A/N: Only in my dreams. -starts singing- When you wish upon a star...LOL
A/N: I am SO sorry for the long delay. As I'm sure all of you know, the site was down for the longest time (which is why I couldn't update on Saturday), and then I was busy Sunday. And of course, because the site just wouldn't be nice to me, I couldn't update yesterday because I kept getting error reports when trying to load the documents. Technology and I have a love/hate relationship. Because of all the delays, I again will not post one side a day earlier, although ER reviewers absolutely dominated over SVU 9-3 last week. Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers Caia, onetreefan, KaydenceRei, eve1980, Cookie-ER, Arion Rose, Peaky, Unconsciou-Regret, aBbY oLiVia eR sVu, CarbyLivesOn, Alicat Sanders, and LadyPiper1. Thanks guys, we reached 100 reviews! I feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Love you lots!
A/N: SVU people...OMG new episode tonight. Anyone seen the ad? I can't wait - looks like Fault was not Olivia's last episode. The episode looks amazing. Does anyone see the irony of me posting this chapter today? If you can, hats off to ya! (Hint: Chapter Title). Okay, I'll shut up now. Enjoy!
The drive back to their apartment was silent for Elliot and Olivia. Most unusually, Olivia was the one driving this time. As she pulled into the parking lot, she glanced sideways at her silent partner. Elliot was staring out the window.
"Everything okay, El?" she asked softly. He didn't answer, but continued to show a great deal of interest in the concrete pillars of the lot. "Elliot?"
This time he turned and looked straight at her. His face was blank and pale. He didn't' speak at first, but nodded vaguely. Olivia offered him a sympathetic smile, to which he asked quietly. "There's no chance she's – Abby's – still live, is-is there?"
Olivia stroked his hand gently. "No, Elliot. Dr. Huang said-"
"I don't give a damn about what Huang said!" shouted Elliot. He wrenched his hand from her grasp. "I refuse to give up simply because Huang made a guess based on some scantly evidence and twisting of clues to make the pieces fit. He doesn't' know Abby, he doesn't know Richard. He has no idea about what really happened. How can we just-"
"Do you, Elliot?" asked Olivia quietly.
Eliot paused; the question had caught him off guard. "Do I what, Liv?"
"Do you know Richard?"
Elliot gave a roar of frustration. Olivia actually pulled back from him. "Does it matter?" he spat out, "Abby is out there somewhere and we're going to find her!"
Olivia just looked at him sadly. "Why do you think she's still alive? What evidence do you have to support that idea?"
"What evidence do we have to the contrary?" yelled Elliot. "We have no concrete evidence to suggest Abby died. Reasonable doubt, Detective! I don't have enough evidence beyond a reasonable doubt to conclude that Abby died. We don't know what happened in that fire and we don't know for sure that Abby is dead." Olivia opened her mouth to protest, but Elliot cut her off. "No, Liv! I refuse to believe it. That poor doctor deserves more effort that this!"
"Elliot," said Olivia quietly, "If this is about Dr. Carter, then-" She was cut off by the ring of a cell phone. The noise didn't seem to have registered with Elliot, who continued to stare at his partner. "It's yours, Elliot."
Elliot jumped slightly and pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Stabler…John? John, where are you? You're where? Are you sure? How do you know?" Elliot was speaking rapidly; he frowned. "John? John, I can't hear you! John! John!" Elliot closed his phone, looking worried. "The line went dead," he said to Olivia.
"What did Munch want?" she asked.
'Munch?" Elliot's frown deepened. "That wasn't Munch. That was Carter. We've got to go."
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"My, my, my," said Richard silkily as he saw the young man appear in the doorway. He had short brown hair and was talking on his cell phone. He looked vaguely familiar to Richard. "Dr. Carter," he said slowly. He paused, then said harshly, "Give me the phone."
Carter was talking quickly now. "He's here – at Abby's apartment. He-" The phone was knocked out of Carter's hand as Richard lunged at him. Carter was thrown up against the wall momentarily, and then he forced Richard off of him. The two men wrestled, and then Carter's hand found Richard's throat. "Tell me where she is. NOW!"
Richard gasped for air. "Abby – is – dead," he choked out.
"I don't believe you!" said Carter, tightening his grip on Richard's throat. "Tell me where she is – and I might let you live."
But Richard merely smirked. "She's – dead," he said, as he struggled to release Carter's strong hold. "Too bad, Doc. She was – such a pleasure in bed." He gave a weak laugh.
"TELL ME WHERE SHE IS, YOU SONUVA-" Carter suddenly stopped mid-word as he heard a moan coming from the next room. "Abby?" he called softly. He released Richard unconsciously and dashed into the next room. Abby was stirring slightly on the bed.
Wham! Carter suddenly felt his head hit the wall behind him. Blinking frantically, trying to clear his mind, he vaguely saw Richard's hands clasp around his throat. Again and again Richard slammed Carter into the wall before his limp form slid to the floor at Richard's feet.
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"How did Carter know he was?" asked Olivia in an awestruck voice. The two detectives approached Abby's door with some trepidation. They exchanged glances as they rounded the corner.
Abby's door was open. Olivia and Elliot rushed to it, but entered cautiously, weapons drawn. Richard's face leered at them as they stepped into the living room, his own gun aimed at the two detectives.
"Ah," he said softly. "You must be…Detective Benson?" He nodded slightly towards Olivia. "Such a lovely picture. And Detective Stabler? How do you do?"
The two detectives stared stonily back at him, unmoved from his words. "Hello Richard," Olivia said coldly. "We've come to take you on a little road trip. There are some people in New York who are dying to see you."
"Where's Abby?" burst out Elliot suddenly. Olivia shot him a furious look. "What have you done with her?"
Richard noticed the differing reactions of the two detectives. He smirked. "Abby's dead." Elliot and Olivia both tightened their grip on their weapons. He eyed them. "How good is your shot, Detective Benson?"
Olivia cocked her head. "How's yours?"
Richard smiled and raised his gun higher. "Would you like to find out?" He aimed at Elliot, who felt himself take aim at Richard's chest in response.
"Drop your weapon," said Olivia harshly.
"Where's Abby?" said Elliot again.
Richard smirked. "So many orders, so many questions. What would you like answered first, Detectives?"
Olivia and Elliot responded at the same time with their respective requests.
"Oh, Detectives," said Richard calmly, "can't we get along and play like nice children? You need to share me and my answers."
"Is Abby alive?" asked Elliot quickly.
"No," said Richard. "Next." He turned to Olivia.
"Drop your weapon," she repeated.
"Don't think so," said Richard, smirking. "You see, my dear Olivia, I don't feel the need. I know you won't shoot me. Your partner doesn't believe me."
"Doesn't believe what?" asked Olivia with a sideways glance at Elliot.
"He doesn't believe me when I say Abby is dead."
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She could hear voices coming from the next room. That was the first thing she could hear – voices. Abby rolled slowly onto her side. The voices were yelling quite loudly and they weren't doing anything to help her already aching head. She squeezed her eyes together, listening to the altercation taking place outside her room.
"He doesn't believe me when I say Abby is dead." That had to have been Richard's voice, Abby though. But who is he talking to?
"I don't," another man said softly. He had a deep voice.
"Elliot!" shrieked another voice, this time a woman's. "I can't believe you!"
"But you must, Detective," said Richard silkily. "Would you really shoot me it I was to – say – do this?" There was a pause, and then Richard laughed softly. "That's what I thought. I don't think you believe me either. As much as you're trying to hide it, you don't believe Abby is dead either. So you won't shoot me, I know it. Because if you do, you'll never get the truth."
"Stop playing games," said the female detective harshly.
"She could be dead," taunted Richard, "or she could be alive. You want the truth, don't you, Detective Benson?"
Detective…Benson? The name stirred in Abby's mind. The detective from New York? But how did she get here? Abby didn't care at the moment. She realized her chance to escape. The police were here! She stepped quickly off the bed and went for the door. She screamed at the sight that met her.
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Richard, Olivia, and Elliot all heard the scream. Richard became infuriated and in a roar of frustration, he went into the next room, followed closely by the two detectives. He immediately saw Abby, who was standing with her hands over her mouth transfixed in horror at the sight on the floor. Richard seized her by the hair and forced her down to the ground. He then put his foot down on her chest so she couldn't escape.
Olivia and Elliot froze at the sight. Dr. Carter was lying on the floor, a puddle of blood forming around his head. Abby was also on the floor, trapped by Richard, who was wearing a smug grin on his face. "Let her go," said Elliot harshly.
"Why are you doing this, Richard?" asked Olivia. "Why are you doing this? What did you gain?"
"It's not what I gained by hurting this bitch," growled Richard, as he dug his foot into Abby's chest. The detectives saw her wince in pain. "It's what I lost."
"And what did you lose?" asked Elliot.
"My life," said Richard. "Abby ruined my life. First with her crazy family, then her refusal to have children, and then her drinking and depression. I wasted my life on her. She owes it to me to be here now."
"Richard," said Olivia, trying to pacify him. "Why kill her? You'll just lose your life to prison that way. You're already going down for murder; do you really want a needle?"
Richard was silent, but continued to point his gun at Abby. Abby's breathing had become shallow and constricted. Next to her, Carter remained still, the puddle now beginning to dry and stain the carpet. Olivia and Elliot could see that time was of value and was quickly running out.
"A needle?" repeated Richard scathingly, "Ha! The state would never execute me. You don't execute white men with respectful, high paying jobs; you execute scum. Those who are unworthy to live in this world, those that walk the streets in the night. The blacks, the Hispanics, the poor…you would never kill me."
"We can end this now," said Elliot. "Just let her go, and then we can settle this. If you don't, we'll call our captain and tell him how uncooperative you're been. And he'll tell our ADA who'll make sure your day in court is a very miserable experience to compensate for it."
"Is that so?" asked Richard skeptically.
"Now if you just let her go-"
"No!" shouted Richard, cutting Elliot off. "Stop telling me what to do! I'll call the shots here – literally." He took aim at Elliot and shot before either detective could react.
"ELLIOT!" shrieked Olivia. Her partner fell to the ground, clutching his arm, his eyes only half open. Olivia quickly took a fatal aim at Richard.
"Don't even think about it!" yelled Richard, as he lowered his gun to Abby's head. At this move, Olivia hesitated. "You shoot me, I'll kill her."
Olivia narrowed her eyes, but didn't lower her weapon. Her mind worked quickly as she weighed her options. Abby's brown eyes were wide and terrified; Olivia couldn't stand to cause her anymore pain. Her partner, Elliot, was on the ground, still holding his injured arm, his weapon lying useless by his side. His breathing had become shallow and labored. Her eyes fell on Carter, who was still unconscious.
Richard smirked at her hesitation. "I see how it is, Detective Benson," he purred. "You really are weak. You can't handle the pressure. Now that your partner is down, do you feel afraid, Detective? There's no one to have your back. Look, you can't even protect him!" Richard pointed down at Elliot.
Olivia felt tears forming in her eyes. Richard's words had struck a chord with her. He was right; she couldn't protect her partner. He was injured and bleeding on the ground at her feet because of her.
Elliot looked at her. "Olivia," he said softly. "Liv, it's okay. I'm okay. Don't let him do this to you."
"You see, Detective?" cried Richard. "Are you strong without him? No. How can you be? You know you need a man to protect you in your life. Take this one here," he said, kicking Abby. "Her man couldn't save her either and look where that got her. You're worried about the same thing. That's what I hate about women. They're weak."
"No, Olivia," said Elliot frantically. "No. You're not weak, I know you're not. Don't listen to him. Please don't."
"You can't save everyone, Olivia," said Richard silkily. "But perhaps you already learned that. So...who are you going to sacrifice this time? Will you let my words drive you to shoot me and kill Abby? Will you be able to stand the guilt? What if he dies?" he asked, pointing to Elliot. "Would you survive with that guilt, then? Do you love him, Detective Benson?"
A shot rang out from somewhere in the room. Richard was momentarily frozen, and then he fell backward, toppling to the floor on the other side of Abby. Elliot's eyes widened, as did Olivia's.
"You didn't have to do that, Abby," she whispered to her, "You didn't have to do that."
A/N: The next update should come soon. In the meantime, you can read my newest one-shot Can You Hear Me? which was inspired by a protest taken by a close friend at my school. -Color Esperanza (or any other nickname LOL)
P.S. The EOness is coming, onetreefan. It is coming soon.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO END THE SILENCE?