In the Blink of an Eye

Spring arrived in good time and already Edythe was clamoring to attend the annual summer trip at The Master's School; that year, it was a trip to Florida, where the kids would go to museums, restaurants, tour a marine base, a beach day, and, on the final two days, a trip to Disney World. I'd agreed to speak to Hunter about it, but I knew he would give in; he was convinced that he had to do whatever he could to spoil Edythe. Edythe didn't act spoiled; she would ask for things, of course, but usually would drop it if Hunter or I said 'no', which wasn't very often. However, with this trip, he desperately wanted to give Edythe her way.

I was in the squad room at the end of April; I had the office for the day, as Hunter was out with Det. James Ford on a case; I was manning the office while Nate was in charge of the squad room itself. He had his own sergeant's desk now, while I had a smaller office on the opposite side of the squad room and Hunter usually kept to himself in the bigger office, which is where I now sat. I was going over some paperwork when Nate knocked on my door and came in.

"Nate," I say, getting to my feet and shuffling a few papers. "What's wrong? Is everything okay? Did Hunter call from assignment?"

"No." Nate shakes his head. "Sorry to interrupt, Lieutenant, but someone's here to see you."

I nod. "All right. Send them in." I am taken aback when Elliot comes in and Nate shuts the door behind him, but I force myself to keep my cool. "Detective Stabler, how are you?" I ask coolly.

"Fine." He sits across from me. "Look, I'm not happy about being here, just as I'm sure you're not pleased to see me."

"Doesn't matter." I sit back down and fold my hands out in front of me. "What can I do for you?"

"Lieutenant..."

"Elliot, please," I say, sighing. "We may as well forget the formalities—we were sleeping together for over a year."

He stiffens at that, and I wonder if it means that he's now totally committed to Kathy or, worse, that he's wired. "Yes, well, I've come here on strictly business purposes..."

"Strictly business," I say, nodding. "Okay. Let me have it."

"Tony Moreno's trial date has been set for the end of next month," Elliot replies steadily. "Now, I know it'll be difficult for you, so SVU has personally arranged for you to sit down with our new ADA."

"Who is?" I ask, knowing that Kim Greylek had returned to D.C.

"Sonya Paxton," Elliot replies. "Nice enough, I guess."

"Sonya Paxton?" I ask, shocked.

"You know her?"

I nod. "Yeah. I had to sit down with her during the incident with Jo Partridge," I say, shaking my head. "She used to work for us..."

"Yeah, well, that's all I came here to say," Elliot says, getting to his feet, and almost makes it to the door.

"Elliot." My voice stops him and he turns around. "Cragen told me everything. I know you were listening in on my session with George."

Elliot goes white. "What?"

I nod. "Yeah."

He steps forward then, torture in his eyes. "Why would Cragen do something like that? Is it because I'm only a detective and you're a lieutenant?"

I shake my head. "That's not why..."

"Then why?"

I lower my eyes. "Cragen and his wife separated and Cragen had an affair," I say quietly. "The woman came forward some time later and told Cragen that she had had a daughter and put her up for adoption. She gave the date as sometime in the midsummer of 1985, and that the child was born here in New York. She blocked the rest of it, because she couldn't seem to give Cragen more information..."