A/N: Muse ran away for a long time on this, till I finally offered it some Halloween candy and I was allowed to squeeze one small chapter out. I've also been writing a lot of stories for school (angsty ones, of course), plus my new story Something New (it's an X-Files/SVU crossover, check it out please!), so I haven't really had the time or the energy to devote to this story. This is kind of a filler chapter, the big stuff is coming up.

Song of the Chapter: Angel – Sarah McLaughlin. I'll be the first to admit I don't like much music that Sarah McLaughlin and artists like her put out, but this song is gorgeous. I think it fits well with the mood of this chapter.

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Previously:

"Mr. Tutuola, we are sorry to inform you that we are here because we have reason to believe that the situation with you and your colleagues, such as it is, is not in the best interest of the children. We are here to remove them from your care, until the hearing that we have set up to determine if you are indeed the best people to be raising these children."

"Goodbye. We love you so much. We'll see you again, I promise." the tear-soaked whisper was out of Cragen's mouth before he realized it, but the door was already closed. They were already gone.

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Numb. That was all. Ever since the children had been taken away, all they felt was numb. They got up instinctively at 6:30 in the morning and started walking down the hall to the little girls' room to get them up for school, and it would hit them sometime just before they pushed open the door that they were not there. They were not there and they might not ever be there again.

And that took them right back to day one. Right to the night where each of them had gone home and lay in their beds, staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours, bone tired but unable to sleep. Back to the morning where they had all gotten up, dressed and shot out the door to the squad room as fast as possible and buried themselves in their work, wanting, needing to feel something else. And even more vividly, they remembered sitting at each of their desks, staring vacantly at the pictures on their desks.

Spend all your time waiting for that second chance
For the break that will make it okay

There's always some reason to feel not good enough
And it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction or a beautiful release
Memories seep from my veins
Let me be empty and weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight

They had eventually given up on work that day, there were no new cases and even if there were, they weren't sure they would be able to deal with them. Each had wandered off in their own direction at first.

Casey walked aimlessly around New York City, for how long, she was honestly not sure. Eventually, though, she registered her stomach growling and wandered into a little café, packed with people. The burger she ordered wasn't filling enough, and she was just about to order something else when a sound caught her attention. Voices. Children's voices. Though her conscious mind told her not to, she turned her head toward the sound. It was a young mother with two small children, a toddler and a baby. Casey sat watching them, unable to tear her eyes away, as the woman guided the children up to the counter to order their food. She set the baby down on the counter, and the child immediately began to squirm.

Not even thinking about it, Casey began to hum under her breath. For a moment, she could barely even identify the song coming out of her mouth, until the baby slowly quieted and turned his face to look at her. His eyes locked with hers and Casey's breath caught in her throat. Joy To The World, she realized. The same song she had sung to....

No! Casey stopped herself in her tracks. For long minutes, she and the baby simply stared into each other's eyes, until she couldn't take it any longer. Casey threw down some money and bolted from the restaurant, running as fast as she could. Her mind registered where she was going, apparently, because her legs moved in the direction of her destination. Reaching it finally, she threw herself down on the hard ground, sobbing.

In the arms of the angel

Far away from here
From this dark, cold hotel room,

And the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie
You're in the arms of the angel;

May you find some comfort here

Her hand reached out and touched the hard stone, tracing the letters gently. E-L-L-I-O-T A-N-D O-L-I-V-I-A S-T-A –B-L-E-R. Casey ran her hand over the smooth rock, caressing it, as if she was actually touching her dead friends.

"They...they...they took them! They're gone!" Casey cried, barely able to get the words out. There was a long pause, as she tried to collect herself somewhat.

Her sobs had finally subsided some minutes later, and her next words came out in a whisper.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. You trusted us. We let you down. I'm....I just wish..." Casey trailed off in the midst of another sob.

She was still crying silently when she suddenly felt a warm breeze caress her face. Her mind registered this as odd, it was cold weather. But suddenly it clicked in her mind, and she managed a watery smile.

"Thank you."

So tired of the straight line, and everywhere you turn
There's vultures and thieves at your back
The storm keeps on twisting, you keep on building the lies
That you make up for all that you lack
It don't make no difference, escaping one last time
It's easier to believe
In this sweet madness, oh this glorious sadness
That brings me to my knees

In the arms of the angel, far away from here
From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie
In the arms of the angel; may you find some comfort here

You're in the arms of the angel; may you find some comfort here

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And that's it for now. The next chapter will deal with how the kids are in their new home, but it'll probably be a few days before it's up, as I have to catch up on some assignments.

REVIEW, please. Remember, many reviews make happy author. Happy author make many longer updates.