AN: Okay…here it is, ladies and gentleman! Another story by me! I know, about damn time. I know some of you were pulling for a sequel to 'A Broken Wing'…but my writing has changed so much since then, and I just can't do it. I don't think anyone is ever proud of his or her debut fic, but…it'd be too weird to re-visit it! So I hope you all enjoy this piece!
Disclaimer: Don't own them. Never will. Hail to Dick Wolf. And I also have no ties to any of the Catholic prayers/hymns used within this story. And I am in no way connected with the Bible…I've read most of it, but I'm not connected with it.
Spoilers: The Stabler factor that Scarry informed half the 16th precinct about. We all know what I mean.
Warning: As ever, I include Catholicism. What do you expect from a Catholic?
Dedication: Dedicated to garrettelliot, who encouraged me to write it.
St. Paul's Cathedral Queens, New York Sunday, March 6th, 9:40 AM
Elliot smiled, sitting in the front row at mass, watching his goddaughter, Martina Andreas, canter. He always felt the presence of God when he listened to her sing, but today, with streaks of sun hitting the stained glass windows of the cathedral, nature praising the Lord right along with Martina's sweet soprano voice…praising God felt natural.
"Hosanna in the highest." Martina finished, closing the music folder and walking to sit beside her family before the Eucharist. Her little sisters, Joy and Helena, aged six and eleven, gazed adoringly at the sixteen year old. She smiled down at them, sitting down beside Helena. Elliot kept his gaze on them, missing his own children. He and Kathy were godparents to all three of the Andreas sisters, and he was grateful for that.
He focused as the priest began the communion prayers…He'd heard these prayers so many times he could literally recite them in his sleep…which, according to Kathy, he had done once or twice.
He turned after the prayer to exchange "peace-be-with-you" with his fellow parishioners, when he noticed Martina walking towards him.
"Peace be with you." She offered.
"And you." He smiled down at her. "You sounded beautiful up there."
"Oh…" she blushed, "Thanks…you looked lonely. I decided to come sit with you."
Elliot smiled, embracing the teenager.
"That's sweet, Marty, thanks."
She smiled, sitting, her chestnut ringlets spiraling just past her shoulders. Elliot had always loved her smile. You could tell when it was fake and when it was real. When it was fake, to those who didn't know her, it would seem real; she was incredibly good at faking it. But when it was real, it lit up a room, as well as everyone in the room.
He noticed the St. Cecilia medal she was wearing. The patron saint of musicians and poets. He and Kathy had given it to her when she had been Confirmed, two years ago. She'd worn it every day since. He smiled back down at her, taking her hand between his as the congregation started to recite the Lord's Prayer. He silently thanked God for the Andreas family, and his own family.
Outside St. Paul's Cathedral Queens, New York March 6th, 10:20 AM
After twenty minutes of making polite conversation with parishioners, Martina filed out of mass, walking towards Elliot.
"Martina! Finally finish making the rounds?" He joked.
She groaned.
"I think I have the act of smiling and nodding as people list of prayer requests down to an art."
Elliot smiled and laughed. He knew she didn't mind. He also knew that she would indeed pray for every single request…she had a heart of gold.
"So, where's your sisters and your mom and dad?"
"Oh, I was helping Mrs. Sanders organize the blood drive. I didn't know how long I'd be, so I told them I'd walk home."
"I don't know how you manage giving blood, Martina."
"It's a tiny piece of metal that stings for maybe two seconds, and within that two seconds you do something that changes a life. Call me a dork, or a way too devout Catholic, but that kind of inspires me."
Elliot laughed again.
"I'll take you home, kiddo."
Manhattan Special Victims Unit Manhattan, New York March 7th, 10:50 AM
Olivia Benson walked into the squadroom, finishing her cappuccino. Whoever didn't think that coffee was a gift from God to man seriously needed to re-examine themselves. She had barely sat down at her desk when Cragen came out of his office.
"Benson, where's Stabler?"
"Stuck in traffic after driving a murder witness home."
"Well, I need you to go to Central Park. Missing persons case."
Olivia looked up, slightly shocked.
"Captain, why are we covering missing persons?"
Cragen sighed.
"Because missing persons decided that it was too emotional for them, and threw their crap on us. There were obvious sexual overtone because a pair of panties was found at the scene. The guy apparently abducted an entire family."
Olivia started to feel rage coming up.
"There were witnesses? How come no one helped them?"
Cragen sighed. That was a question worthy of debate. Along with all the other how's and why's that the detectives of SVU wondered in their day-to-day.
"The perp acted fast, and the family was in a secluded area. Uniforms are already interviewing witnesses."
Olivia sighed. Another day, another case. More pain. For her and the world. The least she could do was try to eliminate someone else's pain.
"I'll call Stabler, tell him to meet me there." She said, pulling on her coat.
Central Park Manhattan, New York March 7th, 11:20 AM
Elliot parked his car, jogging over to Olivia.
"'Liv. What's up?"
"Missing persons. Family of five. Witnesses said three daughters with their parents. Two younger looking ones, and an older one. The oldest one was brunette, the other two were blonde. One guy says he thought he recognized the older one from a play at some parish in Queens. Couldn't place a name. As for the parents…"
Olivia's voice faded into the background as Elliot envisioned his goddaughters. He had to stop thinking like that. That description probably fit about a hundred other families in New York City…and there were lots of parishes in Queens. But then…
Elliot noticed a glint of gold mixed in with the grass. He kneeled to pick it up, praying to God that he wasn't right. Praying that his worst nightmare wasn't coming true. It wasn't happening. It couldn't. Not to someone he knew and loved. God wouldn't let it happen. Would he?
It was an unanswered prayer.
"Olivia," He called, a hint of desperation in his voice.
"Ell? Did you find something?"
He turned over the St. Cecilia medal in his hands. His worst fear was confirmed. To Martina, Love Elliot and Kathy was engraved on the back.
"Oh my God! Oh my God! This isn't happening!"
"Elliot?"
"I know the family that's missing, Olivia. My…godchildren…"
"Elliot? Elliot? Okay, sit down," She offered, helping him to the ground.
Where were they? He'd spent his entire life praying that this wouldn't happen. His dearest friends, and children he'd watched grow up, were in the hands of God only knew who, with God only knew what happening to them. That's when he noticed the panties.
"Oh, God. A sex offender took them?"
"We don't know that," Olivia soothed. "Missing persons gave us the case because they couldn't handle it."
"And because there was a pair of panties. I'm not an idiot, Olivia!" He shouted, then realized what he was doing, "Sorry, Liv. It's not your fault."
"You do realize that Cragen's going to take you off the case, right?" Olivia offered quietly.
"Yes," He said. His eyes darkened, "Olivia. You have to find them."
"We will, Ell. We will." Olivia promised, knowing very well that she shouldn't be promising such a thing.
"Someone needs to tell Kathy…" He realized.
"Okay. Why don't we go tell her. And…I'll drive you home after we tell her…and I'll drive her to her mother's house if she needs me to…do you have a picture of the family that we can release to press?"
"Yes,"
"It might not be them, Elliot." Olivia offered. "What we have is circumstantial."
Elliot just shook his head. It was them. How could he deny it? There wasn't any point.
St. Monica's Hospital Queens, New York March 7th, 12:05 AM
Kathy Stabler leaned against the nurse's station, taking a quick break. The ER nurse had been on the job for three hours, and she was exhausted.
"Stabler, line one." She heard over the intercom.
Great…so much for a five-second break. She snatched up the phone.
"Yeah, this is Kathy."
"Your goddaughter isn't as innocent as she lets on, Mrs. Stabler."
"Who the hell is this?"
"That's for me to know…and you to pray to God to find out. I have the Andreas family here with me. Oh," a man's voice said, laughing sadistically, "I think the firstborn wants to say something."
"Kathy?" Martina cried, "Do something!"
"Martina?" Kathy called, "Martina?"
"Virgin Marty's quite a better lover than you'd think."
Kathy heard Martina scream and cry out, and her parents crying. She felt a gentle hand take the phone from her.
Never in her life had she been so glad to see Olivia Benson.
"Who is this?" Olivia demanded, "What do you want from the Andreas family?"
"It's not the Andreas's I'm mad at," the voice said, "Or maybe it is. Just one of them, specifically. And what do I want? I want her to suffer as much as she's made me suffer, the sick little bitch."
The phone slammed down in Olivia's ear, and she silently cursed the day God created the sick bastard who had been on the other line.
"I'm sorry, Elliot," She said quietly. "It's them."
Please review, everyone. I love your input! Please be constructive, but don't flame me.
