Disclaimer - Maria Frank is my own creation. John Munch belongs to Law and Order: SVU, along with the other Law and Order named characters. Anyone else named is made up from the mind just for this fic.

Rubbing her temples firmly and trying to will away the mental pressure of what was ahead of her, Maria Frank braced her elbows on the table top and sighed. Since coming home with Huang at her side, she hadn't moved from the table chair for the passed few hours with the fear of what John was faced with. he had faced many twisted suspects in his life, but Kenneth was a nasty piece of work who would burrow deep under his flesh until Munch was ready to tear his flesh off just to get him out. Maria knew that feeling well, considering how much she was scratching at her arms every time she thought of the Greene's.

Hearing a key in the lock and the front door opening, she lifted her head to see John enter in and felt her heart beginning to pound hard in her chest just from seeing his sullen expression. "What happened?"

"He is a nasty creature, Mar," he answered with a heavy sigh once the door was shut. Nodding in George's direction, he removed his work jacket and hung in on the back of a table chair and slipped down in it, eying Maria's tea. "What kind is that?"

Waving her fingers in the direction of the box on the kitchen counter, she answered with, "Peppermint," as he took her mug and took a sip. "It's cold, but still affective."

"As long as it works, I don't care." He folded his arms on the table before resting his chin on them, letting out a long sigh. "I just want to forget this day."

"What happened?" Frank asked gently. Glancing up at Huang, she nodded her head and he took the chance to leave to give them some space. Last thing they needed was him watching their private conversation. "Did...he get to you?" When John didn't say anything, she reached a hand out and slipped his transitions off to see his eyes. When he glanced up at her without a word, she repeated her question softly. "What happened when you talked to him? I know you did."

Shifting his eyes to look in the other direction, his nostrils flared when he exhaled a breath and looked back at her. "How can you tell?"

"Easy. You wouldn't look so depressed and pissed at the same time." Maria scooted closer and ran her fingers through his hair slowly to help him calm down a little. "If you can't muster the strength to say anything, can you show me in some way?" He shrugged slightly and closed his eyes for several minutes before opening them. "Want to lay down instead?"

After a long pause, John nodded and slowly rose from the chair with Maria following suite. Once inside the bedroom, she watched him begin to remove his work clothes and stepped forward to help him. Grasping his hands in her's, she tilted her head slightly and saw the tears beginning to form in his eyes. "I'm sorry you had to deal with that piece of," he paused for a moment to inhale a deep breath to steady himself. "That piece of shit."

"I'm sorry you talked to him." She whispered back, touching his face gently. "I know you wanted to face him, but I'm still sorry." Munch nodded his head slowly in understanding and looked down at their hands, swallowing heavily. "What would you like me for to do for you? You helped me bring it all out and now I want to help you in return."

Raising his head to look at her properly, John cracked a very small smile and muttered, "Make love?"

"Maybe, but that will have to wait. I can't bring myself to make love with you yet. Not after what we dealt with today, but maybe in a few days. Does that work for you?" Maria explained and smiled when he smiled, agreeing with her. "What else is there you want?"

"If we can't make love, how about we lay together with nothing between us? I promise I'll be good."

Staring into his eyes and seeing how honest he was being, Frank placed her hand on the side of his head and whispered, "I can't resist those puppy-dog eyes of yours. Of course we can do that. We can cuddling and talk, cuddle and not talk, or just lay entangled together until we fall asleep." She closed her eyes when he rested his forehead against her's. "Love you, John."

Giving her a tight smile, John wrapped his arms securely around her and nuzzled her neck. "Love you, too."

M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M

Barely three in the morning, Munch laid awake with Maria in his arms as he thought over the events from that day. He couldn't understand how someone would take in helpless children without love in the world and abuse them. Somewhere out there was a biological son to the couple and he didn't have a clue where he was. Tracing her bare back under his fingers and hearing Kenneth's words rolling around in his head, he could finally understand the fear and hate she held for him and his wife. For a few minutes, he closed his eyes in an attempt to get some sort of rest, but it harder then he really thought.

He gently moved Maria's sleeping body off of him and sat up. Maybe if he had some hot tea to mull over his worrying thoughts, he would get a chance. Before he had a chance to even tie off his robe, his cellphone went off on his side table. Glancing down at the caller ID, he frowned slightly and flipped it open. "What?" He listened for a moment before his frown became more prominent. "Say that again?"

"Someone broke into the children home and kidnapped a little girl. The perp matches the Greene's son right down to a T. The little girl was due to move into the Greene's house next week." Don's voice repeated rather quickly as he began juggling a few things. "We don't know where he is or where he could be hiding, but the suspects might. Kenneth isn't saying anything, but requested to see Maria before telling us."

"And you really think that's a good idea?"

Cragen sighed into the phone. "John, I know you're protecting her, but this might be the way to do it. Liv couldn't get anything from him, Elliot was pulled out before he slaughtered the man and Fin was barely able to get a word out before the racial slurs started. Mary's not talking, but Kenneth requested to talk to Maria."

Munch softly groaned and looked where she was laying down. She looked so peaceful as she slept and he began worrying about her mental health when she would hear the news. Contemplating it for a few more seconds, he agreed. "Okay, fine. We'll be there in twenty." Closing his phone and partially laying on the bed, he slowly ran his fingers through her hair and began to wake her gently. "Mar? I need you to wake up, hun."

Frank moaned in her sleep and rolled over, her back to him. When he called her name again and began to rub her back firmly to get her moving, Maria slowly pushed herself up and glanced over her shoulder. "What?"

"Don called. A little girl was kidnapped from the Children's home who was due to be placed into the Greene's care." Her eyes went huge and she grasped his arm firmly with one hand. "Shhh. Everyone's looking for her, but Kenneth isn't saying anything except he wants to talk to you."

"Why me?"

"I don't know. He probably knows where the little girl is, but he's not saying anything. Mary's keeping quiet." He ran his fingers through her hair and tucked a dark strand behind her ear. "Please? Can you do this?"

Heavily swallowing and fighting the rising panic attack in the pit of her gut, Maria fought over her wanting to run away and her wanting to face the bastard for the first time in a long time. "Okay, I'll do it."

M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M

Walking into the squad room and seeing every known person was scrambling around in an attempt to find the little girl. Don whistled for their attention and waved them into his office. "Kenneth isn't talking, but he keeps saying your name," he pointed at Maria, "and that's it."

"What do I do? What do you want me to do?"

"Face him. Tell him what you've been wanting to tell him all your life if you want to. He doesn't want a lawyer and he believes he's innocent in the whole thing." He shoved his hands into his pockets and stood close to the woman. "Give him your fury. Unleash it all within words."

Inhaling a deep breath and releasing as slow as possible, Maria closed her eyes for a moment to think. Feeling a hand on her back and John firmly rubbing to help relax her a little, Frank opened her eyes and glanced in the direction of the interrogation room that connected to Don's office. In the room, staring at the one-way mirror, was Kenneth. "I want to face him, but I don't want to face him at the same time. I hate him more then anything in the world, but I fear him, too."

John leaned close to her and whispered, "Stop turning away from him. You faced your rapist, you faced the abuse and torture you went through for five hours and you survived. Since that was dealt with, you have become a much better and stronger person then Kevin ever was. Face Kenneth, help find the little girl and lock away this part of your past so you can become even stronger." She turned her head to look into his eyes and saw he meant his words. "You can do this. Unleash it all onto him with words, sweetie."

Turning to look back at Kenneth sitting cuffed at the table, she felt her anger beginning to rise for the missing girl and their history together. "Alright. I'll do it, but don't step in unless you feel like you need to. If I attempt to kill him to get that information, then you can step in."

Don nodded and turned on the speaker. "Okay. Try not to take too long, though. Time is very important and the sooner you get that information, the sooner we can find the child."

"Got it." Maria walked out of his office, inhaled a deep breath and slowly opened the door to the room.

Kenneth slowly turned his head in her direction and gave her a small smirk. "Ah, Maria. Pretty, precious Maria. My perfect and favorite foster child. You look well," He whispered slowly and with a hint of chilling sweetness.

"And you're still the slimy piece of shit as I remember," She whispered back with the same tone.

He shook his head and wiggled a finger at her. "Tsk. Tsk. Such language to come from that beautiful mouth."

Walking forward and placing her hands on the table, Frank began to lean in with a dangerous expression on her face. Her eyes were on fire. "Kenneth," she began very softly and something flashed in Greene's eyes that made her lean in even more. "Where do I put my hate?"

He swallowed heavily.

To be continued...
Sorry this took so long. Been very, very busy and have had very little time to do anything with this and a few others I'm tackling.