Title: Shadows In The Dark

Author: Ebony-Jayne

Notes: The closer the squad gets to George, the closer George gets to Ella. Can Elliot, Olivia, Munch and Fin catch George before he catches up to Ella? Crosses over with Criminal Intent in the next couple of Chapters.

-Finally got around to posting another chappie because I got a bee sting on my foot and can't do anything else! I'll try to be good and get this story finished quickly!

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or the show or the storylines on the show. I do, however, own the characters that I make up so please don't steal them. Any resemblance to anyone or anyplace is a coincidence.

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Chapter Nine: Closer…

It was three days since Ella had woken up. She was still in the hospital but was getting discharged the next day. They had put an APB out on George's car and had set up a hotline. So far they had had one possible sighting.

"This worm of a human being is good. I'll let him have that," Munch commented as he headed toward the coffee.

"He is," Elliot agreed. "Well get him though," he added.

"Oh hey Eames and Goren are in. Maybe they have something," Olivia said as she spotted Alexandra Eames and her partner Bobby Goren from major cases come in. They had taken over the hunt for George but were letting the SVU detectives pitch in and help.

"Hey. We got another sighting. Coffee shop. The owner watches way too many forensics shows. He recognized George and put the cup he used aside for fingerprints and DNA," Eames flicked her shortish hair over her shoulder. "We analyzed the prints and they match. George Stevens was in that coffee shop. We're getting closer," Eames paused to look at Goren who was absently swaying on the spot. "Bobby?" she asked in a motherly tone.

"He's still in town. If I had kidnapped and tried to kill my ex-wife I wouldn't be hanging around. He's either screwing with us or he really wants Ella Stevens dead," Goren told them.

"I'd go with the latter. From what Ellie told us he knows that nothing would hurt her more than the thought of her children living with him," Elliot agreed.

"I think I might go and have a talk to your girl and see if she can tell me some more about George and his mannerisms," Eames told them.

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"Is George a religious man?" Eames asked. She and Ella were sitting cross-legged on Ella's hospital bed facing each other.

"He's a Catholic. Lapsed but he does believe in God and Jesus. Heaven and Hell too evidently," Ella replied. She gave a lop-sided smile and Eames couldn't help but smile back. "He's still in New York isn't he? He wants me dead bad. He won't stop until he gets me," Ella wouldn't look Eames in the eyes when she said it.

"Ella? Is there something you'd like to tell me?" she asked. Ella said nothing, staring at the bed. Eames reached up and cupped Ella's chin bringing her face up so she had to look her in the eye. "What's going on?" Eames asked softly. Ella just stared into Eames concerned brown eyes for a moment before she sighed deeply. Eames let go of her chin and waited.

"He sent me a letter. I got it this morning," Ella told her.

"What did it say?" Eames asked. Ella just reached under her pillow and pulled the letter out. She silently handed it to the Detective. Eames quickly read the letter. It was one of the few times in her career that she had really felt totally and utterly repulsed. The letter was incredibly violent going into gory detail of how he was going to kill her and take her children. It also described in detail what he planned to do to her twin. "Good God," Eames took a shaky breath. "Uh I should take this back to the lab," she told Ella.

"Ok," Ella agreed.

"I'll see you," Eames made a quick exit from Ella's room.

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As Elliot and Munch read the letter first Olivia watched Eames. The blonde had fascinated her from the first time she'd met her. At five-foot-two Eames was certifiably tiny but her presence and strength were huge. They rivaled that of her six-foot-four partner and seemed to be unshakable. Watching her now though, Olivia realized that she was indeed shaken. Pale and trembling a little she was making Olivia nervous. What the hell was in that letter to get her like this? She soon found out. When it came her turn to read the letter she could hardly bring herself to read past the opening line. The letter was awful. It detailed how George was going to beat Ella to death with his bare hands in front of their kids so they would know not to ever, ever mess with him. Then it said how he was going to kidnap Casey by beating her into submission. It only got worse after that as it went on about how he would keep Casey 'out of trouble the same way he kept Ella out of trouble' only he would make sure she didn't 'rebel against him' as Ella had. Olivia felt sick when she finished reading it. She had never encountered something so vicious and violent in her entire life and that was really saying something. She could see why Eames was so rattled. When everyone had read the letter they all just sat in silence. No-one knew what to say. The silence was finally broken when Olivia received a phone call from the hospital to say that Ella was absolutely frantic and asking for her.

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"Ella! Honey calm down," Olivia tried to get Ella to settle down. She was in the middle of a fully fledged panic attack. Her breathing was rapid and erratic and she was talking too fast and not making sense. Eames came around to Ella's other side and began to rub small circles up and down her back. After a few minutes the combination of Olivia's soft reassuring voice and Eames small circles began to soothe Ella. Her breathing slowed and became more regular and she stopped talking.

"What happened?" Eames asked once Ella had calmed.

"I got another letter," Ella told her. "Is my daughter ok?" she asked, her huge green eyes filled with raw terror flittered from Olivia to Eames and back again.

"She's fine. Why?" Olivia was confused. Ella simply pointed to the envelope which had fallen to the floor. She peered inside and pulled out the letter. She almost dropped it when she unfolded the piece of paper. Stuck to the top of the page was a lock of blood-soaked reddish blonde hair followed by the words: YOU OR GRACIE? WHICH WILL IT BE?

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