SVU Squad room
Manhattan NY
May 21st

Elliot walked into the squad room, his demeanor slightly grotesque. He had just gone through a messy divorce with his wife, Kathy, of 20 years. They had separated about a year before, but the divorce was still hard on him, and it had definitely taken its toll on him. His eyes were blood shot and he had complementary bags underneath his eyes to go with it. He tried to hide it by dressing nicely, but it was clearly obvious. Especially since he had forgotten to shave that morning. As he walked in he was greeted and immediately pulled into Cragen's office.

"Elliot you look like hell," said Cragen.

"Thanks Cap," he replied sarcastically.

" How are things going?"

"How does it look like it's going?"

"Elliot go home, get some rest."

"No offence, but what do you know about my home. As far as I'm concerned I have no home. It was destroyed when Kathy gave me those divorce papers."

"Elliot."

"Look Cap. Don't send me home. I need to work. I need to find a way not to think about my personal life. Or what's left of it."

" Fine, Olivia has a case. Something to do with hookers."

"Isn't that Vice's problem?"

"Usually, but somehow it wound up in our Jurisdiction. So we have to handle it."

"Fine." Elliot walked out of the squad room and found Olivia sitting at her desk sipping coffee from her mug.

"Morning," he said.

"Morning," she replied.

She looked up and saw how bad he looked. He was definitely not the same person he was before his divorce. He didn't joke around as much. He didn't smile. He blew up on people more often than not, and had earned the nickname "Unstabler". As she starred at him she realized how much she missed the old Stabler. "How are things going?" She knew that this was a stupid question given his current condition but she also knew it had to be asked.

"I'm doing as well as can be expected after the woman you love breaks your heart."

"You wanna talk about it?" She hated Kathy for doing this to him. She hated seeing him in such an emotional and vulnerable state.

"No, I heard you had a case."

She knew that he needed to talk but she also knew better than to push him. She understood his pain and frustration and knew he would come to her if he needed to.

"Yes, but Elliot if you need to talk you know I'm always here." He nodded. " Well the case I have is a tough one. A guy is beating, raping, and killing hookers and escalating at that. I talked to a few of his survivors, and trust me there weren't a lot of them. He started off beating and raping them at knife point, now he's shooting them."

"How do you know it's the same guy?"

"Because of the one that got away. He was in the process of raping her when he was suddenly distracted. She took the chance to knee him and run away. He shot at her, but luckily missed. I have a few leads to follow up on, but I'm waiting on Haung first."

"Why?" he really didn't feel like dealing with him now.

"He has a pattern. Apparently he likes to watch first. Then when they're done he strikes, rapes, and kills them, so I want Haung to profile him."

"How do you know this?"

"Because they all said they were attacked after… giving their services," she said slyly.

"Oh."

Just then Haung walked in. Olivia relayed everything she had just told Elliot to Haung. Once he had heard the story he gave them his analysis.

"This guy has a hard time finding a girl. He's most likely unattractive and probably tends to scare off the ladies that do find interest in him."

"Well they all said he was angry, and kind of ugly. They even said they had refused him before."

"Well that's it. He feels they have insulted him and rapes them to show them he is capable of doing and getting what he wants. He wants them to regret the fact that they turned him down. Then he kills them out of revenge."

Just then Cragen walked in. "Warner called, says we got another victim."

Morgue, Mercy General
Manhattan, NY

Elliot and Olivia walked into the morgue where they met with Warner. She brought them over to the body and began to relay her analysis.

" Caucasian female, mid to late 20's. C.O.D cerebral hemorrhage due to G.S.W to the head."

"So why is it our problem?" asked Elliot.

"Because after removing the bullet and analyzing it, I found it matched the other ones from your other cases."

"So how long has she been down?" he asked

"Due to the fermentation of the skin, I'd say about 12-15 hours, but wait there's more. This one had a friend. I found another victim. Same gun and everything. The only difference was this one is a male. Upon further examination I found he had ejaculated before he was killed, and I found his sperm in her and he was killed before her."

"He's still escalating," stated Olivia in mock horror. "He's killing their partners and then them. Thanks we'll call you if we need anything else," she said before leaving.

SVU Squad room

They told Haung what they found once they got back to the squad room.

"He's escalating, and he's not gonna stop unless you stop him," started Haung." He's starting with hookers and he's gonna continue until he reaches women who reject him along with the hookers. He's also building up his confidence with every kill. He's also meticulous and getting smarter with every kill. You guys need to stop him."

"But now, there are no clues and no leads. We have forensics, but no one to match them to. The only thing we've got is the area he strikes in."

"Sounds like we're going to have to send someone undercover. We'll talk to some hookers who recognize his picture we had the sketch artist draw up. It's been a long day so we'll start fresh tomorrow. You guys go home," said Cragen.

"Thanks Cap." They all said.

Everyone started packing up their things to go, all except for Elliot. Livia saw this and decided she should talk to him.

"El, aren't you going home?"

"I have no home remember?"

"El…" She said sympathetically.

"It's true."

"El, you know it's not. Why don't you go see your kids?"

"They don't want to see me."

"Common El, you know that's not true."

"You sure! You really sure about that? They blame me for the divorce. ME! I didn't want to get divorced. I didn't want to leave my family. She did." He was beginning to rant and people were starting to stare.

"Elliot come on." She said pulling him to his feet. "Come with me." They left and went back to her place.

Benson Residence
Manhattan, NY

At her place she made him sit down on the couch after getting two beers she came back and sat on the couch. She handed him his beer and after kicking off her shoes sat in the corner of her chair and pulled her feet up underneath her and waited. Ten minutes and nearly Three beers later he finally said something.

"Kathy's moved on." She sat there in silence as he continued. "She moved on before we were even finished. At first I thought they were friends, but I should have known better Liv, I'm a fucking detective. I should have known or at least suspected it. I just. I just never thought she'd do something like this."

"Elliot you couldn't have known."

"Yeah, but I should have. My kids should blame me for the divorce."

"El…"

"No I forced her to him. I was never home and never around to help. It's my fault, it's my fault! I put my job before my family."

"Now Elliot we both know that isn't true."

"Isn't? I mean I work from eight till only God knows when. I get home everyone's already in bed. I leave before they wake up. I don't talk to Kathy, cause I don't want to put what we see in her head. I never see them, they never see me. I put other people's children and problems before my own."

"Elliot stop it. You work hard to help protect your kids. You try to help people. You work so that your kids can come home to a nice home, and have food on the table, and so that they can have anything else they might want or need."

"Then why couldn't Kathy see that? Why did she have to take away everything that meant something to me."

"Elliot she just wanted more than to see you and talk to you occasionally, but that doesn't justify her cheating on you. She wanted more than just a bedmate."

"But why Liv? Why?"

"I honestly couldn't tell you, 'cause I honestly don't know. Does she know you know?"

"No, I just left it at that. I didn't want this to be a bitter divorce because of the kids…I just can't believe she would end it after 20 years." A single tear rolled down his face. Olivia saw this and pulled him into a hug. It was the first time he felt even slightly okay since the divorce. She pulled out of the hug. " You're a mess Stabler." She stated simply.

"Thanks" He chucked. "Way to kick me when I'm down."

" You know what I mean," she said playfully pushing his shoulder. "Why don't you go sleep in my bed and I'll take the couch."

"No I couldn't put you out. I'll take the couch."

"El, you need the rest. Take my bed. I insist."

"How bout you share it with me?" He leered at her.

"Not going down that road."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" He asked faking being hurt by her words.

"Nothing just go to bed. Now."

"You sure?"

"Yes, now go ahead."

"Yes Mom."

He got up and headed into her bedroom and closed the door. After stripping down to his boxers he climbed into her bed. It was soft and cozy. He sniffed her pillow. It was covered in her scent, it was distinctly her. In fact the whole bed was. The scent was unexplainable. Just pure flowery goodness and everything that was her. It was uniquely hers. He mellowed in it. Wondering what it was that made him feel so…good. So complete. Was it her? The fact that he was sleeping in her bed? The fact that he knew she would always be there for him? Or was it more than that? He fell asleep thinking about it, her and so much more.