Chapter 8

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John and Fin returned to the station to find Cragen and Sara sitting in his office talking. There was an open container of licorice on the desk, something that Cragen always kept available in his office, and there was a book resting on Sara's lap. John couldn't help but smile when he heard his wife laugh.

"Hey John." Cragen said, looking up from Sara when he heard her husband enter the room.

"Hi. What's going on?" John asked, coming and sitting in the chair next to his wife.

"Talking about you. Were your ears burning?" Sara smiled at him.

"They usually are… is that my Warren Commission Report?" He asked, looking to the book that was on Sara's lap.

"Yeah, it was on your desk. Keep it around for some light reading?" She joked.

"Your wife has some interesting stories about you John."

"Oh she does?"

"It was interesting to find out where that picture of JFK on your desk came from."

"Ah yes, my youthful days in sighting riots." John sighed with a smile.

"You remember that far back?" Sara asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"Well you do."

"Where's Fin?" Cragen asked, noticing that Munch's partner hadn't followed him into the room.

"Making some calls. Olivia and Elliot didn't come back yet?"

"They called when they were leaving the prison. They should be back in a few minutes."

"Did they find anything concrete?"

"He came right out and admitted to doing it."

Sara had become extremely silent. She knew who they were talking about and what it was he had admitted to so freely. "Captain." Fin was standing in the doorway. "Olivia and Elliot are back."

"Tell them to come in here." Cragen replied. Sara was kind of amazed at how everyone in SVU could go from being a relaxed person to serious in hardly any time, her husband included.

"Are you sure you want to be in here for this?" John asked her, his hand was on top of hers that was still holding the book.

"Yeah, it's fine." She said, trying to make her voice sound nonchalant.

"What did you two find?" Cragen asked when the two detectives entered the room, Elliot closing the door behind them.

"Kline admitted to setting up the…" Olivia began

"Hit, he set up the hit." Sara said, trying to save Olivia from struggling for words.

"We think that he might have something else planned." Elliot said, he had picked up on Sara's aversion to being coddled at the moment. "The prison is going to send over Kline's phone records and a list of everyone who was just released that Kline had contact with."

"It might not be a good idea for you two to go back to your apartment. Especially if they already know where you live." Olivia suggested.

"There are a couple of places you could stay that are more secluded." Cragen suggested. "That way you wouldn't have to worry about anyone finding you."

John looked over to Sara who had just nodded in agreement. "I'll go make the arrangements." John said, standing up and leaving the office. Olivia and Elliot exchanged glances as Sara got up and followed him out of the room.

She went out into the main office and sat down at the chair next to her husband's desk and watched as he dialed the number. He was bothered by all of this. Not that he would ever vocalize these fears, he never would. John was vocal on every topic under the sun with the exception of things that frightened him.

John kept his eyes focused on his desk while he spoke with the receptionist for the hotel. He knew that his wife was watching him closely; he always knew when her eyes were focused on him. "Yeah thanks." He said, hanging up the phone.

"Everything taken care of?" Sara asked, looking down at the book she was still holding in her hands.

"Yeah, it's all taken care of."

"Good… I talked to Huang."

"Did it help at all?" John asked, finally making eye contact with her.

"I think so. He said it was a good idea to talk about everything."

"As much as I hate agreeing with a shrink, that is the best thing you can do. It doesn't help to keep this stuff pent up inside."

Sara put the book down on the desk and let her hand rest there. John took this hint and caught his wife's hand in his own. It was a small gesture but she knew that he was going to be there for her through this. "I'm going to go talk to Cragen and then we can get going."

"Alright." Sara nodded, giving his hand a squeeze before letting go so that he could walk to the office they had just come from. A few minutes later John returned to the desk and picked up his jacket from the back of his chair. Then turned off the small lamp on his desk.

"All set?"

"Yep." Sara stood up and waited while John put his suit jacket on. The two left the building and made their way to John's car. Sara got into the car and leaned her head back, closing her eyes with a sigh.

"Are you doing alright?"

"Fine, just exhausted. It's been a long day."

"Well, we'll swing by the apartment and then head over to the hotel." Sara just nodded, keeping her eyes closed. John watched his wife's moment of stillness then started the car. John was so concerned for his wife that he didn't notice right away that they were being followed…

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