Author's Note: The drama returns. I want to get into the meaty underbelly of each of my stories before the end of the year for I have a fanfic project to begin. That and I have English homework to do before my break ends. Ah, the perils of high school…

I'm going to do the custody thing first and then tackle the Kathleen situation. I want to do more stuff with Liv and El with the kids and I can't do that if Nurse Psycho's in the way.

Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"

"It's going to be okay."

Hearing Olivia say it made it much less annoying. As word got out about the custody hearings, people made it a point to try and comfort him. "It's going to be okay", "You'll get through this", and "Judge Fredrickson's very fair..." It all sounded hollow and forced. It was just like when they had to tell someone that their loved one had been raped or killed.

"I'm very sorry for your loss" couldn't even begin to measure up. In reality, platitudes did more harm than good, like a band aid over a bullet hole.

With Olivia, though, Elliot knew that she meant it, that she really thought it was going to be okay so he accepted it.

"I hope so.", he replied before squeezing her hand.

Kenneth was pacing back and forth, looking at his watch. As usual, Kathy was late and it got on his nerves. If she cared as much as she claimed, wouldn't she have made the effort to be there on time? Elliot checked his own watch and saw that it was a quarter to noon. The hearing was supposed to start at 12:00. Knowing her, she wouldn't get to the courthouse before 12:30, drawing the process even further out.

All Elliot wanted was his kids, even Kathleen, and to be left in peace.

"Where the hell is she?" Olivia grumbled, voicing what both men were feeling.

"My client has been going through a lot of emotional distress. She just needs a few moments to compose herself." the other lawyer said while fixing her makeup.

Elliot rolled his eyes. Heather Wendell was Kathy's lawyer and she was a notorious snake. She made Balthus look like fucking Mary Poppins. Every time there was a high profile divorce or sex scandal, she was in the thick of it all. Kathy probably hired her just so she could get on TV.

"Yeah, well, you need to call your client and tell her to get her ass down here, composed or not. Being late on the first day doesn't exactly bode well for her…or do you even care?" Kenneth snapped at the woman.

"Don't tell me how to do my job, Gregory!" she snarled back.

"I wouldn't have to if you did it correctly!"

"Now, see here…"

"Hey!" Liv interrupted. "Look, I don't care nor do I want to know about your beef with each other but it gets shelved until the end of this hearing! Clear?!"

Elliot bit back a guffaw as both lawyers startled like scolded toddlers and nodded. He half expected her to tell them to say sorry and go stand in the corner…

"I'll go call her.", Wendell sheepishly grumbled before heading outside.

"I'll just…go over there." Kenneth said while going to a vending machine.

Olivia looked at him and he lost it, laughing hard.

"What, El?"

"You…it took me 2 kids to get the 'listen or else' tone down and you just…god, I love you." he sputtered, causing her to shake her head.

"Such a prick." she grumbled fondly before pressing a kiss to his cheek.

//////////////

The gavel slammed repeatedly down but the occupants of the courtroom were a little too occupied to notice.

Olivia was sitting with Maureen and the twins, making sure that they were okay. Maureen and Lizzie were crying a little but Dickie was stoic. Only his eyes gave away his own grief at the situation..

There was a lot of mud being slung by Wendell but thankfully, it wasn't the kind of mud that was damaging. Kenneth had done his homework.

Kathy's argument for custody was based on two things: Elliot's crazy hours and …her.

Apparently, she was nothing more than a home wrecker looking to use the kids to get close to Elliot. It wasn't true! She loved them just like her own! She'd do anything, legal or otherwise for them and if it was a choice between them living and her, she'd pick them every time.

Besides, she didn't need to use them to be close to Elliot, anyway. She had done it all by herself, thank you very much.

Elliot had of course become enraged on her behalf and now, he and Kathy were at each other throats like they were on the Springer show.

"…it's always her! You never really loved me! You only stayed with me because I got pregnant!" she shrilled hysterically.

"I did love you, Kathy! Well, I did until you decided to lose your goddamned mind!", he roared back, slamming his hand onto the table.

The judge looked completely incensed and Olivia knew that she had to do something before Elliot ended up in a jail cell. Getting up, she stepped through the gate and put a hand on his back. He turned and she looked at him beseechingly.

Calm down. Just calm down…

He looked at Kathy and then back at her indignantly.

But, she…

She rolled her eyes and his protesting glare softened under her own.

I know, Elliot. I can hear her. Everyone in all 5 boroughs can fucking hear her and I don't want you to go down with her. Cool it. NOW.

A deep sigh escaped him but he nodded, sitting down with a heavy thud. Uncaring of Kathy's death glare, she pressed a kiss to his brow and sat back down Lizzie rested her head on her shoulder and Olivia put a protective arm around her. Out of all of them, Lizzie was the most sensitive and hearing all this vitriol had to be hell on her.

"Your honor?" Dickie suddenly asked, breaking his silence for the first time all day.

"Yes, Mr.…" Fredrickson asked wearily, his head in his hands.

"Richard Elliot Stabler or Dickie. Or Dickhead as my sisters insist on calling me…um, anyway, don't we have a choice in the matter? After all, we're the ones that they're duking it out over anyway. Well, Kathleen too but I don't see why she'd be worth fighting for."

"Dickie!" Olivia scolded.

"What? I wouldn't fight for her.", he grumbled. "Damned psycho crack head."

"She's your sister and language." Olivia reminded him patiently.

"To answer your question, yes. Which parent do you want to go with?" Fredrickson asked.

"Dad and Olivia." he replied with no hesitation.

"And you, Ms…"

"Elizabeth Maria Stabler and I want to go with dad and Olivia, too. They make more sense." Lizzie said into Olivia's shoulder.

Someone actually said that she and El made sense. If it wasn't so sad, she'd laugh her head off…

"And on that note, this hearing is adjourned until 12 noon tomorrow. Ms. Wendell, do try to get your client here on time."

The gavel slammed down and the man stalked out, rubbing his temples.

If Olivia were in his shoes, she'd be heading for the nearest bottle of gin.

//////////////

Elliot climbed into bed and it was like someone had hit him with a huge sledgehammer.

He didn't realize just how exhausted he was until now.

"Thank you." he said to the reading woman next to him. "If you hadn't gotten up, I definitely would've thrown something at her."

Olivia snorted ruefully and replied, "Just doing my job. I am the antidote to the UnStabler Element and I knew you were going to go off on her. She makes you do that."

"Yeah. It's not when she insults me. I can deal with that but when she drags you into it…"

"She's hurting, El. She's finally realized just how much she's fucked up her life and she's lashing out. I'm an easy target. At least with her, I don't feel any obligation."

She was referring to her mom. Serena Benson had been an abusive alcoholic, seeing her rapist and not her daughter. Due to that, Olivia was used to being a scapegoat for a person's problems. He hated it. Elliot pressed a kiss to her wrist and wrapped her in a loose embrace.

The novel was put aside and she relaxed against him, obviously tired.

"Go to sleep, babe." he urged while pulling the blanket over her.

"Okay. 'Night." she murmured before surrendering to boneless slumber.

Reaching, he turned the bedside light off and laid flat on his back.

Eventually, he was able to join her in slumber, lulled by her warmth and her steady heartbeat.