AN: once again I'd like to thank everyone for their wonderful comments and reviews – it's great to know you're still sticking with me on this one 

I apologise for the long wait for this chapter but uni has started back and I'm working every hour I can so I haven't had a lot of time but finally I have the chapter the way I like it so thanks again for your patience

AN2 – a special thank you once again to treacle77 for having the patience to read the chapter and help me iron out the problems 

AN3: the events in this chapter are completely fictional and are in no way meant as a commentary or disparagement to the men and women who work so tirelessly within the prison service who deserve nothing but our thanks and admiration for doing the tough job that they do.

Jaxx37

Chapter 12:

Olivia and Eliot were frustrated.

It was a frustration that neither of them had felt in more than eleven years of working together.

Richard White had gotten under their skin. Just as they knew he would. This time of course both of them had much more to lose if he succeeded. Eliot and Kathy were finally getting along again, their marriage stronger than ever. Olivia, well she had everything she had ever wanted with Alex. They both knew that Richard White was dangerous. A man not to be underestimated. They had made that mistake before and it had cost them more than either cared to admit. He had managed to worm his way out of the death penalty because they couldn't find enough evidence to put the needle in his arm. It was a failing that had haunted them both ever since.

Cragen had the whole squad working the White case. Despite this none of the detectives had been able to discover anything about White's whereabouts or his next move. Olivia and Eliot had made the trip to Rikers only to be informed that Richard White was no longer held at that facility – he had escaped the week before. Olivia's reaction had been extreme and her partner had had to drag her away from the prison administration building before she made good on her numerous threats. It had taken several minutes for Eliot to calm her down before they were able to re-enter the building and discuss the circumstances surrounding the escape.

Now they sat across the table from the prison governor completely aghast as he admitted the failings of his prison to hold White. As it turned out White had bribed maintenance man called Jeffrey Granger into sneaking him out of the building – Granger had sneaked him right past the security guards and out of the prison. Nobody had suspected a thing because White was also dressed as a maintenance man. Olivia was incredulous – this was supposed to be one of the most secure prison facilities in the country if not the world.

'You can't be serious – I mean this sounds like a John Dillinger movie for Gods sake!' she growled at the governor

'I couldn't inform you… the press…how would it have looked detective? An election year…'

This time Eliot didn't even try to stop her tirade. He was too busy trying to keep his own emotions in check. The governor tried his best to answer her and looked towards Eliot for help he had no intention of giving. In the end the governor had both of them removed from the building, stating they were not to return until either they had learned some manners or Rikers had a new governor, Olivia was willing to bet which would happen first.

***

Blissfully unaware of the happenings in the SVU squad room Abbie wandered towards the main office whistling her favourite tune, everything was going to plan and all she had to do was get Olivia's car keys so she could pick Serena up at 8pm and it couldn't come soon enough. As she approached the squad room however her whistle died on her lips – the atmosphere was more serious and sombre than anything she had encountered before and as she entered the room she could see the detectives gathered around for a briefing, one which Olivia and Eliot seemed to be leading as they handed out files and pointed to various photographs on the board behind them. Abbie settled herself down on one of the desks as she listened carefully to the briefing, not wanting to interrupt what was an obviously serious investigation. It was only when she looked more closely at the first set of photographs that she realised what was going on, who was at the centre of the investigation and she felt her heart sink. There was no way he could be back, she had made sure he was going away for at least fifteen years, he couldn't have gotten out of there so soon.

'Abbie – what are you doing here?' Olivia asked surprised by her best friend's presence

'I came to get the car Liv – you said I could borrow it'

'It's that time already?'

Abbie nodded and gestured towards the crime scene photographs on the board behind her best friend. Olivia glanced towards them herself before sighing and rubbing her temples to try and ease the tension.

'Son of a bitch is back Abbie'

'Has he escaped?'

'Last week, walked right out of there without anyone even noticing!'

'They didn't notify SVU?'

'Too much goddamned bureaucracy' Eliot interjected with disgust 'All it woulda taken was one call. It was nearly Liv he got'

Abbie's eyes widened she looked more closely at the crime scene photographs and let out a gasp of surprise. She instantly recognised the apartment and shuddered at the implication that the young woman had been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

'Abbie I need you to take Alex to Serena's apartment for me. It's the only place I can think of where she'll be safe'

'Sure thing Liv, I'll stay there with her and Serena until you come pick her up'

'You don't have to do that. What about your date?'

'We have tomorrow night for that, or the next night or the next. There's no way Serena or I are leaving Alex alone while White is out there'

'Thanks Abbie'

Abbie pulled her into a hug before holding out her hand expectantly for the car keys which Olivia willingly handed over. For the first time in her life she didn't warn Abbie to 'look after' the car, instead she said

'Keep Alex safe for me Abbie'

Abbie hugged her friend once again stating that she was to call as soon as there was a development in the case and she headed towards the precinct car park. As soon as she was out the door Olivia called Alex. Olivia was relieved that Abbie had agreed to take Alex to Serena's and even more relieved when she had said she would stay with her until Olivia got there. It was scary to think how close White had been and scarier to know that he was still out there and they had no way of knowing where he was or who he would attack next. Little did she know that she had played right into his hands…

***

Abbie was so distracted by her own thoughts that she didn't notice anyone else in the car park.

She unlocked Liv's pride and joy – a black, Oldsmobile Cutlass, a car that Liv had had since she left college – and got in turning the ignition carefully and reversing out of the space. As she approached the main road she realised how dark it was and turned on the headlights. She reached over and turned on the heaters, stereo blasting out a rock classic she pulled out into the street and headed for Alex's office. In doing all of this she completely failed to notice the battered, rusty, white Volkswagen beetle pulling out of the car park behind her.

The snow was falling heavily and she was glad to see that despite the time the roads to Alex's office were relatively quiet - compared with normal New York traffic at any rate. She pulled into the car park at the rear of the building and gathered her coat tightly around herself to give some protection from the cold winter air. Behind her, in a parking space not far from hers the same Volkswagen Beetle drew to a silent stop.

She walked briskly into the familiar building stopping to talk to a few former colleagues before entering the lift and heading to Alex's floor. She knew that Alex was now on the same floor as Jack McCoy and hoped that she would escape without encountering him – if she did she knew they would never get out of there without having to go to some lawyer bar and while catching up with him would be nice, tonight she wanted to do nothing more than take Alex to Serena's apartment and then spend the rest of the evening there. Sure it wasn't the date with Serena she had planned but that didn't matter they would still get to spend some time together and that thought made her heart rate increase and a warm feeling coursed through her. Reaching Alex's office she knocked confidently and upon hearing the equally confident tones of the blond ADA she opened the door and entered the large room.

'You ready to go?'

'Almost, I have one more case file to read and then I'm all yours'

Abbie smiled sympathetically – she knew what it was like working with SVU. Your work was never quite done, the kind of cases that you were forced to work on made you much more determined to do everything possible to ensure a conviction. Yes there were other types of cases which had the same effect – homicide for one – but something about these crimes made even the coldest attorney want to go that extra mile. How Trevor Langan could defend any of these perpetrators was totally beyond her, and every other prosecutor for that matter.

Looking around Alex's office brought back several happy memories from her time working in this very building. She had been very happy working here and sometimes when she was jetting off to Washington and leaving her friends behind she felt a deep regret – her decision had been rash, sudden and driven by the wrong motives. When she decided to leave New York it was for one reason and one reason alone – she couldn't stand being in the same city as Juliet knowing she could never be with her. almost a year later she felt more herself than she had in a long time, perhaps moving back here wouldn't be so bad… A sigh from Alex broke her reverie.

'Come on Alex – let's get out of here. Did you call Serena?'

'Yea she's already home, she's cooking'

This time a grin appeared on Abbie's face – it all seemed so wonderfully domestic that Serena was cooking dinner for her. She of course had to remember that it wasn't just her that was going to be there, but a girl can dream. She was caught in her daydream by Alex who simply laughed before saying:

'Come on Casanova, my best friend's waiting for you'

With that they headed out of the building and into the car park, the wind had picked up now and the snow was twisting and turning wildly as they all but ran to the car and slammed the doors shaking the tiny flakes from their hair. Once again Abbie turned the key in the ignition, turned the heater up high and they started the short journey to Serena's apartment. The Volkswagen Beetle, which had waited patiently for them both, followed silently behind, any noise it might have made being drowned out by the sound of the wind and a the car stereo which was blasting out another classic rock tune…