A/N: I own nothing.
A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to update! Thanks for all your reviews, specifically Caia, onetreefan, neela149, svu101, KaydenceRei (Lay LOL), CarbyLivesOn, and Cop Chick. Also, this is the last chapter of the shows in separation. You'll see why...Enjoy! (And review:))
Olivia felt the words catch in her throat. She held the telephone closer to her ear and swallowed, trying to keep her voice steady. Listening to a person fall apart on the other end of the line was never helpful. "This man who killed your brother – and raped your mother – we – er – we have reason to believe he may be after you next."
There was a pause on the other end. "What should I do now?"
Olivia cleared her throat. "Right now, my partner and I need you to come to New York as soon as possible to collect the bodies. We also have a few questions to ask you concerning you the murderer could be."
Another pause, this time longer. "I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Thank you," said Olivia. "I'm so sorry, Abby."
"Thank you," she whispered. Olivia hung up the phone slowly. Calls to the victims' families were always the hardest to make – especially when there were two victims. Elliot looked up at the sound of the receiver being replaced.
"How did it go?"
Olivia sighed. "As well as could be expected, I suppose."
Cragen's office door opened and he stuck his head out. "You two," he said sharply to Olivia and Elliot. "Crime lab wants you now!"
Olivia and Elliot exchanged glances before grabbing their coats and going out the door.
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"Thanks for coming down so quickly," said the technician when he saw them enter. "This is something you guys have to see." There seemed to be an edge of panic in his voice.
"What's wrong?" asked Olivia hesitantly.
"This," said the technician. He picked up a piece of paper. "Your medical examiner sent this over, She said it was clutched in Maggie's hand in the tub. We only just figured out what it said."
Elliot took the note from him. The ink had run all over and it was almost entirely illegible. Elliot thought it was a miracle the technician figured anything out from it at all.
"What does it say?"
The technician picked up a sheet of lined paper, upon which he had scrawled out what had been said on the original note. He cleared his throat. "Dear Abby," he began. "By the time you get this, your brother will be dead, and if you are reading this it means Maggie is dead as well. Let me make one thing perfectly clear, Abigail: you are on thin ice. Involve the cops and you'll be next. I'm watching you." The technician finished reading and looked up at the two detectives.
Olivia and Elliot were staring at each other with a mix of shock and horror on their faces.
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"This isn't good," said Cragen half an hour later. He was pacing around his office; Olivia and Elliot were sitting rigidly in their seats waiting for him to continue. "And we've already informed Abby of the deaths?"
"Yes," said Olivia. "I also told her to come here for some questions."
There was a pause. Then Huang, who had been silently listening for awhile broke in. "He'd still go after Abby even if you hadn't become involved. He's just threatening her to keep the cops out of it, which would make his job all easier."
"So is his threat to go after her since we're involved credible?"
Huang nodded. "He would've still gone after Abby; telling you this would justify a harmful action against her. He feels like he's warned her with this note; now anything he does – even kill her – is justified."
The detectives considered this. "So what do we do now?" asked Cragen. "Can we still protect her?"
"You have to," said Huang. "You have to talk to her because she knows this man from somewhere. Abby's in danger no matter what." He paused, considering. "However, your presence as cops could just make everything worse. You have to protect her without this guy actually knowing you're there."
"In other words," said Olivia, "we have to protect her, but we can't do it as Benson and Stabler."
Huang nodded. "I think we can arrange that."
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Olivia opened the file slowly. Her eyes bulged when she saw it. "You want me to be who living where?"
Cragen gave her a stern look. "Jennifer Hooper, and you live in Chicago."
Elliot now felt the trepidation as he opened his own file. He winced. "And I'm a janitor?"
Cragen cleared his throat. "This was the easiest way for us to get you two in Chicago without going as yourselves. And what better place to work than the County General Hospital with Abby."
"But a janitor?"
Cragen was adamant. "Elliot, you and Liv need to work in a hospital – in jobs that require no medical background. These are the choices: secretary or janitor." Elliot smirked at the thought of Olivia being a secretary.
Cragen was still talking. "You two are two normal people living in Chicago. Olivia," he said turning to her, "you had a sister named Cynthia, but she died awhile back. She used to work in the E.R. – also as a secretary – seven years ago. She was the girlfriend of one Dr. Greene. Make sure you know all the doctors and nurses included in this folder because Cynthia talked about work frequently." Olivia nodded blankly, still in disbelief she was a secretary. "And Elliot," he said, addressing the other detective, "you are Michael Stevens. Janitor, still a bachelor, but," Cragen took a slight pause here, "dating Jennifer Hooper."
Elliot stole a flirtatious glance at Olivia.
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Olivia sat on the plush couch examining the file. It was stuffed full of information. How she would remember it all, she still couldn't figure out. Doctors, nurses, surgeons…the names and faces swirled as she rubbed her tired eyes. Cragen's orders had been to go home, read and memorize, and get a good night's sleep; she and Elliot were leaving for Chicago around ten the next morning. As it was now approaching midnight, Olivia wasn't sure she would be carrying out the last part of the order. Sleep appeared out of the question. She vaguely wondered if Elliot was having anymore luck than her.
Elliot! The thought of him dating her was odd, but oddly exciting. Olivia had never considered him as a boyfriend, but now that it was a possibility, she found herself thinking of all his assets. She was just on the part about his baby blue eyes when a knock on the door startled her from her drowsy thoughts.
Olivia frowned. Who would be at my door after midnight? She hesitated, and then went to the door. She looked through the hole. It was Elliot. She opened the door slowly.
"Elliot," she said. "It's after midnight; what are you doing here?"
Elliot shrugged. "I'm having trouble with my role. Will you help me?"
Olivia gave a weak chuckle. "I'm having enough trouble with mine."
Elliot considered. "Well, let's help each other."
Olivia paused, and then let him enter. "Want some coffee?"
"Sure," said Elliot, as he settled down onto the couch. Olivia went into the kitchen to make some. He pulled her file closer to him. His eye caught a dark haired woman with curly hair. He paged through. There were many more pages of people to go through. He sighed. It was going to be a long night.
Olivia entered again from the kitchen with two mugs of coffee. "Let's start." She sat down next to him and handed him a mug. "I got the character down all right, but I can't remember all the doctors and nurses."
Elliot flipped back to the page with the curly-haired woman. "I'll help you. I'll take half, you take half, and then we can tell each other about the people who work at this hell hole County General."
The clock ticked closer to one when Olivia finally laid down her half of pages. She yawned and looked over at Elliot who was just finishing. "Ready?" she asked. He nodded. She picked up the first sheet. A young brown haired doctor. "This is Dr. Carter. Rich, but tries not to show it," Olivia rolled her eyes. This seemed more like a book report than anything. The thought was sickening. She continued, "When Cynthia knew him, he was a young resident, but now he's risen in rank…"
The minutes ticked by. Olivia finished with Carter, and Elliot pulled the next file. Olivia tried her best to concentrate on the faces as her mind slipped in and out of focus.
Elizabeth Corday, the British surgeon…
Kerry Weaver, the gay chief of Emergency Medicine…
Haleh, the black nurse…
Stay awake, Olivia, she told herself firmly. She felt Elliot's warm arm on her shoulder.
Mark Greene, Cynthia's boyfriend…Olivia tried to focus her attention on him. Died of cancer three years ago…survived by daughter Rachel and Ella…Ella was from his second marriage to Elizabeth…
"Stay awake, Liv," murmured Elliot, glancing at the clock. 2:07.
"How can I?" she muttered still not opening her eyes. "Their lives play like a bad soap-opera."
Elliot chuckled. "Still not as bad as me being a janitor."
Olivia murmured something incoherent. Elliot glanced over at her; she was clearly exhausted.
"Night El'," she mumbled sleepily.
Elliot decided not to keep her awake. Feeling exhaustion over take him, he closed his eyes and leaned against the arm of the sofa. Just go to sleep he told himself we have a long drive tomorrow…
"Night Liv."
A/N: Hats off to anyone who can guess which ER character Elliot sees a picture of! As for updating...let's try not to make you wait so long, shall we? I have the next chapter planned out, but it's going to be a longer one so bear with me in the waiting period. :D