"In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories."

It Comes with the Badge

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Last time:

Taking his hand and kissing him, she smiled. "You too." Nothing would go wrong. She was finally happy, and she wasn't going to let anything ruin that for her. Ever.

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Chapter Thirteen

The Case

          Elliot hated returning to work on Monday morning. He showed up around seven-thirty, dead set on finding a lead in what the press was calling the "Sweet Sixteen Murderer" case. Rifling through the paperwork and evidence, he couldn't find a thing. Munch came in about eight with Fin about ten minutes behind him. Serenity didn't show up until nine thirty.

          "Sorry I'm late."

          She smiled apologetically and took a seat at her desk. Elliot frowned, but didn't comment. Fin murmured something derogatory under his breath. "I've been going over the case since seven thirty. I think we're going to have to go over to the DEA. Talk to Andy, he's on the Velez case...and he's our prime suspect, right?"

          Serenity nodded as if Elliot would really change his mind according to her opinion. The two headed out quickly to the DEA office.

                                                    ***

          Ryan smiled as she saw two familiar faces quickly approaching her. So far her experience at the DEA had been a bad one. Andrew Stratford, her new partner coincidently, had already asked her to go under cover as a 16-year-old to be bait for Velez to attack her the same way Jerry had attacked his victims. "Hello Elliot, Serenity." She smiled cordially to Serenity and grinned at Elliot. "What brings you two here?"

          Elliot frowned. "We have to go after Velez. He's under suspicion in our case."

          "The Sweet-Sixteen Murders...yeah, I've heard. Detective Stratford's already told me that he wants me to go undercover." Ryan did not look pleased.

          Serenity raised an eyebrow faintly but didn't ask any questions. Detective Stratford quickly came out to join Jamerson and Stabler. "Hey Elliot! How you doin'?"

          He had a thick Jersey accent, his grey hair was balding around the crown of his head and he had a five o'clock shadow that only made him look older. Elliot was displeased to see that he was still smoking; a pack of Camels were in his shirt pocket. The forty-seven year old Detective had tried twice to kick that habit, obviously unsuccessfully. His green eyes were still bright and youthful though. Elliot smiled. "It's been a while. I'm doing pretty well. You?"

          "Eh." Andy shrugged. "Same old same old here. What brings you down here?"

          Elliot cleared his throat. "The Sweet Sixteen murders. That's our collar and we want to be involved in the investigation. We want to question Velez."

          Andrew nodded. "I see. I'm going to be putting Detective Jamerson undercover..." He was interrupted by an exasperated sigh from Ryan as she turned and walked away. Andy sighed. "She's not exactly thrilled."

          Serenity couldn't mask a smile. "So I noticed." She blushed. "Sorry, I've forgotten my manners. I'm Detective Serenity Brown; I'm new with the SVU team."

          "Look," Andy shifted his weight to his left foot, "I can let you guys in on what we're doing but you can't jeopardize any of our undercover agents by poking around our operation. Got it?"

          Elliot looked pissed, and rightfully so. "This man is raping and murdering sixteen-year-old girls!"

          "DETECTIVE STRATFORD!" Ryan was running down the hall holding a sheet of white printer paper. As soon as she reached, she took in a winded breath. "There's been two more murders. Only the victims were turning 18 and 13."

          "A copycat?" Serenity suggested softly.

          Andy shook his head. "A copycat wouldn't mess up the signature. He would have made sure to kill a sixteen year old, that's the trademark and if he missed that, what was the point?"

          Ryan's eyes were wide and she bit her lip. "Maybe he's broadening his horizons. Everything, even the unreleased notes to the SVU, was present. If this was a copycat, he's seen the scenes. Also, sixteen is sort of a 'coming of age' year, along with thirteen and eighteen, so it still fits psychologically."

          "His method's evolving." Andrew nodded, "That seems the most logical explanation. We should go to the scenes to make sure."

          "Scene."

          Andy turned to her, "What?"

          Ryan sobered, "They were sisters, Detective Stratford, both their birthdays are close. The older vic just turned eighteen and the younger is almost thirteen."

          "Bastard." Everyone's attention veered to Elliot, who was fuming.

                                                    ***

          Olivia grinned as Mariah woke from her nap. "Hey Sweetheart!" She was babysitting for Sam, ever since she called her extremely distressed the night before. Sam wouldn't, or couldn't, tell her for how long, just that Mariah couldn't stay with her father.

          Mariah smiled up at her. "G'Morning Liv'ya."

          It was actually more like noon, but she smiled nonetheless. She was beginning to worry a bit, Elliot usually tried to call her really quickly around noontime but she hadn't received a call yet. He was working a very taxing case though; she could see it when he came home. The bags under his eyes kept growing as he tossed and turned every night. Part of her wanted to intercede, while the other half of her knew as a cop that it wasn't her place. She had been furious when Elliot had put a protective detail on her once during their professional relationship, so who was she to intervene?

          "Liv'ya?" Mariah padded on to the tile of the kitchen floor and smiled at her. "Can I have pancakes for brey-fast?"

          Olivia smiled, Mariah's pronunciation made her wish more and more that her little boy were further along. She couldn't wait to see him struggling with words and grinning so broadly. "Pancakes? Okay Sweetie, one or two?"

          "Two!" She climbed up to a barstool at the breakfast bar and set her hands on the table anxiously. "With powdered sugar?"

          "If I have some."

          The tot's grin broadened. "Yay!" She paused for a few minutes. "When's Mommy coming back?"

          Olivia turned from the stove. "As soon as she's done working Mariah. It won't be much longer." In reality, she had at least five more hours but hopefully an hour or two of that would be spent taking a nap.

          Dishing out the pancakes on to Mariah's plate, she gasped as she felt the baby kick.

          "What's wrong Liv'ya?"

          A soft grin crossed Olivia's face. "My baby boy, he just said hi. Want to feel?"

          Mariah climbed out of the barstool and around to Olivia. Reaching as high as she could, she put a hand on the arch of Olivia's stomach, waiting. Olivia rearranged her hand to just where the newest Stabler boy had kicked her. "Can you feel anything?"

          Moments passed and then a wide and excited smile crossed Mariah's tiny little mouth. "What's his name?"

          "I'm not sure yet, actually. I was thinking Kyle but I haven't decided. I think El wants something more religious, like Daniel."

          Nodding, Mariah smiled and returned to her seat to eat her pancakes. "Thank you Liv'ya. I like Daniel too."

          Smiling at the little girl, Olivia gave in to her worries and punched Elliot's cell phone number in to the corded phone mounted in the kitchen.

                                                    ***

          Elliot sighed in frustration as his cell phone started to vibrate in his pocket. He already had Ryan being stubborn; El meant no disrespect but he didn't think he could deal with his hormonal fiancĂ© at the moment. "Yes Sweetheart?"

          "Hi Elliot, I was just making sure you were okay," she didn't sound distressed but he could tell she missed him. He'd been very distant lately and he was beginning to regret it even more. "You usually call is all, I didn't mean to distract you, and I'll let you go."

          "Oh," Elliot seemed reluctant to let her go. "I'll see you tonight Liv. I promise I'll be home on time tonight. I love you."

          There was definitely some disappointment in her voice but with Ryan burning holes in his eyes with her glare, he had little choice. She finally sighed and responded, "I love you too. I'll have dinner ready when you get home. Bye."

          Click. He flipped the phone closed and returned it to its holster. 'It could have been worse, I suppose.' His attention was forced back to reality by Ryan's demanding voice.

          "Elliot. I won't play the victim! I'm willing to go undercover but not as bait! You and Detective Stratford are heartless to even suggest that!"

          Olivia's words rang in his head as he nodded. "Talk to Andy. I've got no say in this matter."

          Much to her dismay, she realized he was right and stormed off to find Detective Stratford, whom she still refused to call Andy or Andrew even.

          Serenity laughed faintly after she was out of earshot and the duo headed out of the DEA. "She's stubborn."

          "Just wait until Olivia gets back," he just gave her a moment's look and climbed into the driver's seat.

                                                    ***

          Olivia paced back and forth as Kathleen, Dickie and Elizabeth sat at the dinner table awaiting their father's arrival. She glanced at her watch. It was 19:30 already. She dialed his cell again; it was off. What the hell was going on? Olivia dialed Ryan's cell.

          "Jamerson." Ryan's voice was rushed and distracted.

          "Sam? It's Olivia. Do you know where El is?" Her voice was filled with worry after hearing Sam's wavering answer.

          Ryan sighed. "Olivia, he's at the hospital."

          "Oh God!" She gasped, "Is he okay?"

          "He's fine. It's Fin. He was shot as he and Munch were apprehending a perp." A guilty undertone in her voice alerted Olivia to the reason for Ryan's dismay.

          Olivia smiled faintly. "He'll be fine. It's not your fault, Sam. Tell El I'll have dinner in the fridge when he gets home. Give Fin my best."

          "Of course. Bye Olivia! I'll be by in an hour or so to pick up Mariah, promise."

          Silence filled the earpiece as Ryan hung up. Mariah padded out. "Where's Mommy?"

          "She'll be awhile longer, I'm sorry, Mariah." Swearing softly for loaning Maureen the car, she sat down helplessly and served dinner. Maureen's car was in the shop and now Olivia was stranded with no way to get to Fin at the hospital. Besides, she reasoned, she had the kids to watch after now. "Come on everyone, Elliot is checking up on one of our friends at the hospital, so eat up. He's going to be home later."

          The children were completely silent as dinner was politely eaten and the dishes cleaned. Slowly, Dickie milled up to his room to play X-box while Elizabeth migrated to the TV and Kathleen read to Mariah upstairs in the girls' room. Olivia painstakingly made her way upstairs and lay down on her bed. Her abdomen was sore as were her ankles. Placing a hand on her stomach and sighing heavily, she fiddled with her engagement ring as she fell fast asleep. Tomorrow was Ryan's Christmas Eve party...and Fin was in critical condition at Holy Hope Hospital. Merry Christmas everyone.

***End Chapter Thirteen***