A/N: Well, sorry I haven't updated lately. Here's the next chapter. Hope you like. Reviews are COMPLETELY welcome. And, if anyone's interested in beta-ing (if that's a word) for me, thanks ahead of time!

Chapter Six

Olivia's POV

Cragen was waiting for us when Elliot and I returned from the hospital after taking Kit's official statement. He watched our faces as we sat down, and when we did, he gave a long sigh and asked, quietly, "So, what did you get?"

"We have a victim who's one of the most helpful I've ever seen," Elliot mentioned, and I agreed with a nod. Munch gave us a quizzical look from his desk where he and Fin were throwing around a small, Nerf-style football.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"She wants to talk to the press," I answered, "to help other girls come forward."

"What?" Fin asked, missing the football as it sailed passed his head. "That's a little... odd."

"Just a little," Elliot agreed. "But she was a sweet girl, not like the cheerleaders I remember from high school."

"That's great," Cragen interrupted, "But we have bigger fish to fry, okay? What did you get from her about her attack?"

I looked down at my notes that I had taken. "She said a guy took her into the bushes and made her have oral sex with him, but not before saying she was giving him some extra credit."

"Any DNA left behind?"

"It was two weeks ago, Captain," Elliot answered. "There wouldn't be any left. Besides, this guy's smart. He knows we can't get him if he doesn't leave DNA behind. He probably doesn't ejaculate, or he just trusts that the vics won't tell for a while and the sperm will be washed away."

"Thank you for that beautiful mental image," Munch commented. Elliot rolled his eyes.

"So, what do we have on who saw her before her attack?" Cragen asked, also ignoring Munch's comment.

"She said she was at cheerleading practice with a Coach..." I flipped through my notes, coming upon their name. "Sorry, not a coach. Miss Templeton. The one who helped out Natalie, remember, Elliot?"

"Yeah, I remember," Elliot agreed. "She's one of Lizzie's teachers."

"Where is Lizzie, by the way?" Munch asked. Elliot shrugged.

"She came in about an hour ago, but she said she had homework and went to find a computer. I figured she'd find a detective to oblige. You know how much everyone loves her."

"That, and you didn't want her around to hear this," I noted, and Elliot gave me a wry smile, as if I had hit right on the nose, but he was never going to admitt it.

"Moving on," Cragen interrupted again, needing to keep us on track. I silently thanked him for it. I wanted to catch this guy. "Stabler, Benson, you track down this Miss Templeton, and while you're at it, interview the other teachers the girls were with. Who knows, they might have seen something. Munch, Fin, go down to the school and pull the girls records. Find out everything and anything you can about the vics and their teachers. I want it all, got it?"

"Got it," Fin agreed, and we all stood up together, leaving to get our various orders finished as quickly as possible. I wanted to rush through this so that I could go home and wash away the day in a bubble bath. Of course... I doubted the others had the same goal.

Mrs. Harriet Wurst lived in a small apartment with her husband, Daniel. She answered the door and from the boiling pot on the stove, I could tell we had interrupted her making dinner. She seemed upset, but bustled us inside just the same.

"Mrs. Wurst, we're sorry to bother you," I began, but she interrupted.

"It's no bother as long as you have come about Natalie's attack," she said. "I will do anything to help."

Elliot nodded, opening his notebook this time. "Actually, we have. We just need to ask you a few questions. How late did Natalie stay at the detention with you?"

"Until five," Mrs. Wurst answered, promptly, "and it wasn't really a detention. She was having trouble with an assignment, and I asked her to stay after so I could help her with it. But, Natalie thought it was punishment."

"Is Natalie normally a good student?" I asked her.

"All A's in my class. I wouldn't know about her other classes, though. Teachers don't look at other teachers' grades. It simply isn't done."

"Of course not," Elliot said, smiling amusedly at her. "How long was it until Natalie came back into the school for your help?"

"It was only about half an hour," she remembered. "I got Miss Templeton to watch her while I called you."

"Why was Miss Templeton staying that late?" I asked.

"She coaches the cheerleaders," Mrs. Wurst answered. "She's there every Monday and Wednsday and every other Friday."

"Do you know of any people that have a grudge against Natalie, or that Natalie has a grudge against?" I asked. Mrs. Wurst persed her lips.

"Natalie is a model student," she answered. "She is helpful, intelligent, and kind to other students. Everyone loves her, and if they don't, it's because they are jealous of how far she is going to get in life."

"Do you know of any of these jealous people?" Elliot asked, gently, probably not wanting to incure her wrath again.

"None by name," she answered, briskly. "You would have to ask her."

"Thank you, Mrs. Wurst," I told her, seeing Elliot close his notebook. "That was very helpful."

"If you need anything else, come by any time," she offered, watching as we left the apartment, and soon made our way to the apartment of Miss Alecia Templeton.

"Hello, Detectives," Miss Templeton greeted, answered the door. She looked surprised to see us at her apartment. Elliot gave her a smile.

"Hello, sorry to bother you at home, but we need to ask you a few questions," he informed her. "May we come in?"

She looked between us, seeming quite flustered, but nodded, quickly. "Of course. Yes, yes of course."

She allowed us inside her apartment, and we stepped in. I took note of the clean, almost sterile looking atmosphere. It looked a lot like my apartment. It was always clean there because I never went home.

"We just need to ask you about Kit Tomoto," Elliot told her, and she gave us a puzzled look.

"But, I thought... why Kit? Did something happen?"

Elliot looked to me to resume the explanation. I gave an inward sigh as I began. "Two weeks ago she was attacked by the same man as Natalie, coming out of the school after her cheerleading practice. We just need to ask you some questions about her."

"Anything, Detectives, anything you need!" Miss Templeton cried. "This is so awful. Kit is such a wonderful girl. I don't know why anyone would do that sort of thing!"

"That's what we're trying to find out," I told her, comfortingly. "How late did Kit leave practice two Wednsdays ago?"

"Um... let's see... She left pretty late, around 7, 7:30, maybe? No, it was around 6:45. That's right, she was the last one to leave, I remember because she helped me set up the nets for the volley ball game that was going to happen at seven in the gym we were practicing in. She always helps like that..."

"Do you remember seeing anyone outside the building when you walked out?"

"Let me think... Coach Thomas was there, but he was just driving up for the volley ball game. Which was strange, now that I think about it, because he's always early for those games. That night he was over ten minutes late."

Elliot and I looked at each other and I made a mental note to visit Coach Thomas's apartment next. He was, after all, Annie's basketball coach, too.

"Do you know of anyone who dislikes Kit?" I implored. Miss Templeton instantly shook her head.

"No one dislikes her, that I know of, and if they did... Well, I would think jealousy plays a big part in that." I looked to Elliot. That answer sounded distinctly familiar.

"What do you mean, Miss Templeton?" Elliot asked slowly, seeing my point.

"Well, Kit is smart, pretty, as I'm sure you've seen, and she has a lot of friends," she explained. "Most girls either love her or want to be her."

"I see," I said, closing up my notebook. "Thank you for your time, Miss Templeton. If you remember anything else, please call us."

I handed her my card from my pocket and she took it, nodding.

"Of course, Detectives," she agreed. "Anything at all."

Coach Thomas answered his door on the third knock. He lived in a much bigger apartment that the two female teachers, and in the backround, we saw why. There were three, very cute little girl running around the living room.

"Quiet down, Danni, and tell Kyliegh to stop jumping on the coach!" Thomas said, gently to the oldest girl, before turning to speak with us. "Yes, how may I help you?"

"We're NYPD, Mr. Thomas," I replied, showing him my badge. "We need to ask you a few questions about Kit Tomoto and Annie Prescott."

"Why?" he asked, seeming flustered. "What happened to them?"

"Annie was attacked outside of the school last Wednsday, and Kit the Wednsday before," Elliot answered, in a complete monotone. Thomas's face fell instantly.

"Oh my God," he whispered. "I can't.... who would... why?"

"We don't know yet, Mr. Thomas," I said, "but we need to ask you a few questions."

"Yes, yes of course. Anything."

"How late did Annie leave last Wednsday from basketball practice?"

"Let's see... Six. No later than that."

"Do you remember seeing anything unusual?" Elliot asked.

"Not a thing, sorry. No one was there."

"Do you know of anyone who she held a grudge against?"

At this, Thomas laughed, and I exchanged puzzled looks with Elliot. "You mean besides every teacher in the school?"

"Can you think of any names at all?" Elliot implored.

"Let's see... She almost had to quit the team this year because she was failing Carl Volkmann's class, but a lot of kids are. She worked hard to get her grade up and keep it above failing, but she's still having trouble. I think she has a high D right now. Her sister was really angry about it."

"You seem to know I a lot about her," I noted.

"She talks to me," he answered. "The girls need a confidant, and I'm there for them."

I nodded. "Thank you. But two Wednsdays ago, why were you late to the volley ball game after school?"

"I... oh, that game. Flat tire on the way. Pain in the butt, but we won the game."

Elliot gave an insincere smile. "I'm sure you must be very proud."
Back at the Squad Room, John and Fin were already waiting for us, with some surprising information. When we walked in, Cragen was standing over John, reading something over his shoulder.

"Tell 'em what you got, Munch," Cragen ordered, and John read aloud for our benefit.

"'Grades for the second quarter sememester, Mr. Carl Volkmann's class. Derranger, Natalie, C. Prescott, Ann, D. Tomoto, Kit, D.'"

"Wait, what?" I asked. John opened his mouth to read it again, but I stopped him. "No, I heard you, but Natalie's grade? She told me she had all A's!"

"Not with Volkmann she doesn't," Munch noted, and I nodded.

"Well, who else is failing Volkmann?" Elliot asked. Munch scanned the sheet.

"Everyone in the eighth grade is either failing or right above passing. Natalie has the best grade in the class."

"What about Lizzie?" Elliot asked, interestedly. I rolled my eyes at him, amazed that he could be thinking about that right now.

"Elliot, not the time."

"Oh, sorry."

"I think we'd better get this Volkmann guy in here," Fin said, but Cragen shook his head.

"And tell him what, stop failing people?" he said. "No, I don't want him to know he's a suspect until necessary. I want everything on this guy, though, but don't drop the dime just yet."

"Right," Munch agreed, cynically. "He might skip down on his abundance of pay that he recieves for educating our youth."

"Someone's bitter," I noted, resisting the urge to smile. Munch sighed.

"I just think it's wrong for us to be looking at this guy when all he's doing is raising the bar for his students. He's trying to get them to work harder, take control, and because of that, we think he's our guy."

"So you're saying just because he's a 'good teacher' we shouldn't suspect him at all?" I summarized.

"No, I didn't say that..."

"Yes," I interrupted. "You did."