A/N: Only in my dreams.

A/N: For the record, the SVU reviewers did win in number last week, but, sorry guys, no prize this time. This is because I want to give my ER reviewers one more chance as they did dominate last time, but mostly because I said I'd update one story one day earlier than the other, andmy next chance to update is not until Saturday, and that would just not be fair. That being said, I'd like to thank my amzing reviewers SVU101, KaydenceRei (0Kay LOL), onetreefan, Peaky, Caia, Dance-Dance89, Unconscious-Regret, aBbY oLiViA eR sVu, CarbyLivesOn, and SVUCoffeeJunkies. Keep it up!

A/N: Warning: Breathe, people, breathe. You'll see what I mean later LOL.

Richard Lockhart turned the doorknob slowly, savoring the moment when he could see Abby again. Excitement raced through his body; the look of fear on her face was one of his favorite moments with her. He turned the knob completely and entered the darkening room.

"Abigail," he whispered. On the bed, she didn't stir. He smirked and went closer. "Oh, you can't play these games, darling. Don't pretend to sleep." He was right beside her on the bed now, and Abby still hadn't moved. He frowned slightly at her still form, and then kissed her lips. "Fine, sleep. We can have more fun later," he whispered. Richard pressed his lips down again, and then his frown deepened. Abby still remained as still as ever; if she was feigning, she was doing a damn good job of it. There was no flutter of fear, no murmur of disgust from her this time. A moment later, he shrugged it off, figuring she really was asleep. As he turned to leave, his arm brushed against something unfamiliar.

It was a small object enclosed in her right hand. Richard unclenched Abby's limp fingers, seizing it from her. His satisfaction turned to anger almost instantly.

"Oh no, you didn't!" he roared. He grabbed her wrist roughly and pressed his fingers to it. Another roar of frustration escaped him as he shifted his fingers to her neck. After a moment, a faint pulse registered beneath his fingertips. He could feel just a slight air coming from her mouth, but it was rapidly fading. "God damn you, Abby!" he shouted, smacking her across the face. He fumbled with the straps around her wrists, trying to figure out how much time had elapsed since she had taken the pills. It can't have been that long if she's still breathing…barely, he reminded himself. Having finally freed her, he put one arm roughly around her waist and the other around her shoulders and quickly carried her to the bathroom.

"Damn you, Abby," he muttered as he stuck his fingers down her throat. He managed to grab a couple pills and he pulled them out and then quickly rolled her on her side so she could vomit without choking. She vomited violently, letting the spasms wrack her small form. Richard merely clenched his teeth in anger. The time had come for drastic measures.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Olivia and Elliot tore out of the hospital with Dr. Carter closely following them at their heels. They weaved their way through the ambulance bay to their parked sedan in the visitors' parking lot. As soon as they reached it, they jumped in, slamming the doors behind them.

"I'm coming with you," said Carter shortly when Olivia shot him a questioning look. Olivia exchanged a glance with her partner, but Elliot merely shrugged and backed the car out from the lot.

"Where is this place?" asked Elliot. Olivia showed him the address as they neared a red light. Elliot nodded. "Show that to Carter. Maybe he can give us directions."

Olivia handed the paper back to the doctor. "Dr. Carter," she said quickly. "Can you give us directions to this place? It's Richard's address." Carter looked eagerly at the address, and then frowned.

"Are you sure this is Richard's address?" he asked uncertainly, still frowning deeply.

Olivia narrowed her eyes. "I thought so." She frowned, thinking back on the conversation. "At least…that's what I thought John said. Why do you ask?"

Carter cleared his throat. "It seems to be, if I remember correctly…Maggie's address. At least – it was when Abby and I were dating."

The two detectives exchanged glances. Sick bastard, thought Olivia. He's holding her hostage and her mother's house.

"Is that around here, Dr. Carter?" asked Elliot, pulling up to a stop sign.

"Uh, yeah," said Carter. He looked out the window at his surroundings. "Actually, it's in the neighborhood just off to the right."

Elliot quickly made the turn, feeling excitement explode as they drew nearer.

"Just over-" began Carter, but the rest of his words were drowned out by the roar of flames. For as Elliot turned another corner onto the appropriate street, the two detectives and doctor were met by the sight of flames leaping around the house they were just about to enter.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"No…" gasped Carter. He leaped out of the car as soon as Elliot pulled to a stop and began tearing off toward the house. "No!" He streaked forward, as though his will and speed could extinguish the flames. "Abby! Abby!" he called out desperately. He had reached the driveway and was racing for the door, when a pair of strong arms caught him.

"No!" shrieked Carter, who was now clawing against Elliot to get free. "We have to save her! Please, please! Abby!"

"Come on, John," said Elliot softly, pulling him back. "Come on. Liv's calling the fire department. It's okay." Elliot could clearly see that the situation could never be 'okay.' 'Okay' was the shallow term used by people who were trying to be comforting in a situation where no words could comfort. It was the ultimate euphemism. Having their only lead go up in flames was not okay. Neither was the fact that Abby was probably inside with the flames. It could never be 'okay.'

Sirens could be heard in the neighborhood now; they were rapidly drawing closer. Firemen leaped out to combat the spreading flames.

"Anyone inside?" asked the fire chief to Olivia.

Olivia nodded sadly. "We think so." The fireman looked grimly at the fire and shook his head.

"There's no way anyone inside could have survived."

Olivia hung her head. "I better call Cragen." The fireman nodded vaguely as he rushed forward to join his companions and Olivia walked away to make the call.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Captain Cragen rushed back to his office when he heard the phone begin to ring. He picked it up quickly, eager for news. "Cragen."

"Cap', it's Liv." His detective's voice was somber and grave.

"Olivia, what's wrong?" asked Cragen, deeply concerned. Something in Olivia's voice told him the situation in Chicago had not improved, to say the least.

"The house went up in flames," said Olivia softly. "We think Abby was inside."

"You think?"

There was a pause. "We don't know for sure who was inside. The fire chief said that no one inside could have survived, and there's no evidence to suggest she or Richard left, which means…"

"And Richard?"

Olivia faltered. "His whereabouts are unknown. But Captain…would he really have committed suicide?"

Cragen shook his head. "I-" He paused at the soft knock on his door. Covering the mouthpiece, he called "Come in!" and in entered Dr. Huang. And idea formed in his head. "Hold on, Olivia," he said into the phone. He laid the phone down onto his cluttered desk. "Doc, I'm so glad you're here," he said to Huang. "Do you think you could whip up a profile for us?" Huang nodded. Cragen picked up the phone. "Olivia, Dr. Huang is here. I think he may be able to help us figure out what happened." He passed the phone over to the doctor and sat down comfortably to listen.

"Olivia," said Huang calmly. "What happened?"

There was a pause and then Olivia's voice came over the line quickly. "The address John gave me for Richard is the address of Maggie's old house. Richard must have moved in after she left. El and I were driving there, and when we arrived the house was in flames."

Huang considered this. "Fire. He killed her with fire?"

"Well," said Olivia slowly. "We're not sure she's here. I mean, it would seem so, but…is it possible she's not?" Huang could hear the hope in Olivia's voice, but he knew his answer would not fuel it.

"I don't think so, Olivia. If he were to find a way to kill her, this would appear to be the ultimate."

"What makes you say that?" she asked skeptically.

"He killed her with fire. Think of the symbolism. Fire expresses rage and Richard is someone whom Abby must have outraged with her divorce. He kills her in her mother's house – be it Maggie's now or previously – to cause her the ultimate emotional pain. And pain. Fire would be a painful way to die; through smoke inhalation or burns. Pain was his goal. He wanted to make her suffer. Fire seems to fit appropriately."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line, and both Cragen and Huang could tell Olivia was considering this. As much as it pained him to admit it, it seemed to Cragen that Abby truly was dead. Finally Olivia spoke again. "And Richard? Would he have killed himself along with Abby?"

Cragen looked at Huang with much interest, eager to hear the doctor's opinion. "I don't think so," he said slowly. "Richard would not have wanted to kill himself."

"Then he's still out there?" Both men could hear the fire in the detective's voice.

"He is."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Elliot!" called Olivia as she ran up toward him. Elliot was still next to Dr. Carter, conversing with him in low tones. "Elliot, we have to go." Elliot looked at her. "Richard is still out there," she whispered.

Elliot nodded, and turned to Carter, who was looking at the flames with a sad, lost look in his eyes. "John," he said softly. "It's over, come on, let's go."

"No," said Carter, and both detectives were surprised by the harshness of his voice. "No, I want to stay."

Olivia and Elliot exchanged glances, and then Elliot nodded. "Okay. We'll see you later."

Carter watched numbly as the two detectives turned around and walked back toward their car to their destination god knows where. Everything seemed surreal to him. The firemen had contained the fire; smoke lingered over the rubble of the house. Abby was dead. Dead, dead, dead. No matter how many times he said it, he could never fully accept it. How could this have happened? His life seemed to be falling apart before his eyes.

A fireman came up from behind, tapping his on the shoulder. Carter jumped; it took him by surprise, jolting him back to the devastating scene in front of him. "Sir," said the fireman, addressing Carter. "What happened to Detective Benson?"

Who…Carter wondered vaguely. And then he remembered. Olivia Benson. From New York. The one who had just left. "She and her partner had to leave."

"I see," said the fireman. "Do you know if they're coming right back?"

Carter shook his head. The fireman nodded. "Well, could you tell them they might want to investigate something here?" Carter looked at the man eagerly. "There are some skid marks in the driveway like someone left in a hurry."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The car sped down the streets quickly, ignoring most of the signs and regulations. The driver clearly had a destination. He turned the car abruptly, arriving outside an apartment building. A man stepped out from the car, and then popped the trunk, grabbed something, and began the difficult walk up.

Richard Lockhart grunted as he hauled his heavy package up the stairs. As he reached the second floor, he fumbled in his pocket for a key. Finally extracting it, he put it in the door, where it easily turned and opened, like he knew it would. What kind of person would carry around a dysfunctional key to their apartment?

Having finally entered, he proceeded to lay his package on the bed, still slightly shaken from his quick escape. The police had been closer than ever to finding him. After he recognized Abby's two dinner mates as two police officers from New York (even Richard could utilize Google), he realized he had to act drastically, lest he get caught. Fire has the power to destroy everything in its path. He smiled slightly at the memory. That was sure to distract them for awhile.

He admired her lying on the bed. She still hadn't woken up from her little incident with the sleeping pills, but Richard knew that it couldn't be too long now. And until then…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Carter left the scene and went for a long walk beside the river trying to sort out his thoughts. Though he had known for over an hour now that Abby was dead, he still couldn't believe it anymore than he could before. Tears escaped from him as the loss rolled over him. Abby had a special place in his heart even when she wasn't his girlfriend. All those things I wanted to say to her…

Sadness turned to anger as Carter remembered who had caused Abby so much pain. Richard! Carter clenched his fists in anger at the man who had killed her. The need for vengeance cursed through him; it was almost intoxicating. But where would he be? Carter knew that if Richard had been living in Maggie's old house, it would surely do no good as it now lay in ruins. Where would he go? Carter wondered.After several moments, he had to admit defeat; he had no clue. More tears began to fall, and he wiped them roughly away, letting his gaze fall across the river. The wind ruffled his hair, flowing carefree around him. Carter wished the wind could take away his own pain.

Oh Abby, he thought sadly. I couldn't save you. Forgive me, Abby…

And in an instant Carter knew.

A/N: Okay, expect the next chapter sometime this weekend. I know this one's short compared to my recent ones, but I realized it had to be done. Next chatper is gonna be big. If you need something to pass the time, I wrote a oneshot called Somewhere Over the Rainbow that you can look at. (Thanks to 0Kay, CarbyLivesOn, and Unconscious-Regret who have reviewed. You guys rock!). Until later then. - Color Esperanza (or any respective nickname...you know who you are.)