Title: Love Apart

Disclaimer: Slash. Angst.

POV: Speed

Chapter Seven: Surprise Rendezvous

It is an hour or so later. I am sitting in a quiet interrogation room with a sketch artist and Det. Stabler.

A female detective- the one I had seen earlier at the crime scene- enters the room. "So, this is where you're hiding, Elliot?"

"I'm not hiding. I'm here with my new friend. Finishing up with the sketch artist," he stats. "Olivia Benson, meet Timothy Speedle of the Miami-Dade Crime Lab."

I give her a small wave. The way Elliot gazes at her makes me miss Nick and Danny even more. My boys. Where are they now? What are they doing? I rest my hand on my cell phone. I can call…

"Are we done? I would like to make a phone call," I stat.

"Yes, we're done." Elliot, Olivia, and the sketch artist leave. I pull out my cell phone and dial a number.

"Hey, Frank here," comes the voice on the other end.

"Frank, it's Speed. How are you?" Why did I call Frank? Why not Danny? Or Nick? Or even Horatio?

"Speed! Man, how's the vacation? Out picking up chicks?"

Me, picking up girls? "No, just out relaxing. You talk to Calleigh and the guys lately?"

"No. I can call them if you want. I think H is holding a meeting. Two guys came in earlier today."

I lick my lips nervously as I begin to pace the small room. "Two guys, huh? Criminals or something?"

"No, they had badges. Didn't catch names or job titles though."

Is it them? Did they run to Miami looking for me? "Well, would you let the others know I said hi?"

"Sure. But why don't you just call them?"

"No time. Look, I have to go. Bye, Frank."

"Bye, Speed."

We both hang-up. I place a hand over my mouth. They are talking with Horatio. I just know it. He will find out. Frank says H is holding a meeting. Surely that means Delko and Cal are in his office. They'll find out. They will all know.

"Damn it!" I punch the wall.

"That's usually my job."

Stabler is behind me. "Sorry." I shake my hand. My knuckles are bloody.

"Something wrong back home?" He asks.

"Possibly."

He lean on the door frame. "Maybe you should go home. Take it from someone who knows; you can never spend enough time with those you love."

I sigh. "Maybe I will go home. I do miss my friends." A smile crosses my face. "You know what, I will go home. But only when this case is solved. I am the only witness, after all."

"That's true," he smiles back.

It is then that I realize I am becoming attracted to Elliot Stabler. His lovely black hair. His fetching eyes. His muscular arms. The Marine Corp. tattoo. Another man with a badge. Time for a cold shower, Timmy.

"I better go find myself a motel and check in."

"Alright."

Ten minutes later I am on the road again. This time looking for a hotel. I find one that is decent and not pricey. The thought of returning to Miami actually makes me smile. I pick up my cell phone again. Dial in a quick number.

"Valera, how are you?" No, I don't call them. I chicken out.

"Speed? What a surprise. How's the time off?"

"Good, good. Got any interesting cases?"

"Amazingly, no. Not a single case. Makes for a rare, yet boring, day."

We chat a few more minutes. She confirms what Frank has told me. Delko and Calleigh are in H's office with two other guys. One guy is wearing glasses. Danny. It has to be him.

Later I jump in the shower to wash away the day. Danny's shower note comes back to me and brings heartache with it. I am really beginning to regret leaving when I did.

I am drying off when my cell rings.

"Hello?"

"It's Stabler. Can you come down to the precinct? We may have the rapist."

"I'll be down shortly."

I dress in a black T-shirt and matching jeans. The drive back to the precinct is boring. Stabler meets me at the door. He ushers me to the hidden room with the two-way mirror. It is easy for me to identify the man in the interrogation room as the rapist. Before leaving I promise Detective Stabler that I will testify at the trial.

It is on my drive back to the hotel that I realize I now had to call Horatio. He would be upset with the time I'd spend away but happy that I was helping.

So I detour to the park. I will call H while strolling through the now dark park. Then I will call my boys. For the first time in a long while I feel good. Maybe things aren't as bad as I perceive them to be.

Finding an empty spot on a nearly- oddly- deserted road, I park. I spend the next few minutes looking for my cell phone. Upon finding it I dial in H's number. Screw speed dial tonight. With a turn of the key the ignition cuts out.

I was about to hit 'send' on my cell phone when the driver side door flew open.