Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the SVU, but I do own the plot and Xing.

Author's Note: Sorry for the unforgivably late update, I've been really busy lately, but I'll try my best to update regularly. I honestly think my teachers are trying to kill me with tests and homework. Anyway, enjoy! Read and review please!

Huang left a sleeping Xing with Elliot and Olivia and returned to the Bureau. Xing shifted restlessly, face pinching and drawing taut with tension. Elliot tightened his arms around her, letting his steady heartbeat calm her. Olivia was in the office with Cragen, explaining what happened. Cragen and Olivia came out of Cragen's office together and came towards him, "Elliot, you and Olivia head home, Xing needs time to calm down."

"The doc said that she would probably insist on doing the line-up if we tell her we caught the perp, what should do, Cap?" Cragen gave Xing's sleeping form a long look and exhaled deeply, "When she wakes up tomorrow and you think she should be all right, then tell her, but if she doesn't get a good night's sleep tonight, I'll let the DA know that our witness can't do line-up yet." Elliot nodded and cradled Xing more firmly in his arms as he stood up. Olivia grabbed his coat and covered Xing with it, shrugging her coat on and wrapping her scarf around Elliot's neck.

"I want to kill that bastard," Elliot fumed as the trio quickly closed the distance to Elliot's car. Olivia slid into the back and Elliot carefully handed Xing to her. He started the engine and waited a couple minutes for the car to warm up.

Olivia brushed a lock of hair off Xing's rosy cheek. Her heart lodged in her throat as she remembered how pale they'd been in the asshole's office. Hugging Xing closer, she inhaled the clean smell of baby shampoo that Dr. Lambert had had the nurses go out to get for Xing. Her own sweet scent mingled with the shampoo, that unique child scent. She wondered how this little girl had found her way to their hearts in a few short months and how important she'd become to the SVU family; she was truly a daughter of the SVU.

Alex flipped furiously through the lone file in the center of her desk, frowning. She wanted to put that stupid fart in jail; Xing had been so terrified. Alex would never forget the look on her face when Smith had snarled, or the tension coiled in her small frame. She'd clung to Huang like a lifeline; she'd somehow sensed that he was the only semi-calm one of those present. Thinking of the ugly bruise on Xing's fragile arm, the shimmering tears she'd refused to let fall, and the quivering limbs, Alex wanted to punch hole in Smith's face.

"ADA Cabot, midnight snack delivery." Alex looked up to see one of her favorite people leaning against the doorjamb, holding up a plastic bag of food. She grinned like a Cheshire Cat, "I love you." Munch rolled his eyes as usual and walked over to her desk, handing her the bag and taking a seat across from her. Folding his hands over his nonexistent belly, he patiently watched her dig into the tacos he'd gotten for her.

"Hungry much?"

"I've been busy," Alex replied succinctly, indicating the open books and file on her desk. Munch leaned forward to look at the books, "I can see that." Alex continued to gobble down the greasy taco as she poured over the information on her computer. Munch asked for no explanation, years as a detective and knowing Alex told him that if she wanted to explain she would.

The two of them sat in comfortable silence, the whirring of the computer fan in the background. Munch couldn't help but feel proud though; that was his Alex, focused till the end. His girlfriend was so different from his four ex-wives, they were both workaholics so she understood when he had to pull an all-nighter, she'd usually be right there beside him as well.

Fin shut the front door quietly; it was already midnight, the girls would be sleeping soundly in their beds. So would Melinda. The thought of his wife and his children brought a tired, but genuine, smile to Fin's lips. Toeing his shoes off in the foyer, he moved smoothly through the dark into the kitchen. He switched on the light and smiled at the plate of food lovingly arranged by his daughters.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a hand on his shoulder. His wife's touch and scent made him sigh contentedly. She guided him into a chair and put the plate in the microwave to heat.

Setting the plate in front of him, Melinda gently kneaded the knots in his shoulders, "Hard day?"

"Just a lot of dead ends and paperwork. How are the girls?"

"Sleeping like babies. They missed their daddy, they wanted to wait for you, but they knew you had to work."

"I'm sorry, baby, I'll try to make it back for dinner tomorrow night." Melinda slid her arms around his broad shoulders and kissed his cheek, "We both have crazy jobs, you don't have to apologize."

"I love you, Melinda Warner. Go back to bed; I'll be there as soon as I finish."

"Love you too, don't stay up too late." Fin watched his wife climb the stairs slowly, heard the quiet creak to the girls' door and knew she was checking on their little angels.

Alex was so absorbed in her work that she completely forgot that Munch was sitting on the other side of the desk. She'd been concentrating so hard that she didn't realize the time. By the time she looked up, Munch had fallen asleep, slumped in his chair. She glanced at the clock and realized with a start that it was 2 in the morning. Rubbing the back of her neck to relieve some of the muscles, she got up and went around the desk to perch on the edge by Munch.

"Wake up sleepyhead."

"Huh, what time is it?" Munch asked with a yawn.

"Your bedtime. You should go home now, John, you still have to work tomorrow," Alex said. Munch readjusted his glasses, "So do you, Alex, you're an ADA, not Wonder Woman. Wrap it up and I'll take you home."

"Which home?"

"Yours is closer," Munch answered.

Maureen and Kathleen Stabler sighed exasperatedly as they heard another door slam and knew all too well their mother was throwing another one of her infamous temper tantrums. They'd been listening to her rant all day about how their father was a two-timing bastard, worthless cop, and irresponsible father. Maureen matter-of-factly reminded Kathy that she and Elliot had been divorced for two years and their father had started dating Olivia after the divorce. The two oldest Stabler children heard the twins turn up the volume of their music to drown out their mother's shrieks.

Kathy Stabler had become even more intolerable as of late with her unpredictable mood swings; one minute gushing about her new "boyfriend" the next second talking trash about Elliot and Olivia in front of the kids. Maureen was glad that their mother was leaving them with their father for the weekend.

Praise the Lord for a good man like their dad and a wonderful woman like Olivia Benson. Maureen couldn't have found a better match for the best dad in the whole-wide world.