Author's Notes: Just taking the characters and song out to play.
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.
May: Olivia has a friend in Dean Porter who gets to the truth and gets Olivia to Elliot.
June: Olivia enters reveals what she knows to the team and then walks out, requesting a transfer.
Thanks for the great reviews – much appreciated.
July
"SV…Computer Crimes, Detective Benson." Olivia answered the phone, forgetting for the fourth time exactly where she was. Whilst Computer Crimes wasn't new and it wasn't where she intended to end up she was there nonetheless. She listened to a forensic lab technician go on about something before she realised she wasn't paying attention.
"Look can you just put all that in writing and fax it over?" she asked, interrupting his spiel. "Yeah, great." She hung up and surveyed her office.
She'd been here two weeks already and desperately missed her job at SVU and the people…some of the people, she reminded herself. Dean had not been able to get her anywhere near Elliot and despite initially thinking he was lying too, she finally conceded he was telling the truth. Don Cragen had spoken to her four times since her departure. Not once had he asked her to come back, each call was to check on her wellbeing. Her response was the same each time.
"I'm fine thank you, sir. No, sir, I don't need anything, except you to remove the surveillance team you have on me and my apartment. Yes, sir, I understand your position, thank you sir." She made every effort to be very professional and very polite. She knew Don believed he was acting in her best interests but she wanted him to treat her as a professional colleague and not his little girl.
When Don had finally had enough of the overly polite formality, he sent in an ally to change the situation.
"Liv, got time for lunch?" Casey stood at her desk unannounced and unexpected.
"Um, I don't…" Her gut reaction was to say no, this was someone else who had lied to her.
"Please, Livvy, I really need you to have lunch with me." Something in the way she spoke made Olivia change her mind instantly.
"Sure." She grabbed her jacket and they headed out.
Seated at the nearest small Chinese restaurant, orders taken and drinks served, Olivia pushed the conversation beyond the pleasantries.
"What's up Casey?"
Casey blew out a big breath. "Do I have any chance of you forgiving me?"
"What would I be forgiving you for?"
"For being one of a number of people who lied to you." Casey looked truly sorry.
"Why'd you do it?"
"Don asked me to." The response was so simple.
"Didn't you think I could deal with it?"
"I did and I said it at the time and I said it repeatedly at first but…"
"But you decided they were right?" Olivia asked.
"Yeah I did. Once I found out everything I thought if it were me, I wouldn't want to know."
"You're not me though. You knew I was worried about Elliot…"
"And he was so worried about you…"
"So why not tell me? I thought we were friends."
"Elliot was in no danger, you were…"
"Elliot ended up in critical condition…" Olivia's raised voice caught the attention of those at a nearby table.
"That was an accident. It had nothing to do with the case."
"Are you sure of that?" Her voice had quietened.
"Yes, Liv, I am."
"How am I supposed to believe you?"
There was a pause as the waitress placed their plates on the table.
"Because I'm not lying."
Olivia shook her head, "You had a relationship with my 'partner' when you knew he was deceiving me."
"I never intended it, Liv, believe me. When we first met I didn't want anything to do with him but we spent some time together and …well, we connected. I love him, Liv, I love Luke."
Olivia smiled, happy for her friend but still annoyed by the deception.
"Tell me, Case, how does brown haired, green eyed, Luke Palosso from New York State, go to being blonde haired, blue eyed, Stefan Jorgensen from Jackson Mississippi?"
"He needed to be an out-of-towner, it would have been to easy check up on him had you known he was a local. His grandparents lived in Mississippi and he spent a many summers there, so it was a natural choice."
"And the name - 'Stefan Jorgensen' it's more Nordic than southern?"
"He had a case mid last year and needed a Swedish background, he had the hair and contact lenses to match, he also had a file full of false paperwork – passports, qualifications, plane tickets, license, in that name. When Elliot asked for the switch Luke didn't have time to create another identity."
Olivia sighed, it was all so logical – now. "So no more lies?"
Casey paused. "No more lies …but there is some additional information Don kept from you. He sent me here to fill you in only if you really want to hear it."
"Go ahead." Olivia put down her chopsticks.
"This stuff's not going to be pleasant."
"I can take it."
"It gave me nightmares after I heard it."
Olivia's stomach began churning. Maybe she didn't want to know. Maybe the fact the men in her life went to such extraordinary lengths to protect her was evidence enough. Casey noted the colour draining from Olivia's face.
"Liv, are you okay?"
"I want to know, Casey…I need to know."
Casey wiped her mouth with her napkin and pushed her barely touched plate away. They'd be no eating after this.
"Lyle Bennett is a sadistic murdered. He is responsible for the deaths of five policewomen as you know." Olivia nodded, her heart pounding. "Each one was more perverted than the last – greater mutilation, greater humiliation. Just more horrific than the last." Casey shuddered at the evidence she had seen. She reached across the table and took Olivia's hand, squeezing it tightly. "You know Luke and Elliot found evidence you were next?"
Olivia nodded slowly. "Yours would have been worse than the last and Elliot couldn't stand the thought of what that meant…for you."
Olivia drew a quick deep breath and asked the question she knew would change everything.
"What did he do to the last vic?"
Casey's eyes searched hers needing to be sure Olivia wanted to know "Are you sure?" she asked in a whisper. Olivia nodded.
"Allison Ainsley, thirty-two, from the 11th precinct was murdered in her apartment about twelve months ago. Bennett kept her captive for five days. She was bound and gagged for most of it. He raped her repeatedly – used everything from himself to her own gun to the leg of a chair. He cut off a bit of her at a time, while she was alive, her ear, a toe, a chunk of meat from her calf, and then he made her eat it." Olivia nodded, hoping she wouldn't bring up her stomach contents here in the restaurant. "He collected her blood and forced it down her throat."
"She bleed to death?" Olivia asked, her voice choked with emotion
Casey shook her head. "No, he cauterised the wounds with a hot iron."
"Oh!"
"He also …"
"Stop! I've heard enough." She jumped up from the table, headed for the bathroom and regurgitated the little of lunch she had consumed.
Later that day she sat in Cragen's office, awaiting his return from a meeting at OnePP.
"Olivia!" he exclaimed opening his door.
'Oh, Don." She jumped up and embraced him. She now understood why he acted the way he had.
"I take it you had lunch with Casey?" Olivia nodded before letting him go. "You understand why I did it, Liv?" She nodded again. "You still don't agree though?"
Olivia sat down. "No, I understand and I appreciate you trying to spare me but I … you should have told me my life was in danger."
"In hindsight Liv, you're right but at the time we honestly thought we were doing the right thing."
"Have you been able to get in touch with Elliot?"
"No, you?"
Olivia shook her head.
"He is alright though, Liv."
"How do you know if you haven't spoken to him? You didn't even know about the accident."
"I've been leaving him messages and he's been leaving them for me. He knows you know but he's adamant he's so close. As for the accident, Elliot didn't tell me, if he had of I would have been at that hospital to drag his ass back here – there's no way he wanted that."
"But he is okay?" Olivia asked.
"Yeah, Liv."
It was some consolation.
"Have you any intention of coming back to SVU?" Don finally asked. "We're short staffed with Elliot, you and Luke gone."
"Where's he gone?"
"Back to PI work. There's no point him being here now if you're not."
Olivia ran her hand over her face and through her hair. She found coming back harder and harder every time. Maybe she'd done her time in this unit, with these people. She'd been here longer than the norm; maybe a permanent change was on the cards.
"You haven't answered me, Liv."
"I know…perhaps when all this is over and Elliot's back…"
"That could be a while."
Olivia returned to her apartment, unnerved from Casey's news, comforted so many people cared so much for her. She took a long hot bath and crept into bed. She closed her eyes and instead of the nightmare she had been anticipating it was all about Elliot again. He had given up his life for her. She didn't know when she'd see him again but she would never forget this loving act of his. Her dreams that night were full of passion and love.
I will come for you at night time
And I will raise you from your sleep
I will kiss you in four places
As I go running up your street
And I will squeeze the life out of you
And you will make me laugh and make me cry
And we may never forget it
You will make me call your name
And I'll shout it to the blue summer sky
And we may never meet again
So shed your skin and lets get started
And you may throw your arms around me
Yeah you may throw your around me
Well I came for you at night time
And I watched you in your sleep
Lord I met you in high places
I kissed your head and kissed your feet
Now if you disappear out of view
You know that I will never say goodbye
And though I try and forget it
You will make me call your name
and I'll shout it to the blue
summer sky
And we may never meet again
So shed your skin and lets get started
And you may throw your arms around me
Well I came for you at night time
And I watched you in your sleep
Lord I kissed you in four places
I kissed your head and kissed your feet
Throw your arms around me
Yeah you may throw your arms around me
Author's notes: One last chapter to go, it's currently undergoing it's third re-write, so hopefully it'll be up soon.
I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support with this story, I appreciate the reviews and the encouragement. A very special mention to Ad Hominem Argument and Mariposa Angel18 - you girls are wonderful!
