A/N: This chapter…all I have to say is…OMG. That is all. Leave a review?

District Attorney's Office of Manhattan, NY

The day at work for Casey was irritatingly long, and all she wants to do now is go home and drink herself to sleep. She needs to feel numb, and that's the only way that she can think of achieving that feeling. She has just began to pack up her stuff when she hears a knock at her door. Glancing up, she's a little surprised to see Liz leaning against the doorframe, but then again, she isn't. "Listen, if this is what happened this morning outside the break room, I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

Liz shakes her head and steps into the office, closing the door behind her. "It is, but at the same time, it isn't. I'm not upset with you like I know that I should be. I came by to ask if everything was alright. I would have spoken to Alex but I've long since learned about speaking to her when she is in one of her moods."

Casey pauses what she's doing and for the first time in forever, she feels like that she can really confide in her boss. Normally, that would seem weird to her, but right now, it doesn't. She sighs and shakes her head as she goes back to stuffing her laptop in it's case. "I would try and lie, to tell you that everything is fine, but knowing you, you'd suspend me until I told you the truth. Alex broke up with me a few days ago, and now she's neglecting to even speak to me, let alone look at me."

"Oh…I'm so sorry, that must be…really hard for you right now." the DA says softly, her tone betraying that of what all of the ADAs have gotten used to during their work hours. "If you don't mind me asking…"

"I don't know why she dumped me Liz, she just did. She dumped me for some incomprehensible reason, and now I'm miserable. You know that ever since the day she broke up with me, I haven't slept for a full night, at all? I can't sleep, I can't eat, and it's pathetic, because it's all because of her. She has absolutely no idea what she does to me, and frankly, it's like she doesn't even care. Do you have any idea what it's like for me to get up everyday and realize that I've lost the most important thing in my life? It makes me not want to come to work Liz, my best friend is missing, the love of my life hates me, and I'm stuck here physically returning feelings to a woman that I shouldn't be leading on. I just don't know what else I can do. I have no idea why I'm telling you all of this…"

Liz shakes her head and rests her hand on Casey's shoulder, not particularly used to seeing the woman break down like she is. "Talk to her."

Casey rolls her eyes and snorts dismissively. "Yeah, like I haven't tried."

"No, I mean, make her talk to you. You have a key to her apartment, yes? Go over there, go over there and refuse to leave until she talks to you. Or…she calls the police." Liz concludes with a knowing smirk that makes the redhead chuckle.

"Some how, I feel like that isn't going to workout, but I think compared to everything else, it's worth a shot."

Alex Cabot's Apartment; 8:16 pm

Alex wipes the tears from her eyes as she sits on the couch, staring intently into her blank television set. She wants to sleep, but she knows she can't. The images of how she acted with Casey earlier at the office keep replaying in her mind, and it's making her feel horrible. She knows that there are several other ways that she could've dealt with the manner, but damnit, she just didn't know what else to do.

It isn't that she doesn't love Casey, in fact, it's quite the opposite. It's just that she wants some time to be alone, to be by herself only with her thoughts to keep her company. Well, she does have Serena, but she's sure that her best friend could careless about listening to her personal problems.

Sighing heavily, she leans back over the head of the couch, and seconds later, she freezes when she hears a key insert itself into her front door. But of course, Casey has a key. How she forgot that small little detail, she will never know. Sitting up pin straight on the couch, she watches as Casey appears in her living room only seconds later.

"You really do have a lot of nerve just walking in here like that." Alex says, her voice full of faux irritation. She knows that she has to keep on her brave face in order to keep from breaking down.

Casey folds her arms and shakes her head. "It seems that this is the only way that'll I'll get you to speak to me. If this is what I have to do, then so be it, I'll do it. But I'm not leaving here until we talk about this Alex."

"I told you, I need time, and space. What more do you want?"

"How about a real logical explanation? I'm not just going to let you break up with me for no apparent reason. I want an explanation on why you need time and space. Trust me, I'm more than happy to give it to you, because god knows all I want to do is make you happy, but I at least want an explanation as to why we're doing this."

Alex groans and buries her head in her hands at Casey's command. "Casey, I really don't know what to say, I've told you this. I want to spend some time alone. I need to think about us. Remember when we first got this case? How distant you were with me? That hurt Casey, you'd brush me off, you wouldn't speak to me, you would ignore me, you'd say things that were blatantly rude, and I tried so hard to get you to tell me what was wrong. You never did. You kept assuring me that there was nothing wrong, and then you'd just go back to your typical routine of brushing me off. There was only so much that I could do, and for the longest of times I had to question whether or not your still loved me. That was when I lay awake all night trying to figure out what it was I did to upset you, or what I could do to fix it. Now, I'm just supposed to be okay, because you've decided on your own, that everything is allowed to go back to normal? I have feelings too, Casey, and I hate it when you disregard them like that. Do you realize how hypocritical of it is for you to come here and be upset with me because I'm struggling to tell you what's going on, simply because I just can't put it into words? Saying that I just won't 'tell you what you did' where as for months I dealt with you and your emotional mood swings on a daily basis, getting nothing but your sarcasm when I asked you the very same question? How sometimes you were distinctively verbally abusive but I sat there and said nothing simply because I love you and I was so sure that you'd tell me whatever was going when you were ready?! You just don't get to turn that off Casey, it doesn't work like that. You don't get to do that and just decide one day 'oh hey, everything that I've said doesn't really matter anymore, I'll just pretend like nothing ever happened'. You just don't get to do that."

"Alex c'mon, give me a break." Casey says exasperatedly. "I was in a bad mood, you should've have taken me seriously."

"What else was I supposed to do, when it was a constant thing?! And did take you seriously and it hurt. Do you see what I'm saying? It's like my emotions don't even matter to you when they should. It's just not fair. That's why I want some time. I need some time to think about our relationship and where I stand in it, and frankly, I think that you should do the same. I don't want to continue to set myself up for neglect if that's how it's always going to be. Please, I just need time by myself, just for a little while."

Casey nods her head and runs her tongue across her teeth before coming up with what she wants to say. "I guess I can understand that. I don't have to like it, but I understand. But, just answer this one question? Does any of this have to do with Jennifer, at all?"

Alex hesitates for a moment before she gives some sort of weird gesture that is a cross between a head nod and a head shake. "To an extent. I've seen the way that she looks at you. And while I must shamefully admit, it does make me jealous, I'm not as bothered by it as I was before. It's just…I love you, okay? And I know you love me, but I think that a little distance can do some good for our relationship if we want this to continue to work."

Sighing once again, Casey shoves her hands in her pockets and kicks imaginary dirt on the floor. "I understand. Listen, I'm sorry about what happened at work, I should've been following you around like a lost puppy. You said you wanted space and I should've understood that."

"No, I should be the one to apologize. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. It was my fault entirely, and I take responsibility…I'm sorry."

There is an awkward silence as neither woman knows what to say. They both look at each other, the floor, the rest of the living room, doing anything but holding a steady eye contact.

"I guess I should go." Casey says awkwardly as she places her key to the apartment on Alex's coffee table. She starts to leave but stops abruptly and turns back around to Alex. "Listen, even if we are, whatever we are right now, I still feel the need to be honest with you because I do still love you. I kissed Jennifer yesterday at the hospital. We both regret it, and it shouldn't have happened. To be honest, I don't really know why it did. I just thought, I'd tell you, so I wouldn't have to hide and, and that you wouldn't have to worry about me keeping it from you and being dishonest. I just thought you should know."

Alex nods her head and a small smile ghosts her lips. For some reason, she can't say that she's as upset as she probably should be. "Thank you for telling me.'

A smile flitters across Casey's face as she nods her head as well. "Yeah…anyway, I should get going. I-I'll see you at work."

"Bye Casey." The blonde says softly, letting out a breath that she hadn't known she'd been holding when she hears her front door close once again. She reopens her eyes and out of her peripheral vision, she can see a figure leaning over the railing on the second floor landing. "You were listening to all of that, weren't you."

Serena smirks and shrugs her shoulders. "Remember how Fin always says you can hear an ant piss on cotton in the next room? Well, I can hear an ant fart in the next country. Yeah, I was listening. Are you sure that this is what you want?"

Alex hesitates for a moment before she nods her head. "Yeah, it is. I think that it's best for our relationship."

"I just hope you're right. What are you gonna do until then? Are you gonna see other people?"

"No, of course not. I'll just, enjoy my 'me' time. You know, with the exception of you and little Alex Junior."

Serena raises her eyebrows and puts her hand on her stomach. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Who said anything about…you're crazy, and delusional, and I don't know why I put up with you."

Alex smirks and saunters back over to her sofa, plopping down with a satisfied sigh. "Don't worry, Alex Junior will grow on you. I promise."

1-6 Precinct Manhattan, NY; 10:00 pm

"It doesn't matter! I was not going to kill an ADA just because this guy feels like fucking with my head. There was no way I was even going to entertain the thought. All I think I've done now is piss him off." Olivia groans, vibrantly pacing back and forth. "We have no leads to find this guy, and the only leads we DO have, aren't talking."

"Do you think that we could trace it if he called again?" Elliot asks raising his eyebrows.

"It was from a restricted number, I don't know how easy it would be to trace that." Munch murmurs absentmindedly.

"If you get him to call again, I might be able to trace it." Garcia pipes up, offering her technical abilities. "Well, that is, if you can keep him on long enough."

Olivia sighs and shakes her head. "I don't know when or if he'll even call again. What if, what if he's killed them all ready and he's just holding out on saying so because that's the kind of bastard he is? I don't know how much more I can take of this. It's like we're getting absolutely nowhere and he's leading us where he wants us to go. We just can't win."

In a strange twist of irony, Olivia's phone begins to vibrate on her desk. No one in the squad room moves, as they all stare at the vibrating object. Finally, after about five rings, Liv moves across the room and answers the phone, seeing that it's the same restricted number. "Hello?"

"Liv?"

"Casey? Why are you calling from a restricted number?"

"I wasn't, this number called me. I didn't even pick up the phone to-"

"Casey? Liv? What's going on?"

"Alex? What is this…"

"Good evening ladies." That same sickening calm sultry voice floats through all of their receivers. "I hope you all are enjoying this night as much as I am."

"Who the hell are you?" Casey asks, thoroughly confused on what's happening.

"Patience Counselor, you will find out all in good time I'm sure." He responds, chuckling darkly at the end of the sentence.

Olivia looks over to Garcia who seems to be typing something frantically on her computer, and she turns back to put the phone on speaker. "What do you want?"

"I want to play a game." He responds again, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "And you Detective Benson, as well as Miss Cabot and Miss Novak are going to be the players. You refuse to play, I kill them both, you comply, and we begin the game. Do we have a deal?"

"How do we know that you aren't lying?" Alex asks tersely, becoming agitated with the mysterious caller.

The man chuckles once more and it sends chills down their spines. "Because Miss Cabot, I am a man of my word. Now, do we have a deal?"

There is a long silence between the three women and neither of them want to answer. Finally after a long silence, Olivia speaks up for the group. "Fine, deal."

"Excellent, I'm glad you see it my way. I have a twelve chamber revolver, two women, and it's loaded with one bullet. They don't know where the bullet is, I don't know, and neither do you, just to make things fair. I'm going to ask the three of you a series of questions. For every right answer, I will move on to the next question, but for every wrong answer, I put the gun at someone's head, and pull the trigger. You won't know who I start with and I will alternate between these two women here, so choose your answers carefully. Is everything understood?"

Once again, he is greeted with a heavy, lingering silence. He can tell that the gears are turning in all of their minds, and he has them exactly where he wants them. It makes him chuckle menacingly again at once again having the upper hand.

"Good, then let the games begin."

Good news and bad news guys. The good news is, I'm posting this super early, the bad news is, I'm going out of town, and I probably won't be able to update again until Monday. :( I KNOW, I know, it makes me sad too. However, I'm going to try my best, but I just wouldn't count on it. And I know that really sucks considering where I've left you guys in this story. Gah, I know I'm sad. Anyway, I'm sure that one day you will come to forgive me. Leave a review?