Forever Hold Your Peace

You're Safe

I am officially on maternity leave. It's been a week and I'm already going stir crazy. Elliot can't start paternity leave until the baby is actually born so I've been alone in our apartment. There's only so many times I can organize the drawers in the nursery before I go insane.

Elliot's been in Washington, D.C. for four days on a case with Rex and Maggie. He's finally on a plane home. I made him go because he was driving me crazy. He was convinced that the minute he left I'd go into labor and he'd miss her birth.

I sit up slightly on the couch, trying to move my hips. The closer to my due date I get, the more they hurt. I still have two weeks before my due date and I have no idea how I'll make it. Everything hurts. Nobody tells you about this part of pregnancy.

Elliot should be landing in a half an hour and I've been trying to kill time until he's back. As much as he was driving me crazy before he left, I've missed him. And I hate sleeping alone.

I flip through the channels on TV, stopping when I see Elliot's face. They're doing a segment on the serial killer Elliot, Rex and Maggie caught yesterday.

"Well I think I speak for all of Washington, D.C. when I say thank you." The flirty female reports says.

Both Elliot and Rex force smiles.

"Agent Winters, why is it that you called in Detective Stabler?" She asks.

"Detective Stabler is an expert in his field. He's been working sex crimes for the better part of a decade. It's helpful to have someone around with that kind of expertise." He says.

"Detective Stabler, working sex crimes has to weigh on a person, I know the case of Carly Peters was very disturbing," She says, "Why do you choose to continue with this line of work?"

"Because someone has to do it. No one should have to see the things that we do, not many people have the stomach for it." He says. "It's hard.. But you bond with the victims and there's no better feeling than being able to bring them closure."

"Detective Stabler, Agent Winters, if you wouldn't mind, a quick recap for our viewers?" She asks.

"Right." Rex says, clearing his throat. "A month ago the body of Carly Peters washed up in the Potomac River. In the following weeks we four more bodies were discovered. All of them tall brunette women who were at least six months pregnant. Last week we apprehended Adam Brody, the man responsible for these murders."

"Detective Stabler, I've been told that his case is close to your heart." She says.

"This is the kind of case that hits home for a lot of people." Rex interrupts. "We're just glad that we can put this to bed."

"Washington, D.C. thanks you." She says, "This has been Kerri Miller."

They screen flips to a story about a malaria outbreak in the middle east.

•••••••••••••
28 Minutes Earlier.

"911 what's your emergency?" The operator asks.

"My name is Detective Elliot Stabler, Manhattan SVU, I'm on a flight back from D.C. and the plane is going down. I need to leave a message for my wife." I say quickly, looking at the flames that engulf the wing of the plane.

"Go ahead, Detective." The operator says.

"Liv, Olivia, I love you. I love you so much, baby." I say, "And I love our girl, our baby girl, if I don't make it know that I love you two more than anything. Tell her her Dad loved her. Be strong for her, baby. You're gonna be a great mom, Liv. I love you—-"