23x11 - Burning With Rage Forever

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit". Aired: September 1999 to present.*

Moderators: Trialia, Sarah Elseify

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"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" follows the detectives of New York City Police Department's Manhattan Special Victims Unit, based out of the 16th precinct, as they investigate s℮xually based offenses.
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23x11 - Burning With Rage Forever

Post by bunniefuu »

In the criminal justice system,

sexually based offenses

are considered especially heinous.

In New York City,
the dedicated detectives

who investigate these vicious felonies

are members of an elite squad

known as the Special Victims Unit.

These are their stories.

Come on, Noah, bark like a dog.

Woof, woof!

Now eat your food, little doggie.

- I said, eat it.
- No!

Noah! Your mom's here.

Hudson, what's going on?

Nothing.
We were just playing.

Noah, are you okay?

We were just messing around.

Hudson made us play cats and dogs.

Boys will be boys, right?

Noah, where's your coat?

Annie, say goodbye to Noah.

Bye, Noah.

Let's get you home.

- Okay.
- Come on.

So, Noah, you wanna tell me
what was going on

back there at Hudson and Annie's?

How about,
why is your neck so red, honey?

'Cause it looked like...

If I tell you, will you stop asking?

Yes.

Honey, just tell me
what's going on, please.

Hudson's a jerk.

He put his dog's collar on me,
locked me in the cage.

Then he wanted me to eat dog food.

- What?
- I said no.

I don't want to talk
about it anymore, okay?

Once again, repeating our top story.

Tony Delgado, the long-tenured
teacher and coach


from East Harlem Prep, was found dead

in his burning apartment
early this morning.


Police are still investigating
possible arson.


Tino, are you done with your homework?

All done, Uncle Carlos.

Okay, I'm gonna step out for a minute.

I'm gonna swing by Maya's.

- Are you okay?
- Yeah,

I just wanna stay home.

Listen, don't tell your dad
or abuela that I left.

If they call,
I'm in the bathroom. Yeah?

Okay.

Death to tyrants!

Hi. Are you Tino?

I'm SlayerKidd's dad.

My son asked me to pick you up.

Yeah.

Where... where is he?

Oh, he's finishing his homework.

- Oh.
- He's gonna meet us, though.

Okay.

Just, uh, just shove
that stuff on the floor.

You know, my son says
you're a really good gamer.

You're hitting those pretty hard.

Why don't you cut me some slack, okay?

Sorry.

Um, can I get some ice cream?

No, baby, you already had some.

Go get ready for bed
and brush your teeth.

- But I'm not tired.
- I got him.

Why don't you come over here,

and I'll read you a story, yeah?

What about this one.
You read this one?

- No.
- No? Okay.

Well, here we go.

I'm home.

Got home from work early.

Hello?

Where is everybody?

Yo.

Where's Tino?

What do you mean?
He's not here?

No.

Where you been?

I went out, man.
I got him a...

Got him a juice.

You were supposed to be watching him.

Wait...

Mami, is Tino with you?

No, no, no, just, um... just come home.

- He's not with Mami.
- Okay.

- Maybe he went out.
- He went out?

Carlos, where the hell is he gonna go?

He's eight.

- Hey, you been drinking?
- I had a beer.

Come on, Carlos! God.

- Where you going?
- I'm gonna go look for him

- at the playground.
- I'm gonna come with you.

No, you ain't going nowhere.
Stay right here,

like you shoulda done
in the first place.

- God.
- Come on, Seby.

Come on nothing, Carlos.

So where's SlayerKidd?

Still at the library.

Hey, uh...

I'm gonna take a picture of us.

And I'll send it to him.

Is this your guys' house?

Where's his mom?

She's working late.

It's dark out.

My son,

he really wants to see you.

Hey, how about I order us a pizza?

Huh?

I feel dizzy.

I should go home.

Oh, why don't I get you some
more of that special soda?

I wasn't supposed to be here.

I have a new game I wanna show you.

I promised my uncle.

I have to go.

Ah!

I can't let you do that.

So Tino's eight?

How long has he been missing?

Going on seven hours.

No cell phone, no way to track him.

Looks like he left in
a gray hoodie with a backpack.

Did the parents talk to his friends?

Mother's deceased.

There's a father,
father's brother, grandmother.

Home seems a little chaotic.

So you suspect abuse?

My sergeant said
better safe than sorry.

- That's why we called you guys.
- Thank you.

Well, those cops are useless.

Why haven't they found my son?

Mr. Guzmán, everybody is
doing all that they can.

We're checking local security footage.

We're canvassing with Tino's photo.

When was the last time someone saw him?

Well, my brother was supposed
to be watching him.

Seby, stop blaming Carlos.

Carlos, so you were here
with your nephew until when?

This is all my fault, okay?

I left around : .

He was fine, he was

playing online video games in the room.

- And he doesn't have a phone?
- No.

I told the other cops.

- Just a desk computer.
- Okay

So does he have
an iPad or an email address?

Just a school iPad,
but he can't game on that.

Okay, so this is
the only place he plays?

Sometimes I let him use my laptop.

Okay, we're gonna need
to take a look at that too.

Okay.

Okay, uh, I didn't notice this,

but he must have taken it,
'cause it's gone.

Fin's on his way.

Are we in the right place?

TARU confirmed, they were able to track

the signal from Carlos'
computer to this building.

But they can't pinpoint an apartment?

We gotta do it the old-fashioned way.

Hey.

Hey, have you seen this kid?

His name's Tino Guzmán.

No, uh-huh.

Hi, I'm looking for a kid.

He's about eight years old.

He was wearing a hoodie and sweatpants.

- Mm-mm.
- No.

I may have seen this kid go

into that apartment over there.

Okay.

You know your neighbors?

Most of them.
But that one,

there's a lot of turnover,

a lot of people coming and going.

- Okay, thank you.
- Mm-hmm.

NYPD, open up.

Fin, Velasco.

- NYPD!
- Police!

- Go!
- Move! Police!

Tino?

Here.

Hey.

Here.
Hey.

Are you okay?

I'm gonna get these things
off of you, all right?

There you go.

Place is clear.

The guy is gone.

They guy that took you...
where'd he go?

I don't know.

Please, I just wanna go home.

Come here.

Hey.

- How is he?
- He's tired...

But okay,

considering.

He's got some a**l abrasions,
traces of pre-ej*cul*te.

We're, we're processing the DNA.

And the blood work showed alcohol

and cold medicine.

Okay.

- You guys run the apartment?
- Yeah, it's a rental.

Nobody's on the lease right now,

and the building's light
on security cams.

Fin and Velasco are trying to
track down

the part-time super.

Was Tino able to tell you anything?

He hasn't...

He hasn't spoken much,
since I picked him up.

But the one thing, uhm...

When the uni tried to unbuckle
his seat belt,

he yelled, "No me toques."

- "Don't touch me."
- Yeah.

Poor kid.

Fin.

The super said he cut a side deal

with an unlicensed broker

who was renting this
spot out for short stays.

He'd take a $ kickback.

Okay, who was his last client?

I just spoke to the broker,

and I told him I needed a
place to rent tonight to, uh,

get away from my wife.

I'm gonna meet him in an hour.

Great.
Keep me posted.

I thought you were renting
the apartment with her.

Yeah, well, you thought wrong.

And what you're doing is illegal.

Maybe I'm not filling out
the paperwork.

But I'm just helping these guys.

- Like I was gonna help you...
- Who'd you run into yesterday?

That's confidential.

I have to protect my clients.

My business is based on trust.

Trust?

You know the last person you
trusted that apartment with

kidnapped, drugged,
and assaulted a kid?

I had nothing to do with that.

Great.
Then you'll cooperate.

He didn't give me his real name.

But he-he Venmo'd me.

Give me your phone.

Now!

So it turns out his Venmo account

is as faked as his gaming profile.

Well,
we tracked one of his credit cards.

SlayerKidd's real name

is Theodore "Teddy" Murtaugh.

He's years old.
No record.

Copy that, Captain.

We got the go-ahead to arrest?

Yeah, we take it easy.
Don't make any accusations.

We're really gonna show this
piece of crap consideration?

Yeah, if we want him to talk to us.

We don't want him to see us judge him.

NYPD.

Anybody home?

So we go in, right?

Hey, we have a warrant.

We're coming in.

NYPD. Teddy Murtaugh?

Whoa.

That's a lot of blood.

Call a bus.

Got a pulse.

SVU portable, rush a bus
to Whittier Street.

Unconscious male, bleeding out.

This guy, Murtaugh...
how bad is he wounded?

Multiple s*ab wounds.

Arms, legs, groin.

He lost a lot of blood.
He's still in surgery.

And Tino made the ID?

Well, we're getting that now.

And we're running Murtaugh's DNA.

His phone is missing, so,

we're searching his car,

his apartment, his computer.

But, of course, his files are
multiply encrypted,

so TARU's going through.

So, stabbed in the groin?

Day after Tino was assaulted?

That's not a coincidence.
That's revenge.

Yeah,
we'll be talking to Tino's family.

Look, somebody found out where he lived

and got there before we did.

Him.

That's the man who took you

and kept you in that apartment?

You sure?

I'm sure.

You did really good, Tino.

- Are you done?
- Yeah.

He can go play in his room, right?

Yeah, I'll let you know if I
need to talk to you again.

Okay?

How's he doing?

He's been quiet.

The thing he liked more than anything

was his video games.

Mm-hmm.

I don't know what to
tell him about all this.

Well, you tell him he's brave,

that you love and support him,

no matter what.

What if he wants to talk about it?

I would really urge you

to take him to that
counselor I recommended.

This man's been arrested?

He's in custody.

And I have to ask you,

what time did Seby get home last night?

Last night?

He never left.

I was home all night.

You can ask my mother,
taking care of my son.

Why would you even ask me that?

Because, Seby,

our suspect was found
beaten and stabbed.

He's still in the hospital.

That damn animal.

Good.

He doesn't deserve
to draw another breath.

So do you have any idea
who might have done that?

If it was me,

he wouldn't be in surgery.

He'd be in the morgue.

And I wouldn't lose
a minute of sleep over it.

Benson.

Last night, I had to get
the hell out of here, okay?

Every time I looked at Tino, he was...

He was quiet.

I'm worried about him, man.
It's like he's gone.

He's-he's broken,
and he can't be fixed.

It's gonna take some time, Carlos.

Yeah.

So last night, you went out.
What time?

Halftime for the Knicks game,
so, like, : , maybe.

Adónde fuiste?

I was just out walking.

Look, Carlos.

Somebody got to this Teddy guy
before we did.

Stabbed him.

He's in the hospital.

Well, it wasn't me.

I swear, I was at my girlfriend's.

So if I call her, she's gonna confirm?

Don't call her right now.

She's got a kid she's looking after.

You know what?

Whoever b*at up this scumbag,
if it was my nephew,

I would've done the same thing,
all right?

But I need you to tell us
where you were last night.

I was at my girlfriend's.

You wanna call her, you can call her.

Yeah, Carlos came by.

He's been a total wreck over Tino.

I don't know how he's ever
gonna get through it.

It's good he has you
to be there for him.

- Um, how long did he stay?
- All night.

- He left early this morning.
- Mami, can I have a juice box?

Here, pequeño.

Why don't you go play on the slide?

What a cute kid.

I got a daughter around his age.

I'll leave you to it.

Hand to God,

if anyone ever did to Andre
what that man did to Tino...

I feel the same way.

- Any word on Murtaugh's condition?
- He's out of surgery,

but he still
hasn't regained consciousness.

We got this guy dead to rights.

Kid ID'd him, and his DNA's a match.

What about his computer, the laptop?

TARU is still working on it.

They're searching his car,
his apartment.

What about the other kids
that play that video game?

- Did he DM them?
- Yeah, he did.

But Tino's the only one we can find

that he met in person.

Okay.

Do we have any leads on who put
Murtaugh in the hospital?

Seby and Carlos deny it.
We confirmed their alibi.

It's his mother and a girlfriend,

so do we really believe that?

Do we care?

Is it worth the shoe leather?

We do, Velasco, and it is.
Yes.

We all know Murtaugh is good for it.

Even so, that's our job.

- That's not the victim's family's.
- The real question is,

if Seby or Carlos did do this,

how did they get there before we did?

I don't know, but they did.

Security cam footage
from across the street.

Son of a bitch.

It is Carlos.

I was at Maya's,

and I know
she told the detectives that.

- So I-I...
- Yeah, because

you asked her to lie.

And she did.

Carlos,

we're on your side.
Okay?

What you did, we get it.

Look, man, you gotta come clean.

We checked the cameras.

We have the cell phone
records that put you there.

Don't make this any
worse by lying to us.

What happened to Tino,
all of it, is my fault.

How could I leave him there like that?

I-I can't eat.
I can't sleep.

- I feel sick all the time.
- Carlos.

How did you know where Murtaugh lived?

I don't want anyone
else to get in trouble.

He's just a kid, but he's,

he's smart.

Tino?

Yeah.

When the guy came to pick him up,

his car was messy.

Food, bills, receipts.

Tino had a bad feeling about it,

so he pocketed one of the bills.

He didn't tell you guys 'cause he,

he didn't want to get in
trouble for taking something

that didn't belong to him.

Okay, why don't you walk
us through this, Carlos?

Okay.
I knocked on the door.

He opened up.

I pushed my way inside.

I was just so angry,
I was, I was...

I was out of my head.

And he was just standing here with this

stupid little smirk on his face.

"Why are you so upset?" he asked me.

"What happened to Tino, he wanted it."

He said that?

I just felt so sick.

It was like he was reliving the thing.

He said he had a camera,
and he filmed some of it,

so he could watch it
back whenever he wanted.


He said Tino's skin was so soft.

He said that he could tell by
the noises he was making that...

That he was enjoying it.

So I snapped.

I went to the kitchen.

I grabbed a Kn*fe.

I just...

I needed him to feel

as scared as Tino must have felt.

And I closed my eyes,
and I stabbed him.

I screwed up.

'Cause I shouldn't
have left until I was sure

that he bled out.

That's a tough story.

Yes, it is.

And I hope he pleads guilty,
because that story

in front of a New York jury?

All the press?

This trial's gonna turn into a real...

Show.

Elvis,

thank you for helping us.

All right, you're a hero
in the neighborhood.

Your brother Carlos is the hero.

This lawyer, Mr. Spiro,

you trust him?

He's done time for as*ault himself.

Makes me trust him even more.

Spiro spent years
in the prison library

absorbing every law book known to man.

Came out to graduate
Cornell Law, top honors.

He's meticulous.

I need it much quieter in here, folks.

Carlos Guzmán,

charged with as*ault one

and attempted m*rder.

- How do you plead?
- Not guilty, Your Honor.

We request to be released
on his own recognizance.

The People request $ , , Your Honor.

Mr. Guzmán put a man in the ICU.

Your Honor, my client's
record is clean as a whistle.


He understands ROR is
a binding legal promise


to stay out of trouble
and return to court.

He gives his word that
he'll abide by that promise.


Only wants to be home,
caring for his nephew.


Childcare is not
a get out of jail free card.

I'm setting bail at $ , .

Next case.

I don't have that kind of money.

Don't worry about it.
We'll get you out of here.

Stay strong.

This isn't right.

- He was just protecting Tino.
- Breathe, Seby.

GoFundMe's up to K.

That's enough to make bail and fight.

- Let's go, Seby.
- No, I want to see him plead guilty.

Case number ,

People v. Theodore Murtaugh,

on the charges
of kidnapping in the first


and three counts

of criminal sexual act.

State your plea.

Not guilty, Your Honor.

People on bail?

Apologies, Your Honor, I was, uh...

I was under the impression that we were

working out a deal for Mr. Murtaugh.

Well, consider it late breaking news.

In that case,
People request $ , .

Mr. Murtaugh is a violent
sexual offender.

He is...

Your Honor, may I say something?

And you are?

I'm Seby Guzmán.

This man molested my child.

All I need is five minutes with him.

Mr. Guzmán, please sit down.

I'm asking, Judge, just two minutes.

Mr. Guzmán, sit down.

Oh, you son of a bitch!

Hey, wipe that smirk off your face.

Look what he did
to my family, to my son!

I understand your anger, Mr. Guzmán.

This is a court of law.

Bail is set at $ , .

Free Carlos! Free Carlos!

Mr. Carisi.

Why didn't Murtaugh plead guilty?

He wants to take this to trial.

Does that mean Tino's
gonna have to testify?

Possibly.

Were you able to get in touch
with a social worker?

My mother doesn't believe in that.

Would it help if I spoke with her...

No.

I'll make an appointment.

You're not really gonna go
through with this, are you?

Carlos is a hero.

Even so, he broke the law.

You can tell his lawyer
I'm open to a deal.

Get that pedophile
to plead guilty first.

I'm not gonna give up
fighting for Carlos.

You shouldn't either.

Free Carlos! Free Carlos!

Seby, let's get your brother
and take him home.

Free Carlos! Free Carlos!

You've got your work cut out for you.

I'll talk to Murtaugh's lawyer.

Maybe this is just a ploy.

Hopefully.

Look, I never said
we weren't open to a deal.

Well, that's good to hear,
because your client's guilty.

He's looking at kidnapping,
sexual as*ault of a minor.

Hold on, I did not kidnap Tino.

He got into my car willingly.

He wanted to play video games.

He said he was home alone.

He was feeling lonely and scared.

That doesn't explain your seminal fluid

on the kid's underwear.

Yeah, he was sitting on my couch.

He sat on my lap.

He used my bathroom...

Or the a**l trauma.

Oh, the poor kid had stomach issues.

He was in my bathroom

- a long time.
- Okay, Teddy.

You left him zip-tied to a radiator.

Oh, that was his idea.

It's one of the levels
of the Tyrant's Curse

that you have to escape.

Do you want this to go to trial?

Because I would love to get
your client on the stand.

O-okay, Teddy.

Let's listen to what
Mr. Carisi has to say.


Okay, what are you offering?

Kidnapping's an A- felony.

That's to life.

Add the criminal sexual acts,
you're looking at to life.

Now, my guess is, your client
would like a nice flat number.

years.

Can meet you halfway.
How's ten?

Ten years without a computer?

- Let me talk to my client...
- I'm still at .

- Yes or no?
- Give me a few minutes.

Look, you chose this job.

Don't be mad because
you actually have to do it.

Well, now you're at .
Keep talking.

You got five minutes.

Murtaugh thinks that he can
get away with only ten years?

I mean, he turned down .
He wants this to go to trial.

We got a strong case.

But, Tino's testimony
puts him away for life.

Do you want me to help prep him?

Well, you took his initial disclosure.

- It would be helpful.
- Okay.

- Mr. Guzmán is here.
- Send him in.

Where's Tino?
Is he, is he okay?

No.

I'm sorry, I can't let him testify.

I told him last night, and he had,

nightmares, and...

He didn't go to school in the morning.

But did you tell him,

that he wouldn't have to see Murtaugh,

that he can testify on video?

I'm not putting him through this.

All right?
I have to take care of my son.

Okay, I understand.

Didn't we videotape Tino
at the Child Advocacy Center?

Yeah, we did,
but we can't use that in trial,

unless the defense can cross-examine.

What about Carlos?

He told us that Murtaugh
confessed to him.

You want my client to testify for you?

Tough ask, considering
you're prosecuting him

for attempted m*rder.

Well, I can talk to my superiors

about reducing the charges.

But I assume, since your client
almost k*lled Mr. Murtaugh,

that last thing he wants is
to see him walk.

Hey, what do you mean, walk?

- That can't happen.
- No, it shouldn't.

But your family does
not want Tino to testify.

And I still need the jury to hear

what that animal did to your nephew.

Now, you told the detectives

that Mr. Murtaugh confessed to you.

He gave you details about the as*ault.

- Is that true?
- Yeah, I swear to God he did.

And I'll tell the jury exactly that.

Good. And he said he had video of Tino?

Yeah.

Here's my problem.

We searched his house.
We searched his car,

his cloud account.
We didn't find anything.


So I have to ask you,

did he really say that?

First you want my client's testimony.

- Now you're accusing him of lying.
- I'm not lying.

There is a video.

It was on his phone.

I took it 'cause

I didn't want anyone else watching it.

While we're gratified
that Teddy Murtaugh


will spend the rest
of his life behind bars,


on federal child p*rn charges,

we're angry that the DA

has failed to make

Carlos Guzmán,

whose cooperation led directly

to Murtaugh's conviction,

a reasonable plea deal.

We are planning on taking this to trial

and are confident
that a jury of his peers


will vindicate Carlos

with breathtaking speed.

Look, whatever you wanna say
about Baktashi,

he knows how to play the media game.

He does. And that crowd?

Half of New York
think Carlos is a hero.

Well, he did help us get Murtaugh.

What is Carisi offering?

as*ault one, five years down from ten.

I wouldn't take that either.

What would Carisi have done
if it was one of his nephews?

It's not Carisi's call, Velasco.

Carlos' girlfriend Maya
and her son Andre are here.

She brought her son in?

What's going on, Maya?

I'm literally shaking right now.

I don't know what the hell to do.

I'm Captain Benson.

Can I help you?

Is there some place Andre can wait?

Yeah, I got you.

Hey, little man.
Wanna get something to eat?

I can take him with me.

You wanna come?

- Come with me.
- There you go.

Yeah, why don't you give us a sec?

Is, uh... is your son okay?

No, h-he's not.

I saw Carlos on TV,
said, "Andre, come look."

He walked in, said,
"Why are they cheering?"

"Turn that off."

He started to cry.

He said he never wanted
to see Carlos again.

I asked Andre,

why he didn't want to see Carlos.

He said he was scared Carlos
was gonna touch him again.

I almost threw up.

Did he say how or when?

Yesterday. They were in the bathroom.

Yesterday, so Carlos came
over after he made bail?

He was a mess.

Drinking.

Andre was in the shower.

He forgot to bring a towel.

Carlos went in to help him.

How could I not have known?

Did Andre say anything last night?

No, but he was really quiet.

He said his stomach hurt.

He didn't eat his dinner.

And how long have
you and Carlos been dating?

We met over the summer,

at Orchard Beach.

Andre really liked him.

He's so good with kids.

His nephew...

Most guys my age,

they see you have kids,
they run the other way.

Do you...

You think that's why?

Did he ever spend any time alone

with Andre?
I know...

I know this is tough.

Can you think back? Anything?

I'm trying to think back.

He always came over to my place

'cause of that house,

with his brother and his mother.

If he ever tried to get Andre alone,

I didn't...

I didn't notice.

Did you talk to Carlos about his?

It turned into one of
our screaming matches.

First, he said, it never happened.

Then he said it was an accident.

Then he said he was sorry,

that it was the first time.

It would never happen again.

So we're gonna need
to speak with Andre now.

- With me, right?
- Actually, sometimes,

it's easier for a child to open up,

if the parent isn't in the room.

Right there, Carlos put
his hand on me there.

Andre, I'm sorry that happened to you.

But it's really good
that you told your mom.

She was mad.

But not at you.

You know that, right?

- Mm-hmm.
- This isn't your fault.

It was a bad touch.

Yeah? How did you know that, Andre?

They told us in school.

Yeah, Andre and I were talking about

what he's learned at school
about good touches

- and bad touches.
- Mm-hmm.

- And you know the difference, Andre?
- Mm-hmm.

A good touch is like a handshake.

- And a hug?
- Good.

But when Carlos touched you
in the bathroom?

It was bad.

Mm-hmm.

Had he ever done that before, Andre?

No.

Just good touches at first.

I don't want Carlos to get in trouble.

I just don't want him to do it again.

So, either Carlos did this,

or Maya realized

there was grand
in the GoFundMe account

- and is shaking him down.
- Kid is credible, Velasco.

We go pick up Carlos, get his side.

'Cause Maya told him already,

- right?
- Well, she did,

and they went at it.
So you can't ruse him.

And he's had time to figure
out how to explain it away.

I don't get it,
Carlos tries to k*ll Murtaugh

because of what he did to his nephew,

and meanwhile,
he was doing the same thing to Andre?

We don't have the full story yet.

But I'll get you warrants for
his phone, for his computer.

But we need to pick up Carlos now.

He knows we're onto him,

and we know he can be violent.

We do. so that's why

we need to stay calm
and wear our vests.

Oh, guys, hold on.

We may be past that.

Just got a text from Elvis.

Carlos is on the roof,

threatening to jump.

Let's go.

Thank you for coming.

I didn't wanna call .

What's going on with Carlos?

I came over to talk to him
about doing a radio show,

and he was drunk, raving.

Kept saying, "I'm no hero."

I ain't never seen him so upset.

He was crying like a baby.

I had my mother
take Tino to the library.


What the hell was he talking about?

I don't know.
He said he did a bad thing.

I got no idea.

Is he still on the roof?

I'm afraid he's gonna hurt himself.

Is he armed?

I tried to talk to him.

He pulled a Kn*fe,
told me to get the hell away.

HNT and the jumper squad
are on their way.

In the meantime, I will talk to him.

Captain, I'd like to come with.

All right, you let me take the lead.

Rollins, go talk to Tino,

see if there are any
issues that we missed.

On it, Captain.

Come on.

Okay.

Carlos.

Just leave me alone.

I just wanna talk.

I begged Maya not to tell you guys.

I told her it would never happen again.

Look, I know you, man.

I know you would never hurt a kid, man.

No, I wouldn't.

I just wanna hurt myself, okay?

Carlos, what you're feeling
right now, this...

That's not how you're
gonna feel forever.

No, I deserve to die.

Carlos, you know what?

I'm glad you said that.

I'm glad that you said
that you deserve to die.

Because I do.

Because the scariest thing
that you could tell me

is that you want to die.

But you said you deserve to die,

which means that part of you

wants to live.

No, I don't deserve to live.

What I put Andre through,

he's never gonna get over that.

- You don't know that.
- Yes, I do.

- I know that for a fact.
- How?

How do you know for a fact?

Because it happened to me,

and I never got over it.

It happened to me, and...

I never told anyone,
and I don't know why.


Well, you can tell us, Carlos.

Carlos.

We want...

We want to understand.

- I'm sorry.
- I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

So you saw in the news
that your teacher d*ed

in that fire?

I hadn't thought about it in years.

And then it all just came
flooding back.

How old were you?

My father had been gone for years.

I was in the third grade.

Mr. Delgado could see
that I was hurting.

He made me feel like...

Like I wasn't alone.

And he asked me to help him
and stay after class,

and I felt important.

And...

Then one day, my shirt was untucked,

and he said that wasn't allowed.

And then what did he do?

We were alone in the classroom,

so he helped me tuck it back in.

That's how it started.

And that went on until...

Middle school.

Carlos, we have to ask...

That fire, where he was k*lled...

I didn't have anything to do with it.

But I am glad he's dead,

'cause he's in hell,

where he belongs.

He was the bright boy.

Yeah, he was gonna make us all proud.

Then, one year,
he just stopped studying,

started acting out.

Why didn't he tell anybody?

For so many reasons.

But Seby, you need to be there
for Carlos now.

Hmm?
And for your son.

Thank you.

His teacher d*ed,

Tino gets abused,

and he gets triggered,
so he goes after Teddy,

and everybody calls him a hero.

He, he can't handle it.

Starts devolving, self-loathing.

He ends up at Maya's with Andre.

These cycles of abuse are so much

greater than one single act.

And they never go away.

So, Mr. Carisi,

leaving aside the as*ault on Murtagh,

on this charge, Carlos is contrite.

Single moment of confusion.

For him, maybe.
Not for Andre.

But I'm aware of the
mitigating circumstances.

We're prepared to charge Carlos

with sex abuse two, a misdemeanor.

Because Andre's under years old,

Carlos has to go on the registry.

The registry?

Carlos is not a predator.
He's a victim.

If we have to take this
to trial, we will.

No, we won't.

I'm not making that kid testify.

I'll plead guilty.

Okay, good.

I'll talk to the DA about the
as*ault charges on Murtagh,

see where we stand with that.

Hey, you're doing the right thing.

Just keep your head down,
back to the wall,

and you're gonna be okay.

You should've let me jump...

For everybody's sake.

One way or another, I have been dead

since I was nine years old.

Thanks, Carisi.

Four years, all in,
mandatory counseling,

Maybe he makes it through.

You can hope.

We just need to follow up

that Tino and Andre
get the help they need.

Yeah.

You going home to the girls?

- Yeah.
- Good.

You know, with our kids,

do you ever worry that, um,

we're missing something
like Carlos' mom did?

Oh, God, please.
Let's hope not.

'Cause parenting,
you do the best you can.

You never feel like it's enough.

So, Annie's mom called, and,

wanted to have another playdate,

and I said, that it would be better

if she came to our house.

You didn't tell her

it was about Hudson and the dog cage.

Actually, I did.

Mom, I asked you not to.

- Well...
- Hudson's just an idiot.

No one likes him anyway.

He bullies everyone.

It was just,

my turn to be his target.

- Why?
- I don't know.

First, he went after Corey 'cause

Corey told everyone their
pronouns are they/them,

and Hudson started calling
Corey a fairy.

What?

So, then I said that I was bi

and that there's no shame
in being true to yourself.

That's right, Noah.

So you stood up for Corey...

And stood up for yourself.

And that is, incredibly brave.

Well, it's my truth.

I just hadn't told anybody before.

Well, thank you for telling me.

No big deal.

It's not like I have
a boyfriend or girlfriend.

It's just...

Not fair for anybody to be left out.

I hear that.

I'm really proud of you.

Okay.

Anyway, could we go eat now?

Yes.
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