EO oneshots//1998//2022

ghost of Kathy Marie Stabler

The vision of his dead wife sitting in his interrogation room was a symptom of his lack of sleep and his stress levels, but it still doesn't change the fact that he's staring at his dead wife sitting in his interrogation room

"Hi.." Kathy said quietly, not ghostly, just softly

Elliot felt the tears prickling in his eyes, he felt the pit of his stomach sink even further with the lump in his throat growing bigger. Then he spoke, or, more like choked out the words

"Hi baby" he let out a small disbelief chuckle as his eyes got blurry with the tears

Kathy smiled, almost sadly. She motioned to the seat across from her

Elliot's brows furrowed as his eyes became wetter and wetter the longer he stared at her but he will not blink, he will not let them drop, if they do then maybe she'll disappear

"Sit El, we need to talk" Kathy said

Elliot took a seat across from her "Kathy, God-I..are you okay?"

Kathy nodded softly "Im okay, I'm at peace and I feel really good even. it's all gone, everything is gone and perfect now"

Elliot chuckled softly "Good. That's good" he slid his hands over to hers

Kathy let him touch her, she watched his breath hitch as their hands made physical contact

"I didn't-...I didn't think I'd be able to fe-" Elliot said and stopped himself, he was fighting his brain to not realize this isn't real. he shakes his head letting the tears fall but she was still here, he can feel her

Kathy smiled "It feels real, but different, doesn't it?"

Elliot nodded "I can feel your hands but at the same time I can't, it's like I'm feeling your energy rather than your skin" he looked up at her "Why are you here?"

Kathy clasped her hands over his. Her voice was soft again "you tell me. Elliot, you're unhappy"

Elliot shook his head "I just miss you"

"Even before the accident you were unhappy, I see that now. I saw it then too but I didn't want to accept it. But you were, then and now, just so unhappy" Kathy said

Elliot felt his heartbreak, he looked up at her, her eyes were locked on his as he whispered "I'm sorry"

"I know you are...believe me, I know. But Honey, I'm gone, I'm at peace and you aren't. that's not fair for you to live like that, and it's not fair for me to see you live like that" Kathy said as she pulled her hands out from his

Elliot leaned over but she was out of reach "I don't want to say- I don't like goodbyes baby"

"I know that," Kathy said as she leaned forward towards him

Elliot closed his eyes as she placed her hand on his cheek. He sighed slowly feeling the warm nothingness on his skin as his eyes finally let the tears fall

"I want you to be honest with me," Kathy said

Elliot looked at her, he knows what was coming

"Do you still blame yourself for what happened?" Kathy asked

Elliot nodded as the tears fell harder

"Why? Were you the one who put the bomb in the car? Did you make my spleen rupture?" Kathy asked

Elliots head flinched at the thought of what she went through

"Baby, you did everything you could to save me, it was just my time. But, I got to see you and the kids though, in the end, that's what I needed" Kathy said