A/N: Hey guys. Listen I'm so sorry I haven't updated in so long. I just haven't had the drive you know? (or the time…) Anyways today I suddenly felt terrible that I'd neglected this story and really wanted to write. So, here you have it. The result of my day's labour - - chapters 6 and 7. Enjoy!

P.S. As always, thanks for all the support - you're reviews are greatly appreciated!

P.P.S. I'm expecting there's about three chapters left to go in the fic…don't give up on me, I will finish this story.

7:10 a.m.

Special Victims Unit Squad Room

Wednesday, June 29

Elliot closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. This wasn't happening. Not to him and definitely not to Olivia. He stumbled backwards into his chair. He looked up into the eyes of the lab tech. His face was drained of all colour. "How much?"

"Excuse me?" the brunette inquired softly.

"How much blood!" Elliot shouted, leaping up. The young woman flinched. Elliot softened and dropped his voice to a whisper. "How much blood did she lose?"

The lab tech flipped open the brown folder and pretended to read. She had memorized the results on her way over but couldn't bear to look at Detective Stabler's pained expression a moment longer. The folder blocked him from view. She took a deep breath. "CSU estimates there was around one and a half quarts of blood in the room, both on the floor and on the walls."

Elliot blanched. This was no surprise, he'd seen the blood. They all had. The pools on the ground, the cast-off on the wall…the bloody lamp. Elliot's next words were slow and deliberate. His own voice sounded foreign to him. "Is she…is she dead?"

Munch shook his head violently. "Elliot stop it…!" A look from Cragen silenced the detective.

The lab tech continued to hide her face behind the folder. She began reciting, as though from an anatomy textbook. "The average person has around 6 quarts of blood. Blood loss is usually fatal when the victim loses 1/3 of their blood…so approximately - "

"2 quarts" Cragen finished.

The tech nodded. Elliot looked up, a flicker of hope in his eyes. "CSU only found one and a half quarts…one and a half…Olivia could still be alive…"

The brunette nodded her head slowly. "It's possible…though she wouldn't last long without medical attention. He wouldn't have been able to transport her, bleeding like that. Wait - " She stopped and tossed the folder on the nearest desk. She began rifling through the pages wildly.

"What? What is it?" Elliot was standing up again. What the hell was this girl doing - he didn't have time for games.

"Here it is." The tech held up a piece of paper, page 7 of the ME's report. "CSU found a piece of gauze under the kitchen table. They figured it was the remnant of a roll of the stuff…couldn't figure out how it got there. Of course, it makes sense now."

"He bandaged her up." Elliot concluded.

The girl nodded.

"But why beat her to within an inch of death and then bandage her up? Why wouldn't he just…finish the job?" Fin asked quietly.

Elliot found the strength to answer the question that nobody wanted to. "Because he isn't finished with her yet. This guy's been planning this for a long time. He's not gonna kill her quickly…"

"Which means that we've still got some time." Cragen cut in.

Elliot nodded. Right, they still had some time. "We gotta find this bastard."

Cragen resumed his role as captain with renewed strength. Olivia was still alive, they still had a chance. "Munch, Fin, where did you say Crane worked?"

"Uh…" Munch answered, flipping through his notebook. "Surebreeze. It's a construction company based out of Long Island."

"You two, get over there. Talk to his bosses, co-workers. See if they know of any alternate residences, places he might go, friends that would take him in."

Munch and Fin grabbed their jackets and strode out of the squad room.

"Elliot I want you to track down next of kin."

Elliot began looking through his own notebook. "He listed a sister in Queen's as an emergency contact for Surebreeze."

"Go."

With his detectives dispersed, Cragen turned to the lab tech that had been gazing wide-eyed around the squad room. "You can go. Thanks for all of your help."

The girl nodded, glad to be out of the spotlight. "I hope you find her."

Cragen closed his eyes. "I hope so too."