Chapter1: It Was a Dark and Stormy Night...

Rain splattered the windows of the Manhattan Police Precinct. Above, ominous dark clouds penetrated the grey sky and a large clap of thunder shook the building. Lightening lit the sky and the lights suddenly flickered.

"Damn it!" Detective John Munch shouted from his desk. He took his tough hand and smacked the side of the computer. "Stupid storm's messing with the electricity!"

"Relax, Munch," Detective Elliot Stabler laughed from his own desk. "It's supposed to pass soon."

The room rang with the crash of thunder, and the lights suddenly flickered and ceased. Detective Munch opened his mouth to swear again, but Detective Fin Tutuola shouted "Shut up, John!" before he could say anything. Police Captain Cragen suddenly came out of his office, carrying flashlights.

He tossed them to Munch and Elliot, who handed them out to the other officers. Soon, the precinct was lit with candles and dim flashlights.

"That's better," Elliot announced, returning to his desk.

"Yeah, maybe for you," Munch replied. "I just lost my entire DD5! I have to start all over!"

"Poor Munch," Fin laughed, lighting a candle by the window.

"Has anyone seen Benson?" the captain suddenly asked.

"No," Elliot announced. He checked his watch. "She went out earlier, didn't say what for."

"She didn't take you with her?" Fin asked, raising a brow.

Elliot shook his head. "I was buried in paperwork and she didn't want me to lose my mojo. She promised she'd be back soon though."

"When was that?" Cragen asked.

"Five o'clock," Elliot replied. "It's only five thirty, Captain."

"No, Elliot," Munch replied. "It's six thirty. She's been out for an hour and a half."

Elliot tapped his watch, annoyed.

"Stabler," Captain Cragen snapped, "where is Benson?"

Elliot looked up at Cragen nervously.

"I don't know."

Detective Olivia Benson found herself sprinting through the pouring rain, trying desperately not to slip on the wet road. Behind her she could hear large footsteps pounding behind her, and she didn't dare turn around.

"Come on, Benson!" he shouted behind her. "That all you got?"

She turned the corner, grabbing a stop sign to steady herself as she turned the corner and leapt up onto the sidewalk. Come on, Benson, she urged herself. Just a few more blocks…

Her heart was pounding inside her chest, and her lungs were burning with the effort as her feet slapped the wet concrete. Behind she could still hear the perp chasing her, and her blood rushed in her ears. Just a few more blocks!

Her soaked brunette hair was plasterd to her neck and face, but Olivia dared not use her energy to move it, not while she still had a ways to go. Wind blew into her face, sending the raindrops into her eyes and nearly blinding her. But she didn't care, all she had to do was make it to the precinct and he wouldn't be able to follow her any more. Then she would be safe.

Ahead, her heart leapt as she saw the familiar building come into view. She was almost there! She just had to reach the door. Olivia raced up the steps as thunder crashed overhead, and she ran up to the glass doors. She punched in the code and pulled on the doors, but they didn't budge. Shit. The power was out.

"Open up!" she panted desperately, pounding her fists on the wet glass and trying to catch her breath to yell. "It's Detective Benson, open up!" She turned around; the figure had caught up. "HELP!"

"I'm coming for you, Benson!" the figure laughed, nearly singing it with amusement, as he approached the stairs.

Olivia reached for her gun holster and suddenly realized she had left her gun in the car. Idiot! she thought. Of all the times to forget your gun-

The perp laughed meniacly as he began as he began to climb the stairs, drawing Olivia back to her reality.

"HELP ME!" Olivia cried again desperately, bashing her fists on the glass door. Maybe she could break the glass. "OPEN UP! HELP!"

To her relief, an officer approached the door and opened it. Olivia collapsed into his arms, and the officer held tight so she wouldn't fall. He looked around in astonishment as a drenched figure sprinted down the stairs and out onto street, only looking over his shoulder once he was turning the corner.

"You okay, miss?" he asked as she got to her feet.

"Y-yes," she stammered, her teeth chattering. She got shakily to her feet and tried to regain her composure. "I'm f-fine. J-just…. don't tell anyone. Ok-kay?"

"Sure," he replied. He put his hand on her shoulder as she let out a great sneeze. "Let's get you inside, okay?"

"I'm okay," she assured him. She sniffed and fixed her hair. "I'm going up to my office."

The officer nodded and Olivia sighed as she began to climb the stairs up to the fourth floor. Only pausing once to compose herself and make sure her teeth were no longer chattering, she steped through the door. When she finally got to the squad room she knew she was a sight to behold. The dimly lit squad room seemed to flicker with the candlelight, and as Olivia dripped over to her desk Elliot raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"Where have you been?" he inquired as she sat at her desk.

"Getting more information on my case," she replied calmly. She began to go through her files. "Why?"

"You took a long time," he answered. "We were beginning to get worried."

"Sure you were," she smiled.

There was an awkward silence.

"You look like you've been running," Elliot suddenly announced.

Olivia flinched.

"Do I now?" she smiled awkwardly, not looking up from her files.

"I've worked with you long enough, Liv," he answered. "So what happened? And don't try to lie because you know it won't work."

"I took a run down the street," she answered simply. "Is that bad?"

"Why were you running?" he asked her.

"Is that any of your business?" Olivia snapped.

She grabbed up her paperwork and stalked over to a table by the door. She then began to go over her work again, and Elliot sighed. Something was up with Olivia, and he had to know what.