DISCLAIMER: I don't own Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. That'd be Dick Wolf and NBC. I'm just borrowing the characters, and I promise to return them by midnight, fed, clean, and unharmed. Mostly.

1:03 P.M.

Olivia blew her nose quietly and leaned back in her chair. She was exhausted, and still had a mountain of paperwork to go through. She'd had a conversation with George just a few minutes before about her nightmare, and it was less than encouraging. He was concerned. She didn't need that now, not when everyone else was working overtime to make sure that she was safe, putting themselves on the line and tip-toeing around her whenever a break in the case came up that might upset her.

And now, with this White Rabbit thing looming over them, she just wanted it all to be over. Part of her wished the bastard would show up just so she could know who it was, wanted him dead so he couldn't hurt anyone else. That part of her was anxious to go undercover as bait and find the guy so he'd just get it over with. But another part of her (the part that she was ashamed of) wished he would just go back to the pit he crawled out of so she could go home and get some goddamn sleep. Even if it was just for a blessed few hours. She was so tired. And hungry, now that she thought about it.

Olivia's cell phone rang just as she was getting ready to head out for lunch with Elliot to a Mexican place up the street. She groaned inwardly, coughed, and answered it.

"Benson..."

"Ms. Benson, this is Todd over at Mitts 'n' Pawz," a boy replied. He couldn't have been more than sixteen.

"Hi, Todd," Olivia replied.

"Yeah, hi. Listen, we got that puppy in you was asking about."

Olivia wiped her nose with a tissue and smiled.

"Great! When can I pick her up?" she asked, excitedly.

"Well, listen, you gotta come get her now, 'cuz there's some guy here wants her for his kids."

Olivia leaned down and picked up her purse.

"I'm on my way," she replied.

"Whoopee," the kid mocked.

Olivia snapped her phone closed and hurried to the door.

"Hey," she called over her shoulder to John and Fin. "Tell Elliot I have to go pick up my new dog."

Fin looked up nervously.

"You goin' to Mitts 'n' Pawz?" he asked warily.

"Yeah," she replied, pausing. "Why?"

Fin stood.

"I'm comin' with you. You shouldn't be goin' out there by yourself."

Olivia rolled her eyes and coughed again.

"I'll be fine, Fin. What's the guy going to do, pretend to be a dog and hop in my backseat?" She turned and walk out of the squad-room, bumping into Paxton in the door way. The older woman glared at her. Olivia saw the image of the dead A.D.A. on her floor, a bullet wound in her chest and Elliot standing over her with the gun that killed her. She felt like she was going to be sick. She mumbled an apology and hurried away, leaving a bewildered Sonya in her wake.

Two hours later, she wandered back in carrying a small yellow Labrador puppy wearing a purple harness. She had her head bent down to it and was cooing while it licked her face lovingly. She laughed when it licked her nostril.

"Okay, Sasha," she called to the puppy, putting the dog on her desk and sitting down in her chair. "It's time for me to do some paperwork, so let's get you settled in!" Olivia pulled a matching leash out her purse and laced the metal clip-on part around the leg of her desk, then through the loop of the handle. She clipped it to the ring on the dog's harness and handed her new companion a treat.

"What is that?" Cragen asked, coming up behind her with his hands thrust in his pockets.

Olivia turned and brushed her hair behind her eyes.

"Ah, Captain, that is a puppy. You know, an infant canine?" she joked with a grin.

Cragen cleared his throat and crossed his arms.

"Yeah, I can see that, Olivia. What the hell is it doing in my squad-room?"

The puppy wandered over and snuffled at his shoes. Olivia beamed like a proud mama.

"She's my new dog, Cap. Her name is Sasha."

"Well, she's adorable, Olivia, but she can't stay here." Even while her captain was talking, she could see he was softening. He knelt down to the puppy and patted her head.
"Are you sure?" Olivia taunted. "You look like your enjoying her company."

Cragen didn't answer right away. He couldn't. Sasha was licking his face with such ferocity the gruff man couldn't open his mouth to respond. Olivia had to stop herself from laughing. The phone on her desk began to ring.

She composed herself and answered it.

"Benson," she chirped, turning her back to the two playmates behind her.

"I've been watching you," a voice whispered into the phone.

The smile fell off of Olivia's face. She began to shake.

"Who is this?"

"I love your new dog. She's very cute. Sasha, is it?"

Olivia tapped her captain on the shoulder.

"No, Olive Tree, let the man play with the dog. He hardly ever has any fun."

Olivia froze. She snapped her head up, looked round.

By this time, Cragen could tell something was up. He stood and looked at her concernedly, then turned on his heel and stalked to his office to call TARU for a trap and trace.

"Oh, what a shame," the voice cooed sympathetically. "By the time he gets back, there won't be anything to trace."

"Wait, just talk to me a bit longer," Olivia crooned seductively, trying her best not to gag into the phone and give herself away. "You're intriguing me."

"Don't try to play with me, Olivia," the voice hissed angrily. "It may be the last thing you do." The phone call ended quickly, leaving Olivia shaking not with fear, but with rage. She slammed the receiver down loudly, startling Sasha. The poor thing backed away from her slightly.

Olivia crouched down slowly and reassured her pet.

"Hey, honey, everything is okay." She stroked Sasha until they both felt calmer. "If he doesn't show himself soon, though, I'm going to hunt him out and skin him. He'd make a nice addition to the Cap'n's office, huh?"

The dog yapped excitedly in agreement.