CHAPTER 5

STABLER RESIDENCE
TUESDAY, JUNE 18TH
3:04 A.M.

Screaming... blood... fear... An anguished wail woke Elliot and he leapt out of bed to investigate before realizing that he had yelled in his sleep. The nightmare never relented, never gave up, never changed. Well, that wasn't true. Since this latest case hit, he'd been seeing Kathleen and Lizzie in the dream, sliced open with methodical glee. Dickie, beaten and screaming. Maureen, tied down and violated, over and over. He reached up to scrub the sleep from his eyes and was shocked to feel fat tears sliding down his stubbled cheeks. "I can't stay here."

BENSON RESIDENCE
3:25 A.M.

The cell phone was ringing. Olivia rolled over and answered it blearily, "Hello?"

"Liv, it's me."

"Elliot. What's wrong? What happened?"

"I just, I need you. The nightmares are back and I can't sleep in that place, alone."

"Yeah, okay. I'll be right over."

"Um, not necessary. Let me in?"

She walked out of her bedroom and looked through the peephole at her crying partner, standing in the hallway. She hung up the phone, opened the door and drew him into a hug.

McNAMARA'S PUB
7:30 P.M.

Elliot was pissed. For two days, he'd flown solo, tracking down dead leads on old cases and pushing papers around his desk. The Eastside Peeper was picked up by the 3-6 for attempted burglary. A neighbor saw him hiding in the bushes and assumed he was looking for a way in, not just looking in. A boring ending for a boring case, and he was still out of the field. With a sharp gesture, he summoned the bartender, who appeared with a cold longneck and cleared Elliot's empties.

"I thought I'd find you here."

Olivia's voice came from behind him, and he answered without turning. "Yeah, well it's not like I'd be out on a case or anything. Damn it, Liv, I'm sick of this shut-out."

"Elliot, there are reasons..." Olivia sighed, knowing her explanation wasn't going to be easy. "C'mon, let's sit at a table, get some food and talk. Believe me, I don't like this anymore than you do." With a couple of tugs on his shirt, she got him away from the bar and safely ensconced in a booth near the back of the pub. After ordering a beer for herself and a couple of burgers, Olivia continued. "Look, no one wants to shut you out of things, but Cragen's just looking out for you. That's why it's Fin and Munch's case. I know you've heard rumors, so have I. Here's what I can confirm. Sacred Heart and Hudson U were done by the same guy. There was DNA and other forensic evidence at both scenes, but Cragen is keeping a tight lid on it. Yesterday's Central Park case was the same perp. Forensics aren't back yet, but I'm certain." She trailed off and reached over to grab his hand. "El, another one of your missing pictures was at the scene."

"Central Park? That was a double homicide. Oh, God. The twins?"

"Vics were both around 13, one male, one female. They'd been...well, they both got the same treatment as our Hudson vic. Elliot, I was there. It wasn't pretty. Someone is fixated on you – that's why Cragen has you playing paper jockey. Just be patient a little longer and we'll be back in the streets together, all right?"

He ground out, "Fine," as the waitress returned with their dinner.

"Great. Now let's eat. These burgers look fantastic."

He sat in a secluded corner of the bar, his eyes on his target. It had been delicious fun watching him wallow in his anger, trying to drink away his worries. Now, he observed the interaction between him and the gorgeous woman trying to tease him out of his mood over burgers and beer. As he watched, she lifted a longneck to her lush lips and took a long swallow. It was incredibly sexy, yet the man across from her barely noticed her actions.

Pathetic bastard, he thought, shaking his head. The plan was fully in motion. He took one last look at the couple in the back booth before pulling his cap down low over his eyes and slipping out. Soon it'll be your turn. Very soon.

16TH PRECINCT
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19TH
9:00 A.M.

Olivia and Elliot walked into the station together after meeting for breakfast at the corner deli. They had seen Fin and Munch rush out of the building as they approached, so they were not too surprised when Cragen called them into his office as soon as they walked in.

"Olivia, Elliot. Sit down. There's been another. Blonde, female, roughly 20, same MO. Again, a picture found with the body. Based on the last two, I'm guessing Maureen this time. El, I'm sorry. Some nut job is after you for some reason. Fin and Munch are officially on the case, but I want you in here all day." At their groans, he gave a halfhearted grin. "I know you hate desk duty, but we need you to review your past cases. Try to figure out who's doing this and why. Olivia, you get to help him. Sorry guys, but I can't have my best detectives out in the line of fire for some obsessed freak. He may be killing by proxy right now, but I want you safe if he decides to go after the real thing."

McNAMARA'S PUB
10:30 A.M.

Fin helped CSU bag the last bit of evidence – a framed picture of Maureen Stabler – before turning back to his partner. "John, you got anything new?"

Munch watched the ME's assistants loading the girl's body into their van before answering, "Not really..."

"Sounds like a 'but' is coming up."

"...but there is something that just bothers me about the whole thing. The nuns. We know they were done by the same perp. Why them? How do they fit in? Huang said they were deliberate. If so, where does Elliot's family come in to it?"

"Elliot's Catholic. These nuns know his family from school or something?"

"Possible but not likely. The Stabler kids go to Holy Family over in Queens." At Fin's look, he added, "Just like Elliot did. You know, we do talk sometimes, share information about our personal lives..."

Fin paced back and forth a few minutes before stopping suddenly. "Information! That's it. The first two nuns were killed for information about an adoption, remember? We need to see who was adopted out of Sacred Heart in 68! My money says that info is the key to this whole thing. Besides Sacred Heart, where else would those records be?"

Munch looked at his partner with new respect. "Albany – State Records Division. C'mon, we have some phone calls to make!"

16TH PRECINCT
6:30 P.M.

Cragen watched Olivia and Elliot poring over stacks of files, disappointment and aggravation evident in their every motion. There was nothing in any of their recent and not-so-recent files that matched the MO of these killings, nor was there any evidence in the files of a hump with a grudge. When Elliot slammed the file cabinet closed with a growl, his frustration was keenly felt by all of them. The captain spoke up, "Okay, guys. Call it a night. We'll pick up here tomorrow. Maybe by then, Munch and Fin will have some solid leads."

Olivia got up and crossed to her partner, who was slowly clenching and unclenching his fists. She put her hand on his shoulder and tried for a light tone of voice, "Hey, things ought to be wrapped up soon. If this killer is trying to replicate your photos, he's only got one left." Elliot responded by kicking the cabinet, albeit with less force than his earlier outburst.

The captain frowned at her reminder of the ticking clock on the case, "Both of you, just be careful, all right? See you tomorrow."

BENSON RESIDENCE
THURSDAY, JUNE 20TH
5:45 A.M.

Olivia awoke to a persistent pounding on her front door. Rolling out of bed, she pulled a robe over her pajamas and groggily made her way out of the bedroom. She checked the peephole. Shit. Elliot. Her sleep-fogged mind cleared as she took in his distraught expression and she flung open the door. "El, what happened? More nightmares?"

As he crossed into the apartment, she turned to close and lock the door behind him. Turning back, she was shocked to be pinned against the door by his muscular frame. "Whoa, personal space! Elliot, what's wrong?"

He pressed in closer, grabbing her wrists in a bone-crushing grip. "There's absolutely nothing wrong here, as far as I can see," he replied silkily as his eyes raked up and down her cotton-clad frame. He leaned in and ran his tongue lightly along her jaw line before nipping at her earlobe.

"Stabler, what the HELL has gotten into you? Let me go." Olivia pushed against him, but his arms tightened further and his body pressed against her intimately. She was trapped. As he began slowly grinding his khaki-clad hardness against her, she struggled to get free.

"You'd better stop fighting me, if you know what's good for you." He stepped back and started pulling her into the living room, when her survival instinct kicked in. She battled him with each step. Stopping abruptly, he backhanded her across the face. "Shut up, bitch!"

Olivia tasted blood and her eyes watered. "Please, El, talk to me. I can help y..." Another fierce blow knocked her back onto the couch and she smacked her head hard against the wooden end table. She saw stars.

"I told you to shut up. Now, we're gonna have a little fun, baby." He was on her in an instant, smacking her repeatedly and tying her hands tightly with the belt from her robe. He ran his hands roughly over her body and ripped her pajamas open. His eyes widened and he smiled. "Correction. We're going to have a LOT of fun." He grinned down at her and her heart shattered into a thousand pieces at this ultimate betrayal by her best friend. She looked up into the cold blue eyes and then, thankfully, blacked out.