disclaimer: I do not own law and order SVU, or any of the lines that I borrowed from season 23 episode 11. All rights belong to Dick Wulf and NBC.

Elliot had left his apartment right away leaving Eli with Bernie when Olivia had asked him to go get Noah for her. It hadn't taken him very long on the phone to realize that she was extremely stressed out and with every thing she had done, and still was doing for him with out question this was the least he could do to help her, and truly it still wasn't anywhere near enough in his opinion.

With those thoughts in his head he typed the address that she had texted to him into his GPS and headed there with out issue. Hmm there's no car in the driveway.. He observed as he got out of his vehicle and knocked on the door.

He stood there waiting for about 30 seconds before a young girl that was around Noah's age opened the door, "hi, who are you?" The girl asked.

Elliot slightly frowned "my name's Elliot, I'm a friend of Noah's mom I'm here to get him is your mom or dad home?"

She shook her head "no, mama went to the store to get a pizza, she left us here with Hudson."

Elliot nodded "how old is Hudson?"

"He's 16, he's my big brother" she said as voices could be heard as he stepped inside the home and shut the door behind him.

"Come on Noah, bark like a dog!"

"Rurf, rurf! he tried.

"Now eat your food little doggy."

Maybe they're just playing a game, it's a strange game but kids have done stranger things Elliot thought as he listened quietly.

"I said! EAT IT!"

Okay this might not be a game Elliot thought as he looked to the girl "do you know what they're doing?"

She shook her head a bit "nnhnn I was just watching cartoons when you got here" she said to him.

"NO!" Noah shouted franticly as at that point Elliot had heard enough "it's okay, stay here" he said to the girl as he followed the sounds of the voices and went to investigate.

"What's going on here?! what were you doing to him?!" Elliot demanded as he tried to keep his anger at bay while he watched Hudson quickly unlatch the dog cage that Noah was in and remove a dog collar from around his neck.

n-Nothing we were just playing around" Hudson said with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"That didn't look like playing around to me, what were you thinking!" Elliot glared then softened as he noticed the red mark on Noah's neck "are you alright buddy? Did he hurt you?"

Hudson shot Noah a quick glare "don't be a tattle tale" he mouthed as Noah shuddered noticeably "w-we were just playing around.. I-I thought mom was picking me up." he said on a shaky exhale.

Elliot wasn't fooled as he saw through Noah's lie "she was going to buddy but she got stuck on a case... every thing's gonna be alright" he said as he gently patted his shoulder then looked to Hudson "hand me the dog collar, Now!, and go put the dog food in your cabinet where it belongs. We're all gonna chill in the living room until your mom gets home, then when she gets here we'll deal with this" He said as he gently took Noah's arm and guided him to the living room couch.

Hudson glared at Elliot, handed him the dog collar then stomped off to do what he had said.

"So what would you 2 kids like to watch?" Elliot asked.

The girl frowned "How do I know that your safe? Your a stranger, I've always been told not to trust strangers."

Elliot smiled your a smart kid sweetie and your right, your not supposed to trust strangers and you really shouldn't have opened the door for me either but I'd like to show you something."

She nodded her head apprehensively as Elliot smiled and pulled his badge out of his pocket and showed it to her "you see this badge?"

She nodded "mmhmm it's a police badge."

He smiled "that's right and it means I'm safe, here would you like to hold on to it?"

She nodded and took it from him as a bruise could be seen on her wrist and he noticed it right away "so what's your name sweetie?"

"I'm Anny, I'm Noah's friend" She said with a smile as she focused back on the tv screen leaving Elliot with several questions in his head.

After a few minutes of sitting there thinking he decided he'd bite the bullet "Anny, sweetie, how did you get that bruise?"

She shook her head quickly "I don't wanna talk about it."

He frowned some "If it was an accident no one will get in trouble, but if it was an on purpose whoever gave you that bruise shouldn't be able to do it again."

She just nodded , shrugged and looked away from him "Noah you wanna build a new lego tower with me?"

Noah smiled and nodded "sure!," he said brightly as he gave Elliot a quick hug then ran to Anny's room with her as Elliot found himself sitting on the couch alone with the tv playing sesame street and his phone in his hand.