Married to a Stranger
Disclaimer: I don't own them, but maybe someday, I will. (I can dream, cant I!)
Summary: Sequal to Affairs of the Heart - most of the time Elliot and Olivia go undercover together, but this time, Olivia gets partnered with someone else, will Elliot be able to handle the competition? And what will happen when someone gets violent?
A/N: There was such a high demand for a sequal to Affairs of the Heart that I wrote one! If you haven't read it yet, you may want to before you read this! I hope that I get as many great reviews for this stroy as I did my last ones! ENJOY!
Just Another Day
"I got the conformation letter today El!" Olivia said to her husband as the two drove to the precinct. They were supposed to have the day off, but Cragen called them in. He said that there was an important case that he would need their help on.
It had been four years since Erika was born, and Elliot and Olivia had gotten married. They lived in Elliot's apartment. Maureen and Kathleen are now in College, and the twins are in high school.
Elliot and Olivia were allowed to remain partners, as long as IAB didn't ask. If they did, Olivia was Fin's partner, and Elliot was Munich's. But in reality, nothing had changed.
"What letter?" Elliot asked, taking a bite out of his bagel. Cragen's call had interrupted them in the middle of breakfast.
"The one from Happy Hill, the preschool for Erika." Olivia smiled. The two had been looking for a preschool that they could trust for a while. It was hard with both Elliot and Olivia working. They usually left their daughter with Elliot's parents in Queens, but they were moving to Florida, and wouldn't be able to watch her anymore.
Olivia had a hard time finding a school that she felt she could trust, until she found "Happy Hill." One of Elizabeth's friend's parents ran it. Olivia felt that she could trust the woman, and sent in an application a week before.
"That's great! So she got accepted, right?" Elliot checked.
"That's why it's called a conformation letter Hun." Olivia said with a small laugh.
Elliot could always make her laugh, even when he wasn't trying. Olivia found herself laughing a lot now, something that she rarely did before Elliot.
The two pulled up in front of the 1-6, and they climbed out of the car and headed for the door.
"Munch and Fin better belying unconscious in a hospital bed right now." Elliot said as he and Olivia got into the elevator.
"Why?" Olivia ventured turning her head to face Elliot.
"Because that's the only way I'm gonna forgive them for not coming in today. Do you realize that it's been two weeks since we've spent time together outside of work?" Elliot answered. "And Erika probably thinks my mom and dad are her parents at this point."
Olivia laughed slightly, but knew that Elliot was only half kidding. She didn't spend nearly as much time with her daughter as she would have liked.
The elevator stopped at their floor, and Olivia and Elliot ventured into the bullpen. Cragen was already there waiting for them. He was sitting on Olivia's desk, with another man that neither knew, sitting at his side.
"Hey Cap, what's going on?" Elliot asked hesitantly, eying the man sitting next to Cragen.
"Detectives, this is Detective Steve Cunnings. He works for the homicide unit in Hollowtin New York, upstate. Detective Cunnings; Elliot Stabler, and Olivia Benson; two of my best detectives, just like I promised." Cragen introduced.
"Nice to meet you both." Steve said as he shook both Elliot and Olivia's hands. Elliot noticed that he seemed to hold Olivia's hand a moment to long for comfort. He hated how all men seemed to be captivated by his wife.
"I'm guessing that you didn't call us in on our day off just to meet Detective Cunnings Captain, what's going on, and why couldn't Munch and Fin handle it?" Elliot asked trying to get Cunning's attention off of Olivia without her noticing.
"Steve, why don't you fill my detectives in." Cragen instructed.
"Well, a few nights ago we got a call from the mother of a woman named Pamela Nexon." He handed Elliot thecase file. Elliotthumbed through it quickly, and then handed it to Olivia.
"She said that she hadn't heard from her daughter in a few days. Shetold usthat it was strange because Pamela apparently called her daily to check in." The detective continued. "Now, normally we wouldn't have checked it out. I mean, Pamela had just gotten married, and she's an adult, but my Captain plays poker with her father, so he sent a uniform over to her house to check it out. The officer knocked on the door but there was no answer."
"I don't mean to interrupt this very interesting story, but why are we involved? This sounds like a possible missing person's case, not a sexually based crime." Elliot interrupted. He was beginning to grow annoyed with this case. Today he had planned to take all his kids to the Queens Zoo. He had to listen to Kathy scold him for canceling plans with his kids for 10 minutes this morning, and if it was to listen to a case that had nothing to do with him, he was not going to be happy.
"I'm getting to that detective." Steve answered. "The officer on the scene found that the door was open. He let himself in, and when he was inspecting the house he found what he believed to be blood on a dresser in the guest bedroom. He called more officers to the house, and they searched the property. When they checked the shed, they discovered Pam's body." Cunnings handed Elliot the crime scene photos. Like the file, he thumbed through them, and then handed them to Olivia.
"Our ME discovered that she had been raped before she was strangled to death, and that she was pregnant." Steve finished.
"Wait, if she was strangled, than whose blood was on the dresser?" Olivia asked, looking up from the photos in her hand.
"We believe that it's the perp's blood. Pam fought hard to try to save herself." Steve answered.
"Yeah, and her baby's." Olivia added. Since she became a mother, she had become more sensative ti crimes that involved women with children. She could finally relate to the fear they must have felt when their childs life was threatened. Olivia knew that she would do whatever it took for Erika.
"We checked the husband, but the DNA isn't a match to the blood or the seamen. There was no sign of forced entry, so we think that Pam may have known her attacker." Steve finished.
"What about the baby?" Olivia asked. "Was it his?"
"According to the tests, he was the biological father." Steve answered.
"While this nowsounds like a case for SVU, why come all the way down here. I mean, Hollowtin is a little out of or jurisdiction." Elliot asked, letting out a small chuckle.
"Yeah, well Hollowtin is a small quiet town. We don't have a Special Victims Unit up there. My Captain read about the Manhattan SVU's exemplary record in the paper, and you guys impressed him. We really want to close this case." Steve answered, trying to smooze the detectives.
"Alright, well, why didn't you call Munch and Fin in? They have just as much of an 'exemplary' record as Elliot and I do, and they were actually on duty today." Olivia asked, letting her annoyance of the situation be known. She didn't like being called away from her family anymore than Elliot, and she had also been looking forward to going to the zoo.
"Because we need two people to go under cover… as husband and wife." Cragen answered.
"Oh no Cap. Olivia and I can't just drop everything and go upstate for God knows how long to play house." Elliot persisted, thinking of their young daughter at home.
"Well that's okay, Detective Stabler." Steve piped in. "You won't have to drop everything, we really only need Olivia."
Olivia looked at him oddly, she was confused.
"What is he talking about?" Elliot asked Cragen in an accusing tone.
"Detective Cunnings is the lead detective on the case Elliot. He would be going under with Olivia." Cragen explained, knowing that Elliot wasn't going to be happy with the proposed situation.
"Wait a minute; I don't know how much I like…" Elliot began before being cut off by his wife.
"I'll do it." Olivia said over Elliot.
"Great, I have your cover here." Steve smiled, handing Olivia a file. "I'll pick you up here, tomorrow, at about 7 a.m. We'll drive up to Hollowtin from there. Now I have to go inform my captain." He added. "It was nice meeting you." He smiled as he walked away.
"I am not letting her go by herself Don. Liv's my partner; my responsibility." Elliot said angrily, following Cragen into his office, and slamming the door behind him.
"Look Elliot, I don't like it either, but Detective Cunnings is heading the case. We can't have both of you playing Olivia's husband." Cragen explained, taking his seat.
"One thing Cap, I am Olivia's husband, don't you think that if I go it will be more believable?" Elliot tried.
"Umm, excuse me for interrupting, but did either of you even consider that I just might be able to take care of myself?" Olivia asked. She was standing in the now open door way. "I don't need a babysitter to do my job." She continued, walking into the room and in front of Elliot. "Besides, this way you can stay here with Erika." Olivia finished.
"Or, I could go up there with you, and work with the Hollowtin PD behind the scenes." Elliot offered. He was quite pleased with his idea.
"That, could work." Cragen said slowly, thinking it over a little.
"Why, because you don't think I can do the job on my own?" Olivia asked, anger growing behind her voice.
"No, because I don't like sending any of my detectives on assignments solo." Cragen answered in a warning tone. "I'll call the Hollowtin Captain and let him know that Elliot will be joining you." He finished, picking up his phone to let Elliot and Olivia know that they were excused.
"Oh, and don't forget to be here by seven." He called after his two detectives as they left the precinct.
TBC... read on, and tell me what you think! On Sunday I'm going away gor two days to visit Genoseo up state, so I won't be updating for a few days after tomorrow, but I WILL be back!
Hope you all like the story so far! - just wait until you see what happens when Olivia goes on the mission, but first, there will be some Stabler family drama!