A/N: This was inspired a few weeks ago when I watched the episode Zebras as part of the "More Than Partners" marathon on the USA channel. It was originally intended to be part of my "Alternate Realities" one-shot series, but the story grew and took on a life of its own. When I realized the length was too long to consider publishing as a stand-alone, I broke it down into individual chapters. It won't be very long, but was simply something that I had to write. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: SVU and all of its characters were created by and are the property of Dick Wolf. I make no profit with this story, which is my own original work. Quotes that are in italics and are underlined are taken directly from the show, and not my own dialogue.

Rachel Nauss. Annie May Lawson. Julia Zimmer. Peter Harrison's list of victims just kept growing. Detectives Odafin Tutuola and Elliot Stabler were almost added to their numbers, having narrowly escaped inhaling the dangerous vapors of hydrogen sulfide unleashed on them by Harrison himself. Now, Elizabeth Donnelly was in the hospital, recovering from an injection of potassium chloride. The judge had been poisoned in her own home, and had it not been for the quick actions of Olivia Benson and her partner Stabler, she may not have lived to tell her tale.

All of this senseless tragedy could have been avoided, had it not been for a careless mistake made by one incompetent lab technician known as Dale Stuckey. His error in cataloging evidence from the Nauss homicide and the subsequent search of Harrison's apartment under the same voucher number had resulted in all charges against the man being dropped. As part of the fallout, more victims were added to the detectives caseload.

But, despite the tragedies that had ensued, and everything that had occurred in their aftermath, there was a silver lining. A witness had emerged, one whose testimony could never be refuted. The investigation of Julia Zimmer's car had resulted in the discovery of a mosquito, and forensics technician Ryan O'Halloran had determined that the insect's belly was full of blood at the moment of it's death. Since the timeline made it impossible for the mosquito to have feasted upon Zimmer, that meant the blood in it's gut belonged to their killer. That would provide them with all the evidence they needed to convict the man responsible. All that needed to be done now was wait for the DNA results to match.

That was precisely where Elliot was headed now – to the lab to check in with Ryan. They were expecting a call from the technician soon on the test results, and everyone knew they were all operating on borrowed time. Olivia, on the other hand, had opted to stay behind at the hospital for a bit longer, in the hopes that Liz Donnelly would regain consciousness.

"O'Halloran?"

Elliot called out the last name of his trusted colleague as he entered the lab. It struck him odd that it was so quiet, but he didn't spend any time dwelling on the thought. Much like the squad room, the lab was a place that often varied in activity, depending upon what was going on. Just like there were moments of frenzy, there were equal times of silence. What was unusual, however, was the fact that Ryan appeared to be absent, especially when this testing was so imperative to the case.

Figuring that the other man had just stepped out for a moment, Elliot advanced into the lab, heading in the direction of Ryan's computer. There was a pervading sense of dread in the pit of his stomach that told him something was wrong, but he just wrote it off as a leftover surge of adrenaline from the previous events of the day. But then, his eyes zeroed in on the monitor in front of him, with the flashing screen that clearly read 'DNA MATCH'.

Contrary to what they'd been expecting, the corresponding image displayed was not that of Peter Harrison. Instead, it was none other than the department's own Dale Stuckey. As disbelief registered, Elliot noticed something out of the corner of his eye – a pair of feet sticking out from the end of the lab table. Someone was on the floor. With the hairs on the back of his neck standing up on end, Elliot inched closer to investigate the scene, his hand hovering near the holster on his hip.

Elliot blinked once, unable to hide his shock. He didn't consider himself a man who was easily rattled, but given the fact that he was looking down at the lifeless body of Ryan O'Halloran, he was completely speechless. A knife was still protruding from the other man's chest. The surprise was so great that Elliot didn't even hear the approaching footsteps from behind – not until it was too late to react. The next thing he knew, a sharp blow to the back of his head rendered him unconscious and he collapsed to the floor in an unceremonious heap.

The first thing Elliot noticed upon opening his eyes was that his vision was blurry. That began to make sense when the throbbing pain at the base of his skull registered. He tried to lift his hand to check and see if he was bleeding, but soon discovered that his arms were bound to the chair he was sitting in. The realization also gave way that the same tape that held him immobile also covered his mouth, leaving him incapable of speech.

Eventually – although it probably took less time than it actually seemed – Elliot's eyesight cleared enough that he was able to decipher who was standing in front of him. It was none other than Dale Stuckey, and for the first time since he'd been introduced to the young man, Elliot recognized in his eyes the presence of pure evil.

"Surprised, huh? Yeah, I bet you are. You didn't think I could do anything right."

There was no mistaking the taunting tone in the lab technician's voice as he reached out and roughly ripped the tape off of Elliot's mouth. Ignoring the discomfort, the older man tried to make sense of the situation.

"Stuckey, what have you done?"

"What? You can't figure that out, Mr. Big Detective?"

Even though he already knew the answer, speaking it aloud was another matter. Elliot realized that Stuckey was expecting him to connect the dots. None of that though, changed the predicament he was currently in. He was unsure if anything would at this point. Still, he was determined to play along.

"You tried to kill Judge Donnelly. You gassed Zimmer."

Stuckey didn't deny the accusation. How could he, when the irrefutable evidence was so glaringly obvious only mere feet away? Instead, he almost seemed proud of his accomplishments, and went on to boast further.

"I killed O'Halloran, too. And now, you."

Though the words sent the fingers of dread coiling around Elliot's heart, they weren't in themselves a surprise. He supposed he had been aware of the gravity of his situation from the moment he had regained consciousness. Still, coming face to face with his own mortality was never an easy concept. This did seem, however, like one situation he would not be able to get out of. His luck may have finally run out.

Elliot barely heard Stuckey asking him if he was ready when searing pain registered in his brain as he felt the blade of the knife ripping through the muscles of his chest. He was shocked that the younger man hadn't stabbed him to death outright, but had opted instead for a more sadistic method of torture. There was no doubt about it, this was an act of revenge, and Stuckey was getting payback.

"You shouldn't have been so mean to me. You were always making fun of what I did, what I said."

For all the rage coiling within him, Stuckey's words were plaintive, and combined with his boyish looks, made him appear even younger than his years. Elliot was not fooled by the alteration in the other man's visage, though. He knew he was dealing with a calculating criminal – and that he had to continue to tread carefully.

Breathing through his nose to help offset the burning sensation in his upper torso, he continued to hypothesize aloud.

"So after Donnelly cut Harrison loose, that was all you."

Stuckey eagerly admitted to his sins, the knife waving wildly as he spoke. He clearly saw no problem with his confession, especially considering he wasn't planning on leaving Elliot behind as a witness.

"Yes, I was trying to help. Harrison is a bad man, he's supposed to be in jail. And yes, I screwed up a little bit."

Fear for his life aside, Elliot was getting fed up with the technician's pitiful attempts to justify his behavior. Figuring it would have no bearing on the outcome, he decided to address Dale as he actually was – a murderer.

"You followed Munch and Fin all the way to Coney Island, and you murdered that innocent girl under the boardwalk."

"But then, I put the thumb print on the soda can to get Harrison, right?"

Elliot was incredulous. It was obvious that Stuckey was actually seeking praise at this point. Better to just feed into his delusions than try and contradict them.

"So he'd go back to jail, and your mistake would be forgiven."

With the knife still clasped in one hand, Dale applauded Elliot's conclusion.

"Yay! See, now you're figuring it out. Now, you're a detective."

The blonde technician's voice was dripping with sarcasm and bitterness. He was, however, still missing an obvious point. Elliot forced his voice to remain calm as he tried to get the young man to listen to reason. He knew he was rapidly running out of time, and this would undoubtedly be a last ditch effort on his part to save his own life.

"Stuckey, listen to me. Harrison's in jail. You can't pin any of this mess on him."

Once again, Dale looked at Elliot as though he were an imbecile.

"Not him. One of his paranoid pals."

On the verge of laughter now, he continued.

"You see? There will be nothing that links me between any of this, once I get rid of that pesky little mosquito."

With an evil grin, Stuckey moved forward to inflict another slash using the knife in his hand when a question from Elliot halted him in tracks.

"What makes you think that's the only evidence? Every killer leaves something behind. You should know that better than anybody, Stuckey."

Elliot's words were rewarded with another two distinct cuts on his torso. He was now bleeding from several wounds. If it weren't for the adrenaline surging through his system, he'd likely be unconscious. If not from the blood loss, then at least from the concussion he'd sustained earlier when he was hit over the head.

"You think I'm stupid, right? Just like everyone else. Just like O'Halloran. That bitch in court, Zimmer. Judge Donnelly, too."

"So, what are you going to do? You going to kill everybody who ever hurt your feelings?"

The truth of that statement was a harsh one. Technically, though, that was what the other man had done. So far he had three victims to his list - with a fourth attempted – and Elliot would be added to their ranks unless something or someone intervened shortly.

"You know what? I have been a very busy little zebra, haven't I? Hmm? And you didn't know because you are stupid."

"Not me."

Once again, Elliot was attempting to deescalate the situation. Then, before he or Stuckey could say anything further they both heard something that made them freeze.

"Elliot? El?"

It was Olivia. She was here. And she had absolutely no clue what she was walking into.

Olivia's arrival had put a major crimp in Stuckey's plans. It had also served to instill even more fear into Elliot's heart. All worries about his own safety immediately vanished, and his only concern from that point was her. But, before he could shout out, warn her to run and save herself, the tape was placed back across his lips. As for Stuckey, he skulked wordlessly into the shadows, this time with Elliot's gun in hand as he waited for his prey.

"Elliot? El?"

Despite all his prayers that she would think the lab was empty and turn around, Elliot could hear his partner again, and she was getting closer. Then, she was coming around the corner, and they made eye contact.

She called his name again as she ran in his direction, completely ignoring the pleading look in his eyes and the way he was emphatically shaking his head. Why didn't she understand? They had always had an unspoken communication between them. It couldn't fail them now.

Olivia was halfway to him when the sound of Dale Stuckey shouting "Don't move" in a commanding voice stopped the woman in her tracks. Raising her arms in a non threatening gesture, her brown eyes flicked to the side, registering the presence of Ryan's body before connecting with Elliot's blues, conveying her shock.

"Dale?"

"Put your gun down"

Just as Elliot himself had, he knew Olivia was attempting to deescalate the situation. She had yet to break eye contact with him. He knew her well enough to recognize that she wanted to turn around and confront the young man in the worst way, but she wasn't going to tempt fate – not yet.

"Dale?"

Again, Olivia repeated the lab technician's name, confirming his identity. When he ordered her a second time to disarm herself, chambering a bullet on the weapon he held for emphasis, she reluctantly complied. Using slow, deliberate movements, she reached one hand toward her holster. Brushing back her leather jacket, she removed her Glock from it's rightful place at her hip and lay it gently on a nearby table. What neither detective was expecting to hear next, though, were words of regret from the cunning psychopath.

"What are you doing here, Liv? I didn't want to have to hurt you, too."

For all the annoying catchphrases and twisted theories that had been spouted by Dale Stuckey, Elliot had no doubt that as of right now, he was truly being sincere. He'd always suspected that the young man had harbored a crush of sorts on his partner – or at the very least, a mild case of hero worship. The possibility now that he would have to eliminate Olivia as a witness along with Elliot was a crushing blow, and one outcome he'd clearly never considered.

Elliot watched as Olivia shared another glance with him, and kept his face impassive. She was up to something, and given the fact that he was basically helpless, he would just have to play along with whatever idea she'd come up with. He would just have to hope that whatever plan she'd concocted wouldn't place her any more in harm's way than she already was.

"Then don't."

Olivia answered Dale matter-of-factly, as though the decision to stop his trail of destruction were a simple one.

"I don't have much of a choice now. You've seen a little much."

Dropping her arms from their raised position, Olivia spun on her heel to face the man who was currently holding her at gunpoint. Using the appropriate caution and making no sudden movements, she put her plan in motion.

"Let's all calm down. Okay, Dale? Just relax. Because you did good. Really good."

Dale's confusion was obvious. Still keeping his gun trained on the female detective, he used his arm to wipe his brow.

"What?"

Olivia hoped she would sound convincing as she launched into her plan. She also prayed that Elliot would forgive her for what she was about to say and do. Even though he had already wordlessly communicated his express permission, she still hated that her part in this would amount to a veritable betrayal of their partnership.

"Well, I think it's pretty clear what happened here, right? One of Harrison's crazy followers must have got in here. He attacked these two. You found the bodies, you secured the crime scene, and then you called me. Right?"

Barely able to form a sentence, Stuckey managed to respond.

"I did?"

Olivia nodded, as though the answer were plain as day.

"That's what I'm going to tell Cragen. And then, you can finagle the forensics so everyone else believes it, too."

Pointing a damning finger toward her partner, Olivia went in for the kill. This would be the ultimate test as to whether or not Dale believed her.

"SVU hero is killed in the line of duty. It's perfect."

Shaking his head again, Stuckey denied Olivia's suggestion.

"You're lying. You're lying."

Walking backward toward Elliot, Olivia spread her arms wide.

"You think you're the only one whose life is hell because of this prick?"

With full force, she then proceeded to slap her partner across the face repeatedly, punctuating her next statements with voracity.

"'Liv do this. Liv do that.' I'm sick of it."

Olivia's next move was to remove the tape from Elliot's mouth, an act that Stuckey protested.

"No, don't. Don't!"

Pressing her hand against the base of Elliot's throat, Olivia held him in a convincing choke hold.

"I want to hear him scream."

Now that he could talk, Elliot was fully ready to play along. Giving Olivia a side eye glance, he spoke in a voice full of vitriol.

"Don't you touch me."

Catching the serve and returning it perfectly, Olivia responded without missing a beat.

"Did somebody say you could talk?"

"Both of you, shut up!"

Stuckey's shout broke through the connection the partners were building, ratcheting up the tension several more degrees. Silence reigned for what seemed like endless moments before he prompted Olivia.

"Hit him again."

This time it was Elliot who made eye contact with Olivia, shaking his head once.

"Don't do it, bitch."

As Olivia raised her palm to strike again, Elliot's antagonistic remark was followed up by a more emphatic plea.

"Don't hit me!"

Olivia was ready to do something she never thought she'd have to do in her life – put tape back over her partner's mouth. But something halted her in her tracks. Stuckey was still in denial. She still had to try and convince him. They both did.

"I don't believe you. I don't believe you."

Though she hated to walk away to the point she could no longer shield Elliot with her body if the situation called for it, Olivia turned and stepped back toward the lab technician. Her stomach churned from the words she was forced to say – having to talk about her partner like this was making her physically ill. But this wasn't the time to fall apart.

"If you knew half of what this prick has done. Somebody needs to take him out. I just didn't know you felt the same way as I did."

Taking it as a good sign that neither she nor Elliot had been shot, Olivia moved even closer. This time, as she began to speak, she was interrupted, and it was all too perfect.

"I never had-"

"Stuckey, don't listen to her."

Trying a second time, Olivia attempted to finish her sentence, only to be intercepted by her partner yet again.

"Anybody that I could trust."

"She'll turn on you the way she's turned on me."

Simultaneously, Olivia and Stuckey yelled at Elliot to shut up. Then, she said something that made her already churning stomach turn over even more.

"And when this son of a bitch is out of the picture, I'm going to need a new partner."

"What about Cragen?"

Olivia simply smiled, as though it were of no consequence.

"I've got Cragen wrapped around my little finger. The same goes with Munch and Fin. Dale, if I say the word, you're it."

"I like the sound of that."

Reaching for Stuckey's hand, Olivia took it in her own. Though the concept of touching this man in such an intimate way after everything he had done was repulsive to her, she still had to maintain his trust. Plus, holding his hand was nothing in comparison to what she had in mind for next - just something else in her list of things she'd need Elliot to forgive her for.

"You like it because we get each other. We're connected. We're connected."

"We are connected."

Olivia affirmed the statement yet again. Her heart leaped into her throat though, with what Stuckey did in that following moment.

"Let's take care of the third wheel."

With that said, he pivoted at the waist and aimed the gun once more in Elliot's direction. For his part, Elliot turned away, too. Not as an act of cowardice, but only because he couldn't bear to be looking at Olivia as her plan fell to shreds. He already knew that the guilt she'd feel would be more than enough for her to withstand. But, once again, his partner proved to be his savior. Pulling Stuckey back toward her, she stopped him from pulling the trigger.

"Wait. Just wait one second. I want him to watch."

Both Elliot and Stuckey were shocked into momentary silence at Olivia's words. Just what did she mean by that? In Elliot's case, his pulse began to pound, because he had an inkling of what she was planning, and wanted to shout at her not to do it. The last thing he would ever want Olivia to do would be to use her body as a means to save his life. But he also knew it was futile. Not only would it alert Stuckey that she had been deceiving him this whole time, but it would ultimately get them both killed.

For his part, Dale was able to voice his hesitation. He was still clinging to Olivia's hand. Once again, he appeared younger than his actual age.

"Watch what?"

Olivia's face took on an almost sultry expression as she leaned in closer. When she spoke next, her voice was almost a purr.

"Watch this."

As soon as those words were spoken, Elliot did indeed watch as his partner's lips connected with Dale's. She had done exactly what he'd been afraid she would. As much as he wanted to look away, he knew he couldn't. Not now. Just like he couldn't give in to the unwarranted feeling of jealousy that was coursing through him at this very moment.

Keeping his eyes trained on the pair in front of him, Elliot observed as Olivia released Stuckey's hand, only to bring both palms up to cup the younger man's face. Gradually, she began walking him backward, maintaining eye contact with her partner the entire time. Giving her a nod of affirmation, Elliot counted mentally inside his head until the duo were close enough that he could make contact. As soon as Dale was in front of him, he lashed out with his foot, kicking him between the legs.

There was an unexpected result to this plan though, something neither detective had considered. When Elliot kicked Dale, a domino reaction of events followed afterward, one that made his heart skip several beats in succession.

While Olivia was kissing Dale, the gun he was brandishing had become pinned between their bodies. It just so happened that Stuckey had squeezed the trigger reflexively the instant the pain from the kick registered. It was the sound of gunfire that had terrified Elliot most. But Olivia seemed no worse for the wear – if anything, she had responded in complete duality with the kick, elbowing Dale in the face and knocking him out completely. As soon as the young man was unconscious on the floor, she secured the gun and grabbed the knife from the nearby table in order to free her partner.

"Are you okay?"

The question was a simultaneous one, as they both fell back into natural patterns – more concerned about the other than themselves. Olivia helped Elliot to stand, and adjusted his suit jacket so that it now fit properly, trying not to stare at the stark lines of crimson that were traced into his upper body. Keeping an arm around his shoulders to steady him, they both gazed at Ryan, the one person in the room who was beyond help. Nothing either of them could have done would have saved him, but the loss still hurt deeply.

"How did you know?"

Despite it all, Elliot was curious as to how Olivia had known when and where to find him. He'd been unaware that she'd tried to call him earlier, that his captor had answered his phone on his behalf.

Though it may have been on his list of plans, Stuckey had never gotten around to torturing Elliot in regard to his previous conversation with Olivia.

"Stuckey. He said you went to get sushi. You and raw fish?"

Elliot laughed then, even though there was nothing remotely humorous about anything that he'd just been through. He was, however, eternally grateful that Olivia knew him as well as she did. While she herself ate it often, he'd never once touched sushi, and never would. In fact, he often teased her mercilessly about the fact that she liked the stuff.

"Are you okay standing on your own for a minute, or would you prefer to sit? I want to cuff this bastard before he wakes up."

Olivia asked the question, and Elliot knew she meant no offense, but the truth of the matter was, his ass was sore as hell. After being tied to that chair for as long as he was, the last thing he wanted was to sit back down in it. Instead, he observed quietly as she pulled her cuffs from her belt, then bent down to secure Stuckey's hands behind his back. Reading the scum his rights would have to wait until he was conscious. It was when his partner stood again that Elliot noticed the small puddle of blood beside his attacker's shoulder.

"Damn, Liv. How hard did you hit him? We do actually want him to see trial for his crimes, you know."

Snorting, the brunette managed a response.

"You're one to talk. When they give him the once over at the hospital before transporting him to jail, they'll probably have to surgically extract his balls from his internal organs. Tell me the truth, you enjoyed kicking him, didn't you?"

"Do you really need me to answer that?"

Shaking her head, Olivia prevented him from replying. Instead, she pulled her phone from her pocket, preparing to dial.

"Later. I need to call the Captain. As soon as he gets down here, I'm taking you to the hospital."

"Liv, wait -"

Once Olivia finished her call, dispatching not only the Captain, but an ambulance as well, she regarded her partner again. He was still trying to argue with her. Shooting him a scathing look, Olivia once again stopped Elliot from speaking. Or at least, she tried to. He didn't let her get far this time, though.

"Elliot, you're going to the hospital. There is no point in arguing with me about it."

Exasperated, Olivia ran her hands through her hair. The action caused the lapels of her coat to pull back with her raised arms, displaying more of her abdomen. Misunderstanding Elliot's sudden wide eyed expression for one of pain, Olivia eased him back down in the chair, ignoring his protests.

"Just sit and rest, El. You're hurt."

"But, Liv, so are you! I think you've been shot!"