A/N: Hey guys, sorry I haven't updated in a while, I was having writer's block and it just wasn't worth wrecking the story to write when I didn't have any good ideas…anyway, I think I'm done with that now as I couldn't seem to stop writing this chapter…it's pretty long. Okay, well it's my favourite chapter so far so I hope you enjoy it! And again, thanks so much for the great reviews, you guys are awesome.

The drive back to the squad room was a quiet one. Olivia stared out of the window and contemplated how best to convince Captain to keep her on the case. After this most recent revelation, there was no doubt in her mind that Elliot was going to spill to Cragen. Elliot on the other hand, struggled to keep his eyes on the road as the gravity of the situation set in - this guy meant business.

12:00 p.m.

Special Victims Unit Squad Room

Tuesday, June 28

"Alright, so what do we know about this guy?" Cragen inquired, gesturing to the autopsy photos of Ainslie White now posted on the whiteboard.

The detectives looked around somewhat sheepishly. "…not too much Captain." Elliot finally replied.

Cragen sighed. "I want answers people." The four detectives nodded. "So, what do we know?" he asked impatiently.

Elliot opened his mouth to speak when he caught Olivia's gaze. Once again he faltered under the scrutiny of her silently pleading eyes.

"Well, we met the boyfriend…" Munch began.

"Yeah, real tough guy." Fin cut in. The two detectives sniggered before Munch continued.

"He claims the last time he saw Ainslie was around 10 o'clock last night. Says she was going out partying with friends."

"Any idea who she was with?" Cragen prompted.

Munch shook his head. "Boyfriend didn't mention any names…"

"Well, a coworker gave us the name of her best friend - uh…Sophia Bendez", Elliot cut in, flipping through his notebook. "It sounded like if any one would know, it would be her."

"Good. I'm hoping you've got an address?" Cragen asked rather expectantly. Elliot simply nodded in reply. "Right, so is that everything?"

"Well, we found a box of suspicious letters at White's apartment. Not sure how relevant they'll be but we're gonna go through them this afternoon." Fin piped up. Cragen nodded his approval. All eyes then turned to Elliot and Olivia, waiting to hear what else they'd found.

Elliot sighed. This was it, he had no choice. No matter how angry Olivia would be, he had to tell Cap what he knew. Not only was he growing more concerned for Olivia's safety, but what he knew was far too important to the investigation of Ainslie White's murder to keep it secret. He wasn't willing to put this case as well as Olivia's life in jeopardy because of her begging eyes…no matter how pretty he might think they were.

"I think," Elliot began, desperately avoiding Olivia's gaze, "we've found evidence to suggest we've been investigating this case with the wrong assumptions..."

Fin raised his eyebrows, obviously confused at this awkward opening statement. "What kind of assumptions?"

With another sigh, Elliot continued. "For instance, we were wrong in assuming that this was a random attack, or that, Ainslie White was the only intended target…"

Cragen shook his head in confusion. "Who else was a target?"

A final sigh. "Olivia." Elliot then proceeded to relay all of the evidence they'd encountered so far, from the note to the dye job. The words poured out of his mouth like a river after it's broken down a dam. "This guy's not kidding around." he added, as though the perp's actions were not enough proof of that.

When Elliot finished speaking, the squad room was silent. Olivia sat glaring at her desk with such ferocity it was surprising it didn't catch fire. Munch and Fin were wide-eyed, and more than a little shocked at what they'd just heard, whilst Capt. Cragen was utterly infuriated.

"At what point did you two decide it would be okay to withhold crucial evidence from two detectives you're supposed to be working with, as well as the Captain of this squad?" he snapped, the anger evident in every syllable. "Benson, if you're willing to risk putting your life in the hands of a madman then so be it. But you will not stall this entire investigation by keeping such important evidence to yourself. Whatever your reasons may have been!" he added, noting that Olivia had been opening her mouth to speak.

"Stabler," Cragen began, rounding on Elliot. "You've always had a knack for breaking the rules but I can't say I've ever been more disappointed in you. Risking your partner's life and willfully delaying an investigation are not your average rule-bending offences!" he paused and took a deep breath before continuing, slightly more calmly. "As of now, Benson, you're off the case. No arguments." Olivia remained glaring at her desk. "Stabler, I'm keeping you on only because we need the manpower. As soon as I can find someone to replace you, I will." The tone of those last words was so menacing that not even Elliot dared to argue.

"Now, I want everyone to get back to work and I expect some movement on this case! Munch, Fin you guys have a look through those letters. Stabler, I want you to visit the best friend. Benson - " he paused, "hopefully you've got some paperwork to do." With that, Cragen stormed into his office and slammed the door.

For the first time since the whole ordeal began Olivia looked up from her desk. Her eyes met Elliot's briefly and he noted their watery appearance. "Olivia", he began.

"Don't." she cut in.

Elliot quickly realized she was in no mood for apologies right now and decided he'd try again later. Silently he stood, grabbed his coat from the back of his chair and headed for the apartment of Sophia Bendez.

1:30 p.m.

Apartment of Sophia Bendez

Tuesday, June 28

Even as Elliot rounded the corner onto Sophia's street he knew something was wrong. There were two marked NYPD cars as well as an ambulance onto which a gurney was being loaded parked in the middle of the road. Somehow, he knew which house they were there for.

Elliot parked his car near the curb behind the two cop cars already positioned there. He stepped out of the car and was immediately greeted by a uniformed officer. "'Scuse me Sir, but this is a crime scene." he said, gesturing toward the yellow crime scene tape circling the house and the yard. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Elliot flicked his eyes upward in a sort of exasperated roll before flashing his badge. "Det. Stabler, Special Victims Unit."

The uniform looked confused. "I don't know why anyone woulda called sex crimes…"

Elliot cut him short. "They didn't call me. I was given this address as the residence of a possible witness in an open murder investigation. Can you tell me what happened here?"

The policeman didn't answer but waved Elliot on in under the tape. "Looks like a B&E gone bad. Robbery detectives Smith and Jones are inside, they've got details."

Elliot nodded and began heading up the walkway towards the front door. He could feel the crunching of broken glass under his feet as he walked through the now open doorway. It was obvious the perpetrators had smashed their way in. Once inside, he took a quick glance around. The house had been completely ransacked. Couches had been ripped open, pictures had been torn from the walls, objects had been hurled out of cupboards. It looked more like an over-the-top vandalism than a robbery - whoever had done this had wanted to make themselves known.

"Can I help you?" a voice called from the stairs. Elliot looked up to see a burly man, somewhere in his mid 40's or 50's, dressed uncannily similarly to himself.

"Detective Stabler, Special Victims Unit." Elliot stated, moving towards the staircase.

The man looked puzzled but replied, "Detective Jones, Robbery Unit." As neither of the detectives were really interested in small talk, Det. Jones cut right to the chase. "What brings sex crimes here?"

"I was given this address as the residence of a Sophia Bendez…I was really hoping to speak with her." Elliot found himself explaining once again.

"You just missed her." Det. Jones replied simply. "Ambulance is taking her Roosevelt right now…" Jones must have noticed Elliot's eyes widening as he then proceeded to add, "don't worry, nothing serious. She's got some superficial wounds, but he left her pretty much untouched."

It took a second before Elliot's brain registered the pronoun 'he'. "Wait, you mean one man did all this? How can you be sure…?"

"Sophia was here and conscious the entire time. 'Round 11:00 this morning, she's upstairs doing some cleaning when she hears breaking glass. The man had broken a window pane in the door to unlock it see. Anyway, he comes in, uses only enough force to get her into a chair, then he duct tapes her to it. She sits there, bound but unharmed for an hour as he destroys her house. She says that there was no reason behind the madness…it was as though he was out to make the biggest mess possible, like he was showing off."

Confused, Elliot prodded for more information. "The uniform outside told me it was a botched break and enter…what did he take?"

Det. Jones smiled. It was a strange smile, one that certainly had nothing to do with being happy. "That's where things get weird." he replied slowly. "He didn't take anything…"

Elliot shook his head. Where previously he had been confused, he was now completely bewildered.

Det. Jones nodded, reading the puzzlement evident on Elliot's face. "I know…and you haven't even heard the strangest part. I mean, the guy leaves a message on the mirror, like he somehow knows who it's addressed to is going to…wait." Jones stopped abruptly, his eyes widening. "What did you say your name was?"

"…Stabler, Elliot Stabler." Elliot replied, not understanding why it mattered.

Detective Jones attempted to conceal his emotions with a stone-face born of years of interrogating suspects. Unfortunately, it did not have the desired effect and Elliot was able to see the shock and realization registering across his face. "You better come with me." Jones said quietly.

1:30 p.m.

Special Victims Unit Squad Room

Tuesday, June 28

Olivia Benson sat at her desk, mulling through stacks of unfiled reports and thinking only of ways to shred them up. She sighed. She was being unreasonable. After all it wasn't the paper's fault she was sitting alone in a mostly-empty squad room. Not the paper's fault at all…in fact, she knew exactly whose fault it was. That no-good traitor of a partner of hers just couldn't keep his mouth shut! Olivia could practically feel the anger mounting inside her, clawing its way up at the thought of the conversation with Cragen. That is, until she felt it being topped by something else - a stronger emotion that she just couldn't place. It was as if the worst part about the whole ordeal was that it had been Elliot that had betrayed her. Somehow, Olivia couldn't help feeling that desk duty would've been so much easier to take if it hadn't been him that had abandoned her She quickly chalked this feeling up to "it's because we're partners…" But the feeling was still there, rooted somewhere in the pit of her stomach. "We're partners. That's it. Nothing more." The feeling didn't seem to agree.

"Benson," the voice of her Captain woke Olivia from her thoughts. She looked up in reply. "I just got a call about a possible sexual assault in a small warehouse on 34th street. Stabler's at Bendez's apartment, Munch and Fin are at One Police Plaza going through those letters with a forensic specialist, so you're all I've got. I'm putting you on this one temporarily, get moving." The iciness in Cragen's voice was clear. Olivia stood up without a word, took the note scribbled with the details from her Captain's hand and headed for the door. She barely acknowledged the fact that she was being sent to a warehouse alone, having not even a partner to back her up. Cragen it appeared, so focused on being angry at his detective, had not realized this at all.

1:33 p.m.

Apartment of Sophia Bendez

Tuesday, June 28

Detective Jones led the way up the short grey-carpeted stair case and onto the top floor. Elliot followed closely behind as the detective led him through the ruined master bedroom, past the lone chair that still bore remnants of duct tape and into the bathroom. Here, Jones stopped and jerked his head toward the large mirror covering most of the left-hand wall. "This mean anything to you?"

Several miles away Olivia was stepping out of her car and walking to the warehouse door at the same time Elliot turned his head toward the mirror. His eyes scanned the first line as she banged on the door and announced her presence. "Det. E. S.: You've always been", the message began. Elliot's eyes shifted to the next line, his breath caught in his throat. Olivia proceeded to open the door - it was unlocked.

"Her knight in shining armour," She entered the warehouse, gun at the ready.

"even if you didn't know it." Elliot could feel the fear rising in his chest.

"She's always" Olivia heard the door closing behind her. She whirled around in time to see the last sliver of light disappear as the door clicked shut.

"counted on you." It was dark now, too dark to see. Olivia was fumbling for her flashlight when she felt the hand slide over her mouth.

"But not this time."