So here's the answers you've all been waiting for. Love me. :)

But Alex doesn't come to work the next day, or the day after. By Friday, I'm a wreck. I've tried calling her and I've gone to the DA's office, but she isn't there. Then I start to wonder if this has anything to do with me after all. I couldn't have said or done anything to make her hate me this much . . . right?

On Friday, I go to Captain Cragen with my concerns. My personal life really isn't any of his business, but this is Alex, and her safety is more important than my privacy.

He looks up when I knock on his office door. "What is it, Olivia?"

I clasp my hands behind my back. "It's Alex," I tell him quietly.

"What about her?"

"I don't know where she is."

He raises an eyebrow. "I think that's the point."

"Alex doesn't take personal time and she hasn't been at work. She didn't even call Liz to tell her she was taking time off. I'm worried about her."

"I'm sure she's fine, Liv," says the captain.

"Still, I'd like to make sure. I've tried calling her and I tried going to her apartment, but she didn't answer."

He sighs. "What do you want me to do for you?"

"Check on her father's whereabouts. I just want to make sure he hasn't – she told me he was calling her and he wouldn't leave her alone. I told her we could do something for her, but . . . well, I guess I did something wrong because she wouldn't talk to me and I couldn't tell her."

"Fine. Let me make a few calls."

"Thank you," I tell him gratefully. I'm aware that I'm probably overreacting, but I have to be sure that Alex is okay. Because I love her. More than anything.

About ten minutes later, the captain pokes his head out of his office. "Benson, Stabler. Go down to George Cabot's place. I'm sure it's nothing, but check it out anyway."

My heart starts to race as I grab my jacket and follow Elliot out the door. Jumping into the front seat of the car, I gun the engine and back out of the parking lot at about twenty miles over the speed limit.

Elliot grabs onto the seat. "Whoa, take it easy, Liv!"

"Oh, right, the poster boy for impulsivity is telling me to slow down," I bite out sarcastically, not slowing my pace.

He grips the seat so tightly that his knuckles turn white, but doesn't say a word as I make a sharp turn that almost sends the car flying. That's when I realize what I'm doing and slow down. We won't be any help to Alex if we get into a car accident.

After what seems like an eternity, we arrive at Alex's father's house. I don't even turn off the car, just fling the door open and sprint up the driveway, Elliot at my heels. Banging on the door, I call, "Police! Open up." He doesn't, so with a perverse sense of satisfaction, I ram my body into the front door. The adrenaline coursing through my veins gives me a strength I didn't know I had, and the door shatters.

Elliot and I run into the house. "Alex?" I call.

There's no response.

"Alex?" echoes Elliot.

Still nothing.

"Alex?" I repeat, my voice rising in alarm. I pause, then as Elliot starts to speak again, I hiss, "Shut up!"

Sure enough, there's a small voice whispering, "Liv?"

I let out a sigh of relief. "We're coming, sweetie," I tell her, trying to reduce the panic in my voice. "Where are you?"

"Basement," Alex replies, and I almost cry. Her voice is the sweetest sound.

Elliot and I open and shut doors as fast as we can until we find the one that leads to the basement. I turn the knob – crap, it's locked. "If you were George Cabot, where would you keep the key to the basement?" I ask Elliot frantically.

"On me."

"That's doesn't help!"

"Under the mattress," he tells me. Seeing the look on my face, he shrugs and explains, "That's where men hide things."

I clamber up the stairs at top speed until I find the master bedroom. Pulling the mattress off the bed, I let out a deep breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding when I see the key. "Got it!" I call to Elliot, running back down to the main floor.

He turns the key in the knob and I race down to the basement.

Sure enough, Alex is crouched in the corner, hugging her knees to her chest, shivering in the damp basement. Her teeth are chattering from the cold. She looks so small and vulnerable that I have to blink back my tears. I run to her and wrap my arms around her trembling body, rubbing her arms to warm them up. "It's okay," I murmur, unsure if I'm saying it for my own benefit or for hers. "We're here. You're okay."

She clings to me like a lifeline, not saying anything. Then we both seem to remember Elliot's presence at the same time, and we look up at him. He seems to realize he's intruding on a private scene and shifts uncomfortably. Clearing his throat, he says, "Um, Liv, Alex, we should get out of here."

I glance at Alex and blush. "Right. Are you okay?"

Pushing herself up onto shaky legs, she nods. "Yeah." Still gripping my arm so tightly that her fingernails leave crescent moons on my arm, she follows me out to the car.

"I'll drive," says Elliot, waiting for me to argue, but I don't. I climb into the backseat next to Alex and take her trembling, icy hands in mine.

I don't ask her anything or push her to talk. I just sit there with her, soothing her with my mere presence and taking comfort in hers.

So what happened to Alex? Will she be okay? Will Olivia be able to help her? Review to find out!