Olivia is driving in the pouring rain. Fin calls. She is the guest of honor and is late. She says she got a 10-13, be there as soon as she can. Turns out it is a car bomb. She recognizes the victim as Kathy Stabler. Elliot calls her name. Benson turns around, goes to him. Stabler says that "they" tried to kill Kathy.

Olivia has a flashback of Kathy being hurt. Fin asks if she's okay. Olivia asks how this happened. Fin says that Kathy went in to a rental car and it blew up. They have been living in Italy and came back for some task force. Benson is shocked to hear Elliot is now the international liaison in Rome. Fin had invited Elliot to Olivia's award ceremony. Elliot meant to give Olivia a call.

Kat says they are going through security footage. There was a protest two blocks away where people set police cars on fire. Garland asks how the victim is. He thought Stabler left the force. Benson doesn't know why Stabler is in town. She wants to take the lead on this.

Intelligence has caught a bomber. The guy claims that it was antifa and he is being set up. HE has been arrested 5 times including in the January 6 riot. Kat says the guy has been going down a conspiracy theory rabbit hole for 5 years. Found with a taser, zipties and explosives. Elliot wants to know what's going on. He watches the interrogation and introduces himself to Kat and Carisi.

Elliot wants to go in the room. Carisi tells him he shouldn't be in the squad room. Elliot wants to talk to the guy.

Elliot confronts the guy and starts rolling up his sleeves and getting ready to beat him up. Benson keeps trying to reign Stabler in. The guy says that Kathy is just a casualty of war. Elliot is ready to beat him up. Benson kicks him out of the room.

Benson says the guy was baiting Elliot. He has been long gone and we don't do this - Elliot says he has been in Europe not under a rock and knows about the changes in the NYPD. He says you gonna write me up a RIP? His son interrupts. Kathy is awake.

Olivia comes back all upset. Carisi says a detective needs to be in the room, not just Stabler. He doesn't want Stabler near the case. He doesn't think Jacob did it.

Benson talks to Elliot who is still all upset. Is Kathy lucid? They go in. Kathy is sorry she ruined the awards ceremony. She doesn't remember starting the car. She just remembers Elliot was on the phone. It was dark. She didn't see anything. Sorry. She says it's like the old days, the two of them together, always so in sync. She can't believe they didn't talk for 10 years. She is exhausted. Benson leave Stabler to kiss his wife's head.

Later Stabler apologizes for putting Benson in a bad situation. He's sorry. She asks him if he's sorry for leaving or for not doing her the courtesy of telling her he was going. She had to find out from Cragen. He was the most important person in her life and he just disappeared.

Garland calls Benson in and says that Elliot's record tells him that Elliot always crosses the line. Why did he resign from the force?  Benson tells him after the last shooting, her guess was he was done. They never spoke again so she doesn't know. Garland says that this behavior is unacceptable in his squad.

Kat asks Fin about Elliot. Fin is sure Elliot knows things have changed. Kat doesn't think things have changed.

Fin goes to meet Stabler and try to find out what he's been involved in. Also the bomb appears to be international. Stabler says half the cases he can't talk about. Kathy is hanging in there. She was the one who was insisting on coming to Olivia's award ceremony. Fin fills him in on Olivia's personal life, kind of.

Benson tells Fin and Stabler that they have found DNA. Kathy starts coding. Stabler isn't allowed in the room.

Benson bothers Fin about how he didn't say I love you to Phoebe. Elliot comes back. Kathy is stable now but went into cardiac arrest. He will get Benson his case files.

Benson tells Rollins and Kat that Stabler has been working anti-terrorism, trafficking, and organized crime. Broad net. Kat goes to do research and Rollins asks if Stabler is the target. Is Benson okay? She asks if Benson and Kathy are friends. BEnson says not at first but they became close. Rollins says when she first got here there was a shrine to Stabler and Nick Amaro felt that he couldn't fill Stabler's shoes. Kat interrupts. Match to the DNA.

Fin and Carisi talk to a jailed mob boss.  He is uncooperative. Fin offers him help with parole. The guy won't turn on family. Benson will have Kat and Rollins follow up. They find out about a mistress who turns quickly. The suspect runs away. There is a chase and the suspect falls on some ice and is arrested while screaming he didn't do it.

Elliot has no idea who this guy is.  He wants to go question the suspect. Benson won't let him and changes the subject to Kathy. They are running more tests and the kids are scared. With COVID protocols only one can visit at a time.

Sasha insists he knows nothing about this and he lost his phone. Carisi says keep pressing him. He's not that smart. He wonders if Sasha was set up and didn't know it was a hit on a cop. He thinks if they arraign him Sasha will make a deal.

Sasha's lawyer doesn't know what case he's arguing. Carisi gets a short recess to talk to the lawyer. Sasha insists he didn't know it was a cop car. If Sasha talks he might get immunity? Some other lawyer shows up and rejects the deal.

Benson says that Cochran is an expensive lawyer that Sasha couldn't afford on his ownr. Elliot calls. Kathy is gone. He cries in Benson's arms.

Elliot says her spleen ruptured. They took her into surgery but it was too late. He didn't get to say goodbye. Benson is so sorry. He doesn't get it. They were finally happy. Benson asks him where the kids are and he says he's gotta call. He doesn't know what to tell them. Eli is in Rome. Benson offers to make the calls. He says he will do that.

Fin comes to see Carisi and tell him that Kathy died and that Elliot is not doing well. Carisi says he will charge Sasha with murder and up the pressure. Fin says let's just pull him out of Rikers? They go to collect Sasha and find him dead with a needle in his arm.

Carisi and Fin go to tell the prisoner in New Haven that his nephew is dead. Carisi warns the guy he's on borrowed time.

Sasha's boss claims to know nothing about this.

Garland tells Benson SVU has been called off this case. Intelligence is taking over. Benson says this is our case. Garland tells her not anymore.

Two of Elliot's kids come to church with him and they cry together. Benson comes in and stands in the doorway.