Olivia lay under the thick covers, lazily watching clouds drift in the palely blue sky outside the window. Earlier, Alex had leaned down to press her lips to Olivia's and say goodbye. Today was the day Alex finally returned to work despite her protests to Olivia that she could take another week or two. But, determined to cram as much normalcy back into their lives as she could, Olivia insisted. So, while the sky was still dark, Alex had slunk groaning from the warm bed to dress in one of her conventional black suits, wrap her hair into a low bun, and kiss Olivia goodbye. The detective would have preferred a mutual goodbye as each of them went to her respective office, but, since that was still impossible, Olivia settled. Though now she had to decide what to do with the long hours that stretched before her. Resigning herself, she dragged herself from the bed and towards the shower. The day had to start somewhere.

Under the steaming spray, Olivia washed her hair slowly, thinking about what she should do with her day. A part of her just wanted to curl back up and doze the afternoon away. But a larger part insisted that she really do something with her time; she had spent too much time in beds and pajamas and her body ached for the motions of her old life. Rinsing the suds from her hair and skin, she flipped the tap closed and smiled to herself. Making dinner for Alex would be perfect. She hated feeling like such a burden to the blonde; tonight, Olivia would return the favor and dote over Alex. Rubbing the towel over her short hair, Olivia mentally planned her menu and felt her heart lift. Today would be a good day.

Olivia walked slowly through the aisles of the supermarket, pushing the cart in front of her and running her fingertips tenderly over mounds of potatoes and onions. Two filet mignon were already wrapped in white paper and safely in the cart and Olivia paused to decide on the perfect vegetables to complement the tender beef. Grin widening, her gaze settled on the small display of mushrooms. With a discerning eye, she chose a package of baby portabellas before continuing and adding a bunch of spinach and a sack of tiny, red-skinned potatoes. Chuckling to herself, Olivia hoped that Alex had not eaten a big lunch. On her way to check out, she picked up a bottle of cabernet; bold and heavy with tannins, it would round out the red meat and, hopefully, the evening.

Checking her watch, Olivia joined the cashier's line and tried to ignore the curious glances thrown her way. Flushed from the cold weather outside, she knew that the scars on her cheek and throat probably stood out brightly. Surprising even herself, Olivia felt her shoulders shake lightly with humor. If only they could see the rest, she thought to herself, then they would really have something to stare at.

With uncharacteristic patience, Olivia waited for the woman in front of her to pay in dollar bills and dimes before stepping up to the cashier and placing her purchases on the counter. The young cashier looked up at her, a suggestive smile on her face. "Hot date tonight?" she quipped.

Olivia laughed out loud. "I guess you could say something like that," she responded as she accepted each item and tucked it into the waiting paper bag. Handing over her payment, she hefted the bag into the crook of her elbow and held out her hand for her change. Pocketing the coins, she smiled at the cashier and flicked her head as if to toss a stray lock of hair away from her face. As she did so, the corner of her eye caught a glimpse of a familiar face and she turned back to get a better look.

Horror seeming to crystallize the very blood in her veins, Olivia recognized the man staring her down from the back of the cashier's line. It was him, O'Hara's partner, the one who had cut her and who they had never arrested. As she stared, his sallow face cracked into a wide, sneering grin and he raised his hand to wave as if they were old friends. His movement unfroze her body and, gulping back a wave of nausea, Olivia whipped around and hurried from the store.

In the empty apartment, Olivia had checked and re-checked all of the door's locks before finally dropping the groceries on the kitchen counter and pulling off her wet boots. Leaning heavily on the edge of the counter, Olivia pressed her free hand tightly against her eyes and sighed loudly. She tried to pull the image of his face in the grocery store into her mind's eye but failed; she remembered only his evil grin and brief wave. Standing up straight, she ran her fingers through her hair and let the rational side of her mind speak. There was no way it was him, she thought. Pull it together, Olivia, she insisted. You're nervous on your own and you're letting your imagination run wild. Sighing again, Olivia shivered and padded to the bedroom for a set of warmer clothes. As she changed, she continued to berate herself, deciding that it had been some stranger with an unfortunate resemblance. Though, as she tugged the heavy turtleneck over her head, a small voice continued to whisper that her torturer was back.

Olivia was standing at the stove stirring the rapidly wilting spinach, still shivering even in the steamy kitchen, when a bang and a curse at the door startled her. Heart racing, she edged into the hallway and shouted. "Who's there?"

"Darling, it's me. Take off the chain and let me in!"

Heaving a relieved sigh, Olivia hurried to undo the chain and open the door to welcome Alex home. Alex brushed past Olivia, setting her briefcase on the floor and hanging her coat in the closet before turning and gathering the quiet brunette into her arms. "Hi, Liv," she murmured against Olivia's hair. "Did you miss me?" Alex leaned back to smile brightly down at her girlfriend. But, as she took in Olivia's pale expression, her smile faded. "Liv, are you alright?"

Remembering herself, Olivia flinched and met Alex's eyes, nodding. "Of course, Alex. I was just making dinner. Would you open the wine?" Alex stared for a moment as Olivia stiffly turned away and walked back to the kitchen before following. She pulled the cork from the bottle with a pop as she watched Olivia lift the steaks from the pan and set them carefully on two plates. Alex poured as Olivia finished with the spinach, mushrooms and steaming, garlicky potatoes, though, as she worked, she avoided Alex's gaze.

With a jerk of her shoulder, Olivia gestured for Alex to join her as she set the plates carefully onto the small dinette. Silently, Alex followed with the wine. She sensed that something was not right but she also trusted Olivia to speak when she was ready. Forks and knives clinking softly against the porcelain, they began to eat in silence, the quiet broken only by Alex's heartfelt compliments of Olivia's skill. Truly, the woman was a magician in the kitchen.

Taking a long sip of her wine, Alex closed her eyes briefly at the intense flavor before looking at the quiet brunette and reaching her hand across the table. Slowly, Olivia lowered her hand to rest in Alex's and returned her look. "Olivia, tell me what's wrong," Alex murmured. Her brows knit together as she noticed Olivia's quickly lowered eyes and her hand's flinch. But, out of respect and love, she waited for Olivia to answer without any further prodding.

Finally, Olivia took a deep breath and looked up at the concerned blonde. "Alex, I …" she paused to frown deeply. "I thought I saw … him," she said quietly.

"Olivia, do you mean O'Hara? He's in Rikers. He can't get…" Alex abruptly stopped as Olivia squeezed her hand and a gravelly sensation of panic rose in her throat. "You mean the other man, the one they never caught. The one that …" Again, she stopped short as her voice seemed to catch.

Olivia quickly leaned towards Alex, reaching to grasp her other hand. "Alex, I only thought I saw him. I mean, I saw someone who looked like him, in the grocery store. I'm sure it was nothing, just my mind playing tricks on me." She paused to blink back a tear that stung her eye. With a last squeeze, Olivia released Alex's hands and withdrew her own to lie on her lap. "Please, Alex. I shouldn't have said anything. Finish your meal; I wanted to do something special for you."

With effort, Alex swallowed the sudden fear that had tightened her chest for Olivia's sake. The brunette was obviously upset. Alex believed her, believed that she had possibly seen one of the men who had inflicted inhuman pain on her. But for the moment, they were both safe and warm and Alex just wanted to enjoy the meal Olivia had cooked and the presence of her dark-haired girlfriend. She would deal with the possibility that the man who had mutilated Olivia was still on the loose in the morning. For now, she would comfort and reassure the brunette. She would simply finish the steak and the wine, hold Olivia's trembling hand, and press kisses to her temple.

Alex slid her briefcase onto her desk and immediately picked up the receiver of her office phone to dial Elliot's number. She frowned as it rang, rapping her fingernails tensely against the reddish mahogany. Olivia's soft voice echoed in the blonde's ears; she had seen one of her torturers. Olivia had tried to play her worries down and claim that it was a trick of her senses, but Alex wasn't so quick to write it off. Olivia was a detective. She was trained to remember faces and to have a steady eye. Alex was sure that that devil had been in the supermarket, whoever he was.

"Stabler," Elliot barked and Alex let her fingers cease their impatient tapping.

"Elliot, it's Alex. I need to talk to you about Olivia." She meant to continue but Elliot's urgent voice interrupted her speech.

"Liv? Alex, is she alright?"

"Yes, she's alright. But she thinks she may have seen O'Hara's partner, the one they never arrested. She was picking up groceries at the SaveMart on 67th and he was waiting in line behind her. She said he recognized her."

"Listen, Alex. This guy's still on the loose and he's seen Olivia. Tell her to stay at home while I try to find out what the detectives on her case know about him. I'll call you back."

Alex opened her mouth to thank him and say goodbye but the line had already gone dead. Silently, she dropped the receiver back into its cradle and snapped open her briefcase. As she lifted a stack of neat files to spread on her desk, she quietly gave thanks for Elliot's and Olivia's friendship. She knew Elliot would stop at nothing to keep his friend safe.