Adding Fuel to the Fire: An Elliot Stabler Story

Chapter Nineteen

"Elliot!" Casey called, standing next to Olivia's desk, as the newly tan detective walked into the precinct for his first day back after his vacation. "Welcome back!"

"Look at that great tan! How was your trip?" Olivia questioned as she sat at her desk, though she already knew, by the unwavering smile on his face, that it was a success.

"Indescribable," he answered as he approached his two female colleagues. "It was exactly what I needed."

"I'm glad," his partner smiled. "You deserved it."

"You did," Casey agreed.

"Thanks, you two," he responded, sitting down at his own desk across from them. "But I'm back now, so please, tell me you've got some good news on Bardwell."

Though Elliot was relaxed and joyful every second of his vacation, he was eager to hear updates about the case he had to abandon for a couple weeks. It was difficult to explain how certain cases made Elliot feel. He wanted all of his cases to end successfully, of course, but there were some that he would never be able to let go of until they were solved. This was one of them.

Olivia and Casey exchanged a knowing glance. Elliot's heart sank.

"Well," Casey sighed. "We've got news."

"But not good news?" He sighed, defeated.

"I was able to convince a judge to grant us a warrant to search their house, though we really didn't have enough proper evidence – he just owed me a favor," Casey began.

"During our search, we found blood on the Bardwell's bathroom floor," Olivia continued. "It was the daughter's."

"So you arrested him?" Elliot asked.

"We tried. I brought him in for questioning again," Olivia answered. "I pissed him off, so he lawyered up. And he's got a damn good lawyer, El."

"Crap," he groaned. "What'd you do to piss him off?"

"Nothing," Olivia shrugged. "I told him he was the main suspect in his daughter's rape and murder, and he went ballistic. Screaming that he was going to make me pay. He threw his chair at me, just barely missed. I almost wish he would've taken me out with it – at least then we could have him in custody for assault on a police officer."

"I'm doing everything I can, but his lawyer bailed him out and is already trying to throw out the blood found during the search since we technically didn't have enough evidence for the warrant," Casey told him.

"So what do we do now?" Elliot wondered.

"Keep digging," Casey said. "You'll find something eventually."

"Did I miss anything else while I was gone?" He asked.

"You missed Munch and Fin chasing a pigeon around the squad room for about an hour," Olivia informed him.

Casey laughed as the memory came back to her. "They were yelling at each other like an old married couple. 'It's over there! Get it! No you get it!' No one helped them because it was just too good to interrupt."

Elliot laughed at the thought, realizing he missed his coworkers more than he anticipated. He was lucky, he knew, to be surrounded by good people who loved their jobs and did them well. And he was glad to be back with them.

~

Elliot's internal alarm clock woke him up just as the sun was rising, slowly sending light through the window beside him. His eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the sudden brightness. He rolled over to see Johanna's naked body just barely covered by his white comforter and her tousled dark red hair covering her face. He smiled and gently pushed the hair away from her eyes, tucking it behind her ear and revealing her peacefully sleeping face.