Across the water the sun jumped with each wave, the blue green of the ocean sparkling in the brilliant light.

The sand was hot and comforting, both phenomena wrapping him in a blanket.

His mouth was parched, it had been hours since he'd cleaned himself up but he felt good, drunk and sleepy. His clothing was stuck to his skin, the salty water making him feel delirious.

Long hours ago had he finished the icy Grey Goose he'd bought.

Now it was time to sleep, dream pleasant, sunny, happy dreams.

"Elliot!"

Liv bounded in to the house, ablaze even in the daylight.

A stale stench met her nose when she walked inside, it was a smell she knew all too well; her eyes teared and she coughed.

The house was as it had been left, bottles strewn everywhere, leftovers gone bad, and the tv blaring soap opera garbage.

Had he just up and left?

When?

Where could he have gone?

Over and over both women, now standing side by side on the porch, mulled over the questions, but came up with no answers.

"What do we do now?"

Liv looked at Maureen, she looked so fragile.

"I think we need to go to the house and talk to Cragen. He and I have both dealt with this monster before, both the alcoholism and-" Liv hesitated, "what your father's become."

Maureen looked away, the tears built in her aqua blue eyes, the eyes she'd inherited from her father.

A swing was anchored to the porch, wordlessly Maureen went and sat down, her face buried in her hands once more. A sob escaped, a mournful, heartbreaking sob that ripped right through Liv.

"Maureen, please talk to me", Liv walked over and sat down, she placed her hand gently on Maureen's back and waited.

Every sob grew more painful than the last.

Liv was lost.

So she continued to wait, as at a snails pace, Maureen ran out of tears.

"Please, talk to me", Liv repeated in a whisper.

Maureen shook her head, "I'm sorry... let's find Daddy first. When I know he's OK then you and I'll talk."

Furrowing her brow Liv pursed her lips together, she was just as stubborn as her father but Liv complied. As long as she was willing to talk eventually then Liv could accept some time.

"Come on, let's go to the house."

Munch and Fin were sitting at their desks filling out paperwork and waiting for Novak to call about Riley's case, when Liv and Maureen walked in.

"Well, look who showed up."

"Fin don't start with me", Liv had one hand guiding Maureen in front of her and the other swatted her colleague as she walked by.

Marching in to Cragen's office the door was shut immediately and Liv cut to the chase, "Cap, Elliot's got a problem."

"Yeah I noticed that", Cragen put his pen down and looked up at the two women.

"You know?"

"I know that Elliot's late, that Kathy left him, and that you two have made screaming a sport. What I don't know is what is wrong and you two are playing games."

Cragen sat back and regarded Liv awaiting an answer.

She took a deep breath and looked at Maureen standing beside her silent, "Elliot's got a drinking problem, for how long I don't know. I do know what alcoholism is and it's taken over his life."

No one spoke. The fact that she'd actually stated that her partner was an alcoholic stunned everyone momentarily.

Cragen looked at Maureen then.

She was looking at him but not really, her gaze distant and wandering.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah I'm sure. I got a call from Maureen late last night asking me to pick her up, we went to her house and I found Elliot passed out among beer bottles, leftover food, and general mess."

Another sigh escaped Cragen.

"Is that what you were up to this morning?"

"Yea, but Elliot's not at home. In fact, it looks like he just up and left - walked out of the house and drove away", there was fear in Olivia's voice.

"Maureen, I know this has gotta be hard and Liv and I understand, but we need your help finding your dad."

She understood what Cragen was asking her and contemplated for a moment.

"We used to go to Rockaway beach for a few weeks in the summer, he might go there. It's where Mom told him she was pregnant with twins."

Standing up Cragen pulled his suit jacket on, "Let's go".

The two women led the way out of the precinct with Cragen telling Munch and Fin to hold down the fort and call if anything came up; they were handling the Albert case, but Casey pretty much had it in the bag.

Cragen, Liv, and Maureen got in the car on the street - off to find out the truth...

The sun was so warm and comforting, the sand coating him in a thick blanket of stickiness mixed with his salty wet body.

He didn't care though.

But would very soon...

"Elliot!"

"Dad!"

"Elliot!"

The two labels reached his throbbing, sunburned ears. Where were they coming from?

Unaware of time and space, figuratively speaking, Elliot didn't realize the sounds were drawing closer and closer until...

"Oh my God", Maureen stood rooted in the sand.

Liv and Cragen passed her, "Elliot", was all either could utter.

They picked him up and supported him on each side under his armpit, he mumbled incoherently, drunkenly. Maureen followed behind them. They went to the car, Liv sat in the back with her partner while Cragen drove with Maureen in the front seat.

An anger boiled in Liv's stomach spouting in to her esphogas- hurt squeezed her heart and her mind reeled... hadn't she dealt with this already in life? It was deja vu.

It was time to find out Elliot's dirty little secrets...