Early the next morning, Olivia made her way down the hallway to check on Brayden. She entered the nursery to find Elliot sitting in the rocking chair in the corner, staring into space. Brayden was sleeping soundly in his crib.

"Morning.." she said softly.

"Yeah," Elliot replied.

"Did you sleep?"

Elliot made a face and stood up. "You know me better than that to even be able to ask me that," he moved towards the crib and gently ran his hand across Brayden's back. "I'm gonna go take a shower, can you keep an eye on him for me?"

"Of course,"

Elliot turned towards the doorway only to be stopped by the phone ringing. Olivia reached over and grabbed the phone from the window seal where Elliot had left it and handed it to him.

"Hello?" Elliot answered.

"Good morning, Detective."

Elliot raised his eyebrows and looked to Olivia.

"What, no hello?" The muffled voice on the other end of the phone laughed.

"Where's my wife?"

"She's in a good place, I promise,"

"Is this really worth going to jail for?" Elliot growled. "Just bring my wife home,"

"I'm not going to jail,"

"You're right, you're not. Because, I'm gonna kill you."

He laughed. "Is big bad Detective Stabler threatening me?"

"No, I'm making a promise."

"You shouldn't threaten someone who knows where your wife is,"

"I swear to god, if you hurt her-"

He laughed again. "I haven't hurt her. I've been making her feel good," he cooed. "We've been having a great time,"

"What is the point of doing all this? Just bring her home!"

"I sent you a present...it's on your desk. Have a great day, Detective. I would talk longer, but I'm getting a little horny. It's time for me to have some more fun with your pretty little wife."

"You fucking bastard-" Elliot stopped himself as he heard a click on the other end. He looked to Olivia and moved out of the room so he wouldn't wake Brayden. Olivia followed him.

"He said he left something for me on my desk,"

"That must be what Fin is already bringing over,"

"What do you mean?" He asked as he ran down the stairs, moving towards the living room to see if the officers tracing the phone line had picked up anything.

"Fin said there was a package on your desk this morning when he went to work, he said he was on his way over with it."

"Good," Elliot replied, nodding towards one of the officers. "You get anything?"

"I'm sorry, Detective. The call came from a pre-paid cellphone, there's no way to trace it beyond that," he replied, closing his laptop.

Elliot groaned. "This is fucking useless!"

"Elliot, stay calm-" Olivia started.

"Fuck calm! This is ridiculous!" He turned away and stormed out of the room.

"What's going on?" Alex asked as she walked down the stairs with Brayden in her arms.

"Perp called." Olivia replied.

"And?" Alex perked up. "Anything?"

Olivia shook her head sadly. "No."

Alex sighed. "This little guy needs a bottle, then...I'm gonna-" she paused. "Hell, I don't know what I'm gonna do, but I can't just sit around anymore. I'm gonna search the streets myself if I have to."

"You look like shit," Fin remarked, walking past Elliot as he entered the house.

"Thanks for noticing," Elliot rubbed his hands over the stubble growing across his face. "What do you got?"

Olivia was sitting on the couch with Brayden spread across her chest, patting his back.

Fin looked at both of them and let out a sigh. "Look-"

"Cut the crap," Elliot interupted. "Give me the tape."

Fin shook his head. "You don't wanna see what's on that tape, Elliot."

"Give me the tape, Fin." Elliot raised his voice.

"Cragen wouldn't even let me bring the tape," Fin looked into his friends eyes. "He doesn't want you to see it."

"God damnit!! This is such bullshit! My wife is missing, we have no leads, and you won't let me see the only fucking piece of evidence that we have!"

"Elliot, calm down," Cragen shoved his car keys into his pocket as he entered the room with Alex and Munch behind him.

"No, I'm not gonna calm down!" Elliot turned to him. "Look, I've worked for you for six years, I thought that we had built some level of trust! For the past month and a half, you wouldn't even let me see help in this fucking case! Now, my wife's gone and you're hiding evidence from me!"

"Elliot," Alex spoke softly, as tears filled her eyes. "Stop it..."

"Don't tell me to stop it, Alex!"

Tears ran down her cheeks as she stared right through him. "Stop it now, Elliot. Your little outrage isn't helping a damn thing."

"My outrage wouldn't be so bad if I could trust my co-workers, most of all my friends!"

"You know what," she sighed as she wiped tears from her cheek. "Your friends are only trying to protect you."

"I hardly consider any of you my god damned friends anymore," he snapped.

"That's it," Munch stepped out from behind Alex. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a tape. "Here's the damn tape," he threw it onto the coffee table. "If you wanna watch your wife's kidnappers tie her up, beat her, and rape her...be my guest. But, after you've watched it and it's shaken you to your absolute core and you're wishing that you hadn't seen it...don't you dare accuse us of not being your friends." He pointed his finger at the tape for emphasize. "If that were my wife on that tape...I'd rather die a million deaths, then watch that."

Elliot made a face and looked to Alex. "You've seen it?"

"Yeah," she choked out a sob. "I promise you that you don't wanna see it."

Elliot slowly looked towards Olivia as tears streamed down his cheeks.

Olivia knew that look all too well, she definatly knew what was coming.

Fin moved his hand to Elliot's shoulder, trying his best to show his friend some support. Elliot simply shrugged his hand away.

"Please...just...don't touch me." He sniffled and walked out of the room towards the den.

Fin turned to follow him, but Olivia stuck her leg out to stop him. "Give him a few minutes..."

Elliot took a deep breath, as he leaned over the desk in the den. He knew he couldn't fight it anymore. These things were really happening and he couldn't stop them.

Rage took control as he moved his hands in one swift motion, throwing everything from the desk onto the floor. Anything that his hands could grasp were thrown against the walls.

Reality grasped him like an angry anaconda tightens around it's prey, squeezing every breath away.

He yelled. He screamed. He began to cry. Before he knew it, uncontrollable sobs racked his body and he fell to the floor.

Elliot's closest friends sat in silence in his living room, no one knowing what to say or do.

Olivia stood up and handed Brayden over to Munch. Without saying a word, she laid the burp cloth that was on her shoulder on the coffee table and took a few soft steps in the direction Elliot had went towards.

"Olivia," Cragen spoke softly.

Olivia turned as she wiped tears from her eyes. "I gotta be there to catch him..." she spoke softly, trying not to burst into full blown sobs. "He's falling."