Down at the precinct Cragen called Benson and Stabler to his office. Olivia walked in first with Elliot behind.
"So I hear our guy is trying to be pen pals with you now Olivia," Cragen said looking at her with a concerned face.
"Listen captain. Don't take me off this case. I bet it will help the case more if I'm on it," Olivia pleaded before Cragen could even tell her she was off the case.
"I bet it will help you get killed also Olivia!" Elliot was shocked that she was being serious, but then again this was Olivia Benson.
"I'm going to have to say that I agree with Olivia," Cragen answered back looking at Elliot.
"You're crazy!"
"Let me finish. I also agree that it is very dangerous, but no more dangerous then it would be if she wasn't working on the case. That is why Olivia will be under detail."
Olivia sighed at the thought of rookie cops watching her every move, "Can't we think of something else."
"Yes, I have. I knew you wouldn't be happy about it so the detail will be outside your apartment and you and your partner will stay together in the same apartment until this case is over," Cragen responded.
Elliot and Olivia sat down at there desks. Neither of them said a word to each other. Olivia and Elliot were finishing the paperwork from the crime scene. There had been no leads, just as before. They pulled out everything they had on the case. There were never any good leads, not even the pharmaceutical company that was doing research on the drug had been a bad lead before. Olivia sighed and threw pen down on the desk. She then held her head up with her hand as she looked at more files.
"Liv, do you want to talk about it," Elliot asked looking at her.
She looked up at his concerned face and blue eyes. "Not really Elliot."
"Come on Liv, I'm your partner and your friend."
"So it's ok for you to not talk to me, but not ok for me not to talk to you?"
"You're case is bit more extreme than my problems."
"It's eight o'clock partner. Let's go get something to eat and go home," Olivia said getting up from her chair. Elliot got up from his chair and handed Olivia her coat.
The two partners reached Olivia's apartment. Olivia played with her keys and tried to find the right one. Elliot was looking around the hallway as she opened her door. Before she got in Elliot walked in front of her and started to check the apartment.
"Come on El, I'm a cop too," she said in frustration while shutting and locking her door.
"I'm just being cautious."
Olivia threw her keys down onto the kitchen table and walked to the couch and sat down. Elliot followed. Olivia finally felt the pressure of the day. Usually whenever she got home she finally felt the pressure of the day because she didn't have to be in cop mode any more. She turned to Elliot, "What am I going to do El?"
"For right now?"
"Sure."
"I say that since women love bubble baths that you go take one, watch some TV, and get some sleep. I have a feeling that we are going to have another long day tomorrow," he said with a sad smile.
"Well before I take your advice, let me help you pull out the couch bed," she said getting up from the couch. Both of them grabbed the end of the couch and lifted up the bed part and laid it on the ground. Olivia then went to her cabinet in the corner and gave him some sheets and a pillow.
"Here you go," she said as she started to walk away.
"Hey I thought you said you were going to help me?" he said laughing.
She kept walking and said, "No I didn't. I said I'd help you pull out the bed. If you need anything just help yourself." She then closed her bedroom door and took the advice of her partner.
Olivia wasn't able to sleep that night and she knew why. Even though Elliot was in the next room she could let go and feel what she was really feeling because she was finally alone. She cried a little when she turned on the faucet for the tub so that the noise would muffle her crying, but she still hadn't been able to let all her frustration out. She cried softly in her pillow for a while and then just laid in her bed thinking.
What if this guy killed more women, which was most likely going to happen? What if she couldn't catch this guy before he got her?
These thoughts kept going through her head until she fell asleep, but about two hours later her phone rang. She got up from her bed and walked to the dresser.
"Benson."
"Detective, we have a lead on your case; another victim that's in the hospital and conscious."
She thought that she could leap for joy, finally a lead on this bastard.
"Me and my partner will be right there."
Olivia walked to her living room were Elliot was suppose to be sleeping. He was already half way dressed.
"I heard you. You know your walls are very thin," he said grabbing his button up shirt.
"Well I'll get dressed then. Since you are almost ready why don't you go get us some coffee across the street."
"Sorry Liv, I'm not leaving the apartment without you. Something can happen between here and there."
"Fine," she said as she rolled her eyes. It was too early to argue. She went to her room and got dressed quickly and they were off to the hospital.
The officer at the door filled them in on the victim. "Her name is Molly Minas. She's a marine biologist at the aquarium. We found her at her apartment. She was raped and had traces of incrystalline. We believe whoever reported the rape was the perp."
"There goes our strong lead," Elliot said sarcastically.
Olivia entered the victim's hospital room. She just saw a scared brown haired woman looking at her terrified.
"Hi Molly, I'm Detective Olivia Benson."
"The Olivia Benson," she said in a panicked tone.
"What's the matter Molly," Olivia said rushing to her bedside.
"He talked about you while he was," she cut herself off.
Olivia looked at her with her soft brown eyes and asked, "My partner is waiting outside. If you want him to come in then he will, but if you don't want him to then I can take your statement alone."
The victim cleared her throat. She pulled her self up so she could be sitting up and then she said in a stronger voice than before, "He can come in."
Olivia opened the door a crack and told Elliot to come in. Elliot came in and gave the victim a comforting smile.
"Ms. Minas this is my partner Elliot Stabler," Olivia said, "Are you ready to give us your statement?"
The victim nodded. "I was opening the lock to my apartment when all of a sudden I feel this sharp pick on my arm. It felt like a needle and before I knew it the guy had me from behind and was ejecting me with something. He took me into my apartment. I struggled, hence the burses on my face and arms, and before I knew it my body was tingling. The arm that he stuck me with was the first part of my body that went numb and with in a minute or two my whole body was numb. I couldn't speak or anything. I could scream muffled cries, but I couldn't open my mouth. All I could do was blink."
"Then what happened," Elliot tried to continue the story.
Her voice began to get shaky, "Then he took me to my bedroom and put me on my bed. He took his clothes off and then mine and raped me. The only thing I could think of was thank GodI at least I couldn't feel it. While he was doing it all her could talk about was her."
"Who's her?" Elliot asked.
"Me," Olivia said a little shaky. Elliot looked at Olivia's blank face as she sat down on the nearest chair.
"What did he say Molly?" Elliot came closer to Molly.
"He said that he couldn't wait to meet her. That seeing her broken was going to be the best thing. He told me that he was letting me live because he wanted her to find him. He also told me to tell her that her partner can't protect her. That she was going to get it good," she said and then burst into tears. Elliot reached to hug her and she cried into his chest.
"Molly, did you get a good look at this guy?" Elliot said after she calmed down some.
"He was white," she said as Olivia snapped out of her shock and started to write it down, "semi bald, brown eyes, small black rimmed glasses, he was a little overweight, and he was about medium height."
"Thank you for your cooperation Molly. Do you have anyone coming to meet you?"
"My mother hopped on a plane about an hour ago."
"If you have anything else that you remember and need to tell us you can call me at this number," Elliot handed her his card, "but I don't think it will be necessary."
"Was my report good enough?"
"You did a wounderful job in helping us."
"Thank you," she said.
"No, thank you," Olivia said.
Olivia walked fast toward the door because she felt as ifthe place was suffocating her. They walked outside the hospital and Elliot finally caught up with her. And put his hand on her shoulder. She spun around angrily at Elliot. Her eyes were welled up with tears.
"Come on El we have to get to the station," she said trying to hide her tears. She turn away from him and walked away.
"Olivia," Elliot said pleadingly. He caught up to her again and put his hand on her shoulder. This time she gave in and started sob. He turned her around and hugged her tight.
"It's ok to cry Liv." She pulled away from his grip to look at Elliot.
"We're going to catch this son of a bitch and he's going to jail and hopefully the needle," she said looking at Elliot with determination in her eyes.
Elliot moved Olivia's hair from her face, "We will Liv. We'll find him."