A/N: I own nothing.

A/N: Wow! 16 review for last chapter! Thank you Mrs. Detective Billy Martin, jcn2416, svu101, kaity, onetreefan, Alicat Sanders, CarbyLivesOn, KaydenceRei, Anita Coffee, aBbY oLiViA eR sVu, Dance-Dance89, Caia, MeganT, hunt, and Cop Chick for your wonderful comments. Congrats to jcn2416, Alicat Sanders, and aBbY oLiViA eR sVu for correctly guessing Nurse Carol Hathaway as the woman Elliot sees in the picture. So...this next chapter is really long - about 1000 words longer than my other ones. The chapters now will tend to be longer (though I'm not sure about THIS long again) as we come to the climax of the story and start getting some answers about our killer. So now I'll stop babbling and let you get on with the story. Enjoy and review!

Abby jolted awake, breathing hard. She blinked confusedly around looking for the source of her abrupt return to consciousness. Her tired mind finally registered the shrill cry of the telephone ringing. Her eye caught the clock as she reached for the phone. Wow, she thought sarcastically, I managed to sleep for a whole two hours.

"Hello?" The words hung naked in the air.

A man was on the other end of the line. "Hello, this is Captain Cragen of the Manhattan SVU. To whom am I speaking?"

"Abby Lockhart," said Abby, now fully awake. What now?

"I'm sorry if I woke you," said the captain, "but it's urgent I speak with you."

"I'm coming to New York," said Abby shortly. The words came out sharper than she had intended. She wasn't feeling too fond of New York's finest right now. It had been bad enough receiving the call the first time, and now they were calling to make sure she was coming to the city? "I leave this evening after my shift; can't this wait 'til then?"

"I'm afraid it can't," said Cragen, "and I'm afraid your money was wasted on the plane ticket. New York is coming to you?"

Abby frowned. "Why?"

Cragen cleared his throat. "I can't really discuss that now. They will be arriving shortly."

Abby's frown deepened. "How will I know who they are?"

There was a pause. "You have openings for secretaries and janitors, don't you?"

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The radio was playing in the sedan Elliot was driving. The interstate the two detectives were on was starting to slow down as they came closer to Chicago. As they slowed into the stop and go traffic, Olivia turned away from the window to look at her partner. "Remind me again why we didn't fly?" she remarked sarcastically.

"We needed a car," said Elliot. "And they weren't too big on the rentals."

Olivia huffed. "Well this sucks."

"Look on the bright side, Liv," said Elliot. "You have plenty of time to look at those files again? Are you all ready to be Jennifer Hooper?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Sitting on my ass all day was never exactly my dream job."

Elliot snorted. "Don't forget all the phone calls you have to answer, all the paperwork you have to deal with, and the doctors you have to page."

"You make it sound almost interesting."

Elliot smirked. "I try."

"Well, Mr. Stevens," said Olivia playfully. "Are you all ready for your big interview?"

The smallest of frowns crossed Elliot's face. "Interview?"

"Yeah," said Olivia seriously. "They have to make sure you have experience, you know, mopping up floors. I mean, there are so many areas to pursue – mopping up blood, mopping up vomit, mopping up -"

Elliot threw a playful punch at her to stop the flow as they passed another road sign.

WELCOME TO CHICAGO.

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"Morning Abby," said Dr. Lewis from behind her as she entered the doctor's lounge. "How are -" Abby turned around and the blond doctor's eyes widened. "You look like hell," she observed, answering her own question.

"Thanks Susan," said Abby shortly. "You would too if you got as much sleep as I did."

Susan gave her a sympathetic look. "You should go home, Abby. You've got to go to New York later today."

Abby slammed her locker door shut. "Actually, I don't."

Susan's brow furrowed. "You don't?"

"Apparently New York is coming to me."

Susan opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, the door to the doctor's lounge opened and Jerry came in. "Abby, Dr. Weaver is looking for you. Something about the new desk clerk…?"

"Oh, right," said Abby as she swung her stethoscope around her neck. "Carter and I still haven't found one. We're trying again today.

"Well, she's here and waiting with Carter right now," said Jerry. "She seems kind of smart to be a desk clerk, though."

"Maybe she came to the wrong place," snickered Susan from behind Abby.

"Ha ha," said Abby sarcastically as she followed Jerry out of the lounge.

She entered the room that Carter was already sitting in. Across the table from her was a fairly young woman with reddish brown hair down to her shoulders. She was waiting calmly, with her hands crossed on the table. In the corner stood a tall man with blue eyes. Carter looked up as Abby closed the door.

"Wow," he muttered to her as she sat down. "You sure look like-"

"Don't say it," said Abby through clenched teeth.

Carter cleared his throat and opened the manila envelope in front of him. "Well, Miss Hooper, shall we begin?" The woman across the table nodded. "I'm Dr. Carter, and this is Dr. Lockhart."

"Pleased to meet you," she chirped cheerfully.

"Could we have your résumé, please?" asked Abby.

"Certainly," said the woman. She pulled up a purse from the floor. "It's in here," she mumbled frantically. "I know it! I – here it is." She extracted a piece of paper and handed it over.

"It's Jennifer, is it?" asked Abby, who had ignored the woman's search for the paper.

Carter frowned at her picture. "Why don't you tell us about yourself?" She looks familiar…

"Well," Jennifer began, "I've lived in Chicago my whole life. My birthday is January 23, and I absolutely love dogs. Especially the big ones with the really fluffy fur."

Abby cringed. "How about your experience in the areas of medicine or running a desk – those types of things."

Jennifer paused for a moment. "Well, I worked as a 911 operator once…" Carter nodded encouragingly. "But they didn't like me much so I became a secretary at an orthodontics clinic for awhile, and then I went to a pediatrics clinic. I'm at the clinic right now – but it's closing."

"Well, you seem to have a lot of background in being a secretary," said Carter stiffly, "but being a desk clerk is a bit different. It's a lot busier and more frantic; do you think you could handle it?"

Jennifer nodded. "Oh yes, my sister was always talking about how busy it was here."

Carter's eyes widened. "Who was your sister?"

"Oh – you may not remember her," said Jennifer. "You look too young. Cynthia worked here about seven years ago."

I knew she looked familiar! "I actually did work here seven years ago, Miss Hooper," said Carter.

"Oh, you must be Dr. Carter, aren't you?" said Jennifer excitedly in a tone that suggested Carter was a famous celebrity. "Yes, Cynthia talked about you some. 'Such a cutie!' she used to say. I thought for sure she'd be dating you if she wasn't seeing Dr. Greene." Jennifer beamed at Carter and Abby, who were staring back at her indifferently. Abby, who had blushed slightly when Jennifer had mentioned Carter was a 'cutie' now tensed at the mention of Dr. Greene. She looked over at Carter, who also looked like he suddenly had lock jaw.

Jennifer noticed nothing, but seemed to think she had said enough. She now watched as Carter leaned to Abby and whispered something in her ear. Abby nodded slightly.

"Well, Jennifer," said Carter at last. "We certainly need more desk clerks, so if you want the job, it's yours."

"Oh thank you!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Thank you!" She turned and beamed at the man in the corner. "Oh Michael, dear," she said, rising and crossing over to him. "We must invite the two lovely doctors to have dinner with us tonight." She took him by the hand and led him over to the table. "This is my boyfriend, Michael," she introduced to Carter and Abby. Abby frowned slightly. Boy does that smile look fake. The poor man had a cheesy grin plastered on his face.

"Oh yes; please join us," he said happily. Abby cringed. Maybe it wasn't fake.

Carter looked at Abby, who shot him a warning look.

"We accept."

Abby's frown deepened. Obviously he wasn't paying attention.

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"Carter!"

Carter wheeled around. Abby was standing behind him, her hands on her hips, and a furious look on her face.

"What the hell were you thinking?" she said severely to him as she advanced on him.

"I was thinking one of us should answer the question," said Carter, with a twinkle in his eye.

Abby rolled here eyes. Her anger was mounting. "How can we do this?"

"Do what?" asked Carter mildly.

"I am NOT going on a date with you!"

"Abby!" Abby shifted her gaze to see behind Carter. The blond nurse Sam was running up behind him. "Luka needs you. We got a suicide vic rolling in."

"On it," replied Abby, as she followed Sam down the hall. "This isn't over, Carter!" she called angrily over her shoulder. Carter just smirked. Abby and Sam met the patient rolling in as they passed the desk.

"What'd'ya got?" asked Abby, taking a good look at the patient. Blood covered the woman's chest.

"We're still trying to find a name, but she tried to kill herself with this gun," said one of the attendants, showing the weapon to her. "Pedestrian saw her do it in the park and called 911."

"Take her into trauma one!" ordered Luka. The woman was wheeled in, as one of the attendants pulled Luka aside looking aghast.

"On my count," said Abby, "one, two three." The woman was transported to the table in one swift motion and doctors and nurses began checking her pulse and pupils immediately.

"Weak pulse," noted Sam, "damn it! She's not breathing."

Abby hurried over, ready to intubate. She frowned at the chords. "Okay, almost there…got it. Bag her!" Sam moved over. Neither noticed the attendants conversing with Luka outside the room.

The heart monitor began screaming. "V-fib!" called Sam.

"Damn it!" muttered Abby. She grabbed the paddles and shocked the woman. There was so much blood; it seemed it would never stop. No change. "Damn it, don't give up! Come on, damn it!" Abby hadn't realized her voice had been increasing to the point of yelling. "COME ON!"

"Abby," said Luka softly behind her. Abby hadn't heard him come in, but she ignored him. "Charge again!" She pressed the paddles down. The woman jumped, but the monitor continued to shriek.

"Abby, stop!" said Luka sharply. He grabbed the paddles out of her hands and made to turn off the machine.

"Luka, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Abby shrieked frantically. She yanked the paddles back, but he grabbed her wrists. Abby was so angry she could barely think straight. "What the hell are you doing?" she spat out. Even through her anger, she felt her eyes welling with tears. The woman was probably already dead.

Luka switched off the machine. The room fell silent. "She's a DNR, Abby," he said softly. He handed a note to her. "The attendant found this on the gurney. It must have fallen out of her hand."

Abby felt herself go numb. The woman was a DNR. There really was nothing she could do; the anonymous woman really wanted to die. She let the paddles drop limply from her hands and felt the tears slipping from her eyes. She didn't take the note from him, but took the woman's chart and walked slowly away.

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It was the crying that had caught her attention. Olivia Benson left her new post at the desk when she heard the sobs coming from one of the exam rooms. She paused, listening for the one with the crying. She peered through the blinds of exam room two, and then entered,

Abby Lockhart was sitting on one of the beds hugging her knees to her chest. Her eyes were red and her face pale. A crumpled ball of yellow paper lay near her feet.

"Are you all right?" asked Olivia in her higher, breathy Jennifer voice. "I heard crying and I came to see what happened." She paused, and then sat down next to the doctor. "It's Dr. Lockhart, isn't it?"

"Abby is fine," she said quietly in response.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" asked Olivia. God, I hate this voice!

Abby tried to make a small smile through her tears. "Nothing. It's just a patient I…" her voice trailed off and her gaze dropped to the yellow paper ball.

"May I see?" asked Olivia. Without waiting for a reply, she picked it up and smoothed it out. "Ah," she said when she saw it, "a suicide victim." Olivia instantly knew what Abby was killing herself over. "My mother committed suicide, you know," she said conversationally, thinking fast.

Abby looked at her. "So did mine," she whispered.

Olivia bit her lip. The detective in her was fighting to emerge. Helping the victim always found a place in her. Poor Abby doesn't even know how much I know. Hell, she doesn't even know who I am. "I'm so sorry, Abby," she said, trying to control her instincts. "When did it happen?"

Abby was silent. She hugged her knees closer to her chest as if to protect herself from the pain. "A few days ago," she answered quietly.

Olivia sighed. "It's so hard in the beginning, isn't it?" She rubbed Abby's arm in a comforting way. Olivia had met so many victims – victims of rape, victims of abuse, victims of loss…in more ways than one Abby was like a five-year-old who had just lost her mother. Her family, Olivia corrected herself. She lost her brother, too.

"Yeah, it is," said Abby. "How did you deal with it?"

Olivia paused, not sure what to say. "Well, I was just out of college when it happened. Cynthia helped a lot…by just being there. Sometimes you just need someone to cry with; someone's shoulder to cry on."

Abby seemed to grow sadder. "My brother was killed recently as well."

Olivia gasped in a Jennifer-like way, but mentally she kicked herself for mentioning her 'sister.' "I'm sorry," she whispered again.

Abby looked up, trying to keep more tears from falling. "I just feel so alone," she choked out. "I don't know who to turn to."

Olivia paused, thinking about what to say. "What about Dr. Carter? He seems to have something for you, dear, you know."

Abby furrowed her brow. "What makes you say that?"

Olivia smiled at her. "He seemed ever so pleased to accept the dinner invitation for tonight. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to help you."

Abby thought about this. All of a sudden, she felt slightly guilty about her outburst at Carter earlier. He was her shoulder to cry on; he had been her source of comfort after she hung up the dreadful phone call the other day. He really was someone she could count on to be there.

"Thanks Jennifer," Abby said at last. "I feel so much better."

Olivia smiled. "You're welcome, dear."

Abby stood up and readjusted her stethoscope around her neck. "I'd better get back to work."

Olivia nodded. "Oh, and Abby?" Abby, who had opened the door, looked back. "Cynthia was right. Carter really is a cutie."

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"Long day?" asked Elliot. He and Olivia were waiting in the restaurant for Carter and Abby to show up.

Olivia shrugged. "I guess."

Elliot winked. "Never thought being a secretary could be so hard."

"I'm a desk clerk, actually," said Olivia in a mock reproachful voice. "And I wasn't talking about the paperwork."

Elliot seemed to know what she was talking about. "How is Abby doing?"

"She's taking it hard," said Olivia sadly. "There was a suicide patient that came in today. She shot herself in the chest, after leaving a suicide note saying she didn't want to be revived."

Elliot winced. "And it reminded her of Maggie?"

Olivia nodded. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of the couple walking towards them. "Dr. Carter, Dr. Lockhart!" she called out, waving her hands enthusiastically. Elliot was surprised at how Olivia's voice could jump an octave from detective to desk clerk.

Abby and Carter walked over to them, and sat down facing them. "Glad you made it," said Elliot in his overly happy Michael Stevens voice. "What do you recommend here?"

No one noticed the strange man brushing past the window of the restaurant where the two detectives and two doctors were sitting.

A/N: Not entirely sure when I'll be updating again. I'm on spring break now, so I have lots of time, so it should be soon :D