to shake you all up to high heavens first (because I'm sick like that) and I'm also interested to know if you can guess what the hell is happening now... let me know in your comments below. Thanks again for all the words and a big shout out to Emily from Twitter for the good vibes she sent me the other day with regards to continuing this story as they clearly worked.
See you tomorrow. X
Elliot had driven her into town to make the call but it was only now that she was a few feet from a phone booth that she was having reservations. Her fingers flexed nervously against her thigh, she couldn't articulate why she felt so uncertain about calling the precinct but it was a tangible pull in the pit of her stomach.
Something was off.
She felt Elliot's hot stare on the side of her face as he waited for her to exit Jackie's SUV, unsure as to why she wasn't moving. She turned to face him, her chest panging with unease, hoping that with one look she could gauge his state, ascertain where he stood in all this.
But there was that poker face staring back at her.
Her eye line shifted to the side mirror watching as a bus pulled up behind their car and a collection of people exited one by one. Her eyes slowly moved back to his and she let out the breath she was holding, realizing the clarity she sought remained trapped between his blank stare and his blonde roommate.
It was in that realization that she turned the car door handle in defeat.
"Wait." His voice stopped her.
She knew the other shoe was about to drop and she prayed he was about to say something that would unravel the knot in her stomach and not make it increasingly tighter.
"Look," he breathed out, rubbing his stubble the way he did when he was withholding something. "You can make that call," he whispered, his eyes moving between hers slowly. "But there's something you should know first."
She closed her eyes.
Another bombshell.
She was still reeling from the last one.
She shook her head with a humorless laugh.
"What Elliot.. Jackie's pregnant?"
He stared at her, ignoring her ill-placed comment and instead he moved forward and opened the glove department. She spied a blank padded envelope nestled between car chargers and her eyes flicked to his in question. He motioned for her to retrieve it but when she didn't, he leant forward, their shoulders knocking as he seized the envelope and he held it out to her.
"Here," he whispered.
"What is it?" She asked but all he did was continue holding it out to her.
She reluctantly took the envelope and tore the lip open. A wave of unsettling silence flowed between them as she inspected the contents, pulling each one out with confusion until she noticed one piece of paper in particular. Her eyes scanned the words and she froze, her lips parted before she looked up at him. It was mostly disbelief that churned through her stomach but it was also an unmistakable pang of hurt that rocked through her chest.
"What is this Elliot?" She asked, but it was redundant - she knew what it was, she could read it clear as day. She just wanted him to say it to her face. He stared at her blankly as they waded through their silent standoff before she finally shook her head, shoving the envelope and piece of paper firmly against his chest until he was grabbing it with his hand.
She pulled open the door in a flurry. She half expected him to reach out. Half expected him to stop her with a yell or his hands but he just let her go. Her face got whipped by the hot wind, her irises pricked with a flurry of tears before she bypassed the payphone entirely and headed towards the roadside diner door.
Fuck you Elliot Stabler.
Fuck you.
TBC
