Author's Notes: Just taking the characters and song out to play. This song is one of may all-time favourites, so I had to fit it into this story somewhere.
To recap: September: Olivia and Elliot dance at the Ball
October: Elliot tells Olivia he is taking leave
November: Still no news of Elliot for Olivia – the captain knows though.
December: Christmas came and went, still no Elliot.
January: Stefan has his own ideas about their case and he and Olivia end up shot.
February: Olivia's recovery is assisted by a visit from Elliot.
March: Desk bound thanks to Cragen, Olivia realises she's was the only one who doesn't know the truth
April: Olivia is investigating and when she can't do it from work, she takes leave.
Thanks for the great reviews – much appreciated.
May
Look into my eyes - you will see
What you mean to me
Search your heart - search your soul
And when you find me there you'll search no more
Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
Look into your heart - you will find
There's nothin' there to hide
Take me as I am - take my life
I would give it all - I would sacrifice
Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more
Ya know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
There's no love - like your love
And no other - could give more love
There's nowhere - unless you're there
All the time - all the way
Oh - you can't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more
I would fight for you - I'd lie for you
Walk the wire for you - ya I'd die for you
Ya know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
Olivia's first phone call of the morning was to the Police Department of Jackson, Mississippi, after all this is where Stefan was from. They hadn't heard of him and couldn't help. So, she phoned the police academies in several nearby states but they could not provide any assistance. Four days and fifty three phone calls and there was no trace of Stefan Jorgensen in the Police Departments of thirteen states. Realising this line of investigation could take her forever, she phoned Dean Porter and arranged a meeting.
Late on a Tuesday night he knocked on the door. Olivia quickly ushered him in.
"Ol…" Dean began before she cut him off.
"It's Emma…when I'm here…"
"Sorry, Emma what's going on?"
Olivia grabbed two bottles of water from the bar fridge and they sat in the corner armchairs.
"Dean, can I trust you?" she asked quietly.
"Of course. Are you in trouble?"
"No, I don't think so, but I need help and their's no one else I can turn to."
"What do you need?"
Olivia retrieved the files she had placed in the room safe.
"Elliot has been MIA since November…he's working on something and no one will tell me anything…" she began.
"What makes you think that?" Dean asked cautiously.
"I just know it. Elliot came to see me in hospital after I was injured and said he couldn't tell me. Everyone else seems to know something and they won't tell me. I have a new partner, Stefan Jorgensen," she paused and pulled out a photo. "There's something amiss there."
"What do you mean?" Dean asked scanning the picture.
"I can't put my finger on it but I just don't think he's who he says he is."
"Who does he say he is?"
"A twenty nine year old from Mississippi. He's supposed to be on secondment to SVU so he can set up a similar unit in Jackson."
"And what makes you think he's not."
"No Police Department in Mississippi has heard of him. No PD in thirteen states has heard of him. Births, Deaths and Marriages has no Stefan Jorgensen which fits his details and no passport records exist in his name."
"So, we have a mystery man?" Dean leaned back in the armchair.
"We do. Can you help me?"
"Yeah. What else do you need?"
"Information on Elliot."
"Any details?"
"No, just that I don't think he's too far away. Whatever he's doing is big – he hasn't contacted his family in six months. He's given up everything for this case – I just want to know what it is."
"That's understandable," said Dean jotting down his own notes.
"Anything else?"
Olivia picked up the Palosso file. "Stefan had a strange reaction when he looked at this file." She handed Dean the file. "I'm looking for a connection."
Dean made a few more notes before promising Olivia he would do his best and be in touch. With someone finally on her side, Olivia had the first good night's sleep in months.
A week later, armed with countless records garnered at the library and endless hours on the internet, Olivia had more details than she could handle. What she needed now was the key to unlock the mystery contained within them.
The knocking on the door surprised her and she drew her gun.
"Who is it?" she called.
"Emma, it's me, Dean," he called through the door.
Olivia looked through the peephole before opening the door.
"I brought Chinese food." He lifted up the plastic bag. "And these – and they are very interesting I might add." He waved the file in his hand.
"Start with the food," Olivia said, "I'm starving – I forgot to eat lunch."
"You forgot?"
"Yeah, I got caught up in all this…" She gestured to the three piles behind her on the bed.
Dinner was quickly consumed and cleared away before the paperwork was presented.
"What did you find?" she asked, grabbing her notepad.
"That you were right. You're partner does not exist, by that name anyway. I contacted a few people and it seems your man is a private investigator by the name of Luke P…"
"Palosso?" Olivia said.
"Yes indeed. He is the twin of your murdered police woman. He's spent the last seven years searching for her killer."
"So why's he here?" Olivia was stunned.
"Haven't quite figured that one out yet…but…" Dean paused.
"But?"
"But he is connected to Elliot…"
"How do you know?"
"Dumped his phone records and Elliot's cell phone comes up at least three times a week since November, except when Stefan / Luke was in hospital."
"Any other numbers come up?"
"Yeah, Cragen, Munch, Tutuola, Novak, the local pizza place…the only number which appears irregularly is yours."
"Does that information tell you where Elliot is?" Olivia asked hopefully.
"Not exactly but I've got someone working on it."
"Find anything about what he's doing?"
"Not yet."
Olivia took a long drink of water, Stefan was Luke and he was a PI. He was the twin of a murdered cop. Elliot was still gone but she now knew he spoke to Stefan regularly.
"Is Elliot investigating the Palosso case?" Olivia finally asked.
"It would make sense, wouldn't it?" Dean asked.
"No, Elliot and I were investigating that one. Why put a PI undercover as a cop? I don't get it."
"Luke Palosso also has a background in martial arts and in personal protection. My guess is he's meant to be your bodyguard."
"My bodyguard? Really?"
"Yeah, and you taking medical leave definitely put a huge spanner in the works."
"How do you know that?" Olivia dropped her pencil onto her pad.
"Because every cop on the beat has seen a photo of you and are looking for you. Cragen has a car sitting out the front of your building and there are thirty seven messages on your answering machine."
"Oh," she sighed deeply, "so what do we do now?"
"Now, it's…" Dean looked at his watch, "nearly two. I think we call it a night. I have a few more results to come in, so sit tight for a few days and I'll be back Friday."
In Olivia's mind, Friday seemed to take too long to come. She took some time to rest in the intervening days but the case at hand was never far from her thoughts.
True to his word, Dean returned promptly at seven.
"Emma, I have good and bad news…" he started, closing the door behind him.
"What is it?" Olivia asked impatiently.
"I know where Elliot is, I know what he's doing now and…"
"Is that the good or bad?"
"It's both. He's been critically injured."
Olivia was on her feet. "Take me to him."
"Liv," Dean grabbed her arm. "Until I know what he's been up to I don't know how safe…"
"Damn being safe, I need to see him."
"Liv, it may be putting you or him in danger. It could just make matters a whole lot worse."
"Worse than him being critical? Worse than me being in hiding? I don't think so. Look, Dean, you've got to get me in to see him. I don't care how."
It was half past two in the morning when Olivia slipped into Elliot's room. His head was swathed in bandages, two IV drips went into his arms. The monitors recorded every effort his body was making to get through this ordeal. Dean stood guard having flashed his FBI badge and gained assurances from the night shift this visit would not be mentioned.
"Hey Elliot," Olivia said quietly, standing by his bedside. His eyes didn't open. "Elliot," she said again, taking his hand and kissing it. She clasped it tightly and perched on the bed. With her other hand she ran her fingers down his cheek. She felt the rough gauze protecting a head wound,then bent down and kissed his lips.
"Liv?" he mumbled, eyes flickering.
"Yes, Elliot, I'm here." She kissed him again.
"Liv?" he mumbled again and this time his eyes stayed open. "Liv?"
"Hey there, what have you done to yourself?" She asked, tears pooling in her chocolate eyes.
"Car wreck…what are you doing here?"
"Making sure you're okay." Her fingers stayed gently on his cheek.
"I'm okay…you can't be here, Liv. It's not safe…how did you know…" Elliot said, breathless with the effort.
"I have contacts of my own. Elliot, I need to know what the connection is between you and Stefan."
"Stefan?" His eyes fluttered and closed, he didn't want to go there.
"Stefan, my partner, or should I say Luke Palosso." Elliot's eyes popped open and he tried to sit up. Buzzers sounded on the monitor, alarming them both.
"No, Elliot, you can't get up! Lay back down." Olivia put her hands on his shoulders and he had no strength to fight her, he slumped back into the bed.
"Liv, how did you find out? What do you know?" His blue eyes were opened wide in fright.
"I know you need to tell me the truth."
Elliot sighed deeply, he wasn't in any state to tell her any of the details. He couldn't until he was in a position to protect her, especially as she was on leave and Stefan was useless. "Liv, one day soon I will tell you everything but…"
"No, Elliot, today, now…you have been gone six months, you've put your life on hold. I've had a partner-come-bodyguard. He's the twin brother of a murder victim we investigated and, with one exception, everyone in my life is lying to me."
"Liv, " Elliot whispered, "all you need to know now...is everything I do, I'm doing it for you."
He closed his eyes and drifted off into a sleep and medication induced slumber. Dean came in. "Liv, time to go. Did you get what you needed?"
"What I needed? No. What I wanted? Yes." She gently kissed his cheek and slipped out into the night.
Author's Notes: There may be a delay putting the next few chapters up, I am trying to catch up with the three weeks of work I recently missed being sick. I will try my best and am very appreciative of the reviews and support for this one, especially from Sam.
