Elliot walked in between the lines of gravestones with intent. He had a bouquet of roses he got from the nearest flower stall in one hand, the other hand was in a fist. It was chilly and his waffle knit Henley was not gonna keep all of it out. Nevertheless, he continued his journey until he located a gravestone like so many others around.
He chuckled at the "beloved mother" on the gravestone, he knew Olivia must've put it there out of obligation more than anything else. But then again he knew that despite everything and underneath all the dislike for the woman, Olivia loved her mother even if she didn't feel the same for her daughter.
Serena Benson
February 3 1944 – December 10 2000
Elliot realized just then that he was just as old Serena was, when she took her unfortunate fall; Olivia was a few years younger. He couldn't imagine leaving this life just yet, not when he had so much to live for, he had so many unfinished things, things he hadn't done yet, graduations to attend…
He sighed and kneeled in front of the gravestone.
"I know we never met, I wish we had," Elliot spoke. "I'm Elliot Stabler, I don't know how much you've heard of me, but I've heard plenty about you."
Elliot rubbed the back of his neck.
"I'd like to think that we have one thing in common, but I'm not sure of that. I love your daughter, have loved her for a very long time and I've been married to her for years. We have two sons – Ben and Noah. I wish you could've met them, they light up our days. They look like Olivia. She's a good mom, the boys love her, they'd do anything to protect her," he spoke fondly and smiled with pride over his family with Olivia.
"I've got 4 kids from my previous marriage, they also love Liv. They treat her like their second mother, even when they claim not to need a mother anymore. Some days I think they prefer her to me."
He sighed and looked over the gravestone and the engraved message there.
"Olivia is so full of love for her family, her squad and I know she loved you. I think even though you had your difficulties; I know your relationship with her was troubled and I'm not sure if you deserved her love, and even though I've never heard her admit to it, I know deep inside she loved you and she craved the same love from you," he spoke sadly. Elliot swallowed. He was still angry at Serena, but that was not the reason for his visit. Olivia had seemed to put it behind her, so should he.
"I think you loved her too in your own way," Elliot said. "I know being a mother was hard for you, but I think deep inside you loved her like any mother loves her daughter." He paused and swallowed. "That's one thing we have in common – we love Olivia."
Elliot shifted for his knees had become a bit stiff and squatted instead. His one hand held onto the gravestone.
"I met Burton Lowe. He's a character. I bet you saw right through him. I did too. But he is very charming, he knows the right things to say, right things to do and women think they are in love with him. He used your complicated relationship with Olivia to get under her skin, groom her and make her think that she was in love with him," Elliot stopped. He wanted to put his fist through Burton's face, maybe Serena had felt the same way. "But you saw right through his charm. I know you made her call it off. And I know she thought it was because you didn't want anyone else to have her, but I know now that you did that to protect her."
"Thank you," Elliot whispered. He didn't wanna think what had happened if Olivia had ran away with Burton. Had they been married? Would they still be together? Would there be kids? Had Burton turned into alcohol the same way he did without Olivia? Had she become a cop and had Elliot even met her if she had run away from home, when she was 16?
"That's how I know you must've loved her too. I'd do anything to make sure she is safe. She doesn't always appreciate it either, but she lets me protect her anyway," he said with a proud smile. Then his face grew serious. "However we have very different ways on how we protect her."
He remembered Olivia telling her about Serena throwing her bottle of vodka on the ground and coming at her with the jarred edge, throwing glasses at her, screaming at her that nobody will ever love her, that she wasn't going to let anyone else have her…
"I just wanted you to know that I've got her now. You don't need to worry, I'm keeping an eye on her, making sure she's okay – I'll protect her and I'll make sure that Burton Lowe stays as far as possible from her," he promised.
Elliot winced when he stood up. He left the flowers on the gravestone and took one last glance at the headstone and the bellowed mother there. Serena was not a perfect woman, she was a terrible mother and an alcoholic. Elliot know that one day, hopefully in a very long time, when there is a gravestone for Olivia, it will say beloved mother as well, but then it will be the truth.
"I just wanted you to know that she's safe with me," he whispered to Serena, nodded and walked away.
