A Pilot's Wife

Fragile

They move through the press, Fin shoving one of the cameras out of his way, having the man behind it shoved into the banister of the concrete stairs.

Munch, Fin, Casey, and Alex arrive at the doorstep of the brick red brownstone, their hearts pumping blood, trying to keep reality real. They were about to enter a house of horrors, a house that was once lively, filled with a family, happiness, and now it is filled with emptiness, nothing.

Elliot and Cragen answer the door and the four shuffle in fast, avoiding the press. All four move through the house with a solid presence, as if they were stepping foot onto a cemetery, trying to keep their respect as to not step on graves. Elliot guides them into the kitchen, where Robert is leaning towards Olivia, lighting yet another cigarette for her, and one for himself.

All four are shocked, as they had never seen the woman smoke, let alone look so skeleton like, her features sticking out as if her insides were rotting, as if her heart was gone itself. Cragen, who's behind the group whispers not to ask why.

They don't know if they should approach the woman, before anyone does, Robert turns around and stands up.

"I'm Robert Shriver, I'm with the union."

All four nod and look at him, then back to Olivia who's exhaling smoke.

Casey walks over to Olivia.

"Have you had anything to eat?"

Olivia only nods no. She feels squished as she sits at the table with seven people staring at her.

Munch walks over to the fridge, looking inside.

"Clearly, the woman doesn't have anything in here."

"What about Julia? Has she eat..." Casey stops in her words. She starts up again. "Does she know?"

Olivia nods.

Cragen looks at the squad.

"Let's order in, we shouldn't go out to those vultures again."

"How about Italian? That'll last us a while." Munch says, suggesting in his quirky attitude

Robert looks for approval from Olivia.

"I don't care."

--------------------------------

It's nearly eleven, Casey and Alex are sitting with Olivia at the kitchen table, playing speed to pass time, a cigarette in Olivia's mouth, clenched by her teeth, simultaneously exhaling smoke. Her expression hard and unreadable. Julia's upstairs sleeping. The rest of the squad in the living room, looking at the news reports.

Elliot could hear Robert on the phone in the living room, Olivia too, murmuring with the airlines. She hadn't realizing the television was on, but she sat up in her chair.

"Did they say a bomb?" Olivia asked

Robert doesn't move from his position in the living room.

Her squad turns from their seated positions in the living room and listen attentively to Robert on the phone.

And then Olivia heard the bulletin, the report that would say "bomb responsible for crash" . The word bulletin had come to her mind, the word becoming bullets. Word bullets that tore through her brain and exploded, obliterating memories.

"Robert" Olivia called

He came into the kitchen and stood at the sink, not facing her, nor Elliot who was standing near Olivia, his hand on her shoulder.

"It's not confirmed" he said

"They think a bomb?"

Robert dug through his jacket pocket coat, taking out a small bottle, Elliot cautious. He looks through her cabinet, finding a bottle of brandy.