Disclaimer: I don't own Law and Order Criminal Intent

Author's Notes: My friend Ashly has gone missing...and I'm really worried. Her parents haven't seen her since she left for school. My friend Mallory was the last person to hear from her, and that was two hours ago, but Ashly didn't say much. I'm really scared, tense, and a few notches away from shaking, so I decided to type up this chapter that I wrote during lunch...I hope it will calm my nerves somewhat...

A Close Call

"How Charming." Detective Mike Logan stated as he approached the door of an apartment in a rather run down apartment building.

"Not everyone has the money to live in a nice apartment." his partner stated as she knocked on the door. There was no answer.

"Mr. Bergivin?" Logan inquired, knocking a bit louder than his partner. "NYPD Conner, please open up." next came the sound of footsteps, before the bolt lack was undone and the door opened, revealing a young teenage male in his boxers, looking like he had just woken up.

"What is it?" he inquired, rubbing at his eyes. Barek couldn't help but look him over. Logan noticed and gently nudger her in the ribs, trying to ignore the pang of jealousy that chorused through him.

"We'd like you to come downtown." Carolyn explained. "We have a few questions about Jennifer Deakins."

"Am I under arrest?" he asked, seeming slightly startled.

"No. You are currently a witness of sorts. You'll know if you arrest you." Logan stated, frowning as his partner offered Conner a gentle smile.

"Okay...let me go get dressed. You can come in if you want." he offered, leaving the door open for the detectives as he padded into his room, shutting the door. Mike motioned for his partner to walk in before he followed her, shutting the door behind him.

"Hey Conner, where are your parents?" Barek inquired, standing near the door to his bedroom.

"They, uh, moved out and left me with the apartment. They pay for it though, so it's alright." he answered through the door.

"Must be pretty lonely huh?" she stated softly, ignoring the looks her partner was giving her.

"Yeah." came a shaky replied. Carolyn slowly pulled out her gun and Logan gave her a questioning look.

'Just trust me.' she mouthed to him, turning slowly towards the door.

"Hey Conner, almost done getting dressed?" she asked.

"Um...yeah." there was a faint noise like a gun having the safety removed.

"What else are you doing in there?" Barek questioned.

"Nothing." he answered and Barek suddenly kicked open the door, pointing her gun at him. He hadn't gotten dressed. Instead he was sitting on his bed in his boxers, a gun pointed to his own head.

"Conner, put down your gun, please." Barek stated softly. He shook his head, tears in his eyes. "Then at least answer a few questions, please?"

"Alright." he answered, gaze switching to Logan as he came to stand behind his partner, gun drawn but held down.

"What happened that night, before you found Jennifer?" she inquired.

"I was at a study group with her and a few of our friends."

"What happened?"

"We were just sitting around studying. One of the other girls there brought some guy from another school. He had been hitting on Jennifer all night..."

"Do you know his name?"

"Andrew...I don't know his last name."

"Alright, what happened with him?"

"Tara's father and I both asked him to leave at separate times. I'm the one who ended up leading him off the premiss. He seemed mad..."

Barek glanced at her partner for a moment. Mike had put away his gun and pulled out his notebook. Carolyn smiled slightly and looked back at Conner, who had relaxed slightly.

"Did you have any other problems with him that night?" Barek inquired, taking a few steps further into the room. Conner let her, but watched her carefully.

"Yeah. He kept text messaging Jen. Weird stuff too." he answered.

"What kind of weird stuff?"

"He knew where she lived, he'd find her, she'd pay for rejecting him, stuff like that."

"How did she react?" Carolyn questioned, sitting on the bed a few feet away from him, gun on her lap.

"Just smiled and said he sure was weird. She didn't take him seriously." he replied, lowering the gun he had once held to his head.

"How did he get her cell number?"

"I don't know, probably one of the other girls there gave it to him."

"Alright. Now..." she paused and reached forward, removing the gun from his hands. "Why were you about to shoot yourself? Do you feel responsible for what happened?"

"Yes..."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't help her! I was supposed to escort her home. She reassured me she was a big girl, but I still wanted to go with her. Jen slipped out when I had my back turned...and then Sam got me caught up in a video game. If I have been there...Jen would still be alive."

"Why was she your responsibility?"

"She was my girlfriend..." he answered quietly, eyes switching to the ground.

"How long?"

"A year..."

"And you never met her Dad?" Logan interjected, but refrained from saying anything else as his partner shot him a glare.

"I met him. I've had dinner with them before. They just never knew her and I were going out. Jen and I are, well, were best friends. Her parents thought nothing of it." he sighed, hanging his head. "I failed her...just like everyone else. Are you done asking questions?" he asked, glancing up at Barek.

"For now, yes." she stood, taking the gun while replacing her own fun in it's holster at her hip. "Thank you Conner, really." she offered him a final smile. "Take care of yourself, alright?"

"Okay..." he murmured, moving so he was laying, face buried in his pillow. Logan and Barek watched him fro a moment before leaving the room and the apartment. It was when they had gotten into the car that Logan turned to his partner.

"How'd you know the kid had a gun?" he asked. His partner merely shrugged and started up the car. "Seriously Car, how did you know?"

"A well educated guess." she answered.

"You aren't going to tell me anything else are you." it was a statement, not a question.

"Nope."

"You suck."

"Like You'd know."

"Barek!" he exclaimed, catching on to her meaning. His partner just smiled innocently as the two drove back to one Police Plaza.

"So first off, you guys take forever getting here," Eames started as Barek and Logan sat at their respective desks. "then you tell us you didn't bring Conner. What gives?"

"I talked to him." Barek answered, leaning back in her chair. "Got all the information we need for now. I'm pretty sure he didn't do it anyway."

"Well, that's nice and all but Goren and I would have liked to figure that out for ourselves." Eames commented, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back in her own chair.

"I think for now...I'll trust Barek's judgement and settle for the notes I'm sure they took during the make-shift interview." Goren stated softly, glancing up from his paperwork

"Traitor." Alex accused playfully, tossing a crumpled up piece of paper at her partner's head. Goren caught the paper, tossing it into the garbage. He jumped slightly as Logan's notepad landed on his desk. He looked up and watched Mike retreat back to his desk.

"Thank you." Bobby stated, flipping through the book. As he read, the other detectives busied themselves with other work.

Deakins watched his detectives from his spot at his desk. His blue eyes were dull as he sat there and brooded, frowning. He could only hope they'd catch the guy who killed his daughter. With a miserable sigh he crossed his arms on his desk and rested his head on them, drifting into a slightly troubled sleep.