He woke, his breath harsh with the gripping fear that his nightmare had caused. His cell phone continued to ring irritatingly, but he ignored to run a gentle, loving hand over Kathy's exposed shoulder, taking comfort that she was still there. Too often he had dreams about Kathy or Kathleen or either of his other children be kidnaped, raped, murdered, or otherwise threatened. The cell phone beside him silenced, but two seconds later the home phone beside him shrilled out, causing him to jump. He moaned, glaring at the phone. He had not had a thorough night's sleep in the past week. Kathy had stopped preparing the coffee for him- he had left in a rush every night that week. The phone seemed to get louder with every ring. It was now on it's third. Kathy groaned and flapped a hand at Elliot.

"Just answer it," she mumbled in a slurred, sleepy way. Elliot slapped his hand down on the phone and picked it up with a force.

"Stabler," he growled into the receiver.

"Elliot, it's Olivia," his partner greeted in a hurried voice. "The Browns case has a heads up. We have to get to Maria Stonn's house now."

"Stonn," Elliot fumbled with this tired mind to figure out who she was talking about. "Maria...Sarah's mother?"

"Someone called in and said Craig Browns had a child and a woman with him, but Maria is still in the lock up."

"What?" Elliot snapped, sitting up in the bed. "I thought we released Maria last night. She was supposed to have Sarah back by the end of the night." He threw the covers off now, his adrenaline pumping. His mind raced. Sarah was supposed to go back to Maria that night after false accusation of sexual abuse had been dropped. Craig Browns had been looked at, but his alibi had been vouched for and they had lost him. Elliot had hated the man on sight, but he and Olivia had been stuck against the wall, unable to prove anything of their gut feelings. "How the hell did Craig get hold of Sara?" he spat, struggling to jerk his pants on with the phone between his head and shoulder.

" He used a false ID. Claimed to be the uncle," Olivia answered sharply. She was somewhat out of breath, and her voice was inconsistent. He figured she was shoving herself into clothes as well.

"And now he's got both of them. You've got to be kidding me!" Elliot cursed, throwing aside his undershirt and worked himself into his dress shirt. "I'll kill Briscoe. What did he think he was doing not matching Ids?"

"He did- somehow Browns got a fake card...shit!" Olivia cursed and he heard something heavy fall in the background. Tossing his shoes on, he twisted around, attempting to fin his black shoes in the dark, tangling himself in the phone wire. "And now he has her."

"Fuck," Elliot hissed, shoving his last foot into the shoe. "I'll be there."

"Alright, go! Go!"

The door was slammed down as the team broke the lock and three uniforms accompanied Elliot and Olivia as they rushed into the apartment, guns drawn. Th apartment was pitch dark but for the moonlight that leaked through the cracked blinds.

"Search every room, every closet!" Olivia demanded. The uniforms split, heading for the living areas. Elliot and Olivia trotted towards the bedrooms. They split, Elliot going or the child's room. He swung the door open with force, aiming his gun for the kill. There was nothing hinting that Craig Browns had any weapon, but h wanted dearly a chance to at least maim the man for his unjustified crimes- no matter how unethical it was of him. He was disappointed to find nothing in the room, even after searching under the bed, despite the fact that it was much to small to fit-

"Get your hands on your head, now!"

He heard his partner's distinctive, strong voice and rushed into the master bedroom, hissing and screeching to a halt at the scene. His gun dropped in surprise. There were three people in the bedroom, as expected, two of which belonged. A third did not.

Craig Browns was sitting upon the bed, the seven year old Sarah beside him, crying softly. But the third party was a girl Elliot had never seen before, no older than twelve, kneeled low beside Brown's hips, her hair tangled about his fingers.

"Let her go, now," Elliot growled viciously, stepping forward and re-aiming his gun as Olivia stepped forward and swept Sarah up in her arms, hugging her to her breast lovingly. Slowly, Browns released the unknown girl's hair and raised his hands. "Come on, sweetheart," Elliot motioned to the girl to step away from the man. With an almost bored look, the child stood and walked away from the bed without blinking, stopping in the doorway behind him. Elliot moved forward and hand Browns twisted into the cuffs in a smooth motion.

"I'd merandize you, but we just did that a few days ago, didn't we, you bastard?"

"You don't have anything on me," Browns spat, glaring back at Elliot.

"Really?" Olivia smirked, still cradling the sobbing child to her chest. "We've got molestation, inappropriate sexual acts with a child, endangering a child, neglect...do you want me to go on?"

The Uniforms had swarmed in now, and Elliot handed him off to their lead. The man was led out cursing and spitting, but Elliot ignored him. He sunk down before the strange girl, searching her features, but he did not recognize her.

"What's your name, honey?" he asked gently. His eyes searched the girl's willing her to know he wasn't going to hurt her. He flinched inside as the child stared back without emotion, neither fearing nor trusting him. He had seen terrified children, children broken and shattered, but never had he ever seen one so completely dead inside. Now he had met a child without a soul.

"Christine," she answered simply, staring back into his eyes with cold orbs.

"Christine. That's pretty," he said wit a gentle smile. "What's your last name?" The girl shook her head. "Come on sweet heart. Tell me your last name." Again the girl shook her head.

"I don't have one." Eliot laughed ever so lightly.

"Come on, sure you do. What's your mother's or father's last name?"

"I don't have them. I don't know. Charlie take care of me?"

"Ok, who is Charlie?"

"He's my patron."

"Your patron?" Elliot asked, frowning. His gut coiled. He knew where this was going. She nodded. "Meaning he pays for your food and gives you to...guys like him?" He jerked his head in in the direction Browns had left. She nodded again. He allowed his head to sink, and he took deep breath. "Ok, honey. I'm going to take you with us. We'll take care of you, and you don't have to let men touch you for food." The girl said nothing, staring blankly, uncaring. "Ok?"

The girl shrugged.