Title: One of Their Own

Author: SVUFanatic611

Rating: PG-13

A/N – First off, this isn't my favorite chapter and I'm not as proud of this one as I am the others. I felt that the story was kinda dragging along a little, so I decided that this chapter is gonna be kind of scattered. It's going to be more telling than showing, but in the next chapter, which is the concluding chapter, is going to be much better and filled with more dialogue and emotion.

Disclaimer: SVU and its associated characters are not mine.

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Around New York City Public Library
December 5, 2003
-2:04pm-

"Are you sure you didn't see anything, Mr. Capone?" asked Olivia.

"I don't know. What happened exactly?" the seventy-eight-year-old man asked again.

"A girl was kidnapped, Mr. Capone. Do you remember seeing anything or anyone out of the ordinary?" asked Munch, getting a bit annoyed.

"Umm…"

"Maybe hear anything? Maybe somebody screaming?"

"No, I don't think so."

Munch and Olivia shared a glance.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Capone," said Olivia, ending the conversation. They started to leave when he spoke up.

"Is that the little girl they've been talking about on the television all day? That cop's daughter?"

"Yes, sir, it is."

"I used to be a street cop. I retired when my partner's son was involved in drug trafficking and got killed during a shoot out. It was a shame, just like this little girl," he said, shaking his head. "Tell that detective that I'm thinking of him."

"Will do, sir."

-

"Mrs. Watson, did you see anything out of the ordinary? Maybe hear anything?"

"No, I'm sorry, I didn't."

"Are you sure? Please try your hardest to think back," pleaded Olivia.

"I'm sorry I can't help you further, Detectives."

-

"Yes, Ms. Arthur, a girl was kidnapped. Did you see anything?" asked Munch.

"No, I'm sorry, I get in the zone sometimes when I'm photographing and completely black out parts of a day. I really am sorry, Detective."

-

"Damn it!" Olivia exclaimed, as she got into the car.

"Well, what do we do now?" asked Munch, ignoring Olivia's outburst. "We've got just under three hours left on our twenty-four clock."

"How do you think the phones are coming?"

"Probably the same as two and a half hours ago. Unreliable. Unhelpful. Unworthy of our time."

"Well, we're not going to solve anything by sitting here. Let's get going. Back to the station?" she asked.

"Sure," he answered as he pulled out of the parking spot.

They drove in silence until Munch spoke. "How's Elliot?"

Olivia glanced at Munch. "Pretty bad. His daughter's missing."

"Did he seem okay when he talked to you?"

"How'd you know I talked to him?"

"I was waiting for about fifteen minutes, Olivia. I called Cragen to ask him if he knew where you were. Let's just call him Big Brother, he sees everything. He knew where you were."

She nodded. "It was hard watching him like that, you know? Seeing him so distraught and knowing that the only thing that was going to get him better was his daughter in his arms, knowing that that's my job and I'm not doing it, it's just…well, sometimes I hate this job."

-
Munch and Olivia spent the three hours canvassing, talking to people, and trying to find Kathleen. All were futile attempts.

They drove around the city in hopes of finding Kathleen, but nothing worked. The detectives became dispirited and Olivia dreaded calling Elliot. She knew she had to, she promised him, but that didn't mean she wanted to.

-5:00pm-

Munch and Olivia were in the car, sitting in silence, when they both saw the clock on the radio strike five o'clock p.m. Olivia leaned her head against the window as Munch exhaled deeply and let his head roll back to the head rest on the car seat.

Cragen sat at his desk when he saw his watch's second hand reach the twelve as the hour hand rested upon the five. He sighed, praying to the God he only hoped existed, and glanced at the vodka bottle lying in his open desk drawer. Knowing he shouldn't, wishing he could, hoping he wouldn't.

Elliot sat on his couch, watching the black screen. He couldn't get himself to turn on the television. He didn't want to hear anything about his daughter except from his co-workers. The clock on the wall next to the television struck five. His head dropped, unable to be supported by his neck anymore. He let his chin rest in his palms and the corners of his eyes fell upon Kathy. She entered the room, leaning on the doorframe and when her husband noticed her presence, she walked over and sat next to him on the couch. He put his arm around her and pulled her close.

Silence overcame them all as they watched the seconds pass by.

-

Munch and Olivia walked in to the bullpen and took their respective seats. Munch stared at his paperwork that needed to be finished and Olivia stared at the phone on her desk. She was hoping that someone else would call Elliot and tell him that they failed. But she knew that he didn't want anyone else besides her to call.

She reached her hand out and as her fingers wrapped themselves around the receiver, it rang. She flinched, a little jumpy and picked it up, knowing already who it was.

"Benson, Special Victims Unit," she answered professionally.

"It's Elliot," the weak voice came from the other end.

"I am so sorry, Elliot…" she started, but got cut off.

"Don't apologize, Liv, just find her. Please," came the distressed voice again.

"I'm trying, Elliot. I really am. I'm not going to give up," she said, resting her forehead in her other hand.

"I'm really counting on you. I've always trusted you, Liv. Please, please don't let me down."

Munch glanced at her and realized she was on the verge of tears and then his eyes fell upon his watch. 5:34pm. Now I know there's no God, he thought. There can't be. He decided to check the leads the phones were getting.

-

It was about six o' clock when Olivia hung up from trying to calm Elliot down who finally had cracked and cried, letting the extent of his emotions flow through the other end of the phone. She put the receiver down and crossed her arms, leaning into the chair. "Any good leads from the phones?" she asked Munch when she saw him return two minutes later.

"A couple. I don't know how reliable they are, but they're worth a shot," he answered.

"Let's go." They both got up and grabbed their coats.

"No, you're not going anywhere," came the familiar voice of their captain from behind them.

"Cap, what are you talking about? Don't tell me you're giving up on this case," Olivia said, not even thinking.

"Are you kidding me, Olivia? This case stays open and worked on until we've got something. Which leads me to the next bit of info."

"What is it?" Munch asked.

Cragen moved closer to them, as if he wanted the conversation to remain secret. "A call just came in from vice. Patrol officers found a body. They called me because they thought it fit the description of the 'missing cop's daughter'."

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A/N – dun, dun, dun! What will happen? I know, this chapter isn't as good as some of my others, but I really just want to get to the next chapter and I guess this was a vital part without going on for forty more chapters! Hope you don't hate me and can forgive me. Anyway, last chapter is coming up sometime after Christmas, because I've got some family down. So, happy holidays! May they be filled with joy and merriment and may your new year be blessed in every way possible! Until next chapter, adios and happy holidays! –Jessica