And in the beginning..There was you!!!

1

A FLASHBACK TO TEN YEARS EARLIER, THE DAY OLIVIA AND ELLIOT'S LIVES WERE TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.

(This takes place right after the shooting incident of Jenna Fox, the 16 year old who opened fire at the 16th precinct. After the situation is over, everyone is frozen and Elliot looks to Olivia who is holding Sister Peg. Still in shock, Elliot doesn't notice Captain Cragen walking towards him until he touch his shoulder.)

Cragen: Elliot?

(Nothing.)

Cragen: Detective Stabler, can you hear me?

Elliot: (blinks) What?

Cragen: Listen to me son, I'm going to need you to give me your weapon. John, Fin go see if everyone else is ok, and help Olivia.

John: Got it Cap.

Fin: On it Cap.

(While they assist everyone else and takes them to another location, Cragen talks to Elliot and moves him into his office.)

Elliot: (looks at him) I didn't mean to kill her.

Cragen: I know son, but now IAB will be here, and I need you to have a clear head ok.

Elliot: Is Sister Peg ok?

Cragen: The paramedics is looking after her.

Elliot: (jumps up) Oh god, is Liv ok?

Cragen: Olivia is ok. She's in the restroom getting herself together.

Elliot: (gets up) I need to go check on her.

Cragen: No, you need to sit right here until all this is cleared up.

Elliot: (sigh) God I didn't mean to kill her, but shit was all over the place and I reacted before anything.

Cragen : Hey, you did what any one of us would have done.

Elliot: She was the same age as Lizzie.

Cragen: I know, look I need to go out there and make sure things are ok. I will send IAB in when they get here, but in the meantime do you need anything.

Elliot: (looks up) No I'm ok, thanks Cap.

Cragen: No problem son.

(Don gets up and walks out of his office to go see how things are as his other detectives cover the scene. He looks to his left and sees Olivia coming from the cribs with a clean shirt. She spots him and hurries over to him as she scans to look for her partner.)

Cragen: Olivia?

Olivia: Captain where's Elliot?

Cragen: In my office.

(She goes to move towards the office but he stops her.)

Olivia: Cap I need to go check on him.

Cragen: Maybe later, he has to wait for IAB.

Olivia: Oh great, Cap it was a good shooting.

Cragen: Yes I know that and so do every other detective here, but you know the routine.

Olivia: Yeah and Tucker can't wait to get his hands all over this I'm sure.

Cragen: Look IAB is going to need your witness statement, and after that take some time out for yourself, and that's an order.

Olivia: (sigh) Fine, just tell El to call me once he's done.

Cragen: I will, now just wait out in the hall.

(She gives one last look towards the Captain office before she goes to find a seat. After two hours of feeling like she was being interrogated, she was told to go home. Once home she takes a quick shower to get the blood off her. An hour later and a bottle of wine to calm her nerves while she wait to hear from Elliot.)

(Olivia was dozing on the couch when she was woken up by banging on her door. She sits up and looks over at the clock and it read 12:30. She gets up after the banging gets louder and walks to the door. She peeps through the hole and sees Elliot leaning against the door. She quickly opens the door as he falls through it and into her.)

Olivia: Jesus El!

Elliot: I'm sorry!

Olivia: El it's pass midnight where are you coming from?

Elliot: Well after that scum bag Tucker tried to make me out as a dirty cop, I went to a bar.

Olivia: El don't listen to Tucker, you're a great cop.

(Liv helps him over to the couch and makes him sit down. She straightens up feeling the effects of the wine to go get them both some water.)

Elliot: I've killed a 16 year old Liv.

Olivia: El you did what any of us would have done in this situation.

Elliot: She was just a kid Liv, like one of my own.

(Olivia walks back over to the couch and sits next to Elliot. She put their water down and turns slightly so she's facing him. She takes his hands and he looks over at her with sadness and fear in his eyes.)

Olivia: El, listen to me. No one in that precinct sees this as you might think it is. You was doing your job and protecting the people because that's what we are trained to do.

Elliot: I could have handled it better.

Olivia: Maybe, but El she was irrational and she had one thing on her mind. If you didn't stop her more people would have been either dead or injured. I hate that it had to come to that, but El I would have done the same thing.

Elliot: I can't go home right now. I can't stand to go home and look at my kids and have her images in my head. Besides things with Kathy and I haven't been all that great lately.

Olivia: (caress his hand) El I'm sure Kathy is worried. Just call her and tell her what's going on.

Elliot: Nah, Kathy has enough on her plate with the kids. I just...I just don't know..

Olivia: Look your obvious to drunk to go home, why don't you stay here and I'll make sure you get home tomorrow.

Elliot: (protest) Maybe I should go to a hotel.

Olivia: El don't be ridiculous, besides I'll feel better knowing where you are.

(She caresses his hand as he looks up at her and into her eyes. A tear falls from his eye as he reflects on what happened prior and he breaks. Olivia pulls him into her as she holds him as he finally breaks and let go of all that pain.)