The next morning, Benson tapped her pen on her desk awaiting the arrival of her partner.
"Unless you're planning on handing out aspirin to everyone, could you please stop that?" Munch asked.
She looked up. "Huh?"
He nodded to the pen in her hand, the one still being tapped.
"Oh."
"You don't think he really went after the guy, do you?" Fin asked without glancing up from his paperwork. When she did not respond, he finally looked up. "Olivia?"
She shrugged. "I hope not."
"Benson."
Her heart skipped a beat. The captain did not look happy.
"Close the door," he told her when she entered his office. "Where is Stabler?" he growled.
"I… What happened?"
"Just please tell me you know where he's been all night."
She shook her head.
"Then when he gets here he'd better have a damn good alibi." He sat at his desk. "James Chimon's body was just found near Chelsea Piers. Time of death is estimated between two and four am. What frame of mind was he in when you last saw him?"
"His daughter had nearly been raped by a cop! What kind of frame of mind would *you* have been in?" she snapped. Taking a deep breath, she calmed. "When he left my place he assured me he wasn't going to go after the guy. I had no reason to think otherwise. I thought I had gotten through to him."
"What time did he leave your place?"
"Around eleven."
"I hope his wife can give him an alibi then."
It hit Olivia like a ton of bricks. Normally Elliot would have an alibi with her but… no one else knew of the impending divorce. "I hope so, too," she whispered.
Opening the door, she stopped short. Stabler was just walking in, wearing the same clothes he had had on the day before and looking as if he hadn't slept at all. With a quick glance back at Cragen, who urged her to talk to him first, she grabbed her partner's arm and dragged him down the hall to a private room.
"What are you doing?" he demanded.
"Hopefully saving you." Benson paced the floor for a few moments while Stabler watched her. "Where did you go when you left last night?"
"The hotel."
Her eyes met his.
"Then out," he admitted.
"Just please tell me you have a solid alibi."
He stared at her.
"How could you be so stupid, Elliot?" she screamed. "You know how…"
"What happened?" he asked.
"Chimon was murdered last night."
He sank down in a nearby chair and ran his hands over his face.
"So whatever you did do last night, tell me you had someone, anyone who can give you an alibi."
"I don't, Liv. I went out for a walk." His laugh was dry. "How many times have we rolled our eyes at suspects with that excuse?"
Sitting down across from him, she reached across the table and touched his hands. "What did you do last night?"
"Went for a walk, stopped at a bar, had a few drinks, went for another walk. But I was out of the bar by one-thirty so that won't help."
"What time did you get back to the hotel?"
He thought for a moment. "I think it was around three-fifteen."
"Well, if they find out he died after three-fifteen then we should be able to use the hotel surveillance to establish an alibi for you."
The door opened and Cragen walked in followed by Fin, Munch and two officers. "Elliot…"
Benson stood up. "You're going to arrest him now?"
Cragen nodded. "Evidence at the scene…" He looked to his other detective. "Unless you have an alibi…"
"No."
Fin and Munch stood beside Benson as the three watched their friend be escorted away in handcuffs.
************************
"The evidence is circumstantial at best," Benson argued, looking over the information that had been given to Cragen.
He sat at Stabler's desk. "We've arrested people on less. If we let someone slide just because they are a cop…"
"It's all politics," Munch mumbled. "Look, we all know he didn't do it. Heaven knows I would have but he wouldn't."
"What about Casey?" Olivia asked.
"What about me?" asked the tall auburn-haired woman. "I get in late this morning only to find my new case is prosecuting one Detective Elliot Stabler for the murder of a suspected rapist? Great start to the day, so does anyone want to fill me in?"
Benson handed the file to the ADA.
"Wait, you're handing the file to the enemy here," Munch commented.
Glaring at him, Novak exclaimed, "You've got to be kidding me? You are holding him on this evidence?"
"We can't play favorites and it was a cop who was killed," Cragen offered once again.
Fin turned in his chair. "At the risk of sounding like my partner, what if someone is framing Elliot?"
Munch grinned. "I see I'm training you well."
"Why frame him?" Benson asked.
Fin shrugged. "Haven't figured that part out yet. But it was a thought."
"You know…" Munch jumped in, "He may be on to something. The only evidence at the scene was a college picture of Maureen. Anyone could have gotten hold of something like that."
"But the only people who knew what happened are in this room and Aimee and Maureen," argued Benson.
"What about Kathy?" Cragen asked.
"Her too." She sighed and shook her head. "No, Kathy would not do something like that."
"Why not?" asked Casey. "She has just as much motive as Aimee's parents and Elliot. We can't eliminate anyone as a suspect based on personal feelings."
"She wouldn't risk it. Not with the divorce and…" Olivia shut her mouth upon realizing what she had said.
The others stared at her.
"He didn't want anyone to know yet."
They all nodded in silent agreement that the secret was safe with them.
"If that's the case, then she might risk it," Cragen finally said. "She's losing her husband, her daughter was attacked…"
Knowing he was right, Olivia argued no further. The important thing at the moment was clearing her partner of murder.
Casey handed the file back to Benson. "I'll see what I can do about delaying the case from my end. But if word gets out that I'm doing this…" She shot a glance at Munch who held his hands up then walked away.
"You do realize that Aimee and Maureen are both considered suspects as well," Munch reminded them.
"Olivia, if you want off this case…"
"No, Captain, I need to stay on it. I need to see it through."
"Alright. Fin, Munch, you two go talk to Sergeant Filmore at the 4-3. Benson, you go talk to Mrs. Filmore. Their daughter was raped. They have just as much motive as the Stablers in this."
*********************
"Mrs. Filmore, I'm Detective Olivia Benson." She introduced herself to the weary woman before her. "I need to talk to you."
She nodded and allowed Benson inside. "This is about Aimee?"
Olivia nodded. "I'm very sorry."
"My husband told me an officer in his own precinct did this."
"We are following leads at the moment. Mrs. Filmore, I was wondering where you were last night?"
"Here, why?"
"Were you here all night? Can anyone testify to that?"
"Yes, my husband and son can both do that. What's this about?"
Benson studied the woman. The worry lines on her face told the story of a woman who had spent many years in fear of losing her husband in the line of duty only to now have to deal with the rape of her daughter. "Our suspect was found dead last night. This is just routine questioning."
Mrs. Filmore nodded. "I understand. I'm not sorry he's dead but I do appreciate you following the book on this. My son and my husband were both here all night as well."
Benson nodded and took down notes. "What about a boyfriend?"
"No, Aimee didn't have one, at least not that I know of. The boy she had been dating throughout high school broke up with her after they graduated. He said it was because they were both going to be at different schools and wouldn't get to see each other as much."
"I'll need his name and where he is going to school if you have it."
"Sure. Robert Gopen and he is attending Princeton."
After thanking her, Benson left and immediately called Munch and Fin.
"Anyone up for a trip to Princeton?" she asked Munch.
"Jersey gives me hives. But I'm sure Fin would love to go."
"Did you guys find anything?"
"He says he was at home all night with his wife and son."
"That's what Mrs. Filmore told me. I'm going to stop by and see Elliot before I head back to the station."
"Tell him we said hi."
She smiled and hung up the cell phone.
******************
Sitting in the barred room, Olivia shivered as a chill ran through her. What if they couldn't clear him? What if this was the only way she'd ever be able to see him?
"Hey, stranger." Elliot smiled and took a seat at the table.
"Hey yourself. How are you holding up?"
He shrugged. "They put me in my own cell. Seems we are responsible for a good number of the people in holding here."
"El, if it's not safe…"
"Liv, I'm fine, really. How's the case?"
"The list of suspects just keeps on growing. But you know I can't discuss it with you at the moment. Just trust us."
"I always trust you, Liv." He paused. "I called Kathy to let her know what happened."
"And?"
"She apologized for the call last night. You were right. She just needed to vent."
Sadly, she smiled. "You always hurt the ones you love."
"Is that why I keep hurting you?" he asked softly. His eyes grew large upon realizing he had spoken it out loud. "Olivia…"
With her heart racing, she put on a smile as a front. "Don't worry, El, anything you say cannot be held against you right now."
"Have you seen Maureen at all?"
"No. I was going to drop by the dorms later today to see how they are doing. I'll let her know you're okay and that you love her."
He laughed. "Sometimes it scares me that you can read my mind."
"As it should, Detective Stabler," she teased. "I have to go, actually. Fin and I have a lead to follow up on."
They both stood up and looked at each other.
"You be careful," she told him.
"Don't worry about me."
************************
Benson was just picking up her keys to meet Fin outside when someone called her name. She turned around. "Maureen. What are you doing here?"
The blonde walked over to her. "I was looking for Dad."
Everything had happened so fast that no one remembered to call Maureen. She led the teen into the interrogation room. "Maureen…"
"Something's happened to him, hasn't it?" she panicked.
"No. Not anything like that. I was going to stop by later to talk to you. He… he was arrested this morning."
Maureen stared at Olivia.
"He's okay."
She continued to stare.
"Maureen?"
"Wh… why was he arrested?" Her voice shook.
Olivia inhaled deeply. "We had a suspect. You're father knew who it was, as did Aimee's father. He was killed last night."
Maureen jumped up, causing the chair the fall. "What? So automatically Dad is the one who did it?"
"Maureen, we all know he didn't."
"Then why is he in jail?"
Inwardly, Olivia couldn't help but smile. Maureen paced the floor exactly like her father did. "The DA is working on getting him out. Don't worry…"
"Don't worry?" she hissed, turning to face Olivia. "My father, a cop, is in jail with who knows how many people he put away and you're telling me not to worry? My mom's falling apart at home." Tears streamed down her pale face. "How can I not worry?"
Olivia walked over to her and held her tight as she cried. "I don't know," she admitted.
"Aren't you worried?" she asked in between sobs.
Hesitating before answering, Olivia nodded. "Yeah. I am."
******************
Fin and Benson returned back to New York late after conducting interviews with Aimee's ex-boyfriend and his roommates.
She yawned as Fin pulled into the parking garage.
"Go home," he told her. "I'll drag Munch in and we'll work on this for now. You need sleep."
"I'm okay. I'll catch a short nap here."
Fin turned to face her. "You're not going to do any of us any good if you collapse of exhaustion."
She glared at him and he backed down.
****************
Munch, Fin, Benson and even Cragen worked all through the night trying to connect all the pieces. Their interviews with the Filmore's had provided no new clues, only a new suspect in Robert.
"What are we missing?" growled Olivia as she gazed over the board upon which were posted all their potential suspects… Maureen, Aimee, Sergeant Filmore, Mrs. Filmore, Elliot, Kathy and Robert. "Who has the most to gain by framing Elliot?"
"That's an easy one… Kathy." Fin regretted it the second he said it. "I didn't mean it to… it's late."
"No, Fin, you're right. We have to look at it from an outside perspective and that leaves Kathy as the prime suspect to frame Elliot… if Elliot really is being framed." Cragen risked a glance at Benson.
"IF?" she yelled.
"Olivia, he's right." Munch stepped between her and their captain. "It is possible that Elliot really did do it."
Slamming her fist on the board, she stormed off.
Munch followed. He found her in their favorite spot to get away from everything – the rooftop. "Jumping won't help anything you know. It's messy and just overall unpleasant."
She tried not to laugh but somehow Munch always made her feel a little better about things. "And it's the easy way out." Passing a glance over her shoulder, she said, "I could always throw you over though. Take out some frustration."
"You could," he grinned. "But then who would be left here to aggravate you everyday?"
She went back to staring out across the city.
"You going to be alright?"
"I don't know. I know the Captain's right. I know Fin is right. I know we can't eliminate Kathy and Elliot as suspects, or Maureen for that matter, just because they are like family. It's just…"
"Hey, no one believes he did it. I don't think any of us believe Kathy did it."
Olivia wiped away a single tear. "When did it all get so complicated?"
Munch smiled. "When you fell in love with your partner."
Gasping, she looked at him. "I… what… John, it's not…"
But he kept on smiling.
"Is it that obvious," she asked.
"No, just to someone who's been through three marriages."
"I never meant for it to happen. He was married so I guess that's what made it safe."
"No fear of being hurt. No fear of rejection. No fear of getting too close."
Benson nodded.
"Now that he's no longer married?"
She remained silent.
Putting an arm around her shoulder, he turned her back towards the door. "Let's get this thing figured out so you and Elliot can get things figured out."
*********************
It was nearing eleven in the morning and each member of the SVU squad was working on their fifth cup of coffee.
"I'm looking for Detective Benson."
All eyes fell upon the young officer who stood before them. He was tall with haunted green eyes.
"I'm Benson," said Olivia with hand extended.
"Can we talk in private somewhere?" he softly asked.
Taking him to the interrogation room, she closed the door and sat down. "Would you like some coffee or anything?"
He shook his head. "I'm Officer Michael Carter. I work over at the 4-3," he began.
Her defenses went up immediately.
"It's about Chimon."
"What do you know about him?"
The young man's eyes locked into hers. "That Sergeant Filmore's daughter wasn't the first girl he ever raped."
Olivia sat back in her chair taking in the information. "How many others?"
"At least ten. Mostly high school students."
Her breathing increased as her anger grew. "You knew and you didn't tell anyone?"
But Carter's voice remained soft and timid while his gaze fell from hers. "I didn't know. Not until last night when I was cleaning out his locker." He paused. "He was my partner. He was my partner and I had no idea." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out videotape and placed it on the table. "He taped them all with a hidden camera. Why he kept it at the precinct is beyond me."
Benson stared at the tape. This was evidence that Chimon had been a serial rapist but it still didn't help to clear her own partner. In fact, it only added more suspects for them to interview. Picking up the tape, she stood up. "I… I'm sorry about your partner." She tried to muster all the sympathy she could but it was difficult.
Carter looked up at her. "Don't be. After what I saw on that tape I'm actually glad he's dead. But… Detective, there was another thing. I…" He buried his face in his hands. "This could be the end of my career if I tell you this…"
She sat back down. "Tell me what?"
"I overheard two of the guys talking in the locker room last night. They didn't realize I was there…" He looked around. "You may want to tape this as evidence in case something happens to me."
Benson went out of the room, indicated to the guys to listen in, and grabbed a recorder.
"Okay, just for the record, could you state your name once again please?"
He nodded. He knew the drill. "Officer Michael Carter. Last night while I was clearing out Officer James Chimon's locker I heard Detectives Sean McKeever and Joseph Crighten discussing Chimon's murder. I stopped what I was doing to listen in closer. Sean McKeever told Crighten to watch what he said because 'Filmore can't know anything about this.'" Carter sighed. "They then went on to discuss how Chimon deserved worse than the death they gave him after what he did to Aimee. Thank goodness the other cops daughter was involved too. It was almost too easy to frame him."
Inside, Benson was thrilled. This was the break they needed to clear Elliot. But at the same time to hear two fellow officers plotted the death of a third… "Did they give a detailed description of what happened?"
Carter shook his head. "No. I'm sorry."
Turning off the recorder, Benson smiled at him. "We'll make sure you are not in danger. I think you've given us enough to get search warrants so we will hopefully have them behind bars soon."
*****************************
Benson and Fin strode into the 4-3, went to the locker room without warning and opened the lockers of McKeever and Crighten.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" McKeever asked, pushing Benson aside.
Fin, seeing her fist ready to make contact, stepped over to her and held her back. "We're above this," he whispered then let her hand the search warrants over.
"Now, get out of our way or you'll be arrested for obstruction of justice," she hissed heading straight for McKeever's locker where she proceeded to find exactly what they needed. She turned around and grinned smugly at McKeever. "For a cop you're not exactly the smartest person in the world." She held up a crumpled up, blood-spattered shirt.
Crighten tried to quietly sneak back out of the room but was stopped by Sergeant Filmore himself. "Not so fast there, Crighten. We haven't seen what is in your locker yet."
"Olivia."
She walked over to Fin then turned and glared at Crighten. "I can't wait to see what they find in your apartment." With that, she looked through numerous pictures of teenage girls, including pictures of Aimee and Maureen in bikinis taken at the beach over the summer.
*********************
Within an hour, Olivia sat anxiously in the waiting area of Rikers. As soon as Elliot stepped through the door she was up and wrapping herself around him.
"Geez, Liv. You'd think you missed me or something."
Letting go, she looked at him with a huge smile… a smile that quickly faded when she saw the black eye he had obtained in prison. Gingerly, she reached up and touched it. "What happened?"
"Met the bad end of a fist."
"Daddy!"
Olivia stepped aside just as Maureen collided with her father in an embrace. "I am so sorry, Dad."
He held her tight. "You have nothing to be sorry about, sweetheart," he whispered back, fighting tears.
After giving them a few moments, Olivia stepped closer. "I hate to interrupt but I don't think any of us want to stay here any longer than we have to."
Keeping an arm around his daughter, Elliot looked at her. "What are you doing here anyway? This isn't a place for a…"
"Child?" Maureen finished. "Dad, I'm not a child anymore. And if it hadn't been for me wanting to fit in at school you wouldn't have even been here in the first place. I have a right to be here."
Benson smiled.
Elliot just stared at Maureen. "When did you grow up?"
She laughed. "Awhile ago, Dad. Now, can we get out of here?"
"Thank you," Elliot whispered to Olivia.
"I couldn't have stopped her if I tried," she replied.
*********************
Near eleven at night Olivia Benson was curled up on her couch watching the late news. After having lunch with Maureen and Elliot, she had left them while Elliot had taken Maureen back to spend time with Kathy and his other three children. She had, instead, gone home upon Cragen's orders, and slept most of the day.
A knock at her door made her jump.
Looking through the peephole, she smiled and opened the door.
"Are you always this trusting?" Elliot asked.
She pointed to the tiny viewer in the door. "They made them for a reason."
Seeing her dressed in pajamas, he asked, "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"
"No, I've been sleeping all day. I was just watching… I have no idea what I was watching actually."
He laughed. "I just wanted to stop by and thank you once again for not giving up. And… and for being their for Maureen."
They sat on her couch. "How is everything with Kathy and the kids?" she asked.
"They're fine. They're better now that they've seen me alive and in person." He stared down at his hands. "We told them about the divorce."
"How did that go?"
"They all knew already. Even Elizabeth and Dickie."
Olivia reached over and covered his hands with hers. "They're all growing up, El. It's what kids do."
They continued to sit in silence for many moments. It was nice to not have bars separating them any longer.
"Maureen asked me about you," he told her.
"She just saw me."
He gave her a sideways glance and smiled.
"Oh."
His heart pounded wildly as he said, "She told me that she and the other kids would be fine with it."
"With what?" She was thoroughly confused.
His blue eyes trained themselves on hers. "With us."
"El, you did tell her there is no 'us' didn't you?"
He nodded, his eyes still locked into hers.
She tried to ignore it. She tried to keep those feelings pushed deep down where they had been for so long.
Leaning over, his lips softly pressed against hers. Before her mind could register what was happening, she found herself pressing harder. The kiss was just about to deepen when she pulled back and looked at him.
"I'm sorry, Liv. If it's not…"
"It's not that. I just… you haven't even gotten divorced yet and…"
He nodded. "You're right."
Olivia looked away. "And I don't want to be the rebound girl," she said quietly.
"What?" He turned her face so she was looking at him once again. "Liv, I would never, I could never, do that to you. I've been fighting feelings for you for a long time now. Never, never would I consider you the 'rebound' girl."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Since this attraction seems to be a mutual thing why don't we just not change anything and see what happens on it's own." A smile blossomed. "Besides, you may get sick of me now that I have more time to spend with you."
"And what makes you think I hadn't gotten sick of you long ago?" she teased.
"If you had, you wouldn't have allowed yourself to look like hell for the last two days from overwork."
Her jaw dropped. "Elliot Stabler, I am going to make you pay for that comment!"
Pulling her close to him, he whispered, "I know you are."
They held each other into the early hours. The comfort and strength they found in each other was sometimes overwhelming but after what they had gone through it was what they needed. Comfort, friendship and love.
The End