From Shadows to Light

Old Enemies

"Are you expecting someone?" Rafael questioned, his tone laced with concern.

"No, I'm not. Let me just check who it is," Olivia replied, her brows knitting together in mild confusion.

As she cautiously opened the door, her expression shifted from curiosity to shock. There, standing before her, was Elliot, his appearance disheveled, with blood streaming down from a cut on his forehead. He was panting heavily, clearly having been in a recent and violent altercation.

"Oh my God, Elliot! What in the world happened?" Olivia exclaimed, her voice filled with alarm as she instinctively reached out to steady him.

"I...I had a run-in with Wheatley's thugs. They ambushed me," Elliot gasped out, the pain evident in his voice as he struggled to catch his breath.

Without hesitation, Rafael was at Olivia's side, his protective instincts in full force. "Let's get him inside. We need to call an ambulance," he declared, his eyes scanning Elliot's form for any other injuries.

"Did anyone follow you here?" he questioned, his concern now extending to Noah and Olivia's safety.

As they assisted Elliot into the apartment, a wave of fear and anger surged through Olivia. Wheatley was supposed to be dead; why, then, was he still wreaking havoc in their lives?

"I...I lost them," Elliot assured through gritted teeth, attempting to shake his head slightly.

"I'm sorry for bringing this to your doorstep, Liv. I didn't know where else to go," Elliot apologized softly, his eyes locking with Olivia's.

Taking a deep breath, her mind racing, Olivia responded, "We need to report this, Elliot. Wheatley is a danger to all of us."

The shift in her address did not go unnoticed by the two men. She had used his full name, 'Elliot', instead of the more personal 'El'. It seemed she was intentionally creating distance, perhaps to spare Rafael's feelings.

"I can't...not yet. I need to...I need to finish this," Elliot insisted, his determination evident despite his weakened state.

"No, Elliot. You can't just go after him alone. You know what Wheatley is capable of," Rafael interjected, his voice steady and commanding.

"Should've thought of that before you helped get him off," Elliot retorted, his anger flaring up once again.

"I didn't do it for him. I did it for her," Rafael responded, almost defeatedly. "I'm not a cop. There's not much I can do most of the time, so I did what I thought would protect her. If you were in my shoes, you'd have done the same."

Elliot's anger subsided as Rafael's words sank in, and he silently acknowledged the truth in them.

"We need to get you some medical attention," Olivia interjected, cutting through the thick tension in the room.

"I'll be fine. Just a few bruised ribs. I'll survive," Elliot assured her, making his way to his feet with a grimace. "Liv, I'm really sorry for interrupting your evening. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"You should still get checked out," Rafael suggested, his tone uncomfortable yet concerned.

"I will," Elliot responded, reaching the door. "Liv, be careful. None of us are safe until Wheatley is dealt with."

As he stepped through the door, Elliot paused and turned back to Rafael. "Take care of yourself, counselor," he said, his tone carrying an undercurrent of meaning. Rafael comprehended immediately; while Elliot's concern might not extend to him personally, he was placing Olivia's safety squarely in Rafael's hands, a responsibility he did not take lightly.

**

The weeks dragged on, casting a sinister pall over the city as an invisible noose tightened its grip. Unseen but ever-present, Richard Wheatley's clandestine threats and insidious manipulations burrowed into the heart of Elliot's world, each move meticulously calculated to wreak havoc.

Despite his cunning, Elliot managed to pick up on them, slowly tracking him down. This was the only way to protect Liv and make sure she was safe.

Wheatley, aware of the bond they shared, recognized Olivia as Elliot's Achilles' heel. He relished the thought of using her, of manipulating the strings to make Elliot dance to his tune.

Fueled by a mix of desperation and determination, Elliot descended into the city's underbelly, tracing Wheatley's elusive steps until they led him to an abandoned warehouse.

"You finally made it," Wheatley sneered, stepping out from the shadows, his eyes alight with malevolence. "I was beginning to think you'd lost your touch."

Elliot, his rage simmering just below the surface, leveled his gun at Wheatley. "This is the end of the line for you, Wheatley. You're done."

Wheatley's response was a dark chuckle, echoing through the empty space. "End of the line? Oh, Stabler, this is just the beginning. You have no idea how long I've waited for this, how meticulously I've planned. You and your precious Olivia... you took everything from me. Now, it's my turn."

In a split second, Wheatley lunged, the move so sudden it caught Elliot off guard. The gun flew from his grasp as the two men grappled, fists flying.

"I saw Olivia today," Wheatley taunted, landing a punch. "Still as beautiful as ever. No wonder you wanted to abandon your family for her."

"Shut up about Liv," Elliot growled, throwing a punch of his own. "Leave her out of this."

"Liv... your precious Liv," Wheatley sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "I should've taken care of her when I had the chance. Now she's moved on, hasn't she? With Barba... the traitorous DA."

The mere thought of Olivia in danger, of her life being snuffed out, sent Elliot into a blind rage. He tackled Wheatley to the ground, his fists flying, every punch fueled by years of pent-up fury.

The blaring of sirens cut through the night, but Elliot was too far gone, his rage all-consuming. He didn't notice the police storming the warehouse, and didn't realize what was happening until he felt the cold steel of handcuffs around his wrists.

The next thing he knew, Wheatley was being wheeled away on a stretcher, his body limp, while Elliot himself was shoved into the back of a squad car, his mind a whirlwind of fury and despair. Richard Wheatley had played his final card, and Elliot Stabler was under arrest.